Breaking Point by Suzanne Brockmann

Breaking Point (2005) (Ballantine)
Suzanne Brockmann
Grade: B
Genre: adventure / romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own
Troubleshooters: (1) The Unsung Hero, (2) The Defiant Hero, (3) Over the Edge, (4) Out of Control, (5) Into the Night, (6) Gone Too Far, (7) Flashpoint, (8) Hot Target, (9) Breaking Point, (15) Hot Pursuit

Romance RBC 2015: A book with a May-December romance 

When the FBI’s top negotiator receives the news that Gina Vitagliano is among the list of casualties after a terrorist bombing in Hamburg, Max Bhagat is on the first plane with blood in his eyes. They might not have spoken or seen each other in 18 months, but theirs is a unique relationship that until now, Max has fervently denied and suppressed. Max was the chief hostage negotiator sent to talk down a group of terrorists who had hijacked a plane in Kazbekistan; Gina was the unlucky passenger on that flight chosen to act as messenger between the terrorists and Max. The experience left Gina scarred and traumatised and more than the doctors and therapists, Max was the one who helped Gina on her path to recovery. After deliberately pushing her away 18 months earlier, Max cannot imagine a life without Gina. But it quickly becomes clear that it’s not Gina’s body in the morgue and that she’s been kidnapped alongside fellow aid worker Molly Anderson and held hostage until the US government hand over one of their most wanted men: Grady Morant, ex-SEAL turned smuggler who is willing to trade his life for Gina and Molly’s. Taken out of his comfort zone, Max is up against the clock as he sets out not only to save Gina, but also a part of himself …

The Admiral's Bride by Suzanne Brockmann

The Admiral's Bride (1999) (MIRA Books)
Suzanne Brockmann
Grade: A
Genre: romantic suspense / adventure
Sex scenes: mild
Source: second-hand bookshop, Koh Tao
Tall, Dark and Dangerous: ... (7) The Admiral's Bride

Romance RBC 2014: An AAR Top 100 Romance 2000 

Dr Zoe Lange has just been presented with the biggest challenge of her career. A biological warfare specialist, she’s more than familiar with going undercover. What’s different about this mission is that she’ll be assisting Admiral Jake Robinson and they need to recover six canisters of Triple X, a deadly nerve agent that has the power to knock out entire cities. Admiral Jake Robinson is a legend – Zoe owes her very existence to him. Over 20 years ago during the Vietnam War, Jake and his elite team of Navy SEALs undertook missions that no one else dared: rescuing whole camps of prisoners of war from enemy clutches and in particular, a team of men who had been left for dead by their superiors in the depths of the forest, including Zoe’s dad.

Do or Die by Suzanne Brockmann

I will not neglect my blog. I will not neglect my blog. I will not neglect my blog ... Degree is over and I've landed myself my first job - let's see how well I do keeping the blogging up, now that there's little in my way ...

Do or Die (2014) (Ballantine Books)
Suzanne Brockmann
Grade: B
Genre: adventure / romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: NetGalley
Reluctant Heroes: (1) Do or Die

Romance Reading Bingo Challenge 2014: The first book in a series 

Ian Dunn, former Navy SEAL and renowned jewel thief (or so he leads the world to believe) is notorious for his team’s ability to carry out high-risk jobs using less-than-official means. When two young children are kidnapped by their own father and held captive in a heavily guarded embassy as an act of revenge against their mother, Ian is deemed the only man for the job. Ian is currently serving time in prison as part of a long-con that has just been blown to pieces by the FBI’s insistence that he take this job and save the kids from danger. But for reasons that he won’t reveal, nothing is going to make Ian change his mind.

My Best of 2013

2013 was a fantastic year. I had planned to write a LOT more reviews, but that unfortunately didn't happen, resulting in the rather dry few months I had at the end of the year. Apologies.

Like my 'Best of 2012' post last year, this is a round-up of the best books I read in 2013. I've had a LOT of favourites this year and so it was excruciatingly difficult in trying to decide what should and couldn't make the list. The following are listed in their order of review. I hope this inspires you to add a few books to your TBR list!


1. Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox (2012) (reviewed 14-1-2013, Grade A)
Just as Tiffany Reisz was my favourite new-to-me author of 2012 and as Gail Carriger held that title in 2011, Ruthie Knox was my favourite new author of 2013. I ended up reading four of her novels (Ride With Me, Along Came Trouble, Flirting With Diaster and Making it Last) but Ride With Me easily topped the list. Lexie needs a cycling partner for the TransAm cycling route across America, but once prospective partners find out she's a woman, they can't backtrack fast enough. Tom is tricked into becoming 'Alex's' cycling partner by his sister and it doesn't bode for an easy partnership. Their first ten minutes is plagued by a puncture - cue a very memorable scene involving some very hot tongue action!

