What do you think?
Rate this book
Hostage Negotiation Team #1
All Fall Down
Hostage negotiator Claire Michaels’ never thought she'd be involved in an international crisis. Can she overcome her scars of the past to stop a new al-Qaeda threat?
Navy SEAL Rafe Kelly is on leave to recover from a knee injury he suffered during his tour in Afghanistan and he doesn't expect to be fighting terrorists on his home turf. When he's taken hostage, he knows he has to fight or die.
Navy SEAL Rafe Kelly is on leave to recover from a knee injury he suffered during his tour in Afghanistan and he doesn't expect to be fighting terrorists on his home turf. When he's taken hostage, he knows he has to fight or die.
283 pages, Paperback
First published September 16, 2011
109 people are currently reading
1064 people want to read
About the author
Julie Coulter Bellon
47 books592 followersAfter reading every Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and Hardy Boys book her elementary school library had, Julie Coulter Bellon knew from a young age she wanted to write books and be a published author someday. That dream came true and she is now the author of thirty romantic suspense novels and two children's books. One nightmare that also came true was that she once tripped up the stairs going on stage to accept a book award and she thinks about that moment more often than she should.
Julie loves to travel and her favorite cities she's visited so far are probably Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She is a former journalist and podcast host of Authors Off the Page. She loves to read, write, teach, watch Hawaii Five-O reruns, and eat Canadian chocolate. Not necessarily in that order.
If you'd like to be the first to hear about Julie's new projects and receive a free book, you can sign up to be part of her VIP Readers Group at juliebellon DOT com
Julie loves to travel and her favorite cities she's visited so far are probably Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. She is a former journalist and podcast host of Authors Off the Page. She loves to read, write, teach, watch Hawaii Five-O reruns, and eat Canadian chocolate. Not necessarily in that order.
If you'd like to be the first to hear about Julie's new projects and receive a free book, you can sign up to be part of her VIP Readers Group at juliebellon DOT com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
October 16, 2012
Definitely a five star in my book. Oh wait . . .
did-not-finish
May 6, 2023DNF - page 29 (15%)
His name is Rafe. I canNOT for the life of me take this seriously.
His name is Rafe. I canNOT for the life of me take this seriously.
March 29, 2017
Every once in awhile I just get in the mood for a good romantic suspense novel. I've been wanting to give Bellon's books a try for awhile now and was looking forward to starting this one. I was not disappointed, this was a fun read.
I thought this was well written and kept me glued to the pages. I liked Claire and Rafe and how they worked together. Both were likable characters and you can't help but hope everything works out so they can be together. It was pretty fast paced, taking place in about a weeks time. I was happy there was some romance in the book, but I did wonder if a lot of their feelings were enhanced simply because of the situation they were in. There are some pretty intense moments and it kept me on my toes.
I thought this was a fun read and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Content
Romance: Squeaky Clean
Language: None
Violence: Moderate, nothing descriptive
Religious: None
Source: Amazon
I thought this was well written and kept me glued to the pages. I liked Claire and Rafe and how they worked together. Both were likable characters and you can't help but hope everything works out so they can be together. It was pretty fast paced, taking place in about a weeks time. I was happy there was some romance in the book, but I did wonder if a lot of their feelings were enhanced simply because of the situation they were in. There are some pretty intense moments and it kept me on my toes.
I thought this was a fun read and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Content
Romance: Squeaky Clean
Language: None
Violence: Moderate, nothing descriptive
Religious: None
Source: Amazon
November 22, 2012
Classic Julie Bellon suspense novel! An enjoyable, fast-paced read, with quite a few surprising twists and turns (I will forever be creeped out by 'Ring Around the Rosies').
Navy SEAL Rafe Kelly thinks he's taking a nice break to recover from a knee injury. Yet, he walks into the middle of a hostage situation where he is being held hostage by his best friend & comrade, Gary, who in turn is being controlled by a terrorist with a major vendetta.
Claire Michaels, the local detective, responds to the scene and soon finds herself caught up in an international terrorist plot in which not only is her life in danger, but Rafe's, and possibly thousands more.
ALL FALL DOWN starts out with a bang (almost literally) and the action rarely slows down. Intermingled is a sweet and budding romance between Rafe and Claire, as they become friends and learn to trust each other and put past hurts and tragedies behind them.
