Customer Reviews

Bodyguard

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"Body Guard", Suzanne Brockmann's newest novel from Fawcett Gold Medal, again demonstrates her mastery of the romantic adventure. The tale brings together loose-cannon FBI agent Harry O'Dell, and Alessandra Lamont, an ex-mob trophy wife with a contract on her head. When the FBI's plan to use Alessandra as bait to catch a mob boss goes wrong, she is ready to take her chances and walk away from protective custody. But Harry convinces her to stick with him, and the two set off on a dangerous, cross-country game of hide and seek.

Brockmann weaves complex characterizations, tight plotting, compelling subplots, touches of wry humor, emotion and suspense into an intricate, gritty tale of love and danger. All in all, another winner from the pen of Suzanne Brockmann!

Unlike a lot of the reviewers on the site, I really enjoyed BODYGUARD. I thought it started somewhat slowly, but once I got into it, I had a hard time putting the book down. I really like romances where both characters grow during the course of the action and this was certainly true here. Harry starts out unattractively driven, but the reader gradually finds out why, just as they find out why the heroine has had to depend so heavily on her looks. The secondary characters were fascinating, too, always a plus...I rather liked that the secondary plot wasn't tied up neatly. It made it seem more real, like life often turns out. After closing BODYGUARD, I immediately went to the bookstore to look for Brockmann's backlist...she has a nice style and a lot of story with her romance, a combination I enjoy.

She won a RITA (ooo, two!) and she's selling a gazillion books. None of that changes the fact that Suzanne Brockmann is a great writer who lives up to this hype. This is not Heartthrob II. This book stands solidly on its own merits: strong plot, believable characters, great dialogue, each page moved. This book seems a bit edgier than other romance faire, and despite the mob boss set-up, the grittier aspects involve Harry's redemption in his relationships. Brockmann's characters make pure, tough choices that are sometimes hard to like, but it is a relief to read a book that wasn't device'd to death.

This book fails to get five stars only because a secondary character should have received a whole lot more comeuppance, and the epilogue, unlike the tone of the rest of the book, was a little too Barney for my taste ("And what did you learn today, Timmy?") Brockmann has written a book that takes the romance novel to previously unscaled heights by combining extraordinary circumstances with realistic character responses. P.S. If Detective Harry O'Dell's rumpled suit makes you think of Peter Falk, try substituting George Clooney. Worked for me. Very well, actually. And anyway, seeing Peter Falk is not enough reason to stop reading a well-crafted book. There are too few out there these days.

Burned out FBI agent Harry O'Dell has dedicated his life to bringing Trotta down, as he was responsible for the death of his ex-wife and eldest son, forcing him to put his other two children into hiding while he brings Trotta to justice. With little to live for, he takes on the dangerous assignments no one else wants. Alessandra Lamont finds herself a target of mobster Michael Trotta when her estranged husband is found murdered and the millions he stole from Trotta are gone, but Trotta makes it clear that she is responsible to find the cash and he won't harm her. After the FBI unsuccessfully uses Alessandra as bait and nearly gets her killed, Harry takes control and he and Alessandra are forced to go on the lam together to keep her safe. Her only assets are her looks and her sense of style, which Harry immediately makes her change. They are barely civil to each other, as they travel to Colorado to hook up with his kids. But circumstances have them in close quarters and soon giving in to passion. Will Harry ever be able to heal and forgive his role in his child's death? Will he ever realize that he has two more children?

This novel was a real departure from the usual SEAL fare that Brockmann is famous for. Her lead is not charismatic - he's actually a lot like Oscar Madison - and the chemistry between the two seems a little unlikely, but Brockmann manages to make it believable, as both characters are flawed and very human. A subplot featuring his more debonair partner George, who now reports to his ex-wife, will have readers pining for a happy outcome for the charismatic agent. Overall, it is just an okay story.

I really enjoy Suzanne Brockmann's books, she ties the story lines together very neatly and I feel she doesn't leave any loose ends, as she does in this book. Yes, Alessandra does only focus on her looks, but as was stated time and time again, that is all she knew, all she was told to worry about by her mother and ex-husband. But her transition throughout the story I thought was great, she even mentioned it when Harry gave her a compliment. She said that before, if anyone gave her a compliment on something other than her looks she wouldn't hear it, she would turn it around and say ,whatever, but how do you like my new eyeshadow. As for Harry not being goodlooking, I am sorry but from the descriptions I read, it sounded pretty good to me. Yes, he might not be as tall as the average hero who is usally around 6'0-6'4. But he wasn't that short, Alessandra was described as being 5'8 and Harry as being a few inches taller which would make him 5'-10, I don't feel that is too short. And for someone having eyes the color of melted chocolate and a body that can fill out jeans and a t-shirt, that sounds good to me.

This book I felt held your attention and kept you wondering what was going to happen next, even with the secondary characters, George, Kim and Nicole; and how Harry was going to handle the situation with his kids. I would definitely recommend this book.

Bodyguard was a good read. The characters were fully realized, the writing was excellent. I'm sorry to say that the book never really gained my full attention. I found myself skipping pages. The hero was your typical tortured hero and I liked his character. The secondary characters almost stole the show and held my interest more than the main characters. As for the heroine, I've read better.<G> Her focus on her looks was rather annoying. I thought her shallow and silly. A good read but I've read better from Brockmann and haven't given up on her. HEARTHROB is still tops with me. Brockmann, when she's good, the woman is good. I've enjoyed her Navy SEAL titles like Prince Joe, Harvard's Education, It Came Upon A Midnight Clear and The Admiral's Bride. Brockmann is a very talented writer and I am definately looking forward to her longer, more involved Navy SEAL, full length novel.

To keep my husband alert during a long drive and not wanting to do any driving myself, I started reading this book aloud. Having never read any of this author's books, I really didn't know what I was getting us into. We both enjoyed her vivid attention to detail, her keen sense of humor and editorializing, and her clever style. My husband chuckled as much as I did. Who cares if Alessandra liked makeup and clothes and Harry was a little too short? Read beyond the characterizations and enjoy the charismatic story that brings these two love-lost characters together.

I found the characters interesting. The pain Harry felt when Shaun confronted him was heartbreaking. I appreciated the change that Allie went through from beauty to substance. And that Harry was man enough to see past the looks. I was left feeling kind of sad for George, Kim and Nic. I hope that Ms. Brockmann decides to devote a future book to resolving these people in need of a love like Harry and Allie. I will look for other books by Ms. Brockmann. I have found her writing to be true and very moving.

This book is the perfect love story, Harry and Alessandra, both having their own problems, family, money, etc. but when they met because her husband was from the mafia and Harry was an FBI agent their story begins.
The story of the mafia is almost relative, all the time you want to know what would happen to Harry and Alessandra, it doesn't matter if they are in danger or what is happening to the other people of the book. If you read this book as a perfect love story you will like it, if you read the book as a police book, you will not like it because are many things in the investigation that you don't know where they come from.

When she wrote this novel. The realism is there, as are the wisecracks and the emotional pull, but it leaves something to be desired. The subplot with George, his ex-wife and current boss, Nicole, and his current mistress and ex-wife-lookalike Kim left me with a bad taste in my mouth, mostly because it was unresolved and bitter. But I guess that's more of Brockmann's realism there because for most people, divorce can be unresolved and bitter, and to a greater degree than what is displayed in this novel.

Once again, the movie projector in my mind chose people to star in this novel, most noticeably Gary Sinise as Harry. (Love Gary, he's got passion and talent. Here's looking at you, kid.) I couldn't think of someone to play Alessandra, and I didn't warm to her very well because I'm not classically gorgeous nor have I ever lived in a mansion on Long Island, but I have had some pretty awful haircuts.

I think I felt the most for Shawn, Harry's son, and his friendship with Mindy. That was poignant and so true to life. I was glad to get that little lift at the end when the two of them come face-to-face five years later. Brockmann needed a little more tact when handling the question of Shaun's sexuality. Not bad for a sophomore attempt, but it needed a little more delicacy.

The high points are the sex scenes, which Brockmann nailed (excuse the expression) perfectly. I love getting inside of her male character's heads instead of the usual women's reactions. Sex seems to be a much more primal instinct for men according to my observations, but Brockmann's characterizations go to a different level when her men are engaged in intercourse.

One thing that should be said here, though: french kissing in the morning pre-toothbrushing is not for the faint-hearted. Most authors forget that when they have their characters go at it after a long night's sleep during which time many bacteria have had the chance to grow in one's mouth and halitosis reigns supreme. Or perhaps they both fell asleep chewing gum. . .?

Oh well, a solid little tale. Better to purchase it secondhand, or borrow it from a friend than pay full price. Spend your hard-earned cash on "The Unsung Hero" or "The Defiant Hero."