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Claire Lance #1
Tilting at Windmills
Claire Lance is on the run. The FBI believes Lance is a cop gone bad and is responsible for the brutal murder of her lover. Special Agent Faye Mallory carries a personal vendetta against her and will do anything to catch her. For the past year, Lance has been on the move, keeping her head down and keeping out of trouble - until she reaches a tiny town in Texas. Trouble finally corners her when Lance is forced to take action to save another woman's life. Suddenly, she finds herself in over her head, blood on her hands, and on the run with the woman she is protecting. Can Lance survive being forced to revisit the life she thought she had left behind and to reopen old wounds?
Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2010
12 people are currently reading
181 people want to read
About the author
Geonn Cannon
113 books225 followersGeonn Cannon is a male author who grew up in Oklahoma, thousands of miles from the nearest coastline, who found his calling in stories about women who live on an island in the Pacific Northwest. In 2010, Geonn became the first male author to win the prestigious Golden Crown Literary Society Award for his novel "Gemini." In 2015, he won it again for "Dogs of War." He has written two official tie-in novels for Stargate SG-1, and his Riley Parra novels have been turned into an Emmy-nominated webseries by Tello Films. His first name is pronounced just like "John."
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 9, 2017
Great read! awesome 1st installment.. many plot twists & turns that was filled some well developed,defined and very noteworthy likable characters that readers got attach to easily in this well written series. A brilliant storyteller as always Geonn Cannon never disappoints his fan base because this storyline will blow your mind from the very first chapter all the way through to the ending of this book..recommended series to everyone
July 18, 2016
I enjoyed this lesbian version of The Fugitive. This is the story of former detective Claire Lance, falsely accused in the death of her beloved girlfriend Elaine. She lives her life on the run, one step ahead of FBI special agent Faye Mallory. When Lance's car breaks down outside a small Texas town she runs into trouble with the locals and once again has the Feds hot on her heels.
The fast pace and violent aspects of the story reminded me of other thriller writers like Karin Slaughter and Allison Brennan. I liked the way the story branched into two points of view when Mallory and Ranger Lazareva began tracking Lance. The contrast between the truth, as told by Lance and the presumptions made by revenge seeking Mallory added to the tension and energy in the novel.
I found it hard to feel any empathy towards Mallory and Lazareva or interest in their budding relationship. The author's weakest link is in his stereotypical skirt chasing portrayal of both women. He did a better job giving Lance an angst filled past and a heart of gold (if cold) present.
Characterizations aside, the author comes through with a fairly complex, action filled story comparable to mainstream police procedurals written by perennial favourites of the genre. Cannon left me wanting to know what happens next. Always a good sign of a good read.
The fast pace and violent aspects of the story reminded me of other thriller writers like Karin Slaughter and Allison Brennan. I liked the way the story branched into two points of view when Mallory and Ranger Lazareva began tracking Lance. The contrast between the truth, as told by Lance and the presumptions made by revenge seeking Mallory added to the tension and energy in the novel.
I found it hard to feel any empathy towards Mallory and Lazareva or interest in their budding relationship. The author's weakest link is in his stereotypical skirt chasing portrayal of both women. He did a better job giving Lance an angst filled past and a heart of gold (if cold) present.
Characterizations aside, the author comes through with a fairly complex, action filled story comparable to mainstream police procedurals written by perennial favourites of the genre. Cannon left me wanting to know what happens next. Always a good sign of a good read.
April 9, 2016
This is the first book I’ve read by Geonn Cannon and it won’t be the last. He has a very engaging writing style and amazing ability to keep all his ducks in a row, so to speak.
The story is told in third person, and from three or four point-of-views, however the majority of the story unfolds through the eyes of our leading lady, Claire Lance. I love stories told from more than one point-of-view, especially when done right. Geonn pulled it off well. There was no head-hopping and therefore I never became confused over whose head I was supposed to be in. Each character plays a very distinct part in this captivating story.
