Sandra Brown - Blind Tiger

Thatcher Hutton, a war-weary soldier on the way back to his cowboy life, jumps from a moving freight train to avoid trouble . . . and lands in more than he bargained for. On the day he arrives in Foley, Texas, a local woman goes missing. Thatcher, the only stranger in town, is suspected of her abduction, and worse. Standing between him and exoneration are a corrupt mayor, a crooked sheriff, a notorious cathouse madam, a sly bootlegger, feuding moonshiners . . . and a young widow whose soft features conceal an iron will.
What was supposed to be a fresh start for Laurel Plummer turns to tragedy. Left destitute but determined to dictate her own future, Laurel plunges into the lucrative regional industry, much to the dislike of the good ol’ boys, who have ruled supreme. Her success quickly makes her a target for cutthroat competitors, whose only code of law is reprisal. As violence erupts, Laurel and—now deputy—Thatcher find themselves on opposite sides of a moonshine war, where blood flows as freely as whiskey.

Comment: One more book by author Sandra Brown that I still had in the pile.

In this story, set in the 1920s, we meet Laurel as she and her husband are traveling to her father-in-law's home. However, once there, nothing is as her husband promised and Laurel is soon a widow. Now, with a baby and an old house, it doesn't seem there's much for her future, but the appearance of Thatcher Hutton, back in the country after the war in Europe is over, changes everything. As both get used to their personal  new circumstances, life around them forces choices on those who live in the small town they find themselves in. With the Prohibition law in alcohol and the problems this originates, is there any hope Thatcher and Laurel can find happiness with one another?

For the recent years, Sandra Brown has been writing suspense stories with elements of romance. I have been reading her work for years, both the old romances and the romantic suspense novels too, and I think I have a pretty solid idea of her style. Thus, I did like this story and I did recognize most of her tactics in it, but if there is one thing, besides the historical period, to distinguish this from most of her recent work is that the romance really did seem to take second place.

The plot is centered on the illegal moonshine business and bootlegging that spread across the country during the Prohibition law period and how this affected people's lives and even how the sheriffs and other law forces had to deal with the repercussions of what problems that caused. I will admit that this specific theme isn't one I appreciate much in historical novels because I, personally, don't like drinking and see no interest in reading about it, but also because it led to avoidable illegalities, which mean the whole situation was, after all, pointless.

Still, the author picked up interesting details about this and mixed it up with other secondary themes, such as the missing wife of the doctor and the girl who was mistreated at the ill reputed bar with, of course, the main characters' evolution. I think the real interest for me was how all these things, which seemed minimally related at first turned out to be part of a bigger picture, which we only realize after a while. Sandra Brown does this well, writing things in a way that seems not very important and then something happens and then it does or the leading to it is more shocking than we would anticipate.

Laurel is a good enough heroine but I wasn't as invested in her as I was in the past with other heroines. Perhaps my issue is that Laurel's role is one I've found to be rather weak and her personality didn't seem special. With this I don't mean she should have been louder or something, only that she felt a bit bland. Thatcher, however, was a more intriguing character and his keen notion of what was right and wrong made him someone I'd like tot talk to, for instance, and understand how he could "read" people. Their relationship surely took too long to be set up and while I accept the fact they were always going to be a couple, I just didn't feel their romance mattered much.

To be honest, it did feel as if the author was also more invested in the plot and in how to mix up all the elements regarding it, instead of really developing the HEA of the main couple. I think there are some good scenes with the couple closer to the end and the very last page does feel a little bittersweet since it's 500 pages with these characters and following them, but I cannot say this Sandra Brown's story, overall, will be one of those that remains the most vivid in my memory.

In the end, I was curious to see the details making sense, I liked seeing how things were put together and how the characters went on to their paths. It was a pleasure to spend time reading the novel but yes, it isn't one I'll say I would re-read, as I often re-read passages of other books by this author I loved.

Grade: 7/10

Sandra Brown - Outfox

Weston Graham is a chameleon. He has gone by many names, worn many faces, and assumed many personalities. These incarnations have enabled him to bilk wealthy women of their fortunes...and then to disappear along with the women, only to resurface with a new identity and his sights set on another victim.
FBI agent Drex Easton is relentlessly driven by a single goal: to outmaneuver the conman once known as Weston Graham. Over the past thirty years, Weston has assumed many names and countless disguises, enabling him to lure eight wealthy women out of their fortunes before they disappeared without a trace. The only common trait among the victims: a new man in their life who also vanished, leaving behind no evidence of his existence.
Drex is convinced that these women have been murdered, and that the man he knows as Weston Graham is the sociopath responsible. But each time Drex gets close to catching him, Weston trades one persona for another and disappears again. Now, for the first time in their long game of cat and mouse, Drex has a suspect in sight.
Attractive and charming, Jasper Ford is recently married to a successful businesswoman many years his junior, Talia Shafer. Drex insinuates himself into their lives, posing as a new neighbor and setting up surveillance on their house. The closer he gets to the couple, the more convinced he becomes that Jasper is the clever, merciless predator he’s sought-and that his own attraction to Talia threatens to compromise his purpose and integrity.
This is Drex’s one chance to outfox his cunning nemisis before he murders again and eludes justice forever. But first he must determine if the desirable Talia is a heartless accomplice . . . or the next victim.

Comment: I still have some of the most recent books published by Sandra Brown to be read and that is why I decided to read this one now, since I've read what I had determined for July and there would be time to only choose one more book before a new month begun.

In this story, FBI agent Drex Easton decides to try to trap a serial killer he's been chasing for years and when he finds out which alias he's using, he decides to pretend he is moving next door.The killer, now with the identity of Jasper Ford, is married to Talia, a woman that Drex thinks might be his next victim... or Jasper's accomplice. While the plays a game of cat and mouse with Jasper, while pretending everything is well, the investigation continues and Drex feels he is close to find the evidence he needs to accuse Jasper. The problem is that, suddenly, jasper is nowhere to be seen, Talia is alone at home with no clue whatsoever, and another woman, a friend of theirs, is found dead...

I have read plenty of books by Sandra Brown, both her old harlequin romances and her romantic suspense novels. I have enjoyed both types of books and since she now only writes the suspense novels, I know what to expect from her stories. All of them will include some sort of plot where certain situations seem to be one thing in some moment, and then we learn things are quite different after all.

This is precisely what happens here, there are several twists in this story, plus with the author's trademark style of often informing the reader of some kind of shocking/surprising fact at the end of each chapter, made for a very fast paced plot and one I was actually quite eager to keep reading. What a difference to some of the books I liked less, where things seem to be so formulaic (they really are) that my interest would wane, but here I think the author had a good idea and executed things well.

