Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Silent Watch by Elle Kennedy
Romantic suspense released by Silhouette Romantic Suspense 01 Aug 2009

Romantic suspense is an extremely tricky genre for an author to write.  You have to juggle both romance and suspense, devote equal time to both plot lines, and keep the reader satisfied on both counts.  Couple that with writing the sub genre in the shorter category romance format?  Yeah, it can be a recipe for disaster.  But oh, when an author gets it right?  It’s a joy and wonder to behold.  Unfortunately while there were some bright moments in Elle Kennedy’s first Silhouette Romantic Suspense, the reliance on too many well-worn romantic suspense cliches dampened my enjoyment.

Swimsuit model Samantha Dawson barely survived her encounter with the serial killer, The Rose Killer.  For her protection, and hoping it will break the case wide open, the FBI lets everyone believe she’s dead and spirit her to a safe house out in the middle of nowhere.  Then another woman is attacked, and she miraculously also survives, but she’s so traumatized she’s refusing to spill her guts to the authorities.  One of the agents working the case, Blake Corwin, is particularly haunted by the Rose Killer case, and is desperate for any type of lead.  His brilliant idea?  Show up on Sam’s doorstep and try to convince her to talk to the latest victim.  Imagine his surprise when Sam opens up the front door and greets him with a shotgun.

My enjoyment of this story was marred by too many contrivances that readers have seen one too many times in other romantic suspense stories.  We have the damaged FBI agent who is haunted by the death of the woman he loved, and failed to protect.  We have the gorgeous heroine in peril who is still traumatized by her encounter with a serial killer, but then turns around and does stupid crap that puts her in danger.  There are moments in the story where the romance does shine, and that’s when Blake and Sam are talking.  Just talking to each other about their lives pre-Rose Killer – Sam’s work as a model, their respective childhoods, etc.

Unfortunately those nice moments are broken up by plot turns that had me scoffing.  Blake is apparently determined and obsessed with catching the Rose Killer, but other than playing bodyguard to Sam, the reader never actually sees him doing any investigative FBI-type work.  Then, with her cover blown sky high, and with a serial killer on the loose, Sam keeps wanting to leave Blake’s house to go “outside.”  We even have a chapter where the two go outside to frolic in some freshly fallen snow.

No, I’m not making this up.

I did like that Sam called Blake on quite a bit of his “failed to protect the woman I loved, and I shall never love again” bullshit – but I was mightily annoyed that a pivotal emotional scene involving a secondary character later in the story is marred by Sam and Blake ripping each others’ clothes off and boinking like bunnies.  In the end, there just wasn’t enough here to keep me terribly engaged in the story.  Some of the relationship stuff was nice, but too often this story felt like “been there, done that.”

Grade: C-

Summary:

Blake was tracking the Rose Killer in order to forget the woman he couldn’t save. Now there was a new lead: a survivor. Convincing Samantha “Sam” Dawson to help was only half the battle. Resisting the allure of the fiery beauty was downright impossible.

Sam wanted nothing to do with men. With the city. With the fame of her former life as a model. Six months after the heinous attack, she still bore the killer’s trademark scar. But if she was as tough as she thought, she’d have to face her fears to catch a killer—and dare to love again.

Read an excerpt.