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T-FLAC #1

The Mercenary

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Victoria Jones was a lousy liar. Not that the sensible bookkeeper was accustomed to lying�or anything else that would have disrupted her safe, dull existence. But her world took a terrifying turn when her twin brother, Alex, an agent for T-FLAC, the elite antiterrorist task force, went missing.

Now she'll do anything to find him…lie, cheat, even subject herself to the predatory advances of Alex's T-FLAC partner, Marc Savin, if it will help get her brother home safe.

But trusting the sexy, brooding operative might just be the risk of a lifetime.

The Mercenary is back, and better than ever!

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 25, 1994

70 people are currently reading
2630 people want to read

About the author

Cherry Adair

77 books1,468 followers
Always an adventurer in life as well as writing, New York Times best-selling author Cherry Adair moved halfway across the globe from Cape Town, South Africa to the United States in her early years to become a interior designer. Now a resident of the Pacific Northwest she shares the award- winning adventures of her fictional T-FLAC counter terrorism operatives with her readers.

Cherry settled in beautiful San Francisco, where she started what eventually became a thriving interior design business. "I loved being a designer because it was varied and creative, and I enjoyed working with the public." A voracious reader when she was able to carve out the time, Cherry found her brain crowded with characters and stories of her own. "Eventually," she says, "the stories demanded to be told."

When asked why she chooses to write romantic action adventure, she says, "Who says you can’t have adventure and a great love life? Of course if you’re talking about an adventurous love life, that’s another thing altogether. I write romantic suspense coupled heart-pounding adventure because I like to entertain, and nothing keeps readers happier than a rollercoaster read, followed by a happy ending."

Popular on the workshop circuit, Cherry gives lively classes on writing and the writing life. Pulling no punches when asked how to become a published writer, Cherry insists, "Sit your butt in the chair and write. There's no magic to it. Writing is hard work. It isn't for sissies or whiners."

Cherry loves to spend time at home. A corner desk keeps her focused on writing, but the windows behind her, with a panoramic view of the front gardens, are always calling her to come outside and play. Her office has nine-foot ceilings, a fireplace, a television and built-in bookcases that will house approximately 3,500 paperback books.

"What can I say? My keeper shelf has been breeding in the middle of the night, rather like drycleaners' wire clothes hangers.”

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
Profile Image for MelissaB.
725 reviews346 followers
July 15, 2008
Why a one star? This book was terrible! This was Cherry Adair's first book and it shows. The plot makes no sense, the heroine is a limp dishrag and the hero is mean. The heroine is a throw back to the 80's, she reminded me of Diana Palmer's worst heroines: virgin, old maid guardian who taught her to be old fashioned, bad dresser, naive, long hair. I don't know how a girl could be like that in this day and age unless she wasn't allowed out of the house while growing up. The hero was a jerk and I couldn't figure out any reason for the heroine to be with him, let alone sleep with him. He treated her badly the entire book. The action scenes were ridiculous and the plot just didn't make sense. I don't recommend this book. I did enjoy some of the real T-FLAC books, especially Kiss and Tell.
Profile Image for Christa.
2,218 reviews583 followers
October 25, 2008
The version of The Mercenary that I read was the updated one. I have read many reviews about how irritating and implausible this book is, so my expectations were not at all high. Knowing exactly what to expect from the book kept it from being disappointing. The heroine of the book was a meek, staid young woman who enjoyed her monotonous life and had no longings for adventure. She transformed into a courageous woman with super strength long enough to get the injured hero to safety before reverting back to her timid, unassuming nature. The hero was surly and ill tempered at the start of the book. Later in the book, his feelings for the heroine were obvious, but he tried to hurt her with his nasty behavior so that she would not risk her safety for him. I was able to suspend reality and enjoy reading The Mercenary since I knew what to anticipate.