Hot Pursuit by Suzanne Brockmann

Hot Pursuit (2009) (Headline)
Suzanne Brockmann
Grade: B
Genre: adventure / romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: library 
Troubleshooters: (1) The Unsung Hero, (2) The Defiant Hero, (3) Over the Edge, (4) Out of Control, (5) Into the Night, (6) Gone Too Far .... (15) Hot Pursuit

What promised to be a small, easy job teaching New York’s new Assemblywoman Maria Bonavita some personal safety tips and installing security systems into her office and apartment, was blown out of the window when body parts started turning up. Good job Alyssa Locke and her husband, Sam Starrett of Troubleshooters Inc are on the job – oh, and their 10-month-old baby, Ashton, too.

The Defiant Hero by Suzanne Brockmann

The Defiant Hero (2001) (Headline)
Suzanne Brockmann
Grade: B++
Genre: adventure / romantic suspense
Sex scenes: hot
Source: library 
Troubleshooters: (1) The Unsung Hero, (2) The Defiant Hero,
(3) Over the Edge, (4) Out of Control, (5) Into the Night, (6) Gone Too Far .... (15) Hot Pursuit

John Nilsson and Meg Moore first met in the warzone of Kazbekistan: John was undercover at the US Embassy, and Meg worked there as a translator. The attraction was smoking between them, but Meg was older and married with a young daughter. Several years later and though they’ve lost contact, when Meg holds the Kazbekistani Ambassador at gunpoint, John is the one she calls for.

Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann

Out of Control (2002) (Headline)
Suzanne Brockmann
Grade: B
Genre: adventure / romantic suspense
Sex scenes: short of hot
Source: library
Troubleshooters: (1) The Unsung Hero, (2) The Defiant Hero, (3) Over the Edge, (4) Out of Control, (5) Into the Night, (6) Gone Too Far .... (15) Hot Pursuit

Ken ‘Wildcard’ Karmody might be Navy SEAL Team Sixteen’s new Petty Officer and resident computer geek, but there’s a reason his nickname is ‘Wildcard’. He’s a quick thinker, adaptable and resourceful, but also prone to think outside the box, hence the unpredictability of his wildcard status. He might be brilliant, but that’s not always an advantage – especially when his big mouth gets the better of his brain.

Gone Too Far by Suzanne Brockmann

This is a special one, because it's my 100th book review! Whoop! As luck would have it, Gone Too Far has been one of my favourite/most anticipated books, which makes this review doubly-special. Hope you enjoy reading it!

Gone Too Far (2003) (Headline)
Suzanne Brockmann
Grade: A
Genre: adventure / romantic suspense
Sex scenes: hot
Source: library 
Troubleshooters: (1) The Unsung Hero, (2) The Defiant Hero, (3) Over the Edge, (4) Out of Control, (5) Into the Night, (6) Gone Too Far ... (15) Hot Pursuit

Lieutenant Roger ‘Sam’ Starrett is a Navy SEAL in the elite Team Sixteen, and is very good at his job. But, while his career is soaring, his personal life sucks. He’s taken leave to visit his soon-to-be-ex-wife, Mary Lou to see why she still hasn’t signed the divorce papers, only to find her dead on her kitchen floor. His two-year-old daughter Haley is nowhere to be found.

Over the Edge by Suzanne Brockmann

Over the Edge (2001) (Headline)
Suzanne Brockmann
Grade: B+
Genre: romantic suspense / adventure
Sex scenes: hot
Source: own
Troubleshooters: (1) The Unsung Hero, (2) The Defiant Hero, (3) Over the Edge, (4) Out of Control, (5) Into the Night, (6) Gone Too Far .... (15) Hot Pursuit

As Senior Chief of the SEAL Team Sixteen Troubleshooters Squad, Stan Wolchonok is used to solving everyone’s problems. This time, however, he’s faced with a bit of a problem of his own. Lieutenant Teri Howe is finding herself the unwelcome recipient of a fellow officer’s sexual advances, and she’s powerless to do anything about it. This should be easy enough for Stan to handle and deal with, but he finds himself uncomfortably attracted to Teri himself.