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Ice Blue (Ice #3)

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 1,500 ratings · 122 reviews

Museum curator Summer Hawthorne considered the exquisite ice-blue ceramic bowl given to her by her beloved Japanese nanny a treasure of sentimental value--until somebody tried to kill her for it. The priceless relic is about to ignite a global power struggle that must be stopped at all costs. It's a desperate situation, and international operative Takashi O'Brien has recei...more

Mass Market Paperback, 378 pages

Published April 1st 2007 by Mira Books (first published January 1st 2007)

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May 05, 2012 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of dangerous heroes

Shelves: action-adventure, antihero, asian-hero-or-heroine, captive-kidnapped, covert-agency, scary-sexy-cool-dangerous-hero, favorites, interracial-romance, mainstream-contemporary-romance, part-of-a-series, romantic-suspense, spy, favorite-or-autobuy-author, reread, all-things-winter-challenge, read-the-season-geimhreadh, hero-i-want-to-lick, hero-falls-hard-for-heroine-fast, everyday-girl-next-door-heroine, bbw-heroine, family, heroine-i-liked, yearly-reading-challenge, 2012-sky-s-the-limit-club, dangerous-hero-2012-general-reading, hot-and-steamy-romance, character-multi-ethnic-heritage, good-secondary-characters, set-in-japan, asian-culture, nerd-prof-scientist-genius-geek, possessive-and-or-jealous-hero, 2012-ir-abc-cover-challenge, assassin

The third book in the Ice series gives us the beautiful and deadly angel, Takashi O’Brien. His mission is to secure an ancient Japanese urn and to eliminate a young woman who knows how to lead a group of doomsday terrorists to a shrine where they plan to start Armageddon. But the man who never fails to carry through on his orders ends up falling in love with the woman he’s supposed to kill.

Honestly, I didn’t like the whole doomsday cult aspect. The bad guy was a loser, and I don’t like lazy, ine...more

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Apr 15, 2009 Shawna rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Romantic suspense fans who love sexy gamma heroes

Shelves: romantic-suspense, anne-stuart-kristina-douglas, favorites, 2009-reads, i-read-own-faves-keepers, cop-bodyguard-govop-merc-military, hero-antihero-gamma, best-top-favorites, hero-im-gaga-over, why-do-good-girls-like-bad-boys, series-ice, favorite-romance-series, captive-kidnapped-hostage-slave, hero-cold-cruelbrute-dark-dangerous, enemies-to-lovers-opposites-attract, hero-or-heroine-asian-polynesian, exotic-wild-settings-survivor-lovin, heroine-curvy-plump-not-stick-thin, archaeology-antiquities-scholar, assassin, action-adventure-treasure-hunting, 5-stars, brothers-sisters-cousins-family, hh-spy-agent-for-crown-and-country, mystery-intrigue-espionage-subplot, hero-recluse-loner-lonewolf, hero-bad-guy-ruthless-villainous, hero-brooding, hh-on-the-run-in-hiding, badass-kickass-motha-fucka, action-packed, violence-reader-discretion-advised

5 stars – Romantic Suspense

"Ice Blue" is another intriguing romantic suspense read in Anne Stuart’s gripping ‘Ice’ series and my favorite of the series so far, which is saying a lot considering the two previous books were wicked good too. I thought Bastien and Peter couldn’t be beat for dark, sexy-as-sin gamma heroes, but Takashi ‘Taka’ O’Brien in "Ice Blue" is positively drool worthy! He’s half American, half Japanese, which is a rare combination for a hero of a romance novel, and he resents hi...more 5 stars – Romantic Suspense

"Ice Blue" is another intriguing romantic suspense read in Anne Stuart’s gripping ‘Ice’ series and my favorite of the series so far, which is saying a lot considering the two previous books were wicked good too. I thought Bastien and Peter couldn’t be beat for dark, sexy-as-sin gamma heroes, but Takashi ‘Taka’ O’Brien in "Ice Blue" is positively drool worthy! He’s half American, half Japanese, which is a rare combination for a hero of a romance novel, and he resents his American "gaijin" half. This of course gives him additional material for sexy brooding, which is fine by me!

"Ice Blue" centers on a religious zealot in Japan leading a plot to induce Armageddon. The Committee dispatches undercover assassin Takashi O’Brien to stop the cult using any means necessary, including seducing and/or killing museum curator Summer Hawthorne, who unknowingly holds an ancient Japanese artifact that is a critical piece in the cult’s plot to destroy the world. The sparks between Takashi and Summer are electric and when they finally come together it’s explosive. It just seemed to end much too quickly for me...I wanted more! I’m so glad there are still two more books in the series! Takashi’s volatile cousin Reno was such a mystifying secondary character, and I can’t wait to read his story in "Fire and Ice".

