Review: Montana Glory

Montana Glory
R. C. Ryan
Contemporary Western
McCords/Book 3
Grand Central/November 2010

From the back cover ~

They're the McCords. . . three rugged, sexy cowboy cousins who'll inherit the family ranch - if they seek the treasure hidden on it. But even more precious are the women who can tame their wild hearts. . .

Single mom Riley Mason learned how to take care of herself the hard way. . . and keep an explosive secret. But her new job with the McCords has put her and her you daughter under the endless prairie sky and the protective arm of cowboy Zane McCord. The wildest of the McCord cousins, Zane lives as free as the mustangs he tames on his family's land. And even though Riley's unexpected spirit and courage tempt him in ways he never imagined, earning her trust is the hardest challenge he's ever faced. Yet, as a deadly danger from Riley's past threatens to destroy the McCords and their priceless legacy, both Riley and Zane must risk what the fear most to have a future together - and at last claim their. . . Montana Glory

Even though this is the last book in the trilogy, I had no problem following along while learning about the other two cousins, Jesse and Wyatt along with their wives. The story is centered around Riley and Zane and Riley's daughter Summer is also part of the relationship. The Lost Nugget is a working ranch, all three cousins work hard while also searching for the family hidden treasure.

Riley Mason is a recent college graduate, ready to take on the world, as long as that world is far away from Philadelphia. She's hiding out and figures the isolated Montana ranch is the perfect place to keep herself and her daughter safe. I like how Riley didn't expect a man to come to her rescue but was proactive in making a life for herself and her daughter. In fact, she didn't want to get involved with Zane and would rather focus on her new job and taking care of Summer. But this cowboy is very persuasive and doesn't believe in giving up.

Zane is like his cousins in that he loves the ranch and the working cowboy lifestyle. He didn't always live at the ranch with his cousins. When he was a child his parents moved to California taking Zane away from the wild mustangs he loved even then. But he's back and has no desire to ever leave. What he does desire is Riley. He knows pretty quickly that she's hiding something but he doesn't push, letting her learn to trust him, kind of like how he tames horses, earning their trust. He's also learning how to relate to a little girl. Zane knows next to nothing about kids but he's enchanted with Summer. Their scenes were cute without being too sugary sweet. Summer is an adorable minx who, like her mother, seemed a little too mature for her age.

As the romance grows between Riley and Zane and the past catches up to Riley, Zane becomes more protective of her and gets his alpha on. I did like how their romance developed, getting to know each other, and not excluding Summer or having her fade into the background. They made a good couple with both of them mature enough to take the relationship seriously. There was also a very strong family aspect to the story. Zane, his two cousins and their spouses, their Aunt Cora, Cal Randall the ranch foreman all live a the ranch. They take their meals together and are a very close family. Riley and Summer live at the ranch and become part of this close-knit family.

The story was moving along well until it took a sharp turn into action/suspense and I found myself wondering who these previously intelligent characters were. Without giving too much away, they made one mistake after another, that just left me shaking my head, wanting to yell at them to open their eyes because the big bad is right there in front of you! The story bordered on the unbelievable, with shootings and helicopter acrobatics. I was glad to get past those scenes and into the treasure hunt and the HEA of Zane and Riley, and Summer.

Aside from the venture into the unbelievable, Montana Glory was a solid read with sweet and sexy cowboys and a young mother who will do anything to keep her daughter safe.

Rating: B

Review: Somewhere Along the Way

Somewhere Along the Way
Jodi Thomas
Contemporary Romance
Harmony/Book 2
Berkley/November 2010

From the back cover ~

In the two years since she claimed Harmony, Texas, as her home, eighteen-year-old Reagan Truman has found herself drawn to others who have made their way there, too. Gabe Leary, for instance, whose plan to hide out in Harmony is dashed when he becomes the town hero. Then there's Liz Matheson: Vulnerable and fresh out of law school, Liz has never been needed by anyone?until an unsettling encounter with Gabe changes everything. And there's Liz's brother, volunteer fire chief Hank Matheson, who's starting to wonder where the town's sheriff, Alex McAllen, will ever set the date to marry him.

