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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
To be honest I don't necessarily love Ken but I wanted to see him totally bury his relationship with Adele. I really liked Rose, though. I preferred her story to the Helga's in the previous books. It was nice to read about Alyssa & Sam. Sam & Alyssa are awesome and I could read about them forever. I'd always thought of Ken as that geek they leave behind in the van in ops, you know so seeing him in survival mode was interesting. All in all, better than anything Lora Leigh could have written.
This is one of my favorites of the entire series! Both the male and the female protagonists are wonderful, as is the WWII backstory.
Love this book and this series. Only one thing I had a hard time with, twice in this book the author wrote that one person "heard" the other person smile. How do you do that? Other than that it was such a good story. I loved how the past story was told through a best-selling book read by many people in the book, not just flash-backs.
I never know what to expect from Romantic Suspense novels. They're usually a mixed-bag. Some I get annoyed with because there's too much running-away-from-terrorists and not enough--hello?--romance. Some are just contemporary romances with a heroine carrying a gun in her purse. But some, like this little gem from Suzanne Brockmann, walk that very fine tightrope of perfect action mixed with a great romance storyline. Plus--yay!--it's also funny. Laugh out loud hilarious, actually. (I was not expecting that, and was extremely pleased.)
I like how this book is structured, too. This series (of which this is my first read) has an ensemble cast (there are five--I think?--present story lines that set up the next books beautifully, but without seeming to detract from the main story), but all the stories were connected by a book that told one more love story line (sounds confusing, but it isn't). And you CARE about all of these characters, too!
Just a fantastic book. Pick it up, baby. I'm going to read the rest of them.... now.
I like how this book is structured, too. This series (of which this is my first read) has an ensemble cast (there are five--I think?--present story lines that set up the next books beautifully, but without seeming to detract from the main story), but all the stories were connected by a book that told one more love story line (sounds confusing, but it isn't). And you CARE about all of these characters, too!
Just a fantastic book. Pick it up, baby. I'm going to read the rest of them.... now.
Savannah and Ken "WildCard" Karmody were so immature, their relationship is the kind that I don't think would last very long if they were exist in reality. It's Savannah's grandmother that saved this book for me, now that is a better love story!
I started this book but couldn't finish it. The characters were to pat, the writing just simply not interesting enough.
Suzanne Brockmann and her Navy Seal books are my new obsession. I loved this one the most because I actually liked all of the multiple storylines. She usually does a main romance, a secondary one, the obligatory Sam/Alyssa angst (which i adore because I LOVE these two) and a WWII flashback. In some of her other books there is at least one storyline I skim through because I think it steals valuable time from the better stuff. Not this time. I loved all the storylines.
There are two reasons this one doesn't get 5 whole stars:
First is Ken Karmody. This character has really changed from the previous books. He wasn't very recognizable as "Wildcard" Karmody. He seemed way too normal in this one.
Second, I know that Sam and Alyssa's path to true love is already tortuous and doesn't need any other help to be even more torturous, but I was disappointed in the Max/Alyssa let's pretend we're together shenanigans. It just seems so high school. I think the heart-failure quotient for the Sam/Alyssa fans would've been really high if Max/Alyssa had actually, really tried to be together. Temporarily, of course.
But enough of my armchair fan-fic.
Great book, great series. Total recommendation!
There are two reasons this one doesn't get 5 whole stars:
First is Ken Karmody. This character has really changed from the previous books. He wasn't very recognizable as "Wildcard" Karmody. He seemed way too normal in this one.
Second, I know that Sam and Alyssa's path to true love is already tortuous and doesn't need any other help to be even more torturous, but I was disappointed in the Max/Alyssa let's pretend we're together shenanigans. It just seems so high school. I think the heart-failure quotient for the Sam/Alyssa fans would've been really high if Max/Alyssa had actually, really tried to be together. Temporarily, of course.
But enough of my armchair fan-fic.
Great book, great series. Total recommendation!
When Savannah von Hopf receives a ransom demand from the Indonesians who abducted her uncle, the first person she thought of for help was Navy SEAL Kenny (WildCard) Carmody. The last time she saw him was in college but he’s always been the crush she never got over. Their first encounter in San Diego was combustible and, unfortunately she failed to explain her connection to his ex-girlfriend who broke his heart. By the time she comes clean, they’re on the way to Indonesia, everything is tense and they walk into a disaster. Meanwhile, Rose von Hopf, Savannah’s grandmother who is a renowned World War II spy for the US, is meeting with the FBI because their sources have reported her son missing.
I read this story over ten years ago and am rereading via audio this time as part of a group read. Sometimes when you revisit a favorite story from long ago it loses some of its original shine but not this time. It was even more enjoyable the second time around, made so by the change in format.
There are multiple subplots in play that are expertly seamed together to provide one exceptional story. In addition to WildCard and Savannah, Rose’s history is recounted through several of the characters reading her book at various stages. Her experience as a double agent is fascinating, providing much needed relief from the suspense in Indonesia. Two new characters are introduced, a missionary named Molly Anderson and a mysterious expatriate named Dave Jones, an obviously false identity, both living in the Indonesian village where WildCard and Savannah show up. We also get more of Alyssa and Sam, more heartache than heart song, though.
I enjoyed everything about this story, even the sad moments and the childish ones between WildCard and Savannah as they attempt to rebuild trust and recapture the magic of the first encounter. There’s lots of excitement, drama, intrigue and romance (beware the steam!). I chose the newer audio version with the dual narrators as the older one was problematic. Lawlor and Ewbank make a great team and they delivered an outstanding performance, so much so that I’m abandoning the library versions and investing in the new ones going forward. My original 5-star rating still stands as strongly as it did the first time around.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
I read this story over ten years ago and am rereading via audio this time as part of a group read. Sometimes when you revisit a favorite story from long ago it loses some of its original shine but not this time. It was even more enjoyable the second time around, made so by the change in format.
There are multiple subplots in play that are expertly seamed together to provide one exceptional story. In addition to WildCard and Savannah, Rose’s history is recounted through several of the characters reading her book at various stages. Her experience as a double agent is fascinating, providing much needed relief from the suspense in Indonesia. Two new characters are introduced, a missionary named Molly Anderson and a mysterious expatriate named Dave Jones, an obviously false identity, both living in the Indonesian village where WildCard and Savannah show up. We also get more of Alyssa and Sam, more heartache than heart song, though.
I enjoyed everything about this story, even the sad moments and the childish ones between WildCard and Savannah as they attempt to rebuild trust and recapture the magic of the first encounter. There’s lots of excitement, drama, intrigue and romance (beware the steam!). I chose the newer audio version with the dual narrators as the older one was problematic. Lawlor and Ewbank make a great team and they delivered an outstanding performance, so much so that I’m abandoning the library versions and investing in the new ones going forward. My original 5-star rating still stands as strongly as it did the first time around.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This is one of my absolute FAVORITE series and returning to this favorite book in it was delightful. Ken and Savannah are one of my favorite couples in this series. They have such a wonderful connection straight away and even when their lust induced glasses come off, they give each other the room to actually get to know one another and they are such a perfect pair. Granted the "we are lost in the jungle in mortal peril" definitely helped move that connection along a bit.
The best thing about this series is that no character is too small and Suz really makes sure that everyone has a rich story.
There are so many stories happening and they call come together so wonderfully. The story of Savannah's grandparents is so moving. The spy intrigue, the history that we get taught by reading it...just so swoon-worthy!!! And then there were Molly and Jones and their story of forgiving oneself and finding redemption and love...they are just such a sexy and loving couple.
And finally, we have the ongoing saga of Alyssa and Sam with a dash of Max drama thrown in. This couple is the backbone of the whole series for me. I fell in love with them as a pair from the first book I read in the series way back in 2003 (The Defiant Hero...the second book in the series) and we really go through it with them. They break my heart and make me swoon over them.
As always, Jules is the best. He wasn't in this one enough, but I am so excited to keep revisiting this series to go on his journey again. But it bears repeating: Jules is the best.
I am definitely re-reading this series out of order, but I just couldn't help myself to start with this one. It just has EVERYTHING that makes Suz Brockmann one of the best. The romance, the history, the ACTION! This is an exhilarating series and I am so excited to get back to it!
The best thing about this series is that no character is too small and Suz really makes sure that everyone has a rich story.
There are so many stories happening and they call come together so wonderfully. The story of Savannah's grandparents is so moving. The spy intrigue, the history that we get taught by reading it...just so swoon-worthy!!! And then there were Molly and Jones and their story of forgiving oneself and finding redemption and love...they are just such a sexy and loving couple.
And finally, we have the ongoing saga of Alyssa and Sam with a dash of Max drama thrown in. This couple is the backbone of the whole series for me. I fell in love with them as a pair from the first book I read in the series way back in 2003 (The Defiant Hero...the second book in the series) and we really go through it with them. They break my heart and make me swoon over them.
As always, Jules is the best. He wasn't in this one enough, but I am so excited to keep revisiting this series to go on his journey again. But it bears repeating: Jules is the best.
I am definitely re-reading this series out of order, but I just couldn't help myself to start with this one. It just has EVERYTHING that makes Suz Brockmann one of the best. The romance, the history, the ACTION! This is an exhilarating series and I am so excited to get back to it!
Entertaining, deducting major points for racist depictions of Thailand.