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Troubleshooters #7
Flashpoint
An exciting thriller about men and women operating where agents of the U.S. government cannot, and where America's most ruthless enemies thrive
Once an operative of a top secret government agency, Jimmy Nash has found a new job with Troubleshooters Inc., a clandestine company that helps anyone in desperate need - which provides a perfect cover for its other, more perilous objective: covert special operations.
Now Nash and a team of expert operators have come in the guise of relief workers to the earthquake-ravaged country of Kazbekistan. There they must track down a missing laptop computer that may hold secrets vital to national security. To fulfill his mission, Nash is not afraid to break the rules, but he may have met his match in Tess Bailey, an operative with all the right instincts. Now these two professionals must play out their dangerous games in the world's most dangerous place - isolated from their own government, cutting deals with people they can't trust, and guarding forbidden passions that threaten to compromise their crucial mission....
452 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 30, 2004
226 people are currently reading
1687 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Brockmann
253 books3,568 followersAfter childhood plans to become the captain of a starship didn’t pan out, Suzanne Brockmann took her fascination with military history, her respect for the men and women who serve, her reverence for diversity, and her love of storytelling, and explored brave new worlds as a bestselling romance author.
Over the past thirty years she has written sixty-three novels, including her award-winning Troubleshooters series about Navy SEAL heroes and the women—and sometimes men—who win their hearts. Her personal favorite is the one where her most popular character, gay FBI agent Jules Cassidy, wins his happily-ever-after and marries the man of his dreams. Called All Through the Night, this mainstream romance novel with a hero and a hero hit the New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list. In 2007, Suz donated all of her earnings from this book, in perpetuity, to MassEquality, to help win and preserve equal marriage rights in Massachusetts.
In addition to writing books, Suz writes and produces indie movies and TV including the award-winning romantic comedy The Perfect Wedding. Her recent feature, Out of Body, is streaming on Amazon Prime.
In 2018, Suz was given the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award from the Romance Writers of America. Her latest projects are Blame It on Rio (Tall, Dark & Dangerous # 14), available in print and e-book from Suzanne Brockmann Books, and Marriage of Inconvenience, a six-episode LBGTQ rom-com TV series, streaming on Dekkoo in April 2023.
Over the past thirty years she has written sixty-three novels, including her award-winning Troubleshooters series about Navy SEAL heroes and the women—and sometimes men—who win their hearts. Her personal favorite is the one where her most popular character, gay FBI agent Jules Cassidy, wins his happily-ever-after and marries the man of his dreams. Called All Through the Night, this mainstream romance novel with a hero and a hero hit the New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list. In 2007, Suz donated all of her earnings from this book, in perpetuity, to MassEquality, to help win and preserve equal marriage rights in Massachusetts.
In addition to writing books, Suz writes and produces indie movies and TV including the award-winning romantic comedy The Perfect Wedding. Her recent feature, Out of Body, is streaming on Amazon Prime.
In 2018, Suz was given the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award from the Romance Writers of America. Her latest projects are Blame It on Rio (Tall, Dark & Dangerous # 14), available in print and e-book from Suzanne Brockmann Books, and Marriage of Inconvenience, a six-episode LBGTQ rom-com TV series, streaming on Dekkoo in April 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews
July 29, 2022
the setup…
Tom Paoletti, former Lieutenant Commander over Navy SEAL Team 16, has resigned his commission and formed Troubleshooters, Inc., a security “consulting” firm. He’s already signed Alyssa Locke as his #2 and Executive Officer, along with Sam Starrett and a few others. His latest hopefuls are Jimmy Nash and Larry Decker, both working as field agents for a top secret government agency, who Tom has recruited for a dangerous assignment in Kazbekistan. Decker is a former Navy SEAL and Nash…, well, he’s got a sketchy history. Tom’s also signed on Tess Bailey who worked for the same agency but in a support role. Tess and Nash have a history that didn’t end so well but she’s moved on. Nash, however, is struggling with his own conflicting feelings about her and his opposition to her being in the field for the first time in a country that has no value of women.
the heart of the story…
The series makes a hard turn with this story, focusing on Tom’s new firm. Jimmy Nash, Larry Decker and Tess Bailey are new characters who were introduced at the beginning when they were working at the agency. Smart move because I got to know them and their backstories (some of it) before they were sent on the Kazbekistan assignment. I really liked Tess who was a communications tech whiz whose skills were superb and critical. She more than held her own and proved she deserved being in the field. Her relationship with Nash couldn’t have been more complicated as this man had lots of deeply rooted baggage. Their romance was rocky as they were thrust in the middle of a bad environment, trying to do their jobs while faking a marriage and struggling with real feelings. Meanwhile, Decker is having his own issues when he mistakenly believes a woman he encounters, Sophia Ghaffari, to be a thieving prostitute instead of a former asset who’s trying to escape the country after having been held captive.
the narration…
This is my first time listening to the dual narrators for the series and it made such a difference from my first time reading this story years ago. The transitions were smooth and Lawlor does a great job managing so many characters. It was a polar opposite experience from my first reading! I’m sold.
the bottom line…
There’s a lot going on in this story as the team is posing as relief volunteers following a devastating earthquake. Things are bad for women on a normal day in this country but now it’s downright awful. I admired how Tess never feared doing the job under extreme circumstances and used her head to work through some dicey moments. Nash has layers of complexity behind a movie star handsome face and he’s never been with someone like Tess. I enjoyed their messiness in the midst of a hard assignment. The first time I read this story, I came away underwhelmed, not really liking Nash and ambivalent about Tess. The audio version delivered quite a different experience in a good way. I not only liked Nash, I adored him. And don’t get me started on Tess. She rocked! Welcome to Troubleshooters!
Posted on Blue Mood Café
Tom Paoletti, former Lieutenant Commander over Navy SEAL Team 16, has resigned his commission and formed Troubleshooters, Inc., a security “consulting” firm. He’s already signed Alyssa Locke as his #2 and Executive Officer, along with Sam Starrett and a few others. His latest hopefuls are Jimmy Nash and Larry Decker, both working as field agents for a top secret government agency, who Tom has recruited for a dangerous assignment in Kazbekistan. Decker is a former Navy SEAL and Nash…, well, he’s got a sketchy history. Tom’s also signed on Tess Bailey who worked for the same agency but in a support role. Tess and Nash have a history that didn’t end so well but she’s moved on. Nash, however, is struggling with his own conflicting feelings about her and his opposition to her being in the field for the first time in a country that has no value of women.
the heart of the story…
The series makes a hard turn with this story, focusing on Tom’s new firm. Jimmy Nash, Larry Decker and Tess Bailey are new characters who were introduced at the beginning when they were working at the agency. Smart move because I got to know them and their backstories (some of it) before they were sent on the Kazbekistan assignment. I really liked Tess who was a communications tech whiz whose skills were superb and critical. She more than held her own and proved she deserved being in the field. Her relationship with Nash couldn’t have been more complicated as this man had lots of deeply rooted baggage. Their romance was rocky as they were thrust in the middle of a bad environment, trying to do their jobs while faking a marriage and struggling with real feelings. Meanwhile, Decker is having his own issues when he mistakenly believes a woman he encounters, Sophia Ghaffari, to be a thieving prostitute instead of a former asset who’s trying to escape the country after having been held captive.
the narration…
This is my first time listening to the dual narrators for the series and it made such a difference from my first time reading this story years ago. The transitions were smooth and Lawlor does a great job managing so many characters. It was a polar opposite experience from my first reading! I’m sold.
the bottom line…
There’s a lot going on in this story as the team is posing as relief volunteers following a devastating earthquake. Things are bad for women on a normal day in this country but now it’s downright awful. I admired how Tess never feared doing the job under extreme circumstances and used her head to work through some dicey moments. Nash has layers of complexity behind a movie star handsome face and he’s never been with someone like Tess. I enjoyed their messiness in the midst of a hard assignment. The first time I read this story, I came away underwhelmed, not really liking Nash and ambivalent about Tess. The audio version delivered quite a different experience in a good way. I not only liked Nash, I adored him. And don’t get me started on Tess. She rocked! Welcome to Troubleshooters!
