What do you think?
Rate this book
Aftershock #1
Aftershock
THERE'S A FINE LINE...
As an emergency paramedic, Lauren Boyer is dedicated and highly capable. Until an earthquake strikes, trapping her beneath the freeway with a group of strangers--including Iraq war veteran Garrett Wright...
...BETWEEN PERIL AND PASSION
Handsome and take-charge Garrett aids Lauren in her rescue efforts, even as the steely look in his eyes seems to hide dark secrets. When a gang of escaped convicts goes on the attack, Garrett's bravery makes him more than a courageous bystander to Lauren. If they can save the others before time runs out, maybe, just maybe, they can explore the fire igniting between them--if the truth about who he really is doesn't pull them apart forever....
As an emergency paramedic, Lauren Boyer is dedicated and highly capable. Until an earthquake strikes, trapping her beneath the freeway with a group of strangers--including Iraq war veteran Garrett Wright...
...BETWEEN PERIL AND PASSION
Handsome and take-charge Garrett aids Lauren in her rescue efforts, even as the steely look in his eyes seems to hide dark secrets. When a gang of escaped convicts goes on the attack, Garrett's bravery makes him more than a courageous bystander to Lauren. If they can save the others before time runs out, maybe, just maybe, they can explore the fire igniting between them--if the truth about who he really is doesn't pull them apart forever....
374 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 18, 2012
32 people are currently reading
1748 people want to read
About the author
Jill Sorenson
42 books458 followersJill Sorenson is the RITA-nominated author of more than a dozen novels, including the Aftershock series with HQN.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
September 27, 2014
4.5 stars. A thrilling read that provides a unique setting/plot.
The city of San Diego experienced a very powerful eightpoint-five earthquake as well as a series of strong aftershocks. The greater downtown area has sustained considerable damage and a lot of roadways have been destroyed. It's the ultimate nightmare. In fact, the whole area looked like a war zone.
A group of people are trapped in a freeway collapse at the Interstate 8 and Highway 163 connection. You'll be meeting the following characters:
The bad guys, Jeb and Mickey, escaped convicts. Another convict, Owen, seems to be a rather decent guy. Penny, a pregnant teenager. An older man, Don, and his granddaughter Cadence. And of course there are our MCs Lauren, a paramedic, as well as the mysterious Garrett, a former Marine.
Many rescue teams are in the process of evacuating the entire county. They are looking for survivors but will they be able to save Lauren, Garrett and their fellow sufferers?
Aftershock is not my first read by Jill Sorenson but definitely the best so far. Wow, what a crazy and intense ride! The best aspect of Aftershock is the unique setting/plot and the hero. Honestly, Garrett is an unusual surprise and not what I'd've expected in the first place. Thanks for surprising me, Jill!
Why not 5 stars?
Fair warning, here comes a huge spoiler. Aftershock was right on its way to a five-star-rating when I was slightly disappointed by:
From the get-go the story is rather fast paced and thrilling. You won't find a dull moment throughout the whole plot. Garrett and his fellow sufferers are forced to spend almost a week in a cavern. You can imagine that food and water are scarce. Garrett and Lauren are looking for anything useful, i.e. crates, tools, radios, blankets, first-aid-kits, empty containers, rope, water, food, etc.
Living in this cavern is like living in a prison--even the convicts are there after all. They are establishing a hierarchy and forming alliances. The group is living the same routine day by day and they apply some kind of rules and structures. With that said, you can imagine that the baddies might make a move on a desirable woman, too. Simply put, it's a life-and-death situation in which Garrett is acting as the bodyguard.
"Shh," he said, holding her. Just holding her.
She couldn't bring herself to hate him, which made it worse. If she could stop caring about him, stop caring about anything, she could stop crying. But she couldn't. The disaster hadn't just forged a bond between them; it had broken down the wall around her heart. She'd let him inside, and he'd hurt her. Just like every other man in her life.
She'd never learn.
Another huge spoiler:
"(…)I'm crazy about you, Lauren. I love the way you smell, the sound of your voice, the taste of your mouth and how sexy you look on your knees. I'm amazed by your strength and kindness and dedication. Despite this fucked-up situation, I've loved every moment I've spent with you."
Tears flooded her eyes, because she believed him.
Aftershock is heavier on the suspense than the romance. Then again, I felt it was realistically done--except of the ILY's. Now that I did not buy at all. However, I didn't have any issues with their mutual attraction. Garrett and Lauren didn't know if they would make it out alive after all. Hence, I found it legitimate when they gave in to their needs. Make no mistake, though, there is nothing fluffy about this story. Some parts of Aftershock are quite disturbing, i.e. collecting dead bodies and "burying" them under a tarp. Placing a lonely bouquet of pretty flowers on the tarp as a good-bye was very touching.
Also, the stench of rotting flesh and the crawling maggots are not pleasant. Naturally they had to deal with the lack of body hygiene as well. But again, everything felt authentic and was very well thought out.
I like Jill's writing. It's engaging and appealing. In conclusion, if you are a fellow RS lover and haven't read anything written by this author then I'd say it's time to give her a try. You might not regret it. Enjoy!
ARC courtesy of NetGalley in behalf of Harlequin
Expected publication date: December 18, 2012
The city of San Diego experienced a very powerful eightpoint-five earthquake as well as a series of strong aftershocks. The greater downtown area has sustained considerable damage and a lot of roadways have been destroyed. It's the ultimate nightmare. In fact, the whole area looked like a war zone.
A group of people are trapped in a freeway collapse at the Interstate 8 and Highway 163 connection. You'll be meeting the following characters:
The bad guys, Jeb and Mickey, escaped convicts. Another convict, Owen, seems to be a rather decent guy. Penny, a pregnant teenager. An older man, Don, and his granddaughter Cadence. And of course there are our MCs Lauren, a paramedic, as well as the mysterious Garrett, a former Marine.
Many rescue teams are in the process of evacuating the entire county. They are looking for survivors but will they be able to save Lauren, Garrett and their fellow sufferers?
Aftershock is not my first read by Jill Sorenson but definitely the best so far. Wow, what a crazy and intense ride! The best aspect of Aftershock is the unique setting/plot and the hero. Honestly, Garrett is an unusual surprise and not what I'd've expected in the first place. Thanks for surprising me, Jill!
Why not 5 stars?
Fair warning, here comes a huge spoiler. Aftershock was right on its way to a five-star-rating when I was slightly disappointed by:
From the get-go the story is rather fast paced and thrilling. You won't find a dull moment throughout the whole plot. Garrett and his fellow sufferers are forced to spend almost a week in a cavern. You can imagine that food and water are scarce. Garrett and Lauren are looking for anything useful, i.e. crates, tools, radios, blankets, first-aid-kits, empty containers, rope, water, food, etc.
Living in this cavern is like living in a prison--even the convicts are there after all. They are establishing a hierarchy and forming alliances. The group is living the same routine day by day and they apply some kind of rules and structures. With that said, you can imagine that the baddies might make a move on a desirable woman, too. Simply put, it's a life-and-death situation in which Garrett is acting as the bodyguard.
"Shh," he said, holding her. Just holding her.
She couldn't bring herself to hate him, which made it worse. If she could stop caring about him, stop caring about anything, she could stop crying. But she couldn't. The disaster hadn't just forged a bond between them; it had broken down the wall around her heart. She'd let him inside, and he'd hurt her. Just like every other man in her life.
She'd never learn.
