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38th out of 848 books
—
1,042 voters
Black Ice (Ice #1)
by
Anne Stuart
Living paycheck to paycheck in Paris, American book translator Chloe Underwood would give anything for some excitement and passion--even a little danger. So when she's offered a lucrative weekend gig translating at a business conference in a remote chateau, she jumps at the chance to shake things up.
Then by chance Chloe discovers her employers are anything but the entrepre...more
Then by chance Chloe discovers her employers are anything but the entrepre...more
Mass Market Paperback, 377 pages
Published
May 1st 2005
by Mira Books
(first published 2005)
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Sep 29, 2010
Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Fans of dark romance with very edgy heroes/antihero
There is something to be said for rereads. I read this one more slowly this time, savoring the language and the scenes. I love dessert. It's my favorite meal. And I always eat my dessert very slowly. Sadly, I read this so fast the first time, since Ms. Stuart hadn't put out a book a while before this one, too fast to truly take in and appreciate all the nuances. This time, I tried to treat Black Ice as if it was a dessert to be savored. And indeed, it was like the most seductive, decadent kind o...more
Jan 25, 2013
UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
author-anne-stuart,
romantic-suspense,
recd-by-danielle,
4-5-stars,
abrupt-ending,
2013-reads,
murder,
mystery,
clandestine-agency,
fell-off-the-edge-of-honor,
must-read-series,
first-in-series,
first-read-of-an-author,
torture,
whodunnit,
location-paris,
location-north-carolina,
bloody-mess,
reviewed-by-me,
hero-super-sexy,
contemporary-bodice-ripper,
asshats-i-love-to-hate,
undercover-operative,
who-can-you-trust,
cant-trust-anyone,
small-town-girl-big-city,
heros-mom-sucks,
heroines-family-awesome,
did-i-just-read-that,
oh-no-he-didnt,
kill-the-hero-save-the-badguy,
heroes-id-do-ten-ways-to-sunday,
heroes-with-sexy-names
Black Ice is the first book in Anne Stuart's Ice series, and one edgy, fast paced, sexy story.
From the cover:
Living paycheck to paycheck in Paris, American book translator Chloe Underwood would give anything for some excitement and passion--even a little danger. So when she's offered a lucrative weekend gig translating at a business conference in a remote chateau, she jumps at the chance to shake things up....more
Then by chance Chloe discovers her employers are anything but the entrepreneurs they appe
Jul 11, 2012
Tai the Lioness
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
EVERYONE, especially guys, guys would love this romance novel
Shelves:
alpha-hero,
abusive-relationship,
diff-between-being-alive-and-living,
favorites,
favorites-of-all-time,
fucked-up-situation,
morbid,
kidnapping,
no-comic-relief,
no-hea,
mind-f-ck,
older-man-younger-woman,
nerds-beauty-and-the-geek,
mercenary-bounty-hunter,
ptsd-suffering-scarred-heroes,
recommended-to-all,
oppression,
opposites-attract,
romantic-suspense,
anne-stuart,
extreme-violence,
hero-horrid-jerk-irredeemable-black,
death-would-be-better-than-living,
holy-shit,
depressing,
antihero-gamma,
2012,
dark-edgy-macabre,
stockholm-syndrome,
setting-north-carolina,
setting-paris,
setting-europe
June 24, 2012: 6:30 AM. Mood:Sleep Deprived and Mind Blown
Real Review is written now :p
Oh. My. Gosh. What in the hell did I just read. I can't decide if this is the worst romance novel, if you can call it that, I have ever read or the Best. I mean, it should be called Black Crack. Easily, this is the most twisted sick excuse of a romance novel I have ever encountered. I can honestly say I'm blown, i had no fucking clue what was happening or what was going to happen. This novel goes against EVER...more
basically this sums out how i feel right now
He can do all and he has no real emotions except for lethargy. He is tired. Tired of being manipulated for "good" when in actuality the good is just as bad as the bad. He is tired of killing and his only consolation is that pretty soon his higher ups are gonna kill him. So, he decided to "save" Chloe. I say save lightly because after what she went through I doubt her quality of life highly! This is basically the story, the rest is a high stakes fight for life.
You see, I felt the need to compartmentalize this story, to control something to be able to predict something. However, Stuart nipped that in the bud realllll quick. The characters had two years away from each other, they see each other again and one of the first things that is said is "Stockholm Syndrome isn't real" because it wasn't stockholm syndrome. It was love. You know love isn't this super innocent pure emotion that everyone makes it out be. Love is what you need it to be. You need innocent , its innocent, you need fierce- it's fierce, you need it to be a sick, twisted, tough son-of-a bitch, well it can be that too. It is what you need it to be to get through or even to enjoy what ever it is you are doing. Love is a personal source of strength and therefore it itself is not uniform. 
Vincent Cassel, french actor. This is bastian, hands down. Designer suit, slim build, amazing presence, and its for YSL cologne which is french. Also, in the book the heroine kept waxing poetic about his cologne. So this is him, for sure!![](http://im02.wallpapers76.com/photo/932/Emily-Blunt-006.jpg")
Emily blunt. Pretty, but not beautiful. Large Doe eyes and brown hair. Innocent disposition....not for long on the latter though :/
I really really liked this book a lot but i was sooooo afraid to read it! I kept putting it off and here are the reasons why....
1. The hero in this book is too gamma.
This seemed to be a big issue with some readers. Now i'll admit, i didn't really have a clue what a gamma hero was so i went on the hunt for a definition and this is what i found...
-the gamma hero is one who is indifferent and is never possessive of the heroine.
-a gamma hero is a “combo of the alpha and beta. He’s got all the mad,...more
1. The hero in this book is too gamma.
This seemed to be a big issue with some readers. Now i'll admit, i didn't really have a clue what a gamma hero was so i went on the hunt for a definition and this is what i found...
-the gamma hero is one who is indifferent and is never possessive of the heroine.
-a gamma hero is a “combo of the alpha and beta. He’s got all the mad,...more
Weird book. Not really bad, but not exactly good. Just...weird.
Why? Because the whole book is so cold-blooded. I think the only character that had any heart or soul was Chloe. And I'm not exactly sure how rational she was considering she fell for Sebastien. Not that I really disliked Sebastien. He was rather interesting, but he seems more the type for some really great sex than for love and family. He's also one you probably wouldn't want to turn your back on because he's a cold-blooded killer....more
Why? Because the whole book is so cold-blooded. I think the only character that had any heart or soul was Chloe. And I'm not exactly sure how rational she was considering she fell for Sebastien. Not that I really disliked Sebastien. He was rather interesting, but he seems more the type for some really great sex than for love and family. He's also one you probably wouldn't want to turn your back on because he's a cold-blooded killer....more
Apr 11, 2009
Shawna
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
romantic-suspense,
anne-stuart-kristina-douglas,
2009-reads,
favorites,
cop-bodyguard-govop-merc-military,
hero-antihero-gamma,
series-ice,
favorite-romance-series,
i-read-no-longer-own-sold-swapped,
captive-kidnapped-hostage-slave,
hero-cold-cruelbrute-dark-dangerous,
enemies-to-lovers-opposites-attract,
heroine-curvy-plump-not-stick-thin,
assassin,
action-adventure-treasure-hunting,
5-stars,
hero-brooding,
hero-alpha,
hero-recluse-loner-lonewolf,
archaeology-antiquities-scholar,
hh-warrior,
hh-sweet-nice-paired-vs-gruff-cynic,
mystery-intrigue-espionage-subplot,
hh-spy-agent-for-crown-and-country,
exotic-wild-settings-survivor-lovin,
ending-abrupt-poor-epilogue-needed,
hero-bad-guy-ruthless-villainous,
hero-asshat-award-hall-of-shame,
hh-on-the-run-in-hiding,
hero-silent-quiet-type-reticent,
hero-pissed-me-off-and-turned-me-on,
badass-kickass-motha-fucka,
hero-dark-scary-cool-dangerous-dude,
action-packed,
violence-reader-discretion-advised
5 stars – Romantic Suspense
This book is hard to rate/review because it’s so different from the typical romantic suspense novel and much darker, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but makes it more challenging to describe. I had read a lot of the reviews describing Bastien as the ultimate gamma hero, and boy is he ever! I’m not sure what I was expecting, maybe a Jason Bourne type assassin, but Bastien makes Bourne look like the Easter bunny! He’s brutally cold, ruthless, calculating, manipulative, s...more
This book is hard to rate/review because it’s so different from the typical romantic suspense novel and much darker, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but makes it more challenging to describe. I had read a lot of the reviews describing Bastien as the ultimate gamma hero, and boy is he ever! I’m not sure what I was expecting, maybe a Jason Bourne type assassin, but Bastien makes Bourne look like the Easter bunny! He’s brutally cold, ruthless, calculating, manipulative, s...more
Within the romance genre, this is excellent suspense. Very entertaining.