Navy SEAL Rafe Kelly thinks he's taking a nice break to recover from a knee injury. Yet, he walks into the middle of a hostage situation where he is being held hostage by his best friend & comrade, Gary, who in turn is being controlled by a terrorist with a major vendetta.
Claire Michaels, the local detective, responds to the scene and soon finds herself caught up in an international terrorist plot in which not only is her life in danger, but Rafe's, and possibly thousands more.
ALL FALL DOWN starts out with a bang (almost literally) and the action rarely slows down. Intermingled is a sweet and budding romance between Rafe and Claire, as they become friends and learn to trust each other and put past hurts and tragedies behind them.
July 31, 2018
Julie Coulter Bellon never ceases to amaze me with her gripping military romantic suspense books. HOW does she know all of this stuff and how does she portray it in a way that captivates a reader?!
Claire is in new territory and Rafe has to fight, or die trying. I love the way these two work together and enjoyed the way the sparks of their relationship still develop, even while in the middle of a tense and terrifying situation.
This book is action-paced and doesn't slow down. It is definitely a page-turner and I flew right through the pages. I hope I don't have nightmares tonight, haha.
Content: mild-moderate violence (war/terrorist type); mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
Claire is in new territory and Rafe has to fight, or die trying. I love the way these two work together and enjoyed the way the sparks of their relationship still develop, even while in the middle of a tense and terrifying situation.
This book is action-paced and doesn't slow down. It is definitely a page-turner and I flew right through the pages. I hope I don't have nightmares tonight, haha.
Content: mild-moderate violence (war/terrorist type); mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
November 28, 2021
That was pretty intense XD so many hostages! Also...what have I gotten myself into??? This is a whole series! I'm supposed to be reading other things right now XD I never learn my lesson....
August 18, 2018
I loved this book. Serious suspense. Seriously complex characters. Seriously well-crafted story. All wrapped within a compelling love story. Have to admit, I hung on every word, and hated when the story ended.
November 19, 2016
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
**Audio book narrated by Simon Pringle-Wallace
I read this book as part audio and part Kindle book, though towards the end, it ended up being mostly audio as I found myself listening to it while playing computer games. It was very easy to just lose myself in a book while playing mindless computer games. It was a good evening, well spent.
Anyway, the audio book is narrated by Simon Pringle-Wallace, and was actually done quite well once I got used to his voice. Since the majority of the characters were male, it was easier to get used to his voice once you get past his softer voice for Claire.
But enough of that.
Book-wise, even though I DID enjoy the book, it still seems, sort of, like I'm in the minority of opinions about it. While it was exciting, fast-paced, and enjoyable enough, there were still things about All Fall Down that didn't quite work out for me, mainly the events at the beginning. I haven't been able to really pinpoint why, but that some of the actions and events didn't seem to make much sense to me.
Even so, having great characters helps the book. All Fall Down is bite-sized and flew by before I knew it. Once the action got started, everything just kind of fell into place.
We already get to see a bunch of side characters, many of whom will probably be getting their own book. At the same time, the introduction of all these characters doesn't seem awkward or forced. And while I did like Claire and Rafe just fine, I felt like they were fairly standard as a main couple for a romance novel; though, to be clear, that doesn't take away from the fact that both are great characters. They just don't really stand out.
Very enjoyable, though not much more unique than any other romantic suspense outside of being about a hostage negotiation team, which is a premise I haven't come across in other romantic suspense books yet. HOWEVER, I have been introduced to this concept in an old Hong Kong television drama series, which I very much enjoyed, which is why I'd been drawn to the concept of All Fall Down in the first place.
I will definitely find the time to continue this series.
***
2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
• Reading Assignment Challenge
• Bookish Resolutions Challenge
• Mount TBR Challenge
**Audio book narrated by Simon Pringle-Wallace
I read this book as part audio and part Kindle book, though towards the end, it ended up being mostly audio as I found myself listening to it while playing computer games. It was very easy to just lose myself in a book while playing mindless computer games. It was a good evening, well spent.
Anyway, the audio book is narrated by Simon Pringle-Wallace, and was actually done quite well once I got used to his voice. Since the majority of the characters were male, it was easier to get used to his voice once you get past his softer voice for Claire.
But enough of that.
Book-wise, even though I DID enjoy the book, it still seems, sort of, like I'm in the minority of opinions about it. While it was exciting, fast-paced, and enjoyable enough, there were still things about All Fall Down that didn't quite work out for me, mainly the events at the beginning. I haven't been able to really pinpoint why, but that some of the actions and events didn't seem to make much sense to me.
Even so, having great characters helps the book. All Fall Down is bite-sized and flew by before I knew it. Once the action got started, everything just kind of fell into place.
We already get to see a bunch of side characters, many of whom will probably be getting their own book. At the same time, the introduction of all these characters doesn't seem awkward or forced. And while I did like Claire and Rafe just fine, I felt like they were fairly standard as a main couple for a romance novel; though, to be clear, that doesn't take away from the fact that both are great characters. They just don't really stand out.
Very enjoyable, though not much more unique than any other romantic suspense outside of being about a hostage negotiation team, which is a premise I haven't come across in other romantic suspense books yet. HOWEVER, I have been introduced to this concept in an old Hong Kong television drama series, which I very much enjoyed, which is why I'd been drawn to the concept of All Fall Down in the first place.
I will definitely find the time to continue this series.
***
2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
• Reading Assignment Challenge
• Bookish Resolutions Challenge
• Mount TBR Challenge
January 9, 2017
Awful..
There were times when I felt like a teenager might have written it, it was so silly. Everything seemed so forced between Rafe and Claire, too. And the stupidest part of the whole book was when Rafe had to get everyone out of the building because the bad guy told him they only had 6 minutes before bombs blew and Rafe, who could barely stand the pain in his injured knee, had to pick up the secretary and try to hurry down the stairs with her because her HIGH HEELS WERE TOO HIGH, FOR HER TO RUN? Really? He couldn’t tell her to take them off and start running? I almost stopped reading right then, that was so stupid. And then he just transferred her to someone else’s arms and the other guy continued to run. WTH was this author thinking? And their thoughts were simply stupid.
As far as I remember there wasn’t one swearword in this book. Cops and military men and no swearing? Not likely. That made this book totally unbelievable. So, for all of you who don’t want sex or swearing in your book then this one’s for you. But not for me.
And our hero wasn’t much of a hero. He was injured during an op and was home to recuperate, then he was taken hostage and was hurt when a bomb went off, then he was burned when his house blew up, then he was beat up by Bez and his henchman and thrown into a deep dark hole. He did jump on a bad guy’s back in order to save Claire, at 91%, so there was that.
Anyway, when it was over I was so glad. Had it been 3 or 4 hundred pages I never would have finished it but since it was only 218 pages I muddled through it. I have no idea how this got so many 4 and 5 star reviews since it was so teenager-ish and quite silly most of the time. I have a headache I rolled my eyes so many times.
As to the narration: He was pretty bad. He read so fast, it was like he was racing to see how fast he could read this. And, he did not have an ounce of feeling either. He just read the book, that’s it. I would not intentionally look for books read by Simon Pringle-Wallace. He made a funny sound with his mouth too when he read. Maybe constant swallowing, I’m not sure. Mr. Wallace only has 3 books he’s done so far but he definitely needs more practice. I mean, at one point Rafe found his brother in a hole beaten so badly he was almost unrecognizable but when Vince spoke his tone was almost yelling, like there wasn’t a thing wrong with him. Does that warrant 4 or 5 stars? I don’t think so.
There were times when I felt like a teenager might have written it, it was so silly. Everything seemed so forced between Rafe and Claire, too. And the stupidest part of the whole book was when Rafe had to get everyone out of the building because the bad guy told him they only had 6 minutes before bombs blew and Rafe, who could barely stand the pain in his injured knee, had to pick up the secretary and try to hurry down the stairs with her because her HIGH HEELS WERE TOO HIGH, FOR HER TO RUN? Really? He couldn’t tell her to take them off and start running? I almost stopped reading right then, that was so stupid. And then he just transferred her to someone else’s arms and the other guy continued to run. WTH was this author thinking? And their thoughts were simply stupid.
As far as I remember there wasn’t one swearword in this book. Cops and military men and no swearing? Not likely. That made this book totally unbelievable. So, for all of you who don’t want sex or swearing in your book then this one’s for you. But not for me.
And our hero wasn’t much of a hero. He was injured during an op and was home to recuperate, then he was taken hostage and was hurt when a bomb went off, then he was burned when his house blew up, then he was beat up by Bez and his henchman and thrown into a deep dark hole. He did jump on a bad guy’s back in order to save Claire, at 91%, so there was that.
Anyway, when it was over I was so glad. Had it been 3 or 4 hundred pages I never would have finished it but since it was only 218 pages I muddled through it. I have no idea how this got so many 4 and 5 star reviews since it was so teenager-ish and quite silly most of the time. I have a headache I rolled my eyes so many times.
As to the narration: He was pretty bad. He read so fast, it was like he was racing to see how fast he could read this. And, he did not have an ounce of feeling either. He just read the book, that’s it. I would not intentionally look for books read by Simon Pringle-Wallace. He made a funny sound with his mouth too when he read. Maybe constant swallowing, I’m not sure. Mr. Wallace only has 3 books he’s done so far but he definitely needs more practice. I mean, at one point Rafe found his brother in a hole beaten so badly he was almost unrecognizable but when Vince spoke his tone was almost yelling, like there wasn’t a thing wrong with him. Does that warrant 4 or 5 stars? I don’t think so.
October 9, 2012
My first thought as I reviewed this book is that there was no time to breath. The storyline starts with a huge action scene, and then goes to the next big scene.Then something more exciting happens. Once again Julie has written characters that you like and care about right from the beginning. This doesn't mean that her characters are without flaws, but she gives many reasons to care about them. Rafe and Claire have real chemistry from the start. With everything that is happening in the story, kidnappings, terrorist activity etc. there is no time for courtship found in a typical romance, but they still manage to start caring about each other deeply.
With everything happening in the world today, this story hits so close to home. It is very chilling to read, especially as they head to Afghanistan on a rescue operation. This is one thing I always love about Julie's stories, she does great research and writes about current events. Her books are always romantic/suspense at it's best! The action at the end will leave you holding your breath. Just when you think everything is OK...it really isn't!
All Fall Down is packed with fast-paced action, tense moments that will raise your blood pressure, and a little bit of sweet romance. You won't be disappointed in this new novel from Julie Coulter Bellon!
With everything happening in the world today, this story hits so close to home. It is very chilling to read, especially as they head to Afghanistan on a rescue operation. This is one thing I always love about Julie's stories, she does great research and writes about current events. Her books are always romantic/suspense at it's best! The action at the end will leave you holding your breath. Just when you think everything is OK...it really isn't!
All Fall Down is packed with fast-paced action, tense moments that will raise your blood pressure, and a little bit of sweet romance. You won't be disappointed in this new novel from Julie Coulter Bellon!
April 20, 2013
One night, I couldn't sleep. I like to read to relax before bed. Its about 2am at this point. I opened All Fall Down to the front cover, where the author Julie (were tight like that, right?) wrote "I hope you stay up reading this one". I bust out laughing. So much for relaxing before bed.
I love it when a book jumps right into the story. Page one and you are interested and can't wait to read more. Rafe is a Navy Seal on medical leave and walks into his fathers office building hoping to run into an employee he knew from Afghanistan. He is shocked when he meets his friend with a bomb on his chest and he is taken to the roof as a hostage.
Claire is a hostage negotiator who is sent it to deal with the situation. There is more to the story than meets the eye and soon Rafe and Claire are on the run to save the lives of a family member and possibly the entire country.
I was sad whenever I had to put this book down. It held my attention, surprised me, and thoroughly entertained me. Squeeky clean, I would recommend this book to any teen or adult.
I love it when a book jumps right into the story. Page one and you are interested and can't wait to read more. Rafe is a Navy Seal on medical leave and walks into his fathers office building hoping to run into an employee he knew from Afghanistan. He is shocked when he meets his friend with a bomb on his chest and he is taken to the roof as a hostage.
Claire is a hostage negotiator who is sent it to deal with the situation. There is more to the story than meets the eye and soon Rafe and Claire are on the run to save the lives of a family member and possibly the entire country.
I was sad whenever I had to put this book down. It held my attention, surprised me, and thoroughly entertained me. Squeeky clean, I would recommend this book to any teen or adult.
March 12, 2014
4.5 stars... A lot of action in this one with a little romance!
Rafe Kelly is a Navy SEAL who is home recovering from a knee injury. He has been summoned to his family's business which is currently being run by his younger brother, Vince, while his father is recovering from a stroke. He's not excited to see Vince, but he is excited to see his Navy buddy, Gary Holman, who has been working at Axis since he was released from active duty because of injuries. His reunion with Gary is anything but happy when Gary shows up with a bomb attached to him and orders for Rafe to go to the roof with him.
Claire Michaels is a detective and hostage negotiator. Frustrated when all Gary will say to her is the nursery rhyme "Ring Around the Rosy" over and over again, she convinces her boss to let her go up to the roof and negotiate in person. There she finds out that Gary is acting under someone else's orders - someone who has a personal vendetta against Rafe and Gary because they had captured in him in one of their classified missions. Gary warns Rafe not to trust anyone and then sacrifices his own life to save everyone else.
Rafe vows that he will find whoever did this -- but he doesn't have to. They find him first -- to let him know that they have his brother and if he wants to see him alive again he needs to deliver the file Gary was working on with the encryption key -- and he has 72 hours to accomplish this!
Rafe needs someone to trust, and the only person he seems to be able to trust is Claire. The stakes are high if they don't succeed - not only do they need to save Rafe's brother, but they need to keep the file out of the hands of the person who wants to rebuild Osama bin Laden's empire and destroy America.
This story was action-packed from start to finish - wow!
Content: Clean, some violence (as you would expect in an action-packed thriller - no excessive or unnecessary violence)
Rafe Kelly is a Navy SEAL who is home recovering from a knee injury. He has been summoned to his family's business which is currently being run by his younger brother, Vince, while his father is recovering from a stroke. He's not excited to see Vince, but he is excited to see his Navy buddy, Gary Holman, who has been working at Axis since he was released from active duty because of injuries. His reunion with Gary is anything but happy when Gary shows up with a bomb attached to him and orders for Rafe to go to the roof with him.
Claire Michaels is a detective and hostage negotiator. Frustrated when all Gary will say to her is the nursery rhyme "Ring Around the Rosy" over and over again, she convinces her boss to let her go up to the roof and negotiate in person. There she finds out that Gary is acting under someone else's orders - someone who has a personal vendetta against Rafe and Gary because they had captured in him in one of their classified missions. Gary warns Rafe not to trust anyone and then sacrifices his own life to save everyone else.
Rafe vows that he will find whoever did this -- but he doesn't have to. They find him first -- to let him know that they have his brother and if he wants to see him alive again he needs to deliver the file Gary was working on with the encryption key -- and he has 72 hours to accomplish this!
Rafe needs someone to trust, and the only person he seems to be able to trust is Claire. The stakes are high if they don't succeed - not only do they need to save Rafe's brother, but they need to keep the file out of the hands of the person who wants to rebuild Osama bin Laden's empire and destroy America.
This story was action-packed from start to finish - wow!
Content: Clean, some violence (as you would expect in an action-packed thriller - no excessive or unnecessary violence)
November 15, 2012
Wow, this book jumps right into the action and suspense right away and honestly doesn't let up the whole book. It was full on. I loved it.
Claire is a smart, strong woman. She knows what she wants and she just jumps in with both feet and works until she gets it. The hurts of her past motivate her to be the very best she can be in her job. I love her fierce sense of loyalty.
Rafe is everything heroic and awesome. Steady, calm and strong. He is a protector and he takes his role very seriously. His loyalty and devotion to his morals, his family and his country just make him the best kind of hero.
I loved this book. In the front of my review copy, the author, Julie Coulter Bellon wrote, "I hope you stay up late reading this one!" And I totally did! It was a fast, easy reading kind of book that kept me engaged from the very beginning. I'll never look at ring around the rosy the same way again.
Claire is a smart, strong woman. She knows what she wants and she just jumps in with both feet and works until she gets it. The hurts of her past motivate her to be the very best she can be in her job. I love her fierce sense of loyalty.
