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When FBI special agent Joss Dubois discovers that her best friend’s life is being threatened, she volunteers to be the Vegas dancer's official protection. Determined to solve the case before she loses one of the only people she loves, Joss becomes caught up in terrorism, attempted murder, and life behind-the-scenes of the seedy nightlife of Sin City.
Joss is forced to partner with the security manager at the Desert Casino, former Intel Marine, Ethan Gallagher. Despite her resistance to his charm, and her stubborn insistence on controlling the investigation, Ethan finds himself drawn to the smart, beautiful, tempting FBI agent. But Joss isn’t so eager to risk heartbreak after the tragedies of her past and her job has become the only thing she can count on.
When the threats against the people they’re protecting turn deadly, Ethan and Joss have to find a way to trust each other to track the hunter who lies in wait for the Desert’s dancers. But trust is a rare and fragile thing to Joss, and Ethan may not be up to the task despite the mutual attraction they can't deny or fight.
Will their new partnership blow up, or can it survive to take down the predator before it’s too late?
Joss is forced to partner with the security manager at the Desert Casino, former Intel Marine, Ethan Gallagher. Despite her resistance to his charm, and her stubborn insistence on controlling the investigation, Ethan finds himself drawn to the smart, beautiful, tempting FBI agent. But Joss isn’t so eager to risk heartbreak after the tragedies of her past and her job has become the only thing she can count on.
When the threats against the people they’re protecting turn deadly, Ethan and Joss have to find a way to trust each other to track the hunter who lies in wait for the Desert’s dancers. But trust is a rare and fragile thing to Joss, and Ethan may not be up to the task despite the mutual attraction they can't deny or fight.
Will their new partnership blow up, or can it survive to take down the predator before it’s too late?
371 pages, ebook
First published August 28, 2014
1 person is currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Silvia Ami
6 books37 followersSilvia Ami has been a project engineer, an executive in a small business, and lately a rocket scientist (just kidding). She backpacked across Europe by train before the cheap-flight era, lived in Germany for five years, and learned Spanish from her husband.
She, her husband, and their two boys share a huge Lego collection, a kitchen full of cooking gadgets, and a home-office that resembles Doc's lab in Back to the Future.
If you want to know more about her stories, stay tuned for upcoming releases.
Email: silvia.ami.books AT gmail.com
Twitter: @SilviaAmiBooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SilviaAmiBooks
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/silviaamibooks
Blog: http://silviaami.com
She, her husband, and their two boys share a huge Lego collection, a kitchen full of cooking gadgets, and a home-office that resembles Doc's lab in Back to the Future.
If you want to know more about her stories, stay tuned for upcoming releases.
Email: silvia.ami.books AT gmail.com
Twitter: @SilviaAmiBooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SilviaAmiBooks
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/silviaamibooks
Blog: http://silviaami.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 24, 2014
I was kindly provided with a copy by the author in exchange of an honest review
An intense suspense and sweet romance!
Full review is also published on my blog - http://elliereadsfiction.blogspot.com/
It's a debut novel by Silvia Ami and I was provided a copy in exchange of an honest review. I rather enjoyed this complex romantic suspense story.
The romance was strong and slow burning and the chemistry between Ethan and Joss was great. The mystery element was also well done and kept me guessing till the very end.
I appreciate the strong and professional heroine and the hero who respected her professionalism and tough exterior which hid a tender heart. There was no unnecessary drama and angst in their relationship though there was a lot of going back and forth between them before they came together as a team not just professionally but also as a couple. The chemistry and the sexual tension between Ethan and Joss was just sizzling and i couldn't wait for them to get together.
I had some issues with flow of the story, it read as choppy and not very smooth at times, but still I liked it a lot. I couldn't really warm up to Dom and Iris. They were good friends to Joss and Ethan and Iris was central to the suspense plot, yet I didn't feel invested in their story.
Overall, it was a fast-paced romantic suspense with very real and likable characters. It was easy for me to relate to them and I rooted for their HEA from the start. I loved the refreshing heroine, a strong professional woman who knew who she was and what she wanted and the sensible, sexy hero who was protective and caring without coming off as oppressive.
An intense suspense and sweet romance!
Full review is also published on my blog - http://elliereadsfiction.blogspot.com/
It's a debut novel by Silvia Ami and I was provided a copy in exchange of an honest review. I rather enjoyed this complex romantic suspense story.
The romance was strong and slow burning and the chemistry between Ethan and Joss was great. The mystery element was also well done and kept me guessing till the very end.
I appreciate the strong and professional heroine and the hero who respected her professionalism and tough exterior which hid a tender heart. There was no unnecessary drama and angst in their relationship though there was a lot of going back and forth between them before they came together as a team not just professionally but also as a couple. The chemistry and the sexual tension between Ethan and Joss was just sizzling and i couldn't wait for them to get together.
I had some issues with flow of the story, it read as choppy and not very smooth at times, but still I liked it a lot. I couldn't really warm up to Dom and Iris. They were good friends to Joss and Ethan and Iris was central to the suspense plot, yet I didn't feel invested in their story.
Overall, it was a fast-paced romantic suspense with very real and likable characters. It was easy for me to relate to them and I rooted for their HEA from the start. I loved the refreshing heroine, a strong professional woman who knew who she was and what she wanted and the sensible, sexy hero who was protective and caring without coming off as oppressive.
October 6, 2014
I really enjoyed this debut novel by Silvia Ami! I would categorize it as being both a plot and a character-driven story. There was great intrigue in the mystery behind who was behind the scheme to harm Iris, friend of both of the main characters. Also, we had the wonderful unfolding of a romance between Ethan and Joss. These two were instantly drawn to one another and that concerned me, initially. However, the attraction did not translate into a quick hop into bed. Oh, no. They fought that lovebug like two gladiators! Both characters had come through some very difficult experiences in life and arrived at a place where they were navigating life with extreme caution and some serious metaphorical body armor. So, we had their primary focus on solving the problem of eliminating the threat of harm to Iris. Throughout this endeavor, while working together, they continued to experience that physical and emotional pull to one another. It was so much fun! I really loved the dialogue.
I was very amused by the antics of the group of friends and I hope that Silvia will give us more books in the future that will feature these other characters...they were delightful. The suspenseful nature of the story was on the lower end of the dial, but that didn't bother me. I was invested in the mystery and interested to find out whodunit. I definitely cheered for our couple to have their happy ending. I was pleased with the tempo of the entire story. Bravo on your first novel, Ms. Ami! I will be looking forward to the next! ;)
I was very amused by the antics of the group of friends and I hope that Silvia will give us more books in the future that will feature these other characters...they were delightful. The suspenseful nature of the story was on the lower end of the dial, but that didn't bother me. I was invested in the mystery and interested to find out whodunit. I definitely cheered for our couple to have their happy ending. I was pleased with the tempo of the entire story. Bravo on your first novel, Ms. Ami! I will be looking forward to the next! ;)
October 6, 2014
Fast paced with a slow burn! Silvia Ami gives us a an exciting mystery with plenty of intrigue - an FBI agent, a former Marine, Vegas showgirls and dangerous plot that has to be uncovered - and a romance between Joss and Ethan who fight their attraction as hard as they work to solve the threats against their friend. An exciting and steamy debut novel!
September 3, 2014
I really enjoyed reading about Joss and Ethan, and their budding attraction alongside the action, intrigue and danger they face while trying to protect those that are closest to her. Great characters and a fast paced storyline that takes place in the bigger than life city of lights, Las Vegas. Thank you to Silvia Ami for trusting me to read your baby!
September 4, 2014
A fast-paced, thrillingly romantic mystery. The characters are well-drawn and stay with the reader long after finishing the book. A fun read and a fantastic debut!
September 17, 2014
When I first started reading Take I thought oh I am not going to like this. The attraction between the main characters was too much and seemed like it would just be an insta love story with just lots of sex. You know one of those romances that love is really just physical attraction and nothing more. Thankfully this book quickly proved me wrong and was a great read.
Joss is an FBI agent on vacation visiting with her best friend Iris. When Iris' life is threatened Joss takes over the investigation in Las Vegas. Joss, Iris, and Don, Iris' boyfriend, have been best friends for a long time. They grew up together and have kept in touch ever since. Joss has had some not so good things happen in her past that make her keep people at a distance and it can be hard to get close to her, but she always tries to be there for her friend. She is also a smart female main character which is so refreshing. When Iris tries to be stupid and not tell the guys what is going on Joss is just like nope. They need to know, we need to tell them so they can help keep you safe. I was just like yes! Thank you for not being the idiot female.
