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The Brodies of Alaska #2
Against the Sky
Unabridged CD Audiobook 10 CDs / 12 hours long... Narated by Jack Garrett
Audio CD
First published January 27, 2015
601 people are currently reading
1628 people want to read
About the author
Kat Martin
188 books3,171 followersKathleen Kelly Martin (aka Kathy Lawrence, Kasey Mars)
Kathleen Kelly was born on 14 July 1947 in the Central Valley of California, USA. She obtained a degree in Anthropology and also studied History at the University of California in Santa Barbara. She was a real estate broker, when she met her future husband, Larry Jay Martin. A short time after the two became acquainted, Larry asked her to read an unpublished manuscript of an historical western he'd written. Kat fell in love with both the book and the author! Then, after doing some editing for him, she thought she'd try her own hand at writing. She moved on to become a full time writer.
Published since 1988, she signed her books with her married name, Kat Martin, but she also used two pseudonyms: Kathy Lawrence for a book in collaboration with her husband Larry Jay Martin, and Kasey Mars for her first contemporary romances. The New York Times bestselling writer, among her many awards, has won the prestigious RT Book Review Magazine Career Achievement Award. To date, Kat has over eleven million copies of her books in print. She has been published in seventeen foreign countries, including England, South Africa, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Bulgaria, China, and Korea.
Currently residing with her husband, a Western-writer and photographer, in Missoula, Montana, USA. But when they are not writing, they also enjoy skiing and traveling, particularly to Europe.
"I've always loved books. I was an avid reader, with any number of my own stories rolling around in my head. Writing them down seemed a logical step."
"I love anything old," Kat says. "I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."
Kathleen Kelly was born on 14 July 1947 in the Central Valley of California, USA. She obtained a degree in Anthropology and also studied History at the University of California in Santa Barbara. She was a real estate broker, when she met her future husband, Larry Jay Martin. A short time after the two became acquainted, Larry asked her to read an unpublished manuscript of an historical western he'd written. Kat fell in love with both the book and the author! Then, after doing some editing for him, she thought she'd try her own hand at writing. She moved on to become a full time writer.
Published since 1988, she signed her books with her married name, Kat Martin, but she also used two pseudonyms: Kathy Lawrence for a book in collaboration with her husband Larry Jay Martin, and Kasey Mars for her first contemporary romances. The New York Times bestselling writer, among her many awards, has won the prestigious RT Book Review Magazine Career Achievement Award. To date, Kat has over eleven million copies of her books in print. She has been published in seventeen foreign countries, including England, South Africa, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Bulgaria, China, and Korea.
Currently residing with her husband, a Western-writer and photographer, in Missoula, Montana, USA. But when they are not writing, they also enjoy skiing and traveling, particularly to Europe.
"I've always loved books. I was an avid reader, with any number of my own stories rolling around in my head. Writing them down seemed a logical step."
"I love anything old," Kat says. "I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
January 21, 2015
****Full Review****
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
After wrapping up an especially horrific case Nick decides to retire as a police detective and find a job that doesn't leave him with nightmares at night. When his brother gifts him with a plane ticket to Las Vegas Nick jumps at the chance to get away. He can't completely turn off his heroism though and ends up saving Samantha from an overzealous drunk in their hotel. Samantha is in town for a pet convention trying to network and get ideas for her pet store. When sexy blue eyed Nick shows up as her prince charming she decides to take a risk and go against her usual answer to one night stands. When their wild weekend produces an unexpected result, Samantha finds herself traveling to Alaska. Suddenly, her and Nick are not only battling what their futures should look like but also the Russian Mob.
Against the Sky had a very clunky start that involved stilted dialogue and scenes, it was as if the writer wanted to get the meet and greet over with so the story could really start to begin. Samantha didn't come off as the most likable character, most of the time she is complaining about how she could never live in Alaska (it never crosses her mind that Nick might move or they could compromise somehow). I know she loves to cook though, as it was mentioned over and over and took up more than half of her storyline with the remaining being her whining about how her and Nick will never work out. Nick is your typical cardboard cut out alpha but I will cut him a little slack as he had a lot on his plate. When his neighbor boy comes over to involve him in what turns out to be Russian mob issues he (reluctantly) shines as he gets to moving and shaking on involving past characters and future heroes to save the day.
There was numerous pointless conversations (hey, there's a new Cabelas in town!) that slowed the pace down in what was suppose to be a murder suspense story; they need to be trimmed. Samantha and Nick's relationship didn't really work for me, it was a lot of "I really like Samantha but she is too girly for Alaska" from Nick and "Nick is so sexy but he needs Alaska to be manly in while I like to shop" from Samantha. The last twenty percent or so picked up immensely with the action involving the Russian mob. Our couple is investigating (I do have to question how Samantha is suddenly a hacker extraordinaire breaking into data bases because she knows how to "work" Google very well) while dodging bullets, and working to save lives. Frankly though, by the time it got to this point I would have rather been reading Connie's (the Russian mob boss who traffics women and children) story, he at least sounds less whiny.
