Shades of Gray

by Vicki Hinze

How does a simple marriage of convenience turn into a military romantic suspense where lives must be risked to save a child, a marriage, and interrupt a terrorism attack poised to kill millions?
 
"Complications here go beyond the usual hurdles and make the romance more touching for being hard won. And if the main action-Laura and Jake must combat terrorists amassing anthrax in the Florida Everglades-seems far-fetched, just read The New York Times . "  - Publishers Weekly
 
RT Top Pick Award. RT Book Club Gold Medal Award.  Reviewer's Choice Nominee, Best Contemporary Suspense Novel of the Year
 
"A wonderful combination of romance, family drama, and out-and-out thriller."
-Anne Stuart, New York Times Bestselling Author
 
A deadly terrorist attack that could kill millions is brewing deep in the Florida swamps. It's Jake Taylor's job to stop it--and to rescue his wife, Laura, from its perpetrators.  From the start, Laura and Jake doubt they'll live a long, happy life together--not with their military connections.  He's a Special Ops soldier; she's a former Special Ops intelligence officer with an insider's knowledge of the risks he takes. So their marriage began as a practical arrangement, a marriage of convenience. The odds are high Jake will not survive this assignment and he needs to keep his young son out of the clutches of an unstable ex-wife.  Fully aware of this and equally determined to save the child, Laura doesn't dare to fall in love with her husband. Yet when they find themselves dead-center of the threat and they must work together to stop it, they discover they're fighting their most intense battle ever--for the child, for their own lives and for their marriage.
 

Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, Suspense

244 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Vicki is the USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning author of nearly 40 novels, 4 nonfiction books and hundreds of articles. She's recognized as an author and as an educator by Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World. For seven years, she was a columnist for Social-In Global Network; before then, a radio-talk show host for Everyday Woman.

The former VP for International Thriller Writers, consultant to the RWA Board of Directors, and a consultant to multiple other writing organizations. She's a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Novelists, Inc., ALLi, and Southern Independent Booksellers Assn.

Reviews

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

This spec ops couple married for convenience. They fought terrorists and their hearts in this romantic suspense. Nice book.

This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captain Dr. Laura Taylor and Special Ops Office Jake Logan are best friends and have been for 10 years and have seen each other through all kinds of personal and professional trails. When Jake's ex-wife Madeline sues him for custody of their son. Jake's lawyer suggests that since it would be a toss up between the alcoholic ex and Jake because of his highly dangerous military job. That marriage would give him a better chance of keeping Timmy. Laura suggests that the 2 of them get married for Timmy's best interests. Since Jake had a disastrous first marriage with Madeline he tells Laura that he won't fall in love with her. Shortly after their marriage Madeline backs out of the custody fight and starts drinking again, Jake suggests a divorce but Laura says no because she knows that Madeline will just get custody of Timmy if any thing happens on assignment to Jake so they file for step-parent adoption, which ends up taking 2 years to come to the final stage because of Madeline's backing out on the 2 previous occasions. The night before going to see the judge Jake is called in for an assignment to go rescue or recover 3 CIA operatives that missed their rendezvous. That leaves Laura to handle the adoption on her own. with a different judge than they thought, When Jake finds the agents dead covered in dust and one of them has a picture of Laura in his hand he gets doubts about his wife and her possible connection to the terrorist group ROFF, Mean while Laura hasn't told Jake that she's been put off and on back on active duty occasional as a consultant which had for this Op. She was going to tell him before Madeline show's up drunk at their house and he's called to active duty, Jake and his boss Connor are finally convinced that Laura is innocent. Connor sends them home with surveillance, and when they get home the emotions explode and heat up. When an explosion wakes them up and they are called in the base STAT the situation keeps going from bad to worse. To keep Timmy safe Laura won't trust anyone but Judge Bear Barton who made Timmy's adoption possible. ROFF besides coming after Laura and Jake are also going to taint the water supply of a major Florida city since they're headquarters are in the Florida Everglades. After the car bomb attempt on Laura, Connor puts her into protective custody, while Jake gets ready to go on another mission to protect the water system, Before that can happen Laura's motherly instincts kick and she know Timmy is in danger, When Jake goes in for his briefing he finds out that there was just a message from Mrs. Barton that her husband has been shot and Timmy was kidnapped with the note being sent to Connors office. Laura and Jake are now sent together to go exchange her for Timmy. They're ambushed and Laura has to save Timmy herself and then hope that she can send a team back for Jake since he was taken hostage during the ambush. Laura and Jake figure out who is behind the ROFF and realize in the chaos that they love each other and are sure that the other doesn't feel the same and are trying to honor the marriage the agreed to in the beginning. The people behind ROFF end up being people from their past with the help of someone that didn't think was capable of the deceit that has been perpetrated. Timmy has key information that helps to break the case. And Laura reveals a last secret to Jake that she thinks will make him angry and he surprises her with his reaction about why she left the military. Just when you think the danger is over its not. Shades of Gray made cry and smile and hope that the good guys prevail and safe the world and they family.

[Book Him Danno · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Vicki Hinze. I found the first few chapters of the book was a little bit difficult because she was setting up the characters and developing them but it made the story move along at a snails pace which could turn off readers. I would say if you don't understand military terms you will want to keep your computer close by to type in the acronyms because Vicki Hinze uses them all the time which again can be confusing for readers.
The story starts to build after readers are introduced to characters and it picks up speed with twist and turns as well as a better understand what are gray areas in life and the military. if you love mysteries you will find it predictable but she does throw in a few parts to keep you reading and wondering.
Thank you to Netgalley for the copy.

[Sparkymom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read several Vicki Hinze books in the past, but somehow I must have missed this one. Most of the time the books available for request on Net Galley are new releases, but once I saw the author of this one, I had to request it, new or not. I'm thrilled that I did. Vicki Hinze always does a great job of creating realistically complicated characters. Laura and Jake have been married for a couple of years. They have always been best friends, but their marriage is completely platonic. Laura acts as a mother to Jake's son as he fights for custody with a vindictive ex.

Just when things in their lives seen to be taking a positive turn, Jake gets tagged for a dangerous mission and Laura is left to deal with less than optimal conditions at home. This mission though, it changes everything and makes Jake question every choice he's made. Either his wife is actually his enemy, or she needs him more than she knows.

The story had plenty of intrigue and action as well as a smoldering passion simmering just under the surface of a marriage never meant to be consummated. I was very engrossed and hated to put it down.

I received an ARC from Net Galley for honest review.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second time that I have read this title. It is not the best-written story but for some reason, I have read this book twice. The first time I discovered this book I was looking for Fifty Shades Grey, which I could not get a copy of, so I decided to read this title instead. (There is no comparing these two books and I am not attempting to do so.) The overall idea of the story is good but there are aspects of the story's execution that just don't make sense. I really want to give this book 3 star's but I find that difficult to do since I've read the book more than once.

[JoAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shades of Gray was a great book. I enjoyed reading it. I was surprised at the fact it was not a Christian book and could have done without the foul language and sex.


I received this via Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

[Karenr · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.

[Nell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit that I’m a bit of a fan of Ms. Hinze. She is an excellent writer. Because I’m not really familiar with many of the military terms. I actually had to ask my mother about some of the acronyms. While that part of the book was a little confusing for someone who does not have an in depth military background, it was a really good book. Some of it was a little predictable, but it had a huge twist in there that made me go, “What, no way.” I was really surprised and a little flabbergasted. To say the least, I like surprises and twists and turns in a book. There was a lot of subterfuge and intrigue in this novel. I felt like a spy that was on a covert mission without any Intel to help me. Dangerous much? Yes, the book was mysterious, and when the author speaks of “Shades of Gray,” she was not joking. There were a multitude of shades of gray in this book. It was intriguing and kept my attention. It was a little hard to get through the first couple of chapters even though it was interesting and I was getting to know the main female and male characters, but as it went along, it begin to gain momentum until I was angry and frustrated along with the characters in the book. Like, I said, it was a pretty good book, but it sneaks up on you just like the covert operatives have to sneak up on the bad guys in the book. Excellent work, Ms. Hinze.

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shades of a Gray by Vicki Hinze

Pulse pounding thriller with a military twist. I didn't want to put this one down. It was powerful and included a couple of twists and surprises.

Laura Taylor and Jake Logan have been friends for a long time. To help Jack get custody of his son, Timmy, they marry. But its not that simple a story. Jack is in the military and a hazardous mission pulls his new wife into the plot to find the terrorists that are threatening the use of a biochemical. At the same time the ex wife is out of control and making threats and complications in their lives.

I've read a few books by Vicki Hinze and she will definitely stay on my list of preferred authors after reading this winner.

I won a copy of this book via Goodreads First reads in December 2013 although this is an older book.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read a few of Vicki Hinze' books already. They were all Christian fiction. However, this one was not and I was surprised as I - quite wrongly apparently - assumed that it would be as well.

The story was very good and I would give it 5 stars,as I have her other books I read. But the cursing and explicit sex knocked it down a couple. I see that this is one of her earlier books; maybe she has changed her style, but now I am not sure about reading the next book I have of hers from the library, which was just published a year after this one.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I RECIEVED VICKI HINZE , SHADES OF GRAY AT GOODREADS 1ST READ. INTERESTING CHARACTERS, SPECIAL OPS, SUSPENSE, TERRORIST, DANGER AND ROMANCE AND FIGHT FOR BEST INTEREST OF A YOUNG BOY. BUT ONCE STARTED HARD TO PUT DOWN AND THE EXCITMENT LAST TO THE LAST PAGE.

[Jen_C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one. My only issues were that it was wordy in the sense that it used 3 adjectives when 1 would do and the hero deferred to the heroine about his son a bit too much. He needs to trust his instincts as a father & she may need some counseling regarding possessiveness/obsession.

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as Lady Liberty.

[Chelsea Malcolm · Rating 4 out of 5]

really interesting! I enjoyed it.