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Trust No One #1
All or Nothing
Dixie Lee Brown launches her Trust No One series with this tale of a hunted woman and the only man who can save her life . . . if she'll let him.
Someone wants Cara Sinclair dead. One minute she's halfheartedly enjoying an Oregon Coast casino, and the next she's being chased by hit men. Rescued by a total stranger, Cara must decide whether she can trust her safety to this Joe Reynolds and his team of ruthless mercenaries. The more time she spends with Joe, the more her desire for him grows. But can he truly protect her, or is she placing them all in mortal danger?
Joe agreed to protect Cara as a promise to a dying man. He never expected to feel such heat between them, or her total lack of faith in him. Now he must convince her that her only hope lies with him. Because Joe is starting to realize that he won't be satisfied with just saving her life . . . now, he wants it all.
Someone wants Cara Sinclair dead. One minute she's halfheartedly enjoying an Oregon Coast casino, and the next she's being chased by hit men. Rescued by a total stranger, Cara must decide whether she can trust her safety to this Joe Reynolds and his team of ruthless mercenaries. The more time she spends with Joe, the more her desire for him grows. But can he truly protect her, or is she placing them all in mortal danger?
Joe agreed to protect Cara as a promise to a dying man. He never expected to feel such heat between them, or her total lack of faith in him. Now he must convince her that her only hope lies with him. Because Joe is starting to realize that he won't be satisfied with just saving her life . . . now, he wants it all.
462 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 12, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
March 22, 2013
All or Nothing is the first book in Dixie Lee Brown’s Trust No One series. It’s got action, adventure, bad guys, good guys, mafia badasses, arms dealers, sassy female characters, sexy male characters, and even an awesome dog. In fact, it’s got all the things I need to enjoy my romantic suspense reads and yet, this time, it wasn’t quite enough.
From the cover:Sounds like a great story, doesn’t it? Well, the potential was definitely there. The writing is good, the premise is compelling, and most of the characters are appealing people whose stories I want more of, especially Joe who I loved!
Someone wants Cara Sinclair dead. One minute she's halfheartedly enjoying an Oregon Coast casino, and the next she's being chased by hit men. Rescued by a total stranger, Cara must decide whether she can trust her safety to this Joe Reynolds and his team of ruthless mercenaries. The more time she spends with Joe, the more her desire for him grows. But can he truly protect her, or is she placing them all in mortal danger?
Joe agreed to protect Cara as a promise to a dying man. He never expected to feel such heat between them, or her total lack of faith in him. Now he must convince her that her only hope lies with him. Because Joe is starting to realize that he won't be satisfied with just saving her life . . . now, he wants it all.
So what’s the problem, you ask? Well, for many readers there might be no problem at all, but this is my review, my opinion, so I’ll give it to you straight as I can.
Heroines who, because of their stubborn, unthinking, foolish actions, put the heroes in danger, time and time again... well, that’s a nail in the coffin of any story for me. Despite Cara’s knowledge that her step-brother is a cold blooded killer who had even put a hit on her, and despite the fact that her ex-husband is a mafia bad boy who wants her dead – or as his personal punching bag – she continually puts herself and those people trying to protect her in danger. Nothing, and I mean nothing chaps my hide faster than that.
The bottom line: I’m so frustrated because, like I said, the writing is good, the premise is awesome, and most of the characters are intriguing people I want to know better. I kept waiting for Cara to redeem herself, but in my eyes, she never really did. I so, so wanted to love this story, but sadly, I didn’t. Am I willing to toss in the towel? No, but I sure hope the next heroine is worthy of the hero.
Breaking it down:
Plot Premise: 4
Execution of Plot: 3
Hero: 4
Heroine: 1
Secondary Characters: 4
Total score: 3.2 rounded to 3 stars.
All or Nothing was provided by Avon Books in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2013
Recently escaping an extremely abusive marriage to a husband with mafia ties, Cara Sinclair is unsure who is trying to kill her. Rescued by a total stranger she meets in an Oregon casino, her life is swept into a world with threats from the ATF. Her safety is now in the hands of the hotel stranger, a leader of a mercenary group named Joe Reynolds and his team. Cara has learned never to trust anyone including her instincts since it led her to her husband, but trust in Joe and his team might be the only thing that saves her.
