Customer Reviews

The Defiant Hero (Troubleshooters, Book 2)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

When I purchased "The Defiant Hero", I really wasn't expecting to like it(me not being a big fan of action, shoot em' up types of novels). The book was much more than I expected it to be. In fact, the next in the series is at the top of my reading list. If I'm not mistakened it's entitled "Over the Edge".

The "The Defiant Hero" actually involves three stories in one, with approximately six main characters. One story(the main one) involves Navy SEAL, John Nilsson and Meg Moore, the woman with whom he fell in love a few years earlier, but couldn't have. Meg and John(Nils) are brought together again when her daughter, Amy, and grandmother, Eve, are kidnapped by foreign terrorists. John wants to make sure he doesn't lose Meg a second time as she makes every attempt, by risking her own life, to save that of her daughter. Out of desperation, Meg is beyond reason and is willing to do whatever it takes to get Amy back, and Nils is more than prepared to make sure she doesn't make herself the sacrificial lamb, even if he has to die doing so.

The second story taking place was my favorite and is why I loved the book. It involves the beautiful, biracial FBI agent, Alyssa Locke and handsome Navy SEAL, Sam Starrett. Sam and Alyssa met during a previous mission, and have decided that each doesn't like the other. Their paths cross again when they're forced to work together to try and rescue those being held. The sexual tension between these two is working overtime. Alyssa sees Sam as nothing more than a chauvinistic male racist, while he 'seemingly' views her as a stuck up sexual object. Through the strangest of circumstances, sparks start to fly, something Sam had been secretly hoping for all along. Alyssa, on the other hand, isn't so willing to form any type of relationship with Sam, to his dismay.

In reality, these two individuals are really into each other, yet they don't realize it. I found this part of the book to be the most enjoyable. It was not only romantic, but funny as well. You'll find yourself laughing out loud at Sam and Alyssa. I can't wait to read Over the Edge, Brockmann's continuation of the series. In that book the story of these two complicated people continues.

There is a third story which involves the grandmother's retrospective of her earlier life as told to Amy and one of the kidnappers. This one, I didn't like. There didn't seem to be a need for it, especially with the other two stories being so well written. I found myself rushing through this part to get to the other two(Starrett and Locke's especially).

Suzanne Brockmann is the only author I know who can successfully weave three sub-plots into one novel and give each the attention it deserves. Even more impressive, she makes the reader care about each sub-plot. The book starts off with a bang when Meg Moore is informed that her daughter and grandmother have been kidnapped by Kazbekistani extremists. They want Meg to kill or bring them a K-stani terrorist in exchange for the lives of her family. Faced with impossible choices, Meg asks for help from Navy SEAL John Nilsson, a man with whom she has a complicated past. At the same time, Meg's grandmother, Eve, keeps her granddaughter, Amy, from being afraid by telling her about the first love of her life in the days before Britain's involvement in WWII. Adding spice to the mix, Brockmann reintroduces Navy SEAL Sam Starrett and once Navy now FBI agent, Alyssa Locke, two adversaries who are wildly attracted despite tremendous differences. The book is fast-paced, the dialogue is crisp and resonates with authenticity, the characters all compelling. Bring on the next one in this fantastic series, Suzanne!

Defiant Hero is more than a love story. It's two love stories in one. I enjoyed the present day adventures of Meg and John, but was even more amazed to find a WWII love story sprinkled throughout the plot that was endearing, thrilling, and actually brought me to tears. As if that's not enough, the sparking antics of secondary characters (FBI agent Locke and Navy SEAL Starrett) was another bonus. I can't wait for their book!
I stongly disagree with the other reviewer who wrote that it was a waste of money and time. I'm glad I took the chance: It was like having two novels and a sneak-peak at a third all in one book! Brockmann does a great job weaving it all together and effectively touching on the differences between life and love in the 40's versus the same in the 90's. The only suggestion I'd make is to change the title to Defiant Heroes! (Plural) Ralph-pronounced Rafe-deserves some credit on the title!:)

