The Crush

by Sandra Brown

After she unwittingly frees a dangerous contract killer, a surgeon reluctantly joins forces with a tenacious detective obsessed with taking down their enemy at all costs.

As a surgeon, Dr. Rennie Newton is the consummate professional. When she's summoned to jury duty, she brings competence and composure to the courtroom -- a skill she learned while performing surgeries. It is this commitment to precision that compels her to deliver a not guilty verdict in the murder case against notorious contract killer Ricky Lozada.

It will be the most regrettable decision of her life. When a rival colleague is brutally slain, Lozada's menacing shadow looms over the murder, but the investigators pinpoint Rennie as the prime suspect. Soon, the police begin violating the privacy she has cultivated and protected at all costs. And when Lozada begins an earnest courtship, it becomes terrifyingly clear that he is obsessed with having her.

Wick Threadgill is a detective on indefinite leave from the Fort Worth PD with a very personal agenda for the contract killer. Temperamental, bitter, and driven by loyalty and love, Wick is determined to destroy Lozada. In order to defeat him -- and save their own lives -- Rennie and Wick form an uneasy alliance.

Mistrustful of each other, they know only one thing with absolute like one of Lozada's prize scorpions, they won't see it coming when this killer strikes. The Crush will take you on a tortuous path through a twisted sociopath's eerie obsession, a haunted man's fragile hopes for redemption, and a woman's heart as she struggles to face her greatest to open herself to love.

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Fiction, Audiobook

448 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 2002

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).

Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.

In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.

Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Reviews

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars



I don’t know why I didn’t enjoy this one more because at first sight, it all looks good: a grumpy ex-cop, a strong heroine, a unique and interesting storyline, great writing...

I can’t really pinpoint what bothered me.



Lack of excitement, lack of tension, I guess. The main characters seemed apathetic somehow.

I don't know. It just didn’t reach me.

This doesn’t mean this book is bad. It just wasn’t my favorite.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dr. Rennie Newton, a skilled surgeon, is the foreman of the jury that acquits psychotic professional assassin Ricky Lozada of murder because of reasonable doubt.



Unfortunately for Rennie, Lozada becomes infatuated with the pretty doctor during the trial and convinces himself that she returns his affections. So after his acquittal Lozada decides to pursue a relationship with Rennie. He sends her flowers, stalks her, and goes so far as "to do her the favor" of murdering a rival doctor.



Rennie becomes a suspect in the murder and Detective Oren Wesley - instead of doing any investigation whatsoever - starts a campaign of surveillance and harassment to convict Rennie.



For assistance Oren calls in his suspended former partner, Detective Wick Threadgill.



Here the book becomes a cliché romance novel. Wick (of course) is overwhelmingly attracted to Rennie who (of course) is a cold fish because of a difficult past.



The assassin Lozada becomes enraged with Wick's attentions to Rennie and decides to take action.



Though Brown is a skilled writer this is a completely predictable book with no surprises. In addition, the characters are not particularly likable. Wick is an an arrogant dude whose major goal is to have sex with Rennie; Oren is a lazy police officer who makes no attempt to find the real killer; and Rennie - though a little more sympathetic than the guys - is two-dimensional and hard to care about.

If you're a hard core romance fan you might like this book. Otherwise, skip it.

You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between 3 and 4 stars and as it is SB will up it to 4!!


This one was lacking the usual intensity of a Sandra Brown book. Ok there was one moment where I literally jumped in my seat. But for some reason, the 2 characters did not endear themselves to me as much as some of her other characters did.


Contract killer Ricky Lozada is on trial and Dr. Rennie Newton is on his jury. Bringing the same dedication she displays as a surgeon to this job, she delivers a verdict of not guilty--and discovers she has a new admirer.


Maybe it did not make the mark for me is because I KNEW who the bad guy was. In her other books you're kept guessing until practically the end of the book. Well, at least I am!

She had meant trouble for him from the start, and she would mean trouble to him from here on

She hadn't wanted to like Wick Threadgill, but she did

As with Ms Brown's books, sex scenes are few and far between but they are HOT when they happen.

