Fever (Phoenix Rising, #1)

Feb 29, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romantic-suspense, 2012-debuts

Teague Creek, former firefighter and paramedic has been an inmate at San Quentin for three years. Convicted of beating and killing his girlfriend by setting her on fire, he's a lifer. Pulling in favours owed to him, Teague plans an escape. Using the ruse of a medical check-up for stomach pains, he plans to take the radiologist hostage and use her for an exchange.

Dr Alyssa Foster likes badboys, so the cut and tattooed prisoner piques her interest. Initially. Until she sees exactly what the tatto...more
Teague Creek, former firefighter and paramedic has been an inmate at San Quentin for three years. Convicted of beating and killing his girlfriend by setting her on fire, he's a lifer. Pulling in favours owed to him, Teague plans an escape. Using the ruse of a medical check-up for stomach pains, he plans to take the radiologist hostage and use her for an exchange.

Dr Alyssa Foster likes badboys, so the cut and tattooed prisoner piques her interest. Initially. Until she sees exactly what the tattoos are, those of the Aryan Brotherhood. Finding no cause for the prisoner's purported pain, it's the heat radiating from his body that troubles her, a high temperature indicative of fever.

There are staples in every genre. For romantic suspense one of them is wrongful-conviction, another, woman-on-the-run. Regardless of the number of times I've read these themes, it's how well-written the story is that counts. And this is. Add to that a paranormal element, a conspiracy involving a Senator and the Director of DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and a warehouse fire five years ago that started it all, then you've got a story that’s riveting, entertaining and downright escapist. Fast-paced, lots of action, realistic dialogue and a sizzling attraction between the leads.

This review is difficult in the sense that to reveal too much of the plot will give away spoilers. Both the hero and heroine and the cast of secondary characters are fleshed-out. Alyssa is independent, tough, determined without being pushy and unlikable. Teague is gorgeous. Honorable, devoted, protective, with a touch of badboy, he is capable but flawed, yet this makes him all the more appealing. He is not a supporter or member of the AB as we are initially led to believe.

A warning. There is some racist slang tossed around in the early part of the book by Teague's deranged co-escapee Taz, and also by a gang. If you dislike reading these derogatory terms, just be aware.

Enough answers to questions about Teague's strange, paranormal abilities were given to satisfy me for now. Since there are still questions unanswered and no complete resolution, then this will be an overriding arc in the series.

This is an impressive debut. For readers who enjoy romantic suspense and paranormal romance this is an excellent read.

Steam: 2.5

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Jan 27, 2012 Mandi Schreiner rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf

Unfortunately, I can't handle the racial slurs in this book. And yes, I realize they are in there to make us not like a certain character (at least that is my assumption. I am dnf'ing after pg 50 or so). Although because his character is friends with (or at least tagging along) with the hero, he has a lot of page time.

But for me personally, there is no reason to use the N word or a slur against an Asian woman in a book. If you don't want me to like the character, than think of a different way to...more

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Mar 03, 2012 KatLynne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to KatLynne by: Jilly liked this one:) If she likey, I'll likey!

Shelves: 2012-reads, fire-fighter-paramedic-studs, g-romantic-suspense, hero-favorite-smokin-hot-sexay, part-of-a-series, smokin-hot-steamy, hero-fugitive, debut, g-paranormal-romance

Debut - Romantic Suspense with PNR aspects and a truly hot cover!

I’ve had difficulty rating this book. I liked it! What interfered with my rating is my comparison to my fav PNR Romantic Suspense series. When I put this comparison aside, this clearly is a 4 star read. I hope that makes sense:)

I don't usually enjoy fugitive heroes but after reading my friend Jill's review, I knew I wanted to get this one. From the very first page I was intrigued and didn’t want to stop until the end. This debut...more Debut - Romantic Suspense with PNR aspects and a truly hot cover!

I’ve had difficulty rating this book. I liked it! What interfered with my rating is my comparison to my fav PNR Romantic Suspense series. When I put this comparison aside, this clearly is a 4 star read. I hope that makes sense:)

I don't usually enjoy fugitive heroes but after reading my friend Jill's review, I knew I wanted to get this one. From the very first page I was intrigued and didn’t want to stop until the end. This debut novel is not without faults, but overall it kept me invested and I read it in one day! Not only that, I now want to read the next installment.

