Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Mercenary (T-FLAC #1)

by Cherry Adair (Goodreads Author)

3.74 of 5 stars 3.74 · rating details · 1,418 ratings · 98 reviews

Victoria Jones was a lousy liar. Not that the sensible bookkeeper was accustomed to lying--or anything else that would have disrupted her safe, dull existence. But her world took a terrifying turn when her twin brother, Alex, an agent for T-FLAC, the elite antiterrorist task force, went missing.Now she'll do anything to find him...lie, cheat, even subject herself to the pr...more

Mass Market Paperback, Revised Edition, 250 pages

Published February 1st 2008 by Harlequin Books (first published 1994)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Best Romantic Suspense

105th out of 848 books — 1,042 voters

Mangroves and Monsters by Sharon C. Pennington

Jungle Love

15th out of 48 books — 54 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Oct 25, 2008 Christa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: interlibrary-loan

The version of The Mercenary that I read was the updated one. I have read many reviews about how irritating and implausible this book is, so my expectations were not at all high. Knowing exactly what to expect from the book kept it from being disappointing. The heroine of the book was a meek, staid young woman who enjoyed her monotonous life and had no longings for adventure. She transformed into a courageous woman with super strength long enough to get the injured hero to safety before revertin...more The version of The Mercenary that I read was the updated one. I have read many reviews about how irritating and implausible this book is, so my expectations were not at all high. Knowing exactly what to expect from the book kept it from being disappointing. The heroine of the book was a meek, staid young woman who enjoyed her monotonous life and had no longings for adventure. She transformed into a courageous woman with super strength long enough to get the injured hero to safety before reverting back to her timid, unassuming nature. The hero was surly and ill tempered at the start of the book. Later in the book, his feelings for the heroine were obvious, but he tried to hurt her with his nasty behavior so that she would not risk her safety for him. I was able to suspend reality and enjoy reading The Mercenary since I knew what to anticipate.

Victoria Jones knows that her brother, Alexander Stone, who has been given up for dead by T-FLAc, the anti terrorist organization he works for, is still alive. As twins, they share a strong telepathic connection that has allowed them recent communication. Victoria visited the island where he disappeared, but while attempting to find him, she was captured and tortured. Her last hope rests with Alex's former partner, Marc Savin, who has been in retirement since the death of his fiance over two years earlier. Victoria visits the abrasive man and begs his help in finding Alex. When he is finally convinced that her brother is still alive, he insists that she accompany him to the island where her brother is being held. What follows is an adventure that Victoria never wanted. While she and Marc try to locate Alex using her telepathic connection, they encounter danger and begin an intimate relationship. Victoria once again falls captive to the terrorists who have her brother. Marc must rescue both Victoria and Alex, and when he is injured it is up to Victoria to see that they reach safety. After surviving the dangerous episode, Marc and Victoria must decide if their future lies together.

This was the first book I have read by Cherry Adair. After reading the reviews, I was reluctant to read this book, but I have heard that many of her others are very good and want to read all of the T-FLAC series in order. This was a time that I was grateful for spoilers. Knowing the problems others had with this book made me ready for them. While I agree with the comments others have made about the implausibility of the events, as well as the extremeness of both the hero and heroine, I was able to find reading the book a pleasant experience. I look forward to the rest of the series.(less)

like 8 likes · see review

Jul 11, 2008 Eastofoz rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Readers who can suspend reality and enjoy a B movie

Shelves: romantic-suspense

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Nothing exciting or remotely believable here. It’s the kind of book you hope is going to be good, and it starts out that way, but it’s a downward spiral into the dumb and demented. The book has too many over the top highly unlikely moments to make you feel like you could believe the story —plus you’ll be sitting there rolling your eyes saying “what-ever” more often than not.

