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Linear Tactical #1
Cyclone
"One rule," he said against her lips.
"Anything makes you nervous, brings back bad memories--you tell me right away. You don't try to power through anything. We go as slow as you need."
Meet Zac Mackay. Military codename: Cyclone.
He's a widower, a protector, a hero.
And the person who could destroy Anne's life.
Doctor Anne Griffin is back in Oak Creek, Wyoming, only because she has no other options. Here, she was always the shy, stuttering girl, invisible to everyone.
Except Zac. The very reason she left in the first place.
Zac's years in Special Forces taught him survival skills, and he's created a company--Linear Tactical--to teach those skills to others, so they never have to live in fear.
Then why is Annie, the last person he'd ever want to hurt, afraid of him?
Zac's determined to wipe the fear from the eyes of the woman who has never been far from his mind. And fix the mistakes--his mistakes--that put that look there in the first place.
But a predator has set his sights on Annie. And now survival skills will become much more than lessons...
From USA Today bestselling author Janie Crouch--a small town love story packed with mystery. A tough former-military alpha hero leaves his pain behind to claim the woman he never knew had gotten away. Full-length romance novel with a guaranteed Happily Ever After.
"Anything makes you nervous, brings back bad memories--you tell me right away. You don't try to power through anything. We go as slow as you need."
Meet Zac Mackay. Military codename: Cyclone.
He's a widower, a protector, a hero.
And the person who could destroy Anne's life.
Doctor Anne Griffin is back in Oak Creek, Wyoming, only because she has no other options. Here, she was always the shy, stuttering girl, invisible to everyone.
Except Zac. The very reason she left in the first place.
Zac's years in Special Forces taught him survival skills, and he's created a company--Linear Tactical--to teach those skills to others, so they never have to live in fear.
Then why is Annie, the last person he'd ever want to hurt, afraid of him?
Zac's determined to wipe the fear from the eyes of the woman who has never been far from his mind. And fix the mistakes--his mistakes--that put that look there in the first place.
But a predator has set his sights on Annie. And now survival skills will become much more than lessons...
From USA Today bestselling author Janie Crouch--a small town love story packed with mystery. A tough former-military alpha hero leaves his pain behind to claim the woman he never knew had gotten away. Full-length romance novel with a guaranteed Happily Ever After.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 17, 2018
5756 people are currently reading
3309 people want to read
About the author
Janie Crouch
232 books2,017 followersUSA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author Janie Crouch writes what she loves to read: passionate romantic suspense.
After a lifetime on the East Coast—and a six-year stint in Germany due to her husband's job as support for the U.S. Military—Janie has settled into her dream home in Front Range of the Colorado Rockies. She loves engaging in all sorts of adventures (triathlons! 200-mile relay races! mountain treks!), traveling, and surviving life with four kids.
Heroes exist. Let a Janie Crouch book prove it to you.
Check out Janie's updates and more on her website at http://www.janiecrouch.com
After a lifetime on the East Coast—and a six-year stint in Germany due to her husband's job as support for the U.S. Military—Janie has settled into her dream home in Front Range of the Colorado Rockies. She loves engaging in all sorts of adventures (triathlons! 200-mile relay races! mountain treks!), traveling, and surviving life with four kids.
Heroes exist. Let a Janie Crouch book prove it to you.
Check out Janie's updates and more on her website at http://www.janiecrouch.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 797 reviews
October 19, 2018
Although the suspense, pacing, characters and writing were really well done, my low rating was for the second chance romance between the two MCs of the story. I just wasn’t able to ever really buy into their love story. It had too many of my pet peeves and the type of trope used is my least favorite which made it hard for me to warm up to the romance.
Sorry for the rant-y review (-_-)
Why this didn’t work for me:
And that sums it up for me. Based on other reviews, this one was a case of me and not the book. Personal preference and all that jazz. Although this was a miss, I can see myself giving this author another try, the side characters, especially Dorian, Charlotte and Finn have definitely piqued my interest.