I really enjoyed this story, it was romance with a military ops twist. Action packed with great characters and a very intriguing mystery, All or Nothing did not disappoint. I especially liked watching the characters development and the romantic tension grow. This is definitely a series to follow!
This ARC copy of All or Nothing: A Trust No One Novel was given to me by Avon in exchange for an honest review. Publish Date March 12, 2013.
I really enjoyed this story, it was romance with a military ops twist. Action packed with great characters and a very intriguing mystery, All or Nothing did not disappoint. I especially liked watching the characters development and the romantic tension grow. This is definitely a series to follow!
This ARC copy of All or Nothing: A Trust No One Novel was given to me by Avon in exchange for an honest review. Publish Date March 12, 2013.
February 3, 2013
Generally speaking this book is alright, it is about what you would expect from a book of this genre. It is far-fetched but engaging, it has a male character who is tough but can be soft and a damsel in distress. People do not read these books for the high end literature and serious story lines and All or Nothing is no acceptation, it does exactly what is says on the tin and would be fine except for one serious problem, Cara.
I struggle to think of another female character that made me as angry as Cara did. I honestly just couldn’t stand her. She has been through a lot, I understand that but she is full of self-pity and selfishness. She constantly makes mistakes and never learns from them, and most annoyingly she changes her mind every 5 minutes. I honestly do not know what Joe saw in her and in my opinion he was better off without her. The whole middle of the novel is her working on her ‘trust’ issues; she doesn’t trust Joe whom she knows works for the government. Yet she blindly trusts a man who grabbed her in a public place and tries to drag her away. When this man gets her phone number and knows exactly where she is she doesn’t blink an eye, or think it is strange. Instead, she trusts him over Joe. Her trust issues come from the abuse of a man yet she finds it in herself to trust a total stranger over someone she knows. There are a million other things she did but I won’t go into them because I’ll just get all ragey.
All or Nothing could have been good but it was ruined by a main character that I couldn’t stand.
I struggle to think of another female character that made me as angry as Cara did. I honestly just couldn’t stand her. She has been through a lot, I understand that but she is full of self-pity and selfishness. She constantly makes mistakes and never learns from them, and most annoyingly she changes her mind every 5 minutes. I honestly do not know what Joe saw in her and in my opinion he was better off without her. The whole middle of the novel is her working on her ‘trust’ issues; she doesn’t trust Joe whom she knows works for the government. Yet she blindly trusts a man who grabbed her in a public place and tries to drag her away. When this man gets her phone number and knows exactly where she is she doesn’t blink an eye, or think it is strange. Instead, she trusts him over Joe. Her trust issues come from the abuse of a man yet she finds it in herself to trust a total stranger over someone she knows. There are a million other things she did but I won’t go into them because I’ll just get all ragey.
All or Nothing could have been good but it was ruined by a main character that I couldn’t stand.
September 7, 2013
I have recently come to love Avon books. When I saw this cover and read the blurb, I got excited over the prospect of a hot romantic suspense read. To say I was disappointed with this book is putting it mildly. I really liked the plot, and there was potential in all directions for nail-biting suspense, heart-thumping action and toe-curling romance. Unfortunately the story fell flat due to the characterization and actions of the heroine. Despite having purchased and read this book in July, I still remember the story today, so it was memorable. But for all the wrong reasons.
Cara had naively married into a dangerous family and suffered years of abuse at the hands of her husband. Somehow, her brother had managed to convince her husband to let her go through with the divorce. She may have been free of the beatings, but the fear still followed her around. It was easy to sympathize with the heroine once learning about her back story. Her fear was always palpable, and I didn't blame her for looking over her shoulder, always waiting, always wondering. Her freedom meant a second chance at life. Obviously that would take time.
Today, the fragile framework of her new life was splintering, leaving her alone, exposed, and vulnerable. A thread of anger shot through her. She'd spent enough time feeling defenseless. Not even her brother was taking her back there. She was never going to be a helpless victim again. (Chapter 4)
That sounded good, but the execution of that fierce declaration of hers completely clouded her judgement, and it showed. A lot. Instead of acting fearless and growing a backbone, she came across as reckless. That was most evident in her trust of Sam, the mysterious stranger who grabbed her at the fair "under the pretense" of meeting his niece. If a strange man grabbed me in public and attempted to haul me off (which he did), I'd scream bloody murder. Then the lame excuse he gives for how he got her phone number:
"Right, I remember you, Sam. How'd you get this number?"
"I was in the electronics shop when someone came in to pick up a phone for Cara. I figured there couldn't be too many people named Cara in our little town so I took a chance. I realize that sounds kind of creepy, and I'll understand if you don't want to hear from me again."
Notice how he both answered and evaded the question at the same time? It made no sense and it was creepy, yet Cara (the girl who trusts no one) bought it hook, line and sinker. She has many more questionable moments that just added up to her not being a very likeable heroine and one that I just couldn't connect with.
Annoying repetitions:"stuck her chin out", "raised her chin" (the most used phrase), "her chin came up", "her chin trembled", "she lifted her chin defiantly".
There were a lot of mentions about Cara's chin (Chapters 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 14, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 30, 37). If the reader was supposed to get the impression that Cara was a tough cookie, Cara's actions (mentioned above) obliterated the illusion.
In my opinion, of the main characters, Joe definitely stole the show. Not only was he wracked with guilt over the death of his friend, but he had already formed an opinion of the heroine without ever having met her. I liked that setup and anticipated the moment when he would realize how wrong he'd been. At first it worked, and I never got the feeling that he tried to sugarcoat things for Cara. He understood that she'd need time to learn to trust him. But as the story got to the nitty gritty and my impatience with her deepened, I honestly couldn't see what about her was so attractive to him. He was forever rescuing her, protecting her, encouraging her to learn self defense. I thought the "relationship" was too one-sided with Joe putting in the most effort and Cara not doing anything. I even found the supporting cast of mercenaries more interesting than her. Walker and Charlie's sister in particular. If I continue with the series, it would be for those two characters.
March 18, 2013
Six years ago Joe Reynolds lead a team into North Pakistan, their mission was to locate an Al Qaeda operative and bring him out alive. The mission went horribly wrong and although the team made it out, Joe did not, as he was about to be executed, Charlie Dugan defied orders and came back for him. However when Charlie needed him three weeks ago, it was too late. So he has come to Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast to save a woman’s life because Charlie begged him to with his last breath.
As Joe meets Cara outside the casino her brother owns, several men try to grab them forcing them to the beach, Joe struggles and Cara runs, however things turn deadly as Cara shows Joe she is an excellent shot when she is in danger.
Joe must persuade Cara that her brother is trying to kill her and Cara convinces Joe that her ex-husband is also in the mix of people that want her dead. At first Joe thinks Cara may have had something to do with Charlie's death however several turn of events put them both on the same side. Cara was severely abused by her ex-husband, David who comes from a mafia family. Her brother helped get her a divorce however there were things unsaid and no one is sure what deals were made to ensure those papers were signed.
Complete review: Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
As Joe meets Cara outside the casino her brother owns, several men try to grab them forcing them to the beach, Joe struggles and Cara runs, however things turn deadly as Cara shows Joe she is an excellent shot when she is in danger.
Joe must persuade Cara that her brother is trying to kill her and Cara convinces Joe that her ex-husband is also in the mix of people that want her dead. At first Joe thinks Cara may have had something to do with Charlie's death however several turn of events put them both on the same side. Cara was severely abused by her ex-husband, David who comes from a mafia family. Her brother helped get her a divorce however there were things unsaid and no one is sure what deals were made to ensure those papers were signed.
Complete review: Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind
June 9, 2013
This was such a good, action packed book. Cara had been hurt badly by her ex-husband David. She does not trust anyone. She had always loved her brother Brian until she found out he was in the mafia with David. They both wanted her dead.
Joe had made a promise to his best friend to protect Cara. I have to say I loved him and his team in this book. They were like a big family, and they accepted Cara into that family. By the end of the book she knew she could trust them, but it did take a long time to win her trust. This was an AWESOME Romance, suspense action packed book!
Sample from chapter 25
The elevator stopped on their floor and the doors slid open. Brian slammed the office door shut and locked it. He turned to face her, determination in his cold, gray eyes. He raised the 357 sig and pointed it at her. “Guess I’ll have to settle for an accidental shooting. It will be my word against theirs.” He was going to kill her the brother she’d grown up with and loved. She’d held out hope until this instant there was still some good in him, but it vanished in a heartbeat. Knowing her life depended on what she did in the next few seconds, she raised her chin in defiance and looked him in the eye then dove behind the desk. On her knees, head low, Cara struggled to get the knife from beneath her dress, ripped it from the scabbard, and jumped back to her feet. Brian swung the gun barrel toward her. She drew back her arm and hurled the blade with all her strength. At the last moment he twisted his upper body. The knife missed his chest and stuck with a thud in his right arm. His hand jerked in the same instant he pulled the trigger.
Joe had made a promise to his best friend to protect Cara. I have to say I loved him and his team in this book. They were like a big family, and they accepted Cara into that family. By the end of the book she knew she could trust them, but it did take a long time to win her trust. This was an AWESOME Romance, suspense action packed book!
Sample from chapter 25
The elevator stopped on their floor and the doors slid open. Brian slammed the office door shut and locked it. He turned to face her, determination in his cold, gray eyes. He raised the 357 sig and pointed it at her. “Guess I’ll have to settle for an accidental shooting. It will be my word against theirs.” He was going to kill her the brother she’d grown up with and loved. She’d held out hope until this instant there was still some good in him, but it vanished in a heartbeat. Knowing her life depended on what she did in the next few seconds, she raised her chin in defiance and looked him in the eye then dove behind the desk. On her knees, head low, Cara struggled to get the knife from beneath her dress, ripped it from the scabbard, and jumped back to her feet. Brian swung the gun barrel toward her. She drew back her arm and hurled the blade with all her strength. At the last moment he twisted his upper body. The knife missed his chest and stuck with a thud in his right arm. His hand jerked in the same instant he pulled the trigger.
February 23, 2013
This was my first time reading Dixie Brown, and I'm thrilled to say I was NOT disappointed. All or Nothing has made me a huge fan of her work. Ms. Brown certainly knows how to keep a reader perched on the edge of their seat. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and got downright annoyed if someone tried to speak to me while living the intense action and drama which unfolded with each turn of the page. There is no down time in this one -- I was riveted all the way to the very last page. I absolutely fell in love with each and every one of the characters...except for the antagonist, whom I hated down to the very marrow of my bones. It's not often I experience such an intense dislike for the bad guy -- Ms. Brown did an outstanding job crafting that character. I really, really hope Ms. Brown pens another story with some of the more colorful sub-characters because I would love to get to know them better...find out their stories and, of course, be there while they fall in love. Super read. This one gets two thumbs up and a recommended read!
February 14, 2013
This one tugged on my heart strings in a big way. I really felt for Cara. She really touched me. She's that character whose been through hell, and that alone drew me to her. But at the same time, she's learning to find her own strength, and naturally finds it hard to trust, and this had me rooting for her. Joe is...Joe made ME feel safe. He was her perfect match. He was her staunch protector, yet he pushed her at times to find her own strength. Theses were type of characters I wish I could meet in real life. This was a beautiful, heart touching romance with enough danger and intrigue to make it exciting. Absolutely loved it. I definitely look forward to more from this author.
March 15, 2013
A great first book! I really liked seeing the development of the relationship between Cara and Joe. He helped her to develop her strength both emotionally and physically. I think some one of my favorite scenes is when Joe is first having her do the high ropes course and he pushed her to keep going, but was willing to let her stop if she wanted. I was at times frustrated with both Joe and Cara making assumptions about the other (usually thinking that the other person was not trusting them or didn't care) rather than talking about their feelings. All in all, I enjoyed this book and will look for the future books in the series -- really want to see Walker's story.
March 5, 2015
I absolutely fell in love with the hero, Joe, who has a protective instinct for Cara. Cara's been through a lot in her life and deserves a man like Joe in her life. It just takes her some time to warm up to him and learn to trust again. I also loved the secondary characters (esp. Walker). Glad to know there's more to the series. The fast-paced suspenseful scenes had my heart beating wild...I couldn't put the book down until the end. A great read for those who love romantic suspense!
October 25, 2015
Loved this story . Edge of your seat suspense .
Joe Reynolds is a fabulous take no prisoners kinda guy and sexy too!
Cara Sinclair is a woman who has suffered abuse but comes back kicking ass and taking names.
a great cast of characters, with some you wanna hug and be friends with and others you want to burn on the barbecue.
I look forward to reading more of the Trust No One Series!
I encouraged all to read it!
5 kick ass stars!
Joe Reynolds is a fabulous take no prisoners kinda guy and sexy too!
Cara Sinclair is a woman who has suffered abuse but comes back kicking ass and taking names.
a great cast of characters, with some you wanna hug and be friends with and others you want to burn on the barbecue.
I look forward to reading more of the Trust No One Series!
I encouraged all to read it!
5 kick ass stars!
February 23, 2013
I truly enjoyed this action packed read. From the first chapter, you get drawn into Joe and Cara's world and their race to escape from their past and deal with people who are trying to kill them in the present!
A definite page turner and lots of great characters make the story one you won't want to put down!
A definite page turner and lots of great characters make the story one you won't want to put down!
June 14, 2013
ALL OR NOTHING by Dixie Lee Brown grabbed me from the start! Strong and likable characters pave the way for suspense from the very start. It continues throughout the book, many times leaving me with a worried pit in my stomach about the outcome and flipping fast through the pages to find out the result. Now that's good writing! I'd highly recommend this book.
December 20, 2013
This book has action from beginning to end. Could not put it down edge of your seat I highly recommend this book!! Going to read the second one now. can't wait to hear Walker story!!
November 21, 2016
Good book
Really enjoyed reading this book. Great bunch of characters. Full of drama and intrigue. Really looking forward to reading the next book.
Really enjoyed reading this book. Great bunch of characters. Full of drama and intrigue. Really looking forward to reading the next book.
April 15, 2018
Great storyline...whiny heroine
I don’t usually write reviews but I had to on this book. I’ll begin by saying I loved the storyline as well as H/h and the supporting characters. God knows this h had been through hell and back. She was strong and determined. But as the book progressed she became more and more and more whiny. What did the H have to do to make her trust him? This book started out good but I ended up skipping over her self recrimination and inability to make a decision. I realize there has to be conflict and angst, but really? Plus, as much as I liked Joe, the hero, his character took on her indecisiveness as the book went on. I will read more of Brown’s novels, as I like her stories. I also usually like longer books, but this one kind of droned on and on.
I don’t usually write reviews but I had to on this book. I’ll begin by saying I loved the storyline as well as H/h and the supporting characters. God knows this h had been through hell and back. She was strong and determined. But as the book progressed she became more and more and more whiny. What did the H have to do to make her trust him? This book started out good but I ended up skipping over her self recrimination and inability to make a decision. I realize there has to be conflict and angst, but really? Plus, as much as I liked Joe, the hero, his character took on her indecisiveness as the book went on. I will read more of Brown’s novels, as I like her stories. I also usually like longer books, but this one kind of droned on and on.
March 8, 2023
Intense Suspense Novel
This is such a good story. This novel is a high-powered action, suspenseful story with a side of romance. The story is free from explicit gore and the violence seems appropriate to the story. The romance starts out warm and gets pretty hot here and there. The intimacy is also not too graphic, can be skipped past if necessary, and is pertinent to the story. I enjoyed the humor and loved the ending. I have read quite a few of this author's books and plan to read them all!
This is such a good story. This novel is a high-powered action, suspenseful story with a side of romance. The story is free from explicit gore and the violence seems appropriate to the story. The romance starts out warm and gets pretty hot here and there. The intimacy is also not too graphic, can be skipped past if necessary, and is pertinent to the story. I enjoyed the humor and loved the ending. I have read quite a few of this author's books and plan to read them all!
March 14, 2020
It was definitely more action/adventure than romance, but overall good. The storyline was exciting, detailed, a couple little twists and turns kept the action going. With a little romantic suspense and a lot of repressed tension, the couple had good chemistry and a cute relationship. The secondary characters were fun and added to the story, helping you to look forward to the next books in the series
March 7, 2023
Dixie always has me on an emotional roller coaster, and rhis was no different. I couldn't put it down.
A grumpy hero who trusts no one, unreadable women who have you trying to figure out their end game, or if there even is an end game. And trying to figure out who is and is not trustworthy.
I was on edge of seat on this one but fell in love with Joe right away.
Cara's story was so complex, and her life was not what it seemed.
Promises made, hearts be damned, it all comes out in the end.
A grumpy hero who trusts no one, unreadable women who have you trying to figure out their end game, or if there even is an end game. And trying to figure out who is and is not trustworthy.
I was on edge of seat on this one but fell in love with Joe right away.
Cara's story was so complex, and her life was not what it seemed.
Promises made, hearts be damned, it all comes out in the end.
March 31, 2023
Nope
It was a good storyline but I can't stand stupid characters. The H is supposed to protect the h but he takes an entire group of 15 men with him and leaves her behind with 2 people to guard her and a third that he didn't trust at all. The H just made one stupid decision after another. I had to finish the book for my own sake, but these characters made it extremely hard to do that.
It was a good storyline but I can't stand stupid characters. The H is supposed to protect the h but he takes an entire group of 15 men with him and leaves her behind with 2 people to guard her and a third that he didn't trust at all. The H just made one stupid decision after another. I had to finish the book for my own sake, but these characters made it extremely hard to do that.
May 22, 2019
When Cara Sinclair is chased by hit men, she’s forced to turn to Joe Reynolds, an enigmatic stranger she’s not sure she can trust. But with few options, she finds herself under his protection along with his band of mercenaries. With nonstop action and smoldering chemistry between Cara and Joe, this novel will keep you reading late into the night. I loved it!
May 15, 2023
Love Love Love
I loved this book! It was frustrating how she was so untrustworthy but it was a good frustration. The right amount of drama!!! Love it and would recommend to anyone
I loved this book! It was frustrating how she was so untrustworthy but it was a good frustration. The right amount of drama!!! Love it and would recommend to anyone
March 18, 2013
Normally I am skeptical about reading romantic suspense as it tends to have more suspense than romance. All or Nothing had just the right amount of both to keep me interested in turning the pages. From the start, this book had non-stop action and and kept a pace equal to NASCAR.
This book braked for no man. Within the first chapter you are introduced the the main characters, Cara and Joe, Joe’s buddy Charlie (who died), Cara’s brother and SIL. Then there is an attempt to kidnap/kill Cara from which Joe and Cara both fight and save themselves. Seriously, this is the first chapter. It was a roller coaster of emotions: happy, sad, scared, resigned, then determined.
I have heard some publishing speakers tell new writers to throw everything you can a character to keep the story flowing, but they have to understand I’m a fat kid who needs to build up to that speed of reading. It took me twice as long to read this because I had to go back and check on a character or event that happened and normally I’m pretty good about keeping up with a story. However, there was so much going on I didn’t always have time to process the latest development before the author threw something else in. Less would have been better, I think.
Other than the too fast pace–a complaint I’ve never made before–this wasn’t a bad story. It had the right amount of romance to make it romantic suspense and the characters were very well developed. I had wished there had been more description about Charlie and the circumstances of his death as he was the catalyst for Joe meeting Cara in the first place. I liked the characters; Cara was strong despite the abuse she suffered by her ex-husband and Joe made no excuses for the way he was.
