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Buchanan-Renard #10
Sweet Talk
Attorney and IRS agent Olivia Mackenzie is the kind of tough, wise-cracking, powerful woman fans expect from a Garwood protagonist—but this time she has outdone herself. Olivia is not just any woman, she is every woman; flawed in the familiar ways so many of us are.
On the trail of an elaborate Ponzi scheme, one that threatens to ruin the lives of naïve and unsuspecting victims, Olivia suddenly finds her own life is in danger after she asks questions of the wrong people. She is accustomed to fighting for the underdog, but being vulnerable herself is a very different story. Smart enough to know when enough is enough, Olivia calls for reinforcements.
When she meets FBI Agent Grayson Kincaid there is an immediate and obvious attraction, palpable on both sides. Together they make an excellent team to fight corruption but Olivia is also fighting the immediate and intense attraction she feels for Agent Kincaid, and that may be a battle she is bound to lose.
On the trail of an elaborate Ponzi scheme, one that threatens to ruin the lives of naïve and unsuspecting victims, Olivia suddenly finds her own life is in danger after she asks questions of the wrong people. She is accustomed to fighting for the underdog, but being vulnerable herself is a very different story. Smart enough to know when enough is enough, Olivia calls for reinforcements.
When she meets FBI Agent Grayson Kincaid there is an immediate and obvious attraction, palpable on both sides. Together they make an excellent team to fight corruption but Olivia is also fighting the immediate and intense attraction she feels for Agent Kincaid, and that may be a battle she is bound to lose.
282 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2012
1391 people are currently reading
4403 people want to read
About the author
Julie Garwood
151 books12.5k followersWith more than 35 million books in print and 26 NEW YORK TIMES bestsellers, Julie Garwood has earned a position among America's favorite fiction writers.
Born and raised in Kansas City, MO, Ms. Garwood attributes much of her success to growing up in a large family of Irish heritage. "The Irish are great storytellers who relish getting all of the details and nuances of every situation. Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life, I learned that self expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick," says Ms. Garwood.
She began her writing career when the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young-adult books, she turned her talents to historical fiction. Her first novel, GENTLE WARRIOR, was published by Pocket Books in 1985. Since then, she has branched into other genres including contemporary romantic suspense. Today, her name appears regularly on the bestseller lists of every major publication in the country, and her books are translated into dozens of languages around the world. Her bestselling novel FOR THE ROSES was adapted for the HALLMARK HALL OF FAME television movie ROSE HILL.
Ms. Garwood lives in Leawood, KS and is currently working on her next novel.
Born and raised in Kansas City, MO, Ms. Garwood attributes much of her success to growing up in a large family of Irish heritage. "The Irish are great storytellers who relish getting all of the details and nuances of every situation. Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life, I learned that self expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick," says Ms. Garwood.
She began her writing career when the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young-adult books, she turned her talents to historical fiction. Her first novel, GENTLE WARRIOR, was published by Pocket Books in 1985. Since then, she has branched into other genres including contemporary romantic suspense. Today, her name appears regularly on the bestseller lists of every major publication in the country, and her books are translated into dozens of languages around the world. Her bestselling novel FOR THE ROSES was adapted for the HALLMARK HALL OF FAME television movie ROSE HILL.
Ms. Garwood lives in Leawood, KS and is currently working on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 853 reviews
September 26, 2012
I must preface this by saying that I love(d) Julie Garwood. She was my gateway to romance in middle school, and (almost) every single one of her historicals is on my keeper shelf-- in fact, I have both print and digital copies of them all and have lost count of how many times I have read them. I also have audiobook versions of all that are available. Ransom remains one of my favourite novels of all time, romance or otherwise. I also truly enjoyed her early forays into romantic contemporary suspense: Heartbreaker was a real page-turner I stayed up all night to finish because I simply could not put it down, and the last half-decent book JG wrote was Fire & Ice-- and then only because Sophie and Jack were such enjoyable characters. Somehow, some time between Fire & Ice and Shadow Music, it all went to hell. Gone were the trademark wit, the endearing characters, the sizzle and pizzazz of the writing, with flat prose, wooden characters, and the most formulaic plots taking their place. It's as if another person completely were writing JG's novels.
I'm disappointed to report that the same is true of her latest release, Sweet Talk. Much like her previous release, The Ideal Man, the protagonists are both incredibly perfect people who do incredibly perfect things and spend the entire novel pontificating about each other's incredibly perfect physiques and how they've wanted each other desperately from the second they laid eyes on each other. Yes, this is romance, but the premise of the novel is implausible, there is ZERO character development or romantic tension between the two leads (but they have great [for them, not us readers] sex! X_x), the plot is nonexistent (suspense? what suspense? NOTHING HAPPENS!!), and the 'villains' are really paper-thin caricatures that make it feel like a poorly-scripted soap opera. The prologue does absolutely nothing to advance the story or even really give us insight into Olivia and her childhood struggle with a debilitating disease-- it's nothing but useless fodder for future books involving the rest of the Pips. And God, the writing and dialogue-- both are stilted and full of useless filler (the complete opposite of 'show, don't tell') and absolutely devoid of JG's trademark humour and wit. I found myself cringing repeatedly as I read. Our hero Grayson comes across as a caricature of the assertive alpha with a sensitive side who should really be taking mood stabilisers to stop giving the heroine (and consequently us as readers) whiplash from his constant behavioural waffling, and Olivia comes across as a complete idiot despite being an accomplished barrister for the IRS. I was sorely tempted to slap them both upside the head. Repeatedly.
The best I can say about Sweet Talk is that it was short, so my refusal to put down a book unfinished didn't keep me away from more enjoyable reads for long. Also that I got it from the library; I would not pay to read this book, and in fact haven't done so since the letdown that was Shadow Music. Julie Garwood has been off my auto-buy list for years and will remain so after this. In fact, I may pass on her next release (even from the library) altogether.
If JG truly is writing these books, she should re-read Ransom or Heartbreaker to see how it's done; if they're being ghostwritten by someone attempting to imitate her style (and failing), she should take over once again. Regardless, her fans deserve better than the drivel she has put out with her last few releases.
I'm disappointed to report that the same is true of her latest release, Sweet Talk. Much like her previous release, The Ideal Man, the protagonists are both incredibly perfect people who do incredibly perfect things and spend the entire novel pontificating about each other's incredibly perfect physiques and how they've wanted each other desperately from the second they laid eyes on each other. Yes, this is romance, but the premise of the novel is implausible, there is ZERO character development or romantic tension between the two leads (but they have great [for them, not us readers] sex! X_x), the plot is nonexistent (suspense? what suspense? NOTHING HAPPENS!!), and the 'villains' are really paper-thin caricatures that make it feel like a poorly-scripted soap opera. The prologue does absolutely nothing to advance the story or even really give us insight into Olivia and her childhood struggle with a debilitating disease-- it's nothing but useless fodder for future books involving the rest of the Pips. And God, the writing and dialogue-- both are stilted and full of useless filler (the complete opposite of 'show, don't tell') and absolutely devoid of JG's trademark humour and wit. I found myself cringing repeatedly as I read. Our hero Grayson comes across as a caricature of the assertive alpha with a sensitive side who should really be taking mood stabilisers to stop giving the heroine (and consequently us as readers) whiplash from his constant behavioural waffling, and Olivia comes across as a complete idiot despite being an accomplished barrister for the IRS. I was sorely tempted to slap them both upside the head. Repeatedly.
The best I can say about Sweet Talk is that it was short, so my refusal to put down a book unfinished didn't keep me away from more enjoyable reads for long. Also that I got it from the library; I would not pay to read this book, and in fact haven't done so since the letdown that was Shadow Music. Julie Garwood has been off my auto-buy list for years and will remain so after this. In fact, I may pass on her next release (even from the library) altogether.
If JG truly is writing these books, she should re-read Ransom or Heartbreaker to see how it's done; if they're being ghostwritten by someone attempting to imitate her style (and failing), she should take over once again. Regardless, her fans deserve better than the drivel she has put out with her last few releases.
November 1, 2023
While at a job interview, Olivia MacKenzie lands in the middle of an FBI sting operation. This is where she meets FBI Agent Grayson Kincaid who is instantly smitten with her. Olivia doesn't plan to get involved with Grayson. She is busy trying to bring down her father who is stealing millions from unsuspecting investors. She was also sick as a child; and believes her illness will someday come back and kill her. Olivia doesn't want Grayson to suffer if she gets sick again. She is willing to give him up so he does not suffer in the future.
This is Julie Garwood's tenth romantic suspense story. I enjoyed the mystery portion of the story. Someone wants Olivia dead and Grayson is determined to keep her safe. There were several suspects, including some of Olivia's family, who may want her dead. I enjoyed guessing who was behind the attempt on Olivia's life. The romance portion of the story didn't work for me. Grayson seems determined to start a relationship with Olivia, then he wouldn't call her for several days...sometimes weeks. What drove me nuts was the fact that Olivia put up with it and didn't call him on it. I also didn't like that Olivia was willing to give up Grayson for his own good. She didn't want to marry him, only to suddenly die and leave him a widower. I hate that trope and thought authors were no longer using it.
Overall, I loved the mystery/suspense, but the romance fell flat for me. My rating: 4 Stars.
This is Julie Garwood's tenth romantic suspense story. I enjoyed the mystery portion of the story. Someone wants Olivia dead and Grayson is determined to keep her safe. There were several suspects, including some of Olivia's family, who may want her dead. I enjoyed guessing who was behind the attempt on Olivia's life. The romance portion of the story didn't work for me. Grayson seems determined to start a relationship with Olivia, then he wouldn't call her for several days...sometimes weeks. What drove me nuts was the fact that Olivia put up with it and didn't call him on it. I also didn't like that Olivia was willing to give up Grayson for his own good. She didn't want to marry him, only to suddenly die and leave him a widower. I hate that trope and thought authors were no longer using it.
Overall, I loved the mystery/suspense, but the romance fell flat for me. My rating: 4 Stars.
July 17, 2012
Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Read: 7/1/2012
Heat Factor: 3.5/5 – Sensual with love scenes
My Rating: 3.8/5
Expected Release Date: 8/7/2012
When FBI agent Grayson Kincaid first encounters Olivia MacKenzie, she makes quite an impression. Along with the events leading up to their first introduction, she’s startlingly beautiful and he struggled with his desire to keep staring at her.
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Read: 7/1/2012
Heat Factor: 3.5/5 – Sensual with love scenes
My Rating: 3.8/5
Expected Release Date: 8/7/2012
When FBI agent Grayson Kincaid first encounters Olivia MacKenzie, she makes quite an impression. Along with the events leading up to their first introduction, she’s startlingly beautiful and he struggled with his desire to keep staring at her.
