Review: Troublemaker by Linda Howard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Standalone - GO-Team #1
Release: December 27, 2016
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat: 2 out of 5
Length: 496 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins

For Morgan Yancy, an operative and team leader in a paramilitary group, nothing comes before his job. But when he’s ambushed and almost killed, his supervisor is determined to find out who’s after the members of his elite squad—and why. Due to worries that this unknown enemy will strike again, Morgan is sent to a remote location and told to lay low and stay vigilant. But between a tempting housemate he’s determined to protect and a deadly threat waiting in the shadows, keeping under the radar is proving to be his most dangerous mission yet.

The part-time police chief of a small West Virginian mountain town, Isabeau “Bo” Maran finally has her life figured out. She’s got friends, a dog, and a little money in the bank. Then Morgan Yancy shows up on her doorstep. Bo doesn’t need a mysterious man in her life—especially a troublemaker as enticing and secretive as Morgan.

The harder they fight the intense heat between them, the closer Morgan and Bo become, even though she knows he’s hiding from something. But discovering the truth could cost Bo more than she’s willing to give. And when Morgan’s cover is blown, it might just cost her life.

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MY REVIEW

I'd like to start this off by saying that I'm a huge fan of Linda Howard. Ever since I read Mr. Perfect, a copy of which I have in paperback, I became addicted to her writing. She seemed to have an innate sense of when to pull back on the romance and introduce spine-tingling doses of terror! The suspense was always woven effortlessly throughout the plot, and although for the most part we knew who the bad guy was, how he would meet his end was still a mystery. The steady build towards the climax was definitely felt. If I were to sum up her work in one word, it would be intense.

This book wasn't intense. As interesting and as entertaining as many will find the story of Morgan (government mercenary) and Isabeau (administrative Chief of Police), this story had more of a contemporary feel than a suspenseful one. It started off strong and along the lines of what I expected, with Morgan being ambushed, shot and in critical condition. However, once Bo (Isabeau) was introduced, I felt the vibe of the story change. The plot seemed to be more about Tricks the dog (Isabeau's) than about Morgan and the situation he found himself a victim to. It was a bit off-putting, if I were to be honest, but once I accepted this change, I found that I was able to enjoy how everything developed.

So was I disappointed? In a way, but that's only because I went into this book with certain expectations. It worked out and I really liked the story once I removed those expectations. If I could offer some advice to future readers of this story: go into this with an open mind and heart and allow Linda Howard, an accomplished master of the pen, to take you off the beaten path.