Ethan is a former marine and security manager where Iris dances (and where Don is in charge). He doesn't mind Joss being in charge of the investigation into the threats against Iris, but he wants to be a part of it (which is fine with Joss). Since the moment the two of them meet there are sparks. They are attracted to each other, but they both try and hold back and not do anything about it. They have a job to do and they need to focus on trying to figure out who is responsible for the threats.
Joss also hold back because she is not sure she wants to pursue something with Ethan. She hold back a little afraid to let someone in and she doesn't know if she wants a relationship. She also doesn't know if she can do casual no-strings either. Ethan is not looking for a relationship either. He is not a player or anything, he is just a guy. If he finds someone he is interested he is not opposed to a relationship, but he is not searching it out either. Joss makes him want to get to know her better. She makes him want to see where this goes between them after they catch the bad guy.
They are very sweet together. They try to not do anything until they close the case, but they just can't help it. They are working together and hanging out together and they just really like each other. I really liked them together. Ethan is so sweet with Joss and they were just great together. My favorite thing about them? They seem like normal people. Like someone I would hang out with in real life. I really liked that. They are an FBI agent and an ex marine security guy, but they just seem really down to earth like normal people. I loved that.
So they work together and become closer and it was just really a nice story. The secondary characters, Iris and Don, I didn't like as much. They were a bit too much for me at times, but they seem to be there for comedic relief. Sometimes it was fine, but if the book was just about them, they were the main characters, I don't think I could get through it. They just weren't for me, but they were find as secondary characters.
So overall I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was going to be insta love and instead I got slow relationship building which I lobed. When you find out who it is and why it is just like really? and Ethan even thinks it is a joke when Joss tells him. But it makes sense at the same time. It doesn't seem cheesy or anything, it seems realistic even if the reason is a bit ridiculous. A great read.
This review was originally posted to Jen in Bookland
Joss is an FBI agent on vacation visiting with her best friend Iris. When Iris' life is threatened Joss takes over the investigation in Las Vegas. Joss, Iris, and Don, Iris' boyfriend, have been best friends for a long time. They grew up together and have kept in touch ever since. Joss has had some not so good things happen in her past that make her keep people at a distance and it can be hard to get close to her, but she always tries to be there for her friend. She is also a smart female main character which is so refreshing. When Iris tries to be stupid and not tell the guys what is going on Joss is just like nope. They need to know, we need to tell them so they can help keep you safe. I was just like yes! Thank you for not being the idiot female.
Ethan is a former marine and security manager where Iris dances (and where Don is in charge). He doesn't mind Joss being in charge of the investigation into the threats against Iris, but he wants to be a part of it (which is fine with Joss). Since the moment the two of them meet there are sparks. They are attracted to each other, but they both try and hold back and not do anything about it. They have a job to do and they need to focus on trying to figure out who is responsible for the threats.
Joss also hold back because she is not sure she wants to pursue something with Ethan. She hold back a little afraid to let someone in and she doesn't know if she wants a relationship. She also doesn't know if she can do casual no-strings either. Ethan is not looking for a relationship either. He is not a player or anything, he is just a guy. If he finds someone he is interested he is not opposed to a relationship, but he is not searching it out either. Joss makes him want to get to know her better. She makes him want to see where this goes between them after they catch the bad guy.
They are very sweet together. They try to not do anything until they close the case, but they just can't help it. They are working together and hanging out together and they just really like each other. I really liked them together. Ethan is so sweet with Joss and they were just great together. My favorite thing about them? They seem like normal people. Like someone I would hang out with in real life. I really liked that. They are an FBI agent and an ex marine security guy, but they just seem really down to earth like normal people. I loved that.
So they work together and become closer and it was just really a nice story. The secondary characters, Iris and Don, I didn't like as much. They were a bit too much for me at times, but they seem to be there for comedic relief. Sometimes it was fine, but if the book was just about them, they were the main characters, I don't think I could get through it. They just weren't for me, but they were find as secondary characters.
So overall I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was going to be insta love and instead I got slow relationship building which I lobed. When you find out who it is and why it is just like really? and Ethan even thinks it is a joke when Joss tells him. But it makes sense at the same time. It doesn't seem cheesy or anything, it seems realistic even if the reason is a bit ridiculous. A great read.
This review was originally posted to Jen in Bookland
January 3, 2018
LA RECENSIONE COMPLETA QUI: https://thereadingslove.blogspot.it/2...
Prendete un affascinante quanto "maschio" ex marines...
Poi prendete una caparbia e indipendente agente dell'FBI.
Fateli scontrare sotto le magiche luci di Las Vegas, e aspettate i fuochi d'artificio.
Ebbene si... Sotto le magiche luci di Las Vegas assisteremo all'inseguimento di un nemico che trama nell'ombra, apparentemente irraggiungibile e insospettabile, al punto da dover ricorrere a tutte le forze in campo per sbrogliare la difficile indagine e consegnare il colpevole alla giustizia.
Mentre il fascino dell'evanescente città del peccato non sortisce alcun effetto su Joss, la nostra tanto coraggiosa quanto determinata protagonista esperta nel nascondere le sue emozioni, lo stesso non si può dire dell'uomo con il quale all'improvviso si trova ad investigare, un vero e proprio uomo Alpha che accetta di collaborare e di lasciarle il comando delle operazioni.
Joss ha tanto da raccontare, ma nonostante Ethan faccia di tutto per conquistare la sua fiducia, entrare nel suo cuore sarà veramente difficile, soprattutto quando saranno costretti a convivere per motivi lavorativi. Una vera e propria corsa contro il tempo, un'indagine che vede impegnato l'FBI e la sicurezza privata del Desert, locale dove si esibisce il corpo di ballo nel mirino dello stalker.
Silvia Ami ci invita in un romantic suspense ben intrecciato, affascinante e brillante, che prende inizio con una serie di lettere minatorie inviate da un misterioso stalker nelle quali un corpo di ballo di un famoso casinò di Las Vegas e in particolare la prima ballerina e star dello spettacolo Iris Mellon, vengono minacciate di morte. La trama suspense procede di pari passo allo svilupparsi della parte romance, che vede i nostri protagonisti tentare di districarsi tra la forte attrazione sessuale, il sentimento che sta nascendo e l'escalation di minacce e incidenti che si susseguiranno all'interno del lussuoso casinò. Ma... l'istinto di proteggere la donna della quale si sta innamorando non può però essere cancellato, è insito nella personalità dell'ex marine, che spesso si scontra con il modo di agire avventato e spericolato del nostro agente speciale Joss Dubois: messa alle strette dalle continue minacce non le resterà altro da fare che appianare le divergenze e sfruttare la sintonia che si è creata tra loro per poter mettere le mani sul colpevole prima che sia troppo tardi.
Buona parte della narrazione vedrà il lettore alle prese con un nemico invisibile, che colpisce più volte lasciando impotenti i personaggi, fino a quando non farà un passo falso, dando loro la possibilità di unire le tessere del puzzle. Il tempo corre e il nemico diventa sempre più minaccioso, fino a quando sarà proprio Joss a concludere il difficile puzzle, mettendo a repentaglio la sua stessa vita. Un vero e proprio gioco di squadra che vede coinvolta anche un'altra storia d'amore, i cui protagonisti sono legati per svariati motivi alla nostra Joss.
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.it/
Prendete un affascinante quanto "maschio" ex marines...
Poi prendete una caparbia e indipendente agente dell'FBI.
Fateli scontrare sotto le magiche luci di Las Vegas, e aspettate i fuochi d'artificio.
Ebbene si... Sotto le magiche luci di Las Vegas assisteremo all'inseguimento di un nemico che trama nell'ombra, apparentemente irraggiungibile e insospettabile, al punto da dover ricorrere a tutte le forze in campo per sbrogliare la difficile indagine e consegnare il colpevole alla giustizia.
