Limecello’s review of Dangerous Secrets by Lisa Marie Rice
Erotic romance published by Avon Red on 1 Jul 08
I’ve never read a book by Lisa Marie Rice before this, but I definitely plan on reading more. That may be a reason why I enjoyed this book so much, or I’m contrary and liked it because I was told I might not like it. 😉 No – this book is very well written, the story flows well, and I found myself re-reading parts while reading, it was that good.
Charity Prewitt is a great romance heroine, because well, she’s so normal. But this is a positive – she’s your average woman, attractive, smart, has a job, and is dutiful. She’s not unhappy with her life, though she knows it could be a bit better. She’s a regular person, but she’s good. Charity knows her limits, but is willing to put herself at risk and step outsider her comfort zone to do what needs to be done. She’s a character you respect, admire, but more importantly, one you like.
Nick is interesting and at times unexpected. Actually, I felt the opening was somewhat misleading. Still, Nick is the type of romance hero we all love. He’s alpha – capable, and able to handle any type of situations, yet he’s human. I loved that he knew his limits – during one scene, he could admit he wasn’t the best at x,y or z – but he does know where his gifts lie. It’s nice to read about characters that are so self aware. He’s layered and complex, but I think a very important detail is that Charity makes him spin out of control. We romance readers are a bit twisty, so we love when a hero’s world just falls apart, because he’s mad for the heroine (in a healthy way).
Nick’s intensity is what carries a lot of the book. He’s willing to sacrifice everything for Charity- including himself. In a way, it’s almost scary, because he becomes an uncertainty. A friend once said she didn’t find Secret Service Agents attractive basically because she felt that someone willing to die for a position was too extreme. Nick is definitely there, and I can see how some people wouldn’t particularly like that. It’s unsettling.
One thing I that annoyed me, was very minor. It was Charity’s self-proclaimed, as it were, unfamiliarity with wealth, immediately paired with her recognition of Armani suits. The kicker was when she “wasn’t sure” if the car Nick drove was a Lexus. I think it’s a culmination of frustration with romance novels across the board. I work with suits, and have spent more time than I should trolling high end stores and sites, and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t recognize Armani, Manolo’s, etc (unless the label was showing). Which takes me to my next point – hello, the giant “L” symbol on the car would be a dead giveaway. The only car Makes that people could be unsure about would be Porsche – because there are a lot of shield logos out there, and Maybach – because, really, who drives those? (Ok, so not only – but I’m making a point here.)
Still, the plot is interesting and engaging. The characters are developed and believable, the villains realistic and fitting. The chemistry between Nick and Charity generates enough heat to be labeled an alternative energy source. I liked the side stories and secondary characters, the setting, their personalities, the events… and I had a tiny squee moment when Filene’s Basement was mentioned. I’d have to nitpick to find anything I truly disliked about the book. (Which I did in the previous paragraph because I happened upon that minor detail while trying to find which school Charity attended.)
Basically, this is a book I would recommend to any reader. Beautifully written, and it’s just so good.
Grade: A
Small-town librarian Charity Prewitt never dreamed she’d meet and fall in love with a man like Nicholas Ames. The handsome, rich, charming, sexy-as-hell millionaire blew into tiny Parker’s Ridge, Vermont, and immediately rocked her world. Powerful, sensual, the perfect man, Nick knows all the right words-and all the right spots to touch, sending her soaring to dizzying new heights of ecstatic abandon. Never before has prim and proper Charity leapt into bed with a perfect stranger-and now that she’s there with him, nothing is going to drag her away!
But Nick Ames is not who he claims to be. In truth, he is Nicholas Ireland-the one they call “Iceman.” A former Delta Force operator, now a high-level undercover agent, he will do whatever his government asks of him-lie, seduce, betray . . . even kill, if necessary-for the sake of the mission. And this time his mission is Charity Prewitt.
Suddenly one woman has broken down his chilly restraint and ignited his passions completely. And before the erotic dream turns into a nightmare, will Charity be able to melt the Iceman’s cold, cold heart?