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
SAFETY INFO:
Sorry for the rant-y review (-_-)
Why this didn’t work for me:
And that sums it up for me. Based on other reviews, this one was a case of me and not the book. Personal preference and all that jazz. Although this was a miss, I can see myself giving this author another try, the side characters, especially Dorian, Charlotte and Finn have definitely piqued my interest.
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
SAFETY INFO:
August 4, 2023
2.5 Stars
I liked it, but I didn’t love it. I never quite felt Anne and Zac’s connection. And it’s not even that she felt like a consolation prize, since Zac’s connection with Becky didn’t seem all that intense either.
The rapist/mystery aspect felt super contrived and the story very surface level. I’d be irritated had I paid full price for it and not gotten it via kindle unlimited. Might try book two since it’s on there too. Haven’t decided.
I liked it, but I didn’t love it. I never quite felt Anne and Zac’s connection. And it’s not even that she felt like a consolation prize, since Zac’s connection with Becky didn’t seem all that intense either.
The rapist/mystery aspect felt super contrived and the story very surface level. I’d be irritated had I paid full price for it and not gotten it via kindle unlimited. Might try book two since it’s on there too. Haven’t decided.
July 10, 2020
skimmed and skimmed. So I won't star it...
There were some cute parts and I did think Zac loved Annie by 50%, but as others have pointed out, it was overshadowed by the specter of his first wife (her best friend, Beckie). One of those stories where the first wife kinda 'gifts' her hubby with her bff post mortem. The author tries to separate his romance with Annie, by having them talk about how they are different people now. That's all well and good but the power balance between Zac and Annie is unbalanced and so I just couldn't feel good about their HEA/HFN.
After their horrifically disastrous sort of sex 6 years ago (2 weeks after Beckie and their 2yr old died), Annie left and married a douche who humiliated her. Really??? Why author? Why? And that's the extent of her sex life.
Zac had had meaningless flings but never took anyone back to his place. He did NOT sleep with the woman who was a bitch to Annie in high school. So that was something I guess.
But yeah, another one of those stories where the h gets the shit end of the stick in life until mr.hotty deigns to fall in love with her.
*sigh wistfully* I love those rare second chance books where the h moves on and the H is just lucky she looked over her shoulder at him again.
... not in this book though. SO after the angst between the MCs is resolved, there's a scary rapist running amok to keep the second half of the story interesting.
The epilogue is useless as it's just a couple weeks later and no marriage, no babies. (call me old fashioned, lol)
There were some cute parts and I did think Zac loved Annie by 50%, but as others have pointed out, it was overshadowed by the specter of his first wife (her best friend, Beckie). One of those stories where the first wife kinda 'gifts' her hubby with her bff post mortem. The author tries to separate his romance with Annie, by having them talk about how they are different people now. That's all well and good but the power balance between Zac and Annie is unbalanced and so I just couldn't feel good about their HEA/HFN.
After their horrifically disastrous sort of sex 6 years ago (2 weeks after Beckie and their 2yr old died), Annie left and married a douche who humiliated her. Really??? Why author? Why? And that's the extent of her sex life.
Zac had had meaningless flings but never took anyone back to his place. He did NOT sleep with the woman who was a bitch to Annie in high school. So that was something I guess.
But yeah, another one of those stories where the h gets the shit end of the stick in life until mr.hotty deigns to fall in love with her.
*sigh wistfully* I love those rare second chance books where the h moves on and the H is just lucky she looked over her shoulder at him again.
... not in this book though. SO after the angst between the MCs is resolved, there's a scary rapist running amok to keep the second half of the story interesting.
The epilogue is useless as it's just a couple weeks later and no marriage, no babies. (call me old fashioned, lol)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2018
★ 3 STARS ★
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October 12, 2018
An amazing second chance…
I’ve read a few books by this author and I couldn’t wait to scoop this one up! It is ex-military, suspenseful, second chance and all wrapped together in a romance that ticked each and every box. Great writing and relatable characters meant I loved everything about this story!
Anne was back home, working in a field she loved, and helping people the way she was born to do. She quietly went about her business, happy not to be recognized as the girl she once was. Zac, though, was someone she was happy to avoid… Zac, on the other hand, was intrigued and puzzled by Anne’s reaction to him. Once the truth is out, he does anything and everything to redeem himself in her eyes. And his own….
Loved it. Hands down, I loved every minute reading this book. The characters, the plot, everything came together in a story that clicked with me right from the start. I liked Anne and Zac so much as they fought and talked their way to acceptance and then much more… So many good things about them and their story, I wish I could read it for the first time – again! I will happily place it, however, on the top of my go to, re-read shelf as I eagerly wait for more in this series! ~Diane, 5 stars
I’ve read a few books by this author and I couldn’t wait to scoop this one up! It is ex-military, suspenseful, second chance and all wrapped together in a romance that ticked each and every box. Great writing and relatable characters meant I loved everything about this story!
Anne was back home, working in a field she loved, and helping people the way she was born to do. She quietly went about her business, happy not to be recognized as the girl she once was. Zac, though, was someone she was happy to avoid… Zac, on the other hand, was intrigued and puzzled by Anne’s reaction to him. Once the truth is out, he does anything and everything to redeem himself in her eyes. And his own….
Loved it. Hands down, I loved every minute reading this book. The characters, the plot, everything came together in a story that clicked with me right from the start. I liked Anne and Zac so much as they fought and talked their way to acceptance and then much more… So many good things about them and their story, I wish I could read it for the first time – again! I will happily place it, however, on the top of my go to, re-read shelf as I eagerly wait for more in this series! ~Diane, 5 stars
February 11, 2019
3.5 stars ⭐️.
Could have been more if only hero was celibate during separation. Heroine wasn’t but that didn’t bother me because hero was horrible to her that one night.
Recommended.
Could have been more if only hero was celibate during separation. Heroine wasn’t but that didn’t bother me because hero was horrible to her that one night.
Recommended.
September 30, 2018
I'm not even gonna lie, Cyclone had tears slowly streaming down my face the entire time I read! My heart hurt for Anne in a way words can't express. She had a terrible childhood which bled into a terrible adulthood. Her life was a blend of bullies and bad luck. And to know that Zac was one of those hurtful people was just too much.
Zac was married to Anne's best (and only) friend, Becky. Becky died in a car accident while Zac was overseas in the military. After high school, Anne went to college, then medical school, but had always stayed close to Becky. After a night that Zac doesn't even remember, Anne left Wyoming for parts unknown. Now they are both back in their small Wyoming hometown and not much has changed for Anne-most people don't remember her and those that do are not nice about it. But, Anne has nowhere to go. She is divorced and totally broke. She is already about as down as someone can get, yet these people just keep kicking her! I'm not kidding when I say I just wept the whole time because Anne just had the worst life!
I struggled with Zac a great deal. First, I am not really a big fan of the widower trope because the new lady is always competing with a ghost. But, when that new lady is really the wife's best friend, its even more difficult for me to buy into. Zac also didn't handle things well and he hurt Anne. When I say he hurt her, it would have been LESS painful if he physically hurt her. What he did was more painful than any physical beating. Personally, I could never get over what happened between them and just never fully invested in Zac as a hero.
You need to read Cyclone for Anne. I'm not a person who likes to read books with all the feels, but this book reminds me why books with the feels are so powerful. Cyclone tore me up emotionally and created a character in Anne I will not forget anytime soon. I can't remember wanting a happy ending for a character more than I wanted it for Anne. Read Cyclone with tissues because it made my non-feels catching heart hurt like I couldn't believe! I'm excited for what Crouch has in store for the rest of the Linear Tactical family!