Posted on Blue Mood Café
July 14, 2022
Jimmy Nash and Lawrence Decker work undercover for the CIA. They both leave the Agency after an incident where they were deemed expendable. A major earthquake in the country of Kazbekistan has caused the war-torn country to open its borders for aid. This gives Tom Paoletti's group, Troubleshooters, Inc., a chance to enter the country posing as relief workers. Their mission is to find the laptop of an al-Queda operative who was killed in the earthquake. Nash and Decker are part of the group infiltrating the country. Another member is computer expert Tess Bailey. Tess and Nash had a one night of passion before he left the agency, never to be heard from again. Now they must pose as husband and wife as they fulfill their mission to recover the missing laptop.
This is the seventh book in the Troubleshooters series, but the first book where the Troubleshooters are not part of a Navy SEAL team. We have a lot of brand new characters in this book, including Nash, Decker and Tess. Even though I didn't know these characters, I was pulled right into the story and couldn't put it down. My rating: 5 Stars.
2022 Re-read: I am re-reading this series with a Goodreads group and enjoying it immensely. This story was just as good as the first time around. I listened to the audiobook and cannot say enough good things about it. This is still a 5-Star book.
This is the seventh book in the Troubleshooters series, but the first book where the Troubleshooters are not part of a Navy SEAL team. We have a lot of brand new characters in this book, including Nash, Decker and Tess. Even though I didn't know these characters, I was pulled right into the story and couldn't put it down. My rating: 5 Stars.
2022 Re-read: I am re-reading this series with a Goodreads group and enjoying it immensely. This story was just as good as the first time around. I listened to the audiobook and cannot say enough good things about it. This is still a 5-Star book.
March 1, 2018
Lo cierto es que se me ha hecho algo pesado. Le falta mucha chispa para para ser una novela de acción romántica
Los personajes no me han parecido nada atrayentes. en realidad la sensación que me ha dado es que él se enamora de ella porque tiene unos buenos senos y ella no tengo nada claro porqué se enamora de él, parece ser que sin conocerlo y solo leyendo la ficha de su historial
La trama podría ser muy interesante pero al estilo de la altura le ha faltado toda la agilidad, el suspense y el agarre que encontré en la otra novela que leí de ella. A ver qué tal las siguientes entregas.
La relación entre ellos se consolida en apenas un par de encuentros sexuales, casi me ha parecido mucho más interesante la relación secundaria que aparece de la que no sé si hay novela propia o no.
En general una novela que se me ha hecho muy cuesta arriba, le falta mucho ritmo. El romance es algo totalmente secundario y para creérselo hay que dar un salto de fe y me daría igual si la trama de acción me hubiera atrapado, pero siendo un tema tan interesante me ha parecido de lo más soso.
A ver si la serie mejora.
Los personajes no me han parecido nada atrayentes. en realidad la sensación que me ha dado es que él se enamora de ella porque tiene unos buenos senos y ella no tengo nada claro porqué se enamora de él, parece ser que sin conocerlo y solo leyendo la ficha de su historial
La trama podría ser muy interesante pero al estilo de la altura le ha faltado toda la agilidad, el suspense y el agarre que encontré en la otra novela que leí de ella. A ver qué tal las siguientes entregas.
La relación entre ellos se consolida en apenas un par de encuentros sexuales, casi me ha parecido mucho más interesante la relación secundaria que aparece de la que no sé si hay novela propia o no.
En general una novela que se me ha hecho muy cuesta arriba, le falta mucho ritmo. El romance es algo totalmente secundario y para creérselo hay que dar un salto de fe y me daría igual si la trama de acción me hubiera atrapado, pero siendo un tema tan interesante me ha parecido de lo más soso.
A ver si la serie mejora.
November 8, 2018
I'm not going to lie. I was a little ticked off with Suzanne Brockmann for not giving me Max's story next. I desperately need to get to Max and she threw Nash and Decker at me first and I didn't even care. I was tempted to book skip because MAX, but I didn't. Well, as almost always, I was all sorts of wrong. This book was highly entertaining and I couldn't stop reading it.
What was a little different with this instalment in the series is that it was really only one story. Nash and Decker are buds and have a serious bromance going on. We get both of their stories but they are rolled into one. I liked that. I think I was less distracted. In her previous books, there has always been a historical backstory and there wasn't with this. I've always enjoyed that component in this series but I have to say that I didn't really miss it in this book. Another difference was that we really didn't get to see much of the other boys, you know, like Sam and let's say...Max. ;) And again, I was surprisingly okay with it. Nash is a bit of a mess but was funny and tough and I was digging him. I also enjoyed Decker, who reminds me a little of Max, in that he's a calm leader who always tries to do the right thing, until he doesn't.
Like all the other books in the series, this was suspenseful, sexy, a little heart-tugging, and fun. These aren't WOW books but they are completely addictive and I highly recommend them.
Onward!
What was a little different with this instalment in the series is that it was really only one story. Nash and Decker are buds and have a serious bromance going on. We get both of their stories but they are rolled into one. I liked that. I think I was less distracted. In her previous books, there has always been a historical backstory and there wasn't with this. I've always enjoyed that component in this series but I have to say that I didn't really miss it in this book. Another difference was that we really didn't get to see much of the other boys, you know, like Sam and let's say...Max. ;) And again, I was surprisingly okay with it. Nash is a bit of a mess but was funny and tough and I was digging him. I also enjoyed Decker, who reminds me a little of Max, in that he's a calm leader who always tries to do the right thing, until he doesn't.
Like all the other books in the series, this was suspenseful, sexy, a little heart-tugging, and fun. These aren't WOW books but they are completely addictive and I highly recommend them.
Onward!
July 2, 2009
5 stars – Romantic Suspense
This is another great read in the thrilling Troubleshooters series. The formula is somewhat different this time around than the previous 6 books because it marks the beginning of a new stage in the series where missions are carried out by the newly formed Troubleshooters, Inc., which is comprised of former members of SEAL Team 16 and various government agencies.
There are lots of new characters introduced in this story and several of them have key roles in the plot, but the main focus is on former agency operative James/Diego “Jimmy” Nash and computer techie Tess Bailey as they navigate a dangerous mission in Kazbekistan after a recent earthquake to recover the laptop of a top-ranking al-Qaeda leader. Of course, Jimmy and Tess have to deny and fight their explosive chemistry while posing as husband and wife and struggle to stay alive in a volatile, ravaged country.
It’s a fast-paced, complex, and intense suspense thriller, but I thought it was lacking for romance/sex. I would have liked more appearances and involvement from other series characters from previous books. Although I didn’t enjoy it as much as some of the previous books in the series, Brockmann’s writing is still top-notch and there was plenty of drama, action, and suspense to keep me flipping pages and to keep me reading this series.
This is another great read in the thrilling Troubleshooters series. The formula is somewhat different this time around than the previous 6 books because it marks the beginning of a new stage in the series where missions are carried out by the newly formed Troubleshooters, Inc., which is comprised of former members of SEAL Team 16 and various government agencies.
There are lots of new characters introduced in this story and several of them have key roles in the plot, but the main focus is on former agency operative James/Diego “Jimmy” Nash and computer techie Tess Bailey as they navigate a dangerous mission in Kazbekistan after a recent earthquake to recover the laptop of a top-ranking al-Qaeda leader. Of course, Jimmy and Tess have to deny and fight their explosive chemistry while posing as husband and wife and struggle to stay alive in a volatile, ravaged country.
It’s a fast-paced, complex, and intense suspense thriller, but I thought it was lacking for romance/sex. I would have liked more appearances and involvement from other series characters from previous books. Although I didn’t enjoy it as much as some of the previous books in the series, Brockmann’s writing is still top-notch and there was plenty of drama, action, and suspense to keep me flipping pages and to keep me reading this series.
January 22, 2013
3.5 stars...
In Flashpoint the seventh book in the highly acclaimed Troubleshooter Series by Suzanne Brockmann we're introduced to a whole new group of heros. Tess is a computer geek who love Buffy the Vampire slayer and has been infatuated with Diego "Jimmy" Nash for a long time. He sits on her desk eating from her little bowl of candies ever time he's in her office to debrief after a mission. Tess is applying to move from behind the computer out into the field, when she hears that Nash's partner Lawrence "Deck" Decker is about the go right into an ambush while undercover, Tess gets ahold of Nash...
Suzanne Brockmann is one of those authors that you can read one of her books, take a break and pick up the next book in the series because she starts all her books off with a bang. You're thrown into this fast paced, detailed story and you love it. You enjoy that she's asking you to have a brain, to know that this information will soon make sense and just to go with it. I did, I went with meeting these new characters that we've never met in the Troubleshooter Series, well all except Tom. In many ways Ms. Brockmann really wowed me with parts of Flashpoint.
Nash is not your typical hero, like many of Brockmann's past males characters he's flawed and not in the looks department but in the truth and honesty department. Know one knows his past, he's never told anyone and keeps his past indiscretions close to the vest for most of this book. In a way this drove me bat shit crazy. I wanted to yell at him to trust Tess because she could be trusted with these secrets but unfortunately it took most of this book for him to realize what he had found in this amazingly smart, confident and beautiful women. Then that's when I fell head over heels in love with Jimmy Nash. There is a moment in Flashpoint where Nash tells Tess his feelings and it's a holy crap, mouth hanging open moment.
Deck, is Nash's partner and friend but for most of this book you wouldn't know if for all the ways Decker bad mouths him. At first I thought they weren't that close, Nash and Deck but once the story progressed and I realized they had been on many missions together and have a long relationship. Deck takes may opportunities to tell Nash what he is doing wrong with Tess and a lot of the time it's true but maybe it's the delivery but it seems so demeaning. Deck is not angel he's made mistakes in the past and in this book, he's going to be a great character to read more about. I loved this description on Deck...
In conclusion, Flashpoint is a solid continuation of the Troubleshooter series, fans will understand the new character and i'm personally excited to see what happens to some of the new ones we've met... Sophia and Deck to start off. This is a series that is always a fun light read. Some characters hold a special place in your heart, Max and Gina, a story I cannot wait to read.
He wanted her with a sudden sharpness that triggered an equally powerful realization. It was so strong it nearly made him stagger.
In Flashpoint the seventh book in the highly acclaimed Troubleshooter Series by Suzanne Brockmann we're introduced to a whole new group of heros. Tess is a computer geek who love Buffy the Vampire slayer and has been infatuated with Diego "Jimmy" Nash for a long time. He sits on her desk eating from her little bowl of candies ever time he's in her office to debrief after a mission. Tess is applying to move from behind the computer out into the field, when she hears that Nash's partner Lawrence "Deck" Decker is about the go right into an ambush while undercover, Tess gets ahold of Nash...
Suzanne Brockmann is one of those authors that you can read one of her books, take a break and pick up the next book in the series because she starts all her books off with a bang. You're thrown into this fast paced, detailed story and you love it. You enjoy that she's asking you to have a brain, to know that this information will soon make sense and just to go with it. I did, I went with meeting these new characters that we've never met in the Troubleshooter Series, well all except Tom. In many ways Ms. Brockmann really wowed me with parts of Flashpoint.
Tess pulled off her T-shirt, took off her bra, and handed both to him. “What message should I give him?” she asked. Nash looked at her, looked at the shirt and wispy lace of bra dangling from his hand, looked at her again. Looked at her. “Jeez, Bailey.”
Nash is not your typical hero, like many of Brockmann's past males characters he's flawed and not in the looks department but in the truth and honesty department. Know one knows his past, he's never told anyone and keeps his past indiscretions close to the vest for most of this book. In a way this drove me bat shit crazy. I wanted to yell at him to trust Tess because she could be trusted with these secrets but unfortunately it took most of this book for him to realize what he had found in this amazingly smart, confident and beautiful women. Then that's when I fell head over heels in love with Jimmy Nash. There is a moment in Flashpoint where Nash tells Tess his feelings and it's a holy crap, mouth hanging open moment.
Smart man, he’d noticed that she hadn’t actually said yes to any kind of a relationship. Stupid man, he didn’t realize that they already had a relationship.
Deck, is Nash's partner and friend but for most of this book you wouldn't know if for all the ways Decker bad mouths him. At first I thought they weren't that close, Nash and Deck but once the story progressed and I realized they had been on many missions together and have a long relationship. Deck takes may opportunities to tell Nash what he is doing wrong with Tess and a lot of the time it's true but maybe it's the delivery but it seems so demeaning. Deck is not angel he's made mistakes in the past and in this book, he's going to be a great character to read more about. I loved this description on Deck...
Then, as he did now, he’d looked American. Quietly strong and confident, with a nearly visible aura shimmering around him that spoke of a life lived with freedom from fear. Freedom and orthodontists for all—her team leader had a truly American smile with straight white teeth.
In conclusion, Flashpoint is a solid continuation of the Troubleshooter series, fans will understand the new character and i'm personally excited to see what happens to some of the new ones we've met... Sophia and Deck to start off. This is a series that is always a fun light read. Some characters hold a special place in your heart, Max and Gina, a story I cannot wait to read.
September 7, 2016
Previously having read this author's book The Admiral's Bride, I was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. There was little chemistry between the main couple for me (even though they **** like bunnies!). The only bright points were the characters of Khalid, Sophia, and Decker.
June 3, 2020
3.5 stars.
July 20, 2022
Flashpoint
4 Stars
Former Agency operatives Jimmy Nash, Lawrence Decker and Tess Bailey are recruited by Tom Paolett's new private security company, Troubleshooters, Inc. Their mission, should they choose to accept it, is to recover an Al-Quaeda terrorist's laptop. The catch - the laptop is in Kazbekistan, which has recently been ravaged by a devastating earthquake. Cut off from communications and in a country in which human rights are a long forgotten luxury, Nash and Tess, must put aside their fraught history and rely on each other's skills if they, and their team, are to survive.
Brockmann returns to basics with this installment, which introduces a completely new cast of characters alongside one or two familiar faces. While I was initially skeptical about the shift in focus away from Team 16, the gritty setting, compelling plot, and detailed characterization make this series reboot a success.
The infiltration into post-disaster Kazbekistan sets the stage for an intense and suspenseful quest as the team faces not only the obstacles resulting from the destruction left in the wake of the earthquake, but also the danger posed by being American agents in a strict theocracy ruled by avaricious, corrupt, and misogynistic warlords. The atmospheric setting adds another layer of tension to both the mission and the romance.
Unlike the previous books with their multiple storylines, Flashpoint centers on one thread and one romantic relationship even though the events are presented from several POVs. The search for the missing laptop unfolds slowly but surely as the story progresses, and Brockmann's descriptions of the action-packed climactic scenes are riveting.
The character development is the highlight of the book. The strength of the bond of brotherhood between team leader, Deck, and his longtime partner, Nash, is apparent from the outset, and their loyalty to one another rivals that of the members of Team 16. Likewise, the connection between Nash and Tess is palpable. They have excellent chemistry as they try, without much success, to keep their hands off one another. However, it is actually Sophia Ghaffari who evokes the strongest reactions as her courage, resilience, and spirit are simply incredible. One cannot help but respect and root for such a formidable woman.
In sum, an entertaining addition to the series that creates exciting new opportunities and directions for characters both old and new.
4 Stars
Former Agency operatives Jimmy Nash, Lawrence Decker and Tess Bailey are recruited by Tom Paolett's new private security company, Troubleshooters, Inc. Their mission, should they choose to accept it, is to recover an Al-Quaeda terrorist's laptop. The catch - the laptop is in Kazbekistan, which has recently been ravaged by a devastating earthquake. Cut off from communications and in a country in which human rights are a long forgotten luxury, Nash and Tess, must put aside their fraught history and rely on each other's skills if they, and their team, are to survive.
Brockmann returns to basics with this installment, which introduces a completely new cast of characters alongside one or two familiar faces. While I was initially skeptical about the shift in focus away from Team 16, the gritty setting, compelling plot, and detailed characterization make this series reboot a success.
The infiltration into post-disaster Kazbekistan sets the stage for an intense and suspenseful quest as the team faces not only the obstacles resulting from the destruction left in the wake of the earthquake, but also the danger posed by being American agents in a strict theocracy ruled by avaricious, corrupt, and misogynistic warlords. The atmospheric setting adds another layer of tension to both the mission and the romance.
Unlike the previous books with their multiple storylines, Flashpoint centers on one thread and one romantic relationship even though the events are presented from several POVs. The search for the missing laptop unfolds slowly but surely as the story progresses, and Brockmann's descriptions of the action-packed climactic scenes are riveting.
The character development is the highlight of the book. The strength of the bond of brotherhood between team leader, Deck, and his longtime partner, Nash, is apparent from the outset, and their loyalty to one another rivals that of the members of Team 16. Likewise, the connection between Nash and Tess is palpable. They have excellent chemistry as they try, without much success, to keep their hands off one another. However, it is actually Sophia Ghaffari who evokes the strongest reactions as her courage, resilience, and spirit are simply incredible. One cannot help but respect and root for such a formidable woman.
In sum, an entertaining addition to the series that creates exciting new opportunities and directions for characters both old and new.
January 22, 2013
What can I saw about the book 7 of the Troubleshooters series... hmmmm...
Well, first off, there's always about a third of the book where I'm just agitated. It's the recipe for the series to have one character fighting his/her attraction to the other. Someday I'm going to write a romance novel where they just happily fall in love and something ELSE happens to keep them apart. I just want to dive into the pages with a frying pan and lay one of them out. This installment was no different. James 'Diego' Nash truly believes that he's a bad man, and therefore he can't contemplate the idea that a sweet girl from Iowa would ever choose to be with him or that he could be worthy of her. I wanted to take that frying pan to Nash for pushing Tess away with cruel words, and I wanted to give Tess a good one for not recognizing that he was purposely trying to hold her at bay.
BUT, there was no one in this book that I wanted to brain more than Lawrence Decker. Deck, the one who was supposedly Nash's very best friend. They were supposed to be soooo close that they knew when the other was in danger, where Nash goes Deck goes and vice versa. They were inseparable. So why was it that Deck didn't realize how Nash felt about Tess. How could he consistently look at his 'best friend' and think that he was worthless. How could he TELL Tess that he 'thought less of Nash' knowing that Nash could hear him. Throughout the whole book it was Nash rushing to Decks aid to keep him safe. Nash was always arranging time for Deck to sleep. Nash was fretting when Deck seemed overly worried about something Deck was keeping secret. But where was the worry on the flip side? I mean, (not a HUGE spoiler coming up as you find this out pretty quickly, but this is your warning), Nash is purposely reckless so that he gets hurt in the field as his version of 'cutting'. Getting physically hurt is easier for him to handle then the emotional hurt that he's piled on himself for years. How is it that DECKER doesn't know this. It took Tess all of one night to figure out, but supposedly Deck and Nash are like 'intuitive twins' or whatever. I'll tell you what, Decker was the most self-centered character in a Troubleshooter book so far. I'm not looking forward to his book.
Okay Peeps, rant over, I swear. Despite all that anger, I actually liked this book. AND the best part was this was a Troubleshooters book that only had one romance! The whole thing was pretty much just Nash and Tess, and that was refreshing. There's a set up there for more, but it's gonna be slow rolling which will be great. Tess and Nash were dense in the biggest sense of the word, but when they realized how they really felt, when Nash gave his big speech, I was grinning and swooning and doing girly hand flutters around the chest cavity region where my heart is. James 'Jimmy' 'Diego' Nash Santucci was one dreamy Alpha man. If Tess had given him up, I'd be happy to take her place!
Great installment. A surprise, seeing as I have my sights set on book nine (Max/Gina and Jones/Molly) and figured books 7 and 8 would just be filler.
Leea, when we moving on?! :)
Well, first off, there's always about a third of the book where I'm just agitated. It's the recipe for the series to have one character fighting his/her attraction to the other. Someday I'm going to write a romance novel where they just happily fall in love and something ELSE happens to keep them apart. I just want to dive into the pages with a frying pan and lay one of them out. This installment was no different. James 'Diego' Nash truly believes that he's a bad man, and therefore he can't contemplate the idea that a sweet girl from Iowa would ever choose to be with him or that he could be worthy of her. I wanted to take that frying pan to Nash for pushing Tess away with cruel words, and I wanted to give Tess a good one for not recognizing that he was purposely trying to hold her at bay.
