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ssejig's review
3.0
I know I have a bit of a pet-peeve with condom use but, c'mon, Ms. Howard is a veteran romance writer. There are more reasons than pregnancy to use a condom. At the very least she could sit down and have the characters talk about being tested. More than just "It's okay, I'm on the pill." Blergh. It always takes me out of the story.
There is a special brand of Howard WTFery that I look forward to in her books. And in this book, while it was a good book, that craziness was way toned down. I mean, the books I think of when I think Linda Howard have agents whose memories have been imperfectly wiped, bear stalkings (again, black bears don't do that), the only road into a small town being shut down so a team of bad guys can retrieve a microfilm, etc. This, this was strangely devoid of any of that-- but still a good book. And what Howard does nicely is depicts small town life. There's a line in her book that even pokes gentle fun saying that people in big cities always expect small-town folks to all know one another but they don't -- one of my major major pet-peeves (see here Fool's Gold, a town of 125,000 where they somehow not only ALL know each other but everyone's extended history).
Anyway, Morgan Yancy is a super-duper, undercover agent who's had a hit taken out on him that was nearly successful. In order to figure out what's going on, his team leader, Axel, sends him to recuperate in West Virginia. The specific person Morgan is being sent to is Isabeau "Bo" Maran, Axel's ex-step-sister. It seems the two had a contentious relationship when their parents were married for eight months and Axel has never quite gotten over it.
Bo is the chief of police in a small town but her position is supposed to be more clerical than anything, taking care of the paperwork so that her deputies can do the on-the-streets work that they feel more comfortable with. There were some plot points and character issues I had with Bo and this job (she has, like, three) but, again, used to WAY more craziness from Howard so these were minor.
Then there is the plot moppet, Bo's golden retriever, Tricks. I am a huge Goldie nerd and Tricks sounded about right for that breed of dog but, dang, half the book was an ode to the dog. I would have loved to see a little bit more about what was going on in the discovery of who was trying to kill Morgan or more about their relationship development. Although, I do have to admire the deft touch of covering major swathes of time with a deft touch. It cured the book of insta-love/lust.
Overall, a nice addition to the Howard canon and I think that regular readers will really enjoy the book. I personally missed the crazy (it's the reason I requested the ARC) but others may not even notice it's gone.
There is a special brand of Howard WTFery that I look forward to in her books. And in this book, while it was a good book, that craziness was way toned down. I mean, the books I think of when I think Linda Howard have agents whose memories have been imperfectly wiped, bear stalkings (again, black bears don't do that), the only road into a small town being shut down so a team of bad guys can retrieve a microfilm, etc. This, this was strangely devoid of any of that-- but still a good book. And what Howard does nicely is depicts small town life. There's a line in her book that even pokes gentle fun saying that people in big cities always expect small-town folks to all know one another but they don't -- one of my major major pet-peeves (see here Fool's Gold, a town of 125,000 where they somehow not only ALL know each other but everyone's extended history).
Anyway, Morgan Yancy is a super-duper, undercover agent who's had a hit taken out on him that was nearly successful. In order to figure out what's going on, his team leader, Axel, sends him to recuperate in West Virginia. The specific person Morgan is being sent to is Isabeau "Bo" Maran, Axel's ex-step-sister. It seems the two had a contentious relationship when their parents were married for eight months and Axel has never quite gotten over it.
Bo is the chief of police in a small town but her position is supposed to be more clerical than anything, taking care of the paperwork so that her deputies can do the on-the-streets work that they feel more comfortable with. There were some plot points and character issues I had with Bo and this job (she has, like, three) but, again, used to WAY more craziness from Howard so these were minor.
Then there is the plot moppet, Bo's golden retriever, Tricks. I am a huge Goldie nerd and Tricks sounded about right for that breed of dog but, dang, half the book was an ode to the dog. I would have loved to see a little bit more about what was going on in the discovery of who was trying to kill Morgan
Spoiler
(the "we found the mole" sentence is one line with a character that was never mentioned in the book before, at least not by name, but we're supposed to care?)Overall, a nice addition to the Howard canon and I think that regular readers will really enjoy the book. I personally missed the crazy (it's the reason I requested the ARC) but others may not even notice it's gone.
tmelella's review against another edition
5.0
Another great book by Linda Howard
Exciting fun read with a sexy Alpha male and a strong female lead but the best part is the dog!
Exciting fun read with a sexy Alpha male and a strong female lead but the best part is the dog!
see_sadie_read's review against another edition
3.0
This was ok, I guess. It's hard for me to truly judge, because I'm not a huge fan of contemporary romances (or romantic thrillers, which this might qualify as). But the writing wasn't bad and I was engaged enough to finish.
I had serious a problem with the bait and switch the book presents though. The blurb says that Bo (the female lead) is the police chief, which sets the reader up with certain expectations. But in fact, 'police chief' is a purely administrative position, with no expectations of actual law enforcement involved and no police training required. She's basically just there to do the paperwork the 'real' policemen don't want to be bothered with. At one point someone shoots in her direction (anything more specific would be a spoiler) and she has to be carried away, princess style, almost in a swoon. This is not at all what a reader expects after being told a female character is the police chief! So, from the get go I had one serious disappointment. I liked her well enough, but she wasn't the female lead I was promised.
On a more positive note, while Morgan was all alpha-male and cliched macho man who can't eat a salad, drink skim milk or read girly books, he was pleasantly un-asshole like. There were lots of consent moments, overt and subtle, and he was self-aware when his protective propensities countered with what Bo wanted. He never undermined her autonomy or forced her to do something 'for her own good.'
Then there was the true main character of the book, Tricks, the dog. She was cute and she lent a needed thread to the narrative. But I thought there was too much Tricks. I got tired of her being fawned over and made the center of attention. Plus, as a dog owner (with a pretty brainy canine) I thought a lot of the ways Tricks was accommodated was bad dog parenting. When they have to take a different car because otherwise Tricks would have to sit in the backseat, there is a problem. She is still A DOG.
All in all, I probably wouldn't have picked this up if I hadn't won it. But I wasn't disgusted at having read it either.
I had serious a problem with the bait and switch the book presents though. The blurb says that Bo (the female lead) is the police chief, which sets the reader up with certain expectations. But in fact, 'police chief' is a purely administrative position, with no expectations of actual law enforcement involved and no police training required. She's basically just there to do the paperwork the 'real' policemen don't want to be bothered with. At one point someone shoots in her direction (anything more specific would be a spoiler) and she has to be carried away, princess style, almost in a swoon. This is not at all what a reader expects after being told a female character is the police chief! So, from the get go I had one serious disappointment. I liked her well enough, but she wasn't the female lead I was promised.
On a more positive note, while Morgan was all alpha-male and cliched macho man who can't eat a salad, drink skim milk or read girly books, he was pleasantly un-asshole like. There were lots of consent moments, overt and subtle, and he was self-aware when his protective propensities countered with what Bo wanted. He never undermined her autonomy or forced her to do something 'for her own good.'
Then there was the true main character of the book, Tricks, the dog. She was cute and she lent a needed thread to the narrative. But I thought there was too much Tricks. I got tired of her being fawned over and made the center of attention. Plus, as a dog owner (with a pretty brainy canine) I thought a lot of the ways Tricks was accommodated was bad dog parenting. When they have to take a different car because otherwise Tricks would have to sit in the backseat, there is a problem. She is still A DOG.
All in all, I probably wouldn't have picked this up if I hadn't won it. But I wasn't disgusted at having read it either.
saltywhat's review
2.0
I've read a lot of Linda Howard books and usually enjoy them immensely. This one though...oof. Not much happened and nearly the whole book was spent praising a golden retriever named, Tricks. I thought this dog was going to turn into some ninja superhero sniper or something at the end of the book, save the day, and cure cancer but nope. Didn't do a damn thing. I've never disliked an animal in a book or movie before but I did not like this dog by the end of the book.
I did thoroughly enjoy the second book in the Go-Team series and recommend that one. Skip this one though. It's not really needed.
I did thoroughly enjoy the second book in the Go-Team series and recommend that one. Skip this one though. It's not really needed.
booksuperpower's review against another edition
5.0
Troublemaker by Linda Howard
Troublemaker by Linda Howard is a 2016 William Morrow publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It is so nice to see a brand new romantic suspense novel by Linda Howard!
Morgan is a member of the exclusive GO-team, and an operative who has been shot, resulting in a heart attack, and is now in need of a place to lay low after his cover was compromised.
Bo is the chief of police in a small W. Virginia community, trying to pull herself out of a financial bind, and mostly living a quiet, peaceful life…until a man shows up at her home, obviously in pretty bad shape, claiming her former step-brother sent him. Initially, Bo was irate, but if she will simply allow the man to stay with her until he gets back in shape and the danger he is in has passed, she stands to earn enough money to pay off her debts.
This story is quintessential Linda Howard and I really enjoyed reading this romantic suspense novel written in the style I grew up with, but this story shows a new side of Ms. Howard, which is a little softer around the edges, shows more restraint by building the romantic tensity slowly, and allowing the mystery to float in the background for a while, then revving the suspense up to an action packed finale.
Also, on tap is the author’s trademark humor, but in this story she adds in a sweet small town romance element, and a loyal dog named Tricks, you will fall in love with.
I’m trying to remember if I have read a romantic suspense novel with this unique combination. It may seem like an odd pairing, but it works. Bo is a character I admired a lot because she has a high ranking position, and despite her sad background, she isn’t bitter, just cautious. I liked her attitude, the way she loves her job, her duties, and how she handled the situations she was faced with with aplomb and a respect for the people she works for.
Morgan is a bit of an enigma for a long while, but what I loved about his story was seeing him settle into the small town life, his companionship with Tricks, and how he falls in love with Bo. The change in him is interesting and fun to watch.
The suspense and mystery lies in the uncertainly of who Morgan’s enemies might be. It’s a real puzzle and it takes a long time for information to develop in this area, but once it does, things get tense in a hurry.
Linda Howard is an author I have followed for many years, and I have always liked her style, and have read many of her books. This story is pretty much what I would expect from her, only better. If you are a long time fan, I think you will be happy with this one. If you have yet to discover this author, this will be a nice introduction. This story will obviously appeal to romantic suspense lovers, but contemporary romance fans will like this one too.
Troublemaker by Linda Howard is a 2016 William Morrow publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It is so nice to see a brand new romantic suspense novel by Linda Howard!
Morgan is a member of the exclusive GO-team, and an operative who has been shot, resulting in a heart attack, and is now in need of a place to lay low after his cover was compromised.
Bo is the chief of police in a small W. Virginia community, trying to pull herself out of a financial bind, and mostly living a quiet, peaceful life…until a man shows up at her home, obviously in pretty bad shape, claiming her former step-brother sent him. Initially, Bo was irate, but if she will simply allow the man to stay with her until he gets back in shape and the danger he is in has passed, she stands to earn enough money to pay off her debts.
This story is quintessential Linda Howard and I really enjoyed reading this romantic suspense novel written in the style I grew up with, but this story shows a new side of Ms. Howard, which is a little softer around the edges, shows more restraint by building the romantic tensity slowly, and allowing the mystery to float in the background for a while, then revving the suspense up to an action packed finale.
Also, on tap is the author’s trademark humor, but in this story she adds in a sweet small town romance element, and a loyal dog named Tricks, you will fall in love with.
I’m trying to remember if I have read a romantic suspense novel with this unique combination. It may seem like an odd pairing, but it works. Bo is a character I admired a lot because she has a high ranking position, and despite her sad background, she isn’t bitter, just cautious. I liked her attitude, the way she loves her job, her duties, and how she handled the situations she was faced with with aplomb and a respect for the people she works for.
Morgan is a bit of an enigma for a long while, but what I loved about his story was seeing him settle into the small town life, his companionship with Tricks, and how he falls in love with Bo. The change in him is interesting and fun to watch.
The suspense and mystery lies in the uncertainly of who Morgan’s enemies might be. It’s a real puzzle and it takes a long time for information to develop in this area, but once it does, things get tense in a hurry.
Linda Howard is an author I have followed for many years, and I have always liked her style, and have read many of her books. This story is pretty much what I would expect from her, only better. If you are a long time fan, I think you will be happy with this one. If you have yet to discover this author, this will be a nice introduction. This story will obviously appeal to romantic suspense lovers, but contemporary romance fans will like this one too.
nbiblioholic's review against another edition
4.0
I'd like to start this off by saying that I'm a huge fan of Linda Howard. Ever since I read [b:Mr. Perfect|469901|Mr. Perfect|Linda Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327960914s/469901.jpg|487629], a copy of which I have in paperback, I became addicted to her writing. She seemed to have an innate sense of when to pull back on the romance and introduce spine-tingling doses of terror! The suspense was always woven effortlessly throughout the plot, and although for the most part we knew who the bad guy was, how he would meet his end was still a mystery. The steady build towards the climax was definitely felt. If I were to sum up her work in one word, it would be intense.
This book wasn't intense. As interesting and as entertaining as many will find the story of Morgan (government mercenary) and Isabeau (administrative Chief of Police), this story had more of a contemporary feel than a suspenseful one. It started off strong and along the lines of what I expected, with Morgan being ambushed, shot and in critical condition. However, once Bo (Isabeau) was introduced, I felt the vibe of the story change. The plot seemed to be more about Tricks the dog (Isabeau's) than about Morgan and the situation he found himself a victim to. It was a bit off-putting, if I were to be honest, but once I accepted this change, I found that I was able to enjoy how everything developed.
So was I disappointed? In a way, but that's only because I went into this book with certain expectations. It worked out and I really liked the story once I removed those expectations. If I could offer some advice to future readers of this story: go into this with an open mind and heart and allow Linda Howard, an accomplished master of the pen, to take you off the beaten path.