POV: 3rd
Tears: yes....so many
Trope: widower, small town
Triggers:
Series/Standalone: stand alone
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
authors like Kaylea Cross, Susan Stoker, Katie Reus...then you will probably like Cyclone!
Cyclone
See full review on The Book Disciple
April 4, 2021
"This is why Anne didn’t have friends. They always stabbed you in the back and made you go out with the guy you’ve been in love with your whole life."
This is book one in the Linear Tactical series and I thought it was a good read. I usually am pretty uncomfortable when the hero previously was happily married and his wife died then finds someone new. It's not normally that kind of romance. How this one was handled didn't make me feel that way. Zac had known Anne for most of his life and she was his late wife's best friend. There are more details along with that but I'll let you read it to figure those out. However, like I said, I didn't it didn't bother me as it should have but if you also have an aversion to that kind of story line you may want to stay away.
I liked the thriller element of the book, it was interesting and gave the story a nice background and pacing to the story. I'll be checking out the next book in the series which they seemed to have nicely set up in this book.
This is book one in the Linear Tactical series and I thought it was a good read. I usually am pretty uncomfortable when the hero previously was happily married and his wife died then finds someone new. It's not normally that kind of romance. How this one was handled didn't make me feel that way. Zac had known Anne for most of his life and she was his late wife's best friend. There are more details along with that but I'll let you read it to figure those out. However, like I said, I didn't it didn't bother me as it should have but if you also have an aversion to that kind of story line you may want to stay away.
I liked the thriller element of the book, it was interesting and gave the story a nice background and pacing to the story. I'll be checking out the next book in the series which they seemed to have nicely set up in this book.
October 11, 2018
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
Janie Crouch is the first author I reviewed an ARC for. She sent me a signed copy with a very nice note. I enjoyed the book and have enjoyed many others written by her. Those first books were Harlequin Intrigue books were what I call a short novel. Action was fast and the romance sometimes didn't get a chance to develop. "Cyclone" is longer and gave both the mystery/suspense and the romance time to fully develop. At first, I thought it was a romance with mystery, meaning a romance with a touch of mystery, but it turned out to be a really great romantic-suspense that kept me reading far too late into the night. I can't wait for the other books in this series as this cast of characters is just awesome.
Dr. Anne Nichols left Oak Creek, Wyoming, after her dream come true turned into a nightmare. She is back because she has no place else to go and is out of other options. She spent her childhood hiding behind a book and trying to be invisible to everyone.
Zac Mackay was the boyfriend, then husband, of Anne's best, and only, friend. What he did and said to her was the reason Anne left. When Zac's wife and child died, he threw himself into the Army Special Forces and learned a lot of skills, enough to start a successful business, Linear Tactical, teaching those skills to others with his Army buddies.
During their first encounter in more than six years, Anne comes face to face with Zac and is terrified that he really meant what he said six years ago. Zac knows he behaved badly, very badly, but the fear in her eyes devastates him. He is determined to uncover what he doesn't remember and to replace fear with longing in Annie's eyes. As Zak remembers exactly what happened so long ago, he begins a mission to make Annie forgive "then" Zak, but a rapist has set his sights on Annie and she will need every ounce of determination she has and all the skills Zak taught her to survive.
Janie Crouch is the first author I reviewed an ARC for. She sent me a signed copy with a very nice note. I enjoyed the book and have enjoyed many others written by her. Those first books were Harlequin Intrigue books were what I call a short novel. Action was fast and the romance sometimes didn't get a chance to develop. "Cyclone" is longer and gave both the mystery/suspense and the romance time to fully develop. At first, I thought it was a romance with mystery, meaning a romance with a touch of mystery, but it turned out to be a really great romantic-suspense that kept me reading far too late into the night. I can't wait for the other books in this series as this cast of characters is just awesome.
Dr. Anne Nichols left Oak Creek, Wyoming, after her dream come true turned into a nightmare. She is back because she has no place else to go and is out of other options. She spent her childhood hiding behind a book and trying to be invisible to everyone.
