About this title: The author of the Crazy series delivers the first of a sassy and sexy romantic suspense series featuring a former DEA superstar chosen to protect a woman he once caught smuggling, who now has plans to use him in her next mission. Original.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Good. Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. 044024384X Former library item may have library binding and show stamps, stickers or other marks. Items not meeting quality expectations may be returned. Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. read more
Edition: First edition.
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Dell Publishing Company
Date Published: 2007
ISBN-13:9780440243847ISBN:044024384X
Description: Fine. No dust jacket as issued. In EXCELLENT condition Spine has one light crease Covers are PRISTINE Text is clean and tight From my PRIVATE smoke free collection. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 403 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Description: Very good. By Tara Janzen; ISBN: 044024384X; Pub. : Dell; Pub. Date: 2007-10-30; Media: Mass Market Paperback; Weight: 7.84 oz.; Minor exterior wear, all else is excellent. by Tara Janzen; ISBN: 044024384X; Pub. : Dell; Pub. Date: 2007-10-30; Media: Mass Market Paperback; Weight: 7.84 oz.; Minor exterior wear, all else is excellent. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Dell
Date Published: 2007
ISBN-13:9780440243847ISBN:044024384X
Description: Very Good+ 9780440243847. 7th in STEELE STREET; 1st in LOOSE, SPECIAL OPS series. Keeping cool under pressure is the credo C. Smith Rydell lives by. That's why he was handpicked by the Special Defense Forces for a mission few men survive. So why has the ex-DEA superstar been reassigned to Panama City, playing bodyguard to a blonde in a black string bikini? Except Honey York isn't your average pampered socialite. She's the woman Rydell caught smuggling cash into El Salvador four months ago. And ... read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Dell
Date Published: 2007
ISBN-13:9780440243847ISBN:044024384X
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
"This was another good book connected with the Steele Streeet series. I thought that this book concentrated more on the action involved in the story and not as much on the romance which is why I gave it four stars instead of five. I would have liked to have seen a little bit more emphasis placed on the romance between Rydell and Honey. Even so, it was an enjoyable, fast-paced book.
In the previous book in the series, C. Smith Rydell and Honoria "Honey" York-Lytton spent a night together in El Salvador after Smith rescued Honey from a dangerous situation on the streets. The next day, Smith put Honey on a plane bound for her home in Washington, D.C., and they haven't seen or heard from one another since. "On the Loose" has Smith being pulled off of a mission in Peru and sent to Panama for a personal security detail. When he gets there, he is surprised to see that he is to be bodyguard for Honey as she tours coffee plantations. It doesn't take long for Smith to realize that the coffee plantation tour is a ruse and that much more is going on. Soon the action picks up, involving Smith and Honey with South American rebels, drug lords, a downed plane with CIA connections, nuns, an out of place American school teacher, and an ex-girlfriend who once left Smith for dead and is now determined to finish the job.
I enjoyed the characters of Smith and Honey, and although their story ended satisfactorily, I would have liked the book to concentrate a bit more on their relationship. The other characters from the Steele Street series are mentioned, but only a couple have very brief cameo appearances in the book. This was a little disappointing, as I thoroughly enjoyed the way the previous books had more of the Steele Street characters involved. The new character of Alejandro Campos, apparent South American drug lord, was interesting. The book lets you know that he is clearly more than he seems, and I was intrigued when I read the preview of the next book in the back of this one and found out who he really is behind the drug lord persona. I look forward to reading his story in Cutting Loose."
I'm a bit undecided on what to rate this book. I could go anywhere from 3 to 3.5 to 4. I'm leaning toward 3.5, though the strong ending tempts me to bump it to 4. I enjoyed this book a fair amount, but I didn't think it was as strong as some of the past books in the series.
On the Loose is the seventh book in the Steele Street series, and the first book in the "Loose" subset of books. Most likely, this book could be read as a stand-alone or as a "try-out" for the series. There is some direct connection to the last book, but Janzen gives you a good enough idea of what happened in the past for things in this book to make sense.
In the previous book, C. Smith Rydell and Honey York had a run-in that resulted in a one-night stand. Now, Smith is suddenly called off a mission to be a personal escort to Honey on a supposed coffee tour in San Salvador. Of course, it isn't a coffee tour, though. Due to a plane crash, the U.S. lost some important info that is now in the hands of a drug lord. The drug lord, who has met Honey before, is demanding that she be present for the exchange the U.S. is making to get the info back. So the U.S. forces Honey, and Smith, to make the deal. Nothing goes easy though when the mission involves a society princess, an SDF agent, a mysterious coffee grower, a crazy drug lord, a trio of nuns, and a school teacher in way over her head. Oh, and don't forget the cold-hearted pilot-for-hire who wants Smith dead.
While I liked this book, I also found it easy to set aside. It didn't draw me back to keep reading all that much. Part of that is because of the setting, in a way. I'm just not a fan of books that involve trekking through jungles or other inhospitable places. They just tend to bore me. So I didn't like that end of this book...though there wasn't a lot of that.
Aside from that, a lot of this book is just rather slow moving. A lot of traveling and talking. Not a lot of danger or action. The other books in this series had more going on throughout the book, but this one dragged a bit. It wasn't until near the end when everything picked up.
Which is one of the things I like about this book - the ending. Lately I've read so many books with super rushed endings where the plot conclusion and HEA for the H/H are stuffed into five or less pages and it drives me nuts. I HATE endings like that. I like endings where the plot resolution is drawn out a little bit and where there's a final chapter wrapping up the romance angle. This book had that. The big finish was well done, moderately intense, and worked for the story. Plus there was a last chapter with Smith and Honey to give you that nice satisfied feeling when you finished.
So on that end, the book gets bonus points. The romance was okay...I liked Honey and Smith, but I wouldn't really say either character, or their romance, was particularly memorable.
One thing I really missed in this book was the "Steele Street / SDF" vibe. The past books in this series were all centered around SDF (Special Defense Force) and the Steele Street, their bad-ass headquarters. There was a strong teamwork aspect, with a cast of really great recurring characters. It just gave the series a fascination dynamic. But in this book, that was completely lacking. Steele Street, SDF and the other characters were only used in mention (except for the final scene in Smith's Steele St loft). Since that dynamic is part of what made this series so great, having it missing in this story really took something away from the book.
Which overall made this addition to the series just a little above average. Definitely not one of my favorites of the series, but I'm glad I finally got around to reading it. And it peaked my curiosity enough about Alejandro that I'll be bumping the next book up to the top of my TBR mountain."
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