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Troublemaker: A Novel
Summary
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.
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Reviews
This is the story of Morgan Yancy, who is a team leader in a paramilitary group. He is shot & goes to a small West VA town to recuperate with the Chief of Police, Bo Maran. Bo is the step-sister of Morgan's leader. Bo isn't thrilled to have someone staying at her house but slowly gets used to Morgan. Bo has a golden retriever named Tricks who seems to understand English at a level higher than most dogs (who can understand like a 2 year old toddler). Tricks is a huge part of this story so if you don't like or understand the bond between an animal and their owners you might not enjoy this book.As Morgan recovers from his injuries, Axel (his leader) is trying to unravel who tried to kill Morgan. It is close to the end of the book when Morgan, with Bo's help, starts to figure that out. Things move really fast after that. I wasn't that satisfied with the way the killer or killers story ended.I rate this a 3.5 because I thought it was a slow moving story and didn't keep my interest. I would go a couple of days without reading it which is unusual for me once I am into a book. I like all the characters but weren't invested in them.
Isabeau (Bo) is a small town police chief who is forced to accept a house guest in Morgan, an operative who has survived a gunshot wound and needs someplace quiet and safe to heal. In the beginning, Morgan is extremely weak, but as he gets stronger, he and Bo become more and more attracted to one another. When Bo's beloved dog, Tricks, is threatened, Morgan saves her and the relationship is consummated. There really isn't much suspense in the story until near then end when the culprit who was responsible for shooting Morgan is finally revealed.
The interaction between the two lead characters made for a light and fun developing romance which is enhanced by the love of a good dog, but the suspense aspect of the story is left shortchanged. The middle of the story drags on a bit as the relationship between the characters is explored for almost too long. A good light read by Linda Howard, but there are so many of her books that I liked more than this one.
The interaction between the two lead characters made for a light and fun developing romance which is enhanced by the love of a good dog, but the suspense aspect of the story is left shortchanged. The middle of the story drags on a bit as the relationship between the characters is explored for almost too long. A good light read by Linda Howard, but there are so many of her books that I liked more than this one.
Another solid romantic suspense novel from Howard, featuring one of her alpha male heroes, a woman strong enough to stand up to him, and a very appealing dog.Morgan is a covert ops specialist, working for a secret government agency. While home on leave, he is ambushed and nearly killed. His boss sends him to recuperate--and to hide--with the boss's ex-stepsister in rural West Virginia. Bo, whose short-lived career as a house-flipper ended with the real estate crash, is a tech writer and part-time police chief (administrative only). She agrees to take Morgan in because she needs the money and because he is in no shape to go anywhere else at that point. As Morgan recovers, these two wary people forge an unexpected connection, helped along by Bo's dog Tricks, an implausibly bright golden retriever.Solid suspense, appealing characters, believable romance, hot sex, and a very smart dog.
Suspenseful and interesting...sweet, funny, sexy, and full of action.
Loved all the characters especially Tricks. Great story with fun characters and Naked Pig
Disappointed. I really enjoyed the next in this series "the Woman Left Behind" - so I thought I'd go back and listen to the first one. They're nothing alike, in quality. Highly recommend the Woman Left Behind - it's 5 out of 5. This one (Troublemaker) is 1 part good (hence the 2 out of 5), 1 part mush, 1 part all about the dog
Troublemaker by Linda HowardTroublemaker by Linda Howard is a 2016 William Morrow publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.It is so nice to see a brand new romantic suspense novel by Linda Howard! Morgan is a member of the exclusive GO-team, and an operative who has been shot, resulting in a heart attack, and is now in need of a place to lay low after his cover was compromised. Bo is the chief of police in a small W. Virginia community, trying to pull herself out of a financial bind, and mostly living a quiet, peaceful life…until a man shows up at her home, obviously in pretty bad shape, claiming her former step-brother sent him. Initially, Bo was irate, but if she will simply allow the man to stay with her until he gets back in shape and the danger he is in has passed, she stands to earn enough money to pay off her debts. This story is quintessential Linda Howard and I really enjoyed reading this romantic suspense novel written in the style I grew up with, but this story shows a new side of Ms. Howard, which is a little softer around the edges, shows more restraint by building the romantic tensity slowly, and allowing the mystery to float in the background for a while, then revving the suspense up to an action packed finale.Also, on tap is the author’s trademark humor, but in this story she adds in a sweet small town romance element, and a loyal dog named Tricks, you will fall in love with. I’m trying to remember if I have read a romantic suspense novel with this unique combination. It may seem like an odd pairing, but it works. Bo is a character I admired a lot because she has a high ranking position, and despite her sad background, she isn’t bitter, just cautious. I liked her attitude, the way she loves her job, her duties, and how she handled the situations she was faced with with aplomb and a respect for the people she works for. Morgan is a bit of an enigma for a long while, but what I loved about his story was seeing him settle into the small town life, his companionship with Tricks, and how he falls in love with Bo. The change in him is interesting and fun to watch. The suspense and mystery lies in the uncertainly of who Morgan’s enemies might be. It’s a real puzzle and it takes a long time for information to develop in this area, but once it does, things get tense in a hurry. Linda Howard is an author I have followed for many years, and I have always liked her style, and have read many of her books. This story is pretty much what I would expect from her, only better. If you are a long time fan, I think you will be happy with this one. If you have yet to discover this author, this will be a nice introduction. This story will obviously appeal to romantic suspense lovers, but contemporary romance fans will like this one too.
I have yet to find a Linda Howard book that I did not like. I have fun with the canine activities and the human variety was entertaining also. Bo was strong, independent and a determined to live life on her own terms. She had finally come to terms with life and knew what she did and didn’t want. One sexy, mysterious Morgan Yancy was of the didn’t want variety. She was just having trouble convincing the rest of her of that matter. Morgan had a lot on his plate to juggle around. Then to be place in a location where he was left to contend with a woman with a gun and a canine. Then to add to it the chemistry that was smoking the room. Howard gave me what I look forward to in her reads. A story. A fast pace romantic suspense where it takes just a little something extra to get the two together and a whole lot of something more to pull them apart.