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A review by blessedwannab
Death Angel by Linda Howard
4.0
That Vital, Rhythmic Surge
(ahem... probably some slight spoilers down there. Just warning you...)
I went into this book with trepidation. I'm not sure why. I think because even with as much as I enjoyed Mr. Perfect I still feel a block inside when it comes to reading more Contemporary suspense romances. Perhaps it's the covers? Maybe it's because I feel like if you've read one, you've read them all. I mean, I do think that's true. Sometimes these types of books bleed together for me and I can't remember which Contemp Romance is which. I'm sure that when it's time to pick up another of Linda Howard's books I'll still feel a sense of trepidation. It's probably not fair, but I just can't help it.
Here's what I say, I think that makes my four stars that much more of a compliment! Because I go into these on a sigh, when I really like them it's like the book has gotten over a hurdle. And I did really like this one! Maybe it's Linda Howard. I told my friend Leea that I think it's because Howard knows how to write one reaaaaaally hot man. Whatever the reason, I started this book and was hooked! I read 98% of this book yesterday because I just couldn't put it down. I was on a freight train that was flying straight to the end.
That's not to say I didn't have issues with Death Angel, because I did. I think if I had to pick between Mr. Perfect and Death Angel as which one was a better all around book I'd go with Mr. Perfect. (Just like if you asked me which male MC I'd want in my bed, I'd go with Simon over Sam for sure, YUM.) Death Angel started in a very strange place. It felt wrong to root for this man who seemed to have such disregard for the heroine of the story, but I did. Right from the start I hoped he'd be the hero of the story, even though he wasn't a very good man. Then, after that first strange but sexy scene, the ball started rolling and I liked where it was going. The cat and mouse between 'assassin' and Drea was fun and full of adrenaline. Then it stops. And like the flip of a switch it felt like I was reading a whole different book. It was disconcerting and I wasn't sure how to take this abrupt subtle genre change, and the insertion of spirituality. It threw me for a loop, and it wasn't a fun loop either. I felt duped. If it hadn't been for the ending, and the build up to the ending, it wouldn't be a four star rating. But luckily after a few odd chapters, and a few odd interspersed sentences, the story got back on track and in the end I was happy.
It doesn't have your typical 'romance novel' ending. For me, though, that made it even better. I've read a million romances where the character sees the light and they go to the good side and live happily ever after with their white picket fences. This felt more like the end of Fast & the Furious. It ended as it should for these characters, keeping them true to who they are. Or at least who Simon is.
And that is why it went back up to 4 stars. Well, that and the fact that I'd love to pull Simon right out of the book and into my arms. Delicious! Shhh, don't tell my husband.
Forget about Smith and Jones; they were Butts and Goodnight, and if that didn't sound like a vaudeville team she didn't know what did.
(ahem... probably some slight spoilers down there. Just warning you...)
I went into this book with trepidation. I'm not sure why. I think because even with as much as I enjoyed Mr. Perfect I still feel a block inside when it comes to reading more Contemporary suspense romances. Perhaps it's the covers? Maybe it's because I feel like if you've read one, you've read them all. I mean, I do think that's true. Sometimes these types of books bleed together for me and I can't remember which Contemp Romance is which. I'm sure that when it's time to pick up another of Linda Howard's books I'll still feel a sense of trepidation. It's probably not fair, but I just can't help it.
Here's what I say, I think that makes my four stars that much more of a compliment! Because I go into these on a sigh, when I really like them it's like the book has gotten over a hurdle. And I did really like this one! Maybe it's Linda Howard. I told my friend Leea that I think it's because Howard knows how to write one reaaaaaally hot man. Whatever the reason, I started this book and was hooked! I read 98% of this book yesterday because I just couldn't put it down. I was on a freight train that was flying straight to the end.
That's not to say I didn't have issues with Death Angel, because I did. I think if I had to pick between Mr. Perfect and Death Angel as which one was a better all around book I'd go with Mr. Perfect. (Just like if you asked me which male MC I'd want in my bed, I'd go with Simon over Sam for sure, YUM.) Death Angel started in a very strange place. It felt wrong to root for this man who seemed to have such disregard for the heroine of the story, but I did. Right from the start I hoped he'd be the hero of the story, even though he wasn't a very good man. Then, after that first strange but sexy scene, the ball started rolling and I liked where it was going. The cat and mouse between 'assassin' and Drea was fun and full of adrenaline. Then it stops. And like the flip of a switch it felt like I was reading a whole different book. It was disconcerting and I wasn't sure how to take this abrupt subtle genre change, and the insertion of spirituality. It threw me for a loop, and it wasn't a fun loop either. I felt duped. If it hadn't been for the ending, and the build up to the ending, it wouldn't be a four star rating. But luckily after a few odd chapters, and a few odd interspersed sentences, the story got back on track and in the end I was happy.
It doesn't have your typical 'romance novel' ending. For me, though, that made it even better. I've read a million romances where the character sees the light and they go to the good side and live happily ever after with their white picket fences. This felt more like the end of Fast & the Furious. It ended as it should for these characters, keeping them true to who they are. Or at least who Simon is.
And that is why it went back up to 4 stars. Well, that and the fact that I'd love to pull Simon right out of the book and into my arms. Delicious! Shhh, don't tell my husband.
"I don't expect much," he murmured, staring at the ceiling while he stroked her hair. "At the end. If remorse is a requirement for redemption, then I'm not there. I don't imagine I ever will be. All I can offer is... revenge, maybe, and retribution. I can offer restraint-unless you're threatened, and then all bets are off. But I don't feel remorse. Some people need killing, and I did the job. So... this life with you is probably all I'll have, but it's enough, sweetheart. It's enough."