Zac Mackay was the boyfriend, then husband, of Anne's best, and only, friend. What he did and said to her was the reason Anne left. When Zac's wife and child died, he threw himself into the Army Special Forces and learned a lot of skills, enough to start a successful business, Linear Tactical, teaching those skills to others with his Army buddies.
During their first encounter in more than six years, Anne comes face to face with Zac and is terrified that he really meant what he said six years ago. Zac knows he behaved badly, very badly, but the fear in her eyes devastates him. He is determined to uncover what he doesn't remember and to replace fear with longing in Annie's eyes. As Zak remembers exactly what happened so long ago, he begins a mission to make Annie forgive "then" Zak, but a rapist has set his sights on Annie and she will need every ounce of determination she has and all the skills Zak taught her to survive.
August 2, 2023
When i found this freebie on iTunes,and read the blurb,i was intrigued.
Even though it’s a sweet second chance romance,it has the military factor added,with a touch of mystery.
And i have to say,i was pleasantly surprised,the story was well written and held my attention throughout.
Even though shy girl Anne was Zac’s late wife Becky’s best friend,and she did have feelings for him back then,she never let them show,never thought of acting on them.
Not until Becky,and her infant son,were killed in a car crash and Zac,drunk and grieving,needed her.
When everything backfired,and he wanted her gone,she fled town intent on never returning.
But a mistake marriage ending in divorce,brought her back to the house of Becky’s mother,who’d left it to her when she died.
Trying to blend into the background at the local hospital as one of the doctors worked,until Zac was brought in after an accident......
If only he could remember what happened that night.......
That is only part of the mystery,and if you want to know the rest,i suggest you take a chance and read this one.
It’s not dark,it’s not complicated,but it’s entertaining,has enough suspence to keep you reading and it’s heartwarming.
Even though it’s a sweet second chance romance,it has the military factor added,with a touch of mystery.
And i have to say,i was pleasantly surprised,the story was well written and held my attention throughout.
Even though shy girl Anne was Zac’s late wife Becky’s best friend,and she did have feelings for him back then,she never let them show,never thought of acting on them.
Not until Becky,and her infant son,were killed in a car crash and Zac,drunk and grieving,needed her.
When everything backfired,and he wanted her gone,she fled town intent on never returning.
But a mistake marriage ending in divorce,brought her back to the house of Becky’s mother,who’d left it to her when she died.
Trying to blend into the background at the local hospital as one of the doctors worked,until Zac was brought in after an accident......
If only he could remember what happened that night.......
That is only part of the mystery,and if you want to know the rest,i suggest you take a chance and read this one.
It’s not dark,it’s not complicated,but it’s entertaining,has enough suspence to keep you reading and it’s heartwarming.
August 15, 2024
Okay, I ended up reading it, but it gave me no real joy, but then again, it gave me no real angst.
September 25, 2018
Doctor Anne Nichols moves back home to Oak Creek, Wyoming taking the position of ER doctor in the town’s hospital. Little did she expect to run into Zac Mackay not even two weeks of being home. Six years ago, Anne ran away from Zac and seeing him again brings back painful memories she wishes she could forget. Anne is the last person Zac ever expects to see again. But when he sees the fear in her eyes when she looks at him, he is determined to find out why. As they get reacquainted with one another, Zac realizes he never stopped have feelings for Anne, but someone sinister has Anne in his sights, one who has the potential of taking Anne away from Zac permanently. Will Zac be able to save Anne in time or will she be lost to him forever?
Romance will always be one of my favorite genres with romantic suspense being my favorite category. I do love a strong alpha hero. Throw in a military MC on top of that and OMG! I am in LOVE! I start seeing hearts in front of my eyes and our hero in this story, Zac Mackay, makes me melt big time. Zac along with his military buddies own Linear Tactics, one of the most well-respected training facilities in the country. Here they teach fighting tactics and weapons training to the public as well as other law enforcement agencies. Zac has a tragic past and for the past six years has never been serious with a woman. Sure he has dated here and there, but that is all he was capable of until Anne waltzes back into his life.