Another huge spoiler:
"(…)I'm crazy about you, Lauren. I love the way you smell, the sound of your voice, the taste of your mouth and how sexy you look on your knees. I'm amazed by your strength and kindness and dedication. Despite this fucked-up situation, I've loved every moment I've spent with you."
Tears flooded her eyes, because she believed him.
Aftershock is heavier on the suspense than the romance. Then again, I felt it was realistically done--except of the ILY's. Now that I did not buy at all. However, I didn't have any issues with their mutual attraction. Garrett and Lauren didn't know if they would make it out alive after all. Hence, I found it legitimate when they gave in to their needs. Make no mistake, though, there is nothing fluffy about this story. Some parts of Aftershock are quite disturbing, i.e. collecting dead bodies and "burying" them under a tarp. Placing a lonely bouquet of pretty flowers on the tarp as a good-bye was very touching.
Also, the stench of rotting flesh and the crawling maggots are not pleasant. Naturally they had to deal with the lack of body hygiene as well. But again, everything felt authentic and was very well thought out.
I like Jill's writing. It's engaging and appealing. In conclusion, if you are a fellow RS lover and haven't read anything written by this author then I'd say it's time to give her a try. You might not regret it. Enjoy!
ARC courtesy of NetGalley in behalf of Harlequin
Expected publication date: December 18, 2012
December 1, 2012
Okay, I'm going to attempt to review this, even though I have a hard time reviewing books I truly loved. Why is it so much easier to review books you don't care for? Anyway...I loved this book! Totally original, it really pushed the envelope on the suspense and overall intensity. I was thoroughly caught up in it all, but to be honest, there was a point where I got so immersed in it that I thought I needed a breather. Verrry intense. From the opening chapters and throughout the book, I kept thinking "this could be a movie..."
The plot: Pretty blonde Lauren Boyer, 26, is a paramedic for the city of San Diego. She's getting over the recent busted engagement from her doctor boyfriend by focusing on her job. While driving in the ambulance with her partner/friend on a crowded San Diego freeway underpass, an earthquake hits, and it's a whopper. 8.5 magnitude. Death, destruction, and absolute sheer terror. Crumbling roadway, cars flipping, fire, bodies crushed, huge chunks of concrete decimating cars and bodies...yet somehow Lauren survives. Is she the only survivor among the rubble? Lauren is terrified, yet somehow she knows she must do her job and help any survivors...
Lauren...
The quake...
Turns out she is not the only survivor. There’s Garrett Wright (our hero)--30-ish, a ruggedly handsome former Marine/Iraq war veteran, hiding a big secret. There’s 60-ish Don and his 12 year-old biracial granddaughter Cadence; and there’s heavily pregnant Latina teenager Penny, daughter of a prominent San Diego politico, as well as a couple of injured people that Lauren valiantly tries to save. As if it wasn’t bad enough to be trapped in the rubble with no immediate hope for rescue, this brave group also has to deal with danger among them--a trio (Mickey, Jeb, and Owen) of escaped convicts looking to take advantage of the situation.
Garrett...what secret are you hiding?
So that’s the plot in a nutshell. Good versus evil. Who will win? Will they find a way out before their water supply runs out? Is one of the convicts (Owen) really a good guy? Is the romance blooming between Lauren and Garrett for real or just due to the circumstances? Do they have anything in common besides a love for Dune? Will Garrett’s secret get in the way of his relationship with Lauren?
I loved everything about this book. I loved the whole "second chances" (for Lauren, Garrett, Penny, and Owen) theme. I appreciated the unique setting--over 3/4ths of this book takes place under the crumbled freeway remains--they have their own little world where they’ve used their ingenuity with the gathered items from the wrecked cars that will help them survive. The author does a terrific job with this dystopian world and paints such a vivid picture that you can imagine yourself there.
The suspense--will they get out, will they be rescued, will they be able to hold off the criminals---wow, I really fretted over this. This felt so real to me, that I had to put the book aside a time or two---that’s how intense it was. The bad guys were really bad…god, did I want them to just go away!
The romance. Well, I know some readers had a problem with this, but I really didn’t. I loved Lauren and Garrett together, and I found it believable that they would be attracted to each other. Lauren was coming off a relationship where her fiance cheated on her, so she was questioning her desirability, and of course when Garrett looked at her that way, and looking the way he does, what girl wouldn’t feel a spark? Now of course Garrett , so of course the pretty, brave paramedic is going to look good to him. Put two smart, attractive, likable people in dire circumstances, and they’re going to bond. It’s up to the author to make us believe that this is sort of a “love at first sight” situation. Did she convince me? I’m not sure about the “love”, but they definitely had a healthy “lust” going on. And I do believe in time it could turn into love. If you have the ability to suspend disbelief you’ll like this aspect of the story. Being a romance reader, I do have that ability. I can go with the flow, and I definitely liked seeing Lauren and Garrett (who broke my heart, he was so down on himself) together. I wanted that HEA!
Lauren...all cleaned up...
"I can't believe how lucky I am..."
This is my first time reading this author, and if this is an example of what she can do? I’m hooked! Her writing is first rate--fast paced, descriptive, great dialogue, plausible plot, with likable secondary characters, nasty bad guys, hot sex scenes (you’re probably wondering how Garrett and Lauren can have sex in that mess, but trust me, where there’s a will there’s a way!), terror, nail-biting suspense, action, gore, some tear-jerking moments, courageous moments from the H/h….and even a HEA. What more could you want? Well, there was one thing… But maybe that will come up in the next book, when one of the survivor’s gets his own book (Freefall). This was one of my favorite RS books of the year--a highly recommended 5 stars!
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley
The plot: Pretty blonde Lauren Boyer, 26, is a paramedic for the city of San Diego. She's getting over the recent busted engagement from her doctor boyfriend by focusing on her job. While driving in the ambulance with her partner/friend on a crowded San Diego freeway underpass, an earthquake hits, and it's a whopper. 8.5 magnitude. Death, destruction, and absolute sheer terror. Crumbling roadway, cars flipping, fire, bodies crushed, huge chunks of concrete decimating cars and bodies...yet somehow Lauren survives. Is she the only survivor among the rubble? Lauren is terrified, yet somehow she knows she must do her job and help any survivors...
Lauren...
The quake...
Turns out she is not the only survivor. There’s Garrett Wright (our hero)--30-ish, a ruggedly handsome former Marine/Iraq war veteran, hiding a big secret. There’s 60-ish Don and his 12 year-old biracial granddaughter Cadence; and there’s heavily pregnant Latina teenager Penny, daughter of a prominent San Diego politico, as well as a couple of injured people that Lauren valiantly tries to save. As if it wasn’t bad enough to be trapped in the rubble with no immediate hope for rescue, this brave group also has to deal with danger among them--a trio (Mickey, Jeb, and Owen) of escaped convicts looking to take advantage of the situation.
Garrett...what secret are you hiding?
So that’s the plot in a nutshell. Good versus evil. Who will win? Will they find a way out before their water supply runs out? Is one of the convicts (Owen) really a good guy? Is the romance blooming between Lauren and Garrett for real or just due to the circumstances? Do they have anything in common besides a love for Dune? Will Garrett’s secret get in the way of his relationship with Lauren?
I loved everything about this book. I loved the whole "second chances" (for Lauren, Garrett, Penny, and Owen) theme. I appreciated the unique setting--over 3/4ths of this book takes place under the crumbled freeway remains--they have their own little world where they’ve used their ingenuity with the gathered items from the wrecked cars that will help them survive. The author does a terrific job with this dystopian world and paints such a vivid picture that you can imagine yourself there.
