Killjoy

Rating:
Summary: KILLJOY
Review: KILLJOY is a real treat! It's one of those "Can't put down" reads. Julie Garwood is right on the money with this one! It's one of the best romantic suspense thrillers I've read and you won't believe the plot twists.

Avery is a strong, smart and warm heroine who can hold her own againt John Paul, the hero. Remember him? He was Dr. Mike's mysterious brother in MERCY. He is one [good looking] man and Avery is a perfect match for him.

Noah is back as well. Can't wait till Julie tells Noah's story. And Monk. I don't know who's more evil...Monk or Jilly, Avery's wicked mother.

If you want an exciting, suspensful read that has wonderful humor, pick up KILLJOY.

Rating:
Summary: Great Sunday afternoon read!
Review: Killjoy is another treat for Garwood's fans. For many of us, making the leap with Garwood from historical romantic suspense to contemporary romantic suspense was a bumpy transition with her first effort, Heartbreaker. Mercy was much better, and I was expecting more stories featuring the Buchanan Brood. I was pleasantly surprised to meet some new characters in Killjoy and learn more about an enigmatic character from Mercy.

Avery Delaney, the heroine of Killjoy, is a very likable FBI analyst, who has overcome a troubled past. John Paul Renard, the hero, has his own demons and is desperately in need of someone like Avery in his life. Readers will remember John Paul, the mysterious older brother of Dr. Mike from Garwood's previous contemporary, Mercy. After meeting him in that book, I was interested in finding out where this cynical man's story might go. I was glad with the direction in Killjoy.

Readers will also be pleased to see old friends, like Noah Clayborne, and catch up on the folks in Bowen, LA, but don't expect a repeat of Mercy's down home, bayou vibe. Set in and around the fashionable Aspen, CO mountains, Killjoy has as many twists and turns as the roads and rivers described in the book.

Garwood's well on her way to a dual career in contemporary and historical romantic suspense.

Rating:
Summary: Not Up To Usual Standards
Review: Killjoy was, to say the least, a killjoy. I consider Julie Garwoods an excellent writer (though her historical romances seem to be a bit formulaic), but this story really let me down.

The beginning starts off incredibly slow. Garwood describes the childhood of the main character, Avery through her "young" eyes. Maybe it's just that I don't particularly like this style but I thought it was a bit too cheesy for my taste. The next chapter is pretty slow, too, as it talks about everything between Avery and her Aunt Carrie.

The storyline, though promising ends up lacking any real substance. The characters aren't given much depth- their actions don't mesh with what their personalities are supposed to be. Aunt Carrie was supposed to be as sweet as can be, but I found her character to be vulgar and not likeable at all. Avery seemed a bit too sweet for somebody working in the FBI, and she lacked the confidence I'd expect. I was disappointed that her third book was to be written about John Paul, as he wasn't described as a great person in the book Mercy. He wasn't very exciting, and it was hard to grasp the fact that he fell in love with her because she could stand up to him. As for the 'evil' characters, they were a bit laughable. Monk (from Mercy) is lovesick and seemingly weak. The story would have been more exciting if he had truly been a smooth operator instead of a guy drooling over a girl. As for Jilly... we're constantly bashed over the head with how 'evil' she is. She is described as evil and vicious, but her behavior doesn't seem to match that so well.

All in all, I didn't find this book to be interesting. It lacked the usual warm humor in Garwood's other books, and the ending left many questions unanswered. The general plot is interesting, I just feel that Garwood could have done more to really increase the danger and love elements. I just hope she writes a book about Noah Clayborne soon!

Rating:
Summary: A Strong Novel By A Great Author!
Review: Ms. Garwood first hooked me with her charming historical novels such as the Secret, and Saving Grace. She has since moved on to pen the Romantic Suspense and Killjoy is the third in a series that began with Heartbreaker, and then was followed by Mercy.

Killjoy is the story of Dr. Mike's (heroine in Mercy) bother John Paul. In this story the killer for hire Monk plays a large part in the story. You will remember him from Mercy as well. If you have not read the previous two books that is ok this story still manages to stand alone. This story is fast paced but it is more supsense and on the edge of your seat reading with a little romance on the side. This seems to be more of a mainstream novel then romance so fans of Ms. Garwood may be a little disappointed by this. I found that the lack of romance was not a bad thing and made the romance between John Paul and Avery more believable since they were not falling into bed right away. The story is well plotted and the character development is also well done. The secondary story and characters add to the telling of the story instead of detracting from it. All in all this is a very strong novel and worth the time it takes to read.

Rating:
Summary: A disappointment
Review: This continuation of Julie Garwood's exciting and well-written 'Mercy' was a lackluster disappointment. It almost felt like it had been written by another person!

Where its predecessor, 'Mercy,' made Monk an intriguing villain, 'Killjoy' turned him into a buffoon. The protagonists had few likeable moments, and while I had hoped John Paul Renard's character would be given more depth now that he was the hero of the story, there was hardly any development. Perhaps that was what was what was so unappealing about this novel - everyone, whether they were supposed to be on the side of right or wrong, came off as immensely shallow, and the traumas that were meant to endear them to the reader felt sorely contrived.

Also, too often the action of the story was told in past-tense summation. Escapes, explosions - some moments that could have been tense, page-turners were half-heartedly skimmed over in ho-hum narrative. The end result was more deflating and tedious than thrilling.

Julie Garwood's prior work is much more entertaining than this selection.