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Delta Force #2
No Control
NO HIDING.
Lana Hancock knows all about danger--and betrayal. Eighteen months ago, she was captured by a terrorist group known as the Swarm while one of its members, a rugged man with sinfully dark eyes, did nothing to help her. Now when she's freed and desperate to put it all behind her, the unthinkable happens. The Swarm is targeting Lana once again and the man who stood silently by has become her protector. But can she trust him?
NO ESCAPE.
Delta Force operative Caleb Stone will never forget the hatred shining in Lana's eyes. Ordered to take down the Swarm by infiltrating its ranks, Caleb couldn't blow his cover to save her--no matter how much it haunted him. Now, gifted with a second chance, he vows to move heaven and earth to protect her...and fulfill her every desire. But the Swarm has reorganized. It's more powerful than ever and hell-bent on revenge...
NO CONTROL.
Lana Hancock knows all about danger--and betrayal. Eighteen months ago, she was captured by a terrorist group known as the Swarm while one of its members, a rugged man with sinfully dark eyes, did nothing to help her. Now when she's freed and desperate to put it all behind her, the unthinkable happens. The Swarm is targeting Lana once again and the man who stood silently by has become her protector. But can she trust him?
NO ESCAPE.
Delta Force operative Caleb Stone will never forget the hatred shining in Lana's eyes. Ordered to take down the Swarm by infiltrating its ranks, Caleb couldn't blow his cover to save her--no matter how much it haunted him. Now, gifted with a second chance, he vows to move heaven and earth to protect her...and fulfill her every desire. But the Swarm has reorganized. It's more powerful than ever and hell-bent on revenge...
NO CONTROL.
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 2008
22 people are currently reading
795 people want to read
About the author
Shannon K. Butcher
36 books1,210 followersBestselling author Shannon K. Butcher, who now writes as Anna Argent, has written more than thirty titles since launching her career in 2007. She has three award-winning series, including the paranormal romance series The Sentinel Wars, the action-romance series The Edge, and the romantic suspense Delta Force Trilogy. Her alter ego Anna Argent also writes several series with a fresh and interesting spin on paranormal romance (The Lost Shards, The Taken and The Stone Men series) as well as a contemporary romance series set in a small town in the Ozarks. As a former engineer and current nerd, she frequently uses charts, graphs and tables to aid her in the mechanics of story design, world building and to keep track of all those colorful characters, magical powers and alternate worlds. An avid bead and glass artist, she spends her free time turning small sparkly bits into larger sparkly bits. She’s rarely on social media, so the best place to find out news about upcoming releases under either name is via her newsletter. You can sign up at AnnaArgent.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
July 22, 2019
No Control by Shannon K Butcher
Romantic suspense. Delta Force #2. Can be read as a standalone.
Compelling. A true hero that will do what needs to be done.
Caleb is Delta Force. He was there when Lana was tortured. He doesn’t think she can ever forgive him for his part in her suffering.
Lana has totally rebuilt her life after the horrifying experience of being tortured and almost all the bones in her body broken. She learned to walk again and will do whatever is needed to protect her family. Even if that means cutting ties and walking away.
Lana is so strong yet suffers daily nightmares. She can’t trust Caleb and his men to adequately protect her family. Can she?
Caleb is simply swoon worthy. Strong, silent, and willing to do whatever she needs to heal. Gentle when needed, stoic and supportive. A true hero.
Romantic suspense. Delta Force #2. Can be read as a standalone.
Compelling. A true hero that will do what needs to be done.
Caleb is Delta Force. He was there when Lana was tortured. He doesn’t think she can ever forgive him for his part in her suffering.
Lana has totally rebuilt her life after the horrifying experience of being tortured and almost all the bones in her body broken. She learned to walk again and will do whatever is needed to protect her family. Even if that means cutting ties and walking away.
Lana is so strong yet suffers daily nightmares. She can’t trust Caleb and his men to adequately protect her family. Can she?
Caleb is simply swoon worthy. Strong, silent, and willing to do whatever she needs to heal. Gentle when needed, stoic and supportive. A true hero.
October 5, 2011
Awesome book!! Only found that it was a part of a trilogy half way thru and couldn't stop. It was great.
I love romantic suspense books that are equal parts romance and suspense. Also love it when the hero OR heroine has been traumatised in the past like Lana was. The way the sparks started flying between Lana and Caleb had me hooked. Very nicely done. I also liked the fact that Lana didn't make it easy by just telling Caleb everything he wanted to know. She had understandable trust issues and it showed. A lot more realistic than Lana falling in lust and just handing him her heart, .... and trust.
I can't wait to find the 1st one and then look forward to the 3rd one. Great series. (Can easily be read as a stand alone).
Highly recommended
2011 re-read: still a 5* read
I love romantic suspense books that are equal parts romance and suspense. Also love it when the hero OR heroine has been traumatised in the past like Lana was. The way the sparks started flying between Lana and Caleb had me hooked. Very nicely done. I also liked the fact that Lana didn't make it easy by just telling Caleb everything he wanted to know. She had understandable trust issues and it showed. A lot more realistic than Lana falling in lust and just handing him her heart, .... and trust.
I can't wait to find the 1st one and then look forward to the 3rd one. Great series. (Can easily be read as a stand alone).
Highly recommended
2011 re-read: still a 5* read
September 26, 2009
This was a solid outing as my first book by Shannon K. Butcher. I know it's probably not fair to her, but I decided to read Ms. Butcher because I just adore the Harry Dresden books by her husband, Jim Butcher. But nepotism can only take a writer so far. And Ms. Butcher has proven that she can stand on her own two feet.
I know I was reading this book with a critical eye (I couldn't help it, because I knew going in that she has some literary relations who in her own words 'taught her how to write'), and I think that she did a great job.
In No Control, we meet two characters who have suffered in ways that most people can be thankful they won't have to. Lana was horribly beaten and tortured at the hands of would-be terrorists, for no real reason other than for them to 'earn their chops' in the terrorism world. Practically every bone in her body was broken by the time they got through with her and were about to kill her. Caleb suffered in some ways that might even be worse, because he had to stand by and watch her be tortured so that he didn't break his cover. It was a matter of the greater good, in this case, saving children from being blown up. Caleb comes through and extracts Lana as soon as he can, but it's not soon enough for either of them. And he sits by her side in the first harrowing days as she lingers on death's edge in the hospital, pushing her to fight to survive.