The hero, Marc, flies off the handle too much and breaks into “I am a spaz” mode for no reason. The heroine, Victoria, who...more Nothing exciting or remotely believable here. It’s the kind of book you hope is going to be good, and it starts out that way, but it’s a downward spiral into the dumb and demented. The book has too many over the top highly unlikely moments to make you feel like you could believe the story —plus you’ll be sitting there rolling your eyes saying “what-ever” more often than not.

The hero, Marc, flies off the handle too much and breaks into “I am a spaz” mode for no reason. The heroine, Victoria, who starts off as a meek and mild little mouse is suddenly doing things that would outshine Wonder Woman. For someone who’s never used a gun she single handedly (and with great stealth) takes out 3 trained thugs all under the effects of a drug that made her woozy, sporting a cast on one arm, smacked around not too long ago, and having just run for her life lugging Marc the-huge-and-wounded Mercenary through the forest —I don’t think so. It just didn’t make any sense.

As for Mercenary Marc, his character was like bad acting really. He’s all tough and everything as you’d expect but then he gets shot in the head and leg so he’s in shock, can barely walk and the teeny tiny delicate heroine drags him to safety down a cliff to a grotto (this is one of those “whatever” parts) and suddenly he’s well enough to plan this daring escape through a whirlpool hole in a lake! He swims through a 40 foot tunnel, or something ludicrous like that, without oxygen, pops out in the middle of the rough open sea, grabs the nearly drowning Victoria (who’s reverted back to meek and mild useless girl) and gets her strapped into a harness so she can be hoisted up to the helicopter while he bravely waits his turn. Keep in mind he’s the one who’s lost tons of blood, couldn’t walk not too long ago and was in LaLa Land barely able to speak coherently. I’m all for the adrenaline rush that makes you do things you wouldn’t likely do but I didn’t think that any of that was remotely plausible.

There’s also Alex, Victoria's twin brother rescued by Marc a few hours earlier, who had been tortured beyond belief for months according to the heroine’s psychic abilities and here we see him flying a helicopter saving the whole lot who are desperately treading water in high sea swells (insert "whatever" part).

The book has potential, but I thought the story needed to be reworked and better developed in some areas —like, oh say, the Wonder Woman/He-Man parts 8-)
(less)

like 8 likes · see review

Nov 24, 2011 Sabrina Van Goethem marked it as to-read

Shelves: romantic-suspense

This was the first romantic suspense book I ever read (shame on me, don't I know it...) and it's right up my style: action, romance, hot steaming scenes and a larger-than-life hero who comes to the rescue! I really enjoyed this book, it's not too long so I was able to finish it in 1 day, and the pace is fast and action-packed. And of course, it's got the romance too... :-)

like 3 likes · see review

Nov 02, 2012 Pat rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, mystery, naughty-bits, romance, series, series-r-us, suspense-thriller, paranormal

3.5 stars -- series with potential

Mousy reticent Tory Jones is completely out of her element as she finds herself going to retired special ops (T-FLAC) operative Marc Savin for help in rescuing her twin brother, the missing but presumed dead Lynx Smith from a notorious gang in the sub-tropics.

This reads very much like the old fashioned Harlequin Romance novels with the trembling mid-20’s virginal heroine and the gruff, arrogant (alpha)” man’s man” who is decidedly not going to give into the lit...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 27, 2012 Paraphrodite rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A good introduction to the T-FLAC series. A retired spy reluctantly gets back into the business when the twin sister of his dead partner turned up at his range telling him that her brother is still alive but is being held by terrorists on a remote island.

Sexy and action-packed, with an implausible plot worthy of any James Bond movie. Unlike the normal Bond girl though, Tori openly admits to being a coward and doesn't want to do anything remotely physical....but somehow, ends up saving the day.