In spite of her reserve, he could imagine her flushed with arousal

He asked her if she liked hairy chests and she showed him how much she liked his

He hadn't had to coax a response from her, either. Two strokes of his thumb and her nipple was hard, ready to be drawn into his mouth

Overall an enjoyable read.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Crush is a standalone romantic suspense/thriller novel written by Sandra Brown. It features an incredibly engaging beginning: most obsessive/stalker thrillers are right up my ally and I loved where this one was going...especially when said stalker gifts our mysterious heroine with a gift she can't return and one that lands her in the spotlight of a murder investigation. Unfortunately, I found the middle-ish parts quite long and dull in my opinion. I wish I had skimmed them to be honest. I could have gotten away with it I think. The ending picked up speed again with a focus on police intervention in capturing this story's villain. Lots of suspicion in this one with a late-blooming romance and a satisfying ending. Overall, I liked it. If you're a fan of Sandra Brown, check it out!

My favorite quote:
"I just don't get it."
"What don't you get?"
"Why you keep saying no."
"I have the option of saying no."

[Vintage · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read if for no other reason than to visit Texas even if it is fictionally.

A Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride story with an on-Ice Princess h Dr., an ex cop with great hair and the impulse control of a toddler with ADD, and a completely shaved evil (DNA you know) stalker/other man/villain. This was quite fun to read if you are a fan of the Law Abiding Citizen trope where one man can be in three places at once by his sheer evil genius.

This is less suspense than just drama. The cops suspect the Ice-Princess has made a deal with the devil to get ahead as head mucky muck MD when her competition is murdered. The H is dragged in from his self exile on a Galveston beach because...backstory. That tells you something right there as much as I love Texas, Galveston beach SUCKS from man o’wars to oil spills to muddy water beach silt. Ironically 500 yards out is sparkling blue water that flows into the Caribbean.

Anyhoo, the H’s insta-lust triggers his defense mechanism and he even punches out his old partner for suggesting the heroine may be guilty of anything. Ice Princess has a very bad and very salacious backstory which is why she is the shutdown Ice Princess dedicated to saving lives. I don't see long term happiness with these two, but for now they're good.

Warning: Besides the ick backstory which involves a bad girl reputation and a bad father (no, there is no incest but still some unsavory issues) animals are harmed in the story. Nothing on page graphic, but be aware if this is a trigger.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book! So creepy!! I loved every second of it!

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this book 8 years ago and loved ut. It was one of those books that distracted me a bit when I was in a bad place. So by that it's a 5 star read. But if I read it for the first time now and not a reread it would be a 3.5 stars. So decided to go with a 4 stars.

[Tracy P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

'The Crush' has some great action with cops chasing after a vicious stalker who commits heinous murders (wish there was much more in this area) and way too much cop pursuing hot doctor romance fluff.
The ending is well done and much appreciated for the fantastic narrative describing in detail the twists and turns which led the characters to its surprise (imho) conclusion.
Narrator Tom Wopat did a fine job and easily held my attention throughout.

[CD {Boulder Blvd} · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't too impressed by this book. It was OK but it was easy to set aside and do something else. The only character I liked was Grace, Oren's wife. I didn't care much for any of the other characters so it's hard to be pulled into their story. Wick was too out of control and Oren was really judgmental. Rennie was OK but difficult to root for. I found a lot of the elements cliche and typical of the romance genre. Lately I find I've grown tired of all the cliched characters and plot.

[Jae · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of SB's bestest.

[Renee · Rating 1 out of 5]

This suspense novel reads more like a Harlequin Romance gone worse (I didn't say "bad" because they are already bad). Laced with only-to-be heard in smaltzy movie one liners, the book is so predictable from the first chapter that you may actually think there is a twist at the end (there isn't). Crush is about a relationship between the broken cop and a troubled trauma surgeon and their banning together to fight an evil killer. It's kind of like a Bugs Bunny episode without the humor and animation.

[-ya · Rating 2 out of 5]

There aren't much tension in The Crush that keeps me in suspense throughout the story. The psychotic killer tries very hard to be creepy, but fails to scare me. The heroine is a drop-dead gorgeous surgeon with an impressive resume. Unfortunately, at certain crucial moments, she loses her common sense and I can't help roll my eyes. Not SB’s best:/

[Kristina Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Puikus trileris.

[Marcie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dumb.