Anne is the girl no one ever notices. In high school she was painfully shy and had a stutter. She is more comfortable staying in the background where she thinks she belongs. Anxiety rules her life and she is not comfortable being the center of attention. Anne is quite content that the people in Oak Creek don’t even remember who she is. She doesn’t want to relive the embarrassment of her time in Tampa nor her disastrous marriage and divorce. This all changes when Zac comes back into her life. People start to remember who she is and the gossip soon starts to spread around the hospital and in their community especially when she starts spending more time with Zac.
Anne and Zac really take the time to get to know one another again. Zac is patient and kind and sees Anne as the beautiful woman she is. He knows he messed up in the past and he is determined to start over with Anne and to make up for what he did. He has never forgotten about her even after all of these years. Their romance is so sweet and so tender. Zac is really good for Anne’s confidence and he slowly helps her see her potential and show her that she is worthy of love, friends, and a life outside of work. I can see how Anne grows as a person finding the confidence within herself and the will to survive when a predator sets his sights on her.
The romance takes center stage in this story with a mystery weaved throughout its pages that builds to an explosive ending I never saw coming. While I had my thoughts on who might behind these sinister acts, I was quite taken by the twist I never saw coming. What a brilliant form of trickery! I was completely taken by surprise and very happy with the way the mystery played out in the story. There is a character I immensely disliked, but they do redeem themselves in the end. Through the book I kept saying “Gah! I do not like this character and by the end I was like “Holy smokes maybe you deserve your own story now! You rock!” One thing I would like to add is about Zac’s military crew. OMG! What a bunch of stand up guys! They are all hot, mysterious, alpha hunks of….whoa! I think I may need a fan soon. It’s getting HOT in here! I am ecstatic that they will be getting their own stories next. I can’t wait! I need more of these guys like right this very second!
Cyclone by Janie Crouch blends a heartfelt and emotional romance along with a thrilling mystery that captured my attention right from the first page. I could not put this book down and stayed up way late into the evening because I just had to finish it. Crouch gets your attention from the word go and does not let go until the very end. I can see why Crouch is a USA TODAY bestselling author. I am definitely looking forward to getting my greedy little hands on the next few books of this series. If you love romantic suspense with an alpha hero and a sweet heroine you will want to start right at the beginning with Zac and Anne’s story
Romance will always be one of my favorite genres with romantic suspense being my favorite category. I do love a strong alpha hero. Throw in a military MC on top of that and OMG! I am in LOVE! I start seeing hearts in front of my eyes and our hero in this story, Zac Mackay, makes me melt big time. Zac along with his military buddies own Linear Tactics, one of the most well-respected training facilities in the country. Here they teach fighting tactics and weapons training to the public as well as other law enforcement agencies. Zac has a tragic past and for the past six years has never been serious with a woman. Sure he has dated here and there, but that is all he was capable of until Anne waltzes back into his life.
Anne is the girl no one ever notices. In high school she was painfully shy and had a stutter. She is more comfortable staying in the background where she thinks she belongs. Anxiety rules her life and she is not comfortable being the center of attention. Anne is quite content that the people in Oak Creek don’t even remember who she is. She doesn’t want to relive the embarrassment of her time in Tampa nor her disastrous marriage and divorce. This all changes when Zac comes back into her life. People start to remember who she is and the gossip soon starts to spread around the hospital and in their community especially when she starts spending more time with Zac.
Anne and Zac really take the time to get to know one another again. Zac is patient and kind and sees Anne as the beautiful woman she is. He knows he messed up in the past and he is determined to start over with Anne and to make up for what he did. He has never forgotten about her even after all of these years. Their romance is so sweet and so tender. Zac is really good for Anne’s confidence and he slowly helps her see her potential and show her that she is worthy of love, friends, and a life outside of work. I can see how Anne grows as a person finding the confidence within herself and the will to survive when a predator sets his sights on her.