If there is one element I found less thrilling here was the romance development. It is a given that the protagonists will become a couple at some point and often their relationship starts off with an adrenaline-like situation or something similar, which means they need to spend time together very quickly without much option, forcing their connection. Sometimes the author adds the perfect amount of sexual tension (an element I used to love in so may of her harlequin stories) and makes the romance feel so much better, even if intellectually I could doubt how realistic the HEA will be.

This said, I did like Talia and Drex together but a good part of the story is with them at different sides of a problem, and I don't think enough time is spent developing their emotional connection. I can accept it for what it is and because I know the author's style, a lot is inferred rather than really seen, but when they finally talk about the whole situation and Drex explains some things or finally lets Talia know about the person she married, I cannot say I was truly convinced their relationship was solid, or at least solid enough that I would believe in them in the long haul. Of course, then we discover some final news when the last chapter comes in and I was both surprised for the author's imagination, but then what we learn means some things I thought were genuine might not be truthful enough...

As for the plot, the whole search for the killer and Drex need to prove he is right in pining Jasper as the culprit... I really don't think the author tried that hard to create doubt in the reader and it's a little too obvious if Jasper is guilty or not. There are some sections we see from his POV, but to be fair I don't think they add much to the plot and I could do without them. The plot's set up with Drex pretending he is going to live next door allowed for some interesting scenes but the real complexity of the story was, in my opinion, on how to set up the pieces for the story to go where the author wanted. In that regard, along with the reveals in the final chapter, certainly made for a good story for me.

All in all, this was an well accomplished novel, especially when comparing with others by the author. Still not up there with my favorites by her, but close to it.

Grade: 8/10

Sandra Brown - Friction

A Texas Ranger, relegated to deskwork due to past recklessness, petitions to regain custody of his five-year-old daughter, and his case is assigned to a family court judge who is as attractive as she is ambitious. 

When a masked gunman barges in during the custody hearing with his sights on the judge, the Ranger reacts instinctually and goes after him. But authorities apprehend the wrong man, and the real gunman remains unknown, at large, and a threat. 

Will this take-charge lawman jeopardize his chances of custody by going after the would-be assassin? And will this unlikely pair be able to deny the forbidden attraction building between them?

Comment: Another title by this author which I have had in the pile to read. It's sometimes nice to think I still have something unread by an author I like - I have read a vast majority of this author's work.

In this story we meet Texas Ranger Crawford Hunt, as he is getting ready for a court appointment, so he can try to finally have the guard of his daughter Georgia. Her mother died and Crawford felt guilty so Georgia's maternal grandparents took care of her but now he feels he is ready to finally have her in his house. However, while the session was ongoing, a masked man showed up in the room and shot the bailiff and seemed intent on killing the judge Holly Spencer. Crawford couldn't ignore it so he tries to protect her and when the attacker runs away, he goes after him and the police catches him on the roof. The problem is that Crawford isn't convinced the right man was caught and when he decides to ask the judge's opinion, problems start to come one after the other? Who could be after judge Holly?

As usual, the pace of a romantic suspense novel by this author, is fast and with continuous twists. When I say twists, I don't mean a new discovery per chapter, but the way the story is told makes us have the feeling the characters aren't always being truthful about what they think or what they share. I suppose this is an acquired taste, because sometimes this tactic works well to increase the tension, but sometimes it can be a bit irritating...

I liked the book for its overall effect but I must say that I do wish we could have a bit more romance content...I'm aware the author probably won't return to her romance novels time, but she did have an eye for sexual tension and romance plots and I wish she could keep the same vibe in these stories as well... I liked the fact Holly and Crawford were clearly attracted and would work out as a couple but their close proximity because of the case does not fully convince me that the intimate moments they share or the same ideas they have are enough to make it feel as if they are a good match...

Nevertheless, one can assume the author trusts the reader to read between the lines and this is what all readers must do to savor the romances by this author now, so in that regard I can deal with minimal scenes/information... but it would be nice to have more.

As for the plot, of course it isn't as simple as we are led to believe at first. I think the author did a good planing on what was going on and I liked how some things seem unimportant at first but as things start to be more complex, some details become more interesting for what is happening. There isn't a lot to say about the action, things go from one point to the next in a linear way, not always easy to believe and hanging on one or two convenient situations, but I was always intrigued and I count that as a positive aspect. The villain is a little predictable, especially from a certain point on and even before his identity is revealed, but I got the sense he is pretty bland, personality wise.

An interesting subject within the story is Crawford's case to get his daughter back. This also provides interesting scenes and a glimpse into the main characters' personality and emotions, but along with the romance nuances, I felt it wasn't enough. I suppose the balance between all the elements wasn't always as special as I would have liked, but globally, I liked the final result. I would have liked even more scenes between Crawford and his daughter, it would probably have helped me to like Crawford more.

He isn't a bad protagonist, very much alike most of the heroes in mrs Brown's stories: aloof sort of cocky and alpha-like, confident and disguising a good heart under blunder and aggressiveness. It's her trademark and it's probably a fact to expect such a hero, but apart from their jobs or lives, I must say there isn't mush to distinguish them as the books go by... as for Holly, I liked she was a judge but there wasn't a lot of her at work, so we have to rely on inference and secondary scenes to grasp that she is competent and such.

Overall, I liked reading this, it was entertaining and predictable. I would like to see more of certain elements, perhaps differences in others but, then again, would it be the author's style therefore recognizable? I suppose there's something positive and less so in everything...

Grade: 8/10

Sandra Brown - Seeing Red

Kerra Bailey is a TV journalist hot on the trail of a story guaranteed to skyrocket her career to new heights: an interview with Major Franklin Trapper, a reclusive American hero who once led a handful of survivors to safety after the bombing of a Dallas hotel. Kerra is willing to do anything to get an exclusive with the Major-even if she has to secure an introduction from his ill-mannered and volatile son, former ATF agent John Trapper.
Trapper was fired from the ATF during his investigation into the same hotel bombing, and now he wants nothing to do with his father. Yet Kerra's hints that there's more to the story rouse Trapper's interest despite himself. And when the interview goes catastrophically awry-with assailants targeting both the Major and Kerra-Trapper realizes he needs her under wraps if he's going to track down the gunmen...and finally discover who was responsible for the Dallas bombing.
Kerra is wary of a man so devastatingly charming one moment and dangerous the next, and she knows Trapper is withholding evidence from his ATF investigation. But having no one else to trust and enemies lurking closer than they know, Kerra and Trapper join forces to expose a sinuous network of lies and conspiracy-and uncover who would want a national hero dead.
Comment: This is another one of Sandra Brown's books I had in the pile to read. I could have chosen one of three and this one's blurb really caught my attention the most.

In this book we meet heroine Kerra Bailey, a journalist who has managed the interview many sought: a meeting with Major Trapper, a national hero who years ago saved a small group from a bomb attack and who got to be immortalized on a famous picture.

However, there's a special reason Kerra feels she should be the one to do it, something the viewers will find incredible. The problem is that the Major has become a reclusive and has been denying interviews. That means Kerra tries to appeal to the Major's son, John, so he could convince his father but it seems the two of them don't have the best relationship.

