Best of Johansen's Romantic Suspense Endeavors
359845
In general, I thoroughly enjoy Johansen's work.  I read a lot of different  genres, and in every genre, there are good authors and there are bad  authors.  Johansen is a good author -- her writing flows well, and her  characters are interesting.  While I think that Johansen's work, both her  romances and her romantic suspense, grow formulaic if you read a number of  them (as I have), this is definitely one of her best.  The inclusion of  forensic sculpture and Eve's pain over her daughter's death definitely made  the story more complex than normal, and I thoroughly enjoyed the  "romantic triangle."  If you're going to pick up a Johansen, make  it this one.
1068699
Just when I thought I couldn't stand another romance with a troubled heroine who cant tolerate being touched by men and a tortured hero afraid to let anyone into his heart, Toni Anderson proved me wrong.  While these devices have been done to death in romance novels, this writer manages to make them work in a compelling story with likeable characters.

When Anna Silvers ex-con father mysteriously steps in front of a train after leaving her a cryptic voicemail, she goes to the one man she knows she can trust, his former prison cellmate, Brent Carver.  Brent is a hermit and not exactly thrilled when Anna shows up on his doorstep, but he owes a debt of gratitude to her father, so he takes her in, and the two of them soon find themselves on the run from some very dangerous people who will stop at nothing to get the information Davis Silver hid before his death.  There are some nice twists and turns throughout the story, but as a Minnesotan, I was amused at the route Anna and Brent take to Canada from Minneapolis, crossing five states and touring through the Dakotas when they could have headed straight north and walked across an unmanned border crossing right here in Minnesota.  That is my biggest complaint in an otherwise compelling tale about two damaged people on the run who find salvation in one another while they solve the mystery and outwit the bad guys.

I also enjoyed the cameo appearances from Brents younger brother Finn and his fiance, Holly Rudd, from the first book in the series, Dangerous Waters.  Not many romantic suspense authors create stories with both a strong romance and suspense angle, but Toni Anderson pulls it off quite well.  I look forward to reading her other novels.
1581632
This is one of the better early Brockmann romances I`ve read. (Shame about the cover though) Written in 97, this one really is worthy of a re-release because there's an excellent suspense filled story here that managed to surprise me several times by not following the usual cookie cutter formula required of category romances, I never really knew where this was going to go; with events setting up in one direction only to end up going a very different way. And with several steamy love scenes, a tortured hero I just wanted to hug and a heroine that was well... normal (meaning that she didn't `suddenly' know how to use a gun, or annoy me with stupid talk and the usual quarrels) I had trouble putting this one down. When Brockmann's on her game theres just no one better and this quick romantic suspense gave me everything I could possibly want.

FBI agent John Miller is known throughout the department as "the robot". Still reeling from the death of his partner which he blames himself for, John is unable to sleep or eat, just barely going through the motions of living. When he's sent undercover to catch a black widow serial killer, John actually resembles the hollow, sickly cancer patient he's meant to be.

The plan is for "Johnathan Mills" to appear wealthy, in bad health and to marry their suspect Serena Westford, gathering enough evidence to take her down before she murders another husband. The plan however is not for John to fall in love with her best friend Mariah Robinson. Somehow though she's made him feel alive for the first time in years and even though he knows he's sending her mixed signals (that kiss was probably a mistake as was falling asleep on her couch after a back rub) he can't blow his cover. For as much as he wants Mariah he's going to have to follow through and marry and sleep with Serena.

As I said the story here is not as straightforward as I first thought; the antagonist is always one step ahead of the FBI and as it turns out Mariah Carver is not who she seems to be either. Oh and our strong, manly hero cries at the end which just did me in. Cheers.
2310816
4.5 stars

When Lar Delaney showed up a few books ago in Love & Shamrocks, there was something about him that just made me want to know more about him. I was thrilled to see he would be the hero of Final Target, and that Moira from her Treasure Hunter's Ex would be his love interest.

Zara Keane did an excellent job with this well-crafted romantic suspense tale.  Lar Delaney wants out from under his uncle's control, especially after finding out some details of a situation that had him incarcerated for five years.  He's ready to start fresh with his own business.  He's still not walking the straight and narrow, but that's Lar.  He's brilliant and dangerous -- and Uncle Frank wants one last job before he'll let him go. The job? Kill Moira Collins.