The suspense--will they get out, will they be rescued, will they be able to hold off the criminals---wow, I really fretted over this. This felt so real to me, that I had to put the book aside a time or two---that’s how intense it was. The bad guys were really bad…god, did I want them to just go away!
The romance. Well, I know some readers had a problem with this, but I really didn’t. I loved Lauren and Garrett together, and I found it believable that they would be attracted to each other. Lauren was coming off a relationship where her fiance cheated on her, so she was questioning her desirability, and of course when Garrett looked at her that way, and looking the way he does, what girl wouldn’t feel a spark? Now of course Garrett , so of course the pretty, brave paramedic is going to look good to him. Put two smart, attractive, likable people in dire circumstances, and they’re going to bond. It’s up to the author to make us believe that this is sort of a “love at first sight” situation. Did she convince me? I’m not sure about the “love”, but they definitely had a healthy “lust” going on. And I do believe in time it could turn into love. If you have the ability to suspend disbelief you’ll like this aspect of the story. Being a romance reader, I do have that ability. I can go with the flow, and I definitely liked seeing Lauren and Garrett (who broke my heart, he was so down on himself) together. I wanted that HEA!
Lauren...all cleaned up...
"I can't believe how lucky I am..."
This is my first time reading this author, and if this is an example of what she can do? I’m hooked! Her writing is first rate--fast paced, descriptive, great dialogue, plausible plot, with likable secondary characters, nasty bad guys, hot sex scenes (you’re probably wondering how Garrett and Lauren can have sex in that mess, but trust me, where there’s a will there’s a way!), terror, nail-biting suspense, action, gore, some tear-jerking moments, courageous moments from the H/h….and even a HEA. What more could you want? Well, there was one thing… But maybe that will come up in the next book, when one of the survivor’s gets his own book (Freefall). This was one of my favorite RS books of the year--a highly recommended 5 stars!
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley
November 9, 2014
3.5 stars. A fairly gripping but quite gory story, from start to finish, almost. More of a thriller, less of a romance, with the exception of some lovely -- and yummy -- parts, and some almost profound moments.
This is the first book I have read by JS. She's got a decent writing style. I liked the shifting point of view. There is some internal dialogue but not too much, and the characters don't REPEAT their thoughts too much, yet it did happen. (My pet peeve.) Most of the book involves combat, triage/medical, and survival scenes. Gripping scene with the Kenworth truck!
Having experienced the Loma Prieta earthquake, when the freeway collapsed, and gangs of looters roamed, I found it possible to swallow MOST of this tale. Sorenson plotted her thriller carefully, with some interesting twists and no major deus ex machina. Armed killers had to be stopped, but this was not easy to do. Plans to put them out of commission kept going slightly awry, making the tale more credible. For example, the plan with Dumb, Dumber, and the dummy.
As for Garrett and Lauren, the instant lust-to-love trope worked okay, given how closely they worked together in desperate circumstances. Garrett tried so hard to be noble and resist temptation, despite his huge attraction to Lauren. I felt for him, and found his resistance admirable and understandable. I liked how protective he was, and not only towards Lauren. The lovemaking started at about 67% into the story. Despite Garrett's ripped physique, I found it a bit hard to get in the mood for sexy times -- the gore, the stench, etc.
I enjoyed the secondary story between Owen and Penny as much as the primary relationship. I want more of Owen!
Character development was quite good. Several characters grew throughout the horrendous experience, manifested through acts of heroic sacrifice, courage, redemption, and reconciliation. Some poignant bits.
Comments and Quibbles:
The villains were flat. Just bad, with nothing interesting about them.
Not exactly a complaint, but I found it slightly hard to fully embrace Garrett, knowing what he did five years ago, despite his regret, his heroism, and the beautiful reconciliation scene at the end. (But knowing he was probably swamped by PTSD helped.) Nonetheless, I was uncomfortably and almost subconsciously bothered by this aspect of his past. But then, so was he! So that helped, and the reconciliation scene in the boardroom was very moving. I could believe it. On second thought, kudos to Sorenson for making me ponder the nature of justice and redemption.
Secrets created contrived conflict: Penny's decision to reveal her secret came too late, and her reason for NOT doing so sooner seemed weak, given the dire circumstances. Owen also kept the reasons for having a nazi tattoo a secret for no good reason.
Gross setting:
Some of this was much too gory.
Bodies rotting, getting hory.
Maggots make a gruesome story!
IMO Sorenson underplayed the stench of 11 decaying bodies. I remember from a hiking experience how foul one rotting dog smelled, in the open air, beside a pine forest.
Could do without the profanity, but it wasn't too excessive.
Readers who've not read Dune, by Frank Herbert, might glaze over when the leads refer to it, quote it, etc. It wasn't over the top, though, IMO (but I have read Dune, and seen the movie).
Such quibbles aside, I was captivated. I will probably buy book 2, Sam Rutherford's story, coming in June. Sam was in a coma for most of book 1, but he played a key role at the end. See Freefall for a synopsis of his upcoming story.
This is the first book I have read by JS. She's got a decent writing style. I liked the shifting point of view. There is some internal dialogue but not too much, and the characters don't REPEAT their thoughts too much, yet it did happen. (My pet peeve.) Most of the book involves combat, triage/medical, and survival scenes. Gripping scene with the Kenworth truck!
Having experienced the Loma Prieta earthquake, when the freeway collapsed, and gangs of looters roamed, I found it possible to swallow MOST of this tale. Sorenson plotted her thriller carefully, with some interesting twists and no major deus ex machina. Armed killers had to be stopped, but this was not easy to do. Plans to put them out of commission kept going slightly awry, making the tale more credible. For example, the plan with Dumb, Dumber, and the dummy.
As for Garrett and Lauren, the instant lust-to-love trope worked okay, given how closely they worked together in desperate circumstances. Garrett tried so hard to be noble and resist temptation, despite his huge attraction to Lauren. I felt for him, and found his resistance admirable and understandable. I liked how protective he was, and not only towards Lauren. The lovemaking started at about 67% into the story. Despite Garrett's ripped physique, I found it a bit hard to get in the mood for sexy times -- the gore, the stench, etc.
I enjoyed the secondary story between Owen and Penny as much as the primary relationship. I want more of Owen!
Character development was quite good. Several characters grew throughout the horrendous experience, manifested through acts of heroic sacrifice, courage, redemption, and reconciliation. Some poignant bits.
Comments and Quibbles:
The villains were flat. Just bad, with nothing interesting about them.
Not exactly a complaint, but I found it slightly hard to fully embrace Garrett, knowing what he did five years ago, despite his regret, his heroism, and the beautiful reconciliation scene at the end. (But knowing he was probably swamped by PTSD helped.) Nonetheless, I was uncomfortably and almost subconsciously bothered by this aspect of his past. But then, so was he! So that helped, and the reconciliation scene in the boardroom was very moving. I could believe it. On second thought, kudos to Sorenson for making me ponder the nature of justice and redemption.
Secrets created contrived conflict: Penny's decision to reveal her secret came too late, and her reason for NOT doing so sooner seemed weak, given the dire circumstances. Owen also kept the reasons for having a nazi tattoo a secret for no good reason.
Gross setting:
Some of this was much too gory.
Bodies rotting, getting hory.
Maggots make a gruesome story!
IMO Sorenson underplayed the stench of 11 decaying bodies. I remember from a hiking experience how foul one rotting dog smelled, in the open air, beside a pine forest.
Could do without the profanity, but it wasn't too excessive.