*review copy provided by publisher for honest review
This book braked for no man. Within the first chapter you are introduced the the main characters, Cara and Joe, Joe’s buddy Charlie (who died), Cara’s brother and SIL. Then there is an attempt to kidnap/kill Cara from which Joe and Cara both fight and save themselves. Seriously, this is the first chapter. It was a roller coaster of emotions: happy, sad, scared, resigned, then determined.
I have heard some publishing speakers tell new writers to throw everything you can a character to keep the story flowing, but they have to understand I’m a fat kid who needs to build up to that speed of reading. It took me twice as long to read this because I had to go back and check on a character or event that happened and normally I’m pretty good about keeping up with a story. However, there was so much going on I didn’t always have time to process the latest development before the author threw something else in. Less would have been better, I think.
Other than the too fast pace–a complaint I’ve never made before–this wasn’t a bad story. It had the right amount of romance to make it romantic suspense and the characters were very well developed. I had wished there had been more description about Charlie and the circumstances of his death as he was the catalyst for Joe meeting Cara in the first place. I liked the characters; Cara was strong despite the abuse she suffered by her ex-husband and Joe made no excuses for the way he was.
*review copy provided by publisher for honest review
September 7, 2015
Should have stuck with my first impression on this one and skipped it.
This was more of a book about the Too Stupid to Live chick from the horror movies rather than a book about people coming together and falling in love. I’d go into the details about all the ways that Cara’s character proves her utter lack of basic self preservation and common sense, but I’d be reciting the whole book and it wasn’t worth it the first time around.
The yo-yo effect going on here is enough to make anyone dizzy. Not sure but I think we saw a change of heart at least three times in less than a dozen paragraphs at one time. The I don’t trust them, I love them, I don’t trust them, Oh! I really do… oh… no… got old by the 4th chapter, but it never ended. Not even by the end of the book.
The plot had lots of places where it fell down as well. It was so incredibly unbelievable. Sorry, but no one suddenly becomes an expert at anything after a half hour or so of instruction and training, let alone self defense techniques, knife skills and explosives. It is even less believable from some with the intelligence level of a peanut.
Apparently this is my week to break my rule about not bashing books, but it was so hard not to with this one. I think the only reason I didn’t drop the rating lower is the fact that the book was actually edited and there was a plot. It wasn’t a great one, but at least it had one. So, yeah. Didn’t like this one at all.
This was more of a book about the Too Stupid to Live chick from the horror movies rather than a book about people coming together and falling in love. I’d go into the details about all the ways that Cara’s character proves her utter lack of basic self preservation and common sense, but I’d be reciting the whole book and it wasn’t worth it the first time around.
The yo-yo effect going on here is enough to make anyone dizzy. Not sure but I think we saw a change of heart at least three times in less than a dozen paragraphs at one time. The I don’t trust them, I love them, I don’t trust them, Oh! I really do… oh… no… got old by the 4th chapter, but it never ended. Not even by the end of the book.
The plot had lots of places where it fell down as well. It was so incredibly unbelievable. Sorry, but no one suddenly becomes an expert at anything after a half hour or so of instruction and training, let alone self defense techniques, knife skills and explosives. It is even less believable from some with the intelligence level of a peanut.
Apparently this is my week to break my rule about not bashing books, but it was so hard not to with this one. I think the only reason I didn’t drop the rating lower is the fact that the book was actually edited and there was a plot. It wasn’t a great one, but at least it had one. So, yeah. Didn’t like this one at all.
March 10, 2013
Cara was so very stupid and naïve…. I feel sorry for everyone who had to interact with her for the most part. She could never make up her mind and the waffling between going, staying, trusting, not trusting, not to do this or blah blah blah was frustrating to say the least. She trusted the most obviously wrong people (at least to me) instead of the actual good guys. I think that she should have known better after her disastrous marriage, but nope!
I read this book twice, since I had gotten the sequel and wanted a quick refresher. I have no idea what I was thinking since there were times while reading that I just wanted to quit reading and was mentally throat punching Cara. I still finished it and plan on reading the sequel. I did like some parts and other characters and hope that the next book will not have such a frustratingly naïve/stupid character like Cara.
