Customer Reviews

Extreme Exposure (I-Team Series, Book 1)

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Investigative Reporter ("I- Team") Series:

Extreme Exposure

Hard Evidence

Unlawful Contact



Pamela Clare wrote some of my all- time favorite historical romances. ("Carnal Gift", "Sweet Release", and "Ride the Fire", are one series. "Surrender" is the first in another series about 3 brothers... we're still waiting for the sequels.) One of the things I always loved most about Clare's writing is her hero characters. They are written to be strong, devoted, passionate, and willing to sacrifice everything for their women. The hero in "Extreme Exposure" is the same kind of man.

Reece is a Colorado state senator. He is intrigued by a daring female journalist who is known for going to the limit to get the truth for her articles. On a few occasions, Kara has interviewed Reese over the phone. The first time they meet in person, Reece knows he wants to have time to get to know her better. Kara is an overwhelmed single mom with a full time career and a bad history with men. She is determined not to get involved with a senator who seems too good to be true. Reece doesn't mind putting a lot of effort into changing her mind. He feels both she and her son, Connor, are worth it. He wants to be the man Kara needs, and the father figure Connor so yearns for.

Kara is investigating a cement company who has been poisoning the local environment. The billionaire company owner wants her out of the way. He threatens Kara with death if she continues to dig into his company's health department records. When she refuses to back off, her home is invaded and she is nearly murdered. Reece wants to know who is threatening her. Kara won't expose her sources. Reece has no choice but to begin an investigation of his own. Now both Reece and Kara are targets. They discover that by working as a team, they can find the answers they need. Kara is still reluctant about getting personally involved, but Reece will not give up on her. He'll risk his career and even his very life to save her.



The writing is so good in this tale, I was holding my breath at times. This story has so much more to it than a basic romance novel. The action scenes are intense. The romance is super steamy with ultra yummy love scenes. Reece is a dream hero. The plot thickens as you go, with surprises at the end.

I liked Kara's character as well, although not as much. She is strong, independent, determined, honest, and a devoted mom. My only problem with her was the length of time it took her to accept to Reece. About 3/4 of the way through the book, she is still pushing him away. It got to the point that I felt she didn't deserve Reece's undying affection. For weeks he gave her all of himself, she would only give him sex in return. Finally, at chapter 25 (over 275 pages into the book) her icy armor breaks away for good. From that point, she's extraordinarily dedicated to Reece, even risking her life to save him. I liked her more and more throughout the rest of the story.


Want to read the series? Here are the links for the next two books:

Hard Evidence

Unlawful Contact (Berkley Sensation) (Best of the series so far!)


Pamela Clare's Historical Romance favorites:
Three Part Series:
Sweet Release
Carnal Gift
Ride The Fire (Leisure Historical Romance) --One of my personal all- time favorite historicals!

First in Clare's second historical series:
Surrender (Leisure Historical Fiction)

The sequel, "Untamed" is scheduled for release in November 2008

If you enjoy romantic tales between protective men and modern women, try the "Bullet Catchers" series:
Kill Me Twice (The Bullet Catchers, Book 1)
Thrill Me to Death (The Bullet Catchers, Book 2)
Take Me Tonight (The Bullet Catchers, Book 3)

That's my opinion and I am sticking to it. EXTREME EXPOSURE is the first book I've read by Pamela Clare. I have never been more pleased with a contemporary romance. Let's just say that if more contemporary romances out there were as well written as this one, I might never read any other Romance genre again. Pamela Clare delivers to readers a funny, fast-paced, suspensful and heart-wrenching read all in one. We get very well-developed characters, thrills, chills, lots of bedroom action and enough romance to fill up an entire lifetime.

