Customer Reviews

Watch Me (Thorndike Romance)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Watch Me (Last Stand, Book 3)

Twelve years ago Sheridan Kohl and Jason Wyatt were shot while parked near Whiterock, Tennessee. Sheridon was injured, but Jason was killed. Sheridan has never been able to move beyond that tragic incident and has held herself partly responsible. Had she not wanted to make Jason's stepbrother, Cain, jealous, she and Jason would never have been together.

Now, possible new evidence has energed and Sheridan, needing closure, travels from Sacramento back to Whiterock. But someone doesn't want her there, doesn't want her discovering what has been covered up for twelve years.

Once again she is attacked, this time rescued by Cain Granger, the man she has never gotten over. Cain fears for here life and takes her back to his cabin to nurse her back to health.

Both Sheridan and Cain go out of their way to avoid confronting the past and their feelings. Sheridan won't let herself become emotionally involved because she knows Cain doesn't care about commitment, and Cain seems to care more for his dogs and his grandfather than anyone else.

A cast of family and other townspeople complete the list of possible suspects, and Ms. Novak's deft weaving of plot and subplots keeps the reader guessing right down to the final pages. Coupled with Cain's and Sheridan's struggle to find clues to the killer's identity is their growing desire for one another.

This third in the Last Stand series oozes sensuality and suspense, items Brenda Novak writes with consummate skill. Once begun, I could not put the book down until I finished the last page.

Bravo Ms. Novak.

When the gun that was used to injure Sheridan Kohl and kill her companion Jason twelve years earlier turns up, Sheridan travels back to the town she'd rather forget to try to solve the now cold case. The incident was a turning point in Sheridan's life, as she now runs a non-profit company dedicated to victims. But her appearance has the killer pretty upset - enough that he kidnaps and tries to kill her again, only to have town bad boy Cain Granger step in and rescue her. Sheridan has always carried a torch for Cain, in fact, she was with his stepbrother that night in an attempt to make Cain jealous. Guilt has plagued them both in their role in Jason's death, and it doesn't help that many think he was the gunman. The two share close quarters as they investigate the crime, but the killer is one step ahead and getting desperate enough to tie up loose ends.

Novak's latest installment in her "Last Stand" series is a riveting novel that easily stands on its own. Both Sheridan and Cain are pretty complex characters with so much emotional baggage, but Novak manages to keep them from becoming too stereotypical of your average romantic suspense. Cain is somewhat of a loner - on one hand gruff and unapproachable, relating more to his dogs. But when he interacts with his grandpa Marshall or is taking care of Sheridan, his true personality emerges. While the mystery aspect was not too much of a surprise, Novak's gift for dialogue and knack for crafting a story are ever prevalent. While this series was originally touted as a trilogy, there will soon be another "Last Stand" story on the horizon.

I have not read the other two books in "The Last Stand" trilogy, but this book did not have many surprises for me. This type of book is not my genre, but I belong to a book club and I was sent this book in the first batch that I received. The story is about a woman who returns to her home town, where twelve years earlier she had witnessed a murder and was shot herself. And trouble finds her again as she is beaten and left for dead. The book is OK, and I did read it all, but I would have liked a bit more suspense.

I couldn't put the book down. Great characters and suspense.
Well written and an enjoyable story.

STORY BRIEF:
Cain was a loner and a magnet for women, but he never became emotionally attached. Sheridan fell for him when she was 15. They had a one-night encounter, and then he lost interest. She wanted to make him jealous so she went out one time with his brother Jason. Someone shot both Jason and Sheridan that night. Jason died. Sheridan survived. Her family then moved away. Twelve years later, the rifle is found. Sheridan hears of this and returns to town hoping to help solve the mystery. She is attacked and nearly killed. Cain is nearby and saves her. She plans to stay until the murderer is found. The police and others believe Cain killed Jason, but Sheridan does not.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
This was a good murder mystery with suspense and some romance. There are several different types of characters and several suspects. This is the third book in the Last Stand Trilogy. It can be read alone, you don't need to read the first two books before reading this.

DATA:
Story length: 419 pages. Swearing language: strong. Sexual language: none/mild. Number of sex scenes: 3. Total number of sex scene pages: 10. Setting: current day Whiterock, Tennessee. Copyright: 2008. Genre: romantic mystery suspense.

OTHER BOOKS:
For a list of my reviews of other Brenda Novak books, see my 5 star review of "Dead Silence" posted 8/26/08.

This is Brenda Novak's best series ever! The characters are so real, so lovable you feel you know them practically before the story starts. This is a fast read that will not let you sleep, should you happen to start in the evening!

I liked all 3 of the books in The Last Stand. But this was my favorite. I dont know if its because we had some of the details or the way we jumped right into the story. But as good as the first 2 were, this one was better. I loved the characters, setting and the storyline kept me interested all the way though.

This was a pleasure read, so this isn't an official review. This is one of my favorites of hers. I love this Last Stand series. This was also one of the first times we weren't in the killer's head, so it was different than her others. I do feel the killer was predictable, but it nonethe less was awesome. I loved the isolated setting in TN too, deep in the woods. Top notch, as always.

A decent conclusion to the series. I really liked the work Brenda Novak put into Cain Granger's character. He was a very brave and human character who was misunderstood by an entire town. He admitted to the mistakes he'd made and learned from those decisions. I also liked the fact that he and Sheridan had a history together which made their coupling not seem too rushed or unrealistic.

The character that I found the most annoying in the book was Skye Kellerman...oops sorry I mean Skye Willis because she's married now. I understand that she cares about her friend but I found her behavior oddly annoying in this book. She seemed to be blocking any attempts on Sheridan's part or Cain's part to be with each other in the midst of the book! She already had her love story and got her family too. Another thing is why children and birth control are always a common factor in all of Brenda Novak's novels? It just rears its little head in and takes over the story. The "bad" guy was extremely obvious from the beginning. While I was reading it I was hoping it hadn't been who I thought it was but I was wrong. But overall a decent book. It completes the series for me.

I enjoyed this installment of the series, although I thought it was a little bit predictable.

Two things bothered me though, and kept me from giving it 5 stars. First, someone who loves their dogs as much as Cain wouldn't leave them outside locked in a pen with such a threat out there -- especially after they'd been drugged and easily could've been killed. That made it hard to really get behind the character Cain.

Then the deplorable Skye showed up. I couldn't stand her in the first book, and I absolutely despised her arrogant, know-it-all self in this book. I wish the author would've had her move away at the end of her book and dropped her from the series. She's just unbearable.

Looking forward to the next in the series!