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jackiehorne's review
3.0
Another decently paced adventure romance from Sorenson, featuring two of the secondary characters from the first book in her Aftershock series. Penny Sandoval, daughter of a Republican Presidential candidate, has had strong feelings for her current bodyguard, Owen Jackson, ever since ex-con Owen helped Penny when they were trapped under a collapsed freeway after an earthquake. Owen, who considers himself poor white trash, doesn't need Penny's father to tell him he's not good enough for Penny, nor the agreement he signed when he took the bodyguard job agreeing not to socialize with her to keep his hands to himself. But when the two, plus Penny's young son, are kidnapped by Owen's just freed from jail no-good older brother and his cronies, the heightened-danger feelings kick in and bring them close. After a long escape sequence across the Badlands, Penny and Owen are recaptured, handcuffed together, and locked together in a motel bathroom. Hidden shames and healing passion ensues. After the kidnappers are defeated, Penny refuses to allow her father to part her from the man she loves, no matter how damaging he thinks her relationship might be for his political ambitions.
This is a Harlequin, so there's more telling than showing than an experienced reader might like, far more than in Sorenson's earlier, longer books. And there's a good deal of improbable heroics on Owen's part—the day after being brutally beaten, he's up and about and on the run, carrying Penny's child and wheeling her about in a wheelbarrow when she's taken by heat stroke.
On the more interesting side, though, we have the inversion of the typical race dynamics: the rich girl is Latino, the poor guy is white. And there are lots of hints that the Republican family values Penny's father espouses contain more than their share of hypocrisy. Favorite moment: when Penny calls her dad on his hypocrisy, asking him why he praises self-made men, but then tries to buy Owen off instead of valuing him for overcoming adversity.
Still, I could wish Sorenson would find a publisher who would let her expand her wings, let her show rather than just tell...
This is a Harlequin, so there's more telling than showing than an experienced reader might like, far more than in Sorenson's earlier, longer books. And there's a good deal of improbable heroics on Owen's part—the day after being brutally beaten, he's up and about and on the run, carrying Penny's child and wheeling her about in a wheelbarrow when she's taken by heat stroke.
On the more interesting side, though, we have the inversion of the typical race dynamics: the rich girl is Latino, the poor guy is white. And there are lots of hints that the Republican family values Penny's father espouses contain more than their share of hypocrisy. Favorite moment: when Penny calls her dad on his hypocrisy, asking him why he praises self-made men, but then tries to buy Owen off instead of valuing him for overcoming adversity.
Still, I could wish Sorenson would find a publisher who would let her expand her wings, let her show rather than just tell...
ea82625's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
You don’t need to read Aftershock to read this book, but I would recommend it. Honestly I was almost more interested in Owen and Penny in the first book than I was the main couple. And this book delivered. I normally don’t love 3rd person pov but it works in this series and you really get to understand the full picture of how everything pieces together.
Seeing Penny and Owen open up to each other was touching and realistic. From the first book, you could assume Owen experienced some real trauma in prison and he can finally start to heal with Penny. I also thought his relationship with Cruz was cute and the use of him throughout the book was good and not just an inconvenient side piece who didn’t act his age.
There was a decent amount of inner monologue in this book which I usually don’t love, but I think it worked here because it wasn’t repetitive.
The setting was in an area of the country I’d never heard of and after reading the descriptions I would look at pictures online and it was spot on and really created the overall mood/atmosphere of the suspense.
Seeing Penny and Owen open up to each other was touching and realistic. From the first book, you could assume Owen experienced some real trauma in prison and he can finally start to heal with Penny. I also thought his relationship with Cruz was cute and the use of him throughout the book was good and not just an inconvenient side piece who didn’t act his age.
There was a decent amount of inner monologue in this book which I usually don’t love, but I think it worked here because it wasn’t repetitive.
The setting was in an area of the country I’d never heard of and after reading the descriptions I would look at pictures online and it was spot on and really created the overall mood/atmosphere of the suspense.
tamreel_stitches's review
3.0
I received this book as a First Reads winner. I thought it was a great read.
prgchrqltma's review
4.0
Characters: Political daughter, ex-con (introduced already in series)
World Building: Prison gangs, So Cal desert
Plot: Abduction and escape
Sex: Medium, for good reason
Read another: Yep.
Sorenson does romantic suspense so well!
World Building: Prison gangs, So Cal desert
Plot: Abduction and escape
Sex: Medium, for good reason
Read another: Yep.
Sorenson does romantic suspense so well!
noveladdiction's review
4.0
Jill Sorenson continues to amaze me with every book. I get so into the story, and I fall in love with the characters. And god, poor Owen. This guy has been through so much, both before the events of book one, and leading up to his own story. My heart breaks for him, then and now. Because, let me tell you guys, not everyone gets a happy ending.
I already have the next story in this series requested. I can't wait to get it!
I already have the next story in this series requested. I can't wait to get it!
scorchingnix's review
5.0
FTC: I requested this book from NetGalley after reading the first two from there. I have no relationship with the author.
This book should not be read alone as it is a continuation of a series arc. I do think that you need to see how Penny and Owen meet to appreciate how far each of them have come. At the time of their meeting, Penny was pregnant and Owen was part of a neo-Nazi criminal group all trapped together after an Earthquake. Over the course of that book, Owen did grow but I knew when I started reading this one that most of his character growth had happened off-page.
At the start of this book, Penny is the mother to the lovely Cruz (so cute!) and Owen is their personal bodyguard. Her Father a prominent politician, she has started to become part of the campaign and therefore is in need of a bodyguard that she can trust. Owen has proved his worth by saving her life before so her Father hired him. Little did she know the stipulations that he had put in place when hiring Owen. Penny’s Father is a bit of a douche. I really didn’t like him the more I found out about him. Yes, he was protecting her from the former Neo-Nazi but he was really trying to impose his own ideals onto her life by putting Owen in an untenable position. It was very controlling.
Owen is batshit crazy in love with Penny. Thing is, he knows that his background means that he is unlikely to have a shot with her. He is focusing all his energy on protecting her and Cruz whilst they need him and then, if he manages to keep to all the stipulations in his contract, he will walk away knowing they are safe with a letter of recommendation to get a firefighter job. I didn’t judge him for not doing more to get her attention and say “fuck you” to Daddy dearest’s stipulations, I applauded him. He was happy in his unrequited love, sure that the best thing he could do for her was what he was doing and trying to live his life anyway. I liked him…….and then I found out about his tattoo modifications and I swooned a little. Then I found out about why he got the tattoos in the first place and my heart broke. I knew there would be a story; I just didn’t think it would be quite that story. Needless to say, I was dubious about a hero (reformed or not) who had criminal convictions and white supremist affiliations, but then I read his backstory and I knew I could stop judging him as a racist thug (I know, I am judgey with romance heroes….). At the start of the book, I knew that the actions didn’t quite fit with the appearance anyway but now my opinion is completely changed. Don’t get me wrong, he was never going to be a perfect hero to me, after all his actions were his own, but you have to give him some credit for being dealt a very bad hand. I liked him. Imperfections and all.
Penny impressed me in this book. It is clear before the kidnap that she is attracted to Owen but it isn’t until after the kidnapping that she really gets to dissect and tell him her feelings. She doesn’t care what he used to be as he has impressed her enough with the man that he has become and I respected this outlook. She let her judgement of him be based on his actions and not his outwards appearance (he has numerous Nazi tattoos as far as she is aware) and I liked this about her. It would be so easy to dismiss him but she can’t do that. I think the addition of Cruz to this particular plot was a genius way to let her shine too; her actions to save him were selfless and determined. She was strong, she was selfless and she was kind-hearted; she was a heroine who I wanted to know more about.
The suspense plot was well developed and kept the romance plot moving forward nicely. I didn’t quite know what I wanted to happen with Owen’s brother (main baddie) as I was torn between believing he could be redeemable (unlikely) and wanting to die a painful death (my reader self is blood thirsty). It was a bit of a pickle really but that edge of uncertainty kept me ploughing through the pages, another thing for me to get my teeth into.
Overall, this was a brilliant book, one I hoped Owen would get. I loved the pairing of the two of them, happy that the relationship would bring out the best of both of them. Excellent romantic suspense.
This book should not be read alone as it is a continuation of a series arc. I do think that you need to see how Penny and Owen meet to appreciate how far each of them have come. At the time of their meeting, Penny was pregnant and Owen was part of a neo-Nazi criminal group all trapped together after an Earthquake. Over the course of that book, Owen did grow but I knew when I started reading this one that most of his character growth had happened off-page.
At the start of this book, Penny is the mother to the lovely Cruz (so cute!) and Owen is their personal bodyguard. Her Father a prominent politician, she has started to become part of the campaign and therefore is in need of a bodyguard that she can trust. Owen has proved his worth by saving her life before so her Father hired him. Little did she know the stipulations that he had put in place when hiring Owen. Penny’s Father is a bit of a douche. I really didn’t like him the more I found out about him. Yes, he was protecting her from the former Neo-Nazi but he was really trying to impose his own ideals onto her life by putting Owen in an untenable position. It was very controlling.
Owen is batshit crazy in love with Penny. Thing is, he knows that his background means that he is unlikely to have a shot with her. He is focusing all his energy on protecting her and Cruz whilst they need him and then, if he manages to keep to all the stipulations in his contract, he will walk away knowing they are safe with a letter of recommendation to get a firefighter job. I didn’t judge him for not doing more to get her attention and say “fuck you” to Daddy dearest’s stipulations, I applauded him. He was happy in his unrequited love, sure that the best thing he could do for her was what he was doing and trying to live his life anyway. I liked him…….and then I found out about his tattoo modifications and I swooned a little. Then I found out about why he got the tattoos in the first place and my heart broke. I knew there would be a story; I just didn’t think it would be quite that story. Needless to say, I was dubious about a hero (reformed or not) who had criminal convictions and white supremist affiliations, but then I read his backstory and I knew I could stop judging him as a racist thug (I know, I am judgey with romance heroes….). At the start of the book, I knew that the actions didn’t quite fit with the appearance anyway but now my opinion is completely changed. Don’t get me wrong, he was never going to be a perfect hero to me, after all his actions were his own, but you have to give him some credit for being dealt a very bad hand. I liked him. Imperfections and all.
Penny impressed me in this book. It is clear before the kidnap that she is attracted to Owen but it isn’t until after the kidnapping that she really gets to dissect and tell him her feelings. She doesn’t care what he used to be as he has impressed her enough with the man that he has become and I respected this outlook. She let her judgement of him be based on his actions and not his outwards appearance (he has numerous Nazi tattoos as far as she is aware) and I liked this about her. It would be so easy to dismiss him but she can’t do that. I think the addition of Cruz to this particular plot was a genius way to let her shine too; her actions to save him were selfless and determined. She was strong, she was selfless and she was kind-hearted; she was a heroine who I wanted to know more about.
The suspense plot was well developed and kept the romance plot moving forward nicely. I didn’t quite know what I wanted to happen with Owen’s brother (main baddie) as I was torn between believing he could be redeemable (unlikely) and wanting to die a painful death (my reader self is blood thirsty). It was a bit of a pickle really but that edge of uncertainty kept me ploughing through the pages, another thing for me to get my teeth into.
Overall, this was a brilliant book, one I hoped Owen would get. I loved the pairing of the two of them, happy that the relationship would bring out the best of both of them. Excellent romantic suspense.
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