Readers who've not read Dune, by Frank Herbert, might glaze over when the leads refer to it, quote it, etc. It wasn't over the top, though, IMO (but I have read Dune, and seen the movie).
Such quibbles aside, I was captivated. I will probably buy book 2, Sam Rutherford's story, coming in June. Sam was in a coma for most of book 1, but he played a key role at the end. See Freefall for a synopsis of his upcoming story.
February 21, 2013
I really enjoyed this book, though they were a few WTH moments, like in the midst of rescuing people their thoughts about how hot the other person was. So, the heroine is a paramedic going on her shift when an earthquake hits her city, stranding her with the hero, a pregnant teenager, another girl and her grandfather plus a few sick people she is trying to save. They are low on supplies plus they are three rowdy prisoners on the loose threatening them.
I found the book's premise to be different and unusual and as always Jill Sorenson's secondary storylines shine, so we have Owen a young convict whose body is covered with white supremacists tattoos, who is just with them for survival and we have a pregnant teenager. I have to admit I enjoyed the romance and later on there were enough clues about the hero to find out what he was hiding. I am not looking forward to Sam's story as much as I want Owen's.
I found the book's premise to be different and unusual and as always Jill Sorenson's secondary storylines shine, so we have Owen a young convict whose body is covered with white supremacists tattoos, who is just with them for survival and we have a pregnant teenager. I have to admit I enjoyed the romance and later on there were enough clues about the hero to find out what he was hiding. I am not looking forward to Sam's story as much as I want Owen's.
February 13, 2013
Fantastic 5 star read!
One of the best romantic suspenses I've read. The setting for this one was unusual and JS did a superb job of creating intense action and drama from the very start.
What can I say about the Hero, Garrett. He's everything I expect and want from a Hero (with one glaring exception/secret) but JS made it all work.
Penny was the perfect heroine who held her own throughout the book - loved her! She did pull one TSTL move towards the end but I forgave her easily. What's a Hero for if he's not saving the day - again! :)
Honestly, I cared for all the characters but I'm eager to know what eventually happens to Owen and Penny. Not sure I'll ever find out but I wish them both the best.
JS really knows how to write bad guys, Jeb and Mickey were two crazy psychos! I hated them both!
Bottom line, I loved Aftershock and recommend it to fans of romantic-suspense.
There's a good amount of sexual tension/sex and a sweet HEA.
One of the best romantic suspenses I've read. The setting for this one was unusual and JS did a superb job of creating intense action and drama from the very start.
What can I say about the Hero, Garrett. He's everything I expect and want from a Hero (with one glaring exception/secret) but JS made it all work.
Penny was the perfect heroine who held her own throughout the book - loved her! She did pull one TSTL move towards the end but I forgave her easily. What's a Hero for if he's not saving the day - again! :)
Honestly, I cared for all the characters but I'm eager to know what eventually happens to Owen and Penny. Not sure I'll ever find out but I wish them both the best.
JS really knows how to write bad guys, Jeb and Mickey were two crazy psychos! I hated them both!
Bottom line, I loved Aftershock and recommend it to fans of romantic-suspense.
There's a good amount of sexual tension/sex and a sweet HEA.
August 3, 2014
This was really a tale of survival after a major earthquake makes several people trapped together fighting for their lives. The romance aspect didn't get enough focus for me to totally buy it and I felt the story really needed an epilogue to show us how the couple was building a life together. There was a bit too much death and violence for my taste, the feel of the story was kind of grim for most of it. It was still an interesting story despite these issues which is the reason for my three star rating.
December 20, 2012
This book has such a different premise as it starts with a huge earthquake that rocks the city of San Diego. Lauren Boyer is a paramedic heading to a call as the earthquake hits. Her ambulance falls as the entire freeway collapses. When the earth finally settles, she ends up in a large cavern, underneath the collapsed freeway. Her paramedic partner is dead, actually many, many people are dead.
As Lauren starts to try to find survivors and help the injured, she meets Garrett Wright. She doesn’t learn much about him, except he used to be a solider in the middle east. He is quiet, but strong and helps Lauren aide those that need help. He also has a secret about him, which I’m not sure how I feel about. I’ll let you discover it for yourselves. They are totally trapped inside this cavern, only seeing a tiny bit of sun peeking in way above them. They meet a few other survivors, one who has a RV. They have limited food and water, and do their best to survive. To add to this drama, a prison inmate van is in the cavern with them, and some of the prisoners are alive, armed and not friendly.
Like I said, I like this set-up. It is a natural disaster romance. This book is very heavy on the ramifications of the earthquake, The author does not hold back on the violence or darkness of the situation. It’s very gritty and graphic. A lot of death and a lot of despair. It makes the book very realistic in regards to what your situation would be. The blood and gore is not glossed over. The prisoners that have ‘escaped’ are not kind and are brutal to Lauren’s group.
So where does the romance fit in? Wellllllll….that was my problem with this book. Obviously, Lauren and Garrett are not going to be going at it like bunnies when first they have just met and under such dire circumstances. They do become the leaders of their little group and spend a lot of time together helping others and trying to figure out a way out. Which is all great, but a romance between them develops and I never believed in their love. I didn’t feel their chemistry. I kind of believed in their sex scene, that felt more organic. But the love declaration – where does that come from? It really was not convincing to me.
Besides Lauren and Garrett we get a lot of page time with Penny, a teenager who is pregnant and one week away from her due date. An escaped prisoner becomes an unlikely ally to her. Not sure if I like how it all ended up for him but maybe we will see him in a future book. This escaped prisoner has racist tattoos as he belonged to a certain gang in prison. It is a very dark and heavy topic and I’m not sure if there is enough page time to throw in a character like this.
Unfortunately, this one gets poor ratings for romance, although my heart was pounding quite a bit at the action and intense scenes the earthquake caused. The author does a nice job with the seriousness and intensity of the entire situation, but the romance didn’t work for me at all.
Rating: C
As Lauren starts to try to find survivors and help the injured, she meets Garrett Wright. She doesn’t learn much about him, except he used to be a solider in the middle east. He is quiet, but strong and helps Lauren aide those that need help. He also has a secret about him, which I’m not sure how I feel about. I’ll let you discover it for yourselves. They are totally trapped inside this cavern, only seeing a tiny bit of sun peeking in way above them. They meet a few other survivors, one who has a RV. They have limited food and water, and do their best to survive. To add to this drama, a prison inmate van is in the cavern with them, and some of the prisoners are alive, armed and not friendly.
Like I said, I like this set-up. It is a natural disaster romance. This book is very heavy on the ramifications of the earthquake, The author does not hold back on the violence or darkness of the situation. It’s very gritty and graphic. A lot of death and a lot of despair. It makes the book very realistic in regards to what your situation would be. The blood and gore is not glossed over. The prisoners that have ‘escaped’ are not kind and are brutal to Lauren’s group.
So where does the romance fit in? Wellllllll….that was my problem with this book. Obviously, Lauren and Garrett are not going to be going at it like bunnies when first they have just met and under such dire circumstances. They do become the leaders of their little group and spend a lot of time together helping others and trying to figure out a way out. Which is all great, but a romance between them develops and I never believed in their love. I didn’t feel their chemistry. I kind of believed in their sex scene, that felt more organic. But the love declaration – where does that come from? It really was not convincing to me.
Besides Lauren and Garrett we get a lot of page time with Penny, a teenager who is pregnant and one week away from her due date. An escaped prisoner becomes an unlikely ally to her. Not sure if I like how it all ended up for him but maybe we will see him in a future book. This escaped prisoner has racist tattoos as he belonged to a certain gang in prison. It is a very dark and heavy topic and I’m not sure if there is enough page time to throw in a character like this.
Unfortunately, this one gets poor ratings for romance, although my heart was pounding quite a bit at the action and intense scenes the earthquake caused. The author does a nice job with the seriousness and intensity of the entire situation, but the romance didn’t work for me at all.
Rating: C
December 30, 2012
W.O.W!
An absolutely crazy ride. For a moment there I thought I was going to hate how everything turned out at the end.
Shows how JS likes to toy around with her story telling and string us along for a bumpy adventure. Totally crazy and I loved it.
An absolutely crazy ride. For a moment there I thought I was going to hate how everything turned out at the end.
Shows how JS likes to toy around with her story telling and string us along for a bumpy adventure. Totally crazy and I loved it.
February 20, 2013
Jill Sorenson is getting better all the time. I really loved this book. Bought it at work this afternoon and finished it this evening. Well plotted and believable. Interesting well developed characters, especially the hero, Garrett. His story was very strong. I loved how he faced up to choices he'd made in his life. The heroine was competent and well written. No TSTL moments. Good secondary characters.
The romance was there but the action really carried the story. It moved fast, was suspenseful and didn't let up.
Looking forward to Sam's story.
The romance was there but the action really carried the story. It moved fast, was suspenseful and didn't let up.
Looking forward to Sam's story.
September 22, 2014
This was such a crazy ride. I swear the very beginning was so darn realistic, that it was scary. I honest wouldn't know what to do in that kind of situation.This was nonstop action and some serious sexual tension. I loved Garrett. I really wasn't sure how it would all end. It just felt like to many things standing in Lauren and Garrett's way. but this author was brilliant and gave them their HEA.
December 27, 2012
4.5 read. What a surprise. I had no clue this was going to be a little bit Lost, a little bit Lord of the Flies with Survivor thrown in-all taking place under an earthquake damaged overpass in San Diego.
December 23, 2012
Didn't care for the prisoner-theme that ran thru this book. Would have liked for that aspect of the storyline to have been different, but it played a major role.
Massive earthquake in San Diego caused destruction on a freeway and a small group of people were trapped inside fallen bridges/overpasses for about a week trying to survive. Unfortunately, a bus full of prisoners were also in the group and one of the prisoners turned out to be a major hero. Garrett. Former military with PTSD. Found his story to be very depressing. Frustration was what his character had me feeling most of the time. The ending, I would like to have smacked him.
There were several side stories running along with the main story. They were fine, but again PRISONER related and because of that, I didn't care much for this book.
Felt the author went into too much detail about unimportant things in the book and didn't feel a "connection" between the H/h that went from 0 to 60 in short period of time.
3 Stars from This Reader.
Massive earthquake in San Diego caused destruction on a freeway and a small group of people were trapped inside fallen bridges/overpasses for about a week trying to survive. Unfortunately, a bus full of prisoners were also in the group and one of the prisoners turned out to be a major hero. Garrett. Former military with PTSD. Found his story to be very depressing. Frustration was what his character had me feeling most of the time. The ending, I would like to have smacked him.
There were several side stories running along with the main story. They were fine, but again PRISONER related and because of that, I didn't care much for this book.
Felt the author went into too much detail about unimportant things in the book and didn't feel a "connection" between the H/h that went from 0 to 60 in short period of time.
3 Stars from This Reader.
July 11, 2013
Would have probably worked better for me with the more typical action movie plotline: survive disaster with hot McGyver type; rely on and impress each other through endless crises; throw in some sexual tension that relies on banter not body parts; and indulge in your smooches after you've gotten proper medical attention and a thorough hosing down with antibacterial soap.
As it was, the inappropriate boners and sexy thoughts were very jarring amidst piles of rotting corpses, cartoonish villains, dying patients, a pregnant teen, and a sweet gal and her nice grandpa to worry about. It was enough that they were trapped in a tunnel and running out of food and water. Less might have been more.
As it was, the inappropriate boners and sexy thoughts were very jarring amidst piles of rotting corpses, cartoonish villains, dying patients, a pregnant teen, and a sweet gal and her nice grandpa to worry about. It was enough that they were trapped in a tunnel and running out of food and water. Less might have been more.
January 16, 2013
This book has an amazing premise - a group of earthquake survivors are caught in a cavern created with the san diego interstate collapsed. There's a pregnant girl, hot guy, paramedic, grandpa and a young girl - oh and some dangerous convicts. The action, the "what are they going to find and be able to use to get them out of there" questions had me turning pages.
I ALSO loved the very risky characters she created. Owen, a young convict was especially endearing and fresh. The romance, for me took a back seat to the great premise and action.
I ALSO loved the very risky characters she created. Owen, a young convict was especially endearing and fresh. The romance, for me took a back seat to the great premise and action.
May 24, 2016
NTM Jill Sorenson did a wonderful job of keeping me on edge and tuned in, as I watched Garrett and Lauren struggle to survive and turn to each other for comfort. Will not be my last Sorenson. As much as I loved Garrett though, it was Owen that really captured my heart and I hope him and Penny have a chance later down the road. They continually kept trying to steal the show. Wonderful read!
December 8, 2012
review copy from author.
3.5 stars, rounded up.
Why I read it: The author provided a review copy.
What it's about: (from Goodreads) THERE'S A FINE LINE As an emergency paramedic, Lauren Boyer is dedicated and highly capable. Until an earthquake strikes, trapping her beneath the freeway with a group of strangers-including Iraq war veteran Garrett Wright...
BETWEEN PERIL AND PASSION
Handsome and take-charge Garrett aids Lauren in her rescue efforts, even as the steely look in his eyes seems to hide dark secrets. When a gang of escaped convicts goes on the attack, Garrett's bravery makes him more than a courageous bystander to Lauren. If they can save the others before time runs out, maybe, just maybe, they can explore the fire igniting between them-if the truth about who he really is doesn't pull them apart forever....
What worked for me (and what didn't): Given that the earthquake is right at the start, we're into the action almost immediately - and the action just keeps right on going. The description of the quake and the first aftershock was gripping and the confusion, terror and grief is palpable. The author pulls no punches in describing the carnage - including later on in the book when the bodies have been decomposing for a few days in the heat and bits are falling off (ew!). There are no zombies but if you're squeamish, this might be a bit much. (It's hard to find a hero terribly sexy when he's covered in gore.)
There was a lot going on in the book, with almost constant action. I could easily see it as a movie (although if it were a movie, there would be a dog. There's always a dog. Which survives - I think it's a rule.) We spend a bit of time in the heads of quite a few people so it felt a little more like a movie to me as well.
The writing was spare and at the beginning, sometimes if felt a little jerky, moving quickly from one emotion or idea to another without any depth. I wonder if this is a function of the category length? I didn't notice it in Crash Into Me (which I liked a lot). But it did even out as the book went along.
As to the romance, I could certainly see Lauren and Garrett falling for one another but I wasn't entirely convinced they would last together - trauma may bring people together but can they survive the mundane? I'd like to think so, but there wasn't any of that in the book so the jury is still out for me.
It is apparent early on that Garrett has a secret and it didn't take long for me to figure it out. I thought Lauren was a bit dense actually for taking so long to get it. Garrett gave plenty of clues. While he didn't confess, he didn't lie either and he had a credible reason for his deception, at least at the beginning.