Warning: During the first half of the book there are many racial slurs. They are crude and offensive. I flinched and gasped. It is easily understood the reasoning behind these remarks. The author is building one of the most repulsive characters read. I realize the racial slang is used for the purpose of plot-driven character development. In this book, the juxtaposition of these character's thoughts and language with that of other characters reinforce the egregious nature of hatred and racism. I'm not familiar at all with prison but like most everyone have read some of the things that happen there. I think JS did a good job touching on the issues involving gangs, racism, etc and the underlying hatred that fuels their deeds.

Teague Creek fits easily the character from the book cover. Tall, incredibly muscular, and totally sexy. I liked him. A firefighter and paramedic, his world falls apart when he is wrongly convicted of murder and sent to prison for life. Of course, there is so much more behind his conviction.

Dr. Alyssa Foster is his means of escape. While performing an examination, she is taken hostage by Teague. She is smart, persistent and a survivor and you can feel his frustration in trying to get her to cooperate. I liked how the author slowly reveals his character. Teague is neither trained nor skilled in undercover operations. He is a survivor, wrongly accused with a deep desire to escape. Alyssa becomes confused knowing this man doesn’t fit the criminal he has been labeled. The heat between them is a slow burn. The attraction is there and as they spend time together it becomes sizzling hot.

There were a few things here that didn’t add up but in no way really detracted from the story. As I mentioned, I read this in a day and didn’t want to put it down until the end. I liked the secondary characters, the PNR aspect is very interesting and the love scenes were hot. I felt the ending was a little rushed but that could be just me wanting more!

I keep wanting to come back and tweek this review. I think of what I wish I had added and then think, no,that would give too much away:)

Thanks Jill for another great rec! I not only want Luke’s story but hoping Mitch will get his too!
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Mar 03, 2012 Amy rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fv-review, ppb

I debated reviewing Fever given this is a debut author and I wish nothing but the best for any aspiring writer. However, I also believe that readers need a fair and honest review from a person who finished the book in it’s entirety. The reason I finished the book is because at times I am a masochist when it comes to not DNF’ing a story. In all seriousness though, I hoped to find something to justify why one of my all time favorite authors would give a positive quote to the book. What I found was...more

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May 08, 2012 Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust* rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust* by: Review request by author

Shelves: arc, books-i-own, read-in-2011, review-requests, first-book-in-series

Posted on Under the Covers

Debut author Joan Swan takes you on a pulse-pounding, no-holds-barred, suspense-driven ride from beginning to end!

Doctor Alyssa gets caught up in a royal mess. Two inmates, working together have taken her from her workplace and brought her along a ride that changes the course of her life. Scared beyond reason, Alyssa tries to wrap her head around the situation that is happening to her. I found that I really liked Alyssa. She showed courage in times when I would have cra...more Posted on Under the Covers

Debut author Joan Swan takes you on a pulse-pounding, no-holds-barred, suspense-driven ride from beginning to end!

Doctor Alyssa gets caught up in a royal mess. Two inmates, working together have taken her from her workplace and brought her along a ride that changes the course of her life. Scared beyond reason, Alyssa tries to wrap her head around the situation that is happening to her. I found that I really liked Alyssa. She showed courage in times when I would have crawled into a ball and wept. Joan does a fantastic job of evoking emotions from her characters. I felt Alyssa’s fear and her frustration.

Teague Creek is one of the inmates who have taken Alyssa. While he is the less violent of the two inmates, he is still scary as hell. I had a hard time liking Teague. He was pushy, demanding, frustrating and dangerous, but through the course of the book, there are glimpses of another side of him. The author eases the softer side of Teague slowly and when I saw these glimpses, I wanted to know more about him. However, I did have a problem with the racial slurs in this book. I found it difficult to read and although it was meant to make me hate a particular character, I do think there are better and more effective ways to accomplish this.

I mentioned earlier about feeling Alyssa frustration and what I mean by that is that Teague has several secrets that he holds back from Alyssa. Not one to simply do things as she is told, Alyssa stands up to Teague more than once. Again, I have to commend her for her courage. Teague is still a convict, after all.

But whenever Alyssa was frustrated with Teague, I was as well. I loved that she pushed him, asking him to trust her with his secrets. Teague bottles things in and his frustration is evident as well when his plans don’t go his way. However, all this is understandable because what Teague is after is very important and holds his heart.

In other circumstances, Alyssa and Teague would have found each other eventually. But I think with this thrill ride of a story, Joan Swan brings in the action and the suspense to another level, making their meeting a memorable and lasting one. Even in the early pages of the book, you can already see the natural way Alyssa and Teague interact with one another.

