January 13, 2003
Accustomed to creating perilous scenarios for her characters on the page, writer Taylor O'Toole (the sister of the heroine of Skye's previous offering, My Spy) experiences danger firsthand in this lightweight romantic thriller. When Taylor sustains a few bruises and minor cuts during a freak rock climbing "accident," Navy SEAL Jack Broussard is assigned to watch over her. Though the precaution seems drastic at first, it soon becomes apparent that a group of ruthless international terrorists are indeed out to kill her. Taylor's stubborn determination to fight Jack on nearly every point, even when their lives are in danger, undermines the reader's sympathy, and Jack himself is a cipher, revealing little other than his SEAL skills. Danger heightens the already smoldering attraction between the two, and the sex scenes burn like wildfire. Unfortunately, gaping plot holes and hard-to-swallow coincidences sabotage the intrigue aspect of the romance, though Skye nearly redeems the story with an electrifying twist at the end. A little too clumsy to brush nerve endings or to tug at the heartstrings, this is strictly for readers looking for an easy, frivolous escape.
Starred review from January 1, 2003
Skye has hit her stride with this delightful Navy Seal romance. Taylor O'Toole (the sister of Annie from " My Spy" [BKL Ja 1 & 15 02]), a popular mystery author, takes up some amateur spying for her friend Candace, who is having trouble with her lover, the scientist Harris Rains. Before she knows it, Taylor has suffered a climbing accident, received a death threat via a funeral wreath, and almost been abducted in the armed robbery of a convenience store. Her hunky new neighbor, Jack Brussard, who is not only handy to have around but who can also cook a mean lasagna, steps in to protect her since it seems Taylor has gotten herself mixed up in an international bio-weapon plot. As though Jack wasn't exciting enough, readers will also meet up once again with Izzy Teague, the tall, dark, and handsome technical and logistical wizard who is always there for a Navy Seal in need. A compelling story; endearing, well-developed primary characters; colorful and enticing secondary characters; and sizzling, sensual sex scenes make Skye's latest a romance not to be missed.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)