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heylook's review against another edition
2.0
A classic of modern literature! Nah just kidding, it sucks. The plot doesn't make sense, everyone is stupid, whatever.
jazzreads32's review against another edition
When the couple start talk about sexy…cringy
jigsawgirl's review against another edition
3.0
This book was ok. It did not keep me riveted to the pages like many other the writer's other books.
I liked Striker and Margo. You could almost feel the heat between the two of them. I liked the idea of the ex-con protectors. I even liked the way the Grangers were pulled in to the story.
But, it seemed like there were too many components to this story. The initial jury thing, the romance, the uncle issue, the parents thing, the uncle's girlfriend issue, the ex boyfriend, Striker's guilt, etc. I could go on. It was just too much.
I know some of it was necessary as a lead into the second book, but I ended up skimming (which I had never done before with a Brenda Jackson book) past some of the relationship scenes to get to the other storylines.
It was an ok read for me, but I believe I would have enjoyed it more of there has been fewer storylines.
I liked Striker and Margo. You could almost feel the heat between the two of them. I liked the idea of the ex-con protectors. I even liked the way the Grangers were pulled in to the story.
But, it seemed like there were too many components to this story. The initial jury thing, the romance, the uncle issue, the parents thing, the uncle's girlfriend issue, the ex boyfriend, Striker's guilt, etc. I could go on. It was just too much.
I know some of it was necessary as a lead into the second book, but I ended up skimming (which I had never done before with a Brenda Jackson book) past some of the relationship scenes to get to the other storylines.
It was an ok read for me, but I believe I would have enjoyed it more of there has been fewer storylines.
kate_and_books's review against another edition
1.0
@ 47% I’m tapping out.
#TooManyBooks you feel?
I was intrigued by the blurb and thought why not? Big mistake on my part.
Although I liked that ex-cons were trained to become protectors.
To the actual plot of the book I really do not know how likely that would actually happen. I guess that is someone as coldblooded as the villain in the book it is possible.
The main characters were there but for all that I cared they could have been replaced with any Tom, Dick or Henrietta. There was a lot of head butting which I don’t mind and then caving into the instant desire that they felt. Too many extremes in a time span of in such a short period of time. It was also too descriptive and too much repetitiveness.
#TooManyBooks you feel?
I was intrigued by the blurb and thought why not? Big mistake on my part.
Although I liked that ex-cons were trained to become protectors.
To the actual plot of the book I really do not know how likely that would actually happen. I guess that is someone as coldblooded as the villain in the book it is possible.
The main characters were there but for all that I cared they could have been replaced with any Tom, Dick or Henrietta. There was a lot of head butting which I don’t mind and then caving into the instant desire that they felt. Too many extremes in a time span of in such a short period of time. It was also too descriptive and too much repetitiveness.
wayfaringbibliomaniac's review against another edition
3.0
I wasn't a fan. The romance aspect of the novel was way too drawn out for me and there wasn't enough about the other bits in the beginning for it to really get me excited. The first few pages really drew me in, but as soon as Striker and Margo began living together I got bored. I liked the ending, though.
sn4p's review against another edition
3.0
I'm usually a fan of Brenda Jackson but this one did not feel like it was her best. It felt forced at times. Plus, the "someone's out to kill her" felt really forced. Three different people wanted her dead. The final attempt involved rocket launchers and fire bombs.
Yeah.
No.
Plus the obsession with cunnilingus.
Yeah.
No.
Plus the obsession with cunnilingus.
fresholivebread's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A bodyguard story with an ex-con and a jury member under threat. He's stoic, guarded and protective; she's strong-willed and very stubborn. Very insta-lusty, but there's also resistance as she fights him constantly. Their chemistry works but it took some time to develop past the insta-lust, and to build a pretty good romance.
He thinks he is undeserving because of his past, but she wholly accepts him, while his protectiveness of her vulnerable heart eventually won her trust and love. Gotta say they have a lot of sex! The suspense is rather convoluted, there's so much going on. A tighter plot would've worked better. Her stubbornness is ridiculous and illogical at times, and him bugging her room without telling her is 🙄. Overall, it started weak but got better and ended stronger.
He thinks he is undeserving because of his past, but she wholly accepts him, while his protectiveness of her vulnerable heart eventually won her trust and love. Gotta say they have a lot of sex! The suspense is rather convoluted, there's so much going on. A tighter plot would've worked better. Her stubbornness is ridiculous and illogical at times, and him bugging her room without telling her is 🙄. Overall, it started weak but got better and ended stronger.
scoutmomskf's review against another edition
4.0
Good start to the new series, with an intense start. Margo has been on jury duty, and the newly convicted criminal has stated that everyone involved in the case is in danger of being killed until he is set free. No one takes him seriously until people start dying. Concerned for her safety, Margo's uncles hires Summers Security to provide protection. Striker is the protector she gets.
From the moment they met, the heat between them is intense. Both are determined to ignore it at the beginning. Margo recently ended a relationship and is off men for awhile. She's also not happy about having him underfoot 24/7, interfering with her life. Her attitude is less than pleasant, partly as a defense against the attraction. Striker has never felt such a strong attraction to any woman, much less a client. His job is to keep her safe, not get distracted by her.
I liked both Margo and Striker. Margo's parents were killed when she was younger and she was raised by a bachelor uncle. She's a talented wedding dress designer, independent, and beautiful. She has no trouble making her opinion known about Striker's presence in her life, but finally accepts the necessity. Striker was terrific. He has turned his life around after spending several years in prison. Events from his past have influenced his need to protect, and he takes it very seriously.
I loved their first meeting. There is some serious antagonism, fueled by an instant attraction. Each one gave as good as they got until they realized that they were going to have to live together for the time being and called a truce. I enjoyed their conversations as they got to know each other. Neither had any trouble pushing the boundaries of nosiness about the other, and both ended up sharing things that they hadn't shared with others. As their attraction grew, it finally reached the point where neither could resist, and they were explosive together. Neither has been looking for love, but it found them anyway. Margo was pretty accepting of her feelings once she admitted them to herself. Striker was a harder nut to crack. Thanks to his past, he doesn't feel he's good enough for her. Plus, he's carrying a boatload of guilt about some of those events, and that has him afraid to risk loving anyone. I liked the ending, as Margo gave him the time he needed to put them to rest. His big moment at the end was sweet and romantic and perfectly timed.
The suspense in the story was really good. There was a lot going on. The main thing was the assassin who was taking out people involved in the trial. The police and FBI are stumped and frustrations are high. I loved the involvement of the psychic. There were some really good scenes with her, especially as she dealt with the skeptics. She also had an intense scene with the criminal behind the killings. There are multiple twists and turns as law enforcement wonders how the assassin can keep eluding capture. The final confrontation with him is intense. There are also secondary problems involving her ex, her uncle's ex, and another who seems to come out of nowhere.
I also loved the feeling of family that ran throughout the book. Striker, Quasar and Stonewall met and became friends with each other in prison. With the help of Shep Granger (Grangers series), they turned their lives around. There are also connections with their boss Roland, and the respect and care they have for each other is obvious. There are also family secrets that come out. The background story on that is a bit heartbreaking, and I loved seeing some healing begin. There's also a fantastic scene where Margo stumbles onto the secret and won't let go until all is revealed. I also enjoyed seeing the Granger men and their wives as they made guest appearances in the book.
I'm really looking forward to Quasar and Stonewall's stories. There are hints in this book as to how those are going to go.
From the moment they met, the heat between them is intense. Both are determined to ignore it at the beginning. Margo recently ended a relationship and is off men for awhile. She's also not happy about having him underfoot 24/7, interfering with her life. Her attitude is less than pleasant, partly as a defense against the attraction. Striker has never felt such a strong attraction to any woman, much less a client. His job is to keep her safe, not get distracted by her.
I liked both Margo and Striker. Margo's parents were killed when she was younger and she was raised by a bachelor uncle. She's a talented wedding dress designer, independent, and beautiful. She has no trouble making her opinion known about Striker's presence in her life, but finally accepts the necessity. Striker was terrific. He has turned his life around after spending several years in prison. Events from his past have influenced his need to protect, and he takes it very seriously.
I loved their first meeting. There is some serious antagonism, fueled by an instant attraction. Each one gave as good as they got until they realized that they were going to have to live together for the time being and called a truce. I enjoyed their conversations as they got to know each other. Neither had any trouble pushing the boundaries of nosiness about the other, and both ended up sharing things that they hadn't shared with others. As their attraction grew, it finally reached the point where neither could resist, and they were explosive together. Neither has been looking for love, but it found them anyway. Margo was pretty accepting of her feelings once she admitted them to herself. Striker was a harder nut to crack. Thanks to his past, he doesn't feel he's good enough for her. Plus, he's carrying a boatload of guilt about some of those events, and that has him afraid to risk loving anyone. I liked the ending, as Margo gave him the time he needed to put them to rest. His big moment at the end was sweet and romantic and perfectly timed.
The suspense in the story was really good. There was a lot going on. The main thing was the assassin who was taking out people involved in the trial. The police and FBI are stumped and frustrations are high. I loved the involvement of the psychic. There were some really good scenes with her, especially as she dealt with the skeptics. She also had an intense scene with the criminal behind the killings. There are multiple twists and turns as law enforcement wonders how the assassin can keep eluding capture. The final confrontation with him is intense. There are also secondary problems involving her ex, her uncle's ex, and another who seems to come out of nowhere.
I also loved the feeling of family that ran throughout the book. Striker, Quasar and Stonewall met and became friends with each other in prison. With the help of Shep Granger (Grangers series), they turned their lives around. There are also connections with their boss Roland, and the respect and care they have for each other is obvious. There are also family secrets that come out. The background story on that is a bit heartbreaking, and I loved seeing some healing begin. There's also a fantastic scene where Margo stumbles onto the secret and won't let go until all is revealed. I also enjoyed seeing the Granger men and their wives as they made guest appearances in the book.
I'm really looking forward to Quasar and Stonewall's stories. There are hints in this book as to how those are going to go.
lanidacey's review against another edition
1.0
Holy shit, this one is bad. It's terrible. It's literally infuriating. I read this book while stuck in an airport for a two-hour layover that stretched into a 15-hour layover, and I honestly don't know if my frustration with that situation turned me against this book or if this book was so bad it feed my irritation with United Airlines. Either way, it was a shit time.
This is going to be the most incomprehensible review I've ever posted, because I just can't. This book made me so angry and its problems are so overwhelming. I'm not going to be able to do it the justice it deserves on my own, so I'm gonna include some receipts (i.e. quotes).
Spoilers because you don't need to bother reading this book.
First, the main characters, Margo and Striker. These two are flatter than a pancake under a steam roller and about as smart. All we are told about them is that they are both ~*~*~HAWT~*~*~ and have the hots for each other.
Gag. Imagine having to read 400-plus pages of this trite BS.
Margo is the worst. I hated her from the start. She's a hypocritical, immature brat who does not take the gravity of her situation seriously. THREE different people (more on that later) are trying to kill her stupid ass. Instead of just shutting up and doing what needs to be done to stay hidden, she constantly starts fights and whines about not being allowed to go out and shop. I get what Jackson was going for. She wanted them to be two bull-headed people who have to learn how to get along; but Margo is such a dumb, petty brat that it doesn't work.
Margo gets all embarrassed when Striker mentions tampons because apparently we're reading about a group of 7th graders.
This occurs early on in the book and this is when I first knew we were in trouble. Her bodyguard has her phone tapped because a hitman is hunting down everyone in the courtroom and killing them. Three people have been murdered at this point. She screams like a toddler about it. GROW UP, MARGO.
This is said shortly after she has interrogated Striker about his criminal history, as well as his brother's rape and suicide. SHUT UP, MARGO.
Striker doesn't have any major flaws, but he's boring af. He has the personality of a boulder and is constantly getting erections. It's a problem that I wish he'd have the courtesy to keep to himself.
I was not exaggerating.
Next problem are the endless number of side characters. There are so many worthless characters introduced in this story and many of them also have stupid fucking names. (There's a guard named Quasar, and I bet he's going to have a terrible book all his own later in the series. I can't hardly wait.)
Many of them are somehow involved in Striker's complicated backstory, but play no actual role in the plot. It's something to do with the murder of a cop?¿? By a bunch of other dirty cops????¿?¿¿¿? And the sole lawyer who helped to put them away???¿¿??¿¿¿¿¿¿???? WHO CARES? If they ain't relevant to the story being told, stop bringing them up! There were so many instances where I had to stop and flip back through the book, because some rando who had been mentioned earlier (but never appeared) was being brought back up into the conversation. The story as it is drags on for too long and chopping out some of these background characters and their diverging stories would help to streamline things.
The gag-worthy romance. Oh god. This love story is built up using the most overused cliches possible. Right from the moment Margo spies Striker through the peephole, she feels ~*~*~*DESIRE*~*~*~. It happens just like that. No build-up. No reasoning for the attraction beyond that he's so hot.
We spend the next third of the book hearing them both talk about how much they want the other in the most trite ways possible. She's "gorgeous" and "sexy." He's "muscled" and "can fill out a pair of jeans." I swear, you can see the lines where Jackson copied and pasted the same bland, boring adjectives into the text. The whole thing is about as subtle as a child smashing Barbie and Ken's faces together for a kiss.
The writing somehow gets worse once things start heating up. And it heats up with the snap of a finger. They go from constantly bitching to banging in like a day. Please skim these quality lines of prose that I was forced to read with both my two eyes:
Striker's erections have better characterization than he does.
"Turgid nipple." Have you ever in your life read anything as ugly and unsexy as this phrase?
*sighs*
What the ever-loving, actual fuck? I DON'T WANT TO READ THAT.
Bart Simpson was surprised by its size, as well.
As bad as the romance is, the mystery/thriller part of the book is s00000o much worse. As I mentioned, there are three— wait! I forgot one!—four (!!!) different, unrelated people trying to murder Margo.
I pictured Erick (or Eddie .... I'm not going back to check) as Dr. Evil because he is literally that over-the-top. There are multiple instances in the book where he says something ~evil~ then cackles ominously. And honestly? I was here for it. He was such a ham; it was great. The one star I'm forced to give this book is going to him.
Freddie, the ex-boyfriend's ex-college roommate, is just fucking unnecessary. First off, there are too many murderers running around this story to begin with. What makes this worse is that the book spends the entirety of its first half building up what a pain-in-the-ass the ex-boyfriend is. You keep expecting him to come back and do something. Instead, he just drops out of the narrative. The ex wasn't a red herring, because the switch is done too badly. It's just more junk clogging up this story.
Claudine shows up with a gun in the last 20 pages of the book. I can't tell you more about her motivation because I honestly don't know. Maybe she hated Margo as much as I do. In that case, I love her, too.
Ughhhhhhhhhh .... I've run out of steam. This book is just bad. It's my first Brenda Jackson title and it has me nervous to try any of the others. I'm not that picky of a reader, I swear.
Stay away. Stay far, far away.
This is going to be the most incomprehensible review I've ever posted, because I just can't. This book made me so angry and its problems are so overwhelming. I'm not going to be able to do it the justice it deserves on my own, so I'm gonna include some receipts (i.e. quotes).
Spoilers because you don't need to bother reading this book.
First, the main characters, Margo and Striker. These two are flatter than a pancake under a steam roller and about as smart. All we are told about them is that they are both ~*~*~HAWT~*~*~ and have the hots for each other.
Instead of focusing on his eyes like before, she took in the entire man. And what a man he was. He was tall, way over six feet. And he was big. Muscular in a dark business suit and looking totally professional and serious. Why was her gaze intrigued by his broad shoulders, bulging biceps and flat abs? And those heavily lashed, dark eyes, the same ones she had stared into just moments ago, seemed to say, “Go ahead and try me.”
Gag. Imagine having to read 400-plus pages of this trite BS.
Margo is the worst. I hated her from the start. She's a hypocritical, immature brat who does not take the gravity of her situation seriously. THREE different people (more on that later) are trying to kill her stupid ass. Instead of just shutting up and doing what needs to be done to stay hidden, she constantly starts fights and whines about not being allowed to go out and shop. I get what Jackson was going for. She wanted them to be two bull-headed people who have to learn how to get along; but Margo is such a dumb, petty brat that it doesn't work.
“He can pick up anything, even feminine hygiene products, if that’s what you’re alluding to.” Margo nearly choked on her orange juice and she felt her face redden.
Margo gets all embarrassed when Striker mentions tampons because apparently we're reading about a group of 7th graders.
"You listened in on my conversation?" she accused.
"Damn right."
Furious beyond belief, she crossed the room to stand in front of him. "How dare you!" she screamed almost at the top of her lungs.
This occurs early on in the book and this is when I first knew we were in trouble. Her bodyguard has her phone tapped because a hitman is hunting down everyone in the courtroom and killing them. Three people have been murdered at this point. She screams like a toddler about it. GROW UP, MARGO.
Typically [Margo] was fairly easy to get along with unless someone tried getting into her business.
This is said shortly after she has interrogated Striker about his criminal history, as well as his brother's rape and suicide. SHUT UP, MARGO.
Striker doesn't have any major flaws, but he's boring af. He has the personality of a boulder and is constantly getting erections. It's a problem that I wish he'd have the courtesy to keep to himself.
Since he’d become Margo’s protector, getting an erection was one of his prominent pastimes.
I was not exaggerating.
Next problem are the endless number of side characters. There are so many worthless characters introduced in this story and many of them also have stupid fucking names. (There's a guard named Quasar, and I bet he's going to have a terrible book all his own later in the series. I can't hardly wait.)
Many of them are somehow involved in Striker's complicated backstory, but play no actual role in the plot. It's something to do with the murder of a cop?¿? By a bunch of other dirty cops????¿?¿¿¿? And the sole lawyer who helped to put them away???¿¿??¿¿¿¿¿¿???? WHO CARES? If they ain't relevant to the story being told, stop bringing them up! There were so many instances where I had to stop and flip back through the book, because some rando who had been mentioned earlier (but never appeared) was being brought back up into the conversation. The story as it is drags on for too long and chopping out some of these background characters and their diverging stories would help to streamline things.
The gag-worthy romance. Oh god. This love story is built up using the most overused cliches possible. Right from the moment Margo spies Striker through the peephole, she feels ~*~*~*DESIRE*~*~*~. It happens just like that. No build-up. No reasoning for the attraction beyond that he's so hot.
We spend the next third of the book hearing them both talk about how much they want the other in the most trite ways possible. She's "gorgeous" and "sexy." He's "muscled" and "can fill out a pair of jeans." I swear, you can see the lines where Jackson copied and pasted the same bland, boring adjectives into the text. The whole thing is about as subtle as a child smashing Barbie and Ken's faces together for a kiss.
The writing somehow gets worse once things start heating up. And it heats up with the snap of a finger. They go from constantly bitching to banging in like a day. Please skim these quality lines of prose that I was forced to read with both my two eyes:
Her taste was a total erection builder.
Striker's erections have better characterization than he does.
And when he took the pad of his thumb and rubbed a turgid nipple, she said his name again.
"Turgid nipple." Have you ever in your life read anything as ugly and unsexy as this phrase?
Her navel was a cutie as well.
*sighs*
Those womanly folds were plump, ready to be divided and conquered.
What the ever-loving, actual fuck? I DON'T WANT TO READ THAT.
Her breath caught when she saw the size of his erection. Holy cow!
Bart Simpson was surprised by its size, as well.
As bad as the romance is, the mystery/thriller part of the book is s00000o much worse. As I mentioned, there are three— wait! I forgot one!—four (!!!) different, unrelated people trying to murder Margo.
- WHO: Erick (or Eddie?) Murphy, the main baddie. WHY: He's a gangster who's got a hit on everyone involved in the trial that put him away.
- WHO: Liz, her uncle's ex-girlfriend. WHY: She blames Margo for breaking up her relationship and ruining her plans to marry rich. (She is the most sympathetic character in the story.)
- WHO: Freddie, her ex-boyfriend's ex-college roommate. WHY: He's mad because he committed a felony prank against Margo and as punishment, is forced to make a $100,000 donation to a charity. Classic revenge tale.
- WHO: Claudine, one of Margo's boutique clients. WHY: Beats the shit out of me.
I pictured Erick (or Eddie .... I'm not going back to check) as Dr. Evil because he is literally that over-the-top. There are multiple instances in the book where he says something ~evil~ then cackles ominously. And honestly? I was here for it. He was such a ham; it was great. The one star I'm forced to give this book is going to him.
Freddie, the ex-boyfriend's ex-college roommate, is just fucking unnecessary. First off, there are too many murderers running around this story to begin with. What makes this worse is that the book spends the entirety of its first half building up what a pain-in-the-ass the ex-boyfriend is. You keep expecting him to come back and do something. Instead, he just drops out of the narrative. The ex wasn't a red herring, because the switch is done too badly. It's just more junk clogging up this story.
Claudine shows up with a gun in the last 20 pages of the book. I can't tell you more about her motivation because I honestly don't know. Maybe she hated Margo as much as I do. In that case, I love her, too.
Ughhhhhhhhhh .... I've run out of steam. This book is just bad. It's my first Brenda Jackson title and it has me nervous to try any of the others. I'm not that picky of a reader, I swear.
Stay away. Stay far, far away.