Read an excerpt.
This was an awesome review. I immediately went and added it to my list on booksfree. I haven’t read a review in a while that made me want to read something immediately! Great job!
If I read this book and only this book I would have loved it too. However, I read Dangerous Lover first. With that said please let me explain.
In Dangerous Secrets Nick Ireland borrows a lot of internal dialogue (word for word) from Jack Prescott. Not to mention the bald tire problem and the snow storm. While I guess an Author can borrow word for word from themselves, I had a big problem with it. One I spent $14 dollars on this book and two I kept getting thrown out of the book with ‘I just read this’ in the last book.
I was told that I should read her books with long breaks in between do to this fact….lol I had to laugh because I think I should be able to read an original book anytime. Whether it’s back to back if I just found this new to me Author or 6 months in between or a year from now.
Thanks for letting me vent 😉
Sarah – w00t! Always happy to share the reading love. I hope you like it! Awe, I’m all blush-y and warm and fuzzy. You’ll have to let me know what you think.
Hey Sam,
I have to agree with you. I would be the one who thought she wouldn’t like it BUT I thought she was a LMR fan. I ADORE me some LMR. LOVE her midnight series and enjoyed Dangerous Lover. So this book read a bit flat for me.
I tend to run into that problem when I sooo like an author. I hope her next book reads better for me cuz I am a selfish duck like that ;). But for those like lime who have never read her – I would think it is a safe bet they will enjoy this.
Of course I still have to say read the midnight series *g*.
Sam – aiyah! That would be very annoying. Depending on how I was feeling, if I had read both, I probably would have had “deja vuuuuuuu” going through my head. If I’m not expecting it, I do get annoyed.
Well, it’s hard to explain. I like Diana Palmer, but a lot of her readers feel her books are just boilerplates. I can see certain nuances. But yes, there are some authors, where I think “did they just change the hair and name and go?”
Interesting. I’m wondering what I’ll think of LMR’s other books – I’ve got two now in my TBR, but those are her Midnight series?
Thanks for letting me know, and no worries! Vent away! I loves me some rants.
Sybil – now I’m all apprehensive about reading the midnight series 😛 then again, there is the “I don’t have a problem reading [essentially] the same damn thing over and over again.” In fact, I read a Barbara Cartland last night, and well, *snicker* [There’s also quite a few authors I’ve never read. When I discover one I tend to go for their entire backlist before moving to another. Or I did.]
You might like or not. Who knows you are such an odd duck and you do just like to be all difficult and disagree with me.
So I will say you will hate it and then you can lurve it *g*
Thanks ladies (Duckies)!
Great review Lime!
Sybil, I hope you are feeling better. I guess my main issue with this book was the Author being lazy about her male character not having his own identity and poor editing because the editor should have said….hmmm….where did I read this before?
Sam—I totally love LMR, but like you, I’ve found that she writes the same book over and over with different character names and places. Even the settings, almost always Nov.-Dec., always snow and the hero has to carry her at some point, the hero LOVES BOOKS,he’s always flawed and alpha to the extreme and she’s always ultra feminine, etc. There is so much that is repeated over and over.
And yet, I love it! For me it’s like that I love me a yummy banana split, but I can only have one one every couple of months. It always tastes the same, the same ingredients are in it, but it’s still yummy every time. And because I can only have it every couple of months, I thoroughly enjoy it.
Maybe one day, if she keeps writing the same stuff over and over, I will get tired of it. But for now, because they come out infrequently, I’m gonna devourer her stuff.
I’ve got to read the Midnight series.
I really enjoyed Dangerous Lover, so I’d still like to try this.
lime–I could not id an Armani to save my life, but could definitely id a Lexus. Too funny!
Leah – All of you have got me so curious now! Haha the twisty part in my now wishes to read all of LMR’s books, one right after the other, and see what I think.
Devon –thank you. I almost wrote “I wouldn’t know an Armani if you threw it at me.” But not knowing a Lexus? Puh-leez.