There is also a slight paranormal element in this book. Teague has a hot touch. Literally. However, to him, the gift is more of a curse. He doesn’t know how to wield his talent, so more often than not, he is harming someone by accident. As he struggles with this gift and towards the goal he desperately seeks, I grew to like Teague a little more. Reading about his struggles made me admire his determination.

All in all, FEVER is a solid start for a new series that blends the romance and the suspense in perfect unison, topping it off with a dash of the paranormal.

*ARC provided by author(less)

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Mar 03, 2012 The Holy Terror marked it as will-never-read · review of another edition

Shelves: terrible-writing

Jane's status updates are proof enough that I never want to read this. Here are a few gems:

"The Aryan Brotherhood sidekick, the hero and heroine confront a bunch of slang talking black guys who spout off cliched lines like "once you go black, you never go back". This also treats us to "porch monkeys, wiggas, cracka" (42)

"AB sidekick telling the dreadlocked black guys to get lost "you heard him, monkey meat," Taz said. "Get the fuck out of here before he shoots your ugly black faces clean off." (...more

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Jul 20, 2012 BamaGal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

I had not particularly planned to read this book; even after the price dropped. It was unexpectedly loaned to me, so I decided to give it a go. This is not really a review, just some random thoughts.

First off, this book is in no way, shape or form a PNR. Mentioning a party trick with heat and fire 5 or 6 times in the book does not a PNR make. It is a straight up Romantic Suspense. Putting a tattooed hunk on the cover does not automatically make the H hot or BDB wannabe.

I can't even begin to imag...more

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Mar 15, 2012 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-julia, march-2012-hotp

From page one FEVER simmers with danger, chemistry, and Alpha hero deliciousness. And despite all that action, Swan still does a fantastic job having her characters navigate this steamy plot without sacrificing their depth. Well-executed romance with a light paranormal frosting, these two characters could have spent the entire book on a deserted island and I’d still be eagerly turning pages.

While it’s not unusual for me to like one character above all others in a book, it is rare for lesser char...more From page one FEVER simmers with danger, chemistry, and Alpha hero deliciousness. And despite all that action, Swan still does a fantastic job having her characters navigate this steamy plot without sacrificing their depth. Well-executed romance with a light paranormal frosting, these two characters could have spent the entire book on a deserted island and I’d still be eagerly turning pages.

While it’s not unusual for me to like one character above all others in a book, it is rare for lesser characters come from behind and charm me. The high stress beginnings of Teague and Alyssa were all about danger and sexual chemistry. Once the smoke cleared, I was surprised to find that Teague’s hard-bitten exterior conceals a sweet, Beta center that touched my heart. While I initially admired Alyssa’s spunk in the face of kidnapping and assault, I started empathizing with Teague long before she was ready to give up her fight. It was hard to feel bad about Alyssa’s hospital politics when Teague’s whole world was on fire around him. Even worse, Alyssa changes her tune and wants to jump into bed with Teague long before she fully realizes what a great guy he is. Still, between Alyssa’s growing loyalty and her scientist’s fascination with Teague’s powers, but book’s end she had won me over.

With my intense interest in Teague and Alyssa, FEVER’s action driven plot came in a distant third. After the first few chapters, I wasn’t particularly interested in the conspiracy behind it all, except as a barrier to Teague getting his happily ever after. Some of the last twists and turns were over the top, but by then I was already sizing up the cast for book two. Luke is so angry, and a borderline villain, for most of FEVER, I’m very curious to see how he shapes up as a leading man. Alyssa's brother, Mitch, and his whirlwind of legal acuity won a lot more of my affection in this book. Dare I hope he wears the hero hat in book three?

Sexual Content: References to rape; Several sex scenes.(less)

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Feb 06, 2012 Trish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romantic-suspense

Every once in a while, I get really lucky--when I discover a great book by an author that I haven’t read before, or a debut author, who is new to everyone—and I want to shout at the rooftops that I’ve just finished an awesome read. FEVER is that book.

Joan Swan, triple RWA Golden Heart finalist and a double Daphne Du Maurier finalist, has a reason to celebrate. Her debut romance novel, Fever, will be released on February 28, 2012. And it’s a super-fan-freakin-tastic read.

So prepare now for that...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Jennah Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First let me say that Teague is 1000% swoon worthy (and I LOVE the cover). Yes, he's an escaped convict but from the beginning you know there's more to his story. It's like you immediately know that he didn't do what he's convicted of. It takes a while to learn what exactly he did, and then once you do everything you thought you had figured out is flipped upside down.

There are so many different parts to the story it really does take until the last page to finish putting the puzzle together. I ap...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Guilty Pleasures rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: didi-reviews, publishersent

This review posted at
Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

Recommended Read

I am not going to lie...the scorching HOT cover of this book caught my attention and let me tell you, this is one time you CAN judge a book by it's cover. FEVER is an emotionally charged, action packed, romantic suspense debut novel with a great plot and amazing character development.

FEVER takes hold of you in the first couple of sentences and will not let you go. Dr. Alyssa Foster is already having a bad day at work, when two pr...more This review posted at
Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

Recommended Read

I am not going to lie...the scorching HOT cover of this book caught my attention and let me tell you, this is one time you CAN judge a book by it's cover. FEVER is an emotionally charged, action packed, romantic suspense debut novel with a great plot and amazing character development.

FEVER takes hold of you in the first couple of sentences and will not let you go. Dr. Alyssa Foster is already having a bad day at work, when two prison patients take her hostage. One of the prisoners, Taz. is a down right, 100% dirt bag, I hated him so much I almost chunked the book. Three things kept me from chunking the book in spite of Taz's horrible racial slurs and downright nasty personality. ONE...Teague, the other prisoner, from the get go I could tell there was something deep inside him that I was going to love, he is an ALPA with a tortured soul, a former paramedic, wrongfully in prison for crimes he did not commit and has a gift that he does not know how to use, nor does he know exactly what caused his gift. TWO....Alyssa Foster, she is one hell of a heroine, she is like a tenacious chihuahua with a pit bull bite, no matter how bad things got she never lost her spirit. THREE.....The instant chemistry between Alyssa and Teague, yes even though he was in pain and in the ER, you could feel the bond almost instantaneously form between them. Yes, Taz was a bigoted, jerk, but I am glad I didn't chunk the book. His ways were important in building the rest of the story *****possible spoiler - it all works out good, cause he gets what's coming to him*****

I fell in love with Teague, there were so many moments when even though he was being a bad guy, you could see the sexy, caring man he really is shine through. He's found himself in deep trouble that involves the Department of Defense, FBI, his brother in law, two close friends and a mysterious gift that he can't control. Alyssa was the perfect person for him to kidnap, it was like a force brought them together so she could help him out of this major clusterfu** his life has become.

FEVER is more than just a romance, there are sleazy government officials, mysterious accidents, high octane action, gut wrenching emotional strife, just the right amount of humor, smokin hot lovin' and a touch of paranormal. While the love scenes are not every other page, they are well written, stimulating and perfectly paced with the story. I didn't feel the paranormal aspect of the story had much impact in FEVER, however, I do feel it is going to pick up speed and we will learn more as the series progresses. This is not a bad thing, because I think the "gifts" are too new and Teague has not had the time or resources to figure out what is going on and how to control it.

Then there are the sexy secondary characters, Mitch and Luke, I am intrigued and in lust with them. Color me happy to find out that Luke's book, BLAZE will be coming out October 2012.

Joan Swan is an incredibly talented new voice in Romantic Suspense and I can't wait to read everything else she has in store for us!(less)

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Mar 14, 2012 Diana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romland-kerfuffle, romance-suspense, bad-man-hero

Not a review exactly, just some observations. This book for reasons I don't fully understand is the center of all kinds of melodrama. Maybe I'll just bullet point, without judgment.

*There is an impressive number of squeesqueesquee 5 star reviews very early in the game.
*Some people think a droolworthy and dreamy hero is an adequate reason for five stars.
*This is a debut author. Has she really hit it out of the park on her first book? Where will she go from here?
*A lot of people think they've writ...more

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Feb 29, 2012 Lucy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have been hearing a lot of buzz about this book for the last few months and now that I have read it, I understand what all the hoopla was about. Not only is Teague the perfect hero, strong, thoughtful, protective and sexy, but Alyssa is a heroine that isn’t going to take shit from anyone, not even desperate criminals escaping from prison.