I believed the attraction and chemistry between the two leads and thankfully the author found a way for them to be clean before they got "dirty" (heh). Because, rotting flesh? Not sexy.
Ultimately, I think I would have preferred if Garrett didn't have the secret he had - I think it was one extra element in a book that already had so much going on. Him dealing with the after effects of PTSD would have been enough for me and they maybe would have had an opportunity to live a "mundane" life for a few months before the end of the book, which may have made the HEA more believable.
I liked the relationship between Penny and Owen and I didn't mind that there wasn't any real resolution to their story (mainly because the story wasn't about their relationship as such) and I felt both were in a much better place at the end. Owen was a complex character - he did some heroic things but he was a product of his environment and his instincts were to lie and steal and cheat. So, when he did anything outside that, it represented a big change for him. I can't say that I trusted that would last but I'd like to think he will turn his life around.
I also liked that Garrett, even with his military background, had difficulty getting the bad guys. He wasn't super human - while he did fairly well at attempting to be a combination of MacGyver and John McClane, he didn't actually achieve it, which meant the book felt more real to me - even though there was a sense of heightened reality in the book - just like in most disaster movies.
Mostly, I liked that Garrett took responsibility for his actions but I seesawed a little on whether he was being just too hard on himself. I'm not sure I ended up with a firm view one way or the other actually.
I also liked how Lauren's career as an EMT/Paramedic played into her broader personality and how the disaster brought about a change in her career goals.
The medical side of things felt believable (I have no idea really but it seemed authentic to me). Lauren couldn't perform surgery and her equipment and supplies weren't unlimited. Their situation as regards food and water wasn't glossed over. I was glad there was an RV trapped with them so there was a toilet the girls could use though :). The RV idea was pretty clever actually, because it mean a private space for Penny, it meant cooking utensils and facilities and staples, like rice being available. Definitely if I'm ever trapped in an earthquake on a freeway, I want to be near a fully stocked RV (but no convicts please).
What else? There was an excerpt from Freefall in the back of this book. Sam Rutherford is the hero - we meet him briefly in Aftershock. I'm really looking forward to reading about him. Sexy rock climber with a tortured past. Yum.
Grade: B-
http://kaetrinsmusings.blogspot.com.a...
3.5 stars, rounded up.
Why I read it: The author provided a review copy.
What it's about: (from Goodreads) THERE'S A FINE LINE As an emergency paramedic, Lauren Boyer is dedicated and highly capable. Until an earthquake strikes, trapping her beneath the freeway with a group of strangers-including Iraq war veteran Garrett Wright...
BETWEEN PERIL AND PASSION
Handsome and take-charge Garrett aids Lauren in her rescue efforts, even as the steely look in his eyes seems to hide dark secrets. When a gang of escaped convicts goes on the attack, Garrett's bravery makes him more than a courageous bystander to Lauren. If they can save the others before time runs out, maybe, just maybe, they can explore the fire igniting between them-if the truth about who he really is doesn't pull them apart forever....
What worked for me (and what didn't): Given that the earthquake is right at the start, we're into the action almost immediately - and the action just keeps right on going. The description of the quake and the first aftershock was gripping and the confusion, terror and grief is palpable. The author pulls no punches in describing the carnage - including later on in the book when the bodies have been decomposing for a few days in the heat and bits are falling off (ew!). There are no zombies but if you're squeamish, this might be a bit much. (It's hard to find a hero terribly sexy when he's covered in gore.)
There was a lot going on in the book, with almost constant action. I could easily see it as a movie (although if it were a movie, there would be a dog. There's always a dog. Which survives - I think it's a rule.) We spend a bit of time in the heads of quite a few people so it felt a little more like a movie to me as well.
The writing was spare and at the beginning, sometimes if felt a little jerky, moving quickly from one emotion or idea to another without any depth. I wonder if this is a function of the category length? I didn't notice it in Crash Into Me (which I liked a lot). But it did even out as the book went along.
As to the romance, I could certainly see Lauren and Garrett falling for one another but I wasn't entirely convinced they would last together - trauma may bring people together but can they survive the mundane? I'd like to think so, but there wasn't any of that in the book so the jury is still out for me.
It is apparent early on that Garrett has a secret and it didn't take long for me to figure it out. I thought Lauren was a bit dense actually for taking so long to get it. Garrett gave plenty of clues. While he didn't confess, he didn't lie either and he had a credible reason for his deception, at least at the beginning.
I believed the attraction and chemistry between the two leads and thankfully the author found a way for them to be clean before they got "dirty" (heh). Because, rotting flesh? Not sexy.
Ultimately, I think I would have preferred if Garrett didn't have the secret he had - I think it was one extra element in a book that already had so much going on. Him dealing with the after effects of PTSD would have been enough for me and they maybe would have had an opportunity to live a "mundane" life for a few months before the end of the book, which may have made the HEA more believable.
I liked the relationship between Penny and Owen and I didn't mind that there wasn't any real resolution to their story (mainly because the story wasn't about their relationship as such) and I felt both were in a much better place at the end. Owen was a complex character - he did some heroic things but he was a product of his environment and his instincts were to lie and steal and cheat. So, when he did anything outside that, it represented a big change for him. I can't say that I trusted that would last but I'd like to think he will turn his life around.
I also liked that Garrett, even with his military background, had difficulty getting the bad guys. He wasn't super human - while he did fairly well at attempting to be a combination of MacGyver and John McClane, he didn't actually achieve it, which meant the book felt more real to me - even though there was a sense of heightened reality in the book - just like in most disaster movies.
Mostly, I liked that Garrett took responsibility for his actions but I seesawed a little on whether he was being just too hard on himself. I'm not sure I ended up with a firm view one way or the other actually.
I also liked how Lauren's career as an EMT/Paramedic played into her broader personality and how the disaster brought about a change in her career goals.
The medical side of things felt believable (I have no idea really but it seemed authentic to me). Lauren couldn't perform surgery and her equipment and supplies weren't unlimited. Their situation as regards food and water wasn't glossed over. I was glad there was an RV trapped with them so there was a toilet the girls could use though :). The RV idea was pretty clever actually, because it mean a private space for Penny, it meant cooking utensils and facilities and staples, like rice being available. Definitely if I'm ever trapped in an earthquake on a freeway, I want to be near a fully stocked RV (but no convicts please).
What else? There was an excerpt from Freefall in the back of this book. Sam Rutherford is the hero - we meet him briefly in Aftershock. I'm really looking forward to reading about him. Sexy rock climber with a tortured past. Yum.
Grade: B-
http://kaetrinsmusings.blogspot.com.a...
December 27, 2023
This one was a bit of a surprise for me. There is insta-love/attraction but overall, the rest of the plot seemed pretty real. I like that the H was in the military but wasn't some Special Forces/SEAL badass. He was a marine but only served for a few years. He wasn't great at everything and actually struggled. I thought the h was a realistic character too, she was a medic and struggled with trying to keep everyone healthy until they could be rescued. The story kept me hooked to see how it would be resolved.
Overall, the insta-love was the only part of the story that didn't seem to fit but I still enjoyed the whole book.
Overall, the insta-love was the only part of the story that didn't seem to fit but I still enjoyed the whole book.
December 28, 2015
Review copy provided via NetGalley
Why I Read this Book: This book has one very interesting and original premise. I’ve been wanting to read a book by this author for some time now and when I saw this book, I knew this was the one to go with.
What I Liked: This book is different from most other romantic suspense novels I have read. As if being in a car on a freeway interchange with another freeway pass overhead during an 8.5 earthquake wasn’t bad enough, the author adds a prisoner transport vehicle to the mix to keep things interesting. So not only do Lauren and Garrett and the other survivors have to concern themselves with trying to stay alive until help arrives, they also have to worry about dealing with dangerous escaped convicts as well.
This was a great cast of characters. Lauren is a paramedic whose natural instinct is to try to save others – as many as she can. Then you’ve got Garrett, the unlikely hero for reasons I cannot go into for it will spoil the story. There’s a pregnant woman whom Garrett pulled from a wrecked vehicle. There’s also a grandfather and granddaughter. If the primary focus was just on the hero and heroine, I don’t think the severity of the situation would have been as captivating. But the author lures your compassionate side in with a pregnant woman who’s ready to give birth at any moment and the granddaughter, 11-year old Cadence.
The characters are stuck in a cavern for days, almost a week, so the setting gets to be pretty monotonous. But the writing was so rich in detail that even with the most mundane things, the author was able to hold onto my attention. It was very interesting to read about the sacrifices the characters had to make and what they had to do all in the name of survival.
There is a conflicting, yet clever, twist concerning one of the major characters. The author doesn’t give everything away all at once; the information is time-released so you really don’t have any idea of what’s really going on until it’s almost all said and done. It really makes you question how you would react and handle the information that is dropped like a bomb.
What I Didn’t Like: I have a hard time with characters declaring their love so soon after their initial meeting but in this case, it worked for me. These were different circumstances; Lauren and Garrett were thrown into a life or death situation and that amps up the intensity of things – including attraction and emotions.
Overall Impression: Aftershock was dark, gritty and raw. The outlook for these characters is bleak so it’s not a happy-go-lucky type of book. There were moments where I caught myself holding my breath.
Why I Read this Book: This book has one very interesting and original premise. I’ve been wanting to read a book by this author for some time now and when I saw this book, I knew this was the one to go with.
What I Liked: This book is different from most other romantic suspense novels I have read. As if being in a car on a freeway interchange with another freeway pass overhead during an 8.5 earthquake wasn’t bad enough, the author adds a prisoner transport vehicle to the mix to keep things interesting. So not only do Lauren and Garrett and the other survivors have to concern themselves with trying to stay alive until help arrives, they also have to worry about dealing with dangerous escaped convicts as well.
This was a great cast of characters. Lauren is a paramedic whose natural instinct is to try to save others – as many as she can. Then you’ve got Garrett, the unlikely hero for reasons I cannot go into for it will spoil the story. There’s a pregnant woman whom Garrett pulled from a wrecked vehicle. There’s also a grandfather and granddaughter. If the primary focus was just on the hero and heroine, I don’t think the severity of the situation would have been as captivating. But the author lures your compassionate side in with a pregnant woman who’s ready to give birth at any moment and the granddaughter, 11-year old Cadence.
The characters are stuck in a cavern for days, almost a week, so the setting gets to be pretty monotonous. But the writing was so rich in detail that even with the most mundane things, the author was able to hold onto my attention. It was very interesting to read about the sacrifices the characters had to make and what they had to do all in the name of survival.
There is a conflicting, yet clever, twist concerning one of the major characters. The author doesn’t give everything away all at once; the information is time-released so you really don’t have any idea of what’s really going on until it’s almost all said and done. It really makes you question how you would react and handle the information that is dropped like a bomb.
What I Didn’t Like: I have a hard time with characters declaring their love so soon after their initial meeting but in this case, it worked for me. These were different circumstances; Lauren and Garrett were thrown into a life or death situation and that amps up the intensity of things – including attraction and emotions.
Overall Impression: Aftershock was dark, gritty and raw. The outlook for these characters is bleak so it’s not a happy-go-lucky type of book. There were moments where I caught myself holding my breath.
January 26, 2022
Muy entretenida.
Pensé que podría ser un poco claustrofóbica, ya que toda la acción se desarrolla en una especie de cueva creada por los escombros del terremoto, pero no, ha estado muy bien y muy entretenida.
Con varios puntos de vista, no sólo los de la pareja protagonista, y con un romance bastante creíble y bien descrito pese a las circunstancias de tiempo (1 semana) y espacio (la cueva) en el que se desarrolla. Aunque había leído reseñas donde decían que no les parecía creíble el romance yo no he tenido ese problema.
Las únicas pegas que le he encontrado son ese momento TSTL que tiene la protagonista…es un recurso muy flojo para dar continuidad a la acción, y el final tan…no brusco, pero tan…final…me hubiese gustado ver un poco más de la pareja haciendo vida normal.
Entretenido y recomendable.
Pensé que podría ser un poco claustrofóbica, ya que toda la acción se desarrolla en una especie de cueva creada por los escombros del terremoto, pero no, ha estado muy bien y muy entretenida.
Con varios puntos de vista, no sólo los de la pareja protagonista, y con un romance bastante creíble y bien descrito pese a las circunstancias de tiempo (1 semana) y espacio (la cueva) en el que se desarrolla. Aunque había leído reseñas donde decían que no les parecía creíble el romance yo no he tenido ese problema.
Las únicas pegas que le he encontrado son ese momento TSTL que tiene la protagonista…es un recurso muy flojo para dar continuidad a la acción, y el final tan…no brusco, pero tan…final…me hubiese gustado ver un poco más de la pareja haciendo vida normal.
Entretenido y recomendable.
April 28, 2013
This story was really good, setup was the aftermath of an earthquake and was told very realistically with the appropriate balance of suspense and romance, and several parts were truly emotional. The main and secondary love stories were very sweet, great H/h pair, and characterization was well done.
HERO was a Warrior, ex-Marine who suffered PSTD whose consequences he’s still paying, filled with remorse about his past actions. He helps to rescue and save a few trapped survivors, and he offers them everything he has, his strength, braveness, selfishness, and his heart to a brave paramedic woman.
SCENES/CONTENT: few/hot
GENRE/TONE: contemporary/action,drama
LENGTH: 271 pages
HERO was a Warrior, ex-Marine who suffered PSTD whose consequences he’s still paying, filled with remorse about his past actions. He helps to rescue and save a few trapped survivors, and he offers them everything he has, his strength, braveness, selfishness, and his heart to a brave paramedic woman.
SCENES/CONTENT: few/hot
GENRE/TONE: contemporary/action,drama
LENGTH: 271 pages
April 8, 2015
This was romantic suspense, a story of survival after an earthquake. I enjoyed the survival, MacGyver vibe to things. The romance aspect was fine, not so exciting. I cared about the people tho. Under stress, they showed their true colors. It was perhaps a little too black and white but an enjoyable read.
May 27, 2014
Good set up, but a series of implausibly awful happenings popped the tension balloon and nearly caused me to sprain my left eye from rolling it too hard.
July 28, 2016
Good action movie setting but unbelievable love story.
March 17, 2016
4 Stars
I really enjoyed my first Jill Sorenson book. Won't be my last.
I really enjoyed my first Jill Sorenson book. Won't be my last.
March 4, 2020
Romance Rehab: Book recs, author services, general badassery: https://www.romancerehab.com/
Holy crap, this book surprised me. In a REALLY good way.
Plot overview: Ex-soldier Garrett and paramedic Lauren are trapped underground when a San Diego freeway collapses on top of them during an earthquake. They must fight to save those who are trapped with them, all while trying not to starve and get murdered by some convicts who escaped transport during the earthquake.