Victoria Jones knows that her brother, Alexander Stone, who has been given up for dead by T-FLAc, the anti terrorist organization he works for, is still alive. As twins, they share a strong telepathic connection that has allowed them recent communication. Victoria visited the island where he disappeared, but while attempting to find him, she was captured and tortured. Her last hope rests with Alex's former partner, Marc Savin, who has been in retirement since the death of his fiance over two years earlier. Victoria visits the abrasive man and begs his help in finding Alex. When he is finally convinced that her brother is still alive, he insists that she accompany him to the island where her brother is being held. What follows is an adventure that Victoria never wanted. While she and Marc try to locate Alex using her telepathic connection, they encounter danger and begin an intimate relationship. Victoria once again falls captive to the terrorists who have her brother. Marc must rescue both Victoria and Alex, and when he is injured it is up to Victoria to see that they reach safety. After surviving the dangerous episode, Marc and Victoria must decide if their future lies together.

This was the first book I have read by Cherry Adair. After reading the reviews, I was reluctant to read this book, but I have heard that many of her others are very good and want to read all of the T-FLAC series in order. This was a time that I was grateful for spoilers. Knowing the problems others had with this book made me ready for them. While I agree with the comments others have made about the implausibility of the events, as well as the extremeness of both the hero and heroine, I was able to find reading the book a pleasant experience. I look forward to the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Eastofoz.
636 reviews411 followers
July 11, 2008
Nothing exciting or remotely believable here. It’s the kind of book you hope is going to be good, and it starts out that way, but it’s a downward spiral into the dumb and demented. The book has too many over the top highly unlikely moments to make you feel like you could believe the story —plus you’ll be sitting there rolling your eyes saying “what-ever” more often than not.

The hero, Marc, flies off the handle too much and breaks into “I am a spaz” mode for no reason. The heroine, Victoria, who starts off as a meek and mild little mouse is suddenly doing things that would outshine Wonder Woman. For someone who’s never used a gun she single handedly (and with great stealth) takes out 3 trained thugs all under the effects of a drug that made her woozy, sporting a cast on one arm, smacked around not too long ago, and having just run for her life lugging Marc the-huge-and-wounded Mercenary through the forest —I don’t think so. It just didn’t make any sense.

As for Mercenary Marc, his character was like bad acting really. He’s all tough and everything as you’d expect but then he gets shot in the head and leg so he’s in shock, can barely walk and the teeny tiny delicate heroine drags him to safety down a cliff to a grotto (this is one of those “whatever” parts) and suddenly he’s well enough to plan this daring escape through a whirlpool hole in a lake! He swims through a 40 foot tunnel, or something ludicrous like that, without oxygen, pops out in the middle of the rough open sea, grabs the nearly drowning Victoria (who’s reverted back to meek and mild useless girl) and gets her strapped into a harness so she can be hoisted up to the helicopter while he bravely waits his turn. Keep in mind he’s the one who’s lost tons of blood, couldn’t walk not too long ago and was in LaLa Land barely able to speak coherently. I’m all for the adrenaline rush that makes you do things you wouldn’t likely do but I didn’t think that any of that was remotely plausible.

There’s also Alex, Victoria's twin brother rescued by Marc a few hours earlier, who had been tortured beyond belief for months according to the heroine’s psychic abilities and here we see him flying a helicopter saving the whole lot who are desperately treading water in high sea swells (insert "whatever" part).

The book has potential, but I thought the story needed to be reworked and better developed in some areas —like, oh say, the Wonder Woman/He-Man parts 8-)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Madison Warner Fairbanks.
3,409 reviews495 followers
October 5, 2018
Mercenary by Cherry Adair

Romantic suspense. First in the T-FLAC series.
Strong and smart heroine. Victoria Jones keeps telling herself and Marc that she’s a coward. Then she travels on her own out of the country to find her brother. She fights and plows her way through situations, one after another doing the exact opposite of being a coward. She may be scared, but it doesn’t stop her from stepping up and mastering the problem.

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audio version. It starts out with music in the background, which was new to me, but it only plays for the first 30 seconds or so. The female narrator did a good job with the various roles including a few foreign words.
Profile Image for Rachel Annie.
136 reviews5 followers
March 25, 2019
What to say about this one...***


To start, our hero was a curmudgeon with a ponytail and a diamond stud earring. Our heroine was a limp noodle with mall bangs and hair down to her waist.

This girl... SHE. HAD. NO. GUMPTION.


At least she admitted she was a coward--multiple times. I guess her character grew a bit by the end, but honestly, I would have had more respect for her if she decided she'd be better off finding someone who wasn't such a douche to her.

This was Ms. Adair's first novel, and I had a hard time pushing through it. It was seriously clunky and I found it difficult to empathize with the characters. With that said, however, there were some bright spots. This is a new-to-me author and she has potential to improve. I'll keep trying; I think she can and will do better.

***ETA 03/24/2019: I won't be trying anything else from this author.
Profile Image for Holly.
304 reviews104 followers
August 20, 2009

At the worst of times I thought this book was incredibly stupid and at the best of times it was merely tolerable.

2.5-3 stars

*has a small hair brushing scene*
Profile Image for BJ Rose.
733 reviews90 followers
November 23, 2009
I very seldom give 1* ratings, but this book was really bad! I enjoyed her Edge Brothers trilogy, but going back to the beginning of the series was a huge mistake.
Profile Image for Amy Schoon.
129 reviews6 followers
April 27, 2008
This was the Harlequin romance that started it all for Cherry and her T-FLAC crew. It was out of print by the time I started reading Cherry last year. But this is a new, updated, beefed-up version and a MUST-READ for anyone who loves romantic suspense. Cherry is still, hands down, the very best at her genre. It's like the book version of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. I can read her stories in one sitting...and still crave more.
Profile Image for Thenia.
4,406 reviews180 followers
June 20, 2019
An old-school romantic suspense that introduces the world of the T-FLAC antiterrorist task force.

Victoria is determined to save her twin brother from the terrorists who have captured him, and needs Marc's help to do so. Marc, who has retired from T-FLAC after is less than enthusiastic about humoring Tory, but if there is any chance his former partner is still alive, he cannot dismiss it.

The two end up teaming up for a mission that brings them deep into enemy territory, something Tory is far from equipped to deal with. They start out as adversaries, but their relationship changes and deepens the more time they spend together, and .

It's far from easy, but they .

An engaging but a bit disjointed story that felt a bit dated, both in terms of plot and characters. I will likely read the next book in the series, Kiss and Tell, that is apparently a lot better than this first one.
Profile Image for Mrs. Badass.
566 reviews226 followers
December 31, 2010
Whose down with DYB? Ya you know me...Whose down with DYB? Not Everybody...
2.5/5
Disbend Your Belief while reading this book. For Reals.

It was a fast read, not really suspenseful, had some steamy sex scenes but afterwords Marc was all "me no likey you no more, you just sex, me man, you woman, no love. just sex. Neanderthalism at it's finest.

Then you have Mousy, "I'm a virgin, and my grandmother made me wear frumpy clothes, but hey let's knock boots with no strings, pop my cherry cave men.. wait...wait... don't you love me? Why are you being mean to me?"

Bleh. I may read more later, the writing wasn't bad, it had an easy flow to it, and I think I could care for the characters with more fleshing and depth.

Also...she didn't tell him about the baby at the end. whats up with that?
Profile Image for Sandra R.
3,347 reviews47 followers
April 12, 2022
A great reissued book that was orininally written almost 30 years ago. It's a well written romance with adventure and suspense and I really enjoyed it. 😍 There was lots of action and steamy romance scenes and I read it in one go. Love this author and I'm pleased I've discovered her books. ❤
Profile Image for Graylark.
1,020 reviews42 followers
October 28, 2013
The rather indifferent writing and slow pace were balanced out by what could had the promise of a fun romance. However, the romance turned out to be a paint-by-the-numbers job (hero feels lust for heroine, heroine is virginal and her bosom heaves, hero feels strange tenderness for her he never felt before and says mean things to push her away, heroine keeps coming back for more), and the heroine was so criminally stupid one can only hope she gets herself fixed so she never inflicts her egg cells on humanity.

A dead giveaway of her mental capacity was when she took hold of a gun to use against what she thought was an enemy. Apparently the idea of putting her finger against the trigger was too complicated for her, and she decided she should wield a fully loaded gun as a club instead.

I mean, really. Here is what the Uzi looks like:



Do you have to be a rocket scientist to spot the trigger and figure out how to use the gun?

The cap on her stupidity was

I also got very tired of the repeated cliche of chin-tilting to symbolize what spunk the heroine had, and the hero falling all over himself with admiration every time she did it, when she never actually did anything to back it up with.
Profile Image for Glamdring.
508 reviews111 followers
September 7, 2016

If I had to resume my review in one sentence I would say that this book was a roll eye festival.

Having read some of the book's reviews I knew that this wasn't Cherry Adair best. Still, this book is the re-visited edition and it has a lot of 3, 4 and 5 stars, so I didn't expect it to be so bad.

Being a PNR and X-Files fan, as long as I'm carried by the story I don't mind borderline realism scenes in my romantic suspense books. I mean who really knows what the human being is capable of when pushed to his limits? But this story was way beyond unbelievable. Even for me.

If that wasn't enough, some aspects of the book were just left pending. The story is about the heroine twin's rescue. He and the heroine has a psychic link that allows them to telepathically communicate, but except for a very short moment in the prologue we never get to meet him. Also, .

Last but not least, the characters were such caricatures that I couldn't care for none of them. A moment the heroine was a mousy thing afraid of her shadow and the next she was GI-Jane. And all that she was capable of while having her right arm in a cast? Really???

The hero was a jerk, unfortunately the ridiculous not the lovable kind. And he too had some TSTL moments.
Profile Image for Paraphrodite.
2,670 reviews51 followers
January 28, 2012
A good introduction to the T-FLAC series. A retired spy reluctantly gets back into the business when the twin sister of his dead partner turned up at his range telling him that her brother is still alive but is being held by terrorists on a remote island.

Sexy and action-packed, with an implausible plot worthy of any James Bond movie. Unlike the normal Bond girl though, Tori openly admits to being a coward and doesn't want to do anything remotely physical....but somehow, ends up saving the day.

Narrator Zoe Winslow did a pretty good job with the voices, especially Tori's. An enjoyable listen.
Profile Image for MountainKat.
2,336 reviews107 followers
January 12, 2012
This book was OK, not great, but not bad. Yes, the hero was a bit of an ass. Yes, the heroine was a mousy virgin. But there were plausible explanations for both. There were some character inconsistencies, or at least unbelievable actions, but they moved the story along. I understand this was the first book by this author and in some ways it shows, but it was also my first book by this author so I may just be imagining that. I am willing to read more by this author in the future.
Profile Image for Regan.
2,062 reviews98 followers
April 27, 2008
The story was okay -- I'm glad I've read Ms. Adair's later books -- especially On Thin Ice because had this been the first I probably would not have read more.

With it out of print copies were running close to $100 for a used copy -- the reprint made it affordable for fans.
Profile Image for Karen Peavler.
63 reviews1 follower
January 18, 2016
A good quick read. My kind of book, good wins over bad and boy gets girl!
Profile Image for Rise.
1,492 reviews
July 27, 2019
The Mercenary

This was a good read. Marc lived on a ranch after retiring from the Unit and wanted nothing to do with anything else involving terrorist. While living there the sister of a close friend arrives seeks not his help to rescue to supposedly dead brother from the hands of the enemies. Little does she know Marc doesn't trust her until she reveals the obvious of going to reporters to tell them who he is. Not believing her she tells him everything that she knows about him from her brother and also where to locate him. Marc didn't know that his friend had a twin sister and that she and her brother can communicate telepathically. A little feisty for a heroine as well as scary, but truly she stands her ground against him. The storyline was good as well as the characters with a good ending.
Profile Image for Anorielt.
464 reviews49 followers
May 6, 2025
Erster Satz: The red SUV careened up the mile-long driveway spraying dust and gravel and spooking the horses grazing by the fence.

The Mercenary ist der erste Romantic Suspense Roman den ich in Englisch gelesen habe. Ich kannte die Autorin bisher nur von Gnadenlos: Auf der Flucht was erst kürzlich beim Lyx Verlag erschienen ist. Da ich das Buch aber noch nicht gelesen habe, wusste ich nicht was auf mich zu kommt. Schreibt die Autorin gut? Steht hier die Liebesgeschichte im Vordergrund oder bewahrt die Autorin das richtige Mittelmaß zwischen Liebe und Plot? Kann der Plot mich überhaupt fesseln? All das fragte ich mich bevor ich das Buch anfaing zu lesen. Schon der Plot hat meine Erwartungen hochgepusht. Man lernt Marc kennen, einen Ex-Agent der T-FLAC der sich nach dem Tod der Frau die er liebte zurück gezogen hat. Drei Jahre ist das nun her, doch jetzt kommt sein Partner und bester Freund Alexander Stone hinaus auf seine Farm, nur um ihm mitzuteilen das die Frau um die er trauert, in Wahrheit der Gegenseite angehörte und alles nur gespielt war. Seine Welt bricht erneut zusammen und er verjagd Alex. Allerdings nicht bevor dieser ihm sagen konnte das er zurück geht um die Operation weiter zu führen.

Sechs Monate später bekommt er die Nachricht das Alex tot ist. Ich fand die beiden schon im Prolog wahnsinnig sympathisch. Marc hat die Frau die er liebte getötet und sich deswegen aus dem Geschäft zurück gezogen. Er trauert und ist dennoch standfest. Als er schließlich Victoria kennenlernt, die angibt Alex Zwillingsschwester zu sein und ihm dazu eröffnet das ihr Bruder noch am Leben ist, scheint ihn die Vergangenheit erneut einzuholen. Ganz ehrlich, ich fand dieses ersten Treffe zwischen Marc und Victoria unglaublich amüsant. Marc ist ein sehr einschüchternder Typ und Victoria ist behütet aufgewachsen und dank den jüngsten Ereignissen, sehr unsicher und verängstigt. Ab und an blitzt ihr Mut durch, doch die Anfangszeit ist sie wirklich wie eine graue Maus die versucht Marc dazu zu überreden ihren Bruder zu retten.

Besonders interessant fand ich, das die T-FLAC Reihe tatsächlich ein wenig Fantasy enthält. Victoria und Alex können über Telepathie miteinander kommunizieren, schon seit ihrer Geburt und scheinbar gibt es auch bei den T-FLACS eine ganze Abteilung mit solchen Begabungen. Die Bücher die mit "Edge" anfangen gehören zu einer Trilogy innerhalb der Reihe und handeln eben von diesem Zweig der Abteilung. Auf die Bücher bin ich schon sehr gespannt, denn in The Mercenary, erschien die Telepathie doch ein wenig falsch am Platz. Trotzdem fand ich es wahnsinnig interessant wie Marc und Victoria darüber versucht haben Alex zu finden.

Ich bin wirklich froh darüber das bei der T-FLAC Reihe die Liebesgeschichte scheinbar nicht komplett im Vordergrund steht. Die Autorin hat hier Plot und Liebesgeschichte den gleichen Platz eingeräumt. Natürlich gibt es viele Szenen zwischen Marc und Victoria und obwohl Marc am Anfang immer wieder betonte das Victoria nicht zu dem Typ Frau gehört der ihm gefällt, kann er sich ihr doch nicht entziehen. Jedesmal wenn die beiden sich ein klein wenig näher kommen, wird Marc grob und stößt Victoria weg indem er ihr verbal Dinge an den Kopf wirft und ihr weh tut. Es ist sowohl ein Schutzmechanismus um ihn zu schützen, aber auch um ihr klar zu machen das er nicht der richtige für sie ist.

Manches Mal musste ich wirklich schlucken so leid tat sie mir. Doch Marc Verhalten und Charakter haben bei Victoria auch eine schleichende Veränderungen bewirkt. Obwohl sie immer noch schüchtern und sehr leicht zu verängstigen ist, wird sie dennoch stärker. Bietet ihm die Stirn, schlägt verbal zurück und lässt sich von ihm Allgemein nichtmehr alles gefallen. Als sie schließlich wissen wo Alex gefangen gehalten wird, wird die Spannung immer unerträglicher. Sicher, manches war vorhersehbar weil man es so oder so ähnlich schon in dem ein oder anderen Buch gelesen hat, aber ansonsten gibt es hier wirklich nichts zu beanstanden.

