Genre: Romantic Suspense Published: August 16th 2016 by Grand Central Publishing Rating: 4/5 stars ★★★★
“She should have been brimming with happiness just for being alive. And she was. But there was no real joy in it, because of her profound sense of loss over possibilities unrealized.”
SYNOPSIS:
When Jordie Bennett and Shaw Kinnard lock eyes across a disreputable backwater bar, something definitely sparks. Shaw gives off a dangerous vibe that makes men wary and inspires women to sit up and take notice. None feel that undercurrent more strongly than savvy businesswoman Jordie, who doesn’t belong in a seedy dive on the banks of a bayou. But here she is . . . and Shaw Kinnard is here to kill her.
As Shaw and his partner take aim, Jordie is certain her time has come. But Shaw has other plans and abducts Jordie, hoping to get his hands on the $30 million her brother has stolen and, presumably, hidden. However, Shaw is not the only one looking for the fortune. Her brother’s ruthless boss and the FBI are after it as well. Now on the run from the feds and a notorious criminal, Jordie and Shaw must rely on their wits-and each other-to stay alive.
Miles away from civilization and surrounded by swampland, the two play each other against their common enemies. Jordie’s only chance of survival is to outwit Shaw, but it soon becomes clear to Shaw that Jordie isn’t entirely trustworthy, either. Was she in on her brother’s scam, or is she an innocent pawn in a deadly vendetta? And just how valuable is her life to Shaw, her remorseless and manipulative captor? Burning for answers-and for each other-this unlikely pair ultimately make a desperate move that could be their last.
MY REVIEW:
4 of 5 stars to Sting by Sandra Brown ★★★★
Sting may not be the Sandra Brown’s best work but nonetheless, her talent is still evident in this one. Now that I have read a couple of her books, her style is becoming clearer to me. At some point, you would notice how her characters can be from the same template but it wouldn’t really matter because she’s so good at storytelling, sustaining mysteries and of course, chemistry that make the experience worthwhile.
Sting is now my sixth novel from Sandra Brown and no matter how many times she gives me the undercover FBI agent plot device, I still fall for it big time. She is just so good at convincing her readers of her character’s “real nature” through their actions and words. When I first read about Shaw Kinnard, the thought that he could be a covert FBI agent definitely entered my mind. However, upon learning of his recent “activities” and his attitude to the heroine, doubts started creeping in until I was finally convinced that he was indeed a bad guy.
The same thing happened with Jordan Bennett only in reverse order. In the beginning, I knew she was innocent of her brother’s schemes but as the investigation wore on, her actions became questionable and the good guys started doubting her. Suddenly, she became a shady character not to be trusted. Even though Brown has yet to pull a stunt like this one (anti-heroes; anti-heroines), and thus giving me no reasons to doubt her character, I still did.
On another note, Sting’s plot is not as suspenseful nor as exciting as the previous books I have read from Brown. However, I still enjoyed the story, hence the four-star rating. The leads’ chemistry are good but not that remarkable.
To summarize, Sting holds that familiar Sandra Brown formula: riveting, suspenseful, and addicting–but maybe a teeny tiny bit less effective.
***cover art: 4 stars. Looks nice.***
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