When Kerra explains why she is special, John can't help but want to talk to her to confirm and eventually she is given the opportunity to do the interview. What no one would guess is how she and the Major are attacked right after that surprising interview and even more, how that attack has to be related to the bomb of all those years ago...

I have read plenty of books by Sandra Brown. Not all of them, but many and both her suspense and her romance stories. I cannot say I'm an expert but I've come to get an idea of her style and tactics.

Meaning this that this story seemed to offer the best of both worlds - the plot felt interesting without being another of her books on chasing bad buys and the romance was promising because the two protagonists seemed to be antagonists at first but I could already guess the path this would take.

I was a little wrong. Expectations are difficult to ignore, though, and we always have some ideas of what we would like to read about... I thought this would go a certain way but the usual tactic of red herrings and people not being what they seem to at first was once again the big twist. It's not that this was such a surprise or a bad story on its whole but I kind of wish things had been done a different way.

Something that is quite recurrent in the author's plots is how we are led to believe one things and then something happens and there's a twist. Now, if these things were such an intrinsic part of the story that this was the only way to keep a secret or the suspense going, I could accept it, as it happens on those stories where we only have a certain POV and in the end we see it as it is (think Agatha Christie where the final explanation makes sense even with what we had read).

The thing here is that, unlike that, the characters are deceiving and that is only to keep up with the act. It's not a natural development of the story but just a tactic to delay the reader knowing the big picture. Many authors do this and it can work if the characters are central or have a specific purpose. I don't have that feeling with mrs Brown's books, so when the truth is revealed, it makes the plot feel rather weak and disappointing because it's like the reader has to be kept in the dark on purpose.

In some books by her, this isn't so bad if the plot is a great one or if the characters are amazing. But in this one, I think the possibilities were not the best to be chosen.

The actual plot of this book isn't too bad but to be honest, the full explanation for why the "bad guys" act the way they is simply too inconsequential to really believe in. Such a silly idea...I think some descriptions of the reasons why things happened were really pushing it into credibility. I mean, not that it couldn't be so but in a book where there's time to plan stuff... ehh...

Plus, the mastermind behind this was so obvious to me, I can't even be that surprised. I tend to not guess the secrets early and I admit I don't make such an effort, after all the fun is to follow the story and be wowed. In this case the big bad guy was obvious from the start and his reasoning to act like that? Really weak and pointless.

The romance between Kerra and John, if we can call it that, was fast, set on too much simplicity and hormones. I don't really buy into that notion of "connection". In most of her suspense books, the plots don't take long enough to be concluded but a fast pace isn't too good for believable love stories developing, at least not in such a romantic way. I suppose I could go with a HFN in terms of how things play out. There are exceptions and those wonderful books still give me hope for each new one, though... the goal of any reader...

Everything considered, this was a good one by the author but yes, comparing to others I've read and liked more, this wasn't such a good one. Good but could be so much better. I was entertained but not so devoted I could forget other tasks I had to do.

Grade: 6/10

Sandra Brown - Play Dirty

After five long years in federal prison, Griff Burkett is a free man. But the disgraced quarterback can never return to life as he knew it before he was caught cheating. In a place where football is practically a religion, Griff committed a cardinal sin, and no one is forgiving.
Foster Speakman, owner and CEO of SunSouth Airlines, and his wife, Laura, are a golden couple. Successful and wealthy, they lived a charmed life before fate cruelly intervened and denied them the one thing they wanted most—a child. It’s said that money can’t buy everything. But it can buy a disgraced football player fresh out of prison and out of prospects.
The job Griff agrees to do for the Speakmans demands secrecy. But he soon finds himself once again in the spotlight of suspicion. An unsolved murder comes back to haunt him in the form of his nemesis, Stanley Rodarte, who has made Griff's destruction his life’s mission. While safeguarding his new enterprise, Griff must also protect those around him, especially Laura Speakman, from Rodarte’s ruthlessness. Griff stands to gain the highest payoff he could ever imagine, but cashing in on it will require him to forfeit his only chance for redemption...and love.
Griff is now playing a high-stakes game, and at the final whistle, one player will be dead.

Comment: Another title from Sandra Brown's back list for me to read. I confess this one's blurb never grabbed my attention as others from the past did (this was originally published in 2006 - fourteen years ago - despite this edition being from last year) but after some reviews from people with similar tastes in goodreads and the notion the author always seems to explain her heroes' not so good attitudes, I got the book anyway and now read it.

In this book we meet Griff Burkett, a man who is getting out of prison in the first page of the novel for cheating in football. He was a very good quarterback who was guilty of cheating and gambling and his team at the time lost a championship (if I read that well) because he failed a pass or something. Now his five years in prison are over, he wants to re start his life but all his money was gone to pay his debts and the case. That is why he goes to meet Foster Speakman, a very rich man who contacted him before he left prison, because he had a job offer for him. 

Apparently, the job offer is the works of a nut case because Foster and his wife Laura want him to impregnate Laura since Foster cannot and they want to avoid the media knowing about it from any clinic or professional they might have to be in contact with somehow.

The problem is that the situation is trickier than Griff imagined and there's also the issue of a cop always after him, waiting for him to slip again...

In terms of writing and style, this is yet another book easily fitting the trademarks fans have come to expect from Sandra Brown. The story develops at a steady pace, often with surprising information or little twists coming at the end of a chapter and the next one starting - not all the time - some time after and readers get their explanations as things move along into a different segment.

We also have the expected main characters, often at odds with one another due to personal views but who seem to fall in love in a slow rhythm, letting readers savor the journey.

I was expecting all this and not even the sort of crazy premise deterred me from looking for to see how the author would deal with the romance, after all the heroine was married. I suspected the husband had to be someone we would not like, so the romance between Laura and Griff could be validated but everything seemed unlikely at first. Sandra Brown does this well: slowly giving information, painting things in such a way, readers have to be suspicious of how it can be so, but in the end it is so.

The way the romance is solved is a little crazy but well, fiction and all. I didn't even mind how we are supposed to believe Griff and Laura started to develop feelings for one another in such... odd circumstances but I still accept it for the sake of a good old romance.

Therefore, if the writing and the romance offered me what I already expected somehow, why is my grade lower than in other cases and why didn't I enjoy this more? Easily, because the hero was not redeemed in the glaring or obvious manner that I think he should.

Griff went through a lot, he went to prison for his mistakes but some details are explained in the end which might mitigate the reader's impression. Throughout the novel, here and there, we also get to see how his childhood and life might have turned him into one of those people who fear the good things so much more than the bad ones that they sort of sabotage themselves - psychology explains it too - and how he is actually a good person underneath the labels people gave him when he was caught.

