Throwback Thursday: Otherwise Engaged by Suzanne Brockmann

Author: Suzanne Brockmann
First published in 1997 by Loveswept

Widow Molly Cassidy inherits a rundown mansion that she hopes to renovate and turn into a B&B, but billionaire resort-owner Preston Seaholm wants to buy the waterfront property and won't take no for an answer.

This is the third book in the Sunrise Key Trilogy.  I was a bit disappointed that it didn't really have any of the characters from the first two book in it.  One makes a brief appearance but that's it really.  Out of the three, this was probably my least favorite.  I seemed like it was written as an afterthought and didn't  really fit with the first two. 

Preston is a billionaire who wants to buy Molly's house.  She won't sell.  In the ensuing pursuit, they fall for each other.  I liked both characters and did understand their reluctance to fall in love.  But they sped toward it anyway.  I'm not sure I totally bought into the scenario of let's pretend we are getting married.  It just felt too forced.  It's not a bad story, it just wasn't my favorite.

Throwback Thursday: The Kissing Game by Suzanne Brockmann

Author: Suzanne Brockmann
First published in 1996 by Loveswept

Frankie Paresky teams up with longtime friend Simon Hunt to solve a puzzling mystery--and finds herself falling head over heels for the one man she swore she'd never love. This classic is available for the first time in more than a decade.

The Kissing Game is the second book in the Sunrise Key Trilogy.  It's another friends to lovers story. Frankie and Simon have been friends since grade school.  It isn't until recently that they start to see each other in a whole new light.  The problem is that Simon never makes a commitment.   

I liked this one slightly less than the first one.  While I did feel the chemistry between Simon and Frankie, I didn't love them together at first  It felt a little forced.  I also thought Frankie was really unfair when it came to Simon's reputation.  He says he wants more and she reminds him of his player past. This after saying to her that he wanted to meet the one that would stick!  Despite that, I loved what Simon did in the end for her.  It was really sweet and would melt any heart!

   

Throwback Thursday: Kiss and Tell by Suzanne Brockmann

Author: Suzanne Brockmann
First published in 1996 by Loveswept

When Leila Hunt is swept off her feet by a ninja at a New Year's Eve costume party, she has no idea who the masked man is—but after he disappears into the night, she’s determined to find him. When the clock struck twelve, what began as a friendly New Year's greeting quickly became the most unforgettable kiss Leila had ever experienced with anyone—including her absent boyfriend. But of all the possible suspects, Leila hardly imagines that the ninja is the same man who’s teased, tormented—and secretly intrigued her—since childhood.

Marshall Devlin is finally ready to face the terrifying truth: he’s in love with his best friend’s sister, and has been for years. There’s just one complication: Leila didn't know he was her ninja. To win her, Marsh will have to woo her. But can he make Leila forget their decades of verbal sparring in time to stop her from making the biggest mistake of her life?

Kiss and Tell is the first book in the Sunrise Key Trilogy.  Sunrise Key is a small fictitious town where everyone is in everyone's business.  When Leila was younger, she couldn't wait to leave.  Now she is back in vacation visiting her brother when she gets a kiss from a masked stranger at a Halloween party. In her hunt to find out who he was, she begins to realize the benefits of small town living.  

I thought this was a really cute story.  I adored Marshall. He has been in love with Leila forever and their secret kiss confirms his feelings.  The problem is that she doesn't know it was him.  His attempts to having her fall for him without revealing anything were really sweet.  I'm a sucker for long time friends or in this case "frienemies" falling for each other.  I was also happy to see that Leila's brother had no problems with his best friend loving his sister.  That was a refreshing change of pace from the usual big brother response.  That gets old after a while.

I definitely recommend this one.  I have the next book, The Kissing Game ready to read neat the top on my TBR pile.  Stay tuned!

December Mini Musings

A Spark of Death: I think I've had this one for a long time in my TBR Pile.  I'm not sure what made me finish the book, but I think I was hoping it would get better.  While it's a decent mystery, it's really slow.  The killer was a surprise.  I also thought the electricity parts were interesting. I'm not sure if I will read any more of the series.

Wild Sky: I was disappointed in this sequel to Night Sky. It was OK, just not as good as I was hoping it would be. For the length of the book, not much happens.  Sky and her friends are still on a quest to find Dana's sister.  Cal is accidentally injected with Destiny and can walk.  But, he is a ticking time bomb.  The gang meets a new male Greater Than who is pretty powerful.  That's about it.  Honestly, I feel like this one could have been shorter than it was and maybe combined with the next book?  The ending was kind of left with the possibility of another book and a maybe evil Lacey.  I would also suggest reading Night Sky first.  I don't fell like this one works too well as a stand alone.

The Grownup:  I'm a huge fan of Gillian Flynn.  This little short story of hers was a fun, little, screwy story.  It's about a con artist that sort of meets her
match.  It's not very long at all, in fact it's almost disappointingly short!  It's definitely read worthy!

Winter Stroll:  Another writer of which I'm a huge fan, Elin Hilderbrand.  This book is a follow up to last year's Winter Street.  It has all the same characters and how their lives have changed one year later.  I think this is a fun alternative to her beach books and well worth the read.

Night Sky by Suzanne Brockmann & Melanie Brockmann

Authors: Suzanne Brockmann & Melanie Brockmann
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Date of publication: October 2014

Skylar Reid is shaken when Sasha, the little girl she babysits, is kidnapped. Scared that the weird dreams she’s been having about Sasha are real—and even more afraid that Sasha is already dead. When a mysterious girl with extreme butt-kicking abilities roars into town on a motorcycle and, well, stalks Skylar things get even weirder. Supergirl Dana tells Sky that she also has abilities – that a hormone in their blood makes them stronger, faster, smarter. A hormone that the makers of a new drug called Destiny will murder to get their hands on.

Dana and Milo, her dangerously hot yet oh-so-forbidden partner in crime, want Sky to join them in their mission – to mold Sky into the ultimate weapon. She can sense there’s something about her abilities they’re not telling her. But the only way to save Sasha and stop other girls from being taken is to embrace the weird…and fight Destiny.

Night Sky is the first collaboration between Suzanne Brockmann and her daughter Melanie.  I did have to wonder who wrote most of the book because it didn't have the same feel as a regular romantic suspense by the elder Brockmann.  Having said that, I thought it was a fairly good YA read. Skylar has lived in the area for a year and still feels like a fish out of water. After a strange run in with a crazy person at a store one night, she meets Dana.  Dana explains that she is a greater than; someone with special abilities.   She joins Dana and Milo in the hunt for the missing Sasha.

I liked the main character, Skylar.  She was a misfit, but pretty comfortable in her own skin which is always a plus.  I also enjoyed her relationship with her friend Calvin.  I liked how the friendships with Dana and Milo developed.  The light romance between Milo and Skylar was really cute.  

My only complaint about the book is I felt there was a lack of world building. I know that this story takes place within the same "world" as Suzanne Brockmann's book, Born to Darkness (my review). Had I not read that book, I might not have had any idea about what was going on with the references to the economy and the changes in the government.  Born to Darkness is definitely not a YA book, so any teen reader who might pick this up, could be confused as to what is going on in this new world.

There is a novella, Dangerous Destiny, that takes place about a year before the events of this book.  It gives us a glimpse into how Skylar and Calvin met.  It's a fairly quick read and worth picking up along with Night Sky.  

Throwback Thursday: No Ordinary Man by Suzanne Brockmann

Author: Suzanne Brockmann
First puiblished in 1996 by Harlequin

Vital Statistics of Rob Carpenter:
- early thirties
- traveling consultant
- no family
- likes Chinese takeout and action moves

That was all Jess Baxter knew about her newest tenant, Rob Carpenter. That and the fact that he liked her daughter--and was the sexiest guy she'd ever met. But as Jess found out, no one got to know the elusive Mr. Carpenter. He was a master at dodging questions...and igniting her desires. With just one of his searing kisses, Jess was hotter than the Florida sun.

But then the murders started--all women who looked like, her. And the profile of the killer matched Rob... Was Rob an innocent victim--or had his burning kisses only been a smoke screen? One thing was certain: Rob Carpenter was no ordinary man.

I thought that last week's Throwback Thrusday book was bad, but this one is a close second.  I honestly am not even sure why I finished this book.  It is probably because I just wanted to see if my guess at who the serial killer was correct.   Some of the scene were just painfully long.  Not much happens in the first half of the book, except the hero keeps telling the heroine that he wants her, but can't have her.  But the thing that had me really not liking the book was the portrayal of the FBI agents.  Nobody is that stupid.  If you have 4 sets of unidentified fingerprints in a room, you fingerprint all available men who might have been in the room to rule them out.  You don't just assume that your #1 suspect's fingerprints are one of them.  Also, the profiler just seemed like a patronizing idiot.  These two things alone turned me off of the book.  I was totally right in who the killer was so I was a little satisfied in the end.

Throwback Thursday: The Defiant Hero by Suzanne Brockmann

Author: Suzanne Brockmann
First published in 2001 by Mass Market Paperback

"The United States refuses to negotiate with terrorists." Meg Moore remembered the warning from her job as a translator in a European embassy. Those same words will spell out a death sentence for her daughter and grandmother who have been kidnapped by a lethal group called the Extremists. Meg will do anything to meet their unspeakable demands; anything—even kill—to save her child.

When Navy SEAL Lieutenant, junior grade, John Nilsson is summoned to Washington, D.C., by the FBI to help negotiate a hostage situation, the last person he expects to see holding a foreign ambassador at gunpoint is Meg. He hasn't seen her in years, but he's never forgotten how it feels to hold her in his arms. John could lose his career if he helps her escape. She will lose her life if he doesn't. . . . 

The Defiant Hero is the second book in the Troubleshooters series.  I really like this series because it has interesting characters and very hot Navy Seals!  While I enjoyed the story, I also felt like there was too much going on the the book. It was pretty long!  This story is told a lot through flashbacks and the waffling back and forth got a little tiring after a while.  Also, instead of focusing on one romance, there were really 3 going on in the book.  Well, one is really the beginning of a romance.  Sam and Alyssa's relationship looks like it is going to take a while to play out. Looking ahead, I think their story is in book 6.

The main relationship is Meg and John.  When her daughter is kidnapped, Meg calls her friend John to some help save the day.  I liked their love story.  I just didn't like Meg much.  I thought she made some incredibly dumb moves.  Why call John when she isn't going to trust him to help save her daughter and grandmother?  It drove me nuts how she kept trying to get rid of him.  We are also treated to a World War II romance as Eve relates how she met her husband Ralph and fell in love.  It was truly a sweet story and one not uncommon for the time.

This throwback is a good addition to the series.  Definitely worth checking out!

Throwback Thursday: Body Language by Suzanne Brockmann

Author: Suzanne Brockmann
First published in 1998 by Loveswept

 In a book that's steamy and sensual, witty and poignant, Suzanne Brockmann celebrates an unforgettable reunion between childhood buddies whose romantic destiny is definitely each other. He's always ridden off into the sunset before, unaware that his heart's desire was so close to home, but now that he'd figured out his dream, would she want the same?

Friends to lovers stories are always fun to read.  It's refreshing to see a couple who have known each other forever realize they should be together.  In Body Language, Clint and Sandy have been friends since they were young.  Tired of his rambling unattached lifestyle, Clint realizes that all he needs to make him happy is Sandy.  When he goes to confess his love, Sandy tells him she is trying to catch the eye of another man.  Clint agrees to help her woo him. 

I loved Clint.  He was just so genuine and so obviously in love with Sandy.  She annoyed me at times as I thought she came across as a bit superficial.  Theirs is definitely a case of not enough communication. The book probably would have been better a little shorter. I thought the need to keep their feelings from each other dragged on a little too long.  But, I did like their HEA.  There were some funny parts. I really liked the hairdresser.  He was very amusing.  I think any fan of  Ms. Brockmann will  enjoy this quick read.

Throwback Thursday - The Unsung Hero by Suzanne Brockmann

Author: Suzanne Brockmann
First published in 2000 by Random House

After a near-fatal head injury, navy SEAL lieutenant Tom Paoletti catches a terrifying glimpse of an international terrorist in his New England hometown. When he calls for help, the navy dismisses the danger as injury-induced imaginings. In a desperate, last-ditch effort to prevent disaster, Tom creates his own makeshift counterterrorist team, assembling his most loyal officers, two elderly war veterans, a couple of misfit teenagers, and Dr. Kelly Ashton-the sweet "girl next door" who has grown into a remarkable woman. The town's infamous bad boy, Tom has always longed for Kelly. Now he has one final chance for happiness, one last chance to win her heart, and one desperate chance to save the day . . 

I really liked Ms. Brockman's Navy Seal series, but for some reason I have had this book (the first of her Troubleshooter series) on my TBR pile for a long time.  After listening, I am not sure what took me so long to read it.  I loved the characters and the complex relationships in the book.  The Unsung Hero is more than just a romantic suspense.  It's about love, loyalty and friendship.

The main romance between Tom and Kelly was a little underwhelming.  The two do have a history, so their HEA was believable.  But I thought that Kelly was kind of a jerk to Tom for most of the book.  The relationship I loved more was the one between Tom's niece, Mallory and the geeky computer guy, David.  I loved how Mallory realized that beauty is more about what is on the inside and has nothing to do with physical appearance.  They were just too cute together.  Joe and Charles friendship was so heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Told through flashbacks, we learn how the two men met and ultimately became best and lifelong friends. I hated Cybele and what she did to both of the men in during the war. The sacrifice that Joe makes in the end had me tearing up. 

Along with all of the complexities of the relationships, there is a real mystery going on.  Tom thinks he keeps seeing a known terrorist show is supposed to be dead.  Is he crazy or is there a real threat?  There is a lot packed into this book. I definitely recommend this first one in the series.  I look forward to continuing on and meeting more of Team 16. The audio version of the book was well done.  Try it out if you missed it!

Born to Darkness by Suzanne Brockmann

Author: Suzanne Brockmann

Publisher: Ballantine

Audio: Brilliance Audio

Date of Publication: March 2012

In the not-too-distant future, the Obermeyer Institute (OI) has made a revolutionary discovery: With special training, humans can tap into the brain's hidden powers (think telepathy, telekinetic powers, super strength, and more). The training is strenuous, though, and it works only for those with natural potential. Tough girl Mac has that potential, and she's a devoted member of the OI. But there's one rule she can't help but bend. Her boss thinks celibacy is key to their work. Mac's learned differently?an active sexual life enhances her powers. And when she meets Shane, a sexy former Navy SEAL, the sparks are instant. But after the two spend an amazing night together, Mac finds out that Shane's a new recruit at the institute. How can she mix business and pleasure?

Born to Darkness starts a new series by Suzanne Brockmann.  It is several years in the future and things have changed in the world.  The government has gone corporate, people have developed psychic abilities and a new drug is on the street that turns ordinary people into monsters. The Obermeyer Institute has put together a team to try to rid the streets of destiny.  I listened to the audio and I loved the alternating voices of Patrick Lawlor and Melanie Ewbank.  Since the book is told in several perspectives, it was nice to have two different people do those voices.

This was a fun book. I really enjoyed the characters in this new world. Although, I felt like there were too many romances crammed into one story.  Even though I loved the relationship between Diaz and Elliot, I felt a little cheated because it was kind of rushed a bit.  I would have liked it to build more, maybe in their own story. As for the main couple, I loved Shane!  His back story can be read in the novella, Shane's Last Stand, but I didn't think it is really necessary to read it before this book. He is funny, smart and very much a navy seal.  I thought he was a great match for Mac.  I loved how he kept calling her Michelle even though it pissed her off.  They were great together and I could understand her reluctance to believe that his feelings for her were real given her ability to make men fall for her. But in the end, I was glad to see that she finally gave into her feelings. I also liked that he wasn't a "greater-than" as I thought his being a navy seal made him powerful enough.


As for the third romance in the book, we only get a glimpse of what I hope will carry over into the next one.  I am rooting for Bach and Anna. Having said that, my biggest complaint about the book was Anna's reaction to Bach when it was discovered that it was Nika who raised his psychic levels and not her. After everything that they had been through, did she really think that he would remotely think about a 14YO in that way? Aside from the ick factor, it just seemed odd to me and a set up for part of the conflict for the next book. I just didn't buy it. I thought it came out of left field and I really hope that it gets resolved in the next book. 


I liked the world that Ms. Brockmann has created. The psychic aspects were pretty interesting. I hope in future books she will go more into how the world became this way..  This book has more than romance, it has a lot of action and intrigue.  I definitely recommend it and look forward to the next in the series.

Throwback Thursday - Future Perfect by Suzanne Brockmann

 Author: Suzanne Brockmann

First published in 1993 by  Kismet

Juliana Anderson is perfectly content running her bed and breakfast in small town Massachusetts; she doesn't think there's room in her life for romance or adventure, and she's okay with that...until a handsome, rugged stranger arrives at the B&B and offers her everything that she never knew she wanted. In Future Perfect, Brockmann delivers the kind of straight-up contemporary romance that readers are clamoring for—unforgettable characters, a juicy love story with a page-turning plot.

Future Perfect is one of Suzanne Brockmann's earlier romances.  I'm not sure I loved it even though I really wanted to love the book.  There was a definite a role reversal in this book.  For once it was the guy who fell in love first; pretty much from first sight. I thought that Webster was a great character.  You don't find many sensitive guys like him much in romances anymore. Juliana is the reluctant one.  She has been too independent for too long to want to give up her life.  The issue I had with this book was the secret that Juliana keeps from Webster throughout the book.  This secret causes a HUGE misunderstanding and conflict.  Then, when the secret is revealed instead of apologizing, Juliana makes Webster crawl back to her. If she hadn't kept it all a secret in the first place, none of the conflict would have happened.  While I am all for conflict in a romance because it does make things interesting, this was just frustrating. 

If you missed it try it out and see for yourself.  This book was re-issued recently. Personally, I like the new cover much better. Yum! 

2 for 1 Novellas: When Tony Met Adam & Scent of Attraction

I have 2 m/m romance novellas for you today.

First up is When Tony met Adam by Suzanne Brockman:

Author: Suzanne Brockmann
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group (June 6th 2011)

Tony Vlachic, a ruggedly handsome Navy SEAL, has kept his sexuality a secret for years under the threat of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” That is, until he meets Adam Wyndham, a charismatic yet troubled film star. Tony knows that by approaching Adam in front of his teammates he’s jeopardizing his military career. And Adam, nursing a broken heart, has no interest in a relationship. Still, neither man can deny their instant attraction.

Tony didn’t become a SEAL by accepting rejection, and his pursuit of Adam leads to one unforgettable night. But the next morning, Tony is ordered to ship out to Afghanistan, and he’s forced to leave Adam with too much left unsaid. As Tony enters a dangerous war zone, Adam, back in Los Angeles, struggles with the demons of his past, while dealing with the very real possibility that Tony could be killed in action. Half a world apart, both men must face their feelings for each other—and decide if what they’ve found is worth risking everything in the name of love.

This was an OK novella for me. I love Suzanne Brockmann's books and I usually believe the relationships in her books. I just didn't in this one. They met, they had sex and then they are ready for a HEA? It felt forced to me and the whole story felt rushed. There wasn't time to get to know either character. Adam was a total jerk and I can't see anyone liking him at all. I liked Tony, but as he related to his team not Adam. I thought that the reactions of the team after Tony came out were pretty real.

What I did like about it was her touching on the issue of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in the military. That was a nice change of pace, especially with its repeal earlier this year. I did some research and I think it comes in after book 12 of the Troubleshooter series, so there might be some back story that I am missing for the characters. I might like it more if I go back and read the stories that come before this.


Second is Scent of Attraction by new author Pender Mackie:

Author: Pender Mackie
Publisher: Silver Publishing (April 2011)

When Shawn takes a job at a cologne counter in a busy department store he hopes it’s the beginning of a successful career in the health and beauty industry.

But almost two years later Shawn is frustrated with his job and his love life. He's still working the cologne counter, still single and still spending every night alone.

His job allows him to meet plenty of good-looking men but most of them are straight, and even when they aren't, Shawn is shy. He gets nervous and tongue-tied when he's around a hot guy and the thought of going on a date with a complete stranger makes his stomach churn nervously.

When he meets friendly and outgoing Graham the attraction on both sides is intense and immediate.

Shawn might be willing to step out of his comfort zone this time but there's just one problem. Graham's with someone else.

It looks like their relationship is over before they even share a kiss. . .

This was a super cute romance. I really enjoyed it. It was well written and sucked me in from the beginning. Shawn is just adorable and I can totally picture his shy face behind the fragrance counter. I loved Shawn and Graham together. What I liked about this story is that the main characters took their time before jumping into bed with each other. I did beleive this HEA. I definitely recommend this quick read.

I know this is the first story published by Ms. Mackie. I see a bright future for her.

Throwback Thursday - Prince Joe

Today's installment is: Prince Joe (Tall Dark & Handsome #1)
Author: Suzanne Brockmann
First published in 1996 by Silhouette

Veronica St. John is facing the challenge of a lifetime. The media consultant has two days to teach a rugged Navy SEAL to impersonate a European prince who has been targeted by terrorists. It's a tough assignment, but Veronica is sure she's up to the task -- until she actually meets Joe.

Despite his physical resemblance to the handsome prince, Lieutenant Joe Catalanoto is nothing like the stuffy aristocrat. Everything about the combat-hardened Navy SEAL -- from the arrogant gleam in his eyes and streetwise attitude to the New York accent -- says regular guy, not royalty. One conversation and Veronica knows nothing could turn this military man into nobility. Joe, on the other hand, is confident he's got what it takes to complete his duty.

But neither of them expects their assignment to include falling in love . .

This is the first in Brockmann’s 11 book “Tall Dark and Dangerous” series. The series was the lead-in to her later “Troubleshooter” series. It is a quick read and nice, if somewhat silly romance. The main characters, Joe and Veronica are somewhat believable. The attraction between the two is instant and pretty steamy. There isn’t much in the way of a mystery, so a reader looking for that will be disappointed. The peripheral characters are fun and make you want to read the other books in the series to see what happens to them. If you are a fan of Brockmann’s, I think you will enjoy this one.
3 stars