As for Reagan, who's been shaped by the loneliness she's know most of her life, she's finally found a place she belongs?and doesn't want anything to get in her way. But when her life is put in jeopardy and the whole town comes together to save her, she'll discover that trusting the love that's come into our hearts is the greatest gift of all?

I think I need to change my perception of this series. It's not simply a romance novel but a "small town" romance novel and I'm not just referring to the setting. There's also that small town feel where everyone is involved in your life. In this case it was Gabe and Liz who had the townsfolk getting into their business. After reading Somewhere Along the Way I've come to expect the romance to share the stage with numerous other story lines. I would say maybe half the book was focused on Gabe and Liz's story, and that's being generous. So while I do plan to read the next book, I won't expect the romance to be the main focus.

Those other story lines are quite a few. There are: Gabe and Liz - the main romance. Reagan and Noah and Bran - a teenage love triangle. Hank and Alex - still trying to make it to the alter. Tyler and Kate - their email potential romance of two years. Mrs. Biggs - with her grave sitting. Claire of the man hating paintings and new guy Denver. It's possible I'm missing someone.

I did like the book but it became almost a habit to read quickly through the story lines that held little or no interest for me. Tyler and his email romance with the elusive Kate. At this point, I honestly don't care what happens to them. Claire and Denver and their budding, crazy romance. This has the potential for an interesting romance but not with so many other plots and subplots going on. So not much interest in them either.

Gabe and Liz, I did like a heck of a lot. Gabe is this reclusive, elusive comic book author who has no interest in people, their problems or their gossip. Too bad Gabe cause you're going to be in the thick of it pretty soon. He and Liz are quite a pair. They fit like two pieces of a puzzle. Gabe is Liz's missing piece. Or maybe it's Liz that's Gabe's missing piece. Whichever way it is, I really enjoyed them together but wish they had had more page time. Liz is just starting her law practice and Gabe becomes her favorite client. Their interactions are humorous with Gabe not always understanding Liz's logic and not really concerned about it. He just likes being with her. Liz gets Gabe to come out of his cave and get to know the people of Harmony. She's bossy like that which is just what Gabe needed.

The Reagan from Welcome to Harmony (book 1) has grown since coming to live in this small town. She is my favorite character in this series. She is such a fun, witty, insightful character to read. She's just turning eighteen but has the soul of a much older, seasoned person. Her love for her Uncle Jeremiah, not an uncle of her blood but of her heart, is solid and a testament to her loyalty. I'm curious to see where her relationships with Noah and Bran lead.

The suspense was good, with a couple of threads to follow. Gabe has a bit of a dark history that he may or may not have to confront. And Reagan gets caught up in the middle of something that puts her in danger. Both situations show how the whole town pulls together and sets aside any differences to help one of their own. I do love that small town feel that Thomas brings to this series.

The next book in the series, no title yet, will be out next fall. I'll be reading it and anticipating the whole town to show up. :)

Rating: B

Review: Love Me If You Dare

Love Me If You Dare
Carly Phillips
Contemporary Romance
Bachelor Blog/Book 2
Harlequin/August 2010

From the back cover ~

When hostage negotiator Rafe Mancuso takes a bullet to save Sara Rios, his former partner, his actions make him a bona fide hero - and New York City's newest most eligible bachelor. Then Rafe admits that Sara is much more than just another woman he's rescued. Suddenly, a firestorm of gossip turns him into exactly what he doesn't want to be: the Bachelor Blog's newest hot topic. His only solution is to leave town and get himself out of the spotlight, and sexy, jaded Sara out of his mind.

NYPD officer Sara Rios has Rafe to thank for saving her life, and Rafe to blame for the media chaos surrounding her. She wants to throw herself back into duty at full throttle, but until her injuries heal, she's on leave and in search of her rescuer. From the moment she finds Rafe and meets his large, boisterous family, she's hooked. But mutual attraction doesn't always mean happily-ever-after, and these two have a long way to go to find their fairy-tale ending...

