Out of the Blue

Stewart Sisters #2

by JoAnn Ross

"Continuing her sparkling, sexy Stewart Sisters trilogy, bestselling author JoAnn Ross pens a romantic suspense story set in the glorious Great Smoky Mountains, where a tough man and a passionate woman find love amid danger."Lark Stewart is on the run from a singing career that skyrocketed out of control...and from someone who's bent on murder. When one of her band members is killed in New Orleans, Lucas McCloud -- her first love and a former FBI agent -- takes Lark home. But the remote Stewart family resort offers no protection from the madman who's working his way across the mountains.

A Desert Storm hero and FBI sniper, Lucas is haunted by a tragic mission in his past. But with the mysterious killer stalking Lark, Lucas is forced back into the life he left behind. For Lark is the only woman he's ever loved, and the only person who can save his soul...provided he saves her first.

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Suspense, Fiction, Mystery

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

New York Times bestselling author JoAnn Ross has written over a hundred novels for a bunch of publishers. Two of her titles have been excerpted in Cosmo and her books have also been published by the Doubleday, Rhapsody, Literary Guild, and Mystery Guild book clubs.

A member of the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors, she's won several awards, including Romantic Times's Career Achievement Awards in both category and contemporary single title.

Currently writing a new Honeymoon Harbor series for HQN set on the Washington peninsula, that will launch in April, 2018, JoAnn lives with her husband (her high school sweetheart, who proposed at the sea wall where her Shelter Bay books are set), in the Pacific Northwest.

Reviews

[Shelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I almost gave this book 4 stars. It was going to be until the last 20 or so pages. First, let me say I really liked the plot (until the end) and the characters. The book moved at a great pace and kept my interest. The characters, as in the first book, were really well written. Now, about the end. I felt one plot line ended really abrubtly and the other came out of nowhere. I like a good twist as well as the next person, but this felt out of place. But I am looking forward to the last book!

[Gowe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This just... ENDS. The setup was long and beautiful, but then it amounts to nothing, then we get a hasty last minute plot twist that is resolved in 20 seconds, then the book just. ENDS.

I'll give two stars because I enjoyed most of the book, even though there was more fluff than I thought necessary. But the last 3-4 chapters dampened the overall experience of this otherwise good story.

[Joyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

Out of the Blue is book 2 in the Stewart Sisters trilogy by JoAnn Ross. This book is very different from book 1 Out of the Mist in that it mostly takes place in New Orleans and we see very little of the rest of the Stewart clan. This is more of a romantic suspense, where book 1 was more romance and less suspense.
Lark is the kind of heroine who drives me crazy because she is hell-bent on being independent and “in-control” even though she is in danger, and thus puts herself in even more danger by her actions. Because of this, I didn’t like her and when I don’t like the main character, I find it hard to like the book.
The lead-up to the big crisis was quite long and I was dreading the part where William Guest caught up to Lark, but the ending was quite abrupt (Hey, I just realized where the title Out of the Blue came from! LOL) and I would have liked a little more detail around the ending.

[Jina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly I wasn't surprised that Ryan turned out to be a baddie before the reveal. There was something about him in his earlier scenes that had my spidey senses tingling. My only peeve was that I wished that it was Lark that got to take out Guest because of all the horror he put her through and while I knew it was unlikely, considering how delusional he was, if she had been the one to shoot and kill the S.O.B., she had a chance to break his damn illusion and make him understand that the have no understanding and that she always hated him.

[Cris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read at least 10 other books between the time I started reading this book and the time I finished. Despite really liking the beautiful way the author describes the town and the supporting characters, I just couldn’t make myself care about Lark. Maybe if I had read the first in the series?

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love her writing!

The characters have very real problems,that a lot of readers can absolutely relate too. Can't wait to read next one!

[Anne Tavares-Buker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfocused

Story was all over the place. Lots of irrelevant filler to make it longer, then ends abruptly. Too bad, because the plot is very good.

[Karen DeCarlo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Out of the Blue. JoAnn Ross did a great job of combining mystery and romance. The ending was a complete surprise to me.

[Catisha Scavairello · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK story. I loved the bits and pieces of humor.

[Gayathri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read the full review at Elgee Writes

Lark Stewart, a singing sensation is out on the run for her life when her band member gets almost killed.
 
Lucas McCloud, former FBI sniper and Lark's first love and her best friend arrives to take her home - to safety.

The killer isn't stopped by the distance and the dark mountains, but continues to follow her.
 
Lark and her dangerous past continues to haunt her and she knows it would not let her rest till it is put down once and for all. Lark's ex-husband Cody and her stalker William Guest, a doctor turned narcotic psychopath doesn't make her run smooth.
 
The former lovers try to fight back their emotions and move on to save their skins. But can they?
 
Bottomline:
A true chick-lit fit for cozy-rainy-day read romantic and fast paced - keeps it warmth till the end.

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[JoAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second Stewart Sisters book. Lark is found walking around New Orleans. Danny, one of the men in her band, was found with a bullet wound. Lark has amnesia. After a bit, some things start to come back to her but she does not remember the shooting. Who did this?
Lark's Aunt Zelda call Lucas - the man Lark has been in love him her whole life. Things did not work out with them but he still loves her too. Lucas goes to NO to get Lark and make sure she is safe. Then they find out that her stalker is out of jail. Years ago a crazy man thought he was married to Lark and kidnapped her. Now he is free again. Did he shoot Danny? Lucas knows she is not safe!

I liked this story. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series, Out of the Storm.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read. It was completely different from the first book of the series even though it was about Lark Stewart from Highland Falls, one of the three sisters. This book was part romance and part mystery and I liked the way the author was able to combine the two parts into an enjoyable story.

Lark had a stalker who had terrorized her when she was eighteen and before she had become famous. Now, he has escaped prison and was stalking her again, or was he?

Lucas McCloud had loved Lark from childhood but knew they were from two different worlds and he did not want to the be the one who kept Lark from her dream of singing. Now Lucas was back protecting her from anyone who would do her harm.

Great book, great ending.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate when I read a book out of order in a series as I did this one because I feel that I don't have enough background information to truly relate to the characters. Perhaps I just wasn't in the mood for another chick romance novel where the heroine and hero seem to be at odds for most of the book. There was an interesting twist at the end of the story that gave the book some redemption, though.

[Bookabulary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's my attempt at trying out previously unread authors on my part. My streak wasn't looking too good with my historicals that I found at the UBS. So why not try some contemp? I braved this one out even if it has become exceedingly difficult to look for contemps with heroes other than cops, FBI agents or former something-along-that-line.


Read full review on Bookabulary.

[SheLove2Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 of the Stewart Sisters trilogy. This was a nice contemporary read with a sweet romance and just a touch of spice. The mystery was well played and I was genuinely surprised at the "shock" culmination of events. My only hangup was that the ending seemed a bit rushed. Other than that, very nice read.

[Mary Rad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not one to write lengthy reviews. You can read the synopsis anywhere.
I enjoyed this fast read, but disliked the rushed ending. Just as it started to build, it resolved and was over! What's up with that, Ms. Ross? Had a deadline to make? Got a bit irritated with the constant sexual hunger between Lark and Lucas, but, OK, it's a novel.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another loaner from my mother-in-law, another romance/mystery that I probably wouldn't have touched if she hadn't given it to me. It was a quick, fun read but nothing incredibly memorable. A good beach read, though!

[Jackie Winters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of the Blue (Stewart Sisters Trilogy book 2)

This book had me trying to guess what was going on. Mostly I guessed wrong. I loved it. Now ready to start the last one of the trilogy

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thriller

[Karen Barnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Added Ross to my list of authors to read.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story more than the first. Possibly because I liked Lark more. I thought Lucas took too much on himself, but I liked the way he and Lark came together.

overall a good read.

[Shae Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mystery romance with a twist at the end.

[Another]

yuk, not my thing.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughout the whole book it seemed like there was going to be some sort of twist. There was the obvious villain but everything didn't fit. I was surprised but how much I liked this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read. There was an interesting twist at the end which I did not see coming. Looking forward to the last book in this trilogy.

[Rita Mcallister davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't have book 1 but this book is a good read. Lark is being stalked. Lucas has been called in to protect her. They knew each other while growing up.

[Pam Walker]

better than the 1st in the trilogy

[Kathy Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

good

[FirnMamaMakes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not awful but certainly didn't make me upset I missed the first in the series and I won't be looking for the next one either.

[Mary Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good suspenseful romance. I enjoyed the banter between the characters. The story moved along quickly with plenty of adventure.