Rating:  Summary: Key West - a sad and mean story Review: A disappointment. Although it has an attractive Key West setting and a potentially interesting plot, the story wandered and never made much sense. Overall the book has a rather nasty and unpleasant atmosphere, a result of the author's throwing in just about every rotten thing she could think of, including: the physical, sexual and psychological abuse of women, murder, arson, child abuse, kidnapping, drug and alcohol problems, infidelity, thievery, actual and implied violence, insanity, sexual perversion and torture, voyeurism, harrassment, extortion, legal and medical malpractice, homophobia, cruelty to animals, automobile accidents, physical disabilities, hurricane warnings, bar brawls, terrorists, the Mafia, you name it. Ugh! What's the point, and why bother?
Rating:  Summary: A bit Choppy in places but wonderful people to hate!!! Review: A terrorist kidnapping, a horrendous car wreck and the loss of a child are but of a few of the mysteries which draw a confused young woman back to her Key West home for answers in Stella Cameron's paperback release of KEY WEST. With the growing number of romance authors trying their hand at romantic suspense it is clear Ms. Cameron has found her nich. In KEY WEST she offers readers an intense story set in a short period of time so fast paced, readers will wonder where the time went. The mystery of what really happened and why so many people want to control the heroine's life grabs the reader innocently as it slowly reels them in, trapping them in a disturbing, and at times, hopeless reality.Sonnie Giacano has had enough neglect and abuse from her husband, Frank; a has-been tennis star who is on the descending side of his career. When he demands they meet at the Miami airport she decides to get a backbone by informing him of her intention to seek a divorce. Unusual courage for her despite being pregnant with his child: a child she thought would bring them closer yet seem to repulse him . Frank Giacano is a suave low life whose waning talent on the court is only overshadowed by his excesses off the court and he intends to use Sonnie's wealth to rectify his problems. Frank's repulsion at her pregnancy is nothing compared to the life altering trauma awaiting her at the airport. Her world is turned upside down when she is met by Frank's brother Romano with news that Frank has fallen victim of a terrorist kidnapping. Apparently her reaction to such dreadful news is to drive away at a reckless speed causing an auto accident which results in the loss of her unborn child and months of intense recuperation without a clear memory of what happened that fateful day. But what will happen to her when the memories start to come back as disturbing as they are and who will be there to protect her from her enemies or herself? Armed with only the information her family has provided her about her last 8 months she returns to Key West because something just isn't right. Telling only her sister Billy where she has gone, she takes up a waitress job at one of the local watering holes. At The Nail she becomes friends with Ray Talon and his lover/partner Bo. Although she doesn't need to work, the friendship she develops with the locals helps her come to terms with her memory loss. Of course, as strange things begin to happen she questions her sanity while seeking help from Ray's brother Christian, a former NYPD detective who is carrying around a whole car load of his own emotional baggage. Christian initially refuses to help but it doesn't take long for him to conclude that someone is out there trying to scare Sonnie away from the truth. With the arrival of Romano and her sister Billy, it becomes clear to Chris these people do not have Sonnie's best interest at heart. But why? Will they help to answer one burning question, is she a widow or a wife? These answers plus many more must be revealed if Christian and Sonnie can have a future, but will it cost one of them their life? Stella Cameron consistently provides her readers with intense stories which capture the reader's attention from the very start: whether it is historicals set in Scotland or her contemporaries set in her own locale: Seattle. Is it any wonder with her unique talent at creating gritty heroes, who have a that special soft spot for vulnerable heroines, that she is able to gently lure the reader to a deep dark place filled with suspense and romance. No reader will escape the hopelessness this heroine feels as she draws on the strength of her earthy hero when they together discover 'whodunit' and why. This is romantic suspense so intense the reader forgets the real world around them as they willingly lose themselves to a world of deception created by one Romance's most gifted story tellers.
