Hush (Lodestone Trilogy, #1)

May 10, 2011 Auntee rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of steamy romantic suspense with a good dose of action

Shelves: romantic-suspense, 2011_reads, keepers

Cherry Adair, 2011 is your year! First Undertow, now this fantastic action/adventure romance, the first in the Lodestone trilogy? What are you doing to me? You are definitely in the groove, and I hope it continues with Riptide and in 2012 (*darn, why the long wait?*)-- the follow up to Hush.

Hush was just spectacular on all counts--that is, if you like 'em steamy hawt, and with plenty of action. From the very first page I did not want to put this one down, and if I'd had the time I would've read...more

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May 09, 2011 Shawna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cherry-adair-tflac, im-a-cover-hottie-ho, exotic-wild-settings-survivor-lovin, romantic-suspense, rt-book-reviews-top-pick, psychic-special-abilities-powers, heroine-girl-next-door, heroine-kickass-spirited-strong, hero-undeserving-of-heroine, hero-stud-mantel-hall-of-fame, hero-i-wanna-smack, hero-brooding, hero-cold-cruelbrute-dark-dangerous, hero-alpha‎, sports-romance-hot-jocks, i-read-kindle, kindle, 2011-reads, action-adventure-treasure-hunting, angsty-dark-heavy-lotsa-drama, brothers-sisters-cousins-family, captive-kidnapped-hostage-slave, enemies-to-lovers-opposites-attract, hero-abused-scarred-tortured-angst, hero-daddy-warbucks-wealthy, hero-walking-hardon, heroine-abused-traumatic-past-rape, heroine-beautiful-bombshell, hh-sweet-nice-paired-vs-gruff-cynic, hh-widow-or-widower, sizable-packages, steam-2-warm, why-do-good-girls-like-bad-boys, 3-stars, hh-on-the-run-in-hiding

3 stars – Romantic Suspense

This was a fairly entertaining romantic suspense read, but I was a little disappointed.

--The hero was a brooding, self-pitying a**hole who treated the heroine like sh*t for a lot of the book. I just didn’t care much for Zak.

--I liked the heroine, but the premise for her being in Venezuela seemed somewhat far-fetched. I didn’t find it very believable that a play-it-safe, boring girl-next-door from Kansas would become such a sex kitten, jungle survivor queen so easily. B...more

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May 18, 2011 Saly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: single-titles, romantic-suspense

Reading some books is like being on a roller-coaster and Hush is like that. It is an action packed adventure that starts with a bang and doesn't stop.

When Zakary Stark opens his eyes he realizes that she is wrapped around a naked woman, whose name he can't quite recall and before he can do anything more, armed men barge into their room. A kidnapping, now Zak doesn't consider himself a hero but he is worried about the woman and his brother Gideon, he tries to make a move but is unsuccessful, and...more Reading some books is like being on a roller-coaster and Hush is like that. It is an action packed adventure that starts with a bang and doesn't stop.

When Zakary Stark opens his eyes he realizes that she is wrapped around a naked woman, whose name he can't quite recall and before he can do anything more, armed men barge into their room. A kidnapping, now Zak doesn't consider himself a hero but he is worried about the woman and his brother Gideon, he tries to make a move but is unsuccessful, and the next time he opens his eyes, he along with his brother and his one-night stand who he likes to call "Barbie" are in a truck being transported.

Acadia Gray only wanted a adventure, she considers herself a observer and not a doer. Her friends after her father died after a battle with Alzheimer's and she wins the lottery in Kansas, book a trip for Venezuela and she comes a few days before.
So, she lies about herself and spends an uninhibited night with Zak never expecting to get up in the morning and be mauled by men trying to kidnap her. But Acadia is a planner, giver her some time and a list and she can come up with something. She is not someone to take things lying down and she tells Zak that and damn that vest she wore with 28 pockets, she prepared for every contingency, a tent, aspirin, wipes, bandages etc and all of them come in handy and help in their escape.

Acadia thinks that she is the reason they are kidnapped but no Zak and his brother are thrill-seekers and millionaires and partners of a big search engine. Zak has been for the past 2 years pushing the limits ever since his wife died. His brother thinks that his wife Jennifer was the love of his life but she wasn't, she instead was a manipulative woman, who made Zak lose faith, the only reason he feels guilty is because she was his responsibility and he sees himself as no hero. He is quite a jerk sometimes to Cady in the beginning and keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop, that is for Cady to start throwing tantrums. When Gideon tells Zak that they need to separate and he should take Cady Zak is not pleased.

But nope Cady is a kick-ass woman, she is scared no doubt and when Zak collapses because of a bullet wound she takes charge since she has no choice. Seeing her fleece that corrupt police-man was fun and the come-backs she had for Zak and his sarcasm. And the sexual tension is off the charts even when they are sweaty and in the jungle.

I did have a clue about who was orchestrating the whole kidnapping but I was proved wrong in one way. They had such rotten luck, the safe-house is blown up, they have to escape from the hotel and airport after getting back and the company plane blows up, also Gideon is missing.