The plot is like four stories in one, each closely connected to the other. Claire and the occasional back flashes to her ex, something that complimented the story without overwhelming it. Gwen and her despicable abusive husband, Roy. Roy and his bandits doing unlawful things. And, Detective Faye Mallory bent on vengeance, but why?
When Claire stops in town to have her car repaired, her world implodes around her. Unable to just stand back and watch she jumps to Gwen’s defense when the woman’s husband starts laying into her with his fists. And so begins the tale of two women on the run. They literally run for their lives with Roy’s cronies closing in on them from one side and Detective Mallory and her love interest, Ranger Lazareva, closing in from the other side! Murder and mayhem literally ensue.
I had no clue how everything was going to come together and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out. The stakes were stacked so high, I started to worry everything would fall apart at the end. Thankfully that didn’t happen. While this story doesn’t end with a traditional happily ever after, the last page made me grin from ear to ear and say “Bloody brilliant give me more.” For me, the ending was perfect.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a suspenseful story, with a mixed cast, unpredictable, and a little bit of sexy time.
Copy provided in exchange for an honest review
The story is told in third person, and from three or four point-of-views, however the majority of the story unfolds through the eyes of our leading lady, Claire Lance. I love stories told from more than one point-of-view, especially when done right. Geonn pulled it off well. There was no head-hopping and therefore I never became confused over whose head I was supposed to be in. Each character plays a very distinct part in this captivating story.
The plot is like four stories in one, each closely connected to the other. Claire and the occasional back flashes to her ex, something that complimented the story without overwhelming it. Gwen and her despicable abusive husband, Roy. Roy and his bandits doing unlawful things. And, Detective Faye Mallory bent on vengeance, but why?
When Claire stops in town to have her car repaired, her world implodes around her. Unable to just stand back and watch she jumps to Gwen’s defense when the woman’s husband starts laying into her with his fists. And so begins the tale of two women on the run. They literally run for their lives with Roy’s cronies closing in on them from one side and Detective Mallory and her love interest, Ranger Lazareva, closing in from the other side! Murder and mayhem literally ensue.
I had no clue how everything was going to come together and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out. The stakes were stacked so high, I started to worry everything would fall apart at the end. Thankfully that didn’t happen. While this story doesn’t end with a traditional happily ever after, the last page made me grin from ear to ear and say “Bloody brilliant give me more.” For me, the ending was perfect.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a suspenseful story, with a mixed cast, unpredictable, and a little bit of sexy time.
Copy provided in exchange for an honest review
August 4, 2021
I almost DNF'd this, not realizing how violent against women it would start with. I actually put it down for a few days then decided to give it another trip. As I'm sure others have already used the comparison, this is a female-led "The Fugitive" and MC Claire Lance gets herself into a whole lot of pickles, that's for sure. It kept me interested, even though many of the characters were quite despicable, and thankfully the abuse at the beginning is short lived. That doesn't mean the violence and killing doesn't stop however, so prepare yourself. It's funny though, as I was reading the descriptions of the female characters as well as the intimate scenes, they all felt really....flat. It was lacking depth or spark or something, and my thoughts went to "huh, kind of wonder if a male wrote this." I did not realize Cannon was indeed a male, haha. That has never happened to me before. Definitely not saying anything about talent (minus some typos, edit edit edit), but there did seem to be a different vibe. 3.75/5. Will definitely check out book 2 in the hopes that some secondary characters grow hearts, and gosh darn it what happens to Claire.....
December 30, 2014
I've waited two years for this book to finally come out in ebook format. How ironic that it took the sad closing of its publisher (PD publishing) before the ebook version became available. The good news is....the author has published the sequel Only Flame and Air at the same time (no more waiting for a year or two!).
This book did not disappoint! I read Geonn Cannon primarily for the action. But this is one (and only?) book where he excels even in the angst department. He manages to capture the desperation of all the lead characters, the suspense of the chase, and the incredible relationship of Claire and Elaine.