I like the structure. No cliffhanger endings to scenes, no jumping around in time, no heroine stupidity. The bad guys do smart things to get to the heroine and the hero does smart things to save the day. I was pleased. There was some weakness (the emotional development), but it didn’t bother me enough to take away from 5 stars.
There is not enough emotional development of the relationship. He doesn’t show intense desire for h...more
I like the structure. No cliffhanger endings to scenes, no jumping around in time, no heroine stupidity. The bad guys do smart things to get to the heroine and the hero does smart things to save the day. I was pleased. There was some weakness (the emotional development), but it didn’t bother me enough to take away from 5 stars.
There is not enough emotional development of the relationship. He doesn’t show intense desire for h...more
This book was unique to any other romantic suspense I've read because the main male character, Bastien, was a ruthless killer who worked for a spy organization that believed in killing--or allowing to be killed--a few innocent people for the good of the "whole." But, this organization was full of backstabbers (literally) and they didn't trust one another.
Chloe was a nice character who got herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. There is torture, a lot of killing, running and hiding. If it...more
Chloe was a nice character who got herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. There is torture, a lot of killing, running and hiding. If it...more
Jul 17, 2008
Celeste
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Action/Contemporary Romance
Shelves:
favorites
WOW! Loved Bastien in Black Ice! This book was non-stop action, I couldn't put it down, I started it at noon and finished it that same night around 8pm (that includes being at work and making dinner for my husband!). I now have to go get more Anne Stuart books!
I have really enjoyed a couple of Anne Stuart's historical books so I thought I'd try a contemporary. I think that this is in the romantic suspense genre. I have read plenty of thrillers so that I would have thought that combining the two genres would work for me. Unfortunately this book really disappointed me.
I had a couple of problems- the thriller aspect felt like a pastiche- you know- someone who has seen too many Bond films rather than someone writing imaginatively but with a grain of truth...more
I had a couple of problems- the thriller aspect felt like a pastiche- you know- someone who has seen too many Bond films rather than someone writing imaginatively but with a grain of truth...more
These two...
The book had me gripping my Kindle until the very last sentence. I couldn't write a review straight away because I just had to make up my mind about it. And I still think it will be all over the place.
Going into this I expected something close to Jason Bourne books (sidenote: I loved those books. Everyone should read them).
Was I ever more wrong? What it isn't is your typical romantic suspense. It really has more thrill than romantic elements, and even those are not what I would usual...more
The book had me gripping my Kindle until the very last sentence. I couldn't write a review straight away because I just had to make up my mind about it. And I still think it will be all over the place.
Going into this I expected something close to Jason Bourne books (sidenote: I loved those books. Everyone should read them).