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Big fan of Sandra Brown here but this book was a huge disappointment. The heroine is a huge fail. She is one of the most annoying heroines I've ever come across, one who did not deserve either the reader's or the hero's attention (even less his love). The writer tells us that this woman is a trauma surgeon (who worked all over the world), a former wild child turned Mother Teresa, but what we actually see on page is a flat piece of cardboard whose only memorable characteristic is that of a spoiled bitch. Sandra Brown simply pins a repertoire of qualities on her ((brilliant surgeon, volunteered around the world, was great with patients and their families, and, naturally, supermodel looks) and none of them becomes part of the heroine we get on page. Not once does her well guarded, sanitised and non-existent private life stirs any interest about this woman. Not once does she make you wonder why she is the person she is and how she suffers under the weight of such rigid defence mechanisms. There is no thematisation of all these, only a quick revelation of some ridiculous story from way back when that is supposed to tidy everything up. But even that final hackneyed explanation, fails to arouse sympathy for this non-character with the killer legs. And there lies the problem, if the heroine fails to excite the reader then one does not understand why the hero, a handsome, charming, sociable man, and one who's had spectacular success in the dating department suddenly will put so much effort, work so hard and relentlessly chase after the heroine's love. A heroine who rebuffs him at every turn. It's not like he can't find another pair of killer legs in this world. With his charm and wit and good looks it would not be that difficult. Yet, he goes after the cardboard cut-out as if she is the last of the species.

The only reason I kept reading was the hero, Wick. He and his friendship with his superior, Oren, made for the most interesting part of the book. Lozada, the villain, was not in the least convincing. But the worst fail of the book was the handling of police procedure. Sandra Brown is an experienced romantic suspense writer, so it is very surprising she got everything so messed up. How come the police set up round the clock surveillance of the heroine, photograph her in every possible situation and yet neglect to tap her phone? One would think tapping the phone would be the first step.
How come they made a hash of things at every turn? For example, how could they have bangled the tailing of the notorious killer they had their sights on for eons? Would those watching his building fail to check a van leaving his building in the early hours of the morning ? Even I know that villains, especially the rich ones, don't have only one vehicle at their disposal. It is not like the villain was unknown to the police. They had set up a whole operation over many months to catch him, yet they failed to monitor him closely (hard to believe that the police, who are good at framing people, failed to monitor him). But that is what happens when you don't know how to set up a scene and resort to situations that defy logic (making these trained officers look like nincompoops).

The denouement was particularly silly and made me roar with laughter (not the dramatic showdown the book aimed for). Overall, since the main couple is never convincing as a couple (there is not even a whiff of passion, no deep or moving connection between hero and heroine, not even some hint of great lust -a couple of boring sex scenes crammed into the final chapters of the book emphasise the lack of chemistry rather than convince us of their great love). As a result, anything concerning their declarations and the future the writer hastily throws at them ring absolutely false. Not once did I believe that what they had was anything more than a prolonged one night stand. I must also add that because I found the heroine annoying and tiresome (and could not go past her TSTL moment in the final showdown), I very much wanted the hero to walk out, give her the two finger salute even, and find someone else to lust after. As it is, this gorgeous, amiable hunk is forced by his writer to chase after a zero-dimensional, unengaging b*tch, who wants nothing to do with him for about 85% of the book. Yet, within the last three pages we are asked to believe that such a woman is suddenly dying to share the rest of her life with Wick. The important question is why would Wick want to spend another second, after the obligatory shagging, with her.

The more I write this review the more I revisit the unpleasantness I felt while reading this book, so I will stop here. Readers new to Sandra Brown, don't start with this one.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two-haiku review:

Contract killer freed
He's obsessed with woman doc
Cop tries to protect

Liked this one a lot
Empathized with characters
Stayed up late reading

[Giulia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard some buzz about this Sandra Brown and since my library had it checked in, I grabbed it. Such a good book! I soo love Sandra Brown novels. They are meaty, well told told and I love how the plot is dense. You need a dense plot I think for a novel to really stand out, and Sandra Brown novels certainly do.

This novel is a little different from other others by the author in that there was no plot twist or great reveal. Which is fine by me, the story stood on it's own and didn't need it. It's just that I'm used to the unexpected with Sandra Brown and this time, it was pretty straightforward. I did love how they got the baddie at the end, I didn't see that coming until the last second when it all going down. Actually, by then it was obvious, so it's fair to say, I didn't see it coming!

I loved the plot and characters, Rennie was so cool and controlled and yet you knew all throughout the novel that she was more than meets than the eye. I loved her strength. I loved her kindness. It wasn't apparent or gushing, but quiet kindness is still kindness. It made her very human, as did the events she endured in this story. I also loved the hero, who has been dealing with the death of his brother, and the fact that he's a police officer on an undetermined leave and yet, still involved in his work thanks to his partner. He's hotheaded but he had excellent instincts and I admired him for sticking up for Rennie throughout this book.

The villain in his novel is sickening and I'm glad that the novel was resolved in the way that it was because I just couldn't stand him. He made my skin crawl. Sandra Brown has a knack for writing truly nasty villains. This novel was so good it was very hard to put down, and if you want an entertaining crime novel splashed with sizzle, I'd say you can't go wrong with this particular novel.

[Misti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr Rennie a jaded doctor meets Wick Threadgill a jaded cop...both have issues they are working thru, her with her past and father and him with his dead brother (or actually issues they should be working on but are avoiding) and the evil Lozada haunts them both, separately and together.

There were a couple of twists that I was not expecting: Lozada killing her horses and the 'cop scuffle/shooting' that was all staged at the end!

I like all of Sandra Brown's books...I know they are predictable (we always know the ending) but the twists in the middle are what I like and a sex scene and love story thrown in the middle of the mystery keeps me entertained. When I pick up one of her books I know exactly what I am going to get..and sometimes in life that's just what i need! I actually thoroughly enjoy her writing style...just enough details to let me form the picture but not too many pages wasted on minute details that let me put none of my own picture together! Her and Nora Roberts are my fave!

[Annie Myers · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finished this book since writing the below... that is to say, I finished *with* this book. It is one of the rare books I really couldn't finish reading...toward the end, I realized I just really didn't care what happened so I moved on.

I'm not quite finished with this book, but so far it reads like just about every cop show I've ever seen on television - only worse. I'm not feeling much sympathy for the main character, Rennie. I like the renegade ex-cop, Wick, and his former partner, Oren, and the "bad guy", Lozada, is sufficiently creepy - maybe more than sufficiently creepy - but too much of the "story" seems to hinge on the sexual attraction of Wick to Rennie, which seems superficial and without anything to give substance to their "relationship".

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a phenominal read!!

From back cover:

"Notorious contract killer Ricky Lozada is on trial and Dr. Rennie Newton is on his jury. Bringing the same dedication she displays as a surgeon to this job, she delivers a verdict of not guilty-and discovers she has a new admirer. Days after Lozada's release, one of Rennie's professional rivals is brutally murdered. Although Lozada's dark shadow looms over the case, Rennie becomes the prime suspect...while Lozada stalks her and grows more and more obsessed with having her. She forms an uneasy alliance with Wick Threadgill, a rogue detective with his own personal vendetta against Lozada. Wick has nothing to lose by confronting a hit man, who, like the prize scorpions he treasures, strikes so quickly Rennie may never see it coming."

[Celia R Moon · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have never read a book by this author, then it is a good read. But, I feel like I have read this same character's story a few dozen times. Even the ending felt familiar. It was still a good read. Lots of action, and I happen to like these characters, so I did not mind.

I don't care for the sexist tones in this book. I'm all for an alpha male, but I prefer one who doesn't violate his partner's boundaries. Rennie tells Wick several times that she is not interested, but he continues pursuing her, even following her to her ranch. She seems to find this flattering and charming. What is it is a consent violation. The book seemed far less romantic to me after that.

Even though I knew how the ending would go, I still enjoyed it. The action was fast-paced, which I enjoyed.

[Inga Gajauskienė · Rating 2 out of 5]

Šįkart nepatiko ši Sandros Brown knyga.💔
Pradžia knygos įdomiai skaitėsi, bet įpusėjus pradėjo erzinti meilės reikalai tarp Renės ir Viko.🙄
O dar kaip seilėjosi Lozada dėl Renės... Kai kurie siužeto vingiai manęs neįtikino deja. Pabaigoje tikrai sunkiai skaitėsi.🙈

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! SB never ceases to amaze me. She surprised me with all the things that were uncovered toward the end of the story. Things that made me go "O Crap", "Are you serious", and just "Wow". Very good mystery!

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Surgeon stalked by a crazy killer. No real mystery or suspense.

[Sarah Hammar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book

I could hardly put it down. Sandra Brown is the best writer in the mystery\thriller category. Enjoyed every book I have of hers.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting for sure. Sandra Brown is such a great author and her books are always so fun to read. Great twists and turns in this one.

[atomickitten · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I really, really liked it.

I think Envy will be next.

But is it weird that I absolutely loved the bad guy here and wished he wasn't killed?

Hmm... I think there might be something srsly wrong with me lol XD.

[Tetty Marlinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

#32 for 2017 RC
Genre : Suspense

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good. It made for a fast read. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters.

[Angela Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this one!