Upon first meeting Olivia MacKenzie she made quite an impression with me too and it had nothing to do with her incredible beauty. The book opens with a Prelude giving us a glimpse into her life as a young child along with three other “Pips” who through the hardships they are facing together have formed a deep and binding friendship, the kind that you know will last forever. These four girls are each facing a major illness that could end their short life at any time. One of the games they played, “If-I-Get-To-Grow-Up” pulled on my heartstrings! And right there in the prelude, Ms. Garwood’s brilliant writing skills came shining through!Olivia is the kind of heroine I enjoy reading. She’s smart, courageous and ingenious! And by the time I’d finished the opening sentences in the first chapter I was already liking and admiring her!She’s now all grown up and an attorney working for the IRS. Thinking her current employment may be in jeopardy, she’s on a job interview when things get completely out of hand. And I must say this is possibly the Worst job interview ever! In the midst of the turmoil she inadvertently foils a major FBI sting where she meets the very handsome and sexy FBI agent Grayson Kincaid. And oh yes, there is that chemistry between these two!I immediately liked Grayson and as the story unfolds I could only admire him more. Tall and gorgeous he’s a man who is willing to sacrifice his comfort and life style to ensure his nephew has a home. As his and Olivia’s association develops he soon realizes she is determined not to commit to any long term relationship. And one of the things I loved about him most is his determination to not let her go! He completely understands her reasoning, he “gets” her and no matter how long it should take, he’s willing to stick it out until she surrenders. He’s self assured without being cocky and he fights hard to keep his emotions under control in his endeavor to keep her safe. I was drawn to his intense protectiveness of Olivia. And she certainly needed protection.She’s determined to stop a major Ponzi scheme regardless of how much pain this causes her personally. There are threats and attempts against her life but she doesn’t let these deter her as she searches for the proof needed. Olivia MacKenzie is a very determined young woman on a mission to right the wrongs that have been committed against innocent victims and to prevent its happening again. And there’s someone who’s willing to do whatever is necessary to stop her snooping, even if it means ending her life!There is depth to Olivia MacKenzie. Due to the events in her own childhood, her heart is children’s advocacy. At one point in the story it was refreshing and enjoyable to see her take down a school bully! We are introduced to her corrupted, selfish and estranged family along with a cast of bad guys that made me long for justice. Her aunt Emma became one of my heroes as I learned more about Olivia’s tragic childhood. And I so very much enjoyed the camaraderie between the Pips and the deep love each of these four women have for each other. I am hoping they’ll each get their own book and look forward to their story.I am such a big Julie Garwood fan and have devoured each and every one of her Historicals. They dazzle me! I find her romantic suspense novels to have a completely different feel and while this was a very good and worthwhile read, I did miss that element of awesomeness that I find in her HRs along with the magic that makes them keepers. Without a doubt she’s a very talented writer, giving us characters that are real and a story that is completely believable and one that flows beautifully. I look forward to reading more by one of my all-time favorite authors!
My sincerest thank you to netgalley and Penguin Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, it's been a pleasure.
February 17, 2020
Originally read: October 2013
3.5 - 4 Stars
Really enjoyed it but did didn't love it like the first few books in the series (the Buchanan Series). Definitely an enjoyable read.
October 2017 Reread and Review
Olivia MacKenzie is a strong willed and gutsy IRS agent, child advocate, and a survivor of childhood cancer along with her three BFF's dubbed "The Pips" by their beloved childhood oncologist.
FBI Agent Grayson Kincaid (cousin of Sam Kincaid from Sizzle) is another swoon worthy hero who comes to Olivia's aid when she inadvertently blows a sting operation that he's part of. Unbeknownst to Olivia, the "gentleman" she's lunching with is under investigation by the FBI. When her lunch companion becomes suspicious of her motives for meeting with him he attacks her.
Olivia being a IRS agent and child advocate has not made her very popular....throw in her own shady father, who she's trying to put in prison, all of which, have made her many enemies. When Olivia is gunned down and almost killed Grayson steps in to help keep her safe.
Grayson falls for Olivia hook, line, and sinker.....Now he just needs to convince Olivia they can have a future. Because of her childhood illness, she has decided that a life of domestic bliss is not in her future. Grayson, decides to totally ignore her and steamrolled all the walls she (attempted) to put up.
All in all, another great reread.
August 19, 2012
I thought this sounded good: a female attorney working with a male FBI agent to uncover a Ponzi scheme, written by “a New York Times best selling author.”
It turns out that the attorney is the incredibly unbelievably stunning Olivia MacKenzie, and the FBI agent is the incredibly unbelievably good-looking Grayson Kincaid. Both are (incredibly, unbelievably) single. Obviously they get together, as in he took possession of her. He is, need we qualify, strong yet gentle, viz.: “His skin was hot, and she could feel his strength, but it didn’t overwhelm her, for he was being so incredibly gentle, so loving.”
In addition, she spends some one-on-one time with “his arousal.” Okay, I have to admit, I have never heard that particular euphemism. (It makes me think of "His Highness" or "His Majesty.") But wait, there’s more! I started to think the author secretly works for a perfume company, even though she never names names. Grayson kept mentioned how turned-on he got by Olivia’s perfume:
"When he got a whiff of her perfume, he instantly reacted. Her scent had the power to drive him crazy. It was so damned sexy.”
Wow! I’ll have what she’s having!
Olivia has three best friends, who like Olivia, are likeable and have some nuance. None of the men do. Curious. Grayson is all perfection, his "arousal" and all! ....that is, unless you have objections to scenes like this, describing the climax, so to speak, of the attraction Olivia and Grayson have for one another:
"For Grayson, the primal need to touch her overrode caution. Her perfume blended with her natural scent, enticing him. [THERE WE GO WITH THE PERFUME AGAIN!] He stood in front of her, one hand on the small of her back, the other at her neck. He roughly twisted her hair around his fist, forced her head back, and growled, ‘Open your mouth for me,’ a scant second before his mouth covered hers.”
Okay, okay, that one had me ROTFL, pounding the couch, with the tears coming out of my eyes. I know, I know, it’s not funny. But OMG, I’m hoping I don’t need to rant (again) about the outrageousness of the eroticization of dominance/submissive behavior and how women are taught to associate arousal with male power displays. You've probably had enough of that lately from all the negative reviews of Fifty Shades of Gray and its offshoots. Thus I will refrain from going off on what we might call Fifty Shades of Grayson....
So I’ll just stick to other issues. Like the opening scene, for example, when the author has Eric Jorguson - the CEO of one of the largest investment firms in the country - a man, you would think, who knows how to behave in public - totally lose it in a restaurant – shouting and threatening to kill Olivia – yelling across the room to his bodyguard to “get her! Get her!” AFTER he ripped open her dress down the front and she responded by punching him in the nose.
Right…. [insert emoticon of dripping sarcasm]
Specifically, after the (well-deserved) nose punch, Jorguson "screams" at Olivia (but oddly, without any exclamation marks): "How dare you touch me. You’re going to be sorry. I know people who will hurt you.”
Yep! Sounds like CEO talk to me! But Olivia need never have feared anyway: who rescues her from Eric Jorguson? You guessed it: No, no! NOT Dudley Do-right! This is when Olivia meets Agent Grayson Kincaid, who was thinking: "Everything about her appealed to him. Whatever perfume she was wearing was a real turn on.”
GAAAAAH!
Evaluation: In the front of this book, a fly sheet notes that “Julie Garwood is the author of twenty-three consecutive New York Times bestsellers.” More than 36 million copies of her books are in print. As Grayson said after having sex the first time with Olivia, “Wow.”
Rating: 1.5/5
It turns out that the attorney is the incredibly unbelievably stunning Olivia MacKenzie, and the FBI agent is the incredibly unbelievably good-looking Grayson Kincaid. Both are (incredibly, unbelievably) single. Obviously they get together, as in he took possession of her. He is, need we qualify, strong yet gentle, viz.: “His skin was hot, and she could feel his strength, but it didn’t overwhelm her, for he was being so incredibly gentle, so loving.”
In addition, she spends some one-on-one time with “his arousal.” Okay, I have to admit, I have never heard that particular euphemism. (It makes me think of "His Highness" or "His Majesty.") But wait, there’s more! I started to think the author secretly works for a perfume company, even though she never names names. Grayson kept mentioned how turned-on he got by Olivia’s perfume:
"When he got a whiff of her perfume, he instantly reacted. Her scent had the power to drive him crazy. It was so damned sexy.”
Wow! I’ll have what she’s having!
Olivia has three best friends, who like Olivia, are likeable and have some nuance. None of the men do. Curious. Grayson is all perfection, his "arousal" and all! ....that is, unless you have objections to scenes like this, describing the climax, so to speak, of the attraction Olivia and Grayson have for one another:
"For Grayson, the primal need to touch her overrode caution. Her perfume blended with her natural scent, enticing him. [THERE WE GO WITH THE PERFUME AGAIN!] He stood in front of her, one hand on the small of her back, the other at her neck. He roughly twisted her hair around his fist, forced her head back, and growled, ‘Open your mouth for me,’ a scant second before his mouth covered hers.”
Okay, okay, that one had me ROTFL, pounding the couch, with the tears coming out of my eyes. I know, I know, it’s not funny. But OMG, I’m hoping I don’t need to rant (again) about the outrageousness of the eroticization of dominance/submissive behavior and how women are taught to associate arousal with male power displays. You've probably had enough of that lately from all the negative reviews of Fifty Shades of Gray and its offshoots. Thus I will refrain from going off on what we might call Fifty Shades of Grayson....
So I’ll just stick to other issues. Like the opening scene, for example, when the author has Eric Jorguson - the CEO of one of the largest investment firms in the country - a man, you would think, who knows how to behave in public - totally lose it in a restaurant – shouting and threatening to kill Olivia – yelling across the room to his bodyguard to “get her! Get her!” AFTER he ripped open her dress down the front and she responded by punching him in the nose.
Right…. [insert emoticon of dripping sarcasm]
Specifically, after the (well-deserved) nose punch, Jorguson "screams" at Olivia (but oddly, without any exclamation marks): "How dare you touch me. You’re going to be sorry. I know people who will hurt you.”
Yep! Sounds like CEO talk to me! But Olivia need never have feared anyway: who rescues her from Eric Jorguson? You guessed it: No, no! NOT Dudley Do-right! This is when Olivia meets Agent Grayson Kincaid, who was thinking: "Everything about her appealed to him. Whatever perfume she was wearing was a real turn on.”
GAAAAAH!
Evaluation: In the front of this book, a fly sheet notes that “Julie Garwood is the author of twenty-three consecutive New York Times bestsellers.” More than 36 million copies of her books are in print. As Grayson said after having sex the first time with Olivia, “Wow.”
Rating: 1.5/5
August 7, 2012
Notes: I was asked to read this by Penguin and received the ARC via Netgalley. A big thank you to both. To read an excerpt: Click on 'Read an Excerpt' button on top left hand side of screen at Penguin's Sweet Talk Page: http://bit.ly/M9FeXo
'Olivia MacKenzie was certain she would have been offered the job if she hadn't punched the boss during the interview. But knocking the man senseless turned out to be a real deal breaker.'
Many people claim to have had the worst job interview ever, but no one can hold a candle to Olivia MacKenzie's claim. While interviewing for a position as an attorney for an investment firm she asked the wrong question at the wrong time which lead to the owner ripping her top in search of a nonexistent wire. If that wasn't bad enough, he sent his body guard on her and made death threats. Luckily, the FBI who had been investigating the man, was close at hand or she'd probably have ended up with worse than being backhanded in the face. While at first, the whole incident seemed to be an event that would be written off as an unlucky quirk of fate, it turned out to have one good thing come out of it, Olivia met Agent Grayson Kincaid, a man who reminds Olivia of Bruce Wayne. He's now assigned to protect her in case that death threat becomes something more than a threat.