Griff is a sympathetic hero at times but I thought, apart from some spoiler issues about the plot, the other cheating and gambling related situations that put him in prison might have been exaggerated.   Like in other books when we find out some things were not what they seemed or we only had one POV and not the whole explanation. I think I was a little let down because Griff admits he gambled, he cheated in the game, he made bad choices. Of course, everyone does, but some of the ones he did didn't impact only himself and I can rationally understand that but I still hoped the hero of the novel had a little bit more awareness at the end of things.

Griff is redeemed, don't be mistaken, but not in a perfect way, as I would expect from a fictional romance story.

I'd say this is the element I'll remember the most, how Griff did wrong things, how he was punished but how, for me - even if this is not realistic - I would have preferred him to be above all those things and his mistakes to be just a red herring kind of thing. The story is more complex because of this, of course, but the romantic in me would have liked the whole to be just misunderstood.

The bad guy, let's call him that, who keeps following Griff got on my nerves as I suspect the author intended. Not that he added much to the plot except antagonism and some easy way out of a certain issue, but combined with everything else, I did feel bad for Griff, he felt trapped by all sides and I cannot imagine being in such pressure all the time to just breathe.

Some secondary characters were good additions, others not more than a cliché or a prop.

All in all, this was a good enough story, interesting and crazy elements all around, some surprises and strong scenes but other things were not as great and I really would have liked the end to showcase Griff's redemption in a glorified manner, not as quietly as it seemed to me.

Grade: 6/10

Sandra Brown - Tailspin

Rye Mallett, a fearless “freight dog” pilot charged with flying cargo to far-flung locations, is often rough-spoken, usually unshaven, and he never gets the regulation eight hours of shut-eye before a flight; but he does have a rock-solid reputation: he will fly in the foulest weather, day or night, and deliver the goods safely to their destination. So, when Rye is asked to fly into a completely fogbound Northern Georgia town and deliver a mysterious black box to a Dr. Lambert, he doesn’t ask why–he just ups his price. As Rye’s plane nears the isolated landing strip, more trouble than inclement weather awaits him. He is greeted first by a sabotage attempt that causes him to crash land, and then by Dr. Brynn O’Neal, who claims she was sent for the box in Dr. Lambert’s stead. Despite Rye’s firm “no-involvement” policy when it comes to other people–especially gorgeous women he doesn’t trust–he knows that something about his mysterious cargo just isn’t adding up. Soon Rye and Brynn are in a treacherous 48-hour race to deliver the box before time runs out. With the hours slipping by and everyone from law enforcement officials to hired thugs hot on their heels, the two must protect their valuable cargo from those who would kill for it–that is, if they can trust each other.

Comment: This is one of the most recent book by author Sandra Brown and since I like her work in general, it was no task to pick this book and read it, although it wasn't as captivating as I hoped for.

In this story we meet Rye Mallett, a pilot who doesn't mind taking risks and doing the jobs other pilots refuse or don't want to take a chance on. This book starts precisely when Rye accepts to deliver a package to a doctor somewhere but as he is about to land, something happens and he crashes. Thankfully out of danger and with the package intact, he then meets dr O'Neil and not dr Lambert as he was told he would and despite his reservations, the two of them leave the scene together, not knowing they are being followed.

Dr Brynn O'Neil is a young doctor who has the mission to safely deliver the package to her clients but her behavior does seem odd to Rye at times. As the danger increases and the secrets come out, will Rye be able to trust Brynn and her goal in keeping the package with her at all times?

I think this was an interesting side trip to he usual stories delivered by mrs Brown. Usually the stories focus more on crimes and business relating to police members, criminals and other alike situations/characters and this time the focus is on a doctor who wants to deliver a package to save a patient's life. Of course the reality behind this is not as sympathetic as one might assume but I was positively surprised by this change in the expected type of plot.

The story isn't complicated, doesn't have a lot of complexity to it except in the final revelation which was surprising. I mean, it's not something a reader wouldn't be able to guess anyway but to be honest I think what was more surprising about it was the fact it happened because it seemed a bit far fetched in how the villain planned things until that point. It didn't feel as realistically presented so my surprise was more about the fact that was the author's choice rather than the idea it could be something the bad guys would consider doing.

As for the characters, the main ones were as expected in the author's work: the hero is mysterious, he isn't polite and hides a soft, honest side under the gruff and the unpolished exterior he presents to others. Of course one roots for him and his behavior isn't completely unaccepted although his explanation for his way of living, his somewhat distance from his loving family, etc, seemed a little contrived. I can't obviously speak for those who, like he was portrayed, suffer survivor's guilt over something never in their control, but for such a clever guy he should have been aware he could/should have sought professional help. Yes, being in therapy doesn't automatically mean people get well and fresh from pain and doubts but... it was a way to explain some plot moves, I understand.

The heroine was a little under developed in my opinion. She has al the right characteristics, all the fitting personality traits but I don't think we got to really know her besides the basics. I liked her dedication to her patient, her sadness over her relationship with her father but apart from this she isn't really a layered character.

The romance between them, as often happens in the author's novels, is very quick, very instinctive and the result of a stressful and adrenaline fueled situation. I get that this is the author's writing style, her way of doing things but I'd personally enjoy having more setting for the character's to really develop their feelings for one another or, even, a more detailed HEA, perhaps in a epilogue because yes, things are left up in the air and they suggest a HEA but we don't really see that confirmed.

The secondary characters, I must say, aren't developed much more besides the obvious either, the bad guys' motivations fall flat over some developments as the story moves along, I mean, why do some situations happen when there would be much easier ways to accomplish the same...but then the plot didn't have reason to exist....sometimes the flaws seem a bit too easy to find and I guess this is one of the author's weaknesses, how sometimes the plots don't seem as well thought as they could.

This, however, doesn't mean we cannot see how good a research she did into the information she inserts in the story, it's just the steps, the scenes aren't always as tight as they could.

Everything considered, this was a good story, pretty much entertaining as I always find mrs Brown work to be but when I compare this with other suspense books by her I have loved, the weaker details seem to be more obvious so, in the end, this was only a little above average for me.

Grade: 7/10

Sandra Brown - Sting

When Jordie Bennet and Shaw Kinnard lock eyes across a disreputable backwater bar, something definitely sparks. Shaw gives off a dangerous vibe that makes men wary and inspires women to sit up and take notice. None feel that undercurrent more strongly than savvy businesswoman Jordie, who doesn't belong in a seedy dive on the banks of a bayou. But here she is . . . and Shaw Kinnard is here to kill her.
As Shaw and his partner take aim, Jordie is certain her time has come. But Shaw has other plans and abducts Jordie, hoping to get his hands on the $30 million her brother has stolen and, presumably, hidden. However, Shaw is not the only one looking for the fortune. Her brother's ruthless boss and the FBI are after it as well. Now on the run from the feds and a notorious criminal, Jordie and Shaw must rely on their wits-and each other-to stay alive.
Miles away from civilization and surrounded by swampland, the two play each other against their common enemies. Jordie's only chance of survival is to outwit Shaw, but it soon becomes clear to Shaw that Jordie isn't entirely trustworthy, either. Was she in on her brother's scam, or is she an innocent pawn in a deadly vendetta? And just how valuable is her life to Shaw, her remorseless and manipulative captor? Burning for answers-and for each other-this unlikely pair ultimately make a desperate move that could be their last.

Comment: Sandra Brown is probably one of the authors with long backlists that I have dedicated myself to more often. At a time I was devouring romance, this was one of my favorite authors to read and I practically have all her books in my shelves. I've been savoring her latest releases to space reading them and this month I picked Sting.

In this book we meet Shaw Kinnard, a mercenary who partners up with another man to do a job. However, things don't work that well and Shaw ends up kidnapping Jordan Bennet instead. The two of them seem to have a weird chemistry, considering the situation but Jordan wants her freedom more than anything. The issue is her brother, who got himself in a complicated situation with a very wealthy but uncompromising man. Jordan wants to help but there isn't a lot she can do if her brother doesn't help himself.

When things get to an unbearable point, Jordan discovers something that changes the way she thought about what happened until then. Can she actually trust Shaw? Has he been using her to get to her brother?

I confess the blurb of this book didn't make me that eager to read the book. I don't tend to like heroes or heroines that are on a grey line when it comes to fair/unfair or doubtful morals, such as a hit man, for instance. I was a little reluctant to read about a man who might only reform himself for love or something but then, I should have thought about the fact it could be likely that this scenario would be possible or, also, that he might not be who we assume. 

This shouldn't be such a surprise, after all mrs Brown takes chances in how her characters are defined but usually they are all naturally good, although sometimes the shades of grey can be questionable.

It also took me some time to get into the story. I usually just go all speed into one of her novels, because I'm used to the style of her writing but this time  just didn't seem to find eagerness to read. The story reminded me of another one which I cannot place now, whether by her or another author, whose story line was quite similar. I think I only really got into the flow of it from around half way.

I'm actually glad the villain wasn't as sadistic or morally doubtful on the page. I mean, the villain was always bad from the start and not one of those you can't really trust because he also has a good side. I think this helped me to move on; if he had had a "double agent" type of behavior I think it would be too annoying.

The secondary characters played their part, they certainly didn't steal the show from the protagonists but at the same time I wish hey could have had a bit more development, they didn't seem to have been that fleshed out. I can understand it's just not possible to put everything on the page but the characters in this book were under developed in my point of view.

The romance had its moments and if there's one thing the author is excellent at is how she portrays sexual tension. Even if the characters aren't very likable, they do seem to have chemistry. This happened in this book and a fan can easily recognize the tactics to convince the reader how in sync the main couple is. I think it can be pretty obvious how they are connected and how they can be a team but I always wonder how their lives would be if their HEA holds. Usually the characters meet in situations filled with adrenaline or stress and that does exacerbate people's reactions and behavior. In a steady or slower mode, could the same people be that balanced?

Still, of course I liked how their relationship evolved and how they were able to trust each other after the conversation that solved how they felt about one another.

In terms of personality, a friend commented Jordan's wasn't that complex and in a way I agree. Shaw has more to him than what we initially assume but it is a pity we don't really get to connect with these characters in a more emotional level.

The plot is solved rather easily, the final twist wasn't that surprising for me although I admit for a while there I thought about an idea... not a good one but I guess I let myself be mislead by the way the information about secondary characters was given.

All in all, a good enough story but I've read better by the author.

Grade: 7/10

Sandra Brown - Fat Tuesday

Burke Basile is a cop with nothing left to lose. Haunted by his partner's death, his marriage and his career over, he focuses on his nemesis, Pinkie Duvall, a flamboyant attorney who helps killers evade justice. Burke's shocking revenge centers around kidnapping Remy, the lawyer's trophy wife. But Burke hasn't planned on the electric attraction he'll feel for this desperate woman, who rose from the slums of New Orleans to marry a man she can never love. Nor can he predict the fierce duel that will explode as the clock ticks toward midnight on Fat Tuesday when all masks will be stripped away--and Burke must confront his own terrifying secret.

Comment: Another book by Sandra Brown, an author whose work I've enjoyed a lot in the past and still like to keep track of. This is one of her older romantic suspense titles I hadn't read yet. Somehow the plot never "seduced" me that much but since her style if one I usually love, I decided to give it a try.

In this novel we have the story of cop Burke Basile, one of the remaining few uncorrupted cops in New Orleans. When the story begins he is feeling guilty over the death of his partner Kevin during a mission going bad. The guy who used his partner as a shield still escapes conviction of the crimes committed while the mission was going on and that only exacerbates Burke's desire for revenge. The problem in his way is Pinkie Duvall, a defense attorney who everybody knows does things against law even if for the main public he appears kind and generous.

One day Burke decides to quit the police and do things his own way, and a weak point of Duvall is his much younger trophy wife Remy, who always has a bodyguard while in public. Kidnapping Remy should only be a means to an end but what about Remy's secrets and what that means to a still caring heart like Burke's?

As a whole, this story didn't feel as successfully done for me as other by the author have been. I still think the usual expectations: a couple sharing chemistry, a villain capable of despicable things, strong willed characters, tense but active scenes moving the plot forward, were all met in this book as they have in previous books I've read by this author. But I felt the main character was little too centered in revenge that some what made him a good guy was overseen and the romance despite having a great HEA didn't fully convince me while it was developing.

Burke is a very typical hero if one has read mrs Brown's work. He wants goodness to be done by people and he is angry when corruption eats up people's time and intentions. In a way, he can be the portrayal of all of us who would wish we wouldn't have to play by the rules. In real life, doing something bad has a consequence and when it doesn't we feel justice wasn't done so I can understand the appeal of a man going against his own personal conduct to try to do some good out of bad things. 

However, Burke does compromise his values here and there and I didn't really appreciate it. I wish the author would have included some safe way for the hero to not compromise himself that much. I know this wasn't written at this time of "politically correct" and "equality for fair decisions" but it's also fiction so a tool to have the bad guy really punished in a way that wouldn't interfere with the hero's conscience... although this is the point, I know.

The romance, like I said, wasn't the best the author created. Of course it's reassuring that people in bad moments of their lives can still find love and someone to understand them, which is clearly the goal with Remy and Burke being put together but we see all them discussing the reasons why they can be each other's other half, we see them being attracted but they don't really talk seriously about the future, we just know they will be a couple. This is mrs Brown's trademark but in some other novels this aspect seemed to be more obvious somehow.

Once again, as it usually happens with suspense I think we spend too much time inside the villain's head. I know it's supposed to let us know why some things happen, why some things are but for me it's annoying because I like when the plots center on the hero's actions. Bad always exists, we know there are bad things, why do we have to know about them by the villain's thoughts?

The end of the villain was too easy. Why can't good guys find a more clever way to punish someone?

All things considered, this was a good enough read, except for the bad guy's POV, but the story didn't feel as smooth in some scenes, the romance wasn't as strong as I imagined and corruption is always a complicated theme: we know it exists and it's not easy to eradicate but the solution is so simple, why can't people be clever and honest? Oh well...

Grade: 7/10

Sandra Brown - Mean Streak

Dr. Emory Charbonneau, a pediatrician and marathon runner, disappears on a mountain road in

North Carolina. By the time her husband Jeff, miffed over a recent argument, reports her missing, the trail has grown cold. Literally. Fog and ice encapsulate the mountainous wilderness and paralyze the search for her.
While police suspect Jeff of "instant divorce," Emory, suffering from an unexplained head injury, regains consciousness and finds herself the captive of a man whose violent past is so dark that he won't even tell her his name. She's determined to escape him, and willing to take any risks necessary to survive.
Unexpectedly, however, the two have a dangerous encounter with people who adhere to a code of justice all their own. At the center of the dispute is a desperate young woman whom Emory can't turn her back on, even if it means breaking the law. Wrong becomes right at the hands of the man who strikes fear, but also sparks passion.
As her husband's deception is revealed, and the FBI closes in on her captor, Emory begins to wonder if the man with no name is, in fact, her rescuer from those who wish her dead - and from heartbreak.
Combining the nail-biting suspense and potent storytelling that has made Sandra Brown one of the world's best loved authors, MEAN STREAK is a wildly compelling novel about love, deceit, and the choices we must make in order to survive. 

Comment: Another book in the collection by Sandra Brown I have to read. I've loved "discovering" the author when I was reading mostly romance and now that she has evolved towards romantic suspense I still feel like being happy about reading one of her books and this one was definitely a good one!

In this book we follow the story of dr Emory Charbonneau, a doctor who loves running and that, when the story begins, is going to train for a marathon. However, she goes missing and her husband only reports it some time later, making him a suspect in the eyes of the policemen dealing with the case.

Emory, however, is actually being taken care of after a concussion by a mysterious man who doesn't tell her his name. He helps her, though, even if some of his attitudes are too weird like when he says her phone isn't working and that he doesn't have one.

As the plot evolves and more and more secrets come out of places no one would imagine, can Emory accept the mysterious man is there to help her or does he have a secret agenda and wants only to hurt her? Can she imagine that while actually being attracted to him?

I think the author was very clever with this novel because there is a slight twist closer to the end that explains some things and with the explanations we realize we had the clues in front of us on how to justify some actions taken, but just expected the truth to be different. I believe this to be the main goal with how this novel was created and developed although I must say it wasn't completely achieved because some things are a little too unlikely and don't make sense. Apart from them, the plot was very clever and fascinating and made me want to keep reading all the time.

I think the pace of the story was well achieved. Things happen sort of slowly which is to be expected and I think the reader has time to savor the story while trying to connect the dots. It was also great that it's possible to be surprised as I was while reading and there a couple of clues there I didn't see coming, especially since the main plot is obvious: Emory and her mysterious man are meant to be together, there's more about him we don't immediately know and the bad guy will be caught eventually.

Emory is a good heroine and I liked her personality and charisma. I also liked how she was with the hero, sort of vulnerable but still maintaining her voice and values.

He is obviously mysterious but a great hero as well and I must say I was positively surprised by how much I liked knowing things about him.

Why he is so mysterious is part of the plot and that's why I'm not writing much about it but I must confess that despite understanding his reasons for privacy and being away from the spotlight, it still feels unlikely - especially thinking about real life and if what he went through was a real event. But well, the story had to have some secrecy.

The book ends well for these two and, of course, the hopeful HEA makes it worthwhile!

As for the plot against Emory, that was quite intense and had it been explained in the way it felt like it would, I'd say it would be perfectly acceptable. However, the author went a step ahead and made it even more complex but to me that was a bit too much. Not that it couldn't be that way but thee main reason behind everything just felt very pointless. But who am I to say...

All in all, this was a good novel, I really recommended it to those who like this genre and I can't wait to read more by the author, I still have a few until I'm updated on her work.

Grade: 8/10

TBR Challenge: Sandra Brown - Low Pressure

Bellamy Lyston Price was only twelve years old when her older sister Susan was killed on a stormy Memorial Day. Bellamy's fear of storms is a legacy of the tornado that destroyed the crime scene as well as her memory of one vital fact that still eludes her ...Now, 18 years later, Bellamy has written a novel based on Susan's murder. It's her first book, and it's an instant sensation. But because the novel is based on the most traumatic event of her life, she's published it under a pseudonym to protect herself and her family. But when a sleazy reporter for a tabloid newspaper discovers that the book is based on a real crime, Bellamy's identity - and dark family secrets - are exposed. Suddenly, she finds herself embroiled in a personal conflict and at the mercy of her sister's killer, who for almost two decades has gotten away with murder ...and will stop at nothing to keep it that way.

Comment: Another of Sandra Brown's titles I've had in my TBR list was what I chose for this month's TBR Challenge post. October is about a paranormal or romantic suspense book and I don't think picking a Sandra Brown book would ever be a bad choice. 

In this book we follow Bellamy Price and her attempt to remember what happened to her older sister and why she was murdered when Bellamy was 12. One way to to do was to write a book about it, with an obvious pseudonym but a paparazzi found her out and the public was very receptive except some of the real people she based her characters on.  

As Bellamy and Denton Carter, her sister's boyfriend at the time of her murder, team up to try to understand why some inconsistencies happened and who might be the real killer instead of the man sent to prison for that, problems arise and Bellamy starts getting clues someone must be watching what she does...

Those who have read more than one romantic suspense title by Sandra Brown will know her stories are always richly done, even if the characters sometimes drive us crazy with their attitudes. I think mrs Brown has done quite the transition from the old 80s and 90s romances to these more contemporary suspense titles but her trademark use of a romantic relationship as one of the driving motors of her plots is something I appreciate a lot.

In this book, Bellamy Price is a heroine looking to find a way to get over a traumatic event in her past and her means to vent her need to get past it was to write a book but she didn't count on being discovered, which means her successful book is easily recognized as real by those who lived it. This premise makes it believable that Bellamy will try to uncover what really happened in the past and if the man condemned and sent to prison was actually the killer. I liked Bellamy, she had some traits I like in heroines, such as her sort of reserve and lack of arrogance. I think it played well since the author decided to use her murdered sister as a complete opposite.

The plot is not a very complex one but the aim isn't obviously that and although I couldn't say it for certain, the killer was not a complete surprise. I just think things were tidied up a bit too perfectly but on the other hand it makes sense, through an emotional point of view. Bellamy and Denton's attempts were quite valid and the whole notion of the crime, why it existed in the first place has all reason if one considers the negative aspects of the human flaws and why some people have such a huge amount of them and others, thankfully, don't.