There is a slight paranormal element introduced after Zak flat-lines, he keeps seeing these coordinates, I was not a big fan of it but it was not that in the face.

The best part of the book was the adventure and resourcefulness of Cady and seeing her and Zak together.

After a very long time I loved a Cherry Adair, can't wait for the next.(less)

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Jun 29, 2011 Lisa Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Lisa Kay by: Auntee

Shelves: genre-romance-suspense, m-pb-paperback, animal-dog-in-story, theme-heroine-heals-hero, genre-action-adventure, reviewed-by-me, authors-a, authors-c, xyzcover-weapon

Angel Falls, Canaima National Park, Venezuela

★★★★✩ I dithered over the rating of this book, bouncing from a 3 to a 4 to a 4½ and back again. The premise was so good; I wanted to like it more than I did. Maybe I will, if I re-read it in the future. Ms. Adair’s story opens with hero, Zak Stark, realizing he has a morning erection. Lucky for him, he still has the one-night stand he picked up in a Venezuelan bar last night securely wrapped in his strong arms; unlucky for him, he has a gun pressed...more Angel Falls, Canaima National Park, Venezuela

★★★★✩ I dithered over the rating of this book, bouncing from a 3 to a 4 to a 4½ and back again. The premise was so good; I wanted to like it more than I did. Maybe I will, if I re-read it in the future. Ms. Adair’s story opens with hero, Zak Stark, realizing he has a morning erection. Lucky for him, he still has the one-night stand he picked up in a Venezuelan bar last night securely wrapped in his strong arms; unlucky for him, he has a gun pressed tight against his temple and a room full of kidnappers.

Some things worked well for me, others didn’t. I didn’t particularly believe the initial reactions of the heroine, Acadia Gray, but she definitely worked for me as the book went on. Her name was too similar to a city near where I grew up, but missing one letter, making the concentration it took on the correct pronunciation take me out of the flow of the read. Nonetheless, unlike some other readers, I got a kick out all the things she pulled out of her SCOTTeVEST along their trek through the jungles of Canaima National Park. Maybe I’ve watched too many I Shouldn’t Be Alive episodes, but I got a real since of time, place, circumstance, and urgency. Possibly why I didn't like Zak and Acadia's bickering, but it didn't last long. I think most people would bond, and thus cooperate, under these conditions.

Zak’s deceased wife, a CNN freelance reporter, is mentioned a lot ; therefore, it took me a while to figure out that he wasn’t with her when she died. This only made me wonder why he felt so strongly about being unable to “rescue” someone ever again. Sure, I could understand his guilt at the failure of his marriage and not being there for her. But his “failure” wasn’t in his survival instincts, so I didn’t get how it related to their current dire circumstances.

After a wild, uninhibited bout of sex with someone you only planned on one night with, what do you do when you’re stuck in a dangerous, life-threating situation? Zak certainly underestimates Acadia and vice versa. Speaking of sex, some (but not all) of the foreplay scenes were inappropriately situated (IMHO) and didn’t ring true; nevertheless, the sex, when it finally happened, was h-o-t!

After an adventurous thrill-ride, I wasn’t overjoyed with the ending (and immediately checked cherryadair.com – a wonderfully designed website – to see if there was another book to make this into a series). However, overall, I have to say I had trouble putting this book down; I wanted to find out what happened ! To me, that is a sign of a GoodRead and secured it as a four star rating.

To see a five minute slideshow of author’s eye photos for this book, click on this: Adair’s Link.
(less)

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Mar 14, 2012 Cherry Adair added it · (Review from the author)

Here is the backcover copy for HUSH (the one someone put up is the back cover for BLACK MAGIC )
Sorry - I'd put it where it belongs, but I have no idea how to do that.

A reckless adventure in a deadly paradise.
Thrill seekers Zakary and Gideon Stark travel the globe in search of extreme adventure, but a trip to Venezuela to jump off the world’s highest falls catapults them into a perilous game of life or death—where they don’t know the rules.
A one-night stand that will change his life forever.
K...more

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May 08, 2013 Andreasoldier rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Quiet, next-door neighbor, good girl type Acadia is coaxed on a trip to Venezuela by pals. She goes a day early and decides to do adventure up right by having a one-night stand with hottie Zak she picks up in bar.
Very early in morning, men break into her hotel room and kidnap her and said hottie. She thinks it is because she won a lottery; he's pretty sure its because he founded a Google-like company.
They're dragged into jungle, where his brother is being held.
Turns out hottie has been burned b...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Lisa Cummings rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am so glad to see that Cherry Adair is finally getting away from all the magic and paranormal stuff. There is a little bit in this book, but it doesn't make you have to suspend all reality to get into the story. I was a huge fan of the original T-Flac books but then the paranormal stuff not only entered into the story lines but also took them over.

My personal preference is Romantic Suspense, but I can get into some other things as well. That being said, I can't get into anything that isn't wel...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure-adv-romance

This one action packed ride from start to finish. I felt like I was gasping for breath because of the story being unfolded at such a fast rate of speed. Just when I thought, 'Aha! They're safe at last.' Uh-uh, bad guys are on them again.