The second book in the Bachelor Blog series features another bachelor who would rather eat nails than have the attention of the single and not so single women of New York. What's a guy to do but get the heck out of Dodge. Rafe Mancuso heads home, to his big, crazy family and his house on Lake Ontario. He needs to recover from his injuries and try and get his mind off of his ex-partner. The fact that Rafe and Sara had a history, a working history, added some depth to their relationship. It not only gave them insight into how the other thinks but made them aware of the chemistry between the two.

Sara Rios needs to get out of town to but for a different reason. Her life may be in danger and she's also recovering from injuries sustained at the same time Rafe received his. When Sara goes looking for Rafe, she can tell herself she doesn't want anything serious but I think deep down she wanted him and knew that things could get very serious away from work and at Rafe's home. Sara's a firm believer that cops make bad marriages. But she also knows that Rafe believes in marriage, family and commitment. So obviously if she gets involved with him, she should know he's in it for the long term.

There is a secondary romance between Rafe's brother Nick and his estranged wife, Angel. It's sweet and sad, with Nick and Angel dealing with a profound loss in two different ways. They spend much of the time at odds with each other with Rafe trying to help but not get caught in the middle.

Sara and Rafe were a good match once Sara got rid of her negative thinking but it took a kick in the rear for her to finally admit that she loved Rafe and wanted to be with him. Rafe had a heck of a lot of patience with Sara. The one thing he didn't do is completely give in to her terms. He let her know what he wanted. But he was a little too perfect in that regard. Sara hurt him and I would have liked to see him get mad a little more.

The suspense storyline was merely okay. It did surprise me how slowly the cops were to figure everything out. The secondary suspense story line with Rafe's Uncle Pirro was just a little too silly for me. The big, crazy family of Rafe's was enjoyable and added some much needed levity to the story. And the sexual tension between Rafe and Sara held up well throughout the book.

I was expecting to like Sara more than I did. I did like Rafe a lot but again, a little too perfect. Overall, a good solid read. I'm not sure who will be next on the Bachelor Blog, maybe one of New York City's hunky firefighters? It's hard to go wrong with firefighters. :)

Rating: B

TBR Challenge Review: Can't Get Enough

Can't Get Enough
Sarah Mayberry
Contemporary Romance
Harlequin Blaze/October 2005

From the back cover ~

He's everything she despises--a babe magnet with more notches on his belt than a millipede has legs.

And he thinks his coworker is wound so tightly she irons her underwear at night.

Two people couldn't be further apart.

But when Jack Brook and Claire Marsden get stuck in a sweltering elevator one afternoon, it's a different story. By the time they're rescued, Jack and Claire have swapped confidences and oh, they've had the most spectacular sex of their lives!

Back in the office they're still butting heads over projects, but now there's a heightened awareness added to the mix. With this kind of tension in the air, how can they resist another round of sexy indulgence?

This one is going back a few years to Sarah Mayberry's first Blaze and it is hot! The hero, Jack Brook, thinks the heroine, Claire Marsden, is prissy and uptight. Claire thinks Jack is a total player. To say they don't like each other is an understatement. Loved the dynamics of this couple. On a personal level, they didn't like each other. On a professional level, they came to respect each others' work. It's when the personal and professional combine that the sparks fly!

Claire Marsden doesn't know the meaning of the word quit. At least when it comes to her career. She has spent long hours getting where she is and isn't about to let someone like Jack Brook take that away. When Claire and Jack are forced to work together on a new project that Claire developed, neither one of them is happy. Claire makes her feelings known but she isn't a bitch about it. In fact, I thought she was very professional which is why it was so funny when she wasn't always professional when dealing with Jack. She not only shocked Jack, she shocked herself with her less than professional behavior.