The romance is a heavy subject explored in the author's books and I really liked to see the evolution of Bellamy and Denton's relationship, how little by little they developed a connection. It was especially rewarding to see things between them weren't easy or simple and, personally, I appreciated the author didn't dramatize how the past between Denton and Bellamy's older sister could be used to emphasize how things are with Bellamy now. I also liked how the sexual tension was described between Bellamy and Denton, in this the author never fails to deliver.

The HEA is subtle and not on your face, but the notion they are in love is there and leaves a lot to the imagination.

There are little things I didn't like as much but we're talking about a detail here, another there and the piling up does make me wrinkle my nose in some moments but overall this was fascinating and engaging as most books I've read by her and just the idea of spending some time reading her books is enough to make me feel it's a positive experience so...added to the fact I liked he plot, this is one of the books by her I liked the best. Not close to the ones I found perfect but right after those perfect ones in my list. Therefore, recommended for sure.

Grade: 8/10

Sandra Brown - Lethal

When her four year old daughter informs her a sick man is in their yard, Honor Gillette rushes out to help him. But that "sick" man turns out to be Lee Coburn, the man accused of murdering seven people the night before. Dangerous, desperate, and armed, he promises Honor that she and her daughter won't be hurt as long as she does everything he asks. She has no choice but to accept him at his word.
But Honor soon discovers that even those close to her can't be trusted. Coburn claims that her beloved late husband possessed something extremely valuable that places Honor and her daughter in grave danger. Coburn is there to retrieve it -- at any cost. From FBI offices in Washington, D.C., to a rundown shrimp boat in coastal Louisiana, Coburn and Honor run for their lives from the very people sworn to protect them, and unravel a web of corruption and depravity that threatens not only them, but the fabric of our society.

Comment: It's been some time since I've read a book by this author. Some of her older books are still some of my favorite romances as well. I tend to like her romantic suspense stories as well and since this one was in the pile, this month I decided to pick it up.

In this novel, we meet Lee Coburn, a man accused of murdering seven people and who deceives Honor Gillette into letting him use her house as a hiding spot. Lee is dangerous but he doesn't hurt Honor nor her small daughter, Emily. And he seems to be looking for something of her late husband, Eddie, something related to the deaths of those seven people. Will Honor be able to trust Lee, even more so when there seems to be a man hunting that will lead to her house? And what does it mean when Honor starts to believe Lee's words when he says he's innocent?

Of course an author with so many books published won't  always have readers liking her work equally. Some books will just seem to work out better than others and because there are more to be able to make the comparison with, it's easier to have even more different opinions all around. With this I mean to say that although some time has passed since I read a book by the author, having loved several of her books, I feel a little bit disappointed I didn't love this one as well, but the reality is this sounded a bit weaker for me in terms of general narrative.

I liked some elements, but when I think about the whole picture, it wasn't as amazing as imagined, not like other readers have obviously liked it.

This is a romantic suspense story, so it has strong mystery elements, namely who the bad guy could be. I had my suspicious and they were proved right. I don't think it's predictable but it gets to a certain point where it makes sense.

We also have the romance but this element happened a bit too quickly in terms of resolution for it be as strong as I feel would have been better.

The romance had a bit of that idea of "running along together", which basically means Lee and Honor sort of joined forces to discover the villain. There's a certain risk and adventure side in this that brings them together even if not intentionally. They are attracted to one another and the end is relatively easy to guess. But the epilogue where we see if they do end up together is too open ended. We assume they will be together but we not only don't see it as we don't know it for certain, it's simply implicit. t certainly helps in letting us have an idea about the HEA but it's not the same as really having it and "seeing" it. I did hope for more in this aspect, even admitting the main focus in the novel isn't the romance per se.

As for the plot, it had some interesting scenes, especially by how careful the author was when trying to write things in a way that wouldn't compromise the villain's identity. I wasn't as shocked as the story aimed for and I also think this wasn't the best work the author can give. Some parts of the story didn't have the impact one would expect from a suspense novel.

On a side note, and this is something completely random and personal, I was a bit annoyed at the font used in my copy. It isn't a small, efficient font, something I tend to associate with suspense novels. It made the words lack some impact as well. Yes, I know, it's not the story nor the author's fault. But it did affect my reading experience.

All in all, this was a good book to spend time reading but it wasn't as marvelous as I expected.

Grade: 6/10

Sandra Brown - Deadline

Dawson Scott is a well-respected journalist recently returned from Afghanistan. Haunted by everything he experienced, he's privately suffering from battle fatigue which is a threat to every aspect of his life. But then he gets a call from a source within the FBI. A new development has come to light in a story that began 40 years ago. It could be the BIG story of Dawson's career one in which he has a vested interest.
Soon, Dawson is covering the disappearance and presumed murder of former Marine Jeremy Wesson, the biological son of the pair of terrorists who remain on the FBI's Most Wanted list. As Dawson delves into the story, he finds himself developing feelings for Wesson's ex-wife, Amelia, and her two young sons. But when Amelia's nanny turns up dead, the case takes a stunning new turn, with Dawson himself becoming a suspect. Haunted by his own demons, Dawson takes up the chase for the notorious outlaws. . .and the secret, startling truth about himself.

Comment: Author Sandra Brown is still one of my favorite romance writers and I've devoured many of her older books. Even her romantic suspense books offer a love story that usually makes me eager to see how the HEA happens (because a HEA does happen), therefore I was very interested in seeing how this plot would develop and how the romance would play out.

 

In this book we follow Dawson Scott, a reporter who has been in Afghanistan but came back with some PTSD and has been having nightmares. He is convinced to write a story about a case that started 40 years ago and where his godfather played an important role as an FBI agent. Dawson learns a lot in his investigations but what makes him want to keep working on it is Amelia, the ex-wife of a dead man in a murder case related to his story. Layers of information start to reveal themselves as time goes by, Dawson himself feels part of everything the more attracted to Amelia he gets, the more fond of her sons he is and the more curious about little things he becomes.

The story seems well on its way to be solved when a couple of twists show us nothing is as simple as we imagined...

 

Overall, I liked this story. But at the same time it almost didn't "feel" like a SB story. I've read many books by her, not all her backlist, I probably still have 5 or 6 books by her to read - not all seem intriguing for me - but I think I can say I'm a fan and I'm familiar with her books. This Deadline felt too subdued, more focused on the plot than the romantic aspects and even those seemed quieter placed and presented. I mean, usually her protagonists are a bit more aggressive in their actions and romantic pursuits. It doesn't mean this book doesn't have those elements in the right amount or well inserted in the story, but it does feel it was something the author "controlled" more.

 

The plot is key in this book. It has many layers and hidden things we find as long as we read. I can't explain a lot without spoilers, but I was very eager to know what was happening and why. The most interesting thing about this story is how the twists keep coming. Until a certain point the reader knows what's happening, there are doubts about certain moments and facts but I think most people would believe a certain idea was correct. then there are two twists in a row I didn't see coming that show me the author's thought and effort about how this would develop. Closer to the end there's another twist, amazing, that I was really surprised. I assume most readers, even those who by this point had all their theories done were surprised.

 

In terms of romance, this was a lot more smoother and polished than the majority of the author's previous books. Like I said, usually the characters seem more aggressive, not that are reckless or bad people doing things their own way, but there's a subjacent layer of determination and impulsiveness that I found wasn't very obvious or present here. Sandra Brown heroes have all looked like alpha men, her romantic suspense books always had a protagonist that was intense, not mean aggressive, but determined aggressive, went after what he wanted, and when it came to the heroine the norm would be for him to be aloof but focused on her when the intimate moments happened, whether explicit or the sexual tension times. In this book I felt Dawson wasn't as "crazy" over Amelia, his feelings were more calm, more slow developed. I'm not saying there's a bad or right way here, but it was different. I don't really mind, but it made the book feel quieter.

 

Amelia is a very simple character, meaning she is a quiet person, cares for her sons and others, and in a way I loved her personality for it, she's not doing crazy things or acting like she doesn't care about herself or her attitudes. Dawson has a lot going on and I wish their HEA was a bit more developed. I don't know why some authors write lengthy but unfocused epilogues and others don't give them and in this case, I think a sweet epilogue would help and not ruin the "mood" and tone of the story that obviously wanted to highlight the mystery and plot moves.

 

The secondary characters are interesting additions to the plot and the chase of wanted criminals and how everything was connected is actually well done. It wasn't always a till telling story but I think it was well structured.

Hardcore fans of mystery or thrillers probably feel this is a beginners in the genre book but it does have worth on its own.

Now I feel curious about the other titles I haven't read yet...I will need to buy them soon.

I'll cherish other books more but this one was interesting and engaging until the end.

Grade: 7/10

Sandra Brown - Smash Cut

When millionaire Paul Wheeler is murdered, his family retains renowned lawyer Derek Mitchell to defend the victim’s nephew Creighton -- although the police have not charged the young man with the crime. Wheeler’s mistress, Julie Rutledge, who is also a suspect, believes that Creighton is the killer, despite his rock-solid alibi, and she’ll do almost anything in her quest to prove his guilt -- even ruin Derek’s career. But the more Derek learns of Creighton’s darker side, especially his bizarre fascination with movie murders, the more he comes to believe Julie is right. The clock ticks down to a shocking ending as Derek and Julie join forces to find the truth. Has Creighton begun reenacting cinema’s goriest scenes? And who will be his unwilling costars? They won’t know until the final SMASH CUT.

Comment: Like I said somewhere before, I like Sandra Brown's writing style a lot. Her villains don't scare me but they repulse me because eve if they're killers, it's their lack of morality that makes me angry. Because it's so much more easier to picture somone like that in real life...
Anyway, I've read this book by her and I enjoyed it a lot. The suspense part is interesting but not too complicated or difficult to imagine it happening like in other of her books. It helps that we get the villain's identity so soon but even if we didn't, I don't think it would be hard to picture things.
I liked the fact we have some movie references, it's cool to see some of the author's influences and - perhaps - reasons of why to put it on the plot.
The relationship between the two protagonists is full of sexual tension, author's trademark, and a HEA. I usually like her HEA's but I'd like to see a bigger epilogue or, instead, an epilogue with a future with them, but I guess being this suspense, it would be a bit too much. Still, personally I'd like to have it.
There's also a hidden mistery in the story and it's a surprise in the end, although during the story we get clues it migth not be what it looks like. To me things didn't sound that predictable and I was glad to see I was right. I suppose I can say this isn't my favourite book by her (nothing beats Where There's Smoke still) but it's a very good read, considering.
I still have some of her books to read, I don't have them yet, but I'm pretty sure I will someday, this author has some books I don't like that much (Hello, Darkness, can't stand this one), but most things by her are favourites in my lists.

Sandra Brown - The Switch

It isn't the first time that identical twins Gillian and Melina Lloyd have switched identities. Yet it's the first time as adults that they've even considered the childhood prank. Melina, the more impetuous twin, proposes that her circumspect sister take her place as a media escort to NASA astronaut and national hero Colonel Christopher "Chief" Hart.

Although it's an enticing offer, Gillian declines for a very personal reason-she's preoccupied with whether or not the artificial insemination she underwent that day will be successful. Besides, she warns Melina, such a switch could have unexpected consequences.

Media-savvy Chief turns out to be an easy assignment for Melina-in fact the evening with him is as much pleasure as business. But the following morning police arrive at Melina's door with the worst possible news: her beloved twin has been brutally murdered in her own bed. And on the walls, scrawled in blood, are obscenities directed at Gillian, along with insults toward Native Americans that indisputably link Chief to the crime.

Dissatisfied with the official police investigation, Chief and Melina form a grudging alliance, strike out on their own...and find themselves uncovering more questions than answers. Mistrusting even the authorities claiming to protect them, on the run with their lives in danger, the two are soon following a crooked and bloody trail that inexplicably leads to Gillian's attempt to conceive a child...and to the threshold of an inner sanctum, where a megalomaniac hatches horrific schemes and lies in wait for Gillian's replacement, her identical twin-Melina.

Comment: This author is one of my favourites. I've been a fan for a long time, and even tough I haven't read all her books, I did read most of them.
This one isn't one of my favourites, and I've been keeping it for years in hopes of being dazzled. I wasn't, but I didn't disliked it either.

I think its major problem was the lack of credibility...it's just a long shot something like that to happen, although it has happend...but nowadays, and also back in 2001 (time of action), it would be more difficult to cults liek the one described in the story to exist and developp without notice.

Anyway, the premise was compelling and made the reader want to read more. I was quite happy to see a native-american male protagonist. Mrs Brown had had writen other books back in her romance genre days, with native-american people and as always it's very interesting the clash of cultures and the attempt to bring them closer in the story.

The mystery is well done, all things considered, but the reader is always aware of the fictional side. I suppose one could say there's no "losing" oneself in the story. Maybe it just didn't grab me but once again I say it's not one of my favourites but stiil better than some other things by her, in my opinion. For instance I disliked Hello, Darkness much, much more.

The romance part was ok, once more it could have been better, but I dodn't see too many silly things as in some other books, and the character's behaviour was, at least, justified.

The vilain...ah this is one of Sandra Brown's strongest points. Her vilains aren't pure evil, they're mean and with no morals. They always repulse me, even more if they were to be serial kilelrs only interested in blood. In this book she didn't disappoint..I wonder how twisted she must feel when she's writing these character's POV's...

All in all it was a good book, one I'll remember..but there are other I prefer, like Exclusive and Where There's Smoke.