N...more

like 1 like · see review

May 08, 2013 Andreasoldier rated it 2 of 5 stars

When her twin goes missing, Tory hunts down his ex-partner Marc Savin to find him.
She lies to the mercenary about her experience, her fear level, and almost everything. He knows she lying about almost everything. The exception on both their parts: their desire for each other.
Despite knowing Tory will be a drag on a mission, Marc must take Tory with him since she has a telepathic link with her twin.
Adair re-polished this, her first book. It still has problems (I didn't read the original), but th...more

like · see review

Mar 30, 2012 Monique Atgood rated it 2 of 5 stars

Hybrid 10% Paranormal 60% Suspense 30% Romance

SYNOPSIS:
Spy asks Hero-friend to jump back into the spy business. The hero refuses. The spy goes off to save the day and is soon reported dead. Spy's unknown twin sister (Heroine) shows up asking hero to rescue his supposedly dead friend (the Spy). Sister claims (without a shred of proof) that her 'psychic' link to her twin proves he's alive and in dire need of rescue. Hero makes heroine accompany him into enemy territory. They hide out in a cave,...more

like · see review

Jul 07, 2010 MaggieReadsRom rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romantic-suspense

When Tory asks Marc to help her rescue her twin brother and his former T-FLAC partner she doesn't know what she's getting herself into. Terrorists and bullets are the least of her problems compared to dealing with this tough ex-mercenary.
Marc is very reluctant to help Tory, partly because of his past and partly because of the feelings she stirs in him. Feelings he tries to ignore but fails miserably at.

Cherry Adair kicks of the T-FLAC series with a short and sweet explosion of feelings. This bo...more When Tory asks Marc to help her rescue her twin brother and his former T-FLAC partner she doesn't know what she's getting herself into. Terrorists and bullets are the least of her problems compared to dealing with this tough ex-mercenary.
Marc is very reluctant to help Tory, partly because of his past and partly because of the feelings she stirs in him. Feelings he tries to ignore but fails miserably at.

Cherry Adair kicks of the T-FLAC series with a short and sweet explosion of feelings. This book was worth waiting for and I'm glad it got re-released because obtaining the original out-of-print release proved to be impossible and now I understand why.
Marc is the hero who makes you weak in the knees with his charisma and masculinity.
Tory is the heroine who tugs on your heartstrings with her loyalty and innocence.
And together they provide a sensual and explosive chemistry that sets the pages aflame. They are drawn to each other like bees to honey and they try to fight it but fortunately for the romantic readers they don't succeed.

This book proves that Cherry Adair is the undeniable queen of romantic suspense! She has the talent to combine nail biting suspense, exquisite fight scenes, heartbreaking emotions and extremely hot and sensual love scenes into a book that keeps you enthralled.
It's a perfectly mixed combination topped of by a brooding hero to die for and a heroine who is brave and strong despite the fact that she thinks she's everything but that.
The plot is not complicated but that doesn't mean it's not intriguing. It had me at the edge of my seat with a pounding heart. I finished the book in a heartbeat, wondering at the end where the time had gone.

Within the span of 250 pages Cherry Adair served a real treat to lovers of romantic suspense. A treat that was exciting, moving and sensual. The only thing wrong with the book was that it was too short. I wanted it to go on forever.

This was the kind of book that makes you want to be a damsel in distress and have a T-FLAC operative of your own come to the rescue. (less)

like · see review

Dec 10, 2012 Anorielt rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Erster Satz: The red SUV careened up the mile-long driveway spraying dust and gravel and spooking the horses grazing by the fence.

The Mercenary ist der erste Romantic Suspense Roman den ich in Englisch gelesen habe. Ich kannte die Autorin bisher nur von Gnadenlos: Auf der Flucht was erst kürzlich beim Lyx Verlag erschienen ist. Da ich das Buch aber noch nicht gelesen habe, wusste ich nicht was auf mich zu kommt. Schreibt die Autorin gut? Steht hier die Liebesgeschichte im Vordergrund oder bewah...more Erster Satz: The red SUV careened up the mile-long driveway spraying dust and gravel and spooking the horses grazing by the fence.

