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| 1626493685
| 9781626493681
| B019LXTW2I
| 4.16
| 3,071
| Dec 19, 2015
| Dec 19, 2015
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it was amazing
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Third in the Sidewinder LGBT romantic suspense series (and tenth in the overall Cut & Run universe) revolving around Nick O'Flaherty and his Force Rec
Third in the Sidewinder LGBT romantic suspense series (and tenth in the overall Cut & Run universe) revolving around Nick O'Flaherty and his Force Recon team. The couple focus is on Nick and Kelly Abbot, starting with Miami in February 2013. It's been five years of being together, but now it'll be their first date. My Take This is an emotional story that I did enjoy for the back history and spending time with the boys, but that also drove me nuts for all the angst! And Roux may want to fact check for consistency. Part & Parcel leans back into Crash & Burn , 9, with Nick getting knifed as he's trying to free Ty and Zane. Jesus, then Roux slides into that funeral, and my heart choked up. Nick has given more to his family than a son should have to, especially when he has a father like Brian. What. A. Jerk. All his dad's friends knew what life was like in that house, and they never did anything. It's in third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Kelly's and Nick's perspectives, as they reflect on their past with Sidewinder, and Roux brings this out in the letters that Elias left for them. It's a grief that's tied up with Nick's recovery process and Kelly not telling Nick that he loves him. What Part & Parcel is really about takes a long time to lead into and goes back to 2002 when their team was wound up. It was a road trip the boys took that Kelly feels such guilt over. A road trip they'll repeat when Eli's letter to the team insists they relive it. These guys do crack me up. Sleeping in puppy piles. Cuddling. Talk about a brotherhood. They're there for each other in so very many ways, you can't help but love it and smile. There's miscommunication here as well as misinterpretation that adds to the emotional traumas of the past. Kelly's guilt about breaking up the team. Nick's sadness that he's no longer needed. The deal Eli, Nick, and Ty make to stick together. No matter what. This second trip helps them see how important Nick had been, and still is, to them all. That Nick was and is their linchpin. That Nick's strength came from what he was doing for all of them. (view spoiler)[And Kelly learns that Nick did blame Kelly for killing the team, for it was Kelly who started it, followed by Owen and then Digger. But it was a temporary blame. Nick says that none of them could have found a home for themselves if Kelly hadn't been brave enough to do it first. And Nick tells Kelly that he was the heart of their team. (hide spoiler)] The CIA is rebuilding the bookstore with lots of Company-issue toys, including an elevator. They'll open the shop on Memorial weekend that 2013. And Ty is putting his new kittens through SERE training. He claims they're really good at evasion techniques, lol. I don't understand why Nick doesn't think he's entitled to being thanked for his service? There's all this guilt going on. And I can't blame Kelly for being angry about all the secrets. As for emotions, dang it. There's nothing anyone can do about what they feel. The fear, the anger. The thinking that one of you is a monster. A thought that began with the story behind the shrapnel in Nick's knee...and why Ty can never have kids. Oy. Oh, man...Eli's last request is that each man tell the others a secret he's never told. And Nick finds his way back... The Story Recovering from his life-threatening injuries in Crash & Burn , Nick remembers that box Elias' mother gave him at his funeral. It's time. But Doc keeps rearing up, taking care of him. And he hasn't told Nick he loves him since before Miami. It'll take a road trip down memory lane with the Sidewinder team plus Zane and the kittens. The Characters Nick "Irish" O'Flaherty, a.k.a., Lucky, lives on his holey yacht, Fiddler's Green , and is passionate about the Red Sox. Kelly "Doc" Abbott had been an orphan (his parents had died in a car crash when he was ten; he was 12 in Cross & Crown , 2). Nick has four sisters: Kat, Erin, Alana, and Nessa. The younger two don't remember their father's brutality. Brian O'Flaherty is a retired Boston cop. Paddy Whelan is the head of the Boston mob. Sidewinder is... ...their Force Recon team of Marines and a Navy man also includes Ty "Six" Grady. Owen "Ozone" Johns, who is a security specialist with Caliburn Technologies in San Diego, and he's still seeing Riley Williams. Digger lives in Louisiana and finally bought a bungalow in the Garden District. I want to know more about why every one of them suspects him of bank robberies! "Promise him the chance to maim something or set it on fire, and he was yours for the weekend."Zane Garret is an honorary member married to Ty. Ty's new kittens, Jiminy and Cricket, will be coming along. The Liberty is a Nick's favorite hotel in Boston. The boys rent a car for this second trip, a Suburban they christen Helen. Liam Bell is/was an agent with the NSA (used to be the NIA). Detective Alan Hagan had been Nick’s partner in the Boston PD. Aidan is a fireman Nick was interested in before he and Kelly hooked up. The Dime of Fate was found at the start of this trip and decides some moves. 1999, 2002 Elias Sanchez had been one of them. Seymour was his sock monkey who went everywhere with Force Recon, getting his picture taken, going into battle. The Cover and Title The cover has a blue-violet overlay on a messy pile of letters forming the background for that airmail envelope addressed to Nick with the Dime of Fate on top of it. The text is all in white starting with the author's name at the very top. Below the envelope is the title with the series info below that. The title is all about Nick, for he's Part & Parcel of the team. Merged review: Third in the Sidewinder LGBT romantic suspense series (and tenth in the overall Cut & Run universe) revolving around Nick O'Flaherty and his Force Recon team. The couple focus is on Nick and Kelly Abbot, starting with Miami in February 2013. It's been five years of being together, but now it'll be their first date. My Take This is an emotional story that I did enjoy for the back history and spending time with the boys, but that also drove me nuts for all the angst! And Roux may want to fact check for consistency. Part & Parcel leans back into Crash & Burn , 9, with Nick getting knifed as he's trying to free Ty and Zane. Jesus, then Roux slides into that funeral, and my heart choked up. Nick has given more to his family than a son should have to, especially when he has a father like Brian. What. A. Jerk. All his dad's friends knew what life was like in that house, and they never did anything. It's in third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Kelly's and Nick's perspectives, as they reflect on their past with Sidewinder, and Roux brings this out in the letters that Elias left for them. It's a grief that's tied up with Nick's recovery process and Kelly not telling Nick that he loves him. What Part & Parcel is really about takes a long time to lead into and goes back to 2002 when their team was wound up. It was a road trip the boys took that Kelly feels such guilt over. A road trip they'll repeat when Eli's letter to the team insists they relive it. These guys do crack me up. Sleeping in puppy piles. Cuddling. Talk about a brotherhood. They're there for each other in so very many ways, you can't help but love it and smile. There's miscommunication here as well as misinterpretation that adds to the emotional traumas of the past. Kelly's guilt about breaking up the team. Nick's sadness that he's no longer needed. The deal Eli, Nick, and Ty make to stick together. No matter what. This second trip helps them see how important Nick had been, and still is, to them all. That Nick was and is their linchpin. That Nick's strength came from what he was doing for all of them. (view spoiler)[And Kelly learns that Nick did blame Kelly for killing the team, for it was Kelly who started it, followed by Owen and then Digger. But it was a temporary blame. Nick says that none of them could have found a home for themselves if Kelly hadn't been brave enough to do it first. And Nick tells Kelly that he was the heart of their team. (hide spoiler)] The CIA is rebuilding the bookstore with lots of Company-issue toys, including an elevator. They'll open the shop on Memorial weekend that 2013. And Ty is putting his new kittens through SERE training. He claims they're really good at evasion techniques, lol. I don't understand why Nick doesn't think he's entitled to being thanked for his service? There's all this guilt going on. And I can't blame Kelly for being angry about all the secrets. As for emotions, dang it. There's nothing anyone can do about what they feel. The fear, the anger. The thinking that one of you is a monster. A thought that began with the story behind the shrapnel in Nick's knee...and why Ty can never have kids. Oy. Oh, man...Eli's last request is that each man tell the others a secret he's never told. And Nick finds his way back... The Story Recovering from his life-threatening injuries in Crash & Burn , Nick remembers that box Elias' mother gave him at his funeral. It's time. But Doc keeps rearing up, taking care of him. And he hasn't told Nick he loves him since before Miami. It'll take a road trip down memory lane with the Sidewinder team plus Zane and the kittens. The Characters Nick "Irish" O'Flaherty, a.k.a., Lucky, lives on his holey yacht, Fiddler's Green , and is passionate about the Red Sox. Kelly "Doc" Abbott had been an orphan (his parents had died in a car crash when he was ten; he was 12 in Cross & Crown , 2). Nick has four sisters: Kat, Erin, Alana, and Nessa. The younger two don't remember their father's brutality. Brian O'Flaherty is a retired Boston cop. Paddy Whelan is the head of the Boston mob. Sidewinder is... ...their Force Recon team of Marines and a Navy man also includes Ty "Six" Grady. Owen "Ozone" Johns, who is a security specialist with Caliburn Technologies in San Diego, and he's still seeing Riley Williams. Digger lives in Louisiana and finally bought a bungalow in the Garden District. I want to know more about why every one of them suspects him of bank robberies! "Promise him the chance to maim something or set it on fire, and he was yours for the weekend."Zane Garret is an honorary member married to Ty. Ty's new kittens, Jiminy and Cricket, will be coming along. The Liberty is a Nick's favorite hotel in Boston. The boys rent a car for this second trip, a Suburban they christen Helen. Liam Bell is/was an agent with the NSA (used to be the NIA). Detective Alan Hagan had been Nick’s partner in the Boston PD. Aidan is a fireman Nick was interested in before he and Kelly hooked up. The Dime of Fate was found at the start of this trip and decides some moves. 1999, 2002 Elias Sanchez had been one of them. Seymour was his sock monkey who went everywhere with Force Recon, getting his picture taken, going into battle. The Cover and Title The cover has a blue-violet overlay on a messy pile of letters forming the background for that airmail envelope addressed to Nick with the Dime of Fate on top of it. The text is all in white starting with the author's name at the very top. Below the envelope is the title with the series info below that. The title is all about Nick, for he's Part & Parcel of the team. ...more |
Notes are private!
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3
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not set
not set
not set
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Jul 21, 2024
Mar 23, 2020
not set
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Sep 18, 2024
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ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| B08FGVFNP7
| 4.17
| 36,867
| May 25, 2021
| May 2024
|
it was amazing
|
A standalone cozy, romantic suspense novel about two women, a mother and a daughter, who seize the world and make it their own. My Take If you like a ta A standalone cozy, romantic suspense novel about two women, a mother and a daughter, who seize the world and make it their own. My Take If you like a tale about a strong woman, women really, who play to their strengths and make a success of themselves with a supportive cast, get Legacy. Roberts uses a global subjective point-of-view as we hear from a number of characters in Legacy, and Adrian’s perspective is the one that dominates. A story about a girl growing up, incorporating her mother’s fitness interests, and emulating the business success of her mother and yet growing with empathy and support for those around her. This was such a treat to read. I loved how Adrian was realistic, played to her strengths, and included the people around her and made them her family. It’s also a story that grows up with Adrian and her friends. Adrian’s joy in being with her grandparents on their farm is catching. I also love that Adrian’s friends go on to careers they love. I love that the parents pay attention to their kids and get them involved. That Popi is the most incredible man. I love that the kids are real, that sisters are dopey and brothers are poopy. There’s also Lina’s — and Adrian’s — reactions to Adrian staying home by herself at sixteen, lol. As for the dad-fear of shopping trips, *more laughter*. The, to them, everyday of their lives is so sweet — and so real, lol. It was so much fun reading how Lina’s and then Adrian’s businesses evolved, how dedicated Adrian was, and yes, I was envious of their love for exercise and nutrition. No one would ever accuse me of this! I love how Adrian thinks. She’s all business, thinking up angles, wanting to encourage people to be fit, asking everyday people to be in her fitness videos, and taking time to be with friends. My one caveat is how anyone can follow Adrian's instructions! I'd have to study for quite awhile to get up to speed. Still, she is inspirational. Lina is not a mom in the everyday sense — good thing Mimi is around. It’s wonderful how Adrian can look back, as an adult, and better understand her mom’s choices. Insanity runs through this, especially with that professor. Lina told him that she wants nothing from him, and yet he’s hitting her, going after her. ”If a man hits once, he’s probably going to hit you again, and again.”There is no “probably” about it. If he/she hits you, get out. Adrian is so much older in her thinking, and I appreciate her point about writing a letter makes it personal whereas an email isn’t. I also appreciated her taking a stand when she’s sixteen and the plans she has for while her mother is touring. She knows what she wants, and she isn’t afraid to go after it. A secondary story is about Raylan. Roberts mentions him a bit along the way until he gets married, then Roberts expands into his married life and the business he’s building. I’m enjoying reading about the nuts-and-bolts of building the comics and the storylines. Jasper, oh man, he falls in love with Sadie, and Roberts cracks me up with their courtship. I do wish Roberts had expanded on that “friendly correspondence” and not just mentioned it later in the book. Just as I wish Roberts had expanded on the relationship Adrian’s friends had with Popi and Nonna. What Popi wants to do with the old, derelict schoolhouse just shows you how giving the Rizzos are. It’s a generosity reflected in their friends. I was impressed by Adrian’s attention to detail with Raylan’s latest graphic novel. As for those love scenes . . . sigh . . . too beautifully written. And there’s that hypocrisy again. It’s okay for the male to cheat. It’s all the fault of the women. Nor do I feel sorry for Nikki. She deserves what she gets for what she refuses to do. You make time for the ones you love. Yeah, it’s the School’s Out for Summer Dance Party!! The Story Adrian Rizzo was seven when she met her father for the first time. That was the day he nearly killed her — before her mother, Lina, stepped in. It's a detached sort of life with a mother constantly traveling, and Adrian is lucky to have Mimi in her life. Still Mom has inspired Adrian, who is determined to create her own line of yoga and workout videos. And she’s just as cool-headed and ambitious as her mother. But while Lina dismisses the death threats that Adrian starts getting as a routine part of her daughter’s growing celebrity, Adrian can’t help but find the vicious rhymes unsettling. Year after year, they keep arriving — the postmarks changing, but the menacing tone the same. The Characters Adrian Rizzo is a young and famous fitness instructor, emulating her mother, Lina Rizzo, who founded Yoga Baby to support her and her daughter. Barkley is Adrian’s stuffed dog. Ever Fit is Mom's company’s flagship gym. Later, Adrian will adopt Sadie, a Newfoundland. Mimi, Lina’s college friend and her administrative assistant, is Adrian’s other “mother”. Later, Mimi marries Isaac and has two kids, Jacob and Natalie. Harry Reese is Lina’s publicist; Marshall Tucker is his partner. They’ll have two children, Hunter and Cybill. Meredith. Ben and George are doormen at Lina’s New York penthouse. Hector Sung, Teesha Kirk, and Loren Moorhead (his sister is “Princess” Rosalind) are new friends Adrian meets at her new school. About Time is Adrian’s first production with her new business venture, New Generation. Teesha marries Monroe Grant, a successful songwriter, and they have the most precocious son, Phineas. That boy cracked me up with his approach to the new baby! As for Phinville. Wow! I want Roberts to write a follow-up following Phin, lol. Thaddeus will be Phin’s new brother. Hector marries Sylvie. Mandy and Charlene will be involved in the production end of high school shows. Kevin and Cliff are some of the student participants. Traveler’s Creek, Maryland, is . . . . . . where Lina grew up, but was never home for her. Popi and Nonna (Dom and Sophia) are Lina’s parents who run an Italian restaurant, Rizzo’s, and live on a fantastic farm. Tom and Jerry are Popi and Nonna’s dogs. Lina’s grandparents had retired to Florida and started another Rizzo’s. Matt Weaver is the quarterback whom Lina dated in high school. Mark Wicker is a contractor who employs his brother, Paul, and Derrick. Mark has two kids, Charlie and Rich. Bill is a barber. Mrs Pinsky is the neighbor for whom Raylan used to mow the lawn. Ms Grimes is the postmistress. Wayne was a brief date. Allyson is a biology teacher. We first meet Raylan Wells, a.k.a. Midway Man, when he’s ten and already an amazing artist with a fascination for graphic novels. His sister, Maya, is seven. Abandoned, his