_________________________
I just adored this book. While you can't always judge a book by the cover, this one you can. I didn't realize how much I missed the view of a man in a suit till I saw this cover. I swear the testosterone just oozed from the pages every time Gayson made an appearance and an earthy, clean male scent seemed to waft from the pages. *sigh*
Agent Grayson Kincaid is not your typical agent. He loves what he does or he wouldn't do it. He's actually quite wealthy and could do whatever he wanted or nothing at all. He finds his position with the FBI challenging. Perhaps that's what he also finds attractive in Olivia as well. It was fun to see him try to convince her to give their relationship a chance. Plus, the initial struggle he had to try to resist his feelings for her because agents aren't supposed to get involved with the people they are supposed to protect was fun as well.
Olivia is a smart, tough, sweet, strong person who is beautiful inside and out. When Olivia was eleven she came down with an illness that at the time was considered fatal. She was sent to DC for some experimental treatment and never went home. The treatment was a success and she left the hospital with three lifelong friends who'd undergone the treatments with her. They'd all managed to survive, but she lives in constant fear that the illness will one day come back even though blood tests and scans prove otherwise. Perhaps it is that fear that at times makes her a little reckless. It also keeps her from getting into a serious relationships.
Now grown up, Olivia is an attorney working for the IRS. Due to budget cuts she's looking for alternative full time position in case her old one gets the ax. That was the reason she ended up at the worst job interview ever. But working for the IRS is not her only job, she also does side work for a couple of judges for children's advocacy on the weekends and evenings. They say experience in our lives mold us, and in Olivia's case, it is definitely true, and her childhood experiences led her in the direction of helping children. She would have loved to do the work full time, but it was an emotionally demanding job, or perhaps she just allowed it to be because she cares. It was not uncommon for her to put her life in jeopardy to help one of her kids out of a dangerous situation because she cared so much.
No one really expected Eric Jorguson, her once prospective employer, or any of his men to come after Olivia once he realized his error. Grayson's standing watch over her was just standard procedure, a precaution if you will. When an attempt is made on her life, the question becomes was it Jorguson or someone else? Between her two positions, she's made a lot of enemies who wouldn't mind seeing her dead. That includes her father--with whom she's had a strained relationships since the age of 11, when her illness blemished his illusion of being the "perfect" family and whom she suspects of shady business practices.
Why is the title named Sweet Talk? Well, in the book Olivia and Grayson have a discussion about sweet talk at an intimate moment. That, I believe, is where the novel gets its name.
Overall, this was a great read and I gave it 5 out of 5 roses. I thought it had a wonderful blend of romance and drama with a dash of humor mixed in. I enjoyed trying to figure out who exactly was after Olivia. I loved seeing the two fall in love and the fact that Grayson had to basically chase Olivia because she really wasn't looking for a permanent relationship. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.
Side Note: If you're a fan of Ms. Garwood's historical romances and haven't yet tried one of her romantic suspense novels (or vice versa), they are quite a bit different. To attempt to compare the two would be a little like trying to compare a nectarine to a peach. While both are a juicy rounded self contained fruit, one can be warm and fuzzy (historical romances) while the other has a slightly tougher interior and less soft exterior (romantic suspense). At the heart or pit, if you will, they are both romances, but some will prefer the sweet flavor of one to the other while others will savor them both. I mention this because if you go in expecting one type, you might be in for a surprise. If I hadn't been told who the author was when I first read Heartbreaker I'm not sure I would have guessed it was Ms. Garwood. I'm guessing this is why some authors use pseudonyms when they change styles, genres, and/or subgenres.
To read more of my reviews, please visit my blog at www.seducedbyabook.com I'd greatly appreciate it.
'Olivia MacKenzie was certain she would have been offered the job if she hadn't punched the boss during the interview. But knocking the man senseless turned out to be a real deal breaker.'
Many people claim to have had the worst job interview ever, but no one can hold a candle to Olivia MacKenzie's claim. While interviewing for a position as an attorney for an investment firm she asked the wrong question at the wrong time which lead to the owner ripping her top in search of a nonexistent wire. If that wasn't bad enough, he sent his body guard on her and made death threats. Luckily, the FBI who had been investigating the man, was close at hand or she'd probably have ended up with worse than being backhanded in the face. While at first, the whole incident seemed to be an event that would be written off as an unlucky quirk of fate, it turned out to have one good thing come out of it, Olivia met Agent Grayson Kincaid, a man who reminds Olivia of Bruce Wayne. He's now assigned to protect her in case that death threat becomes something more than a threat.
_________________________
I just adored this book. While you can't always judge a book by the cover, this one you can. I didn't realize how much I missed the view of a man in a suit till I saw this cover. I swear the testosterone just oozed from the pages every time Gayson made an appearance and an earthy, clean male scent seemed to waft from the pages. *sigh*
Agent Grayson Kincaid is not your typical agent. He loves what he does or he wouldn't do it. He's actually quite wealthy and could do whatever he wanted or nothing at all. He finds his position with the FBI challenging. Perhaps that's what he also finds attractive in Olivia as well. It was fun to see him try to convince her to give their relationship a chance. Plus, the initial struggle he had to try to resist his feelings for her because agents aren't supposed to get involved with the people they are supposed to protect was fun as well.
Olivia is a smart, tough, sweet, strong person who is beautiful inside and out. When Olivia was eleven she came down with an illness that at the time was considered fatal. She was sent to DC for some experimental treatment and never went home. The treatment was a success and she left the hospital with three lifelong friends who'd undergone the treatments with her. They'd all managed to survive, but she lives in constant fear that the illness will one day come back even though blood tests and scans prove otherwise. Perhaps it is that fear that at times makes her a little reckless. It also keeps her from getting into a serious relationships.
Now grown up, Olivia is an attorney working for the IRS. Due to budget cuts she's looking for alternative full time position in case her old one gets the ax. That was the reason she ended up at the worst job interview ever. But working for the IRS is not her only job, she also does side work for a couple of judges for children's advocacy on the weekends and evenings. They say experience in our lives mold us, and in Olivia's case, it is definitely true, and her childhood experiences led her in the direction of helping children. She would have loved to do the work full time, but it was an emotionally demanding job, or perhaps she just allowed it to be because she cares. It was not uncommon for her to put her life in jeopardy to help one of her kids out of a dangerous situation because she cared so much.
No one really expected Eric Jorguson, her once prospective employer, or any of his men to come after Olivia once he realized his error. Grayson's standing watch over her was just standard procedure, a precaution if you will. When an attempt is made on her life, the question becomes was it Jorguson or someone else? Between her two positions, she's made a lot of enemies who wouldn't mind seeing her dead. That includes her father--with whom she's had a strained relationships since the age of 11, when her illness blemished his illusion of being the "perfect" family and whom she suspects of shady business practices.
Why is the title named Sweet Talk? Well, in the book Olivia and Grayson have a discussion about sweet talk at an intimate moment. That, I believe, is where the novel gets its name.
Overall, this was a great read and I gave it 5 out of 5 roses. I thought it had a wonderful blend of romance and drama with a dash of humor mixed in. I enjoyed trying to figure out who exactly was after Olivia. I loved seeing the two fall in love and the fact that Grayson had to basically chase Olivia because she really wasn't looking for a permanent relationship. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.
Side Note: If you're a fan of Ms. Garwood's historical romances and haven't yet tried one of her romantic suspense novels (or vice versa), they are quite a bit different. To attempt to compare the two would be a little like trying to compare a nectarine to a peach. While both are a juicy rounded self contained fruit, one can be warm and fuzzy (historical romances) while the other has a slightly tougher interior and less soft exterior (romantic suspense). At the heart or pit, if you will, they are both romances, but some will prefer the sweet flavor of one to the other while others will savor them both. I mention this because if you go in expecting one type, you might be in for a surprise. If I hadn't been told who the author was when I first read Heartbreaker I'm not sure I would have guessed it was Ms. Garwood. I'm guessing this is why some authors use pseudonyms when they change styles, genres, and/or subgenres.
To read more of my reviews, please visit my blog at www.seducedbyabook.com I'd greatly appreciate it.
August 12, 2012
“Sweet Talk” just wasn’t quite sweet enough for me – or enough of anything else really! Not up-to-par with books of the past by this seasoned author. I truly miss Julie Garwood’s older romantic suspenses and I still do a re-read from time to time of the Buchanan series. Her last few contemporaries haven’t been terrible reading experiences – but they haven’t been memorable ones either. I guess that’s my explanation for the 3-star rating.
I wasn’t particularly interested or entertained by the money pyramid plot of this book. Frankly, I found it to be tiresome and boring at times. Too many characters were introduced without much more than a few lines and then gone -- vanished -- never to be heard from again! At times I just felt the story was too overpowered by unnecessary filler. The whole book just felt awkward in my opinion.
The timing element seemed to call for an adjustment as well. Months go by where there isn’t any interaction between the two main characters. One minute they are sucking face and engaging in sexual activities and in the next paragraph you’re led to believe there has been not one word exchanged between this couple for weeks or months. This was just bothersome and it would have taken very little explanation to clear this from the slate.
As expected, Garwood writes some great lines of dialogue between Olivia and Grayson. They made an engaging couple and I found the time they shared on the pages rather enjoyable. Same goes with the time Grayson and his partner spent together – I really enjoyed their bantering sarcasm with each other.
A Prologue started the book off with great hope and anticipation but soon lost its momentum as the story progressed. Ending with an Epilogue that did very little to add to the abrupt and less than stimulating romantic conclusion just added to the disappointment.
I wasn’t particularly interested or entertained by the money pyramid plot of this book. Frankly, I found it to be tiresome and boring at times. Too many characters were introduced without much more than a few lines and then gone -- vanished -- never to be heard from again! At times I just felt the story was too overpowered by unnecessary filler. The whole book just felt awkward in my opinion.
The timing element seemed to call for an adjustment as well. Months go by where there isn’t any interaction between the two main characters. One minute they are sucking face and engaging in sexual activities and in the next paragraph you’re led to believe there has been not one word exchanged between this couple for weeks or months. This was just bothersome and it would have taken very little explanation to clear this from the slate.
As expected, Garwood writes some great lines of dialogue between Olivia and Grayson. They made an engaging couple and I found the time they shared on the pages rather enjoyable. Same goes with the time Grayson and his partner spent together – I really enjoyed their bantering sarcasm with each other.
A Prologue started the book off with great hope and anticipation but soon lost its momentum as the story progressed. Ending with an Epilogue that did very little to add to the abrupt and less than stimulating romantic conclusion just added to the disappointment.
August 13, 2012
Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2012/08/review-...
Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood
Romance Contemporary
August 7, 2012
Dutton Adult
Reviewed by Tori
Favorite Quote: “I’m F.B.I.“
She smiled. It wasn’t the reaction he expected.
“You want to talk nightmares? I’m I.R.S.”
When Olivia Mackenzie inadvertently walked into the middle of an FBI sting during a job interview, destroying months of hard work, she wasn’t scared. After all, she’s IRS and in terms of scary, her job trumps all. But the attractive FBI agent who helps her out scares her. Olivia has enough going on in her life with her dysfunctional family and work. She doesn’t have time for the very attractive Grayson Kincade; but circumstances force them into close contact.
FBI agent Grayson Kincade has too much at stake to mess with the sexy Olivia Mackenzie, but when her investigation into an elaborate Ponzi scheme places her straight in the crosshairs of a killer, Grayson finds himself in charge of protecting Olivia. As they get closer to solving Olivia’s case and finding the killer, Grayson decides he wants to make his partnership with Olivia permanent.