This is the story of Acadia Gray who comes to Venezuela to tour the falls as just a little adventure she promised herself to recover from her father's death and lead her into the start of going to college as an architect. She is a simple, quiet person who likes t...more

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Sep 11, 2011 Jane Stewart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

Weak 3 stars. Ok for lots of adrenaline, action, and fighting, with some romance. Weak character development and plot.

STORY BRIEF:
Acadia works in a sporting goods store. In an effort to expand her horizons she agrees to take a vacation to Venezuela with her girlfriends. She buys a vest and pants with many hidden pockets which she fills with a variety of camping supplies. She arrives a day early, meets Zak in a bar, and spends the night with him. The next morning thugs with Uzis break into the ro...more Weak 3 stars. Ok for lots of adrenaline, action, and fighting, with some romance. Weak character development and plot.

STORY BRIEF:
Acadia works in a sporting goods store. In an effort to expand her horizons she agrees to take a vacation to Venezuela with her girlfriends. She buys a vest and pants with many hidden pockets which she fills with a variety of camping supplies. She arrives a day early, meets Zak in a bar, and spends the night with him. The next morning thugs with Uzis break into the room, kidnap them, and take them into the jungle. They also take Gideon, Zak’s brother.

Zak, Gideon, and Buck developed a software that made them billionaires. Zak and Gideon are adventure thrill seekers. They went to Venezuela to jump off Angel Falls.

REVIEWER’S OPINION:
Hero and heroine are both smart. No one does anything stupid which is good. Most of the book is action. This would be very fitting as a movie – guns, capture, escape, fleeing, fighting during flight, getting help, fleeing, bad guys keep finding them and trying to kill them, more fleeing, etc. The big mystery is who is behind the bad guys. I’ll call this person X. At one point we believe X wants one brother dead and the other alive. There is also a chance X is after Acadia.

For romantic suspense lovers, this is probably ok. But my reaction was not the best. It was easy to put down. I did not find myself eager to get back to it. I was not engaged. There was nothing creative about this - nothing new or different. It was just bad guys chasing good guys and using guns. When things got worse, Zak conveniently called his CIA friend for more help, again with bad guys chasing good guys.

I’ll give you an example of what was missing. I recently read a different book in which a hero has a friend who is a quadriplegic. The hero sets up a hidden camera to see if the caregiver is abusive. The FBI then visits the quadriplegic for the first time and does something terrible. The hero didn’t expect that and now uses the tape to force the FBI to cooperate with something the hero wants. That intrigued me. I wasn’t expecting it, neither was the hero. It was a rare instance of someone getting something over the FBI.

In this book, the bad guys have every resource and as a result are always able to find out where Zak and Acadia are. That was just too convenient. There is never any outsmarting them or getting one-up over them. Lucky shots with guns is the only thing that finally gets them. I would have preferred unexpected things and out thinking them.

The most interesting parts of this book were two things. Acadia made good use of the supplies in her pockets. The best scene was something in her pocket which was used to drug the bad guys. Thank goodness the thugs didn’t search her to find these things before they put her in a locked room. Second, Zak nearly dies but survives. As a result he has a new psychic ability which comes in handy. Although it doesn’t play a big role.

Character development could have been better. I didn’t feel much for Zak. He desired Acadia sexually, but I didn’t see other desires for her or much relationship development. They were always on the run.

The ending wasn’t as feel good as I normally hope for in romance novels. Yes the hero and heroine get together, but there was some sadness, maybe a feeling of wanting more of something.

DATA:
Story length: 416 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scene: 3. Estimated number of sex scene pages: 13. Setting: current day Venezuela and a little bit of Boston, Massachusetts. Copyright: 2011. Genre: romantic suspense.(less)

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May 13, 2011 May rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book read like some kind of dream. I mean literally - like one of those dreams where you wake up and say "what the F*$* was that about?!"

"Hush" indeed... as in SHUSH! QUIET! make the book stop!!

Thing is? I was digging the first 1/4 of this or so. I mean I was REALLY liking it! I could go along with the surly man who'd been burned by love + the girl who never is wild but acted out one time and wound up kidnapped for it romantic suspense story. There was some snappy dialogue and I REALLY was...more

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May 09, 2011 Christi Snow rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is easily a 4 1/2 star for me...I loved it and was bawling through the end of it! Full review to follow...just need to sort out my thoughts about it. Great book!!!

My Review:
This book jumps right into it- opening scene- Hero, Zak, and Heroine, Acadia, have already done the deed after a one-night hook-up. Zak wakes up with a gun shoved into his head and this is the beginning of an amazing action-packed adventure through the jungles of Venezuela.

I'll be honest with you...as I am writing this r...more This is easily a 4 1/2 star for me...I loved it and was bawling through the end of it! Full review to follow...just need to sort out my thoughts about it. Great book!!!