This delicious cover had me having high hopes for it, unfortunately, instead of a sexy thrilling ride I got a bland relaying of facts story that didn't have much passion to it. This is the second in a series featuring brothers and it seems like there are characters from past Martin books, if you're already invested in the family then you'll probably want to see how the youngest brother gets his happily ever after but if you're just jumping in, I'd give this one a pass.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
After wrapping up an especially horrific case Nick decides to retire as a police detective and find a job that doesn't leave him with nightmares at night. When his brother gifts him with a plane ticket to Las Vegas Nick jumps at the chance to get away. He can't completely turn off his heroism though and ends up saving Samantha from an overzealous drunk in their hotel. Samantha is in town for a pet convention trying to network and get ideas for her pet store. When sexy blue eyed Nick shows up as her prince charming she decides to take a risk and go against her usual answer to one night stands. When their wild weekend produces an unexpected result, Samantha finds herself traveling to Alaska. Suddenly, her and Nick are not only battling what their futures should look like but also the Russian Mob.
Against the Sky had a very clunky start that involved stilted dialogue and scenes, it was as if the writer wanted to get the meet and greet over with so the story could really start to begin. Samantha didn't come off as the most likable character, most of the time she is complaining about how she could never live in Alaska (it never crosses her mind that Nick might move or they could compromise somehow). I know she loves to cook though, as it was mentioned over and over and took up more than half of her storyline with the remaining being her whining about how her and Nick will never work out. Nick is your typical cardboard cut out alpha but I will cut him a little slack as he had a lot on his plate. When his neighbor boy comes over to involve him in what turns out to be Russian mob issues he (reluctantly) shines as he gets to moving and shaking on involving past characters and future heroes to save the day.
There was numerous pointless conversations (hey, there's a new Cabelas in town!) that slowed the pace down in what was suppose to be a murder suspense story; they need to be trimmed. Samantha and Nick's relationship didn't really work for me, it was a lot of "I really like Samantha but she is too girly for Alaska" from Nick and "Nick is so sexy but he needs Alaska to be manly in while I like to shop" from Samantha. The last twenty percent or so picked up immensely with the action involving the Russian mob. Our couple is investigating (I do have to question how Samantha is suddenly a hacker extraordinaire breaking into data bases because she knows how to "work" Google very well) while dodging bullets, and working to save lives. Frankly though, by the time it got to this point I would have rather been reading Connie's (the Russian mob boss who traffics women and children) story, he at least sounds less whiny.
This delicious cover had me having high hopes for it, unfortunately, instead of a sexy thrilling ride I got a bland relaying of facts story that didn't have much passion to it. This is the second in a series featuring brothers and it seems like there are characters from past Martin books, if you're already invested in the family then you'll probably want to see how the youngest brother gets his happily ever after but if you're just jumping in, I'd give this one a pass.
January 4, 2015
Kat Martin brings us another Brodie to stare in awe at. Nick is a detective; he’s seen more evil than he cares to think about on his job. A brief trip to Vegas is just what he needs, but he wasn’t prepared for Samantha Hollis or what would become of their hot, one night stand. When the big alpha male invites the strong-willed lady to Alaska, Samantha decides this could be an adventure. She had no idea…aside from discovering she does not want to be stranded in Alaska, murder, mayhem and the Russian mob are sorely testing both of their resolves, just to stay alive. Can Nick protect Samantha? Can Samantha let him? Will love conquer the great divide between a city girl and a warrior who likes his terrain as tough as he is?
Against the Sky by Kat Martin sizzles enough to melt a polar icecap. She allows these two polar opposite to find that elusive chemistry that the world craves, but their differences present enough of a challenge that one wonders I love can conquer all or not. Kick in the suspense and danger from the Russian mob and voila! Romantic suspense! Sure, Samantha was out of her element, to put it mildly, but I almost offered to buy her a ticket out!
Overall, another wonderful hot alpha, hot suspense tale from Kat Martin that threatens to speed up global warming.
I received this ARC edition from Zebra Books and Kat Martin as part of Kat Martin's Review Tour, stopping at Tome Tender January 9, 2015.
Series: Brodies of Alaska - Book 2
Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Print Length: 384 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Against the Sky by Kat Martin sizzles enough to melt a polar icecap. She allows these two polar opposite to find that elusive chemistry that the world craves, but their differences present enough of a challenge that one wonders I love can conquer all or not. Kick in the suspense and danger from the Russian mob and voila! Romantic suspense! Sure, Samantha was out of her element, to put it mildly, but I almost offered to buy her a ticket out!
Overall, another wonderful hot alpha, hot suspense tale from Kat Martin that threatens to speed up global warming.
I received this ARC edition from Zebra Books and Kat Martin as part of Kat Martin's Review Tour, stopping at Tome Tender January 9, 2015.
Series: Brodies of Alaska - Book 2
Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Print Length: 384 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
December 14, 2017
Just as good as the 1st one. On to #3!
dnf
November 29, 2015DNF when the hero decided mid-sex that he didn't need a condom, then just went ahead without so much as a 'hey' to the heroine. Look, buddy, I don't disagree with your reasoning, but fucking ask first.
Story was decent otherwise, but the writing had a tendency to describe every little detail. "He turned the doornob and opened the door and went inside and passed through the bedroom and went into the bathroom and" and yes we get it. There's also a whole lot of annoying "As you know, Bob" between the characters, often detailing things the reader already knows.
And when not plagued with consent issues, the sex is just sort of...short and vague and boring.
Story was decent otherwise, but the writing had a tendency to describe every little detail. "He turned the doornob and opened the door and went inside and passed through the bedroom and went into the bathroom and" and yes we get it. There's also a whole lot of annoying "As you know, Bob" between the characters, often detailing things the reader already knows.
And when not plagued with consent issues, the sex is just sort of...short and vague and boring.
May 6, 2015
ARC review
It wasn't horrible, but it was very uneven. It felt impossibly long to me. More review to come.
It wasn't horrible, but it was very uneven. It felt impossibly long to me. More review to come.
April 13, 2017
“I can find men friends who like to fish, guys who like to ride snowmobiles and climb mountains. I don’t need a woman to do that with me. I need a woman to come home to, one who’ll give me children and make us a family. I love you, Samantha Hollis.” – Nick Brodie
All hail Nick Brodie! Firstcomer of Lydia's Book Boyfriends of '17 list and... Oh, wait, I rushed forward again, didn't I? OK, OK, back from the beginning it is...
Nick Brodie was forced to go on a vacation by his big brother, knowing he needed one and still dreading it. On his trip, he meets Samantha Hollis - and sparks fly all over the place! After a night none of them is able to forget, they meet again, this time on Nick's turf, Alaska, to spend some time together. But Samantha brings an unexpected surprise with her. With what happened between them leaving them in a sudden predicament, and Nick getting involved in a murder investigation despite having retired from the force, can this mountain boy and the city girl he's falling fast in love with find common ground to be together? And will they live long enough to do so, with Russian mobsters after their heads?
I. Am. In. Love with the Brodies! I mean, Dylan was a fine guy, but Nick... Oh, boy, sweet mama, he was simply perfect! Funny, and protective, and possessive, and hot! And all that hidden father material under his carefree attitude... Lord!!! And you ladies need to see for yourselves how much this manly man needed a sweet wife, someone to walk by his side, be strong-willed, but still give him what he had missed the most: a home!
Don't get me wrong, Nick wasn't an old-fashioned dude who believes that women belong in the kitchen, doing nothing but cooking hot meals and popping out children. He just needed someone who would love him and share life's duties with him.
And that girl seemed to be Samantha...
OK, yes, Samantha had everything that Nick wanted in a woman, and then some. But seriously, girl, you have this amazing hunk begging you to be with him, to marry him, have his babies. You have someone like Nick Brodie wanting to give you the world, make you a queen, be at your beck and call - and you throw it all away, multiple times might I add, why?! Because you can't picture yourself living in Alaska! Let me stop you right there. When you love someone as much as you claim to love him, you don't care where you'll live, as long as you're with him. This little "City Princess" act reminded me of Dylan's ex-wife, and was so not appreciated!
The story in itself was amazing and fast-paced, with many moments of action and suspsense. It worked perfectly to spice things up since Nick's relationship with Samantha was pretty well-oiled and they seemed to be awesome together - which again shows what an idiot Samantha was, because she was literally the only thing standing in the way of their happiness!
After Nick's story, I don't know if I'm ready to meet any other Brodie brothers, but heck, I'm willing! That's for certain!
P.S.: I need me some Cord and Mary sidestory, pretty please! They need their HEA, too!!!
“I love you so much, Nick. I’ve been dead without you.” – Samantha Hollis
***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***
Read this and other reviews at: http://cupcakesandpopcorn.wordpress.com/
All hail Nick Brodie! Firstcomer of Lydia's Book Boyfriends of '17 list and... Oh, wait, I rushed forward again, didn't I? OK, OK, back from the beginning it is...
Nick Brodie was forced to go on a vacation by his big brother, knowing he needed one and still dreading it. On his trip, he meets Samantha Hollis - and sparks fly all over the place! After a night none of them is able to forget, they meet again, this time on Nick's turf, Alaska, to spend some time together. But Samantha brings an unexpected surprise with her. With what happened between them leaving them in a sudden predicament, and Nick getting involved in a murder investigation despite having retired from the force, can this mountain boy and the city girl he's falling fast in love with find common ground to be together? And will they live long enough to do so, with Russian mobsters after their heads?
I. Am. In. Love with the Brodies! I mean, Dylan was a fine guy, but Nick... Oh, boy, sweet mama, he was simply perfect! Funny, and protective, and possessive, and hot! And all that hidden father material under his carefree attitude... Lord!!! And you ladies need to see for yourselves how much this manly man needed a sweet wife, someone to walk by his side, be strong-willed, but still give him what he had missed the most: a home!