The romance takes center stage in this story with a mystery weaved throughout its pages that builds to an explosive ending I never saw coming. While I had my thoughts on who might behind these sinister acts, I was quite taken by the twist I never saw coming. What a brilliant form of trickery! I was completely taken by surprise and very happy with the way the mystery played out in the story. There is a character I immensely disliked, but they do redeem themselves in the end. Through the book I kept saying “Gah! I do not like this character and by the end I was like “Holy smokes maybe you deserve your own story now! You rock!” One thing I would like to add is about Zac’s military crew. OMG! What a bunch of stand up guys! They are all hot, mysterious, alpha hunks of….whoa! I think I may need a fan soon. It’s getting HOT in here! I am ecstatic that they will be getting their own stories next. I can’t wait! I need more of these guys like right this very second!
Cyclone by Janie Crouch blends a heartfelt and emotional romance along with a thrilling mystery that captured my attention right from the first page. I could not put this book down and stayed up way late into the evening because I just had to finish it. Crouch gets your attention from the word go and does not let go until the very end. I can see why Crouch is a USA TODAY bestselling author. I am definitely looking forward to getting my greedy little hands on the next few books of this series. If you love romantic suspense with an alpha hero and a sweet heroine you will want to start right at the beginning with Zac and Anne’s story
September 25, 2018
The first installment of the Linear Tactical Series was a fast paced and exciting read. Crouch mixed an intriguing mystery with a passionate romance and the perfect amount of action.
Zac and Anne have a history, one that is steeped in heartache. When they come face to face after 6 years, no one could have imagined what would happen next. With a connection they can’t forget and chemistry they can’t deny, I couldn’t get enough. The slow build between them was gripping. In addition to the romance, we also get the mystery and action! I absolutely love books that keep me engaged and on the edge of my seat. Throw in some fight scenes, I’m all over it!
Another aspect I loved about this book was the way that Crouch included the rest of the characters. She sets up the rest of the series so well and gives us a very thorough understanding of who these characters are. It has me so excited to read more of this series. I can’t wait to dive into the next book!!
November 19, 2023
Cyclone is the first book in the "Linear Tactical" series and I was really interested in this book. I was introduced to this story by a booktuber and as I do love suspense in small town romances, I was fasinated. I did enjoy this one. But it didn't exactly wow me. There were parts of the story especially the second half that was just boring. It didn't really do much for me and the story just fell flat in the second half because the first half was really enjoyable there. I really enjoyed the aspect of the premise of what brings the couple together. We have some misunderstanding that occurred that happened under the influence of alcohol so I really enjoyed seeing these two figurer out the past and find a way to get a relationship to work. I did relate to the heroine in many ways, I think my issues with the story is the writing just stopped pulling me in as I would have liked it to. I did really like how the the suspense plot was implemented and resolved and love it when its a villain you don't expect it to be.
Overall I found Cyclone to be interesting and I am curious for more.
Overall I found Cyclone to be interesting and I am curious for more.
September 8, 2018
I was on the fence on my rating. I was Between 3.5 and 4 stars...let me explain why...
I’ll start with I love military romances. Cyclone was my first read from Ms. Crouch. Okay, here we go:
I loved the characters: Annie, Zac and all the supporting characters. I could relate to Annie on a few levels. I was unsure about Zac and how he had treated Annie in the past and the present (he did redeem himself).
The storyline was good, there were times that it seemed a little drawn out but then the pace would pick up and back on point. Saying that and my overall feelings for the characters, I decided on the 4 stars and I will say I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series as well.
I’ll start with I love military romances. Cyclone was my first read from Ms. Crouch. Okay, here we go:
I loved the characters: Annie, Zac and all the supporting characters. I could relate to Annie on a few levels. I was unsure about Zac and how he had treated Annie in the past and the present (he did redeem himself).
