Eye of the Storm

Title: Eye of the Storm
Author: Dee Davis
Copyright: 2006 (HQN); 379 pgs.
ISBN: 0-373-77163-0
Series: N/A
Sensuality: Warm

Who: Simone Cooper Sheridan and Reece Sheridan
Where: cross-country; South America

Two years ago, I read Dee Davis’s Last Chance, Inc trilogy and liked her storytelling enough to snatch up her other romantic suspense books.

Simone Cooper Sheridan is a former covert operative, part of a group attached to the CIA. After the group was disbanded, Simone adjusted to the normal life and eventually met Reece Sheridan. They fell in love and married. Reece and his brother offered Simone something she never had: a family.

Reece’s parents had died in an accident while he was serving in the Army. He gave up his military career and became a lawyer to better raise his much younger brother, Martin. They welcomed Simone into their lives and everything seemed to be going along smoothly. However, Simone’s reluctance to talk about her past causes a rift when he learns that a story — supposedly about her past — turns out to be just that, a story from a magazine. Fed up with her secrecy, he files for divorce.

You don’t come across too many romance stories were the heroine has the black ops past. It was interesting to see the roles reversed. Simone was easy to relate to because she wasn’t a super-spy. She could handle herself in any tough situation, but she still human and imperfect. She loves Reece but she can’t tell him the truth. She’s reluctant to sign the divorce, and only does so when she receives a message from her former mentor, summoning her. The children of a man Simone’s team failed to extract from South America are looking to avenge their father. Somehow, they’ve learned who the surviving members are and where to find them. Simone doesn’t want to endanger Martin or Reece. The best way to ensure their safety is to sign the papers and get out of town quickly.

Reece doesn’t want to be divorced either, but as a lawyer, he’s big on the truth. His frustration is understandable. His marriage, he feels, was based on a lie. He doesn’t really know the women he married. Even when he learns the truth about her past, it doesn’t immediately fix their problem. They are on the run from an unidentified killer who has already wounded Martin. Not the best situation to discuss relationship issues. However, the danger to Simone makes Reece realize that he does love her, regardless, and is willing to start again if they all get out of the situation alive.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. You do have to suspend belief at times, but no more than you would for an action movie of the same genre.

Started: 20 July 2009
Finished: 5 Aug 2009

Rating:

Enjoyed it!

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The Contestant

Title: The Contestant
Author: Stephanie Doyle
Copyright: 2008 (Harlequin); 286 pgs.
ISBN: 0-373-51366-6
Series: Silhouette Bombshell #52
Sensuality: Warm

Who: Talia Mooney and Reuben Serrano
Where: South Pacific

Four and a half years after competing in her last Olympics, diver Talia Mooney finds herself participating in a different kind of competition. In an effort to help her treasure-hunting father pay off his debts to some shady people who plan to do bodily harm if they are not repaid, Talia signs up to compete on Ultimate Endurance, a new reality TV series. A group of eight contestants (four men and four women), two cameramen, and the host are dropped off on a tropical island. Through a series of competitions, the contestants will be eliminated, one by one, until there is only one remaining. The prize is a million dollars.

But things do not go smoothly. The competition has barely started when Evan — their host — informs them that, around the same time they left Hawaii, some one murdered an up-and-coming actress and made off with several millions-worth of jewelery. The police believe the murderer fled on one of ships that sailed that same night — including their yacht. Evan reassures the group that the captain searched the ship after receiving the warning and no castaway was found. As far as Evan is concerned, there is no need to worry — the game can continue. This doesn’t reassure anyone. Several members of the show were late additions, including Evan. Regardless, any one of the cast and crew could have done it, knowing they’d be sailing away from civilization for an extended period of time.

To say more about the plot might give it away, so I’ll leave it at that.

As for Talia and Reuben, both are at a crossroads in their lives; both are looking to be something other than what they were before, but for different reasons.

After her last Olympics, Talia went to school to be an accountant. After a lifetime of living on a boat, camping on tropical islands, and spending all her time in a bathing suit, Talia is looking for a normal, serious life. One where she can wear business suits and nice shoes; where she can have an apartment on solid ground and normal furnishings. Talia wants a life that she believes her mother — who died long ago — would have wanted her to have. Though Talia knows her mother loved her father very much, she can’t help believing her mother would have preferred living like a normal person. Yet, since graduating, Talia hasn’t been able to get a job. Nobody who has interviewed her for entry level positions can believe someone like her — her silver medal is listed on her resume — would be content to spend all day behind a desk, in front of a computer, crunching numbers. So far, no one will hire her, based on her background.

Half Irish, half Puerto Rican, Reuben comes from a family of cops. The only reason his maternal grandfather didn’t chase Reuben’s father off, when he starting dating his mother, was the fact that he was a cop (and Catholic). Reuben’s uncles are cops and his three brothers are cops. Being a cop was all he knew how to be. After getting shot though, Reuben had time on his hand to seriously reevaluate his life, and to decide if he truly wanted to return to the force, or if there was a dream he wanted to pursue instead Turns out, there was, but he needed ready money. He learned about the reality show from a fellow Iron Man competitor, and jumped at the chance to sign up.

Reuben is very blunt and a bit of jerk. He calls Talia “sugar” and “sweetheart”, and lets his intention be known. It was lust at first sight for him, but it has developed into something deeper. He’s reached a point where he’s thinking about a long-term commitment and finding away to have Talia in his life. He’s observant enough to know that Talia clamped down her own instant attraction to him and to know, even if she can’t figure it out, that she wouldn’t be happy confined to a cubicle. For her part, Talia initially fights the attraction because Reuben isn’t the safe, serious (boring) type she pictures herself married to; he doesn’t fit into her safe, serious (boring) future plans.

I really liked this book. I even liked Reuben, though he is a bit hard to take in the beginning. He has no problem with Talia taking the lead in situations where she has more expertise. It soften the alpha male tendencies somewhat. The rest of the characters are stereotypes, but that’s to be expected because even on reality shows, that’s what the contestants seen to be anyway. I had a hard time putting the book down. I didn’t guess who the murderer was right off and that kept me turning the pages.

Started: 10 July 2009
Finished: 11 July 2009

Rating:

Liked A Lot

~~~~~~~~~
30 Aug – KMont – I’m not a big fan of these kinds of reality shows, but somehow it sounds like it could make for a good book setup. Glad you enjoyed your category read this month! I’ve yet to try one of the mystery/suspense ones.

30 Aug – Me – I’m no fan of them either. *shudder* Thanks for stopping by!

Into the Fire

Title: Into the Fire
Author: Anne Stuart
Copyright: 2003 (Mira); 378 pgs.
ISBN: 1-55166-694-4
Series: N/A
Sensuality: Warm

Who: Jamie Kincaid and Dillon Gaynor
Where: Wisconsin

Anne Stuart is known for her dark heroes, men that are hard to like, never mind trying to imagine how their heroines fell in love with them. Dillon Gaynor is no exception. He’s gruff, rude, cynical, and angry — among other things. He behaves in an underhanded way toward Jamie, alternately trying to scare her away with his behavior one moment and then in the next, sabotaging his own efforts in order to keep her with him a little longer. He’s a man who’s been in love with the same woman for half his life, yet won’t even admit that to himself let alone say it her. Throughout the book, the author gives the readers clues as to how much Jamie means to Dillon. She also shows us that the otherwise hard man is also capable of being gentle, tender even.

Into the Fire is not a light, romantic love story. I liked the book a lot despite this, primarily because of Dillon. He’s very realistic. He’s trying to get on with his life, atoning for his self-destructive youth. He has his business and his good friend, Mouser. He chose to turn his life around, long before Jamie came back into it, which is a nice touch — a departure from all the other bad boy heroes tamed by the heroine.

Twelve years ago, Dillon was the gorgeous bad boy of Marshfield, Rhode Island, the one every school girl fantasized about, including honor student and all-around good girl Jamie. It didn’t matter that he smoked, drank, and was usually up to something illegal. It didn’t matter that he seemed to be oblivious of her presence. It didn’t matter that the Kincaid’s were wealthy and that her mother hated Dillon. None of it stopped Jamie from secretly wishing he was her boyfriend. Her beloved cousin Nate knew about her crush on his best friend and that made it easier for him to convince her to come with them to one of their parties. Before the night was over, Jamie was raped and Dillon was hauled off to jail for nearly beating a man to death with his bare hands.

In the present, Jamie drives to Wisconsin to learn the truth behind Nate’s death. The one person who can provide answers is Dillon, possibly the last person to see Nate alive. He is also the last person in the world that Jamie wants to see again. But Isobel Kincaid, Jamie’s mother, loved Nate like a son and she wants answers. Showing up unannounced, Jamie hopes he won’t remember the last time they saw each other. She is hoping that he was too drunk and too high to remember the details of that night. Much to Jamie’s annoyance, Dillon remembers all too well, particularly what happened between them before she was raped. It also seems she hasn’t lost her fascination with him. Even in the midst of her protestations to the contrary, she’s attracted to him. It’s Dillon she wants, and probably always will.

But Jamie still clings to the belief that Dillon lead Nate astray and that Nate would never have let anything bad happen to her. In truth, Dillon is positively saintly when compared to Nate, yet Jamie doesn’t trust Dillon. Dillon knows just how twisted Nate was — but there’s no way he can convince Jamie of this. Jamie has been sheltered from the truth all her life. That last bit makes Jamie come across as a weak character. Truthfully, to me, it made her seem more realistic. Jamie has been misled by her family, people she should have been able to trust.

Other reviewers have stated that they did not like the ending. Considering all that Jamie and Dillon have been through, the ending felt right. For the first time in their lives, they are truly free from manipulative influences and have the opportunity to find out if they can make it work and have a truly lasting, loving relationship. To me, the ending seemed hopeful, and I was actually moved by it.

Started: 21 April 2009
Finished: 25 April 2009

Rating:

Liked A Lot

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The Romance Reader
I Just Finished Reading. . .

Addendum:
This is a re-post, due to technical difficulties. Comments, if any, were lost. I apologize for the inconvenience. (Aug 09)

This is a re-post, due to data loss.  (Oct 09)

__________________________________________________________________

Recently, I was perusing my category tags, both on-line and off.  Since I label even contemporary-set paranormals and urban fantasy as “contemporary”, it looks like I’ve read more contemporary books than historical.

My original thought behind labeling them as such was to distinguish them from historical-set fantasy and paranormal, on the off chance I read one — Mary Jo Putney’s “The Marriage Spell” — and futuristics — most of  Colby Hodge’s “Twist” is set in the future.

I’m beginning to think that this is misleading.   Readers looking for straight contemporaries might be unhappy to learn that the main female character in “Ace is Wild” is a psychic — though nowhere near the level of Feehan’s GhostWalkers or Singh’s Psy.  Fans of those series might take exception to “Ace is Wild” being labeled as paranormal.

So my question is, is it misleading?

On a slightly related note. . .

In Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews (urban fantasy set in an alternate-reality Atlanta), we learn one of the characters is a big fan of paranormal romances (not Kate — her favorite book is “The Princess Bride”).  Later, we learn that several books (or all of them) by the character’s favorite author features. . .pirates.

This got me thinking.  In Kate’s world there are shape-shifters, vampires, magic.  What would these characters consider “paranormal”?  Your average Harlequin Superromance? Chick-lit? Ye Olde  Bodice-rippers of the 80′s?

And would a comtemporary be a story about a hunk of a werehyhena romantically pursuing a heavily armed Knight of the Order?

Anyone else pondered this?

There’s a poll in my sidebar regarding the labeling .  Please take a moment to vote.  Thanks.

Ace is Wild

Author: Penny McCall
Copyright: 2008 (Berkley); pgs. 308
ISBN: 978-0-425-22298-0
Series: N/A
Sensuality: Warm

Who: Vivienne Foster and Daniel “Ace” Pierce
Where: Boston

This is the second book I’ve read by this author. Though some of the characters and plot elements from her previous books make an appearance, it’s not necessary to read either All Jacked Up or Tag, You’re it! first.

Vivienne Foster is a psychic. No, really, she is. And that’s the problem. Law enforcement types generally don’t believe in her abilities, so going to them with her knowledge pertaining to a hit on an Assistant DA is pointless. No one will believe her that Daniel Pierce is in mortal danger without solid proof — like the identity of the person ordering the hit or the name of the hired gun. Vivi’s visions don’t work that way, so she left with only one course of action — try to get his attention at a bachelor charity auction and hope he listens to her.

Daniel is a former FBI field agent, benched after a near-fatal shooting damaged his leg. Unable to return to field work in any law enforcement agency, he became a lawyer. But even that isn’t enough for guy who’s goal in life was to make the world a safer place. His track record is hardly impressive, mainly because he doesn’t compromise when it comes to his ethics or his integrity. Even though he doesn’t want to believe in Vivi’s talent, he’s willing to accept the possibility there really is a hit out on him. He wants to be actively involved in the investigation, not sitting in some safe house or guarded by federal agents. Daniel is sure that Vivi knows more than she’s letting on — there is something important she’s not telling him. Daniel doesn’t have many “wins” — cases where he sent someone to prison for life or, at least, a very long time. Narrowing down the list of possibilities and investigating them — Vivi doing a reading on them — shouldn’t be so hard, but their progress is hindered by more attempts on Daniel’s life by slightly incompetent and elusive hit men.

Both have trust issues. Vivi, obviously, has a hard time trusting cops and lawyers because they don’t believe her, and she knows that Daniel is only humoring her. Trusting the wrong person got Daniel shot, so it will take a lot of convincing before he’ll trust Vivi. They both also believe in speaking the truth. Vivi doesn’t lie to her customers. She won’t tell them only what they want to hear, unless it’s the truth. Some things — like death — she can’t bear predicting, so she tries to steer her clients away from those types of questions. Daniel is a “the world is black and white” type guy — no gray areas. He sees Vivi being sued by clients as proof she’s a con artist — and therefore a criminal. Of course, Vivi was sued by clients that didn’t like what she told them — the truth.

From the beginning, Daniel and Vivi are physically attracted to each other. Both try to ignore it. At some point, during their running around Boston eluding hit men, — and the cops and Feds who don’t want them involved in the investigation — Vivi starts to fall in love with Daniel. This is bad news because those feelings prevent her from getting a read on Daniel. With his life in danger, this could prove fatal. Naturally, it takes Daniel a little longer to realize what he’s feeling is more than lust.

I really enjoyed this book. There’s a lot of action, so the story moves pretty quickly. Vivi’s a fun character. She’s strong and she doesn’t back down, even when Daniel is biting her head off for one reason or other. She can give as good as she gets. I really liked Daniel. When you first meet him, he comes across as a slick, sophisticated lawyer, but really he’s a jeans-and-t-shirt kind of guy; happier out in the field than behind a desk.

Favorite Quotes:
“If I didn’t trust you and believe in your ability I wouldn’t be asking you to save the day, but you can’t even drum up a halfway credible premonition.”
“Because I love you, you jackass.”
“Uh. . .”
“That’s right, you moron, I love you.”
– Daniel and Vivi, in a tight spot, yelling at each other

“The place was crawling with cops and feds.”
“That’s what happens when you call and tell them you were almost murdered by a high-ranking mob figure.”
– Daniel, Vivi

Started: 19 February 2009
Finished: 27 February 2009

Rating:

Liked A Lot

Christmas Getaway

Author(s): Anne Stuart, Tina Leonard, Marion Lennox
Copyright: 2008 (Harlequin); pgs. 282
Series:  N/A
Sensuality:  Subtle

The stories in this anthology are connected by a main plot.  The only author I’ve read before was Anne Stuart.  The blurbs on the back are misleading, to say the least.

The overarching plot which connects the story is roughly this:  Crooked Boston cop Connor O’Bannion tries to set up fellow police officer, James Fitzpatrick (Claus and Effect) as a fall guy.  But Fitz goes on the run and Connor is due in Dallas to marry Molly Broadbent (Candy Canes and Crossfire), the woman he’s been dating for several years and he has now decided he needs to marry if he wants to advance on the force.  At the rehearsal dinner, it appears that Molly’s maid of honor, Jean Norville (Caught at Christmas), may have overheard him make some threats.  Figuring his cover is blown, Connor fails to show up at his own wedding.  He goes to ground for a few days and eventually ends up in Australia at Christmas, hoping to get his hands on the diamonds his cousin, Vincent Devlin, has hidden.

As for the individual stories…

“Claus and Effect” (Anne Stuart)
Dr. Elois “Ellie” Pollard is preparing for her own wedding when James Fitzpatrick kidnaps her at gunpoint, dressed as Santa.  Fitz hopes that Ellie can help him clear his name.  He observed Ellie at the funeral for Vincent Devlin’s wife, Erica and had wondered if she might know something, anything, that can point the finger at O’Bannion.  Unfortunately, Ellie only knew Erica through the woman’s brother, Joe Cartland (Candy Canes and Crossfire), whom she spent time with in a foster home in Australia.  Since Ellie doesn’t know anything, Fitz’s only other hope is his first partner, long retired.  He may have collected enough dirt on O’Bannion to prove him untrustworthy.  But now that Fitz has dragged her into this, Ellie’s in danger, too, and Ellie refuses to leave a patient (Fitz was wounded).

This story was fast paced and the characters were likable.  Ellie comes up with a clever way of getting passed a stakeout.  Enjoyable read.

“Caught at Christmas” (Tina Leonard)
As stated above, Jean Norville overhears something at the wedding rehearsal.  The best man, Connor’s crony, tries to take out Jean.  She’s whisked away by Molly’s brother, Sam, to his secluded ranch.  Sam’s a former Texas Ranger and he’s tasked with keeping an eye on Jean until Connor is nabbed.  Jean isn’t thrilled by this.  She rather be home in Boston, surrounded by her Christmas-loving family.  Sam, feeling bad — and not knowing how long she’ll have to stay with him — allows Jean to decorate his home and even bake Christmas cookies.  Sam himself isn’t much into the holiday and his parent’s bitter marriage has had a profound effect on both Sam and Molly’s views on relationships.  Jean’s efforts and her stories about her family finally make him realize what he’s missing.  But Jean’s barely there a day when the cops inform them that Connor has left the state, so Jean can go home.  Sam elects to drive, wanting to spend time with Jean.  And though Connor has gone into hiding, it doesn’t mean the coast is clear.

Of the three stories, I liked this one the best.  And I loved Sam.  This one isn’t as fast paced as the first, but I thought it moved pretty briskly and I thought the ending was just right — not too sugary.

“Candy Canes and Crossfire” (Marion Lennox)
After the non-wedding, Joe Cartland takes his dead sister’s children back to Australia.  But Joe doesn’t know a whole lot about them, since Erica spent most of her time in the United States.  Joe’s relieved when Molly arrives unexpectedly.  The children — Charlie, Lily, and Zoe — are very fond of Molly and perk up when they see her.  But Molly came to the secluded Devlin estate to get away and be alone after being stood up by a man who is not only crooked, but may also be responsible for the deaths of Vincent and Erica.  However, she relents and whips them all into the Christmas spirit.  But their quiet little holiday is short-lived.  Connor is still on the loose.

This one was a bit slower and I didn’t warm up to either lead.

Overall, I enjoyed the book.

Started: 8 December  2008
Finished: 28 December 2008

Rating:

Liked A Lot

Royal Lockdown

Author: Rebecca York
Copyright: 2007 (Harlequin); pgs. 246
Series: Harlequin Intrigue #994; Lights Out
Sensuality: Warm

Who: Princess Ariana LeBron of Beau Pays and Shane Peters
Where: Boston, MA

Eleven years ago, Liam Shea was sent to prison.  He was part of a Special Forces task force, sent in to rescue hostages.  But when he supposedly cut the power too soon, the kidnappers were alerted and several of the hostages were killed before the task force could reach them.  Shea has long claimed he was set up, that he got an “all set” signal from someone else on the team.  But without proof, he’s found guilty.  Now out of prison, Shea is bent on revenge against the men of that task force.  Several of the members are attending a gala, and he sets his plan into motion.

Shane Peters was one of those men.  He’s now a millionaire security expert.  His primary interest in the gala is the Beau Pays sapphire, on display for the event.  He’s especially interested in what type of security it has, since he is looking to be hired by the king.  Then he sees Princess Ariana and is instantly attracted to her.  He manages to get her to dance with him and is therefore with Shane when Shea and his sons take the gala attendees hostage.

Ariana has always been a dutiful princess and is set to marry a minor noble of Beau Pays.  Meeting Shane, being instantly attracted to him, makes her rethink her decisions.  The more she gets to know him, the more certain Ariana is that Shane’s the one she wants to be with.  Ariana is so sure of this, she is more than willing to give into temptation, even while Shane himself is trying to avoid it.  He believes that a relationship between them could never work — he with his side job in the black ops field and her as the future queen.

But before all that can be settled, the pair has to survive the Sheas.  Liam’s primarily interested in Ariana because she is standing in for her father, who was on that ill-fated mission.  The king, being ill, sent her to the gala.  Shane makes it his mission to get her safely out of Boston.

The book moves along pretty quickly.  Ariana gets to show off her skills in self defense and fire arms.  Since this is the first book in a four-book mini-series, the kidnapping and revenge plot is not resolved.

Started: 18 August 2008
Finished: 28 August 2008

Rating:

Enjoyed it!

Texas Ransom

Author: Amanda Stevens
Copyright: 2008 (Harlequin); pgs. 242
Series: Silhouette Intrigue #1035; Intrigue’s Ultimate Heroes
Sensuality: Subtle

Who: Graham Hollister and Kendall Hollister

Summary: Wealth, power and the perfect life. That’s what Graham Hollister thought he had with his beautiful wife, Kendall. He’d almost lost her in a deadly car crash, but since then he’d reveled in their renewed marriage. Until one Texas night changed everything. A brutal crime cartel came to abduct Kendall. Only the kidnappers didn’t want just ransom — they were out for revenge. But as Graham raced against time and all odds to rescue his wife, everything he thought he once knew about her was now in question. Would the dark, dangerous secrets she harbored destroy them both?

Comments: If you’re the sort of Romance reader that doesn’t like it when the author keeps the main couple apart for nearly the entire book, then this book is not for you. Kendall is kidnapped early on and the couple is reunited during the last few pages. You’ve been warned.

I liked Graham, which is fortunate, since we spend so much time in his head, as he tries to cope with a situation where he is in over his head. Graham is not the aggressive, golden boy of the family — that would be his older brother, Terrence. Graham was the less athletic, studious son. He wears glasses. He suffers from vertigo. Though he owns his own architectural firm, his life is relatively simple and quiet. All that changes when his wife is taken from him.

Graham is anxious to get his wife back, but is afraid that the kidnapper will carry out their threats against his family if he doesn’t follow their instructions to the letter. Graham is able to make contact with the FBI covertly, but he realizes pretty quickly that they are suspicious of him. Things aren’t adding up for them. Over the course of the book, Graham learns that there are many things he doesn’t know about his wife, and those things are making the FBI suspicious of them both. Through it all, nothing shakes he determination to get her back.