Rafe is everything heroic and awesome. Steady, calm and strong. He is a protector and he takes his role very seriously. His loyalty and devotion to his morals, his family and his country just make him the best kind of hero.
I loved this book. In the front of my review copy, the author, Julie Coulter Bellon wrote, "I hope you stay up late reading this one!" And I totally did! It was a fast, easy reading kind of book that kept me engaged from the very beginning. I'll never look at ring around the rosy the same way again.
October 10, 2012
For fans of international romantic suspense, All Fall Down, by Julie Coulter Bellon is an exciting find! The hero and heroine are professionals, with convincing credentials that are easy to believe in and identify with. Every author faces the problem of leading her readers to “suspend disbelief” and buy into her story. With this genre, that is particularly difficult because of all the technical, legal, and routine details. For instance, the heroine is a hostage negotiator. However, Bellon has done her research and performs this magic with seeming effortlessness. The story is not only believable, but tense, dramatic, and very suspenseful right down to the last page. If you like this genre, you will LOVE All Fall Down.
October 22, 2015
There are many good things in this book. It is fast paced and action packed. There is travel, hostage negotiations, spies, military men, suspense, romance, etc.
Claire meets Rafe in a hostage negotiation situation. Rafe's friend has a bomb attached to him and they are struggling to find a way to disarm the bomb and have a happy ending to the situation. This leads to Claire and Rafe teaming up to discover who is behind the bomb. A new hostage situation takes them from the US to Afghanistan.
The book has some great action and suspense moments. The attraction is insta-love as Claire and Rafe find themselves in some intense moments during a short period of time.
This book could have been edited better. I had a problem with some obvious typos.
Claire meets Rafe in a hostage negotiation situation. Rafe's friend has a bomb attached to him and they are struggling to find a way to disarm the bomb and have a happy ending to the situation. This leads to Claire and Rafe teaming up to discover who is behind the bomb. A new hostage situation takes them from the US to Afghanistan.
The book has some great action and suspense moments. The attraction is insta-love as Claire and Rafe find themselves in some intense moments during a short period of time.
This book could have been edited better. I had a problem with some obvious typos.
November 3, 2012
I LOVE it when a books starts out action-packed from page ONE and this book did just that!
Suspenseful all the way through with just enough romance to make you smile.
Clair is just trying to do her job AND help someone else who has gone through what she had to.
Rafe is just trying to save his brother AND make sense of the loss of his best friend.
Can they help each other? Who else can the trust? Read and find out :)
This book keeps you on the edge of the page as you have to keep turning to find out what happens next! There are some really good twists in this storyline!
Suspenseful all the way through with just enough romance to make you smile.
Clair is just trying to do her job AND help someone else who has gone through what she had to.
Rafe is just trying to save his brother AND make sense of the loss of his best friend.
Can they help each other? Who else can the trust? Read and find out :)
This book keeps you on the edge of the page as you have to keep turning to find out what happens next! There are some really good twists in this storyline!
August 17, 2014
WOW!! From the first chapter, this book drew me in with the fast paced drama and excitement! I loved all the main characters-Rafe, Claire and the others from the Hostage Negotiation Team. The story line was very intriguing, exciting, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Claire and Rafe work together in this international suspenseful book to take down terrorists and to keep certain secrets from being exposed. I can't wait to read more of Claire and Rafe's story in book 2 of the Hostage Negotiation Team series.
June 18, 2015
Plenty of action right from the start and it doesn’t let up till the very end. This series is about a hostage negotiation team but in this book they end up in the middle of a terrorist plot which move the action to Afghanistan.
The plot was intense and it was a good story with very likable characters. I have to say I saw from many reviews that this was listed as a clean romance book and didn’t quite know what that meant. Well after reading I would call this book 99% action/suspense and 1% romantic elements. The story more than kept your attention from start to finish.
The plot was intense and it was a good story with very likable characters. I have to say I saw from many reviews that this was listed as a clean romance book and didn’t quite know what that meant. Well after reading I would call this book 99% action/suspense and 1% romantic elements. The story more than kept your attention from start to finish.