Secret agent Moira Collins is looking for answers to who killed her family in a church bombing in years ago.  She knows Lar from a past job, and when she runs into him in Dublin, it's clear that the relationship is not over.  There's still a lot of heat between them, and they forge a dangerous agreement to help each other complete their last jobs for their employer.

I loved all the details in this and the fact that I wasn't quite sure who was to blame until the very end of the book, which I should warn you ends in a bit of a cliffhanger. You'll definitely be left wanting Shane's book, which is the next book in this TRISKELION TEAM series.

This spin-off series is a great complement to the Ballybeg series. If you like romantic suspense with a nice touch of Ireland, this series and the Ballybeg series might be for you.
4404190
This is a great romantic suspense novel, a sort of whodunnit mixed with suspense - you're not quite sure until the end, which makes it a page-turner! I couldn't put it down! No spoilers - but this is a fantastic read and a smexy romance. A thoroughly enjoyable experience!
4526026
The Darkest Night is a fast-paced romantic suspense. Working her way towards a teaching degree by waiting tables at a gentlemen's club, Tilly comes face to face with a blast from her past. Keaton, her best friend, the son of the man who accused her father of stealing from the company and drove her family to poverty. The story lost me a little here because she fell back in to the relationship with Keaton after eight years without any hard feelings or reservations or really any kind of lets get reacquainted period. The vamping up of suspense here really saved the story for me. Someone is murdering the people Tilly works with and a threat seems to hang over her head. Keaton jumps in to save the day, offering Tilly a save place to stay. But forces are at work in Keaton's life that puts Tilly in even more danger as Tilly and Keaton's relationship go from 0 to 100 mph in two seconds.  Beatings, blackmail, and murder pepper the story with a dash of something extra to keep the reader hanging on. An unlikely ally emerges from the shadows and helps save the day. The suspense is unpredictable and still unresolved over who is trying to destroy the Benedicts even as Tilly and Keaton seem to have their HEA on the way. The story appears to continue into the next book in the series. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.
4625797
Aunnie fled from Atlanta to Seattle to escape an abusive ex-husband. She is befriended by a Caribbean woman (or should I say woo-mon) who rents her an apartment in a building owned by James, a carpenter/cartoonist with no intention of ever settling down. Soon she and James give in to their obvious sexual tension and fall in love while he teaches her self-defense. But her abusive ex, Wesley has tracked her down and is ready to teach his errant ex a lesson.

Very rarely does a Susan Andersen novel disappoint. In fact, "Present Danger" is one of her earlier romantic suspense novels and despite its one-dimensional villain, it has an excellent premise with plenty of intrigue, great dialogue, gripping suspense, and passionate romance. There's just one problem... two really - the annoying southern and Caribbean accents. They are so distracting that it takes twice as long to read. And they are not that accurate - more like a caricature. A couple of Andersen's earlier suspense novels share this annoying trait.
3190242
Well written and edited. This can be read as a stand-alone book, although this couple's story actually begins in book 1 of this series.

I really enjoyed this book. It's another twisty suspense story about a couple who has insta-lust, but is fighting the inevitable because neither one can believe the relationship could work. Their relationship takes a while to come together, making the whole thing so much more believable.

This story has a serial killer, which is my least favorite suspense villain -- but in this story, it really works. The suspense combined with a rich supporting cast, an interesting detour about the recovery of an old-world master painting and some humorous dialog -- along with a hot, alpha FBI SAC, made this a very entertaining read.

I am already looking forward to the next book in the series!

Strongly recommended for fans of romantic suspense.
1879496
This story is action-packed and full of surprises from the opening to the very last page!

Gianna is a modern day heroine with a nursing degree that she uses to help the disadvantaged in an inner city clinic and as a entrepreneur with a medical technology company that promises to be a game changer with regards to medical records.  Joe is a trauma surgeon with ties to Gianna's family and a widower with a painful past.  Both have secrets that as they unravel connect and define them in ways that they cannot quite imagine.

I loved both the hero and heroine in this story, whose romance progressed authentically with a few bumps in the road.  Gianna was consistently strong, wise, courageous (without being ridiculous), and demanding of Joe in ways that made her the consummate modern day heroine.  Joe was moody and somewhat of an alpha male, who also knew when to confront and when to back down.