I feel sorry for Joe….
I read this book twice, since I had gotten the sequel and wanted a quick refresher. I have no idea what I was thinking since there were times while reading that I just wanted to quit reading and was mentally throat punching Cara. I still finished it and plan on reading the sequel. I did like some parts and other characters and hope that the next book will not have such a frustratingly naïve/stupid character like Cara.
I feel sorry for Joe….
May 1, 2013
The mysteries of Cara Sinclair, her life and her family are troublesome to Joe Reynolds but he made a promise to his best friends to protect her. Joe, and the reader, spend most of the book trying to figure out if Cara is party to the crimes occurring around her. Brown does a good job of creating turmoil and an embroiling story built around two edgy but ultimately very likable people. The book is fast paced, the story interesting and full of intrigue and suspense and the heat between the hero and heroine steamy. Nothing goes easily, almost no one is who they seem to be and it all makes for a well written book. I really enjoyed ALL OR NOTHING and will put the rest of the series on my “to be read” list.
Heat Rating:
Mild: Mild detailed scenes of intimacy, mild violence or profanity.
Rating:
4.0
Reviewed By: ReadWarrior, My Book Addiction Reviews
Heat Rating:
Mild: Mild detailed scenes of intimacy, mild violence or profanity.
Rating:
4.0
Reviewed By: ReadWarrior, My Book Addiction Reviews
April 15, 2013
The mysteries of Cara Sinclair, her life and her family are troublesome to Joe Reynolds but he made a promise to his best friends to protect her. Joe, and the reader, spend most of the book trying to figure out if Cara is party to the crimes occurring around her. Brown does a good job of creating turmoil and an embroiling story built around two edgy but ultimately very likable people. The book is fast paced, the story interesting and full of intrigue and suspense and the heat between the hero and heroine steamy. Nothing goes easily, almost no one is who they seem to be and it all makes for a well written book. I really enjoyed ALL OR NOTHING and will put the rest of the series on my “to be read” list.
July 15, 2014
Wow, what an adventure. This is one of the best stories I have read. It captured my attention before I purchased and once in my possetion I had to read it right away. I didn't put it down much until the last page was read. Thankfully the next stories with these wonderful characters is out.
I enjoyed the story line with all its twists and turns. The characterization was top notch and I could see it all in my minds eye. I would wish for a movie except it could never do justice to it.
This is a must read. I recommend this story to 18+ and mature due to violence and adult themes including domestic abuse.
I enjoyed the story line with all its twists and turns. The characterization was top notch and I could see it all in my minds eye. I would wish for a movie except it could never do justice to it.
This is a must read. I recommend this story to 18+ and mature due to violence and adult themes including domestic abuse.
June 5, 2014
I enjoyed the book well enough. It was an easy read. I felt a little detached from the characters, so their angst didn't affect me much. I truly wanted to know how it would end, and I was pretty satisfied with how it did.
I did get a little tired of the whole trust issue. Not the fact that it existed, considering the circumstances, but the sheer number of times the word 'trust' was used. It would be interesting for someone to count it to see exactly how many times the word appears in the book.
This was a library book. I liked it enough to purchase the sequels.
I did get a little tired of the whole trust issue. Not the fact that it existed, considering the circumstances, but the sheer number of times the word 'trust' was used. It would be interesting for someone to count it to see exactly how many times the word appears in the book.
This was a library book. I liked it enough to purchase the sequels.
July 19, 2014
This could have been better. The main character, Joe, was someone you'd want to get to know. His love interest, Cara, however, was more annoying. I find it a little unbelievable that she mistrusts all of the team assembled to help her and so easily trusts a total stranger that even a blind reader could see was sent in specifically by her enemy.
It's also a little unbelievable that she would accept what her ex-husband tells her so easily while professing to hate him so.
I look forward to the next books, assuming she doesn't figure too heavily in them!
It's also a little unbelievable that she would accept what her ex-husband tells her so easily while professing to hate him so.
I look forward to the next books, assuming she doesn't figure too heavily in them!
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