Rating: 
Summary: Open Season
Review: This book is a total disappointment. The synopsis on the book jacket was more interesting than the actual book. I have read a large number of Ms. Howard's books, and for the most part enjoyed them, but this book was a total snooze. This is one book that I wanted to return to the store after I had read only 10 pages, but I kept going hoping it would get better--it didn't. The book jacket implies that there is going be a great mystery and romance, you get neither one. If you still want to read this book, wait for the paperback, save yourself some money!
Rating: 
Summary: a bread and butter book
Review: Linda et al:I find the "Linda Howard" style of writing to be much like eating Dove Promises... you cant stop at eating just one piece! The truth be known, I am addicted! And with most (if not all) of Linda's books, you can't read her books chapter by chapter; you read the whole thing in one sitting. That is the kind of book that I could only dream of getting published myself. Unfortunately, this book (even though it is a nice vacation from the grind) seems like it was rushed to print. I put down this latest book 3 times(Which for me is not normal with any of Linda's work). On the plus or minus side I saw a few interesting things happening here: 1- Daisy seemed almost self projection to a degree (not that I know anything about the author, but I got that distinct feeling in the book... maybe the hair color?) 2- the humor (although scream out loud time if you have ever lived in a small town) seemed to be segmented only to a limited section of the book. 3-the love scenes, although mostly consistent with the previous books, seem to vary from the romance genre to a forced detail of what was going on. Even as it was "detail" specific, it was not true to the character development that had happened. My two cents: it's a bread and butter book. But it's really easy to be a critic when others achieve something you haven't done.
Rating:
Summary: OPEN SEASON OPENS WELL BUT ENDS TOO FAST
Review: Daisy Minor is tenacious to change her monotonous life and it's long time she decides to revamp with a makeover at an age of 34. She dresses up, goes to the Baffalo Club to attract amorous offers and invites... murder. Stumbling upon a murder, she becomes the prime target of local mayor Temple Nolan, who went on a foiled plan to silence Mitchell after his mistake in drugging a girl to death, is afraid that his syndicate will be exposed. His reputation will be shattered. But as always, there is a protector - and it manifests in the form of Chief Jack Russo, who with his protective instincts, makes Daisy feel secured. Love comes crashing on both of them in the midst of the arguments and sexy seductions. OPEN SEASON as Linda Howard's eagerly-anticpated vehicle this year pales in comparison to her previous efforts (Mr. Perfect and ALL THE QUEEN'S MEN). No doubt she is one author who fuses sensuality and laughter in her antics on sexuality and the couple Jack and Daisy is one hot sizzling match. She brings in her contemporary novels with relevance to the society's problems like date rapes but without much insight. Daisy's transformation is indeed a parody and shrieking delight - the condom incident and scandal is a hoot and Jack is as usual a wry hero with strong sexual urges. OPEN SEASON opens well but ended in a rush hour with a disappointing 300 pages. The suspense builds up and surprises after it enlightens on Todd's identity but enervates when all is revealed - with the rest all predictible and fast-forwarded. The story doesn't have a mystery element to bolster as in Mr. Perfect, and it loses its appeal with an anti-climax and simple storyline. All I can say is after her boisterous Mr. Perfect, OPEN SEASON seems like mild Miss Congeniality in comparison.
Rating:
Summary: Good romance with a horrible ending
Review: While I enjoyed the romance, the sinister atmosphere and suspense was built up for nothing because the heroine was never in any real danger at all. The ending was just horrible. Why was it even necessary? Overall, the story was good but not extraordinary and you really could wait for it in paperback. I recommend reading her other novels if your new and want to read her: After the Night, Son of the Morning and her series books like MacKenzie's Mountain and MacKenzies Mission. My grade for this book would be a C+
Rating: 
Summary: Linda Howard wrote this?????????????????
Review: If this had been my first LH novel, it probably would have been my last!! She must have had half a brain when she wrote this. NO dialogue, NO plot and NO suspense. Buy this book used if possible, because you will be upset if you paid full price.
Rating:
Summary: Close the book on "Open Season"
Review: Linda Howard used to be my all-time favorite writer. Anyone who can write "MacKenzie's Mountain," as well as her other fabulous books, is a talented, talented writer. However, like many romance writers, in the past few years she has shifted to mysteries, sometimes combined with romance. This combination worked A LOT better in "Mr. Perfect" than it did in "Open Season." In her earlier novels, the tension between the eventual lovers was fun and made me call the book store daily to find when they had arrived. I, as a romance reader, feel as if Linda Howard has abandoned her loyal fans, but maybe she's all written out in the romance genre. One of my two biggest complaints about "Open Season" was the total lack of tension between the two lovers. I really didn't care whether they got together. The book lacked something I can't put my finger on--a little spice (and I'm not talking about sex). It was bland. My most important complaint, though, was the final couple of pages. Not only does Linda Howard let the major criminal who imports foreign girls (all virgins, some very, very young) into sexual slavery get away with it, she even has him show up to "cure" the sexual trauma of the wife of his partner! And we, as the readers, are supposed to be touched by this disgusting, arrogant sleaziness! Linda: what ever could you have been thinking?