I am a huge fan of Julie Garwood. I have most of her back list, both historical and contemporary, and reread them often. I read Ideal Man last year and while I enjoyed, it wasn’t in the same class as her earlier books. I’m afraid this one is similar. While I enjoyed certain aspects of the storyline, I was uninspired by the romance.
Our protagonists, Grayson Kincaid and Olivia Mackenzie, are a lot alike. Both coming from privileged backgrounds; they are attractive, intelligent, and hardworking. Olivia spent her childhood secluded in the hospital with a potentially fatal disease. During that time, she forms friendships with three other young ladies who suffer from the same disease.Calling themselves the “Pips”, their friendships with one another last well into adulthood. Each of them has fought and won against the deadly disease and went on to fulfill their dreams. Olivia’s dream was to become a champion for the underdog. This is accomplished by her becoming an attorney and later joining the IRS. Olivia has very strong personal reasons for joining the IRS and it’s those same reasons that puts her life in danger. I liked Olivia. Her brush with death left her with a healthy zest for life and a solid need to protect the underdog. As an IRS agent, Olivia wields her powers for good though she’s not afraid to jump in the fray and use her status (and badge) to put fear in the bad guys.
Grayson was harder to get to know and what I did learn was not attractive. As an FBI agent, he is an enigma in that he doesn’t need to work. He stays with the FBI because he genuinely enjoys his work. Unlike Olivia, he has no ulterior motives. He is currently involved in some family drama of his own that demands his attention. Since Olivia is the main catalyst for the storyline, we divulge deeper into her persona then Grayson’s, which, in my opinion, hurts the story.
The romance between Grayson and Olivia is where I had problems. When Grayson first meets Olivia, the sparks instantly fly. You can feel the chemistry between them and you become excited by the promise of their romantic journey.They share an explosive toe curling kiss and Olivia goes home expecting a call and possibly a date. Neither occurs. Two months later, Olivia is shot and who should arrive? Grayson. He bullies his way into her life and becomes her protector. Olivia makes excuses for his not calling. She reasons that he’s busy and lets it go. She recovers both mentally and physically and sleeps with Grayson. Once again, he disappears. No calls. No visit. He passes her off to other agents and essentially disappears. He eventually explains his reasons (offering no apologies) but I found his actions to be those of a jerk. I understood his family issues that really do demand his attention but I didn’t buy he couldn’t call Olivia and explain that to her. No one is ever that too busy to call. And when Olivia kept excusing his actions and continued sleeping with him, I didn’t buy the romance anymore.
The main conflict is pretty straightforward with many pieces being held by multiple characters. Throughout the book, we are given each piece, and slowly the big picture forms before us. Unfortunately, the journey to the picture isn’t that exciting. There are actually multiple storylines that occur simultaneously throughout the story. The romance, the main conflict and various subplots; one involving a friend of Olivia’s. It’s only the small subplot involving Olivia’s friends that came across as suspenseful. The main conflict is mostly investigative work and reveals itself in a methodical fashion. We don’t spend much time with any of the villain(s) of the piece. I found that ironic considering who the main villain was. I would have liked to have heard and/or seen more from the villain(s) points of view. It was all very anti climatic, especially at the end.
Though a lifelong fangirl of Ms. Garwood’s work, I found this one well below her usual standards.
Overall Rating: D
Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood
Romance Contemporary
August 7, 2012
Dutton Adult
Reviewed by Tori
Favorite Quote: “I’m F.B.I.“
She smiled. It wasn’t the reaction he expected.
“You want to talk nightmares? I’m I.R.S.”
When Olivia Mackenzie inadvertently walked into the middle of an FBI sting during a job interview, destroying months of hard work, she wasn’t scared. After all, she’s IRS and in terms of scary, her job trumps all. But the attractive FBI agent who helps her out scares her. Olivia has enough going on in her life with her dysfunctional family and work. She doesn’t have time for the very attractive Grayson Kincade; but circumstances force them into close contact.
FBI agent Grayson Kincade has too much at stake to mess with the sexy Olivia Mackenzie, but when her investigation into an elaborate Ponzi scheme places her straight in the crosshairs of a killer, Grayson finds himself in charge of protecting Olivia. As they get closer to solving Olivia’s case and finding the killer, Grayson decides he wants to make his partnership with Olivia permanent.
I am a huge fan of Julie Garwood. I have most of her back list, both historical and contemporary, and reread them often. I read Ideal Man last year and while I enjoyed, it wasn’t in the same class as her earlier books. I’m afraid this one is similar. While I enjoyed certain aspects of the storyline, I was uninspired by the romance.
Our protagonists, Grayson Kincaid and Olivia Mackenzie, are a lot alike. Both coming from privileged backgrounds; they are attractive, intelligent, and hardworking. Olivia spent her childhood secluded in the hospital with a potentially fatal disease. During that time, she forms friendships with three other young ladies who suffer from the same disease.Calling themselves the “Pips”, their friendships with one another last well into adulthood. Each of them has fought and won against the deadly disease and went on to fulfill their dreams. Olivia’s dream was to become a champion for the underdog. This is accomplished by her becoming an attorney and later joining the IRS. Olivia has very strong personal reasons for joining the IRS and it’s those same reasons that puts her life in danger. I liked Olivia. Her brush with death left her with a healthy zest for life and a solid need to protect the underdog. As an IRS agent, Olivia wields her powers for good though she’s not afraid to jump in the fray and use her status (and badge) to put fear in the bad guys.
Grayson was harder to get to know and what I did learn was not attractive. As an FBI agent, he is an enigma in that he doesn’t need to work. He stays with the FBI because he genuinely enjoys his work. Unlike Olivia, he has no ulterior motives. He is currently involved in some family drama of his own that demands his attention. Since Olivia is the main catalyst for the storyline, we divulge deeper into her persona then Grayson’s, which, in my opinion, hurts the story.
The romance between Grayson and Olivia is where I had problems. When Grayson first meets Olivia, the sparks instantly fly. You can feel the chemistry between them and you become excited by the promise of their romantic journey.They share an explosive toe curling kiss and Olivia goes home expecting a call and possibly a date. Neither occurs. Two months later, Olivia is shot and who should arrive? Grayson. He bullies his way into her life and becomes her protector. Olivia makes excuses for his not calling. She reasons that he’s busy and lets it go. She recovers both mentally and physically and sleeps with Grayson. Once again, he disappears. No calls. No visit. He passes her off to other agents and essentially disappears. He eventually explains his reasons (offering no apologies) but I found his actions to be those of a jerk. I understood his family issues that really do demand his attention but I didn’t buy he couldn’t call Olivia and explain that to her. No one is ever that too busy to call. And when Olivia kept excusing his actions and continued sleeping with him, I didn’t buy the romance anymore.
The main conflict is pretty straightforward with many pieces being held by multiple characters. Throughout the book, we are given each piece, and slowly the big picture forms before us. Unfortunately, the journey to the picture isn’t that exciting. There are actually multiple storylines that occur simultaneously throughout the story. The romance, the main conflict and various subplots; one involving a friend of Olivia’s. It’s only the small subplot involving Olivia’s friends that came across as suspenseful. The main conflict is mostly investigative work and reveals itself in a methodical fashion. We don’t spend much time with any of the villain(s) of the piece. I found that ironic considering who the main villain was. I would have liked to have heard and/or seen more from the villain(s) points of view. It was all very anti climatic, especially at the end.
Though a lifelong fangirl of Ms. Garwood’s work, I found this one well below her usual standards.
Overall Rating: D
June 17, 2012
Review written for www.books-n-kisses.com
If Julie Garwood released a new book every day I still do not believe I would get tired of reading her books. I have enjoyed all of Garwood’s works from her romantic suspense to her historicals and this book is no exception. Garwood has a way of pulling you in right from the first paragraph and you never want to leave the world that she has weaved.
I really enjoyed Olivia. She is strong and independent. She has been through a life that most of us cannot even imagine and has come out stronger and wiser for it. I love that she becomes an advocate for what she never had and is willing to do what ever needs to be done to protect “her kids” and yet her greatest indulgences are popsicles and a little white dress. Grayson is perfect. He is sexy, protective and even cooks and cleans up. What more could a woman want in a man? I enjoyed the secondary characters as well. I hope Garwood has ideas for books for these characters (Do I see a Collins/Ronan book in the works? hint hint) and I can’t wait to read about Samantha and Jane as well. And Henry, adorable Henry, can he just morph into a 25 year old so we can read his story too?
Garwood is one of my favorite authors and this book is right up there with all her others. Garwood has never written a book that is not worth reading and once you start you can not stop reading her books. While I miss the Buchanan series and hope she works back into that group since there are still siblings we need to see married off. I have enjoyed the new works she has had lately just as much as that series. The one thing wrong with this book? It ended and now I have to wait a year (or so) for the next one to come out.
If Julie Garwood released a new book every day I still do not believe I would get tired of reading her books. I have enjoyed all of Garwood’s works from her romantic suspense to her historicals and this book is no exception. Garwood has a way of pulling you in right from the first paragraph and you never want to leave the world that she has weaved.
I really enjoyed Olivia. She is strong and independent. She has been through a life that most of us cannot even imagine and has come out stronger and wiser for it. I love that she becomes an advocate for what she never had and is willing to do what ever needs to be done to protect “her kids” and yet her greatest indulgences are popsicles and a little white dress. Grayson is perfect. He is sexy, protective and even cooks and cleans up. What more could a woman want in a man? I enjoyed the secondary characters as well. I hope Garwood has ideas for books for these characters (Do I see a Collins/Ronan book in the works? hint hint) and I can’t wait to read about Samantha and Jane as well. And Henry, adorable Henry, can he just morph into a 25 year old so we can read his story too?
Garwood is one of my favorite authors and this book is right up there with all her others. Garwood has never written a book that is not worth reading and once you start you can not stop reading her books. While I miss the Buchanan series and hope she works back into that group since there are still siblings we need to see married off. I have enjoyed the new works she has had lately just as much as that series. The one thing wrong with this book? It ended and now I have to wait a year (or so) for the next one to come out.
October 23, 2012
As an avid reader of Julie Garwood, I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. The magic that was there in her historical novels and her earlier contemporary novels has fizzled out, leaving a decent and somewhat forgettable read. (Given that I just started this book three days ago and I'm already scratching my head for details, I feel justified calling it forgettable.) There was definitely a lot going on, but to the point where it felt like the story was all over the place.
This is still a good read (disappointing only if you are hoping for more of Garwood's old works). Great if you have time to kill and want a nice, easy book. But here's to hoping Mrs. Garwood can bring more of her old witty humor back in her next novel and flesh her story out a bit more. (I'm waiting for Adrian's book!)
This is still a good read (disappointing only if you are hoping for more of Garwood's old works). Great if you have time to kill and want a nice, easy book. But here's to hoping Mrs. Garwood can bring more of her old witty humor back in her next novel and flesh her story out a bit more. (I'm waiting for Adrian's book!)
September 7, 2022
Olivia MacKenzie shows up for a job interview and finds herself right smack in the middle of an FBI sting but not before the target tries to do her some serious harm. FBI Agent Grayson Kincaid intervenes and is immediately drawn to the very attractive Olivia. He uses the case to wrangle a meeting and both realize there's an attraction. It doesn't take long for Grayson to become inserted into Olivia's life.
