HOT SHOT by Julie Garwood

Publisher:    Dutton

Published:   August 26, 2013

ISBN:     978-0525953012

Genre:    Contemporary Romance

Format:  Print    

Obtained via:  Publisher

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

TWO-1/2 HEARTS

Peyton Lockhart skirted death as a little girl thanks to her neighbour, Finn MacBain.  While he popped up in her life several times as she was growing up, Finn had his own plans and agenda.  First he went off to win not one but three Olympic gold medals, graduated law school and finally signing on with the FBI. 

Each year on her birthday Peyton sends him a card or email or text thanking him for saving her life.  After all, she wouldn’t be having those birthdays if he had not jumped in her family pool and performed CPR saving her life.  Aside from those yearly messages Finn barely gives the little girl from next door another thought.  That is, until, her life takes a rather frightening turn.

Peyton hasn’t made the best choices in men…career yes, but men, not so much.  When she is offered a job, pretty much sight unseen, as a food critic, she heads off to Dalton to take the job.  Once she arrives the women aren’t exactly friendly, the men ogle her a bit and her boss…well he’s a walking, talking sexual harassment claim.  And not the kind who will take no for an answer.  Peyton flees Dalton and heads home where things take a turn for the better…or so it seems.  Her uncle has a deal for her and her two sisters—a year to turn his failing Florida resort around.  Before she can dig in several things happen that put her rather quickly in danger’s way.  When trouble starts it is her childhood hero, Finn, who swims to the rescue. But is a childhood hero really the man of her dreams?

The last few books in Julie Garwood’s Buchanan FBI series have become flatter and flatter.  I love Garwood’s books—SHADOW MUSIC, one of her historical romances, is one of my all time favorite romances.  With SWEET TALK though, something seems to have shifted and not in a good way.  HOT SHOT left me pretty cold.  Most of the story is a third person narrative of “Peyton did this”, “Peyton did that.”  I had to keep pushing myself to keep reading and found myself hanging on to the points where there was dialogue.  There, and only there, did I read the vintage Garwood I so enjoy.  She has such a great way with words—at time I’ve imagined sitting down to a coffee with her just to hear these gems from this favorite author of mine.  But the dialogue filled scenes were just too few and far between in HOT SHOT. 

And the series seems to have become formulaic…three women:  one spunky smart, one sweet, one ditzy.  Sometimes they’re sisters, sometimes they’re friends, but the pattern is there.  Except for the need for a tie-breaking vote there really wasn’t any need for the third sister, Ivy, in HOT SHOT. 

The plot twists around the resort were well done.  And Debi…she’s one of those characters you just look forward to the next scene because you just love to hate her.  Every time she came along I wanted to smack her – not in a “boy is she stupid TSTL way” but in a “man, I want to set that chick straight” way. 

True Garwood fans will enjoy HOT SHOT simply because it is Garwood; if you are new to this author, read one of the earlier books in this series first because it really isn’t a good example of what a fabulous writer she truly is.

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

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.

SIZZLE by Julie Garwood

Publisher:   Ballantine

Published:   January 25, 2011

ISBN:  978-0345500786

Genre:  Romantic Suspense, Romantic Comedy

Format:  Print – ARC

Obtained via:  Publisher  

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

FOUR HEARTS

From the moment they met Sidney Buchanan and Lyra Prescott became best friends.  Both were film students with similar yet not competing goals.  Both have brothers who at times can be a bit overbearing…so much so that Sidney moved clear across to California.  She loved her family and her brothers, but sometimes they could be a bit too involved.  Lyra could relate except she had two brothers who still live on the family ranch in Texas.  As graduation and final film projects approach Lyra looks for a documentary subject she can sink her teeth into.  While day dreaming—rather than listen to her professor go off on yet another of his rants—she happens upon a park that appears to be an oasis in the middle of a dank and dark jungle.  When she arrives at the park, however, she finds nothing short of a toxic waste dump.  She begins to film the comings and goings of the park—people, vehicles and what they are doing. 