Was I ever more wrong? What it isn't is your typical romantic suspense. It really has more thrill than romantic elements, and even those are not what I would usual...more
Black Ice is a tough book to review. Most of the time I was reading this book, I couldn't decide whether I loved or hated it. It started out a bit slow, and there were too many plot inconsistancies. I also had trouble getting attached to (or even tolerating) the characters at first. One thing that particularly threw me off balance was that, although this book is classified as a romance novel, it did not read like one. Since I read mostly romances, I was expecting to see more of the reassuring st...more
Feb 14, 2013
Melanie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
badass-hero,
baddest-of-the-bad,
gamma-anti-hero,
secret-agent-man,
anne-stuart-kristina-douglas,
cocky-hero,
contemporary,
enemies-to-lovers,
favorites,
genre-benchmark,
man-ho,
once-is-never-enough,
revenge-is-sweet,
rom-suspense,
scarred,
suspense,
tortured-abused,
what-a-creep,
what-a-jerk,
ice-series
WOW!!!!!!!
Anne Stuart is the queen of the anti-hero! I knew going into 'Black Ice' that Stuart had a penchant for writing gamma guys, but Bastien Toussaint makes all other anti-heroes I've read look like pussies!
Honestly, it was shocking how cold and despicably cruel Bastien was, and I spent a good deal of the book appalled by him and his actions. But, for all my loathing of his character, especially in the beginning, I have to say I loved every minute of it. 'Black Ice' totally blew me away!
W...more
Anne Stuart is the queen of the anti-hero! I knew going into 'Black Ice' that Stuart had a penchant for writing gamma guys, but Bastien Toussaint makes all other anti-heroes I've read look like pussies!
Honestly, it was shocking how cold and despicably cruel Bastien was, and I spent a good deal of the book appalled by him and his actions. But, for all my loathing of his character, especially in the beginning, I have to say I loved every minute of it. 'Black Ice' totally blew me away!
W...more
"She'd remember, and she'd start shaking, and there was no one there to remind her to breathe."
This is such a hard book to review. Totally easy to rate, though.
Five
Huge
Stars
I can understand why some people took Bastien to be just a little too cold-hearted. But I just can't bring myself to care. I LOVED him, so much! He is ruthless and soulless. For nearly the entire book, he just doesn't back down. But you also get a glimpse of the emptiness that he exists with, the nothingness that is in his...more
This is such a hard book to review. Totally easy to rate, though.
Five
Huge
Stars
I can understand why some people took Bastien to be just a little too cold-hearted. But I just can't bring myself to care. I LOVED him, so much! He is ruthless and soulless. For nearly the entire book, he just doesn't back down. But you also get a glimpse of the emptiness that he exists with, the nothingness that is in his...more
Mar 13, 2008
Auntee
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Romantic Suspense fans
Recommended to Auntee by:
Eastofoz
I'm so glad I finally read this one! Just excellent--I really enjoyed it! Bastien was such a bad boy hero (unlike any I've ever read). I was so glad that Chloe was able to melt that 'black ice' around his cold heart! This book was just non stop action--I can't wait to read the rest in the series! Thanks, Eastofoz, for the recommendation!
I am not even sure if I liked this book! It was compelling in a sinister, weird and dark sort of way, but the plot was just silly and unrealistic, and the "hero" was totally an anti-hero, which generally I don't have a problem with, but he was Cold, I mean really cold and detached. Sociopath. That is Sebastian/Bastien/Jean-Marc/Etienne. Chloe was cute in a pure and innocent way, although, seriously? She fell in love with the person who practically raped her, lied to her, punched her, manipulated...more
I have never read this author before and I'm still trying to figure out how Black Ice got such rave reviews. Some unrealistic scenarios are to be expected in this genre but Black Ice is so implausible that it prevented me from enjoying any part of it.
Stuart makes Chloe Underwood sound more like a heroine from an early Mills & Boons novels. Think virgin schoolmarm on her first trip abroad and totally clueless about everything. Everything about her is inconsistent and I couldn't help but wonde...more
Stuart makes Chloe Underwood sound more like a heroine from an early Mills & Boons novels. Think virgin schoolmarm on her first trip abroad and totally clueless about everything. Everything about her is inconsistent and I couldn't help but wonde...more
Meh. And I had such high hopes for this book too. Maybe that was part of the problem.
