Rita winner Cherry Adair exploded on the romantic suspense scene in 2000 with KISS AND TELL, the second book in the T-FLAC series. Book one is a 1994 Harlequin entitled THE MERCENARY which this reviewer was unable to find at a comfortable price. While each book in the series is a stand alone, the references to the preceding stories give the reader the feeling of being an insider as each story unfolds.
In KISS AND TELL (2000 Ballentine/Ivy ISBN 978-0449006832), Marnie Wright has decided it is time to make some decisions for herself about her life. After a lifetime under the watchful eye of her four testosterone laced brothers and adoring father, she is more than ready to strike out on her own. She just didn't expect it to come in the nicely wrapped but out of reach package of Jake Dolan. Following the death of her beloved grandmother, Marnie, along with her dog Duchess (who really does deserve more appearances in the books) heads up to the mountains to her grandmother’s cabin. Indulging in her passion for drawing, she ventures to a nearby cabin and settles in to do what she most enjoys. Jake Dolan isn’t having any of the gorgeous blond in his yard but try as he might, he can’t scare her off. When weather and unknown tangos show up on his doorstep, he’s forced to take Marnie in and it’s not in his bare bones cabin, but in his state of the art hideaway. The storm outside is nothing compared to the one inside between Jake and Marnie.
For a long time KISS AND TELL was this reviewer’s favorite book in the series. It was however, passed by when she read ON THIN ICE, which made KISS AND TELL a close second that will be read again and again. Even if readers have never been in the Sierras or driven down the street in Sunnyvale, California, Ms. Adair describes the venues so you feel you have been there with her. Ms. Adair has a unique and refreshing way of describing every day things that brings a distinctive touch to each book. When she describes Jake’s feet as seen through Marnie’s eyes, they aren’t just nice feet, there is something so sensual about what the reader is shown that he or she will never look at their lover’s feet quite the same way again. The shower scene between Marnie and Jake gives new meaning to the word “hot.” The reader knows the sheer terror flowing through Marnie when she and Jake are trapped in an unrelenting cascade of water where only fingertips keep them from certain death. It is at the end of KISS AND TELL readers are introduced to the rest of the Wright…or are the “right?” brothers. 5 Hearts.
HIDE AND SEEK, (2001 Ballantine/Ivy ISBN 978-0449006849), takes readers to the jungles of South America and into the lair of one of the most deadly terrorists of all time. Delanie Eastman is a woman on a mission—she’s determined to find her missing sister and bring her home. But her sister has a history of not always doing the right thing and when she met up with Ramon Montero, even if she wanted to, it wasn’t going to happen. T-FLAC operate Kyle Wright has been in deep cover on Montero’s tail for the past four years. Just when things are about to come together and blow Montero’s sick world to the great beyond, he runs into the one woman he never thought to see again—Delanie. What she’s doing with Montero he has no idea. He does know this is the one woman he didn't want to get away. It is in HIDE AND SEEK readers see just how much a person can convey in a simple look when Ms. Adair takes you into a character’s mind. She has this incredible talent of using a few choice adjectives to show a world of emotion in one simple look. Her writing moves into the realm of dark suspense when readers join Kyle and Delanie at Montero’s special pond, stocked with piranhas or the anaconda that shares his pool. But the sickest creature of all walks on two legs and it’s the last person you will expect. 4 Hearts
IN TOO DEEP, (2002, Ballantine/Ivy ISBN 0-8041-2991-3) is Michael Wright’s story. Michael’s story is unique in that he is a physically and emotionally wounded hero from the outset of the story. He’s gorgeous, yes, but he has been damaged in a past encounter. Now he’s going after the man who irrevocably changed his life, destroyed his career as a Navy SEAL and killed his best friend. When his nemesis’ daughter, Tally, happens on the scene, Michael is delighted because he will use his enemy’s most treasured possession to exact his revenge. Neither T-FLAC nor the Wright brothers figure into the story until the end making it delightfully character driven. Tally Church is awesome to read. She’s funny, smart and the kind of woman you’d like to have for a friends. 4 Hearts.
OUT OF SIGHT, (2003 Ballantine/Ivy ISBN 978-0804120029 ) takes reader into Kane Wright’s world. As a photograph, the T-FLAC operator easily gains entre to situations and venues others would find hard to traverse. In OUT OF SIGHT, his team is sent to take out renowed terrorist Fazur Raazaq. Much to Kane’s chagrin, former beauty queen and just out of the academy AJ Cooper is sent to do the job. When the expert, top of her class sniper can’t take Raazaq out at a distance, she is sent in to do the job. He doesn’t trust the rookie and more than anything wants to send her home, but headquarters doesn’t want to hear it. Before she can complete her mission, Kane receives word Raazaq is up to something much bigger than they ever suspected and they need to follow him and find out just what he plans to do. OUT OF SIGHT was a huge disappointment for this reviewer. Perhaps because every other book was so incredible that the expectation was for the same caliber throughout. AJ was annoying from the get go. Unwilling to follow orders unless they went along with her personal agenda, she doesn’t seem to think chain of command applies to her. That Kane comes over to her side is surprising and just not believable, even given him getting to know her. This reviewer got it that she hated being on the pageant circuit the first time, got it again the second time it came up—after that it was just over done. There are a few scenes that seem to jump from out of nowhere and oblique references to her brother, teasing about a future story could have been better done. What was particularly annoying were the references to Savage and that she had something else going on, but it’s never clear what. Some back story would have fleshed it out and made the story more compelling. Still, it is a do not miss book if for no other reason than the way Ms. Adair can make a story come alive. 3 Hearts
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