Helpful Score: 6
I thought this was an okay book - not great but not awful either. I have to say that I love her early books but the hardbacks have been hit or miss for me. What I liked about this book: The hero and heroine, as well as the supporting "good guys" and friends were interesting and likeable enough. I also liked the moments of humor and the basic premise. What I didn't like: Too much info about what's going on in the head of the bad guy(s). That caused the book to jump around, as well as drag for me. The section at the beginning about her winning the lottery was interesting, but I think it should have been shorter. Finally, it took too long for the H/H to finally quit fighting the attraction and get together. Again, an okay book. I gave it three and half stars.
Helpful Score: 5
Jenner Redwine knew winning the Mega Millions lottery was going to change her life. But after her ex-boyfriend tries to sue her, her father robs her, and her best friend ditches her once the gravy train has been cut off, she's not entirely certain it was all for the best. Cutting her ties to her former life, Jenner tries her luck in Florida and enters the fringes of the Palm Beach elite, guided along by Sydney Hazlett. Seven years later, this former meat packing worker turned multimillionaire is about to set sail for her first cruise when her oh-so-helpful-stewardess calmly informs her that her friend will not be joining her as planned because her associates are holding her hostage, and if wants to see her friend again, she must do as they say. Stunned and terrified, Jenner realizes that the people holding both her and Sydney captive are ruthless and not to be trusted. She's frantically looking for a way out that will leave both her and Syd alive when she is swept up into the arms of the most masculine and menacing stranger she's ever met. She may be angry. She may be scared. But she will not be contracting the Stockholm Syndrome any time soon.
The more I read, the more this book reminded me of LH's Mr. Perfect. I would say that this book has the same amount of time spent on the romance and the suspense as Mr. Perfect. The emphasis on the friendship between Syd and Jenner reminded me of the friendship between the four ladies, and the smarta** comments Sam and Jaine were always tossing about were easily interchangeable with the smarta** sparring of Cael Traylor and Jenner. Which for someone who really enjoys smarta** characters, I thought this book was enjoyable. Until I realized that sparring aside, this book doesn't have a whole lot of substance to it. The plot itself was pretty weak. I don't believe for one second that a real black-ops team would chance their mission on what they believed were two spoiled rich girls (can you imagine the fate of the world being held in the hands of Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie???) and the villain's gleeful ruminations got darned boring after awhile. Since the only one left in the dark is Jenner, I didn't have a whole lot of sympathy for her when she continually begged to be let in on what was happening. Everything is laid out for us and so we end up playing the waiting game throughout most of the book. Waiting for the villain to make his move. Waiting for Cael & Associates to figure it out. Waiting for Cael and Jenner to realize they love each other and fall passionately into each other's arms. Blah, blah, blah.
Cael Traylor starts off very aggressive in the prologue. Since the book kicks off right in the middle of the book, I was really confused when I was bombarded with all the characters right off the bat. At first I didn't know if the guy was the villain or the hero. I assumed he was going to be a Simon-like character from LH's Death Angel, but he quickly turned into a "Yes, Dear" kind of guy. While I enjoyed reading about his attempts to keep Jenner in line, I kind of missed the scarily aggressive male from the beginning. Instead of Simon, Sam or Jackson Rippner, I ended up with a p*ssywhipped Ricky Ricardo.
The sex in this book was also quite a letdown. I know Linda Howard can set my panties afire but in this book all I got was a painfully dry Insert Tab A into Slot B scene and another that read like a fade to black scene. Neither sex scene lasted more than a page or two. Complete letdown.
Though it sounds like I didn't enjoy this book, I did. The action in the book picks up at the end and makes you feel like you've been tossed onto the set of Titanic, and I, weirdly enough, enjoyed the death scene of one of the 'good' characters. But it was the sparring matches between Jenner and Cael that carried this book to the end.
The more I read, the more this book reminded me of LH's Mr. Perfect. I would say that this book has the same amount of time spent on the romance and the suspense as Mr. Perfect. The emphasis on the friendship between Syd and Jenner reminded me of the friendship between the four ladies, and the smarta** comments Sam and Jaine were always tossing about were easily interchangeable with the smarta** sparring of Cael Traylor and Jenner. Which for someone who really enjoys smarta** characters, I thought this book was enjoyable. Until I realized that sparring aside, this book doesn't have a whole lot of substance to it. The plot itself was pretty weak. I don't believe for one second that a real black-ops team would chance their mission on what they believed were two spoiled rich girls (can you imagine the fate of the world being held in the hands of Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie???) and the villain's gleeful ruminations got darned boring after awhile. Since the only one left in the dark is Jenner, I didn't have a whole lot of sympathy for her when she continually begged to be let in on what was happening. Everything is laid out for us and so we end up playing the waiting game throughout most of the book. Waiting for the villain to make his move. Waiting for Cael & Associates to figure it out. Waiting for Cael and Jenner to realize they love each other and fall passionately into each other's arms. Blah, blah, blah.
Cael Traylor starts off very aggressive in the prologue. Since the book kicks off right in the middle of the book, I was really confused when I was bombarded with all the characters right off the bat. At first I didn't know if the guy was the villain or the hero. I assumed he was going to be a Simon-like character from LH's Death Angel, but he quickly turned into a "Yes, Dear" kind of guy. While I enjoyed reading about his attempts to keep Jenner in line, I kind of missed the scarily aggressive male from the beginning. Instead of Simon, Sam or Jackson Rippner, I ended up with a p*ssywhipped Ricky Ricardo.
The sex in this book was also quite a letdown. I know Linda Howard can set my panties afire but in this book all I got was a painfully dry Insert Tab A into Slot B scene and another that read like a fade to black scene. Neither sex scene lasted more than a page or two. Complete letdown.
Though it sounds like I didn't enjoy this book, I did. The action in the book picks up at the end and makes you feel like you've been tossed onto the set of Titanic, and I, weirdly enough, enjoyed the death scene of one of the 'good' characters. But it was the sparring matches between Jenner and Cael that carried this book to the end.
Helpful Score: 4
A bizarre start which took a while to figure out what the hell was going on. Then it switches to Jenner's pathetic life which is just as boring. There is some kind of conspiracy plot in place that gets Sydney (Jenner's best friend) kidnapped and Jenner held hostage on a cruise ship. Cael, the man holding Jenner, is a brute and really mean and unfriendly. Nothing is explained to Jenner so she fights his scheme all the way. Unbelievably she falls for Cael - gimme a break - just not believeable at all!
I usually love Linda Howards writing but this was horrible. There aren't even any likeable characters. Jenner eventually is a strong woman but for most of the book she is irritating. And Sydney is just too-stupid-to-live - all money and no brains. Just terrible.
I usually love Linda Howards writing but this was horrible. There aren't even any likeable characters. Jenner eventually is a strong woman but for most of the book she is irritating. And Sydney is just too-stupid-to-live - all money and no brains. Just terrible.
Helpful Score: 1
This is the first book I have read by this author. It sounded interesting. I enjoyed the overall story. The author spent about the first 200 pages developing the characters and as a result the plot plodded along. The interactions between the two main characters were comical at times. The physical attraction between them was evident. I was surprised Jenner's choices later in the story. The author had spent so much time telling how she'd been screwed by everyone in her life before and shortly after winning the lottery, that I was surprised she would fall for her captor so quickly. You are told how she trusts noone and then here she is trusting this guy she's just met. The sex scenes were a little more detail than I thought was necessary. I'd rather that amount of detail be put into the plot. The last 50 pages were very action packed and it was interesting to discover how the whole situation would play out. Overall, I liked this book and would probably read more by this author.
Helpful Score: 1
Lottery winner Jenner Redwine didn't know what to do with all of the money she won. When her new friend, wealthy heiress Sydney Hazlett, talks her into going on a Charity Cruise on a luxury liner, she thought it sounded like fun. But when Jenner arrives she realizes Syn never made it to the ship because she was kidnapped. Now Jenner must do everything a menacing stranger tells her to do or Syd will be hurt.
Linda Howard is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her plots are original, her characters are interesting, and her stories move fast. This book is no exception. I loved the setting on a cruise ship. Even if Jenner gets away from Cael and his team, there is nowhere to go. The dialogue is great. Jenner and Cael are both well-drawn characters and make the romance believable. The supporting characters are fun too and make me wish this book was the first in a series instead of a standalone. My rating: 5 Stars.
Linda Howard is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her plots are original, her characters are interesting, and her stories move fast. This book is no exception. I loved the setting on a cruise ship. Even if Jenner gets away from Cael and his team, there is nowhere to go. The dialogue is great. Jenner and Cael are both well-drawn characters and make the romance believable. The supporting characters are fun too and make me wish this book was the first in a series instead of a standalone. My rating: 5 Stars.
When Jenner Redwine wins a lottery jackpot things get tough: her father rips her off and disappears; her fortune-hunting boyfriend soon becomes her ex; and friends-turned-freeloaders give her the cold shoulder when she stops paying for everything. Jenner can't imagine finding a place in the world of the wealthy. But now, seven years later, she's rubbing elbows with the privileged, despite the fact she still feels like a party crasher. When her ally, the shy, kind-hearted heiress Sydney Hazlett, invites her on a charity cruise aboard a luxury liner, Jenner reluctantly agrees, not realising that danger lies ahead. Taken hostage by a menacing stranger, Jenner must cooperate in a mysterious cloak-and-dagger scheme, or else. But as her panic gives way to exhilaration, and fear of her captor turns to fascination, Jenner rediscovers feelings she hasn't had in years - and realises she's found a life worth living. If she survives.
(Synopsis found @ Amazon UK
(Synopsis found @ Amazon UK
When I started this I kept thinking it was familiar and it was! I read it last year in hardcover. It is just as good the second time as the first, very well written.
I really enjoyed this book. Suspenseful from the first chapter and ending unexpectedly.
Good book, but not my favorite from this author. Definitely worth the read though.
Love this book. I especially like the beginning where she describes how Jenner went about protecting her money.
My first Howard novel and I really enjoyed it. Good plot, good characters, good pace... I enjoyed this in ways I never expected. If Howard novels are all of this style, I'll have found another of my "favorites".
I like women with backbone and grit!
I like women with backbone and grit!
Really funny book considering the plot. I love the characters in this book! I'd LOVE to be Jenner... lucky gal! ;) 4.5 stars.
Jenner Redwine had no idea what would become of her life the day she won the lottery. So far every man she has been with has taken advantage of her. She will learn to be tough but find a place in her heart for her captor. The only problem is... will they live?
One of Ms. Howards' better efforts; definitely interesting and different from all the other mystery/suspence/romance novels out there. Good character development. Interesting secondary characters. Realistic reactions & results. Try it - you'll like it!
I really enjoyed this book. Loved the heroine, here sense of humor. Loved the interaction between all the characters. Great read.
Money changes everything and when Jenner Redwine wins the lottery, she loses her best friend, finds out her dad stole from her and has to find new friends among the moneyed elite. While on a special cruise, she is held captive and has to balance her feelings for her captor and his friends, her fear for her friend held captive off the boat and her growing need to help her captor. Wonderful, fast read.