Jack Brook enjoys his job that takes him all over to exciting and exotic locations. He also enjoys women and has a reputation at the office as a lady's man. It's that reputation, along with his sexy looks and charm that get him on Claire's bad side. He doesn't understand why she obviously doesn't like him, he's never done anything to her. I do think part of the reason Jack didn't see Claire in a very flattering light was because of her attitude towards him and his subsequent perceived failure to charm her. Women like him, except for her and that bugged him. Then they get stuck in the elevator and it turns out they like each other just fine, at least while stuck in an elevator. LOL

Both Claire and Jack are career driven but in different ways. Claire is uptight and dresses accordingly with her buttoned up blouses and jackets that cover her gorgeous figure. Jack is far more laid back, wearing long shorts and sandals to work. But that's his image - a man of fun and adventure. There are a lot of similarities between Claire and Jack when you get down to the basics. They also have flaws that Mayberry uses to show how sometimes it's the least likely people that are there to help you when you need it the most. Claire is afraid of commitment and Jack shows her how to overcome that fear. The romance wasn't as strong as I would have hoped for with Claire pulling back just when you think she's finally realized she's in love with Jack and it's okay. I wish she would have had a little less martyrdom and a bit more backbone when it came to falling in love and admitting it.

The story is charming and funny and has that quick and witty Mayberry dialogue that I've come to love. It turned out to be an entertaining way to spend a few hours and confirmed why Mayberry is one of my favorite contemporary authors.

Rating: B

Review: Feed

Feed
Mira Grant
Post Apocalyptic/Futuristic/Horror
Newsflesh Trilogy/Book 1
Orbit/May 2010

From the publisher's website ~

The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beat the common cold. But in doing so we created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. The infection spread, virus blocks taking over bodies and minds with one, unstoppable command: FEED.

NOW, twenty years after the Rising, Georgia and Shaun Mason are on the trail of the biggest story of their lives-the dark conspiracy behind the infected. The truth will out, even if it kills them.

Zombies. I was never crazy about zombies when all the multitude of "Living Dead" type movies came out. I do love the Resident Evil movies, but a big part of that is because of Milla and her kickass ways. I don't usually read horror but I picked up Feed from the library because I liked the premise and I was in the mood for some post-apocalyptic drama. The zombies are not as prominently featured in Feed as I expected. Sure, they're there but on the fringe for the most part. The interaction with the zombies is of course as quick as possible for survival reasons but given how the zombies are portrayed, I expected them to figure more in the overall story.

The main focus is on three bloggers - siblings Georgia and Shaun Mason and their poetry loving computer geek friend Buffy. In this new world bloggers are powerful. They are the voice the population listens to after being lied to and misled by mainstream media when the Rising occurred over twenty years ago. Bloggers are celebrities, getting big name sponsors for their blogs. The other focus of the book are the politics of the time. Georgia, Shaun and Buffy are given the chance to travel with one of the top presidential candidates and report from the campaign trail. The political beliefs of the main narrator, Georgia, are front and center. Unfortunately, sometimes it felt like a lecture, with Georgia giving her beliefs in such a forceful manner I couldn't help but hope a few zombies might interrupt her tirade.

What people learned from the George Romero horror movies helped combat the sudden mass of zombies. But not everything went well, millions died and the really bad part - everyone is infected. Everyone. I thought that twist was decidedly wicked. When anyone dies, even from say a heart attack or natural causes, they become a zombie. The virus is dormant in everyone until it is triggered either through death or exposure to the live virus. And it's not just humans the virus infects. Animals over 40 pounds can become infected. This makes for some very heated debates on animal control and going vegan.

Georgia and Shaun have a very close bond that comes from being raised by two media hungry parents that have no qualms when it comes to using their kids to get more exposure for their causes. I loved the relationship between Georgia and Shaun. The love and respect along with the annoyance and teasing that close siblings have, was there in the way they talked to and about each other. Their relationship was my favorite part of the book.

I will say Grant doesn't pull any punches. You get the feeling that no one is safe from exposure and death, and rising, and death again. Hopefully. There are some extremely emotional scenes in this brutal world. In a place where sections of land, cities, heck even Alaska, are left to the zombies, no one can expect to be completely safe. These are not mindless, slow moving zombies, in fact, they exhibit pack mentality when enough of them converge. They have two main goals - feed and infect. One thing I never quite understood is why the military didn't work at eliminating the zombies to a greater extent. There were teams set up to contain and dispose of the aftermath of zombie attacks so why not be more proactive?

Aside from the political lecturing, I liked Feed more than I expected. I think because it had two well developed characters and didn't rely completely on the horror aspect. I did find the mystery of the political saboteur weak, it was fairly obvious who it was. The plot itself was layered with political and religious beliefs that had characters making difficult, life and death decisions with far reaching affects that are not fully realized in this first installment. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment of this fascinating trilogy, just not for the zombies.

