Suzanne Brockmann
Published: Random House - Ballantine
Date: 4th February 2014
Format:e-ARC
Pages: 576
Genre: Romantic suspense
Source:Publisher via NetGalley
Navy SEAL Ian Dunn went rogue in a big way when he turned his talents to a lawless life of jewel heists and con jobs. Or so the world has been led to believe. In reality, the former Special Ops warrior is still fighting for good, leading a small band of freelance covert operatives who take care of high-stakes business in highly unofficial ways. That makes Ian the hands-down choice when the U.S. government must breach a heavily guarded embassy and rescue a pair of children kidnapped by their own father, a sinister foreign national willing to turn his kids into casualties. Shockingly, Ian passes on the mission for reasons he will not—or cannot—reveal.
But saying no is not an option. Especially not for Phoebe Kruger, Ian’s beautiful and unexpectedly brash new attorney. Determined to see the abducted children set free, she not only gets Ian on board but insists on riding shotgun on his Mission: Impossible style operation, whether he likes it or not.
Though Phoebe has a valuable knack for getting out of tight spots, there’s no denying the intensely intimate feelings growing between Ian and Phoebe as the team gears up for combat. But these are feelings they both must fight to control as they face an array of cold-blooded adversaries, including a vindictive mob boss who’s got Ian at the top of his hit list and a wealthy psychopath who loves murder as much as money. As they dodge death squads and play lethal games of deception, Ian and Phoebe will do whatever it takes to save the innocent and vanquish the guilty—or die trying.
I liked the way this book opened - with Ian in jail. Although we did see Ian in operation first, in the prologue, he is not in jail for that little outing! For awhile I was unsure whose side people were working for. However that's part of the fun in this book, the characters too at times are unsure. It doesn't take long for the reader to sort it out though. Phoebe, a lawyer Ian meets in jail when she comes to help spring him, is a great character. While a very good lawyer, and one who can think on her feet, she is not always the one to have with you 'in the field'. More than one character becomes annoyed with her because of her unthinking moves! Watch her step up when its needed, she is gutsy and excellent at improvising.
Ian has been used to taking care of certain people, he will go to great lengths to protect them. Does this make them grateful? Each person has slightly different reactions, but by the end of this book Ian has changed how he operates, he has been forced to re- evaluate, and treat others differently. However he loses none of his extensive leadership abilities.
There is a small cast of other characters who take part in the operation that Ian and Phoebe are involved in. We meet a few characters that are familiar from the Troubleshooter series, although it doesn't matter if you haven't read these books. I'll let the book introduce them, keep your wits about you, I got tripped up, I should have been ready for it but wasn't. So it was with a chuckle of delight when I was finally was enlightened as the reader. I'd fallen into a little unnoticed trap.
The bad men in this book are bad! Expect some shootouts, wild car chases, people tied up, bombs and so on! If you are like me, you kind of know its all going to turn out okay, but how okay is what I wanted to know!
Suzanne Brockmann often employs flashbacks in her writing, and she does in this book. They are brief and work really well. They give the reader background knowledge just as you need it. She also writes a few times like a script. This makes the action stand out and helps to build momentum and tension.
I hope Suzanne has started the next one in this series, because I want it now!
Reluctant Heroes
Do or Die. #1
Hi there :) Saw you on the side of a blog.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, ohh Brockman, yes I think I could enjoy this one
I hope you do, Lots of fun and guns!
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