Don't get me wrong, Nick wasn't an old-fashioned dude who believes that women belong in the kitchen, doing nothing but cooking hot meals and popping out children. He just needed someone who would love him and share life's duties with him.
And that girl seemed to be Samantha...
OK, yes, Samantha had everything that Nick wanted in a woman, and then some. But seriously, girl, you have this amazing hunk begging you to be with him, to marry him, have his babies. You have someone like Nick Brodie wanting to give you the world, make you a queen, be at your beck and call - and you throw it all away, multiple times might I add, why?! Because you can't picture yourself living in Alaska! Let me stop you right there. When you love someone as much as you claim to love him, you don't care where you'll live, as long as you're with him. This little "City Princess" act reminded me of Dylan's ex-wife, and was so not appreciated!
The story in itself was amazing and fast-paced, with many moments of action and suspsense. It worked perfectly to spice things up since Nick's relationship with Samantha was pretty well-oiled and they seemed to be awesome together - which again shows what an idiot Samantha was, because she was literally the only thing standing in the way of their happiness!
After Nick's story, I don't know if I'm ready to meet any other Brodie brothers, but heck, I'm willing! That's for certain!
P.S.: I need me some Cord and Mary sidestory, pretty please! They need their HEA, too!!!
“I love you so much, Nick. I’ve been dead without you.” – Samantha Hollis
***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***
Read this and other reviews at: http://cupcakesandpopcorn.wordpress.com/
January 21, 2015
Nick and Samantha met by chance in Las Vegas. Nick was on a much needed break and Samantha was there for work. But sparks flew from that very first moment and one thing led to another and Samantha finds out she brought home something from that trip. When Nick contacts her, asking her to come to Alaska for a visit, well this is the perfect chance to get to know him better and to give him a bit of news…
Now I feel that there was more suspense instead of romance in this story. I wish it was reversed because I actually am not a fan of suspense novels. I am always in it for the romance. So whenever it was more about the mystery, I just felt the story went a bit slower than I like. That is just me though and if you like romantic suspense, then this is a book you need to get your hands on ASAP!
Against the Sky is the second book in the Brodies of Alaska series. I actually don’t think you need to read the first book (Against the Wild) in order to understand and enjoy this book. If you plan on reading the whole series though, then yes I think you should read them in order. I have always found that to be the more enjoyable approach. I am looking forward to Against the Tide which is set to be released in May 2015.
Now I feel that there was more suspense instead of romance in this story. I wish it was reversed because I actually am not a fan of suspense novels. I am always in it for the romance. So whenever it was more about the mystery, I just felt the story went a bit slower than I like. That is just me though and if you like romantic suspense, then this is a book you need to get your hands on ASAP!
Against the Sky is the second book in the Brodies of Alaska series. I actually don’t think you need to read the first book (Against the Wild) in order to understand and enjoy this book. If you plan on reading the whole series though, then yes I think you should read them in order. I have always found that to be the more enjoyable approach. I am looking forward to Against the Tide which is set to be released in May 2015.
May 23, 2015
Nick Brodie has seen too much. As a police detective in Alaska, he’s seen the worst of the worst and needs a break. His family steps in and surprises him with a trip to Las Vegas. Samantha Hollis is in Las Vegas on business when she meets Nick. Neither of them are looking for forever but even as they agree to the old saying “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” they find themselves wanting more. Even after returning to their respective homes, they can’t stay away from each other and before long Samantha is on a trip to Alaska. Both Nick and Samantha are falling in love but their lifestyles are so different. Can they find a way to be together?
From about the second chapter, I knew that Against the Sky was going to be a Recommended Read! I fell in love with Nick and Samantha, never wanting their story to end. Kat Martin has me addicted with her Brodies of Alaska series. I can’t wait to see whose story will be next!
Reviewed by Melissa for Joyfully Reviewed
Review Link: http://bit.ly/1E9WBCh
From about the second chapter, I knew that Against the Sky was going to be a Recommended Read! I fell in love with Nick and Samantha, never wanting their story to end. Kat Martin has me addicted with her Brodies of Alaska series. I can’t wait to see whose story will be next!
Reviewed by Melissa for Joyfully Reviewed
Review Link: http://bit.ly/1E9WBCh
February 2, 2015
Kat Martin does not disappoint! Ms Martin has written another superb romantic suspense set in Alaska. This one revolves around former Detective Nick Brodie and PR person, Samantha Hollis.
Ms Martin, as always, weaves a tale of suspense and danger, with lots of romance included. Her plot flows and her characters are multidimensional and believable. She grabs you from the veginning, and putting down one of her books is very difficult.
Ms Martin, as always, weaves a tale of suspense and danger, with lots of romance included. Her plot flows and her characters are multidimensional and believable. She grabs you from the veginning, and putting down one of her books is very difficult.
January 19, 2015
Review to follow.....
June 12, 2025
What an absolute tosser. MMC is giving conservative chauvinist which shouldn’t be too surprising since he’s a retired cop. I was excusing a lot because I figured it was written in like 2000 or something but alas it was written in 2015. The vibe is just giving younger people written by an old lady.
