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Rush
Prosecutor Danielle Soto believes her position on the sorority killer task force is a perfect way to advance her career, but her plans don’t include falling hard for a captivating woman who lives in a completely different world. When the investigation and her attraction to Ellen Davenport collide, Danny must choose between the safety of sameness and the peril of the unknown.
Ellen Davenport has secrets, but until Danny Soto entered her life, she hadn’t realized that protecting her privacy would come at such a high price. Can she explore her attraction to Danny without exposing herself and her family to danger, or must she risk everything for love?
Ellen Davenport has secrets, but until Danny Soto entered her life, she hadn’t realized that protecting her privacy would come at such a high price. Can she explore her attraction to Danny without exposing herself and her family to danger, or must she risk everything for love?
240 pages, Paperback
First published December 10, 2013
17 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
About the author
Carsen Taite
51 books294 followersCarsen Taite's goal as an author is to spin plot lines as interesting as the cases she encountered in her career as a criminal defense lawyer. She is the award-winning author of a dozen novels and numerous short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 7, 2020
Well written and nicely done with a hint of insta-love. Like other Taite’s book, second half of the book is definitely more interesting to me as the crime/plot/mystery unfold. Another enjoyable read.
December 10, 2017
Enjoyable read with good chemistry and gripping mystery. Nice switch-up on the stereotype of characters. Usually the workaholic, not-from-a-wealthy-family is the one who wants a casual hook-up and nothing serious but for a change she was the one looking for a relationship. Little cameo appearance of the characters from It Should Be a Crime (which was a great read).
This is my third by Carsen Taite and there isn't any courtroom drama in this one and not much in either of the others.
This is my third by Carsen Taite and there isn't any courtroom drama in this one and not much in either of the others.
February 9, 2014
I haven't made up my mind on whether to give this a 4 or 4.5 rating. The lead character ADA Danny Soto commits some major gaffes, one of which is letting lust get the better of her and mixing pleasure with business. For someone who is supposedly ambitious, she doesn't seem to be very focused at all. There are also some sections of the book where she can't seem to make up her mind about what she wants and just confuses the hell out of everyone, including this reader. The sorority party scene, in particular, was painful to get through. On the other hand, she isn't totally unsympathetic. Her flaws, her missteps and her indecision humanize her. When she did ultimately make her choice, it wasn't out of character either.
I like Ellen much better. And I like the book overall. So...I'm gonna let the rating sit a few days before i finalize the it.
My recommendation is definitely pick this up if you're a Carsen Taite fan. Some characters from Ms. Taite's older books make cameo appearances here. And knowing the author, a new character might even get her own spin-off book someday. :)
I like Ellen much better. And I like the book overall. So...I'm gonna let the rating sit a few days before i finalize the it.
My recommendation is definitely pick this up if you're a Carsen Taite fan. Some characters from Ms. Taite's older books make cameo appearances here. And knowing the author, a new character might even get her own spin-off book someday. :)
November 11, 2020
Another good read by Carsen Taite, this time featuring one woman who has commitment issues, the other with U-haul problems. The good thing about this author's books is that both the romance and non-romance parts of the book are both generally written well. So I really like this author a lot.
One thing I realised though is that Danny kept talking about how quickly she progressed with her ex but she ended up doing the same with Ellen, moving in together almost immediately.
One thing I realised though is that Danny kept talking about how quickly she progressed with her ex but she ended up doing the same with Ellen, moving in together almost immediately.
February 23, 2020
A Dallas defense attorney can write a good mystery. Prosecutor Danielle Soto is trying to advance her career after being devastated over a romantic break-up. Ellen Davenport is trying to protect family secrets when their paths cross. Self-protection on both sides interferes with the investigation of a serial murder.
December 31, 2013
This is a pure delight! A simply beautiful interplay of police procedural magic, murder, FBI presence, misguided protective cover-ups, and a superheated love affair tossed in and through all of the above. In other words, Ms. Taite at her best!