BUT, there was no one in this book that I wanted to brain more than Lawrence Decker. Deck, the one who was supposedly Nash's very best friend. They were supposed to be soooo close that they knew when the other was in danger, where Nash goes Deck goes and vice versa. They were inseparable. So why was it that Deck didn't realize how Nash felt about Tess. How could he consistently look at his 'best friend' and think that he was worthless. How could he TELL Tess that he 'thought less of Nash' knowing that Nash could hear him. Throughout the whole book it was Nash rushing to Decks aid to keep him safe. Nash was always arranging time for Deck to sleep. Nash was fretting when Deck seemed overly worried about something Deck was keeping secret. But where was the worry on the flip side? I mean, (not a HUGE spoiler coming up as you find this out pretty quickly, but this is your warning), Nash is purposely reckless so that he gets hurt in the field as his version of 'cutting'. Getting physically hurt is easier for him to handle then the emotional hurt that he's piled on himself for years. How is it that DECKER doesn't know this. It took Tess all of one night to figure out, but supposedly Deck and Nash are like 'intuitive twins' or whatever. I'll tell you what, Decker was the most self-centered character in a Troubleshooter book so far. I'm not looking forward to his book.
Okay Peeps, rant over, I swear. Despite all that anger, I actually liked this book. AND the best part was this was a Troubleshooters book that only had one romance! The whole thing was pretty much just Nash and Tess, and that was refreshing. There's a set up there for more, but it's gonna be slow rolling which will be great. Tess and Nash were dense in the biggest sense of the word, but when they realized how they really felt, when Nash gave his big speech, I was grinning and swooning and doing girly hand flutters around the chest cavity region where my heart is. James 'Jimmy' 'Diego' Nash Santucci was one dreamy Alpha man. If Tess had given him up, I'd be happy to take her place!
Great installment. A surprise, seeing as I have my sights set on book nine (Max/Gina and Jones/Molly) and figured books 7 and 8 would just be filler.
Leea, when we moving on?! :)
August 1, 2015
I heard this author’s thrillers could be pretty entertaining, but I was seriously disappointed with this one. A small company of ex-military and CIA guys who take on a covert operations contract work get tapped by the U.S. government to get the goods on an al-Qaeda plot brewing in Kazbekistan. (No, you are not slipping up in your geography—it is just a fictional place, a generic jihadist regime; at this point a few years after 9-11, all those “Stans” kind of blur anyway). The country has just been hit with a big earthquake, so the team of five decides to slip in as relief workers. Their mission is to nab a laptop of a warlord playing ball with the evil team. The intrigue and action is at a low level. The main plot concerns whether a communications specialist woman, one Tess Bailey, can prove herself to the boys as a field operative and whether the inarticulate action hero who once had a one-night stand with her, Jimmy Nash, can develop a decent romantic relationship with her. Another guy on the team, their leader, has to struggle with restraining his lust for a mysterious American woman sought by the warlord who tries to use sex to buy his protection. Will such mushy stuff get in the way of their performance in this hokey Mission Impossible? I am fine with attempts to inject romance into thrillers about the war against terrorism and having the warriors be able to cry once in a while, but this volume of a series didn’t ring my chimes.
February 12, 2010
I only finished this book because am anxious to read Max's story, but the way this story was told made me actually stop reading it more than once. The dynamic from the previous books was missing and the lack of knowledge on these new characters didn't make it any better. The story itself would have been fine on its own, but after reading the first 6 books one after the other it was a bit shocking.
July 30, 2022
Reread 07/30/2022 - I haven't changed any of my original opinions on this book. I listened to the audio for the most part and it was excellent.
At lot of the characters in this book are always sorry about one thing or another. There is a lot of angst in this one that is surprising in this series. The mission also takes a far backseat to the romances. Not my favorite by a long shot.
We get a new cast of characters as Tom Paoletti gets his security firm, Troubleshooters Incorporated, up and running. We meet Jimmy Nash, aka 007, and Tess Bailey who are the romantic couple this time around. Jimmy is a wet work type for the Agency and has issues. Tess is tech support who has a major thing for him. He just thinks she's cute. Lawrence Decker, Deck, is Jimmy's partner and the more restrained, analytical one of the duo. Tess and Jimmy save Deck from a bad situation that the Agency should have taken care of. They all quit the Agency and join up with Tom, but not together, until Tom calls them together and sends them to Kazbekistan to recover a laptop with Al-Quada plans on it. K-stan, the Pit, has had a major earthquake that has opened it to the western world for relief workers only. That is how the team gets in. Once in, they meet others who aid them to recover the computer. Deck has a an intimate encounter with Sophia, an American ex-pat whose husband was beheaded and has been a sex slave for a warlord for 2 months, while trying to obtain information.
At lot of the characters in this book are always sorry about one thing or another. There is a lot of angst in this one that is surprising in this series. The mission also takes a far backseat to the romances. Not my favorite by a long shot.
We get a new cast of characters as Tom Paoletti gets his security firm, Troubleshooters Incorporated, up and running. We meet Jimmy Nash, aka 007, and Tess Bailey who are the romantic couple this time around. Jimmy is a wet work type for the Agency and has issues. Tess is tech support who has a major thing for him. He just thinks she's cute. Lawrence Decker, Deck, is Jimmy's partner and the more restrained, analytical one of the duo. Tess and Jimmy save Deck from a bad situation that the Agency should have taken care of. They all quit the Agency and join up with Tom, but not together, until Tom calls them together and sends them to Kazbekistan to recover a laptop with Al-Quada plans on it. K-stan, the Pit, has had a major earthquake that has opened it to the western world for relief workers only. That is how the team gets in. Once in, they meet others who aid them to recover the computer. Deck has a an intimate encounter with Sophia, an American ex-pat whose husband was beheaded and has been a sex slave for a warlord for 2 months, while trying to obtain information.
October 28, 2017
Después de un tiempo retomé la serie con muchas ganas pero esta historia no me ha terminado de convencer.
Creo que mi problema con la historia es que comienza con personajes nuevos, cambia la narrativa (desaparecen los paralelismos con historias de la IIGM) y la química de Tess y Jimmy no me ha llegado, aún así espero las historias de Sophia y Decker y si puede ser de Dave (que parece un personaje interesante).
Creo que mi problema con la historia es que comienza con personajes nuevos, cambia la narrativa (desaparecen los paralelismos con historias de la IIGM) y la química de Tess y Jimmy no me ha llegado, aún así espero las historias de Sophia y Decker y si puede ser de Dave (que parece un personaje interesante).
March 21, 2008
7th book in the SEAL Team 16 series.
Hmm...well, what comes to mind to say first about this book is that it was good, if taken simply as a book on it's own, but if you take it as part of a series where 6 books came before it, it was lacking.
Flashpoint begins a new phase in the SEALs series, a serious sharp left hand turn from the previous books. After the events that happened in books 5 & 6, several SEALs and FBI Agents left there jobs - some willingly, some not - and formed a security consultation firm, Troubleshooters Inc (TI). So in this book, instead of being focused on SEAL activity, you have a mission being done by TI. Because of all this, you have not only a new book premise, but also an influx of new characters. All of the main characters in the book were completely new.
The main focus is on Jimmy Nash, a former "Agency" operative who is working for TI now. Then there Tess Bailey, a former "Agency" support staffer who joins TI because she wants to do field work. She and Jimmy had a one night stand 2 months before the book started. Those two, along with a few other agents, have been given an assignment to go to Kazbekistant (fictional country) to retrieve the laptop of an al-Qaeda associate who was killed in a recent earthquake. Once there, they meet Sophia, an American in hiding and in big trouble.
As I said, the book on it's own isn't too bad. The plot was somewhat interesting, and the characters weren't too bad. Tess and Jimmy's romance was fairly decent. On just an overall level, the book kept me reading, but it didn't necessarily have me enthralled.
The problem, though, is that it IS part of a series and Brockmann almost completely disregards everything she set up and did in the previous 6 books. Well, to a certain degree. The idea for TI was born at the end of book 6, so tha was used, but that was about it. She didn't follow the format she'd always used, she didn't utilize all the wonderful characters she'd built up, nothing. It barely felt like the book was connected at all. Tom Paoletti (book 1) has a short appearance at the beginning and the end, because he runs TI, Cosmo Richter, a SEAL has a cameo, and Sam and Alyssa are mentioned once, but that's it. She doesn't even tell us anything about Troubleshooters, only the barest of details. Considering the setup of the book, a more detailed description would have been nice. I missed the historical flashback scenes in this one too.
Overall, the book was a bit of a disappointment. Brockmann should have stuck to the formula that made the other 6 books work.
Hmm...well, what comes to mind to say first about this book is that it was good, if taken simply as a book on it's own, but if you take it as part of a series where 6 books came before it, it was lacking.
Flashpoint begins a new phase in the SEALs series, a serious sharp left hand turn from the previous books. After the events that happened in books 5 & 6, several SEALs and FBI Agents left there jobs - some willingly, some not - and formed a security consultation firm, Troubleshooters Inc (TI). So in this book, instead of being focused on SEAL activity, you have a mission being done by TI. Because of all this, you have not only a new book premise, but also an influx of new characters. All of the main characters in the book were completely new.
The main focus is on Jimmy Nash, a former "Agency" operative who is working for TI now. Then there Tess Bailey, a former "Agency" support staffer who joins TI because she wants to do field work. She and Jimmy had a one night stand 2 months before the book started. Those two, along with a few other agents, have been given an assignment to go to Kazbekistant (fictional country) to retrieve the laptop of an al-Qaeda associate who was killed in a recent earthquake. Once there, they meet Sophia, an American in hiding and in big trouble.
As I said, the book on it's own isn't too bad. The plot was somewhat interesting, and the characters weren't too bad. Tess and Jimmy's romance was fairly decent. On just an overall level, the book kept me reading, but it didn't necessarily have me enthralled.
The problem, though, is that it IS part of a series and Brockmann almost completely disregards everything she set up and did in the previous 6 books. Well, to a certain degree. The idea for TI was born at the end of book 6, so tha was used, but that was about it. She didn't follow the format she'd always used, she didn't utilize all the wonderful characters she'd built up, nothing. It barely felt like the book was connected at all. Tom Paoletti (book 1) has a short appearance at the beginning and the end, because he runs TI, Cosmo Richter, a SEAL has a cameo, and Sam and Alyssa are mentioned once, but that's it. She doesn't even tell us anything about Troubleshooters, only the barest of details. Considering the setup of the book, a more detailed description would have been nice. I missed the historical flashback scenes in this one too.
Overall, the book was a bit of a disappointment. Brockmann should have stuck to the formula that made the other 6 books work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2012
You know it's hard when a book like this comes in the middle of the series. This is like a series reboot essentially. This book was difficult because EVERYTHING changed with this book.
The format of the storytelling was different:
Romance: instead of there being a main romance, a WW2 romance, and a secondary romance, plus a possible set up for a future book, there was just one sort of main romance and one sort of maybe set up for something later. Basically the romance was a generic girl and boy hook up and then try to decide if a relationship can be forged from the one ashes of a one night stand.
Characters/Settings: All those Navy Seals from Troubleshooter team 16 are missing in this book, and when there is finally a brief encounter with the Seals our main characters don't know them and I couldn't tell who they were based on the subjective descriptions. Tom is there incidentally but mostly he's just mentioned as the big boss. This is all because this book is set at Tom Paoletti's new venture: Troubleshooters Inc.
I think what would have been not so drastic of a change and to ease the way in to this new phase would have been maybe take some of our old favorites that maybe moved to Troubleshooters Inc (since right now we aren't even sure who works there besides Alyssa & Tom). Maybe introduce some of these characters then get to their story. I understand that part of this story was the bromance between the two partners, but it all could have been handled so differently. The whole book was set in Kazbekistan for the most part so there wasn't even a chance of see familiar faces.
Anyway, I think I would have felt differently if I had read this book on it's own (not part of this series) or if this was the first book in the series, but the fact that this is the 7th book in what had been up until this point a pretty cohesive series, it was disorienting and hard to get into and I really couldn't wait for it to be over.
The format of the storytelling was different:
Romance: instead of there being a main romance, a WW2 romance, and a secondary romance, plus a possible set up for a future book, there was just one sort of main romance and one sort of maybe set up for something later. Basically the romance was a generic girl and boy hook up and then try to decide if a relationship can be forged from the one ashes of a one night stand.
Characters/Settings: All those Navy Seals from Troubleshooter team 16 are missing in this book, and when there is finally a brief encounter with the Seals our main characters don't know them and I couldn't tell who they were based on the subjective descriptions. Tom is there incidentally but mostly he's just mentioned as the big boss. This is all because this book is set at Tom Paoletti's new venture: Troubleshooters Inc.
I think what would have been not so drastic of a change and to ease the way in to this new phase would have been maybe take some of our old favorites that maybe moved to Troubleshooters Inc (since right now we aren't even sure who works there besides Alyssa & Tom). Maybe introduce some of these characters then get to their story. I understand that part of this story was the bromance between the two partners, but it all could have been handled so differently. The whole book was set in Kazbekistan for the most part so there wasn't even a chance of see familiar faces.
Anyway, I think I would have felt differently if I had read this book on it's own (not part of this series) or if this was the first book in the series, but the fact that this is the 7th book in what had been up until this point a pretty cohesive series, it was disorienting and hard to get into and I really couldn't wait for it to be over.
February 12, 2017
It was a fantastic story and the characters were amazing, but I was totally lost! What the hey happened? It was a completely new cast. It felt like a different series, totally disconnected from the previous stories- I mean, there's a brave hero and heroine, a dangerous operation over seas, a kickass team leader, which is SB's Troubleshooters' formula, but there was a huge time jump and many events happened off the page. We are supposed to assume that Pauletti and others left the SEALs, that he established his agency, that Alyssa left the CIA, and that Tom has taken on so many clients that he is already handling several operations at the same time. We hardly see him or any of the other guys. It was a rough transition, like it's out of order or was just plucked there as filler. Shame, I really like the new characters. Bring Max's and Gina's story on!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2018
This would still provide an entertaining romantic suspense story to those looking specifically for this genre, but I didn't enjoy this installment nearly as much as some of the previous books in the series. Part of this was definitely due to the fact that all the characters were new, whereas in the previous installments, it was basically a soap opera and there would always be a little bit of development on storylines of characters the reader had met in previous installments. This volume was also lacking an overlapping historical storyline, so it didn't have as much depth.
Aside from the fact that it didn't contain the elements from previous novels in the series that have hooked me, I wasn't thrilled with the story. The representation of a fake Middle Eastern country that has been taken over by an extreme, oppressive Islamic regime seemed to feed stereotypes, as well as feelings of moral and 'Murica first superiority, that I'm afraid that he majority of white America has about Islam and the Middle East. It's a small thing, but it annoyed the sh*t out of me that the author manages to use the word "burqa" dozens of times, as well as emphasize how they can be used dangerously as disguises, but never manages to use the word "hijab," always saying "scarf," as if using a "too foreign" sounding word in a neutral (as opposed to "Aren't burqas oppressive and dangerous?") way would make her target audience's heads hurt or something.
For those who are reading this series for the steamy bits, there aren't as many, or as long, of these sections as in some of the previous books.
Aside from the fact that it didn't contain the elements from previous novels in the series that have hooked me, I wasn't thrilled with the story. The representation of a fake Middle Eastern country that has been taken over by an extreme, oppressive Islamic regime seemed to feed stereotypes, as well as feelings of moral and 'Murica first superiority, that I'm afraid that he majority of white America has about Islam and the Middle East. It's a small thing, but it annoyed the sh*t out of me that the author manages to use the word "burqa" dozens of times, as well as emphasize how they can be used dangerously as disguises, but never manages to use the word "hijab," always saying "scarf," as if using a "too foreign" sounding word in a neutral (as opposed to "Aren't burqas oppressive and dangerous?") way would make her target audience's heads hurt or something.
For those who are reading this series for the steamy bits, there aren't as many, or as long, of these sections as in some of the previous books.
July 11, 2016
3.5 stars, raising to 4 stars.
I do get tired of romances where one or both people in the couple feels he or she is "not worthy" of the beloved, or is a commitment phobe for similar reasons. There was much more of this here than in previous books in this series. The proportion of pages spent on angsty romance to action and suspense is heavily weighted on romance. There is also no WW II story included.
At the end of my library's hard copy book, there is a (very) short story about Sam and Alyssa on a mission to find a missing woman. It was too short to discuss. Maybe it added a modicum of a view of their work together as a married couple.
I'm still hoping for Max's story to show up, and I'm reading this series with a group, so I'll look forward to August's read and hope I can give it a more solid positive rating.
I do get tired of romances where one or both people in the couple feels he or she is "not worthy" of the beloved, or is a commitment phobe for similar reasons. There was much more of this here than in previous books in this series. The proportion of pages spent on angsty romance to action and suspense is heavily weighted on romance. There is also no WW II story included.
At the end of my library's hard copy book, there is a (very) short story about Sam and Alyssa on a mission to find a missing woman. It was too short to discuss. Maybe it added a modicum of a view of their work together as a married couple.
I'm still hoping for Max's story to show up, and I'm reading this series with a group, so I'll look forward to August's read and hope I can give it a more solid positive rating.
September 11, 2015
You know an author is great when after finishing a fantastic six book story arc she can follow it up with another fantastic instalment. Book seven, Flashpoint starts off in a different direction, as Commander Tom Paoletti's Troubleshooters Inc gets off the ground with its first mission. And this means new characters and new dynamics. After the heart stopping action of the previous book I thought Flashpoint was bound to be a let down. But no way, Tess Bailey, James "Diego" Nash and Lawrence Decker and their crew surpassed all my expectations and delivered the character development and action which I've come to expect and love from a Suzanne Brockmann novel.
January 13, 2012
After the huge story in Gone too far, this one is a bit subtle and it seemed to me a bit short but it was good. In this story I fell in love with Sophia, a damaged soul, with a baggage so sad and big, I wonder if she ever will be able to find some happiness.
Truth to be told, I didn't like the main character, Jimmy Nash, so much. I liked the heroine, Tess, a great woman and I'm not so sure Jimmy deserved her.
But my hope are all for Sophia and Deck, another damaged soul. I'll keep my fingers crossed for them!
Truth to be told, I didn't like the main character, Jimmy Nash, so much. I liked the heroine, Tess, a great woman and I'm not so sure Jimmy deserved her.
But my hope are all for Sophia and Deck, another damaged soul. I'll keep my fingers crossed for them!
February 13, 2009
Not one of my favorites because it didn't contain any of the usual team members. The main characters of this one, I didn't know. I might have enjoyed it more if they had been introduced in other books first instead of giving them their own book when they were still unknowns.
June 21, 2013
3.75 stars
there was something missing from this story. I don't know what it was, I did enjoy it but it was lacking substance
there was something missing from this story. I don't know what it was, I did enjoy it but it was lacking substance
June 17, 2022
La 7.ª entrega de los Troubleshooters fue la primera que tradujeron en España, porque somos así de chulos, empezamos las series por donde nos da la gana.
Tom Paoletti y Sam Starrett están empezando su empresa de seguridad privada. Andan reclutando gente. Entre ellos, a antiguos espías como Decker, Nash y Tess. Tess y Nash tuvieron un rollo de una noche. Mala idea, porque él no tiene ni siquiera una vida auténtica que ofrecerle.
Diego, o James, o Jimmy, ¿quién sabe? Su biografía es pura fantasía. No es de extrañar que luego desapareciera de escena.
Habrá intriga, rescates, tensión sexual, personas que fingen ser otras distintas, escenas sexis,… en fin, lo habitual en la autora. Sirve para que pruebes a Brockmann, porque se mantiene bastante bien sola. No es su mejor de la autora, pero entretiene.
Crítica más amplia, en mi blog.
Tom Paoletti y Sam Starrett están empezando su empresa de seguridad privada. Andan reclutando gente. Entre ellos, a antiguos espías como Decker, Nash y Tess. Tess y Nash tuvieron un rollo de una noche. Mala idea, porque él no tiene ni siquiera una vida auténtica que ofrecerle.
Diego, o James, o Jimmy, ¿quién sabe? Su biografía es pura fantasía. No es de extrañar que luego desapareciera de escena.
Habrá intriga, rescates, tensión sexual, personas que fingen ser otras distintas, escenas sexis,… en fin, lo habitual en la autora. Sirve para que pruebes a Brockmann, porque se mantiene bastante bien sola. No es su mejor de la autora, pero entretiene.
Crítica más amplia, en mi blog.
April 10, 2020
A pretty good book. I liked the characters and their personalities. This was interesting, suspenseful, had some action, emotions, a little banter and a good ending. Great for passing time or a lazy-day read. A series I could read. Enjoy
June 18, 2022
3.5 *
Great, as always. Action-packed, witty, fun.
It does have a different feel than previous books.
And, interestingly, no WWII story thread in this one.
Tip to the characters: Seriously. When you have minutes to make a plan and escape, it is not the time to get all meta on your relationship - over and over and over.
Great, as always. Action-packed, witty, fun.
It does have a different feel than previous books.
And, interestingly, no WWII story thread in this one.
Tip to the characters: Seriously. When you have minutes to make a plan and escape, it is not the time to get all meta on your relationship - over and over and over.
July 26, 2013
My eldest daughter expressed surprise on seeing a Suzanne Brockmann book on my kitchen table, telling me that Brockmann writes sex romances (she ought to know, as that is about all she reads). I picked it up from the library as an espionage/mystery because I liked the cover photo, and it moré or less lives up to both sides.