November 13, 2012
Very well written. I enjoyed the plot and characters a lot. Actin packed, with some romance mixed in. Full review coming Thursday, November 15. www.minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com and www.ldswbr.com
September 10, 2015
I don't often read suspense books, but I really liked this one. It had a great story and I look forward to reading more in this series.
August 5, 2020
If you like action books with suspense and romance, then you will love this book. No one wants to meet the way Rafe and Claire met. Claire has to have strong nerves being a hostage negotiator. She feels she has to help others after what happened to her older brother. I couldn’t stand the al-Qaeda operative that was pulling the strings in this book. It was so frustrating how the operative knew what was happening before Rafe and the US military. There are some real on the edge of your seat actions happening. There are also some people who died that I felt terrible about. I loved the book and strongly encourage you to read the book.
May 6, 2019
This was not as good as I thought it would be. I actually didn't finish reading it. It couldn't keep my attention, they kissed entirely too soon after meeting, and I didn't care for the book at all.
June 9, 2020
An amazing full of suspense story. Fighting terrorism on home turf is a totally different fight. The characters are strong and make you feel a part of the story. Enjoyable.
October 13, 2018
3.25 stars
December 7, 2012
Romantic suspence by LDS authors is probably my favorite genre to read. Not only is it exciting (and of course romantic) but it is also clean. And Julie Coulter Bellon is one of the best in this category! I love how she keeps readers on their toes the whole time with impossible situations and against insurmountable odds while taking them across the globe to interesting and exotic locations.
All Fall Down is probably my favorite of all Julie's novels. The story was exciting, the characters were likable, and the action was non-stop. I especially liked Claire and Rafe's relationship. It didn't overpower the storyline but added just enough romance to keep it sweet. I liked how the progression of their relationship was very natural and not forced. They made a great team and seemed to work together even better as they learned to trust and rely on one another. I also found Rafe's protectiveness endearing (but I definitely liked that Claire could take care of herself ;)
Julie did a great job (as usual) of making the story authentic. I could tell that she had done her research through her use of details related to the characters' professions as well as the descriptions of foreign locales.
I highly recommend All Fall Down (along with all of Julie's novels!) It is entertaining, exciting, and will definitely keep you on your toes!
All Fall Down is probably my favorite of all Julie's novels. The story was exciting, the characters were likable, and the action was non-stop. I especially liked Claire and Rafe's relationship. It didn't overpower the storyline but added just enough romance to keep it sweet. I liked how the progression of their relationship was very natural and not forced. They made a great team and seemed to work together even better as they learned to trust and rely on one another. I also found Rafe's protectiveness endearing (but I definitely liked that Claire could take care of herself ;)
Julie did a great job (as usual) of making the story authentic. I could tell that she had done her research through her use of details related to the characters' professions as well as the descriptions of foreign locales.
I highly recommend All Fall Down (along with all of Julie's novels!) It is entertaining, exciting, and will definitely keep you on your toes!
November 15, 2012
Multi-published author, Julie Bellon, has written another great international suspense!
If you enjoy suspense, romance, and twists and turns, then you'll enjoy All Fall Down. Bellon is masterful at writing suspense. From the first page until the last, and I mean the very last (because there is a twist I didn't expect and I actually said out loud, "Are you serious? How can this get any worse?") it is a roller coaster.
The book starts with a hostage situation--I will never sing "Ring Around the Rosy" again without thinking about this book--and turns into an international suspense with lots of surprises.
I really liked the natural romance that developed, and I especially enjoyed some tender scenes.
I also liked how realistic the setting felt. Bellon must have traveled to these remote areas to be able to make it feel so authentic.
The characters are well-developed and the story is exciting. I recommend this book--just don't read it at night because you might stay up too late reading it!
If you enjoy suspense, romance, and twists and turns, then you'll enjoy All Fall Down. Bellon is masterful at writing suspense. From the first page until the last, and I mean the very last (because there is a twist I didn't expect and I actually said out loud, "Are you serious? How can this get any worse?") it is a roller coaster.
The book starts with a hostage situation--I will never sing "Ring Around the Rosy" again without thinking about this book--and turns into an international suspense with lots of surprises.
I really liked the natural romance that developed, and I especially enjoyed some tender scenes.
