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In the Company of Crocodiles
Two strong-willed women are fighting for survival in a primitive wilderness of venomous snakes, stinging insects, and crocodile-infested swamps. Too bad those are the least of their worries.
After being severely wounded in a covert operation, ex-Australian Secret Service officer Vivian Andrews has built a quiet life for herself in a small fishing village in Northern Queensland. Or so she believes, until she discovers a rotting corpse in the mangroves. An angry crocodile drags the body away, but not before Vivian snags the man’s money belt which contains nearly $75,000—and a phone number that Vivian knows all too well.
At the police station to report her discovery, Vivian finds two government agents who are looking for her. A young man has gone missing and they need an experienced guide to help them negotiate the terrain to find him. Vivian knows they aren’t telling her the whole story but is attracted to the idea of returning to action—and to behavioral scientist Claire Walker.
When Claire’s partner is injured, tough, resilient Vivian and smart, intuitive Claire must use every skill they possess to complete their mission despite nearly impenetrable walls of vegetation, trails that lead to deadly traps, the damp simmering heat—and another kind of heat neither of them wishes to acknowledge. Could the woman sleeping next to you be a master thief…or worse?
After being severely wounded in a covert operation, ex-Australian Secret Service officer Vivian Andrews has built a quiet life for herself in a small fishing village in Northern Queensland. Or so she believes, until she discovers a rotting corpse in the mangroves. An angry crocodile drags the body away, but not before Vivian snags the man’s money belt which contains nearly $75,000—and a phone number that Vivian knows all too well.
At the police station to report her discovery, Vivian finds two government agents who are looking for her. A young man has gone missing and they need an experienced guide to help them negotiate the terrain to find him. Vivian knows they aren’t telling her the whole story but is attracted to the idea of returning to action—and to behavioral scientist Claire Walker.
When Claire’s partner is injured, tough, resilient Vivian and smart, intuitive Claire must use every skill they possess to complete their mission despite nearly impenetrable walls of vegetation, trails that lead to deadly traps, the damp simmering heat—and another kind of heat neither of them wishes to acknowledge. Could the woman sleeping next to you be a master thief…or worse?
296 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 2017
29 people are currently reading
255 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Brown
15 books115 followersBorn and bred in Queensland, Australia, Maggie Brown has always been an advocate for women’s rights. An avid reader, she only discovered lesbian literature ten years ago, which opened a whole new world to her. A long-term artist, she turned her hand to writing for a different challenge. It’s become her passion, and she now has eight books on the shelves, two of which were finalists in the Golden Crown Literary awards. Her novels vary from thrillers to romances. Maggie loves dotting her pages with lots of interesting characters, and writes about relationships with a humorous eye. When she’s not writing, she’s a golf hacker, card sharp and movie buff, and particularly likes to chill out at night with a glass of wine and a good book.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
April 21, 2020
4.25 Stars. I read and enjoyed Brown's book Piping Her Tune (even though it is filled with angst!), so I was excited to read another of her books. When I read this blurb and realized it was about two women trying to survive in the wilds of Northern Australia, sign me up.
The book is about an ex secret operative, Vivian. Vivian was wounded and retired from her job early. She moved to a small village in Northern Queensland to recuperate. When a government agent Claire, asks her to be a guide into the Australian wilderness, Vivian can't help but long to do something exciting again in her life. While the jungle proves to be dangerous, Vivian begins to form a connection to Claire. Is there a chance at a relationship, or will they never get out of the jungle alive?
I love romantic books, but I can kind of get tiered of them when they are the same similar stories. I was excited to get a romance book that had some action and excitement and was very much different from the norm. And this book has plenty of excitement. I was on the edge of my seat for almost half of the book.
I did enjoy the romance. It was a little quick. Not quite insta love, but it was fast. But in this situation, I was okay with it. When you life is on the line, I'm sure you can bond quickly. And considering everything else going on, I thought Brown did a good job still sneaking in intimate moments. I did wish there was more down time with the two of them together. I think their relationship would have seemed stronger with it. I just needed a little more, and would have rated this higher had this book had that.
I enjoyed the setting of Northern Australia. I had actually visited some of the places mentioned in this book, and it brought back some of the amazing wildlife I got to see. Scenes with the crocs and snakes, was well done and had me biting my fingernails.
This book was entertaining and had plenty of action. The romance is good, just not perfect. If you are interested in Australia or just want a book that is a little different, pick this up and enjoy.
An ARC was given to me by Bella, for a honest review.
