Sunday, June 20, 2010

The Defiant Hero by Suzanne Brockmann


Suzanne Brockmann
Pub. Date: February 2001
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 416pp
Series: Troubleshooters Series, #2
ISBN-13: 9780804119535
ISBN: 0804119538
Edition Description: Reissue
Original print paperback cover: click here









There are two covers for The Defiant Hero. The one you see above (reissue print) and the one from the link, also above (original cover). I've both of them. In the past many years, I've been re-reading Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter books with my good non-blogger friend Angela. It has always been fun re-reading the books with her and drool over some of the men we both like. And I sure hope to do another re-read of this series with her again :) Since The Defiant Hero is also a re-review on my blog, I decided to use it for this post too. I need to re-amend from the old one. It messy *Grin*. My feeling didn't change much on after I've re-read this book 3x. The only differ is that I'm re-reading it with my blogger friend Alice from Hello, My Name Is Alice this time. I truly always love doing joint-reading with her. It always fun to share favorite books and get Alice hook on them too ;) Thanks Alice!

Back Blurb

"The United States refuses to negotiate with terrorists." Meg Moore remembered the warning from her job as a translator in a European embassy. Those same words will spell out a death sentence for her daughter and grandmother who have been kidnapped by a lethal group called the Extremists. Meg will do anything to meet their unspeakable demand; anything - even kill - to save her child.

When Navy SEALs Lieutenant, junior grade, John Nilsson is summoned to Washington, D.C., by the FBI to help negotiate a hostage situation, the last person he expected to see holding a foreign ambassador at gunpoint is Meg. He hasn't seen her in years, but he's never forgotten how it feels to hold her in his arms. John could lose his career if he helps her escape. She will lose her life if he doesn't....
End Back Blurb

Not sure if consider the post to be SPOILER, but in case it is then you are WARNED! :) And forgive me for any errors spelling or grammars :)

Meg Moore, a widow, was forced by terrorists to kidnap a foreign national for exchange of her daughter and grandmother who was held captive by them. Meg feel like it was hopeless situation, since she does not trust the terrorists nor anyone else for their help. Under duress, she tell the hostage negotiators that she will only negotiated with John Nilsson, a Navy SEAL who she had met in foreign assignment in the past. But Meg would do anything to meet their unspeakable demands, anything -- just to save her daughter.

John was summoned to Washington,D.C. by FBI to help negotiate a hostage situation. But he didn't expect to find Meg holding the foreign ambassador at gunpoint. He has carried with him a feeling he had for her over many years. He just never acted on his feeling since she was married at the time. Now that they meet again, his feeling for her never disappear and he decided to let her know.

One of my favorite scene of the book was with Nilsson standing outside the rain, on top of the car. What follow it...was WOW - hot! I like Nilsson and was glad to get to know him in this book. Pretty much he is one who I want to know more of but I think the story focus more on Meg instead. For me, I have an hate/love relationship with Meg. I can understand what she went through and why she did what she did and doesn't trust anyone to help her but how many times does it take for someone to repeatedly tell her that she can trust them? Someone have proven and shown this to her but still it not enough for her -- eh! I want to smack her LOL! I think she is one of the stronger woman, and a very admired protective mom who love her daughter more than anything in the world but still she is my least favorite heroine.

We also get to see the first starting glimpse of the story behind the love/hate relationship between Navy SEAL Lt. Sam Starrett and FBI Agent Alyssa Locke (my favorite hero/couple). Their story proceed over the next several installments in the series. I always look forward to seeing more of them the most. Every scenes with them in it at each installments --- sizzling HOT! ;)

There is a background story of Eve (Meg's mother--transplanted from Hollywood to Ramsgate, England when she was 15) and Nick. The world War II subplot is centered around the May 1940 evacuation of the BEF (British troops) from Dunkirk in the terrible aftermath of the Nazi blitz invasion of France.

You will met more of the the Navy SEALs, Troubleshooter team: Wilcard, Jazz, Jenk, Mike Muldoon, Jay Lopez..etc. They are seen also on several installment of the books, later on.

I love this book because this is when we see the beginning of Sam and Alyssa relationship. We see the good and the bad side of both of them. And it interesting to see how they interacted, connect and their relationship built up and developed. I also love Suz's WWII subplot in stories and it revolved around with threading the other two stories into one. I wish that Suz do more WWII subplot stories. This is also one of the first sixth books where the series were more a favorite and better than the later books, IMO. Although I still fully enjoy reading the later books too. Because a popular character get his story later, and he is one of my favorite. Few things I like about the Troubleshooter series is because characters growth, relationship built up and development + HEA, the dialogues (always funny, romantic, sweet and sometime frustration) and the actions. Suz know how to work her characters, I love her books! I'm looking forward to read Izzy story in 2011! (hopefully it'll be out that year)

Grade: 4 1/2 stars

Re-read: March 2010
Drafted: 4-11-10
Edited: 6-20-10
I read this in March and posted it today. Sorry delay posting old reviews.

4 comments:

Alice said...

Great review, Julia! You sure got me hooked on this series. When I've settled down in Penang (the final move is next weekend), I'll continue reading the rest of the books with you.

I'm beginning to like Sam very much. Stan is great and I like how's he so steady.

Thanks for reading it with me!

Julia said...

@ Alice - Thanks! Looking forward to read the rest of the Troubleshooter series with you! I LOVE Sam too! He one of my favorite. Hopefully in due time when you settle to your new home, you'll be able to relax with some nice books to read :)

Melody said...

Glad you had fun reading this series again, Julia! And you know I'm a slacker when it comes to series books, hehe. :P

Julia said...

Hey Melody! I always love reading series books, and yes I know you are slacker when ti come to series books teehee. But I hope someday you will pick it up again :)