My Review:
This book jumps right into it- opening scene- Hero, Zak, and Heroine, Acadia, have already done the deed after a one-night hook-up. Zak wakes up with a gun shoved into his head and this is the beginning of an amazing action-packed adventure through the jungles of Venezuela.

I'll be honest with you...as I am writing this review, I am still reeling from the emotions that this book invoked. I spent the final 2 chapters of the book bawling- that's usually the sign of a good book. :o)

THis book is 416 pages of pure adrenaline and adventure. There is no stopping and quite honestly, it almost became a negative in this book because it became a bit exhausting. But at the same time, it makes for an exhilarating read. The only thing hotter than the adventure in this book is the chemistry between Acadia and Zak. They had an explosive night of passion, but it was supposed to be just that...one night. So when they suddenly find themselves trudging through the jungles of Venezuela at gunpoint, that passion takes another form...aggravating the heck out of each other.

You don't think that reading about walking through the jungle for pages on end as very exciting, but Cherry Adair makes it work. From watching Gideon and Zak working silently together, to the snark between Acadia & Zak, to the wonders of Acadia's wonderful pocket-filled vest...this trek is highly entertaining and fun. There's just a special magic/zing between the 3 characters that seemed real. I connected with them.

I loved how Acadia proved stronger and more resourceful than either Zac or she expected. She proves over and over again that, while she never would have chosen to go on this adventure, she absolutely handles everything thrown at her. As Zak and she learn to respect each other, their passion takes hold again and this turns into a novel that can be considered steamy for more than just the jungle heat and humidity.

Another aspect that I loved about this book was the relationship between the brothers, Zak and Gideon. They are so vital to one another- there are a lot of layers of emotion here and it made the book so emotional for me. I only hope that Gideon shows up again in future books of this series...really, really crossing my fingers here!

There is a twist to this book which obviously is the basis for the future books. I look forward to seeing how Cherry Adair proceeds. It's bound to be a lot of fun!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Tons of adventure, tons of emotion, and a suspense finale that I never saw coming(less)

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Apr 30, 2012 Coleen Scott rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

This book was a winner in some areas, a miss in others. Overall, I loved the action/adventure quotient, but felt let down by the characterization and romance factor. There were also some pretty hefty stretches of my "suspension of disbelief" factor.

Elevator summary: Zak Stark (richie-rich owner of a search engine) and Acadia Grey (small town girl who doesn't take risks, works at a hardware store and won the lottery) hook up in Venezuela and get kidnapped along with Zak's brother. They spend the...more This book was a winner in some areas, a miss in others. Overall, I loved the action/adventure quotient, but felt let down by the characterization and romance factor. There were also some pretty hefty stretches of my "suspension of disbelief" factor.

Elevator summary: Zak Stark (richie-rich owner of a search engine) and Acadia Grey (small town girl who doesn't take risks, works at a hardware store and won the lottery) hook up in Venezuela and get kidnapped along with Zak's brother. They spend the rest of the book running from the baddies who are hot on their heels. They have a great deal of excellent sex, and a lot of things blow up. There's a happy ending with some bittersweet moments.

What I liked: Nice adventure component - the race to safety through the jungle was compelling. Strong international component, although I'm not sure the country of Venezuela would appreciate the fact that nearly every institution and individual in this book is painted as corrupt or criminal.

For the second half of the book, the two mains are pretty much always on the run, and the plot zings along with them. The female lead is strong, resourceful and saves grumpy Zak just as much as he saves her (and possibly more). The paranormal element introduced in the last third of the book provides an intriguing set up for the rest of the series.

What didn't work for me: If you're being held naked in a hotel room by armed terrorists, you're not thinking about your one night stand's cock or how great he was in bed. Period. Full stop. This scene nearly ended the book for me - too unrealistic.

Terrorists don't search people they just captured? They don't search the women wearing a MULTI-POCKETED UTILITY VEST that is loaded down with everything from a knife to food to eye drops? That didn't ring true to me.

Never split up. Everyone knows this. Just watch Scooby-Doo. When you split up, bad things happen.

The baddies are tracking you through the jungle by following your trail through the vegetation. That makes sense. You hide. They keep going. Do they not notice that your TRAIL STOPPED? That didn't make sense.

And who are all these people with safe houses, hidden cars (that never get towed) in the most opportune locations, and strike teams complete with machine guns and helicopters? These guys are Silicon Valley entrepreneurs - they run a website. Do you think Sergey and Larry have a private army in their back pockets, ready to wreak havoc in a developing world nation at the drop of a hat? I think not. Venezuela does have laws, borders, and flight plans, just like the rest of the world.

I can overlook all of that (it's a piece of fiction, I get it). What I was most disappointed in was the lack of romantic tension between the two leads. They have a lot of steamy sex (which is great), but the love part doesn't come until the end and it feels a bit rushed as a result. I would have liked a bit more build in there.

Zak Stark isn't the most likeable character I've ever read - he's pretty grouchy and not terribly appreciative of the fact that Acadia saves his ass, repeatedly. Comes off as a bit of self-centered jerk in spots. Nice redemption at the end, but I actually liked his brother more than Zak.

All that said, I liked the paranormal concept introduced at the end enough that I'll try the next book. Call me optimistic - would love to discover this one was an anomaly. (less)

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May 26, 2011 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads

The story opens with Zak in bed, naked woman in his arms and a gun pointed at his head. So…no dull, slow start with this one! And the story didn’t let up. The action started at page one and just when our hero and heroine catch their breaths, they’re off and running again.

Zak, his brother Gideon, and naked woman Acadia are all taken prisoner by a group of Guerrillas for what they’re told is for ransom. Zak and Gideon are millionaires, probably a million ti...more Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads

The story opens with Zak in bed, naked woman in his arms and a gun pointed at his head. So…no dull, slow start with this one! And the story didn’t let up. The action started at page one and just when our hero and heroine catch their breaths, they’re off and running again.

Zak, his brother Gideon, and naked woman Acadia are all taken prisoner by a group of Guerrillas for what they’re told is for ransom. Zak and Gideon are millionaires, probably a million times over, being founders of an Internet company ZAG Search. Acadia, thinking that possibly the captors caught wind that she herself is wealthy, having just won a Kansas lottery ($500,000!) realizes pretty fast that in fact, no, they weren’t captured for her money, she was just the unlucky person in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong man.

Our trio manages to escape, but become separated. Gideon already injured convinces Zak to take care of Acadia while he goes it alone and they all plan to meet up in a few days in Caracas. The trek doesn’t go smoothly as Zak and Acadia find themselves constantly dodging the enemy and having no idea who is behind any of this. They finally make it to Caracas but Gideon is missing and when he doesn’t check in, Zak gets in touch with friends, including their business partner Buck, to help get the resources to find Gideon. During this process, Zak realizes that not everything is what it seems in his life and who exactly wants him captured and dead is beyond belief.

While the suspense kept the story moving at a pretty good clip, I was most pleasantly surprised with the humor. Acadia cracked me up for the entire book. When she’s nervous she talks. A lot. And lies. She was squeamish during their time in the jungle, with good reason (all those nasty bugs) but when she needed to get things done, when she was the one who needed to take care of Zak, she found a way and pulled something out of her SCOTTeVEST. I don’t hike or camp or do anything really adventurous, but dammit, I want a SCOTTeVEST!

Zak’s sixth sense – I’m not really sure what to think of it, I didn’t love it, didn’t hate it and it appears to be the launching pad for the rest of series. I will love his ability for all time if he’s able to use it to find a certain someone in the next book…at least I’m hoping this happens in book 2!

This a really nice 4-star read – It’s a fast paced suspense story, with great romance, a prickly hero I totally loved and a heroine who had me laughing one minute and cheering for her the next. Very much looking forward to book 2.(less)

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Apr 28, 2011 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hm... let's see... hot brothers, hot smex, lots of adventure, plenty of bad guys and a mystery all in one book? Yep, that is Hush. However, I won't Hush and tell you I enjoyed this adventure. I will also tell you that for 1/2 the book I really hated the hero (anti-hero?) of this book, Zak. He was arrogant, mean, and well... a complete a~, uh, jerk. I just didn't think I would end up liking Zak and I thought Acadia was insane for being as nice to him as she was in this book. Okay, I did get that...more

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Sep 01, 2011 Mom rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-during-2011, the-best-my-favorites

REALLY GOOD - CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE.

A reckless adventure in a deadly paradise.

Thrill seekers Zakary and Gideon Stark travel the globe in search of extreme adventure, but a trip to Venezuela to jump off the world’s highest falls catapults them into a perilous game of life or death—where they don’t know the rules.

A one-night stand that will change his life forever.

Kidnapped with a woman Zak knows nothing about, the brothers are held prisoner deep in the jungle. A risky, deathdefying esca...more

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May 06, 2011 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

I waffle between 3 and 4 stars for HUSH. I really wish we could give half stars.

I love Cherry Adair - she gives me what I want every time: likable characters, good chemistry, action-packed suspense, and hot monkey sex. That being said, I was a little nervous about HUSH when we were first introduced to the characters; I was worried I wasn't going to like them enough to place this book on the same level with some of my other Adair favorites (like Kiss and Tell and Out of Sight). Perhaps Acadia was...more

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May 01, 2011 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars

From the back cover:

"A reckless adventure in a deadly paradise.

Thrill seekers Zakary and Gideon Stark travel the globe in search of extreme adventure, but a trip to Venezuela to jump off the world’s highest falls catapults them into a perilous game of life or death—where they don’t know the rules.

A one-night stand that will change his life forever.

Kidnapped with a woman Zak knows nothing about, the brothers are held prisoner deep in the jungle. A risky, death defying escape separates them and ne...more From the back cover:

"A reckless adventure in a deadly paradise.

Thrill seekers Zakary and Gideon Stark travel the globe in search of extreme adventure, but a trip to Venezuela to jump off the world’s highest falls catapults them into a perilous game of life or death—where they don’t know the rules.

A one-night stand that will change his life forever.

Kidnapped with a woman Zak knows nothing about, the brothers are held prisoner deep in the jungle. A risky, death defying escape separates them and nearly claims Zak’s life . . . until his recovery reveals a baffling new sixth sense."
My Thoughts:

Sounds interesting, right?? I must say that it definitely was and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. One of the things that I enjoyed most about the story was the fast-paced, edge of your seat atmosphere that the author created. This book was such a page-turner that there were times when I literally had to stop and slow myself down so that I wouldn't miss anything. The action in the novel starts from the very beginning and doesn't let up until the very end. The constant danger mixed with romance made for a winning combination. I liked that I never knew what was going to happen next. The two main characters were very enjoyable and I was rooting for them from the very beginning. I loved that they constantly tried to resist the feelings that they had for each other until they couldn't hold out any longer. It helped to make the book that much more interesting, and I felt that this book was the perfect blend of romance and suspense. The book was a bit corny at a few different points but rather than detracting from the story, it made me laugh and I couldn't help but like the book even more. There was a point during a sexual scene where the author is describing how well endowed Zak was and I found myself giggling. And I thought to myself, "Did she really just compare that to that???" I liked that the author could make laugh while reading and that everything wasn't so serious the entire time. The ending of the book was completely unexpected and I didn't see it coming whatsoever. I was blown away. I literally felt my jaw drop even though I felt that the author did a great job of wrapping it up.

I really enjoyed reading this book and although this was my first time reading this author it will definitely not be my last! This is probably one of the best romantic suspense books that I've read in a long time and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Very enjoyable :)

Disclosure: I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review as part of Gallery & Pocket Books Romance Blog Tour. I'm a day late, my apologies!(less)

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Sep 07, 2012 Darcy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Darcy by: Heather Tisdale

Shelves: 2012, romantic-suspense

With the sword on the cover this book wasn't what I expected, I expected it to be some PNR thing. What I ended reading was good, but it took me a while to get past my preconceived notions.

I really liked Acadia from the start, thought she was spunky and she did very good with the circumstances she found herself in. I loved how she flipped crap back at Zack and even had to be the one to take the lead when they were on the run and how resourceful she was.

I felt bad for Zack at the end. It seemed l...more

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Apr 28, 2011 Marquetta (LoveToReadForFun) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, rom-suspense

This the first book I've read by Cherry Adair and let me say this, it won't be the last. HUSH immediately starts off with intense action. Zak and Acadia are two strangers who meet and have a one-night stand. That one-night stand turns into a kidnapping when armed men burst into Acadia's hotel room and Zak wakes up with a gun to his head. Acadia is a woman who wanted a little adventure in her life. She recently won the lottery and wants to take an adventurous vacation with her girls. She gets mor...more This the first book I've read by Cherry Adair and let me say this, it won't be the last. HUSH immediately starts off with intense action. Zak and Acadia are two strangers who meet and have a one-night stand. That one-night stand turns into a kidnapping when armed men burst into Acadia's hotel room and Zak wakes up with a gun to his head. Acadia is a woman who wanted a little adventure in her life. She recently won the lottery and wants to take an adventurous vacation with her girls. She gets more than what she bargained for when she hooks up with Zak and is involved in a kidnapping plot where the stakes are high and no one's sure they'll make it out alive.

Acadia is a character that walked the fine line between annoying and funny. She would be annoying with her know-it-all attitude but then would say something sarcastic and funny and you would forget that she was being annoying. I loved the banter between Zak and Acadia. I loved Zak's surly attitude and I also liked that Acadia did not back down. She wasn't going to stand off to the side and let the men make all the decisions. She was determined to be a part of the solution. Zak is an adrenaline junkie; he's used to getting himself out of tough situations. He feels that he doesn't need Acadia's help. Or so he thinks. Acadia surprises Zak at every turn. Proving that she's more of a help, than a hindrance. Thanks to super-organized Acadia, she helps them get out of tough situations and saves their lives.

HUSH kept me engaged from the first page. Cherry Adair did an excellent job of describing the scenery and the action without being overly wordy. I felt like I was watching a movie. The plot moved at a steady pace and not once was there a lull in the story. There is a slight paranormal aspect to the plot. After reading some early reviews, I was prepared for it. It wasn't a major plot point throughout the book. It did kind of throw me off because up into that point, the book was nothing but action and suspense. The paranormal plot twist didn't deter from the overall story for me. In the plot summary, it does mention that Zak develops a "sixth sense" but I still had to get used to the paranormal twist that was now part of the story.

If you like action packed romantic suspense, I highly recommend HUSH. The Who, Why and What For kept me guessing until the very end. I'm normally good at figuring out who the bad guy is but I was totally off base with this one. I love it! Zak and Acadia, despite being on the run, managed to squeeze in some steamy, super hot smexy time. They didn't let a little kidnapping and running from Venezuelan guerrillas stop them from getting their groove on.

HUSH is one exciting and thrilling ride.
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Apr 25, 2011 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hush is the first book in the Lodestone Trilogy by Cherry Adair and a novel of Fiction from Pocket Star Books.

Book Blurb:

A reckless adventure in a deadly paradise.

Thrill seekers Zakary and Gideon Stark travel the globe in search of extreme adventure, but a trip to Venezuela to jump off the world's highest falls catapults them into a perilous game of life or death - where they don't know the rules.

A one-night stand that will change his life forever.

Kidnapped with a woman Zak knows nothing about,...more

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Apr 26, 2011 Kristina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: signed

What I Liked
Never a Dull Moment
The book starts off with the first paragraph of Zak waking up with from a one night stand, an erection and "the cold hard metal of a gun barrel pressed to his temple." This is an action packed book from beginning to the end. Kidnapping, bullets flying, cars blowing up, racing for their lives, backstabbing at every turn and you don't know who the instigator of the whole situation is till the end. As soon as they get a break something else happens and a new life thre...more What I Liked
Never a Dull Moment
The book starts off with the first paragraph of Zak waking up with from a one night stand, an erection and "the cold hard metal of a gun barrel pressed to his temple." This is an action packed book from beginning to the end. Kidnapping, bullets flying, cars blowing up, racing for their lives, backstabbing at every turn and you don't know who the instigator of the whole situation is till the end. As soon as they get a break something else happens and a new life threatening situation is upon them.
Undeniable Attraction
What was suppose to be just a one night stand turns into a wrong person at the wrong time. Zak and Acadia are very hot and heavy for each other even through the life threatening situations. Cherry has no closed door policy for her writing, she writes exactly what the characters are feeling and what they are doing to each other in the heat of the moment(s).
Characters
Acadia: At first I was thinking she was going to be this dumb blond whining and crying through the whole book, but I was happy to find out that is not what the character was going to be like. She held her tongue through the grueling escape through the rainforest and more than pulled her weight with her handy hidden pocketed vest that held everything. She also has a sharpy witty attitude and wouldn't let Zak push her around.
Zak: I love this male type. The brooding, hurt male character that needs the right woman that will help him heal from the wound of his dead wife and guilt over his inability to save her. He has a death wish and willing to risk anything besides the safety of his brother.
Reading Time
I read this in just over a day. I really didn't want to put it down, it was just too exciting and action packed to ever find a "good" stopping place.

What I Didn't Like
Nothing. Even having no magic or fantasy type stuff didn't bother me at all.

Recommendation
You have got to read this book. A lot of adult content. A traditional romance story with lots of action and a great storyline. (less)

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Apr 28, 2011 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-packed-mystery-suspense-assa, suspense-adventure-international

HUSH BY CHERRY ADAIR is an exciting romantic suspense set in the present day jungles of Venezuela.It is fast paced,action packed,full of adventure.danger and romance. The plot is easy to follow,edgy,sexually charged,and deadly with lethal consequences. The characters are believable,lovable,will capture your heart,and very engaging. While theirs is some witty banter,this story full of danger,high octane action,love,mystery,romance, sensuality,healing,loss,danger and survival in the deadly jungle...more HUSH BY CHERRY ADAIR is an exciting romantic suspense set in the present day jungles of Venezuela.It is fast paced,action packed,full of adventure.danger and romance. The plot is easy to follow,edgy,sexually charged,and deadly with lethal consequences. The characters are believable,lovable,will capture your heart,and very engaging. While theirs is some witty banter,this story full of danger,high octane action,love,mystery,romance, sensuality,healing,loss,danger and survival in the deadly jungle of Venezuela. What was supposed to be a one stand for Acadia and Zakery turns into a for fight for their lives,along with Zak's brother,Gideon,in a deadly game of cat and mouse with kidnappers. Not only is this a game of cat and mouse,but a diversion for Zak and Acadia,and .a deadly adventure that will change all of their lives forever.Zak's wife died nearly six years ago,leaving him with guilt,distrust and taking more dangerous thrill seeking adventures that catapults therm into deadly game of life and death.A ruthless opponent wants the Stark brothers dead and will do everything in their power to do so,including killing the Innocent Acadia.While Zak and Acadia struggle to invade capture of the kidnappers,try to survive the jungles,fight their ever growing attraction to each other,stay alive.Zak's brother Gideon, is struggling to stay alive,after being recaptured by the deadly kidnappers.They have no idea who or why someone is out to kidnap them.although,they are both millionaires and own a Internet search engine company,with another partner.This is a story of survival,new beginnings,loss,grief and healing which is full of high octane action and edgy adventure.What a spine tingling read that will leave you wanting more.I would highly recommend this story especially if you enjoy an fast paced never a dull moment story that will keep you reading long into the night.This book was received for the purpose of review from the publisher and Book Blogs and details can be found at Pocket Star Books,an division ofSimon and Schuster and My Book Addiction and More.

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Feb 20, 2013 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Book one in Cherry Adair's new Loadstone series. With book three coming out in March I went back and started from the beginning. Loved it just as much this time around, and still waiting for Cherry to resolve the cliff hanger she left.

After winning the lottery Arcadia Grey takes the kind of adventure I could imagine taking myself, something wild and crazy to just say I did it. I liked her from the start, a gutsy lady, but with a rational side. The fact her secret pockets save the day over and o...more

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Apr 30, 2011 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was actually disappointed in this...I feel like the author tried put too many genres into one book...There was a great romance; suspense and intrigue with interesting plot twists; and then a touch of the supernatural. I LOVED the romance in this book. Acadia was absolutely wonderful with her vest full of surprises, her resiliance and her devotion to Zak. Zak ended up being terrific and I LOVED the last chapter. What I hated was the absolute evil of the villain and the senseless(to me)deaths. H...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cherry-adair

Zak and Acadia - One Night stand turns into jungle adventure . . . Thrill seekers Zakary and Gideon Stark travel the globe in search of extreme adventure, but a trip to Venezuela to jump off the world's highest falls catapults them into a perilous game of life or death--where they don't know the rules.

A one-night stand that will change his life forever.

Kidnapped with a woman Zak knows nothing about, the brothers are held prisoner deep in the jungle. A risky, deathdefying escape separates them an...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is another great story from Cherry. I have not been disappointed with any of her books.

Zachery and Gideon Stark are brothers who search for the worlds wildest adventures that they can find all over the globe. This adventure finds them in Venezuela searching for the worlds highest falls to descend. The one thing they didn't expect was to find themselves in a life and death situation where there are absolutely no rules. The only thing that is going to help them is their will to survive.

Aca...more This is another great story from Cherry. I have not been disappointed with any of her books.

Zachery and Gideon Stark are brothers who search for the worlds wildest adventures that they can find all over the globe. This adventure finds them in Venezuela searching for the worlds highest falls to descend. The one thing they didn't expect was to find themselves in a life and death situation where there are absolutely no rules. The only thing that is going to help them is their will to survive.

Acadia Gray has planned a trip to Venezuela with a group of friends before she heads off to school. Arriving a day earlier than her friends. She is a planner, she has a strategy, she anticipates and has lists, but this first night alone she decides to have a one night fling, as she plans on never seeing the guy again. Little does she know that the one night with Zak will change her plans for a fun vacation into running for her life. She also has a major problem when she is scared or nervous--she can't stop talking and she lies, and she is scared for her very life.

They are kidnapped at gunpoint by a group of guerrilla soldiers and taken into the jungle. The three of them have no idea where they are or why they were taken, they only know that if they don't find a way to escape that they will be dead. As they plan their escape, Acadia proves to Zak that she is no simpering woman and comes up with a few strategies of her own. It takes some time, but they manage to trick the soldiers and escape. As they try to find there way back to civilization the men decide to split up to confuse whoever it is that is following them and meet in town at an appointed time and place.

Of course everything doesn't go as planned and they have to face a few obstacles on there travel back to civilization. Acadia has to make quick decisions that have her scared out of her mind, but knows she has to put the fear behind her.
Will they be able to meet in the town they agree on and live to tell about it? Do they have the time to figure out who wanted them kidnapped and why? Well, you will have to read it, but I promise it will be will worth it!

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May 19, 2011 Paranormal Haven rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-read-by-athenna

Hush

Zachary Stark and his brother come to Venezuela to seek adventure but they may find more adventure they can handle.

Arcadia Gray is always the dependable, predictable friend. So when she went back to her hotel with the sexy male from the bar she thought she was being adventurous , little did she know her adventure just begun.

Zack awakes from a fun night of wild sex with a beautiful a woman to find the hotel filled with armed goons for heir. Then to be knocked out and wake tied up in a van w...more

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Sep 02, 2012 E. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance, suspense

Zakary Stark discovers that there is more to the one night stand that he picked up than he realizes, not least of which is a magic vest which conceals a myriad of useful items. Fortunately, she is allowed to don clothing before the terrorists who break in on their unclad 'morning after' scenario drag them into the jungle. Although Zak wants to call her Barbie, Acadia Gray is determined to show that she is not the empty-headed exotic dancer that Zak believes she is. The problem is determining why...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: rom-suspense, paranormal-romance, contemporary, hey-look-what-i-can-do, library, badass-hero, man-ho, what-a-jerk, cocky-hero, kidnapped

Between a 3.5 and 4 stars. Given some of the comments regarding this book, I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did, but I have to say I found this a pretty entertaining book. I haven't read anything from Adair before, but I think I will continue with the 'Lodestone Trilogy'.
The male lead, Zak, started off with a seriously bad attitude - a real jerk (as pointed out by other reviews) - especially in his attitude with respect to Acadia considering that the book (and trouble) begins with him...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Patricia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found Hush to be a very quirky, fast paced, unrealiatic and a very fun read. It had so many twists and turns adding to the adventure of the leading characters and the story was easy to follow. Believable? hmmm At times, you can sense Cherry's mind working on the developing plot at hand and all you can do, is go along with the ride because you don't know what's going to happen. Both leding characters seemed like they were overhormonal teenagers the way sex seemed to fulfill their minds constant...more

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title link	preview: Hush
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Hush (Lodestone Trilogy #1)

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