11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sudden Engagement, June 13, 2001
This review is from: Sudden Engagement (The Taylor Clan) (Mass Market Paperback)
Julie Miller improves greatly in her second Intrigue, "Sudden Engagement," an excellent romantic mystery. Detective Ginny Rafferty is driven by the unsolved murder of her sister more than a decade ago. Now a body has been found that could be connected to her sister's death. Ginny needs answers, and the only way she can get them is to cooperate with Brett Taylor, who grew up in the neighborhood. Can she handle being his fake fiancee for the length of this case, or will she forget that it's a ruse?
I really didn't care for Miller's first Intrigue, "One Good Man," a story I found too predictable and familiar. "Sudden Engagement" is better in every way, featuring strong characters, a well paced plot, and an excellent mystery. I remember the days ten years ago or so when I could count on a good mystery in every Intrigue I picked up. That's rarer now, with many writers telling simple on-the-run stories or tales where the killer is too easily deduced. So I was delighted to find in "Sudden Engagement" a well thought-out mystery, the kind with a number of suspects and clues and doesn't feel like the author came up with it in five minutes. Miller drops clues with ease. I figured it out before the characters did, but this is still one puzzle romantic mystery lovers will enjoy trying to solve. Old secrets and a good sense of danger enhance the tale. Add a stirring romance between two warm, courageous characters, and this is everything I like to see in an Intrigue.
I genuinely liked the heroine, a perfect blend of strength and vulnerability. It took a while for me to warm up to Brett. His attempts to protect Ginny from seeing anything he deems too difficult for a lady are often annoying, especially considering her profession, such as when he tries to keep her from viewing a dead body in Chapter One.
Brett: "You can't go in there." Me: "She's a cop. You're an idiot. Get out of her way."
At least his heart's in the right place, and he's nothing like the jerk who was the hero of "One Good Man." Brave and bold, he's the right match for Ginny. The two of them have excellent chemistry. Miller also does a good job introducing other members of Brett's family in a way that feels unobtrusive. It's obvious they're being set up for their own stories, but it doesn't feel like they're being thrown in for that reason only. She actually finds reasons for them to appear.
The only reservation I have about the story is the sudden engagement itself. Like most books based on a hook, the one used in "Sudden Engagement" is gratuitous. There is absolutely no reason for Brett and Ginny to pretend to be engaged. They could pretend to be dating. He could go with her on her interviews to vouch for her and get people to open up. That works the first time they try it. Brett even suggests they pretend to be dating at first. It's Ginny that comes up with the engagement idea, probably because fake fiancees are a plot hook. It's never clear why she takes it this far, and that nagging element did bother me whenever it came up. (One more thing: whoever wrote the back cover copy should be fired. "Beckoning broad shoulders?" Yeccccch.)
A rating ultimately comes down to how much I enjoyed the book, and I enjoyed this one too much to give it anything less than five stars. "Sudden Engagement" is a very well-written, original tale of romantic suspense that shouldn't be missed. One of the year's best.
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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ms. Miller does it again!, June 19, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Sudden Engagement (The Taylor Clan) (Mass Market Paperback)
Sudden Engagement is another terrific book from Julie Miller. Not only does this story have a great mystery, but the chemistry between Ginny and Brett is terrific. As always, Ms. Miller delivers a well written story that is full of tingling sexual tension and well-crafted mystery and suspense. Well done!
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0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sudden Engagement (The Taylor Clan) (Harlequin Intrigue Series), June 7, 2009
This review is from: Sudden Engagement (The Taylor Clan) (Mass Market Paperback)
I was pleased with my purchase. The book condition was as promised and it arrived in a timely manner. I will definitely buy from this seller again.
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