The story features three former members of the CIA, including two hardened fighters and a computer-nerd office girl who wants to be in the field. Following a rather unbelievable adventure, they all get out of the CIA and wind up working together after a while as a special group under the aegis of a private contractor who does CIA-type work for hire. The storyline is that one of the top men in Al Kyder has died in an earthquake in the backward country of Kazbekestan, ruled by a vicious warlord who happened to get educated in America—and who got stabbed in the back during the earthquake by a woman he took over after cutting her husband’s head off at a dinner party a couple months previously; she escapes into the night and his followers and most everyone else are looking for her, with a $100,000 price on her head, when our three heroes/heroine come traipsing in disguised as relief workers, with their real job being (1) to find the missing lap top left behind by the Al Khyder guy and (2) to find a CIA contact who has suddenly gone silent—and who just happens to be the fellow whose head was cut off a couple months previously by the reigning warlord, and who, it turns out, was just a front man for his wife. Lots of action! And sex? Oh, yes—rather blatantly so, every few chapters.
I find the story line absolutely unbelievable, but I have to admit the thing is well written and entertaining.
The story features three former members of the CIA, including two hardened fighters and a computer-nerd office girl who wants to be in the field. Following a rather unbelievable adventure, they all get out of the CIA and wind up working together after a while as a special group under the aegis of a private contractor who does CIA-type work for hire. The storyline is that one of the top men in Al Kyder has died in an earthquake in the backward country of Kazbekestan, ruled by a vicious warlord who happened to get educated in America—and who got stabbed in the back during the earthquake by a woman he took over after cutting her husband’s head off at a dinner party a couple months previously; she escapes into the night and his followers and most everyone else are looking for her, with a $100,000 price on her head, when our three heroes/heroine come traipsing in disguised as relief workers, with their real job being (1) to find the missing lap top left behind by the Al Khyder guy and (2) to find a CIA contact who has suddenly gone silent—and who just happens to be the fellow whose head was cut off a couple months previously by the reigning warlord, and who, it turns out, was just a front man for his wife. Lots of action! And sex? Oh, yes—rather blatantly so, every few chapters.
I find the story line absolutely unbelievable, but I have to admit the thing is well written and entertaining.
August 23, 2010
3.5 Stars
This book introduces a new cast of characters to the Troubleshooters series, which I found a bit confusing at first as this book immediatly jumps straight in to action, and I was wondering, "Who the hell are these people, and what have they done with the Troubleshooters?!" However, once I got into the story I enjoyed reaing about the new characters and their connections. The focus of this story was of two of the new characters, Tess Bailey, and Jimmy Nash.
I actually found it hard to warm up to Nash, he had the typical tortured-hero-who-hates-himself-and-doesn't-think-he's-good-enough complex, which I normally lap up, but I just found myself a bit indifferent to him. As for Tess, she was okay I liked her well enough, but she didn't really stand out. The romance between them was okay you could see the attraction, but it never really pulled me in.
However, as ever in Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter series, there are also parellel threads running through, that saved this from getting a 2.5 Star review. I liked Decker, and Dave, two of the new guys, and I look forward to reading more about them. Sophia was also a new female character, who I really liked, and when you realize what she has been through I really hope she gets a HEA (with Decker!) This book was also well paced and had some action going through it aswell that I also liked reading.
This isn't one of my favourite books in the series, but it was an enjoyable read, but I guess following Sam and Alyssa book, it paled in comparison.
This book introduces a new cast of characters to the Troubleshooters series, which I found a bit confusing at first as this book immediatly jumps straight in to action, and I was wondering, "Who the hell are these people, and what have they done with the Troubleshooters?!" However, once I got into the story I enjoyed reaing about the new characters and their connections. The focus of this story was of two of the new characters, Tess Bailey, and Jimmy Nash.
I actually found it hard to warm up to Nash, he had the typical tortured-hero-who-hates-himself-and-doesn't-think-he's-good-enough complex, which I normally lap up, but I just found myself a bit indifferent to him. As for Tess, she was okay I liked her well enough, but she didn't really stand out. The romance between them was okay you could see the attraction, but it never really pulled me in.
However, as ever in Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter series, there are also parellel threads running through, that saved this from getting a 2.5 Star review. I liked Decker, and Dave, two of the new guys, and I look forward to reading more about them. Sophia was also a new female character, who I really liked, and when you realize what she has been through I really hope she gets a HEA (with Decker!) This book was also well paced and had some action going through it aswell that I also liked reading.
This isn't one of my favourite books in the series, but it was an enjoyable read, but I guess following Sam and Alyssa book, it paled in comparison.
April 28, 2010
Although I really liked this book, there was just something about it that I can't give it all five stars. I think it was that when writing a conversation between the main characters, Nash and Tess, she would rarely finish sentences. Saying something like, "I just can't tell you about.....". It really got annoying! Some thing else, that I hadn't noticed in any of her other books, Is that there wasn't very much specific detail about the things that they were doing. Like if they kissed, it just said that they kissed, or if they were setting an explosive, there were not details about what was happening. I realize that too much of that can be annoying, but a little detail makes things come to life.
The love story of Nash and Tess was really nice. I liked both characters. Nash is a man with issues and Tess is a woman smart enough to try to get around those issues. Nash was really interesting. I was hopeing that she would develop this character more, maybe have him show up in another book. I did like that there was a dynamic between Nash and the team leader Decker where Decker could very well be in love with Tess. But when another woman character is introduced she could have become a love interest for him, but wasn't. I think that there were things that could very well have been explored there and made into something.
Overall, definately worth the read, but not her best.
The love story of Nash and Tess was really nice. I liked both characters. Nash is a man with issues and Tess is a woman smart enough to try to get around those issues. Nash was really interesting. I was hopeing that she would develop this character more, maybe have him show up in another book. I did like that there was a dynamic between Nash and the team leader Decker where Decker could very well be in love with Tess. But when another woman character is introduced she could have become a love interest for him, but wasn't. I think that there were things that could very well have been explored there and made into something.
Overall, definately worth the read, but not her best.
June 19, 2014
This book is clearly a turning point in the series, as it is the first in which some of the Seals from Team 16 have set their own company and work independently. Therefore there are some new entries with different profiles and experience. The hero and his long-time partner make their entrance here, accompanied with a Seal whose name I had just read once or twice before. The hero is a very black character, much blacker, more secretive and tortured than usual. He's not a former Seal, marine and more used to gray shady organization, whose objectives he never could be sure of, which did not help him feel good and confident about contributing only to the greater good. Self-doubt and self-deprecation are very high on his mind, though he would never admit it.
I really liked the heroine, whose real strengths get revealed bit by bits, while everyone, including the good guys and the unsuspecting reader, took her for less than she was.
The entry of Sophia Ghaffari was just short of a shock, also extremely black.
This book was clearly focused on presenting new characters, building expectations for future relationships, and less on developing a full-fledge romance between the 2 lead characters. And it left me thinking that Tess deserved a bit better in the romance department at the end of the book, though she got what she asked for and should not be short-changed in the future.
I really liked the heroine, whose real strengths get revealed bit by bits, while everyone, including the good guys and the unsuspecting reader, took her for less than she was.
The entry of Sophia Ghaffari was just short of a shock, also extremely black.
This book was clearly focused on presenting new characters, building expectations for future relationships, and less on developing a full-fledge romance between the 2 lead characters. And it left me thinking that Tess deserved a bit better in the romance department at the end of the book, though she got what she asked for and should not be short-changed in the future.
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