I keep contemplating on what it is exactly that makes the ‘Ice’ series so thrilling, and I think it’s a combination of several things. For starters, Anne Stuart’s love-and-hate’em anti-heroes are truly unique for romance novels, the plots are dark, fast paced, and action packed, the heroines are relatable, imperfect, naïve, vulnerable, yet are strong, beautiful, and persistent enough to thaw the heroes’ ice cold hearts, and the villains are extremely sadistic and malevolent. The books are as compelling as a good suspense thriller movie, like the Bourne movies for instance, and make you wonder what it would be like to be caught up in the violent, turbulent, life-and-death, roller coaster whirlwind with ruthless, cunning, seductive killers like Bastien, Peter, or Takashi. (Or with all three of them at the same time would be my preference...lusty grin!)

"Ice Blue" is a top-notch romantic suspense thriller with a mouth-wateringly sexy gamma hero...5 stars!(less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

4.75 stars! Ice Blue is totally cool. ╍●‿●╍

It's ❤ in the midst of ancient ashes, venerable bones, priceless urns, and sacred shrines. Never a dull moment, right up until the Lunar New Year, and -- oh, no!! -- Armageddon!! It's well-paced, suspenseful, a little scary, and soooo sexy. The story flows, from winter in Santa Monica, California to rain-swept Bainbridge Island in Washington State, to frozen Tokyo and the cleverly conceived confrontation with evil, and finally to London, on the verge o...more

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Jan 29, 2013 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-5-stars, 2013-reads, author-anne-stuart, series-ice, romantic-suspense, steamy-goodness, religious-fanatic, gamma-heroes, crazy-bad-guy, men-in-white-robes, location-japan, location-california, reviewed-by-me

Ice Blue is the third book in Anne Stuart’s popular Ice series, and another exciting, sexy story. This time we're taken on wild ride as The Committee seeks to thwart a crazy villain’s attempt to “cleanse the world” with fire.

Museum curator Summer Hawthorne considered the exquisite ice-blue ceramic bowl given to her by her beloved Japanese nanny a treasure of sentimental value--until somebody tried to kill her for it. The priceless relic is about to ignite a global power struggle that must be sto

...more
Ice Blue is the third book in Anne Stuart’s popular Ice series, and another exciting, sexy story. This time we're taken on wild ride as The Committee seeks to thwart a crazy villain’s attempt to “cleanse the world” with fire.

Museum curator Summer Hawthorne considered the exquisite ice-blue ceramic bowl given to her by her beloved Japanese nanny a treasure of sentimental value--until somebody tried to kill her for it. The priceless relic is about to ignite a global power struggle that must be stopped at all costs.

It's a desperate situation, and international operative Takashi O'Brien has received his directive: everybody is expendable. "Everybody." Especially the woman who is getting dangerously under his skin as the lethal game crosses the Pacific to the remote and beautiful mountains of Japan, where the truth can be as seductive as it is deadly....

Well, I gotta tell you, there’s something wildly addictive about these books – in a twisted kind of way. The villains are always very ambitious in their evil plans for world domination, or as is the case in Ice Blue, True Ascension. In a note from the author, Ms. Stuart gives us a little background to this story:

The True Realization Fellowship and its leader, the Shirosama, is very loosely inspired by the Aum Shinrikyo cult in Japan and their charismatic leader, Shoko Asahara. Most people remember the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subways twelve years ago, when terrorist attacks were less common, and there's something about cults, Jonestown and the like, that are macabre and fascinating. Believe it or not, the real characters were just as badly behaved as my fictional ones—sometimes more so. I simply used Aum as a jumping-off point to create my own delusional madman.

And what a madman he is! Knowing there are really people out there who believe they are "chosen" to cleanse the world added an element of evil to the story that was chilling.

I still can’t believe that I fall so in love with these “heroes” who are willing to do whatever they have to do to complete their mission, and I do mean “whatever” they have to do. This includes sacrificing the heroine to the bad guys, or as the case may be, in order to make sure the bad guys can’t get their hands on her, killing her himself! Luckily, Fate always steps in just in the nick of time and creates a diversion that allows the hero to put off the inevitable… until the inevitable is no longer, and he realizes that he’s screwed. Because that’s what falling in love is. Screwed.

Okay, so I’m speaking in generalizations here, this is true, but so far every hero in this series is amazing and I love them for the same reasons I hate them. They’re sexy and they know it. They’re smart and they know it. They’re without heart and conscience and they know it… and they use all of these things to their advantage. So do you see why I have the Love/Hate relationship with these men that I do?