Rating:  Summary: I agree with the author of "Don't Bother" Review: A terrorist kidnapping, a horrendous car wreck and the loss of a child are but of a few of the mysteries which draw a confused young woman back to her Key West home for answers in Stella Cameron???s paperback release of KEY WEST. With the growing number of romance authors trying their hand at romantic suspense it is clear Ms. Cameron has found her nich. In KEY WEST she offers readers an intense story set in a short period of time so fast paced, readers will wonder where the time went. The mystery of what really happened and why so many people want to control the heroine???s life grabs the reader innocently as it slowly reels them in, trapping them in a disturbing, and at times, hopeless reality. Sonnie Giacano has had enough neglect and abuse from her husband, Frank; a has-been tennis star who is on the descending side of his career. When he demands they meet at the Miami airport she decides to get a backbone by informing him of her intention to seek a divorce. Unusual courage for her despite being pregnant with his child: a child she thought would bring them closer yet seem to repulse him . Frank Giacano is a suave low life whose waning talent on the court is only overshadowed by his excesses off the court and he intends to use Sonnie???s wealth to rectify his problems. Frank???s repulsion at her pregnancy is nothing compared to the life altering trauma awaiting her at the airport. Her world is turned upside down when she is met by Frank???s brother Romano with news that Frank has fallen victim of a terrorist kidnapping. Apparently her reaction to such dreadful news is to drive away at a reckless speed causing an auto accident which results in the loss of her unborn child and months of intense recuperation without a clear memory of what happened that fateful day. But what will happen to her when the memories start to come back as disturbing as they are and who will be there to protect her from her enemies or herself? Armed with only the information her family has provided her about her last 8 months she returns to Key West because something just isn???t right. Telling only her sister Billy where she has gone, she takes up a waitress job at one of the local watering holes. At The Nail she becomes friends with Ray Talon and his lover/partner Bo. Although she doesn???t need to work, the friendship she develops with the locals helps her come to terms with her memory loss. Of course, as strange things begin to happen she questions her sanity while seeking help from Ray???s brother Christian, a former NYPD detective who is carrying around a whole car load of his own emotional baggage. Christian initially refuses to help but it doesn???t take long for him to conclude that someone is out there trying to scare Sonnie away from the truth. With the arrival of Romano and her sister Billy, it becomes clear to Chris these people do not have Sonnie???s best interest at heart. But why? Will they help to answer one burning question, is she a widow or a wife? These answers plus many more must be revealed if Christian and Sonnie can have a future, but will it cost one of them their life? Stella Cameron consistently provides her readers with intense stories which capture the reader???s attention from the very start: whether it is historicals set in Scotland or her contemporaries set in her own locale: Seattle. Is it any wonder with her unique talent at creating gritty heroes, who have a that special soft spot for vulnerable heroines, that she is able to gently lure the reader to a deep dark place filled with suspense and romance. No reader will escape the hopelessness this heroine feels as she draws on the strength of her earthy hero when they together discover ???whodunit??? and why. This is romantic suspense so intense the reader forgets the real world around them as they willingly lose themselves to a world of deception created by one Romance???s most gifted story tellers.
Rating:  Summary: Too many loose ends Review: Although this book had a lot of suspense. I thought Sonnie (the main character) was too weak. She just took things at face value and did not investigate like a normal person would do. The reason behind what the villians were doing did not get out clearly. I still don't know why they did what they did. Usually Ms. Cameron ties up all loose ends in her story that it makes sense this time she missed a few things. Overall, I was entertained.
Rating:  Summary: Disappointed Stella Cameron Fan Review: I am about 3/4 of the way through this book and debating aboutfinishing it. I found the writing to be confusing, as with otherreviewers I thought I kept skipping pages. Totally could not get into this heroine. I keep wanting to slap her, how stupid could one woman be. I too figured out ALL of the bad guys from the very first. This book was too obvious. Ms Cameron does reveal some of her villans quite early, but usually there are some twists and turns. I recommend you find some other romantic suspense to read, and avoid this one.
Rating:  Summary: Key West Review: I bought this book several weeks ago knowing that most books with a Florida locale are a good mystery read. This book is an exception. Firstly, it turns out to be more romance than mystery and I felt cheated by that. The plot seems a good idea, the old "gaslight" plot, however, this story fluctuates between inexplicable mysteries and cliched romance. My problem with the romance is that during extreme crises, the hero and heroine cannot think past their lust which is untimely, gratuituous, and totally inappropriate to time and place. Furthermore, whenever it seems that a plot point is going to be explained to the reader, the explanation is drawn out and in each instance it has been interrupted by a character and stopped in mid-explanation, and my faint curiosity is left uninformed. I have been spoiled by very good writers and this book of Ms. Cameron's is not one of them. Frankly, I am going to plow on through it to see if sometime it might get better and wrap things up neatly. My most damning critique is that I will not be passing the book on to friends and family.
Rating:  Summary: Key West Review: I bought this book several weeks ago knowing that most books with a Florida locale are a good mystery read. This book is an exception. Firstly, it turns out to be more romance than mystery and I felt cheated by that. The plot seems a good idea, the old "gaslight" plot, however, this story fluctuates between inexplicable mysteries and cliched romance. My problem with the romance is that during extreme crises, the hero and heroine cannot think past their lust which is untimely, gratuituous, and totally inappropriate to time and place. Furthermore, whenever it seems that a plot point is going to be explained to the reader, the explanation is drawn out and in each instance it has been interrupted by a character and stopped in mid-explanation, and my faint curiosity is left uninformed. I have been spoiled by very good writers and this book of Ms. Cameron's is not one of them. Frankly, I am going to plow on through it to see if sometime it might get better and wrap things up neatly. My most damning critique is that I will not be passing the book on to friends and family.
Rating:  Summary: No romance or suspense Review: I bought this book thinking it was a suspense, not a romantic suspense. If that was romance, you can keep it. It was very poorly written. The flow was terrible and the storyline was so stupid. The dialog was so unnatural between the characters. I made it to the end just to see if it would get better and it didn't. The male characters spent most of their time oggling the women and the women set the women's movement back 50 years. I recommend skipping this one.
Rating:  Summary: Lacking in Suspense-Predictable Review: I enjoy romantic suspense novels, but this doesn't really qualify. The guilty parties are revealed early in the book and the one plot twist is predictable. The romance between the main characters is not very believable, but the secondary characters at the bar are well-written. The sad thing about this book is that the reader wanted the secondary characters more fleshed out and the main character of Sonny to just go away.
Rating:  Summary: Wonderful Book. Review: I loved this book. Unlike the reader from Pennsylvania I thought the plot was intricate and very suspence filled. It kept me glued to my seat. I read the book in a day and a half. All of the threads to the story referred to by the reader in NYC were woven togther to create a story that was both scary and oh so satisfying. I strongly recommend this book.
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