Customer Reviews

Shattered: A High Risk Novel

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

 

 

I was definitely waiting for Shattered to come out after reading Freefall and Crossfire and I was not disappointed. Shattered is Shane Garrett's story, but Zach and Quinn are also in it along with Father "What-A-Waste", Michael Gannon. I loved how they tied in the past and how it related to the current story of Shane and Kirby. Kirby is strong, knows her own mind, but is not too stuborn to fight fate. Shane realized that he made a major mistake and is trying his hardest to correct it and make Kirby his.

I loved that you didn't need to have read Freefall or Crossfire to be able to just pick this book up, but if you did read the other two first, you would instantly be pulled into the story from another perspective.

The only thing about this book was it ended too soon for me and Shane didn't grovel enough in my opinion, but then again, Kirby realized that life should be savored and not wasted.

I can't wait to read Dallas O'Halloran's story in Breakpoint!

JoAnn Ross has a fast paced, loaded with action series with the high risk series. While this is the third book in the series they can definitely be read as stand alone. Each adventure is separate though the men featured are tied together through one very bad mission they were all on back in their Military days.

Shane's story showcased here was indeed interesting, exciting, but ultimately the book left me frustrated. Instead of spending quality time on the actual mission and big finale the author gave us LOADS of background and detail up to that point.

In about 13 pages the actual rescue mission > end of novel takes place, and sadly that lack of detail, words, heck pages is what made me give this book 3 stars vs 5. The story telling is rich and wonderful, but the ending leaves much to be desired.

Army Night Stalker pilot Shane Garrett had once been the lover of Army doctor Kirby Campbell. Then came the day Shane survived a helicopter crash in Afghanistan that cost him his leg. Chances were Shane would have died, but by pure luck his teammates got him to Kirby's clinic. Afterward, sporting a new prosthetic leg (various types for various needs), Shane becomes a civilian and settles in to his new life in Somersett, South Carolina.

Kirby now works in the WMR clinic in Monteleón, Central America. Rebels storm the clinic and take Dr. Rachel Moore hostage. Rachel is not only the physician in charge of the WMR clinic, she is Kirby's good friend. Luckily those holding Rachel hostage does not know of her high political connections, but it is only a matter of time before they learn. Kirby had missed being captured only because he happened to be in D.C. testifying to a senate subcommittee. Kirby and the Phoenix Team, along with Zach Tremayne, Quinn McKade, and Shane, must quickly organize a rescue mission. (Deep, midnight black ops.)

**** This story reminded me that there are people out there, risking their lives, doing things my mind would shy away from even imagining, to keep me safe. I found myself humbled at the thought. I stated that so readers may understand how realistic JoAnn Ross made this dramatic story. It is obvious that the author has done A LOT of research, from various sources, in order to bring this installment of the High Risk series to life.

Not as much time is given to the romance of the main couple in the present tense. Instead, their time as lovers is told in the past tense, mostly toward the beginning of the book. It made the first few chapters seem choppy to me. But once Rachel is taken hostage the story takes flight at hyper speed. For those who have read the other books in the series, you will be delighted to know that Zach and Quinn are secondary characters. Seeing how they are doing made the story a little more believable for me. This author ROCKS! ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Over a year ago, Army Night Stalker pilot and Army Dr. Kirby Campbell met in Baghdad and shared a great tryst. However when he crashed during a mission, he lost his leg; he never returned to Kirby. She assumes he died while on a SOAR mission. Shane returns to the States where he is fitted with a prosthetic leg. He never forgot Kirby, but has too much on his plate trying to rebuild his life in his hometown of Somersett, South Carolina.

Kirby is in Monteleon, Central America providing medical relief as a WMR physician to the residents of the jungle nation run by Dictator President General Vasquez. When her friend and boss Dr. Rachel Moore is abducted and held hostage, she joins the Phoenix Team led by Tremayne and McKade planning the rescue. Shane also insists on joining the rescue team. As the pair reignite whet they started in the Middle East, they both knows this is love, but is that enough to overcome what happens the first time they are together in a non "High Risk" scenario.

This action-packed romantic suspense thriller (see FREEFALL and CROSSFIRE for the previous High Risk thrillers) is fast-paced from the onset in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq and never slows with a brief respite in the States and then onto Central America. Fans get a deep look at issues facing veterans coming home after a deployment in the war zone. Shayne is a great hero as he adapts to his lost leg by teaching aviation and a willingness to test breakthrough prosthetic technology; as a medical volunteer in hot spots Kirby is as brave as he is. Readers will relish their exhilarating High Risk tale.

Harriet Klausner

I read my first JoAnn Ross novel, `Crossfire', yesterday - and enjoyed it. So I read `Shattered' today - and enjoyed it even more!

There are similarities between these two books in the High Risk series. Firstly, in both books hero and heroine have previously had a relationship - a one-night stand in Crossfire and a relationship of a few months in this book. Time has then passed and then the protagonists are thrown together.

The similarities continue in that the author writes similar characters - strong, manly heroes; feisty, independent women. Nowt wrong with that, but I wonder, as I read the third book this evening, whether it might get a bit repetitive. Watch this space!

In Shattered we focus on Army Night Stalker pilot Shane Garrett, a very interesting character from the previous book as his leg had to be amputated after a military battle. We don't actually hear too much about how he learned to cope with this disability, we are just told that his various prostheses are excellent. An opportunity missed for some interesting insights into life for retired military people?

Still, the rest of the story has plenty of information about life in the special forces and more. Heroine Kirby Campbell is a doctor working in Central America but when she is briefly back in the USA her fellow-doctor is kidnapped. Thus Kirby and Shane are thrown back together as they work, along with others whom we've met in the previous book, to rescue Dr Rachel.

The romance aspect of this book was less important than the overall plot, which was well written if perhaps a little hard to believe at times. I would have liked to read more about the sub-romance between Michael Gannon, the former priest, and Dr Rachel, but perhaps we will learn more in a subsequent book.

Overall this series seems to be shaping up as one with lots of interesting military information, uniformly attractive heroes and heroines, apparently unlimited funding for covert operations and lots of military buddy heroics. It makes for a good read, though, and I look forward to the next story.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2011

I love romantic-military-suspense and this was a good one, in fact it was almost a great one. Running along the lines of Cindy Gerard or Suzanne Brockmann SHATTERED opens up in Afghanistan with an amazing action sequence that's based on actual events.

This is no fluffy romantic action either; it's realistic, harsh and filled with accurate military terms, mind bending acronyms and real locations. Soldiers use the f-bomb, get wounded and die here. In fact our hero (Shane) winds up losing his leg from the helicopter crash and ensuing firefight and his subsequent transfer while injured to the military hospital and extraction behind enemy lines is WAY exciting.

Now while this is book #3 in the `High Risk' series I read it as a stand alone and did just fine, never feeling lost or like I was missing anything. And if you are reading in order you'll be happy to know Zach and Quinn are back as well as updates from their spouses. Speaking of which, Army Doctor Kirby Campbell is a very likable heroine here; strong, not physically perfect and relatable. And her gradual falling back in love with injured pilot Shane Garrett feels natural. I enjoyed getting to know both our leads through flashbacks to their MASH beginnings in Baghdad; and jeez that scene in the German hospital when Shane lets her go will just break your heart.

I also should mention (because it really impressed me) the amount of research that's gone into this book, with loads of information and background down to the smallest of details. Unfortunately this is also where Ross lost me as she often gets sidetracked, moving away from the main story with irrelevant factoids and reminding me of Stephen King in that you're reading something 3xtimes removed from the story.

So while I really, really liked this it just didn't flow very well, leaving me often frustrated by moments of greatness and then a story that wandered off all over the place. Ross also had an annoying habit of letting our reunited couple talk through their love scenes (most of which are done in flashbacks) having full on conversations while poised, condom in hand. This was distracting and ruined the moment particularly because we had to wait forever for them to finally get it on.

My biggest disappointment of all though would have to be the ending which is a rescue set in Central America that we'd worked towards for the entire book. I was expecting another intense action scene instead its hurried and even silly with our strong leads going all Harlequiny, rescuing child soldiers and worrying about abandoned dogs in the brief pages given. Shane's sweet proposal almost makes up for it though.

Highly recommended for romantic suspense fans

First of all, great book, except for those annoying acronyms all over the place.

What I've come to realize about JoAnn Ross's books, is that she writes fast-paced, which is what I like. I hate when an author puts in irritatingly long and unimportant scenes or details that has no nothing to do with the story. However, the romance is clearly my problem here. It's sexy, yes, and hot at times. She describes the passion between two characters very well. But I think they're a little too cold and...almost lacking personality. So it seems like the romance always shows up out of nowhere. But she writes so vividly that you can still relate and easily imagine the story unfolding.

One little thing I think she could improve on is going deeper into what the characters are feeling and thinking, and not just on what's happening. This includes the dialogue during sex. It usually has nothing to do with what they're doing and kind of ruins the moment. She could at least make them moan what they're saying or something, like when they were talking about how much he wanted her and then how much she'd still been thinking about him. I thought, Do people really talk like that, in flat tones, when they're seducing one another and kissing and stroking each others' bodies?

Army doctor Kirby Campbell has seen her share of "hard bodies" both in her emergency room and just around base. What she doesn't expect is that Army Night Stalker Pilot Shane Garrett doesn't want to leave her dreams. Though they had a quick fling it has left a lasting impression on her. She figures that it was just a one-time thing and has moved on with her life, out of the Army, and working with an international medical firm. Her locations are not any better than the war zones she was in while in the Army but she feels that she is needed. The one thing that hasn't moved on is her dreams for Shane. What she doesn't expect is to have Shane wind up in another of her hospital rooms, especially where she will have to make a decision on how to save his life.

Shane never forgot the hot little doctor that lives in his dreams. Matter of fact it was who he was thinking of while on that fateful mission. Now things are different and when she comes to see him, while he is healing in Germany he not only underestimates himself but her, and ruthlessly sends her away.

They meet again when Kirby's friend is kidnapped and held for ransom, in a desolate Central American county. Phoenix Team has been called in to help rescue Rachel. Though Shane in not one of the Phoenix Team he has stayed friends with their members. Once Shane finds out that Kirby will be part of the team he decides that he will be part of the mission and he is going to do what it takes to win Kirby back. But, will they survive the rescue mission and will Shane be too late?

Wow, wow, wow Ms. Ross does it again. I have been a fan of her writing since Blaze, and find that Shattered is again up to the high standards that I held Blaze and all other suspense stories to. I somehow missed the first two of the Phoenix Team and am now in the position of having to go out and get them 'yesterday'. Ms. Ross can write a strong female who does not let the alpha male dominate her (unless she wants it) and I think this makes for a better interaction between characters as well as a stronger plot line and book. I love how Kirby wasn't going to let her insecurities stand in her way of either her career or her love life. I found myself unable to put Shattered down until I had read (and reread) the last chapter. I highly recommend Shattered to all those who like a suspenseful military romance story, or strong women characters.

Tanya
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I was so excited to see book 3 in the sereis was out, but it did not live up to my expectations. Shane and Kirby are great characters and they did not lack fireworks, but the story felt stilted. There were quite a few acronyms and they were very hard to keep up with. I had to look up some of the things as they were never explained (Green Zone and CHS are two that come to mind). I was also very, very unhappy that Father Mike Gannon's story was thrown into this book. He really deserved his own story. I am hoping book 4 is better.

I have thorougly enjoyed JoAnn Ross' high-risk novels. Reading this was the last one wanted from the series. It was exciting.