Review of Breaking the Rules by Suzanne Brockmann

Rating - 3

 Navy SEAL Izzy Zanella and his estranged wife, Eden Gillman, are set on saving her brother even if that means reconciling with each other to prove to a court that they can give better care to the young teenage boy. Just as their hearts begin to mend, the makeshift family gets caught up in saving another youth from a crime ring in Las Vegas and ends up with a group of dangerous men on their trail.

It's sad to see the end of the Trouboeshooters series. This was probably not the best of the series, but it had Brockmann's characteristic suspense, romance and the brotherhood of the SEALs. I look forward to reading whatever Brockmann comes up with next.

Review of Love You More by Lisa Gardner

Rating - 4.5

Brian Darby lies dead on the kitchen floor. His wife, state police trooper Tessa Leoni, claims to have shot him in self-defense, and bears the bruises to back up her tale. For veteran detective D. D. Warren it should be an open-and-shut case.But where is their six-year-old daughter? (Amazon).

I really liked this book. The plot is compex; the story is told in two voices...Tessa's and D.D.'s. The two points of view allow the reader to know more than the characters' at certain points. It is very suspenseful and difficult to stop reading. Highly recommended.

Review: Salting Roses by Lorelle Marinello

Rating: 4

Gracie Lynn Calloway was left on a doorstep in her small Alabama town as a baby. She was raised by her two "uncles", Ben and Artie and by her "aunt" Alice, Ben's wife. Although her upbringing was unusual, she never doubted that she was loved. Now, at 25 years of age, she learns that Ben, Artie and Alice aren't related to her at all. In fact, she is a kidnapped heiress. In addition, she learns that her real father has been watching her over the years and that Ben knew it all along. Now Gracie feels as if she doesn't know herself or those she loves and trusts at all. AND, she has to decide if she wants to accept the millions of dollars that are now hers and all of the hoopla that goes along with it. To add to her confusion, the "messenger" from her New England family is, Sam Fontana, a tall, dark and handsome Yankee who literally takes her breath away everytime his eyes meet hers.
Gracie Lynn Calloway is a stong, engaging heroine who is thrust into a situation totally beyond her experience. Her relationship with her uncle Artie is warm and tender and her battles with Aunt Alice are funny and definitely believable. "Salting Roses" will make you laugh, cry and cheer but will also make you think about your own values and foundations and what would happen if that foundation suddenly fell away.

Review: Chasing the Night by Iris Johansen

Rating - 4

Catherine Ling is a top operative in the CIA, having been recruited as a child from the streets of Hong Kong. Almost 10 years ago, her 2 year old son was kidnapped by a Russian terrorist bent on seeking revenge on Catherine. Over the years, Rakovac has kept Luke alive, taunting Catherine about his whereabouts. Catherine finally has enough information to track Rakovac and find her son. She asks Eve Duncan, forensic sculptor, to do an age progression on a photo of Luke when he was 2 years old so she knows what he looks like now. Eve finds herself being drawn further into the search for Luke, and soon Eve and her partner, Joe, have put their lives on the line to help Catherine find her son and stop Rakovac before he not only kills Luke but unleashes a series of terrorist attacks on major cities in the world.

I've read the Eve Duncan series from the beginning, mostly because I'm fascinated by her work as a forensic sculptor. Some titles have been more interesting than others, but "Chasing the Night" is one of the best. After a slow start setting the stage and introducing the major characters, the story takes off at a furious pace, leaving readers breathless and unable to put the book down until the very last page. AND, the final paragraph opens the door to something that readers of the Eve Duncan series have been waiting for a long time.