Rating: B

Review: Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor
Lisa Kleypas
Contemporary Romance
Friday Harbor/Book 1
St. Martin's Press/October 2010

From the inside cover ~

ONE LITTLE GIRL NEEDS A FAMILY

One rain-slicked night, six-year-old Holly lost the only parent she knew, her beloved mother, Victoria. And since that night, she has never again spoken a word.

ONE SINGLE MAN NEEDS A WIFE

The last thing Mark Nolan needs is a six-year-old girl in his life. But he soon realizes that he will do everything he can to make her life whole again. His sister’s will gives him the instructions: There’s no other choice but you. Just start by loving her. The rest will follow.

SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LITTLE MAGIC . . .

Maggie Collins doesn’t dare believe in love again, after losing her husband of one year. But she does believe in the magic of imagination. As the owner of a toy shop, she lives what she loves. And when she meets Holly Nolan, she sees a little girl in desperate need of a little magic.

. . . TO MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE

Three lonely people. Three lives at the crossroads. Three people who are about to discover that Christmas is the time of year when anything is possible, and when wishes have a way of finding the path home. . . .

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor is short, more like novella length. It's in hardcover which makes it a library read for me. And I wasn't able to find out for certain when the next book in the series is due out. Fantastic Fiction shows Rainshadow Road as the next book, release January 2012! Anyone know for sure? I honestly have no idea what the publishers were thinking releasing this in hardcover (more $$$ probably). I wouldn't pay for it and I consider myself a huge Lisa Kleypas fan. It is a sweet story in what seems to be the beginning of a wonderful contemporary series but at this length should have been in an anthology.

Mark Nolan has his life just how he wants it with a thriving business and a beautiful girlfriend, he thinks he has it all. Then he's thrown into fatherhood when his sister dies and names him as his niece's guardian. Mark not only needs to learn how to take care of a six year old girl, he also needs a bigger place for them to live. So he and his niece Holly move in with Sam Nolan, Mark's brother. Sam lives in an old house on the vineyard he runs. The two brothers do their best to take care of Holly but after months of trying they still can't get her to talk. Both Mark and Sam are likable characters in that they didn't know what to do with this little girl they were suddenly responsible for but they did everything they could. They didn't complain or treat Holly like it was her fault, instead they adjusted their lives for her, trying to give her as much stability as possible. Mark was named guardian so he's in charge of Holly's care and in the parent roll where Sam stays in the uncle roll. Both men have hunky hero written all over them but this time it's Mark's turn.

Maggie Collins is just what the doctor ordered to help Holly come out of her self imposed silence. Maggie seemed to know exactly what to say and do to get Holly to talk in a matter of minutes when Mark and Sam had not luck after months of trying. Maggie was just a little too perfect except for her one big flaw, her belief that she had no love left to give. She was still grieving the loss of her husband and I'm not sure why, when she was so open and approachable, did she think she couldn't love again. I get thinking that she wasn't ready but to completely write-off ever loving again seemed extreme. It would have been more believable if she had closed herself off to people but she interacted with people everyday and really enjoyed it her job.

So Maggie starts spending more time with Mark and Holly until they slowly become this little family unit. Maggie tries to keep some distance but you really can't have Holly without Mark being in the picture and to a lesser extent Sam and even grumpy Alex the third Nolan brother. The romance of Mark and Maggie is subtle. They develop a friendship first, through Holly. If the story had been longer, the romance could have had the time needed for it to develop, as it was, it felt incomplete. As if we got the pared down version and somewhere out there is the full length version.

I'm not sure how to grade this one. I liked what was there but... it was so darn short and had such potential for more. This poor reader simply doesn't understand why it was not written as a full-length novel - Kleypas certainly has the talent. The romance definitely could have been more fleshed out - near the end of the book felt like that's where the romance really began. Before that it was friendship, which is always good but I would have liked to see more of what comes after the friendship. On the other hand, it did leave me wanting Sam and even surly Alex's stories so in that respect, it worked. I can only hope their stories are novel length with more romance.