An Amazon reviewer said that Geonn writes the women in this book like they're men, and misses the emotional bonds. In the Underdogs or the Riley Parra series perhaps, but not here. This is his most emotional and sensitive book to date.
This book did not disappoint! I read Geonn Cannon primarily for the action. But this is one (and only?) book where he excels even in the angst department. He manages to capture the desperation of all the lead characters, the suspense of the chase, and the incredible relationship of Claire and Elaine.
An Amazon reviewer said that Geonn writes the women in this book like they're men, and misses the emotional bonds. In the Underdogs or the Riley Parra series perhaps, but not here. This is his most emotional and sensitive book to date.
July 21, 2016
"Tilting at Windmills" is a good read. Full of suspense, action, sexy love scenes and angst to the max. Strong female characters and a captivating story that at times you wonder no way can the law enforcement be this inept then I remind myself this is a story, go with it. Lance is awesome and you want to root for her at every turn. I really cheered for Gwen and her willingness to step out and claim what is hers, her life and herself.
July 16, 2019
Lots of drama, lots of suspense and a whole lot of kicking arse!
Faye got a tad annoying though... I mean, don't you trust your sister enough to put some trust in the girl she's in love with. She's begging and telling you she didn't kill her and she loved her. And where are the contacts and trusted people that Lance had in the CPD??
Anyway... the whole running and chasing is pretty exciting, so it makes for a good story. I'm excited to see what happens next.
Faye got a tad annoying though... I mean, don't you trust your sister enough to put some trust in the girl she's in love with. She's begging and telling you she didn't kill her and she loved her. And where are the contacts and trusted people that Lance had in the CPD??
Anyway... the whole running and chasing is pretty exciting, so it makes for a good story. I'm excited to see what happens next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2021
Quite good but I really could have done without the typos ...
February 6, 2020
Why haven’t I read this before now?
Awesome character’s and the storyline didn’t let me put my iPad down! If you like badass female law enforcement stories grab this one, right now! Claire is an ex-cop who’s on the run from her memories, as well as a determined FBI agent. Gwen’s in an abusive marriage and needs a knight in shining armor to rescue her. When these two women are brought together by fate, can they rescue each other or will the bad guys win? You won’t be sorry you picked this one up and I’m so excited to find out there are more Claire Lance stories out there! Off to grab book 2, Only Flame and Air.
Awesome character’s and the storyline didn’t let me put my iPad down! If you like badass female law enforcement stories grab this one, right now! Claire is an ex-cop who’s on the run from her memories, as well as a determined FBI agent. Gwen’s in an abusive marriage and needs a knight in shining armor to rescue her. When these two women are brought together by fate, can they rescue each other or will the bad guys win? You won’t be sorry you picked this one up and I’m so excited to find out there are more Claire Lance stories out there! Off to grab book 2, Only Flame and Air.
March 23, 2020
What a kickass story!
I didn't and still don't understand the title, but that didn't stop me from enjoying an action packed, non-stop, sexy story. The first quarter of the book had me feeling like I had stepped back into the old west. The moment Claire Lance aka Lance, walked into Saxe after having her Mustang break down, the atmosphere felt different even though it was set in modern times. Lance reminded me of an outlaw cowboy riding into town for a warm sarsaparilla at the local saloon. I was just waiting for Miss Kitty and Doc Holliday to step out from the shadows. The author kept Lance a mystery long enough for us to sink our teeth in just to beg for more about why she was on the run. Little hints here and there showed us that she was a badass mofo with skill. After meeting the meek and sweet Gwen, we also learned that Lance was chivalrous, and didn't take too kindly to Gwen's husband beating on her. And that's where the story really picked up.
