Out of the Blue (Stewart Sisters Trilogy) [Mass Market Paperback]

JoAnn Ross (Author)

Book Description

Series: Stewart Sisters Trilogy | Publication Date: July 29, 2008

Continuing her sparkling, sexy Stewart Sisters trilogy, bestselling author JoAnn Ross pens a romantic suspense story set in the glorious Great Smoky Mountains, where a tough man and a passionate woman find love amid danger.

Lark Stewart is on the run from a singing career that skyrocketed out of control...and from someone who's bent on murder. When one of her band members is killed in New Orleans, Lucas McCloud -- her first love and a former FBI agent -- takes Lark home. But the remote Stewart family resort offers no protection from the madman who's working his way across the mountains.

A Desert Storm hero and FBI sniper, Lucas is haunted by a tragic mission in his past. But with the mysterious killer stalking Lark, Lucas is forced back into the life he left behind. For Lark is the only woman he's ever loved, and the only person who can save his soul...provided he saves her first.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ross's latest, the second in a trilogy begun with the far stronger Out of the Mist, follows famous country singer Lark Stewart through perils worthy of the silent screen's Pauline. They begin when Lark's longtime bandmate Danny Murphy is shot in New Orleans. Briefly suspected of the crime, Lark is then released, but not before a sadist who has stalked her escapes from jail. Her family sends her girlhood sweetheart, Lucas McCloud, to protect her. A onetime sniper and FBI agent turned furniture maker, Lucas's lifelong love for Lark—derailed first by teenage folly and later by his dangerous work—has never died. Though their return to their birthplace in the Smokies re-ignites their romance, Lark remains under threat from the stalker, a scheming ex-husband and Danny's still-unidentified attacker. In place of the colorful history and family humor found in Ross's previous installment, this book offers a jumble of overcomplicated backstory, inconsequential characters and melodramatic plot twists, including a temporary and unlikely bout of amnesia and a plane crash. Crowded with contrivance, the story never finds either its rhythm or its heart; to the end, Lark and Lucas remain puppets of the frantic plot rather than compelling characters in and of themselves.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Desert Storm vet Lucas McCloud, ex-lover of internationally renowned folk singer Lark Stewart, is brought out of FBI retirement by her aunt, who senses trouble for Lark in the form of a stalker. Lucas discovers that his passion for Lark has never ceased, nor hers for him, and Ross concentrates on describing how they rediscover each other both psychologically and sexually, and endure the tearful exorcism of their respective demons. Lucas blames himself for the death of a teenage girl hostage he tried to save, and Lark has to get past her fears of flying and of the dark. All the torment, suspense, and good sex Ross whips up obscures the fact that this is a sequel to Out of the Mist [BKL O 15 03], and that Lark is the second of the three Stewart sisters who were raised in Stewart's Folly in Tennessee. Late in the book Ross plays catch-up, which slows things down, but doesn't ruin the suspense because the reader is already rooting for Lark and Lucas. Mary K. Chelton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (July 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416580794
• ISBN-13: 978-1416580799
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #694,349 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I wrote my first story -- a tragic romance about two star-crossed Mallard ducks -- as a second grade writing assignment. The paper earned a gold star. And I kept writing.

I've since written around a hundred novels and have been published in twenty-six countries. Two of my titles have been excerpted in Cosmopolitan magazine and my books have also been published by the Doubleday, Rhapsody, Mystery Guild, and Literary Guild bookclubs. As a New York Times, U.S. Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller, I'm also a member of the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors.

I'm currently writing my Shelter Bay series, set on the magnificent Oregon coast where, when I was eighteen-years-old, my high school sweetheart bought me a bag of taffy, then proposed. The smartest thing I ever did was say yes!

My husband and I live in our beloved Pacific Northwest, with three rescued dogs who pretty much rule the house. (And, in case you're wondering, that taffy store is still there! )

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fans will enjoy this second chance at love thriller, March 2, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Out of the Blue (Stewart Sisters Trilogy) (Mass Market Paperback)

In New Orleans, someone shoots band member Danny Murphy when he and lead singer Lark Stewart were going to a club. As Danny nears death, Lark's Aunt Zelda calls former FBI sharpshooter Lucas McCloud from the middle of nowhere to tell him Lark is in danger and needs his help. Used to hearing the witchery of Zelda, Luke travels from their hometown of Highland Falls, North Carolina to protect the woman he loves, but left behind years ago.

Lark realizes that she still loves Luke and would prefer he not be here, but heeds his advice especially when he mentions that her stalker Dr. William Quest escaped jail. The assumption made by Luke and the police is that Quest saw Lark with her close friend Danny so he tried to kill him as the deranged man believes that the singer is his wife. As Luke protects Lark from the psychopath Quest and from her angry ex husband Cody, their love blossoms. However, she expects he will leave once she is safe and so fears giving him her heart again.

Though the final twist may seem OUT OF THE BLUE, readers will enjoy this second chance at love romantic suspense thriller. The story line is action-packed but driven by Lark who courageously contends in differing ways with the five men impacting her life. Fans will appreciate the middle book of the Stewart sisters' trilogy (see OUT OF THE MIST for the first novel).

Harriet Klausner

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What happened to the end?, April 12, 2004

By 

mahikahn (Columbus, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Out of the Blue (Stewart Sisters Trilogy) (Mass Market Paperback)

Lark Stewart is a singer with a burgeoning career. Until someone tries to kill her in New Orleans and shoots one of her band members instead. A bodyguard arrives in the form of former FBI agent Lucas McCloud who happens to be her first love.

Lark & Luke had never really stopped loving each other through all the years. It was reassuring that Luke was able to admit this to himself early on. Their interaction was great as were their feelings for each other.

However, there were a few things that bothered me: Luke never really gave Lark solid reasons for deserting her, twice. Not to minimize his military service but, the constant references to Luke going "off to war to liberate a nation" was a bit over the top. A little interaction with Ian and Lilly, the two main characters from the previous book could have easily been included and still kept this as a stand alone story

Still, I had this book pegged for a five. Until the last 20 or so pages which was when the book fell flat. The resolution of the pivotal secondary characters was wrapped up in a total of about 6 pages, with no real explanation of the motives that drove them. One minute the two of them were there, the next gone and forgotten. But the kicker was Lucas and Lark's relationship winding up in, not kidding here, one page! I kept checking to see if some pages had been left out of my copy!

Fortunately though, my dissatisfaction WAS in the very end of the book which won't stop me from reading the last in the trilogy "Out of the Storm".

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I agree with the "Cash" reviewer!, April 20, 2004

By 

Jessica Stewart - See all my reviews

This review is from: Out of the Blue (Stewart Sisters Trilogy) (Mass Market Paperback)

I, too, was extremely disappointed in this book. I expected better by JoAnn! I totally agree with the reviewer named "Cash." That review pretty much mirrors what I have to say about it. Nuff Said!