TROUBLEMAKER by Linda Howard: Review

Troublemaker by Linda Howard
Published by Avon Books
Publication Date: December 27th 2016
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 400
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC
Goodreads
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Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.

A thrilling, fast-paced novel of romantic suspense from sensational New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Linda Howard.

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.

Review

I have enjoyed reading Linda Howard’s writing and I was excited at the chance to read this book. TROUBLEMAKER was a very entertaining and fun story with a special ops hero, an independent heroine and a diva golden retriever, mostly set in a small town with a very interesting cast of secondary characters. One thing I must point out is that while the book is tagged as romantic suspense, it actually reads more as a small town contemporary romance book-ended with a bit of suspense at the beginning and end.  

Morgan Yancy is a member of an elite special operations team and when he’s ambushed and almost killed upon his return from an assignment, his boss decides that he needs to get out of town while an investigation is conducted into the attempted assassination. The perfect location is a small town in West Virginia, far off the beaten track to be relatively safe but close enough to Washington, DC to allow them spring a trap for the attackers.

Circumstances may have led Bo Maran to live in her small town in West Virginia but it has become home to her and as part-time police chief, she takes the responsibility for keeping the town safe very seriously. When an injured man shows up at her door courtesy of her estranged ex-stepbrother, Bo has no idea that he is about to change her life and shake up things in her town.

Ms. Howard paints a very attractive picture of a small community that is very tight-knit and welcoming. Bo and Morgan were very likable characters and while their chemistry was more of a low simmer than a high flame, I loved every bit of it, especially the gradual friendship they forged over time. Bo was independent and pretty much set in her ways and her diva dog, Tricks was everything to her. Until Morgan arrived. Morgan was tightly wound initially and I loved seeing him relax and settle into the community.

I initially had some difficulty with the focus on the dog, but she grew on me and actually provided a lot of humorous moments. While there were a lot of pages, I enjoyed how the author took the time to build up their relationship and weave Morgan into the fabric of the community. 

The suspense lies in unraveling the people behind the attack on Morgan and their motives, which does provide for intrigue in the story and I really am looking forward to more books that will give more details on this element of the story.

This was an enjoyable read for me and I would definitely recommend it to fans of romantic suspense and contemporary romance.

 

 

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