When sexy Chicago FBI agent Jack MacAlister, the one with the "bad boy smile," meets beautiful ice maiden Sophie Rose, the chemistry is instantaneous. Sophie has an acute aversion to FBI agents, and Jack soon realizes he must rely on his player instincts to get the attention of the woman who just "knocked the air out of him."

Sophie's hatred of law enforcement is intensified time and again as her father, Bobby Rose, is the man authorities want behind bars for various thefts, but they can't come up with a single shred of proof. Sophie is under constant surveillance and suspicion of harboring her father's whereabouts. When Bobbie Rose is in the news, Sophie is the target of threats. She and her best friends, Regan and Cordie, "could play Charlie's Angels." They are savvy, sexy and satisfied. Together they provide Sophie with laughter, support and protection --- Regan's husband Alec is Jack's partner at the FBI.

Herman Bitterman, father figure and editor-in-chief of the Illinois Chronicle, assigns Sophie to cover the story of William Harrington, an egomaniacal runner who always wears red socks and a red t-shirt for every race. A seemingly boring story begins a chain of events that lead Sophie and the FBI to a murder. Harrington thinks his 25th race is front page news, but when Sophie meets him, the interview is bizarre and the man is repulsive. The next thing she knows, a reporter calls her from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to tell her that Bitterman was mauled by a polar bear and they found her business card in his red sock. Fire and ice collide as Jack becomes Sophie's protector after a bullet barely misses her blonde perfection.

Sophie's reporter instincts tell her that the attempt on her life and the interview with Harrington are connected. She convinces Bitterman to let her go to Alaska to research the story of the polar bear murder and discovers clues to Alpha Project, the very same project Harrington said he was going to be a part of. Numerous nefarious characters, hours of tapes featuring the daily lives of Alaskan wolves and the quest for the fountain of youth lead Sophie and Jack into the icy Alaskan wilderness.

Julie Garwood's reputation as a romance writer is firmly established by numerous appearances on the New York Times bestseller list. Seduction, fire and ice Julie Garwood style is romantic perfection. Jack's fire melts Sophie's icy reserve and her heart. Some women just can't stay away from fire, and Sophie is one of those women.

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I love Julie Garwood's books and this one was no exception. It's a great read, a little slow to start but by the third chapter I was hooked and couldn't put it down. I love when the ending surprises me and this one did just that.

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Another great book in the series! But you don't have to have read the others to enjoy the book.
Just enough murder/mystery/romance

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Sophie Rose once worked at a big Chicago newspaper. But when they wanted her to write an expose on her father, notorious thief Bobby Rose, she quit her job and went to work for a small newspaper. Sophie has been assigned to do a story on William Harrington, an arrogant winner of twenty-four 5K races. William believes his next race will be front page news; and asks Sophie to take his picture at the race. But when the race starts, Sophie can't find him. A few days later Sophie receives a call from the police in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. They found her business card on the body of William Harrington. What was he doing in Alaska? Sophie senses there may be a big story behind Harrington's sudden disappearance and subsequent death by polar bear in Alaska. As she gathers information, someone tries to kill her. FBI Agent Jack MacKenzie is assigned as her protection.

This is the seventh book in Garwood's Buchanan-Renard series. Each book seems to be following the same pattern. A hot and charismatic law enforcement hero. The smart and beautiful heroine. A mystery that threatens the heroine's life and gives the hero a reason to protect her. The mystery seems to be solved at the 80% mark of the book, but we know the heroine is still in danger. Finally, the killer has been caught and everyone lives happily-ever-after.

I liked the plot of this one and I thought the suspense was exciting. I loved the Alaska setting when Sophie and Jack go in search of information about Harrington's death. And though I liked both Sophie and Jack, I thought their romance was lacking. There didn't seem to be much chemistry between them. My rating: 4 Stars.

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Another good book by julie garwood. Love her books!

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Definitely not Garwood's best work, but still a good read. As usual, great characters and settinegs, but it just didn't have the spark that her other thrillers had. A decent read nonethe less.

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Sophie Rose is a crime reporter at a major Chicago newspaper and the daughter of Bobby Rose, a charming gentleman and big-time thief. When asked to write an exposé about her notorious father, Sophie quits and goes to work at a small newspaper, covering local personalities such as William Harrington, the 5K runner whose trademark is red socks. Those socksâwith Sophie's business card tucked insideâare practically all that's found after Harrington is killed near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, seemingly in a brutal polar bear attack.

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A bit silly in spots and a bit long, but an entertaining story with good descriptions of life in far northern Alaska.

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An entertaining read with unexpected twists and suspense.

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