Last week was also difficult for me because if you are a frequent reader of this blog than you know that I loved William Neale's books and considered him to be a friend. William passed away last week and I am still kind of reeling from the news. I had the great pleasure to meet William at AAD last year after corresponding with him for several months before that, he was one on the most genuine, caring people I have every met. He was always a big supporter of our blog and all of the bloggers here and we will all miss him terribly. The romance genre has lost a beautiful voice and we will be paying tribute to his works the week of May 17th during the Hop Against Homophobia. His partner Marty and his family are in our thoughts and prayers.
I started this weeks book on St. Patricks day because what better way to show some love for the Irish than curled up with Roarke!!! 33 books in and he is still the sexiest man in literature.
New York to Dallas - JD Robb
It was one of Eve Dallas's earliest takedowns, back in her uniform days. A monster named Isaac McQueen had been abducting young victims and leaving them scarred in both mind and body. Thanks to Eve, he wound up where he belonged, removed from civilized society in Rikers. But he's not behind bars anymore. After his escape, McQueen has two things in mind. One is to take up where he left off, preying on the young and innocent when necessary, with the help of a female partner all too willing to be manipulated and to aid and abet his crimes. His other goal: to get revenge on the woman who stopped him all those years ago, now a high-profile lieutenant in the NYPSD and married to one of the city's richest men.Commanding Eve's attention with a chilling and brazen crime, McQueen sets off the chase forcing Eve down a road marked with blood and tears, a road that eventually leads southwest to Dallas, Texas, the home Eve fled long ago. And each new twist brings her closer to the harrowing memory of when she wasn't a hardened detective but a vulnerable girl just like McQueen's innocent prey. As her husband, Roarke, tries to rescue her from the nightmares that claw at her mind, and her partner, Peabody, doggedly works to support her, Eve must confront and call upon the darkest parts of her own soul in order to survive.
This was a quick, fast paced, thrilling story. Which if you are a long time reader of the series you come to expect and I was not disappointed with this Eve and Roarke adventure.
Robb’s characters are strong, clever, intense and quirky. The action is descriptive and exciting while the intimate scenes are hot. The pieces are familiar; horrific crimes, a demented, brilliant criminal, Eve’s dedication, Roarke being all hot and helpful and a climatic finale. And even though I know exactly what to expect when I pick up the book, the character's never fail to completely engage me and keep me hooked until the very end.
You expect some predictability in a series that is 33 books in and that I would begin to wane in my reading enjoyment, but I love to revisit these people who have created a family and in their own dysfunctional way make it work. I look at these books as a sort of homecoming. So I will keep on reading and keep falling in love with the way that Eve and Roarke love each other.
RATING: 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
While I am not sure that Roarke is THE sexiest man in literature, I will concede him a top Ten slot....I do love Eve and Roarke - they are such a perfectly mismatched pair! I didn't realize that we were up to 33 however - that is a rather intimidating number to catch up to! (I think I am on 5 or 6?)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the loss of William Neale - Marty, his loved ones and his MLR family are so in our thoughts.