Sandy M’s review of Pursuit by Elizabeth Jennings
Romantic Suspense published by Forever 1 Apr 08
When I originally learned that Lisa Marie Rice also writes as Elizabeth Jennings, I had to get my hands on one of her Jennings books. Pursuit was the first I found, and I’ve had it for a while now, always saying I’ll get to it soon. Well, soon has arrived and I have only one disappointment.
How can I be disappointed in a Rice/Jennings book? I can’t. The disappointment is my own, waiting so darned long to read a book I knew would be absolutely terrific. It wouldn’t matter what name this woman chooses to write under, for me she’ll never write a bad book. Ever.
Charlotte Court is on the run from a man who wants everything she’s got. He’s just killed her father to make sure that happens. He’s also blamed her for the murder, so a manhunt is on and Charlotte is running for her life. She ends up in a small town in Mexico where she is welcomed by a local restaurant-owning family. Her life is changed and starting anew, and once she’s settled again she’ll be out for vengeance while clearing her name.
Finally out of the hospital and starting the long road to full recuperation after being shot in Afghanistan, Navy SEAL Matt Sanders finds himself in Mexico, staying with an ex-military buddy while working himself to the bone to get body and mind back to where they should be. During those months, his angel sits on her beach-front back porch, keeping an eye on him as he works out. They never speak during this time, but they share common ground of coming back after terrible personal injury.
When they finally do meet face to face — during a fierce storm in which Charlotte nearly loses her life — Matt is determined to look out for her, protect her, and make sure she can eventually take care of herself. He’s the typical alpha male, all military rigid when it comes to protecting what’s his and Charlotte definitely belongs to Matt now. Charlotte wants to trust him, but doing so will only lead to trouble and perhaps his death. She refuses to lead him into peril after he’s worked so hard when he denied death before.
But the closer her pursuer gets, Charlotte finally realizes she needs help and there’s no one better than Matt who can keep her safe. What they don’t know is they’re up against two enemies: one who is taking over Charlotte’s life and one who is in pursuit to end the new one she’s just found.
Of course, total alpha male lover that I am, Matt makes this book for me. And the love scenes are hot, steamy, sizzling, erotic, and sexy as hell. Even the first aborted attempt between them is full of tension and is one of the best in the book. The story itself is intense, and we get a number of chapters from the villains’ points of view, one certainly more chilling than the other. Charlotte is a toughie, she learns quick to do things she never thought she’d have to, given her life to date, and she nearly outsmarts the bastard after her.
There’s four other Jennings books, two out before Pursuit and two out this year. I’m hunting each of them down, just as I have her Rice books. I’ve already made room on my keeper shelf for them.
Grade: A+
Summary:
A shocking betrayal…her father’s murder…and a life-threatening accusation…Heiress Charlotte Court has walked into a waking nightmare-one that sends her running from her wealthy home to anywhere she can hide.
Across the border in Mexico, Charlotte creates a new identity and finds refuge in the battle-torn arms of Navy SEAL Matt Sanders. Fleeing his past, Matt yearns to protect her and replace her pain with pleasure. But Charlotte can’t trust anyone, not even someone she’s starting to love. She knows she’s a target-and out of sight, a soulless killer is zeroing in on his prey…
No excerpt available.
Lisa Marie Rice/Elizabeth Jennings is my guilty pleasure. I’ve been a fan since she started writing for Ellora’s Cave. IMO, her books can be a bit repetitive, Dangerous Passion was just an expanded version of Secluded, and the other Dangerous books has a ton of similarities to her Midnight books, but I don’t care. Her writing just grabs me, and I’m such a sucker for her heroes.
I do wish that she would put up a website though! Tracking down her books can be a bit tricky. From what I can tell this seems to be the most complete list of Jenning’s books: http://www.fictiondb.com/author/elizabeth-jennings~8832.htm.
Bernadette’s Blues
Pursued
Joy Forever
Taming Nick
Heart to Heart
Dying for Siena
Pursuit
Masquerade
Except that I think Bernadette’s Blues is actually Bernadette’s Bluff, and was rewritten and released as Homecoming by Cerridwen. And A Fine Specimen was revised and released as Taming Nick by EC.
I’m hoping her new books in 2010 will be new titles, and not just re-releases of her old books. But I’ll probably end up buying them either way. :p
Great review Sandy. I am a huge fan too. Loved Dangerous Passion. Thanks for the list Dana. There’s some books I didn’t know about.
Dana, I think I’m always so in love with Rice’s/Jennings’ heroes that I either don’t care or have never noticed some of her books being similar! This is one author who can do that and it’s mighty fine with me. Something I think all of her fans, as you definitely attest, feel about her writing. She’s just dang good!
Thanks, Mary! I have yet to read Dangerous Passions, but hopefully now that Pursuit has gotten me into a LMR mood, I’ll be reading it soon.
Sandy, it was one of my fave books of 2009. Such griitty violence juxtapositioned with beautiful passages that I read over & over again. We were asked on a blog “What fictional character are you secretly in love with”. I said “Drake”. But I’ll stop here because with my luck (or yours) I’ll build it up & you’ll be disappointed & I don’t want that. Enjoy.
Oh, wow, one of the best of the year and a secret love for the hero — don’t think I’d ever be disappointed in that! I’m definitely going to be hunting for Dangerous Passion in the TRB pile. Thanks, Mary!
I LOVE romantic suspense and combine with LMR? Sold. Going to look for this book soon as a I can. Thank you!
Can you tell me if this is the Jennings novel that has an animal cruelty scene. Stuff like that matters to me. Thanks.
tyr, there is a scene where the villain goes bonkers and rips up the heroine’s cat. I didn’t care for it either because I love my cats, but the scene worked for that creepy jerk. But no others!
Tyr The scene did work but I understand how you feel. I just double checked the book.
Don’t read pages 108,109 & 133 – you will still get the gist of the sistuation.
situation – sorry