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Sweet Talk (Buchanan-Renard #10)

3.79 of 5 stars 3.79 · rating details · 2,717 ratings · 379 reviews

Attorney and IRS agent Olivia Mackenzie is the kind of tough, wise-cracking, powerful woman fans expect from a Garwood protagonist—but this time she has outdone herself. Olivia is not just any woman, she is every woman; flawed in the familiar ways so many of us are.

On the trail of an elaborate Ponzi scheme, one that threatens to ruin the lives of naïve and unsuspecting vi...more

ebook, 282 pages

Published August 7th 2012 by Penguin (first published August 1st 2012)

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Jul 15, 2012 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

When Olivia MacKenzie accidentally blows the cover on a FBI operation, she meets FBI agent Grayson Kincaid. Outside of her work as a lawyer with the IRS, Olivia is investigating her father's investment schemes. Estranged from her family, she is determined to put her father in prison. Obsessed with money, running his own investment firm, Olivia believes her father is cheating investors, ruining their lives and families. When Olivia is shot some months after first meeting Grayson, he and his partn...more
When Olivia MacKenzie accidentally blows the cover on a FBI operation, she meets FBI agent Grayson Kincaid. Outside of her work as a lawyer with the IRS, Olivia is investigating her father's investment schemes. Estranged from her family, she is determined to put her father in prison. Obsessed with money, running his own investment firm, Olivia believes her father is cheating investors, ruining their lives and families. When Olivia is shot some months after first meeting Grayson, he and his partner investigate.

Twelve years earlier, Olivia and three other girls - Samantha, Jane and Collins, known as the Pips - were chosen for an experimental programme, given a new drug to combat their cancer. Their friendship in the chemotherapy unit forged ties that followed into adulthood.

Both Olivia and Grayson are pretty likable, and there aren't those usual annoying, manufactured clashes that are a staple for conflict in contemporaries. Unfortunately, the characterisations of Olivia's family (especially the sister) tend to be very one-dimensional. And there was this odd phrasing when the sisters refer to their parents ('our father' and 'our mother'). The baddies tend to be just bad with no other defining characteristics.

Julie Garwood's writing style is clean and easy to read. And there was some classic Julie Garwood humour. This may be the first in a series with the four girls each getting a story. Collins may be teamed up with Ronan, Grayson's FBI partner.

Sweet Talk is better than her last romantic suspense Ideal Man where the heroine was a paragon. She hasn’t done that here (as much), although Grayson is only one step from perfection. I had hoped there would be a little more on what tied all four girls together, besides their illness. Maybe that was just the springboard to launching the stories of all four girls. Perhaps I read a little too much into that as I thought it may have played a greater role in the overall plot.

Not bad by any means, Sweet Talk just wasn't great. It doesn’t stand out at all if you’ve read a number of romantic suspense novels. But it is certainly worth reading if you're a fan of Julie Garwood's romantic suspense or if you're a new reader to the romantic suspense sub-genre.

Steam: 2.5

ARC courtesy of Penguin Books (Australia) via NetGalley

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Jul 17, 2012 KatLynne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, 2012-reads, g-romantic-suspense, hero-fbi-hottie, heroine-i-loved, heroine-with-backbone-smart-strong, made-me-laugh, made-me-cry, one-of-my-fav-authors, sensual-steamy, sweet-warm-romance

Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Read: 7/1/2012
Heat Factor: 3.5/5 – Sensual with love scenes
My Rating: 3.8/5

Expected Release Date: 8/7/2012

When FBI agent Grayson Kincaid first encounters Olivia MacKenzie, she makes quite an impression. Along with the events leading up to their first introduction, she’s startlingly beautiful and he struggled with his desire to keep staring at her.

Upon first meeting Olivia MacKenzie she made quite an impression with me too and it had nothi

...more Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Read: 7/1/2012
Heat Factor: 3.5/5 – Sensual with love scenes
My Rating: 3.8/5

Expected Release Date: 8/7/2012

When FBI agent Grayson Kincaid first encounters Olivia MacKenzie, she makes quite an impression. Along with the events leading up to their first introduction, she’s startlingly beautiful and he struggled with his desire to keep staring at her.

Upon first meeting Olivia MacKenzie she made quite an impression with me too and it had nothing to do with her incredible beauty. The book opens with a Prelude giving us a glimpse into her life as a young child along with three other “Pips” who through the hardships they are facing together have formed a deep and binding friendship, the kind that you know will last forever. These four girls are each facing a major illness that could end their short life at any time. One of the games they played, “If-I-Get-To-Grow-Up” pulled on my heartstrings! And right there in the prelude, Ms. Garwood’s brilliant writing skills came shining through!
Olivia is the kind of heroine I enjoy reading. She’s smart, courageous and ingenious! And by the time I’d finished the opening sentences in the first chapter I was already liking and admiring her!
She’s now all grown up and an attorney working for the IRS. Thinking her current employment may be in jeopardy, she’s on a job interview when things get completely out of hand. And I must say this is possibly the Worst job interview ever! In the midst of the turmoil she inadvertently foils a major FBI sting where she meets the very handsome and sexy FBI agent Grayson Kincaid. And oh yes, there is that chemistry between these two!
I immediately liked Grayson and as the story unfolds I could only admire him more. Tall and gorgeous he’s a man who is willing to sacrifice his comfort and life style to ensure his nephew has a home. As his and Olivia’s association develops he soon realizes she is determined not to commit to any long term relationship. And one of the things I loved about him most is his determination to not let her go! He completely understands her reasoning, he “gets” her and no matter how long it should take, he’s willing to stick it out until she surrenders. He’s self assured without being cocky and he fights hard to keep his emotions under control in his endeavor to keep her safe. I was drawn to his intense protectiveness of Olivia. And she certainly needed protection.
She’s determined to stop a major Ponzi scheme regardless of how much pain this causes her personally. (view spoiler) There are threats and attempts against her life but she doesn’t let these deter her as she searches for the proof needed. Olivia MacKenzie is a very determined young woman on a mission to right the wrongs that have been committed against innocent victims and to prevent its happening again. And there’s someone who’s willing to do whatever is necessary to stop her snooping, even if it means ending her life!
There is depth to Olivia MacKenzie. Due to the events in her own childhood, her heart is children’s advocacy. At one point in the story it was refreshing and enjoyable to see her take down a school bully! We are introduced to her corrupted, selfish and estranged family along with a cast of bad guys that made me long for justice. Her aunt Emma became one of my heroes as I learned more about Olivia’s tragic childhood. And I so very much enjoyed the camaraderie between the Pips and the deep love each of these four women have for each other. I am hoping they’ll each get their own book and look forward to their story.
I am such a big Julie Garwood fan and have devoured each and every one of her Historicals. They dazzle me! I find her romantic suspense novels to have a completely different feel and while this was a very good and worthwhile read, I did miss that element of awesomeness that I find in her HRs along with the magic that makes them keepers. Without a doubt she’s a very talented writer, giving us characters that are real and a story that is completely believable and one that flows beautifully. I look forward to reading more by one of my all-time favorite authors!

My sincerest thank you to netgalley and Penguin Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, it's been a pleasure.

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Sep 26, 2012 Cris rated it 1 of 5 stars

I must preface this by saying that I love(d) Julie Garwood. She was my gateway to romance in middle school, and (almost) every single one of her historicals is on my keeper shelf-- in fact, I have both print and digital copies of them all and have lost count of how many times I have read them. I also have audiobook versions of all that are available. Ransom remains one of my favourite novels of all time, romance or otherwise. I also truly enjoyed her early forays into romantic contemporary suspe...more I must preface this by saying that I love(d) Julie Garwood. She was my gateway to romance in middle school, and (almost) every single one of her historicals is on my keeper shelf-- in fact, I have both print and digital copies of them all and have lost count of how many times I have read them. I also have audiobook versions of all that are available. Ransom remains one of my favourite novels of all time, romance or otherwise. I also truly enjoyed her early forays into romantic contemporary suspense: Heartbreaker was a real page-turner I stayed up all night to finish because I simply could not put it down, and the last half-decent book JG wrote was Fire & Ice-- and then only because Sophie and Jack were such enjoyable characters. Somehow, some time between Fire & Ice and Shadow Music, it all went to hell. Gone were the trademark wit, the endearing characters, the sizzle and pizzazz of the writing, with flat prose, wooden characters, and the most formulaic plots taking their place. It's as if another person completely were writing JG's novels.

I'm disappointed to report that the same is true of her latest release, Sweet Talk. Much like her previous release, The Ideal Man, the protagonists are both incredibly perfect people who do incredibly perfect things and spend the entire novel pontificating about each other's incredibly perfect physiques and how they've wanted each other desperately from the second they laid eyes on each other. Yes, this is romance, but the premise of the novel is implausible, there is ZERO character development or romantic tension between the two leads (but they have great [for them, not us readers] sex! X_x), the plot is nonexistent (suspense? what suspense? NOTHING HAPPENS!!), and the 'villains' are really paper-thin caricatures that make it feel like a poorly-scripted soap opera. The prologue does absolutely nothing to advance the story or even really give us insight into Olivia and her childhood struggle with a debilitating disease-- it's nothing but useless fodder for future books involving the rest of the Pips. And God, the writing and dialogue-- both are stilted and full of useless filler (the complete opposite of 'show, don't tell') and absolutely devoid of JG's trademark humour and wit. I found myself cringing repeatedly as I read. Our hero Grayson comes across as a caricature of the assertive alpha with a sensitive side who should really be taking mood stabilisers to stop giving the heroine (and consequently us as readers) whiplash from his constant behavioural waffling, and Olivia comes across as a complete idiot despite being an accomplished barrister for the IRS. I was sorely tempted to slap them both upside the head. Repeatedly.

The best I can say about Sweet Talk is that it was short, so my refusal to put down a book unfinished didn't keep me away from more enjoyable reads for long. Also that I got it from the library; I would not pay to read this book, and in fact haven't done so since the letdown that was Shadow Music. Julie Garwood has been off my auto-buy list for years and will remain so after this. In fact, I may pass on her next release (even from the library) altogether.

If JG truly is writing these books, she should re-read Ransom or Heartbreaker to see how it's done; if they're being ghostwritten by someone attempting to imitate her style (and failing), she should take over once again. Regardless, her fans deserve better than the drivel she has put out with her last few releases.(less)

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Aug 07, 2012 Lisarenee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Notes: I was asked to read this by Penguin and received the ARC via Netgalley. A big thank you to both. To read an excerpt: Click on 'Read an Excerpt' button on top left hand side of screen at Penguin's Sweet Talk Page: http://bit.ly/M9FeXo

'Olivia MacKenzie was certain she would have been offered the job if she hadn't punched the boss during the interview. But knocking the man senseless turned out to be a real deal breaker.'

Many people claim to have had the worst job interview ever, but no one c...more

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Jul 20, 2012 ♥ ♥ ♥ Martina ♥ ♥ ♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-adventure-suspense, netgalley-arc, kindle, arc

yeah!! accepted by netgalley to review Julie Garwoods latest. So pleased :D

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Dec 11, 2012 Sue Grimshaw rated it 2 of 5 stars

12/11 - DNF & probably won't :( But, I will definitely read her next book. Julie is an auto buy for me.

So here's the deal - I love Julie Garwood & I love her books but OMG I am not getting into this story. Now, I know it is just me because 59 people out of the 119 reviews on Amazon gave it 5 stars - so it has to be good right? I'm still reading - halfway through & I'm sure I'll finish it, but right now it is a struggle.

The characters are not intriguing - the Julie 'voice' is not at i...more 12/11 - DNF & probably won't :( But, I will definitely read her next book. Julie is an auto buy for me.

So here's the deal - I love Julie Garwood & I love her books but OMG I am not getting into this story. Now, I know it is just me because 59 people out of the 119 reviews on Amazon gave it 5 stars - so it has to be good right? I'm still reading - halfway through & I'm sure I'll finish it, but right now it is a struggle.

The characters are not intriguing - the Julie 'voice' is not at its finest - I read Julie for her heroes and this one, so far, is just not making my toes tingle.

It happens - nothing wrong with that & if I don't finish this book I'll read the next. If you like Julie I'm sure you'll love this Kincaid hero's story.

Book Copy:
In the new contemporary romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood, a detective and a lawyer are falling in love— and making a federal case out of it.

When FBI agent Grayson Kincaid first encounters Olivia MacKenzie, she makes quite an impression.

The beautiful, tough, young attorney has stumbled into the middle of an FBI sting operation and has reduced it to chaos. Months of surveillance and careful planning down the drain, Kincaid’s partner is furious and lets Olivia know that she’s ticked off the wrong guy. After all, he’s FBI.

Olivia isn’t intimidated by his partner’s bullying because she’s something even scarier . . . she’s IRS.

And working for the IRS isn’t for the faint of heart. She’s on the trail of an elaborate Ponzi scheme, one that threatens to ruin the lives of naive and unsuspecting victims, and one she has personal reasons to be angry about. But after she asks questions of the wrong people, her life is suddenly endangered. She’s accustomed to fighting for the underdog but being vulnerable herself is a very different story. Smart enough to know when to call for reinforcements, she contacts Grayson Kincaid.

Together they make an excellent team to fight corruption but Olivia is also fighting the immediate and intense attraction she feels for Agent Kincaid, and that may be a battle she is bound to lose.(less)

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Aug 15, 2012 Traci (Mad Hatter Reads) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Since I've been focusing more on Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy for the last year or so, it's been easy to overlook some of the contemporary romance authors that were my go-to staples. But after missing Julie Garwood's The Ideal Man for months last year, I've made sure to keep better track of her releases since she is one of my favorite contemporary and historical romance authors.

Sweet Talk is her newest release and I just devoured it. I think I had it finished in about six hours. Everythi...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Tracy Harris rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am giving my review on the book Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood. Publisher is the Penguin Group.

The beginning of the book delves into the friendship of four girls called the Pips and how they became a family by bonding together because they were very ill. They felt that only their sisters through tragedy could only understand what it was like to understand that they may die at such an early age .

Olivia knows that each day could be her last and the cancer that she was diagnosed with as a child cou...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Jonetta rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, buchanan-series, netgalley-arc

Olivia MacKenzie shows up for a job interview and finds herself right smack in the middle of an FBI sting but not before the target tries to do her some serious harm. FBI Agent Grayson Kincaid intervenes and is immediately drawn to the very attractive Olivia. He uses the case to wrangle a meeting and both realize there's an attraction. It doesn't take long for Grayson to become inserted into Olivia's life.

Olivia comes from an extremely dysfunctional family, with her father being the lead head ca...more Olivia MacKenzie shows up for a job interview and finds herself right smack in the middle of an FBI sting but not before the target tries to do her some serious harm. FBI Agent Grayson Kincaid intervenes and is immediately drawn to the very attractive Olivia. He uses the case to wrangle a meeting and both realize there's an attraction. It doesn't take long for Grayson to become inserted into Olivia's life.

Olivia comes from an extremely dysfunctional family, with her father being the lead head case. She suffered from a potentially terminal disease when she was about ten years old and was sent to Washington, DC for treatment with three other young girls, all having the same affliction. These girls (nicknamed the "pips") became her lifelong friends as the only member of Olivia's family who ever came to see her during this time was her Aunt Emma.

There was quite a bit going on in the story with attempts being made on Olivia's life, her developing romance with Grayson and its inherent conflict with his job responsibity as an agent to protect her, and her father's possible illegal business practices. Add that to her unbelievably insensitive mother and sister and you had to wonder why Olivia was so normal. Her Aunt Emma and the pips seemed to be the only constancy in an otherwise peculiar upbringing.

I found the book to be interesting and really liked Olivia and Grayson but their romance had some troublesome parts. Grayson would initiate these interludes with Olivia and then disappear for extended periods, for legitimate reasons, but wouldn't communicate with her about it. Olivia never called him to task about it, thinking she wasn't really in a relationship. It caused me to take some shine off of Grayson for an extended part of the story. But, they were a really good couple when it worked.

The suspense part of the story could have had more tension. Olivia was on a mission to expose her father's fraudulent business practices and this put her in his and others crosshairs. It was pretty clear who was orchestrating the attempts on Olivia's life, even with the few red herrings to distract you. The climax should have been more compelling but was still satisfying.

I'm a big fan of Garwood's romantic suspense series. While this one isn't technically considered a part of it, there is a mention of how Grayson connects with characters from the Buchanan series. Watch for it!

I liked the story, wasn't crazy about the romance for most of it but in the end it fell into place quite nicely. I'm hoping that some of Olivia's friends (hint, hint, Collins)get their own stories in future books as they were quite interesting in their own rights. If you're a fan of the series, this book should be on your shelf.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley)(less)

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Dec 10, 2012 Shayna Gier rated it 5 of 5 stars

What I Loved:

Olivia and FBI Agent Grayson make an amazing couple. Olivia herself is a very complex character, and when she and Agent Grayson are together you can both feel the chemistry and end up laughing out loud a lot.
The story felt so natural while reading it, and the plot kept me reading pretty much straight through.
While mentioning things I absolutely loved, I have to say the Prologue was so much fun and got me so excited about the characters, that when the actual story started I was a l...more What I Loved:

Olivia and FBI Agent Grayson make an amazing couple. Olivia herself is a very complex character, and when she and Agent Grayson are together you can both feel the chemistry and end up laughing out loud a lot.
The story felt so natural while reading it, and the plot kept me reading pretty much straight through.
While mentioning things I absolutely loved, I have to say the Prologue was so much fun and got me so excited about the characters, that when the actual story started I was a little disappointed and saddened. I was right back to loving the story by the end of the first chapter.

What I Didn't Like:

The only thing that I had issues with was that I thought Agent Grayson was a little too pushy at times with Olivia. I'm sure some of this was due to Olivia's personality, and also was more of a "game" between Olivia and Agent Grayson, but at times it came across as him disregarding her wishes.

My Overall Review:

(5 of 5 Stars) Adorable and Fun Romance
The idea of an FBI agent and an IRS attorney meeting and falling in love is just awesome. These are two jobs that nobody likes to mess with, and yet both Olivia and Agent Grayson are very much real people. Julie tells the story in third person omniscient, effortlessly allowing the reader to understand the thoughts and feelings behind all of the main interactions of the characters in this book.
I really enjoyed this book. Olivia, for the most part is sarcastic and edgy, though she is vulnerable when it comes to emotions and trusting others. Agent Grayson seems like the perfect guy, but beyond that he is also portrayed in a very real way- throwing a football back and forth while he and his partner in the FBI, Ronan, talk about the cases they are investigating, and commenting that being a parent sucks when his nephew moves in with him. I'd recommend this book to anyone that likes edgy romance.

Disclaimer:

This book was provided for me by the publisher at no charge, nor was I given
compensation of any kind for this review. This review only reflects my
personal opinion(less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Zayna rated it 2 of 5 stars

As an avid reader of Julie Garwood, I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. The magic that was there in her historical novels and her earlier contemporary novels has fizzled out, leaving a decent and somewhat forgettable read. (Given that I just started this book three days ago and I'm already scratching my head for details, I feel justified calling it forgettable.) There was definitely a lot going on, but to the point where it felt like the story was all over the place.

(view spoiler)...more As an avid reader of Julie Garwood, I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. The magic that was there in her historical novels and her earlier contemporary novels has fizzled out, leaving a decent and somewhat forgettable read. (Given that I just started this book three days ago and I'm already scratching my head for details, I feel justified calling it forgettable.) There was definitely a lot going on, but to the point where it felt like the story was all over the place.

(view spoiler)[ A lot of it just doesn't make sense. The "disease" that the Pips (Olivia, Collins, Sam & Jane) face is just confusing. Even now, I'm not sure what it is. (I would assume cancer since they get chemo.) Nor do I know how Olivia's blood will help Jane while the other girls' won't. Yes, Garwood slips in the word antibodies, but it is still too unbelievable (especially since Olivia doesn't even seem to know why she's donating all this blood on a monthly basis). Also, this miracle cure they're given? It's just not realistic that all four of them will recover 100% (with the only known setback being Olivia's asthma). I am well aware that romance novels are based on coincidence, chance, fate, etc., but everything, to an extent, should still make sense.

While the book focuses on Olivia and her bizarre family, Grayson's family is almost completely ignored (aside from Henry who only serves as a mechanism through which Grayson falls even deeper in love with Olivia). First, why is Grayson's father not even named? He's conveniently brought up when Henry needs to be away so that Grayson can spend the night with Olivia or when Grayson needs to be called away to take care of Henry, but that's it. When Grayson brings up he wants to marry her, his father (the first actual appearance) just says I want to meet her, but that's it. No questions? No who is this girl or how'd you meet? Really?! And then, what about Henry's father a.k.a. Grayson's brother? Henry worries about his father coming back and taking him away. A perfect set-up to segue into that happening and Olivia supporting Grayson with his family problems. Garwood could've just done away with that character altogether then. Another what! moment. Olivia's Aunt Emma make a sudden, unexplained disappearance towards the end of the book. I would've expected that Emma would immediately come back to help her beloved niece and/or check up on her own, also beloved, sister.

Okay, rant not over, but subdued so that I can continue and sound sane. There were definitely still some enjoyable moments in the book. The relationship between the Pips, the cute mischief they engaged in as kids, and how all three fought their disease and went on to enjoy their lives. Sparks of Garwood's old wit is littered throughout the book, getting a couple of guffaws from me. There were a few good IRS jokes. The best moment was the popsicles (Incident #2). When Collins finally appears in person (not just on the phone), electricity immediately flows between her and Ronan (Grayson's partner). Collins asks for a popsicle and soon enough, both she and Olivia are sucking on popsicles (much to the discomfort of both Ronan and Grayson). (In Incident #1, Olivia teases/taunts/seduces Grayson with her popsicle eating.) It's hilarious (much funnier than my description). (hide spoiler)]

This is still a good read (disappointing only if you are hoping for more of Garwood's old works). Great if you have time to kill and want a nice, easy book. But here's to hoping Mrs. Garwood can bring more of her old witty humor back in her next novel and flesh her story out a bit more. (I'm waiting for Adrian's book!)(less)

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Sep 19, 2012 Elle Lothlorien rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: mystery, romance, suspense, drama

Recommended to Elle by: no one--I've never met a Garwood I didn't like:)

One of my favorite romantic suspense authors, Julie Garwood, always delivers the goods. She provides a protagonist that's easy to root for, a plot neither too simplistic nor convoluted, and enough steamy love scenes to satisfy any cravings for romance.

Her latest novel, Sweet Talk, centers on an IRS employee with a mission--to put someone very close to her behind bars (This is NOT a spoiler--just read the book jacket:) When lovely and determined Olivia MacKenzie accidentally interferes in an FBI...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Patti Loves FAB Romance rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, mystery-suspense

PJV Quickie: A nice mix of mystery and sexy: hot government agents, attempted murder, and the family from hell make for an entertaining read.

IRS agent Olivia Mackenzie was very sick as a child. Stuck in the hospital with an unknown disease for months at a time, she has an unbreakable bond with three other women who were in the experimental treatment ward at the same time. Since her family didn't come visit, these girls became her "real" family. Now an adult, Olivia loves her job with the IRS, in...more PJV Quickie: A nice mix of mystery and sexy: hot government agents, attempted murder, and the family from hell make for an entertaining read.

IRS agent Olivia Mackenzie was very sick as a child. Stuck in the hospital with an unknown disease for months at a time, she has an unbreakable bond with three other women who were in the experimental treatment ward at the same time. Since her family didn't come visit, these girls became her "real" family. Now an adult, Olivia loves her job with the IRS, in addition to her regular day work, they allow her to investigate her father's shady investment dealings in her off time. The IRS is making some cuts, though, and she's not sure how much longer she'll have a job. While at an interview with a potential employer, she gets hit on by the interviewer, attacked by his bodyguard, and inadvertently ruins an FBI sting operation. The plus side? Sexy FBI agent Grayson Kincaid...

Grayson Kincaid has been working on catching Eric Jorguson red-handed; just when he thinks he might get something, his sting operation is suddenly compromised by a woman being interviewed by Jorgusen. In a fit of paranoia, Jorgusen attacks the woman, and Kincaid and his team must charge in and save the day. He is surprised at how attractive the woman is, and makes up excuses to stay and 'interview' her. After an attempt on Olivia's life and a smear campaign by her father's attorney, Kincaid knows she's in over her head...

__________________

Hmmm...where do I begin? Let's start with Olivia - she's a great heroine - overcame the odds to grow up and live a successful adult life, child advocate in her spare time, and is working on proving her father is a fraud. She worries her childhood illness will return and therefore won't let herself get close to a man. Grayson is a great hero - smart, kind, wealthy and sexy. He takes in his young nephew when his brother proves to be an awful dad. I liked Olivia and Grayson, just not together. I didn't really feel the spark. Yes, there is plenty of sexytime, but it didn't really 'flow'; they had undeniable attraction, they'd hook up for the best sex ever, then they'd be apart for days or weeks and when they got into the same room with each other - *BAM* sexytime. The pacing of their relationship felt off, if that makes sense.

Olivia also has one of the most selfish, clueless families I've read in a long time. Her father's investment scheme was an interesting plotline and I couldn't decide if he was trying to kill Olivia or not. Her clueless mother and sister made things so much worse for Olivia that her friends were all she had to turn to. There was a plot line regarding one of her friends whose illness had come back, and I was interested in the budding relationship between Grayson's partner and one of Olivia's friends.

So, in a weird twist for me, I enjoyed the suspense portion of Sweet Talk more than the romance portion - Go figure :) I think I'm going to back up and read Ms. Garwood's previous book, The Ideal Man; I am a huge fan of her historical romance, and am looking forward to jumping into her more contemporary stories.(less)

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Aug 23, 2012 Rebekah rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really would like to give this a 3.5 but alas....no half stars are available to me. This is a really good little mystery with many likeable characters. I gather it is another series or series in the making. You will like our rich and handsome FBI agent and the beautiful IRS lawyer. They get introduced to each other pretty quickly and in an original story line twist.

I really didn't like or get the Pips and their disease that was so mysterious. The mystery had little to do with this story and I...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Wendy Hines rated it 3 of 5 stars

When Olivia was young, she had a terminal disease. She and the other 'Pips' became fast friends and have remained so as they grew into adulthood. Three of them are in remission and one is doing ok as long as she gets blood transfusions regularly. But being so sick, Olivia's family pretty much think her frail and don't take time for her. She considers her aunt her most closest family.

What Olivia would like more than anything is to take down her father. She believes him corrupt and her goal is to...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Jill rated it 2 of 5 stars

I thought this sounded good: a female attorney working with a male FBI agent to uncover a Ponzi scheme, written by “a New York Times best selling author.”

It turns out that the attorney is the incredibly unbelievably stunning Olivia MacKenzie, and the FBI agent is the incredibly unbelievably good-looking Grayson Kincaid. Both are (incredibly, unbelievably) single. Obviously they get together, as in he took possession of her. He is, need we qualify, strong yet gentle, viz.: “His skin was hot, and...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Sara rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: august-12, 2012-reads

Meh.

(view spoiler)...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was pleasant, but not compelling, if you get my drift. Like one of the reviewers I read, said : There was just wonderfully GOOD people or totally EVIL people. No-one was in between. And when someone tried to kill Olivia, there were so many suspects that it was laughable. Okay, she was an IRS agent, but really?!
I also have to complain about the love scenes. Pretty corny, I will tell you. And Grayson is awful arrogant about his prowess. How do I know that? On 3 different nights after a...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Guilty Pleasures rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: guiltypleasures-slick

Slick's review posted on Guilty Pleasures

<3.5 Stars

Sweet Talk took me by surprise. With its title, I expected a sweet little romance story and while we got a pretty hot romance; we also got danger, intrigue, and mystery to go along with it.
Olivia MacKenzie is a cancer survivor now working for the IRS and as a child advocate attorney. She spent several years in a cancer unit where she met her three closest friends (sisters of the heart), Samantha, Jane, and Collins. The four girls (known as th...more Slick's review posted on Guilty Pleasures

<3.5 Stars

Sweet Talk took me by surprise. With its title, I expected a sweet little romance story and while we got a pretty hot romance; we also got danger, intrigue, and mystery to go along with it.
Olivia MacKenzie is a cancer survivor now working for the IRS and as a child advocate attorney. She spent several years in a cancer unit where she met her three closest friends (sisters of the heart), Samantha, Jane, and Collins. The four girls (known as the Pips) along with their doctor, Andre Pardieu, formed a bond like no other. One that is still strong some 12 years later. During a job interview, Olivia winds up in a fight and then a take down by the FBI.

Grayson Kincaid, is an FBI agent who doesn’t need to work for a living but does it because he enjoys the work. He also enjoys renovating properties and is a surrogate Dad to his 9 year old nephew.

From the beginning these two have chemistry but neither of them wants a relationship. Olivia because she has sworn she’d never be involved with someone in case her cancer returns. She doesn’t want them to have to go through the pain of dealing with a cancer patient. Grayson because he’s got a lot on his plate and he can’t be involved with someone involved in one of his cases.
As the book goes on Olivia finds herself involved in several dangerous situations. Because of Grayson’s feelings for her, he continues to have bodyguards cover her even after the FBI has withdrawn her protection. They do after much back and forth give into their feelings and find themselves truly enjoying each other’s company in more than just the bedroom. Olivia ends up helping Grayson’s nephew, Henry, in a pretty big way which endears her to both of them.

In addition to the danger that Olivia faces, she also deals with her friend Jane’s ongoing health problems and some pretty crappy family issues. Through it all Grayson is there to support her despite trying to keep his distance.

Overall, I enjoyed Sweet Talk very much. I will say it was very plot heavy, with lots of different things going on at all times and at one point it felt a little bogged down. However, it was interesting to watch the relationship between Olivia and Grayson develop and grow. Everyone needs a Grayson in their lives, he really hung in there and I’m not so sure many men would under the circumstances. There was a huge hit of a sequel between Collins and Grayson’s partner, Ronan; you can bet I’ll standing in line to read it!(less)

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Aug 07, 2012 miglanche added it

it is a good book of a relationship between two different person.

"Sweet Talk
When FBI agent Grayson Kincaid first encounters Olivia MacKenzie, she makes quite an impression.

The beautiful, tough, young attorney has stumbled into the middle of an FBI sting operation and has reduced it to chaos. Months of surveillance and careful planning down the drain, Kincaid's partner is furious and lets Olivia know that she's ticked off the wrong guy. After all, he's FBI.

Olivia isn't intimidated by his partner'...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Viviane Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Olivia McKenzie belongs to a group called the Pips. Olivia, Samantha Pearson, Jane Weston and Collins Davenport meet while being treated for a serious medical condition that could be fatal, but these are not, for the most part, fragile creatures. They're feisty characters who find strength and a fighting voice in the pranks they pull on doctors and nurses alike. They vow to stay friends forever - until death does part them.

Twelve years later, Olivia is on a job interview that goes all bad when h...more Olivia McKenzie belongs to a group called the Pips. Olivia, Samantha Pearson, Jane Weston and Collins Davenport meet while being treated for a serious medical condition that could be fatal, but these are not, for the most part, fragile creatures. They're feisty characters who find strength and a fighting voice in the pranks they pull on doctors and nurses alike. They vow to stay friends forever - until death does part them.

Twelve years later, Olivia is on a job interview that goes all bad when her interviewer turns out to be a seedy, lustful guy who attempts to pull a pass on her and winds up getting punched out senseless for his efforts. The readers will cheer here but even more so as the pages turn and Olivia meets FBI Agent Grayson Kincaid. It turns out that Olivia has unwittingly interfered with a sting operation and now the guy she floored is out for revenge because he thinks she's part of the FBI plot. Add to that Grayson's partner is FBI but a fool who talks and acts before he thinks, which ticks off both Olivia and Kincaid.

But Olivia has her own problem to think about, plotting a strategy to discover what Ponzi scheme her own father is operating. As an IRS employee and a strongly intuitive gal, she knows her own family members and hundreds of other are being taken in by her father and she wants it to stop. No, it's not hard for her to do this because her absent father has always been a smooth talker and using her past illness to indicate she is mentally unstable and still not completely healthy, even attempting to commit her to a mental institution.

The plots thicken and the action is fast and furious as is the passion beginning to ignite between heroine and hero. In the process, her friend Jane becomes involved and what is being done to her will horrify and then infuriate the reader when the mystery is revealed.

Sweet Talk is both hot romantic fiction and a great mystery read for all who love these genres of great storytelling! Very, very well done, Ms. Garwood!!!(less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Among The Muses rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, contemporary-romance, favorite-author, review-request, romantic-suspense, very-well-written

Rated 4.5 at Novel Reflections

SWEET TALK is fabulously gripping from start to end! Being a huge Garwood fan, I have to say that SWEET TALK has become one of my favorites from this author.

Who says money can buy happiness? Well it certainly can’t in this romantic suspense world of Garwood’s. Both the hero and heroine come from affluent families that stand as pinnacle fixtures in high society, but Garwood succeeds in capturing a ‘real world’ quality of these two vulnerable characters that appeal to...more Rated 4.5 at Novel Reflections

SWEET TALK is fabulously gripping from start to end! Being a huge Garwood fan, I have to say that SWEET TALK has become one of my favorites from this author.

Who says money can buy happiness? Well it certainly can’t in this romantic suspense world of Garwood’s. Both the hero and heroine come from affluent families that stand as pinnacle fixtures in high society, but Garwood succeeds in capturing a ‘real world’ quality of these two vulnerable characters that appeal to the everyday person such as myself. Both protagonists hold successful and intelligent positions in their careers that magnify their persona’s and set the stage to drive the fast paced plot in SWEET TALK.

You can’t help but enjoy the strength and perseverance of these characters as they battle external forces that include revenge, embezzlement, betrayal, and murderous plots. When these two characters are forced to work together, not only do they fight their attraction – with little success – but external forces play a hand in making the H/h fight for a relationship that neither can eventually deny they want. It’s with these external forces that, again, Garwood brings a sense of ‘realism’ to the ‘silver spoon’ wealthy lifestyle of the characters.

As a very strong character-driven reader, I have to say that SWEET TALK had exactly what I look for in a good read: dimensional characters with flaws and strengths – in both the heroine and hero. Garwood captures romance genre characters they way they should be: perfectly flawed, devastatingly sexy, and all facing obstacles that are overcome by internal and external forces. And for readers looking for that all too handsome and swoon worthy hero, I’m sure you’ll enjoy Grayson: collectively calm, patiently seductive, and heart-rendering smexy!

The only aspect that I found taxing while reading was the personal outlook of the heroine. I realize that this was included for story conflict purposes, but after awhile I wanted her to realize that life is indeed short and to take chances/risks when loosing your heart. Readers will understand this statement after reading the book.

Garwood’s writing style demonstrates the power behind writing by showing, not telling. It captivates and creates an emotional investment by the reader. You’re left rooting for the hero and heroine, and anxiously awaiting the downfall of the antagonist(s).

I would definitely recommend this book to romantic suspense fans looking for simmering sexual tension between two strong protagonists that eventually learn that fighting a romantic connection is futile. Where high society is not always silver-coated, and recognizing that money does not always buy the happiness one is looking for. In fact, money can be the downfall of a person – or family. *winks*(less)

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Jul 09, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

When Olivia was young, she had cancer. She went through the whole chemotherapy and experimental therapy with the support of three girls going through the same thing. He family was too "busy" to offer her support. Her father was busy making money and her mother and sister were busy being supports for her father. Now Olivia is an adult and a lawyer who works for the IRS. She is convinced that her father is a criminal running some sort of Ponzi scheme but hasn't found the evidence yet.

When she goes...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Julie Garwood is amazing. I just loved reading "Sweet Talk" and enjoyed the characters; especially Oliva MacKenzie an IRS attorney and Agent Grayson Kincaid working together as a team. Olivia is a strong and tell it like it is woman, but also funny. Grayson is a sweetheart and an FBI agent who falls hard in love with her.

I'm glad that Olivia found love; especially since she had a hard time with health issues during her childhood. Her friends Jane, Collins, and Sam were all childhood friends that...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Dianne Socci-Tetro rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: galleys-arcs

Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood *ARC SUPPLIED BY PUBLISHER*

I have read very few of Julie Garwood’s books so I really have nothing with which to compare this novel to. Other reviewers will be able to compare her style in this book against her others. All I can give you is how I feel about this book in particular.

I chose this book because the synopsis sounded great. Any female protagonist who would dare to backtalk to an FBI agent who is thrusting his fingers in her face by claiming she is scarier tha...more Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood *ARC SUPPLIED BY PUBLISHER*

I have read very few of Julie Garwood’s books so I really have nothing with which to compare this novel to. Other reviewers will be able to compare her style in this book against her others. All I can give you is how I feel about this book in particular.

I chose this book because the synopsis sounded great. Any female protagonist who would dare to backtalk to an FBI agent who is thrusting his fingers in her face by claiming she is scarier than the FBI- she is IRS - I thought was going to be my type of heroine.
After all, Olivia has gone through a lot of trauma in her life starting with a childhood filled with cancer and the treatments that go with it and a family that is so horrific that it left me speechless…and curious. In addition to being a lawyer Olivia, is also a child advocate and came from quite a wealthy family.
Unfortunately, for me my curiosity soon gave away to the nearly numbing effects of reading dialogue that seemed stilted and unrealistic, almost as if Olivia had never dealt with the public before. She seemed naïve for an IRS lawyer/child advocate. Naturally, she is so stunning and voluptuous that men are falling all over themselves just to look at her. and Grayson is so utterly handsome and well proportioned.
Grayson Kincaid is just the typical male ALPHA and a somewhat annoying one at that. He is rich and a bit Blue Blooded so that can get a little dreary at times, yet it does make him a perfect companion for the ultra rich (as soon as she hits a specific birthday) Olivia. I can understand why he does things the way he does, but I could not really get behind his manipulations of of Olivia. Both he and Olivia just never seemed to be fully fleshed out to me, leaving them somewhat one-dimensional and a bit clichéd.
The secondary characters are definite caricatures, using hackneyed dialogue for Olivia’s sister, brother-in-law, and father. These secondary characters are written to look like imbeciles. Yes, they are supposed to be the antagonists and terrible people, especially her father, but the author did not really make me *believe* it, if you know what I mean.
This was not my most favorite read of the year by any means, but it was not the worst book I’ve read so far this year. I did like enough “Sweet Talk “to keep me reading until I was finished.
(less)

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Aug 11, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another fun read from Julie Garwood. I will forever remain a bigger fan of her historicals to her contemporary romances but because of my love for Ms. Garwood I will pick up and devour her every book. With that said, I felt this story was maybe a little simple and I don’t know if that really expresses how I feel. I enjoyed the hero, Grayson, I thought he was wonderfully alpha and hardheaded. I enjoyed almost all of Olivia. I’m not sure what made me not love her as much as Grayson but he really p...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Kimberly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review written for www.books-n-kisses.com

If Julie Garwood released a new book every day I still do not believe I would get tired of reading her books. I have enjoyed all of Garwood’s works from her romantic suspense to her historicals and this book is no exception. Garwood has a way of pulling you in right from the first paragraph and you never want to leave the world that she has weaved.

I really enjoyed Olivia. She is strong and independent. She has been through a life that most of us cannot ev...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Nikki rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, audio-book, chick-lit

I did not like this. I don't know if it was the book itself or the narrator, as I had issues with both.
The story line was very contrived and predictable, the chemistry between Grayson and Olivia felt forced and lackluster, and the whole story line of her "illness" got on my nerves.
Grayson and Olivia had an instant love connection, of course, and they are both absolutely perfect in every way. They are both gorgeous, intelligent, have huge hearts, make lots of money, blah, blah, blah. And of cour...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Nicole-Pattypattz1 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was another sexy and fun read. Grayson reminded me a little of Mitch Lawson in "Lawman". These gun-toting, sexy as hell officers of the law just have a way to get under your skin.

Grayson is in the FBI and meets Olivia by chance, when she is meeting with a prospective employer for a new job. Upon being scruntized like a piece of meat by said employer, the slime-ball gets paranoid and thinks she is wearing a wire for the cops, so he tears her beautiful clothing almost off her back. That is ho...more This was another sexy and fun read. Grayson reminded me a little of Mitch Lawson in "Lawman". These gun-toting, sexy as hell officers of the law just have a way to get under your skin.

Grayson is in the FBI and meets Olivia by chance, when she is meeting with a prospective employer for a new job. Upon being scruntized like a piece of meat by said employer, the slime-ball gets paranoid and thinks she is wearing a wire for the cops, so he tears her beautiful clothing almost off her back. That is how FBI-Hottie Grayson and Olivia an IRS attorney first meet. From there the sparks fly like bottle rockets going off on the fourth of July!

Grayson is a successful alpha male, who is wealthy, but loves his job at the FBI. He is handsome, and thoughtful and very protective of Olivia. He courts her until she lets her guard down. Olivia has had a rough childhood...one riddled with cancer and has a close circle of friends that she has gone through this with. She is a very strong, independent and beautiful woman who has dealt with her illness virtually without the support of her family, but one aunt who she went to live with and who has always been there for her. Olivia finds out her father has been investing other people's money in a ponzi scheme and despite who he is to her, or the fact that he hadn't been much of a dad to her, she is determined to do the right thing...even at the cost of having her mother and sister hate her.

When Grayson starts falling hard for Olivia he knows he must wear her down, as she is so independent, and has a somewhat fatalistic view of the world. He also must contend with raising his nephew Henry while his brother is off being the Playboy in Europe. His determination to win over Olivia's heart is as strong as Olivia is to put her father and his cohorts behind bars for stealing money from people.

These two make a perfect match for each other in every sense.

Romance, and suspense with a stong heroine and a very sexy alpha male made this a fun read, and the HEA with Grayson and Olivia getting married and raising Henry together too.(less)

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Oct 27, 2012 Katie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Apple, Inc. presents Sweet Talk, in conjunction with Dove, Coke and other products. I guess it's been a while since I've read a book written in the last few years, and now I'm leery of doing so. I didn't realize that I am now allowed no room for imagination while reading, products will be forced upon my retinas whether I'm reading, watching TV or making an attempt to enjoy a movie. Now I'm left with wondering what brand were those unhealthy chips? I know that Olivia has Dove bars, Fudgesicles, P...more

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About Julie Garwood

Julie Murphy was born in 1946 in Kansas City, Missouri to a large Irish family. At the age of six, Julie had her tonsils removed and complications from the surgery resulted in a long period of recuperation. She fell hopelessly behind in school and never caught up. "I was a slow, slow reader," Julie says. "I hated it." At the age of 11, her mother discovered her daughter's secret and promptly enrol...more

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“Listen, you. Don't threaten me. I could make your life a nightmare. He put his hand in front of her face and unfolded three fingers as he said, I'm F-B-I. She smiled. It wasn't the reaction he expected. You want to talk nightmares? she said. She put her hand up to his face and unfolded her three fingers. I'm I-R-S.” — 13 people liked it

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