In Brockmann's second book featuring Team Sixteen, we are introduced to single mother Meg Moore who will do anything to save her kidnapped daughter and grandmother--including kidnapping at gunpoint a known terrorist. To help her through this situation, Meg asks for help from Ens. John Nillson for whom she has had feelings for in the past. Will these two be able to trust each other long enough to save Meg's daughter and grandmother?The relationship between John and Meg is very rocky troughout the book, and it's not until the very last three chapters that they finally give into their feelings. Unfortunately, the relationship between these two felt a bit unequal to me. I can understand Meg's sacrifices for her family, but in the process she constantly put John in danger. Meg's treatment of John annoyed me greatly at times. I actually found the secondary relationship between Sam and Alyssa to be better and can't wait to see what happens to them in Brockmann's next book.The flashback story in this book involving Eve, Meg's grandmother, seemed out of place as well. In The Unsung Hero the flashback was compelling and meshed really well with the rest of the story. But here, I felt that it slowed the story down and didn't leave much of an impression on me.While I felt that this wasn't as good as Ms. Brockmann's previous effort, I still found it enjoyable and well worth the time I spent reading it. I very much look forward to the next book in this series!

Does it get any better than The Defiant Hero? I don't think so, but I can't wait for the next installment of SEAL Team Sixteen for Ms. Brockmann to prove me wrong! Her latest hero Lt. John Nilsson is called upon to negotiate a hostage situation and finds himself face to face with a woman from his past. If only this desperate single mother would trust him enough to put her life in his capable hands...but of course she can't. These two main characters have a lot of issues to work through on the way to rescuing Meg's daughter and grandmother that kept me turning pages. The secondary characters are equally riviting with a heartwarming WWII love story told in flashback by the captive grandmother to her grandaughter and one of their guards. And as if that weren't enough there's also a hot romance kindled between Sam from Nils' Team and Alyssa the FBI agent--I want more!

The second book in a line of books which I didn't know was a series until I began reading it. It began with 'Unsung Hero'. But you do not have to read 'Unsung Hero' first, I understood what was going on and Ms. Brockmann doesn't leave us hanging and confused what-so-ever.
Apparently all her books have three or more stories weaved into one and they all converge somewhere in the end or middle. I usually hate these types of books due to the back and forth tales and never really getting to know the main characters very well, but she seemed to accomplish this very well and I am impressed.
Meg Moore, the heroine is desperate and will so anything to save her daughter and grandmother who have been kidnapped by terrorists calling themselves the 'Extremists'. Knowing the United States refuses to negotiate with terrorists from her job as a translator in the European embassy that same logic will kill her daughter and grandmother.
How far will a desperate mother go to save her small remaining family? Meg is not above taking a foreign ambassador hostage in the embassy at gunpoint to force the government's hand at helping her.
Navy SEAL John Nilsson is called on an emergency to help the FBI negotitate with an irrate woman holding an ambassador hostage. When he arrives straight from a training mission he is stunned to learn she had asked for him by name and she is the one woman he never forgot all these years, Meg Moore. Why was she doing this? This was insane and so unlike her!
John must stop her and save her before the FBI takes her out to save the ambassador. First he will have to delve into what is making her tick. Finding that little piece of information will take hours and hours of talking and gun pointing and some moments where John knows he will risk his life and his career to help and save Meg from her own Fate.
Action, drama and some very tense moments where you aren't sure what Meg is capable of fill this compelling book. A mother so desperate and so out of hope, she will kill to save the ones she loves, even herself to save them. I was so in awe of her strength and determination and loved John. He is her soulmate, truly.
The other two stories were as fascinating at the main one. One including the gradmother's tale to the great granddaughter about her love affair in WWII and the steamy relationship between another SEAL and an FBI agent(they now have their own story in a seperate book 'Gone Too Far')helping to find the hostages.
Truly a keeper.

Tracy Talley~@

Suzanne Brockmann has quickly become one of my favorite authors. In the second installment of her Troubleshooters? series, the focus is on John ?Nils? Nilsson and a frantic mother, Meg Moore. Meg?s daughter and grandmother have been kidnapped by terrorists in order to force Meg to kill or kidnap a foreign diplomat.

This is my least favorite of the Troubleshooters? series. I love John Nilsson, but it took me quite a while to warm up to Meg. It was not until the very end of the book that I liked her. This is mainly because she was under duress the entire novel, but the Nils' character more than makes up for my dislike of Meg. An extra chapter or a glimmer or two of her treating Nils with the love and trust he deserved from her would have helped. Fortunately, this happens in future books (at least, it is heavily implied!).

Equally captivating was the WWII story and the beginning of the Sam Starrett and Alyssa Locke saga. As many other reviewers have spoken of Alyssa and Sam, I will not delve too deeply in that direction. Their storyline continues in the next two books in this series. This was one of my favorite WWII storylines! Ralph (pronounced Rafe) was by far my favorite WWII hero, and I was as captivated by their story as I was by the rest of the novel. This book also blended the WWII storyline much better than Unsung Hero.