Danielle Soto, Danny, is an assistant district attorney currently assigned to a homicide team as a liaison. A third murder with nearly identical signatures has ramped up the Dallas homicide department to get cracking so as to close down a potential serial killer before a bunch of 'cowboy feds' storm in to take over the case. Danny is just as amped up as the Dallas police are to keep this local crime under total local control. The Dallas police detectives are appreciative of Danny's recognition of their hard work, dedication, and thoroughness. For Danny that greatly helps her ability to handle them as witnesses for the prosecution. Personally, Danny is still suffering from a painful and nasty breakup with her last girlfriend and is very much smarting under the realization that she was completely undercut by an unsuspectingly proficient Casanova quality that left her smarting even more than usual. If anyone was to be the 'Casanova' in a twosome, it should have been her!
Ellen Davenport is the executive director of National Alpha Nu. This national office serves as a hub for the various regional chapters and campus sororities. Danny and her police partner, Detective George Ramirez, are initially surprised at Ellen's youthful appearance. Danny doesn't throw Ellen off her guard when she asks how old she is immediately after opening hellos and such. Ellen deftly states her age as thirty-five and follows it with a question about whether she is under investigation. This leads to some delicious eye contact moments for Danny and Ellen. Danny recognizes some very heated sensations coming from and toward Ellen from long dormant libido coming to full attention. Aha, the 'couple' has made contact and heat is escalating rapidly!
Back and forth, in and out, up and down, on and off, our sub-rosa couple meet, unmeet, and then serendipitously spend a lovely loving night at Ellen's expansive living quarters. That one night sears the innards of our main gals, drawing them together after an initial near miss. That imprint seems to keep and fuel every small and grand fluctuation during a long erotic dance that Danny and Ellen perform while additional murder and attempted murder places all of Dallas and especially Alpha Nu alumnae on tenterhooks. So balanced, so smooth, so brilliantly paced, I finished reading the book in two sittings. This gets a Gold Star from me and major encouragement for all readers to dive right in and consume this story with gusto!
NOTE: This book was provided by Bold Strokes Books for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Danielle Soto, Danny, is an assistant district attorney currently assigned to a homicide team as a liaison. A third murder with nearly identical signatures has ramped up the Dallas homicide department to get cracking so as to close down a potential serial killer before a bunch of 'cowboy feds' storm in to take over the case. Danny is just as amped up as the Dallas police are to keep this local crime under total local control. The Dallas police detectives are appreciative of Danny's recognition of their hard work, dedication, and thoroughness. For Danny that greatly helps her ability to handle them as witnesses for the prosecution. Personally, Danny is still suffering from a painful and nasty breakup with her last girlfriend and is very much smarting under the realization that she was completely undercut by an unsuspectingly proficient Casanova quality that left her smarting even more than usual. If anyone was to be the 'Casanova' in a twosome, it should have been her!
Ellen Davenport is the executive director of National Alpha Nu. This national office serves as a hub for the various regional chapters and campus sororities. Danny and her police partner, Detective George Ramirez, are initially surprised at Ellen's youthful appearance. Danny doesn't throw Ellen off her guard when she asks how old she is immediately after opening hellos and such. Ellen deftly states her age as thirty-five and follows it with a question about whether she is under investigation. This leads to some delicious eye contact moments for Danny and Ellen. Danny recognizes some very heated sensations coming from and toward Ellen from long dormant libido coming to full attention. Aha, the 'couple' has made contact and heat is escalating rapidly!
Back and forth, in and out, up and down, on and off, our sub-rosa couple meet, unmeet, and then serendipitously spend a lovely loving night at Ellen's expansive living quarters. That one night sears the innards of our main gals, drawing them together after an initial near miss. That imprint seems to keep and fuel every small and grand fluctuation during a long erotic dance that Danny and Ellen perform while additional murder and attempted murder places all of Dallas and especially Alpha Nu alumnae on tenterhooks. So balanced, so smooth, so brilliantly paced, I finished reading the book in two sittings. This gets a Gold Star from me and major encouragement for all readers to dive right in and consume this story with gusto!
NOTE: This book was provided by Bold Strokes Books for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
May 17, 2017
I don't love carsen taite as a writer. She explains too much and repeats the same things over and over and over, it's annoying and as a voracious reader I hate when writers don't let us figure things out or give us a chance to formulate our own opinions. Unfortunately her books are the only ones the library has and I'm not buying lesbian romance novels cause I would go broke. She needs to be a much better writer.
March 5, 2017
I loved this book.
I really loved Rush by Carsen Taite. I love the lawyer setting. Danny and Ellen were walking a fine line. Excellent story.
I really loved Rush by Carsen Taite. I love the lawyer setting. Danny and Ellen were walking a fine line. Excellent story.
October 29, 2018
A lovely little book, featuring a romance that wasn't quick (all things considered) and a crime that was actually intriguing. I think it's the fact that Taite actually knows what she is talking about when she writes that makes it so much believeable.
The characters were delightful, and the intrigue was good. The seesawing of the relationship between the two main women made it all the more interesting as they searched for a balance.
I will be reading more of her books in the future.
The characters were delightful, and the intrigue was good. The seesawing of the relationship between the two main women made it all the more interesting as they searched for a balance.
I will be reading more of her books in the future.
February 8, 2014
Previously reviewed on The Good, The Bad, & The Unread:
As a Brit, it took me a while to figure out how the title of this one tied into the plot, although I expect US readers might be more or less clued in from the start that a story about sororities and their alumnae would also have links to Rush Week. We have neither sororities nor Rush Week; (secondary) schools sometimes have alumni/alumnae associations, universities generally do, and the Oxbridge colleges do too (I can't speak for the other collegiate universities, but I have my suspicions). And a lot of universities have Freshers' Weeks, but, in my day at least, joining a society generally involved handing over a few pounds and turning up at meetings – no initiation involved. That said, most of the clues to the killer's identity were there to be picked up on, even by me, and not grasping some of the other clues until later didn't spoil my enjoyment of this gripping mystery story.
Assistant District Attorney Danielle Soto is part of a pilot project that involves prosecutors with major police investigations right from the outset, rather than only once an arrest has been made, and the case she's been assigned to is extremely high profile. A killer is targeting well-off women in their late middle age, and about the only link between the victims is their membership of the same sorority when at university. This connection leads Danny to the office of Ellen Davenport, herself an alumna of the same sorority, albeit considerably younger than the murder victims, and also the current executive director, as well as the daughter of another prominent alumna.
The pair are attracted to each other straight away, although Danny suspects that Ellen is completely out of her league. Meanwhile, Ellen is keen to hook up, but isn't looking for a long-term relationship with anyone – unlike Danny – due to her various family commitments. Ellen's mother has early-onset Alzheimer's and her father is avoiding taking any care responsibilities, leaving everything to the overworked, overstretched Ellen.
As the investigation continues, the link to the sorority becomes more obvious, and Ellen worries that her mother may be the killer's next target, even while doing whatever she can to keep her suspicions – and indeed anything else that may link her mother to the other victims – from Danny. Then the FBI gets involved, and one of their assigned agents takes a very personal interest in Danny, much to Ellen's annoyance.
I like the push and pull between the two heroines, and also the glimpses into the lives of high society women that we get through, especially, Danny's eyes. There are some definite class-difference issues going on in their relationship, although some of the subtleties may have escaped my notice – I do still feel that we are seeing two highly professional women sparking off each other for all that Danny prefers beer to wine and dresses a lot more casually away from the office than does Ellen. Initially I found Danny harder to warm to, mostly because of one early comment she makes that implies her taking pride in sending convicted killers to death row (maybe that's another influence from my non-US upbringing). Ellen, meanwhile, lost my sympathy a little when she lies in order to try to keep her mother away from the investigation. In the end, though, I was cheering for both of them to find the killer and then to get together and stay together.
As a Brit, it took me a while to figure out how the title of this one tied into the plot, although I expect US readers might be more or less clued in from the start that a story about sororities and their alumnae would also have links to Rush Week. We have neither sororities nor Rush Week; (secondary) schools sometimes have alumni/alumnae associations, universities generally do, and the Oxbridge colleges do too (I can't speak for the other collegiate universities, but I have my suspicions). And a lot of universities have Freshers' Weeks, but, in my day at least, joining a society generally involved handing over a few pounds and turning up at meetings – no initiation involved. That said, most of the clues to the killer's identity were there to be picked up on, even by me, and not grasping some of the other clues until later didn't spoil my enjoyment of this gripping mystery story.
Assistant District Attorney Danielle Soto is part of a pilot project that involves prosecutors with major police investigations right from the outset, rather than only once an arrest has been made, and the case she's been assigned to is extremely high profile. A killer is targeting well-off women in their late middle age, and about the only link between the victims is their membership of the same sorority when at university. This connection leads Danny to the office of Ellen Davenport, herself an alumna of the same sorority, albeit considerably younger than the murder victims, and also the current executive director, as well as the daughter of another prominent alumna.
The pair are attracted to each other straight away, although Danny suspects that Ellen is completely out of her league. Meanwhile, Ellen is keen to hook up, but isn't looking for a long-term relationship with anyone – unlike Danny – due to her various family commitments. Ellen's mother has early-onset Alzheimer's and her father is avoiding taking any care responsibilities, leaving everything to the overworked, overstretched Ellen.
As the investigation continues, the link to the sorority becomes more obvious, and Ellen worries that her mother may be the killer's next target, even while doing whatever she can to keep her suspicions – and indeed anything else that may link her mother to the other victims – from Danny. Then the FBI gets involved, and one of their assigned agents takes a very personal interest in Danny, much to Ellen's annoyance.
I like the push and pull between the two heroines, and also the glimpses into the lives of high society women that we get through, especially, Danny's eyes. There are some definite class-difference issues going on in their relationship, although some of the subtleties may have escaped my notice – I do still feel that we are seeing two highly professional women sparking off each other for all that Danny prefers beer to wine and dresses a lot more casually away from the office than does Ellen. Initially I found Danny harder to warm to, mostly because of one early comment she makes that implies her taking pride in sending convicted killers to death row (maybe that's another influence from my non-US upbringing). Ellen, meanwhile, lost my sympathy a little when she lies in order to try to keep her mother away from the investigation. In the end, though, I was cheering for both of them to find the killer and then to get together and stay together.
September 23, 2014
ADA Danny Soto is assigned as a liaison on the investigation of a series of connected murders. She is driven and believes convicting the serial killer will further her career so she is invested in helping find, charge, and convict whoever is behind the gruesome crimes. Ellen Davenport is an executive director in charge of the national office of Alpha Nu, an organization that serves as hub of the various alumnae chapters of the renowned sorority and appears to be somehow connected to one of the deaths ADA Soto is investigating.
Ms. Taite presents a police procedural that is spiked cover-ups and secrets, FBI intervention, family drama, and a sparkly love affair that seems to compromise the main characters.
Full review at: http://littlesbooks.com/rush-carsen-t...
Ms. Taite presents a police procedural that is spiked cover-ups and secrets, FBI intervention, family drama, and a sparkly love affair that seems to compromise the main characters.
Full review at: http://littlesbooks.com/rush-carsen-t...
May 28, 2019
On the surface I should have enjoyed this book much more than I did. Carsen Taite is a great writer and in this novel, we've got a serial killer, police procedal/crime drama and a romance. Perhaps I wasn't in the right mood or was expecting more of a legal drama. This novel does break some of the molds - although Danny is a prosecutor, shes' part of a new taskforce engaged early on in police investigations so she's closer to the action/investigation and Eleanor, the socialite/director of the sorority/alumnae, is more complex with her family obligations and being the one that is not looking for a relationship. There's chemistry, there's a decent amount of mystery, there's suspense and, of course, Taite's writing style wraps it all together quite nicely.
December 6, 2014
Light read exactly what I was looking for!
December 6, 2015
2014 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
May 16, 2016
Murder and mayhem
This was a great who done it. I really enjoyed the story and I enjoyed getting to see some of the characters from previous stories.
This was a great who done it. I really enjoyed the story and I enjoyed getting to see some of the characters from previous stories.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews