Customer Reviews

Crash Into Me

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sonny Vasquez is a troubled woman and an excellent FBI agent. While her skills as an agent are top notch, a troubled past prevent her from being able to have a trusting romantic relationship. Ben Fortune is a widowed dad with a beautiful, very troubled 16 year old daughter. Ben's wife was murdered a few years ago, and he was the prime suspect, until a drifter confessed. The drifter commits suicide and claims he lied about the killing. There are other young women who have been killed by what appears to be the same killer. Sonny is sent undercover to watch Ben. When Sonny saves Ben's daughter from drowning, and quickly becomes entangled in their lives. Ben is nothing like she expected and finds herself unable to remain professionally detached. Ben has never recovered from loosing his wife, and is surprised at his attraction to his new neighbor.

Jill Sorenson has done a great job in creating real characters with flaws, and strength. Ben's love for his daughter regrets for his past mistakes are evident. There is a great plot line with Carly and her new boyfriend James and his connection to Sonny. I loved this story and the characters. Even though I guessed who the killer was early, the suspense of how this killer would get caught, and how the lives of the rest of the characters would end up remained until the end. I am looking forward to more of Jill Sorenson's books in the future!

This book was recommended to me through an Amazon Discussion for Favorite Romantic Suspense. I hadn't read anything by this author, the sub-genre was new to me so I thought I would take a chance. I thought the author really enticed you into the story making it very interesting with lots of action, many subplots and it was never slow. It is what I would call a grown up story not sweet and funny, but serious and at times intense.

I love athletes! Their bodies are always hot, their sexy and they know how to do IT!, probably because they have done it so many times with women always throwing themselves at them. The hero Ben is a professional surfer (first time I read about a surfer) who's wife was murdered, he was the prime suspect and he becomes somewhat of a recluse. Everybody, from top to bottom, has a lot of emotional baggage in this book. He has a crazy, beautiful, teenage daughter with bad friends and does bad things to herself. There is a couple of brothers, one is Ben's daughter's love interest, that have had major events in their young lives to mess them up real good. I do love the daughter's boyfriend, James, though, he tries so hard to be good. The heroine, Sonny, is hard, unemotional character that has major problems with intimacy and she is undercover investigating Ben as a serial killer.

The story does keep you guessing, although the villain became predictable by process of elimination. I gave this book 4 stars mainly because it was hard to put down and the love story between the daughter and James. It was the first time I read a book with a lot of detail sexual encounters of teenagers- it didn't seem like they were 16 and 18 (I wasn't put out by it). I never did feel a strong love connection between the main characters, lust definitely. It was a more desperate relationship, the sex was always hard, never loving. There was one thing that did really bug me, it was a situation (nothing major) that was never resolved between the brothers and the heroine, it could have made the HEA a little sweeter. I don't want to spoil it by giving too much detail.

Sonora "Sonny" Vasquez is a tough as nails FBI agent working the VICAP division. Her latest assignment is taking her back home to San Diego where she is supposed to get close to surfing phenom Ben Fortune. His wife had been murdered and now the man who claimed to have killed her has recanted his statement. And there is a new serial killer operating in the San Diego and the killer's signature resembles Olivia Fortunes murder. Is it possible that Surfing's golden boy is the SoCal strangler? And what will Sonny do when her emotions, against all reason become involved? She's falling in love with Ben and he is all wrong for her on so many level's the least of which is the fact that Ben is a suspect in his wife's' murder. What is Sonny going to do and will she be able to clear Ben's name or has she fallen in love with a serial killer?

Sonny is an interesting character as far as the baggage she brings along emotionally and mentally. This was a fast read although there were some elements that I didn't think the author exploited to their full potential. There are a plethora of characters in this story as well as varying storylines. Ben's daughter and her relationship with a new boy, Ben's angst regarding his past and of course Sonny's past. The romance between Ben and Sonny really seems to take a back seat to other elements of the story. Ben's daughter Carly and her romance with James took up a great deal of the story and frankly this detracted from the suspense storyline and the growth between Sonny and Ben. And yet there was something entertaining about the book. There are some heavy issues that are introduced including, rape, drug use, cutting and homosexuality. The author deals with all of these elements with confidence and respect. This is a worthwhile read offering a little bit of everything, sure to entertain readers.

When Carolyn Crane told me how much she adored Jill Sorenson novels and even compared her to Megan Hart, I couldn't hold myself back and bought 2 of her backlist titles. I started Crash Into Me and I read this 400+ pages novel in under 24 hours. It just took me so long because of the evil job and OMG I'm in love.

Crash Into Me is such an emotional and suspenseful novel that I fond myself at a loss for words. Some books are just that good that you have to tell everyone about them and I think this is one of those for me. I didn't plan to review it but I can't seem to concentrate on anything else so I just have to get it out of my system. What made this book so special to me?

1. The whole structure of this suspense novel is rather unique and highly intriguing. It's not the usual one romance per novel- we actually have 2 love-stories in this one. I loved how the focus varied but never highlighted one plot line too much. The balance between all the stories and subplots was perfect. Never did I have the urge to skip some pages to get to the "good" part. Everything just fit together.

2. The characterization in this book was also perfect. I love when an author gives us such an insight into their characters but doesn't make it too subtle. I hate when we are thrown from one internal discussion into the next. It has to fit the story and shouldn't feel forced. Sorenson did just that and so much more. I can't remember many books where I felt such a deep connection to the characters. They were shown in so much detail they actually jumped off the pages for me.

3. The story itself was really sad but all the rather "heavier" topics were handled with so much love and care that you just couldn't look away. This book forces you to keep reading even when you think that you would prefer not to read about this. My heart still hurts when I think about parts of this story. But on the other hand we have those moments full of love which balance out the sad parts.

4. In addition to #1 I have to admit something. I know I'm one of those big YA deniers who just out of protest don't read this genre and here I caught myself adoring a YA plot. It just totally blew me away but I'm also sure I wouldn't have liked it if it would have only been YA. I think the mix totally does it for me.

5. I'm not a huge suspense fan but Crash Into Me kept me on the edge of my seat and I may have mentioned this before, I couldn't put it down. The plot was never too prominent or pushed the romance into the background but it was always there, reminding you that something horrible happened and you could already feel the doom approaching. And yep I didn't see the end coming.

As you can see I loved this book- it had everything I love about books and so much more. I had high expectations and this book didn't disappoint at all- it exceeded everything I could have imagined before I started it. LOVED it! If you haven't read this author I urge you to give her a try-I was blown away and I hope you will be too. And yes, I already started my next Jill Sorenson novel. *g*

Jill Sorenson is new talented voice in romantic suspense. "Crash Into Me" is an engaging and riveting read from the first page, this page-turner will keep you up all night. I was enchanted and will be looking forward to read her next suspense.

When FBI Special Agent Sonny Vasquez was sent undercover to La Jolla to make friends with Ben Fortune, the attraction between them fires up. She is a riveting beauty with an attitude. He is a drop dead gorgeous who is world class surfer. He has been a prime suspect in the murder of his wife and a few other beauties in the area. Sonny asks herself if he could be a ruthless killer. The fierce attraction heats up, while they tangle up with horrifying events. They both wonder if they can trust and fall in love with each other.

You won't be disappointed.

I also recommend Pamela Clare's novels.

I really enjoyed this book and would have given it 5 stars except for one thing. Ben was a man who had not looked at another woman with any interest in 3 years and his immediate attraction to Sonny just did not make sense. The writer really gave no reason for his immediate interest. After I got past that, the book was well written with a good plot.

FBI Agent in Charge Leland Grant assigns Special Agent Sonora "Sonny" Vasquez to investigate the SoCal Strangler killings in the ritzy Torrey Pines section of San Diego. The prime suspect is world class professional surfer Ben Fortune, whose wife Olivia died three years ago in a similar but sloppier stabbing. A drifter confessed to the killing of Olivia, but recanted just before he committed suicide. The only clue to the rape and strangling is fiber from a wet suit.

Being from San Diego, Sonny uses the name Summer Moore when she notices Ben's out of wedlock sixteen year old daughter Carly sneak out of their upscale home at night. She follows only to see Carly dive in to the cold Pacific; Summer follows her into the water and rescues Carly. The teen informs her dad Summer rescued her. He invites Summer to a casual dinner to which she says no until he explains Carly will be there too. Ben's best friend John Thomas "JT" Carver arrives to insure Carly is okay. Carly was not committing suicide as she accidentally slipped from a rock. Instead she is a cutter. Her friend Lisette Bruebaker sneaks into Ben's bed as she wants sex with him. He is startled and tells her to leave; Lisette runs out of the house. Soon afterward, Lisette is found dead at sea by Carly's "pretend" boyfriend and his family; the evidence points towards Ben, whom Summer likes.

The lead couple is a strong pairing as each brings issues to the relationship as well as the problem of her being an undercover cop investigating him. The support cast is solid as they enhance either the story line or insight into the lead couple. Although the discovery of Sonny's expanded family is a bit too much coincidence, the investigation into the serial killings is cleverly done as the audience will enjoy this well written surf's up police procedural romance.

Harriet Klausner

FBI Special Agent Sonny Vasquez gives 100% to her job with nothing left over for a personal life. So when her boss asks her to go undercover to investigate Ben Fortune, a famous professional surfer whose wife was murdered several years ago and is now a suspect in the death of several other women. Sonny never sees herself falling in love with Ben though or becoming romantically involved with him. But the deck maybe stacked against Sonny since it appears that Ben is still in love with his late wife and once he finds out the truth about Sonny any chance they might have will definitely disappear. With evidence stacking up against Ben and Sonny's desire to protect him can they find a future together?

Jill Sorenson is most certainly an author to watch. With what appears to be her first full length romantic suspense she gives us a riveting story with characters that quickly have you emotionally involved with their lives. Kudos to Ms. Sorenson, Crash Into Me delivers!

Melissa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Sonny Vasquez is an excellent FBI agent with some sexual hangups. This tough girl gets an assignment in an undercover case as Summer Moore. She is trying to solve a murder mystery involving Ben Fortune, a yummy- looking famous surfer and his troubled teenage daughter, Carly. Sonny's professional and personal lives get mixed up when he half brothers and long lost dad become suspects in the case.

You will not be able to put this thrilling romance novel down!
The character's are deep and true to life and anyone will love this book, it is a combo between murder mystery and romance. I recommend it!

Some books can cross genres without missing a beat. This is not one of them. It tried to hard to be both a suspenseful mystery and a romance, but both were only lukewarm. Many reviewers seemed to be swept away by the descriptions of sunny Southern California. Living in sunny SoCal, that kind of description is not enough to transport me to another world. And this book, certainly didn't.