I stayed up late to finish because I truly couldn't see a happy ending for Lance. At times I was so frustrated towards the authorities because they all went on assumptions and accusations towards Lance, not stopping to maybe think that she was really not the bad guy. The ending was hopeful for all parties involved, and for once, the cowboy didn't get the girl. I plan on reading the sequel and the third book in this series because I love Lance and I want to see how she lives life as a fugitive.
I would have rated 5 stars but I noticed some faults with the writing. Some sentences didn't flow with ease for me and I had to read them slower. All in all, a fantastic page turner.
I didn't and still don't understand the title, but that didn't stop me from enjoying an action packed, non-stop, sexy story. The first quarter of the book had me feeling like I had stepped back into the old west. The moment Claire Lance aka Lance, walked into Saxe after having her Mustang break down, the atmosphere felt different even though it was set in modern times. Lance reminded me of an outlaw cowboy riding into town for a warm sarsaparilla at the local saloon. I was just waiting for Miss Kitty and Doc Holliday to step out from the shadows. The author kept Lance a mystery long enough for us to sink our teeth in just to beg for more about why she was on the run. Little hints here and there showed us that she was a badass mofo with skill. After meeting the meek and sweet Gwen, we also learned that Lance was chivalrous, and didn't take too kindly to Gwen's husband beating on her. And that's where the story really picked up.
I stayed up late to finish because I truly couldn't see a happy ending for Lance. At times I was so frustrated towards the authorities because they all went on assumptions and accusations towards Lance, not stopping to maybe think that she was really not the bad guy. The ending was hopeful for all parties involved, and for once, the cowboy didn't get the girl. I plan on reading the sequel and the third book in this series because I love Lance and I want to see how she lives life as a fugitive.
I would have rated 5 stars but I noticed some faults with the writing. Some sentences didn't flow with ease for me and I had to read them slower. All in all, a fantastic page turner.
December 24, 2021
I am an outlier in my enjoyment of this book. Almost everyone else who took the time to rate this title gave it 4 stars or more, so I fully recognize that it may be just a reflection of the mood I am in or that I have enjoyed other books read recently so much more that this one pales in comparison. For some reason I never connected with the characters on a very deep level. So much so that I had to make myself finish the book. Which itself is strange because Claire is usually the type of character I fall in love with. It surely wasn’t the level of action in the story as it is full-on, all the time. If something bad can happen to Claire, it will. And, honestly, that dampened my enjoyment too.
A couple of editing errors in my edition pulled me out of the story as well. There was a strange and distracting use of ô instead of, or in addition to, a quotation mark at the beginning of dialogue. At first I thought it was a typo but it was so frequent maybe it was something purposeful. There were also a couple of consistency errors early on.
Anyway, I am going to part ways with the series and don’t plan on rereading this one in the future.
A couple of editing errors in my edition pulled me out of the story as well. There was a strange and distracting use of ô instead of, or in addition to, a quotation mark at the beginning of dialogue. At first I thought it was a typo but it was so frequent maybe it was something purposeful. There were also a couple of consistency errors early on.
Anyway, I am going to part ways with the series and don’t plan on rereading this one in the future.
March 28, 2021
Fast love ! plus, I could swear they said Gwen eyes were green at first but I was too lazy to go back, I found this read fine overall. thought Lance was doing it wrong, and that Agent was annoying as hell. lets see what the second book holds.
August 3, 2021
Should have read it sooner
It took me a while to read this book I bought had a while ago I am so glad I did it was very good can't wait to read the next one great job from the author I recommend this book
It took me a while to read this book I bought had a while ago I am so glad I did it was very good can't wait to read the next one great job from the author I recommend this book
May 12, 2020
It was not for me.
October 11, 2017
I know I will check the following books, no hesitation.
I hated Faye, I liked Lance, who is a really kick-ass heroin and I still don't get why I didn't like this book more...
I hated Faye, I liked Lance, who is a really kick-ass heroin and I still don't get why I didn't like this book more...
October 25, 2015
2010 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews