Customer Reviews

Gabriel Hawk's Lady (The Protectors) (Silhouette Intimate Moments No. 830)

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

 

 

Ms. Barton takes what could have been a standard Big-Studly-Man comes to the rescue of Innocent-God-Fearing-Maiden plot and breathes fantastic new life into it. I did not want to put this book down and it's earned a prime spot on my keeper shelf. Rorie, our (well padded) heroine, is smart, stubborn and determined to have her own way - even when she she doesn't quite understand all that's going on around her. Gabriel is equally intelligent and determined but he knows exactly what he's facing. He also knows it's not good.

When I first started this book I was worried it was going to fall right into a typical slot. But within 40 pages I was entranced. These two lit sparks off each other and balanced it with a tenderness that kept me wanting more. Brava, Ms Barton. This is one great book.

This book only rivaled Monica Mclean's story Cinderella Bride which I recently read as well. Rorie Dean who has undergone the loss of her brother succeeds in overcoming her preconceived prejudices and fears to take a leap of faith to save her nephew Frankie and the man she loves Gabriel Hawk. Not an easy thing to do when the man is bent on destroying himself. This is truly a book not to put down!

I just finished it and I liked it so much I wanted it to last forever.

This is another great book from Beverly Barton and a fabulous addition to The Protectors series.

I was unable to put this book down. Keeping in mind this is a Harlequin romance novel, if you were to add another 100 pages of background from Hawks' viewpoint on the fictitious banana republic and the less-than-squeaky-clean intrigues of the CIA, this book is fast-paced and interesting enough to stand alone as a mainstream drama (think Tom Clancy). Hawk is a hard case, but as you go along, you understand why. Rorie is syrupy drippy sweet and virginal (usually a turnoff), but she's spun realistic enough that you WANT to believe there's such a thing as a 27-year-old virgin. Although Hawk drips with sex appeal and is not initially drawn to Rorie for her looks (he's as contemptuous of the slightly-plump goodie-two-shoes Rorie as one of the reviewers was), understanding his background, the fact he falls in love with her inner strength, not her 'goodie-two-shoes-edness' is natural. All of the characters, even the peripheral ones, have enough character development to feel 'real.'

The verdict ... if you see it ... grab it and enjoy the ride.

Gabriel Hawk, or just Hawk to his friends, is big, bad, mean and sexy as sin. He's worked for the CIA and has done more than a few things he's ashamed of. In the factious country of San Miguel Gabriel plays a small part in the murder of the country's princess and her American husband Peter and afterward he leaves the CIA before he looses his soul from guilt. Enter Rorie, Peter's sister and legal guardian to Peter's son Frankie because Frankie's parents didn't want him to be raised by Frankie's maternal grandfather, the evil Julio. While Rorie is in San Miguel Frankie is kidnapped from her by a group of Julio's armed thugs. After three years of scrimping and saving she can finally afford to have someone help her get back into San Miguel (where American's aren't exactly welcome) and get Frankie back. Too bad she had to wait so long because now there is a coup going on and Hawk is more than willing to try to rescue Frankie but no way in hell is he bring plump, out of shape Rorie along for the ride.

This is the typical action adventure romance but of all the ones I've read this one is one of my favorites. Hawk is a great hero. He has his moment's where I wanted to smack him upside the head, especially in the beginning when he would gladly be cruel to Rorie to try to dissuade her from going to San Miguel. But he really is the perfect tortured hero just waiting for the love of a good woman to heal his pain and his character change is very rewarding to see. Rorie is sweetly innocent, yet spunky with a lot of grit and is willing to do anything to get back her nephew, and more than stubborn enough to stand her own against the gruff Hawk. The action is fast, exciting and with a major plot point every chapter it seems with great villains and an exotic location. But what really holds this story together is the budding romance between Hawk and Rorie and the lingering question in the reader's mind about what she's going to do when she finds out Hawk had a hand in the death of her beloved brother.

This book is almost 15 years old so it isn't the freshest, but delivers on everything a novel like this should deliver on and usually doesn't. Not to be missed, a real action stand out.

5 stars.

Gabriel Hawk was every mother's worst nightmare...and every daughter's secret fantasy. Unless that daughter was Rorie Dean! Unfortunately, the dark, brooding man with a heart of stone and a body that yelled sex was Rorie's only chance of finding her nephew...