Scan barcode
A review by romancereadingreactions
Total Control by Laura Griffin
3.0
3.5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book! It was a light, easy read, the story was interesting and kept the reader engaged, and just the right amount of tension between the two main characters. By a third of the way through the book I knew I wanted to look up others by this author!
The book starts off with a really great SEAL training exercise, and we get a feel for the dynamic between Jake and Alexa (Lexie) early on. They have a bit of history, but for the past six months Lexie has been ignoring Jake until she needs his help on an off-the-books job. They both have really strong personalities and while they knock heads for a bit, there's no doubt that they make a great team. There was a good amount of give and take between them; between who drove, who made contacts with individuals during the investigation, and making sure the other took care of themselves. In the search for an extremist, they have to pool together their resources and get creative to figure out the groups plans before it's too late, as well as push past their personal hesitations towards each other. In the end, the manage to protect the city and their hearts! The ending was realistic and sweet, and I can't wait to see how their relationship continues to develop.
My only real complaint is that this book left me wanting more, in both good and bad ways. I wanted more because I really love the chemistry between Jake and Lexie, but I also felt like we were given little details about things that were just enough to pique our attention, but then never spoken of/brought up again. I kept thinking details were important, but they weren't! It is fairly short, and I feel like a bit closer to a novella than a full novel. The story was very fast paced so it worked, but more details and fleshing everything out a bit more would have made the book really great. I would have liked to see more backstory with Jake's family (and the reactions to him bailing on the weekend trip), more of the dynamic between Lexie and her coworkers (specifically with her ex; I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop with him being involved with the main plot, or why he always dismissed her suggestions), and more of them together! Also, what was in the package at Lexie's front door in chapter 3? I kept waiting for that to have some significance! The secondary characters were very brief in their appearances, so it would be nice to see more from them since they were all interesting! Especially Scout!
While this book is a part of a series, it can definitely be read as a standalone. I will absolutely be going back and reading the others; I want to know more about these characters and their world!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this book! It was a light, easy read, the story was interesting and kept the reader engaged, and just the right amount of tension between the two main characters. By a third of the way through the book I knew I wanted to look up others by this author!
The book starts off with a really great SEAL training exercise, and we get a feel for the dynamic between Jake and Alexa (Lexie) early on. They have a bit of history, but for the past six months Lexie has been ignoring Jake until she needs his help on an off-the-books job. They both have really strong personalities and while they knock heads for a bit, there's no doubt that they make a great team. There was a good amount of give and take between them; between who drove, who made contacts with individuals during the investigation, and making sure the other took care of themselves. In the search for an extremist, they have to pool together their resources and get creative to figure out the groups plans before it's too late, as well as push past their personal hesitations towards each other. In the end, the manage to protect the city and their hearts! The ending was realistic and sweet, and I can't wait to see how their relationship continues to develop.
My only real complaint is that this book left me wanting more, in both good and bad ways. I wanted more because I really love the chemistry between Jake and Lexie, but I also felt like we were given little details about things that were just enough to pique our attention, but then never spoken of/brought up again. I kept thinking details were important, but they weren't! It is fairly short, and I feel like a bit closer to a novella than a full novel. The story was very fast paced so it worked, but more details and fleshing everything out a bit more would have made the book really great. I would have liked to see more backstory with Jake's family (and the reactions to him bailing on the weekend trip), more of the dynamic between Lexie and her coworkers (specifically with her ex; I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop with him being involved with the main plot, or why he always dismissed her suggestions), and more of them together! Also, what was in the package at Lexie's front door in chapter 3? I kept waiting for that to have some significance! The secondary characters were very brief in their appearances, so it would be nice to see more from them since they were all interesting! Especially Scout!
While this book is a part of a series, it can definitely be read as a standalone. I will absolutely be going back and reading the others; I want to know more about these characters and their world!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.