Release Date: December 27, 2016
Genre: Romantic Suspense
POV: Dual - 3rd person
Steam: 2 out of 5
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Publisher: HarperCollins
This book wasn't intense. As interesting and as entertaining as many will find the story of Morgan (government mercenary) and Isabeau (administrative Chief of Police), this story had more of a contemporary feel than a suspenseful one. It started off strong and along the lines of what I expected, with Morgan being ambushed, shot and in critical condition. However, once Bo (Isabeau) was introduced, I felt the vibe of the story change. The plot seemed to be more about Tricks the dog (Isabeau's) than about Morgan and the situation he found himself a victim to. It was a bit off-putting, if I were to be honest, but once I accepted this change, I found that I was able to enjoy how everything developed.
So was I disappointed? In a way, but that's only because I went into this book with certain expectations. It worked out and I really liked the story once I removed those expectations. If I could offer some advice to future readers of this story: go into this with an open mind and heart and allow Linda Howard, an accomplished master of the pen, to take you off the beaten path.
Release Date: December 27, 2016
Genre: Romantic Suspense
POV: Dual - 3rd person
Steam: 2 out of 5
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Publisher: HarperCollins
sjhodgson's review against another edition
5.0
This is the first Linda Howard I have read in a long time and she didn't disappoint me. I loved it I loved the characters and I especially loved Tricks.
book_grinch's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 Stars
This is a story about a golden Retriever named Tricks and the humans she dotes upon.
Some of you _ the ones who have read this _ will probably laugh, and call me exaggerated... but really I'm not. The dog really is the main character...so if you love dogs, this is just the book for you!
Look I love dogs and cats: that's why I sometimes find myself without knowing what to do with my life, when I think of all the animals that I've taken care, and the ones that I still have in my life.
________
Why I am telling this?
Because reading is an escape from reality, and sometimes I don't want to read books that have animals in them ( most of the times they end up dead or being hurt :/).
From the beginning I could see that this was going to be a story about a dog... maybe because the author wouldn't shut up about all of Tricks wonderful nature...
I got to the middle of the story and I got kind of tired of it. Even loving dogs as I do.
But then Saturday, November 19 th happened, and I lost my cat Fiona, and somehow reading about Tricks helped me.
I started questioning myself: can't you see yourself in Bo in the way she mostly prefers her dog to the rest of the world?
Aren't I a slave of my diva cats, the way she is about Tricks?
I am.
And I hope I will be for the longest time ever.
The rest of the story, the developing romance was okay, I guess. Kind of hard to evaluate a romance when I was mostly felling numb. And heartbroken.
As for the thriller part I also felt that it could have been more developed since in the end, it felt more as an afterthought.
Basically I've read way better stories by the author.
This is a story about a golden Retriever named Tricks and the humans she dotes upon.
Some of you _ the ones who have read this _ will probably laugh, and call me exaggerated... but really I'm not. The dog really is the main character...so if you love dogs, this is just the book for you!
Look I love dogs and cats: that's why I sometimes find myself without knowing what to do with my life, when I think of all the animals that I've taken care, and the ones that I still have in my life.
________
Why I am telling this?
Because reading is an escape from reality, and sometimes I don't want to read books that have animals in them ( most of the times they end up dead or being hurt :/).
From the beginning I could see that this was going to be a story about a dog... maybe because the author wouldn't shut up about all of Tricks wonderful nature...
I got to the middle of the story and I got kind of tired of it. Even loving dogs as I do.
But then Saturday, November 19 th happened, and I lost my cat Fiona, and somehow reading about Tricks helped me.
I started questioning myself: can't you see yourself in Bo in the way she mostly prefers her dog to the rest of the world?
Aren't I a slave of my diva cats, the way she is about Tricks?
I am.
And I hope I will be for the longest time ever.
The rest of the story, the developing romance was okay, I guess. Kind of hard to evaluate a romance when I was mostly felling numb. And heartbroken.
As for the thriller part I also felt that it could have been more developed since in the end, it felt more as an afterthought.
Basically I've read way better stories by the author.
lefthandedbibliophile's review against another edition
1.0
I don't really think Linda Howard actually wrote this book.
I mean seriously...w.t.f
The MC is no one else but the dog, the book should actually have been written from the dog's POV. Probably, I would have enjoyed it better and not felt cheated or disappointed, as I am right now.
I mean seriously...w.t.f
The MC is no one else but the dog, the book should actually have been written from the dog's POV. Probably, I would have enjoyed it better and not felt cheated or disappointed, as I am right now.