IDEAL MAN by Julie Garwood

 

Publisher:    Signet

Published:   June 5, 2012

ISBN:     978-0451235138

Genre:    Contemporary Romance

Format:   Print

Obtained via:  Publisher  

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Gina@loveromancesandmorereviews.com

THREE-1/2 HEARTS

 

Trauma surgeon Ellie Sullivan is no stranger to violence, death and running on pure adrenaline and not just because of her job in the ER.  Her first encounter with the darker side of human nature entered her life at the age of 11 when a schoolmate became obsessed with her, obsessed to the point of where if he couldn’t have her, no one would.  Hidden away in a town far from her family, Ellie was able to make her way in the world and pursue the career she wanted.  Now at the end of her residency she has some choices to make.  Before she can make them though she witnesses a shooting.  Not just a shooting, but the attempted murder of an FBI agent.

Max Daniels has been on the trail of the Landry crime couple.  His pursuit has brought him to the very steps of the hospital where Ellie works.  Max loves women.  All women.  But an avowed bachelor he has no desire to settle down with just one.  That is until he meets Ellie.  When Ellie heads home for her sister Ava’s wedding when Max hears about a contract being put out on her, he follows her to her home town.  With her stalker on the loose along with a hitman Max is desperate to keep her safe. 

I’ve enjoyed Julie Garwood’s Buchanan-FBI series from the very first, HEARTBREAKER.  She brings a wonderful sense of humor and a bit of comedy to at least one of her characters in each book.  In IDEAL MAN the reader sees a bit of this, but not quite as much as the earlier books. I wasn’t sure why this book was included in the Buchanan-FBI series because while Max is an FBI agent, with the except of one brief mention of one of the Buchanans it has nothing to do with them.  That thread, along with Annie’s portion of the story seemed out of place with the rest of the story.  The whole situation with Annie could have been dropped making it a much better read.

The stalker storyline was well done and Garwood introduces a sinister creepiness to the story with Patterson’s character. 

Ellie’s sister Ava is one of those characters you just love to hate.  Without offering up a spoiler, do check out the outcome of the garden party.  It was truly well done.

Despite this book being included in the Buchanan-FBI series it is completely a standalone and can be read out of order without feeling you’ve missed something.

This is an objective review and an endorsement of this book.