The book is about an ex secret operative, Vivian. Vivian was wounded and retired from her job early. She moved to a small village in Northern Queensland to recuperate. When a government agent Claire, asks her to be a guide into the Australian wilderness, Vivian can't help but long to do something exciting again in her life. While the jungle proves to be dangerous, Vivian begins to form a connection to Claire. Is there a chance at a relationship, or will they never get out of the jungle alive?
I love romantic books, but I can kind of get tiered of them when they are the same similar stories. I was excited to get a romance book that had some action and excitement and was very much different from the norm. And this book has plenty of excitement. I was on the edge of my seat for almost half of the book.
I did enjoy the romance. It was a little quick. Not quite insta love, but it was fast. But in this situation, I was okay with it. When you life is on the line, I'm sure you can bond quickly. And considering everything else going on, I thought Brown did a good job still sneaking in intimate moments. I did wish there was more down time with the two of them together. I think their relationship would have seemed stronger with it. I just needed a little more, and would have rated this higher had this book had that.
I enjoyed the setting of Northern Australia. I had actually visited some of the places mentioned in this book, and it brought back some of the amazing wildlife I got to see. Scenes with the crocs and snakes, was well done and had me biting my fingernails.
This book was entertaining and had plenty of action. The romance is good, just not perfect. If you are interested in Australia or just want a book that is a little different, pick this up and enjoy.
An ARC was given to me by Bella, for a honest review.
March 11, 2021
This type of read frustrates me to no end.
"In the Company of Crocodiles" has numerous rave reviews and I was in the mood to settle in and have a good adventure. Part of my frustration comes because I thought the first third of the book was written well especially the initial chapter and the introduction of characters. It gripped me.
But, somewhere along the way, the book veered into eye-rolling, cheesy, implausibility territory. The book was very nearly a DNF but I'd gone too far and wanted to see if it would course correct. It did not. Whenever I'm reading a book that I have to put down and close my eyes for with a ,"No. You didn't just do that.", I'm no longer in for a good read.
"In the Company of Crocodiles" takes place in an Australian jungle, where Vivian, an ex-operative, is acting as a guide for Claire and her partner to track down the son of a senator. His location is pinpointed to somewhere in this jungle and they need to get him out.
Who does Claire work for? No idea.
I've written some reviews of other cop/crime-fighting novels where I reference that too many books in lesfic have these over the top lead characters that just kill a book for me. And this is one of those books...made all the more exasperating because Vivian didn't start out that way. For a woman that's been attached to a garden for several years now, she still holds unerring accuracy in rough conditions with weapons and the like. On the flip side, Claire is an expert on people and manipulation which shines at the beginning of the story. But, along the way, she seems to lose her ability at reading people from how she treats and interacts with the characters around her. I'm glad I didn't have a desk to bang my head on.
The deeper into the story we get, the more unrealistic it becomes.
Worse, is that the dialogue and chemistry between Vivian and Claire was also flowing and fine in the first third of the book...
But, perhaps I should blame it on the jungle. Both characters start speaking in a manner that no person speaks in. They start using terms of endearment that are completely out of place, saying inside thoughts out loud, and have incredibly quick and abrupt sentences spat out in tiny monologues. I just kept wanting to scream, "PEOPLE DON'T TALK LIKE THIS!!!!!"
When it comes to the romance, there's so much whiplash with the back and forth of "We should. We shouldn't."
Not to mention, there are some sex scenes in this book. And, it's one of the few where I wish there weren't. These too occur in the jungle and, I'll give Brown credit here. She had rain or some pond nearby to wash some of their days long grime from their bodies before doing so but nope. Still too dirty and no way in hell is anyone getting naked in a jungle on the ground. Have you even ever gone out to a backyard or park and seen the amount of creepy crawly critters around? These ladies go at it with no barriers in full nature and I JUST could not get out of my mind how icky it was. It was not sexy, especially because the emotional connection by then was so contrived. I would've loved if the story had focused on the mission at hand with a growing sexual tension that is resolved at the very end of the book instead...or, even no sex scenes at all would've been fine.
About two thirds of the way in I started skimming just to get to the end. And, from what I could tell, the devolve of the story continued. Instead of characters, even the supporting cast were elevated to caricatures.
Yes, there's plenty of action in this book. Once it gets going, it doesn't stop so there's that. But, because of implausibility, I couldn't enjoy it.
This book was totally not for me. If you have similar peeves to mine, take a pass. Others clearly liked the book so get a good balance of reviews to make up your own mind.
"In the Company of Crocodiles" has numerous rave reviews and I was in the mood to settle in and have a good adventure. Part of my frustration comes because I thought the first third of the book was written well especially the initial chapter and the introduction of characters. It gripped me.
But, somewhere along the way, the book veered into eye-rolling, cheesy, implausibility territory. The book was very nearly a DNF but I'd gone too far and wanted to see if it would course correct. It did not. Whenever I'm reading a book that I have to put down and close my eyes for with a ,"No. You didn't just do that.", I'm no longer in for a good read.
"In the Company of Crocodiles" takes place in an Australian jungle, where Vivian, an ex-operative, is acting as a guide for Claire and her partner to track down the son of a senator. His location is pinpointed to somewhere in this jungle and they need to get him out.
Who does Claire work for? No idea.
I've written some reviews of other cop/crime-fighting novels where I reference that too many books in lesfic have these over the top lead characters that just kill a book for me. And this is one of those books...made all the more exasperating because Vivian didn't start out that way. For a woman that's been attached to a garden for several years now, she still holds unerring accuracy in rough conditions with weapons and the like. On the flip side, Claire is an expert on people and manipulation which shines at the beginning of the story. But, along the way, she seems to lose her ability at reading people from how she treats and interacts with the characters around her. I'm glad I didn't have a desk to bang my head on.
The deeper into the story we get, the more unrealistic it becomes.
Worse, is that the dialogue and chemistry between Vivian and Claire was also flowing and fine in the first third of the book...
But, perhaps I should blame it on the jungle. Both characters start speaking in a manner that no person speaks in. They start using terms of endearment that are completely out of place, saying inside thoughts out loud, and have incredibly quick and abrupt sentences spat out in tiny monologues. I just kept wanting to scream, "PEOPLE DON'T TALK LIKE THIS!!!!!"
When it comes to the romance, there's so much whiplash with the back and forth of "We should. We shouldn't."
Not to mention, there are some sex scenes in this book. And, it's one of the few where I wish there weren't. These too occur in the jungle and, I'll give Brown credit here. She had rain or some pond nearby to wash some of their days long grime from their bodies before doing so but nope. Still too dirty and no way in hell is anyone getting naked in a jungle on the ground. Have you even ever gone out to a backyard or park and seen the amount of creepy crawly critters around? These ladies go at it with no barriers in full nature and I JUST could not get out of my mind how icky it was. It was not sexy, especially because the emotional connection by then was so contrived. I would've loved if the story had focused on the mission at hand with a growing sexual tension that is resolved at the very end of the book instead...or, even no sex scenes at all would've been fine.
About two thirds of the way in I started skimming just to get to the end. And, from what I could tell, the devolve of the story continued. Instead of characters, even the supporting cast were elevated to caricatures.
Yes, there's plenty of action in this book. Once it gets going, it doesn't stop so there's that. But, because of implausibility, I couldn't enjoy it.
This book was totally not for me. If you have similar peeves to mine, take a pass. Others clearly liked the book so get a good balance of reviews to make up your own mind.
April 20, 2019
Bonnie Tyler, we don't need a hero to jump in and save the day. In The Company Of Crocodiles, we have Vivian, an ex special force and Claire, a behavioral scientist/expert to save not only the humans but the local wildlife as well.
Yes, the attraction takes about the same time as making the instant noodles cup. Can't blame them, they're both easy on the eyes BUT they appreciate /respect the brains that come with the looks too so their conversations/discussions prior to and during the mission are pretty entertaining/interesting/informative.
The crime sounds a bit unbelievable at first due to its location , thankfully the author changes direction as the story goes deeper and Vivian really impresses the hell out of me with her knowledge in the local flora, fauna, weapons and using it to cause some serious and awesome shit. Claire, has some training in martial arts but her best weapon is her words, not only she is able to sell ice to the Eskimos, she can even sell sand to the Bedouins.
The crocs are the welcomed scene stealer, they are not the ones you find in zoos and animal parks - always relaxing and have their meals delivered to them. The crocs featured in this story, are always on alert and will seek everything out with their deadly jaws even if its just a teabag.
Gorgeous cover, great title and a good story. Fans of Fauna / Flora / Australia / Romance / Tribbing - should check it out. If I'm not mistaken, it is still on sale.
Yes, the attraction takes about the same time as making the instant noodles cup. Can't blame them, they're both easy on the eyes BUT they appreciate /respect the brains that come with the looks too so their conversations/discussions prior to and during the mission are pretty entertaining/interesting/informative.
The crime sounds a bit unbelievable at first due to its location , thankfully the author changes direction as the story goes deeper and Vivian really impresses the hell out of me with her knowledge in the local flora, fauna, weapons and using it to cause some serious and awesome shit. Claire, has some training in martial arts but her best weapon is her words, not only she is able to sell ice to the Eskimos, she can even sell sand to the Bedouins.
The crocs are the welcomed scene stealer, they are not the ones you find in zoos and animal parks - always relaxing and have their meals delivered to them. The crocs featured in this story, are always on alert and will seek everything out with their deadly jaws even if its just a teabag.
Gorgeous cover, great title and a good story. Fans of Fauna / Flora / Australia / Romance / Tribbing - should check it out. If I'm not mistaken, it is still on sale.
April 16, 2019
Ex-Australian Secret Service Agent Vivian Andrews retired to a quiet Aussie town when in need of emotional and physical healing. All is well until she finds a corpse in a nearby swamp. She meets behavioral scientist Claire Walker, a government agent looking for a missing young man, when she returns to town to report the dead body. Claire was tasked with recruiting Vivian for the assignment as a guide to the wilderness. Together they must uncover the true reason for the missing young man while escaping the brutal environment surrounding them.
This book pulls you into the Australian outdoors right off the bat with a first chapter croc encounter that was fantastic and left you shaken but hooked. I actually took a minute to settle after reading that! I loved reading about the flora and fauna. The descriptions were well done and the information was functional to the story and did not feel cumbersome or like information dump.
The romance was in the middle of all the action. I would have liked to see more from Claire as she came out looking like an inadequate government agent. I’m sure some of it was because Vivian was such a strong, capable character. Claire simply seemed to be relegated to the background too many times. I feel this detracted from the pairing to a certain degree. The attraction was there though and all in all, there was no instantaneous love which will please many readers. There were a couple of sex scenes that were okay until one remembered they were in the jungle with limited opportunities for proper hygiene. Exactly.
I would like to take a moment to praise Linda Callaghan for the phenomenal cover design. Lex recommended this book and I knew exactly which one she meant, even remembered it was on sale (thank you Bella Books!) because of this great cover. Stunning, eye catching, with font that blends beautifully with the background. Mission accomplished Ms Callaghan!
This book pulls you into the Australian outdoors right off the bat with a first chapter croc encounter that was fantastic and left you shaken but hooked. I actually took a minute to settle after reading that! I loved reading about the flora and fauna. The descriptions were well done and the information was functional to the story and did not feel cumbersome or like information dump.
The romance was in the middle of all the action. I would have liked to see more from Claire as she came out looking like an inadequate government agent. I’m sure some of it was because Vivian was such a strong, capable character. Claire simply seemed to be relegated to the background too many times. I feel this detracted from the pairing to a certain degree. The attraction was there though and all in all, there was no instantaneous love which will please many readers. There were a couple of sex scenes that were okay until one remembered they were in the jungle with limited opportunities for proper hygiene. Exactly.
I would like to take a moment to praise Linda Callaghan for the phenomenal cover design. Lex recommended this book and I knew exactly which one she meant, even remembered it was on sale (thank you Bella Books!) because of this great cover. Stunning, eye catching, with font that blends beautifully with the background. Mission accomplished Ms Callaghan!
August 22, 2018
Excellent
A friend of mine on Goodreads recommended this book. Her words were this is right up your alley. We have never actually met but she definitely got it right. I loved it. Especially the gory bits. The author did well because I could see it. No I'm not into mutilation but I do love horror and adventure stories. This kinda has both.
But it's the natural world that causes the horror bit. The Australian out back to be exact. I also Learned a lot about how to use the inhospitable environment to your advantage.
The story basically is they are looking for a missing young man. But in the process uncover more illegal enterprises. Too luxurious to the criminals that they would actually kill to keep it secrets.
There's snakes, crocodiles and poisonous plants. The characters are definitely colourful. It's a great read. I'd definitely recommend it. Enjoy!
A friend of mine on Goodreads recommended this book. Her words were this is right up your alley. We have never actually met but she definitely got it right. I loved it. Especially the gory bits. The author did well because I could see it. No I'm not into mutilation but I do love horror and adventure stories. This kinda has both.
But it's the natural world that causes the horror bit. The Australian out back to be exact. I also Learned a lot about how to use the inhospitable environment to your advantage.
The story basically is they are looking for a missing young man. But in the process uncover more illegal enterprises. Too luxurious to the criminals that they would actually kill to keep it secrets.
There's snakes, crocodiles and poisonous plants. The characters are definitely colourful. It's a great read. I'd definitely recommend it. Enjoy!
February 18, 2021
Quite good !!
I really liked it but it could have been a tad longer
+
I could have done WITHOUT the typos and WITH an epilogue ...
I really liked it but it could have been a tad longer
+
I could have done WITHOUT the typos and WITH an epilogue ...
April 5, 2017
Let me just say this book is quite well done. Maggie Brown writes a story that just sweeps you away. You literally are thrown into Australia and through Brown's words you are chased by the crocodiles, you feel the oppressive humidity, you are right there with the characters as they face countless perilous situations.
