2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Any other topics you’d like to discuss? Your overall opinion of the story?

I loved this book. For me, it is the best in the Max Revere series. I was trapped in the story from the beginning.

It was sad that she had to break things off with Nick, but she didn't have a choice. Nick can't keep something this big off limits. I wanted to have that conversation as part of the story to see if there was any hope that Nick would bend. Since it wasn't, I have to believe it is over forever.

I'm glad that Max changed her relationship with David. Even though he said they were still friends, I can't see them returning to what they once had. Max looked at David as family--the only one she could depend on. If they can resolve some of their issues, they will never be as close.

David made a stand that he will not fight Britney for legal visitation. I'm sure that Max would help him if he asked. He will never let Max be included in anything with Emma. I guess he will never invite her to his father's house. David said he didn't know that Max was so hurt. That doesn't fly with me. He called Nick to be with her.

Regardless, it is the wrong message for Brennan to send. A father has rights whether he was married to the child's mother or what his sexual orientation is.

I felt that his book was The Lucy Show and should have been part of the Lucy Kincaid Series. I really loved it and was glad that Justin's murder was finally resolved. It was an emotional case for Lucy and I was really invested with her in it too.

Max is searching for a family of her own. People that get her, like her and accept her the way she is and she does the same with them. She thought she had that with Nick and David, but the depth of feeling wasn't there for them.

I'm not so sure that it's a done deal with Nick. I hope he can man up and realize what a treasure Max is and not let her go so easily. Max smacked David up side the head with how she felt and why. That will give him some things to chew over. Maybe he can change.

I loved this book! Max matured in this story through her relationship with Lucy. She got an opportunity to better understand what a healthy relationship looks like and used Lucy as a sounding board to fully examine her feelings for Nick and her friendship with David. Max acknowledged that she wasn’t in love with Nick but he gave her an opening into wanting more for herself.

As for David, he and Max weren’t on the same page about their friendship. He didn’t even realize she considered him a friend until that debacle and she changed the relationship. She’s forgiven him but for her, the boundaries have changed.

Max and Nick never promised each other anything other than a good time. Max got sucked in and now she wants more than she ever did with anyone else. She's sad and a little scared that Nick doesn't want more with her. I think they could have more, but Nick has to want that too. I don't think he knows that Max wants more.

Max felt more for David than an employer - employee relationship. He was safe as far as Max was concerned. David didn't realize that Max felt that way. How they proceed will remain to be seen.

Jonetta wrote: "I loved this book! Max matured in this story through her relationship with Lucy. She got an opportunity to better understand what a healthy relationship looks like and used Lucy as a sounding board..."

Jonetta, I thought that Max explained her relationship with David as more than an assistant they were good friends in an early book in the series. I need to check on that.

Please do. I could be wrong. I know she thought that. Not sure if she said that to him.

I loved this book too. It was so nice to be back in Lucy's world. And, I loved seeing Max and Lucy work together on this case.

Anita, I agree that this book should have been part of the Lucy Kincaid series. The mystery of Justin's death was always hovering in the background of that series. Since both Max and Lucy play big parts in this book, it should show up in both of the series lists.

As far as Nick, I think Max did the right thing. She sees what Lucy and Sean have and wants it for herself. She knows Nick isn't ready to give that to her. I keep hoping that he will realize what he has with Max and confide in her.

I know David says he will never fight Britney for legal visitation. What if she takes off with Emma without contacting him? Maybe moves Emma to another place and won't let him contact her? Do you think he would try to do something about it? Or would he just give up? (maybe future storyline?)

Good question. I don't think Britney will ever move because her support system is there.

I really want him to fight for Emma. There is no reason he can't have legal visitation.

FYI, this is what Brennan said about this book (her website):

“Though SHATTERED is the fourth book in the Maxine Revere series, it’s every bit as much Lucy’s story. Lucy agrees to help Max, an investigative reporter, look into the cold case murder of Lucy’s nephew Justin Stanton when Max develops a theory that Justin was the first for four victims.”

This really should also be #13 in the Lucy Kincaid series. When we’re done, I’ll create a Lucy Kincaid Universe series list. It’s probably the best alternative as the numbering is both on Brennan’s and the publisher’s sites. There’s more crossover with Max to come, too.

I'm looking forward to more crossovers.

I thought it was Max's series because she developed the evidence and timeline for the murders. I don't think Lucy would have started an investigation on her own.

Thanks Jonetta.

Jonetta wrote: "Please do. I could be wrong. I know she thought that. Not sure if she said that to him."

I don't have all the books but here's what I found. Notorious is the book that makes me think that David also recognizes their relationship is more than employer / employee.

In Maximum Exposure

David tells Max that Emma wants to see her. Max says when they get back from Hawaii she will take Emma shopping. When David told her Emma has enough clothes. Max says she enjoys playing aunt. (David wouldn't let anyone who is just an employer spend time alone with Emma to play aunt.)

Later David and Max are talking about Marco and Max’s relationship. David gives Max a hard time and tells her she will find a murder to investigate in Miami within 6 months. Max responds "That's why I love, David. You remind me that I'm flawed." David smiled. (That’s why I love is more than employer/employee.)

Notorious

Max doubted that she would have any children of her own, that is why she enjoyed playing aunt to Emma when she came to NYC. Again the “playing aunt” reference. David must bring Emma around Max often.

Max explains that David was hired as her assistant, then took on the duties of bodyguard and protector. Their relationship grew and now Max depends on him more than anyone else in her life which made her uncomfortable. Everyone she cared about abandoned her.

Later when David was with Emma they came to Max's apartment. David complained about Britney. He told Max "You usually like when I complain about Britney." Max told him to ignore her calls because she felt guilty. She told him he was a good father, and she didn't want to ruin that. David responded "You couldn't. After more discussion David tells Max “I'd much rather Emma have you as a role model than Brittney." This scene goes on then Max tells David she doesn't trust anyone but him. She didn't want to get in the way of David/Emma time, but she would share what was going on because she didn't want to lose David as an employee or a friend.

I don’t have the ebook for Compulsion I listened to it.

Their relationship changed in Poisonous. Nick shares with David his personal struggle with Nancy and not Max. David tells Max not to get involved. By the end of the book, Max pulled away from both of them.

Granted most of the time that Max talks about David as her friend is in her head. However, David’s actions make me think that their relationship is more than employer / employee. They act like friends.

(I forgot this in Maximum Exposure) “Brittney wouldn't let David spend a minute more with Emma than the court mandated.” He gets 4 weeks a year. (He does have visitation rights that Brittney still blocks, and David doesn't fight it.)

Court mandated time is mentioned in Notorious too Legally, Britney can’t keep Emma from David because Max is at the party or anywhere else. There is more than enough grounds to take Britney back to court.

Max knows this which must make it hurt worse that David is now pushing her away from Emma completely.

It’s a feeling that’s created and one we assumed. David was the one who didn’t know Max thought of him as a friend. Maybe he should have inferred it because she implied it. It just wasn’t explicitly discussed between the two of them.

Relationships like this get tricky when it’s between manager and employee. I once worked for a man I found very difficult but found a way to get along with him and forward his agenda. He later told me after a tense encounter that he thought we were friends. You know what came up for me? I never socialized with him outside of work. He never invited me to any of the events he hosted. When he shared his season tickets to NFL games, I paid for them. I’d never met anyone from his family. No, I didn’t think of him as a friend.

I understand what you're saying, but I see a friendship that changed by David's actions.

Just offering another perspective.

Jonetta wrote: "Just offering another perspective."

I understand. When I look back, I do see that friendship is always in Max's thoughts. I also see David's actions as more than an employee.

I guess both are valid based on the reader's interpretation of the characters.

Why does Brittney have a bee up her butt about Max? Have they ever met? Does Emma like Max and the time they spent together so much that Brittney feels threatened? If Brittney told David to quit working for Max would he?

David needs to grow a pair and Brittney needs to get over a high school relationship and get a life.

Brittney knows that barring Emma from seeing Max will hurt David. Period. She’s mean and vindictive with little consideration for her daughter.

I am certainly looking forward to the rest of these two series.

I really wanted Nick to come through to forge a relationship with Max. While she realizes in this book that she doesn't love him, my sense is that she could if they spend more time together and share common goals and take a page from Lucy and Sean on erasing those all-important secrets.