To start with, this is a compelling storyline. At first, I must admit, I wasn't quite as drawn in as I wanted to be. But I do have to say that I felt the writing was crisp and professional, even from the beginning. As far as character likability, there is not question that I did like and care about both Lana and Caleb. I admired Lana for her strength and grit. At times, she frustrated me the way she pushed Caleb away, because he was there to help her, and as a Delta Force operative, no one was better equipped to deal with the threats she was facing. Yet I tried to look at things from her perspective. She had been living immersed in fear so long, and after her ordeal, it would be very difficult to trust anyone. And the complicated nature of her relationship with Caleb probably made the trust factor even more dicey.
Caleb was a character I loved early on in this book. He is so well-drawn, honorable, but I feel, realistic. He's a warrior and he struggles with his sense of inadequacy that he had to stand by and watch this poor woman suffer. Now his boss has ordered him to push his way back into her life and get answers about what she knows about the terrorist cell that she hadn't told, by any means necessary, even seducing his way into her bed. He started to care for Lana when he sat by her hospital bed, urging her to keep living. I think he probably fell in love with her, although he didn't feel he had the right to. I don't want to romanticize him, but I think that all he wanted to do from the beginning was to take care of Lana, even if he didn't think he could have her for forever. That is always a compelling story for me, the hero who wants nothing but to love and care for his heroine. Also Caleb is described as a big, brawny, hard-bodied man with black hair and eyes. Can I just say yum right now? I think he is definitely my type. For some insane reason, I could picture him with a kilt and nothing else on, a claymore swung over his shoulder. Don't ask.
So the more I read this story, the higher my rating got, although I thought for a while this would top out at a solid three stars. When I went to bed last night, it was 3.5 stars. This morning, I realized this is a four star read. She pulled everything together. The love story was rich, and the attraction between Lana and Caleb was vivid but emotional. The love scenes were steamy and hot, but they didn't give me that 'low-down' vibe that I get nowadays with a lot of contemporary mainstream romances that are trying to push the erotic envelope (This is a matter of personal taste. It may not bother some readers, but sex in a romance should be romantic to me, even if it is at sometimes on the raw side. It shouldn't be tawdry. Personally I have low tolerance for sleazy). Ms. Butcher doesn't use really dirty words for the male and female parts. She uses the proper words and the milder slang for the male part, yet they don't come out sounding clinical. Caleb is a tender, yet intense lover, and I liked that Lana takes the initiative and is fully participating in their lovemaking. I think that Ms. Butcher writes some great love scenes (I couldn't help picturing her going over them with the writer of the great Harry Dresden novels, and I'd start grinning. I'm sorry. I know I need therapy).
I think what pushed me over the edge was how Caleb embraced his love for Lana. He told her he loved her in a romantic moment, and he meant it. It might have been too soon, but he couldn't help loving her. And not just that, he showed his love for her. He would have moved mountains for Lana. Lana was the hesitant one. I liked that Caleb's friend and coworker (and serious ladies' man) Grant advised Caleb that he was moving too soon. Part of me was struggling with Lana rejecting Caleb, because love just makes everything better. But the realist in me who has been wary to commit my emotions to situations, could clearly see why she was hesitant to have an emotional entanglement (although it was clear that she was already emotionally involved).
The suspense plot in this story took a while to come to full flower, but I thought it was well-done and it doesn't let up until the very end. Although I still wonder what the major motivations were of the mastermind terrorist, I can easily chalk it down to being a lowlife and move on.
All in all, this was an excellent book, that slowly but surely hooked me into loving it. I will definitely be adding Ms. Butcher to my roster of authors. And I thank her for reintroducing me to contemporary military romantic suspense, a genre I had drifted away from for the past few years after gorging myself on NAVY SEAL (love those guys) romantic suspense.
I know I was reading this book with a critical eye (I couldn't help it, because I knew going in that she has some literary relations who in her own words 'taught her how to write'), and I think that she did a great job.
In No Control, we meet two characters who have suffered in ways that most people can be thankful they won't have to. Lana was horribly beaten and tortured at the hands of would-be terrorists, for no real reason other than for them to 'earn their chops' in the terrorism world. Practically every bone in her body was broken by the time they got through with her and were about to kill her. Caleb suffered in some ways that might even be worse, because he had to stand by and watch her be tortured so that he didn't break his cover. It was a matter of the greater good, in this case, saving children from being blown up. Caleb comes through and extracts Lana as soon as he can, but it's not soon enough for either of them. And he sits by her side in the first harrowing days as she lingers on death's edge in the hospital, pushing her to fight to survive.
To start with, this is a compelling storyline. At first, I must admit, I wasn't quite as drawn in as I wanted to be. But I do have to say that I felt the writing was crisp and professional, even from the beginning. As far as character likability, there is not question that I did like and care about both Lana and Caleb. I admired Lana for her strength and grit. At times, she frustrated me the way she pushed Caleb away, because he was there to help her, and as a Delta Force operative, no one was better equipped to deal with the threats she was facing. Yet I tried to look at things from her perspective. She had been living immersed in fear so long, and after her ordeal, it would be very difficult to trust anyone. And the complicated nature of her relationship with Caleb probably made the trust factor even more dicey.
Caleb was a character I loved early on in this book. He is so well-drawn, honorable, but I feel, realistic. He's a warrior and he struggles with his sense of inadequacy that he had to stand by and watch this poor woman suffer. Now his boss has ordered him to push his way back into her life and get answers about what she knows about the terrorist cell that she hadn't told, by any means necessary, even seducing his way into her bed. He started to care for Lana when he sat by her hospital bed, urging her to keep living. I think he probably fell in love with her, although he didn't feel he had the right to. I don't want to romanticize him, but I think that all he wanted to do from the beginning was to take care of Lana, even if he didn't think he could have her for forever. That is always a compelling story for me, the hero who wants nothing but to love and care for his heroine. Also Caleb is described as a big, brawny, hard-bodied man with black hair and eyes. Can I just say yum right now? I think he is definitely my type. For some insane reason, I could picture him with a kilt and nothing else on, a claymore swung over his shoulder. Don't ask.
So the more I read this story, the higher my rating got, although I thought for a while this would top out at a solid three stars. When I went to bed last night, it was 3.5 stars. This morning, I realized this is a four star read. She pulled everything together. The love story was rich, and the attraction between Lana and Caleb was vivid but emotional. The love scenes were steamy and hot, but they didn't give me that 'low-down' vibe that I get nowadays with a lot of contemporary mainstream romances that are trying to push the erotic envelope (This is a matter of personal taste. It may not bother some readers, but sex in a romance should be romantic to me, even if it is at sometimes on the raw side. It shouldn't be tawdry. Personally I have low tolerance for sleazy). Ms. Butcher doesn't use really dirty words for the male and female parts. She uses the proper words and the milder slang for the male part, yet they don't come out sounding clinical. Caleb is a tender, yet intense lover, and I liked that Lana takes the initiative and is fully participating in their lovemaking. I think that Ms. Butcher writes some great love scenes (I couldn't help picturing her going over them with the writer of the great Harry Dresden novels, and I'd start grinning. I'm sorry. I know I need therapy).