Mentre il fascino dell'evanescente città del peccato non sortisce alcun effetto su Joss, la nostra tanto coraggiosa quanto determinata protagonista esperta nel nascondere le sue emozioni, lo stesso non si può dire dell'uomo con il quale all'improvviso si trova ad investigare, un vero e proprio uomo Alpha che accetta di collaborare e di lasciarle il comando delle operazioni.
Joss ha tanto da raccontare, ma nonostante Ethan faccia di tutto per conquistare la sua fiducia, entrare nel suo cuore sarà veramente difficile, soprattutto quando saranno costretti a convivere per motivi lavorativi. Una vera e propria corsa contro il tempo, un'indagine che vede impegnato l'FBI e la sicurezza privata del Desert, locale dove si esibisce il corpo di ballo nel mirino dello stalker.
Silvia Ami ci invita in un romantic suspense ben intrecciato, affascinante e brillante, che prende inizio con una serie di lettere minatorie inviate da un misterioso stalker nelle quali un corpo di ballo di un famoso casinò di Las Vegas e in particolare la prima ballerina e star dello spettacolo Iris Mellon, vengono minacciate di morte. La trama suspense procede di pari passo allo svilupparsi della parte romance, che vede i nostri protagonisti tentare di districarsi tra la forte attrazione sessuale, il sentimento che sta nascendo e l'escalation di minacce e incidenti che si susseguiranno all'interno del lussuoso casinò. Ma... l'istinto di proteggere la donna della quale si sta innamorando non può però essere cancellato, è insito nella personalità dell'ex marine, che spesso si scontra con il modo di agire avventato e spericolato del nostro agente speciale Joss Dubois: messa alle strette dalle continue minacce non le resterà altro da fare che appianare le divergenze e sfruttare la sintonia che si è creata tra loro per poter mettere le mani sul colpevole prima che sia troppo tardi.
Buona parte della narrazione vedrà il lettore alle prese con un nemico invisibile, che colpisce più volte lasciando impotenti i personaggi, fino a quando non farà un passo falso, dando loro la possibilità di unire le tessere del puzzle. Il tempo corre e il nemico diventa sempre più minaccioso, fino a quando sarà proprio Joss a concludere il difficile puzzle, mettendo a repentaglio la sua stessa vita. Un vero e proprio gioco di squadra che vede coinvolta anche un'altra storia d'amore, i cui protagonisti sono legati per svariati motivi alla nostra Joss.
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.it/
October 11, 2014
Intrigue wrapped in mystery with a smoldering romance, TAKE has it all. When a group of Vegas showgirls are threatened repeatedly through anonymous notes, FBI agent Joss and hotel security chief Ethan team up to try and figure out the identity of the perpetrator.
An undeniable attraction between Joss and Ethan burns low and slow, but with their attention required on the task at hand, they can’t seem to act on it. Frustration grows with the case when they identify potential suspects and then clear them one by one, all while the culprit becomes bolder in attack tactics against the dance company.
Silvia Ami does an amazing job with story and character development. She provides bits and pieces of information strategically so the plot moves seamlessly while keeping the reader guessing whodunit, and when are Joss and Ethan going to do it?
While the entire book is fast paced covering only a handful of days from start to finish, the way it is written makes it feel as though it takes place over a longer time. The amount of detail provided makes the rapid progression of the yarn amble at a rate that lets the reader absorb it without feeling rushed and the dialog is delightfully realistic. A very pleasurable read with a nice twist at the end.
An undeniable attraction between Joss and Ethan burns low and slow, but with their attention required on the task at hand, they can’t seem to act on it. Frustration grows with the case when they identify potential suspects and then clear them one by one, all while the culprit becomes bolder in attack tactics against the dance company.
Silvia Ami does an amazing job with story and character development. She provides bits and pieces of information strategically so the plot moves seamlessly while keeping the reader guessing whodunit, and when are Joss and Ethan going to do it?
While the entire book is fast paced covering only a handful of days from start to finish, the way it is written makes it feel as though it takes place over a longer time. The amount of detail provided makes the rapid progression of the yarn amble at a rate that lets the reader absorb it without feeling rushed and the dialog is delightfully realistic. A very pleasurable read with a nice twist at the end.
September 4, 2014
Fun, fast-paced, fantastic read! Take is Silvia Ami's debut novel and she's off to a great start. I very much enjoyed reading about how Joss and Ethan went after the bad guy. Highly recommend it for those of you that like a little action/mystery with your romance!
April 21, 2016
I wrote it and, honestly, I like it :D
October 29, 2014
Terrific Debut Novel!
Take is a romantic suspense novel penned by promising newcomer Silvia Ami. Take follows Joss and Ethan as they attempt to discover who is threatening to kill Joss' best friend while trying to ignore the growing attraction between them.
I admit that I am not normally a fan of suspense/mystery/crime novels. I tend to prefer spending my time figuring out how the hero and heroine are going to overcome their difficulties than in discovering how they will uncover the murderous plot. However, with Take I get the best of both worlds. I am involved with Joss and Ethan both as they navigate their attraction and investigate the threat. It's lovely, really.
My favorite part of Take is the realism with which author Ami writes the love story. Joss and Ethan are believable, honest, flawed, endearing, sexy, and smart. No TSTL heroine here, or hero who must rush in to save the day. They are a team, and they work well together. Too few books follow this formula, in my opinion.
I would give this book five stars, except for two small issues I have with the book. First, I find chapter 1 to be confusing and awkward; I was a few chapters in before I found the flow. Second, I didn't like who the "bad guy" was that person's motivation. For all that build up, I was expecting something a bit less ... realistic, I suppose. That's a weird criticism, but if you read it, I think you'll agree.
And you should read it. Take is a solid book that I enjoyed very much. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Take is a romantic suspense novel penned by promising newcomer Silvia Ami. Take follows Joss and Ethan as they attempt to discover who is threatening to kill Joss' best friend while trying to ignore the growing attraction between them.
I admit that I am not normally a fan of suspense/mystery/crime novels. I tend to prefer spending my time figuring out how the hero and heroine are going to overcome their difficulties than in discovering how they will uncover the murderous plot. However, with Take I get the best of both worlds. I am involved with Joss and Ethan both as they navigate their attraction and investigate the threat. It's lovely, really.
My favorite part of Take is the realism with which author Ami writes the love story. Joss and Ethan are believable, honest, flawed, endearing, sexy, and smart. No TSTL heroine here, or hero who must rush in to save the day. They are a team, and they work well together. Too few books follow this formula, in my opinion.
I would give this book five stars, except for two small issues I have with the book. First, I find chapter 1 to be confusing and awkward; I was a few chapters in before I found the flow. Second, I didn't like who the "bad guy" was that person's motivation. For all that build up, I was expecting something a bit less ... realistic, I suppose. That's a weird criticism, but if you read it, I think you'll agree.
And you should read it. Take is a solid book that I enjoyed very much. I look forward to reading more from this author.
November 12, 2014
I have lived away from Texas for a while and this book made me miss my “people.”
I loved the story.
Spoiler- I thought Lou was the bad guy! Since she was from Texas and the former owner was from Texas- Silvia did a great job with the trickery.
It is a fun read for a holiday weekend, a beach getaway, a couple of nights without TV… it won’t disappoint.
I loved the story.
Spoiler- I thought Lou was the bad guy! Since she was from Texas and the former owner was from Texas- Silvia did a great job with the trickery.
It is a fun read for a holiday weekend, a beach getaway, a couple of nights without TV… it won’t disappoint.
July 6, 2015
Fallers, I don't have a lot of time on my hands at the moment... which means I don't get to spend nearly as much time reading as I'd like. This book didn't stop me. I spent literally all day yesterday (Sunday) reading Take by Silvia Ami. I literally couldn't put it down--so, of course, I have to give it five leaves!
Ethan Gallagher runs security at an extremely popular casino in Vegas. Josie Dubois is an FBI agent just trying to make sure her best friend is safe. And of course, the two get thrown together when it seems someone is threatening Iris (Josie's aforementioned best friend). And let me tell you, fellow readers, the result is a pretty combustible, totally sweet combination. Both Josie and Ethan have a certain level of baggage, and neither are really looking for someone to spend the rest of their lives with... but they kind of just keeping being pulled toward one another, even as danger looms in the distance.
I'll tell you this, Fallers--I love me some romance stories that have a great overarching story--as a rule, I'm not always a fan of "pure" romance novels (which, by my definition, are just about two people falling in love and that's pretty much it). This book is what I love about reading--there's great mystery, a sense of danger and suspense, some humor dabbled in, and, my favorite, a little bit of true love. Plus, if anyone of you are regular readers of my reviews, you know I'm also a huge fan of stories where real people (who don't lead charmed lives) fall in love and overcoming everyday obstacles (like their past and who's going to drive the car on the next date) and have genuine human interactions. Basically, my feeling was like, five smiley face emojis in a row the whole time I read Take.
The story was incredibly well-written, I LOVED the twist (even though I totally called it--but that's just something I try to do, I can't pretend I ever regularly predict the outcome) and Ethan and Josie were seriously just so... ugh. So sweet. But not in a sicky way--more in a "You guys are so falling for each other and you don't even know it" kind of sweet.
PLEASE PLEASE buy and read this book, Fallers. I adored it, and I'm sure you will too.
A gifted copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review by Elyssa.
Ethan Gallagher runs security at an extremely popular casino in Vegas. Josie Dubois is an FBI agent just trying to make sure her best friend is safe. And of course, the two get thrown together when it seems someone is threatening Iris (Josie's aforementioned best friend). And let me tell you, fellow readers, the result is a pretty combustible, totally sweet combination. Both Josie and Ethan have a certain level of baggage, and neither are really looking for someone to spend the rest of their lives with... but they kind of just keeping being pulled toward one another, even as danger looms in the distance.
I'll tell you this, Fallers--I love me some romance stories that have a great overarching story--as a rule, I'm not always a fan of "pure" romance novels (which, by my definition, are just about two people falling in love and that's pretty much it). This book is what I love about reading--there's great mystery, a sense of danger and suspense, some humor dabbled in, and, my favorite, a little bit of true love. Plus, if anyone of you are regular readers of my reviews, you know I'm also a huge fan of stories where real people (who don't lead charmed lives) fall in love and overcoming everyday obstacles (like their past and who's going to drive the car on the next date) and have genuine human interactions. Basically, my feeling was like, five smiley face emojis in a row the whole time I read Take.
The story was incredibly well-written, I LOVED the twist (even though I totally called it--but that's just something I try to do, I can't pretend I ever regularly predict the outcome) and Ethan and Josie were seriously just so... ugh. So sweet. But not in a sicky way--more in a "You guys are so falling for each other and you don't even know it" kind of sweet.
PLEASE PLEASE buy and read this book, Fallers. I adored it, and I'm sure you will too.
A gifted copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review by Elyssa.
May 14, 2019
3.5 - Voto
Il libro scorre piacevolmente, non è lento o noioso, ma… Una volta letta la trama lo immaginavo decisamente più movimentato.
take-di-silvia-ami-rfsLa storia si concentra più sull’immediata attrazione tra i protagonisti, alla quale Joss non sa se arrendersi. Importante è anche il suo rapporto attuale e passato tra lei, la sua migliore amica Iris, e Donovan (attuale fidanzato di Iris ed ex di Joss). Iris è la regina del gruppo “Le Gazzelle”, show di punta del casinò del compagno. Da tempo il gruppo è minacciato da uno stalker che recentemente concentra le sue mire su Iris. Dovendosi prendere una vacanza forzata a causa della mala conclusione del suo ultimo caso, Joss decide di seguire la sua amica Iris per tentare di scoprire chi vuole farle del male. In tutto ciò si inserisce Ethan, che non prende di buon grado il suo nuovo ruolo, anche se fa buon viso a cattivo gioco. Sin da subito lui punta Joss e mal sopporta i pesanti rimproveri di Donovan…
Ho trovato singolare che nonostante Ethan sia il classico maschio alfa che deve controllare tutto, dando di matto ogni volta che Joss sparisce anche solo per una passeggiata, decida quasi da subito che è amore ma non dica nulla per non spaventarla.
Joss é un’agente FBI atipico, non sembra una di quelle donne tutte d’un pezzo che potrebbero spaventare persino un uomo, viene anzi delineata come una figura molto femminile e dolce, a tratti quasi insicura.
Che dire! È un libro che consiglio a chi cerca una storia d’amore, veramente bella, ma lo sconsiglio a chi cerca il brivido dell’inseguimento o della suspense.
.
Kiara77 - per RFS
Il libro scorre piacevolmente, non è lento o noioso, ma… Una volta letta la trama lo immaginavo decisamente più movimentato.
take-di-silvia-ami-rfsLa storia si concentra più sull’immediata attrazione tra i protagonisti, alla quale Joss non sa se arrendersi. Importante è anche il suo rapporto attuale e passato tra lei, la sua migliore amica Iris, e Donovan (attuale fidanzato di Iris ed ex di Joss). Iris è la regina del gruppo “Le Gazzelle”, show di punta del casinò del compagno. Da tempo il gruppo è minacciato da uno stalker che recentemente concentra le sue mire su Iris. Dovendosi prendere una vacanza forzata a causa della mala conclusione del suo ultimo caso, Joss decide di seguire la sua amica Iris per tentare di scoprire chi vuole farle del male. In tutto ciò si inserisce Ethan, che non prende di buon grado il suo nuovo ruolo, anche se fa buon viso a cattivo gioco. Sin da subito lui punta Joss e mal sopporta i pesanti rimproveri di Donovan…
Ho trovato singolare che nonostante Ethan sia il classico maschio alfa che deve controllare tutto, dando di matto ogni volta che Joss sparisce anche solo per una passeggiata, decida quasi da subito che è amore ma non dica nulla per non spaventarla.
Joss é un’agente FBI atipico, non sembra una di quelle donne tutte d’un pezzo che potrebbero spaventare persino un uomo, viene anzi delineata come una figura molto femminile e dolce, a tratti quasi insicura.
Che dire! È un libro che consiglio a chi cerca una storia d’amore, veramente bella, ma lo sconsiglio a chi cerca il brivido dell’inseguimento o della suspense.
.
Kiara77 - per RFS
September 28, 2014
Take is a fun, fast-paced ride with equal elements of action, suspense and romance. Opposites attract for the hero and heroine in Silvia Ami's debut novel. However, their insta-attraction, as they work together to solve a case, one that has personal ties to both of them, is realistic and sexy/smart, too.
FBI agent, Joss is strong, super-smart and dedicated to not only her career but also to the long-time friends she calls family. But Joss has issues. She's flawed in a tragic, but believable way. Because of events in her past, she avoids relationships/commitments and leads a very safe and somewhat anesthetized life.
Enter Ethan! He is a rare example of the Alpha-light hero, a leader AND a listener. His patience, need to protect and eventually his love fill the emptiness in Joss' heart and life. Oh, and Joss can't keep her eyes off of him!
"Since the first moment their gazes found each other, an elemental force had worked to bond them together. Like two particles lost in the universe which were meant to be part of the same atom. It didn't matter if it was called chemistry, destiny or simple affinity, what mattered was that being in Ethan's arms felt good. Right."
Personally, I *thought* I had solved the case a couple times during my read, only to be proven wrong each time! Silvia's clever twists kept me guessing until the end. Hell hath no fury like a woman called fatty. ;)
FBI agent, Joss is strong, super-smart and dedicated to not only her career but also to the long-time friends she calls family. But Joss has issues. She's flawed in a tragic, but believable way. Because of events in her past, she avoids relationships/commitments and leads a very safe and somewhat anesthetized life.
Enter Ethan! He is a rare example of the Alpha-light hero, a leader AND a listener. His patience, need to protect and eventually his love fill the emptiness in Joss' heart and life. Oh, and Joss can't keep her eyes off of him!
"Since the first moment their gazes found each other, an elemental force had worked to bond them together. Like two particles lost in the universe which were meant to be part of the same atom. It didn't matter if it was called chemistry, destiny or simple affinity, what mattered was that being in Ethan's arms felt good. Right."
Personally, I *thought* I had solved the case a couple times during my read, only to be proven wrong each time! Silvia's clever twists kept me guessing until the end. Hell hath no fury like a woman called fatty. ;)
July 16, 2015
This was one of the better Romantic Suspense books I've read... a nice balance of suspense with the love and intimacy. Neither one overpowered the other.
The book follows Joss and Ethan as they attempt to discover who is threatening to kill Joss' best friend while trying to ignore the growing attraction between them. Joss is an FBI Agent and Ethan is a Security Specialist.
What I liked most is that Joss is not your typical heroine and Ethan is not the typical hero who rushes in at the last minute to save the damsel in distress. Instead, Joss is a very capable, self-sufficient woman. A few bumps in the beginning, but they find a way to work together to find the 'bad guy'.
The only area I had a problem with was Ethan's reaction to something he discovers in Joss' past. Supposedly he is a former Marine, and he states that he just couldn't remember hearing anything that awful ... and her past wasn't all that bad. This was just a little out of the realm of believability for me.
Otherwise, it was well-written, the characters themselves were well fleshed out and I got a real sense of where they came from and what made them the strong people they were. And .. I really liked the cover!
I received an electronic copy from the author in exchange for an honest opinion.
The book follows Joss and Ethan as they attempt to discover who is threatening to kill Joss' best friend while trying to ignore the growing attraction between them. Joss is an FBI Agent and Ethan is a Security Specialist.
What I liked most is that Joss is not your typical heroine and Ethan is not the typical hero who rushes in at the last minute to save the damsel in distress. Instead, Joss is a very capable, self-sufficient woman. A few bumps in the beginning, but they find a way to work together to find the 'bad guy'.
The only area I had a problem with was Ethan's reaction to something he discovers in Joss' past. Supposedly he is a former Marine, and he states that he just couldn't remember hearing anything that awful ... and her past wasn't all that bad. This was just a little out of the realm of believability for me.
Otherwise, it was well-written, the characters themselves were well fleshed out and I got a real sense of where they came from and what made them the strong people they were. And .. I really liked the cover!
I received an electronic copy from the author in exchange for an honest opinion.
November 2, 2014
It is always, without exception, exciting to read a debut novel. And with this story, you get a two for one type of a deal. First, we have the suspense element, but you also get a romantic liaison as well.
If I'm being entirely honest, I struggled with this book for the first chapter or so. It felt a little confusing to me, but the story very quickly hit its stride, and was thoroughly enjoyable from there on.
Overall, I found this to be a well written romantic suspense, with engaging characters and a real ratcheting up of the tension to the climax. A very enjoyable debut!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If I'm being entirely honest, I struggled with this book for the first chapter or so. It felt a little confusing to me, but the story very quickly hit its stride, and was thoroughly enjoyable from there on.
Overall, I found this to be a well written romantic suspense, with engaging characters and a real ratcheting up of the tension to the climax. A very enjoyable debut!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2014
I really enjoyed the book. Good start for a series. Initially, I felt that the romance segment was more than I typically enjoy, but the two main characters were just so likable that I stayed with it... happily. As I like character-driven stories more than plot-driven, "Take" worked well for me. I look forward to #2.
October 15, 2014
Take is the perfect blend of romance and suspense. Joss is federal agent on vacation, who is helping her friend Iris with a stalker situation, when she meets Ethan. She's instantly drawn to him. Will he help her overcome her past to find love? This was a page turner from the start. I'll definitely look for more by Silvia Ami!
December 6, 2014
Set in Las Vegas, Donovan O'Malley (Ethan boss/BMF, Desert Casino General Manager, USMC) had a staff meeting.
Donovan had been receiving threatening letters toward the Gazelles (showgirls) but this time it was about Iris Mellon (ballerina) his G/F.
Long Island NY, Special Agent Joss Dubois (f, Josephine, FBI) & Iris (Joss BFF, Juilliard) were picked up at the MacArthur Airport by Ethan Gallagher (Desert Casino Security Manager, aka Boo-Boo & Big Bear, Stanford).
They were headed for Las Vegas. Robert Rob Gladstone is the owner of Desert Casino, he lives in Texas.
Things didn’t go as planned somebody had planted a bomb in a duffle bag with the 2 girl’s luggage.
Agent Joss (NYU, environmental engineering) called Officer Basset (Airport security) & the bomb squad was on their way. Lieutenant Matthew Matt McDowell was in charge of the investigation.
They had also picked up & brought back Juan Mari Euskera (new chef) for Chef Bertrand (Desert kitchen) new help.
The 4 finally arrived at Henderson Executive Airport. Vinnie greeted & picked them up.
Donavan (Penn State) & Ethan were playing hoops. Donavan had some news to tell him.
Robert is an FBI mole. He had heard incriminating evidence about some of the casino owners who were into drug/arms trafficking as well as laundering money.
Iris (32) was going to make sure Joss got a makeover.
When the 2 girls got back to Iris condo there was another threat. Joss called the Las Vegas P/D.
Joss & Ethan were going on a date.
A whole rack of the Gazelles chorus dancer’s wardrobe were damaged.
Will Joss (Josie) & Ethan (USMC, Desert's security manager) fall in love?
Will Iris get to return to her dancing?
Will Iris & Donovan fall in love?
What exciting, adventurous cases will Joss work on next?
Will Joss Dubois & Ethan Gallagher find out who is behind all these dastardly deeds & bring them to justice?
Haven’t heard that expression “FUBAR” since my undergrad/Vietnam Army military days. 1n the 70’s we had a bar named that in the town I live in now.
Nowadays there are some really hot females FBI agents (real life, TV, movies), I can only imagine what Joss looked like.
Samuel Adams all there beers are excellent.
“monitors alerted the guards” “you wanted to explain our”
Post-it-notes the most ridiculous thing ever invented. My former female boss if she walked into the room with a handful of those I knew it was not good news. Gosh I have been told I was born with a photographic memory. I used to laugh at her, yeah I can be mean.
I assume you have the 2010 Microsoft program or 1 of those cheap junk Asian one you get free off of the internet. Both of them do it all the time. 2013 Microsoft program isn’t much better it’s not perfect. Spell check switches languages & you will be typing along & look down & everything is somewhere else on the page.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written YA who-dun-it crime mystery, with a touch of romance/sex book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There lots of grammar/typo errors, but no repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge amount of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make great YA crime mystery movie, or a mini TV series. An enormous amount of pages to digest. Unfortunately I feel I must rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free book (Author)
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Donovan had been receiving threatening letters toward the Gazelles (showgirls) but this time it was about Iris Mellon (ballerina) his G/F.
Long Island NY, Special Agent Joss Dubois (f, Josephine, FBI) & Iris (Joss BFF, Juilliard) were picked up at the MacArthur Airport by Ethan Gallagher (Desert Casino Security Manager, aka Boo-Boo & Big Bear, Stanford).
They were headed for Las Vegas. Robert Rob Gladstone is the owner of Desert Casino, he lives in Texas.
Things didn’t go as planned somebody had planted a bomb in a duffle bag with the 2 girl’s luggage.
Agent Joss (NYU, environmental engineering) called Officer Basset (Airport security) & the bomb squad was on their way. Lieutenant Matthew Matt McDowell was in charge of the investigation.
They had also picked up & brought back Juan Mari Euskera (new chef) for Chef Bertrand (Desert kitchen) new help.
The 4 finally arrived at Henderson Executive Airport. Vinnie greeted & picked them up.
Donavan (Penn State) & Ethan were playing hoops. Donavan had some news to tell him.
Robert is an FBI mole. He had heard incriminating evidence about some of the casino owners who were into drug/arms trafficking as well as laundering money.
Iris (32) was going to make sure Joss got a makeover.
When the 2 girls got back to Iris condo there was another threat. Joss called the Las Vegas P/D.
Joss & Ethan were going on a date.
A whole rack of the Gazelles chorus dancer’s wardrobe were damaged.
Will Joss (Josie) & Ethan (USMC, Desert's security manager) fall in love?
Will Iris get to return to her dancing?
Will Iris & Donovan fall in love?
What exciting, adventurous cases will Joss work on next?
Will Joss Dubois & Ethan Gallagher find out who is behind all these dastardly deeds & bring them to justice?
Haven’t heard that expression “FUBAR” since my undergrad/Vietnam Army military days. 1n the 70’s we had a bar named that in the town I live in now.
Nowadays there are some really hot females FBI agents (real life, TV, movies), I can only imagine what Joss looked like.
Samuel Adams all there beers are excellent.
“monitors alerted the guards” “you wanted to explain our”
Post-it-notes the most ridiculous thing ever invented. My former female boss if she walked into the room with a handful of those I knew it was not good news. Gosh I have been told I was born with a photographic memory. I used to laugh at her, yeah I can be mean.
I assume you have the 2010 Microsoft program or 1 of those cheap junk Asian one you get free off of the internet. Both of them do it all the time. 2013 Microsoft program isn’t much better it’s not perfect. Spell check switches languages & you will be typing along & look down & everything is somewhere else on the page.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written YA who-dun-it crime mystery, with a touch of romance/sex book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There lots of grammar/typo errors, but no repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge amount of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make great YA crime mystery movie, or a mini TV series. An enormous amount of pages to digest. Unfortunately I feel I must rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free book (Author)
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
November 20, 2014
I was very kindly given a copy for Take to read and review.
FBI agent Joss Dubois is on vacation from her job when Iris, her best friend, is in major need of some assistance. Travelling with her to Las Vegas to the casino that Iris works at she gets reconnects with her close friend and Iris’s boyfriend Don and is paired with former Marine Ethan who is security manager for the casino to investigate the threats received against Iris and her fellow dancers. As the threats and attacks intensify so does the sexual tension between Joss “girl parts on red alert” Dubois and Ethan “Mr. Alpha” Gallagher.
You know how in some books the heroine has issues stemming from her past and she spends two hundred pages going on and on about them and why it means she can’t do this and that. Well this book was a breath of fresh air, yes our leading lady had a past that did greatly affect the woman she had become but she never harked on and on about it to the point where I felt the need to tear chunks of my own hair out. Refreshing! She was also one of the feistiest women I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, you would never want to cross this lady. She was strong and could probably stand on her own two feet better than any one else in the whole book. The tension between her and Ethan is enough to melt your into a puddle on the floor and although they took a while to get together it was absolutely worth the build up. Their flirting was adorable at times. Joss was just great, she had past hurts to overcome and accept but she was never annoying or over the top, I honestly can’t fault her character for anything.
“It didn’t matter if it was called chemistry, destiny, or simple affinity, what mattered was that being in Ethan’s arms felt good. Right. Like the best thing she had ever experienced in her life.”
Ethan was amazing, such a patient and caring man who still luckily had a streak of pure alpha male. He knows what he wants and he will always find a way to acquire it, even if it involves constantly saying the sweetest things possible. The guy had just the right thing at the right time to say, why can’t real men have a bit more of this quality? Although they had bickering down to a fine art I always loved every interaction they had. It was always funny and heart warming.
I really loved this book, there’s nothing I love more than a bit of mystery and trying to piece together the clues to figure out the bad guy. This book had me changing my mind on the culprit from chapter to chapter and kept me guessing right up until the actual reveal itself.
From the two perfect main characters, the mystery of the plot and the, very thankful, lack of annoying dialogue from Joss about the struggles to overcome her issues this was an amazing debut novel from Silvia Ami. I highly recommend that anyone who loves a strong woman, steamy scenes and a dose of suspense good enough to keep you second guessing everyone gives this a go. It’s thoroughly entreating and well written. Thank you so much Silvia for giving me a copy to read, I look forward to reading more of your work in the future.
FBI agent Joss Dubois is on vacation from her job when Iris, her best friend, is in major need of some assistance. Travelling with her to Las Vegas to the casino that Iris works at she gets reconnects with her close friend and Iris’s boyfriend Don and is paired with former Marine Ethan who is security manager for the casino to investigate the threats received against Iris and her fellow dancers. As the threats and attacks intensify so does the sexual tension between Joss “girl parts on red alert” Dubois and Ethan “Mr. Alpha” Gallagher.
You know how in some books the heroine has issues stemming from her past and she spends two hundred pages going on and on about them and why it means she can’t do this and that. Well this book was a breath of fresh air, yes our leading lady had a past that did greatly affect the woman she had become but she never harked on and on about it to the point where I felt the need to tear chunks of my own hair out. Refreshing! She was also one of the feistiest women I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, you would never want to cross this lady. She was strong and could probably stand on her own two feet better than any one else in the whole book. The tension between her and Ethan is enough to melt your into a puddle on the floor and although they took a while to get together it was absolutely worth the build up. Their flirting was adorable at times. Joss was just great, she had past hurts to overcome and accept but she was never annoying or over the top, I honestly can’t fault her character for anything.
“It didn’t matter if it was called chemistry, destiny, or simple affinity, what mattered was that being in Ethan’s arms felt good. Right. Like the best thing she had ever experienced in her life.”
Ethan was amazing, such a patient and caring man who still luckily had a streak of pure alpha male. He knows what he wants and he will always find a way to acquire it, even if it involves constantly saying the sweetest things possible. The guy had just the right thing at the right time to say, why can’t real men have a bit more of this quality? Although they had bickering down to a fine art I always loved every interaction they had. It was always funny and heart warming.
I really loved this book, there’s nothing I love more than a bit of mystery and trying to piece together the clues to figure out the bad guy. This book had me changing my mind on the culprit from chapter to chapter and kept me guessing right up until the actual reveal itself.
From the two perfect main characters, the mystery of the plot and the, very thankful, lack of annoying dialogue from Joss about the struggles to overcome her issues this was an amazing debut novel from Silvia Ami. I highly recommend that anyone who loves a strong woman, steamy scenes and a dose of suspense good enough to keep you second guessing everyone gives this a go. It’s thoroughly entreating and well written. Thank you so much Silvia for giving me a copy to read, I look forward to reading more of your work in the future.
October 5, 2015
Real rate: 2 stars
This is a romantic story between two people, Joss (an FBI agent) and Ethan (the security manager of the Desert Casino), that happens the moment they meet while investigating a series of mysterious and threatening letters addressed mainly to their common friend, Iris, but also to the rest of the Gazelle’s dancing crew.
As a romantic story it has everything you would expect: almost physically perfect main characters, an unbearable attraction between them from the beginning, the sexual tension and further consummation of their desire, a complicated past, and trouble bonding with the few people they had a relationship with. However, as a suspense/mystery/thriller story it was very flat; it lacked tension, and personally the craving to know who was behind the threats and their motive was missing.
Good: To me, this book was a light reading, since I enjoy thrillers I was expecting my brain to be overload by trying to decipher the mystery, but I found myself relaxed. Also, I liked the characters, their story and the way each one had a much defined personality.
Not so good: I’m not so fond of romantic stories because I believe they promote clichés, and this story had every part of it. 1) The damsel in distress of the XXI Century: a broken girl who managed to rebuild her life, so now she’s tough and successful but incapable of bonding with most people. Obviously, she thinks she has everything under control and does not need a man (or anyone) telling her what to do or helping her in any way…until 2) she meets the perfect White Knight (yes, this title is extracted literally from the book), a man who could be an underwear model, physically perfect, and who feels absolutely overprotective of her. 3) Love at first sight, even though they don’t want to accept it, and try to avoid it until the end. Let me point out that the story develops in a week, so they discovered they loved each other…in 7 days, more or less. 4) The sexual desire they both had consumed them, and of course the White Knight was simply amazing in bed. 5) This probably is the main characteristic of a romantic cliché: she was the one thing he’d been waiting his whole life, and changed him in many ways so everyone could see she meant the world to him. But also, he managed to break the sentimental wall she built around her heart and make her believe in love again.
The problem with this type of stories is that they don’t necessarily apply in real life. They idealize the man and woman figure to the extent of making people believe that’s the normal behavior they should have. Clearly, this is a mistake. Nowadays, people love differently from the damsel in distress and the white knight, and it does not mean it’s less meaningful. I’d loved to read a romantic yet modern love story.
Would I recommend it? No.
Thank you to the writer, Silvia Ami, who kindly gave me a copy of her book to review it. Regardless of what I said, congratulations on your debut novel :)
This is a romantic story between two people, Joss (an FBI agent) and Ethan (the security manager of the Desert Casino), that happens the moment they meet while investigating a series of mysterious and threatening letters addressed mainly to their common friend, Iris, but also to the rest of the Gazelle’s dancing crew.
As a romantic story it has everything you would expect: almost physically perfect main characters, an unbearable attraction between them from the beginning, the sexual tension and further consummation of their desire, a complicated past, and trouble bonding with the few people they had a relationship with. However, as a suspense/mystery/thriller story it was very flat; it lacked tension, and personally the craving to know who was behind the threats and their motive was missing.
Good: To me, this book was a light reading, since I enjoy thrillers I was expecting my brain to be overload by trying to decipher the mystery, but I found myself relaxed. Also, I liked the characters, their story and the way each one had a much defined personality.
Not so good: I’m not so fond of romantic stories because I believe they promote clichés, and this story had every part of it. 1) The damsel in distress of the XXI Century: a broken girl who managed to rebuild her life, so now she’s tough and successful but incapable of bonding with most people. Obviously, she thinks she has everything under control and does not need a man (or anyone) telling her what to do or helping her in any way…until 2) she meets the perfect White Knight (yes, this title is extracted literally from the book), a man who could be an underwear model, physically perfect, and who feels absolutely overprotective of her. 3) Love at first sight, even though they don’t want to accept it, and try to avoid it until the end. Let me point out that the story develops in a week, so they discovered they loved each other…in 7 days, more or less. 4) The sexual desire they both had consumed them, and of course the White Knight was simply amazing in bed. 5) This probably is the main characteristic of a romantic cliché: she was the one thing he’d been waiting his whole life, and changed him in many ways so everyone could see she meant the world to him. But also, he managed to break the sentimental wall she built around her heart and make her believe in love again.
The problem with this type of stories is that they don’t necessarily apply in real life. They idealize the man and woman figure to the extent of making people believe that’s the normal behavior they should have. Clearly, this is a mistake. Nowadays, people love differently from the damsel in distress and the white knight, and it does not mean it’s less meaningful. I’d loved to read a romantic yet modern love story.
Would I recommend it? No.
Thank you to the writer, Silvia Ami, who kindly gave me a copy of her book to review it. Regardless of what I said, congratulations on your debut novel :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2015
Great job and great first novel Silvia!! Suspenseful and romantic! Loved it!
Full review to come!
**************************************************************
Take is a suspenseful and romantic novel, a great promising first book!
Add a sexy and handsome security chief and a hot, beautiful and bad ass FBI agent, in Sin City, with a plot involving a crazy stalker. Yep, I was in!
When a group of showgirls at the the Desert Casino is threaten, as his girlfriend, the General manager, Donovan O’Malley, sends his chief of Security, Ethan Gallagher, to protect Isis and bring her home safe. He met Isis and Donovan’s best friend, FBI agent Joss Dubois. She had to be paired with him to investigate the threats.
Joss, bad ass heroine, super smart, and totally dedicated to her job. She ’s avoiding relationships, has her routine in her life, where Ethan was more to please to disturb her safe and anesthetized life, where everything was planned.
When she crossed paths with Ethan, it was like a rush of emotions running through her mind and definitely reflected on her body. I could totally understand it! Do you see that man! sigh
Ethan, this smoking hot alpha man, wanted to be part of this investigation. Since the moment he saw Iris’ best friend, he couldn’t take his eyes on her, and his dirty thoughts either. Did I tell you that he’s a former marine? Yep, definitely hot! Possessive, patient , and a great listener. It was a little bit difficult to him to get into the group of the three BFF, but becomes quickly part of it.
As the investigation goes further, Joss and Ethan’s relationship grow gradually, with a lot of going back and forth, becoming a team, professionally but also as a couple. I really appreciated how their relationship was well embed into the plot. They both some issues on their own, and didn’t want something serious, the priority is to find the identity of the perpetrator.
After some wrong leads and a culprit who was more than determined to mislead them, the intensity of their feelings increased, even if Joss was holding back. It was very thrilling to follow Joss and Ethan joining their forces to catch the guy!
The mystery about the identity of the culprit was well played, each time they were on a lead, and thinking that I’ve found him or her, we were proving wrong!
Take was an amazing first novel, with the perfect blend of suspense, engaging characters and story, some steamy scenes to make you drooling over the alpha hero, and a realistic writing!I couldn’t put it down and I really loved it!
If you’re looking for a romantic thriller, this one is for you!
Full review to come!
**************************************************************
Take is a suspenseful and romantic novel, a great promising first book!
Add a sexy and handsome security chief and a hot, beautiful and bad ass FBI agent, in Sin City, with a plot involving a crazy stalker. Yep, I was in!
When a group of showgirls at the the Desert Casino is threaten, as his girlfriend, the General manager, Donovan O’Malley, sends his chief of Security, Ethan Gallagher, to protect Isis and bring her home safe. He met Isis and Donovan’s best friend, FBI agent Joss Dubois. She had to be paired with him to investigate the threats.
Joss, bad ass heroine, super smart, and totally dedicated to her job. She ’s avoiding relationships, has her routine in her life, where Ethan was more to please to disturb her safe and anesthetized life, where everything was planned.
When she crossed paths with Ethan, it was like a rush of emotions running through her mind and definitely reflected on her body. I could totally understand it! Do you see that man! sigh
Ethan, this smoking hot alpha man, wanted to be part of this investigation. Since the moment he saw Iris’ best friend, he couldn’t take his eyes on her, and his dirty thoughts either. Did I tell you that he’s a former marine? Yep, definitely hot! Possessive, patient , and a great listener. It was a little bit difficult to him to get into the group of the three BFF, but becomes quickly part of it.
As the investigation goes further, Joss and Ethan’s relationship grow gradually, with a lot of going back and forth, becoming a team, professionally but also as a couple. I really appreciated how their relationship was well embed into the plot. They both some issues on their own, and didn’t want something serious, the priority is to find the identity of the perpetrator.
After some wrong leads and a culprit who was more than determined to mislead them, the intensity of their feelings increased, even if Joss was holding back. It was very thrilling to follow Joss and Ethan joining their forces to catch the guy!
The mystery about the identity of the culprit was well played, each time they were on a lead, and thinking that I’ve found him or her, we were proving wrong!
Take was an amazing first novel, with the perfect blend of suspense, engaging characters and story, some steamy scenes to make you drooling over the alpha hero, and a realistic writing!I couldn’t put it down and I really loved it!
If you’re looking for a romantic thriller, this one is for you!
March 3, 2016
What a great combo: a wonderful "new to me" author bringing a fabulous Las Vegas, with a New Jersey attitude, romantic thriller story. "Take" gives you a realistic Las Vegas setting with characters that are transplants (and a visitor) from New Jersey and California. Silvia Ami's thriller kept me on my toes with viable "red herrings" a plenty. It definitely more that passes the "Char Story Test" ... if you take out the sex and romance you absolutely have a compelling "Whodunit". The Heroine is an Alpha and the Hero is a Beta/Alpha. He's an Alpha male but he's just laid back about it. The Heroine has a rather heartbreaking backstory which has made her tough as nails with a bomb shelter around her heart. The Hero has, for the most part, had a normal childhood and military background. Neither seems to "play well with others" and neither likes to share. The main characters and the primary secondary characters are extremely likable, relatable and at times amusing. The tertiary characters and "red herrings" are charming, suspicious, and suitably aloof as needed - enjoyably so. There is action, car chases, victims, and steamy desert sex scenes. I think Ms. Ami covered all of the bases in "Take".
"Take" is a terrific balance of Romance and Thriller. Even though Joss is a Federal Agent and a tough cookie she can be cheeky about it and tease Ethan in regard to some of her connections. Ethan is laid back and it's almost as if he doesn't work when it's just that he trusts his people. He also seems to have his eyes everywhere and pretty good instincts. When something slips through the cracks or things go wrong he really beats himself up. Silvia Ami seems to have a handle on keeping the portrayal of Las Vegas from getting out of hand. Many books I've read come across as rather heavy handed about the notorious garishness - either playing it up comically or harshly. The setting seems to happen mostly within the Desert establishment and in the real Nevada desert itself. With a scene or two off of The Strip she keeps the "Ring-a-Ding-Ding" down to a minimum. As I said this is a great Thriller and a terrific Romance making it an awesome Romantic Thriller!
To read the entire review please visit: http://bit.ly/1UwReGt
This book was provided for an unbiased review.
"Take" is a terrific balance of Romance and Thriller. Even though Joss is a Federal Agent and a tough cookie she can be cheeky about it and tease Ethan in regard to some of her connections. Ethan is laid back and it's almost as if he doesn't work when it's just that he trusts his people. He also seems to have his eyes everywhere and pretty good instincts. When something slips through the cracks or things go wrong he really beats himself up. Silvia Ami seems to have a handle on keeping the portrayal of Las Vegas from getting out of hand. Many books I've read come across as rather heavy handed about the notorious garishness - either playing it up comically or harshly. The setting seems to happen mostly within the Desert establishment and in the real Nevada desert itself. With a scene or two off of The Strip she keeps the "Ring-a-Ding-Ding" down to a minimum. As I said this is a great Thriller and a terrific Romance making it an awesome Romantic Thriller!
To read the entire review please visit: http://bit.ly/1UwReGt
This book was provided for an unbiased review.
November 29, 2014
This review can also be found on: bbf-book-boyfriends.blogspot.de
First of all, thank you to Silvia Ami for letting me read her book. It was truly a nice change since I haven't read a suspense novel in a while.
The story takes off right away, and throughout the whole book there is never a dull moment, never a time where you're wondering if the story will move forward. It's action-packed, for sure, but with the chemistry that Joss and Ethan have, you cannot help but want them to find their way to each other. Silvia managed to combine both the suspense and the romance story beautifully, that you never thought one aspect is taking a back road.
Ethan and Joss try to fight their chemistry for a long time, simply because they both have their own demons to fight, their own secrets to deal with, and yet it's inevitable that they turn to each other when things take a turn for the worse in the caswe involving their friends. So with that tying them together, it#s great to watch them deal with their personal and work relationship on different levels.
The whole friendship aspect plays a big role here as well, and I loved that we got to see a tight group of friends that comes together when a threat threatens to take one of their own. You can really tell how they all have been through so much together, and even if Ethan is the outsider at first, it becomes apparent that he's integrated quickly into that group. And the comfort and support they show each other is a really wonderful thing to watch in this book.
The suspense part of the story is also something I enjoyed, because I really like to try to figure out myself who the bad guy is, so it's been a fun ride in that case without me knowing in the end who the bad guy was. I still fully enjoyed it, because, like I said, it's been a while since I read a suspense novel!!
Overall I was really happy with the book and completely enjoyed it!! I'm really hoping Silvia will be writing more^^
Thank you guys!!
Yvi
First of all, thank you to Silvia Ami for letting me read her book. It was truly a nice change since I haven't read a suspense novel in a while.
The story takes off right away, and throughout the whole book there is never a dull moment, never a time where you're wondering if the story will move forward. It's action-packed, for sure, but with the chemistry that Joss and Ethan have, you cannot help but want them to find their way to each other. Silvia managed to combine both the suspense and the romance story beautifully, that you never thought one aspect is taking a back road.
Ethan and Joss try to fight their chemistry for a long time, simply because they both have their own demons to fight, their own secrets to deal with, and yet it's inevitable that they turn to each other when things take a turn for the worse in the caswe involving their friends. So with that tying them together, it#s great to watch them deal with their personal and work relationship on different levels.
The whole friendship aspect plays a big role here as well, and I loved that we got to see a tight group of friends that comes together when a threat threatens to take one of their own. You can really tell how they all have been through so much together, and even if Ethan is the outsider at first, it becomes apparent that he's integrated quickly into that group. And the comfort and support they show each other is a really wonderful thing to watch in this book.
The suspense part of the story is also something I enjoyed, because I really like to try to figure out myself who the bad guy is, so it's been a fun ride in that case without me knowing in the end who the bad guy was. I still fully enjoyed it, because, like I said, it's been a while since I read a suspense novel!!
Overall I was really happy with the book and completely enjoyed it!! I'm really hoping Silvia will be writing more^^
Thank you guys!!
Yvi
June 6, 2015
*I was given a copy of this book as a gift from Stephanie's Book Reports in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars for Take by Silvia Ami. This book contains a little bit of everything including romance, action, danger, and suspense.
When a group of Vegas showgirls at the Desert Casino is threatened, this places both the professional and private life of General Manager, Donovan O'Malley, in jeapordy. His girlfriend, Isis, is a member of the group being threatened, and he will stop at nothing to protect her. He sends his Chief of Security, Ethan Gallagher, to bring Isis home from New York safely.
When Ethan arrives in New York , he meets up with Isis, but she is not alone. She is accompanied by her beautiful friend, Joss Dubois. When they end up in a potentially dangerous situation at the airport, Ethan learns that Joss is a federal agent. They soon realize that they must both work together to stop whoever it is that is threatening the people they love.
This was a great debut novel for Silvia Ami! The story line contained so much action and suspense that it kept me on the edge of my seat! I loved reading how the relationship between Joss and Ethan evolved. If you haven't read this book, you don't know what you are missing!
4 stars for Take by Silvia Ami. This book contains a little bit of everything including romance, action, danger, and suspense.
When a group of Vegas showgirls at the Desert Casino is threatened, this places both the professional and private life of General Manager, Donovan O'Malley, in jeapordy. His girlfriend, Isis, is a member of the group being threatened, and he will stop at nothing to protect her. He sends his Chief of Security, Ethan Gallagher, to bring Isis home from New York safely.
When Ethan arrives in New York , he meets up with Isis, but she is not alone. She is accompanied by her beautiful friend, Joss Dubois. When they end up in a potentially dangerous situation at the airport, Ethan learns that Joss is a federal agent. They soon realize that they must both work together to stop whoever it is that is threatening the people they love.
This was a great debut novel for Silvia Ami! The story line contained so much action and suspense that it kept me on the edge of my seat! I loved reading how the relationship between Joss and Ethan evolved. If you haven't read this book, you don't know what you are missing!
February 11, 2015
This book was provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review
Take is a fast paced romance with mystery and I really admire it as the first work by a new author. The suspense was intense and the romance was hot. I didn't guess the baddie and that makes it a hit for me. The plot and the identity of the baddie could have gone a lot of different ways and that made to book very enjoyable.
Joss is an FBI agent who has been ordered to take a vacation. Her BFF, Iris a headlining Las Vegas showgirl, has been having low key threats made against her so Joss decides to poke around and see if she can uncover the source of the threats and protect Iris at the sane time. Ethan is the head of security at the Las Vegas hotel/casino where Iris works and he is very interested in both Joss and what she is doing. Joss and Ethan just strike each other wrong - at first at least. As they learn to work together they also discover that they can't work apart on this case. As the threats become more serious, the passion heats up as well.
Take is a fast paced romance with mystery and I really admire it as the first work by a new author. The suspense was intense and the romance was hot. I didn't guess the baddie and that makes it a hit for me. The plot and the identity of the baddie could have gone a lot of different ways and that made to book very enjoyable.
Joss is an FBI agent who has been ordered to take a vacation. Her BFF, Iris a headlining Las Vegas showgirl, has been having low key threats made against her so Joss decides to poke around and see if she can uncover the source of the threats and protect Iris at the sane time. Ethan is the head of security at the Las Vegas hotel/casino where Iris works and he is very interested in both Joss and what she is doing. Joss and Ethan just strike each other wrong - at first at least. As they learn to work together they also discover that they can't work apart on this case. As the threats become more serious, the passion heats up as well.
August 18, 2015
Interesting story. Loved the lifelong friendships contained in the main storyline. Enjoyed the buildup of romance throughout everything else going on. At times the story went very slow for me, however I never lost interest. The suspense and mystery was well done. I did figure out who was involved, but not early enough to take anything away from the reveal in my reading. My favorite characters were Joss and Ethan. I also really liked Zach and Lou. Iris and Don were interesting, but I would be more interested in the next stage of their life, so I was glad that this story had a lot of them, but wasn't revolved solely around their characters.
ARC provided in exchange for honest review.
ARC provided in exchange for honest review.
January 21, 2015
I received an electronic copy of this book for an honest review. I try not to read summaries or reviews before reading, as to not cloud my judgment. Therefore, I was surprised to find that the major theme running throughout this book is romance. That being said, I liked the fact that it has a strong female character, Joss, who is an FBI agent. She meets head security manager, Ethan, when trying to help solve a case at the casino in which he works. The author did a good job in balancing the action and the romance. It was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to those who like romantic thrillers.
December 8, 2014
Take by Ami is a love story with some steamy sex with an unbelievable man - he was too good to be true with a perfect body. These scenes detracted from Joss' work as an FBI agent. I consider it belongs to the chick lit brigade. Be that as it may, I enjoyed the tension in working out the culprits, even down to a car chase with shots being fired. The character of Joss was well-handled with past bad things happening but it was unbelievable that she had independent wealth.
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