1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Powerful, memorable. Highly recommended, July 20, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: 'Til Death Do Us Part (Paperback)
Tania Holzknect's life is literally a living nightmare. Her husband, an international terrorist, known as The Wolf, is in prison, yet still manages to terrorize her. Five years after his trial and conviction, Karl continues to stalk Tania and their eleven-year-old twin girls. No matter how many times they change their names, no matter how many times they run, no matter how many small towns and large cities they try to lose themselves in across the globe, he always, always tracks them down. Tania knows that he is coming to kill her; it is just a matter of time.
Karl has contacted Tania once again, but this time something is different. Something is terribly wrong; she can feel it. When Tania's contact at Interpol tells her that the CIA will be taking over her case and to expect an agent, her instincts warn her to bolt. But secret agent, Bart Matthews, is one step ahead of her. When he arrives at her home and confirms her suspicion that yes, The Wolf has escaped, Tania realizes that the end is near. For her children's sake, the time has come for her to confront her worst fear and finally end the nightmare, one way or another. But after so many years of depending only on herself, can she really trust in Agent Matthews to keep her girls safe, let alone herself? And can she really do as he suggests and pose as his wife to draw out The Wolf?
In Tania, Bart Matthews finds a complex woman, one that he is extremely drawn to, albeit reluctantly. As a former runway model she is still an attractive woman, and she is very vulnerable. But she is also strong, resilient and filled with determination. Unlike other witnesses he has protected, she disdains his help. He must constantly push her, trying to crack her composure and break through to emotions and memories she holds inside. Then perhaps she will stop fighting him, and in the process, become an asset to him in his pursuit of The Wolf. For what Tania does not realize is that Bart is the man who brought down the elusive assassin once before, and that the hunter has now become the hunted.
'TIL DEATH US DO PART is a psychological thriller not to be missed. It pulls the reader in from page one and does not let go until the very end. Ms. Gray has created a truly gripping story filled with unforgettable characters, from the chilling villain, The Wolf, to the supremely compelling hero, Bart Matthews, and of course the long suffering but tough Tania. And there are many, many more players, all of whom have important roles because Ms. Gray uses them all to propel the plot along. Particularly engaging are Tania's twin girls who recognize the gravity of the situation to a degree. But being children, they still romanticize it, as is evident by their code names of James Bond and Miss Moneypenny. The story volleys at super speed to and fro amongst all the characters. At times it is a bit confusing but not so bothersome as to detract from the overall enjoyment of the book.
Bart and Tania are perhaps two of the most forceful characters I have ever read about. While he is the ultimate secret agent working for the U.S. government, he remains a maverick. He always gets the job done, usually by his own set of rules, and no matter what, his job always comes first. The confidence and power he exudes is very sexy and many women would willingly place themselves in his very capable hands. What also makes Bart so alluring, is knowing that if he ever devoted himself to a woman like he does his job, that woman would be the recipient of something powerfully intense and special. Tania is the perfect foil for Bart. Such a strong man needs a strong woman or he would crush her spirit in a heartbeat and in the process lose interest in her. I like the way that, until the bitter end, Tania wants to rely first and foremost on herself. And the reader knows that if the romance that springs up between the two does not make it, Tania will still go on, bruised perhaps, but never beaten. Meanwhile, The Wolf is very unnerving with his cold, calm, detached and methodical manner. And the reader quickly learns that when he kills for personal reasons rather than professional ones, he is even more frightening.
There are many other aspects of 'TIL DEATH US DO PART that make it is so satisfying. One lies in the fact that even with all the "spy stuff" going on, the plot still remains believable. Nothing is so over the top as to make the story lose credibility. This also holds true for the way the characters themselves behave in a situation. I appreciate that once the CIA enters Tania's life, she never tries to act like an agent herself, and neither does Bart treat her like one even as he uses her to get to The Wolf.
With its powerful story and memorable characters, 'TIL DEATH US DO PART is one book that I will not soon forget, and I highly recommend it.
Sandra Brill
Romance Reviews Today
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0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spectacular suspense, July 26, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: 'Til Death Do Us Part (Paperback)
Tania Holzknecht found out too late that she was married to a notorious assassin with the nickname `The Wolf'. For the sake of her children, she agrees to testify against him and gives the CIA enough evidence to put Karl Holzknecht in prison for what is supposed to be the rest of his life.Tania enters the witness relocation program with her twin daughters and finds herself always looking over her shoulder, especially when her husband finds her no matter where she hides. When Karl miraculously escapes from prison and manages to find her yet again, she contacts Interpol only to find out that the CIA has taken over her case.The CIA sends in Bart Matthews. Bart had tracked Karl for years before he was put in prison, so he knows everything there is to know about The Wolf, except how to find him. Turning to Tania, he asks for her help in locating him. For the sake of her daughters, whom have never known a normal happy life, she agrees as long as her children are kept safe.Tania and Bart find themselves drawn to each other, as they try to lure `The Wolf' from wherever he has hidden himself. As Tania openly makes herself a target for her vengeful husband, the danger to herself increases....not only the danger to her life, but her heart as well.
T.L. Gray has written another spectacular suspense novel. This heart-pounding thriller will leave you on the edge of your seat as you are pulled into a story that takes place in various locations internationally and around the U.S.One of Ms. Gray's strengths is the development of her characters. Each and every character is beautifully detailed and unique, whether they are the main characters or secondary ones. By concentrating her efforts on the creation of memorable characters, Ms. Gray writes a suspenseful story that just about knocks your socks off.Filled with a wealth of emotion, an intriguing mystery, and action packed suspense, `Til Death Do Us Part is a fantastic read that will haunt your memory long after you read it.
Cindy
Reviewer for Love Romances
loveromances.com
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