The Mercenary ist der erste Romantic Suspense Roman den ich in Englisch gelesen habe. Ich kannte die Autorin bisher nur von Gnadenlos: Auf der Flucht was erst kürzlich beim Lyx Verlag erschienen ist. Da ich das Buch aber noch nicht gelesen habe, wusste ich nicht was auf mich zu kommt. Schreibt die Autorin gut? Steht hier die Liebesgeschichte im Vordergrund oder bewahrt die Autorin das richtige Mittelmaß zwischen Liebe und Plot? Kann der Plot mich überhaupt fesseln? All das fragte ich mich bevor ich das Buch anfaing zu lesen. Schon der Plot hat meine Erwartungen hochgepusht. Man lernt Marc kennen, einen Ex-Agent der T-FLAC der sich nach dem Tod der Frau die er liebte zurück gezogen hat. Drei Jahre ist das nun her, doch jetzt kommt sein Partner und bester Freund Alexander Stone hinaus auf seine Farm, nur um ihm mitzuteilen das die Frau um die er trauert, in Wahrheit der Gegenseite angehörte und alles nur gespielt war. Seine Welt bricht erneut zusammen und er verjagd Alex. Allerdings nicht bevor dieser ihm sagen konnte das er zurück geht um die Operation weiter zu führen.

Sechs Monate später bekommt er die Nachricht das Alex tot ist. Ich fand die beiden schon im Prolog wahnsinnig sympathisch. Marc hat die Frau die er liebte getötet und sich deswegen aus dem Geschäft zurück gezogen. Er trauert und ist dennoch standfest. Als er schließlich Victoria kennenlernt, die angibt Alex Zwillingsschwester zu sein und ihm dazu eröffnet das ihr Bruder noch am Leben ist, scheint ihn die Vergangenheit erneut einzuholen. Ganz ehrlich, ich fand dieses ersten Treffe zwischen Marc und Victoria unglaublich amüsant. Marc ist ein sehr einschüchternder Typ und Victoria ist behütet aufgewachsen und dank den jüngsten Ereignissen, sehr unsicher und verängstigt. Ab und an blitzt ihr Mut durch, doch die Anfangszeit ist sie wirklich wie eine graue Maus die versucht Marc dazu zu überreden ihren Bruder zu retten.

Besonders interessant fand ich, das die T-FLAC Reihe tatsächlich ein wenig Fantasy enthält. Victoria und Alex können über Telepathie miteinander kommunizieren, schon seit ihrer Geburt und scheinbar gibt es auch bei den T-FLACS eine ganze Abteilung mit solchen Begabungen. Die Bücher die mit "Edge" anfangen gehören zu einer Trilogy innerhalb der Reihe und handeln eben von diesem Zweig der Abteilung. Auf die Bücher bin ich schon sehr gespannt, denn in The Mercenary, erschien die Telepathie doch ein wenig falsch am Platz. Trotzdem fand ich es wahnsinnig interessant wie Marc und Victoria darüber versucht haben Alex zu finden.

Ich bin wirklich froh darüber das bei der T-FLAC Reihe die Liebesgeschichte scheinbar nicht komplett im Vordergrund steht. Die Autorin hat hier Plot und Liebesgeschichte den gleichen Platz eingeräumt. Natürlich gibt es viele Szenen zwischen Marc und Victoria und obwohl Marc am Anfang immer wieder betonte das Victoria nicht zu dem Typ Frau gehört der ihm gefällt, kann er sich ihr doch nicht entziehen. Jedesmal wenn die beiden sich ein klein wenig näher kommen, wird Marc grob und stößt Victoria weg indem er ihr verbal Dinge an den Kopf wirft und ihr weh tut. Es ist sowohl ein Schutzmechanismus um ihn zu schützen, aber auch um ihr klar zu machen das er nicht der richtige für sie ist.

Manches Mal musste ich wirklich schlucken so leid tat sie mir. Doch Marc Verhalten und Charakter haben bei Victoria auch eine schleichende Veränderungen bewirkt. Obwohl sie immer noch schüchtern und sehr leicht zu verängstigen ist, wird sie dennoch stärker. Bietet ihm die Stirn, schlägt verbal zurück und lässt sich von ihm Allgemein nichtmehr alles gefallen. Als sie schließlich wissen wo Alex gefangen gehalten wird, wird die Spannung immer unerträglicher. Sicher, manches war vorhersehbar weil man es so oder so ähnlich schon in dem ein oder anderen Buch gelesen hat, aber ansonsten gibt es hier wirklich nichts zu beanstanden.

Das Ende ist unglaublich spannend und, was mich überraschte, auch sehr brutal. Die Autorin schreckt nicht davor zurück ihre Charaktere leiden zu lassen, ob nun emotional oder körperlich. Genau das gab dem ganzen noch den gewissen Touch, es wurde realistischer und ich habe mit den Charakteren mitgefiebert. Was mich ein wenig störte, war die Tatsache das Alex zwar telepathisch zum Ende hin oft anwesend war, aber man ansonsten von ihm nicht viel mitbekommen hat. Dennoch, die T-FLAC Reihe ist sehr lang und ich vermute das Alex wohl auch schon sein eigenes Buch bekommen hat. Ich hoffe es zumindest, denn er war mir wirklich sympathisch.

Glücklicherweise ist das Englisch doch recht einfach. Es gibt zwar viele Wörter die ich nachschlagen musste weil ich mit dem Genre noch nicht vertraut bin, aber ich hatte das Buch dennoch ziemlich schnell durch.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fazit
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mich hat The Mercenary vollkommen überzeugt. Am Ende gab es zwar eine winzige Sache die mich gestört hat, aber ich hoffe einfach mal das dies in einem der Folgebände noch behandelt wird. Cherry Adair hat hier aufjedenfall den Grundstein zu einer sehr interessanten und vielversprechenden Reihe gelegt. Ich habe den zweiten Band auch schon bestellt und bin gespannt ob dieser mich ebensoo fesseln kann.(less)

like · see review

Jan 18, 2012 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, nook, 5-suspense

Recently I read a Cherry Adair book and thought I'd give a try to the T-Flac series. This first book, was good, but it took me almost half the book to get into it, I really don't know why, I thought it was slow and somewhat confusing how the hero kept telling himself he couldn't trust her, just to end up doing just that and more in the process. It annoyed me endlessly how he kept trying to push her away with words so hurtful, even I felt the pain. And it absolutely killed me how the heroine kept...more

like · see review

Apr 26, 2008 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was the Harlequin romance that started it all for Cherry and her T-FLAC crew. It was out of print by the time I started reading Cherry last year. But this is a new, updated, beefed-up version and a MUST-READ for anyone who loves romantic suspense. Cherry is still, hands down, the very best at her genre. It's like the book version of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. I can read her stories in one sitting...and still crave more.

like 3 likes · see review

Mar 10, 2013 Darla Stokes rated it 2 of 5 stars

Pretty standard romantic suspense: heroine too sweet and innocent to be true, but tough at the core; hero too tough for love and repeatedly waffles between showing his feelings (just lust, he's sure) and being a jerk to keep her from getting any ideas. If you've read any romantic suspense, you've met these characters and can predict pretty accurately how they'll behave.

The bad guys are caricatures who waver between being godlike (omniscient/omnipotent) and being clumsily inept. Again, not at al...more

like · see review

Dec 10, 2012 StrangeBedfellows rated it 2 of 5 stars

Good -- not great, but there are a few books I consider great, so "good" is a decent recommendation. The Mercenary is an older book, revamped by Adair, featuring the founding character of her T-FLAC Series. What makes it good? Good writing, good plot, good sex appeal. Here's the bad news -- I didn't quite buy the romance. Victoria is an excellent character, fully-fleshed, and I totally get Marc's attraction to her. I could "see" him falling in lust and then love with her. But things on her end.....more

like · see review

Sep 16, 2011 Kristy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, hott-spots, special-ops-military-mercenary, ebook, app-google

I really like the Cherry Adair books. The T-FLAC series anyway. I haven't read any of her other series, but I love all the danger that is mixed in the stories of these books. I love the chases, and the guns and helicopters, it makes the story so much more intense.

This story was good, I liked the whole psychic twin thing. That was kind of cool. But there is one thing that really left a bad taste in my mouth and it was at the end. So that was my last impression. She didn't tell him she was pregnan...more

like · see review

Feb 23, 2012 Leanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Torie (Victoria) has lost her twin brother to a terrorist group in a very dangerous country. She goes to this place pretending to be a tourist and bites off more then she can chew. She’s assaulted and makes it out alive. She goes to find her brother’s best friend for help and he brings her back to the danger that surrounds her brother. She’s terrified and he’s surely. Will they come out of it alive??? MUST READ!

I really like the characters in this book, they have real personalities and the way e...more

like · see review

Dec 30, 2010 Erika Badass rated it 3 of 5 stars

Whose down with DYB? Ya you know me...Whose down with DYB? Not Everybody...
2.5/5
Disbend Your Belief while reading this book. For Reals.

It was a fast read, not really suspenseful, had some steamy sex scenes but afterwords Marc was all "me no likey you no more, you just sex, me man, you woman, no love. just sex. Neanderthalism at it's finest.

Then you have Mousy, "I'm a virgin, and my grandmother made me wear frumpy clothes, but hey let's knock boots with no strings, pop my cherry cave men.. wait...more

like 2 likes · see review

Apr 26, 2008 Regan rated it 3 of 5 stars

The story was okay -- I'm glad I've read Ms. Adair's later books -- especially On Thin Ice because had this been the first I probably would not have read more.

With it out of print copies were running close to $100 for a used copy -- the reprint made it affordable for fans.

like 2 likes · see review

May 13, 2010 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, mystery, fun, romance

I saw Cherry Adair speak on a romance author panel at the Covington library's Romance Extravaganza. She was very funny and was very straightforward that she didn't particularly love writing but she loved the money she made off the books. She also told a very cool and spooky true ghost story. She was very talkative.

I thought it would be fun to pick up one of her books and see if her personality came through. I can't say it did in this book, but I thought it was a pretty decent romance. Cliche ye...more

like · see review

Feb 09, 2010 Mandy Beyers rated it 3 of 5 stars

Tori Jones, shy, unassuming bookkeeper with little to no people skills finds herself required to seek the help of mercenary Marc Savin. When Tori shows up in his living room, battered and broken, Marc initially hears her story with disbelief and skepticism. When she finally convinces him that his partner, Alex, is her twin brother and that Alex is alive and needs rescuing, they depart on a dangerous mission to an island controlled by the terrorists that have been trying to break his partner for...more

like · see review

Jun 29, 2011 Jonetta rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Entertaining but light fare. The op was suspenseful and interesting but the romance developed awkwardly. It was mystifying why Marc failed to ask pertinent and critical questions of Tory prior to beginning the op, those that arose in my brain immediately. And, for all the emphasis on finding and retrieving Alex, there was zero focus on him at the end of the op.

With that said, I liked both characters but feel the dialogue between them was stilted and at some times immature. It didn't support the...more

like · see review

May 29, 2011 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense, virgin-heroines, men-in-uniform, pregnancy

The Mercenary
4 Stars

Synopsis:
In order to rescue her brother from terrorists, Victoria Jones needs a hero and Marc Savin is just the man she is looking for. Marc, a former member of T-FLAC, is in no mood to help Victoria but he owes her brother and reluctantly agrees. The two soon find themselves fighting not only their enemies but their attraction to each other as well.