Olivia comes from an extremely dysfunctional family, with her father being the lead head case. She suffered from a potentially terminal disease when she was about ten years old and was sent to Washington, DC for treatment with three other young girls, all having the same affliction. These girls (nicknamed the "pips") became her lifelong friends as the only member of Olivia's family who ever came to see her during this time was her Aunt Emma.
There was quite a bit going on in the story with attempts being made on Olivia's life, her developing romance with Grayson and its inherent conflict with his job responsibity as an agent to protect her, and her father's possible illegal business practices. Add that to her unbelievably insensitive mother and sister and you had to wonder why Olivia was so normal. Her Aunt Emma and the pips seemed to be the only constancy in an otherwise peculiar upbringing.
I found the book to be interesting and really liked Olivia and Grayson but their romance had some troublesome parts. Grayson would initiate these interludes with Olivia and then disappear for extended periods, for legitimate reasons, but wouldn't communicate with her about it. Olivia never called him to task about it, thinking she wasn't really in a relationship. It caused me to take some shine off of Grayson for an extended part of the story. But, they were a really good couple when it worked.
The suspense part of the story could have had more tension. Olivia was on a mission to expose her father's fraudulent business practices and this put her in his and others crosshairs. It was pretty clear who was orchestrating the attempts on Olivia's life, even with the few red herrings to distract you. The climax should have been more compelling but was still satisfying.
I'm a big fan of Garwood's romantic suspense series. While this one isn't technically considered a part of it, there is a mention of how Grayson connects with characters from the Buchanan series. Watch for it!
I liked the story, wasn't crazy about the romance for most of it but in the end it fell into place quite nicely. I'm hoping that some of Olivia's friends (hint, hint, Collins)get their own stories in future books as they were quite interesting in their own rights. If you're a fan of the series, this book should be on your shelf.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
Olivia comes from an extremely dysfunctional family, with her father being the lead head case. She suffered from a potentially terminal disease when she was about ten years old and was sent to Washington, DC for treatment with three other young girls, all having the same affliction. These girls (nicknamed the "pips") became her lifelong friends as the only member of Olivia's family who ever came to see her during this time was her Aunt Emma.
There was quite a bit going on in the story with attempts being made on Olivia's life, her developing romance with Grayson and its inherent conflict with his job responsibity as an agent to protect her, and her father's possible illegal business practices. Add that to her unbelievably insensitive mother and sister and you had to wonder why Olivia was so normal. Her Aunt Emma and the pips seemed to be the only constancy in an otherwise peculiar upbringing.
I found the book to be interesting and really liked Olivia and Grayson but their romance had some troublesome parts. Grayson would initiate these interludes with Olivia and then disappear for extended periods, for legitimate reasons, but wouldn't communicate with her about it. Olivia never called him to task about it, thinking she wasn't really in a relationship. It caused me to take some shine off of Grayson for an extended part of the story. But, they were a really good couple when it worked.
The suspense part of the story could have had more tension. Olivia was on a mission to expose her father's fraudulent business practices and this put her in his and others crosshairs. It was pretty clear who was orchestrating the attempts on Olivia's life, even with the few red herrings to distract you. The climax should have been more compelling but was still satisfying.
I'm a big fan of Garwood's romantic suspense series. While this one isn't technically considered a part of it, there is a mention of how Grayson connects with characters from the Buchanan series. Watch for it!
I liked the story, wasn't crazy about the romance for most of it but in the end it fell into place quite nicely. I'm hoping that some of Olivia's friends (hint, hint, Collins)get their own stories in future books as they were quite interesting in their own rights. If you're a fan of the series, this book should be on your shelf.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
May 29, 2016
Interesting plot, great pace, sizzling chemistry. What's not to like?
It's been awhile since my last Julie Garwood's novel (and English novel, for that matter). This reminds me again why she's one of my favorite. Everything she does seems effortless, but it works and this story hits all the right notes.
It's been awhile since my last Julie Garwood's novel (and English novel, for that matter). This reminds me again why she's one of my favorite. Everything she does seems effortless, but it works and this story hits all the right notes.
July 10, 2016
*4.5*
October 16, 2012
Review posted on Kindles & Wine
Sweet Talk opens with a prologue introducing us to four young girls (the Pips) in a hospital simultaneously fighting a deadly disease and wreaking havoc on a hospital ward. As they try to maintain a semblance of normalcy by having fun and pulling pranks while going through their treatments, we get to know the four girls, learn about their lives, and how much they love and rely on each other. Their ring leader, Olivia MacKenzie, is the heroine of Sweet Talk and we quickly fast-forward to her continued trouble making some 12 years later—Chapter One starts with her punching out a prospective employer. Olivia is all grown up now, working for the IRS, and on a mission to expose her own father for the Ponzi scheme she suspects he is running with his investment company. Little does Olivia know that her boxing match has landed her smack in the middle of an ongoing FBI investigation, and into the life of FBI Agent Grayson Kinkaid (yes, insert dreamy sigh here).
We are soon immersed in multiple story lines that create a fast-paced tale that is both suspenseful and sexy. While battling her illness, Olivia understood that her disease was “too depressing” for her family to deal with, so they just did not come around. Like ever. Seriously, her mother and sister are TERRIBLE, and it is hard to understand her having anything to do with them as an adult. Her dad is just plain greasy and conniving, and the quest to discover evidence of his illegal activities is Olivia’s motivating force in this book. Olivia’s side work with endangered kids, the threats of violence and/or a lawsuit due to her punching out the potential employer (yep, Mob ties), and her continued friendship with the Pips (and their ongoing medical concerns) all contribute to the story. Oh, and did I mention this was a romance? There is definitely some sizzle between Olivia and the yummy FBI agent. We deal with them going hot and cold, hooking up and then tuning out. While I did not totally get into their excuses for backing up or pulling away from each other, I never stopped hoping that they would work out and get together. Oh, and that they would “get” all the various bad guys too…but you’ll have to read the book yourself to get the skinny on all that.
So call me an ostrich, or clueless, or a ninny. Heck, call me all three. You can call me any of those because it wasn’t until I was well into reading Sweet Talk (at least 20% in or so in Kindle-ese) that I had the following realizations (in this order):
1. Hey, I like this book! Who is the author again? She writes really great dialogue…I am actually laughing out loud! {scrolls to cover page of book}
2. Hey, it’s by Julie Garwood. Haven’t I read other books by Julie Garwood before?
3. OMG, I think Julie Garwood is a pretty big deal…like famous. {insert fan-girl moment here}
After emailing Kindle Gal some time later, she was all “Um, yeah, she is a #1 New York Times best-selling author.” I imagine she wanted to add “duh!” but Kindle Gal is patient with her fellow blogmates…even the ostrich/clueless/ninny one.
Sweet Talk was a quick read for me—hard to put down because you need to know what is going to happen next (and then BAM! it is 2 in the morning). I enjoyed all the different story lines—they kept things interesting and fast paced. And I like Julie Garwood writing style—I can hear the characters talking in my head as I read the lines and the dialogue is believable and, oftentimes, hilarious.
Bottom Line
I truly liked this book. You do not have to be a Julie Garwood fan to love Sweet Talk (but you can be!). You don’t have to have read any of her prior works; it is a stand-alone story, but I’m sure hoping we get to read about the rest of the Pips in their own books in the future! If you like your reads fast paced and steamy, I’d recommend you add Sweet Talk to your reading list!
Rating: B+
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
April 14, 2018
This was quite enjoyable read.
I only read Julie's historical romance before. But I was pleasantly surprised with this suspense romance book. I love cop/lawyer characters, heroine that is not an idiot and add to that swoon worthy hero this makes really fun read.
If you like all the things above; lighthearted fun read- look no more this is a book for you.
I only read Julie's historical romance before. But I was pleasantly surprised with this suspense romance book. I love cop/lawyer characters, heroine that is not an idiot and add to that swoon worthy hero this makes really fun read.
If you like all the things above; lighthearted fun read- look no more this is a book for you.
March 1, 2020
29 February 2020: $1.99 on Kindle
Original Review: 2012
This is the first Julie Garwood book I’ve read, even though I have friends that are incredibly loyal fans – especially of her historical romance novels. And Sweet Talk starts out right in the middle of the action. Olivia MacKenzie, innocently, goes for a job interview and ends up assaulted, nearly shot, and in the middle of an FBI investigation. Olivia can’t believe it, she has enough on her mind with trying to get proof of her father’s Ponzi scheme that she doesn’t need the hassle of all this on top of possibly getting cut from her position as an IRS attorney.
If there’s one good thing that comes from this whole fiasco, it’s meeting Grayson Kincaid – and incredibly sexy FBI agent that becomes more determined than ever to protect Olivia from the myriad threats against her. Grayson is nearly a picture perfect hero. He’s kind, rich, sensitive, focused, took on responsibility for his nephew and smart as hell. He even tries to remove himself from the case when he gets involved with Olivia. In fact, he’s a little too perfect, and it doesn’t allow him to have the depth that would really let me get to know him.
Olivia on the other hand is a bundle of personality, and along with her best friends – the four Pips – I really connected with her. Surviving cancer, and a grueling ordeal at a very young age explains a lot about grown-up Olivia’s decisions, thoughts and her determination to see things set right. Sometimes she would seem to rush into some situations without regard to the safety of it, and it nearly resulted in serious consequences. I understood her need for independence, but there comes a point when she just became stubborn – at the expense of her own and others safety.
One of the things I appreciated most about Sweet Talk was the way that Olivia and Grayson’s friendship developed throughout the book. The downside of that was that I never really felt the chemistry of a relationship, or a true desire to have one with each other. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a well-built relationship, just missing an indefinable something that I can’t quite place.
The suspense storyline was pretty straight-foward, with no unseen twists, and the “villains” telegraphed themselves from nearly the first instance. They also tend to be more than a bit cardboard, without any real depth and seeming to do things because they could, and they were bad. I questioned quite a lot of their actions. Underlying that though is the part that kept me turning the pages to get to the resolution – Olivia’s friend, Jane, is back in the hospital. Has the cancer returned? Will she survive? I was very much invested in Olivia and her friends.
All in all, Sweet Talk is a quick, good read. Ms. Garwood's writing beautifully emerges you in the story, and I look forward to trying more by her.
Original Review: 2012
This is the first Julie Garwood book I’ve read, even though I have friends that are incredibly loyal fans – especially of her historical romance novels. And Sweet Talk starts out right in the middle of the action. Olivia MacKenzie, innocently, goes for a job interview and ends up assaulted, nearly shot, and in the middle of an FBI investigation. Olivia can’t believe it, she has enough on her mind with trying to get proof of her father’s Ponzi scheme that she doesn’t need the hassle of all this on top of possibly getting cut from her position as an IRS attorney.
If there’s one good thing that comes from this whole fiasco, it’s meeting Grayson Kincaid – and incredibly sexy FBI agent that becomes more determined than ever to protect Olivia from the myriad threats against her. Grayson is nearly a picture perfect hero. He’s kind, rich, sensitive, focused, took on responsibility for his nephew and smart as hell. He even tries to remove himself from the case when he gets involved with Olivia. In fact, he’s a little too perfect, and it doesn’t allow him to have the depth that would really let me get to know him.
