Customer Reviews

Taking the Heat (Silhouette Super Romance Series Extra)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gabrielle Hadley supports herself and her year old daughter by working as a prison guard in the small Arizona desert town of Florence. When she steps in to stop a fight between convicted murderer Randall Tucker and four other inmates, and later, when she offers First Aid to the injured Tucker, she incurs the wrath of long-time guards who refuse to help.

An auto accident during a prison transfer offers Tucker the chance to escape and try to prove his innocence--if he can make it through the punishing Sonoran desert. For reasons not quite clear to her, Gabrielle sets off in pursuit. During their three days in the desert, Gabrielle becomes convinced Tucker is innocent, and the two must join forces to survive.

Brenda Novak's first single title contemporary is a hard-hitting, well-researched page turner. A fluid writing style, emotional intensity and well-developed characters are hallmarks of this rising star in her Superromances. Taking the Heat is a grittier read with the same level of excellence found in her other books. Very highly recommended.

Taking the Heat by Brenda Novak is a great read. It tells of corruption within the prison system, and the preserverance of the desperate. Gabrielle and Tucker's struggle to survive the harsh Senoran desert was written in such an eloquent manner that it's hard not to root for them. It was climactic and passionate, and the writer really did her research. I have lived in Arizona for my whole life, and I could not find one single error involving surroundings, climate, even street names. I am impressed and will definetely be searching out this author in the future.

Gabrielle Hadley has just moved to Florence, Arizona to get close to the birth mother who gave her up for when she was a toddler. Gabby's ex-husband would like nothing more than for her and their infant daughter to return to Phoenix so that they can start over. But something is missing for Gabrielle; David's her best friend, but she's never really loved him the way a wife should. In order to make end meet, she takes a job at the only gig in town - one of Florence's many prisons.

During her first week as a guard, she attempts to break up a fight between two prisoners, and discovers that the guards not only step aside, but encourage the brawls. When she insists on treating the injuries of convict Randall Tucker, her compassion manages to arouse feelings in Randall that he never thought would exist again - hope. Falsely imprisoned for the murder of his unfaithful wife, Randall was given a life sentence and his young son sent into foster care. But Randall doesn't want Gabrielle treating him human, as it just makes him remember all that he's lost.

While being transferred to an even tougher prison thanks to Gabrielle's interference, Randall escapes from custody after a car accident and heads for freedom through the unforgiving Arizona desert. Despite having a baby waiting for her back home and the possibility she won't come back alive, Gabrielle takes off after him. The two form an unlikely alliance as they trudge through the desert searching for signs of life, and develop feelings for each other. Soon she is convinced of his innocence and struggles with her feelings for a man with whom she has no future. As he attempts to find out who really killed his wife, she gathers the nerve to confront her birth mother.

Novak's emotional story is surprisingly well written, with multiple plots and fully-developed characters - a rarity for a Silhouette novel. I was hooked from the first paragraph and could not wait to find out the fate of the two lovers as well as the identity of the murderer.

Gabrielle Hadley is making the only living that is possible in the small town of Florence, Arizona. With prison inmates accounting for most of the population in the small town, Gabrielle knows that her only job prospect is a corrections officer in one of the many prisons. On her third day on the job, a fight breaks out between inmates and Gabrielle is horrified when three inmates gang up on one, and the other officers' just stand by. Jumping in the fray changes the course of Gabrielle life, but she didn't realize how much until days later when the convict she saved from death, escapes.

Randall Tucker has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife. Tucker doesn't care about himself, but he does care about his now eight year old son, Landon. When Gabrille insinuates herself into his small exsistance, Tucker can't help but be resentful, for she represents all that he will never have again. When he is transfered and finds the oppurtunity to escape, he doesn't hesitate because he made a promise to his son that he intends to keep.

Together, Tucker and Gabrielle brave the harsh Arizona desert and go on a mission to find the truth about the night Tucker's wife was murderer. With Gabby's one year old daughter, Allie, and Landon, they both realize how much they have to lose.

This was my first book by this author, and I was very impressed!

Gabrielle Hadley and her one year old daughter set out to Florence Arizona where Gabrielle is going to be a prison guard for an all male prison.So that she can support herself and her daughter and not rely on her ex husband all the time for money.There she meets up with Randall Tucker who is convicted of murdering his wife after he is beat up by some other inmates.
While being transfered to another prison Tucker excapes and Gabrielle takes off after him.While in the desert for 3 days Gabrielle finds herself falling in love with Tucker.While at a house that they come upon,Tucker ties up Gabrielle and gags her and leaves her there alone so that he can find his son Landon.
This is a very good read once you start reading it you wont want to put it down.Brenda Novak really out does herself this time.Can't wait for her next book.

The story takes place in Florence Arizona.Gabrielle and her one year old daughter just reloacted.Gabrielle is working as a prison guard in an all male prison so that she can support herself and her daughter so she doesn't have to rely on her ex husband for money.In the prison she meets Randall Tucker who has been wrongly acused of murder.After a fight breaks out and Gabrielle tries to stop it she starts falling for Randall.Then when Gabrielle is helping in transporting Tucker to another prison they get in a crash and Tucker excapes and tries to find his son and reclaim his inocence,Gabrielle goes after him in a attempt to get him to come back but finds herself falling more for him.

Few women are prison guards in a male prison, but that is the best career choice open to Gabrielle Hadley when she moves to Florence, Arizona in search of her birth mother. Daily she faces grueling work, where she is harrassed and scorned by both inmates and coworkers. Amidst the ugliness, she finds herself drawn to one of the prisoners, one who stands out as unusual, Randall Tucker, convicted wife killer.

Tucker is serving time for a crime of which he is innocent, so when he has the chance to escape during a transfer, he does. Gabrielle goes after him, out of a mixture of concern and a feeling of responsibility. Yet, when she finds him, they become reluctant allies, drawn together by the necessity of survival, and the heat between them that is hotter than the surrounding desert. Even when Tucker ties her up and abandons her, Gabrielle still believes in him, and is willing to risk everything to save him so his quest to prove his innocence and be reunited with his child will go forward.

***** A vivid painting of an ugly world provides an intense backdrop for this compelling story. Few women would have the grit to handle what Gabrielle faces. Tucker is the kind of man we all yearn for; tough, yet still loving. Both do what they must without flinching. Despite the harshness portrayed in the prison and in the wild, there are heartwarming moments of family that lighten the mood. You have not read many books like this one. *****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a fast read because putting it down is very difficult. Gabrielle, a prison guard breaks up a fight between several men against one man, Randall Tucker, a man wrongly accused of killing his wife, as the other guards stood and watched without doing anything. The guards turn on her but she stands her ground. Due to the ruckus she creates by questioning why they didn't stop the fight, Randall is transferred. On the way to the new facility Randall escapes. She follows him well into the hot unforgiving desert and then together they fight to survive the journey. I'm not giving anything away here, this all happens early on and the synopsis on the back of the book states as much. This book reminds me somewhat of the movie 'The Fugitive' with Harrison Ford, a man running from the law trying to find the real killer as the cops didn't bother to look any further than the husband. The book did not have any boring parts and had an excellent ending which means everyone gets what they deserve. I read several books every week and this is not one I will soon forget. I will look to read more from this author.

'Taking The Heat' begins with an implausible premise and never quite takes off as good romantic suspense. Gabrielle works as a prison guard while raising her one year old daughter despite being offered alimony from her too good to be true ex husband. There she meets and tries to protect Randall Tucker, a resident of the prison where she was a guard. He was falsely accused of killing his wife and now desperately wants to get out to be with his eight year old son, Landon. Tucker escapes while in the custody of Gabrielle and another guard during a transfer to a more secure prison. Gabrielle single handedly tries to recapture her escaped prisoner and somehow falls in love instead.

There are times when the relationship is satisfying but for the most part the plot is weak the suspense sparse and the conclusion far too easy and contrived.

Really got hooked on this book (in fact, just voted on BoookReporter.com for the male character, Randall Tucker, to be the one I would most like to spend Valentine's Day with). Tucker was wrongly incarcerated after being convicted of killing his wife. Since no body was ever found (just some blood spatters in their garage), he didn't expect to be found guilty, nor did his defense team who kept giving him reassurance that he wouldn't.

His motivation in proving his innocence was his little boy, Landon. There are all kinds of adventures in the story, as he managed to escape prison. It was hard to put down, because I just kept wondering what was going to happen next. I'd go to bed and couldn't quit speculating. Even when I could see that there were only a few pages left to read, I was still wondering. However, it resolved itself to my satisfaction and didn't feel like the ending was rushed. Highly recommend.