The whole book is just them saying the things they don’t like about each other and being confused as to why they’re so attracted to each other — literally all they have is sexual attraction.
Writing isn’t the worst, but it’s definitely awkward and a bit choppy at times.
The whole book is just them saying the things they don’t like about each other and being confused as to why they’re so attracted to each other — literally all they have is sexual attraction.
Writing isn’t the worst, but it’s definitely awkward and a bit choppy at times.
May 14, 2024
Enjoyable. I liked the descriptions of the Alaska landscapes.
April 23, 2015
Title: Against The Sky (The Brodies of Alaska #2)
Author: Kat Martin
Narrators: Jack Garrett
Publisher/Date: Recorded Books February 23, 2015
Format Listened to: Audio CD
This was my first Kat Martin book….I have been meaning to get to one of her books for a while, the book blurbs always sound interesting and the covers are pretty cool. Unfortunately, this one while not horrible….was not great either. It started out great, I loved how Samantha met Nick and the chemistry between them was great while they were in Vegas……once they were both home though…..ARRRRRGGGGGG
So there will be some minor spoilers as there is really no way around it.
Nick gets home and he is visited by Jimmy, the kid somewhat next door who just lost his father. Jimmy tried telling Nick that he thinks his father was murdered and Nick, an ex homicide detective blows him off telling him he needs to get past his fathers death. Seriously….he was a cop, a detective and he just blows off the suspicions as the over active imagination of a young boy looking for a reason why he lost his father….that bugged me (a lot if you can’t tell). Shortly after that, he contacts Samantha to see if she will visit him in Alaska, and she agrees. Samantha….who started out likeable and then turned into…not quite TSTL, but kinda close when she found out she was pregnant. No long after she arrives in Alaska, there was a situation with Jimmy and Nick finally believes that Jimmy may be right in thinking his fathers death was not from natural causes….and then because she knew how to “Google” Sam becomes the super sleuth getting detailed in depth information that jumpstarts the investigation….that just comes off as big contrived thing. We then get the inner monologues for both Nick and Samantha….that was irritating; him “She is to much a girly girl….she would never make it in Alaska….never like it….blah blah blah” her “Nick would never be happy in SF, he is to much a manly man….he needs to be in Alaska to be happy…blah, blah, blah” these inner monologues happened quite a bit, more then really necessary. Everything gets wrapped up and when all is said and done they get their HEA.
What saved this and made it possible to finish was the narration by Jack Garrett, while I’m not always thrilled with how most men do the female voices, he did read the story well and made it much easier to get to the end of Sam and Nick’s story.
I will still try some other Kat Martin stories, this one was really “meh” for me just not sure The Brodies of Alaska is the series for me…or maybe it’s just Samantha and Nick.
Audiobook provided by Recorded Books via Audiobook Jukebox for an honest review
NOTE: The GR blurb on the audiobook version is for a different book in the series...
Author: Kat Martin
Narrators: Jack Garrett
Publisher/Date: Recorded Books February 23, 2015
Format Listened to: Audio CD
This was my first Kat Martin book….I have been meaning to get to one of her books for a while, the book blurbs always sound interesting and the covers are pretty cool. Unfortunately, this one while not horrible….was not great either. It started out great, I loved how Samantha met Nick and the chemistry between them was great while they were in Vegas……once they were both home though…..ARRRRRGGGGGG
So there will be some minor spoilers as there is really no way around it.
Nick gets home and he is visited by Jimmy, the kid somewhat next door who just lost his father. Jimmy tried telling Nick that he thinks his father was murdered and Nick, an ex homicide detective blows him off telling him he needs to get past his fathers death. Seriously….he was a cop, a detective and he just blows off the suspicions as the over active imagination of a young boy looking for a reason why he lost his father….that bugged me (a lot if you can’t tell). Shortly after that, he contacts Samantha to see if she will visit him in Alaska, and she agrees. Samantha….who started out likeable and then turned into…not quite TSTL, but kinda close when she found out she was pregnant. No long after she arrives in Alaska, there was a situation with Jimmy and Nick finally believes that Jimmy may be right in thinking his fathers death was not from natural causes….and then because she knew how to “Google” Sam becomes the super sleuth getting detailed in depth information that jumpstarts the investigation….that just comes off as big contrived thing. We then get the inner monologues for both Nick and Samantha….that was irritating; him “She is to much a girly girl….she would never make it in Alaska….never like it….blah blah blah” her “Nick would never be happy in SF, he is to much a manly man….he needs to be in Alaska to be happy…blah, blah, blah” these inner monologues happened quite a bit, more then really necessary. Everything gets wrapped up and when all is said and done they get their HEA.
What saved this and made it possible to finish was the narration by Jack Garrett, while I’m not always thrilled with how most men do the female voices, he did read the story well and made it much easier to get to the end of Sam and Nick’s story.
