Rating: 
Summary: A Perfect Mix!
Review: This book was the perfect mix of mystery and romance - which is usually a hard combination to get right. Many times authors try too hard to make a mystery plot twist and turn, but this one was great - it kepy your interest without being overworked. There was great character development of all characters individually and also good development of relationships and interactions. The romance between Raine and Seth was also well done - sometimes in a mystery the development of feelings is minimized, but not in this case. Lots and lots of hot, sizzling scenes!! OK, so that's an understatement.
Some might think the language in the book is a bit crude, but I find it realistic. How accurate is it when a tough guy says "Gosh darn it, what in the heck are you doing?" Nah-uh, it's not!
It's been a long time since I've considered a book to be 5 stars, especially for a romantic suspense/mysters. So BRAVO to McKenna for her amazing and perfect debut! I am definitely a fan. I wonder if we will see future books about the McCloud boys?? Either way, I can't wait to get more from McKenna.
Rating:
Summary: 5+ - Can I give more stars???
Review: I discovered Shannon McKenna quite by accident and immediately fell in love. So far she has only two novels, but I would highly recommend both of them. She is an amazing writer. Her writing is not just straight erotica, but actually has a great plot, and great characters. She is an exceptional writer. You will not be disappointed. Raine Cameron is trying to find out what happened to her father. She knows he was murdered and she is determined to find the killer. She obtains a job as a secretary working for Victor Lazar who is a very powerful man. She believes Victor had her father murdered. Seth Mackey has his own reasons for following Victor. He knows that Victor had his baby brother Jessie killed, and he will do anything to even the score. Seth is also a wire specialist and can plant bugs and cameras in almost any business or home. He can also break into just about any system. Seth bugs Victor's mistress' house, and after Victor's mistress is murdered, a new person moves in. This is Seth's first vision of Raine. Even though Seth believes Raine is working and sleeping with Victor he is attracted to her. Can Seth and Raine learn to trust each other and maybe even learn to love each other while trying to catch a killer? I would highly recommend.
Rating: 
Summary: I expected better than this from this supposed pro!
Review: Give me a break! I have never been so disappointed in a supposed pro in my life! This is the last straw with this writer as far as I'm concerned! This book sucks might! Don't waste your time!
Rating:
Summary: Intense, suspenseful, erotic & riveting. Great new author!
Review: Definitely R-rated (maybe even NC-17!) for adult content, adult language, sex and violence. A darkly intense story that started out a bit slow, but then drew me in to the point that many, many things I should have done did not get done because I could not tear myself away from this book! If you prefer sensitive, sweet obvious heroes don't even bother with this book, 'cause there are none to be found within these pages! Bruised, battered, hard, tough, yet inherently good guys, yes - but no softies here. Seth Mackey and his friends the McCloud brothers (Connor, Sean & Davy) are looking for some serious revenge against the men responsible for the death of their friend Jesse (Seth's brother and Connor's FBI partner). They've set the trap for their two victims and have surveillance equipment everywhere - including the townhouse of Victor Lazar's mistress, which is currently occupied by the luscious Raine Cameron. Victor Lazar is a wealthy man who is easily bored and so occasionally flirts with the illegal and the darkside. He amuses himself by manipulating others and his latest subject is psycho thug, murderer and sometime co-conspirator Kurt Novak (the man who killed Jesse). His own niece, Raine is not even immune from his machinations when he purposely throws her into the path of the sexy, predatory Seth just to see what she's made of. Little does she know that Seth has become obsessed with her after weeks of watching her via the surveillance video. He assumes she is Victor's latest mistress (he figures she's a sex toy so he doesn't have to treat her real nice), and she thinks he is a security consultant working for Victor (a partial truth/cover to get into Lazar's offices to plant bugs, etc) and the kind of bad boy she's never had the nerve to go after - until now. When they meet, it's combustible! And while a sexual relationship begins, they're both keeping secrets about who they are and what they're working toward. He's dedicated to bringing Lazar and Novak down to avenge Jesse. She's trying to find evidence that Victor, her own uncle, murdered her father. Of course they're all on a collision course toward disaster when things slip out of Victor's control and into Novak's. Several factors come into play including blackmail, murder attempts, the corruption of Connor's FBI boss and Raine's memories and the ripples her "investigation" into her father's death create. And then there's the romance that develops from the initially rocky sexual relationship between Raine and Seth - two people who've experienced little affection or security in their lives. It was great to see Raine evolve from polite doormat to a woman who could stand up to both the surly, overbearing Seth and the enigmatic and manipulative Victor. And in the process she touches the deeply hidden and wounded heart of Seth who reluctantly begins to trust her just knowing it's probably a mistake. Is he right? I loved this book, but be warned, the language is rough and so is the sex on occasion. I also loved Seth though many may not, as he is capable of being a real Jerk with a capital J. And Victor's character is not your cookie-cutter bad guy - he's interesting and complicated (though Novak is definitely creepy!). And the McCloud brothers are lots of fun secondary characters that we'll see more of in future books. Sequel STANDING IN THE SHADOWS is Connor's story (also a great read!). Definitely dark, intense and complex with compelling characters - this author is one to watch! Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Murder Mystery & Highly Sensual - Vulnerable Leads
Review: Behind Closed Doors is very much a non-typical romance novel! The author dedicates almost as much time to the mystery as she does the development of the leads' relationship. There are highly charged sensual scenes that come close to overshadowing the underlying romance. Yet, if we watch closely, we see both the hero and heroine as highly vulnerable. The book encompasses a great deal of maturing for both leads - especially the hero. Raine Cameron is looking for her father's killer. She has taken a job with her uncle's company to hopefully find his killer. Seth Mackey is looking for this brother's murderer. He is a surveillance expert and is watching Raine's uncle's company because he believes he will discover the murderer within the company. Thus, we find Seth, on the opening page of the book, spying on Raine and finding himself closed to obsessed with her. The leads meet early in the book. Seth and Raine are good at keeping secrets from the other. But as their relationship develops they each open gradually and expose the despised vulnerability that lies deep within the other. Seth was a little too mean to warrant Raine's love. Initially, Raine allows herself to be pushed around but gradually we see her becoming more assertive. Nevertheless, there are still times you may roll your eyes and wonder "Why is she allowing this?" The hero certainly takes his time in becoming a nicer person but it is his ruthlessness that carries many of the sensual scenes. These sensual scenes rate about a 4.5 out of 5 (see More About Me for rating guidelines).
If I had a choice, I would rate this book 4.5 stars instead of 5. My reasoning is based entirely on the time dedicated to the growth of Seth and Raine's romantic relationship. Although the murder mystery was somewhat better than you find in most romance novels, it still took too many pages. The couple's relationship had a good base and capacity for growth that is never amply explored. Overall, certain scenes within the book are too powerful to warrant less than a five star rating. It is certainly one of the spicier books I have read and you definitely have to be a reader that appreciates a type A, dominant male lead. The heroine does knock him off his all-powerful pedestal more than once but he always climbs back up on it. On the whole, this is a fun, entertaining read that I will keep to read again. This author is new and I expect many good books from her in the future. She somehow has developed an intriguing edge in Behind Closed Doors that is difficult to define, but captivating none the less.
Rating: 
Summary: More of a Romantica than a romance
Review: The book was very uneven in a lot of respects, and as I can tell from the reviews, a lot of readers did not think they were getting Romantica. Romantica is romantic erotica, and it is one couple with lots of heated erotic situations. I totally agree that the characters are inconsistent. I also think the villains were too. The whole romantic suspense genre seems to be predicated on the most unlikely people with nothing in common falling into bed together. Or in this case the wall, shower and so on. It also includes several detailed scenes of the villain having sex which were very offputting, as was his voyeurism with the various camersa dotted around his house, and the explicit nature of said activities in various multiples and gender combinations. Kensington should make it clear that the Brava line is going to contain material like this. A reader who forked out good money expect Nora Roberts would well be peeved, not to mention goggled-eyed or even offended. Having said that, the one thing the book does having going for it is an interesting if totally Neanderthal hero, though I can' tbelieve he had not had a girl for five years since his brother was killed, he is so rampant. The drought becomes a flood, and Raine is swept away, but I would have liked to see her exercise a bit ore common sense and spine. The games they play are not always healthy or safe, and Seth not trusting her toward the end is pretty unforgiveable even if their sex life is stupendous. The book is way too long, with lashings of detail on every movement of his body (where are HER feelings in all of this) and even the hero says himself they are like a pair of minks. Subtlty, nuance, romance, even foreplay, vanish in a haze of power pwoer games on Seth's part. This novel could have been cut to half its length and toned down and not suffered, and still got commitment and the happily ever after. Readers who like Susan Johnson, Robin Schone and Thea Devine will enjoy these books, but anyone else should exercise caution.
