Tribute by Nora Roberts

Tribute (2008) (Piatkus)
Nora Roberts
Grade: B-
Genre: romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own

TBR RBC 2015: A book by Nora Roberts 

A third generation actress and granddaughter of one of Hollywood’s greats, Cilla McGowan has very deliberately cast off her child actress persona and made a very successful business of renovating houses. Her latest project is a house that’s very dear to her heart: the house of her grandmother, the glamorous and notorious Janet Hardy. Left to ruin after her death by apparent suicide, Cilla plans to restore the house to its former glory. With the whole town invested in her project and Ford, her very hot neighbour and his dog, Spock, just next door looking on, this is the biggest project of Cilla’s career. But there’s someone in the community who wants Janet’s secrets to stay that way and they’re determined to keep Cilla from finishing the house, whatever it takes …

Night Moves by Nora Roberts

Night Moves (1985) (Silhouette Books)
Nora Roberts
Grade: C+
Genre: romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own

TBR RBC 2015: A romance novel 

When award-winning Hollywood composer and golden child Maggie Fitzgerald leaves her comfortable life in L.A. for a rundown and abandoned house in the tiny town of Morganville, population 142, no one believes she’ll last. Least of all, Cliff Delaney, the local landscaper Maggie’s hired to tackle her overgrown garden. Their chemistry is instantaneous and explosive, yet both parties try to deny and suppress their feelings based on a mutual dislike of the other. When Cliff’s crew dig up a body where Maggie envisages her new pond, a ten-year-old mystery is dredged up that somebody wants to keep a secret …

Heartbreaker by Julie Garwood

Heartbreaker (2000) (Pocket Star Books)
Julie Garwood
Grade: B
Genre: romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own 
Buchanan/FBI: (1) Heartbreaker 
Romance RBC 2015: A romantic suspense

The last thing that Father Tommy Madden expects to hear from the other side of the confessional box is a twisted maniac bragging about the women he’s killed and the lucky woman who’s next on his list – Laurant, Tommy’s younger sister. When the self-named ‘Heartbreaker’ drops off clues with the police, Tommy is no longer morally torn at the prospect of divulging confidential information and calls his childhood best friend, Nick Buchanan, for help. Nick is only too happy to use his forced holiday to be productive and shadow Laurant. Miraculously, they’ve never met despite Nick’s lifelong friendship with Tommy and Nick is astounded that the skinny girl he remembers from photographs has blossomed into the woman standing before him. What Nick really doesn’t expect is for Laurant to be so stubborn about carrying on her life as normal in an effort to trap Heartbreaker. When the pair return to Laurant’s house in the tiny town of Holy Oaks, their close quarters reveal a fiery attraction that shows no signs of extinguishing …

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.

True Betrayals by Nora Roberts

True Betrayals (1995) (Jove Books)
Nora Roberts
Grade: A-
Genre: romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own 
Romance RBC 2014: A book by Nora Roberts

Newly divorced Kelsey Byden has lived a spoiled, pampered life, allowed to indulge her passion for learning and never having to settle with one job for long. All her life, she’s been told that her mother died when she was a baby, and she’s had the loving care of her father, an English Professor at Georgetown University and her stepmother, Candace. Then, Kelsey gets the shock of her life: her mother is alive and well, the owner of Three Willows, a thoroughbred farm in Virginia. The reason for the deception? Naomi was sentenced to prison for murdering her alleged lover.

Fast Track by Julie Garwood

Fast Track (2014) (Penguin Group Dutton)
Julie Garwood
Grade: B-
Genre: romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: NetGalley
Buchanan/FBI: ... (12) Fast Track

Romance RBC 2014: A book with a 'best friend-little sister' relationship 

Raised solely by her father after her mother died in a car crash, Cordelia Kane isn’t ashamed to call herself a daddy’s girl. When he dies of a sudden heart attack, Cordelia is crushed – even more so when she discovers that her mother is still alive and well, having wanted nothing to do with her daughter’s life. Insanely curious about this woman that rejected her, Cordelia tracks her down to Sydney in order to find out more.

Concealed in Death by J.D. Robb

Concealed in Death (2014) (Piatkus)
J.D. Robb a.k.a. Nora Roberts
Grade: B
Genre: romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: library
In Death: (1) Naked in Death ... (34) Celebrity in Death, (35) Delusion in Death, (38) Concealed in Death

Romance RBC 2014: A book with a cop/PI heroine 

When Roarke ceremoniously takes the first swing in demolishing a run-down building he’s got plans for, he’s hoping it will be the start of a successful venture. What he doesn’t expect to find is two carefully wrapped bundles of plastic, containing the bodies of two teenage girls who have been buried behind a false wall for fifteen years. A more thorough inspection of the building is thus only natural, eventually bringing to light an even dozen bodies.

This case hits hard to home for Lieutenant Eve Dallas. The building used to be a sanctuary for delinquents and teenagers who had nowhere else to go. This stark reminder of her own time in-and-out of foster homes only pushes her harder to find the killer, revealing an elaborate cover-up that has left far too many families wondering whether their daughters are still alive, for too long.

Black Hills by Nora Roberts

Black Hills (2009) (Piatkus)
Nora Roberts
Grade: B+
Genre: romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own

Romance RBC 2014: A book with more than 500 pages 

When Cooper is packed off to his grandparents’ farm in South Dakota for the summer, aged 11, while his parents ‘work’ on their marriage, he’s convinced that this will be the worst summer of his life. No baseball camp, no live games at Yankee Stadium and no friends to help alleviate his boredom. Instead, he’s got weeks of collecting eggs, mucking out stalls and chores to look forward to. Similarly, he’s resigned to dislike neighbour Lil Chance on sight simply for the reason that she’s a girl, but what he doesn’t expect is for this unlikely friendship to be the most important and meaningful of his entire life.

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.

Mackenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard

Mackenzie's Mountain (1988) (Harlequin)

Linda Howard

Grade: A+

Genre: romantic suspense

Sex scenes: hot

Source: own 

Mackenzie Family: (1) Mackenzie's Mountain 

Mary Elizabeth Potter is the new schoolteacher in the tiny town of Ruth, Wyoming and damn good at her job. When she discovers that the school’s brightest pupil dropped out a month before she arrived, she’s determined to find out why and get Joe Mackenzie’s able mind back in the classroom. Blissfully ignorant of the town’s prejudices surrounding the Mackenzie’s Indian heritage and Wolf Mackenzie’s cleared – but no less forgotten – criminal record, Mary marches up the mountain to their home, completely unprepared for what she’s about to find.

Delusion in Death by J.D. Robb

Delusion in Death (2012) (Piatkus)

J.D. Robb a.k.a. Nora Roberts

Grade: B

Genre: romantic suspense

Sex scenes: mild

Source: library 

In Death: (1) Naked in Death ... (34) Celebrity in Death, (35) Delusion in Death 

It began as another normal night at In the Rocks: colleagues winding down after work and friends catching up over drinks. Yet, in the space of twelve minutes, eighty-three people are dead. When Lieutenant Eve Dallas arrives on scene, she is greeted with one of the worst sights of her career. A powerful hallucinogenic was released onsite, causing headaches and murderously violent behaviour where the roles of victim and perpetrator were inextricably intertwined, death a curse and prayer to all its targets as they mindlessly plundered without mercy, using whatever items were handy.

Naked in Death by J.D. Robb

Naked in Death (1995) (Piatkus)
J.D. Robb a.k.a. Nora Roberts
Grade: A+
Genre: romantic suspense / futuristic / crime
Sex scenes: hot
Source: own 
In Death: (1) Naked in Death, ... (35) Celebrity in Death

It’s something of a novelty to go back to read the first In Death book when I’ve just read book thirty-seven (review coming soon), the latest in the series. The writing style is unmistakeably darker, Eve and Roarke are shells of the people we now know them to be and there are none of the bonds with the recurring and secondary characters we know and love – that said, I love it and in a strange way, miss it.

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.

Public Secrets by Nora Roberts

Public Secrets (1990) (Bantam USA)
Nora Roberts
Grade: A
Genre: romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own

At three years old, Emma met her father for the first time from her favourite hiding place under the kitchen sink, and fell in love. Taken away from the mother that didn’t love her, to live with her father, Brian McAvoy and his wife, Bev, Emma finally has the chance to flourish. Her father is lead-singer of Devastation, soon to become one of the biggest bands of all time, and quickly, his bandmates Johnno, Stevie and P.M. become her family too. When her father and Bev give her a baby brother, four-year-old Emma’s life is complete.

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.

Night Shield by Nora Roberts

Night Shield (2000) (Silhouette Books)
Nora Roberts
Grade: B+
Genre: romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own
Night Tales: (1) Night Shift, (2) Night Shadow, (3) Nightshade, (4) Night Smoke, (5) Night Shield

The last book of the Night Tales series brings us in a full circle, telling the story of Detective Allison Fletcher, daughter of Captain Boyd Fletcher, hero of the first book of the series. She’s proved herself capable and worthy of her rank, but this is her first proper case and so there’s pressure to shine. Six burglaries over eight weeks has seen $800,000 of easily liquidated possessions stolen, all yet to be recovered. The only link between all the victims is that they were out at a club the night of the burglary – and 5/6 were at Blackhawk’s, Jonah Blackhawk’s newest club.