capsandclauses's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
shai3d's review against another edition
4.0
Another winner in the Paradise Idaho series from Ms. James. TURN ME LOOSE is the third book in this series and it does a great job of not only furthering the story arc but standing on its own. I loved the opportunity of catching back up with the characters that I met in the first book but didn't feel that I had to read the second book first.
One of my favorite part of TURN ME LOOSE is the fact that Rochelle isn't wet behind the ears. She has been divorced, has a good job and stands on her own two feet. That doesn't mean that she doesn't want to find Mr. Perfect but he isn't needed to make her life complete. Her biggest issue is trusting that things will work out as they didn't with her first husband.
Travis had met a gorgeous woman right before his life fell apart and he lost her number. Accepting a temporary position in Paradise, he was very pleasantly surprised to find Rochelle again. Convincing her to accept him since he just disappeared last time is another story.
Another character that has an important role in this story is Rochelle's youngest sister Stacy who is living with Ro after she overdoses at a party. She definitely adds a bit of teenage melodrama to the story which helps lighten the tension that everyone is feeling when a murdered teenager is discovered.
I do recommend this book and this series to anyone who enjoys their romance with a touch of suspense added in. There are some sex scenes but nothing over explicit. I will definitely be keeping my eyes out for the next book in this series.
*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.
One of my favorite part of TURN ME LOOSE is the fact that Rochelle isn't wet behind the ears. She has been divorced, has a good job and stands on her own two feet. That doesn't mean that she doesn't want to find Mr. Perfect but he isn't needed to make her life complete. Her biggest issue is trusting that things will work out as they didn't with her first husband.
Travis had met a gorgeous woman right before his life fell apart and he lost her number. Accepting a temporary position in Paradise, he was very pleasantly surprised to find Rochelle again. Convincing her to accept him since he just disappeared last time is another story.
Another character that has an important role in this story is Rochelle's youngest sister Stacy who is living with Ro after she overdoses at a party. She definitely adds a bit of teenage melodrama to the story which helps lighten the tension that everyone is feeling when a murdered teenager is discovered.
I do recommend this book and this series to anyone who enjoys their romance with a touch of suspense added in. There are some sex scenes but nothing over explicit. I will definitely be keeping my eyes out for the next book in this series.
*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.
goliathfrog's review against another edition
2.0
My main problem with this one is that the couple is pretty much unrelated to the suspense plot of this story. There are some loose connections, but it’s pretty flimsy. It makes me not care at all about the suspense plot, and only feel somewhat invested in their relationship. The first two books involved the h being a target in some way of the criminal, in this case not so much. I also didn’t care about Stacy at all and thought she was an incredibly selfish brat. She acts 16 and nowhere near her supposed 21 years of age. She needed to be slapped several times and it feels like that’s wrong to say because it would be child abuse but then I remember she’s not a child she’s supposedly an adult. Eh. First two books were way better.
I am also really not into the fact that the villains die at the end of each of these books. I feel like it’s such an easy way out of the story.
I am also really not into the fact that the villains die at the end of each of these books. I feel like it’s such an easy way out of the story.
fredbooklover's review against another edition
4.0
Rosalind James is definitely an author that I am enjoying. It was a no brainer to choose her new book to review and I was excited to do so. Last year, I was hooked on her Kincaid sibling trilogy, so I crossed my finger hoping to have that much fun reading Turn me Loose. I bought the first 2 books in the Paradise, Idaho series but I haven’t got to read them yet (so many books on my waiting list!!!!!). Luckily for me, Turn Me Loose is a standalone novel and I really enjoyed it.
To those who are looking for a fast pace romantic suspense, you might be disappointed. Rosalind James is taking her time to build up the story until it reaches its climax. That is one of the strengths of this book. It is not an easy task for an author to build a slow pace suspense and keep the reader attention. The author talent is showing throughout the entire book. What struck me the most is the way that the author is describing the areas, the flowers, the city, and so on. My imagination was taking me directly to these locations and I could almost smell the flowers or feel the heat.
Throughout the story, we are navigating between different characters point of views. Most of the time it is shifting between Rochelle and Travis, but we also have the chance to get a glimpse into the world of the villain. That alone is bringing a very interesting dimension to the story.
Rochelle knows what she wants. Therefore, you better get out of the way when her mind is set on something. She is divorced and had been hurt by men in her life. She has self-doubts and some self-esteem issue when it gets to dating someone. Most of her life she was cast as the girl that you are having fun with but that is not wife material. She longs to have a long term relationship with someone willing to settle down and have children. She is living with her younger sister, Stacy, and is very protective of her. When Rochelle realized that Travis would be working in the same College as she does, her world is turned upside down.
Travis decided to take a job to teach computer science in Paradise, Idaho College. A couple of months ago, he met Rochelle in a bar in Spokane but never called her back. He was hoping to see her again and make amends. It proved to be harder that he initially thought. Trust is not an easy thing to gain and now he must prove Rochelle that he is worthy of it. Travis is not a typical computer geek, he can also be an alpha male. Growing on a farm he has that sensibility toward the earth and the plants. It is funny to see him work hard to seduce Rochelle. The most entertaining part of it is that she gives him a run for his money.
Stacy is a minor character that is essential to the story. At first, I was annoyed by this character. I was afraid that she would be boring and without any debt. I was wrong. Stacy gave a wonderful depth to the story. She is the main reason that Rosalind James was able to bring awareness to the prescribed drugs addiction issue that is exploding worldwide. The story deals with Stacy addiction, how it can affect the life of those the closer to us and it is showing how important it is to have a family to support someone that goes through that situation.
In this book, Rosalind James was able to get her message across. I always love when an author is using her work to create awareness and is doing it without sounding moralistic. It is a really good book, I’ll read book 1 and 2 soon and I recommend this one!
* I was gifted this book by Jeep Diva in exchange of a honest review.
To those who are looking for a fast pace romantic suspense, you might be disappointed. Rosalind James is taking her time to build up the story until it reaches its climax. That is one of the strengths of this book. It is not an easy task for an author to build a slow pace suspense and keep the reader attention. The author talent is showing throughout the entire book. What struck me the most is the way that the author is describing the areas, the flowers, the city, and so on. My imagination was taking me directly to these locations and I could almost smell the flowers or feel the heat.
Throughout the story, we are navigating between different characters point of views. Most of the time it is shifting between Rochelle and Travis, but we also have the chance to get a glimpse into the world of the villain. That alone is bringing a very interesting dimension to the story.
Rochelle knows what she wants. Therefore, you better get out of the way when her mind is set on something. She is divorced and had been hurt by men in her life. She has self-doubts and some self-esteem issue when it gets to dating someone. Most of her life she was cast as the girl that you are having fun with but that is not wife material. She longs to have a long term relationship with someone willing to settle down and have children. She is living with her younger sister, Stacy, and is very protective of her. When Rochelle realized that Travis would be working in the same College as she does, her world is turned upside down.
Travis decided to take a job to teach computer science in Paradise, Idaho College. A couple of months ago, he met Rochelle in a bar in Spokane but never called her back. He was hoping to see her again and make amends. It proved to be harder that he initially thought. Trust is not an easy thing to gain and now he must prove Rochelle that he is worthy of it. Travis is not a typical computer geek, he can also be an alpha male. Growing on a farm he has that sensibility toward the earth and the plants. It is funny to see him work hard to seduce Rochelle. The most entertaining part of it is that she gives him a run for his money.
Stacy is a minor character that is essential to the story. At first, I was annoyed by this character. I was afraid that she would be boring and without any debt. I was wrong. Stacy gave a wonderful depth to the story. She is the main reason that Rosalind James was able to bring awareness to the prescribed drugs addiction issue that is exploding worldwide. The story deals with Stacy addiction, how it can affect the life of those the closer to us and it is showing how important it is to have a family to support someone that goes through that situation.
In this book, Rosalind James was able to get her message across. I always love when an author is using her work to create awareness and is doing it without sounding moralistic. It is a really good book, I’ll read book 1 and 2 soon and I recommend this one!
* I was gifted this book by Jeep Diva in exchange of a honest review.
allenfarm's review against another edition
4.0
Turn me Loose is the third in a series by Rosalind James, although it is a stand-alone story without a cliffhanger. In this book, we meet Rochelle, who also appeared in books 1 and 2 of the series. Rochelle is a hard-working 30-ish woman who has struggled and succeeded in making a good life for herself. She loves to help people, having helped women in books 1 & 2, and now she is trying to help her college age sister, Stacey. Rochelle gets a shock when Travis, a one-night stand from 9 months earlier, appears in her life after promising to call and then disappearing.
Turn Me Loose has two different stories happening simultaneously. There’s the romance between Rochelle and Travis, and then there is the murder of a young pregnant woman in the community. The author does a fantastic job of weaving the two story lines together and tying everything in with Rochelle's commitment to her family.
Rochelle is a fantastic example of someone who battles the social stereotypes to carve out the life she wants. Life hasn't always been easy, but she is making progress to get where she wants to be. To that end, I love that she made Travis earn a second chance. It was fun watching Travis woo Rochelle and make the effort to romance her the right way.
Turn Me Loose is a well written story with great characters and a good balance between romance and suspense so that both story lines are evenly represented. The suspense keeps you guessing right to the very end. This is the third book to the Paradise franchise and they get better the more of them there are. While the third in the series, it is a stand along book without a cliff hanger, and can be read without having read the other two. Ms. James is a well-written author, and I haven’t read a book by her yet that I didn’t end up loving in the end.
Turn Me Loose has two different stories happening simultaneously. There’s the romance between Rochelle and Travis, and then there is the murder of a young pregnant woman in the community. The author does a fantastic job of weaving the two story lines together and tying everything in with Rochelle's commitment to her family.
Rochelle is a fantastic example of someone who battles the social stereotypes to carve out the life she wants. Life hasn't always been easy, but she is making progress to get where she wants to be. To that end, I love that she made Travis earn a second chance. It was fun watching Travis woo Rochelle and make the effort to romance her the right way.
Turn Me Loose is a well written story with great characters and a good balance between romance and suspense so that both story lines are evenly represented. The suspense keeps you guessing right to the very end. This is the third book to the Paradise franchise and they get better the more of them there are. While the third in the series, it is a stand along book without a cliff hanger, and can be read without having read the other two. Ms. James is a well-written author, and I haven’t read a book by her yet that I didn’t end up loving in the end.
petra_reads's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyed books 1 and 2 of this series more. Heavy on the romance, very light on the suspense. Disappointed that there was a change of audiobook narrator. 3.5 stars
sreese's review against another edition
4.0
I had preordered this book after reading the second in the series, but it was a bit slower and a little predictable for a Rosalind James book. However, still miles better than most cliché romances!
triniredreading's review
3.0
Definitely my least favorite of the series. I mostly enjoyed but rolled my eyes at the “climatic” scene. I this it was a “too stupid to live” kind of choice that no reasonably intelligent woman would make and was written purely for the sake of the plot. Not a fan of that device.