Chloe Underwood finds herself unwittingly caught in a dangerous ring of big time crims and cartels. When she discovers too much, her subsequent necessary removal is considered at best a minor inconvenience, at worst, collateral damage, by both those who seek to kill her and the man who finds himself inexplicably driven to save her.
The problem here is I didn't develop any form of affinity with any of the characte...more
Chloe Underwood finds herself unwittingly caught in a dangerous ring of big time crims and cartels. When she discovers too much, her subsequent necessary removal is considered at best a minor inconvenience, at worst, collateral damage, by both those who seek to kill her and the man who finds himself inexplicably driven to save her.
The problem here is I didn't develop any form of affinity with any of the characte...more
Gee, I’m on the fence with this one. Yes, I enjoyed the book but mainly because I found Sebastian (Bastien) interesting, certainly not your average hero. He was ruthless, lethal and oh so self-assured which I liked, such a nice change from your everyday run of the mill male that I have read about lately in most romance novels. But I didn’t understand why he kept Chloe around for as long as his did, she reminded me of your typical female (well maybe that was the appeal). There was one part where...more
Cover & Title - 4 out of 5
Favorite Line - “If we're going to die there's no harm in telling me pretty lies, In the end it won't matter, and I'll die happy."
Favorite character - Bastien
I have been looking for a book with an anti-hero/bastard of a male lead, I certainly found this in book. Bastien is ridiculously tough, alpha & sexy. He was a wet dream in e-print. I couldn't even bring myself to dislike him when he was being his most atrocious.
I managed to like Chloe too even though the o...more
Favorite Line - “If we're going to die there's no harm in telling me pretty lies, In the end it won't matter, and I'll die happy."
Favorite character - Bastien
I have been looking for a book with an anti-hero/bastard of a male lead, I certainly found this in book. Bastien is ridiculously tough, alpha & sexy. He was a wet dream in e-print. I couldn't even bring myself to dislike him when he was being his most atrocious.
I managed to like Chloe too even though the o...more
Yep, I'd say Ms. Stuart can write contemporaries, and can she ever write romantic/suspense! This is one of the best RS books I have read in a LONG time! It reminded me of the James Bond film "Casino Royale". The Hero is the same type, he does his job, using whatever means is necessary, killing whoever gets in his way, he has no real value on his own life - only as much as it pertains to finishing his task. Then a completely innocent young woman inadvertently gets caught in the middle. Having lon...more
Best 25 cents I ever spent at the library in the used books bin!
My first Anne Stuart - really fun, I practically devoured it in one sitting.
I kind of imagine Bastien as Clive Owen... that that is wonderful.
My first Anne Stuart - really fun, I practically devoured it in one sitting.
I kind of imagine Bastien as Clive Owen... that that is wonderful.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This is my first book from this author after hearing about her regencies and her non-traditional heroes. Bastien is supposed to be working undercover for a top-secret organization for maintaining world-peace at any cost. Chloe works as a translator for children's books in Paris. She takes a weekend job as a translator for a discussion. She stumbles into a discussion way over her head and the rest of the book is on her survival from the rest of the gang with the help of Bastien. Stuart wries exce...more
Jan 23, 2011
✿Michelle✿
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Readers who enjoy romantic suspense, or espionage
Shelves:
romance-suspense,
1st-in-series
I finished reading this one, and I loved it! I'd even like to see Black Ice turned into a movie. At first I was thinking that Bastien was a real butthole, and that there wasn't ANYTHING he could do to redeem himself. But then things kept happening, and then we get a glimpse into his background, so it was easier to accept him, and appreciate him for being the flawed hero he was as the story progressed. There were some major twists just when I thought I knew what was happening. I was pleasantly su...more
I’m not sure why I like this series, but I do. I would not label this series romantic suspense. There is far too much murder and torture for the romance label. Maybe little ‘r’ romantic, big ‘S’ Suspense. The characters really aren’t that likeable. The heroine, while not quite TSTL, does make some monumentally bad decisions. Once again, the hero is a hard, calculating bastard for the vast majority of the story. He does soften just the tiniest bit towards the end, unlike the other book I read fro...more
Apr 13, 2013
Veevy
added it
I have mixed feeling about this book, I'll give it a 2.5/5. It didn't leave me with that satisfaction I usually have after reading a good book. Frankly, I just wanted the bad guys to die and get out of the way so Chloe and Bastien could be together and the book would end and I'd be done.
Bastien is the only character I could stand in the book. He's kind of sociopathic and he was unapologetic about that and because of that he could see right through people. Being with Chloe also brought out a litt...more
Bastien is the only character I could stand in the book. He's kind of sociopathic and he was unapologetic about that and because of that he could see right through people. Being with Chloe also brought out a litt...more
I almost gave up on this book after the first 25% and I'm very glad I didn't.
The initial setup of a bunch of arms dealers employing the heroine as a translator is ridiculous - particularly as several of the criminals are fluent in French and English, the languages they want translating between.
Later it turns out that half of the people in the gathering are undercover agents. One agent, even two might be reasonable, but four of them, all unaware of each other, stretches credibility.
Also, the he...more
The initial setup of a bunch of arms dealers employing the heroine as a translator is ridiculous - particularly as several of the criminals are fluent in French and English, the languages they want translating between.
Later it turns out that half of the people in the gathering are undercover agents. One agent, even two might be reasonable, but four of them, all unaware of each other, stretches credibility.
Also, the he...more
2 1\2
A nice and very romantic love story. This is the only thing I can say. I enjoyed reading it, but the story wasn't gripping enough to cover the never-ending problems. The book is bondesque,the plot and the characters interesting (and well-rounded). All together they make nothing more than nice, though.
I admit I'm not a fan of Ms Stuart. I didn't like the historical novels of hers I read previously, but as a professional translator I could not resist seeing one as an heroine.:) Unfortunately...more
A nice and very romantic love story. This is the only thing I can say. I enjoyed reading it, but the story wasn't gripping enough to cover the never-ending problems. The book is bondesque,the plot and the characters interesting (and well-rounded). All together they make nothing more than nice, though.
I admit I'm not a fan of Ms Stuart. I didn't like the historical novels of hers I read previously, but as a professional translator I could not resist seeing one as an heroine.:) Unfortunately...more
Questo è uno di quei libri che rileggerei dopo 2-3 giorni che l'ho concluso.
Avvincente e intrigante al punto giusto, non mi ha mai annoiato in una sola pagina, come non ha mai fatto calare quell'alone di mistero che ha avvolto il personaggio di Bastien Toussaint.
Un uomo di ghiaccio, che ha il potere di sminuire il più grande combattente con un solo sguardo.
L'unica capace di minare al suo ferreo autocontrollo è la logorroica Chloe Underwood, un americana a Parigi, che si ritrova al momento sbagl...more
Avvincente e intrigante al punto giusto, non mi ha mai annoiato in una sola pagina, come non ha mai fatto calare quell'alone di mistero che ha avvolto il personaggio di Bastien Toussaint.
Un uomo di ghiaccio, che ha il potere di sminuire il più grande combattente con un solo sguardo.
L'unica capace di minare al suo ferreo autocontrollo è la logorroica Chloe Underwood, un americana a Parigi, che si ritrova al momento sbagl...more
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Anne Stuart is a grandmaster of the genre, winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of more than thirty-five years in the romance business, and still just keeps getting better.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic sus...more
More about Anne Stuart...
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic sus...more
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“And telling you I care about you is a waste of time. I wouldn't have crossed the ocean, come out of hiding, tracked you down, if you didn't matter to me.”
—
42 people liked it
“He pulled her back, off balance so that she fell against him, and he took her face in his two hands and held it very still while his eyes looked down into hers. Somber, truthful, painfully honest. "I love you, Chloe," he said. "Which is the most dangerous thing I could do.”
—
17 people liked it
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