I also liked how realistic the setting felt. Bellon must have traveled to these remote areas to be able to make it feel so authentic.
The characters are well-developed and the story is exciting. I recommend this book--just don't read it at night because you might stay up too late reading it!
Read
March 5, 2015WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Hostage negotiator Claire Michaels’ never thought she'd be involved in an international crisis. Can she overcome her scars of the past to stop a new al-Qaeda threat?
Navy SEAL Rafe Kelly is on leave to recover from a knee injury he suffered during his tour in Afghanistan and he doesn't expect to be fighting terrorists on his home turf. When he's taken hostage, he knows he has to fight or die.
MY TAKE
What an entertaining story. Bellon throws you right into to the action with a real hostage situation. We're barely introduced to Rafe, and suddenly it's a life and death situation. Since I have knee issues, I really felt for this guy all through the story.
The characterizations were fun. While the romance seems to blossom quickly, dire situations can make people connect faster than they normally would, so I didn't have trouble believing they could fall for each other so quickly. I understand the next book just came out, so I will be adding that to my TBR list for sure.
Hostage negotiator Claire Michaels’ never thought she'd be involved in an international crisis. Can she overcome her scars of the past to stop a new al-Qaeda threat?
Navy SEAL Rafe Kelly is on leave to recover from a knee injury he suffered during his tour in Afghanistan and he doesn't expect to be fighting terrorists on his home turf. When he's taken hostage, he knows he has to fight or die.
MY TAKE
What an entertaining story. Bellon throws you right into to the action with a real hostage situation. We're barely introduced to Rafe, and suddenly it's a life and death situation. Since I have knee issues, I really felt for this guy all through the story.
The characterizations were fun. While the romance seems to blossom quickly, dire situations can make people connect faster than they normally would, so I didn't have trouble believing they could fall for each other so quickly. I understand the next book just came out, so I will be adding that to my TBR list for sure.
November 15, 2012
All Fall Down is a quick moving story with suspense, betrayal, action and a bit of romance. Julie doesn’t wait to throw the reader right into the action.
The opening hostage scene on the roof was intense. For me it was the most suspenseful part of the story. I really liked both Claire and Rafe. They go through so much and I wondered if they were ever going to catch a break. I saw one twist coming, but I wasn’t sure how it would play out. One of my favorite parts was the first time Rafe meets Clair’s father.
Those who like clean and suspenseful international intrigue, especially fans of Julie Bellon’s other books, will enjoy All Fall Down.
Review originally published on www.ldswbr.com.
The opening hostage scene on the roof was intense. For me it was the most suspenseful part of the story. I really liked both Claire and Rafe. They go through so much and I wondered if they were ever going to catch a break. I saw one twist coming, but I wasn’t sure how it would play out. One of my favorite parts was the first time Rafe meets Clair’s father.
Those who like clean and suspenseful international intrigue, especially fans of Julie Bellon’s other books, will enjoy All Fall Down.
Review originally published on www.ldswbr.com.
November 13, 2012
This was a fantastic book! I was totally hooked from the beginning, I actually read this pretty much in one sitting because I couldn't put it down! The author does a masterful job of taking you from one intense situation (a hostage situation on page 1) to another intense situation, and so on which compels you to keep reading and turning the pages until suddenly it's 3 am and you didn't even realize it! Her characters are very realistic and her dialogue is very believable, two things that I always look for and appreciate in a novel. I was thrown for a loop more than once, which made the book memorable. I will definitely read it again! I have read everything by this author, and this is my new favorite. Read it, you'll love it!
May 6, 2016
This story was packed full of action and suspense…and lots of bruises and pain. Claire is a hostage negotiator, but when she gets pulled in on a job to save Rafe Kelly (former Navy Seal) from his best friend on the roof of a building, life is about to take a surprising and terrifying twist. I don’t want to blow any of this story for anyone, so will just say that the fast-paced story has great characters I came to love…or hate…and the plot was gripping (think sticky-toed grip of a gecko; I wasn’t falling off the page no matter how hard my laundry was pulling at me). This is my first book I’ve read by this author, and I was hooked. She writes great suspense, with a slight touch of romance mixed in to make me like it even more.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews