Tag Archives: montlake

Review of The Surviving Girls

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The Surviving Girls (Hidden Sins Book 3) by [Robert, Katee]

 

The Surviving Girls

Katee Robert

Montlake Romance

May 29, 2018

A fierce survivor and a fearless FBI agent battle a copycat serial killer in a gripping thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert.

Twelve years ago, Lei Zhang and her friend Emma Nilsson miraculously lived through the notorious Sorority Row Murders that left twenty-one of their sisters dead. Still wrestling with the trauma but finally out of the limelight, Lei and Emma are now devoted to helping other victims find closure. But most disturbing for Lei—beyond the gut-wrenching survivor guilt—is that the killer was her boyfriend. He’s behind bars, but she’ll never lower her guard again.

When a copycat killer targets Lei and Emma, FBI Agent Dante Young is put in charge of anticipating the sociopath’s every move. But what he doesn’t expect is his immediate and overpowering attraction to Lei. The closer they get to each other, the more desperate and terrifying the questions become: Who wants to finish what the killer started—and why?

Now Agent Young vows to protect Lei at all costs. If they have any chance of a future together, first they have to stay alive…

SASCHA DARLINGTON’S REVIEW

I expected to like, and maybe even love, this book. Katee Robert does an excellent job of writing romances, and I thought that would carry over to the romantic suspense genre. It doesn’t.

The Surviving Girls reads as if it were written very quickly with little thought given to motivations, details, or plausibility. Characters are lost track of, behave improbably when facing their worst nightmare come true, and lack substance. I felt as if I were reading a novel in which the author decided: let’s throw this in to see what happens. We never find out the “whys” or “hows” of several key incidents. The repetition is frequently mind-numbing. Research/plotting seemed minimal.

The romance aspect is an unbelievable love-at-first-sight scenario in which the FBI agent, Dante Young, becomes a muddle due to his immediate and overwhelming attraction to a victim/suspect and Lei Zhang forgets that the reality she’s been fearing is occurring because she is so fascinated by Dante. This fits the TSTL category.

I would like to say that the last 4% in which something actually happens saves the novel, but it doesn’t. Unless you’re a die-hard Katee Robert fan, I’d give this one a pass.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

rating: 2-but

2 butterflies out of 5

 

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Review of Hot Asset

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Hot Asset

Lauren Layne

21 Wall Street Series

Montlake Romance

May 22, 2018

Blurb: A sexy agent hounds Wall Street’s hottest new wolf in an exhilarating novel from New York Timesbestselling author Lauren Layne.

Ian Bradley is the definition of a Wall Street hotshot: seven-figure salary, designer suits, and a corner office. His drive off the floor is just as potent. Every woman who knows him has felt the rush. But now he’s met his match in Lara McKenzie—a woman with the power to bring Ian to his knees.

An ambitious, whip-smart daughter of FBI agents, Lara is a rising star in fighting white-collar crime. Her latest case—the investigation of Ian Bradley for insider trading—could make her career. She knows a scoundrel when she sees one. Ian fits the bill: a cocky, ridiculously handsome bad boy with a slick swagger.

She’ll do anything to prove he’s guilty. He’ll do anything to prove he’s not. But it’s only a matter of time before their fierce battle of wits gets oh so hot and personal. Now, taking down Ian has become more than business for Lara. It’s become a pleasure—and there’s more at risk than she ever dreamed.

SASCHA DARLINGTON’S REVIEW

Despite being a prolific writer, the quality of Lauren Layne’s work hardly wavers. While I am late to the Layne bandwagon, having read only eight of her novels in the past two years, I am definitely a fan of her characters, who frequently ring true-to-life with appealing qualities, even the prickly ones.

I’ve never been keen for the Wall Street suit-world, but Layne has written Ian as a man who has risen from nothing, yet has not become a ruthless shark. He gives back, and he cares, a definitely nice combination in someone who makes a 7-digit salary.

Layne also isn’t afraid of writing female characters who are strong and driven. She knows how to gentle the edges so that they are likable, as is the case for Lara, a nerdy SEC agent who’s tasked with bringing down the perceived unscrupulous Ian Bradley.

Ian and Lara try to fight their mutual attraction because to do otherwise would jeopardize Lara’s job and her aspirations to become an FBI agent.

Like other Layne novels, Hot Asset is humorous, classy, and sexy with a hint of mystery as to who is framing Ian Bradley. A good read for the upcoming summer, and definitely an excellent introduction for her new series.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
 Hot Asset goes on sale May 22; Buy or pre-order from Amazon: Hot Asset.

rating: 4-butterflies

4 butterflies out of 5 butterflies

Review of The Last Move

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The Last Move

Mary Burton

Montlake Romance

May 19, 2017

Blurb:

In this gripping stand-alone from bestselling author Mary Burton, an FBI agent must catch a copycat killer. The only difference this time: she’s the final victim. Continue reading →