I think what pushed me over the edge was how Caleb embraced his love for Lana. He told her he loved her in a romantic moment, and he meant it. It might have been too soon, but he couldn't help loving her. And not just that, he showed his love for her. He would have moved mountains for Lana. Lana was the hesitant one. I liked that Caleb's friend and coworker (and serious ladies' man) Grant advised Caleb that he was moving too soon. Part of me was struggling with Lana rejecting Caleb, because love just makes everything better. But the realist in me who has been wary to commit my emotions to situations, could clearly see why she was hesitant to have an emotional entanglement (although it was clear that she was already emotionally involved).
The suspense plot in this story took a while to come to full flower, but I thought it was well-done and it doesn't let up until the very end. Although I still wonder what the major motivations were of the mastermind terrorist, I can easily chalk it down to being a lowlife and move on.
All in all, this was an excellent book, that slowly but surely hooked me into loving it. I will definitely be adding Ms. Butcher to my roster of authors. And I thank her for reintroducing me to contemporary military romantic suspense, a genre I had drifted away from for the past few years after gorging myself on NAVY SEAL (love those guys) romantic suspense.
November 9, 2009
Another solid suspense story from Shannon K. Butcher. But like the previous one, while the suspense, the imminent danger, and the tension was great, I found myself zoning out on the romance aspects of the story. Which is a shame, because from what I can remember there were some pretty hot scenes in there.
Anyway, let's start at the beginning, shall we?
I finally got my wish and read Caleb's story. He's intrigued me from his very first scene in No Regrets and I was really looking forward to reading his story and learning just why he was the way he was.
And I wasn't disappointed.
This guy way lovable through and through. Such a huge force of a man, bulky, strong, intimidating, but still a real marshmallow deep inside that just needed the right woman to bring it all out. What I loved more about him, though, was the fact that despite he was an alpha through and through he didn't shy away from his feelings, but embraced them instead, seeing in the love he felt for Lana some sort of salvation for both of them.
Which made her rejection of him so much more painful. For him and for me as the reader (the all-seeing eye). Come on, a hero, the man who saved you from the three-day hell in the desert tells you he loves you (and he said it first!)...Nothing can beat that. And what does she do? She runs. She throws his feelings back into his face, tramples his heart under her small feet, and runs.
Lana wasn't my favorite female character of all times to begin with, but that just sealed the deal. I had loads of problems with her and her character. She started off as a scarred woman, living in fear and grappling with constant nightmares. Which was understandable with the ordeal she'd been through and it evoked just the right amount of sympathy and pity from me as a reader. But as the story progressed, the frightened girl skirted the border of stupidity more and more, until she stepped firmly onto the other side and all my "tender feelings" evaporated. She wasn't TSTL, but she was too stubborn and blind for her own good.
When you can trust a Special Forces guy to solve your problems and think if you just pretend not to know anything the terrorists who almost killed you before will just go away and leave you alone there has to be something seriously wrong with you.
And that (the heroine and my dislike of her) was probably the main reason I didn't get into the whole romance aspect of this story. I wished Caleb would fall for a different kind of woman. I didn't mind their strange bond over their tragic past, but the author could've made a better hob at creating her heroine. Don't get me wrong, I didn't want her to be some kick-ass chick high-kicking her way through life, but someone with a better perspective on things and a few brain cells more wouldn't have hurt matters.
I have absolutely no objections to the suspense plot, though. Nicely executed, gripping, well-paced, well-written, and with a few of some pretty awesome action scenes. And I got to see Caleb in action, so that's a bonus as well.
This wasn't as good as the first book in this Delta Force trilogy (Noelle, the heroine in No Regrets certainly didn't lack in the brain and logic department), but it was still way beyond average, all thanks to Ms. Butcher's knack of writing suspense. If she would just work on the integration with romance. And a better heroine. ;)
Anyway, let's start at the beginning, shall we?
I finally got my wish and read Caleb's story. He's intrigued me from his very first scene in No Regrets and I was really looking forward to reading his story and learning just why he was the way he was.
And I wasn't disappointed.
This guy way lovable through and through. Such a huge force of a man, bulky, strong, intimidating, but still a real marshmallow deep inside that just needed the right woman to bring it all out. What I loved more about him, though, was the fact that despite he was an alpha through and through he didn't shy away from his feelings, but embraced them instead, seeing in the love he felt for Lana some sort of salvation for both of them.
Which made her rejection of him so much more painful. For him and for me as the reader (the all-seeing eye). Come on, a hero, the man who saved you from the three-day hell in the desert tells you he loves you (and he said it first!)...Nothing can beat that. And what does she do? She runs. She throws his feelings back into his face, tramples his heart under her small feet, and runs.
Lana wasn't my favorite female character of all times to begin with, but that just sealed the deal. I had loads of problems with her and her character. She started off as a scarred woman, living in fear and grappling with constant nightmares. Which was understandable with the ordeal she'd been through and it evoked just the right amount of sympathy and pity from me as a reader. But as the story progressed, the frightened girl skirted the border of stupidity more and more, until she stepped firmly onto the other side and all my "tender feelings" evaporated. She wasn't TSTL, but she was too stubborn and blind for her own good.
When you can trust a Special Forces guy to solve your problems and think if you just pretend not to know anything the terrorists who almost killed you before will just go away and leave you alone there has to be something seriously wrong with you.
And that (the heroine and my dislike of her) was probably the main reason I didn't get into the whole romance aspect of this story. I wished Caleb would fall for a different kind of woman. I didn't mind their strange bond over their tragic past, but the author could've made a better hob at creating her heroine. Don't get me wrong, I didn't want her to be some kick-ass chick high-kicking her way through life, but someone with a better perspective on things and a few brain cells more wouldn't have hurt matters.
I have absolutely no objections to the suspense plot, though. Nicely executed, gripping, well-paced, well-written, and with a few of some pretty awesome action scenes. And I got to see Caleb in action, so that's a bonus as well.
This wasn't as good as the first book in this Delta Force trilogy (Noelle, the heroine in No Regrets certainly didn't lack in the brain and logic department), but it was still way beyond average, all thanks to Ms. Butcher's knack of writing suspense. If she would just work on the integration with romance. And a better heroine. ;)
March 26, 2009
4 ½ stars – Romantic Suspense
No Control is the second book in Shannon K. Butcher’s romantic suspense Delta Force trilogy, and it’s a good read. Delta Force operative Caleb Stone is assigned to protect witness Lana Hancock, who was tortured 18 months prior by a terrorist organization called the Swarm while working as a volunteer in Armenia. At the time of her captivity, Caleb was on an undercover assignment to infiltrate the Swarm and was unable to help Lana out of a risk of being exposed. He sees the assignment to protect Lana as his chance for forgiveness and redemption, but only if Lana can learn to trust again and open her heart to him. Caleb and Lana are emotionally scarred and their tentative relationship is both sweet and heart-wrenching. No Control has a good balance of romance, action, and suspense, and I really enjoyed it.
No Control is the second book in Shannon K. Butcher’s romantic suspense Delta Force trilogy, and it’s a good read. Delta Force operative Caleb Stone is assigned to protect witness Lana Hancock, who was tortured 18 months prior by a terrorist organization called the Swarm while working as a volunteer in Armenia. At the time of her captivity, Caleb was on an undercover assignment to infiltrate the Swarm and was unable to help Lana out of a risk of being exposed. He sees the assignment to protect Lana as his chance for forgiveness and redemption, but only if Lana can learn to trust again and open her heart to him. Caleb and Lana are emotionally scarred and their tentative relationship is both sweet and heart-wrenching. No Control has a good balance of romance, action, and suspense, and I really enjoyed it.
September 25, 2010
Good characters and good writing, but I did not like the author’s method used to create conflict.
STORY BRIEF:
Kara is a member of Swarm, a terrorist group. Kara and her crew kidnapped and tortured several Americans in Armenia. Lana was one of them. Her captors did not know that she could see them due a slit in her hood. Caleb was working undercover for the CIA and joined the terrorist group. He was present during Lana’s torture, but he couldn’t help her without blowing his cover. He needed to learn what school the group was planning to bomb. Later, Caleb saved Lana’s life by killing one of her captors and escaping with her. Months later, Kara comes to Lana’s home town. Kara wants to know if Lana can identify her or has told anyone who she is. The CIA hears “chatter” that a member of the Swarm may be after Lana. Caleb is sent to find out what Lana knows and to protect her.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I like this author. She is a good writer, but I did not like the method she used for conflict in this story. Lana refused to tell anyone including Caleb that Kara was in town and was one of the bad guys. Lana believed that if she acted like she didn’t recognize Kara, then Kara would think Lana had never seen her and could not be a witness against her. Dangerous things were happening to Lana and people around her but she continued to keep Kara’s identity a secret from Caleb. For most of the book, I was frustrated with Lana. I wanted to shake her and say “Tell Caleb. He can fix this.” My frustration for most of the book is the reason for 3 stars. The emotional thread through most of the story is “Lana sees Kara, is deathly afraid, but must act like nothing is wrong.”
Readers who don’t mind this “secret keeping,” might enjoy the book more than I did. I continue with this subject under Spoilers below. Warning for sensitive readers: the story includes some torture scenes.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
Lana knows that Kara is hanging around and is dangerous. Lana sees that Kara is working as a volunteer and playing with the kids in the community center which is run by Lana’s foundation. Kara is doing other bad things to Lana and the people around her. As I mentioned earlier, I was frustrated with Lana’s warped thinking that she should tell no one about Kara. Finally near the end of the book, Lana tells Caleb who Kara is. The story is great after that point. Kara is arrested, but she gets free, she continues doing bad things. I would have enjoyed the story more, if that sort of thing were going on during most of the book instead of just at the end.
DATA:
Story length: 380 pages. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: 3. Total number of sex scene pages: 18. Setting: current day Armenia and Columbia, Missouri. Copyright: 2008. Genre: romantic suspense.
OTHER BOOKS:
For a list of my reviews of other Shannon K. Butcher books, see my 5 star review of “No Regrets” posted 10/13/08.
STORY BRIEF:
Kara is a member of Swarm, a terrorist group. Kara and her crew kidnapped and tortured several Americans in Armenia. Lana was one of them. Her captors did not know that she could see them due a slit in her hood. Caleb was working undercover for the CIA and joined the terrorist group. He was present during Lana’s torture, but he couldn’t help her without blowing his cover. He needed to learn what school the group was planning to bomb. Later, Caleb saved Lana’s life by killing one of her captors and escaping with her. Months later, Kara comes to Lana’s home town. Kara wants to know if Lana can identify her or has told anyone who she is. The CIA hears “chatter” that a member of the Swarm may be after Lana. Caleb is sent to find out what Lana knows and to protect her.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
I like this author. She is a good writer, but I did not like the method she used for conflict in this story. Lana refused to tell anyone including Caleb that Kara was in town and was one of the bad guys. Lana believed that if she acted like she didn’t recognize Kara, then Kara would think Lana had never seen her and could not be a witness against her. Dangerous things were happening to Lana and people around her but she continued to keep Kara’s identity a secret from Caleb. For most of the book, I was frustrated with Lana. I wanted to shake her and say “Tell Caleb. He can fix this.” My frustration for most of the book is the reason for 3 stars. The emotional thread through most of the story is “Lana sees Kara, is deathly afraid, but must act like nothing is wrong.”
Readers who don’t mind this “secret keeping,” might enjoy the book more than I did. I continue with this subject under Spoilers below. Warning for sensitive readers: the story includes some torture scenes.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
Lana knows that Kara is hanging around and is dangerous. Lana sees that Kara is working as a volunteer and playing with the kids in the community center which is run by Lana’s foundation. Kara is doing other bad things to Lana and the people around her. As I mentioned earlier, I was frustrated with Lana’s warped thinking that she should tell no one about Kara. Finally near the end of the book, Lana tells Caleb who Kara is. The story is great after that point. Kara is arrested, but she gets free, she continues doing bad things. I would have enjoyed the story more, if that sort of thing were going on during most of the book instead of just at the end.
DATA:
Story length: 380 pages. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: 3. Total number of sex scene pages: 18. Setting: current day Armenia and Columbia, Missouri. Copyright: 2008. Genre: romantic suspense.
OTHER BOOKS:
For a list of my reviews of other Shannon K. Butcher books, see my 5 star review of “No Regrets” posted 10/13/08.
September 12, 2019
2.5 stars
Considering I had been most anticipating this one, especially after reading about Caleb in Noelle/David's book, this was a little disappointing.
Nothing about this, to me, was very interesting. I didn't generally have a problem with Lana, but I've read about so many protagonists like her... especially when it comes to romance.
I liked Caleb better than Lana, but I just didn't see how he could fall in love with Lana so quickly. It felt more like physical attraction along with guilt and protectiveness. I also don't get why David said he had a soft spot for women.
Also, most of Caleb's thoughts were just stricken with guilt and panic over Lana, and that turned out to be repetitive and annoying.