On top of the awesome characters, this story hits the ground running (literally—prison break remember) and it just doesn’t stop ‘til you hit the last page, an...more

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Nov 06, 2012 MåїÐÂ»-(¯`v´¯)-» rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action-romance-hot-stuff, books-of-2012, book-boyfriends, fave-books-of-2012, favorite-series, favorites, own-it-have-read-it

****I would like to thank Joan Swan for providing a review copy in exchange for a honest review! :D****

Don’t you just love it when an author takes a simple idea and turns it into this mind blowing piece of work, that you aren’t likely to forget for the next how many ever days!? Fever did that to me. In fact, Ms. Swan gave romantic suspense a whole new meaning. There was never a dull moment - I was instantly sucked in by the very first action-packed scene, and I was kept absorbed until the very...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, romance, urban, fantasy

Well executed romance with a light paranormal frosting, FEVER can stand on it's own two feet regardless of magical powers. The plot certainly pushes lots of "danger" "hot" and "alpha" buttons on the outset, and Swan does a fantastic job of having her characters navigate that chemistry without sacrificing their depth. The plot was secondary to my interest in Teague and Alyssa. Teague won me over from the outset, and Alyssa's initial come-ons came before she really saw him as a person. Teague just...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Kelly % Books-n-Kisses rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My thoughts:
Fever is Joan Swan’s break out novel. I had the great pleasure of getting to read an ARC of Fever. LOVED!!! LOVED!!!! LOVED this book!!!
Joan has created a world for us that starts with a single event. A Fire. A warehouse fire. A warehouse fire that will forever change the life’s of the men and women caught in that fire.
In Fever we meet Teague Creek an man on the run. On a mission to get to the one person he loves the most and nothing or no one will stand in his way. Teague is a tough...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Visionary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Been anticipating this book for some time! And ironically animals and family are working against my reading time!

On page 87 - Very gripping, nearly action packed from the beginning. Never once did I get bored, no information dump from the get go. Been picking up information here or there along the way for the pace to go rather smoothly.

Note: Alyssa is the type of heroine that I really like. No fragile flower there. She fights and straight up gives Teague a rough time of it.

The side character...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Nikki Brandyberry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Teague Creek has been in jail for a crime he didn’t commit and now it’s time to get some justice. Kidnapping the girlfriend of someone he thinks holds all the cards seems like a easy way to get what he wants. Leverage. He never expected to kidnap the wrong woman. Especially one that looks as tempting as Alyssa and who can get his blood boiling every time the feisty woman opens her mouth. Getting his blood boiling though is another secret Teague harbors. His unique ability may be just what he nee...more Teague Creek has been in jail for a crime he didn’t commit and now it’s time to get some justice. Kidnapping the girlfriend of someone he thinks holds all the cards seems like a easy way to get what he wants. Leverage. He never expected to kidnap the wrong woman. Especially one that looks as tempting as Alyssa and who can get his blood boiling every time the feisty woman opens her mouth. Getting his blood boiling though is another secret Teague harbors. His unique ability may be just what he needs to keep this woman safe and get what he’s sought all along. Justice.

Fever is the first novel by Joan Swan. Each year I try to promote a few debut authors and I think with Joan I have struck a gold mine! How this is her first book is beyond me because she writes like a seasoned professional. Fever is a romantic suspense peppered with paranormal-ish abilities that blend together to form a solid, eye-catching book that is sure to entertain fans of both subgenres.
From the first page I really liked Teague. I felt horribly for him for everything he had been through. A wife who committed suicide, a girlfriend murdered, a fire that split his fellow fire fighters apart, a jail sentence for a crime he didn’t commit and finally a custody battle. That is enough angst to cripple even the strongest of men. Yet Teague remains steadfast in his need for justice. To achieve it he forms a plan for a daring jailbreak that hinges on grabbing a doctor, the girlfriend of the man who has Teague’s daughter, to use as leverage.
Except the woman he grabs isn’t the woman he thought she was. Instead he grabs Alyssa, the workaholic just trying to secure a prominent position at the hospital. She is strong, loud and incredibly mouthy which instantly grates on Teague’s jailbreak accomplice. I instantly warmed even more toward Teague when he was protecting Alyssa (though he didn’t know he had the wrong woman at that point) from various guys because of her mouth. I couldn’t get over how much she said. It was a BIT unbelievable that someone would say as much as she did to guys that she was sure were going to kill her. Having said that I appreciated her strong will and thought she paired well with Teague who had an even stronger will.
Alyssa and Teague had a steady warming relationship. Teague spends a good portion of the book lying to her about nearly everything not sure he could trust her. Even after she makes the decision to stay with him, he finds that he can’t seem to tell her everything for fear that she will betray him like he perceives everyone else has. Playing devils advocate to his strong will is his emotional fragility. I thought his showing emotion several times in the form of tears was a breath of fresh air to the normal “I will not cry mentality”. Normally I shun crying men. I hate it in fact. Swan did it in a way where I still felt how strong this man was and so the tears were just another layer to the puzzle that was Teague.
Since this is the beginning of a series, there are many more questions than answers. How did Teague get his ability of being able to raise his body heat and soothe pain at will? Who are the shadowed group that did their best to frame him and put him away and out of mind forever? Why? Joan Swans next book, Blaze, comes out this fall and I hope readers will get more information at that time. I think all my questions brought the book down a bit for me. I wanted at least a few more answers than what I was given. Coupled with the fact that the book dragged a bit for me at several spots. There were parts where as a suspense book, I wanted a bit more action. A bit more threat. Some readers will take issue with the paranormal aspect in a suspense, as this seems to be a rising trend in the genre.

I give Fever by Joan Swan 4 stars!
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Jan 25, 2012 Mel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kensington-arc, romantic-suspense

Fever is a romantic suspense book with a paranormal twist. Romantic suspense is not a genre I normally read but I was intrigued with the paranormal aspect so I chose it as a book to review. I am so glad I gave this book a chance. It was action packed, kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to see where Joan Swan takes this series next.

Teague Creek is a man serving a life sentence and feels he has nothing to lose. Conspiracy put him in prison and he will do whate...more Fever is a romantic suspense book with a paranormal twist. Romantic suspense is not a genre I normally read but I was intrigued with the paranormal aspect so I chose it as a book to review. I am so glad I gave this book a chance. It was action packed, kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to see where Joan Swan takes this series next.

Teague Creek is a man serving a life sentence and feels he has nothing to lose. Conspiracy put him in prison and he will do whatever it takes to get free; even relying on a sociopathic inmate to aid him in his quest. Teague is smart, calculating, strategic, beyond sexy and has a special power. His goal is to use a hospital employee (who happens to be the girlfriend of a former friend) to make his escape. He wasn't counting on the instant connect he felt with Alyssa or the fact that she wasn't who he was expecting. Teague and Alyssa soon find themselves in way over their heads, running from not only the police but the government as well and trying to stay alive so Teague can get back to the girl who owns his heart. Alyssa soon learns that there is more to Teague than meets the eye and that the tattooed bad boy who walked into her exam room is far from who Teague really is.

I loved the character development and fast paced plot in Fever. The action was nonstop, the chemistry between Teague and Alyssa was well written and the love scenes were smoking hot. As day turned into night I knew I needed to get up early the next morning for work but found myself saying "just one more chapter". That one more chapter turned into another until I was finished with the book. I was so engrossed in the world that Joan Swan created that I only got about three hours of sleep that night but it was worth it. The suspense was killing me and I had to know how it ended.

Sexy, mentally scarred alpha male, government conspiracy and special abilities? What's not to love? Fever left me wanting more and I look forward to the next installment in the series. Joan Swan's debut is a fantastic read and I honestly have nothing negative to say about it. Who knows? Joan just might make a romantic suspense fan of me yet. (less)

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Jan 26, 2013 Michelle novelsontherun rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle 7TH JANUARY 2013:

RATING: 4.5 HOT TEAGUE STARS WITH A DASH OF LUKE!

I’m going to admit the cover to Blaze , book # 2, grabbed me when I was at my local library, it was a compulsive library grab, I got home realised I had book # 2, went back, got Fever, and then read it without knowing anything about Phoenix Rising series.

Little did I realize I was going to be in for a fast paced, energetic read, throw in some smexi ,and moments that made my heart really feel for Teague Cr...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Penny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: beating-the-odds, betrayal-and-revenge, cops-firemen-and, dangerous, family-and-friends, good-movie-material, heroic-tendencies, horrific-suspense, love-under-fire, smoke-and-fire, strong-snarky-babes, talk-to-me, the-criminal-element, true-grit, what-really-matters

I saw a review on The Romance Man blog, and thought based on that I would give it a whirl--

Well, I ended up reading the whole damn thing, finishing up at 3:30am today! It was a whirl, a wild ride, a romantic suspense junky's nirvana--I loved every word.

Teague Creek grabs Dr Allyssa Foster as a hostage during a medical exam, making his break from San Quentin guards--his last resort for a way to escape from his life sentence for a murder he did not commit-

However, after the initial desperate break...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Gayle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Fever" Book one of 'Phoenix Rising Series', has been written by a new author, Joan Swan.

I bought this book in March 2012 but never got around to doing a review until now.

Our Heroine is Alyssa. She is extremely overworked at a Hospital and has been called in to cover for another Team mate. She definitely does not want to have to deal with a patient that is also a prisoner of San Quentin, Teague Creek. Things progressively get worse for Alyssa when Teague takes her as his hostage.

Our Hero, Teagu...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Booklover, Indianapolis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-misc, read-in-2012, romantic-suspense

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 24, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-sheila

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Suspense and romance with a little touch of the paranormal for flavoring.

Opening Sentence: The clank-clank-clank of shackles echoes off the hospital’s linoleum floors, rippling across Doctor Alyssa Foster’s shoulders.

Review:

I try to give new authors props when warranted. Most debut books have problems like flow and character under-development. And when you think about it, that makes sense. These types of issues get resolved with time and exp...more

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May 18, 2012 Adria (Romance Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-and-reviewed

From the moment it begins to its blazing conclusion, Fever by Joan Swan is intense, steamy and overall very satisfying.

If only movies were this good, I'd be in heaven.

Don't get put off by the outward appearance of the book itself, Fever is not like other romance, at least, not the ones I've been reading. The twists and turns of this book kept me guessing until the very end! The action, danger and mystery perfectly balanced out the sexual tension between Teague and Alyssa so that Fever didn't fee...more From the moment it begins to its blazing conclusion, Fever by Joan Swan is intense, steamy and overall very satisfying.

If only movies were this good, I'd be in heaven.

Don't get put off by the outward appearance of the book itself, Fever is not like other romance, at least, not the ones I've been reading. The twists and turns of this book kept me guessing until the very end! The action, danger and mystery perfectly balanced out the sexual tension between Teague and Alyssa so that Fever didn't feel like I was reading a woman's sexual fantasy about getting it on with an escaped convict. Joan Swan gave backgrounds to these two characters, lives, loved ones they both wanted to get back to desperately. That desperation eventually drives them together and it's the intense attraction to one another that binds them.

As the hero, Teague is different. Sure he's got the classic good looks with a body to die for but on the inside, he's more human than any other male character I've ever met. He's not cocky, vain or arrogant. He's desperate, lonely and afraid. He doesn't want to go back to prison of course, but he has a more important reason to keep out of the reach of the police and other, more dangerous people. However, as desperate as he is for his freedom, Teague still doesn't have it in him to be the hardened criminal everyone thinks he is. Every step of the way he protects Alyssa, whom he mistakes for someone else, from his fellow escaped convict (and racist, so be warned there are racial slurs but they didn't bother me as it's just a story and stories need realism), Taz.

Alyssa is no shrinking violet, even though she finds herself hostage to two escaped convicts, she's not going down without a fight. Sure, occasionally she does or says stupid things that could have had grave consequences but with the mentality of "I'm going to die anyway" it's understandable. She's smart, quick witted and tough. I thought for sure she's going to start wailing at any moment and get on my nerves, but no, she kept herself in tact, knowing that tears and showing fear would make things worse for her. Alyssa is tenacious. Once she begins to doubt Teague's reason for being in prison, she doesn't let up until she discovers over looked facts in his case. She believes in him, even when he doesn't. She's not afraid to go toe to toe with Teague, or any one else for that matter and that's what made me like her even more.

As with all books in a series, you get to meet characters that will eventually (I'm assuming) take the lead in their own books. These secondary characters were well thought of and given just enough "Page Time" to pique your interest but not too much as to take your attention away from the real stars of the story.

I completely loved this book, more than I thought. It went up to my expectations and blew them into the next country. Being more of a fan of action movies than rom-coms, this book appealed to me on so many levels yet still maintained the criteria of a romance novel. Fever kept me up until the wee hours of the morning, I just couldn't put it down. It was sexy, fast paced and filled with action, suspense and mystery. Once I was finished reading it, I went to sleep with a smile on my face. I can't wait for the next book in the series because I have officially added Joan Swan and The Phoenix Rising series to my "Favorite Authors" and "Must Have" lists.(less)

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May 04, 2012 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-twolipsrevies-com

Doctor Alyssa Foster was on her 12th day in a row of 24-hour days at the hospital. Her yearlong fellowship at St. Jude’s would end in just two weeks. It felt like much longer. The hospital had contracts with the five neighboring prisons. She has a real bad boy fetish. One the prisoners take her hostage. He has a fever. Teague cannot stand to see Allyssa hurt so he heals her. He could not stand being in prison for a crime he did not commit. This woman brings out the protector inside him. Teague h...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Deanna rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal

First the cover is good. Now the downside. This book had a very slow start. There were no surprises in the plot. The main characters were interesting, but the reader did not feel their passions or doubts. There were too many unanswered questions about the fire and its aftermath. I did like that Lys did not immediately stop trying to escape. She kept making the effort, but a novel needs more. Near the middle of the book I had to make myself keep reading and I am one who very rarely puts a book aw...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pnr-uf

When I read the blurb on this book, I just had to get it. It sounded so exciting and, let me tell you, it was.

The story begins with, Alyssa Foster, an overworked resident at St. Jude's Hospital, called in to cover for another gal. She's tired, hungry and miffed that she must deal with her patient being a San Quentin lifer. Her day only gets worse when that lifer, Teague Creek, turns her into his hostage during his bid for freedom.

They escape with one other prisoner, Taz, who is terrifying in his...more When I read the blurb on this book, I just had to get it. It sounded so exciting and, let me tell you, it was.

The story begins with, Alyssa Foster, an overworked resident at St. Jude's Hospital, called in to cover for another gal. She's tired, hungry and miffed that she must deal with her patient being a San Quentin lifer. Her day only gets worse when that lifer, Teague Creek, turns her into his hostage during his bid for freedom.

They escape with one other prisoner, Taz, who is terrifying in his behavior and barely contained violence. Freedom is achieved, but instead of releasing her, Teague bring Alyssa with them. Through the terrifying night, she is threatened by Taz with rape and brutality, she is injured when they are accosted by a gang, the authorities are always on their tail, and through it all she finds herself drawn to the secretive Teague whose actions and behavior is inexplicable.

Teague's whole life was changed by one event- the warehouse fire that he and his fellow firefighters are called in to contain. He and the others are exposed to some secret chemical that leaves them with various abilities that the government wants both to hush up and take advantage of. In the meantime, he loses his wife, his child, and eventually his freedom when he is wrongfully accused of murder. This bid for freedom is his one chance to recover the only thing he has left to care about, but little does he know that his existence has now become problematic for the government and they seek to rectify the problem. In the process, he has now discovered that surprisingly there is another that is coming to mean something to him- Alyssa Foster.

I will not reveal more of the plot because it is exciting and I would not wish to ruin it for anyone.

About that plot-
This is quite the thrill ride that just never seems to let up. The pace is pounding fast and I felt like I had an adrenaline rush right along with the characters. It switched points of view and story lines without trouble. The romance was just as heated and passion-filled as the escape.

The characters of Teague and Alyssa were wonderful creations. Other than Mitch and Luke, the others were more shadowy, but this was not detracting from the story because of the way the plot developed. I was glad to see that though there was an instant spark between Teague and Alyssa, they did not immediately act on it and I was glad that trust and love only came later so that the relationship was more realistic.

I cannot wait to read the next book. This story was quite a rush.(less)

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Mar 15, 2012 Romancing the Book rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, romantic-suspense

Reviewed By~Jen
Review Copy Provided By~ARC by Author

I'll admit that for the first 100 pages or so, I was confused. Don't get me wrong, I was pulled into a fast paced adventure as Teague takes Alyssa hostage as he breaks out of prison. But I was unsure how this fugitive was going to be the hero of the book and wondered how the romance was going to play out. But I kept reading and was rewarded with a wonderful debut novel by Joan Swan. Ms. Swan took me on a roller coaster ride from confusion to cl...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-2012-winter-releases, adult-fiction, adult-romance, hot-heroes, library, library-read-it, read-in-2012, series, sweet-vanilla-romance

This is the first book, and just released, in a new series that I am pretty excited about! I thought the storyline was good - there was SO MUCH going on and the suspense was killing me near the end. Joan Swan wrote some really great characters! She really made you love and hate the hero from the get go - it's pretty easy to imagine why the heroine battles herself between hating him and having lusty thoughts about him! LOL! But even when he was being an a-hole, you knew there was so much more to...more

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title link	preview: Fever
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Fever (Phoenix Rising #1)

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