Besides her brothers Lyra has her grandmother, Gigi, who she adores and her parents who she calls “those people.”  On her way to visit her grandmother—following a call from the local priest about Gigi stealing holy water—she stumbles on a garage sale.  Sitting there on the front lawn are a number of autographed, first edition books that the homeowner tells her to just go ahead and take them.  Realizing how priceless some of these books are Lyra dives right in. 

Unfortunately not long after that two things happen—someone breaks into her and Sidney’s apartment and someone takes a few shots at her.  And then some other not so pleasant things happen prompting Sidney to call her brothers.  It is Alec Buchanan to takes matters into his own hands and sends fellow FBI agent Sam Kincaid, to guard Lyra.  Can one FBI agent hold his own against a growing number of killers bent on silencing Lyra?

I have totally been enjoying Julie Garwood’s Buchanan series—each one seems to get better and better.  I thought FIRE AND ICE was the absolute best, but SIZZLE is a close second.  Garwood has the skill to tell a fantastic romantic suspense coupled with some comedic moments that have me chuckling out loud.  In SIZZLE there are some humorously memorable scenes between Sam and Lyra but it is Milo who steals the show.  If Garwood ever wanted to write a bumbling cozy mystery detective she has a great character to do so with Milo.  

Gigi was a great character too.  She’s quirky and spunky and is the perfect foil for Lyra’s parents. 

While I don’t buy the falling in love in 2 days thing, I did like the chemistry between Lyra and Sam.  Neither is looking for love, but it finds them.  With two mysteries working SIZZLE is one of those books you don’t want to put down until it’s done.

Each book in this series is a standalone and you do not have to read them in order to enjoy each one – but you don’t want to miss any of them.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

FIRE AND ICE by Julie Garwood

Publisher:   Ballantine

Published:   December 29, 2009

ISBN:  978-0345500762

Genre:  Romantic Suspense

Format:  Paperback

Obtained via:  Publisher  

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

FIVE HEARTS

Sophie Summerfield is a reporter for a local neighbourhood type paper in Chicago.

Sophie Rose is the daughter of the notorious Bobby Rose – a person of interest to many law enforcement agencies because of his financial manipulations.

The Sophies are one and the same and try as she might, sometimes those two different parts of her life cross.  Given how law enforcement has relentlessly pursued her father, Sophie doesn’t think too highly of law enforcement with two exceptions:  Her friend Gil and her best friend Regan Buchanan’s husband, Alec.  Gil is a retired cop and Alec is current FBI.  When several things happen including an attempt on Sophie’s life Alec arranges things so his partner, Jack MacAlister to watch over her. 

William Harrington is a fit, handsome and all around wonderful guy.  Just ask him—he’ll be happy to tell you.  When he decides that his twenty-fifth footrace is noteworthy he contacts several newspapers and finally lands a story with Sophie’s paper.  Sophie is tagged as the reporter of choice to do Harrington’s story and she diligently approaches the task.  When Harrington goes missing she is first irritated and then her reporter’s instincts kick in and she becomes curious.  When the story leads her to a small oil town in Alaska, Jack, despite his dislike of the cold, accompanies her.  Will they find more than cold on the frozen tundra?

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, I’m a huge Julie Garwood fan.  From her historicals to her romantic suspenses I’ve enjoyed each book.  FIRE AND ICE, book 7 of her Buchanan series has to be the best I’ve read. I enjoyed how the scientists’ diary was interspersed with Sophie’s story—at the start of each chapter there is insight into just what they are up to in the wilds of Alaska. Their study of the wolves was a unique added element to the story.

Sophie is a wonderfully complex character.  While on the surface she appears to be a rich, spoiled, blonde bimbo, she is actually very bright, generous and caring.  Her loyalty to those she cares about comes through in the story.

Even though the relationship between Sophie and Nick happens relatively quickly, the path they take to finding each other is well done.  Garwood does a fabulous job of taking the reader into each of their minds and what got them to where they are when they meet.  The relationship takes some nice turns.

Great suspense, especially in Alaska and after.  This is one of those reads I picked up and was glad I didn’t have to get up the next day and could sit up reading into the wee hours of the morning because I just did not want to put this one down.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.