Customer Reviews

Hot Pursuit

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have loved Christina Skye's contemporary thrillers/romances, but this one is a bit of a let down. I won't go into a description of the plot as that has been done very well by other reviewers. But I would like to say something about the character development. While she has established the characters, their backgrounds and the plot, the female character's personality is stagnant throughout the story. The woman becomes extremely annoying because her reaction to every situation is the same, basically she feels that she knows best and she will do what she wants to do. This results in her bodyguards themselves being exposed to unnecessary risk, but after an initial burst of repentence, she does it again and again. The character is supposed to be kind and compassionate and loyal to her friends, but her actual behaviour paints her as selfish, stubborn and careless of other people's lives, not to mention just a little bit stupid. It just doesn't make sense. Wouldn't a supposedly bright person learn from repetitive mistakes (especially those involving gunfire!) and grow up a little? Frankly, I cannot see what the male lead is supposed to see in her.

This book starts out promising, but then goes nowhere. Too many threads of the story line are introduced, but never followed up, such as Jack's culinary skills, which could have been used to humanize him, or the fact that Taylor finds out she is adopted. My biggest complaint is that there is very little about Taylor that is likeable. Her selfish, irresponsible behavior gets others killed and she doesn't seem to ever learn anything from it. I guess this is suppose to show how head-strong and loyal her character is, but I almost couldn't finish the book because of it. We never get inside Jack's head at all, so there isn't much appealing about him either, except that he is physically a hunk.

I enjoyed Skye's Draycott Abbey series, so it is too bad this series has been such a disappointment (2000 Kisses was terrible also).

Christina Skye's lightweight caper of a romance follows the uninspired line of damsel-in-distress-and-Navy-SEALs-comes-to the-rescue that has flooded the genre. Taylor O'Toole, a suspense writer has become the victim of many sabotages including a mountaineering accident and a hostage-taking in a convenience store ever since she helps her friend Candace to stalk her love-interest Harris Rain. It soon reveals to be a sprawling plan where secret biological weapons are manufactured for terrorists and a military scientist is being kidnapped. Jack Broussard is dispatched to watch over Taylor and sparks fly between them.

Hot Pursuit, alas, is unevenly paced and the suspense element which has lots of gaping inconsistencies fails to impress. The relentless chase, along with Taylor's abrupt knowledge of herself being adopted as well as her refusal to be ordered about by Jack hardly leaves any room for character development. It has none of the spunk and panache for a Christine Skye's vehicle. It started off well but ends up with too many surprising conclusions. Which is a pity when there are occasional terrific moments of danger and passion. The pursuit, regrettably, always seems to cool off after that.

I looked forward to this title despite being somewhat disappointed with My Spy, where we were first met Taylor. I had been looking for a light contemporary suspense after a stressful month and Skye's contemporaries sounded like just what I needed. I was delighted with her first, Going Overboard, found My Spy rather boring and was hoping Hot Pursuit would be more like Going Overboard. I was disappointed. Not because it was bad but because Taylor O'Toole was turned into such an irritant with her incessant stupidity. Intelligent and attractive in My Spy, I could easily envisage Skye giving Taylor her own story. How and why Taylor was transformed into this Too Stupid To Love heroine is beyond me. Her intransigence and I-know-better attitude is bad enough but when she realizes how her stupid decisions have endangered them all and acknowledges her wrong then still doggedly acts the juvenile delinquent, still insists on her brattish ways, I could only feel this heroine has created TSTL Type II - not Too Stupid To Live but Too Stupid To Love. The pace was good, the secondary characters were very likeable (I'd love to have an Uncle Vinnie in my life) and the hero was your typical Romance Fiction SEAL - sexy yet caring. That is, until you just have to ask how could a sexy SEAL like Jack Broussard still find Taylor attractive when that woman is downright pathological. If you don't mind TSTL heroines (Type I & II), Hot Pursuit can be fun but there are better romantic suspense out there that delight, thrill and make you feel good just the way Hot Pursuit would have done if not for Taylor's childish behaviour. I would still read Skye's next contemporary, though. I enjoy her storylines despite the holes and am still hopeful that in time her heroines will mature and possess both beauty and brains.

A seemingly random accident brings bestselling suspense writer, Taylor O'Toole, to the U.S. government's attention. The man who may have tried to kill her is someone they want to put away very badly, and who is also very dangerous. Therefore, Navy SEAL, Jack Broussard, is sent to keep an eye on her, and to keep her alive, secretly, of course. Therefore, it mystifies Taylor how her new neighbor, Jack, always seems to turn up when there is trouble. However, since he is sexy as all get out and makes a mean lasagne, she can live with it. However, the danger to both Taylor's life and heart increases day by day. As they work to solve the mystery, Jack and Taylor find that the heat between them could burn down the house, and suddenly, dealing with that is just as urgent as national security.

***** Making welcome returns are characters from previous novels in the series. However, new readers will not feel too left out of the loop. There are some plot elements that stretch it's credibility, yet the fun and passion will compensate the reader. As always, the afterword is informative and further promises that the intrepid couple from the current novel will be back for more adventures. *****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

What starts out as a routine rock climb for Taylor O"Toole, results in what appears as a freak accident, government officials bring in their big gun, Navy SEAL Jack Broussard to protect the lovely mystery writer. Seems Taylor has a link with a missing Navy scientist (unbeknown to Taylor) and someone wants her out of the way. What started out as a seemingly innocent favor to friend Candace, throws Taylor in to the fire, and Jack's arms. Jack is none too thrilled to be assigned to what seems like a baby-sitting job, but it doesn't take long to convince him Taylor's life is in danger. Of course Jack does not reveal to Taylor why he is following her, but every time an attempt is made on her life he's there to save the day. As the stakes are upped, the sparks fly between these two, and staying alive takes on a whole new meaning.

Making cameo appearances, albeit brief, are Annie and Sam McCade from "My Spy", along with irresistible Izzy, who is a major player in this story. On top of the attempts on Taylor's life, another plot line develops regarding her birth parents, a difficult thing for Taylor to deal with at this particular time in her life.

This is a wonderful romantic suspense with non-stop action. Numerous holes in the plot, along with Taylor's stubbornness that result in some foolish choices will frustrate some readers. However, the passion between the lead protagonists and twist of surprise at the ending compensate the reader nicely. Nothing too heavy here, just a fun and frivolous read!

Bestselling mystery writer Taylor O'Toole likes to get into her work. So much, so, that when her friend asks her to do a little surveillance on her boyfriend, Taylor agrees. Little does she know just how much trouble she's courting until a climbing experiment goes wrong, and both Taylor and her friend are almost killed. While recovering from that little incident, Taylor follows the boyfriend into a convenience store and nearly gets herself killed. Her sexy new neighbor, Jack Broussard, saves the day, but after a few other coincidental meetings occur, she thinks there's a lot more to this hunk than just being a single guy who makes killer lasagna.

Navy SEAL Jack Broussard is going crazy trying to protect mystery writer Taylor O'Toole. He has no choice but to stick to her like glue, however, because she could be the key in a search for a missing Navy biochemist. Trying to keep Taylor in his sights is like trying to nail jello to a tree -- until an attempt on Taylor's life makes her realize that she is indeed in serious danger. The question is, why? Only Jack knows, and because this is a top secret mission, he's not telling.

Both strong and stubborn characters, Taylor and Jack butt heads at every turn. Their scenes together ran the gamut from humorous to sexy to dangerous without a boring moment in between. The villain is the epitome of evil, and I gasped at some of the descriptions of his nasty doings. HOT PURSUIT revisits characters from MY SPY, which I haven't yet read, but certainly look forward to.

HOT PURSUIT is one wild ride I'm glad I didn't miss, and I look forward to the continuing story of Taylor and Jack in Ms. Skye's next novel.

When mystery writer Taylor O'Toole offers to help her friend Candace with an unfaithful boyfriend, she didn't expect to get swept into her own mysterious world filled with mobsters, hit men, and death threats. But that is exactly what happens, starting with a mysterious climbing fall, a bouquet of black roses complete with a threat, then getting her own Navy SEAL assigned to watch after her every move. Taylor is confused- what could she possibly know about the disappearance of a Navy scientist and the threat of a deadly drug that international terrorists are after?

With SEAL Jack Broussard watching over her, Taylor begins to feel frustrated with the whole situation. She couldn't be in any real danger, right? But a gruesome wakeup call and the death of an officer opens her eyes to the terrifying world she has stumbled into. Her love for the SEAL begins to cloud both their judgments, and their missteps almost get them both killed.

Hot Pursuit by Christina Skye has some good elements to it- specifically the suspense and the mystery. I thought the plot dragged on in the beginning, and you have wait until the end to really get caught up in the story. I liked the mystery, though the whole terrorists and hiding drugs did seem a teeny far-fetched, and the coincidences seemed a little too, well coincidental. I enjoyed the fact that I could not figure out all the guilty players involved until the very end when the criminals are unveiled. That kept the suspense even higher for me, and made me want to keep reading. This wasn't my favorite book, but still a fun read, and romantic thriller fans will be entertained.

I have read many books ie: Christine Feehan, Judith McNaught, Stephenie Meyer, Kathleen Woodiwiss are some of my favorite authors, just to name a few. I have been looking for some new authors and got referred to Christina Skye. OMG, what a waste of my time. Is this the best she can do! In a few words BORING, BORING, BORING! I have never struggled this much to read a book! I also hate the female character, I mean come-on she is selfish and stubborn! She is better off dead! The neighbor in the leotard sounds more interesting:) Sorry, this will have to go on my top ten books of worst book every read!

BORINNNNGGGG! However, I believe in second chances and I will try one more book by Christina and see if she can redeem herself!

Gosh this was so boring. Make sure you do not buy this book! Its not worth your money!

I enjoyed the first quarter of the book and then it just started to drag. And it dragged on and on and on. I never felt the chemistry between Jack and Taylor. The two didn't even kiss until nearly three quarters of the way through the book and the sex didn't start until the end.

Not that I read the book for the sex, but usually there is sex in a romance and this didn't occur until almost the end. I would say the end was mostly sex with a few pages wrapping up the story they began in the beginning.

I would have liked this book better if it was better paced. A better mixture of romance and intrigue. This one just doesn't quite make it. I also didn't understand the entire thing about Taylor's adoption. It added nothing. It was also never resolved save a few paragraphs in the epilogue.

I would also like to know what happened with Annie and the baby. All we know is that she was fine.

I loved Izzy in Going Overboard and was thrilled to see him again in this book. I also liked Taylor and Jack, I just never understood why they were together and I was often annoyed at Taylor for disregarding the advice Jack was giving her even though she was being hunted by Albanians.

Overall, I was unsatisfied with this book. It had potential. Too many things were left unresolved and it felt like there was too much going on at times.