mother, Jan, has to get a job. Cassie is one of Maya’s friends. Raylan’s friends include Mick, Nate, and Spencer. As children, Raylan and Maya, had a cat and a dog, Miss Priss and Jimbo. Lorilee Winthrop teaches art and becomes Raylan’s fiancée then wife and mother. They’ll have two children, Bradley and Mariah, a.k.a. Princess Mo, who is quite the fashionista. Lorilee thinks she was critiquing Vogue while in the womb. Jasper is their dog. Mrs Howley is their neighbor in New York. Later Cissie will be Mo’s best friend. Raylan’s partnered with Bick and Jonah in Triquetra Comics, a graphic novel publishing company. Crystal and JoJo are some of their employees. No One (his alter ego is Cameron Quincy) is the character that launched the company with his sidekick characters, Violet Queen and Snow Raven. Mr Suave is the villain. Lee Marley will be a new, inspired heroine, True Angel. Grievous will be her nemesis. They’ll be followed by The Front Guard and Cobalt Flame. Bick is partnered with Pats, and they’ll have a child, Callie Rose; Sherri was their midwife. Maya marries Joe Abbott, and they have two children, Collin and Quinn Marie. Barry works at Rizzo’s. He has a younger sister, Kayla, who’s majoring in interior design. Bob-Ray has been the assistant manager at Rizzo’s. Maxie is Barry’s ex-girlfriend. Mrs Fricker owns Crafty Arts and is planning to retire. Suzanne is married to Bill McInerny, a math teacher. Caroline and Rob Keyler are some of Mrs Wells’ students. Jamie Hanson is another student. Law Enforcement In Georgetown, Detectives Riley and Cannon investigate the inciting incident. In Richmond, Detective Robert Morestead and Lola Deeks are with Major Crimes. Detectives Bower and Wochowski are with MPD. Special Agent Marlene Krebs is with the FBI. Rachael McNee, a former cop, is now a private investigator. She was briefly Mrs Salina Mathias with Senator Charles Mathias her brother. She’s married to Ethan, and they have two kids, Maggie (Kiki is a friend) and Sam. Sergeant Mooney is Rach’s uncle. Dennis Brown is a sleazy reporter. Cat Club Cards is a one-woman operation started up by Mrs Linney. Dr Stringer performs surgery. Margaret West; Stella Clancy owned a bar in New Orleans; Tracie Potter is a successful reporter; Jessica Kingsley, née Peters, married Pastor Robert Kingsley; Alice McGuire, née Wendell; and, Jayne Arlo all play a part. Dr Jon Bennett is a professor at Georgetown University who teaches English literature. He and his wife, Catherine, had two children: Nikki, who now works for Ardaro Consultants, and Jonathan Jr, “JJ”. The Cover and Title The cover is bright with the author’s name at the top in that orange with a white outline against a bright blue autumn sky above an idyllic view of a lazy creek flowing under a covered red bridge in the background with trees framing the bridge, their leaves turning, on either side of the creek. There’s a testimonial in black under the author’s name. The title is at bottom in white with a black outline. The title is all about Adrian’s admirable family Legacy. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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May 28, 2024
|
May 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| 1950100170
| 9781950100170
| B0CCSZ1Q1L
| 4.37
| 372
| May 28, 2024
| May 28, 2024
|
really liked it
|
Third in the Black Knights Inc: Reloaded romantic suspense series in a continuation of the Black Knights Inc series revolving around a small group of
Third in the Black Knights Inc: Reloaded romantic suspense series in a continuation of the Black Knights Inc series revolving around a small group of black ops ex-soldiers undercover as motorcycle mechanics. The couple focus is on Eliza and Fisher with a side note on Britt and Julia *eyebrow waggle*. This ARC was sent to me by the author for an honest review. My Take I’ll warn y’all ahead of time — I do love strong, capable men who flash into action . . . sigh . . . Walker starts with an intro to Eliza and Fisher of the Black Knights and then follows up with the inciting incident. Wow. I love her description of Eliza coming to and her struggles to rise up and understand what’s happened. Then that emotional blow. The line-by-line exposure of Eliza’s griefs. A nice bit of show, that. I sure can understand her guilt and fears. I do love the Black Knights’ home base set in an old menthol cigarette company with its extensive shop on the ground floor and living quarters above. It even includes an escape tunnel. Who’d’a thunk a soldier would be so fascinated by poetry? I gotta confess that I’ve never liked poetry. I never understand all that symbolism, etc. But Fish does make me want to explore it. I sure can understand Fisher’s concerns about anything happening between him and Eliza. He’s a backcountry boy from Louisiana with a hideous childhood while Eliza is a boarding-school socialite who comes from money and power. And does Walker ever emphasize this, lol. Walker continues the contrast right into clothing choices and bedroom decor. It does make me crazy that Fisher is so hung-up on his father and his childhood, but it is understandable, and such a strong stance for Fish to take. I can also understand his fears — thank god for Frank Knight! Parents have a lot to answer for — stop making excuses and get out! ”. . . we tend to judge ourselves by our intentions and everyone else by their actions.”Frank isn’t the only one with good advice; Fish has a good one for Eliza and her primary trauma. Lol, Fisher’s reasons for getting into poetry! It’s quite the contrast to his thoughts on how PTSD affects the sounds an ex-solider at home experiences. Senator McClean sounds like the kind of politician we should have, instead of the ones we do have. Charlie also sounds like a great guy, despite what Fish thinks. Julia and Dillan. Oh. Boy. Walker does enjoy creating those stereotypes, and it cracks me up how much fun she has with Dillan’s character. Man fit. Pouting. And talk about being a handicap in interviews! It made me moan at how stupid the man was! You’d’a thunk he’d have more smarts, what with his so-important background. It does go to show that money does not guarantee happiness. Man in Black shows that it’s the person who counts, not their upbringing or background. Their moral center, their kindness, their everyday actions and talk. Then there are those whose moral center collapses in adversity. It made me wanna cry at the injustice of it. All these thoughts and feelings come courtesy of Walker’s use of third person global subjective point-of-view from Fisher’s, Eliza’s, Julia’s, Britt’s, and Yang’s perspectives. We keep getting closer to learning Bishop’s identity, and there’s one scene in here that scares my pants off. And now that I’m going back through my notes, I see the clues that Walker is dropping. It’s making me more certain who Bishop is. Oh. Boy. There are plenty of funny moments. I particularly enjoyed Eliza’s use of the lessons she learned from alien erotica, lol. Walker is setting us up for Britt’s adventures (not until March 2025! in Black Moon Rising). It should be something of a stinker what with his worries about his con man brother versus his new fixation on an FBI agent. Ahem, “not that he noticed . . .” Ya know, I do wish more men read romance novels, at least for the lessons on sex. A good one is when Eliza explains the difference between Fisher and every other man who came before. I’m sorry for those of you who are anti-woke, ‘cause I am so woke. I believe in people being able to make a living wage. I believe that men and women are equal. I believe in people being able to make their own choices, to own their selves, without outsiders sticking their noses into other people’s business. Get a frickin’ life. Pay attention to your own lives. Practice being actual Christians. Y’all claim that God made everything. That includes people of color, different religions, and choices that are different from any one of us. This attitude is particularly obvious when you get Bishop’s thoughts on what this country “really needs”. Man in Black is essentially driven by the characters’ thoughts and worries with action taking second place. I think there’s more action in how Walker describes the men and their capabilities *grin*. Whew, that ending. It solves some questions, intensifies others, and creates new ones! These two? They are running hot and cold and in such need of love, of family. Family can be more than the one you grew up with. The Story For the past four years, Eliza and Fisher have had a snarling relationship with each secretly wishing for more. It’ll take a traumatic, life-threatening event to kickstart this couple. Only, Fish wants to feel safe in love. The Characters Black Knights Inc is . . . . . . a custom motorcycle shop based on Goose Island in Chicago. That’s their cover, for each man is ex-military now working as a group of super-secret government defense contractors, answering only to the president. The upper-crust Eliza “Liza” Meadows, who is “as beautiful as the night”, is the Knights’ office manager / live-in chef / and all-around girl Friday. She’s also the liaison between the Black Knights and the president. Her father, the cold Leonard Meadows, is the chief-of-staff to the president, Sandra J Stevens. (Her husband, the First Gentleman, is described as a glory hound.) Athena had been Eliza’s mother. The poetry-loving harmonica-playing Fisher ”Fish” Wakefield, decorated former Delta Force and playboy of playboys, can’t cook for nothing. He named his six-figure motorcycle, Mardi Gras . Nash Wakefield, Fish’s dad, was the defining character in Fish’s background. Too bad Nash isn’t dead. Britt Rollins, former sergeant of the 75th Ranger Regiment from Charleston, South Carolina, and adrenaline junkie, is Fisher’s best friend, wingmen for life. Britt has an older brother, Knox, whose childhood Britt questions, whether Knox’s would have been different, if his particular adrenaline addiction would have been different. The other, current, Black Knights include the huge, heavily muscled Graham Colburn; Hewitt “Night Stalker” Burch (160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment), who pilots helicopters; Sam, a sharpshooter, who’s with the brilliant purple-haired dark web surfer, Hannah Blue, who is his girlfriend ( Black Hearted , 2); and, Hunter Jackson, who is married to Grace, who works counterterrorism ( Back in Black , 1). The original Black Knights include Rebecca “Becky” Knight who is the owner of Black Knights and the wunderkind motorcycle designer whose designs are coveted by many. She’s married to Frank Knight ( In Rides Trouble , Orig 2), a.k.a. Boss, a former Navy SEAL. They have two children, Hazel and Charlotte. Ozzie, their computer guru, and Samantha, an intrepid investigative reporter,( Wild Ride , Orig 9) have a baby, Sophia Marie. Jake "the Snake" Sommers and Michelle, a pharmaceutical rep ( Rev It Up , Orig 3) have two boys, Franklin and JJ. Dan Currington, who had hooked up with Penni DePaul in Too Hard to Handle , Orig 8. They have four guards in the Connelly brothers, who include Manus (his wife is Birgit, a first-generation German-American, and they have seven-year-old twins) and Geralt. Peanut is the company mascot, a notch-eared tomcat who loves to be petted. Charles McClean is in love with Eliza — and about to propose! His father is Senator John McClean, a self-made billionaire who truly is a fire-brand trying to help the people who elected him. Some of the guests at the party included Senator Bethany Chastain and her husband, Professor Bill Chastain. Peter Sullivan is the senator’s chef; Debra is his wife. The FBI Special Agent Julia O’Toole has been recently promoted to the disgust of her partner, the very right-wing Special Agent Dillan Douglas. It’s quite the surprise to learn of Julia’s penchant for rescuing animals, including Gunpowder, the former African grey with the foul mouth, lol. Julia’s brothers are firefighters. “Yang” ( Black Hearted ), a brilliant assassin, does love hospitals. Vincent Romano had been their previous hacker ( Black Hearted ). “Bishop” is the unknown traitor, who’s been organizing all the evil. There are rumors as to how many foreign spy communities with which he’s involved. Chuck Reynolds is a kiddie-loving current senate minority leader with an obsession for insider trading. Benson is a nurse at Northwestern Memorial hospital. Ms Stapleton had been an employee at Eliza’s boarding school. The Cover and Title The cover is hot with the promise of action. It’s mostly black with blues in the lower center of a lightish blue sky over a blue mansion haloed in a whiteish blue with a couple silhouetted in front. In the upper right background is a close-up of Fisher in profile wearing sunglasses and a black T, and I gotta agree, he does look model-ready! There’s an info blurb at the top in a pale blue with the author’s name in a pale yellow below it. Below that, to the left of Fisher’s head is the title in a horizontal gradation of pale orange to pale yellow. At the very bottom is the series info split into pale yellow and pale blue with the “o” a gun sight. The title is focused on one particular Man in Black, Fisher Wakefield. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
|
May 18, 2024
|
May 19, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1950100154
| 9781950100156
| B0CCT14R65
| 4.44
| 512
| Sep 26, 2023
| Sep 26, 2023
|
really liked it
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Second in the Black Knights Inc: Reloaded romantic suspense series, a spin-off from Walker’s original Black Knights Inc, and revolving around a new gr
Second in the Black Knights Inc: Reloaded romantic suspense series, a spin-off from Walker’s original Black Knights Inc, and revolving around a new group of formidable operators still based at the old factory building on Goose Island in Chicago, Illinois. The couple focus is on Hannah Blue and Samuel Harwood. Limerence Publications LLC and the author sent me a copy of the book. My Take Fun! I do like the Black Knights. Partly for their fun gadgetry and hidden escape routes and mostly for their honor, chivalry, and ability to win as well as that feel of a supportive family. Walker uses third person global subjective point-of-view so we “hear” from a number of characters with the predominate perspectives coming from Hannah and Sam. That Sam has some background. Oy. Poor guy. He’s really made something of himself, rising above his childhood and that nasty ex-wife. And he’s starting to realize what he really wants. What, who, he doesn’t want to want, the girl he watched grow up. Then there’s that moral issue from his last mission . . . and I’m okay with what he did.’ It’s a crime that resonates with Eliza, as she’d had a roommate at school who’d been forced to endure a double rape. Once by the rapist and once by the so-called justice system. Hannah has always known what she wants. And she won’t let Sam’s weird perception of her get in her way — he just can’t admit that Hannah has grown up. Oh, man, then Hannah discovers that Chloe, Sam’s ex-wife, is a Candy lookalike. Cesar has his own subplot going on and is terrified of falling in love. A good thing to remember: “The past is a place to learn from, not to live in”. Then there’s Fish’s comment about saints and sinners, lololol. A bad thing to know: “. . . can’t get elected based on their policies, so they have to get elected by giving people an out-group to hate on”. Sounds like today’s politicians. Whoa, Eliza and Fisher have some, um, relationship — and she’d “rather have dull shish kabob skewers shoved through her brain" . . . so ya know where that’s going to go, lol. Walker continues to set Eliza’s story up with all that background on her past experiences with her dad. It is sweet that Fish has that gentler side with an appreciation for beauty and poetry. Yeah, who'd've thought!? Vinny is an idiot who will be experiencing some dramatic irony, I mean, who believes that a Chinese agent actually is working in a positive way for the US government??? Eliza’s dad is almost as much of a jerk. Eliza's abandonment issues pretty much says it all. Naturally there are miscommunication issues . . . what would a romance be without them. And I wanted to smack the two of them over their heads! Black Hearted ties right in with contemporary concerns over electrical outages caused by terrorists and the memories of what happened in Texas when winter and a blackout caused so much death — it threw my imagination into overdrive. And as Sam notes, it doesn’t even touch on the financial repercussions. At the end, oh man, Walker puts it out there, all the negative action going down in today’s society. Fascism on the rise. Books being banned and burned. Democracy on the decline. And so much more. I reckon Walker has enough fodder for plots for the next millennium. As for that threat against BKI? Hoo, boy. The story is definitely character-driven with all the stereotypes of the good guys, the bad guys, and the idiot, lol. Naturally, there’s plenty of action with these black ops boys and Hannah’s presence makes it all the more fun. That end realization of Hannah’s made me want to cry. The Story They have a history, Hannah and Sam. He watched her grow up from a pre-teen to a teen when he dated her older sister in high school. Then he’d called on her cyber skills for a job to uncover a government mole in Back in Black . Now Hannah needs his help to uncover another plot the FBI claims she’s a part of. The Characters “Hurricane Hannah” Blue, a.k.a. Miss Violet, is a rebel with colorful hair and ratty clothes who’s brilliant on the computer. The sunny Cesar, Hannah’s roommate for the past seven years and best friend, performs as Cesarine in a drag show at the Kit Kat Lounge. Peter Olsen (Hannah refers to him as The Golden God or the GOAT) has finally told Cesar he loves him. Marco is a lawyer they know. (Dan impersonates Little Edie in the show.) Samuel Harwood, a former Marine Raider sergeant and sniper known for his ability to focus, rides Pale Horse, the name he’s given his black-and-white Harley chopper. Candy Blue had been Sam’s high school girlfriend (Hannah's older sister) who is now married to a guy eight years her senior, Jared — yep, that gap sends Hannah into a tizzy when Sam brings up her age. The Black Knights (BKI) are . . . . . . a new crew of private defense contractors with some of the original Black Knights in Chicago. Their cover is as a chopper shop. The new men include Fisher “Fish” Wakefield, a former Delta Force sergeant; the adventurous Britt Rollins; the book-loving Hewitt Burch; the strong silent Graham Colburn; Hunter Jackson, a former Green Beret who is off on his honeymoon with Grace Beacham, a Chicago-based FBI agent ( Back in Black ); and, the family-needing Eliza Meadows, who has an attention to detail bar none which makes her perfect as BKI’s secretary, den mother, and onsite chef extraordinaire. Peanut is their fat former alley cat whom Becky loves. The "old guard" Knights include Frank “Boss” (a former Navy SEAL) and Becky Knight, the lead mechanic and bike designer extraordinaire who have two kids ( In Rides Trouble , 2); Ethan “Ozzie” Sykes is a former Navy SEAL and computer genius who is married to the five-months pregnant Samantha, an investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune ( Wild Ride , 9); and, Christian and Emily ( Hot Pursuit , 11). The four Connelly brothers — two of them are Rafer and Toran — are guards. Red Delilah’s Biker Bar is a home away from home for the Black Knights and is owned by Red Delilah, a moonlighting forensic accountant, who married Bryan “Mac” McMillan after events in Hell for Leather , 6. Ricky is a useful guy when you need to scrounge up private transport. The US president is a woman. Eliza’s father, Leonard Meadows, is her chief of staff and both expect BKI to operate independently, doing whatever the president needs, Eliza “spying” on her coworkers, but none of them looking to the president for help. Senator McClean’s son is taking Eliza on a date. Bishop is the former secretary to the FBI director. The FBI Director Morgan. Agent Keith Waller gets off on abusing people. Agent Mulder thinks Waller is okay. Agent Moretti makes a third. Agent Timothy Floyd had worked with Hannah on that previous job. ERCOT is also known as . . . . . . the Electric Reliability Council of Texas with Bleeker Creek one of its power stations. Teddy Gonzales is the lead engineer for third shift. Evan is one of the guards. Vincent “Vinny” Romano, a.k.a. Vick, is a career criminal, mostly identity fraud who’s kept his less-than-stellar activities from Nanna, the grandmother who raised him. Yang works for a Chinese intelligence agency. “Bishop” is Yang’s liaison with the US government. Dominion Pipeline is the largest fuel supplier to the Eastern Seaboard. Red Square is/was a ransomeware syndicate. Kerberos is a white-hat hacker group. Miguel Blanco had been part of a Columbian gang. Aveline had been one of Eliza’s roommates at boarding school. Tommy Fiorentino had been a grade school classmate of Hannah’s. Chloe, a Candy lookalike, is Sam’s ex who’d spent too much time with Steve, a Jody. The Cover and Title The colors on the cover are split between a yellow-green and black with the background starting in black, moving into a yellow-green sky with electrical pylons stretching into the horizon and a silhouette of Hannah and Sam on his motorcycle, and ending in a narrow black band at the bottom with the series info in a pale yellow. Back to the top is an info blurb with the author’s name below that in that pale yellow. The title (mostly yellow gradating up and to the right to orange) is below to the left of a blow-up of Sam’s black-haired head, beard, and sunglasses with a deeper yellow-green T-shirt. I think the title is a play on the Black Knights and their hearts, Black Hearted. ...more |
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1
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not set
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Aug 09, 2023
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Oct 05, 2023
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Kindle Edition
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| 1950100111
| 9781950100118
| B09FDV4VC1
| 4.38
| 681
| Jun 28, 2022
| Jun 28, 2022
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really liked it
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Sixth and last in the Deep Six romantic suspense series revolving around a team of former Navy SEALs on a treasure hunt. The primary couple focus is o
Sixth and last in the Deep Six romantic suspense series revolving around a team of former Navy SEALs on a treasure hunt. The primary couple focus is on Dalton “Doc” Simmons and the feisty Camilla D’ Angelo with a secondary focus on Uncle John and Dana Levine — and Hurricane Julia. This eARC was sent to me by the author and Limerence Publications LLC for an honest review. My Take The story is all about love, endless, all-encompassing love that is without limit. I loved the comment Uncle John makes, knowing somethin' about the human heart . . . "Its capacity to love is endless. Don't go puttin' limits on somethin' that doesn't need to have any. And if it was worth it the first time . . . then don't you reckon it'd be worth it a second time?"The snark between Cami and Doc is a crack-up. They play off each other with Cami more attracted and Doc veering away. What I love is that they're attracted by each other's minds — as well as their bodies, *grin*. There are great reasons for each character to be here. As for the conflicts, they are a'many: the hurricane descending; the state of the reef; to flee and leave or stay and get it all; the hope of surviving being stranded through the storm; the issues Doc, Cami, and Dana have about relationships; and, the unexpected threat of robbery. Yeahhh, I love that Dana and John get to have a romance even though they're oooold! Walker is such a tease as she strings us along dribbling out clues about Doc's and Cami's back history. More tease comes through in Doc's inner conflicts about wanting too much even as the guilt pounds on him. His mother's remarriage provides some of the grief Doc suffers. It also provides a useful prod. Then his reason for actually joining the Navy hits . . . ah, jeez. There's a good bit of back history on John. Talk about fascinating!! Dana's back story is sad, and yet she has really rebounded. I wanna be her! I gotta say Uncle John has definitely lived. He's done so much — and he's having such fun caretaking for the salvage operation. And I want to know more about this coital alignment technique. I cannot believe the rationale the quartet from Maine use. I understand their anger and frustration, but when has that ever justified the actions they plan?! Their general situation is something I'd think a real government of the people should help with, as ideas, suggestions, research. I don't get why Carlotta needed her dad's seat on the plane. That bit at the end, as Cami discovers what's held her parents together all these years . . . jeez. I think Cami makes the best decision there. Another bit I don't get is Cami's lame bit of gossip. You'd think she'd know her parents by now. Seems a bit too convenient for Walker. Buffalo Bill-ish? I get "Precious" and "get the hose", but how does Bill fit in here? Again, what is it with the bad guys thinking it's unfair for their hostages to fight back?? Walker uses a third person global subjective point-of-view, mostly from Doc's and Cami's perspectives, then from John's and Dana's. Naturally, the fishermen have their thoughts and events. I love that Walker has Cami use the "noble" excuse of not wanting to be with someone who can't/won't/doesn't want to be with her. All the angst of it, and yet she's ready to move on because she has too much pride in herself to settle for less. Good for her! There are so many positives about life and love in Dead in the Water. As well as some fun snark about the motion of the ocean and if the captain can keep his vessel in port long enough . . . yep, you'll be a'laughin'. "Growin' old is mandatory.I love the ending with its wrap-up of how each of the team members have gone on. Phew, there is definitely action in Dead in the Water — they're Navy SEALs! Yeah, yeah, it's military action and bedroom action — they are Navy SEALs, ahem, lol. But I'd say it's mostly a character-driven story (series) whose characters' choice to go after that treasure leads to the action, at least in Dead in the Water. The Story As the storm closes in, so does a boat full of dangerous men bent on claiming the centuries-old treasure for themselves...and killing everyone on Wayfarer Island. To keep Cami safe and alive, Doc has to keep her close, but it's a close that turns up the heat on the chemistry bubbling between them. For Cami, it’s more than a fight for her life, it’s a fight for Doc’s heart. If they survive, can she convince him to let go of his past for a chance at a future with her? The Characters Camilla D’ Angelo, a lawyer, has been employed by the Deep Six team to keep them on the right side of the law — and she never mixes business with pleasure. Her mother and her father, Big Tony D, who's in prison, are perfect for each other. Carlotta is the sister killed in a plane crash. Tina is a cousin. Dalton “Doc” Simmons had been weeks from finishing his residency when he quit and joined the Navy. Lily had been Doc's wife for eight years, the girl he'd loved since eighth grade. His dad died eight years ago. His mother remarried Randall Thorpe. Lady had been Doc's Quarter Horse growing up. Deep Six Salvage makes . . . . . . use of the Wayfarer II for their treasure diving. Bsides Doc, the partners include Spiro “Romeo” Delgado and Mia, a brilliant marine archeologist ( Shot Across the Bow , 5). Mason is engaged to Alexandra "Alex" Merriweather, who is an historian with an expertise in reading old Spanish scripts ( Ride the Tide , 3). Meat is Mason's fat English bulldog. At 65, the marijuana-growing, chicory-loving Uncle John can still turn women's heads. His brother, James, is LT's father and used to be in business with John; James' wife and LT's mama died of cancer. Leo "The Lion" Anderson, a.k.a. LT, is their former lieutenant and current head of the salvage operation. Olivia is LT's wife, a former CIA agent who has discovered a love for baking ( Hell or High Water , 1). Brandon "Bran" Pallidino is known for his lasagnas. The tiny Maddy is Bran's wife ( Devil and the Deep , 2). Ray “Wolf” Roanhorse is married to Chrissy, who is as good a diver as the SEALs — she does run a dive shop! ( Deeper Than the Ocean , 4). Li’l Bastard is the island's resident rooster. In Hell or High Water , Rusty Lawrence had been a member of the team to whom they'd made a death bed promise. Admiralty law requires oversight, which is provided by Dana Levine who works for the Federal Maritime Commission. David is Dana's jerk of an ex. Hee-hee-hee, I love the karma David suffers . . . jerk. Rocko is Dana's dog. The leased Wayfarer Island is where Uncle John has been living as the team's caretaker. The Coast Guard Captain Rachel Mallory has popped into Deep Six Salvage's lives before. Her crew includes Lieutenant Peterson and Ensigns Hernandez, Johnson, Rodrigo, Davis, and Flores. Detective Bill Dixon is with Key West PD. Alvaro Martinez is a prosecutor. Captain Mark Bailey is the current commander of the Naval Air Station on Key West. Alex Lester is one of the partners at the law firm, Leeman and Lester, where Cami works. Marcus Cole and Arron Rodriguez are co-workers. William White ("Head Honcho"), Fin Allen ("Red"), Jace ("Wrecking Ball), and Brady ("Zip Tie Guy") are cod fishermen from Maine. Bernie Lutz is Jace's really dumb cousin who makes really dumb choices. Sheila is Will's wife. Angie is Fin's wife. Dario De Luca had been the first boy to kiss Cami. Curtis Rienhardt had been the state attorney. 1624 Capitán Bartolome Vargas is the last survivor of the Santa Cristina. Rosario had been the midshipman. The Cover and Title The cover is a range of blues from the lightest to the darkest, from the crest of the waves and the clouds of fury in the background. It's Doc with his lion's mane of hair, a thoughtful look on his face, hand to chin, wearing a black short-sleeve T-shirt, as his lower body melds into the sandy beach at the bottom of the cover. There's a starry badge in the upper left corner that contains the series info. The title begins at Doc's chin and goes below his waist, all in white. There's a testimonial immediately below this in a colonial blue. Below this is the author's name in white with an info blurb between her first and last names, also in white. The title is what they all are, Dead in the Water while they wait out Hurricane Julia. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Apr 17, 2022
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Apr 19, 2022
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Kindle Edition
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| 1982157151
| 9781982157159
| B08BZWMHKF
| 3.98
| 14,296
| Mar 23, 2021
| Mar 23, 2021
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it was ok
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Seventh in the Fox and O'Hare romantic suspense series and revolving around an international thief and his FBI handler, tasked with conning the crimin
Seventh in the Fox and O'Hare romantic suspense series and revolving around an international thief and his FBI handler, tasked with conning the criminals. My Take I was disappointed with The Bounty. I don't know if Evanovich is getting bored with it or if it's the change in co-author, but it wasn't as funny as previous stories and felt ho-hum. A real bummer, as I'd been looking forward to a humorous adventure. Sure, there's plenty of action and derring-do. And I do adore Kate's dad. Even if he is feeling his age, lol. I don't understand why Kate and Jake suddenly don't get along. They've always made for a great partnership... There is also an unfortunate lack of tension. A lack that could have been infused with keeping us guessing about Quentin. Or the professor. That said, I did enjoy how smoothly Nick and his dad worked together. As smoothly as Kate and her dad operate. It is a crack-up to read about Kate's childhood "training". The "vacation" this "crack" team keeps referring to is another crack-up...and a piece of cake. Yeah, juvenile humor but at least it's something. It was a smooth "info dump" about how Lewis became interested in German literature. I must say, Franz is certainly the forgiving type. And why Kate is trusting him has me confused. It does, however, make for an easy lead-in to the next arc in the series. I'd say this is a global subjective point-of-view with the majority of the perspectives coming from Nick and Kate. Quentin and Jake do have their bit parts. So the action in the story was tough and adventurous, but the story was too easy, although Nick does prove that once a thief, always a thief. Luckily, he always tells a good story, lol. The Story The threat of that vast, shadowy international organization known only as the Brotherhood joining up with the Roter Stern Korps and using the hidden treasure of $30 billion in Nazi gold to finance more terrorist plots is enough to send Special Agent Kate O'Hare and international con man Nick Fox on their trail. It'll take the combined efforts of them and their dads on a desperate scramble to stop their deadliest foe in the biggest adventure of their lives. The Characters Special Agent Kate O'Hare of the FBI, a former Navy SEAL, is supposed to be detached in handling international thief, Nick Fox. Oh well. Jake O'Hare is Kate's dad and a retired Marine living in a garage casita on sister Megan's property. Special-Agent-in-Charge Carl Jessup is Kate's long-suffering boss. Quentin Fox is Nick's dad with a very shady, if patriotic, history. He majored in economics and art history and opened a gallery. After which, he married Olivia Price, Nick's mom, a painter with wealthy parents. The SAS is... ...Special Air Service, a special forces unit in England. Major Hannon is their contact. Captain Richard Duckworth is retired. Technically. Professor Hardian Lewis teaches Germanic literature at Oxford University. The Gruppo Intervento Rapido is... ...the Vatican's Rapid Intervention Group led by the inspector general of the Vatican Gendarmerie, Lorenzo Vitali. Pope Francis. Die Bruderschaft was/is... ...a secret Nazi organization, the Brotherhood, who had hidden 400 tons of gold, supposedly. Klaus Egger, grandson of one of the founding members, Gerhard Egger, who used to work for Hermann Göring, is its leader. Their members include Nils; the indestructible Franz Gruber, Egger's lieutenant; Oskar; Moritz; and, Rolf. The Roter Stern Korps is... ...the Red Star Corps, a terrorist organization. A Red Notice is issued by Interpol, a global most wanted notice. Raubgold is the gold stolen by Nazi Germany. The Cover and Title The cover is a cool blend of grays and blues in a stormy blue-gray sky above Paris and the Eiffel Tower that gradates into the black of Kate and Fox in the upper half of the cover against that silvery gray background. The silhouette effect of Kate and Nick gradates into a hint of flesh in their faces. The primary text is embossed with the primary author's name large and in white in the top half. The secondary author's name is in a deep sky blue below it. The title is in white and spans the Eiffel Tower. About the middle of the tower on the right is the series info in black. The title doesn't suit, mostly because I'm thinking of Captain Bligh. I suppose the intention of The Bounty is the treasure at the end of this adventure. ...more |
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1
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not set
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Apr 15, 2021
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Apr 18, 2021
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Kindle Edition
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| 4.03
| 2,291
| 2009
| Feb 2009
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really liked it
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A short story, 1.5 in the Elite Ops romantic suspense series, revolving around a secret organization that deals in black ops. The couple focus is on L
A short story, 1.5 in the Elite Ops romantic suspense series, revolving around a secret organization that deals in black ops. The couple focus is on Lillian Belle and Travis Caine. My Take Whew, Leigh pulled me in from the start as she describes "Black Jack" walking in. Dang, he sounds so very sexy, and while Leigh writes it from a third person dual protagonist point-of-view, it's mostly from Belle's perspective. There isn't any real action, well, not the kind one normally considers bang-bang, shoot-em-up with escapes and captures and all. But it's definitely shaping up for, hubba-hubba, action. And Leigh is doing a good job of ratcheting up the heat! Except...she just drops us! I really wanted to give this a "3" for that...grrr...but it is well written... The Story An accepted contract, an assassin and traitor to find...it's just another meeting between team commander and courier. One that heats up... The Characters Lillian "Night Hawk" Belle, formerly an agent in Europe, works for Elite Ops. Elite Ops Jordan Malone is the head of Elite Operations and Belle's commanding officer. Travis "Black Jack" Caine is another Elite Ops agent and under suspicion. He calls Belle "Lady Hawke" in his mind. She'd been assigned to his unit as courier and information gatherer. Risa Clay ( Wild Card , 1) has had a contract put out on her ( Maverick , 2). Her father, Jansen Clay, is a traitor who conspired with Sorrell. Orion is an international assassin. The Title The title is all about "Night Hawk" 's desires. ...more |
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1
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not set
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Mar 25, 2021
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Mar 25, 2021
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ebook
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| 1982154837
| 9781982154837
| 1982154837
| 4.04
| 45,267
| Nov 10, 2020
| Nov 03, 2020
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liked it
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Also known as Tantalizing Twenty-seven, this is the twenty-seventh in the Stephanie Plum romantic suspense series and revolving around a lucky, if ine
Also known as Tantalizing Twenty-seven, this is the twenty-seventh in the Stephanie Plum romantic suspense series and revolving around a lucky, if inept, bounty hunter in Trenton, New Jersey. If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the Stephanie Plum books on my website. My Take While it's always fun to go for a ride with Stephanie, the lack of romance was a bummer. Oh, sure, there are little tidbits in here with Ranger (but nothing exciting) and a few moments with Joe (with whom Stephanie has broken up), but...blah... The excitement just isn't here. Stephanie has been getting serious for the past few books, wondering who she really is, what her life goals are, wanting to be a better version of herself. We know this partly because Evanovich uses first person protagonist point-of-view from Stephanie's perspective; I can't see that's she made much progress, well, except for Trotter and that shopping binge. That was righteous. We hear almost nothing about Vinnie (who was always good for a laugh); Lula's wardrobe doesn't get much mention (which was always good for a laugh!); and, Ranger and Joe don't have that friction going between them anymore, or else it's way under the surface. I do enjoy Lula's take on life. She's always threatening to shoot someone but couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. Ranger sees Stephanie as entertainment, and he wants to keep her alive, so he's always tracking her. You can better understand why when you think of Stephanie and her grandma as having Superhero Derangement Syndrome. Oh man, there is somethin' about Grandma — even Benny wants to marry her, lol. "I'm already too old to die young."Stephanie's dad does make me laugh. He'd love to be rid of Grandma Mazur, and I loved that thought Stephanie "sees' going through his head when Grandma mentions going to Hawaii, lol. George Potts is both annoying, funny, and a treat-and-a-half at the end. Unfortunately, none of it is enough, as Evanovich is just going through the motions. The Story It's bad enough that Stephanie and Grandma Mazur witnessed Shine and Salgusta murder a man, but these two also want Grandma for the keys they're sure Jimmy gave her. There's a fortune at stake. Shine and Salgusta want it. But Grandma "knows" she deserves a share. The Characters Stephanie Plum is a fugitive apprehension agent, a.k.a. bounty hunter, who's always, almost, one step ahead of being totally broke. Rex is Stephanie's hamster. Her parents, Frank and long-suffering Mom, live in the Burg. Grandma Mazur, a.k.a. Edna Rosolli, is Stephanie's maternal grandmother, a widow for the second time, which comes with some scary perks. Valerie is Stephanie's practical sister, who is married to Albert Kloughn. Stephanie's hated back-up transportation is a '53 baby blue Buick Roadmaster. Vincent Plum's Bail Bonds Vinnie is Stephanie's weasel of a cousin who fronts the company, which is actually owned by his father-in-law, Harry the Hammer. Connie Rosolli is the office manager whose family is not as tightly knit into the criminal underground since Uncle Jimmy died. Lula is a former hooker who is Stephanie's permanent sidekick. More of Connie's relatives include an Uncle Big and Aunt Cookie. Rangeman is... ...a high-end, under-the-radar security firm owned by Ranger, a.k.a. Carlos Manoso, who is all that when it comes to apprehending and security. He's amazing in bed as well. Put that together in the gorgeous package he is...mama... Tank is Ranger's second-in-command. Ramone is his tech guy. Others include Rafael, Wayne, Calvin, Rodriguez, Baker, Sanchez, and Jake. Ella is Ranger's housekeeper. Trenton PD Detective Joe Morelli is one hunk of a plainclothes cop working crimes against persons and is Stephanie's on-again, off-again boyfriend. He, um, doesn't want a relationship with Indiana Jones. Bob is Joe's huge shaggy dog who adores Stephanie. Joe is slowly redoing the house he inherited from Aunt Ruth. Tom Schmidt went to school with Stephanie. Manny Bartok. The mysterious (and sexy) Gabriela Rose is slinking about. FTAs George Potts, a.k.a. the Pooper, is a crack-up, obsessed with all his allergies, PTSD, and other issues. Morgan, a fry cook at the Lucky Lucy Café, is his friend. Arnold Rugalowski is a fry cook who was arrested for a hate crime; the wife says it's attempted murder. Rodney Trotter is doing rear-end enhancement without a license and does taxidermy for relaxation. He lives with his mother. The La-Z-Boys are, were... ...a criminal partnership that always hung out at the Mole Hole, a strip club, in their lay-z-boys. Jimmy Rosolli, a.k.a. Mickey Gooley, Mickey Fast, +++, is Grandma's recently deceased husband. Charlie Shine is a dandy, always with the flashy everything, only he likes to abuse women. Ed Gruman and Chick Rizer are the rude henchmen imported from Miami. Kenny Farmer is Shine's nephew. Sanchez is a replacement. Lou Salgusta, Charlie's partner, likes to torture with fire and knives, and he has an intense interest in Grandma and Stephanie. Benny the Skootch is another partner — he's not in good shape. Nor is his wife, Carla. Julius Roman had been one of the La-Z-Boys ( Twisted Twenty-six , 26). The Margo is, was, a hotel. Friends and Neighbors Jean Mulanowski has a nephew who's a pit boss. Loretta Bettman saw him at Dunkin'. Mary Jo Krazinski's daughter works at the bank. Dottie Clark's son is a fireman; she and Irene Hurley have styling stations at the beauty parlor Grandma goes to. Angie Mackie. Ruth Kaleski. Ranger Race is a video game with a character, Mugman, whom George wants to emulate. Philip of Salon Philip is a genius at cut and color. Good thing for Stephanie! Lena Kriswicki lives right behind the funeral parlor, and she has a Scotty. Mo Bernardi lives across the street. Marie Georgio spotted Lou. Jimmy Lucca likes to go fishing. Lolita Sue always has a nice selection of guns. Leticia (she has a cat named Kiki), Lizzy, and Patches, a.k.a. Alice Smuther, know each other...and Georgy. Samantha forgot her paddle. Lucy and Sharon used to share a corner with Lula. Tim Windrow is one of Alice's neighbors. Carlotta's is an Italian bakery owned by Emelio, Benny the Skootch's cousin. "Lester March" rented a Kia. "Lou Balou" also rented a Ford Escape. Bobby Ragucci used to own a building on Cannon Street. Steve owns Used and Abused used cars. Louis is Steve's assistant. Then there's Uncle Matt's Used Car Lot. Anthony Rosolli was Jimmy's grandfather. Pauli Valenti used to be a tech for a security company…back in the day. The Cover and Title The cover has a soft royal blue background with a blue-tinged white at the top for the info blurb. The author's name is below that in a chiseled blue. Immediately underneath is the series information in the same white to the left of a brass key with a nice three-dimensional feel to it, inserted into a traditionally shaped keyhole. Below that is the title in the same chiseled font and a metallic color; both author and title are embossed. At the very bottom is the series number in the same white. The title is what Grandma Mazur and Stephanie seek, Fortune and Glory. ...more |
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1
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not set
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Jan 16, 2021
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Jan 18, 2021
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Hardcover
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| B08BC1MZRT
| 3.52
| 125
| unknown
| Jun 15, 2020
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did not like it
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Just plain annoying. The female protagonist was so unbelievable, I simply couldn't finish it.
Just plain annoying. The female protagonist was so unbelievable, I simply couldn't finish it.
...more
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Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Dec 20, 2020
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Dec 21, 2020
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Kindle Edition
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| 1492608971
| 9781492608974
| B085ZP9XMV
| 4.12
| 967
| Nov 24, 2020
| Nov 24, 2020
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really liked it
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Third in the Deep Six romantic suspense series revolving around a team of retired Navy SEALs and set in and near Key West, Florida. The couple focus i
Third in the Deep Six romantic suspense series revolving around a team of retired Navy SEALs and set in and near Key West, Florida. The couple focus is on Alex Merriweather and Mason McCarthy. This eARC was sent to me by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an honest review. My Take It's all about revenge, and it just ticks me off that the bad guys always think they're in the right when one of them is killed. Poor baby. I mean, duh... Isn't that part of the "perks" of the job, that you take that chance once you choose to go to war? Walker uses third person global subjective point-of-view, so we hear and see the perspectives of many of the characters. Think of poor Mason. His ex-wife really did a number on him, convincing him that he is not normal, all of which we hear from his mind. It doesn't help that Mason interprets those 2% stats in the wrong way! But it did annoy me how often Walker harped on this, oy. Walker very nicely captures the why of these SEALs' brand of humor, as a way to decompress from the violence of their lives. As for her word usage, oh lordy, I kept cracking up. Esophageal eruption? *snicker* Politics. That decision to invade the Middle East that brought about the rise of ISIS. That's not the only time politics raises its ugly head in Ride the Tide. Alex cracks me up. She's so determined to give up her virginity and get it over with — and she does live on an island with a group of gorgeous men who think life is one giant bachelor party. As for those fantasies she has, you'll be crackin' up. "...more than once she'd wondered if it might be possible to run through the house naked and — whoopsie! — fall on his"...ahemI suspect part of Alex's mission to be devirginized is to force away her memories of that battle in Garden Key. *Laughing* that contretemps the team and company survives out on the ocean leads to quite the crack up about full autos. Okay, I can see the FBI's point, but still, lol. Sigh...Walker paints one heckuva way of life for the boys and Alex. I love the thought of that warm weather, the island, and the feel of being at summer camp...but without the camp counselors! I can so sympathize with Alex's love for history! It's not that it holds all the answers, but I love discovering the different customs and how they came about, how words and the holidays evolved, the different ways people lived, and more. It's a fun escapist read and action-packed with battle, fights, and chase scenes. Walker has created some great characters about whom I want to read more. *Laughing all the way* The Story Yep, Alex is determined to have her front door bashed in. There have been opportunities in the past, but...something always came up, er, down. Then a vengeful enemy from Mason's past threatens the team, and Mason is terrified of his past touching Alex. But their lives are on the line and the adrenaline is running high, and it's inevitable that sparks will fly. The Characters Alexandra "Alex" Merriweather, a.k.a. Baby Bear, was hired by Deep Six for her expertise in reading old Spanish scripts. Part of Alex's problem is those academic parents of hers. Always distracted. Grandpa Gene had been in the Korean War; Grandma Iris had been a hairdresser. Mason "Monet" McCarthy is an ex-Navy SEAL who pampers Meat, his fat English bulldog, and likes to paint watercolors. Deep Six Salvage is... ...the new company these retired SEALs are starting up that is based on Wayfarer Island. The rest of his retired team includes Ray "Wolf" Roanhorse, who fancies himself a scholar — and is attracted to the unavailing Chrissy; Brando "Bran" Pallidino who likes to cook; Spiro "Romeo" Delgado is the epitome of sex positivity, loving all women; and, Dalton "Doc" Simmons, a.k.a. Papa Bear. Li'l Bastard is their resident rooster. Christina "Chrissy" Szareck owns a dive shop on Key West and takes tourists out to the reefs. She's recently teamed up with Seaplane Charters and Deep Six Salvage. Winston is her business partner. Josephine Szareck, Chrissy's mother, fell in love as often as her daughter filled scuba tanks. Doug was the second husband, who taught Chrissy how to fish. Their former CO, Leo "The Lion" Anderson, a.k.a. LT, just got married to an ex-CIA officer, Olivia Mortier, who has a new-found fascination in baking Hell or High Water , 1). John is LT's uncle and caretakes on the island. They'd all made a promise to Rusty Lawrence. Sarah had been Mason's betraying now-ex-wife. Donna Crestone is Mason's, um, workout partner who entertains plans more intimate than Mason thought. A former commodore in the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, Izad Bagheri is on his own mission. Kazem is his only living son. Arman and Basir are the sons who were killed. Hettie had been his beloved wife. Navid is Izad's head of security. Turan Jamshidi, a former officer in the navy, Omid, and Mahmoud are the rest of Bagheri's security. Paulie Gatto rented a speedboat. Rory Gellman is an Army Ranger who turned mercenary. Ensign Watts is with the Coast Guard. Special Agents Tomlinson and Albus Fazzle are with the FBI. Nurse "Ratched" doesn't like bad language. The Key West Citizen editor has dubbed a group of bad guys The Baitfish Bandits. Gina was a one-nighter for Romeo. Tommy Wilson was Alex's senior year boyfriend. Richard "Dick" Johnson used to call Alex "Gabby McGabberson" in high school. Bobby Joe Cuthbert was a jerk to Chrissy in her freshman year. David "Big Papi" Ortiz was a ten-time All-Star, three-time World Series champ, and a seven-time Silver Slugger winner. That challenge from Cory Taylor was back when Alex was eight. 1624, the Caribbean The determined Bartolome Vargas is the captain of the Santa Cristina with its treasured cargo. Rosario is the midshipman. Pablo acts as lookout on the island. Alejandro is an older deckhand. The Cover and Title The cover is a rising gradient of blues from the dark of the ocean with a ship listing to our right against a stormy sky of blues. It's Mason in jeans and a gray (fitted!) T-shirt, a tattoo on his right forearm rising past his elbow, standing with his back to us, his head facing to the left so we see his close-shaven head and profile. The series info is at the top left (opposite Mason's face) as a white font atop a starred emblem. The title is in white and is centered over Mason's back. Beneath that is a testimonial in white across his backside. The author's name (with an info blurb in between) is in yellow across Mason's thighs. The title is more metaphorical than about the ocean, for Alex and Deep Six Salvage Ride the Tide of vengeance and dreams. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Nov 23, 2020
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Nov 28, 2020
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Kindle Edition
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| 1250088402
| 9781250088406
| B07PBR7B45
| 3.81
| 987
| Mar 09, 2021
| Mar 09, 2021
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it was ok
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Second in the Moving Violations romantic suspense series and revolving around "Sallie Hamblen" and Jacob Donovan. This eARC was sent to me by NetGalley Second in the Moving Violations romantic suspense series and revolving around "Sallie Hamblen" and Jacob Donovan. This eARC was sent to me by NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an honest review. My Take Leigh/Chadwick use third person dual protagonist point-of-view, so we get into both Sallie's and Jacob's heads with plenty of whining on Sallie's part. For his part, Jacob is obsessing about his attraction to Sally and wondering what he forgot all those years ago. Action-wise, there is plenty of sex in Strong, Silent Cowboy with a melodramatic story weaving it together. The prose is amazingly repetitive and quite confusing; it's all that sex, the year discrepancies, and Sallie's indecisiveness. She wants him. She doesn't want him. She should flee right this second, but then his lips meet hers and she's a goner. I gotta admit I do admire Sallie, but she also ticks me off with her mental whining about how she must run, so no one else will be hurt...even though she's had some pretty solid proof that Jacob can help her. I gotta think they wrote and edited it fast because there is one huge, I mean, HUGE, issue I have with this. It's those years. I swear, my head spun with how the years flipped back and forth, rarely settling on one single set. Well, there are other issues that niggle away at me, too...keep reading. "It had been three years...since he'd disappeared..." and "She'd spent three years agonizing over him, two years of that time, she'd spent running for her life." Now, it's three years later when the story starts up. A total of six years since her lover up and disappeared. So, Sallie has spent two years running for her life, but then it turns out that she was "forced to run from home ... four years ago". Huh? Then, "she'd been running for nearly five years..." It was also three passion-filled days and nights, then suddenly she was "remembering that single night far too often". I think I'm jealous of Kara's first time. It's been six years since she exploded with those three days and nights, and she's still obsessed with the man with whom she spent that time. It is sad that Jake had been her only lover...and it's been six years! Oy. Well, Sallie may not stand up for herself very well, but Dillerman's customers know to respect her and anyone who works for her. I love it! She is a woman who cares. Hmmm, a man who's interested in how a woman's home is decorated. And one who's interested in giving her pleasure first. Don't we all dream of a guy like that??? But why would Jacob give Sallie a bad time about not letting him protect her when she first arrived in Deer Haven? How was she supposed to know what his past had been? Why would he think she'd have a claim on him? And I certainly can't blame her for being angry that he didn't remember her! I do wish that the Culpepper brothers had tried harder with Sallie. It wasn't too convincing. I do like Gram, lol. She's one heckuva social media busybody, although she does have compassion and all her wits with a great sense of humor. Okay, I'm confused again. Why is it that Sallie doesn't want Dillerman's to make a profit? And how can Sallie say that the man who's after her never hurt anyone who tried to get in his way, but Sallie also says a neighbor who tried to help her was beaten. And if Lily and Shay don't have extra clothes at Jacob's ranch why is it that Lily managed to get "dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and sneakers she kept in his spare room"? The ambassador has gone out of his way to try and hide Sallie. Yet Sallie is so negative about him. That he's never cared for her. I am also impressed that the ambassador has time to work on building his consulting business. As for Sallie's mother...ick. What a cold fish she was! It's that hindsight you get as an adult when you look back over your childhood and suddenly see that life from an adult perspective. Dang it. Why did he marry her?? What was the point? Why did he abandon her? More important, why did he lie to her? I dunno. There are a ton of loose ends in this one, and I certainly didn't care for the abrupt ending. Well, that's probably because of the loose ends... The Story Three nights of passion, and he left. Three years later and he doesn't even recognize her. She can't have changed that much. Could she? It's Sallie's face that haunts Jacob's dreams, but he doesn't understand why. And dammit, he's going after her, despite his reputation. The Characters Sallie Hamblen is the new manager for Dillerman's Feed and Supply in Deer Haven, California, who bought the old Hanover place. Lord knows how long she'll stay, for "Sallie" has been on the run for years. Megan Dougal had been Sallie's mother, who had married Rance Dougal, an ambassador. Ray Masser is Dougal's current aide. Jacob Donovan is one of Deer Haven's most eligible ranchers — and related to most of its citizens. Gram, a.k.a. Mary Ann Donovan, is Jacob's grandmother, who now lives with him on the Rocking D. Tyler Donovan, Gram's son, had adopted an eight-year-old. John Grange is the ranch foreman...and I think he's dating Gram. Jacob's ranch hands include Kenny and are almost all former military. Missy is Kenny's wife. Lily, who prefers the online college experience, and Shay are Sallie's friends and Jacob's third cousins. The Culpepper brothers — Justice (runs the ranch and its various businesses), Rancor (joined the FBI), and Pride (went into the military until his injury) — own a nearby ranch. I think Keller might be their ranch foreman. They're all good, reliable friends with Jacob. Dillerman's Feed and Supply... ...supplies four counties. Stanley Dillerman is the greedy owner. I'm not sure who Myron Dillerman is, but he owed Dougal a favor. Tara Danner is Sallie's new assistant who becomes a friend. Roger Oakley is the floor manager enjoys overseeing things on the weekends. Daniel is the dock manager. Roy Davison is the bullying supply manager. Jim Allen is his assistant. Cora is the head of the pet department. Prader's is another feed and supply store, but over in the next county. Bit of a price gouger, they are. Rhonda Foley is the head of the Chamber of Commerce, who tries every year to ensnare Sallie's help. Chet Morris is the bank president and Rhonda's brother-in-law. The Ladies Auxiliary, of which Gram is a member, has a betting pool going on Jacob and on Sallie. Three years ago... Jake Rossiter, with his exact memory, was attached to the embassy in Switzerland. Kyra Bannon and John Dillon were aides to the ambassador. John Milton had married Sallie and dumped her a year later. Seems John Kenton Mayler had been married five years ago (eight years ago today). Sister Rebecca had been the beloved headmistress of a boarding school. Nonny had been Sallie's caregiver before that. Forefront is... ...a Swiss-based militant group intent on destabilizing economic partnerships between major nations. Former Swiss military and law enforcement, they had a preference for torture-murders of young women. Jorg Deverson is one of them. The Cover and Title The cover has a fuzzy background of a light summer sky with prairie and mountains in the background. In the forefront is a cowboy in jeans and a black shirt and hat, hauling a saddle over his right shoulder. That hat is tilted down so we don't get to see his eyes, but that jaw...ooh là là... At the very top in a deep red is an info blurb followed by the authors' names above Jacob's hat. To the right of his head is the information, in a deep blue, that this is "a novel". The title begins mid-chest on Jacob in a combination font of serif and script in yellow. The title is true, for Jacob Donovan is a Strong, Silent Cowboy...until you get him in bed! ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Nov 2020
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Nov 01, 2020
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Kindle Edition
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| 1250272742
| 9781250272744
| 1250272742
| 4.50
| 23,981
| Feb 09, 2021
| Feb 09, 2021
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really liked it
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Fifty-second in the In Death futuristic romantic suspense series and revolving around Lieutenant Eve Dallas of Homicide in the New York City of 2061. M Fifty-second in the In Death futuristic romantic suspense series and revolving around Lieutenant Eve Dallas of Homicide in the New York City of 2061. My Take I hope we never become like that Natural Order. It's disgusting. Robb has got some nasty, horrible mind to be able to think up this cult. I'll bet she had nightmares writing it! They work hard to be totally inclusive of all their needs: food, medical care, schooling, religion, impregnating, etc. The children are color-coded according to race. 'Cause god forbid there's any crossing of the lines...*shudder* Wow! Dallas is so skeptical...! A good thing she pointed out those gaping holes to me...I'd've, yeah, I'd've seen 'em if I'd been paying more attention, lol! And we know how Dallas feels through third person protagonist point-of-view. I do adore how Roarke supports Eve in her work. As for Bella...that "peas" of hers just got to me. I laughed and cried. As for Officer Shelby, I love her! She's a brave woman who knows what's right...and I love how she outed that bitch. That's an interesting point to make about the Huffmans — respected — and the Caines — respected and liked. I do wish we had more interaction with Peabody, McNab, the other detectives, Summerset, etc. More wow is what Merit learns later in the story. Poor guy. Well, okay, lucky guy. Even more wow, Gwen's mother gave her drugs to "get in the mood" for her husband's desires. It's so sad that there really are people out there who subjugate women. We've come a long way...and have longer yet to go. Jesus, Gwen's character is so incredibly horrible. I gotta confess, I'd kind've like to read another story about what she does to survive after Faithless in Death. I wanna wallow in her suffering...bwa-ha-ha... Um, Eve uses bollocks?? I thought that was Roarke...guess I better go re-read some of the past stories... This is one for the books — Dallas asks the FBI to join her investigation! And you know Nadine will be writing another book, lol. The Story The details for that murder scene in Ariel Byrd's studio don't add up. If only Gwen Huffman hadn't lied about the little things, hadn't waited an hour to report the death, hadn't been the greedy, manipulative woman she's been for so long. The Characters Lieutenant Eve Dallas is in command of the Homicide Division at Cop Central. Roarke is her gorgeous bazillionaire husband. Summerset is their majordomo. Galahad is their enterprising, fat cat. The NYPSD Homicide Division Detective Delia Peabody is Eve's partner. Dallas is starting to get used to Jenkinson's electric ties and his partner's, Reineke's, "matching" socks. Baxter is slick and has Trueheart as his partner. Detectives Santiago and Carmichael are also partners; there's also an Officer Carmichael. Turns out Officer January Shelby is gay with some useful information for Dallas ( Apprentice in Death , 43); Laurie is Shelby's cousin. Commander Jack Whitney is Eve's boss; his wife, Anna, is his boss. Poor guy, she's always putting him on some kind of diet, lol. Electronic (EDD) investigates... ...all things computer. Captain Ryan Feeney is in charge. His boys include the brightly dressed Detective Ian McNab, who is Peabody's significant other and Callendar. Tibble is the chief of police. Dr Mira is their chief profiler. Li Morris is the chief medical examiner. Dick Berenski is chief lab tech. Dr Garnet DeWinter is the forensic anthropologist. Officers Miller and Getz are the first to respond. Detective Yancy is their best police artist...and he's wanting in. Harris is a very efficient 9-1-1 operator. Cher Reo is the assistant prosecuting attorney Dallas contacts most often. Lieutenant Lowenbaum ( Delusion in Death , 35) commands a SWAT team. Detective Strong is with Illegals. Kyung is still the police media liaison. Jane Po is a child services caseworker. FBI Special Agent Anthony Quirk is missing. Special Agents Teasdale ( Delusion in Death , 35) and Conroy, an expert on Natural Order, join the investigation. Other agents include Clyburn, Reese, Monica, Rosencroft, and Paulson. Abernathy and Jonas at Interpol are also interested. Ariel Byrd is a sculptor. Rodin is her cat. Julie Byrd is Ariel's ecstatic mother; her daughter-in-law, Ally, just gave birth to Fiona. Julie's son, Lucas, is also ecstatic. Gwendolyn Huffman is a client of Ariel's. Merit Caine, a lawyer, is Gwen's fiancé; he works for Caine, Boswell, and Caine (Grandad, Mom, and Dad) and clerked for Supreme Court Justice Uma Hagger. Merit's sister is on maternal leave from her job as in-house counsel for Atomic Publishing. A brother is following in Merit's footsteps clerking for Hagger. Henry is Merit's adorable cousin. Marjorie is Gwen's wedding planner. The disinherited Trace Huffman, a.k.a. Trace D. Huff, is a musician / performer / songwriter out in Vegas. Drs Oliver and Paula Huffman are Gwen and Trace's parents and strong supporters of Natural Order. Felicity and Jonathan work at the reception desk of the House Royale where Gwen lives. Hettie Brownstone, a dance instructor, is Ariel's neighbor and has a daughter, Tasha. Ms Wasser is a manager at the bank. Chadwick Billingsly was Gwen's first "serious" boyfriend in college. His great uncle Stu was a cop. Holly is Chadwick's current love. Previous lovers and victims Robb is vague in her initial distinctions between these two groups, although some are a blend. Savannah Grimsley is a potter in SoHo who knew Ariel. Vance Bloot is her roommate. Savannah's brother, Keene, was working for the Order when he disappeared. The white Marcia Piper is a former model married to the white Lawrence "Larry" Piper, a VP of Natural Order's social media division; they have three children. The African-American Idina Frank, a former teacher, is married to the African-American Anson, a genetic researcher who works at Natural Order. They have four young children, including Sasha, Harry, and Becca and Jasper, the twins. The pregnant Zoe Metcalf has a young son, Gabriel. Harley is her husband. Gina Eve and Roarke's friends The pregnant-again Mavis — "knocked-up, the return" — is Eve's best friend and a famous singer married to Leonardo, a highly sought-after fashion designer. Bella is their toddler. Jem, a blogger, and Linc, a biochemist, are working a garden where Mavis and Bella do. They have a 22-month-old son, Ned, who is Bella's "boyfriend". Trina is the terrifying beauty consultant. Sima is a good friend of Trina's. Mavis records at Jake's (of Avenue A) these days. Nadine Furst is a hotshot journalist and the host of Now, a popular news channel. Oh, and Nadine's The Red Horse Legacy is about to come out! Dochas is... ...a women's shelter built by Roarke and Dallas. Moira, Natalie, Desi, and Gracie work there. An Didean is... ...a shelter for troubled kids, also built by Roarke and Dallas. Rochelle is in charge. Natural Order is... ...a hate organization run by Stanton Wilkey, a charismatic lunatic raised by an abusive, alcoholic father, Joshua. They preach no sex unless married — no mixed marriage, no same-sex marriages, no relationships. Outlaw licensed companions. Abstinence and no premarital sex. Races may not mix. Women are second-class. Realignment is brainwashing for those who disobey the tenets. Part of their property includes Utopia Island with sovereign nation status. The plain, dowdy Miriam is Stanton's repressed daughter. Um, I mean, she's his personal assistant and domestic staff manager. She was allowed online college. Samuel and Joseph are her brothers. Aaron is the youngest...and gay. Rachel Wilkey, née Charles, is Wilkey's legit wife. Rachel's birth family — her parents and older brother Morgan Charles — still live on their ranch in Montana. Patricia Hemstead was forcibly impregnated. Fiona Vassar is Wilkey's breeding wife; Seth, Cassie, and Robbyn are her children. The Hispanic Cisco drives the cart. Some members — James Burke, Wayne Marshall, and Cody Klark — set fire to a church in Texas. Ella Alice Foxx breaks the case. Gayle Steenberg is married to Carl — they're the "mean version of American Gothic. She's a domestic/trainer, ie., torturer. Their children escaped with one son, Detective Leroy Russ, a cop in St Paul. Mother Catherine, a.k.a. Mother Bitch and Catherine Duplay, is another torturer and is married to Dudley. Mother Deborah, a.k.a. Mother Sweet Smile, teaches classes. William Henley is in security, a cleaner. He's divorced from Amber Johnstone (lucky girl!) and is now married to Wendy Livingston. Wendell Phiffer is a forensic specialist whose parents are Francis and Lydia, employed by the same Purity Labs and Research. Hester Angus works as a midwife. Deborah, educator, and Lloyd (IT) Beyers live in the compound. Karyn Keye is an ob-gyn nurse practitioner. Wexford. Harstead. Congressman Orland and Senator O'Connell are also supporters. The Cover and Title The cover has a slightly gradated gray background on the top with the expected graphic from the perspective of Ariel's art studio overlooking an orange-tinted city skyline. At the very top, in black, is an info blurb. Below that, the author's name in an embossed red takes up the top half of the cover. A small white badge with an inner, thin silver circle promotes an inside poster. The title is in an embossed, distressed white font. The title is too true, for Wilkey and his followers are Faithless...in Death. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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Mar 10, 2021
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May 03, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 1250207231
| 9781250207234
| 1250207231
| 4.43
| 24,686
| Sep 08, 2020
| Sep 08, 2020
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really liked it
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Fifty-first in the In Death detective mystery and romantic suspense series revolving around Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her husband, Roarke, in New York
Fifty-first in the In Death detective mystery and romantic suspense series revolving around Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her husband, Roarke, in New York City in May of 2061. My Take It's all about greed and ego, all over the place with Robb using third person global subjective point-of-view, although the primary perspectives are from Dallas, Roarke, and Cobbe. It was an interesting start with an idiot who can't lie. It's also a peek into Roarke's past and references to how he built his empire. Roarke remembers more past details about how Patrick found him in that alley. Robb presents this information very confusingly. I had to re-read this several times to figure out what she was saying... It's not the only scene that's hard to figure out. "There's a difference between right and regs sometimes. That's why regs change, but right doesn't."That Tween is such a jerk! And such a cheapskate, lol! A typical abusive controller who fakes understanding until confronted by something that offends his sense of order and pride. He's so prideful that he's stupid! Mira does a fascinating insight into Cobbe. Such conflicting desires! He had a loving mother but craved Patrick Roarke's love? That's not the only insight in Shadows in Death, as Eve has her own fears crop up about Roarke, pushing her into realizing what Roarke goes through every day. I absolutely ADORE how everyone on the force steps up for Roarke. I also like Nadine's advice to Quilla: "...if you pretend something's good when it's not, you're not doing anybody any favors. There are a lot of subplots running through Shadows in Death: An Didean finally opening, Galla's murder which sets this all in action, the bad guys (on the side) who get taken down, a past cold case, the joy Eve and the NYPSD take from thumbing their nose at Interpol and all the other alphabet agencies, *grin*, and backstory reveals (hoo boy). The action is fast moving, although Eve's investigation involves lots of nitpicky following-up. It's amazing how well it all adds to the finale. My main niggle was the very minor roles played by Peabody and McNab and the bare mentions of Eve's other friends. Sigh. The Story A murder-for-hire brings back Roarke's turbulent childhood and sets up a manhunt for a notorious assassin sought by law enforcement around the world. The Characters Lieutenant Eve Dallas is the head of Homicide. Roarke is her gazillionaire hunk of a husband and her civilian partner in crime detecting. Summerset, the man who rescued Roarke as a child and the man Roarke considers his father, now functions as a majordomo for Roarke's house in New York. Galahad is their fat cat. Ivanna is Summerset's "companion" with a fascinating back history. Roarke has family — the Lannigans and Brodys — in Tulla, Ireland, including Sinead Lannigan, his mother's twin, who is married to Robbie. Mary Kate, Kevin, Rory, Seamus, Nan, Aidan, Ryan, and Rosie are also part of the family. Ailish is a medic and Aidan's wife's sister. Marshall Podcock, Trace, and Ando are part of the security Roarke set up to protect his family. Bridget Feeney had been a schoolmate of Sinead's. Brian Kelly is a childhood friend of Roarke's and now runs the Penny Pig, a pub in Dublin. Jenny, Shawn, and Mick had been friends as well. Caro is Roarke's personal admin. Fitzwalter, Dolliger, and Jenson, his driver, also work for him. New York Police and Security Department (NYPSD) Detective Peabody is Dallas' partner. Dallas' Homicide detectives include Jenkinson of the lurid ties who usually partners with Reineke; Baxter, a horn dog who dresses well, usually partners with the innocent Troy Trueheart; Carmichael and Santiago; and, Uniform Carmichael, Officer Shelby, and Rosco, who are assigned to Homicide. Commander Jack Whitney is Eve's superior. Tibble is the police chief of the entire NYPSD. Rigby does a lot of undercover work. Detectives Waver and Yin are good at searching. Dr Charlotte "Charlie" Mira, a psychiatrist, is the department's top profiler; Clinton Jones had Mira's position previously. Prof Dennis Mira is Mira's amazing husband. Dick "Dickhead" Berenski is the obnoxious but very good chief lab tech. Harvo, the Queen of Hair and Fibers, also does amazing work. Dr Li Morris is the city's chief medical examiner. Detective Ian McNab is with EDD and is Peabody's significant other. Captain Ryan Feeney, Eve's original mentor, is in charge of EDD. Callendar is another of Feeney's "boys". Inspector Abernathy is with Interpol and has an itch to nab Roarke. Nadine Furst is a friend of Dallas and Roarke, author of two of Dallas' notorious cases, and a television host for Now! Quilla Magnum, from Concealed in Death , 38, is working as her promising intern. Modesto Wine and Spirits is... ...an international, family-owned company based in Tuscany. Galla Modesto is one of the heirs. She's married to Jorge Tween, a VP in distribution for Modesto, and they have a child, four-year-old Angelo. Elena Rinaldi is the housekeeper. Sofia Grimaldi is Angelo's nanny. Stefano is Galla's brother; Tereza is his wife who had been friends with Galla. Anna Maria Modesto is Galla's mother; Antonio her father. Marlon Stowe is an artist with whom Galla had been having an affair. Milton Barkley is Tween's lawyer. Denise Gotte is criminal defense from Patterson, Franks, and Gotte. Oscar Gill Investigations does private eye work. An Didean is... ...a shelter for abandoned children built by Roarke. Rochelle is in charge. Mrs Pickering is part of the staff. Gregg "Gee" Harding is a reluctant attendee who plays a mean guitar. Carlo is the head chef. Bit of foreshadowing here, as Roarke contemplates something similar for Dublin. "Crack" Wilson is Rochelle's boyfriend and owner of the Dirty Duck. Dochas is... ...the women's and children's shelter built by Roarke and Eve. Lorcan Cobbe is a vicious assassin and part of Roarke's childhood. He'd do Roarke in a heartbeat. Some of his aliases include "Blade", Reginald J. Patrick, Lorcan Roarke, Niall Patrickson, Grafton, Patrick, and Liam O'Patrick. Cobbe's mother, Morna Cobbe, had been a prostitute, but now lives well off her son. The Padriac O'Karre Foundation is a shell company. Patrick Roarke had been Roarke's vicious, brutal father; Meg had been Roarke's vicious stepmother. Richard Troy had been Eve's nasty father. That Dennis is quite insightful: "Biology doesn't make a father."Adam, Boswell's accountant and Whitney's CI, and Ellen Solomen had a sixteen-year-old son, Thaddeus, who were murdered twenty years ago. Anja Greenspan had been Ellen's sister. Colin "Boss" Boswell had been involved in international human trafficking, illegals, and a protection racket. Thomas "Big Tom" Ivan had been a partner with Cobbe. Frankie Nalley owns a red rattletrap '52 Muscleman coupe. Salvadore Bellacore is old mafioso in Sardinia who now brokers connections. Liam Calhoun was the bad guy in Vengeance in Death , 6. The Green Flash was a high-end necklace stolen in 2046 or '47. Alex Godinov runs a criminal enterprise in Russia. The Amazonian Group, another shell company, is owned by Reginald Privet, a figurehead. His sister, Alicia, is actually in charge. The Garda are Irish policemen. Yvette Conroy is a licensed companion who works through Discretion. Caring Hearts is a pet rescue operation run by Tara Undall with help from her veterinarian husband. Her neighbor, Dory, is a partner; her husband is a lawyer who also helped. Tara's own pets include Baby and Regal; Max and Sweetie are/were her fosters. Colleen is the daughter for whom Sweetie was adopted. Cobbe regularly visits Style and Substance Salon and Spa in Dublin, managed by Carleen Digby and Aidan Pierce, where Milo Cummings, Genita O'Brian, and Breen Casey work on him. Avenue A is a popular band, whose members will instruct at An Didean; it's fronted by Jake Kincade, Nadine's significant other. Mavis Freestone, another highly successful singer, is Eve's best friend. Urbane is a high-end shop where Trent Bilbo is a salesman and assistant manager; Marcus is another salesman. Mr King is a valuable client. Kaylee Skye is a singer at a bar where Londa Stanski is the bartender. Marta is Kaylee's neighbor. Handler is a security guard at the airport. Previous victims include Ulga Rominov, a high-clearance scientist at Vandam Pharmaceutical in Budapest; Nigel Harris, a jeweler, in London; Julietta LeFarge, a human rights attorney, in Cannes; and, Ingrid Frederick, who simply had bad timing — out of over 400. The Cover and Title The cover has a background of rain-streaked gray green on the top, a window shattered at its bottom to frame a nighttime graphic of a rain-soaked street leading up to a triumphal arch leading into a park, caution tape up before it with three squad cars — two with lights flashing — and the city skyline behind it all. At the very top is an info blurb in black. Below it is the author's name in a slightly shadowed bright yellow. Below the squad cars is the title in a distressed white. The title is all about Cobbe, for he will always be the shadow in Shadows in Death. ...more |
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not set
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Dec 09, 2020
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May 03, 2020
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Hardcover
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| 0399180206
| 9780399180200
| B07QBLNPR2
| 4.10
| 51,282
| Nov 12, 2019
| Nov 12, 2019
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it was ok
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Twenty-sixth in the Stephanie Plum romantic suspense series and revolving around a bumbling bounty hunter in Trenton, New Jersey. My Take I think Stepha Twenty-sixth in the Stephanie Plum romantic suspense series and revolving around a bumbling bounty hunter in Trenton, New Jersey. My Take I think Stephanie might actually be getting serious about being fed up with her job and her relationships. Which made Twisted Twenty-six kind of depressing. Fortunately, Evanovich does keep some humor going on what with Lula's hair salon selling ammo and poor Frank. He's finding out how he really feels about Grandma Mazur. Grandma, well, she is having fun planning how to spend her inheritance. It's all delivered using first person protagonist point-of-view from Stephanie's perspective, so we see, hear, and feel everything from what Stephanie experiences. Unfortunately, Evanovich is still going through the motions. She used to put some oomph behind Stephanie's interactions with Morelli, Ranger, and the surveillance Ranger would put on Stephanie. There used to be some heat between the three of them. Sigh...and Morelli just noticed that Ranger calls Stephanie "babe"?? Grandma just now is figuring out that Stephanie's job is scary? Ranger's assessment of Stephanie was funny and rather encouraging. And he cracked me up with that comment that his being nice to Stephanie is an experiment in his trying to learn how to be nice. He's right too about one's career. It's important to be passionate about what you do for a living. Like someone like Carol who'd make a great personal shopper. I still like the small town vibe where everyone knows everyone else and what their business is. Now, if only Stephanie can find a way to get paid for doing nothing... The Story Grandma Mazur likes to fly by the seat of her pants, and she sure did when she married mobster Jimmy Rosolli. A marriage that lasted 45 minutes. A widow now, Jimmy's mobster friends are anxious to get hold of those Keys, and they'll stop at nothing to find 'em. The Characters Stephanie Plum sort of makes a living as a bounty hunter. Rex is her pet hamster. Edna is her crazy maternal Grandma Mazur who lives with the Plums and who has managed to avoid being killed by Stephanie's dad, Frank, who retired from the post office and drives a cab these days. To escape the house. Stephanie's mom self-medicates with bourbon and ironing. Great-uncle Sandor is dead, but his '53 powder blue Buick lives on. Valerie is Stephanie's sister and just gets a mention. Trenton PD Detective Joe Morelli is with Crimes Against Persons and is her official boyfriend who inherited his Aunt Rose's house. Bob is his big orange dog. Grandma Bella is Joe's crazy Italian granny who lives with Joe's mom. Kelly and Fitzgerald are co-workers. Detectives, maybe? Eddie Gazarra is married to Stephanie's cousin, Shirley the Whiner, and rides patrol. Ranger also wants Stephanie and is not, sort of, her boyfriend. He'd started as a bounty hunter who had mentored Stephanie and now he's the owner of Rangeman, an elite security firm. He's got family in Newark and Miami. Some of his men include Tank who's his second-in-command, Eugene "Slick" is Ranger's electronics guy, and Ernie. The Burg is... ...a lower middle-class neighborhood where Stephanie's parents live. Herbert Kuntz is one of their neighbors who helps keep the neighborhood lit up. Jimmy Rosolli, a.k.a., the Keeper of the Keys, was Grandma's husband for 45 minutes. He's got three sisters: Angie, Tootie, and Rose. He also has two ex-wives: Barbara and Bunny. Jimmy and Barbara had a son, Don, and a daughter, Jeanine, who is married to Bernard "Bernie" Stupe, who works at the family business, the Concrete Plant. Ziggy Weinberger is Jimmy's lawyer. The Mole Hole is... ...a strip club of which Jimmy was a part-owner. Stan is one of the bartenders. The La-Z-Boys hang out in its backroom and are Jimmy's friends and "co-workers", including Lou Salgusta who likes to burn things, Julius Roman, Benny the Skootch, and Charlie Shine who are all mobsters. Lou is a driver. Darlene Long is Charlie's mistress (and a former ho who is friends with Lula). Loretta Shine is Charlie's wife who's happy he has Darlene. Carla is Benny's second wife and the sister of his deceased first wife. Vincent Plum's Bail Bonds is... ...owned by Stephanie's sleazy cousin, Vinnie, for whom she works. Connie is the office manager and one of Jimmy's nieces. A former ho, Lula is a plus-size woman in a size 8 whose bounty runneth over. She's named her gun Suzy. Elliot Flug threw up on Stephanie's gun. FTAs include Tyrone Brown who'd been caught having non-consensual relations with Mrs Schmidt and her dog; Travis Wisneski, who robbed a liquor store; Carol Joyce is a professional shoplifter — "CJ Enterprises is his business" — who drives an Escalade; Marcus Velez is a gunman; Barry Strunk is wanted for attempted murder; Steven Cross thinks he's the Pink Panther (his boyfriend, Georgio, is a hairdresser and Carmine is his driver); and, Oliver Turkel has a history of no-shows. Miracle Fitness is... ...a fancy gym owned by another mobster, Sidney DeSalle. Their trainers include Sylvester Lucca, a.k.a., Zeus, who is a real ladies' man; Thor, a.k.a., Bruce, who plays guide; and, Aphrodite, who works the desk. Mervin Klack is the current owner and funeral director of Stiva's, a popular senior hangout. Betty Hauck, Stanley Bonino was a big deal in the K of C, and Crystal Buzick are getting buried. Harry Dugan is a mourner. Louise Felati sent Connie a picture of Angie's fingers. Evelyn, Marvina who usually calls bingo, Emma Gorse, Marg Bowman who knows about Miracle Fitness, Shirley Balog, and Mary Ann Wozinski are some of Grandma's friends. Suzanne Blik and Ginny Barkalowski won at bingo. Emilio is Connie's uncle; her uncle Sal is a fence; and, Aunt Stella keeps her ear to the ground. Connie's cousin owns a deli. Jerry's Diner has an all-you-can-eat Sunday buffet. Patti Benn works at the bakery. Mrs Ruiz is from Guatamala and "everybody likes us". Gary Luckett's front lawn may never be the same. Richie Meister has a special relationship with a dragon. Joyce Barnhardt is Stephanie's number one enemy, a real sleaze who plays at bounty hunting. Simon Diggery lives out in the country in a trailer with his pet snake, Ethel. Dolly does Grandma Mazur's hair. The deli no longer carries Bubbies pickles. Melanie Glick is getting divorced. Miriam Flock is a fill-in bingo caller. Marion Beggert helped pay off Lucca's credit card. Signature Flight Support flies out of Trenton-Mercer Airport. The Cover and Title The cover is an optical illusion in red stripes swirling into a tight center. At the very top is an info blurb in white. The author's name is chiseled in a bright yellow beneath it. Below that is the series information in pale gray, and in the bottom half is a chiseled pale gray title. The title informs us of where this story falls within the series and it is a Twisted Twenty-six with core characters having some come-to-Jesus moments. ...more |
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1
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not set
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Apr 10, 2020
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Apr 12, 2020
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Audiobook
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| B017HX13DU
| 3.79
| 2,330
| Jan 05, 2016
| Jan 05, 2016
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liked it
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An introductory short story, 0.5 in the Search and Rescue romantic suspense series and revolving around an estranged pair of friends, friends who had
An introductory short story, 0.5 in the Search and Rescue romantic suspense series and revolving around an estranged pair of friends, friends who had been a couple with a second chance. My Take Ruggle is good with the four-year tease, although the more she drags it out, the more irritating it becomes. Mostly because it's one of those annoying memes. You know the one, I'm-not-good-enough-for-her. Using third person dual protagonist point-of-view, we're privy to Derek's and Artie's thoughts and emotions about their break-up and their current, precarious situation. Reminiscing over childhood pranks, assessing their growth, and realizing their chance to have what they really want...as grownups. I do appreciate Derek's appreciation for a strong and fierce woman. Especially one who teaches her students about personal responsibility. Even if it does feel too late for Artie. Oy. Ruggle does keep it interesting and realistic with that pair of siblings who run off to escape perceived punishment. It's just like kids of that age to see only the immediate consequences and not look to the future. As for the fears of body recovery...urk. That's scary enough, and then when you add in how you'd feel as a parent of the victim and/or of the "perpetrators". More "oy"! Ruggle does a good job of combining actions and characters with a colorful back history and the potential for a future. Even if some questions are left unanswered, but it may be so you're enticed to read on from this short story. Still, as Randy learned, you can't always get what you want...but if you stick with it, you just might. The Story It starts with a demonstration by the ice-diving team and quickly slides from embarrassing presentation to terror and more. The Characters Artemis "Artie" Rey is one of the schoolteachers. The competitive Randy is her newly ex-husband. (The three had grown up as best friends.) Field County Rescue Dive Team Derek Warner is hopeless at public speaking. Callum Cook is the dive-team leader. Lou Sparks wants to join the team. Fire Department Early is the fire chief. Firemen include Steve, who took on Maybelle, and Ian Walsh. Rob Coughlin is the sheriff who will mobilize Search-and-Rescue. Janelle trains tracking dogs. Tank is her best but he has a tendency to eat all the wrong things. The vet wants to install a zipper... Puck is a new dog in training. Simpson Elementary School The third- and fourth-graders are on a field trip and include the bullying Chase DuBois; Zoe and B are sisters; the too-hot Julius; and, B is a fireman fan. Micah is an older student who doesn't put up with bullying. Marnie Belcher teaches fourth grade. Betsy and Lorna are the useless parent chaperones. Derek's dad is a known thief; his long-haul trucking business is a front for moving illegal goods. Malcolm is Derek's brother; they started a small-engine repair shop. Steve Springfield is Zoe and Maya's dad. George Holloway is a loner. Maybelle was a very naughty goat. Donnie had an auto shop. The Cover and Title Looks like the barechested Derek (he's wearing drysuit pants, ladies) has a tight eight-pack with plenty of arm muscle to sigh over on the cover with a very chilly background of a stormy blue sky, a deeply blue mountainous ridge of trees angling down from left to right, and an ice-covered reservoir behind him. The author's name is in white just below Derek's waist with the series info in a tiny (and white) font below that. The title is at the bottom in yellow. The title would be more accurate with a feminine pronoun, for all the whining Artie does about her responsibility, and then again, it is also "On His Watch", for Derek is the focus of the presentation. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 06, 2019
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Nov 06, 2019
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Nov 06, 2019
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Kindle Edition
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| B07XL4GPF6
| 4.39
| 339
| unknown
| Sep 09, 2019
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liked it
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An omnibus of the first six stories in Ranger Security, a cozy romantic suspense series, revolving around former Rangers who all work for the company.
An omnibus of the first six stories in Ranger Security, a cozy romantic suspense series, revolving around former Rangers who all work for the company. Each new employee has a reason for leaving the Rangers, and each is anxious to do well on his first assignment. It's definitely a plum job for these guys. The perks are amazing! Be warned, it's insta-love in each story, but it's okay. It doesn't irritate like other stories with characters who fall instantly in love. I guess that's part of what makes these stories so cozy. I also like that each set of couples "get" each other, unlike most others in their lives. It's interesting that most of the parents had been nightmares. On the negative side, this omnibus could use a bit of formatting work, as there are sentences that break at the wrong moments. Another go with a proofreader would clean up the missed errors, including the punctuation (commas and plural-possessives), and those naval, chord, sent, etc. word confusions. I do wish someone would have at look at Up in Flames which needs some kerning on its "r-n" pairs. Oy. Due to space limitations, the various entries under Characters have been chopped. For a complete list, see the review at KD Did It. The Stories Under His Skin, 1 This story cracked me up with life in a senior retirement community. Woo-hoo...! Get your parents into this place, lol! Oh, and it's told in third person dual point-of-view from Jeb's and Sophie's perspectives. Sophie has had a horrible start to her life, and thank god for her grandmother! It does make me wish I had had her life...the part after she's six years old. The people who love her are amazing and help make this the coziest of the stories. It's this cozy approach that doesn't make me too confident of Jeb's and his coworkers' threats against her parents. It was too easy. That take Jeb had on Sophie made for a nice twist, considering his suspicions. Another impressive bit is Marjorie's desk. For all the activity taking place beneath it, it must be HUGE. The Characters Jeb "Shades" Anderson will be posing as Foy Wilcox's grandson. Foy is quite the player. Mary is Foy's lady friend. Sophie O'Brien inherited grandmother's Wisteria Grove Farms and now raises goats, making handmade soaps and lotions and gives massages. Dozie O'Brien is her grandmother. Sophie's father had been a bad seed who met her mother at a reform school. Their son, Sophie's brother, is even worse. Twilight Acres is a glorified nursing home whose residents have a grand time! Marjorie Whitehall is the managing director. Rose Marie Wilton had lost a piece of jewelry. Lila Stokes had been a concert pianist whose daughter, Monica, is more interested in her inheritance. Arnold Hammerfield collects coins. Pearl McIntosh and Nanette Hearst also lost jewelry. The walker-using Hortensia "Teensy" Forsythe does a mean table dance. Clayton Plank is Sophie's loudest client. Cora Henderson had been Sophie's grandmother's best friend and neighbor. Ethel is a waitress with coulrophobia at the Four Square Diner. Betty does alterations. Charlie Martin is the resident hacker for Ranger Security as well as a new mother, which makes no sense since she's not even hired until after Up in Flames , 3. Jay Weatherford is another former Ranger who isn't hired until Up in Flames. Over the Top, 2 I do love Noelle's take on life, helping people. It certainly makes sense that she'd step up as a witness to a violent crime! What I don't get is her selfish, hypocritical parents. Jeez. How Noelle turned out as she did is a real mystery. "Money, on its own, could do nothing. It's how that money was spent that revealed its true power."I like that Noelle measures her life by doing the next right thing and helping where help is needed. This story uses third person dual point-of-view from Judd's and Noelle's points-of-view. The Characters A military sniper, Captain Judd "Angel of Death" Anderson?? Willingham?? is the "Hell" of the fraternal twins. Noelle Montgomery devotes her life to good deeds. Grandpa had been a barber. Lilo and Stitch are Noelle's new kittens. Ed Johnson hired Ranger Security. Ed's daughter married Curtis. Noelle's mother had been the editor of the local paper. Les, Roy, and Clark are the police officers who have been guarding Noelle. Jeffrey Stark is the D.A. Rupert Nichols had owned the Main Street Diner. Chad has an ulterior motive for his suggestion to Marissa. Travis "Tubby" Winchester is a mob boss who insists on his favorite brand of ketchup. Patrick is a nasty piece of work. Curtis Hanson is a banker who made some bad decisions. He and his wife, Carla, have eight- and ten-year-old daughters, Caro and Breanne. Up in Flames, 3 This tale uses third person global subjective point-of-view and has a cute twist with a competition between a well-qualified woman and Ranger Security's preferred male. Their rivalry is somewhat high school-ish, but it does get better. It's a typical story of the children of wealthy parents who waste their lives and their money. It certainly highlights Jay's actions against Andrew, oops, sorry, On-drew, oy. That, and how much Jay appreciates Charlie's strengths, ensured my enjoyment. On another level, there's a secondary romance that sweetens the deal. The Characters Charlie Martin had been a good police detective with a real talent for computer hacking. She also teaches a self-defense class to battered women. David Charles Martin is her grandfather, a retired cop. Jack, Jr, is her older brother, a Ranger. Jack Martin, Sr, is Charlie's disapproving father. Major Jay "The Phoenix" Weatherford suffers survivor's guilt. Betterworth Chocolate is... ...a premier candy company owned by Marigold Betterworth. Truffles is the Yorkie who inherited Marigold's estate. Mrs Aggie Tippins, formerly the head housekeeper, is now Truffles' caretaker. Smokey Burkhart is the jack-of-all-trades. Jasmine is the current cook. Burt is the gatekeeper fascinated by aliens. Andrew is Goldie's bullying idiot of a nephew. Josie Miller is Andrew's abused girlfriend. Taffy is Andrew's sister. Going Down Hard, 4 Yep, Russell continues to keep each story different. Oh, sure, it's still a case of boy-meets-girl and they fall in love, but how many involve gigantic, um, members? And yet, it's only from two perspectives using third person dual point-of-view from Will's and Mia's perspectives. The twist of Mia's grandmother's ring was a nice touch. He may not be what she wanted, but Harlan is a good man. At least he makes a choice from a good basis as opposed to Will's running in fear. The Characters Will "Renegade" Forrester is a third-generation Ranger. His father, a major, considers Will a washed-up disgrace. His mom has left for Aunt Margaret's. John Forrester is Will's grandfather, and it's his opinion that truly matters. Eli is Will's eighteen-month-old nephew, a much-wanted child of his sister, Roxanne, and her husband, Mark. Mia Hawthorne was the one Will let get away in college, his lit tutor. Now she's in charge of the exhibit, Fertility Through the Ages, being sponsored by the Southern Center of Antiquities in Savannah, that includes Maulu Hautu, a.k.a., Dick, Moe, a very potent fertility statue. Sophie is Mia's assistant. Mia's mother, Jane, had been perpetually late...even to her own funeral. Mia's father, Charlie Hawthorne, is a waste of space. Freddie Ackerman is a reporter who has dogged the exhibit's every move. Alma Threadgill is Ackerman's assistant. The unscrupulous Rodrigo Ramirez is a private collector. Marie Upton visited the prison. Crossing the Line, 5 It is fun to hear the story from two different perspectives in this tale told from third person dual point-of-view with Tanner expected to retrieve a treasure-obsessed old man. Only he has to contend with the stubborn Rhiannon for whom Theo is that supportive "grandparent". I gotta laugh at how very sweetly stubborn Rhia is, although it's sad how her parents' volatile relationship has affected her own perspective. How much worse it must have been for an empath... It's another story of well-applied money as I read the list of causes Theo supports. The Characters Tanner Crawford, a Ranger, had been raised by his paternal grandparents, John and Miss Molly Crawford. Rhiannon Palmer, a local elementary guidance counselor who specializes in emotional intelligence, is a good friend of Theo's and is Tad's ex-girlfriend. Keno is her Australian shepherd. Elizabeth Alston, a gymnastics instructor, is her best friend. Seventy-six-year-old Theodore Watson, a librarian obsessed with a family legend about buried treasure, has his own empathy gift. Tad is Theo's greedy, nasty son. The family estate, Watson Plantation, is but one of the contentious issues between father and son. Mortimer Watson was Theo's great-great-grandfather who had been married twice. The first was Amelia Watson and their young son, Winston. The second wife, Sophia, was quite jealous. Miss Mimi is Theo's aunt. Wilhelmina Malone owns Willie's Diner, which is a favorite and where Wanda is a waitress. In Too Deep, 6 Oh, man, talk about a set-up in this story that uses third person dual point-of-view. Poor Seth has to pretend to be the wedding planner's boyfriend while investigating and bodyguarding the about-to-wed couple. Well, you know where this is going. It does make sense, for there is one MAJOR reason why Seth will be perfect for going undercover as the boyfriend. And any woman out there will agree with it, lol. From Penelope's perspective, he's perfect because he is not easily directed. It's all down to the "red-letter terrorist" who's threatening the happy couple. Trent and Nella do deserve their happy day. They're both so down-to-earth and real. You'll love 'em. It is sad that Katie is having to deal with this upset in her life, and she's damned lucky that Seth is her brother. Oooh, Penelope has a nasty revelation about her status as a serial dater. Now she's thinking about a "No Fishing" sign, lol. All I can say is, thank god for Monica! The Characters Seth "Wild Card" McCutcheon is the only Ranger who doesn't want to leave the service. Katie is his sister who inherited the house. Rat Bastard, a.k.a., Michael, is her jerk of a husband. Mitchell is their son. A successful wedding planner who never intends to marry, Penelope Hart owns Weddings by Hart in Atlanta. Monica is her good friend and assistant. Paul is her official heavy lifter. Trent McWilliams is the quarterback for the Orlando Mustangs. Nella Francis is the bride and a sorority sister with Penelope and Patrice Anderson, the maid of honor. Lucy is Trent's sister and a bridesmaid. Core Series Characters Ranger Security is... ...based in Atlanta and started up by Jamie Flanagan, who has a genius IQ with more brawn than the traditional soldier. He's married to Garrett's granddaughter, Audrey...and if that ain't brave... Brian "The Specialist" Payne was known for his attention to detail, confidence, and observation skills. He's married to Emma. Actually, I'm pretty confused about which woman is married to who. Russell can be vague and the spouse seems to change from story to story. Guy McCann is renowned for his ability to skate the fine line between sheer genius and stupidity and always come out on top. Julia seems to be McCann's girlfriend. Juan-Carlos, a.k.a., Juan Carlos, is their very efficient, gay office manager. Colonel Carl Garrett is quite methodical about sending Rangers who quit to Ranger Security. The Cover and Title The cover starts with a royal blue background on the left with a deep purple to red-violet and royal blue on the right. It's a half-dressed Ranger who fills that background, and if that nicely muscled chest is representative, I can see why the ladies are falling *grin*. Unfortunately, we only see from his top lip down to his black jeans. On the upper right is the Ranger Security logo and the series information. In a soft peach on his right shoulder is the, ahem, mission statement for the series: "Soldiers do it better". The title is a blend of sans serif (in white) and an oversized "S" in a white outlined yellow. Below that is the information that this is a six-book omnibus followed by an info blurb with both in white. The author's name is in white at the bottom. The title is all encompassing, as it is the employees of Ranger Security. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 25, 2019
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Oct 28, 2019
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Oct 30, 2019
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Kindle Edition
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| 1250207177
| 9781250207173
| 1250207177
| 4.36
| 22,593
| Sep 03, 2019
| Sep 03, 2019
|
it was ok
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Forty-ninth in the In Death futuristic police procedural romantic suspense series and revolving around Lieutenant Eve Dallas in the New York of April
Forty-ninth in the In Death futuristic police procedural romantic suspense series and revolving around Lieutenant Eve Dallas in the New York of April 2061. My Take What a load of crap. I don't know who actually wrote this. If it really was "Robb", a.k.a., Nora Roberts, she is really bored with writing the series. It was all surface...yuck...with assorted details tossed in that relate to the characters, but are nothing as usually presented. It simply did not read true to previous stories. Not to mention all the "mentions" the video got — that made me wonder if the movie was the star of this. Robb uses a third person dual point-of-view from Dallas' and Darla's perspectives, and I think Dallas must be on Valium. There's so little snark in this. Dallas and Peabody's exchanges about the victims and survivors are...tame. As for Dallas' behavior at the transpo center...WTF? When did she become such a wimp? There's all the oohing and aahing over the "stars" of The Icove Agenda, and yet Dallas barely reacts to it. I barely recognized this Dallas for how easygoing she is about a lot of events. Since when is Dallas summoned to Tibble's office? This moment is also the only time Whitney appears...with that lame dialogue. I know we don't normally discover what happens to the bad guys at the end once Dallas has arrested them, but there are all these perpetrators that Dallas is coordinating with SVU to put them away, and we don't get to find out anything? Not even who she's working with? Oh, please, that scene with the heat and e-sensors that was so vague about people's positions...?? It's as if we're still in 1999, technology-wise. And what is with all the repetition as to who is with who and where they're supposed to go? Padding by the writer? Alzheimer's for the characters? Roarke's EDD mates? I thought he liked to "play with his friends"? The pizza scene with Dallas' comment about Roarke's deal with her office AC? There's an interesting take on Dallas' early career when Feeney comes across a nasty scene that is ripe for exploitation. And Robb doesn't really do much with it. Actually, there are a number of opportunities whoever the author really is didn't use. There's so little action between Dallas and all the security guards she encounters. And no, they don't all work for Roarke. Laughing, oh yeah, $22 mil is small change. As for Eve's comment about the lookie-loos passing an accident scene...oh, yeah!! I so agree! But I hadn't considered popcorn?! I'm liking the relationship developing between Roarke and Nadine's Jake. I also appreciate that Dallas is still into helping people. At least that's still accurate. I gotta say I was sympathizing with Lady Justice until Dallas pointed out how much longer the agony would be if the perpetrators were in jail. Ya know, Robb has a good premise. It's too bad no one was interested in writing it well. I normally read a new In Death release, review it, and then re-read it for the pure joy of it. This one? I won't bother. Nor will I be spending my money on it for my own collection. The Story It's a nasty slice of a death that brings Lieutenant Dallas and Detective Peabody out in the wee hours. As more victims are discovered, Dallas and Peabody find a commonality among them. One that explains the killer who calls herself Lady Justice. There's no telling how much blood will spill, if Eve can't stop Lady Justice’s criminal crusade from escalating. The Characters Lieutenant Eve Dallas is in charge of Homicide at Cop Central. Roarke is her mega-hunk bazillionaire husband who is so very supportive of her career, her passion. Summerset is Roarke's major domo and father figure. Galahad is their fat, happy cat. An Didean is the shelter for troubled kids Roarke is funding. Mavis is a singing sensation these days and Dallas' best friend. She's married to Leonardo, a fashion designer, and they have a daughter, Bella. Nadine Furst is another friend of Dallas' and an award-winning author (of The Icove Agenda) and TV journalist. She's dating Jake Kincade, the lead singer for Avenue A, a famous rock ’n roll band. Trina is the stylist who terrifies Dallas. Homicide, New York Police and Security Department (NYPSD) Detective Delia Peabody is Dallas' partner. Josie McNamara is Peabody's grandmother whom Eloise remembers well. Detective Jenkinson has a thing for virulent ties while his partner, Reineke, is color coordinating with socks. Detective Trueheart is still a sweetheart and an interesting contrast to Detective Baxter, who doesn't make any cracks regarding his favorite hobby. Detective Santiago keeps losing bets with Carmichael. Captain Ryan Feeney heads up EDD, the Electronic Detectives Division. Detectives Callendar and Ian McNab are some of Feeney's boys. Ian is also Peabody’s live-in boyfriend. Dr Charlotte Mira is the chief profiler for the police. Dick "Dickhead" Berenski is the chief lab tech. A jerk, but really good at his job. Harvo is the queen of hair and fiber. Tibble is the chief of police. Commander Whitney is Eve's boss. Dr Morris is the head medical examiner. Cher Reo is an assistant prosecuting attorney who frequently works with Dallas. Officers Rigby, Keller, and Andrew show up on assorted scenes. Brigg Cohen used to be on the job and now works night security. Detective Lavina Smythe works for the Metropolitan Police in London. Darla Pettigrew has moved in with Grand, a.k.a., Eloise Callahan, an award-winning and very famous actress, a widow who still mourns her husband, Bradley Stone. Donnalou Harris is the in-home nurse helping Grand through her pneumonia; Harry is Donnalou's husband. Data Point is the company Darla created. Maura Fitzgerald was a character Eloise played. Nigel B. McEnroy is brilliant in business, that of placing the right person in the right job with Perfect Placement. Outside of business? You don't want to know. Geena McEnroy is his wife, and they have two daughters. Frances Early is the girls' tutor. Lance Po is McEnroy's admin; he's married to Westley Schupp who teaches art and coaches football at a high school. The hard-hitting Sylvia Brant runs the New York office; Ray is her husband. Tisha Feinstein is engaged to Clipper Vance and lives in the same building as McEnroy. Tisha's friend Lydia has a brother who's a cop. Women for Women is... ...a support group...for women. It's led by Natalia Zula who is dating Geo Fong. Her daughter, Kendra Zula, set up the group's webpage. Leah Lester now works for Universal Financial. Nick Forret is head of security. The jerky Jim is with building security. Londa, female security, knows a Lt Dana Shelby at Central. Abner Henry is a client Leah's been trying to land. Frank "Frankie" Carvindito, an editor for Vanguard Publishing, is the boyfriend Leah is hoping to want. Jasmine Quirk moved to Chicago. Jessica Alden now works at the Broadmoore as a marketing executive and is no longer dating Chad. Rowan Rosenberg is a student at Julliard. Emilie Gorman was the oldest. Cecily Freeman is gay. Una Sherri Brinkman was dumped by her jerk of an ex, Linus Brinkman, the CEO of Lodestar Corporation which promotes events. He's currently cohabbing with LaDale Gerald. She's a piece of work! Wynona is security at reception. Hermine is the droid maid. Ulysses is Gerald's stylist. Darren is in charge of security at the transpo center; Len is the idiot guard; and, Monika mans the check-in counter. I don't think Darren or Len got the memo... Thaddeus Pettigrew epitomizes the worst about lawyers and is a partner at Moses, Berkshire, Logan, and Pettigrew. Marcella "Marci" Horowitz is his helpless girlfriend. Her mother, Bondita Rothchild; her sister, Rozelle; and a friend, Claudia Johannsen, took a trip with Marci. Maxim Snow is the manager for This Place and has lined up Tee DeCarlo, head server; Edmund Mi, who works the door; and, Lippy Lace and Win Gregor, bartenders. Blick is the midnight bartender. Araby Clark is the owner of Discretion, a company that dispatches licensed companions. Kerry is the receptionist. "Lady Justice" seeks justice for women wronged. Her alter egos include Solange who is French, Angelique, and Selena who is compensation. Wilford is her droid accomplice. Jimmy is another droid. Drivers include Shelly, Oliver Printz, and Viktor, who is Brinkman's usual driver. Ms Kinder is frail these days. Mark and Jeannie Horchow are from Toledo. The Cover and Title The cover breaks with Robb's usual with a top two-thirds of cracked bluish-gray cement for a background and a relief of scales of justice imposed on it. The lower third is the city skyline, birds flying in the late twilight sky, the river running from left to right, lights reflecting green on its waters. The top edge of the graphic appears burned with a torn edge. There's an info blurb at the top in black. The author's name is centered over the scales in an embossed metallic dark green. The title is in an embossed distressed white across the graphic. The title is her mission, a Vendetta in Death, taking vengeance for woman wronged. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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not set
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Sep 13, 2019
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Hardcover
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| 1501162462
| 9781501162466
| B07GNTGVW9
| 3.96
| 675
| Sep 02, 2019
| Sep 02, 2019
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it was ok
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Fourth in the Alpha Crew romantic suspense series and revolving around the members of this SEAL team. The couple focus is on Special Agent Alexa Mays
Fourth in the Alpha Crew romantic suspense series and revolving around the members of this SEAL team. The couple focus is on Special Agent Alexa Mays and Navy SEAL Jake Heath. This ARC was sent to me by NetGalley and Gallery Books for an honest review. My Take Okay, I gotta say I'm disappointed in Total Control. The plot was rather thin with the focus on the romance...and only the romance. There's no office interaction for Alexa other than her brief mention of why her boss is a pain and agents who are helping her out. As for Jake, there's only the intro of his team on this practice mission, and we get very brief mentions of that family camping trip he's blowing off. Comments that do reveal why it's so easy for him to ignore it, but still...? And what is his rank? I know he's the corpsman, but that's a job description. It's that third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Alexa's and Jake's perspectives that keep us in touch with what each is thinking and experiencing. Always helpful in a romance! It is a treat to have a macho kind of guy like Jake appreciate the same attributes in a woman, and it's too bad that she has that built-in bigotry against him. Okay, so that's not a fair comment, as Alexa's experience with the "boys' club" has colored her attitude toward men "in the office", which does make it plausible as to why Alexa is reluctant to get involved with Jake. But...oy... However, Alexa does irritate me with her too-gung ho attitude and refusal to comprehend that Jake's contacts may not want contact with a fed. I mean, duhhh... Nor do I understand Mario's attitude...if he's such a SEAL legend. That's a tacky move, asking for that favor after blowing Jake off for six months. As for Alexa conducting this investigation on the side, how does she manage to get so many agents to do surveillance for her...'cause it sure sounds like they're full-time. I do love Scout, he's an interesting character who brings a nice bit of humor to the story with his interactions with Jake and Alexa, lol. Still, it was a sweet and unexpected ending with Alex making a major advance on her character arc...we'll have to see where it goes in #5. The Story Alexa Mays is following a hunch, investigating a terrorist on her own time, and needing Navy SEAL Jake Heath's help. Aid she doesn't want, but Alpha Crew has a reputation, as does Jake, for finding those who don't want to be found. And Alexa is desperate to find this terrorist before his people strike. The Characters Special Agent Alexa "Lexie" Mays works counterterrorism in the LA office in a male-dominated environment. Her dad had been a homicide detective in Phoenix before he retired. FBI Office, LA Special Agents Brian, Amy Chen, Connors, and Hull are helping Alexa out. Supervisory Special Agent Nate McCormick is Lexie's boss...and an ex-boyfriend. The counter terrorism chief is a friend of Lexie's. Navy SEAL Jake Heath is a corpsman. His surgeon dad has cancer, and his three brothers are all doctors. Alpha Crew is... ...good at finding people who don't want to be found. His SEAL teammates include Petty Officer Kyle Marin; Ryan Owen, who is one of Jake's best friends; Ethan Dunn; and, Lucas Ortiz, who is dog sitting Scout, a retired explosive-detection canine with medical issues. Lance Kilborn, former CIA, is a friend of Jake's who now runs a PI firm in Orange County. "Mario", a retired Navy and a SEALs legend, is a friend of a friend and customizes guns. He shares space with Sammy's Custom Choppers. Emma is Ryan's girl ( At the Edge , 1). Tinley is an ex-girlfriend of Jake's. Jerome Matapang is a terrorist; his brother Joe had been arrested for drug running. Courtney Stapleton, a yoga instructor at Black Swan Yoga, is Jerome's ex-girlfriend. Tom Green is known as Tango X. John Ocampo's truck is registered in Nogales, Arizona. The Asian Crescent Brotherhood (ACB) is under investigation for attacks throughout the world. The Cover and Title The cover is a complement of blues and oranges in Jake's bare (and muscled!!) torso, his dog tags hanging around his neck. The background is quite appropriate with that chain link fence on an angle against a deep blue-gray background. The text begins just above Jake's pecs with an info blurb in white, the author's name immediately below it in white as well. The title is below that in a colonial blue with the team insignia between the words. At the very bottom is the series information in white. The title is what Alexa wants: Total Control. ...more |
Notes are private!
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not set
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Aug 23, 2019
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Aug 27, 2019
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Kindle Edition
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| 0349422036
| 9780349422039
| 0349422036
| 4.36
| 22,593
| Sep 03, 2019
| Sep 03, 2019
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it was ok
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None
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not set
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Sep 13, 2019
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Jul 19, 2019
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Hardcover
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| 1501162438
| 9781501162435
| 1501162438
| 4.05
| 3,081
| Jul 02, 2019
| Jul 02, 2019
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liked it
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Second in the Wolfe Security mysterious romantic suspense series and revolving around the men, the bodyguards, of a premier security company. The coup
Second in the Wolfe Security mysterious romantic suspense series and revolving around the men, the bodyguards, of a premier security company. The couple focus is on Kira Vance and Jeremy Owen and set in Houston. This eARC was sent to me by NetGalley and Gallery Books for an honest review. My Take I do like Kira's independence and that she stands up for what she wants. Even if it does seem to backfire sometimes...ouch... Her priorities are, mostly, in the right place with those investments in her tools, but I don't understand why Kira is so broke, if she's so good at what she does. Then again, maybe I'm leaping ahead, and Kira is finally learning how good she is? Hmmm...then again, Kira doesn't impress me with her surveillance skills when she and Jeremy head to Ballard Shipping. As for the bread-and-butter side of being a PI, I can understand why Kira isn't too happy about deadbeat dads, insurance scams, and the like, but she is the kind of person who simply loves to discover the truth, no matter where it leads, which makes me understand why she wouldn't want to be a lawyer, lol. So, Griffin is using third person global subjective point-of-view, which means we see and "hear" from a variety of characters in Her Deadly Secrets. It's how we learn that Kira is so anti-security when she's so coolly evasive at the start with no hints, that it starts me wondering. Her grief for Ollie makes sense as we discover how much he's helped Kira, but he also sounds like the stereotypical jerk of a PI. Jeremy, Spears, Diaz, and Shelly provide their perspectives as well. Griffin has a variety of ways of informing us that Kira is good, from Jeremy's observations, from Logan's determination to hire her, and from Spears' interest. As for those tiny teasers about Brock's interest, I do wish Griffin either went somewhere with it or skipped it. I kept expecting something to happen. Why does Diaz think Spears is interested in Logan? I didn't pick up on any indicators?? I had to appreciate that Jeremy is so realistic about the business side with clients, although the touch-me/don't-touch-me got a bit tedious. There are some odd assumptions in here. One is assuming we know who Ken Phan is. Coroner? Officer? Detective? How does Logan have any underdog status to play up if he defends rich people? Still, it was a fun story that is primarily character-driven with a reasonable pace, even if it doesn't have the tension I've felt in other Laura Griffin stories. I am looking forward to reading more about how Kira and Jeremy make things work. The Story Private investigator Kira Vance is through with waiting on Ollie to pay her. This time she's dropping the report off with him at the client's house. Only, that's not all that gets dropped. It's luck that Kira is needed with the trial so close, but she's a fiercely independent woman who doesn’t expect — or want — help from anyone, least of all a high-powered lawyer and his elite security team. And, luckily, Kira Vance spends her days navigating the intricate labyrinth of Houston’s legal world, and she knows all of its shadowy players and dark secrets. Launching her own investigation, Kira hopes to uncover the answers that Ollie discovered. And she'll take help wherever she can find it. The Characters The outspoken, independent (and insightful) Kira Vance is a private investigator with e-skills, eking out a living. Too bad she can't borrow Ollie's van! Ruth Hovis is her parents' neighbor. Her brother, Jack, is a firefighter in Houston and understands her job. Jack is married to Emily, and they have a son, Aiden, who is prone to ear infections. Gina is Kira's neighbor and best friend. Wolf Security is... ...one of the best and owned by a former Marine, Liam Wolfe. The team assigned to Logan's people includes Jeremy Owen, a former Marine who will be head of Kira's security detail; Keith; Trent seems to need more seasoning; Joel; and, Erik Morgan (a former Marine; Desperate Girls , 1) are on this job. The men are sometimes split into teams, Alpha and Bravo. Lopez is on special assignment in Aspen. Cody is sidelined. Oliver "Ollie" Kovak is Kira's boss and an almost, maybe partner, who investigates all of Logan's big cases. Logan & Locke is... ...a law firm with Brock "Lone Logan" Logan a managing partner who defends wealthy people. Sydney works reception. Bev is his assistant? Neil Gautier is a junior associate. Mount Logan is the name of Logan's house. His dad had run an auto-repair shop and beat his kids. Gavin Quinn, a prominent heart surgeon, is accused of killing his wife, Ava. Craig Collins is Ava's deadbeat brother. Michael and Margaret Collins are Ava's and Craig's parents. Dr Robert Peck is Gavin's iffy alibi. Houston PD Detectives Charlotte Spears and Alex Diaz are partners. Fiona Glass is the best police artist in the country. Lacey is a blonde CSI. Officer Hanlin was on the scene at Logan's. The territorial Detective McGrath thinks he has Ava Quinn's murderer for which John Healy is the prosecutor. Detective Goldstein is McGrath's partner. Officer Gonzales is on the case at Avalon Lofts. Grant is their big-deal fingerprint examiner. Ken Phan. Glenda is the judge's clerk. Lorraine Hartman is in Public Records. Xavier Shipping Company has... ...a warehouse on Channelview owned by Anatoly Markov. Andre Markov is his inept son who was tried for aggravated assault two years ago in front of Judge Erica Farland. Bruno and Sasha Duric are friends of the Markovs. Bruce Garvis is Kira's landlord. Ryan Conyers is a pizza delivery guy with secrets. James and Lisa Macey put in an order for pizza. A high tech company, Cloud Corp is run by Leo Rollins. Daryl is a barber with a useful bathroom. Emilio Sanchez, a bail bondsman, has the office next door to Ollie. Guillermo is his excellent skip tracer. Jean Colton owns Post Place and employs her son, Jason. Michelle "Shelly" Chandler is clerking with Duffy and Hersch and messing around with Andrew Spence, one of the junior partners. Renee "Ren" is Drew's wife, and Mia is their three-year-old. The Cover and Title The cover is intimidating in its black foreground, a very close close-up of Kira's face coming in from the dark, the center of her face highlighted. The fuchsia title spans Kira's face, just below her eyes with "A Novel" immediately below her chin. I do wish Griffin had put the series info here instead... The author's name spans Kira's neck with an info blurb below that. Both are in white. The title is all about Kira and Her Deadly Secrets that could put her in jeopardy. ...more |
Notes are private!
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Jun 29, 2019
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Jun 29, 2019
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Paperback
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| 4.16
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it was amazing
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Jul 21, 2024
Mar 23, 2020
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Sep 18, 2024
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| 4.17
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it was amazing
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May 28, 2024
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May 28, 2024
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| 4.37
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really liked it
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May 18, 2024
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May 19, 2024
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| 4.44
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really liked it
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Aug 09, 2023
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Oct 05, 2023
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| 4.38
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really liked it
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Apr 17, 2022
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Apr 19, 2022
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| 3.98
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it was ok
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Apr 15, 2021
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Apr 18, 2021
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| 4.03
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really liked it
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Mar 25, 2021
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Mar 25, 2021
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| 4.04
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liked it
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Jan 16, 2021
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Jan 18, 2021
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| 3.52
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did not like it
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Dec 20, 2020
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Dec 21, 2020
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| 4.12
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really liked it
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Nov 23, 2020
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Nov 28, 2020
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| 3.81
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it was ok
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Nov 2020
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Nov 01, 2020
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| 4.50
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really liked it
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Mar 10, 2021
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May 03, 2020
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| 4.43
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really liked it
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Dec 09, 2020
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May 03, 2020
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| 4.10
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it was ok
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Apr 10, 2020
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Apr 12, 2020
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| 3.79
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liked it
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Nov 06, 2019
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Nov 06, 2019
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| 4.39
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liked it
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Oct 28, 2019
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Oct 30, 2019
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| 4.36
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it was ok
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not set
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Sep 13, 2019
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| 3.96
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it was ok
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Aug 23, 2019
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Aug 27, 2019
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| 4.36
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it was ok
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Sep 13, 2019
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Jul 19, 2019
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| 4.05
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liked it
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Jun 29, 2019
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Jun 29, 2019
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