Das Ende ist unglaublich spannend und, was mich überraschte, auch sehr brutal. Die Autorin schreckt nicht davor zurück ihre Charaktere leiden zu lassen, ob nun emotional oder körperlich. Genau das gab dem ganzen noch den gewissen Touch, es wurde realistischer und ich habe mit den Charakteren mitgefiebert. Was mich ein wenig störte, war die Tatsache das Alex zwar telepathisch zum Ende hin oft anwesend war, aber man ansonsten von ihm nicht viel mitbekommen hat. Dennoch, die T-FLAC Reihe ist sehr lang und ich vermute das Alex wohl auch schon sein eigenes Buch bekommen hat. Ich hoffe es zumindest, denn er war mir wirklich sympathisch.

Glücklicherweise ist das Englisch doch recht einfach. Es gibt zwar viele Wörter die ich nachschlagen musste weil ich mit dem Genre noch nicht vertraut bin, aber ich hatte das Buch dennoch ziemlich schnell durch.

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Fazit
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Mich hat The Mercenary vollkommen überzeugt. Am Ende gab es zwar eine winzige Sache die mich gestört hat, aber ich hoffe einfach mal das dies in einem der Folgebände noch behandelt wird. Cherry Adair hat hier aufjedenfall den Grundstein zu einer sehr interessanten und vielversprechenden Reihe gelegt. Ich habe den zweiten Band auch schon bestellt und bin gespannt ob dieser mich ebensoo fesseln kann.
216 reviews23 followers
March 5, 2018
The Mercenary was the second book I had read yesterday, when I really should have been revising for my exams. What can I say, reading a good book comes before any exam, but I did manage to get some productive revision done.


Anyway, back to the actual book! This was your typical, hero saves the day kind of book. Our hero was the hot, sexy 'Mercenary', the "phantom" - Marc.
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Out damsel in distress, and trust me she definitely was, is Marc's "princess" Victoria Jones.


The overall plot of this book was very predictable but it was a quick fun read :)
The blurb basically sums up what happens in this book. Victoria's brother Alex is an undercover agent and goes missing, later claimed to be dead. However, she has a feeling that he is still alive .
As a result, she contacts Marc and asks him to go and save her brother. And yes, the ending of this book is exactly what your expecting. Let's not beat around the bush, the good guy always gets the girl!

There were aspects of this book I disliked greatly.
Firstly, Victoria. Victoria is described as a plain jane and weak individual. She is afraid of everything (probably even her own shadow) and doesn't have a backbone. This is something I found greatly annoying in a main female character. She, herself, even claimed to be a coward and said it countless times throughout the book!!!!

Secondly, Marc's behaviour towards Victoria.

Finally, this is one this I actually hated! Victoria was completely set on finding her brother and said he meant everything to her. However, did not want to go along with Marc and help him find her brother. I just didn't understand that AT ALL!
In addition to this, we NEVER see Victoria and her brother interact with one another! Not even at the end of the book . Don't you think that's a little wierd considering the fact that they're meant to be very close. We don't even see a hug or a "Yay your alive"! Nope nothing!



Peculiar! Very peculiar indeed.



This was however a quick read and did have a good flow. Therefore, I have it 2.5/3 stars :D

Profile Image for PepperP0t .
5,108 reviews86 followers
November 3, 2012
3.5 stars -- series with potential

Mousy reticent Tory Jones is completely out of her element as she finds herself going to retired special ops (T-FLAC) operative Marc Savin for help in rescuing her twin brother, the missing but presumed dead Lynx Smith from a notorious gang in the sub-tropics.

This reads very much like the old fashioned Harlequin Romance novels with the trembling mid-20’s virginal heroine and the gruff, arrogant (alpha)” man’s man” who is decidedly not going to give into the little lady’s charms. Don’t let the innocence fool you, there are, a few twists such as a paranormal element has been thrown in plus action and suspense. Those elements underscore this origin story as a gateway to more intense romance, action, suspense or paranormal genre series. Both Marc and Tory are serviceable in their roles and pull it off as the circumstances in a fairly good storyline make their relationship and actions more or less plausible. I’m willing to give this series another go as I liked but didn’t love it as yet.
Profile Image for Kathrynn.
1,184 reviews
February 16, 2008
This is the first book in the T-FLAC series. Inside the first page, the author explains that she originally wrote it 15 years ago. When it went for reprint, she was given the opportunity to update it.

Based on that, I read the book knowing that it was almost 20 years old. At that time, most romantic suspense books were...well...unrealistic and/or downright cheesey. This was a Harlequin Romance and they were written to fit "inside the box." It's short, almost like a B movie, annoying at times, irritating, but had some good places. I saw how both the hero and heroine were "developing" through the story, but it was just too basic.

There were MANY scenes that I found comical--and that was NOT the intention of the scene. Unrealistic.

This was a short read and I know for a fact that the last book in this series, "White Heat" was excellent, so the series does improve. I'm looking forward to reading the rest.
Profile Image for Jonetta.
2,595 reviews1,327 followers
June 29, 2011
Entertaining but light fare. The op was suspenseful and interesting but the romance developed awkwardly. It was mystifying why Marc failed to ask pertinent and critical questions of Tory prior to beginning the op, those that arose in my brain immediately. And, for all the emphasis on finding and retrieving Alex, there was zero focus on him at the end of the op.

With that said, I liked both characters but feel the dialogue between them was stilted and at some times immature. It didn't support the timeline of their romance or behaviors.

I understand later books in the series are far better so I plan to continue.
Profile Image for Anita.
2,648 reviews219 followers
April 24, 2014
Not a good as I could have hoped for. This is my fourth Cherry Adair book and I just not impressed with her writing.
Profile Image for Lorrie.
451 reviews15 followers
September 26, 2017
As per usual, I'll critique as I go.

Didn't even make it out of the first chapter before I needed to comment. My biggest beef about any book is authors who think their readers are morons. Unfortunately, the stupid is strong with this book right from the get go. First, we have a heroine (and I use that term in the loosest possible sense, and only because that's what the leading lady is referred as in romance novels) would never know he things she does about her brother. Why? Well, national security and all that bullshit for one. Second, because it would make her a target, and I'm pretty sure that's exactly what Alex would want to avoid. Also, there's no way she would have known Marc used to be in the spy business either unless they met before (which they haven't). Why? Same reason as above, national security. All this bullshit just to get the two of them in the same room together. Nope, doesn't work that way sweetie. Try harder next time to come up with an even remotely plausible plotline as opposed to this garbage.

Then, to have her know where his mission was? Nope, nope, and some more nope on top of that. Same reason as above.

Next, we have Marc "guessing" her age... well it doesn't take a rocket scientist to connect the "he's my twin" dots. And to have her surprised? Fuck, she must be dumber than a stone if she didn't realize that.

And this whole telepathy thing? Please.

It's painfully apparent that he author has no idea how sat phones work. I'll let you (and her) Google it. But let's just say that a normal cell phone (especially with the tech that was available at the time the book was written, forget what we have now) wouldn't work in the middle of a goddammed mountain. He'll, they don't even work inside some buildings even now.

A little bit later we find out that Alex and Tory were separated when they were 8 because their parents died -- she went to her grandma and he into foster care. I know the foster system was all kinds of messed up back then, but it wasn't THAT fucked up that it would split siblings, ESPECIALLY twins. Full stop.

Holy hell, this book is starting to have more plot holes than a sieve.

Would someone please tell me the physics behind how water in an underground cave can glow brightly enough to see by? Even if there were phosphorescent algae in it, they would be just specks of light, not like a night light.

I'm just about done with this book, and I'm only at 40% read. The hero is about as unlikable as a serial killer, and the heroine is as equally unlikable not to mention a limp dishrag that inspires zero sympathy. Cardboard through and through. The plot is laughable. I'm going to give it at most 10% more and then I'll make the final decision. It doesn't look good at this book staving off elimination and winding in my did not finish shelf.

Nope, couldn't make it to 50% before I'm officially shelving this in my did not finish shelf. The culprit? The first sex scene. First we have them standing on turf (who's is grass), the it's moss, the. it's magically grass again, then it's sand. All in the space of 3 pages. And the kicker is ... wait for it.... they're in a CAVE... NONE of those things would be there. Grass and moss, nope, because theres no sunlight so therefore no photosynthesis. Sand, nope, because there are no waves to make it. Not rocket science here.

I'm officially done. Life's too short for bad books.
Profile Image for Cheri.
2,288 reviews28 followers
November 9, 2016
This is my second foray into the Cherry Adair universe and I wasn’t impressed.  Often when I find an author I want to delve deeper into I start from the oldest work I can find.  That sometimes means they haven’t found their stride yet.  I’m hoping that’s the situation here since I’ve read many good things about this author’s work.  And I did enjoy the short story I read by her.

One of the issues with this story has to do with the actual storyline.  It’s glaringly obvious this story was written pre-9/11.  Whether or not the author and/or her editors did any sort of update between the original publication date in 1994 and the republished date in 2012 I cannot tell you.  If they did, it wasn’t anything obvious.  What we know about terror cells and how they work and how the governments throughout the world react to them is so different from what is portrayed in this book.  That’s not the fault of the author; it’s the fault of the passage of time.

I actually liked the hero Marc, aka Phantom.  Even when he was being a jerk, it was with good reason.  And he had common sense, something the heroine Tory did not have.  I get that Victoria has led a pretty sheltered life, but her stubbornness doesn’t come across as naïveté.  Her stubbornness came across as stupidity.  I hate to say that, but it’s true.

There were quite a few holes in this story, one of them being Tory’s hair.  I have long thick hair.  Not as long as Tory’s so hypothetically my hair would dry faster.  That woman took so many baths/showers during this book yet only once is it actually mentioned that her hair is wet after.  It always seems her hair is shiny and silky.  There is also the issue of the belt.  No spoilers here, but I will say the belt does reappear after disappearing.  So that’s something.  

The telepathy between Tory and her brother wasn’t a hole, but it felt incomplete.  I really wish there had been some sort of prologue to give us some back story on that aspect of Troy and Alex’s relationship.  Due to the nature of Marc’s job, I understand why he so readily accepted ability of Tory’s.  I just wish as the reader we could get more.

The next book in this series shows it was published in 2000.  Since I really want to give this author another chance and the next book should be more modern I will be giving it a try.
Profile Image for Danielle  Gypsy Soul.
3,171 reviews80 followers
October 31, 2018
I rarely give one star ratings but this book was just painful to finish. The hero was a complete asshole and treated the heroine terribly the whole book. The heroine was mousy and she even called herself a coward several times. She was the typical, ringing my hands virgin character from the romance novels of ages ago. I have no idea what she saw in the hero or why she slept with him since he treated her like crap before and after having sex. I didn't buy the fact that he fell in love with her and even if he did he never acted like it so why she accepted his proposal was beyond me. Additionally, the villains were complete idiots and some of the scenes were completely silly. The hero is cuffed and the heroine holds a gun against multiple bad guys who also have guns and after shooting one in the leg they all throw their weapons down when she demands it? What? As if one of them wouldn't just shoot her. I rolled my eyes more while reading this book than I have in forever.
Profile Image for Spinneretta.
2,855 reviews21 followers
August 3, 2022
Good

First of Adair’s T-FLAC series, this is the story of Victoria Jones, sister to operative Alex, Codename Lynx.
When her brother disappears on a mission, Tory knows that he is still alive. She has to convince her brother’s co-worker Marc, a retired operative, to help her find him.
On a remote European island, controlled by a terrorist group, Tory and Marc struggle to find Alex, and free him from the terrorists.

This is a shorter novel in the T-FLAC world, probably because it was originally under the Harlequin banner. It’s still fast paced though, with lots of action, a few terrorizing moments, and more adventure than Tory might like!
An enthralling romantic suspense, it paves the way for both the T-FLAC regular adventures, as well as the Psi Unit ones.

Recommended for romantic suspense fans, and paranormal suspense fans alike (very minor paranormal abilities expressed).
Profile Image for Joanne.
54 reviews
March 26, 2023
It was okay - I found it on the commute to work one day.

The female lead was okay - definitely out of her depth - but her insistence on connecting with her twin psychically and not explaining it was understandable, if frustrating. Her insistence on adhering to her strict grandmother's rules is understandable and should probably be in therapy for life for the way she grew up. We're told that the grandmother hated all men and girls should be quiet, seen, and not heard - which the heroine adheres to and has no desire to break out of.

The male lead, after being betrayed by a former lover, decided to become a rancher. His insistence that after being betrayed by his pregnant former lover, has decided to retire from the mercenary life. The way that he treats the heroine was terrible, and the way he comes back and the heroine takes him back without telling him she's pregnant was a terrible way to end.

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