Review:
This is the revised version of the original Harlequin addition but from what I can gather there are few differences. Rega...more

like · see review

Jan 18, 2011 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, romance-mystery, thriller

Marc - 2 years out of TFlac, mourning because he killed who he believed was an assasin that was the woman he loved - when Alex (his expartner) comes tohim with proof that she was in fact a double spy, and intended to kill him... and Alex was going in to stop the terrorist group she was a part of, with or without Marc's help... without...

and 2 weeks later his burned, tortured body is recovered (identified by dental records)... and Alex continues isolate himself... until 7 months later, Victoria s...more

like · see review

Jan 10, 2010 K rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: bad-boys, romantic-suspense

Let me start off with saying I like Cherry Adair. I've read several of her books and I held off on reading this book until it was republished. It was not worth the wait. This is Adair's first novel originally written 14 years ago. Most of the actions of the hero and heroine make absolutely no sense at all. Tory travels by herself to a violent, terrorist-controlled country to find her brother who is missing. She is captured and held hostage for a few weeks and is repeatedly beaten. They release h...more Let me start off with saying I like Cherry Adair. I've read several of her books and I held off on reading this book until it was republished. It was not worth the wait. This is Adair's first novel originally written 14 years ago. Most of the actions of the hero and heroine make absolutely no sense at all. Tory travels by herself to a violent, terrorist-controlled country to find her brother who is missing. She is captured and held hostage for a few weeks and is repeatedly beaten. They release her and escort her to the airport. When she arrives back in the States she calls upon Marc, who was her brother's partner, to help get him out. Marc has been retired from T-FLAC for over two years, he believes Alex dead and initially does not even believe her. At this point in the story, Tory is basically afraid of her own shadow, she is immensely afraid when Marc even so much as looks in her direction. Marc threatens Tory in an attempt to get her to leave and she faints! Is this the same woman who traveled by herself half way around the world to take on evil terrorists? Any woman experiencing what she did would walk away with major Post Traumatic Stress, but not Tory even though she is a self-proclaimed coward.
Once Marc is convinced that what Tory is telling him is the truth, he decides to go and to take Tory with him since she and Alex have a psychic connection. So at this point my question is...why is Marc the only T-FLAC agent going in the rescue Alex? I have a hard time believing T-FLAC would send only one man in to rescue one of their own, even more so when the man going in has been out of commission for over two years. Throughout the story there are several moments where you just want to scratch your head. For example,Tory has saved her virginity for 27 years only to give it to a man whom she has only known for a few days and he has been nothing but a bully to her, on top of that, she is scared of him.
There is a scene where the Tory pulls a gun on about 7 armed men, she tells them all to drop their weapons and they comply! These 7 armed dangerous terrorist are just so stunned to have a woman stand up to them that they all actually surrender. LOL

(**SPOILER** Another peeve about this book is that Tory never tells Marc that she is pregnant at the end of the novel. Sure they decide to get married and all so his knowledge about the pregnancy is a given but there is no moment in the book when he finds out. I kept reading expecting her to tell him at anytime and it never happened.**END SPOILER**)

I could go on but won't. This book is technically book 1 in the T-FLAC series but I recommend starting with Kiss and Tell instead. Actually none of the books need to be read in order, except the Edge books. All of Adair's T-FLAC books tend to have unbelievable plots but they are still fun to read, The Mercenary just takes it too far; that combined with weak character development but that can be expected in a first novel. Cherry Adair has come a long way since 1994. (less)

like · see review

Aug 23, 2009 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense, ebook, store-fictionwise, 2009

Victoria "Tory" Jones needs to help her brother. She needs Marc "Phantom" Savin's help. She keeps her life neat, tidy, and safe. Her brother and Marc's spy lifestyle doesn't mix well with her comfort zone, but she is willing to do anything to save her brother's life.

Tory was a little confusing...she was meek and "mousy," but got some backbone on occasion. What bothered me is that by the end of the book, she didn't seem to have changed. Her character was flat and a little dull. I just didn't feel...more

like · see review

Jan 24, 2013 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cherry-adair

This grew on me . . . Victoria was stuffly (wasn't crazy about) and Marc was damaged from years in the system. They save Alex and then realize that they do have a future together. Victoria Jones was a lousy liar. Not that the sensible bookkeeper was accustomed to lying--or anything else that would have disrupted her safe, dull existence. But her world took a terrifying turn when her twin brother, Alex, an agent for T-FLAC, the elite antiterrorist task force, went missing.Now she'll do anything t...more

like · see review

Jan 11, 2012 MountainKat rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, 2012-challenge-books, books-read-in-2012

This book was OK, not great, but not bad. Yes, the hero was a bit of an ass. Yes, the heroine was a mousy virgin. But there were plausible explanations for both. There were some character inconsistencies, or at least unbelievable actions, but they moved the story along. I understand this was the first book by this author and in some ways it shows, but it was also my first book by this author so I may just be imagining that. I am willing to read more by this author in the future.

like 2 likes · see review

Feb 16, 2008 Kathrynn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, series-tflac_adair, romance-suspense, 2008, theme-uniform, reviewed

This is the first book in the T-FLAC series. Inside the first page, the author explains that she originally wrote it 15 years ago. When it went for reprint, she was given the opportunity to update it.

Based on that, I read the book knowing that it was almost 20 years old. At that time, most romantic suspense books were...well...unrealistic and/or downright cheesey. This was a Harlequin Romance and they were written to fit "inside the box." It's short, almost like a B movie, annoying at times, irr...more

like 1 like · see review

Apr 19, 2012 Mandi rated it 5 of 5 stars

I fell in love with her special ops team and the characters from the start. I loved this book and her style of writing so much that I went out and searched for every thing she ever wrote and wasn't sorry even once! I was happy that I had a few years on the book because for months I was never without a Cherry Adair book, I became pretty spoiled! Doesn't matter where you start, you'll always come back for more!

like · see review

Oct 06, 2010 Sheila rated it 2 of 5 stars

There wasn't much good about this book, the characters weren't well developed, the whole plot wasn't very well developed. Add in the whole "I'm a psychic and can talk to my twin brother in my head" and it was just too much to bear, I hope her later books get better. I'm giving it two stars because the writing wasn't bad, just all the rest of the stuff.

like · see review

Apr 04, 2012 Paloma Beck rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

Listened to the book on audiobook. Enjoyed the story because it has everything a romantic suspense should have - hot as sin hero, tight storyline, sexy romance, and high suspense and intrigue. Heroine was a bit whiny for my style but I guess if I went through what she did, perhaps I would be that whiny too.

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
What's The Name o...: SOLVED romantic suspense?!?! Sister looking for brother missing, help of team members?!? [s]	6	27	May 01, 2013 04:20pm

combine
Other Editions (8)

More editions...

Genres

Romance > Romantic Suspense

81 users

Romance

68 users

Suspense

26 users

Contemporary

18 users

Romance > Contemporary Romance

16 users

Adult

11 users

War > Military

10 users

Romance > Paranormal Romance

9 users

Mystery

8 users

Adult Fiction > Erotica

5 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Cherry Adair

Always an adventurer in life as well as writing, New York Times best-selling author Cherry Adair moved halfway across the globe from Cape Town, South Africa to the United States in her early years to become a interior designer. Now a resident of the Pacific Northwest she shares the award- winning adventures of her fictional T-FLAC counter terrorism operatives with her readers.

Cherry settled in bea...more

More about Cherry Adair...

Books by Cherry Adair

Rescue Me (Includes: T-FLAC, #12; Tempting SEALs, #6)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Mercenary

3 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

title link	preview: The Mercenary
avg rating	preview: The Mercenary Goodreads rating: 3.74 (1418 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2078174.The_Mercenary?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1300800250l/2078174.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2078174.The_Mercenary?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Mercenary by Cherry Adair[/url]

The Mercenary (T-FLAC #1)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website