Y’all know I struggle a little with romantic suspense at times. I also struggle with sex that takes place when the hero and heroine are REALLY dirty and gross. It’s just so...unhygenic. Makes me think of UTIs, which is NEVER sexy. Then there’s the fact that romantic supsense heroes and heroines sometimes have sex while bad guys are literally chasing them and trying to kill them. (Sorry, but even if I’m on the run with Chris Hemsworth, I will NOT be stopping to have sex while bullets are flying past my head. Sorry, Chris. Nothing personal. But I digress…) But this book manages to make the sexy times NOT seem forced and out of place, and the hero and heroine managed to bathe first in a way that actually made total sense in context. Jill Sorenson is a genius!!
Besides the sex (which was on the spicy side but nowhere near erotica-ish), I really loved Lauren. She was strong and smart and great at her job, but was also vulnerable and emotional. She didn’t carry around a ton of emotional baggage (despite a recent shitty experience with her ex), and was pretty much a heroine that any young romance reader could look up to.
And Garrett...oh, Garrett. He was a sweet, gooey cinnamon roll wrapped up in a tough, hot, ex-soldier package. Unlike Lauren, he had TONS of emotional baggage and a few secrets, but it didn’t bother me. Anyone who’d been through what Garrett went through would be a little secretive and messed up. His motivations and actions all made sense to me, and watching him fall for Lauren while protecting his group of survivors was pretty awesome.
The side characters are also AWESOME. I’ll be reading THE CRAP out of Owen’s story. He’s a damaged, emotionally distrustful convict who develops a little bit of a crush on young mother, Penny. I just KNOW their story is going to be EPIC.
Romantic suspense fans will love the nail-biting action in this one, too. The pace is fast, but there are nice little breaks between action scenes that let the readers get to know and love the characters. In other words, this book is the perfect balance of action, emotion, and sexy times. Not something I find too often in romantic suspense.
Long-story-short, I just did some research and found out there are like 5 other books in this series (yay!!), so I’m off to do some binge-reading. But do yourselves a favor while I’m gone--go read this book.
Holy crap, this book surprised me. In a REALLY good way.
Plot overview: Ex-soldier Garrett and paramedic Lauren are trapped underground when a San Diego freeway collapses on top of them during an earthquake. They must fight to save those who are trapped with them, all while trying not to starve and get murdered by some convicts who escaped transport during the earthquake.
Y’all know I struggle a little with romantic suspense at times. I also struggle with sex that takes place when the hero and heroine are REALLY dirty and gross. It’s just so...unhygenic. Makes me think of UTIs, which is NEVER sexy. Then there’s the fact that romantic supsense heroes and heroines sometimes have sex while bad guys are literally chasing them and trying to kill them. (Sorry, but even if I’m on the run with Chris Hemsworth, I will NOT be stopping to have sex while bullets are flying past my head. Sorry, Chris. Nothing personal. But I digress…) But this book manages to make the sexy times NOT seem forced and out of place, and the hero and heroine managed to bathe first in a way that actually made total sense in context. Jill Sorenson is a genius!!
Besides the sex (which was on the spicy side but nowhere near erotica-ish), I really loved Lauren. She was strong and smart and great at her job, but was also vulnerable and emotional. She didn’t carry around a ton of emotional baggage (despite a recent shitty experience with her ex), and was pretty much a heroine that any young romance reader could look up to.
And Garrett...oh, Garrett. He was a sweet, gooey cinnamon roll wrapped up in a tough, hot, ex-soldier package. Unlike Lauren, he had TONS of emotional baggage and a few secrets, but it didn’t bother me. Anyone who’d been through what Garrett went through would be a little secretive and messed up. His motivations and actions all made sense to me, and watching him fall for Lauren while protecting his group of survivors was pretty awesome.
The side characters are also AWESOME. I’ll be reading THE CRAP out of Owen’s story. He’s a damaged, emotionally distrustful convict who develops a little bit of a crush on young mother, Penny. I just KNOW their story is going to be EPIC.
Romantic suspense fans will love the nail-biting action in this one, too. The pace is fast, but there are nice little breaks between action scenes that let the readers get to know and love the characters. In other words, this book is the perfect balance of action, emotion, and sexy times. Not something I find too often in romantic suspense.
Long-story-short, I just did some research and found out there are like 5 other books in this series (yay!!), so I’m off to do some binge-reading. But do yourselves a favor while I’m gone--go read this book.
September 24, 2019
OMG I LOVE THIS STORY.
It feels like I am watching a movie. This book should definitely be a movie.
The setting was amazing, the characters was everything we need and the storyline came in fast.
I thought by reading the blurb I am like how can this earthquake give us so much content and plotline with everything and involving all the character.
But Jill definitely showed us.
You feel the suspense and the intensity of the plotline.
Although at one point I am like "really this is happening in a real life threatening timing" But meh it is story, anything can happen in this situation. Just like movies, we get dramatics and we all love it.
The "villain" though are one hell of a characters. They were wonderfully written.
I don't think we get that much romance between the characters but only like desires/lust. I wish there was more build up. But they are stuck together in a short period of time i guess we need to move the storyline quickly.
It feels like I am watching a movie. This book should definitely be a movie.
The setting was amazing, the characters was everything we need and the storyline came in fast.
I thought by reading the blurb I am like how can this earthquake give us so much content and plotline with everything and involving all the character.
But Jill definitely showed us.
You feel the suspense and the intensity of the plotline.
Although at one point I am like "really this is happening in a real life threatening timing" But meh it is story, anything can happen in this situation. Just like movies, we get dramatics and we all love it.
The "villain" though are one hell of a characters. They were wonderfully written.
I don't think we get that much romance between the characters but only like desires/lust. I wish there was more build up. But they are stuck together in a short period of time i guess we need to move the storyline quickly.
March 12, 2017
For some reason, the second go around reading this book wasn't as exciting as the first time. Maybe because I already knew what was going on? Or maybe because some of the characters seem a bit more... frustrating than I remember?
Also, the narrator, Piper Goodeve, for this audio book was also a bit disappointing. The distinctions between characters weren't done very well, and the inflections of her voice don't seem to depict character dialogues properly--excitement doesn't sound exciting, happy voices seem flat, and sad voices... well, they also seem flat. I'm going to listen to the next book anyway, if only to see if she improves.
Also, the narrator, Piper Goodeve, for this audio book was also a bit disappointing. The distinctions between characters weren't done very well, and the inflections of her voice don't seem to depict character dialogues properly--excitement doesn't sound exciting, happy voices seem flat, and sad voices... well, they also seem flat. I'm going to listen to the next book anyway, if only to see if she improves.
March 29, 2020
As a result of the recent earthquake in Utah, a challenge in my online book group was to read a story that included an earthquake...I found this unread beauty on my kindle. This was a crazed adventure...being trapped during an earthquake does not seem like an ideal place to find love but, Jill Sorenson made it happen. However, I loved that is was not just the Garrett and Lauren show --- All of the characters, had interesting untold stories and it made for an incredible read!!!
As soon as I finished this story I went in search of the the book...Freefall.
As soon as I finished this story I went in search of the the book...Freefall.
April 5, 2021
I loved this book. It was my first time reading this author. It was told in third person with multiple viewpoints. There was lots of action from the very beginning and I loved the forbidden romance story line. I would definitely continue with this series.
July 14, 2021
I love natural disaster movies - I just can't help myself so I expected to love this one. Unfortunately I didn't. I just couldn't get sucked into it and found myself putting it down and walking away. I knew from the beginning what "the twist" was as well. Not sure what didn't work for me I just know I was a bit bored along the way.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews