Helpful Score: 2
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.
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.
Helpful Score: 1
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.
Helpful Score: 1
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
Just enough murder/mystery/romance
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.
Great book. I'll say it again I love Julie Garwood.
A bit silly in spots and a bit long, but an entertaining story with good descriptions of life in far northern Alaska.
An entertaining read with unexpected twists and suspense.
I loved the snark between Sofie and Jack.
I dont know if Ive read a Garwood novel before but this one probably wasnt the best place to start. I had heard she was a humorous writer which is probably what tempted me to read this audio copy but either my sense of humor has gone on an extended vacation or I missed out on the funny because I didnt smile once during the reading of this. And, as usual, I came into yet another book mid-series. According to Goodreads this book is #7 in the series. If I had it to do over again I probably wouldve skipped #7. Maybe the funny resides in the earlier books?
This is going to be a bit ranty and possibly spoilery so you may want to skip reading further if this in your to be read pile. The heroine is Sophie, a beautiful reporter who grew up with loads of money and the best of everything that cash could buy. She has decided to take the hard road to life by getting a job, giving up her car and refusing to accept daddys money because shes been guilted into it by her friends. Her dad is on the run from the IRS, the FBI, and hoards of folks who claim hes stolen their life savings (hey, wouldnt the IRS have cut off the funds anyway? She aint fooling me!). Sophie is a confusing character, one I never could connect to on any level. She whines over not being able to buy stuff, weeps over the demise of a Dolce & Gabbana blouse and her one of kind Gucci bag but yet gives her money away to the homeless shelter because she says its something she has to do. Her materialism is supposedly an act but I dont get it. Why would anyone purposely want people to think theyre so shallow? I found all of the whining about her stuff obnoxious. The only time she perks up in the entire story and shows emotion is when her designer things are damaged. Then she goes into a screechy rage but other than that shes a generically flat character.
This book is supposed to be a romantic suspense but it was nearly halfway over before I figured out who the freaking hero was supposed to be. FBI agent Jack MacAlister loses a bet and is assigned to watch over her after the dimwit gets herself shot by answering an anonymous phone call. It goes something like this: ominous, unknown voice says, Go stand in the window so I can see you better, move a little to the left, wait now move a bit to the right, now stand still and . . . Powie! Have no fear, however, because the buckle on her Gucci purse saves her life! Now I see why so many women are obsessed with the brand. Sophies obviously a super tough chick because after nearly getting shot in the chest she goes about her life like nothing happened and doesnt seem at all afraid of dying. Maybe Im just whimpy but if some stranger called me, attempted to shoot me dead and was still on the loose Id be hiding under my bed while peeing my pantaloons. But then again, I dont own a Gucci anything.
Adding some mystery to this is a weird subplot about an insufferable man with a fetish for running and red socks who gets eaten by a polar bear in Alaska and another subplot about a bunch of money grubbing mad scientists experimenting on wolves and people. Sophie, of course, gets messed up in this but sadly does not get munched on by the polar bear. WTF does all this have to do with the romance, you ask? If you must know more, youll have to read the book because Im not sure.
Overall it was just strange, boring and unfunny. The romance lacked chemistry and there was no emotion between them. She dubs him the hubba hubba hunk (honestly, I did not make that up), they have sex because theyre both so hot and all and cant help themselves and its all so tepid that Im asleep before they are. After they escape danger and solve the X-Files mystery they declare themselves in love. None of these storylines meshed well together. I may not have everything correct because I admittedly dozed off a time or two during the listening. If you pick this up, may your experience be a better one than mine.
This is going to be a bit ranty and possibly spoilery so you may want to skip reading further if this in your to be read pile. The heroine is Sophie, a beautiful reporter who grew up with loads of money and the best of everything that cash could buy. She has decided to take the hard road to life by getting a job, giving up her car and refusing to accept daddys money because shes been guilted into it by her friends. Her dad is on the run from the IRS, the FBI, and hoards of folks who claim hes stolen their life savings (hey, wouldnt the IRS have cut off the funds anyway? She aint fooling me!). Sophie is a confusing character, one I never could connect to on any level. She whines over not being able to buy stuff, weeps over the demise of a Dolce & Gabbana blouse and her one of kind Gucci bag but yet gives her money away to the homeless shelter because she says its something she has to do. Her materialism is supposedly an act but I dont get it. Why would anyone purposely want people to think theyre so shallow? I found all of the whining about her stuff obnoxious. The only time she perks up in the entire story and shows emotion is when her designer things are damaged. Then she goes into a screechy rage but other than that shes a generically flat character.