Olivia on the other hand is a bundle of personality, and along with her best friends – the four Pips – I really connected with her. Surviving cancer, and a grueling ordeal at a very young age explains a lot about grown-up Olivia’s decisions, thoughts and her determination to see things set right. Sometimes she would seem to rush into some situations without regard to the safety of it, and it nearly resulted in serious consequences. I understood her need for independence, but there comes a point when she just became stubborn – at the expense of her own and others safety.
One of the things I appreciated most about Sweet Talk was the way that Olivia and Grayson’s friendship developed throughout the book. The downside of that was that I never really felt the chemistry of a relationship, or a true desire to have one with each other. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a well-built relationship, just missing an indefinable something that I can’t quite place.
The suspense storyline was pretty straight-foward, with no unseen twists, and the “villains” telegraphed themselves from nearly the first instance. They also tend to be more than a bit cardboard, without any real depth and seeming to do things because they could, and they were bad. I questioned quite a lot of their actions. Underlying that though is the part that kept me turning the pages to get to the resolution – Olivia’s friend, Jane, is back in the hospital. Has the cancer returned? Will she survive? I was very much invested in Olivia and her friends.
All in all, Sweet Talk is a quick, good read. Ms. Garwood's writing beautifully emerges you in the story, and I look forward to trying more by her.
July 10, 2012
When Olivia was young, she had cancer. She went through the whole chemotherapy and experimental therapy with the support of three girls going through the same thing. He family was too "busy" to offer her support. Her father was busy making money and her mother and sister were busy being supports for her father. Now Olivia is an adult and a lawyer who works for the IRS. She is convinced that her father is a criminal running some sort of Ponzi scheme but hasn't found the evidence yet.
When she goes to a job interview with another financier, she gets in the middle of a FBI sting. Seems Jorguson is suspected of money laundering. When he rips her dress looking for a wire and sics his bodyguard on her, she is saved by FBI agent Grayson Kincaid. Kincaid is smitten with her and becomes very protective when someone shoots her. Grayson and Olivia are busy trying to find out who shot at her. There are lots of suspects.
Is it her father or his slimy lawyer buddy Simmons? Is it someone she came into contact with because she works for the IRS? Is it someone who she crossed as she takes cases to protect children in danger? All the while, Grayson and Olivia are falling in love. But Olivia doesn't think she has a future. What if the cancer comes back? She saw what it did to her friend's families. She doesn't want to put anyone she loves through that kind of thing.
This was a great romance with well-developed characters. Even the side characters were fully fleshed out. I was especially fond of Grayson's nephew Henry who hired Olivia to be his personal lawyer. Bullying at his private school made him need one! And Olivia's Aunt Emma and her cook Mary provided the love and family Olivia didn't get from her own parents.
I recommend this one to romance lovers who like some mystery too.
When she goes to a job interview with another financier, she gets in the middle of a FBI sting. Seems Jorguson is suspected of money laundering. When he rips her dress looking for a wire and sics his bodyguard on her, she is saved by FBI agent Grayson Kincaid. Kincaid is smitten with her and becomes very protective when someone shoots her. Grayson and Olivia are busy trying to find out who shot at her. There are lots of suspects.
Is it her father or his slimy lawyer buddy Simmons? Is it someone she came into contact with because she works for the IRS? Is it someone who she crossed as she takes cases to protect children in danger? All the while, Grayson and Olivia are falling in love. But Olivia doesn't think she has a future. What if the cancer comes back? She saw what it did to her friend's families. She doesn't want to put anyone she loves through that kind of thing.
This was a great romance with well-developed characters. Even the side characters were fully fleshed out. I was especially fond of Grayson's nephew Henry who hired Olivia to be his personal lawyer. Bullying at his private school made him need one! And Olivia's Aunt Emma and her cook Mary provided the love and family Olivia didn't get from her own parents.
I recommend this one to romance lovers who like some mystery too.
January 13, 2014
AUDIO: Decent enough audio narration by Angela Dawe, but I could not hear a difference between the four girlfriends, the Pips. Same with Ronan and Grayson, the FBI agents.
STORY: This is your typical romantic suspense. Entertaining -- no real complaints -- but probably not something I will read again and again, as I do with Garwood's historicals. The pace is a bit slow and the characters are predictable. As for the suspense, a well-trod Ponzi scheme is masterminded by the heroine's devilish daddy (not a spoiler -- we know this from day one) but the details were not surprising either, since I guessed everything -- even the villain of the side-story where
Smexy romance between Olivia and Grayson, both of whom are clearly Garwood creations: kind, honorable, passionate, tough, protective, beautiful, handsome, smart, sexy, rich, well-connected, etc.. No real flaws. Nope. Not one. Ken and his Barbie. But that's okay -- expected of a Garwood couple.
Kids, too. A few fairly captivating scenes involved Henry, Grayson's 7-year-old nephew, who moves in with Uncle Grayson.
Too many scenes involved conversations between Olivia and "The Pips" -- her friends since adolescence, when they underwent experimental cancer treatment: Jane the artistic one, Samantha the detail-oriented pilot, and Collins the sensitive, considerate Southern beauty / FBI recruit. Olivia was the mischief maker and overall depression retardant.
Prologue: I liked the opening prologue, set in their adolescence at the boarding clinic, but...Why so many scenes with them? Are they going to feature in a sequel? If so, I expect Grayson's FBI partner Ronan will hook up with Collins.
Contents: Fairly explicit sex (about three or four scenes), minimal swearing and profanity (much appreciated) and just a little violence and death.
STORY: This is your typical romantic suspense. Entertaining -- no real complaints -- but probably not something I will read again and again, as I do with Garwood's historicals. The pace is a bit slow and the characters are predictable. As for the suspense, a well-trod Ponzi scheme is masterminded by the heroine's devilish daddy (not a spoiler -- we know this from day one) but the details were not surprising either, since I guessed everything -- even the villain of the side-story where
Smexy romance between Olivia and Grayson, both of whom are clearly Garwood creations: kind, honorable, passionate, tough, protective, beautiful, handsome, smart, sexy, rich, well-connected, etc.. No real flaws. Nope. Not one. Ken and his Barbie. But that's okay -- expected of a Garwood couple.
Kids, too. A few fairly captivating scenes involved Henry, Grayson's 7-year-old nephew, who moves in with Uncle Grayson.
Too many scenes involved conversations between Olivia and "The Pips" -- her friends since adolescence, when they underwent experimental cancer treatment: Jane the artistic one, Samantha the detail-oriented pilot, and Collins the sensitive, considerate Southern beauty / FBI recruit. Olivia was the mischief maker and overall depression retardant.
Prologue: I liked the opening prologue, set in their adolescence at the boarding clinic, but...Why so many scenes with them? Are they going to feature in a sequel? If so, I expect Grayson's FBI partner Ronan will hook up with Collins.
Contents: Fairly explicit sex (about three or four scenes), minimal swearing and profanity (much appreciated) and just a little violence and death.
September 5, 2017
I liked parts of this book and parts I didn't care for. Most of the characters worked together for the greater good, but of course there were those on the evil side as well who didn't. The "sizzling passion" scenes actually take away from the book. Each reader's imagination conjures up a unique scenario that may not necessarily coincide with the author's thoughts. Connecting with the romantical characters was spotty. I prefer more humor than I found.
July 20, 2012
yeah!! accepted by netgalley to review Julie Garwoods latest. So pleased :D
October 6, 2019
Still enjoying this series, even on rereading, and it still feels fresh.
July 11, 2012
Why I read it: I picked this up from NetGalley because the blurb looked interesting.
What it's about: (from Goodreads) When FBI agent Grayson Kincaid first encounters Olivia MacKenzie, she makes quite an impression. The beautiful, tough, young attorney has stumbled into the middle of an FBI sting operation and has reduced it to chaos. Months of surveillance and careful planning down the drain, Kincaid's partner is furious and lets Olivia know that she's ticked off the wrong guy. After all, he's FBI.Olivia isn't intimidated by his partner's bullying because she's something even scarier...she's IRS. And working for the IRS isn't for the faint of heart. She's on the trail of an elaborate Ponzi scheme, one that threatens to ruin the lives of naive and unsuspecting victims, and one she has personal reasons to be angry about. But after she asks questions of the wrong people, her life is suddenly endangered. She's accustomed to fighting for the underdog but being vulnerable herself is a very different story. Smart enough to know when to call for reinforcements, she contacts Grayson Kincaid.Together they make an excellent team to fight corruption but Olivia is also fighting the immediate and intense attraction she feels for Agent Kincaid, and that may be a battle she is bound to lose.
What worked for me (and what didn't): The blurb is a little misleading. Olivia does work for the IRS and she also does some child advocacy on the side (she's a lawyer) but the Ponzi scheme reference is a reference to a personal investigation she's doing outside of both those activities. She's investigating her father. And, she doesn't contact Grayson - he comes to her.
When Grayson and Olivia first meet (she's having a job interview because of potential cutbacks at the IRS), she is threatened by the interviewer (Jorguson) and his bodyguard (Martin) - they are dodgy as all get out (Olivia hasn't had time to research - I appreciated she was smart and usually would) and suspect she is an FBI agent wearing a wire. When Olivia is shot a couple of months later, Grayson and his partner Ronan (not the partner the blurb talks of, a different one) investigate the possible connection and investigate Jorguson and Martin. as well as Olivia's father and his lawyer, Simmons, (who has also been threatening Olivia).
All the bad guys in this book are very very bad. And there are a lot of them. There are no redeeming characteristics and their evil sometimes came across as a caricature. Olivia's father is charismatic and evil and one dimensional. Olivia's mother, sister and brother-in-law are heinous - unbelievably selfish and self-absorbed. These three crossed the caricature line early and never quite made it back.
Thankfully, Olivia has some non-heinous people in her life too. When she was a child, she had some form of (unspecified) cancer and was involved in some kind of (also unspecified) experimental treatment (which sounded horrendous but it seems to have worked). She was isolated and then merely hospitalised with 3 other girls with the same disease - Jane, Collins and Sam and they are her surrogate sisters and best friends. I enjoyed the banter between the girls.
There is a subplot involving Jane and her brother Logan which could have been left out I feel. There is a large cast of characters in this book and the consequences/fallout of the story involving Jane was left largely unexplored here due to (I assume) lack of space. Still, I suspect that Jane will get her own book and maybe those issues will be dealt with there.
As for Grayson, he ran a bit hot and cold for me. There were times when I loved him and there were other times where he skirted right up to the jerk line (and sometimes crossed over). He could be very overbearing and demanding and got really angry really fast - while I didn't think that was ever a threat to Olivia, I can't imagine it being comfortable to be around. Grayson is also a little too good to be true - he's a trust fund baby who works super hard for the FBI, renovating and flipping buildings in his spare time. He also takes on custody of his 9 year old nephew Henry during the book and he's a devoted "dad".
Grayson and Olivia have an instant connection but at the beginning they spent long periods apart - Grayson doesn't call for 2 months after their first kiss and, seemingly, he only turns up because she's been shot. There didn't seem to be any conversation between the two where the reason for his absence (he took on custody of Henry) was discussed and I ended up feeling that Olivia caved too soon because she didn't make him grovel. Then again, she'd been shot so maybe she had other things on her mind! :) The breaks between them in their early relationship had the effect, for me, of making the story appear episodic.
As the book progresses, Grayson finds it increasingly more difficult to stay away from Olivia. I'm sure there is potential professional trouble for him with him dating a witness/victim of crime but that wasn't really explored beyond letting Ronan take the lead in the investigation and Grayson saying he should stay away (but then not).
Olivia, having seen (via her friends' families, not her own) the devastation life threatening illness caused, is reluctant to commit to a permanent relationship - she believes she cannot have a HEA, thinking that one day the cancer will come back. This was a really interesting aspect to the story and I wish it had been explored a little more. In the end, she changed her mind (it is a romance, so of course she does) but I wasn't quite convinced of the why of it.
There were some amusing moments in the book - I had a bit of a chuckle when Olivia compares Grayson to a modern day Bruce Wayne and asks if he has a batmobile in his garage (he says it's in the bat cave of course) and Olivia's tormenting of Grayson with a popsicle. The scene where both Collins (who's about to start FBI training) meets Ronan (who is gobsmacked) and both girls are (inadvertently) tormenting the guys by sucking on their popsicles was pretty funny.
Grayson and Olivia had definite chemistry. While the book is not terribly explicit, they certainly smoked up the sheets.
What else? This was a book that I enjoyed well enough when I was reading - it certainly was readable and I read it in only 2 or 3 evenings, but when I thought back on it, I could see more flaws than story highs. I wanted to like it more than I did but in the end, it didn't really satisfy. Then again, I think I might be super picky with my Romantic Suspense, so YMMV.
Grade: C-
www.kaetrinsmusings.blogspot.com
What it's about: (from Goodreads) When FBI agent Grayson Kincaid first encounters Olivia MacKenzie, she makes quite an impression. The beautiful, tough, young attorney has stumbled into the middle of an FBI sting operation and has reduced it to chaos. Months of surveillance and careful planning down the drain, Kincaid's partner is furious and lets Olivia know that she's ticked off the wrong guy. After all, he's FBI.Olivia isn't intimidated by his partner's bullying because she's something even scarier...she's IRS. And working for the IRS isn't for the faint of heart. She's on the trail of an elaborate Ponzi scheme, one that threatens to ruin the lives of naive and unsuspecting victims, and one she has personal reasons to be angry about. But after she asks questions of the wrong people, her life is suddenly endangered. She's accustomed to fighting for the underdog but being vulnerable herself is a very different story. Smart enough to know when to call for reinforcements, she contacts Grayson Kincaid.Together they make an excellent team to fight corruption but Olivia is also fighting the immediate and intense attraction she feels for Agent Kincaid, and that may be a battle she is bound to lose.
What worked for me (and what didn't): The blurb is a little misleading. Olivia does work for the IRS and she also does some child advocacy on the side (she's a lawyer) but the Ponzi scheme reference is a reference to a personal investigation she's doing outside of both those activities. She's investigating her father. And, she doesn't contact Grayson - he comes to her.
When Grayson and Olivia first meet (she's having a job interview because of potential cutbacks at the IRS), she is threatened by the interviewer (Jorguson) and his bodyguard (Martin) - they are dodgy as all get out (Olivia hasn't had time to research - I appreciated she was smart and usually would) and suspect she is an FBI agent wearing a wire. When Olivia is shot a couple of months later, Grayson and his partner Ronan (not the partner the blurb talks of, a different one) investigate the possible connection and investigate Jorguson and Martin. as well as Olivia's father and his lawyer, Simmons, (who has also been threatening Olivia).
All the bad guys in this book are very very bad. And there are a lot of them. There are no redeeming characteristics and their evil sometimes came across as a caricature. Olivia's father is charismatic and evil and one dimensional. Olivia's mother, sister and brother-in-law are heinous - unbelievably selfish and self-absorbed. These three crossed the caricature line early and never quite made it back.
Thankfully, Olivia has some non-heinous people in her life too. When she was a child, she had some form of (unspecified) cancer and was involved in some kind of (also unspecified) experimental treatment (which sounded horrendous but it seems to have worked). She was isolated and then merely hospitalised with 3 other girls with the same disease - Jane, Collins and Sam and they are her surrogate sisters and best friends. I enjoyed the banter between the girls.
There is a subplot involving Jane and her brother Logan which could have been left out I feel. There is a large cast of characters in this book and the consequences/fallout of the story involving Jane was left largely unexplored here due to (I assume) lack of space. Still, I suspect that Jane will get her own book and maybe those issues will be dealt with there.
As for Grayson, he ran a bit hot and cold for me. There were times when I loved him and there were other times where he skirted right up to the jerk line (and sometimes crossed over). He could be very overbearing and demanding and got really angry really fast - while I didn't think that was ever a threat to Olivia, I can't imagine it being comfortable to be around. Grayson is also a little too good to be true - he's a trust fund baby who works super hard for the FBI, renovating and flipping buildings in his spare time. He also takes on custody of his 9 year old nephew Henry during the book and he's a devoted "dad".
Grayson and Olivia have an instant connection but at the beginning they spent long periods apart - Grayson doesn't call for 2 months after their first kiss and, seemingly, he only turns up because she's been shot. There didn't seem to be any conversation between the two where the reason for his absence (he took on custody of Henry) was discussed and I ended up feeling that Olivia caved too soon because she didn't make him grovel. Then again, she'd been shot so maybe she had other things on her mind! :) The breaks between them in their early relationship had the effect, for me, of making the story appear episodic.
As the book progresses, Grayson finds it increasingly more difficult to stay away from Olivia. I'm sure there is potential professional trouble for him with him dating a witness/victim of crime but that wasn't really explored beyond letting Ronan take the lead in the investigation and Grayson saying he should stay away (but then not).
Olivia, having seen (via her friends' families, not her own) the devastation life threatening illness caused, is reluctant to commit to a permanent relationship - she believes she cannot have a HEA, thinking that one day the cancer will come back. This was a really interesting aspect to the story and I wish it had been explored a little more. In the end, she changed her mind (it is a romance, so of course she does) but I wasn't quite convinced of the why of it.
There were some amusing moments in the book - I had a bit of a chuckle when Olivia compares Grayson to a modern day Bruce Wayne and asks if he has a batmobile in his garage (he says it's in the bat cave of course) and Olivia's tormenting of Grayson with a popsicle. The scene where both Collins (who's about to start FBI training) meets Ronan (who is gobsmacked) and both girls are (inadvertently) tormenting the guys by sucking on their popsicles was pretty funny.
Grayson and Olivia had definite chemistry. While the book is not terribly explicit, they certainly smoked up the sheets.
What else? This was a book that I enjoyed well enough when I was reading - it certainly was readable and I read it in only 2 or 3 evenings, but when I thought back on it, I could see more flaws than story highs. I wanted to like it more than I did but in the end, it didn't really satisfy. Then again, I think I might be super picky with my Romantic Suspense, so YMMV.
Grade: C-
www.kaetrinsmusings.blogspot.com
August 15, 2017
One star because the first 20% of this book was great. One star because I finished it...well I skipped the entire middle 70ish % and read the last 10% so 1.5 stars? Someone else, who hasn't read many of this series may very well enjoy this book. I am waiting to read the next one in the series so i haven't quit the author. This was just not my cup of tea. I did not like the H or the h so nope...done.
dnf
June 6, 2021(DNF @45%)
i'm sooo dnf'ing this one, nothing wrong with the book, apart from being really cheesy and clichey, but i'm in a bad reading slump and continuing this seems only like a pain... maybe another time i'll continue this
i'm sooo dnf'ing this one, nothing wrong with the book, apart from being really cheesy and clichey, but i'm in a bad reading slump and continuing this seems only like a pain... maybe another time i'll continue this
August 22, 2012
Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner
I’m a huge fan of Julie Garwood. She’s one of my favorite historical romance authors and I also like her contemporaries. I thoroughly enjoyed her last book, The Ideal Man, and I was anxiously waiting for Sweet Spot. I regret to say that I was very disappointed.
Olivia is an IRS agent and an attorney that works with children in danger. She’s investigating a Ponzi scheme to bring her father down. In the middle of a job interview, she interrupts an FBI investigation. Grayson Kinkaid, the agent in charge, is equal parts pissed and attracted to Olivia. He doesn’t want a serious relationship so they flirt a bit and leave at that. But when she is attacked, he realizes that keeping her safe means keeping her close.
This book started so well. It opens with a flashback that gives us some insight into Olivia’s childhood as well as her friends’. When she was a kid she suffered from what I assume was cancer and went through a series of brutal treatments. She bonded with three girls that were going through the same and they remained best friends. Then there’s the scene where she confronts one of the bad guys, it made me feel like it would be a fun, interesting story with a strong heroine. But it all fell apart in a mess of unnecessary subplots and an underdeveloped, boring main story.
The romance was weak and the characters lacked the usual spark. Olivia and Grayson shared no chemistry and the romance was bland. While I was reading the book, I had to battle the urge to skim through it because I wasn’t interested in the story.
The bad guys were cartoonish, with no redeeming qualities, depth or even motivation. They were just evil for the sake of it. So the suspense aspect of the plot was just as bland and uninteresting as the rest of the book.
As I said before, the book lacked focus. There’s a subplot involving one of the friends that gets sick again. I thought that was the best part of the book, yet it was also predictable and unnecessary. Olivia works with troubled kids, so we have yet another subplot revolving around one of said kids. What’s worse, the filler characters and subplots were more entertaining that the main characters and plot.
Sweet Spot is a mediocre book. It’s not bad, I was able to finish it and I’m even wondering if one of the friends will get her own book. But it’s very disappointing because Ms. Garwood is a fantastic author that can do so much better. I’m just scratching my head wondering what happened.
Grade: 1.5
Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.
I’m a huge fan of Julie Garwood. She’s one of my favorite historical romance authors and I also like her contemporaries. I thoroughly enjoyed her last book, The Ideal Man, and I was anxiously waiting for Sweet Spot. I regret to say that I was very disappointed.
Olivia is an IRS agent and an attorney that works with children in danger. She’s investigating a Ponzi scheme to bring her father down. In the middle of a job interview, she interrupts an FBI investigation. Grayson Kinkaid, the agent in charge, is equal parts pissed and attracted to Olivia. He doesn’t want a serious relationship so they flirt a bit and leave at that. But when she is attacked, he realizes that keeping her safe means keeping her close.
This book started so well. It opens with a flashback that gives us some insight into Olivia’s childhood as well as her friends’. When she was a kid she suffered from what I assume was cancer and went through a series of brutal treatments. She bonded with three girls that were going through the same and they remained best friends. Then there’s the scene where she confronts one of the bad guys, it made me feel like it would be a fun, interesting story with a strong heroine. But it all fell apart in a mess of unnecessary subplots and an underdeveloped, boring main story.
The romance was weak and the characters lacked the usual spark. Olivia and Grayson shared no chemistry and the romance was bland. While I was reading the book, I had to battle the urge to skim through it because I wasn’t interested in the story.
The bad guys were cartoonish, with no redeeming qualities, depth or even motivation. They were just evil for the sake of it. So the suspense aspect of the plot was just as bland and uninteresting as the rest of the book.
As I said before, the book lacked focus. There’s a subplot involving one of the friends that gets sick again. I thought that was the best part of the book, yet it was also predictable and unnecessary. Olivia works with troubled kids, so we have yet another subplot revolving around one of said kids. What’s worse, the filler characters and subplots were more entertaining that the main characters and plot.
Sweet Spot is a mediocre book. It’s not bad, I was able to finish it and I’m even wondering if one of the friends will get her own book. But it’s very disappointing because Ms. Garwood is a fantastic author that can do so much better. I’m just scratching my head wondering what happened.
Grade: 1.5
Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.
August 6, 2012
Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood *ARC SUPPLIED BY PUBLISHER*
I have read very few of Julie Garwood’s books so I really have nothing with which to compare this novel to. Other reviewers will be able to compare her style in this book against her others. All I can give you is how I feel about this book in particular.
I chose this book because the synopsis sounded great. Any female protagonist who would dare to backtalk to an FBI agent who is thrusting his fingers in her face by claiming she is scarier than the FBI- she is IRS - I thought was going to be my type of heroine.
After all, Olivia has gone through a lot of trauma in her life starting with a childhood filled with cancer and the treatments that go with it and a family that is so horrific that it left me speechless…and curious. In addition to being a lawyer Olivia, is also a child advocate and came from quite a wealthy family.
Unfortunately, for me my curiosity soon gave away to the nearly numbing effects of reading dialogue that seemed stilted and unrealistic, almost as if Olivia had never dealt with the public before. She seemed naïve for an IRS lawyer/child advocate. Naturally, she is so stunning and voluptuous that men are falling all over themselves just to look at her. and Grayson is so utterly handsome and well proportioned.
Grayson Kincaid is just the typical male ALPHA and a somewhat annoying one at that. He is rich and a bit Blue Blooded so that can get a little dreary at times, yet it does make him a perfect companion for the ultra rich (as soon as she hits a specific birthday) Olivia. I can understand why he does things the way he does, but I could not really get behind his manipulations of of Olivia. Both he and Olivia just never seemed to be fully fleshed out to me, leaving them somewhat one-dimensional and a bit clichéd.
The secondary characters are definite caricatures, using hackneyed dialogue for Olivia’s sister, brother-in-law, and father. These secondary characters are written to look like imbeciles. Yes, they are supposed to be the antagonists and terrible people, especially her father, but the author did not really make me *believe* it, if you know what I mean.
This was not my most favorite read of the year by any means, but it was not the worst book I’ve read so far this year. I did like enough “Sweet Talk “to keep me reading until I was finished.
I have read very few of Julie Garwood’s books so I really have nothing with which to compare this novel to. Other reviewers will be able to compare her style in this book against her others. All I can give you is how I feel about this book in particular.
I chose this book because the synopsis sounded great. Any female protagonist who would dare to backtalk to an FBI agent who is thrusting his fingers in her face by claiming she is scarier than the FBI- she is IRS - I thought was going to be my type of heroine.
After all, Olivia has gone through a lot of trauma in her life starting with a childhood filled with cancer and the treatments that go with it and a family that is so horrific that it left me speechless…and curious. In addition to being a lawyer Olivia, is also a child advocate and came from quite a wealthy family.
Unfortunately, for me my curiosity soon gave away to the nearly numbing effects of reading dialogue that seemed stilted and unrealistic, almost as if Olivia had never dealt with the public before. She seemed naïve for an IRS lawyer/child advocate. Naturally, she is so stunning and voluptuous that men are falling all over themselves just to look at her. and Grayson is so utterly handsome and well proportioned.
Grayson Kincaid is just the typical male ALPHA and a somewhat annoying one at that. He is rich and a bit Blue Blooded so that can get a little dreary at times, yet it does make him a perfect companion for the ultra rich (as soon as she hits a specific birthday) Olivia. I can understand why he does things the way he does, but I could not really get behind his manipulations of of Olivia. Both he and Olivia just never seemed to be fully fleshed out to me, leaving them somewhat one-dimensional and a bit clichéd.
The secondary characters are definite caricatures, using hackneyed dialogue for Olivia’s sister, brother-in-law, and father. These secondary characters are written to look like imbeciles. Yes, they are supposed to be the antagonists and terrible people, especially her father, but the author did not really make me *believe* it, if you know what I mean.
This was not my most favorite read of the year by any means, but it was not the worst book I’ve read so far this year. I did like enough “Sweet Talk “to keep me reading until I was finished.
August 7, 2012
So I think this is my last Julie Garwood for a while. At least, until she writes another historical. Since she branched into the contemporary market, I’ve found myself increasingly dissatisfied, to the point that I’ve struggled to finish books. If I hadn’t been reviewing this book as an ARC, I would have stopped reading this book after about eleven pages. The same problems keep cropping up, and there are just better books I could be spending my time on. I’ll always remember her earlier books fondly, but I know Garwood can do better.
The prologue stops me dead. It’s almost 15 pages of little girls running around, creating havoc. It’s boring, and does nothing to to move the story along. It’s nothing that couldn’t have been introduced into the main text of the story. I hate prologues that are useless. It took me a day to get past the prologue.
And then you meet Olivia MacKenzie, all grown up. And perfect. And Grayson Kincaid. Who’s also perfect. This is the problem I have with the leads in Julie Garwood’s books. They’re perfect physical specimens. So impossible sexy and gorgeous, other characters are bowled over by their looks. It’s annoying and I’m tired of reading about it. The attraction between the two is also superficial. Garwood spends a lot of time telling us that these two are crazy about each other, but all I can see is lust and sex.
The actual bare bones plot is mildly interesting, but the supporting characters are one dimensional and do nothing to prop up the leads, or give the leads complexity. The villains have no depth. The family of the MCs are just there for wallpaper. The other FBI agent, Ronan, is mildly interesting, but disappears for pages at a time, and then does nothing interesting when he is around. The three other Pips, Olivia’s childhood friends, slow down the action when they are around. Jane, the only one in the book for long periods of time, is only there to remind us that Olivia is super smart and there to save the day.
I just…I didn’t like it. And it makes me sad because I look at my Julie Garwood historicals like Saving Grace, The Wedding, and Ransom, and I think…will she ever write like that again?
The prologue stops me dead. It’s almost 15 pages of little girls running around, creating havoc. It’s boring, and does nothing to to move the story along. It’s nothing that couldn’t have been introduced into the main text of the story. I hate prologues that are useless. It took me a day to get past the prologue.
And then you meet Olivia MacKenzie, all grown up. And perfect. And Grayson Kincaid. Who’s also perfect. This is the problem I have with the leads in Julie Garwood’s books. They’re perfect physical specimens. So impossible sexy and gorgeous, other characters are bowled over by their looks. It’s annoying and I’m tired of reading about it. The attraction between the two is also superficial. Garwood spends a lot of time telling us that these two are crazy about each other, but all I can see is lust and sex.
The actual bare bones plot is mildly interesting, but the supporting characters are one dimensional and do nothing to prop up the leads, or give the leads complexity. The villains have no depth. The family of the MCs are just there for wallpaper. The other FBI agent, Ronan, is mildly interesting, but disappears for pages at a time, and then does nothing interesting when he is around. The three other Pips, Olivia’s childhood friends, slow down the action when they are around. Jane, the only one in the book for long periods of time, is only there to remind us that Olivia is super smart and there to save the day.
I just…I didn’t like it. And it makes me sad because I look at my Julie Garwood historicals like Saving Grace, The Wedding, and Ransom, and I think…will she ever write like that again?
August 16, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed Sweet Talk, as I have all of Garwood's contemporary romantic suspense books. I loved the character of Olivia Mackenzie and felt very badly for what a horrible family she was saddled with. I was glad that she had the support of her three close friends, although it was sad that they had all been through the pain and suffering of a horrible disease. Grayson Kincaid was also a wonderful character, and I loved the developing chemistry and relationship between he and Olivia. The storyline kept my interest, and I enjoyed the way it all played out. As always, I will be impatiently awaiting Garwood's next release.
Olivia Mackenzie attends a job interview as she is worried about the stability of her position as an attorney with the IRS. The interview doesn't go as planned and she ends up being assaulted and having the FBI intervene to save her. The bright spot in the day was meeting FBI agent Grayson Kincaid, but after a romantic interlude, he exits her life as suddenly as he entered. A few months later, when it becomes clear that Olivia's life is in danger, Grayson turns up to protect her. As they try to find out whether the danger to Olivia comes from her father, their feelings and attraction for one another continue to grow. Olivia is very reluctant to enter into a relationship due to her past illness, but Grayson is very difficult to resist.
I loved the romance and suspense in this book, and I quickly became attached to the characters. Aside from Olivia and Grayson, there were several wonderful secondary characters who I hope to see in future books. I received this book as an ARC through Netgalley.
Olivia Mackenzie attends a job interview as she is worried about the stability of her position as an attorney with the IRS. The interview doesn't go as planned and she ends up being assaulted and having the FBI intervene to save her. The bright spot in the day was meeting FBI agent Grayson Kincaid, but after a romantic interlude, he exits her life as suddenly as he entered. A few months later, when it becomes clear that Olivia's life is in danger, Grayson turns up to protect her. As they try to find out whether the danger to Olivia comes from her father, their feelings and attraction for one another continue to grow. Olivia is very reluctant to enter into a relationship due to her past illness, but Grayson is very difficult to resist.
I loved the romance and suspense in this book, and I quickly became attached to the characters. Aside from Olivia and Grayson, there were several wonderful secondary characters who I hope to see in future books. I received this book as an ARC through Netgalley.
August 12, 2012
This book was pleasant, but not compelling, if you get my drift. Like one of the reviewers I read, said : There was just wonderfully GOOD people or totally EVIL people. No-one was in between. And when someone tried to kill Olivia, there were so many suspects that it was laughable. Okay, she was an IRS agent, but really?!
I also have to complain about the love scenes. Pretty corny, I will tell you. And Grayson is awful arrogant about his prowess. How do I know that? On 3 different nights after a sexual marathon, I quote "He looked a little too arrogantly pleased with himself." AND another : "She looked properly ravaged, and that gave him an arrogant satisfaction." Another :"He was so smug and arrogant." And one more,lol :"He looked a little too arrogantly pleased with himself. And why wouldn't he?" The last one was a different time that he was 'too arrogantly pleased'. You get the idea.
Olivia has 3 friends that survived childhood cancer with her, and naturally they are ALL beautiful also. Grayson seems to have just enough co-workers to go around, which makes me wonder if there will be more books in the future, starring them. Samantha is an Air Force pilot and there is an amusing story that she relates.
Naturally there is a happy ending and all the evil people are punished. But one supposed twist was so glaringly obvious, that I knew it was a ruse. So, to sum it all up. An okay read. I grade it a C, not a D, or a B. Average.
I also have to complain about the love scenes. Pretty corny, I will tell you. And Grayson is awful arrogant about his prowess. How do I know that? On 3 different nights after a sexual marathon, I quote "He looked a little too arrogantly pleased with himself." AND another : "She looked properly ravaged, and that gave him an arrogant satisfaction." Another :"He was so smug and arrogant." And one more,lol :"He looked a little too arrogantly pleased with himself. And why wouldn't he?" The last one was a different time that he was 'too arrogantly pleased'. You get the idea.
Olivia has 3 friends that survived childhood cancer with her, and naturally they are ALL beautiful also. Grayson seems to have just enough co-workers to go around, which makes me wonder if there will be more books in the future, starring them. Samantha is an Air Force pilot and there is an amusing story that she relates.
Naturally there is a happy ending and all the evil people are punished. But one supposed twist was so glaringly obvious, that I knew it was a ruse. So, to sum it all up. An okay read. I grade it a C, not a D, or a B. Average.
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