Suzanne Brockmann is a brilliant author and this series has quickly inserted itself in my top ten, along with the Anita Blake series, J.D. Robb?s Eve Dallas series, and Christine Feehan?s Dark series.

First I must take issue with the fact that people keep insisting that you don't have to read the Troubleshooters books in sequence. I contend you do. I read The Unsung Hero first and then jumped to Into the Storm and frankly felt like I had ruined the series by doing so. It doesn't help that the books are in no way labeled as a series. I really missed out on enjoying the way the relationships between various characters developed throughout the series. Max and Gina, Decker and Sophia, and Sam and Alyssa.
Secondly: Sam and Alyssa. Whoa. All I can say is chocolate syrup, handcuffs and a hot naked navy seal and Ms. Brockmann has my attention. I really didn't feel the main storyline between Nils and Meg. She annoyed me and their relationship seemed needlessly complicated. I did enjoy the WWII storyline. But Sam and Alyssa. Whoa again. One of my favourite romance novel couples (aside from Elizabeth and Darcy--really it's that epic people--lol)

Suzanne Brockmann is in top form with another novel featuring a hero Navy SEAL, Nils. This time the SEALS are saving a single mom, her daughter and her grandmother from terrorists. In the course of this operation, 3 love stories unfold. My favorite love story, as it was in "Unsung Hero," is her World War II story told in flashback form by the grandmother to the granddaughter while they are being held hostage. Her story even holds one of the terrorists spellbound, making him put off their executions so he can hear the tale himself. The World War II story specifically ties into the Battle of Dunkirk in which the grandmother herself played a rescue role. (Of all authors Brockmann desperately needs to write a WWII romantic novel without tying it into other time periods; this era is crying out for its own novel by her!) Almost as good though are her 2 love stories involving SEALS present day. Nils love story with the single mom, Meg, and Sam's with the FBI agent, Alyssa. This book also really moves and its plot will sweep you away right from the get go. Will the SEALS, FBI, and Meg be able to save Meg's daughter and grandmother before they are killed by the terrorists? That is the overriding question throughout. For those of you new to Brockmann, she is a big up and comer in the online romance world. It is hoped by her fans that she eventually crosses over to the non-online romance world. An appreciative nod from here to Blythe and Linda over at "Pandora's Box," which reviews romances online, for their enthusiastic endorsement of this novel right before I sat down to read it. Personally, my absolute favorite novel of Brockmann's is "Heart Throb," the love story between a leading man actor clawing his way back into Hollywood films, after drug and alcohol rehab, and the woman producer on his comeback movie. If you are going to order "Defiant Hero," do yourself a favor and toss "Heart Throb" into the order too if it is still available. My friend Ellen M maintains that if Hollywood wants to make "Heart Throb" into a movie itself, Robert Downey, Jr., was born to play the lead. I concur.

The second in the SEAL Team Sixteen series, "The Defiant Hero," manages to capture and maintain tension and action-packed suspense with each turn of the page. The characters literally jump from the page to capture your attention.

Widow Meg Moore is forced by terrorists to kidnap a foreign national in exchange for her daughter and grandmother, who they are holding captive. Knowing that it is a hopeless situation, Meg tells the hostage negotiators that the only negotiator she will even consider talking to is John Nilsson, a Navy SEAL that she met while on a foreign assignment. John has carried a torch for Meg for many years, but has not acted on his feelings since she was married at the time.

No one is more surprised than John when he is called to negotiate. The Meg he remembers would never do anything so suicidal. A linguistics expert, the two manage to communicate via a language no one else recognizes, and she reveals the fate of her family. When all is not what it appears, and Meg spirits away her prey to barter for her family, John is quickly on her tail, trying to win her trust and help her out of the mess.

"The Defiant Hero" also marks the consummation of the love-hate relationship between SEAL Lt. Sam Starrett and FBI Agent Alyssa Locke, which plays out over the next several installments in the series. This relationship is so complex, it is no wonder that it plays out over several books.

I could have lived without reading the third romance - a WWII flashback involving Meg's grandmother. These WWII flashbacks appear to be a recurring theme in several of the SEAL Sixteen books. After this one, I tended to skip the flashbacks in all later books, since they did little to move the plot along.