This book is supposed to be a romantic suspense but it was nearly halfway over before I figured out who the freaking hero was supposed to be. FBI agent Jack MacAlister loses a bet and is assigned to watch over her after the dimwit gets herself shot by answering an anonymous phone call. It goes something like this: ominous, unknown voice says, Go stand in the window so I can see you better, move a little to the left, wait now move a bit to the right, now stand still and . . . Powie! Have no fear, however, because the buckle on her Gucci purse saves her life! Now I see why so many women are obsessed with the brand. Sophies obviously a super tough chick because after nearly getting shot in the chest she goes about her life like nothing happened and doesnt seem at all afraid of dying. Maybe Im just whimpy but if some stranger called me, attempted to shoot me dead and was still on the loose Id be hiding under my bed while peeing my pantaloons. But then again, I dont own a Gucci anything.
Adding some mystery to this is a weird subplot about an insufferable man with a fetish for running and red socks who gets eaten by a polar bear in Alaska and another subplot about a bunch of money grubbing mad scientists experimenting on wolves and people. Sophie, of course, gets messed up in this but sadly does not get munched on by the polar bear. WTF does all this have to do with the romance, you ask? If you must know more, youll have to read the book because Im not sure.
Overall it was just strange, boring and unfunny. The romance lacked chemistry and there was no emotion between them. She dubs him the hubba hubba hunk (honestly, I did not make that up), they have sex because theyre both so hot and all and cant help themselves and its all so tepid that Im asleep before they are. After they escape danger and solve the X-Files mystery they declare themselves in love. None of these storylines meshed well together. I may not have everything correct because I admittedly dozed off a time or two during the listening. If you pick this up, may your experience be a better one than mine.
Great story. Romance & mystery always a winner.
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.
I love all of Julie Garwood's books. This one is no exception. Once I started reading It I didn't want to stop.
Julie Garwood has been one of my favorite authors since I was introduced to her books years ago. The first book I read was The Bride, one of her historical novels. Through the years I've read every book she's written. I especially have enjoyed how she's intermingled her characters throughout her storytelling. My favorite parts of her stories are that her female characters are strong, intelligent women...equal matches for the men they fall in love with.
This story with Sophie Rose is no different. Sophie Rose is the daughter of a renown Robinhood-esque man who the FBI and other agencies have been after for quite some time and a reporter. After being assigned to a human interest story about a guy running a marathon who's found dead, someone tries to kills her.
In walks Jack MacAllister, FBI agent and voluntary protector to Sophie Rose...and the fun begins.
This was a very enjoyable read!
This story with Sophie Rose is no different. Sophie Rose is the daughter of a renown Robinhood-esque man who the FBI and other agencies have been after for quite some time and a reporter. After being assigned to a human interest story about a guy running a marathon who's found dead, someone tries to kills her.
In walks Jack MacAllister, FBI agent and voluntary protector to Sophie Rose...and the fun begins.
This was a very enjoyable read!
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.
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.
Another good book by julie garwood. Love her books!
excellent
Fast paced
Sophie Rose, a tough and determined newspaper reporter, is the daughter of Bobby Rose, a suave, charming, and handsome gentleman who also happens to be a notorious big-time thief sought by every law-enforcement agency in the country. When the major Chicago daily where she works insists she write an exposé about her roguish father, Sophie refuses, quits her job, and goes to work at a small newspaper. Far from her onetime high-powered crime beat, she now covers local personalities such as the quirky winner of several area 5K runs whose trademark is goofy red socks.
Those red socks -- with Sophie's business card neatly tucked inside -- are practically all that's found after runner William Harrington is killed near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, seemingly the victim of a brutal death by polar bear. The Alaska cops want to know why Harrington carried Sophie's card. With an unerring nose for a good story, she heads north.
What Sophie doesn't realize is that on her journey from Chicago to Prudhoe Bay, danger follows in her wake. After one attempt on her life, she's been assigned brash but sexy Jack MacAlister as a bodyguard by the cautious FBI. Amid great peril and deadly intrigue in the unforgiving Alaskan terrain, she and Jack form an uneasy alliance sparked with sensual attraction. But they will soon be fighting more than their growing passion for each other. Powerful forces will stop at nothing to prevent the exposure of the sinister conspiracy Sophie and Jack are about to uncover.
Those red socks -- with Sophie's business card neatly tucked inside -- are practically all that's found after runner William Harrington is killed near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, seemingly the victim of a brutal death by polar bear. The Alaska cops want to know why Harrington carried Sophie's card. With an unerring nose for a good story, she heads north.
What Sophie doesn't realize is that on her journey from Chicago to Prudhoe Bay, danger follows in her wake. After one attempt on her life, she's been assigned brash but sexy Jack MacAlister as a bodyguard by the cautious FBI. Amid great peril and deadly intrigue in the unforgiving Alaskan terrain, she and Jack form an uneasy alliance sparked with sensual attraction. But they will soon be fighting more than their growing passion for each other. Powerful forces will stop at nothing to prevent the exposure of the sinister conspiracy Sophie and Jack are about to uncover.
A fun, fast read about a newspaper reporter who doesn't like law enforcement falling in love with her FBI protector. Between each chapter is a journal entry written by the bad guy. I found this irritating and disruptive and wish there had been more relationship development and less detail about the crazy antagonist.