Thankfully the heroines are not TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) though from time to time they do walk the edge. They’re strong, independent, compassionate, wise and insightful. And they have to be all of these things to bring their men out of the dark world they exist in, and into the light. But don’t worry, these gamma males never lose their edge, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

I absolutely adore Takashi and Summer. They’re a perfect match in every way, even more than I could have imagined. Apart they are amazing, but their strengths and their weaknesses complement one another and together they make a perfect, complete whole.

Madame Lambert’s story is next, and I can’t wait to find out what makes her tick!

4.5/5 starts(less)

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Jan 06, 2012 Crista rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, bad-boys, 5-star, kindle, hot, favorites, series, suspense, tortured-heroines

Wow!

I wanted to end my 2011 reading year with a bang, so I had intentionally saved this one for New Years reading. Ice Blue did not disappoint....it was a great way to end 2011:)

How does this author do what she does, repeatedly, with the same type of gamma hero, and still keep things new, unique, and special from book to book. Man I wish I could have coffee with Anne Stuart!

Ice Blue tells the story of Takashi and Summer. I have to be completely honest...I wasn't sure how I would like a Japanese/...more Wow!

I wanted to end my 2011 reading year with a bang, so I had intentionally saved this one for New Years reading. Ice Blue did not disappoint....it was a great way to end 2011:)

How does this author do what she does, repeatedly, with the same type of gamma hero, and still keep things new, unique, and special from book to book. Man I wish I could have coffee with Anne Stuart!

Ice Blue tells the story of Takashi and Summer. I have to be completely honest...I wasn't sure how I would like a Japanese/American hero. It just isn't done and I've never read a hero like this before. Well I am here to say...I like, I like, I like:)

Ice Blue has the scariest and most insane villain yet. Religious cults and plots to destroy the world are explored as Taka and Summer race to subvert disaster from happening. In some ways, I feel that Taka is the most ruthless and cold of all the Ice heroes. Bastian and Peter were both ruthless killers that could've killed their ladies, but I really thought that Taka WAS going to kill Summer. His feelings for Summer were more deftly hidden than those of Bastian and Peter towards their ladies. There were MANY moments in Ice Blue that I felt as if Summer was not going to make it out alive (even though this goes against Romance 101!)

Summer seemed real to me. I felt that her actions and behaviors fit her situation and her personality. She broke my heart. Her past history of childhood abuse and the loss of her beloved Hana was absolutely heartbreaking and made me love her and want happiness for her.

Taka was a little tougher....but I loved him for it. In someways, too ruthless for my taste, but on the other hand, tender and passionate at just the right moments. The ending was fabulous and I loved the final pages...however, now I'm dying for Jilly and Reno's story!

This was a complete winner for me. I simply cannot decide on my favorite book of this series. It's like Neapolitan ice cream...you need all three flavors, and you definitely need all the books of this series!

Brilliant.
(less)

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Aug 23, 2010 Zeek rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: rom-suspense, romance, contemp-rom

I know this series is very popular, but I just can't seem to get into it so much. I tried the first, Black Ice, and never finished it. But, since I've seen many good reviews for these books, I decided to give it another shot. I DID finish this one- but I still found myself not fully engaged.

Summer Hawthorne has something that others want- a priceless Japanese artifact that prophecy foretold will bring about Armageddon. To her it's just a precious gift from a beloved Nanny who passed away years a...more I know this series is very popular, but I just can't seem to get into it so much. I tried the first, Black Ice, and never finished it. But, since I've seen many good reviews for these books, I decided to give it another shot. I DID finish this one- but I still found myself not fully engaged.

Summer Hawthorne has something that others want- a priceless Japanese artifact that prophecy foretold will bring about Armageddon. To her it's just a precious gift from a beloved Nanny who passed away years ago, but her selfish Hollywood mother has promised it to the leader of a cult that is more sinister than anyone realized.

But Summer isn't no dummy, no one's going to get their hands on it if she can help it. She decides to holds off the leader of the cult, The Shirosama, by exhibiting it in art display, to buy more time in protecting it. Only the game turns dangerous the very night of the Exhibit when she's kidnapped and thrown into the back of trunk by unknown assailants. She doesn't die though, instead she's rescued by a beautiful stranger who's own motives are murky at best.

Takashi O'Brien has a mission. Get his hands on the artifact and destroy it before The Shirosama gets ahold of it - and kill Summer before she can talk. But the cool, level-headed Taka finds both aspects of the mission difficult. Especially when he discovers Summer has secretly hidden the true artifact and replaced it with a fake ... or two. Plus, he's finding he has no desire to eliminate her much to his dismay.

Yep, the attraction he feels toward her is as unwanted as it is irresistible and it will lead them across the world to the source of the artifacts beginnings and to a showdown with the deranged Shirosama that will probably end their association when Taka's original intentions are revealed, if not end their lives.

You'd think this book would have had what it takes to hold my interest. An Eastern setting that I always find difficult to resist, an enigmatic beautiful hero and a feisty heroine.

And yet, as I mentioned before, I found myself skimming at different times. The plot was plausible enough, but it lacked tension. There was no time that I didn't believe they would win and make it out alive- Taka was just too good at what he did. A thriller needs moments of questioning the survival of the protags to make it truly good and it was missing here.

Still, Taka and Summer were too sexy together for me to not finish it! So I'm giving it a 3 out of 5.

That said, I don't think I'm going to continue on in this series. I'm not one bit interested in The Ambiguous Committee- the group of people that this series is centered around- and there's just too many other books out there that I want to get too! (less)

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Jul 28, 2008 Kathrynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kathrynn by: Auntee

Shelves: series-ice_stuart, 2008, romance-suspense, theme-hero_hard_to_like, reviewed

Wow! Having read the first two books in this series, I knew to expect a very mean hero, but wow, what a cold-hearted killer this hero was. Very unlikable for 90% of the book. The heroine was not one of my favorites either. Having said that, the h/h worked well together and the STORY was wonderful. Lots of twists and turns and well thought out events.

I couldn't put this one down for too long. Excellent romantic suspense (with minimal romance). I enjoy this author's books, but can't take them in...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Ari J Bookzilla rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, 2013-absolute-favorites

Continuing on with this maddening but addictive series. I think, so far, I like this one the most in terms of romance. It wasn't so bad! I think. Either that, or my whole perception of romance is changing with these books. Wait, you mean the hero almost killing the heroine 36925 times, willing to sacrifice her for the mission, and even sometimes thinking demeaning thoughts about her is not romantic? How so?

Like Peter, and unlike Bastien, there was a human element to Taka that almost made me like...more Continuing on with this maddening but addictive series. I think, so far, I like this one the most in terms of romance. It wasn't so bad! I think. Either that, or my whole perception of romance is changing with these books. Wait, you mean the hero almost killing the heroine 36925 times, willing to sacrifice her for the mission, and even sometimes thinking demeaning thoughts about her is not romantic? How so?

Like Peter, and unlike Bastien, there was a human element to Taka that almost made me like him instantly. Almost. But in the same pattern, he's just as cold, calculated, heartless and manipulative as the others. He's also slightly different because there's this angsty side to him - he's half Japanese, half American, and he resents that. Also, I'm wondering, in Cold as Ice he says his father is actually Irish. I guess he lied, which is too bad. Not surprising, though. Anyways, it's always there, in the back of his mind and he mentions it quite a few times.
What I liked about him is that he's always calm and collected and you can almost feel it seeping out of the pages. At times I thought he would snap, but he never really does.
And, to be fair, he almost immediately admits he doesn't want to kill her, and while it was the same with Peter who just didn't like killing innocent bystanders, Taka actually had no qualms about doing what needs to be done if the mission asks for it. So it mattered more. I thought of him as some sort of angel of death. I don't know why.

Summer is my favorite heroine of this series yet. Extremely smart, in control and so strong. I was almost wondering if finally a hero in these books meets his match. Sadly, no, and I wonder if it will ever happen. But at least I actually approved of everything she did. She's essentially another damsel in distress, but she's feisty and resourceful and she never lets anything get to her.

The pair of them were great together! I keep thinking for once Anne Stuart will be wrong in matching a heroine to a hero, but so far... no. They were made for each other, great chemistry. And even if she can't match his "special" skills, she can definitely match him in everything else. It was almost funny seeing him annoyed that she was so comfortable in Japanese surroundings.

Yes, people, you get to go to Japan, even if it was brief. The book is set in the US, but also Japan, where it ends with a grand finale. There's a bit of mystery to the story as well, you're wondering about the location of the shrine - did Hana tell her the stories, is it in the books, did she even leave any clue to where it is? There's a mad villain, and you get brief glances into his head, and they are so incoherent you can actually tell the man is absolutely crazy. That being said, I still didn't like the extra POV characters.
Of course, there are a couple of graphic sex scenes, three I think.

I'm still taken aback by the fact that I actually love these heroes. I hate them, but I love them. I was sorely disappointed that we don't get a glimpse of Bastien here (as hard as it is to admit that), but HAI PETER! Yep, I was happy to see him.

