Tracy SolheimCritiques
Auteur de Game On
Critiques
Rating: ★★★★✬ (4.5/5 Stars)
Title: Shot in the Dark
Author(s): Tracy Solheim
Character(s):
― Josslyn Benoit: 28 years old, Black, Gray Eyed
― Adam Lockett: Black, Green Eyed
Setting: Washington, D.C
Tag(s): Romance, Contemporary
Content Rating: R
POV: Third Person
Smexy Level: Hot
Favorite Quote(s):
― “He was damaged goods with a black hole where his heart should be.”
Overall Opinion:
When a tribal militia hunter shoots at her teammates during a wildlife conservationist group mission, resulting in one of her team members getting shot, the zoologist Josslyn Benoit calls in a favor from her older half-sister, the First Lady of the United States. Returning back home to American soil, she is held under the protection of Adam Lockett, commander of the Secret Service’s elite team of snipers who is forced to work on a boring protective detail after a major head injury. The She-Devil, the name he deem fit best for her, is hell-bent on ditching her detail every opportunity she gets leaving the sniper on the tips of his toes and he plans on being one step a head of her.
Their witty banter had me laughing out loud and you can definitely sense there is a connection the first moment they meet, even years prior during a military rescue mission in the middle of the ocean. Unable to forget the kiss from once upon ago, they are unable to denied nor their overpowering attraction and emotions flared up. This suspenseful action-packed romance series was filled with great characters struggling with past and present issues, well written and thought-provoking content and a perfectly blend set of characters that brought the entire story together. Furthermore, like many other greatly written suspense romance novels, the romance built-up and wasn't rushed despite the hard-hitting chemistry. "Shot in the Dark" was a perfectly blend mix of compelling romance, action-packed suspense, humor, and a kick-ass heroine.
Being my first Tracy Solheim novel read, needless to say, it won't be my last and I am looking forward to reading the "The Men of the Secret Service" followup series. If my 4.5 star rating is any indication, "Shot in the Dark" is highly recommendation.
When she'd told Carly that she and Owen were staying there, the relief in her friend's voice had been palpable. Worse, her friend hadn't brooked any argument.
What she meant to say was Worse her friend hadn't offered any argument. Two entirely different things. Brooked is a synonym for tolerated. So if her friend hadn't tolerated any argument then Carly wouldn't have been relieved that the heroine, Julianne, was staying somewhere else. The other occurrence was misused in the same way to indicate that the person had not argued rather than that they had not allowed any argument to sway them.
Another weird misuse of English is when Will thinks that Julianne's brother is saying that Will was not good enough for Julianne. But in fact that is not what this sentence actually says.
Will tried not to cringe. Apparently, even the duplicitous sister of a con-man senator wasn't good enough for a boy from the Seaside Vista Trailer Park.
What this sentence actually says is that she is not good enough for him. All through this book we've been told about the chip on Will's shoulder about his background and how he thinks everyone looks down on him. So I know that's what the author meant, but that's not what she said.
I don't mind the occasional typo but actual misuse of English does not get a pass from me.
So leaving aside these irritating issues, how was the book? Pretty decent and readable. Some good images of the hero's relationship with the baby. He was very young but wasn't just one of those plot device babies that sleep all the time so the hero and heroine can get it on. Some of the stuff on the football crime was interesting and well thought out. There was quite a bit of lack of communication that seemed a bit ridiculous. And did anyone else find the whole she called out another man's name during sex kind of OTT? I would have understood if she and Nicky had been lovers but as it was it seemed just something to keep them apart. The end had a bit of a deus ex machina feel to it. But all in all I enjoyed it and might try others in the series.
At first, I really didn’t like either of them; he was a manchild and she was seriously uptight. Their progression warmed me to them and it wasn’t long before I was rooting for them to succeed. The evil blogger is such a great plot device. I eagerly soaked up her vile gossip, while simultaneously wanting to sit on her and pull her hair until she cries (if it is even a she). I will admit I did eventually hit on the identity of the mole, but the several red-herrings throughout led me astray each time. So frustrating and fun. Great Story. Yeah, I will be reading the rest of the series.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
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I'm not saying I didn't like the relationship between Griffin and Marin but I wasn't completely satisfied with how it played out.
I loved the friendship between Griffin, Adam and Ben - I may even like them better than Griffin so I'm hoping they'll be featured in future books!
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is chock full of thrills, conspiracy and yes a lot of steamy romance. And it also address a very grave issue out there IRL, wildlife preservation. So settle in an action packed adventure with the Men of the Secret Service.
Advance Review Copy provided by #NetGalley for voluntary review consideration.
Laurel Keenan had dreams of her own, but an unplanned pregnancy threw a spanner in the works. Now she is following a career that is a smart choice but not who she is or what she needs. She's had a bad enough experience with her son's adrenaline junkie father. She cannot give her heart to someone who loves the thrill of danger more than he loves her.
But neither is prepared for the intense heat of their feelings for each other. So now they must decide if they want to fan the flames of love or put it out once and for all.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
This is kind of a typical book. Man comes to town to find solitude. Female is an unsuspecting local. You get the gist. They meet. They are attracted to one another, but fight it, a little. Female wants to save man.
If you are looking for a romantic, quick read, this is one for you.
Firefighters of Montana #1
Smolder indeed! Great book! I enjoyed it from beginning to end and recommend it to those looking for a fun way to spend a few hours in Montana.
After looking online I found that five authors have worked together to create this series of books that deal with sizzling hot men who work as smokejumpers but also as search and rescue patrol and live in a base camp on forest service land in Montana. Each of the potential men and women who will star in their own romance novels is introduced in this first book and I have to say I am intrigued by more than one of the characters and eager to read their stories if they are even half as good as this one!
So, in this book…Captain Sam Gaskill has been hired to be in charge of the team of firefighters and has recently moved to town. He has brought his deceased wife’s horse to be stabled and trained at the Keenan ranch. He meets Laurel Keenan and her son Tyler almost immediately and there is a strong pull between the two of them. With both being rather impulsive it doesn’t take much time for them to heat up the sheets BUT with both also being leery of commitment there are some things for the two of them to work through if they are to have a HEA.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tule Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4 Stars
Laurel Keenan had dreams of her own, but an unplanned pregnancy threw a spanner in the works. Now she is following a career that is a smart choice but not who she is or what she needs. She's had a bad enough experience with her son's adrenaline junkie father. She cannot give her heart to someone who loves the thrill of danger more than he loves her.
But neither is prepared for the intense heat of their feelings for each other. So now they must decide if they want to fan the flames of love or put it out once and for all.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
This is kind of a typical book. Man comes to town to find solitude. Female is an unsuspecting local. You get the gist. They meet. They are attracted to one another, but fight it, a little. Female wants to save man.
If you are looking for a romantic, quick read, this is one for you.
Narrator: Mr. Constant has an annoying voice for women characters, and is not consistent with characters' voice pitch/tone/accent throughout the book. Sometimes I heard english accents, sometimes northeast USA accents, but rarely southern accents, which was an oversight as the heroine grew up in Dallas, Texas. He is marginally better at infusing emotion into his reading. If I could rate the narrators performance, he would receive: 1 star.
**I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
** Thanks so much to netgalley for an e-copy of this book in return for an honest review.
It doesn't seem the NFL star Brody Janik and PHD candidate Shay Everett would have much in common. He's a golden boy from a privileged background leading what seems to be a charmed life. Shay is from a much more difficult background filled with financial worries, a father with a traumatic brain injury, and a grandmother who didn't waste one chance to put her down.
But Shay is very bright. At age twenty-four, she is going for her doctorate in nutrition and interning with Brody's football team. She overhears a conversation between Brody and his trainer that tells her that Brody is having blood sugar problems and that he is keeping them from the team. An accidental comment from Shay lets Brody know that she overheard the conversation prompting Brody to blackmail her to make her keep his secret.
Since there is a blogger exposing all sorts of secrets of NFL players, Brody is certain that Shay will pass the information on despite Shay's assurances that she will not. The lack of trust between them doesn't bode well for a romance. However, they get to know each other better as Brody has Shay preparing his meals to help keep his blood sugar in balance. Shay is okay with this because she can use the data for her PHD thesis. They are mutually using each other and pretending to have a relationship.
Watching the relationship go from pretend to love made for a very engaging story. Fans of sports romances won't want to miss this one.
This one night stand will have life-changing consequences for both of them. These two people don't know each other but Julianne's guilt at keeping her son from his father and Will's need to make things right has them marrying with every intention of it being a temporary situation.
While they don't know each other, and Will certainly doesn't trust Julianne, the chemistry between them is evident to the people around them. And there is a strong cast of people around them. Will's mother has a strong role in the book as does Will's general manager. Julianne also has her friends Carly and Nick and her business manager Sebastian to support her. Julianne's brother the Senator also has a role in the story which adds tons of complications.
Besides the romance part of the story, Will is also dealing with accusations of collecting bounties for hitting players too hard. The coach he idolized and who got him out of his poverty-stricken background and into Yale is right in the middle of it. Will is determined to be loyal to that coach despite what it could do to his career. Julianne's brother is chairing the Senate investigation into these activities by calling them racketeering.
I enjoyed the intensity of this romance and am eager to seek out other books in the series.
Quick & Dirty: Football player plus wedding designer equals a one night stand resulting in a child that needs Dad’s help to get better.
Opening Sentence: Paternity.
The Review:
There are a couple of things that have followed me around the world and back again. One of them is reading, which is how I ended up writing this review, and the other is my love for football. One of the things my Dad and I would do after Sunday lunch had been cleaned up was to sit and watch the National Football League. Those times still reside in my memory and continue to this day even when my father and I are half a world away, but the love for football remains strong. This book reminds me of those good feelings and joyful Sunday afternoons as we shouted at the referee for bad calls. I wondered what happened to the men once the game was over and the television crews went home. What sort of lives did my football heroes deal with on a day to day basis. This story is a fictionalized version of what some of them may experience and it lived up to my every expectation.
Will “William the Conqueror” Connelly is blindsided with the discovery that he may have fathered a child with a woman, Julianne Marchione, when he met her at a friend’s wedding. If that shock wasn’t big enough then the only reason he is being contacted now is because his “son” has a life-threatening blood disorder that requires that Will provide a blood transfusion because Julianne isn’t a match.
Meanwhile, Julianne has been struggling with an unexpected pregnancy then a very sick child, and her creative muse has disappeared and taken all her ability to create one of a kind bridal gowns with it. Not to mention she just wants to take her son and raise him by herself and not bother Will, but has no choice but to contact him and pray that he will help their son.
This story had me from the beginning. Initially, I thought I may get this book started today and then take a break and finish it tomorrow, but there was no way that Will and Julianne were letting me go until their story had a happily-ever-after. When a story has the ability to grasp a reader’s time, energy and good intention, then the author has written a stellar work. This book had all that and so much more. In fact, there was a minor emergency at my home, but I didn’t even know it had happened until the last word was read and I returned to the real world. (In case you are wondering, no one was harmed — just a small little incident.)
The woman characters in this novel were awesome and strong. There is always a need for woman who aren’t afraid to take charge when necessary and then be able to be approachable and sexy. Meanwhile, the only man that irritated me was Julianne’s brother, Stephen, but he may even have redeeming qualities in the end.
Foolish Games is a book that could easily have been a stand alone, but I’m thrilled that it isn’t. Don’t be afraid to dive into this book because it is just yummy, but be aware you might look up and your smoke alarm is going off. You have been duly warned.
So this is definitely a book that you need to pick up if you love a wonderful romance or love those guys in their football gear or better yet with the football gear on the floor. I believe you will truly enjoy this book and Ms. Solheim has obtained another fan. I wait for anticipation for Brody Janik’s story to be released in May.
Notable Scene:
He wasn’t sure who kissed who first, but when their lips met, something ignited within them both. She tasted of coffee and smelled of tropical flowers and he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. Their clothes melted away, giving Will’s hands and lips access to warm, soft skin. When he entered her that first time, she welcomed him, wrapping her legs around his hips and bringing him to near-perfect ecstasy.
The thunder and lightning were winding down the second time they made love, her fingers and mouth torturing his body before he found his release. The third time he took her, the storm had dissipated outside but continued to rage on between them as the electricity he’d felt in the hallway reached a fevered pitch. Will had never felt such an intense connection with any other woman.
Until she called out another man’s name while climaxing. And then the condom broke.
FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of Foolish Games. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Tabloids give us only a version of the truth. What happens when you get two infamous people together? Will love blossom or wither?
Opening Sentence: “Well, I’ll be doggone!”
The Review:
Let me preface this entire book review with “Purchase this book ASAP!” Tracy Solheim’s book resounds with sharp, witty dialogue and a plot that has many unexpected twists and turns while remaining so grounded that I got lost in the story.
Not many books can begin with “Well, I’ll be doggone!” and sound genuine but the author pulls this off with style and grace. The scope of accents, languages and locations was breath taking. This book navigates Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Baltimore, glimpses of Italy and Allegheny Mountains with such heartfelt emotions I believed I was there with the characters experiencing everything just as if I was there too. This is a gift that very few authors can achieve especially in a first book.
Shane Devlin aka Devil of the NFL is between Quarterback jobs in part because of his reputation and has gone to Mexico for a little R&R and to allow his agent to negotiate a new contract for him. Shane’s personality jumps off the page. We are gifted with a real look at his feelings, his motivations and even his anger at a father that left him to care for his dying mother when he was still a child himself.
While he has been trying to lay low he had been fascinated by a woman that appears to be a wedding designer’s assistant. How could anyone not notice this amazing woman especially when her ring tone chimed the theme to The Wizard of Oz. He had even attempted to buy her a drink but “Dorothy” didn’t seem to find him at all worthy of the effort.
However “Dorothy” aka Carly March is anything but a wedding designer’s assistant. In fact she is the assistant to the General Manager of the Baltimore Blaze, the team considering signing Shane. Her job had been to help management decide whether he had earned his nickname or if he was capable of good behavior. Carly is anything but impervious to Shane’s charisma but has been hurt by a professional athlete in Italy and has promised to stick to boring men like podiatrists and accountants. Shane is neither of those.
Once they return from Mexico, they attempt to keep their relationship professional but it all goes sideways when Carly is threatened by a journalist with an unhealthy obsession with Carly. This addition to the storyline was part of the reason that I was up until nearly midnight finishing this book.
The other reason for my late night was the addition of Troy, Shane’s half brother, that ends up in Shane’s care because his parents die in a plane crash. The emotions that are conveyed as Shane deals not just with the death of his father, whom he has despised for years, but having to come to terms with the importance of family and relationships is a huge reason you need to purchase this book on launch. One of my favorite things that Troy says is in this paragraph: “Don’t forget to feed the dog.” Troy yelled from the open passenger window. When he turned to face forward again, tears were streaming down his face. “Butthead.” It doesn’t get much more honest than that.
I have one itsy bitsy quibble about the last sequence of the book and I’m not going to spoil it, but it seemed a bit trite to have that happen there but you be the judge when you read the book. Let me know if you think I’m wrong.
As I began this review, this is a must buy but be prepared to be away for a number of hours, never getting up from your chair or hammock. This is a prime candidate for a TV movie.
Notable Scene:
“You jocks are all alike.” She fingered the chain around her neck. Shane took a slow break. The gesture was more erotic than her licking the ice of her glass. “You think any woman will be flattered by your attentions.”
“You could flatter me with a little of yours.”
His lines were bordering on pathetic, but at least she didn’t break out in hysterics. He thought he saw the beginnings of a real smile, but before she could say anything, the fashion designer and photographer returned to the table. The designer’s eyes went wide as she noticed him sitting there. The phtographer recognized Shane immediately.
“Hey, you two do know each…” Before he could finish his sentence, Dorothy grabbed Shane’s arm, yanking him up from the table.
“Let’s dance.” Her warm fingers manacled his wrist as she dragged him to the other side of the bar.
FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of Game On. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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Chances Inlet #4
Grumpy golfer versus protective teacher meet and fall in love in a small town that is known for providing second chances.
What I liked:
* Paige: teacher, daughter, raised by mother, estranged from her father, dealing with personal and professional issues, giving, caring, intelligent, good friend, insightful, trust issues, perfect with and for Tanner
* Tanner: professional golfer at top of his game, twin died in the past two years, surprised by Whitney on his doorstep, wealthy parents, checkered professional life, has trust issues, deeper than he first seems, perfect with and for Paige
* Whitney: 4-year-old, selectively mute, abandoned with Tanner by her mother, outgoing, graceful, has nightmares, sees Paige as a safe harbor, adds a lot to the story
* Sheriff Hollister: Paige’s father, married to Patricia McAlister, wants to get to know Paige better, ex-military, a man I’d want in my corner
* The McAlister family: previous three books starred various family members finding their HEA – did not read those stories but if I had, would have known the characters mentioned better, probably. Would love to join a family like theirs!
* Summer: Paige’s friend from Chicago, supportive, caring, kind
* Lou and Denise: owners of the children’s bookstore, committed loving couple
* That this was a story that drew me in, made me care, had characters I liked, and made me feel a part of the community – a community I would love to live in
* Wondering if Hayden and Elle will be up next in the series
What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to
* Thinking about how easily a reputation can be ruined
Thank you to NetGalley and Sun Home Productions for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars