REVIEW: Ice by Linda Howard

Title: Ice
Author: Linda Howard
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: November 2009
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: On holiday leave from the service, Gabriel McQueen is sent into a brewing ice storm to make sure that his father’s distant neighbor, Lolly Helton, who has fallen out of contact, is safe and sound. It’s a trip that Gabriel would rather not make, given the bitter winter weather—and the icy conditions that have always existed between him and Lolly. Arriving at Lolly’s home, Gabriel spots strangers through the windows—one of them packing a weapon—and kicks into combat mode. But once Lolly is rescued, the heat—and the hunt—are on. Snowbound, unarmed, and literally under the gun, Gabriel and Lolly must depend on each other to endure the merciless forces of nature and evade the ruthless enemy out in the blackness of the silent night—and out for their blood.

My Thoughts: As you can see, it has taken me quite a while to get to this book, mostly due to my reservations about the storyline. I had to talk myself into starting this one because I thought a story about two people trying to outrun killers in a deadly blizzard would hold no appeal for me. Fortunately, this story held so much more that wasn’t evident to me before I started reading.

There is major history between Gabriel and Lolly, and not the good kind. They have known each other since high school and though they have not kept in touch over the years, the memories they hold are far from fond. When Gabriel is asked by his father to go check on Lolly, Gabriel is less than thrilled. Gabriel’s a good guy, so he does and finds himself in the role of rescuer when he spots armed intruders in Lolly’s house. The story kicks up several notches when after the rescue is made, they have to figure out a way to get back down the mountain without being killed by the intruders or Mother Nature.

My Final Verdict: The story moves at an enjoyable pace. Without getting mired in the details and too much of a character’s inner monologue, which drives me up the wall, the author keeps the story moving with believable and relatable characters. Even the intruders are believable and realistic. I have to say several scenes had me tense with apprehension.

This story isn’t very long and though the author does a fabulous job of wrapping up loose ends, I did feel there were parts that were rushed. I had a hard time accepting that Gabriel and Lolly fell in love that fast, especially with their adversarial past. I’m not completely discounting it, however. Anything is possible in a situation where it’s kill or be killed. I’m just not convinced they are ready to make a life-long commitment. At least not yet. Perhaps if the story had run a little longer, I would have felt differently. For me, the story ended quite abruptly. I would have liked to have seen more of the relationship development and more interaction between Lolly and Sam. Readers of romantic suspense fiction will still enjoy this story and the edge of the seat action.

REVIEW: Apprentice In Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Apprentice In Death (In Death #43)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: September, 2016
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Buy The Book: Amazon | Audible | BN

Description: Lieutenant Eve Dallas returns in a fast-paced new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author J. D. Robb.

Nature versus nurture...

The shots came quickly, silently, and with deadly accuracy. Within seconds, three people were dead at Central Park’s ice skating rink. The victims: a talented young skater, a doctor, and a teacher. As random as random can be.

Eve Dallas has seen a lot of killers during her time with the NYPSD, but never one like this. After reviewing security videos, it becomes clear that the victims were killed by a sniper firing a tactical laser rifle, who could have been miles away when the trigger was pulled. And though the locations where the shooter could have set up seem endless, the list of people with that particular skill set is finite: police, military, professional killer.

Eve’s husband, Roarke, has unlimited resources—and genius—at his disposal. And when his computer program leads Eve to the location of the sniper, she learns a shocking fact: There were two; one older, one younger. Someone is being trained by an expert in the science of killing, and they have an agenda. Central Park was just a warm-up. And as another sniper attack shakes the city to its core, Eve realizes that though we’re all shaped by the people around us, there are those who are just born evil...

My Thoughts: As a reader, I am reaping the rewards of the imagination J.D. Robb has, though dark and twisted it might be. Her ability to take one moment and weave a complex and edgy story around it takes serious talent and skill. For me an active shooter case always fills me with terror and dread. It can happen anywhere to anyone with no warning. The only thing separating society from the monsters is our ability to use rational thought to problem solve our differences and make informed choices.

Unfortunately, not everyone follows this logic and reverts to monstrous behavior. When an active shooter incident happens in Central Park, Eve and her gang begin their investigation, having no idea just how heinous this crime is and how much worse it will get. Eve learns that not all the victims were random; some were deliberate and definitely connected. I was shocked to learn not only who the killer was but horrified at who the apprentice is and the reason behind the killings. Random or deliberate, it sent a chill down my spine thinking about how fleeting life is and how important it is to make every moment count. Tomorrow is certainly not guaranteed to anyone.

My Final Verdict: There isn’t a whole lot more that I can say about this series that hasn’t already been said. Each story packs a punch, but this one really hits hard. I love the methodical way Eve tackles the case. She is excellent at organizing her board and compartmentalizing the details for easier recall later on. Her team works together perfectly like peanut butter and jelly. The storylines ring true and relevant, the characters are realistic and it’s so easy for me to relate to them all.

Most importantly, the conversations Eve has with those around her are priceless. She comes across as impatient, bossy and grouchy, actually she isn’t coming across that way. She really is impatient, bossy and grouchy, for the most part and that’s what makes her such an amazing character. She has all of these flaws that should make the head-shrinkers at NYPSD recommend her removal from a position of authority, but instead the top dogs of NYPSD defer to her knowledge, experience and abilities to investigate the cases in a way nobody else can. She’s just getting started and we all can expect much more from our amazing cop.

REVIEW: Eyes On You by Kate White

Title: Eyes On You
Author: Kate White
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: June, 2014
Genre: Thriller / Suspense
Buy The Book: Amazon | Audible | BN

Description: From New York Times bestselling author Kate White, comes a riveting psychological suspense in which a media star must battle a malevolent enemy who may be disturbingly close to her.

After losing her on-air job two years ago, television host Robin Trainer has fought her way back and now she’s hotter than ever. With her new show climbing in the ratings and her first book a bestseller, she’s being dubbed a media double threat.

But suddenly, things begin to go wrong. Small incidents at first: a nasty note left in her purse; her photo shredded. But the obnoxious quickly becomes threatening when the foundation the makeup artist uses burns Robin’s face. It wasn’t an accident—someone had deliberately doctored with the product.

An adversary with a dark agenda wants to hurt Robin, and the clues point to someone she works with every day. While she frantically tries to put the pieces together and unmask this hidden foe, it becomes terrifyingly clear that the person responsible isn’t going to stop until Robin loses everything that matters to her . . . including her life.

My Thoughts: I first started reading Kate White’s books when I discovered the Bailey Weggins series. I found her stand-alone novels to be engaging, capturing my attention with the storylines and intriguing characters. Eyes On You doesn’t disappoint either.

We meet Robin Trainer after losing her job two years prior. She is at a party promoting her new book and her new TV show is gaining ratings and popularity. Strange and increasingly threatening events begin to happen to Robin, nasty notes, shredded photos, drugged food, even her makeup gets sabotaged, causing burns to Robin’s face.

This story leads the reader on a hunt for the perpetrator. Not just who, but why? Who hates Robin enough to scare her, terrorize her, hurt her and even want her dead? This story takes stalking to a whole different level as Robin realizes the person doing this is someone close by, someone she works with every day, someone she trusts.

My Final Verdict: This story is a very dark depiction of the lengths someone is willing to go to destroy another person, regardless of the reason. It was impossible for me to figure out who was behind the attacks and was surprised at the big reveal. The storyline kept me interested in the outcome and I found the characters to be realistic and relatable. Readers of suspenseful thrillers will enjoy this story.