Overall, it's a great book. It would be my favorite of the three if there wasn't some weird affection for Bastien and the first book. I'm not sure I'll like the fourth book as far as the blurb goes, but we'll see.(less)

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Mar 21, 2008 Auntee rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Romantic Suspense fans

Recommended to Auntee by: Eastofoz

Shelves: romantic-suspense, anne-stuart, part-of-a-series

Loved this one too, of course! Anne Stuart's 'Ice' series is just so compelling. This one involves a crazy religious cult leader intent on taking over the world and the undercover operative sent to stop him. Takashi O'Brien is yet another one of Anne Stuart's heroes who uses sex as a weapon, and museum curator Summer Hawthorne is the woman who tries hard to resist him. These two were so hot together; my only complaint is there just wasn't enough! By the time they finally admit they can't live wi...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Ash Wednesday (Cupcake Ninja) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, foreign-setting, extreme-alpha-male, rom-suspense, review

3 STARS

Getting into a romantic suspense series, I can only imagine how tough it is for the author to keep the material fresh and cracking. I mean, how many ways can you really make the cold, distant and hot alpha male hero fall for the innocent yet "independent" heroine while he repeatedly attempts and fails to kill her before it goes stale?

Thus far, with this series, I'm getting a bit frustrated.

The thing with this genre is, I have to believe the circumstances are dire. The tension and suspen...more

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Nov 24, 2010 TJ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, romantic-suspense, suspense-thriller

I had a hard time rating this one. It's obviously much better than the last "Ice" installment but I still hate the formula of "hero" sent to murder the "heroine"-treats her abominably-she falls in love-he gives in-the end. In "Ice Blue" the hero even tries to finish the job - three times! Luckily something happens to stop him each time. I guess I just can't fathom any woman actually falling in love with a man she knows will kill her, after he abuses her and in a matter of days. Hey, maybe it is...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Alex Economides rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: authors-p-z, series, romance

My Anne Stuart phase continues....
I loved this series. Yet another beautiful, deadly and so sexy hero...Takashi O'Brien is so fabulous and of course Summer Hawthorne is a woman who ultimately gets what she wants...him!!!!!

I can read these books over and over and still feel the excitement, the thrill of the story.

Ice Blue, 3rd book in Anne Stuart’s Ice Series continues the story of the mysterious Committee agents and it is just as suspenseful and romantic as the previous two books…which I ABSOLUT...more My Anne Stuart phase continues....
I loved this series. Yet another beautiful, deadly and so sexy hero...Takashi O'Brien is so fabulous and of course Summer Hawthorne is a woman who ultimately gets what she wants...him!!!!!

I can read these books over and over and still feel the excitement, the thrill of the story.

Ice Blue, 3rd book in Anne Stuart’s Ice Series continues the story of the mysterious Committee agents and it is just as suspenseful and romantic as the previous two books…which I ABSOLUTELY LOVED…and this one is just as amazing.
Summer Hawthorne’s mother, a rich and spoilt woman who has never cared or loved her had been under the influence of an evil Japanese cult and had promised them the priceless blue bowl, that had been given to Summer by her beloved Japanese nanny. They are determined to get the bowl by any means as it has incredible powers unbeknown to Summer.
Takashi O’Brien is a half American/Japanese (he also belongs to the Yakuza – Japanese Mafia…love those tattoos!!!!) and his mission is to get, by whatever means it requires even if having to seduce or kill summer - the bowl before it gets into the cult’s hands – it’s a very powerful relic which could destroy the world.
Summer has a lot of issues which she has to resolve before she can move forward in the growing relationship with the sexy, mysterious, dangerous Takara, who I really loved. He’s such an interesting character…and the secondary characters are very cool….especially Reno, his cousin who will get his own story soon….the scenes in Japan are fabulous….compelling family secrets…
This is a great suspenseful story in the series that take you on a roller coast filled with action, romance and much more
Fabulous read. Can’t wait for the next book.

The Book Description:
Museum curator Summer Hawthorne considered the exquisite ice-blue ceramic bowl given to her by her beloved Japanese nanny a treasure of sentimental value—until somebody tried to kill her for it.
The priceless relic is about to ignite a global power struggle that must be stopped at all costs. It's a desperate situation, and international operative Takashi O'Brien has received his directive: everybody is expendable. Everybody. Especially the woman who is getting dangerously under his skin as the lethal game crosses the Pacific to the (less)

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Feb 18, 2013 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: anne-stuart-kristina-douglas, badass-hero, baddest-of-the-bad, cocky-hero, enemies-to-lovers, favorites, gamma-anti-hero, genre-benchmark, ice-series, kidnapped, kindle, man-ho, revenge-is-sweet, rom-suspense, secret-agent-man, tortured-abused, what-a-creep, what-a-jerk, interracial-romance, once-is-never-enough

5++ stars

So. Damn. Good!!

Each 'Ice' book just gets better and better and every time I finish one, I have a new favorite. Anne Stuart knows how to deliver chilling suspense, but what really makes these books stand out are her ruthless anti-heroes.

This time we get Takashi O'Brien's story, a half-Japanese, half-Irish secret agent who can blend in anywhere. While Taka doesn't come across as quite as cold as Bestien or Peter, he's still pretty damn lethal and actually comes the closest to killing hi...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Kris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romantic-suspense

4 STARS "Museum curator Summer Hawthorne considered the exquisite ice-blue ceramic bowl given to her by her beloved Japanese nanny a treasure of sentimental value-until somebody tried to kill her for it.

The priceless relic is about to ignite a global power struggle that must be stopped at all costs. It's a desperate situation, and international operative Takashi O'Brien has received his directive: everybody is expendable. Everybody. Especially the woman who is getting dangerously under his skin...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Christine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, suspense-thriller

This wasn't terrible, but I found it unconvincing (could not suspend disbelief), I couldn't get into the characters, and the HEA ending was almost random in its abruptness.

So there's an urn. Bad people want it for some kind of religious craziness that will trigger the end of the world (and just in case the spirits of their ancestors don't bring the apocalypse, they've got some backup plans). Summer has the urn, and, apparently, her Japanese nurse at one point told her where they were supposed t...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Nath rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, read-2007, romantic-suspense

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 3.5/5 (C+)

Review: Seriously, I think I was disappointed by the book. With all the praises about Ms Stuart and the Japanese theme, I got my expectations to high and this book simply didn't meet it. Perhaps, Ms Stuart's style just doesn't agree with me... and she wouldn't be the first author.

The Characters - Hmmm, both Summer and Takashi were complex characters... They're attractive, get a good development, have many issues, but in the end, I think the problem for me was that their issued didn't g...more 3.5/5 (C+)

Review: Seriously, I think I was disappointed by the book. With all the praises about Ms Stuart and the Japanese theme, I got my expectations to high and this book simply didn't meet it. Perhaps, Ms Stuart's style just doesn't agree with me... and she wouldn't be the first author.

The Characters - Hmmm, both Summer and Takashi were complex characters... They're attractive, get a good development, have many issues, but in the end, I think the problem for me was that their issued didn't get resolved. Summer is the daughter from a first marriage of a famous actress. She had a traumatic event in the past, but it doesn't impact much the storyline... and she's ultra-protective of her 16 years old sister, Jilly. Aside from that, her relationship with her mother or stepfather aren't so great. As for Takashi, he's a bastard and also half-American, which doesn't please his very traditional Japanese maternal grandfather. So he's been raised by his grand-uncle, a yakuza leader (i.e. mob). He's expected to quit the Committee soon and marry a woman his grandfather has chosen, and produce little Takashi to please and hope to gain his grandfather's approval. So both bring a lot of baggage with them. They're thrown together under some dire circumstances. They're attracted to each other, without wanting it. Have sex, travel to Japan, defeat a sect... get a happy ending of sort... but at the end, they still have lots of baggages and maybe even more. So what was the point? At least, are they happy together? Hard to tell. As for personality-wise, both are pretty okay. Summer can be a tiny bit annoying sometimes by her naivete, but that's about it. And I have to admit that I was a bit bothered by Takashi little talent, but what can I say?

The Story & Writing - Ms Stuart's writing style is okay... a bit rough, tough and hard tho. She's not shy about using swear words and is quite bold in her writing. She's not the flowery type at all, but that's okay. As for the story, well the story was okay... although the ending, very standard Ms Stuart ending. So far, I've read what, 5 books by Ms Stuart and it's all been the same ending. The only difference was what was said, if any words were uttured. One flaw about the storyline though, is that I can't believe that Summer didn't speak Japanese. No matter what you say, you would expect someone who had a Japanese nanny and who studied Asian arts, especially Japanese arts, to at least speak the language. I mean, how did you study then? With translated books?!? Don't think so. Summer knew simple words such as "Sorry" and "Hi" but seriously, who are you kidding? All the best and dedicated scholars know the language of their specialty... and that's almost a given. She didn't had to speak it well, but at least understand and be able to have simple conversation.

The Cover - I actually really like it. Very nice blue :P

Am I keeping this book? I don't know... going to depend how much I like the two previous books, given that I read them one day(less)

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Oct 21, 2011 Kathy Davie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, suspense

Third in the Ice romance-suspense series revolving around cold, hard men of the Committee intent on preserving the world no matter who it hurts.

The Story
Takashi O'Brien has been assigned to recover the Hayashi Urn and learn the location of the ruined shrine in Japan from Dr. Summer Hawthorne. He has orders to kill her to prevent Shirosama from taking her and learning of the shrine's location. It is but a few days before the True Realization Fellowship and their charismatic leader, Shirosama, mus...more

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Jul 19, 2010 Bookish37 rated it 2 of 5 stars

Audio book, read by Gabra Zackman.

I actually downloaded this one because I enjoyed Zackman's version of Poison Study and I have read a few of Anne Stuart's category romance books. I made it to the end, but this one was a bit too creepy for me (I had to fast forward through the cold-blooded sex scenes), completed by a dish-water heroine with on-demand neuroses.

Summer Hawthorne has possession of a beautiful ceramic bowl, given to her by her nanny, the only person who loved her (sniff), but a dooms...more

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Oct 10, 2010 Adwina Ralston Cumberbatch rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-suspense, steamy-hot-romance, anne-stuart, favorites

btw baru kali ini baca novel yang heronya blasteran Jepang-Amerika..
bner2 deh, ni hero killer sejati
ada adegan yg dy agak nyakitin si cewe (phisically)
dy kan ngincer salah satu benda milik leluhurnya, trus dy agak maksa ni cewe untuk ngasih tau (pdhl cewenya pura2 bego)
si Taka mencengkeram tangannya si cewe. trus habis itu dy malah ngelus2 memar yg disebabkan tindakan dy itu
itu terjadi ampe 3 kali kalo ngga salah
pokonya kalo cewe itu ttp ngga mau ngasih tau keberadaan benda itu, dy bakalan bqn t...more

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Jun 25, 2012 adoree rated it 3 of 5 stars

Bon. C'est un bon livre.
Taka et Summer sont 2 héros comme des crème glacées Magnum: surdimensionnés mais en redemande *-D.

Taka est vraiment très froid et Summer supporte vraiment bcp sans presque jamais flancher.

Alors, oui, Taka vient du Japon et on sait tout ce qui va avec... Ceci explique certainement l'extrême froideur de ce cher membre du comité. Cependant, Sumer est un total mistère pour moi. Personnellement, je l'ai trouvée dure comme de l'acier. Certaine me diront qu'il faut ce genre d'...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Cat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, romance, thriller, favorites

WOW.

Books are frequently described, with no small amount of hyperbole, as "roller coaster rides". Anne Stuart's Blue Ice is one of the few books I've read that actually lives up to that epithet. I was reminded strongly of the work of Eric Van Lustbader, and not just because of the half-Japanese hero and sizzling sensuality. Blue Ice is an explosive, adrenaline pumping gem of a novel.

However, while Stuart's book will satiate fans of action-packed thrillers, it may disappoint a bit for fans of rom...more WOW.

Books are frequently described, with no small amount of hyperbole, as "roller coaster rides". Anne Stuart's Blue Ice is one of the few books I've read that actually lives up to that epithet. I was reminded strongly of the work of Eric Van Lustbader, and not just because of the half-Japanese hero and sizzling sensuality. Blue Ice is an explosive, adrenaline pumping gem of a novel.

However, while Stuart's book will satiate fans of action-packed thrillers, it may disappoint a bit for fans of romance. Summer is an excellent heroine who does a lot of growing throughout the book, but Taka is, forgive me, a real dick. And I absolutely loved him. I cannot express how pleased I was to come across an "assassin tasked to take out a woman he may be falling for" situation where the assassin actually makes a credible attempt to kill his love interest. Taka? Does it at least twice. He's deeply conflicted, and this conflict makes him lash out at Summer in some very unfortunate ways. Thankfully for the reader, Stuart's unparalleled skill as a writer manages to balance Taka's murderous tendencies with his growing feelings for his target, building up a credible and tense relationship between the two of them. As a result, the emotional payoff in the last scene of the book is fantastic.

Of special note is the fact that, though Summer has survived extensive trauma in her life, Taka's brand of special sexual healing doesn't magically cure her of all of her problems. In fact, it makes things worse before they get better. There is one scene in particular where I began cringing as I read it, sure that once again an author was going to have her hero whip out his "magic wand" and "fix" a "broken" heroine with a few quick strokes. I actually cheered out loud when Stuart abruptly swerved away from this cliché, and for that maneuver alone Blue Ice is now one of my all time favorite romance novels.

I really, truly enjoy the seemingly effortless grace with which Stuart constructs continuity in her Ice universe. I'm actually reading the series backward. On a recommendation I started with Book 5, which features Summer's younger sister Jilly and Taka's cousin, Reno. I skipped back to this book in order to see them meet and it was an absolute joy to read. But what struck me was how organic the Ice universe feels, which is a very hard thing to pull off in an interconnected romance series. Most of the time it feels forced and regimented, but not here. Further, even though books 3 and 5 feature familially related and very similar characters, there are many marked and subtle differences between the two couples. Comparing passages featuring Reno and Jilly with passages featuring Summer and Taka, even when they're in the same situation (car chases, running for their lives, etc) each character is distinct and unmistakable. Hat's off to you, Anne Stuart, you are a rockstar among romance novelists!(less)

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Feb 03, 2011 Veeta rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: anne-stuart, romantic-suspense

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

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Jan 10, 2013 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love Anne Stuart. And I loved Cold As Ice (the book before this one in the "Ice" series), so I was really looking forward to reading about Summer and Takashi. That being said, I wasn't really impressed this time around. It starts out well enough with introducing us to Summer and from there the ball gets rolling. The problem is that it just feels oddly mashed together. For instance, we suddenly find out that Takashi's special assassin skill is seduction. Ok, except that I never heard anything a...more

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May 08, 2010 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2010

Dark, brooding foreign assassin who needs to do a kill to save the world but can't because he falls in love with the target? Check.
Target is a young, helpless yet strong female who is slightly overweight and an all-American girl? Check.

It's funny, the books in this series have different (but v. similar) story lines, but everything else is identical. Madam Isobel must be really fed-up, and wondering what you have to do to get the staff these days! However, desperate all that, I LOVE this series....more

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Sep 19, 2012 Jeanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Starting this now! I picked it because it has a Japanese hero/protagonist. We shall see. They are scarce and hard to find in the romantic fiction genre. Sad that.

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Aug 03, 2011 Carrie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio, contemporary, read-2011, spy-secret-agent, suspense, bodyguard, pi-security-service

4.5*

This is the second Anne Stuart book I've read (Black Ice). I can't remember why I chose to skip book two of the Ice series, but I may go back now and listen to it, since I enjoyed books 1 and 3 so much.

This story was exciting and sexy. I was almost unable to stop listening to the audiobook in order to go to sleep last night. I rarely finish full-length audiobooks in two days, often taking a week or more since I only listen while I walk or do chores. For the last two days I've looked for thin...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Ying Yuvejwattana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4 Stars

The writing of Anne is very good. No doubt she is a great writer. It flow smoothly. Ice Blue is not my typical style of novel. Normally I am more a romance, erotic or YA fan. Suspense, not so much. But I just feel like going off my way some times. And I am no disappointed. Ice Blue is not the first book of Ice Series. But I picked this one because the story about Japan is always interesting for me. Taka is a gorgeous assassin. His mission is to kill Summer and bring back the sacred urn b...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Katherine Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read Ice Blue first, not realizing that I was starting in the middle of the series. I had never read Anne Stuart before and was happily surprised to have found a new author to enjoy. As the story progressed and different characters were being mentioned as if I knew them I went looking for more information about Anne Stuart and her previous novels. When I found out that I had started in the middle I immediately bought the first 2 and read them. I was happily surprised that the books were exciti...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Dawnna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow again, really can't put these books down. Total escape. A cult leader who must have this beautiful ceramic bowl to carry out his plans for global power. A beautiful lady who treasures the bowl that was given to her and has it hidden well. The committee that international Takashi O'Brien belongs to wants the bowl as well and Takashi will stop at nothing to keep the evil cult leader from getting it, even if he has to kill Summer to accomplish his mission. Summer knows Takashi wants to get rid...more

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Nov 14, 2010 Crystal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense, chick-lit-romance

This book was all right. It killed time and was a quick easy read. Someone gave it to me and I thought that it was going to be a suspense book and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was also a romance book. It had better written sex sense than I am use to reading in this type of book. But the story itself wasn’t that great of writing. The writer needed to find a better editor I found tons of grammatical and spelling errors through out the book and parts of the book seemed to have rushe...more

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About Anne Stuart

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

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Quotes from Ice Blue

“He released her hand back in her own lap. "Sometimes you give up what you love to stay alive."

"Have you ever had to do that?"

He turned his head to look at her so long it should have been dangerous, but he seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to the road. "It's coming," he said.

And he turned away, driving into the slowly dawning day.” — 4 people liked it

“I knew you'd be wet," he whispered, and gave in to temptation, biting her ear.
She quivered. "Now I want you to spread your legs for me. Just a little bit. That's right," he crooned in her ear. "That's perfect. You're perfect. Beautiful." He kissed the side of her neck, because he couldn't help it. He wanted his fingers inside her, wanted his cock inside her, but he couldn't have what he wanted. If he turned her, yanked off her pants and pushed her down on the floor he wouldn't stop, and this had to be for her and her alone.” — 2 people liked it

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Ice Blue (Ice #3)

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