As noted above, Kendall is hardly in the book. It’s hard to talk about her, because it would be a spoiler. Suffice to say, she truly loves Graham. She, too, was in way over her head and afraid of losing the man she loves.

Started: 1 July 2008
Finished: 6 July 2008

Rating:

Enjoyed it!

The Good Liar

Author: Laura Caldwell
Copyright: 2008 (MIRA); pgs. 407
Series: N/A
Sensuality: Subtle

Summary: When Liza sets up the newly divorced Kate with Michael Waller, an elegant man sixteen years her senior, neither woman expects Kate to fall for him so soon. The relationship is a whirlwind that enthralls Kate. . .and frightens Liza. Because Liza knows she may have introduced Kate to more than her dream man; she may have unwittingly introduced her to a dangerous world of secrets. And yet Kate marries Michael and follows him to a French-Canadian town called St. Marabel, where she begins to suspect that Michael isn’t exactly who he seems. As each new suspicion arises, Kate finds herself investigating her husband, but what she doesn’t know is that she’s about to steer her friendship with Liza on a collision course that will race from the U.S. to Russia and from Canada to Brazil, and the betrayals she uncovers could cause the end of all of them.

Comments: Though Kate was the main character of the book, I was more interested in Liza. I was never worried that Kate and Michael’s relationship would fall apart beyond repair. But Liza’s journey — and Michael’s professional quandaries — had me turning the pages. That doesn’t mean I thought Kate was unnecessary to the story. Far from it. As Liza’s best friend and the love of Micheal’s life, many of their actions are influenced by their feelings for her.

I thought the book was fast-paced, and it wouldn’t have taken me as long to read as it seems, if I hadn’t stopped reading 3/4 through. I was behind with my reviews, and I was in danger of becoming even more behind. Even with the reading break, I was able to get right back into the story.

Started: 10 June 2008
Finished: 29 June 2008

Liked A Lot

Rating:

Black Ice

Author: Anne Stuart
Copyright: 2005 (Mira); pgs. 377
Series: 1st in the “Ice” series
Sensuality: Hot

Who: Chloe Underwood and Bastien Toussaint

From the back: Living paycheck to paycheck in Paris, American book translator Chloe Underwood would give anything for some excitement and passion — even a little danger. So when she’s offered a lucrative weekend gig translating at a business conference in a remote château, she jumps at the chance to shake things up.

Comments: I found this book hard to put down. I could have easily finished it in two days — one, if I had started reading it earlier in the day — but I forced myself to put it aside so I wouldn’t be two reviews behind.

Wow. Yes, Bastien isn’t your typical romance hero, and that’s what makes him interesting. A ruthless agent tired of the “at any cost” mandate of the agency he works for, Bastien is beyond burnout. This makes him vulnerable to his sub-conscience, which propels him to find out what’s become of Chloe in the château. Caring about anyone is a death sentence to someone in his line of work. As he sees it, if he’s going to die anyway, at least let it be for doing the right thing.

Though Bastien would have Chloe think otherwise, he is a good guy. The Committee is, regardless of their tactics, supposed to be working for the greater good. The fact that Bastien never considers turning traitor indicates he still have a few idealistic loyalties. However, he doesn’t hesitate to tell Chloe that he isn’t a nice man, that she shouldn’t make him out to be something he isn’t, and that she should forget about him and get on with her life. Once he realizes he’s in love with her, it’s more important to him that he keeps her safe by staying out of her life.

I liked Chloe. She is surprisingly strong — manages to withstand being tortured longer than one would have expected, bounces back from more than one brush with death, and faces down the same adversary twice. Though she has good reason to, she can’t seem to bring herself to hate Bastien for very long. She doesn’t realize the effect she has on him, that the small acts of kindness are the results of her influence on him: sparing the dogs, going back for his coat because she asks for it, etc. She has unknowingly wormed her way into his heart. She easily could have been annoying and whiny. I glad that she wasn’t. I don’t think a weak, clingy heroine could have lasted long with Bastien.

Looking forward to reading the other books in this series.

Started: 10 February 2008
Finished: 13 February 2008

Rating:

LOVED IT !!