Rating:
Summary: Needed more depth
Review: Linda Howard is a master at putting pen to paper. In my book, she is right up there with Nora Roberts and Judith McNaught as one of those authors whose books you rush right out and buy the book, sigh unseen. I did enjoy Open Season, it was cute and as is always the case with Linda Howard, very [....] Daisy and Jack as the two main characters were good characters. But the "grey" characters such as Sykes, Todd and even Jennifer, the mayor's wife, were more interesting. The problem with this book (and that is why it is only 3 stars rather than 5) is the fact that nothing and no one is delved into deeply. This book would have been great as say, a Silhouette Special Edition, because you don't really expect deep characters in those books (although I will point out that Linda Howard's exceptional Mackenzie's Mountain which was a Silhouette has some of the most wonderfully defined characters in any book ever written). I would have liked a deeper exploration of Daisy and Jack's relationship. I would have liked to have seen more of the home life of the Mayor and Jennifer to see why their marriage deteriorated so. I would have liked to know more about Sykes' background. And of course, I would have liked to have gotten in Todd's head a bit more. Linda Howard has created the beginnings of some great characters in these people, yet we never really get to see them. They become pieces moved about for the purpose of the plot too much. This was a cute, fluffy book and it would have been so much more interesting and satisfying if it had a little bit more meat to it.
Rating:
Summary: Disapointed...
Review: Firstly, Linda Howard is my favorite romance writer. Secondly, I was very disapointed with this last book. There was no meat on the bones of the story, everything seemed rushed, almost like an outline was written then words were filled in to connect the dots. I noticed the same trend with Mr. Perfect. Although I liked that one better than Open Season. The characters were okay but not interesting enough or developed enough for me to care about the story. I only hope any future releases are more worth my money.
Rating: 
Summary: Standard fare from the queen of romantic suspense.
Review: If you're a fan of Linda Howard's (and if you're not, you should be), you will find "Open Season" to be a satisfying read even though it doesn't offer anything new. If fact, I thought this book was VERY similar to Howard's "Dream Man" without the psychic elements. But hey, "Dream Man" was a great book, so a repeat isn't completely uncalled for. The core story is about a small-town librarian, Daisy Minor, who wakes up on her 34th birthday and realizes that her hair is boring, her clothes are boring, her job is boring, she's boring. Not to mention lonely. Daisy decides that if she doesn't want to spend her life alone, she needs to get busy, and the fastest way to get results is to do a complete make-over into a "party" girl. Sure enough, there is a beautiful, sexy woman under all her frowsiness. Before she even starts her transformation, she butts heads with the new police chief, Jack Russo, an apparent fish-out-of-water Yankee in this sleepy southern berg. He's big, he's intimidating, he's rude. He's also very sexy . As Daisy ventures out to strut her new stuff at the local bars, he becomes concerned that she's way too naive to realize when she's attracted the wrong kind of attention. Daisy wants him to get out of her way so she can continue her man hunt. Dane - I mean Jack - decides that he needs to stick close for her own protection. Then he decides that he just needs to stick close. Somewhere along the way there's a crime to solve and Daisy becomes a target for bad guys. Which means, of course, that Daisy and Jack need to have some hot love scenes. Howard's unique style and humor are evident throughout the book. Daisy's schemes to get the word out that she's available are hysterical, and you will never see colored condoms in the same light. Both of the lead characters are appealing, but Daisy is the more finely drafted of the two. Her ernest attempts to be a party girl are charming. I particularly appreciated that she isn't one of those ninny romantic heroines who has to go do something foolish that she's been warned not to do in order to prove how independent and spirited she is. In fact, when Jack thinks she's left a safe haven he's found for her, she lets him have it. Her response: "I'm safe here; why would I leave? That's what always happens in movies; either the woman or the kid disobeys instructions and does exactly what they've been told not to do, thereby putting both themselves and everyone else in danger. I've always thought that if they were that stupid, then let them die before they have a chance to breed." Hallelujah! The mystery plot is good, but the romance is better. The secondary characters are well-developed, especially the bad guys. All in all, this is a quick read, but a good one.
Rating:
Summary: Not Her Best
Review: This book was one tired little puppy (pun intended). Usually her books are very gripping. I especially like when she adds paranormal elements. Nothing like that going on here. Reminds me of Jayne Ann Krentz or Sandra Brown when they start cranking out books instead of writing stories where you care about the characters.
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