I actually kind of liked the suspense plot. Nothing terribly good, but it was better than the romance and didn't feel too cheesy, except at the end.
The ending was kind of confusing. It all happened so fast, with Kara escaping and trying to kill Lana, and then Lana confessing her love for Caleb (which I don't get). At least Lana didn't immediately commit herself to Caleb- the book left off with them needing to grow closer and develop their relationship more.
Overall, this was disappointing. I had higher hopes after coming off of No Regrets, but I got through it.
Considering I had been most anticipating this one, especially after reading about Caleb in Noelle/David's book, this was a little disappointing.
Nothing about this, to me, was very interesting. I didn't generally have a problem with Lana, but I've read about so many protagonists like her... especially when it comes to romance.
I liked Caleb better than Lana, but I just didn't see how he could fall in love with Lana so quickly. It felt more like physical attraction along with guilt and protectiveness. I also don't get why David said he had a soft spot for women.
Also, most of Caleb's thoughts were just stricken with guilt and panic over Lana, and that turned out to be repetitive and annoying.
I actually kind of liked the suspense plot. Nothing terribly good, but it was better than the romance and didn't feel too cheesy, except at the end.
The ending was kind of confusing. It all happened so fast, with Kara escaping and trying to kill Lana, and then Lana confessing her love for Caleb (which I don't get). At least Lana didn't immediately commit herself to Caleb- the book left off with them needing to grow closer and develop their relationship more.
Overall, this was disappointing. I had higher hopes after coming off of No Regrets, but I got through it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2011
This book would have been awesome but the heroine was annoying. You have a former Delta Force Stud guarding you and you cannot trust him enough to tell him who the bad guy is...
"Oh I'm not lying and I'm not hiding anything."
"Yes you are now tell me woman!"
"Just get out!"
"No don't hold me!"
"No get out, hold me, get out."
You get the idea, she suffered a horrible tragedy and survived and for that I wanted to like her, but I just couldn't and that ruined it for me.
That has been happening a lot too lately with my reads. I am afraid I am going have to start re-reading books I know are great!
"Oh I'm not lying and I'm not hiding anything."
"Yes you are now tell me woman!"
"Just get out!"
"No don't hold me!"
"No get out, hold me, get out."
You get the idea, she suffered a horrible tragedy and survived and for that I wanted to like her, but I just couldn't and that ruined it for me.
That has been happening a lot too lately with my reads. I am afraid I am going have to start re-reading books I know are great!
February 12, 2012
Yet again, my complaints are about the heroine.
Lana, ourheroine female lead, is a delusional coward of epic proportions. After being kidnapped, tortured, terrorized and all that other bad stuff that happens to women in third world countries, she had to learn how to walk again. She's dealt with so much, but she's a huge freakin' pussy!
The good guys think Lana is holding back information that she gained while being held captive.
She does, but she doesn't feel that information will help them. She thinks keeping this information to herself is the only solution. If the bad guys don't think she knows anything, they'll go away, right? When has this assumption ever, ever turned out to be true?
People want to kill her. So obviously, the best course of action is to keep her mouth shut, pretend she doesn't know anything, and send her bodyguard away.
Because she's totally proven she can take care of herself by... living on her own for a few months? By not dying when everyone thought she would? She can take care of herself when facing shady extremist terrorist groups. She doesn't need anyone's help, damnit.
Her coworker/friend gets shot. Her parent's house is burned down. And she still thinks that if she just keeps her mouth shut, nobody will hurt her or her family. How fucking stupid can you be?! There is a sniper on the roof, but she still can't bring herself to be honest with the person putting his life on the line to protect her? Her dishonesty is more likely to get people killed than if she just told people what the hell was going on!
I hated this heroine. I hated her enough to want to put the book down and DNF it. Pop it into the 'dnf-hated-the-heroine' shelf and forget about it. But Caleb... oh good lord. I want one of him for myself, please.
Caleb was touching, emotional, rough, tough, and manly. I loved him. I couldn't picture him very well, so I think my brain just defaulted to Matt Bomer. I really liked how he wouldn't let Lana push him away at every turn and didn't spend his entire inner monologue on trying to convince himself that he and Lana couldn't be together. I honestly don't know why he'd want to be with her, but whatever. He was a great character.
Grant was a funny guy and, unless the heroine is as 'too stubborn to live' as Lana, I'll read a book about him with pleasure.
The 2 stars are for Caleb. He's the only reason I finished this book.
Lana, our
The good guys think Lana is holding back information that she gained while being held captive.
She does, but she doesn't feel that information will help them. She thinks keeping this information to herself is the only solution. If the bad guys don't think she knows anything, they'll go away, right? When has this assumption ever, ever turned out to be true?
People want to kill her. So obviously, the best course of action is to keep her mouth shut, pretend she doesn't know anything, and send her bodyguard away.
Because she's totally proven she can take care of herself by... living on her own for a few months? By not dying when everyone thought she would? She can take care of herself when facing shady extremist terrorist groups. She doesn't need anyone's help, damnit.
Her coworker/friend gets shot. Her parent's house is burned down. And she still thinks that if she just keeps her mouth shut, nobody will hurt her or her family. How fucking stupid can you be?! There is a sniper on the roof, but she still can't bring herself to be honest with the person putting his life on the line to protect her? Her dishonesty is more likely to get people killed than if she just told people what the hell was going on!
I hated this heroine. I hated her enough to want to put the book down and DNF it. Pop it into the 'dnf-hated-the-heroine' shelf and forget about it. But Caleb... oh good lord. I want one of him for myself, please.
Caleb was touching, emotional, rough, tough, and manly. I loved him. I couldn't picture him very well, so I think my brain just defaulted to Matt Bomer. I really liked how he wouldn't let Lana push him away at every turn and didn't spend his entire inner monologue on trying to convince himself that he and Lana couldn't be together. I honestly don't know why he'd want to be with her, but whatever. He was a great character.
Grant was a funny guy and, unless the heroine is as 'too stubborn to live' as Lana, I'll read a book about him with pleasure.
The 2 stars are for Caleb. He's the only reason I finished this book.
December 1, 2010
I liked this book better than the first in the series, but I just can't make myself give it a 5 star rating. I liked it, and sometimes even loved it, but some of the plot was really too much to be believed.
The best thing about this book was Caleb....what a dude! He was really everything you'd ever want a man to be, and his guilt over what he had to do in the line of duty was palpable. I'm so glad he got a second chance to make things up to Lana, and I loved his determination to never fail her again. He's the epitome of a good guy. Plus, he's sexy, so that never hurts. I loved that he wasn't afraid and couldn't stop himself from telling her that he loved her, and even though her reaction hurt him, he never stopped hoping that it would work out.
I wanted to like Lana so much more than I did. I'm a sucker for tortured characters, and she definitely broke my heart with all she'd suffered and the nightmares that she still lived with. But seriously, why wouldn't she tell? It made no sense to me, and as the book went on, it made increasingly less sense to me. Whatever, it all worked out in the end. I was glad she was the one to take Kara down, it was pretty awesome!
I can't wait to read Grant's story...I love it when a womanizer meets his match.
The best thing about this book was Caleb....what a dude! He was really everything you'd ever want a man to be, and his guilt over what he had to do in the line of duty was palpable. I'm so glad he got a second chance to make things up to Lana, and I loved his determination to never fail her again. He's the epitome of a good guy. Plus, he's sexy, so that never hurts. I loved that he wasn't afraid and couldn't stop himself from telling her that he loved her, and even though her reaction hurt him, he never stopped hoping that it would work out.
I wanted to like Lana so much more than I did. I'm a sucker for tortured characters, and she definitely broke my heart with all she'd suffered and the nightmares that she still lived with. But seriously, why wouldn't she tell? It made no sense to me, and as the book went on, it made increasingly less sense to me. Whatever, it all worked out in the end. I was glad she was the one to take Kara down, it was pretty awesome!
I can't wait to read Grant's story...I love it when a womanizer meets his match.
April 17, 2016
Given that I started reading this book on the day I had surgery, and that I've finished it off in bits and pieces during my subsequent recovery, it could be argued that I haven't really given Shannon Butcher's No Control a fair shake. I mean, how coherent a picture can you get of a book when you read it in a Vicodin haze, hey?
That said, I have to admit that this book didn't work for me as well as her debut novel, No Regrets. It's not because the quality of her writing has changed--it hasn't--but rather, it's more because I couldn't buy the reasoning our heroine makes for an initial decision of hers that lays down how the rest of the plot goes. Since I couldn't buy that initial decision, I had trouble buying the rest of the plot.
Even given that, there are aspects of the book I did like. The heroine strikes a good balance between "emotionally devastated" and "able to deal when she needs to", generally. There wasn't anything particularly unusual about the hero; he was an archetype. But he was a likable archetype, nonetheless. And bonus points for mixing self-defense lessons and percolating hormones; whoof. ;) Two and a half stars.
That said, I have to admit that this book didn't work for me as well as her debut novel, No Regrets. It's not because the quality of her writing has changed--it hasn't--but rather, it's more because I couldn't buy the reasoning our heroine makes for an initial decision of hers that lays down how the rest of the plot goes. Since I couldn't buy that initial decision, I had trouble buying the rest of the plot.
Even given that, there are aspects of the book I did like. The heroine strikes a good balance between "emotionally devastated" and "able to deal when she needs to", generally. There wasn't anything particularly unusual about the hero; he was an archetype. But he was a likable archetype, nonetheless. And bonus points for mixing self-defense lessons and percolating hormones; whoof. ;) Two and a half stars.
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October 17, 2011Ugh, I have tried to read this one on several occasions but it just never sucked me in...not even as a skimmer! It's not that it was bad or boring or anything, I just couldn't get into it for reasons unknown to me. Maybe someday it'll speak to me, just not today.
December 8, 2020
*4 THRILLING STARS*
This was quite a good book, and I enjoyed the hell out of it. However, the ending felt super rushed to me. Lana nearly got killed multiple times and realized she loved Caleb after all, all in the last 20 pages of the book. I also wanted to see their happily ever after!
This was quite a good book, and I enjoyed the hell out of it. However, the ending felt super rushed to me. Lana nearly got killed multiple times and realized she loved Caleb after all, all in the last 20 pages of the book. I also wanted to see their happily ever after!
February 17, 2009
Lana is a complex character, scarred and confused by her traumatic past. (Those who can't stand torture scenes can rest easy; they're never described in detail, even in flashbacks.) She still suffers from debilitating nightmares every night, and in her daytime hours she throws herself into her children's charity project. With her charity cause and her concern for everyone's safety over her own, Lana might have been a "too good to be true" sort of character if it weren't for her struggle to get over her trauma, which rings true.
Ironically, I got less of a feel for Caleb than I did for Lana, in spite of him narrating the majority of the book. He's described several times as being "larger than life," and I think that may actually be part of the issue. Caleb comes across as more of a loose sketch than an actual person, so while he's likeable enough, it's hard to relate to someone who doesn't have much more than a concept for a personality.
One thing I did really like about the book was how long it took Caleb and Lana to sleep together. They each start noticing the physical attraction fairly early on, but it took them a good long time to get it together. I like this format a lot better than the books where they immediately start knocking boots, because this way I as the reader have had a chance to get a feel for the characters and the chemistry between them. In this particular case, with Lana's issues, the whole story would have felt rushed and would have lost a lot of the characterization we get from her slow recovery.
I think my biggest annoyance was how long Lana held on to her secret, thinking she was protecting her friends and family by keeping silent, despite all evidence to the contrary. After awhile I just wanted to smack her over the head. I realize fear is not always the most logical emotion, but one would think when the things she's most afraid of start happening, it might provide a little incentive to be a little more forthcoming with the information that might help put the terrorists away. Evidently, Lana would not agree with one on this matter, though.
As a romantic suspense, No Control is fast-paced with lots of action scenes. Bombs, guns, creepy stalkers... it's all here. Also shower scenes. If your idea of love comes with big fluffy towels, this is your book.
Ironically, I got less of a feel for Caleb than I did for Lana, in spite of him narrating the majority of the book. He's described several times as being "larger than life," and I think that may actually be part of the issue. Caleb comes across as more of a loose sketch than an actual person, so while he's likeable enough, it's hard to relate to someone who doesn't have much more than a concept for a personality.
One thing I did really like about the book was how long it took Caleb and Lana to sleep together. They each start noticing the physical attraction fairly early on, but it took them a good long time to get it together. I like this format a lot better than the books where they immediately start knocking boots, because this way I as the reader have had a chance to get a feel for the characters and the chemistry between them. In this particular case, with Lana's issues, the whole story would have felt rushed and would have lost a lot of the characterization we get from her slow recovery.
I think my biggest annoyance was how long Lana held on to her secret, thinking she was protecting her friends and family by keeping silent, despite all evidence to the contrary. After awhile I just wanted to smack her over the head. I realize fear is not always the most logical emotion, but one would think when the things she's most afraid of start happening, it might provide a little incentive to be a little more forthcoming with the information that might help put the terrorists away. Evidently, Lana would not agree with one on this matter, though.
As a romantic suspense, No Control is fast-paced with lots of action scenes. Bombs, guns, creepy stalkers... it's all here. Also shower scenes. If your idea of love comes with big fluffy towels, this is your book.
June 3, 2010
Eighteen months ago, Lana was captured and put through hell when SWARM, a terrorist group, had her. Nightmares still plague her dreams, Lana struggles to keep it together even after she recovers. She won't forgive even the man who stood silently and watched her suffer - Cabel Stone. A Delta Force agent, he could thing less he breach the secret operation. She hated him, Cabel never forgot that. Now they brought together again as her protector, Lana tries to cope with the memories, Cabel and the fact that SWARM was after her again.
I really liked the concept of this book. Cabel carries so much guilt that night when Lana was continously tortured while he could not do a thing. While she was against having him as her bodyguard, I thought that this was a chance for them to expose themselves to each other. Lana was definitely a complex heroine with what she went through. She uses indifference as a defense and to block the memories. Since what happened, I had no problem with how she coped. But one of the same problems with Shannon Butcher's other books, this kept popping up so it kept dragging it over and over again. Different scene, same emotional problem for so long. Cabel was a new kind of silent, strong, brooding hero. He connects emotionally with Lana while we see his inner conflicts. I loved him better than Lana. Both characters were great, but Cabel had more emotional aspects that wasn't set in repeat. He also doesn't deny his growing love for her. He knows what he feels which I adored him for.
Their reunion and pace of getting close was one of my favorite aspects. First, they were stiff. Second, Lana lets him 'suffer' but grudingly makes sure he's a bit comfortable. Third, an incident brings them slightly closer. From there, they really get close. It was sweet and angst worthy when they confront their past and protecting their future.
No one knows why Lana was targetted again but Cabel takes no chances. At least, right from the start I was already interested in why SWARM wanted her again. It builds up the suspense later on but worked nicely with Cabel/Lana's scenes together. It was overshadowed in the midst of it and comes back strongly on the third end of the book. Overall, it was a great read.
I really liked the concept of this book. Cabel carries so much guilt that night when Lana was continously tortured while he could not do a thing. While she was against having him as her bodyguard, I thought that this was a chance for them to expose themselves to each other. Lana was definitely a complex heroine with what she went through. She uses indifference as a defense and to block the memories. Since what happened, I had no problem with how she coped. But one of the same problems with Shannon Butcher's other books, this kept popping up so it kept dragging it over and over again. Different scene, same emotional problem for so long. Cabel was a new kind of silent, strong, brooding hero. He connects emotionally with Lana while we see his inner conflicts. I loved him better than Lana. Both characters were great, but Cabel had more emotional aspects that wasn't set in repeat. He also doesn't deny his growing love for her. He knows what he feels which I adored him for.
Their reunion and pace of getting close was one of my favorite aspects. First, they were stiff. Second, Lana lets him 'suffer' but grudingly makes sure he's a bit comfortable. Third, an incident brings them slightly closer. From there, they really get close. It was sweet and angst worthy when they confront their past and protecting their future.
No one knows why Lana was targetted again but Cabel takes no chances. At least, right from the start I was already interested in why SWARM wanted her again. It builds up the suspense later on but worked nicely with Cabel/Lana's scenes together. It was overshadowed in the midst of it and comes back strongly on the third end of the book. Overall, it was a great read.
September 10, 2011
The summary above is pretty detailed, so I see no need to rehash what this book is all about.
This one disappointed me. As we learned in the first book No Regrets, Caleb seemed disturbed after coming back from a solo mission. Not even his closest friends, Grand and David knew what was wrong with him. Well, we find out now what was eating away at him.
I lost track of how many times I wanted to just stop reading, but my curiosity got the better of me. I didn't like Lana at all! I understood her fear for her family and loved ones, as well as her need to protect them at all costs, and that was the reason why she wouldn't tell Caleb who she was afraid of. In my opinion she was a coward. how could she continue to keep information about the terrorists a secret? If they tortured her to be sadistic, then they could have gone after her sister and her son. The bad guys in this series seem to have no qualms about torturing and killing innocent women and children. What if other innocent people might have been harmed because she wouldn't grow a pair?
And don't get me started about the first time she actually allows Caleb to be intimate with her. After another nightmare leaves her reeling and afraid, she begs him to "make me forget". WTH? Where is her dignity? Of course Caleb isn't completely innocent in all this when he caves so easily. All the love scenes that followed afterwards, I skipped those because I felt that they popped up at weird times and the connection felt very one-sided to me.
So they get a happy ending, but I hate the fact that Lana has her aha moment so close to the end of the book that I just didn't care anymore what she did.
The highlight of this book for me was Grant. He's so adorable and I look forward to his story next. I hope he'll find a female who is more on par with Noelle rather than Lana.
This one disappointed me. As we learned in the first book No Regrets, Caleb seemed disturbed after coming back from a solo mission. Not even his closest friends, Grand and David knew what was wrong with him. Well, we find out now what was eating away at him.
I lost track of how many times I wanted to just stop reading, but my curiosity got the better of me. I didn't like Lana at all! I understood her fear for her family and loved ones, as well as her need to protect them at all costs, and that was the reason why she wouldn't tell Caleb who she was afraid of. In my opinion she was a coward. how could she continue to keep information about the terrorists a secret? If they tortured her to be sadistic, then they could have gone after her sister and her son. The bad guys in this series seem to have no qualms about torturing and killing innocent women and children. What if other innocent people might have been harmed because she wouldn't grow a pair?
And don't get me started about the first time she actually allows Caleb to be intimate with her. After another nightmare leaves her reeling and afraid, she begs him to "make me forget". WTH? Where is her dignity? Of course Caleb isn't completely innocent in all this when he caves so easily. All the love scenes that followed afterwards, I skipped those because I felt that they popped up at weird times and the connection felt very one-sided to me.
So they get a happy ending, but I hate the fact that Lana has her aha moment so close to the end of the book that I just didn't care anymore what she did.
The highlight of this book for me was Grant. He's so adorable and I look forward to his story next. I hope he'll find a female who is more on par with Noelle rather than Lana.
April 11, 2015
This book sat on my to-read shelf for months till I decided to read it. Sadly, it wasn't worth the price. The storyline had potential but was ruined by the heroine, who lied and held on to secrets for 80% of the book. Most annoyingly, there was no rational reason for her to do so. Loved the hero though. His positive character told out strongly through the story. Was the only reason I finished the book.
December 8, 2008
This is essentially the same story as "No Regrets" with differnet characters. Reading any one of the books in this series is a nice diversion, but reading more than one is kind of boring. There are also explicit adult scenes described in all of the books for those who prefer to leave that kind of stuff to the imagination.
October 1, 2013
I could not get past the stupidity of the heroine. She wouldn't divulge information to the hero until the last two chapters of the book because she didn't trust him. Information mind you that clearly put everyone in danger, and I mean CLEARLY. This heroine dumbness ruined the story for me, to the point that I couldn't get into the book.
December 10, 2018
Another great romantic suspense from this author. I love the main characters! ❤
March 3, 2017
Worth continuing the series
I read the first book in the series and thought it was good. Thought I would give the second one a try and WOW! From the first page in was hooked!
Caleb and Lana's story was heartwrenching, heartwarming and inspiring. So glad I one clicked.
I read the first book in the series and thought it was good. Thought I would give the second one a try and WOW! From the first page in was hooked!
Caleb and Lana's story was heartwrenching, heartwarming and inspiring. So glad I one clicked.
September 11, 2011
Usually I try to do these Romance Roundups after reading a handful of paperback romances. This time, that handful just happens to be a trilogy written by Shannon K. Butcher (her husband, Jim Butcher, writes the Dresden Files books). Usually I try to find some unifying characteristic between the books in each roundup. Besides the obvious reason for the books being a trilogy (the three heroes are best friends and served together in the Delta Force [a vaguely described top-secret special ops division of the military]). The other thing these men share in common is that they all have their own skeletons in the closet that leave them thinking they don't deserve the love of a good woman.
No Control explains why David's friend Caleb Stone was so moody and distant during his brief appearance in No Regrets. After David had left Delta Force, Caleb had gone on an undercover mission where he had to pose as a terrorist to find out information on the Swarm's movements. During the mission he was forced to stand by while several hostages were brutally tortured and then killed. The only one he was able to save was Lana Hancock, and he's filled with guilt at the condition she was in by the time he could finally rescue her. When Lana's name starts reappearing in terrorist chatter, he's assigned to protect her from whatever threat the Swarm may pose. Lana wants absolutely nothing to do with the man who spent weeks assisting in her torture, even if he was the one who eventually saved her.
In this case, both carry deep scars (physically and emotionally) from the their first meeting and the book lays out Caleb's road to redemption and Lana's struggle to regain a sense of control over her life. Instead of Grant always sweeping in to save the day for her, in one of the crucial final showdowns, Lana is able to defend herself, doing more for her self confidence than Caleb's protectiveness ever could.
No Control explains why David's friend Caleb Stone was so moody and distant during his brief appearance in No Regrets. After David had left Delta Force, Caleb had gone on an undercover mission where he had to pose as a terrorist to find out information on the Swarm's movements. During the mission he was forced to stand by while several hostages were brutally tortured and then killed. The only one he was able to save was Lana Hancock, and he's filled with guilt at the condition she was in by the time he could finally rescue her. When Lana's name starts reappearing in terrorist chatter, he's assigned to protect her from whatever threat the Swarm may pose. Lana wants absolutely nothing to do with the man who spent weeks assisting in her torture, even if he was the one who eventually saved her.
In this case, both carry deep scars (physically and emotionally) from the their first meeting and the book lays out Caleb's road to redemption and Lana's struggle to regain a sense of control over her life. Instead of Grant always sweeping in to save the day for her, in one of the crucial final showdowns, Lana is able to defend herself, doing more for her self confidence than Caleb's protectiveness ever could.
September 11, 2010
I presume you know what the book is about. I'm letting you know what I liked or disliked about it.
I genuinely enjoyed this book. This was the sort of story well written enough where I'd actually tear-up, laugh, get angry - all of it.
Lana and Caleb and the hook Ms. Butcher created to draw them together was very clever. A "Catch 22" if I ever saw one. Their story and their suffering was well written and quite believable. The transition within each of them was sweet to see unfold.
Ah, but this author? This author is goooood. Good like the way an ice cream cone tastes while watching the sunset on a hot summer day near the lake. A good simile because of the base emotions that visual raises. Forgiveness, the sole premise of this book is like that too sometimes. A strong base emotion we experience from both sides. Usually when we experience either end of it we feel good deep down in our souls.
I'm going to keep reading Ms. Butchers work. I hope you try it too.
As a side note - there were a few pieces of the read that could have been cleaned up with one more round of editing. Ex: Unnecessary sentence repetition; the line space could have been put to use to fill in a few details. Nothing to detract from the story really but rather the pleasure of a smooth read.
I genuinely enjoyed this book. This was the sort of story well written enough where I'd actually tear-up, laugh, get angry - all of it.
Lana and Caleb and the hook Ms. Butcher created to draw them together was very clever. A "Catch 22" if I ever saw one. Their story and their suffering was well written and quite believable. The transition within each of them was sweet to see unfold.
Ah, but this author? This author is goooood. Good like the way an ice cream cone tastes while watching the sunset on a hot summer day near the lake. A good simile because of the base emotions that visual raises. Forgiveness, the sole premise of this book is like that too sometimes. A strong base emotion we experience from both sides. Usually when we experience either end of it we feel good deep down in our souls.
I'm going to keep reading Ms. Butchers work. I hope you try it too.
As a side note - there were a few pieces of the read that could have been cleaned up with one more round of editing. Ex: Unnecessary sentence repetition; the line space could have been put to use to fill in a few details. Nothing to detract from the story really but rather the pleasure of a smooth read.
September 5, 2015
Another smooth read with the indomitable Delta Force team in full protection mode. Caleb and Lana are scorching hot on the pages and the suspense angle is developed in full with a very satisfactory finale that leads to the bad guys getting taken care of and the hero and heroine their HEA.
No Escape, which is Grant's story is next and my anticipation is driving me to read it as quickly as the first two in trilogy.
No Escape, which is Grant's story is next and my anticipation is driving me to read it as quickly as the first two in trilogy.
April 12, 2010
Another great romantic suspense book. I liked this one better than the first one. The appeal for me is Caleb, he really feels like he let Lana down the first time they met, but had he broke cover there would have more deaths, deaths of children, but even knowing that Caleb can't forgive himself for his actions. Lana seems to have a core of strength in her and shows it over and over again through out the book.
November 27, 2013
Much much MUCH better than the first in the series. I almost couldn't put this book down. I liked both the characters and, while it annoyed me that it took Lana so long to tell Caleb the truth, I could at least understand why she waited. Very good book and I'm going to start the final in this trilogy tonight.
October 18, 2010
This was the first time I had read this author, and I loved it! I will be reading more of her books, for sure!
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December 8, 2011
4 stars. Really like these books and am going to immediately read #3. Can't wait for Grant's story.
February 9, 2013
Not nearly as good as it could have been....lacked a lot.
January 9, 2016
4.5 Stars
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