The plot was great at combining constant suspense that kept you guessing who exactly the bad guys were and delivering thrilling moments at unexpected moments (the gang scene and car bombs).  Secondary characters were well-developed including the man with the twitch to both further the suspense and romantic plots.  Romantic suspense novels often favor the romance or the suspense, but I felt that Ms. Rizzo did an excellent job of devoting attention to both equally well.  While I knew who the villain was before the end, there were still surprises and twists that kept the suspense alive.

I also loved that this was a complete romantic story that explored an earlier crush without making our heroine seem swept away in the romance and did not abruptly end the romance once the suspense seemed to end.

Silent Sentry is long, but it is a great story that is well worth the extra pages!
4606543
A Promise to Protect, Patricia Bradley's second book in her Logan Point series, is another good romantic suspense novel.  Secrets and surprises -- some a decade old -- pop up throughout the story, keeping a nice level of suspense right up to the end.  The theme of forgiveness -- especially how God's forgiveness should help us forgive others and ourselves -- fit very nicely into the lives of the characters as well.

Being a southern girl myself, I enjoyed the little southern touches in some of the description and dialog of the story.  There were a few spots where the plot either seemed bogged down or a little disjointed, but all in all, I found A Promise to Protect to be a very good read.

Thanks to Revell for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I look forward to more Patricia Bradley suspense from Logan Point, Mississippi.
3080358
Karen Robards is a best-selling romantic suspense novelist and books like Whispers at Midnight are the reason why. An interesting collection of characters, an intriguing and well-crafted mystery, humor, danger and a satisfying romance all serve to make this a top notch read.

Carly Linton is moving back to her hometown in Georgia after twelve years in the big city of Chicago. With both the rat-race and her rat of an ex-husband behind her, Carly is planning on opening a bed-and-breakfast in the house she inherited from her grandmother. The last person she expects to find still living in Benton, Georgia is Matt Converse, former town bad-boy (and now, remarkably, County Sheriff). Once, Matt and Carly were friends - right up until she gave him her virginity the night of her senior prom and he spent the rest of the summer avoiding her. When Carly left for college, she left Matt and the heartbreak she felt over his betrayal behind.

Carly may not want anything to do with Matt now, but she may not have much of a choice. A prowler is hanging around her house and it's becoming increasingly clear that someone means to remove Carly from Benton, permanently. Carly will need Matt to keep her safe and to help her uncover the clues from her past that will lead them to the man who wants her dead.
1355984
Review of Dangerous Proposal by Jessica Lauryn
5 stars

A complex and multilayered novel of contemporary romantic suspense, "Dangerous Proposal" is populated by numerous villains and good guys; but like driving on a mountain road in fog, sometimes it's hard to see where you're going, and difficult to know whom to trust. A bad choice can result in years, or a lifetime, of trouble: just ask protagonists Alec and Lena, both of whom put their trust in the wrong people and have lived to regret it. Of course, living may no longer be the option, as some folks just don't like to forgive and forget-and some mistakes are irrevocable.

Set in New Hampshire, "Dangerous Proposal" is unusual in that it's not ascribed to the ordinary big-city, urban fast-moving locales of many suspense novels, but never fear, there's plenty of suspense, plenty of convolutions, plenty of "steam" and I don't mean of the locomotive brand either. Readers who like their mystery and thrills served up hot and wild will enjoy "Dangerous Proposal."

I reviewed an e-book copy provided by the author, Jessica Lauryn, in return for my fair and impartial review.
2412432
First Line: Fuzzy images from the bank's security cameras flickered across the TV screen.

Three men have been shot and killed in one of Gteborg, Sweden's  most fashionable neighborhoods. All three victims have ties to the same woman (Sanna Kaegler-Ceder), but Detective Inspector Irene Huss and her colleagues are still led a merry dance through the world of the rich and shameless because Sanna seems extremely unwilling to talk about what she knows-- even when her life and the life of her infant son are at stake.

When Irene is left to dig through details of the dot-com bubble and how it burst, she also has to deal with the strange behavior of her partner and long-time friend Tommy. Irene suspects that he may be having an affair with someone else on the police force, but she certainly hopes she's wrong.

Helene Tursten's series featuring jiujitsu champion and happily married mother of twin teenage daughters Detective Inspector Irene Huss has become one of my favorite Scandinavian mystery series. As in her other books, The Golden Calf has a plot with more twists and turns than a mountain road high in the Andes, but while you're enjoying a devious storyline, there are always some characters for you to appreciate, too.

