Into the Night (Troubleshooters, Book 5) Review

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(More customer reviews)I wish there was a 4.5 star choice.
I own all of the Troubleshooters and most of the Tall, Dark and Dangerous series and consider myself to be a die hard fan of either of Brockmann's SEAL novels. I impatiently looked forward to her new book INTO THE NIGHT, especially because I really loved Mike Muldoon as an ancillary character in her other Troubleshooters books.
As with all Troubleshooters books, there are several stories running concurrently which eventually intertwine. INTO THE NIGHT is no exception. The WWII story is lovely and well told, and I also really enjoyed getting to know Mary Lou Starett who I really didn't like prior to this book. Brockmann does a great job of creating a sympathetic character who you find yourself identifying with. Her humaness is what makes her so compelling. It also shows a new side of Sam Starett, who is my all time favorite SEAL character the author has written, and not all of that side is pleasant. Also fun is getting to see what our favorite past heroines are up to and how they deal with their husbands' scary jobs.
The primary love story, between Mike and Joan DeCosta is well written, but not as dynamic as her other stories. The build up of sexual tension is not up to Brockmann's usual par and when the two finally get together, it's almost anticlimactic, although the scene itself is unbelievably steamy.
I found myself rooting for the secondary characters more than the primary characters and have to admit to being a bit disappointed in not getting to see more interaction between Sam and Alyssa Locke, but I guess that the author is just whetting our appetites for her next outing GONE TOO FAR.
I would definitely recommend this book, however if I were recommending a Troubleshooters book to someone new to Suzanne Brockmann, I'd choose OUT OF CONTROL or THE UNSUNG HERO, which I think are even better than this novel.

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Over the Edge (Troubleshooters, Book 3) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Saltwater Cowboys are at it again, as they are charged with the rescue of 120 passengers on-board a hi-jacked plane which is forced to land in Kazbekistan. Joining the SEAL team in the covert operation is FBI hostage negotiator Max, agents Jules Cassidy (who merely is window dressing again) and Alyssa Locke, who continues her tortured romance with Lt. Sam Starrett., and Reserve shopper pilot Teri Howe.
This time out, it is crusty Senior Chief Stan Wolchonok who gets the love interest, though he tries numerous times to blow it by setting her up with hunky Lt. Mike Muldoon. Teri Howe is the pursuer, while Stan tries to steer clear of the whole enlisted verses office fraternization rule (which does not apply to reservists). Each step Stan tries to take away from her, she takes two steps forward. It is nice to see the least romantic of the SEALs show his softer side.
This one is fraught with so much tension and a pretty harrowing assault of one of the passengers (as the negotiation team has to sit by and watch and listen in abject horror). Negotiator Max wrestles with his growing feelings for the hostage, who is nearly 20 years his junior, and his inability to save her in time.
One thing I can do without is the WWII junk. I just skip over that stuff. It does not add anything to the story line other than additional pages. I like when they use an alternate font so that skipping is even easier!
I usually do not like serial books, but this particular series manages to make each book stand on their own merits. You really get to like the characters, and they pop up all over the series, but it is not a forced inclusion like some of the other stories I have read. I look forward to each new installment.

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The Protector (Crossfire Series, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)Gennita Low turns from CIA/espionage stuff to SEAL action adventure in her new book, The Protector.
The story line is different, though, from the usual SEAL plots. This one is set in Southeast Asia, with a half-Asian heroine.
Cajun-yummy Navy SEAL Jazz Zeringue finds himself in hot water when he tries to rescue a young girl from prostituting herself. Mistaken by Interpol as someone trying to take advantage of a child, he's taken into custody.
Vivi Verreau, the Interpol liaison, believes Jazz to be innocent and sets him free. Things get interesting when Jazz realizes that Vivi isn't just working for Interpol, but is also a GEM operative who will be working closely with his team.
It's fun to see the testosterone fly when eight SEALs are told they have to follow a woman's orders! Gennita Low's male dialogue seems very true to life and at times very amusing.
I really enjoyed the "guy" camaraderie in her story and it's fun to be reunited with Hawk (yum-yum), Cucumber, Dirk and Mink again, as well as several other members of the SEAL team.
If you've enjoyed Ms. Low's other books, I guarantee you won't be disappointed with this one.

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The start of a thrilling new trilogy featuring Jazz, a Navy SEAL who must trust a mysterious agent sent to rescue him. Navy SEAL Jazz Zeringue was taken into custody after a covert mission went awry. He had no doubts he'd be rescued, but he was certainly surprised when his saviour turns out to be the mysterious and beautiful agent Vivi Verreau. It's obvious Vivi doesn't like him, doesn't trust him, but they'll have to work together if they're to escape from enemy territory alive.--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Into the Fire: A Novel (Troubleshooters) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have accepted that the Brockmann who gave us such classics as "Over the Edge" and "Out of Control" is gone, and this trend continues in her latest Troubleshooters book. Once again it's non-stop action, lots of injuries, and thinly drawn romance. It was, however, a very riveting book.
This review contains spoilers.
I've never been a fan of the "secretly in love with this guy but lets him marry her best friend, and wow, he's been in love with her too" story-line, so Hannah and Murphy interested me less than the secondary characters. For me those characters stole the book. Decker, Dave, Sophia, Nash, and Tess finally get a little more screen time. But let me break it to you - Sophia does not end up with Decker. Maybe Brockmann was going to go there several books ago, but she's not going there now. Which is very disappointing.
There is an explanation as to why Nash has always been such a secretive mess, and it satisfied me.
Now on to Izzy Zanella. I fell in love with Izzy in "Into the Storm", because the guy is such a freak and has such great one-liners. Kind of like the Wildcard of old. (Not the Wildcard of his own book.) But then Brockmann decided to pair him with a just-turned 18 year old who is pregnant with another man's child. Did I mention that Eden is Gillman's sister, Gillman, who hates Izzy? Oh, and Eden has the requisite awful childhood baggage, too. In one of Brockmann's favorite plot devices, they have a marriage of convenience which ends about as well as Sam's and Mary Lou's did. This storyline is not concluded in this book, since we are supposed to care about these star-crossed loves and follow their saga to the next few books.
Not for me. Not gonna happen. These two squick me out, for starters. She's 18, he's 29. They saw each other, got attracted, and that was the extent of their great connection. I don't WANT them together, I don't want to read about them so much as brushing elbows. I don't know if she thinks they are the next Gina and Max, but wow, they so are not. Eden is spunky and fiery, sure, but she's 18. And much as I love Izzy, he is not Max. I hate that she took Izzy there, just hate it. It's gross. It wouldn't work.
I'm sure in the next Troubleshooters book - or the one after that - since she loves to drag these things out - Izzy will be at the Ladybug Lounge, moping around, still wearing his wedding ring, waiting for his teeny-bopper wife to grow up. Then she'll get kidnapped by terrorists and they will rush in to save her, where they will argue while bullets fly around their heads, then hook up against a wall and decide they're in love. See, to me, this isn't romance. There's no build-up, no explaining WHY this person, just 1) Attraction 2) Hook up 3) Marriage and HEA. And in this case, I agree with Lopez; it's wrong and it won't work.
So why did Gina and Max work, but not Izzy and Eden? It's not just the age, although just-past 17 is TOO young, for me, but the situation. Max didn't take responsibility for Gina right after meeting her, he didn't marry her instantly and expect it to work. He tried to push her away, and while it got annoying, it made sense. But mostly I got a sense of the inside of their heads, and why they felt the way they did. With Izzy and Eden, I saw no reason why they liked each other beyond physical attraction. None at all. And it all happened SO fast.
It was an entertaining book, it kept my interest, but Brockmann is no longer an auto-buy for me. I loved seeing glimpses of my old favorites, and hope that she gives Lopez his own book. But I really miss the romance.

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The Unsung Hero (Troubleshooters, Book 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)I admit that I'm a big fan of Suzanne Brockmann's books, so I may have been predisposed to like The Unsung Hero. However, I can objectively say that the book surpassed even my high expectations with its attention-grabbing mix of action/adventure, long-simmering romance, young love and an important secondary story told in flashback.
Intricate? You bet, but Suzanne does an incredible job weaving it all together in a way that kept me spellbound.
Everything in this novel works for me. The plot of injured Navy SEAL Tom Paoletti returning to his small-town Massachutsetts home to recover from a possible-career-ending head injury and spotting someone who could be a deadly terrorist is a great set-up.
The conflict between hometown doctor Kelly Ashton and her terminally-ill father Charles touches the heart.
Even though there's a lot going on, the primary romance between Tom Paoletti and Kelly Ashton is dynamite. I love having two people who have known and been attracted to each other for years finally meet up again.
Some readers don't like the addition of the WWII backstory involving Charles Ashton and Tom's great-uncle Joe Paoletti. I disagree. I think the flashback segments are extremely well done and make for compelling reading. I HAD to find out the whole story.
So, count this a rave for The Unsung Hero because it is definitely at the top of list of my favorite books of the year.

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