Secret agents, mysterious identities and a love that just won’t die make for a sweet, clever escape from reality.
As far as Willow Pierce is concerned, her husband, secret agent Jack Pierce, died two years ago, so why should her handsome new neighbor remind her so much of her late husband, and what exactly should she do about it?
Two years ago, secret agent Jack Pierce was nearly killed in an explosion on foreign soil, and by the time he made it back, barely alive, he’d been declared dead and already mourned by his wife, Willow. Jack, for once, did the right thing and let his tenderhearted ‘widow’ continue to believe he was dead, freeing her to find a new love and a new life uncomplicated by his deadly undercover work. After undergoing intensive reconstructive surgery to heal his wounds, he’s resurrected as a smoother, handsomer version of himself, completely unrecognizable. But now, his would-be assassin and archnemesis, a terrorist known as the Rooster, has heard rumors that Jack is alive, and he’s going after Willow. What better way to make certain Jack is well and truly dead than to go after his Achilles’ heel, his love for his wife? Now Jack is undercover and under wraps, and he’ll play the biggest role of his life—convincing his wife and his enemy that he’s Con Russo rather than Jack Pierce. Even if, suddenly, he doesn’t really want to be. And when the mission gets more complicated, the Rooster’s activities get more dangerous and Willow becomes more convinced that Jack is, indeed, her husband, well, what’s a guy to do but come clean and save the day—as well as his girl. Robinson pens a fun, fluffy read that combines secret-agent elements with a generally compelling romance in this third installment of her Agent Ex line. Cute characters and a plot that could be easily mishandled, but for the most part hangs together, create a successful frame for a good story, supported by smooth writing and fun, quirky details that add texture to an entertaining concept. A few small inconsistencies, but overall, a light, engaging read.
Secret agents, mysterious identities and a love that just won’t die make for a sweet, clever escape from reality.Pub Date: Dec. 24, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-312-54241-2
Page Count: 352
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2012
A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.
A promise to his best friend leads an Army serviceman to a family in need and a chance at true love in this novel.
Beckett Gentry is surprised when his Army buddy Ryan MacKenzie gives him a letter from Ryan’s sister, Ella. Abandoned by his mother, Beckett grew up in a series of foster homes. He is wary of attachments until he reads Ella’s letter. A single mother, Ella lives with her twins, Maisie and Colt, at Solitude, the resort she operates in Telluride, Colorado. They begin a correspondence, although Beckett can only identify himself by his call sign, Chaos. After Ryan’s death during a mission, Beckett travels to Telluride as his friend had requested. He bonds with the twins while falling deeply in love with Ella. Reluctant to reveal details of Ryan’s death and risk causing her pain, Beckett declines to disclose to Ella that he is Chaos. Maisie needs treatment for neuroblastoma, and Beckett formally adopts the twins as a sign of his commitment to support Ella and her children. He and Ella pursue a romance, but when an insurance investigator questions the adoption, Beckett is faced with revealing the truth about the letters and Ryan’s death, risking losing the family he loves. Yarros’ (Wilder, 2016, etc.) novel is a deeply felt and emotionally nuanced contemporary romance bolstered by well-drawn characters and strong, confident storytelling. Beckett and Ella are sympathetic protagonists whose past experiences leave them cautious when it comes to love. Beckett never knew the security of a stable home life. Ella impulsively married her high school boyfriend, but the marriage ended when he discovered she was pregnant. The author is especially adept at developing the characters through subtle but significant details, like Beckett’s aversion to swearing. Beckett and Ella’s romance unfolds slowly in chapters that alternate between their first-person viewpoints. The letters they exchanged are pivotal to their connection, and almost every chapter opens with one. Yarros’ writing is crisp and sharp, with passages that are poetic without being florid. For example, in a letter to Beckett, Ella writes of motherhood: “But I’m not the center of their universe. I’m more like their gravity.” While the love story is the book’s focus, the subplot involving Maisie’s illness is equally well-developed, and the link between Beckett and the twins is heartfelt and sincere.
A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-64063-533-3
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Review Posted Online: Jan. 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an...
True love flares between two people, but they find that circumstances always impede it.
On a winter day in London, Laurie spots Jack from her bus home and he sparks a feeling in her so deep that she spends the next year searching for him. Her roommate and best friend, Sarah, is the perfect wing-woman but ultimately—and unknowingly—ends the search by finding Jack and falling for him herself. Laurie’s hasty decision not to tell Sarah is the second painful missed opportunity (after not getting off the bus), but Sarah’s happiness is so important to Laurie that she dedicates ample energy into retraining her heart not to love Jack. Laurie is misguided, but her effort and loyalty spring from a true heart, and she considers her project mostly successful. Perhaps she would have total success, but the fact of the matter is that Jack feels the same deep connection to Laurie. His reasons for not acting on them are less admirable: He likes Sarah and she’s the total package; why would he give that up just because every time he and Laurie have enough time together (and just enough alcohol) they nearly fall into each other’s arms? Laurie finally begins to move on, creating a mostly satisfying life for herself, whereas Jack’s inability to be genuine tortures him and turns him into an ever bigger jerk. Patriarchy—it hurts men, too! There’s no question where the book is going, but the pacing is just right, the tone warm, and the characters sympathetic, even when making dumb decisions.
Anyone who believes in true love or is simply willing to accept it as the premise of a winding tale will find this debut an emotional, satisfying read.Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-525-57468-2
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
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