In this book, one of the suspects/potential victims, Sanna Kaegler-Ceder, is very memorable indeed. At first, she's so glamorously in shock that the reader is willing to cut her plenty of slack for her behavior. But as more is learned of her past, and when it becomes clear that there is a lot Sanna knows that could dramatically speed up the investigation, the reader's compassion quickly turns to exasperation. Why doesn't she seem to care that the life of her baby is in danger? Why doesn't she even care that her life is in danger, too? Sanna is the catalyst that keeps us reading until everything is revealed.

But Sanna isn't the only memorable character in Helene Tursten's book. Irene Huss herself has kept me returning to this series time and again. She's tall, athletic, and a quiet, observant person who knows when to be forceful. Irene and her husband, Krister, have raised two twin girls who are just about ready to leave the nest. They're both still sane and happily married because of their priorities. Irene is the breadwinner of the family. Krister is an excellent chef who works part-time so the twins can be cared for and the house can run smoothly while Irene is working long hours on murder investigations. Irene and Krister have certain blocks of time each week that they spend just the two of them together, and those times are always greatly anticipated. Many couples should take a page out of their book.

But while Irene's marriage is just as strong as ever, her partner and best friend, Tommy, isn't so lucky. Watching Irene as Tommy's troubles start coming to her attention, as she begins "gathering evidence" before she talks with him, and the final confrontation and its aftermath... watching this long-standing friendship sort itself out through a difficult stretch is every bit as comforting as once again experiencing the love and domesticity of Irene and Krister's marriage.

Helene Tursten knows how to write deftly plotted police procedurals that have characters that live and breathe on the page. Whenever I need a bit of a Scandinavian crime fix, it's always a pleasure to turn to Detective Inspector Irene Huss.
4208096
I love Iris Johansen. I am hunting for her old Loveswepts because I enjoy each and every one of her books. She's capable, within a few paragraphs, to pull you into a story and make difficult people come alive in such a way that you care for them.
 Not here. These people remain distant and in a way cold. Bess, the heroine, is constantly demanding unreasonable things and getting her way. She's hurt by the whole situation, but that doesn't make her unreasonableness right, and there's just not enough depth to make it realistic. Kaldak, the hero, works on the intellectual level, but not on the emotional one. The supporting characters are, at least for Johansen, formulaic.
I really liked the idea for a thriller, it is an excellent plot, but it would need more meat on those bones to "pull you in", to make you feel and believe. I wasn't afraid for the heroine, I didn't share her sudden need to go to bed with the hero, I didn't hate the villain (although he was truly bad).
 I hope Iris Johansen will get better with her next book, both her last two thrillers and her romances were good (although I would have preferred more relationship in the thrillers, I regretted her switch from romance) - I am definitely going to wait for the paperback with her next novel, this quality is not worth the money for a hardcover.
2026709
"Maybe It's You" is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the third book in a series. It has different main characters than the previous books, but Sloane is a character in those books so this one is more enjoyable if you've at least read the previous novel.

Sloane is running from her past bad decisions and abuse. She's fighting alcoholism and hiding from organized crime bosses that are after her ex-boyfriend. Because of her past, she shows great compassion toward down-and-out people that others would dismiss as worthless, and this catches Micah's interest. He finds fulfillment in his crisis team work, but he holds a grudge toward all alcoholics after losing a close relative to drunk driving. Sloane not only has to deal with an ex-boyfriend determined to drag her back into her old life but wondering if Micah will reject her if he learns about her past.

The characters were likable, well-developed, and had interesting challenges to deal with. The suspense came from the ongoing danger for several characters. The characters dealt with accepting God's grace and forgiving others. There was no bad language. There was a scene where the intense kissing seemed headed for the bedroom, but there was no sex.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
1562136
I enjoyed this book in Jerrie Alexander's Lost and Found series just like I have the others. It is a solid series that maintains its quality throughout. The heroine in this story was intelligent and no shrinking violet. She continued to keep a clear head and help herself in the situation she was in. Of course the hero was there to help her along. He was a very likable character who showed strength and caring.  This was a great romantic suspense.
2080877
Iris Johansen has written another great suspense novel. I have read most of her books over the last few years and have never been disappointed.