Helpful Score: 3
Before I read this book, I looked at some reviews on Amazon. They were mixed, and the one thing that stuck out in my mind was the reviewer who commented that the book had too many personal viewpoints thrown in, particularly with respect to gay men. I might not have noticed the number of times the subject of gay men appears in the book, as there is one gay character, but it did seem that it was kind of over done (and awkwardly so). I absolutely love Suzanne Brockmann's books, and I have read every single one (the TDD and Troubleshooters series are keepers and I've read them multiple times). I have no problem with gay characters and that's not why, in my opinion, this book was just okay. The story was somewhat interesting, and the characters could have been very interesting, but it all fell a bit flat. The paranormal aspect was just okay (but I caveat with the fact that I'm not a huge fan of the paranormal). The one thing that really stuck out for me was that the heroine comments several times on the hero's southern drawl (or cowboy twang). Now, I've only been to Alaska once (where our hero was born and raised), but I've never heard of anyone from that region speaking with the cowboy or southern overtones. The hero's ancestor was a wild west cowboy, but it struck me as extremely odd that the hero was billed as a cowboy.
Helpful Score: 2
I'm very picky about my Brockmann books. I certainly don't like all of them and was hesitant to read this one because of the mixed reviews. But I'm going to have to side with the ones who enjoyed this book.
I thought the story was interesting and I liked the paranormal aspect. It wasn't exactly unique but it was fun. The characters were great and I liked the fact that they had some wonderful side characters I would love to read more about like Bev and Charlie's story or even Tom and Rose's romance. I totally thought Joe and Hugh would hook up but oh well.
I have to say Alison isn't the most likable character or the smartest, but somehow in the end you want her to win.
It also was nice to read a Brockmann book where she doesn't pussyfoot around cuss words. In some of her works, she kind of dances around it which I had found somewhat annoying. Here, she just says it.
There are parts of Jim's narration that were slow and there were some repeats (more like things that were mentioned a few times). I find the different points of view kind of nice. I also liked the story within a story tactic. I know that's what Brockmann did with "Unsung Hero" as well. I haven't read enough Brockmann to know if this is a trademark of hers.
I thought this one was worth the read. It isn't typical of what Brockmann writes but I still thought it was pretty good. Truthfully, I wouldn't want to read an author who only writes one kind of story.
I thought the story was interesting and I liked the paranormal aspect. It wasn't exactly unique but it was fun. The characters were great and I liked the fact that they had some wonderful side characters I would love to read more about like Bev and Charlie's story or even Tom and Rose's romance. I totally thought Joe and Hugh would hook up but oh well.
I have to say Alison isn't the most likable character or the smartest, but somehow in the end you want her to win.
It also was nice to read a Brockmann book where she doesn't pussyfoot around cuss words. In some of her works, she kind of dances around it which I had found somewhat annoying. Here, she just says it.
There are parts of Jim's narration that were slow and there were some repeats (more like things that were mentioned a few times). I find the different points of view kind of nice. I also liked the story within a story tactic. I know that's what Brockmann did with "Unsung Hero" as well. I haven't read enough Brockmann to know if this is a trademark of hers.
I thought this one was worth the read. It isn't typical of what Brockmann writes but I still thought it was pretty good. Truthfully, I wouldn't want to read an author who only writes one kind of story.
Interesting departure for Ms. Brockmann. This hero is seriously flawed, and I think that makes him more interesting. The heroine also has her issues, which I like. Now we have two imperfect people who are inerringly attracted to each other, but must work together to solve a mystery that they're not even aware of. The ghost - or spirit - as he prefers to be called, is an interesting mix of old-time honor & modern values. The character development, both individually and as a couple, was an integral part of the storyline. You had to pay attention to the details but still ignore the insignificant inconsistencies. Just sit back and enjoy.
I am a Brockmann fan and this was another good read. I enjoy the complexity of her story lines and the the range of topics she addresses (wild west shootouts, domestic violence, PTSD in veterans, who writes history, family dynamics). There is a "spirit" as a main character in this book which was sometimes charming and sometimes irritating. He can only appear to one live person at a time, so there was lots of repeating what he said for the other characters. If you're reading for the relationship between the hero and the heroine, you'll love it. If you're more interested in the murder plot, you may be left thinking "huh"?
ANOTHER GOOD BOOK FROM SUZANNE. A LITTLE SLOW IN SOME PLACES. BUT, OVER ALL IT WAS A GOOD READ.
This is the first Suzanne Brockmann I have read. I enjoyed it very much. Multi-sided plot and very well done. I would recommend it.
This is a different book from her recent ones but well written with unique characters.
it's a brockman...need i say more.
Loved this book! It has a ghost, a movie production in progress, bad guys trying to kill the heroine, and of course the slightly damaged hero. Great story with lots of action. Suzanne Brockmann did a great job with this one! Definitely 5 stars here.
Gaaack. Should have kept this manuscript on the shelf, Suz! I've been a Brockmann fan for years: love her interweaving story lines, really fun characters and excellent, excellent dialogue. Not this one.
