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areese's review against another edition
4.0
This one took me a bit longer to get into. I enjoyed it a lot, but I so love seeing the Buchanan's and I'm glad that Sidney was in it so I could get to know her! Lyra and Sam had instant attraction, and it was so fun to see how they dealt with it. Sam's past made him resist, but of course he gave in in the end. I also loved the detail that he is a dual citizen of Scotland and the USA. I LOVE Scotland, and I love Scottish heroes.
Lyra's danger appears to be one thing but is actually another. It was intriguing that she went to the yard giveaway and ran into the man who was there to kill. But then it didn't appear to be as big a deal as we thought. Finding out that her professor was the one behind the threat to her life was a twist I suspected but didn't necessarily see coming. Great story!
Lyra's danger appears to be one thing but is actually another. It was intriguing that she went to the yard giveaway and ran into the man who was there to kill. But then it didn't appear to be as big a deal as we thought. Finding out that her professor was the one behind the threat to her life was a twist I suspected but didn't necessarily see coming. Great story!
abbeybrooke's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
sillygoosereads's review against another edition
4.0
Great twist at the end!
And I will always be a sucker for a Scottish accent *swoon*
And I will always be a sucker for a Scottish accent *swoon*
ritasreadingcorner's review against another edition
5.0
I just finished reading this book for the second time and I truly love. Julie Garwood is the best, I love all her books, she's a genius. I read an interview she gave and she said that with her there was always going to be a happy ending and that's one of things I love the most about her books.
Sizzle is really good, just like all the others. Lyra is a very sweet girl and she's such a good person. Sam's also very cute, I love him. Gigi is awesome, too. Milo... Jeez. Strange person. Lyra's parents are awful persons (I've noticed Julie Garwood has a thing for crappy families; well, it's more like crappy parents, I guess). We get to know Sidney better than in the other books and I think she's a little different from her brothers and sister, she's more calm. We also get to hear about the other Buchanan (JORDAN AND NOAH, OH MY GOD, THEY'RE MARRIED *THE FEELS*) and Jack.
What I'd really like after reading this book is a story about Sidney. I really hope we get one.
Well, great book. Loved it. 5*
Sizzle is really good, just like all the others. Lyra is a very sweet girl and she's such a good person. Sam's also very cute, I love him. Gigi is awesome, too. Milo... Jeez. Strange person. Lyra's parents are awful persons (I've noticed Julie Garwood has a thing for crappy families; well, it's more like crappy parents, I guess). We get to know Sidney better than in the other books and I think she's a little different from her brothers and sister, she's more calm. We also get to hear about the other Buchanan (JORDAN AND NOAH, OH MY GOD, THEY'RE MARRIED *THE FEELS*) and Jack.
What I'd really like after reading this book is a story about Sidney. I really hope we get one.
Well, great book. Loved it. 5*
katyanaish's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it. BUT.
I'm kind of tired of romance stories where ... one partner is all onboard, and wants nothing more than to be together, and openly throws him/herself at the other... and the other partner is reluctant, doesn't want a relationship/commitment/responsibility/etc. And then, at the end, the reluctant one goes "oh wait, I do want you" and ta-da, they are together.
The reason I'm tired of it is because, the vast majority of the time, the reluctant partner has been hurtful or dismissive over and over and over. And the eager partner has been telling him/herself "never again, I'm done with being hurt" ... but just keeps throwing him/herself at the reluctant partner if the reluctant douche shows the tiniest bit of affection.
I think I'm just tired of the power imbalance. You've got one bending over backwards to make the other notice/love him/her. And when the reluctant partner finally comes around, s/he never has to do anything to win back a person s/he has hurt over and over.
I've read this formula in countless romance novels. In this case, Lyra was the eager partner and Sam was the reluctant partner. And he really strings her along. I mean... one steamy look and she's falling over herself to be with him, but then afterwards he's dismissive of her - - until he just can't stand it and has to have her again. He bats his eyes, or walks up and stares down at her, manfully kissing her ... and she jumps in again.
I feel like this badly undercuts the eager partner - they are a damn doormat, with zero willpower, apparently unable to resist the magical penis. And the reluctant partner is also undercut - he's a self-absorbed asshole, who doesn't care at all about stringing the other along. And you can't said he didn't realize. Sam repeatedly says he knows that she's not the type for casual sex, or that she wouldn't be so uninhibited with him if her emotions weren't engaged. Does that impact his behavior at all?
No.
Another point of contention, outside the romance: I have finally started realizing just how many loose ends Garland is leaving in the series. I was okay with it in individual books, because I almost always read series, and so ... I'm comfortable with overall plot threads, things that remain open from book to book. But these things are never picked up again. Like ... off the top of my head, I can think of:
-Killjoy - what the fuck happens with Jilly?
-Shadow Dance - the stolen treasure was a running theme in the book. It ends with Jordan saying she figured it out... and then ... nothing. Never mentioned again.
-Fire & Ice - okay, the doctors developed some kind of superhuman serum? This seems like a big deal, but as a plot thread, there is zero followthrough. It wasn't even clear that the police ever understood that that was a thing. So who has the super serum? Does it work? Wtf?
And now in this book...
Now in ANY OTHER series, I'd assume this B-plot would wrap in the next book, because series, right? But now, I expect we will never hear anything about it again... especially since both Sam and Lyra have no real connection to the Buchanan family. The only other couple that has had no connection thus far - John Paul and Dr. Mike - has never been mentioned again. So... yeah.
*sigh*
***3 stars***
I'm kind of tired of romance stories where ... one partner is all onboard, and wants nothing more than to be together, and openly throws him/herself at the other... and the other partner is reluctant, doesn't want a relationship/commitment/responsibility/etc. And then, at the end, the reluctant one goes "oh wait, I do want you" and ta-da, they are together.
The reason I'm tired of it is because, the vast majority of the time, the reluctant partner has been hurtful or dismissive over and over and over. And the eager partner has been telling him/herself "never again, I'm done with being hurt" ... but just keeps throwing him/herself at the reluctant partner if the reluctant douche shows the tiniest bit of affection.
I think I'm just tired of the power imbalance. You've got one bending over backwards to make the other notice/love him/her. And when the reluctant partner finally comes around, s/he never has to do anything to win back a person s/he has hurt over and over.
I've read this formula in countless romance novels. In this case, Lyra was the eager partner and Sam was the reluctant partner. And he really strings her along. I mean... one steamy look and she's falling over herself to be with him, but then afterwards he's dismissive of her -
Spoiler
multiple times telling her that he'll be gone for good in the morning... until finally one day he IS actually gone for good and she has a replacement bodyguardI feel like this badly undercuts the eager partner - they are a damn doormat, with zero willpower, apparently unable to resist the magical penis. And the reluctant partner is also undercut - he's a self-absorbed asshole, who doesn't care at all about stringing the other along. And you can't said he didn't realize. Sam repeatedly says he knows that she's not the type for casual sex, or that she wouldn't be so uninhibited with him if her emotions weren't engaged. Does that impact his behavior at all?
No.
Another point of contention, outside the romance: I have finally started realizing just how many loose ends Garland is leaving in the series. I was okay with it in individual books, because I almost always read series, and so ... I'm comfortable with overall plot threads, things that remain open from book to book. But these things are never picked up again. Like ... off the top of my head, I can think of:
-Killjoy - what the fuck happens with Jilly?
-Shadow Dance - the stolen treasure was a running theme in the book. It ends with Jordan saying she figured it out... and then ... nothing. Never mentioned again.
-Fire & Ice - okay, the doctors developed some kind of superhuman serum? This seems like a big deal, but as a plot thread, there is zero followthrough. It wasn't even clear that the police ever understood that that was a thing. So who has the super serum? Does it work? Wtf?
And now in this book...
Spoiler
I swear to Christ, if we never get any resolution on Lyra's shitshow parents, I'm going to be pissed. How is there no wrap up on this? They are trying to get a perfectly healthy woman labeled legally incompetent, so they can steal her fortune! That HAS to be illegal. And they put Lyra's fucking house on the market, as if they had full rights to it. That is DEFINITELY illegal, and yet again, no consequences. What the actual fuck? If you are going to make this a constant running B-plot in the series, give it some fucking wrap up!Now in ANY OTHER series, I'd assume this B-plot would wrap in the next book, because series, right? But now, I expect we will never hear anything about it again... especially since both Sam and Lyra have no real connection to the Buchanan family. The only other couple that has had no connection thus far - John Paul and Dr. Mike - has never been mentioned again. So... yeah.
*sigh*
***3 stars***
wellactjoally's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Humble rich girl and hot guy trick each other into a relationship. Mortal peril forced proximity. Adopted into a huge found family. Rich grandma, conniving parents. Film. Accidental evidence possession. Bumbling hit man.
Murder suicide. Greed.
Murder suicide. Greed.
tshchechs's review against another edition
1.0
The first half dragged like crazy. Many characters didn't even meet until a quarter of the way through the story. Lame romance, pretty good mystery. Downloaded it free from the library - you get what you pay for.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
4 STARS
"Lyra Prescott, a Los Angeles film student, is closing in on graduation and facing important decisions about her future. She's already been offered a job at her hometown TV station, an opportunity that could ultimately launch her dream career as a film editor. But heading back home would also mean dealing with her overprotective brothers, social-climbing mother, and eccentric grandmother. Unsure of her future, Lyra dives into work on her final school assignment: a documentary transformed by a twist of fate into a real-life horror film.
After she unwittingly captures a shocking crime on camera, a rash of mysterious, treacherous incidents convince Lyra that she's trapped in a sinister scenario headed for a violent ending. Running scared, she turns to her best friend, Sidney Buchanan, whose connections bring dauntless and devilishly handsome FBI agent Sam Kincaid into Lyra's life. As the noose of deadly intrigue tightens and the feelings between them deepen, Lyra and Sam must place their faith in each other's hands - and stand together against the malevolent forces about to break loose." (From Amazon)
Another great romantic suspense in the Buchanan-Renard series. I enjoyed Lyra and Sam!
"Lyra Prescott, a Los Angeles film student, is closing in on graduation and facing important decisions about her future. She's already been offered a job at her hometown TV station, an opportunity that could ultimately launch her dream career as a film editor. But heading back home would also mean dealing with her overprotective brothers, social-climbing mother, and eccentric grandmother. Unsure of her future, Lyra dives into work on her final school assignment: a documentary transformed by a twist of fate into a real-life horror film.
After she unwittingly captures a shocking crime on camera, a rash of mysterious, treacherous incidents convince Lyra that she's trapped in a sinister scenario headed for a violent ending. Running scared, she turns to her best friend, Sidney Buchanan, whose connections bring dauntless and devilishly handsome FBI agent Sam Kincaid into Lyra's life. As the noose of deadly intrigue tightens and the feelings between them deepen, Lyra and Sam must place their faith in each other's hands - and stand together against the malevolent forces about to break loose." (From Amazon)
Another great romantic suspense in the Buchanan-Renard series. I enjoyed Lyra and Sam!
booknookie's review against another edition
4.0
Click here to see my other reviews."So it is not a full pot in rating but still just what I needed."
Garwood has this nice way of writing which makes you feel warm and captivated by her books and this one was no exception. This time it is even a little funny. Not only does we follow the good guys, Lyra and Sam, but also some of the bad guys, and one of them is hilarious. He prides himself with being smarter than everyone else but in the end he keep taking those not so smart decisions which is resulting in some funny situations. It fit perfectly and I wanted more of it.
The plot is quite believable if not a little exaggerative and the relationship between Lyra and Sam feels a little forced. To much of that instant attraction and not enough off actual conversation between the main characters. And I would have loved to get more of Gigi and the whole tornado around her. She is one heck of a good character and I would totally read a book only about her. So it is not a full pot in rating but still just what I needed. Been having trouble with a reading slump lately that I'm trying to dig myself out off it.
This is the 8th book in the series and that Garwood still can keep me captivating I find it somewhat impressive. Specially since the books, I so far have read, are between 10 and 20 years old. But it still does not feel old fashioned.