Rating: Summary: A KEEPER Review: Not SB's best but certainly worth your time. I love all of her books. This one is slightly off beat and fast paced. Love the interaction between the hero and heroine. Sexy love scenes. Go for it!
Rating: Summary: Harry is one defiant, heart-throb kind of an unsung hero Review: Peter Falk is definitely not who I picture as Harry. I prefer to think of a brown-eyed Mel Gibson. Mmmm... Remember in the Lethal Weapon series how reckless and suicidal Mel's character was? Also, it is far more appealing to think about Mel in jeans and a T-shirt. I may be naive, but I found it disturbing the way these government agents thought nothing of "pillow talk" to obtain information. Harry's profanity seemed realistic to me. Any cop that deals with these mob types isn't going to talk like Prince Charles. Did anyone else think that Baby Jane Doe had actually been adopted by the mob guy? Whew, glad I was wrong.
Rating: Summary: RITA Winner! Best-Seller! . . .Read this book anyway Review: She won a RITA (ooo, two!) and she's selling a gazillion books. None of that changes the fact that Suzanne Brockmann is a great writer who lives up to this hype. This is not Heartthrob II. This book stands solidly on its own merits: strong plot, believable characters, great dialogue, each page moved. This book seems a bit edgier than other romance faire, and despite the mob boss set-up, the grittier aspects involve Harry's redemption in his relationships. Brockmann's characters make pure, tough choices that are sometimes hard to like, but it is a relief to read a book that wasn't device'd to death. This book fails to get five stars only because a secondary character should have received a whole lot more comeuppance, and the epilogue, unlike the tone of the rest of the book, was a little too Barney for my taste ("And what did you learn today, Timmy?") Brockmann has written a book that takes the romance novel to previously unscaled heights by combining extraordinary circumstances with realistic character responses. P.S. If Detective Harry O'Dell's rumpled suit makes you think of Peter Falk, try substituting George Clooney. Worked for me. Very well, actually. And anyway, seeing Peter Falk is not enough reason to stop reading a well-crafted book. There are too few out there these days.
Rating: Summary: Compelling suspense Review: Stop reading the reviews and read the book! These characters behave as their flesh and blood counterparts would. You feel what they feel, you crave what they crave. Ms. Brockman is superb at creating a realistic relationship from an improbably thrilling plot. She does it again. Can we please have a 4 1/2 star rating?
Rating: Summary: Tough, tender, engaging. These people feel real! Review: Stop reading the reviews and read the book! These characters behave as their flesh and blood counterparts would. You feel what they feel, you crave what they crave. Ms. Brockman is superb at creating a realistic relationship from an improbably thrilling plot. She does it again. Can we please have a 4 1/2 star rating?
Rating: Summary: Hit and Miss Review: Suzanne Brockmann is hit and miss with me. I honestly think I'd like her writing more if she'd work on cleaning up her swinging POV. That being said, Brockmann has a good feel for humor, for dialogue, and the absurd, which can often save a book for me. If you go into Body Guard with the assumption that this will be a formulaic romance, then you're going to be disappointed. There is a romance, but I think Brockmann delves a little deeper than most superficial romances are used to. There's also the fact that the characters in this book are deeply flawed--in other words, a huge mess. Alessandra Lamont has never really had to think or do for herself. She went from her parents' home to marriage at 19 with a control freak with mob connections. Her catch of a husband divorces her after 7 years of marriage when she learns she's unable to have children. The biggest surprise is yet to come--the death of her husband and the fact that he's stolen a million dollars from mobster Michael Trotta. Then there's Harry, an FBI agent who has seen better days. When he and his partner George cross paths with Alessandra Lamont, all Harry can think is that she's just another pretty, useless trophy wife. He's not far from the truth at this point in Alessandra's life. After a couple of twists and turns, Alessandra and Harry go on the run together, and it's a learning experience for both of them. Harry's burned out and he's yet to deal with the death of his teenage son and ex-wife nearly two years earlier. The only thing he and Alessandra have in common is that the same mobster who wants her dead is responsible for the death of Harry ex-wife and son. Harry and Alessandra are forced to examine themselves a bit closer, and it's only then that they begin the process of living. Harry is bitter, obsessed with Michael Trotta, and so afraid and ashamed of his weaknesses that he can't face his two remaining children. Alessandra is in control of her life for the very first time, and she's discovering that she's not as useless as she's always thought. She's thinking for herself, and she's making some tough decisions when it comes to Harry. Readers of traditional contemporary romances likely won't like this book as it falls far outside formula. For starters, Harry isn't tall, dark, and handsome. If Alessandra wears heels of any size she's an inch taller than Harry. Harry is a mess, has no clothes sense, really bad hair, and an even worse attitude that is liberally sprinkled with sarcasm. Alessandra is so naive and empty-headed at times that I wondered how she survived as long as she did. Mess or not, these two mesh well, and when they start on the road to recovery, it's believable. If you're looking for formula, stay away. If you like your romance with a bit of sweet and sour, dive in, the waters just fine.
Rating: Summary: Hit and Miss Review: Suzanne Brockmann is hit and miss with me. I honestly think I'd like her writing more if she'd work on cleaning up her swinging POV. That being said, Brockmann has a good feel for humor, for dialogue, and the absurd, which can often save a book for me. If you go into Body Guard with the assumption that this will be a formulaic romance, then you're going to be disappointed. There is a romance, but I think Brockmann delves a little deeper than most superficial romances are used to. There's also the fact that the characters in this book are deeply flawed--in other words, a huge mess. Alessandra Lamont has never really had to think or do for herself. She went from her parents' home to marriage at 19 with a control freak with mob connections. Her catch of a husband divorces her after 7 years of marriage when she learns she's unable to have children. The biggest surprise is yet to come--the death of her husband and the fact that he's stolen a million dollars from mobster Michael Trotta. Then there's Harry, an FBI agent who has seen better days. When he and his partner George cross paths with Alessandra Lamont, all Harry can think is that she's just another pretty, useless trophy wife. He's not far from the truth at this point in Alessandra's life. After a couple of twists and turns, Alessandra and Harry go on the run together, and it's a learning experience for both of them. Harry's burned out and he's yet to deal with the death of his teenage son and ex-wife nearly two years earlier. The only thing he and Alessandra have in common is that the same mobster who wants her dead is responsible for the death of Harry ex-wife and son. Harry and Alessandra are forced to examine themselves a bit closer, and it's only then that they begin the process of living. Harry is bitter, obsessed with Michael Trotta, and so afraid and ashamed of his weaknesses that he can't face his two remaining children. Alessandra is in control of her life for the very first time, and she's discovering that she's not as useless as she's always thought. She's thinking for herself, and she's making some tough decisions when it comes to Harry. Readers of traditional contemporary romances likely won't like this book as it falls far outside formula. For starters, Harry isn't tall, dark, and handsome. If Alessandra wears heels of any size she's an inch taller than Harry. Harry is a mess, has no clothes sense, really bad hair, and an even worse attitude that is liberally sprinkled with sarcasm. Alessandra is so naive and empty-headed at times that I wondered how she survived as long as she did. Mess or not, these two mesh well, and when they start on the road to recovery, it's believable. If you're looking for formula, stay away. If you like your romance with a bit of sweet and sour, dive in, the waters just fine.
Rating: Summary: Its not a 5 because..... Review: The book is very fast-paced, never a moment of boredom. Never a dull moment. The romance between the protagonists wonderful. However, the relationship between the secondary protagonists, George and Nicole remains unfinished, and I can't help but thinking about them. I mean, it's obvious that they're still in love with each other even if they're divorced. They just can't get over their differences because there's not enough communication between them. They just look for ways to hurt one another. He was even sleeping with an exact duplicate of her, apparently fell in lover with HER, a pale copy of the real thing, and then left her because she'd betrayed him. I really didn't like that part. And still, when he left her, he still couldn't see past his ex's front the love beneath. I don't know about you, but when I read a romance novel, I like the good guys to be happy. I like everything settled and finished. It's still a very good book, though. Lots of heartfelt moments. Just a bit of unfinished business.
Rating: Summary: The perfect love story Review: This book is the perfect love story, Harry and Alessandra, both having their own problems, family, money, etc. but when they met because her husband was from the mafia and Harry was an FBI agent their story begins. The story of the mafia is almost relative, all the time you want to know what would happen to Harry and Alessandra, it doesn't matter if they are in danger or what is happening to the other people of the book. If you read this book as a perfect love story you will like it, if you read the book as a police book, you will not like it because are many things in the investigation that you don't know where they come from.
Rating: Summary: uuuuggghhh! Review: This book really bothered me. But considering how Ms.Brockmann has written more great books then awful books, then I can forgive her for this one. First of all I did not like Alessandra, she got on my last nerve, maybe it's jealousy but maybe I should let all the romance authors know something about me. I HATE READING ABOUT WOMEN WHO ARE BETTER LOOKING THEN I AM! also, no offense or anything, but Harry was not my idea of a hero. I guess I am a little fickle but I want my romance men to be big, buff, and beautiful, and from my estimation Harry was none of those, he was interesting but did he have to be short, with a big nose, and a lawn mower haircut. Oh well I guess I'll read Heartthrob again and wait for Ms. Brockmann's next book. Just because I didn't like this one doesn't mean I won't read anymore of hers.
|