Rating: B

FYI ~ Something odd I found at Fantastic Fiction when looking for info on the next book in the series. The blurb for Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor is different than the book. I wonder why the change?

Checking In...

The end of the week seems to be the busiest time for me lately. This week was a little different because my body decided to play host to a nasty cold. I'm feeling better, this time of year there really isn't any choice. There's just so much to do that I don't have time to be sick. I did take it easy Thursday & Friday, only getting about half of what I wanted to get done. Saturday I was so sleepy, it was crazy! I think sometimes our bodies force us to take a break. I took two naps on Saturday and I'm not a napper. Today I'm slowly getting better, my voice is the most noticeable change. It's gone all Kathleen Turner. I could get a job with one of those 1-900 numbers. ;)

I did find some time to try a new recipe from Louisa Edwards. It's her grandmother's Fresh Apple Cake that she posted at Romancing-The-Book (go there for the recipe). It's easy and delicious! Seriously, the hardest part was chopping the apples. Very quick and easy recipe - I used Granny Smith apples and skipped the nuts. The house smelled heavenly! It has a crispy texture on the outside and moist on the inside. The apple and cinnamon flavor together along with the texture of the chopped apples made this a real treat!

Mr. & Mrs. Frosty with the delicious Apple Cake

We also got the decorations and tree up. I decided to skip the lights outside this year. I'm just not up to doing it and my husband is working a ton of overtime with little spare time. The boys helped with the decorating and are getting into the spirit. My sister was visiting this past week and last night was her final night here. We all went over to my mom's for dinner and cards. And even though it's sunny and in the 70's here, the winter storm in the Midwest affected even us. My sister's flight back to Atlanta was canceled because the plane was stuck in Minneapolis so she ended up going on a red-eyed. All that snow brings back memories of when I was a kid in the burbs of Chicago, praying for a snow day. LOL We had plenty of them!

I did get some reading done, even remember to read my book for the TBR challenge coming up this Wednesday. And the shopping is coming along okay. Still need a few things for out-of state people that I will get tomorrow and mail tomorrow night when the Post Office is closed and I can used the self-serve machine (no lines). I tried doing most of the shopping online but ended up doing about half and half with Amazon being my go to store for online shopping, no surprise there.

How was everyone's weekend? Read anything you couldn't put down? Did anyone see the new Johnny Depp movie The Tourist? I want to see it (wish AJ wasn't in it) but I'll wait a few weeks, maybe after Christmas. And the kids want to see Jack Black's Gulliver's Travels. I guess we'll see it while they're on winter break. Hard to believe the year is almost over.

Review: Untraceable

Untraceable
Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense
Tracers/Book 1
Pocket Star/November 2009

From the back cover ~

Be careful what you look for…you might find it.

Private investigator Alexandra Lovell uses computer skills and cunning to help clients drop off the radar and begin new lives in safety. Melanie Bess, desperate to escape her abusive husband, was one of those clients. But when Melanie vanishes for real, Alex fears the worst and sets out to discover what happened. Using every resource she can get her hands on—including an elite team of forensic scientists known as the Tracers, and a jaded, sexy detective who’s helped her before--Alex embarks on a mission to uncover the truth, one clue at a time.

Homicide cop Nathan Devereaux wants to believe that Alex’s hunch about Melanie’s murder is wrong, but his instincts—and their visceral attraction—won’t let him walk away. As a grim picture of what really happened begins to emerge, he realizes this investigation runs deeper than they ever imagined. And each step nearer the truth puts Alex in danger of being the next to disappear. . . .

This is the first book by Ms. Griffin I've read but it won't be the last. It is slated as the first in a series but there are characters from previous books/series that are secondary characters in Untraceable who were primary character previously. I wish I had known that before, then I would have started with the earlier books. It looks like I'll just have to go back a read a few off her back list before continuing with this series.

Untraceable grabbed my attention quickly, opening with a dramatic chase leaving me curious as to the fate of a character. It's the fate of that character that leads to Alex Lovell. She starts off as an intelligent woman who works in the predominately man's world of private investigation. Much of her work is for insurance fraud but she has created a reputation for helping women get out of abusive relationships. When someone starts asking about one of Alex's special clients, Alex does some digging and finds that something terrible must have happened to her. Alex fears the worst and enlists the help of Detective Nathan Devereaux. This is when Alex started getting on my nerves. She bugged the heck out of Nathan, expecting him to do "something" with no real evidence to go on. She would get upset with him when there really wasn't much else he could do. He did have his job to think about and had to be careful of not crossing the line. Alex had no problem crossing lines and expected Nathan to do the same. Not very realistic of her.

Nathan Devereaux is a damn fine detective and an all around decent guy. He's a bit gruff but in a likable way many women find attractive. I liked Nathan right off. He says what he thinks and doesn't put up with any crap. He and Alex have a bit of a past that is alluded to, I'm guessing this happened in a previous book. Anyway, they also have an attraction for each other but Alex is hesitant to act on it. She doesn't want to get involved with anyone but I was never quite sure why. The most I could figure out was because she didn't like staying in one place too long and a serious relationship would require her to stay. Nathan is tenacious, not giving up on Alex even when she uses him for his connections and sex. They did make a good couple once Alex go over her fear of commitment.

The group of very elite forensic scientists known as the Tracers play a part in helping Alex obtain evidence of the crime she thinks has taken place. They are an interesting group of characters who work in a high tech building full of expensive equipment and high security. I liked the exploration of the forensic side of the crime. There were details on how evidence it obtained and interpreted but it wasn't overwhelming and didn't feel like a lecture. I thought Griffin did a good job incorporating the science in with the story.

There are some pretty tense scenes along with a mystery to solve that wasn't a complete mystery. I did figure out what was going on fairly easily but didn't get all the connections until the end. Untraceable is more centered on the investigation and the action with the romance coming in second. It's a good, solid story with a heroine who could have had a few less annoying traits. I'll continue with this series once I do a little reading from Ms. Griffin's back list.

Rating: B

Re-Read Challenge Review: The Unsung Hero

The Unsung Hero
Suzanne Brockmann
Romantic Suspense
Troubleshooters/Book 1
Ivy Books/June 2000

From Fantastic Fiction website ~

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 counter-terrorist 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 . . .

Sorry this is so very late! The first book in Brockmann's well known Troubleshooter series did not impress me when I first read it and that hasn't really changed with the re-read. I think it was because of all the reader love that I continued with the series. I do remember not being thrilled with the secondary World War II story. I think that has more to do with not wanting to read about heroes and heroines who are now old and either dead or dying. I would like to read romances set in WWII but not through flashbacks.

Tom Paoleti is on medical leave due to being in a coma and is now trying to recover from his head injury and get back to his men on Team 16. Tom decides to pay a visit to his Uncle Joe and in the airport spots a man who looks like a well known, supposed dead, terrorist. Which is crazy, at least that's what Tom thinks at first. Then he sees the guy again, which I thought was kind of funny. Here's Tom in this little town and he keeps seeing an international terrorist. And, his superiors don't believe him when he reports what he has seen. Add to that the dizziness and headaches, and Tom's not sure what to believe. Kelly tries to help Tom figure out what's wrong with him and her concern brings them closer together.

In another part of town, Mallory, Tom's niece, meets a geeky guy named David who is heavily into graphic novels. Both in writing and drawing. He wants Mallory to pose for him and be his inspiration for his next novel. I guess they were a cute couple but they really didn't add anything to the story. It was like a separate young adult story had been stuck into a romantic suspense novel.

The World War II storyline was interesting but took away from the romance of Tom and Kelly. If it had been in a separate novel, then it might have worked. Plus, I'm not a fan of the flashbacks and that's how much of it was told.

Tom and Kelly - sigh. They had the hots for each other in high school but nothing really came of it except for a few kisses. Much of the time they were together this time around it felt very "high school-ish" with idiotic misunderstandings and both of them doing too much worrying about what the other might think instead of actually talking about what they are thinking and feeling. Then there's the hurt feelings and misunderstanding and the insecurities that could have been worked out had they acted more like adults and simply talked things out. I found them irritating for much of the book. I can say that I like them better as the series has progressed. Maybe because they're married now and getting regular sex? LOL

Overall, this book was merely okay. There was too much going on - romance, WWII, teens, and terrorist, that the book felt pulled in too many directions. Spending a little time on the romance, then jumping to teens, then over to grumpy old men, then another terrorist sighting. It was as if Brockmann was trying to give everyone equal time and ended up shortchanging the main reason I wanted to read it, for the romance.

I am glad I continued with the series. It still has some flaws, gets a little too preachy at times which I've come to expect from Brockmann, but I've enjoy getting to know the characters and even have a few favorites.

Rating: C

What a Weekend!

Wow - I haven't posted since Wednesday! My intentions were good, I've got books to review but RL got in the way but in a good way. Thursday was middle's first band concert. He was nervous but had a great time and looked very comfortable on stage. I didn't get any good pictures, I really need a new camera with interchangeable lenses. After my very old, beloved Pentax died I replaced it about 7-8 years ago with a digital but it has a fixed lens. I told dh there was a Nikon that I researched and it has everything I want. I've had sitting in my cart at Amazon but it's expensive. He, of course, said "Why don't you just get it?" So maybe I will. A combination birthday/Christmas present to myself. :)

Here's middle on stage with his trombone ~



And here's one after the concert ~



He's not crazy about getting his picture taken so I was happy he actually stood still. The concert was packed, probably 150+ people standing. We got a seat because dh took middle early for his call time and then stayed and saved us (me, teen & youngest) seats. We had to park, what seemed like, a mile away. We're walking fast & dh calls wanting to know where we are because the concert is about to start. Of course it started on time so we just made it to our seats. I was just thankful we had seats!

I wasn't expecting it to be so crowded since it was only beginning band - 2 schools. What I didn't know was that the other school had a 4th grade beginning band in addition to 5th grade. Middle's school starts band at 5th grade so this other school made an exception to have a 4th grade band. Instead of being a small concert, middle's band has 29 kids, it turned out to be huge with the 4th grade band having 40 kids & the school's 5th grade band had 53 kids. 122 kids with probably an average of 3, maybe 4 people attending per kid - that's a lot of people to pack into the school cafeteria!

The concert itself was really good. The kids did a great job and middle was just so excited and very handsome, says his very proud mom! LOL After, dh and the teen went home cause it was way past dh's bedtime and the teen had homework. The boys and I went out to dinner to Culver's, middle's choice. Burgers and fries and Concrete Mixer's for the boys which I had to steal a bite from each of them. :)

Friday youngest woke with a headache and fever so we stayed home & he's fine now. Not sure what was wrong with him. Saturday was a trip to the airport to pick up my "big" sis. She's actually smaller than me but she's older so she's the big sis. :) She lives in Atlanta & is here for a week. We headed to my mom's and hung out for a while. Saturday night I cleaned and baked cause Sunday, big sis, my mom and Aunt Fran came over for lunch and hung out at my house being entertained by the kids. My sister doesn't have any kids so I think my kids, especially the boys, are a unique experience for her! It was a fun time, but I forgot to take pictures! There's a big party at my mom's house this Saturday so I'll take pictures then.

I didn't get much reading done this weekend and I've still got to get the Christmas decorations up - I'm surprised the kids haven't asked about the tree. That's tonight and I will get some reviews up too! I did re-read The Unsung Hero but didn't get the review written so I'll try to get that one up tonight maybe? Ha - I've still got shopping to do and cards to send out. And the kids - I'm looking at you youngest - keep changing their Christmas wish lists!

This is such a busy month for everyone. I always feel like I'll never get everything done but somehow I do. I'm trying to do a lot of shopping online - Amazon has been my "mall" but it's still hard for me to buy some things without actually seeing them. The kids have 2 weeks of school left before winter break (2 weeks off). And this is one of the busiest times for dh's company. He's working 10+ hour days and weekends so we don't see much of him. Which is why I do all the shopping, even for me! At least I know I'll like what he gets me. LOL

So, how was your weekend? Have the holiday crazies hit you yet? Or are you super organized and have everything done already?