I will still try some other Kat Martin stories, this one was really “meh” for me just not sure The Brodies of Alaska is the series for me…or maybe it’s just Samantha and Nick.
Audiobook provided by Recorded Books via Audiobook Jukebox for an honest review
NOTE: The GR blurb on the audiobook version is for a different book in the series...
May 12, 2016
I enjoyed the first part of the book where Nick meets Samantha in Vegas. I really enjoyed this part and was looking forward to where it would go from there. Nick goes back to Alaska and when the neighbor boy tells him he thinks his dad was murdered Nick basically blows him off as not being able to accept his father's death. It's not that I expected Nick to immediately launch an investigation but I didn't like the way this played out and it bothered me. Samantha returns home to California and that's when her character starting to bug me a little as well. Then Nick called and asked her to come to Alaska. Once Samantha arrived in Alaska she basically spent a lot of time whining and worrying that Nick could never be happy anywhere but Alaska. Nick worried that Samantha was too much of a girly girl and wouldn't be happy in Alaska. Of course he was right since Samantha did nothing but complain and whine about how much she didn't like it there.
Then Nick discovers his neighbor's son was correct and maybe his father was murdered so he starts to investigate to find out what really happened. Now here was the truly ridiculous part - all of a sudden Samantha is a hacker, apparently because she uses google all the time in her work - huh? She takes an active role in the investigation by collecting information on-line.
The pacing of this book just didn't work for me. By the time the suspense/action part played into the story I was already bored and didn't really like Samantha anymore. Nick was just an okay hero for me as well and not enough to save this book. It's too bad because I think a story with two really different people trying to find a compromise would have been interesting but neither really even thought to compromise they just continually had inner dialogues about how the other would never fit in their world.
Then Nick discovers his neighbor's son was correct and maybe his father was murdered so he starts to investigate to find out what really happened. Now here was the truly ridiculous part - all of a sudden Samantha is a hacker, apparently because she uses google all the time in her work - huh? She takes an active role in the investigation by collecting information on-line.
The pacing of this book just didn't work for me. By the time the suspense/action part played into the story I was already bored and didn't really like Samantha anymore. Nick was just an okay hero for me as well and not enough to save this book. It's too bad because I think a story with two really different people trying to find a compromise would have been interesting but neither really even thought to compromise they just continually had inner dialogues about how the other would never fit in their world.
March 8, 2022
Ex-cop Nick has a vacation fling in Vegas with Samantha. He lives in Alaska and she lives in San Francisco, but neither can stop thinking about the other. It's a good thing, because she's pregnant. She heads up to Alaska to tell Nick about the baby and visit, and they both find themselves in the middle of murder and mayhem.
What I liked:
-The story was engaging and suspenseful, but not overly complicated.
-We met Nick in the first book in the series, and that book did a good job of establishing his backstory for this one. It's not imperative to read the first book in the series, but it helps.
What I didn't like:
-I didn't especially like Nick and Samantha together. They made a point of saying over and over that neither would be happy in the other's environment and also how little they had in common. Nick even said at one point that he hoped their child might be "more adventurous than Samantha."
-Nick seemed a lot more invested in the relationship than Samantha. She was a coward and somewhat ambivalent throughout the story.
-WHY do these Brodie men feel the need to involve previous sexual partners in these stories? Nick gives some flash drive to an accountant friend of his that he used to sleep with. Ugh. This is a personal pet peeve of mine, and it's something this author does pretty often.
What I liked:
-The story was engaging and suspenseful, but not overly complicated.
-We met Nick in the first book in the series, and that book did a good job of establishing his backstory for this one. It's not imperative to read the first book in the series, but it helps.
What I didn't like:
-I didn't especially like Nick and Samantha together. They made a point of saying over and over that neither would be happy in the other's environment and also how little they had in common. Nick even said at one point that he hoped their child might be "more adventurous than Samantha."
-Nick seemed a lot more invested in the relationship than Samantha. She was a coward and somewhat ambivalent throughout the story.
-WHY do these Brodie men feel the need to involve previous sexual partners in these stories? Nick gives some flash drive to an accountant friend of his that he used to sleep with. Ugh. This is a personal pet peeve of mine, and it's something this author does pretty often.
July 1, 2016
Nick Brodie has left his job as a homicide detective after dealing with a bad boss and horrific cases. His brother Rafe gives him a ticket to Las Vegas to relax. There, Nick meets Samantha who does the marketing for the pet grooming business she and a friend run. They meet and romance each other for days Overall, interesting characters, engrossing plot, and true love. I read the book. 4/5
December 1, 2016
Advanced copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
So this is definitely a "Romantic Suspense" book. I've never really read one before, so my immediate thought is "woah this is over-dramatic." But upon further reflection, this is actually a really well-placed novel. I haven't read any of the other Brodies of Alaska books, but I get the idea that the rest of these puppies are along the same lines: strong female falls for alpha male protector-type and they have an escapade together that puts all other loves to shame.
So this is definitely a "Romantic Suspense" book. I've never really read one before, so my immediate thought is "woah this is over-dramatic." But upon further reflection, this is actually a really well-placed novel. I haven't read any of the other Brodies of Alaska books, but I get the idea that the rest of these puppies are along the same lines: strong female falls for alpha male protector-type and they have an escapade together that puts all other loves to shame.
May 8, 2015
17/20
En bref, j'ai été ravie d'apprendre à connaitre Nick, le second des frères Brodie et Samantha, une jeune femme qui se retrouve bien malgré elle entraînée dans une vie pleine de rebondissements. Ils sont adorables tous les deux, on s'attache très facilement et l'intrigue que l'auteur nous propose nous tient en haleine de la première à la dernière page. Le mélange romance-suspense est vraiment bien fait et l'un ne prend pas le pas sur l'autre. Un parfait équilibre pour un moment très agréable !
http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...
En bref, j'ai été ravie d'apprendre à connaitre Nick, le second des frères Brodie et Samantha, une jeune femme qui se retrouve bien malgré elle entraînée dans une vie pleine de rebondissements. Ils sont adorables tous les deux, on s'attache très facilement et l'intrigue que l'auteur nous propose nous tient en haleine de la première à la dernière page. Le mélange romance-suspense est vraiment bien fait et l'un ne prend pas le pas sur l'autre. Un parfait équilibre pour un moment très agréable !
http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...
February 9, 2015
Another winner for Kat Martin. Her books are always an automatic buy for me, and this one didn't disappoint. I always love a good action packed romance novel. I look forward to the next in this series. And of coarse it will be an automatic buy on release day.
April 17, 2015
J'ai beaucoup aimé ce romantic suspense, ça fait du bien de revenir au genre quand c'est bien écrit, bien amené, et sans prise de tête.
January 16, 2016
3.5 Stars
April 23, 2015
Quelques fois, il suffit d'un petit quelque chose entre 4 et 5 cœurs :) Excellent romantic suspense. Et très bons personnages. :)
April 30, 2015
Two-haiku review:
They meet in Vegas
She visits in Alaska
Murder and mayhem
Lots of excitement
Series, but could stand alone
Characters with heart
They meet in Vegas
She visits in Alaska
Murder and mayhem
Lots of excitement
Series, but could stand alone
Characters with heart
August 18, 2018
This is book number 2 in the Brodie’s of Alaska. Baby of the family, Nick is a cop burnt out from a previous serial killer case. His brother gifts him with a trip to Vegas. While in Vegas he meets Samantha and saves her from a drunken idiot and spends the rest of his time with her. She lives in San Francisco and he lives in Alaska.
Both think about each other after their time, then Sam really does because she is pregnant. Even though Nick doesn’t know about the pregnancy he asks Sam to come spend 2 weeks with him to see if what they had is real. The book dragged a bit here for me as Sam was being cautious not to make Alaska a big booty call. I felt she ran more cold then hot.
A neighbor boy’s dad dies and a mystery starts that both Sam and Nick get involved in. We see their compatibility multiply. At the end we find a relationship worth keeping but what do to with the geography? Good second book in series.
Both think about each other after their time, then Sam really does because she is pregnant. Even though Nick doesn’t know about the pregnancy he asks Sam to come spend 2 weeks with him to see if what they had is real. The book dragged a bit here for me as Sam was being cautious not to make Alaska a big booty call. I felt she ran more cold then hot.
A neighbor boy’s dad dies and a mystery starts that both Sam and Nick get involved in. We see their compatibility multiply. At the end we find a relationship worth keeping but what do to with the geography? Good second book in series.
February 4, 2019
The Brodie Brothers Series in Alaska began with Resort Operator Dylan and continues with former detective brother Nick whom we met in book one. The wildlife and the weather appear not to be the only dangerous factors in Alaska. The book begins with Nick’s young neighbour Jimmy suspecting his father was murdered and continues with Nick signing on for security detail for a soon-to-arrive executive. Seems the place is not all that safe either. In the romance department matters begin with a bang when Nick takes a vacation in Las Vegas and meets the alluring Samantha. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas unless of course it involves a sperm meeting an ovum.
Bullets fly in this rather violent outing. Who knew Alaska was a high crime neighbourhood. There’s a great deal of sex and gun play if these are to your liking. I do with there was some form of warning when the action switches from one character and location to another.
Bullets fly in this rather violent outing. Who knew Alaska was a high crime neighbourhood. There’s a great deal of sex and gun play if these are to your liking. I do with there was some form of warning when the action switches from one character and location to another.
March 16, 2019
3 stars.
Brodie brother Nick, who turned up so fortuitously in the previous book is the hero of this one. He's a retired homicide cop who can't seem to stay out of helping others. When he found out his young neighbour, a recently orphaned boy of twelve was kidnapped and threatened, he vowed to find out why.
Further complicating his life, he'd invited Samantha, the lady whom he met during a Vegas weekend, to Alaska, not knowing that she's coming to tell him she's pregnant with his child.
What follows is quite a convoluted story
All in all, a better book than the first one.
Brodie brother Nick, who turned up so fortuitously in the previous book is the hero of this one. He's a retired homicide cop who can't seem to stay out of helping others. When he found out his young neighbour, a recently orphaned boy of twelve was kidnapped and threatened, he vowed to find out why.
Further complicating his life, he'd invited Samantha, the lady whom he met during a Vegas weekend, to Alaska, not knowing that she's coming to tell him she's pregnant with his child.
What follows is quite a convoluted story
All in all, a better book than the first one.
November 8, 2022
This is the second book in The Brodies of Alaska series. It was a good read. I love the characters & would recommend the series.
Nick Brodie is an ex-homicide detective from Anchorage, Alaska. When his brother gives him a ticket to Las Vegas, Nick is just hoping for a relaxing trip. He doesn’t expect to meet an amazing girl.
Samantha Hollis in in Vegas for work. She meets Nick when he intercedes on her behalf against a pushy guy. The pair have an immediate attraction but go their separate ways at the end of their trip.
When Nick asks Samantha to come and visit in Alaska, she decides to accept the invitation. She wants to see the kind of man Nick is and has something important to tell him.
Nick is soon tangled up in a case of murder and kidnapping. He investigates on behalf of a friend and things get pretty dangerous. How will Samantha respond to this side of Nick? Is there any hope for the couple to find common ground?
Nick Brodie is an ex-homicide detective from Anchorage, Alaska. When his brother gives him a ticket to Las Vegas, Nick is just hoping for a relaxing trip. He doesn’t expect to meet an amazing girl.
Samantha Hollis in in Vegas for work. She meets Nick when he intercedes on her behalf against a pushy guy. The pair have an immediate attraction but go their separate ways at the end of their trip.
When Nick asks Samantha to come and visit in Alaska, she decides to accept the invitation. She wants to see the kind of man Nick is and has something important to tell him.
Nick is soon tangled up in a case of murder and kidnapping. He investigates on behalf of a friend and things get pretty dangerous. How will Samantha respond to this side of Nick? Is there any hope for the couple to find common ground?
February 19, 2020
Solid 4 stars. This book had a lot of serious plot twists that kept you coming back for more. Now in all honesty this wasn’t one of those reads that you cannot put down and ruin your life staying up ALL night reading. I had to force myself to pick it up and read it mid-way through. I’m not totally sure if it’s because it dragged a bit here and there OR if every.single.person/animal/door to door salesman in a goddamn five mile radius refuses to leave me tf alone for even 5 min! lol So I can’t really say objectively on this one....but I CAN say I liked the characters, the intense drama and even the romance in Against The Sky. I might’ve gotten bored here and there but for sure got reeled back in pretty quickly.
I haven’t read the other books in the series, but I’m thinking I might need to. Those Alaska men, *WooF*!!
I haven’t read the other books in the series, but I’m thinking I might need to. Those Alaska men, *WooF*!!
May 5, 2018
Against the Sky by author Kat Martin is the second book in The Brodies of Alaska series. I have not read the series before and was not lost reading this book at all. It is a fast-paced action adventure romance.
Nick is a detective he never backs down. He loves and plays just as hard as he works. He is very strong, and vulnerable too. I liked seeing those sides of him.
Samantha or Sam, she is adventurous, beautiful, and really smart. I like her spirit and drive she is the kind of woman you would want as a best friend.
Overall a great romance with some suspense thrown in too. I loved this one and am looking forward to more from this series in the future.
Five Shooting stars
Nick is a detective he never backs down. He loves and plays just as hard as he works. He is very strong, and vulnerable too. I liked seeing those sides of him.
Samantha or Sam, she is adventurous, beautiful, and really smart. I like her spirit and drive she is the kind of woman you would want as a best friend.
Overall a great romance with some suspense thrown in too. I loved this one and am looking forward to more from this series in the future.
Five Shooting stars
March 25, 2019
Nick Brodie is a man of a thousand hats and talents. A weekend getaway in Vegas leads him into the arms of a beautiful woman, which opens his heart to trouble.
Samantha is a hardworking, smart and beautiful talented woman. Her weekend in Vegas, meeting Nick and the adventure to come for the both of them was a wild ride.
A visit to Alaska puts Samantha in the middle of some serious trouble. Nick’s got a kid in trouble, one who is a friend, neighbor and the type to not cause trouble. When the investigation gets hot, bullets start fly and... thing go from crazy to insane.
It’s up to Nick and his friends to save the innocent ones and bring down the corrupt a-holes trying to make all of their lives miserable.
Samantha is a hardworking, smart and beautiful talented woman. Her weekend in Vegas, meeting Nick and the adventure to come for the both of them was a wild ride.
A visit to Alaska puts Samantha in the middle of some serious trouble. Nick’s got a kid in trouble, one who is a friend, neighbor and the type to not cause trouble. When the investigation gets hot, bullets start fly and... thing go from crazy to insane.
It’s up to Nick and his friends to save the innocent ones and bring down the corrupt a-holes trying to make all of their lives miserable.
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