Kara McMillan is a dedicated investigative journalist, full-time single mom and a past heartbreak survivor. Through the well-meaning help of a good friend and coworker, she's back on the singles scene in Denver, Colorado, putting her dignity on the line once again in order to find a man. Not really wanting to be left dangling in the breeze like a worm on the hook, she's about ready to call it quits when in walks the sexiest man to ever walk the planet. That would be Senator Reece Sheridan, the consummate, the ultimate MAN. She's conducted phone interviews with him before, and he was instantly intrigued by her sexy voice. So it's no surprise when they hit it off. Thanks to her good friend abandoning her on the spot, she has to depend on the generous spirit of the senator to take her home. Poor Kara....I only wish it had been me! Readers are quickly wisked into their whirlwind relationship as Kara begins investigationg a local mining operation thanks to the tip of an anonymous source. What follows is the stuff made of political scandal legends: mystery, intrigue, murder and justice. No one can put a scandal of this magnitude to newspaper justice like Kara. She's literally a force to be reckoned with.

A gutsy journalist deserves nothing less than a hero like Reece Sheridan. I cannot say enough what a drool-worthy speciman of a man he is. What woman wouldn't want a smart, handsome, sexy dedicated lover like the senator? He falls for Kara and puts nothing less than one hundred and fifty percent of himself into their relationship. Plus, he's a politician in it literally for the good of the people! Can it get any better? Yes, it can!! He also happens to be a knight in shining armor, so read the book and see what I mean!

Clare has actually taken the time to write a detailed story with characters that carry us through it at the speed of light. We don't just get a minor reference to the political intrigue in this one. It's more than a backdrop, it's an integral part of the book. I don't think Kara or Reece would have been such deep characters without it. Three cheers, no ten cheers for Pamela Clare's EXTREME EXPOSURE! It's truly a book worthy of the exclusive keeper shelf.

Pamela Clare, the brightest star in romance has outdone herself with her new contemprary book Extreme Exposure. Kara, an investigative reporter is on the case of a huge company trashing the environment with toxic waste dump. Her investigation will lead to politicans and other people who wants to stop her are out to get her at any cost, even death. Senator Reece Sheridan is single, sexy, and extremely handsome. He meets Kara on the first chapter, and has a very naughty conversation with her. This leads to instant attraction and chemistry. Unlike other senators Reece is dedicated to his work and improving the government. There are no sex scandals with any interns for this senator, the only sex and scandals he has is with Kara. Ms. Pamela Clare has certainly used her on career as an investigator reporter to good use. The authenticity of how Kara went about her job is real. But this is only have of the story. The action half.

The romance part of the story is to die for. As I said from the beginning of the book starting with the hot, sweaty conversation that Reece has with Kara to the last page, it is filled with sexual tension. Reece is such a powerful, loving, sexual hero. Not only is he a good lover he is also an excellent father to Kara's little son. This is the type of man any woman would want. There is a very humorous scene involving Kara's son and a certain toy. Numerous flaming hot scenes involving Kara and Reece showing their love and the lust. Just be prepared to have plenty of towels to wipe off the sweat and something cool handy. This book is that good.

Nowadays we have too many romance books that aren't even romance anymore. Extreme Exposure is the kind of old fashion straight romance that I feel we have been missing for a long time. Thank you Ms. Pamela Clare for writing romance the way it should be written.

First off all, I will preface this with Clare's historicals are fabulous! I can't recommend them enough. Moving, well researched and about a chunk of American history that few authors go near. I must also say I can't put the author who wrote those great books with the train-wreck that is the I-Team. And yes, I've read the entire I-Team series.

Honestly, the entire series has a major disadvantage, since it's about reporters in a society that has largely grown to revile and mistrust the media. Clare goes out of her way to try to portray them as `good' guys, heroic, smart, brave etc. Instead, she pretty much solidifies with tropes and her own overt biases most of the cliché's about reporters today. The irony is totally delicious in a twisted way.

By trying so hard to elevate them, instead, she shows that they are self-serving sensationalists, vapid, shallow and unkind.; too lazy to get dirty and actually do the jobs they `expose', too biased to see both sides of an issue; by being politically and agenda driven instead of being willing to admit that reality sometimes leans to the other side of your belief system.

All because Clare gets overly preachy about her own social concerns, that her personal prejudices and biases leak through by the bucket load.

So you have an awful book. Just awful.

It begins when the author goes for silly, superfluous shock value to start the book with Kara getting tipsy and basically saying things to the H that leaves the reader cringing in horror. Few men (or people) would respect a woman after that outburst. Screw her silly maybe and not to see her as someone with all her marbles in the same bucket. This leaves the reader feeling pissed-off in annoyance at such a cheap, juvenile ploy. Instead of sympathizing with the h for her "oh my! How embarrassing!" gaff, you find yourself emotionally distancing yourself from her, as a woman with little to no self respect and zero self control.

Adding to her unlikeable-ness is her simply being a bad mother. Not cruel. Not mean. Not vicious. Simply selfish, clueless and one who literally thinks "I'm a bad mother!" while she is actively BEING a bad mother. The kind of woman who literally (and I mean LITERALLY) puts her child's life at risk for the story because, well, that story is more important (wtf?!?!) Yes, I knock off stars for a. being a reporter and b. being a bad mother and c being a skank when drunk.

Her child... bless the poor baby's heart when he preaches the mantra of ALL the I-Team books "Reporters are heroes! They save lives!" It's enough to make you call child services in Romancelandia to rescue the poor tyke.

At this point, you're looking for pointed sticks from the Clare Historicals gouge your eyes out.

Toss in the Reece the `hero' who, due to Clare's PC pontificating, comes off not as an alpha, nor a beta, or a gamma but somewhere around a.....zeta or theta. He's just too too too `nice' and weak to like. Yes, the sex scenes are hot, but honestly, there almost like his macho evil twin comes in to perform the deed because you can't fathom him having that much hardness anywhere in his body.

The book is cliché' ridden to the hilt. The eVILE money grubbing capitalist! The eVILE environment destroying politician! The BRAVE good and true reporter taking them all on to save the world from the eVILE (cliché', overdone, boring) corporations! You name it, it's there. Overdone overdone overdone.

sigh.
To make matters worse, the book has the most bizarre, coast to a stop, anti-climatic ending I've ever read--- it's as if they all just stop to play monopoly for the last few chapters.

Now, here is the kicker. It's the first in a series and you may wish to read it to enjoy the remainder of the series. Some of the books are better than others (I think by this point Clare has gotten control of herself a bit).

1 star because we can't do zero here. Still on my PC but not my IPhone (which means I won't read it again, even if tortured by rabid weasels).

STORY BRIEF:
Reece loved being a high school teacher. At the urging of his students, he became a State Senator to try to make a difference. Kara is a top investigative reporter for a Denver newspaper. She became pregnant five years earlier and is raising her son Connor as a single parent. The guy wanted nothing to do with the child. Kara's life revolves around her work and Connor who means more to her than anything. She has no time or interest in dating. One night Kara has a few too many drinks at a bar with a girlfriend. She meets Reece there. Her friend ditches her on purpose so that Kara will need a ride home, which Reece provides. Reece asks her out, and they start falling for each other. He is great with her son and respects her responsibilities and priorities.

A whistleblower calls Kara with a tip about illegal dumping of hazardous materials. Kara begins investigating and starts receiving death threats. Environmental inspections have been covered up.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
It's a good story, but it was easy to put down. The characters are good people with values I admire. They are smart and win in the end which is nice. But something emotional was missing for me. I'm not sure what. I didn't have the feelings of surprise or delight which would take it to the next level. There were some good sex scenes.

CAUTION VAGUE SPOILER:
I did not like the heroine doing something stupid for the sake of the plot. The bad guy said if you don't come to me I will do something bad. So she goes. She knew he wanted to kill her. Now he could kill her plus do the bad thing. And her son would be motherless. I had trouble getting past that. However, I did admire Kara's actions to survive danger more than once. That was well done.

DATA:
Story length: 335 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 7. Estimated number of sex scene pages: 14. Setting: current day Denver, Colorado. Copyright: 2005. Genre: romantic mystery suspense thriller.

For Ms. Clare's first attempt at contemporary romance she has managed to deliver a searing read. This political romantic suspense is different from what is normally offered and as a result the reader is in for a treat.

Kara McMillian is an investigative reporter who has just been given a lead by a whistleblower that could seriously damage reputations in the Denver area. When threats become attempts on her life, she holds tough and keeps mum about her source. The fact that she has a young son, is emotionally unavailale to most males, and has a new age mother on the sidelines is only half of the baggage that she's carrying around. She now also has the steaming attraction between herself and one sexy state senator Reece Sheridan. Never mind the fact that a reporter and a politico should never mix, when one thing leads to another there is no denying the sparks that fly the second they come together. Will this hurt woman allow Reece a part of her heart, or will she push one of the best things to happen to her far away?

This was an awesome read but Kara at times was less than a sympathetic character. Reece on the other hand...this is the kind of hero's we want to read about. He's the reason why we read romance. Patient, kind, sexy, tough...this guy has it all. The suspense is truly well done. This story put in mind the movie "Erin Brockovich" but it was not a total copy of the theme. Ms. Clare is a truly versatile talent and one that I highly enjoy and recommend.

Official Reviewer for Romance Designs

WOW! And I thought Pamela Clare was a wonderful writer of historical romance..! This was an amazingly sexy, intelligent and truly entertaining novel! Someone should seriously make it into a movie!

Kara McMillan is a daring investigative reporter, who is trying hard to balance the demands of her successful career with those of being a single mom. Having been dragged to a swanky lounge by her female co-worker, in the hopes of attracting some male attention, Kara discovers that tipsiness, combined with her investigative skills, can produce an interesting conversation with a good-looking man... who, just so happens, is a state senator.

Reece Sheridan is so amused by the wildcat reporter, he can't help but pursue her. Unfortunately anything resembling a relationship is hard to fit on their plates, which are already overflowing by their high profile careers. To top it all off, a huge political scandal is brewing, which threatens not only any possibilities of romance, but also their very lives and careers.

I immensely enjoyed "watching" Kara slowly make room in her heart for something self-serving, that for once wasn't about responsibilities. Equally intriguing was Reece's effort to balance that male-protectiveness with respect for her feminist sensibilities.

This truly was a wonderful tale of pulse-raising romantic suspense, easily one of the best I've ever read! I'm definitely keeping this one on my bookshelf and can't wait to read more works by Pamela Clare.

This is my first Pamela Clare novel. I was entertained, but definitely not blown away by this one.

I think my major disappointment came with Kara's character. She seemed "childish" to me at times. In the first chapter of the book, she is at a bar (tipsy to say the least), and approaches the Senator, Reese Sheridan. I won't get into the details of the conversation, but I'll just say there were moments that I had the experience of thinking "DID I REALLY JUST READ THAT/DID SHE REALLY JUST SAY THAT". In real life, I think Kara's mouth would've sent Reese running instead of turning him on!

Speaking of Reese......here's a question "Can a romantic hero be "too perfect?" If this is possible Reese fits that criteria. His perfection is overwhelming. Smart, sexy, successful, attentive, good with protection/weapons, able to build homes and fix anything, as good in the bedroom as in the congressional hall. The description could go on and on. His perfection cast a shadow over Kara's flaws and made their relationship seem somewhat unbelievable. What did he see in her?

The suspense was decent. Environmental crimes via big companies....(think Erin Brockovich). In the end I felt entertained, but not enough to ever recommend this one to others or keep it for myself.

One last thing:
I was going to quit this series after this book, but decided to read the next book Hard Evidence. Please consider reading this gem (a true keeper and absolutely "unputdownable")!

Wow! This was really a great book. First I've read of Pamela Clare's. She is a really great author. Great story, great characters - really loved Reece and Kara, great supporting characters, very very well written.

Pamela Clare out did her self again. Another great book in this series. I can't seem to get enough of her books. This book was well though out, fast paced, and I knew the characters from her other books in this series.