Vivian "Viv" Andrews served her country for years as an Australian Secret Intelligence Service officer. She was involved in numerous covert operations around the globe, including Afghanistan where she was seriously injured. Viv decides then and there to take a step back and make her life as simple as possible. She lives in the rainforest and grows row crops when she's not fishing. Her basic necessities are met, and when she needs companionship she visits her few friends in Cairns. Life, as she has known it for five years, is thrown into chaos when she finds a dead man in the mangroves
Claire Walker just happens to show up in her tiny seaside town the same day as the dead man is found. Claire, a behavioral scientist and special agent for a hush-hush government agency that needs Viv's help to locate a possible ISIS training ground. Talk about throwing your relaxing haven into the crazy zone.
So the story takes off as Vivian reluctantly helping Claire, she doesn’t want to, nope not at all, but Claire appeals to her in a way she can’t deny. You know what it is, yes, attraction. Claire is gorgeous, smart and takes charge. She’s everything Vivian has always wanted in a partner but never had. She will help Claire find the terrorist cell because no matter what she puts her country before her own happiness. What she doesn’t know is that Miss Walker is equally interested in her. Newsflash, Viv is hot and doesn’t have any clue! So the story really takes off as these two ladies trek through rugged terrain looking for signs of a terror training camp. What they find is not quite a bunch of jihadists but that doesn’t mean their lives are not in serious danger.
This two spar throughout the book, ignoring their attraction for numerous reasons. Claire and Vic both respect each other, but miscommunication and assumptions (Viv thinks Claire is straight) keep acting as continuous roadblocks to the path of happy ever after. A little angsty but not overwhelmingly so. All in this book is pretty great. I definitely recommend it! I must say I love when an author makes both of leading ladies strong characters, who can hold their own. 3.75 stars
Vivian "Viv" Andrews served her country for years as an Australian Secret Intelligence Service officer. She was involved in numerous covert operations around the globe, including Afghanistan where she was seriously injured. Viv decides then and there to take a step back and make her life as simple as possible. She lives in the rainforest and grows row crops when she's not fishing. Her basic necessities are met, and when she needs companionship she visits her few friends in Cairns. Life, as she has known it for five years, is thrown into chaos when she finds a dead man in the mangroves
Claire Walker just happens to show up in her tiny seaside town the same day as the dead man is found. Claire, a behavioral scientist and special agent for a hush-hush government agency that needs Viv's help to locate a possible ISIS training ground. Talk about throwing your relaxing haven into the crazy zone.
So the story takes off as Vivian reluctantly helping Claire, she doesn’t want to, nope not at all, but Claire appeals to her in a way she can’t deny. You know what it is, yes, attraction. Claire is gorgeous, smart and takes charge. She’s everything Vivian has always wanted in a partner but never had. She will help Claire find the terrorist cell because no matter what she puts her country before her own happiness. What she doesn’t know is that Miss Walker is equally interested in her. Newsflash, Viv is hot and doesn’t have any clue! So the story really takes off as these two ladies trek through rugged terrain looking for signs of a terror training camp. What they find is not quite a bunch of jihadists but that doesn’t mean their lives are not in serious danger.
This two spar throughout the book, ignoring their attraction for numerous reasons. Claire and Vic both respect each other, but miscommunication and assumptions (Viv thinks Claire is straight) keep acting as continuous roadblocks to the path of happy ever after. A little angsty but not overwhelmingly so. All in this book is pretty great. I definitely recommend it! I must say I love when an author makes both of leading ladies strong characters, who can hold their own. 3.75 stars
November 12, 2022
An ok read.
Plenty of action (the Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider kind of actions) that at times I can’t seem to wrap my head around it. Not to mention actions between the sheets as well… Like really? You are in the forest…with plenty of crazies in there with the not-so-friendly creepy crawlies (spiders, snakes) among others. Just reading it gave me the jitters cos me and crawlies, we are not friends….sworn enemies in fact.
There were typos… wrong names being mentioned in a conversation, which happened more than once. I would have thought that these would have been spotted. But what do I know? Not a dealbreaker for me though.
Plenty of action (the Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider kind of actions) that at times I can’t seem to wrap my head around it. Not to mention actions between the sheets as well… Like really? You are in the forest…with plenty of crazies in there with the not-so-friendly creepy crawlies (spiders, snakes) among others. Just reading it gave me the jitters cos me and crawlies, we are not friends….sworn enemies in fact.
There were typos… wrong names being mentioned in a conversation, which happened more than once. I would have thought that these would have been spotted. But what do I know? Not a dealbreaker for me though.
June 20, 2017
Loved the setting and the action. The instalove was a little annoying. But, the rest made up for it.
3.5 rounded up.
3.5 rounded up.
June 22, 2020
This was such a fun read, just what I was looking for. I recently read “Reinventing Lindsey” and enjoyed it a lot, so I wanted to read more of Brown’s books. The theme and setting of this book is very different from Reinventing Lindsey, but again I liked Brown’s writing style and this book had a nice fast pace keeping me interested the whole time.
Vivian Andrews is an ex-secret service officer and finds a dead man in the Northern Australian mangroves. The man also happened to carry a lot of money and when Vivian reports her finds to the local police she finds two government agents waiting. Vivian is being recruited as a local guide to help these officers track someone in the jungle and soon she finds herself in the jungle together with Claire, one of the agents, and a lot of challenges to overcome.
So yes, there is adventure, there is a mystery to solve and there is also a romance. The characters are both likeable, they have quite different backgrounds and they’re both not looking for a relationship. Add to that some issues to overcome (and some self-learning because Vivian clearly has no idea that she’s just very attractive) and miscommunication, but good chemistry and you have an interesting romance. Another thing of the book that I enjoyed highly was the description of the Australian nature and wildlife. I lived in Australia for a short while (not in the north-eastern part though, but I did visit there) and Brown manages to really capture the Australian atmosphere and it felt like being back for a while. I can definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a romance with plenty of adventure.
Vivian Andrews is an ex-secret service officer and finds a dead man in the Northern Australian mangroves. The man also happened to carry a lot of money and when Vivian reports her finds to the local police she finds two government agents waiting. Vivian is being recruited as a local guide to help these officers track someone in the jungle and soon she finds herself in the jungle together with Claire, one of the agents, and a lot of challenges to overcome.
So yes, there is adventure, there is a mystery to solve and there is also a romance. The characters are both likeable, they have quite different backgrounds and they’re both not looking for a relationship. Add to that some issues to overcome (and some self-learning because Vivian clearly has no idea that she’s just very attractive) and miscommunication, but good chemistry and you have an interesting romance. Another thing of the book that I enjoyed highly was the description of the Australian nature and wildlife. I lived in Australia for a short while (not in the north-eastern part though, but I did visit there) and Brown manages to really capture the Australian atmosphere and it felt like being back for a while. I can definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a romance with plenty of adventure.
September 17, 2021
While my job had me on a mental health first aider course it was really hard to find an escape from the heavy subject matter when the time came to unwind. My mind wondered back to the training so often it took me a while to finish this one. Maybe I should thank the course. It’s such a fun read with beautiful description of the Australian flora and fauna, a mystery to keep you entertained and two strong willed women leading this all.
The mystery is the biggest and most entertaining part of this book for me. I like the matching of Vivian and Claire, but I’m just more interested in the job they are doing. The way Brown describes the far north of Australia is lovely and transported me to that place. A place that sounds pretty, but too dangerous as well ;)
This book transported me and it was absolutely what I needed. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a good read where the romance takes a backseat to the mystery and the setting.
The mystery is the biggest and most entertaining part of this book for me. I like the matching of Vivian and Claire, but I’m just more interested in the job they are doing. The way Brown describes the far north of Australia is lovely and transported me to that place. A place that sounds pretty, but too dangerous as well ;)
This book transported me and it was absolutely what I needed. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a good read where the romance takes a backseat to the mystery and the setting.
May 5, 2017
Great.
If your looking for a book where you are being chased by a crocodile, stung by insects and on the look out for big snakes here you go. This book gives you mystery/adventure and romance. I love all the characters in this story...they all fit in their place. I would definitely recommend this book.
If your looking for a book where you are being chased by a crocodile, stung by insects and on the look out for big snakes here you go. This book gives you mystery/adventure and romance. I love all the characters in this story...they all fit in their place. I would definitely recommend this book.
February 4, 2018
I like this book alot. The romance was sweet and the adventure in the wildlife is interesting. I would say it didnt so much intense but it good enough to make me want to keep going to see what going to happen next and what was behind the truth. And I love both main characters, they kinda keep each other in control, they are sweet and so good together.
I really enjoy this book alot.
I really enjoy this book alot.
December 29, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed this wild ride. Amazing descriptions of the Australian far north and a riveting tale with heartfelt romance too. What more could you want?
May 25, 2018
Really enjoyed it - more so in the moment than in retrospect. Sit back, let the fun wash all over you, don't question things too closely and you bask in a fun story, a good dollop of romance and a goodie Vs baddie story that'll cheer you up. Enjoy!
June 19, 2024
Marking this as finished for my own sanity even though this is the first and only book to ever make me stop reading with about 20 pages left to go, because when one of the MAIN CHARACTERS casually remarks that another character (also described as an "exotic beauty"..) "better keep her cotton-picking fingers off (the love interest)" there's nothing else that can be said. Editors, publishers, readers??? Does nobody else have eyes and/or an ounce of common sense here? Utterly dismayed and disappointed.
August 4, 2025
Hard to say how I felt about this story. It's a uniquely vivid setting in the dangerous Australian jungle and the two leads that are compelling and competent women. The romantic dynamic was hot/cold, despite some moments of clear communication. The half-hearted other women drama seemed unnecessary, and it overall could've used an epilogue.
Also- trivial nitpick of the day. Claire's hair is described as so pale it's gleaming white. Where are you getting off hiding that in the rainforest???
Also- trivial nitpick of the day. Claire's hair is described as so pale it's gleaming white. Where are you getting off hiding that in the rainforest???
March 20, 2017
Loved this book. Plenty of exciting action and romance. Ms Brown makes you feel you're in the rain-forest with all its humidity and heat. A touching hot romance as well. Its such a change to get a different story in this genre. Vivian is a retired undercover agent who lives in the Australian tropics living a quiet life. When out fishing, she narrowly escapes her life when a crocodile rams her boat. Its after a dead body in the mangroves. Claire is a member of an covert organisation who are looking for a young man who is suspected training in an ISIS camp. As the story progresses, the two women go into the forest to find him, and discover all is not what it seems. They have to battle the wildlife and the heat as well as their growing feelings towards each other. I can recommend this book as a top read.
August 5, 2024
2.5 stars.
Okay, so I love action books with a good romance. I love the idea of finding love amidst danger, and I really think it's cute and romantic in all seriousness. I love fantasy books, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi—just give me some action and I'm in. But I think this one was the opposite of what appeals to me.
When I read the blurb and some of the reviews, I was imagining an action-packed narrative full of twists, excitement, romance, and some spice as the cherry on top. AND... it left me with a bit of disappointment. At the beginning, I wasn't a fan of the writing style, but I kept reading anyway to see if I could get used to it. In the end, the writing wasn't one of my big complaints. To be fair, the opening of the book has a very nice action scene. The main problem is that the action wasn't there afterward. There was a lot of talking, a lot of walking through the forest, but the action was lacking for me.
Another problem is that I didn't think the main characters had good chemistry. When I read, I like to feel the characters' emotions and crave for them to be together. For this one, I didn't crave for them, and the sex scenes felt a little empty. I almost dropped the book completely at the 70% mark. But since I got that far, I figured I might as well finish it.
I don't regret reading this book; there's for sure some good in it. I love Australia, and I love nature, and reading about it felt nice. But I also wouldn't recommend it for fans of WLW action books.
Okay, so I love action books with a good romance. I love the idea of finding love amidst danger, and I really think it's cute and romantic in all seriousness. I love fantasy books, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi—just give me some action and I'm in. But I think this one was the opposite of what appeals to me.
When I read the blurb and some of the reviews, I was imagining an action-packed narrative full of twists, excitement, romance, and some spice as the cherry on top. AND... it left me with a bit of disappointment. At the beginning, I wasn't a fan of the writing style, but I kept reading anyway to see if I could get used to it. In the end, the writing wasn't one of my big complaints. To be fair, the opening of the book has a very nice action scene. The main problem is that the action wasn't there afterward. There was a lot of talking, a lot of walking through the forest, but the action was lacking for me.
Another problem is that I didn't think the main characters had good chemistry. When I read, I like to feel the characters' emotions and crave for them to be together. For this one, I didn't crave for them, and the sex scenes felt a little empty. I almost dropped the book completely at the 70% mark. But since I got that far, I figured I might as well finish it.
I don't regret reading this book; there's for sure some good in it. I love Australia, and I love nature, and reading about it felt nice. But I also wouldn't recommend it for fans of WLW action books.
September 27, 2024
Part mystery, part survival (it is based in northern Australia...) and part romance, trying to locate a missing person (that already comes with dangerous undertones) turns into a race not to just survive, but also work out what it is that they want from life... and perhaps each other too.
There is multiple layers to the story, and I rather enjoyed it. It was nice to see more of Australia, especially the dangers that it poses, the setting a perfect backdrop for the story. And hey, strong women, special agents, well written spice, a well woven mystery, and a budding relationship - what's not to like? I certainly wouldn't say no to seeing Vivian and Claire again too.
My first book by Maggie Brown, and it won't be the last.
There is multiple layers to the story, and I rather enjoyed it. It was nice to see more of Australia, especially the dangers that it poses, the setting a perfect backdrop for the story. And hey, strong women, special agents, well written spice, a well woven mystery, and a budding relationship - what's not to like? I certainly wouldn't say no to seeing Vivian and Claire again too.
My first book by Maggie Brown, and it won't be the last.
April 3, 2018
Nice action filled entertainment, would have wanted a bit longer ending.
September 23, 2021
3.5 stars
May 10, 2017
Incredible
I normally don't buy books, I use kindle unlimited instead but after reading the synopsis I had to buy this book and it ended up being as good as I hoped. I really liked the action and adventure part of the story as well as the romance.
I normally don't buy books, I use kindle unlimited instead but after reading the synopsis I had to buy this book and it ended up being as good as I hoped. I really liked the action and adventure part of the story as well as the romance.
Read
November 14, 2024I own several of this author’s books but think this is the first one I’ve read. I picked this as my ‘MC in Uniform’ read for the IHeartSapphic Reading Challenge. The uniform aspect was a bit of a red herring since this starts after Viv has left the military (and even when she was in she was undercover so uniform wouldn’t have featured much or at all). But leaving these aspects aside, I rather enjoyed this Australian adventure romp with plenty of action, some romance, two accomplished women outwitting those who would do them harm (Viv is more of an action-woman than Claire mind) and even crocodiles! Although there is danger aplenty in this, it always felt as if it had its tongue fairly firmly in its cheek, so didn’t have the threat of something like Cari Hunter’s ‘Desolation Point’ and ‘Tumbledown’ duo. But I enjoyed it all very much…Crocodile Dundee? Eat your heart out and meet ‘Crocodile Viv’!
May 29, 2018
I loved the idea of this book but to me it just fell short in execution. It was really unbelievable all around. This was an "insta love" book. There was zero chemistry between the characters. The love scenes were hard to read. They were very choppy and just weren't well written at all. The "mystery" part of the book was interesting in plot but I felt like what should have been the best parts were rushed through.
This was my first from this author. I would probably read something else from her after she gets a few more under her belt.
3 stars
This was my first from this author. I would probably read something else from her after she gets a few more under her belt.
3 stars
January 17, 2024
Big adventure
This is a great adventure set in the top end of Australia, it vividly describes the dense swamps of the rainforest complete with all the creatures that lurk within. It's a great story full of intrigue and interesting characters, the romance between the 2 main leads is as hot and humid as the climate. It's not often Canberra my home town is mentioned in fiction so that was fun.
I did think the book finished a bit abruptly with a
few loose ends, where would they go with relationship etc but all in all a great romp.
This is a great adventure set in the top end of Australia, it vividly describes the dense swamps of the rainforest complete with all the creatures that lurk within. It's a great story full of intrigue and interesting characters, the romance between the 2 main leads is as hot and humid as the climate. It's not often Canberra my home town is mentioned in fiction so that was fun.
I did think the book finished a bit abruptly with a
few loose ends, where would they go with relationship etc but all in all a great romp.
May 10, 2017
Loved this one. Thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. The women had lots of chemistry which made a great romance. I liked all the characters in the book, particularly Gaby, the pilot. She would make a good heroine in another book. The scenes in the rain forest were really well done ...I could just about feel the heat and humidity. Good to read a different novel from the usual standard romances.
May 10, 2017
What a wonderful suspenseful story!
This was a wonderful suspenseful story! The two main protagonists Vivian and Claire were terrific. The supporting characters were also equally good. The most striking was the backdrop of the harsh yet beautiful bush country they were traversing throughout their adventure. Vivian was sexy as hell and Claire was exquisitely beautiful. The author did an excellent job of setting the whole plot line in such a wonderful way! Well done!
This was a wonderful suspenseful story! The two main protagonists Vivian and Claire were terrific. The supporting characters were also equally good. The most striking was the backdrop of the harsh yet beautiful bush country they were traversing throughout their adventure. Vivian was sexy as hell and Claire was exquisitely beautiful. The author did an excellent job of setting the whole plot line in such a wonderful way! Well done!
December 1, 2019
An interesting and different setting where love blossoms in the midst of danger and risk. I really enjoyed the story, and the pacing and buildup of tension was great.
The relationship and romance could have developed a little more when they reconnected though. Seemed a bit fast and the ending abrupt. I liked the main characters a lot - perhaps they deserve a sequel?😬😃
The relationship and romance could have developed a little more when they reconnected though. Seemed a bit fast and the ending abrupt. I liked the main characters a lot - perhaps they deserve a sequel?😬😃
May 16, 2017
Great thriller. It was enthralling ... the action moved along at a fast pace, with a good mystery too. I enjoyed the romance between two strong women who knew their own minds. An interesting part of the world with so much wildlife. All in all, a really good read.
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