Rating:
Summary: Okay, but not what I expected
Review: I read the reviews here, and picked up the book expecting something along the lines of a steamier Nora Roberts or Linda Howard. Umm, not quite. Rather than a good suspense with lots of love scenes, I got the equivalent of a porn movie with lots of suspense scenes. I did enjoy the plot (the main one, that is), but I didn't like the main characters. Seth was too much of a bully to be a good alpha-male hero, and Raine had about as much spine as a jellyfish. Also, the first sex scene was a little too close to date rape, in my opinion. And maybe I've been reading the wrong kinds of romances, but geez, there was a sex scene on practically every other page! I enjoy passionate love scenes as much as the next person, but by the second half of the book, I was actually skimming over those parts. Obviously this particular writer isn't quite what I'm looking for, so I don't think I'll be reading Connor's story. (Oh, there's another bone to pick - Connor McCloud? Has the author ever heard of Highlander? Every time I read his name I was picturing Christopher Lambert.)
Rating:
Summary: Suspense and Romance Behind Closed Doors
Review: I first read Shannon McKenna when she wrote a novella for the anthology ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT. I was thrilled to learn she was going to have a full-length book and it was going to be in the Brava line. Brava is a new line of books that promise the reader erotic romance stories and currently not only has Shannon McKenna signed up, but others like Lori Foster. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS opens with the hero, Seth Mackey, spying on the heroine, Raine Cameron. He is after the killer of his brother and spying on Raine is one way he believes he is going to achieve this. Unfortunately to his job at hand, he grows attracted to her while watching her and it somewhat gets in his way. It does not take them long to meet and the sparks just electrify between the two. And not much longer for Seth and Raine to get in bed and begin a rather interesting, intense love affair. He doesn't trust her and Raine is secretive to him. But boy, he doesn't let his niggling distrust to stop him from pursuing her into bed.
Raine has a secret agenda of her own. She wants to learn about her father's death and the only way she can is to go undercover in her uncle's business. Seth is hired to do security for her uncle, and when she meets Seth, she is caught between the attraction she feels for him and finishing up her task. Even almost to the end, Seth is not sure if he can trust Raine, but love wins his heart. A man who thought he could not love finds that he can. The relationship between the hero and heroine is very intense, sometimes like a love hate relationship. But they agree in bed very well. ;) Seth is very much a macho man and an Alpha Hero similar to that of the best selling author Linda Howard's male heroes. No woman can stand a chance, but then, who can resist one as sensual and tough as Seth Mackey. He is very sexual and there is lots of action in bed, but also out. It is not a gory type book, but it fits the bill as a romantic suspense for me, with much emphasis on the romance part. Just to warn you though: there is several uses of the f work and other sexual slang terms in the book. It did not bother me, but some readers may not like the use of the words. To me, the usage was necessary and realistically moved the story along. The story flies to a fast and explosive ending that left me satisfied with the end, but wishing the story had not ended. It was that good to me. Ms McKenna created some characters that not only were realistic, but with great sexual tension that throbbed within the pages of the book. I wish I could give it more than five stars, and I am eagerly awaiting the next book by Shannon McKenna. If you enjoy a good contemporary romance/supsense story that is very hot and sensual, then you will enjoy BEHIND CLOSED DOORS by Shannon McKenna.
Rating:
Summary: Romantic, fun, and exciting to boot,
Review: I enjoy stories like this fun story. Romantic, fun, and exciting too. What else could a reader ask for in this fun genre?
Rating:
Summary: SAVE YOUR MONEY! THIS BOOK ISN'T WORTH IT!
Review: The main characters to me were just so inconsistent. I mean Raine (the heroine), only had [physical relations] once in her life and it wasn't even good [physical relations], she's supposedly a good girl, but she has [physical relations] with Seth the second time she meets him, and it's raunchy [physical relations] too! I mean you expect me to believe that if you had a bad experience the first time you had [physical relations], you're gonna wanna just jump into bed with someone that you don't know? Someone who is a virtual stranger to you? And Seth I think has bipolar disorder. He's mean to Raine, then he's nice to her, then he's mean again. I couldn't get myself to actually like him as a hero. I mean he gets mad at her for lying to him and not telling him who she really is, but he's been lying to her about what his objective is and the fact that he's been spying on her, watching her get naked, etc. eww..nasty and not to mention illegal! I just felt that the characters were 2-dimensional and flat.
Another problem I had with the book was that half of it was Raine and Seth having [physical relations]! Very characteristic of a Susan Johnson novel, so if you like her books, this book is for you. I seriously ended up just skipping through the [physical relations] scenes to get to the action. However, if you are curious about this book, I would suggest that you buy it at a used book store.
|