The storyline was good, there were times that it seemed a little drawn out but then the pace would pick up and back on point. Saying that and my overall feelings for the characters, I decided on the 4 stars and I will say I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series as well.
March 9, 2022
3.5 Stars.
I like the general plot of this and the protective hero. I didn't think he did enough groveling for the truly horrible things he said to the heroine. He did a lot of nice things but he didn't verbally apologize enough for me. There was some repetition I didn't like but generally, the writing was solid and I liked the characterization. I'd definitely read more from this series. It has a lot of tropes I like, even if some things rubbed me the wrong way (the biracial relationship line comes to mind as something an editor might have suggested being removed). I really enjoyed the characterization of the side characters and I'm excited to read their books.
I like the general plot of this and the protective hero. I didn't think he did enough groveling for the truly horrible things he said to the heroine. He did a lot of nice things but he didn't verbally apologize enough for me. There was some repetition I didn't like but generally, the writing was solid and I liked the characterization. I'd definitely read more from this series. It has a lot of tropes I like, even if some things rubbed me the wrong way (the biracial relationship line comes to mind as something an editor might have suggested being removed). I really enjoyed the characterization of the side characters and I'm excited to read their books.
October 23, 2022
Zac Mackay and Dr. Anne Griffin have a turbulent past. He was married to her best friend who died 6 years ago and the events of one night 2 weeks after the tragedy ended any friendship they may have had. Now Anne is back in Oak Creek and when she comes face to face with Zac in the ER she is terrified that he’ll repeat the angry words from the past and make her runaway again.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I enjoy a good romantic suspense, but I have a tendency to select books by their covers and this was not one I would have chosen for myself. I would like to give a big shout out to the Tall, Dark & Deadly Goodreads group for choosing this author for our Deadly Author of the Month challenge and introducing me to her.
Zac Mackay and his buddies at Linear Tactical are an amazing group of men who are there to help when needed. Their friendship is unbeatable and like family. Since they are all ex-military, that’s not surprising. Anne on the other hand is shy and, when not working, quite the introvert. She has mastered the stutter she had when she was younger, but her social anxiety brings it back sometimes. The chemistry between Zac and Anne is undeniable and it’s a relief when they both figure it out.
The suspense part comes from the guy attacking women in the counties surrounding Oak Creek. Linear Tactical is asked to look into the attacks, but it becomes personal when Anne is attacked. The attack is brutal and I admire Anne for how hard she fought back. She’s a lot stronger than she thinks she is, but she soon figures that out herself. The way the whole town comes together at the end to help Anne out is amazing and heartwarming.
The events for book 2 in this series start out in this book and it definitely has me hooked. I’m looking forward to continuing the series.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I enjoy a good romantic suspense, but I have a tendency to select books by their covers and this was not one I would have chosen for myself. I would like to give a big shout out to the Tall, Dark & Deadly Goodreads group for choosing this author for our Deadly Author of the Month challenge and introducing me to her.
Zac Mackay and his buddies at Linear Tactical are an amazing group of men who are there to help when needed. Their friendship is unbeatable and like family. Since they are all ex-military, that’s not surprising. Anne on the other hand is shy and, when not working, quite the introvert. She has mastered the stutter she had when she was younger, but her social anxiety brings it back sometimes. The chemistry between Zac and Anne is undeniable and it’s a relief when they both figure it out.
The suspense part comes from the guy attacking women in the counties surrounding Oak Creek. Linear Tactical is asked to look into the attacks, but it becomes personal when Anne is attacked. The attack is brutal and I admire Anne for how hard she fought back. She’s a lot stronger than she thinks she is, but she soon figures that out herself. The way the whole town comes together at the end to help Anne out is amazing and heartwarming.
The events for book 2 in this series start out in this book and it definitely has me hooked. I’m looking forward to continuing the series.
May 24, 2020
I liked this one; a solid freebie with KU. Cyclone is the first book in the Linear Tactical series, and is a second-chance romance with a side of mystery. The gist is; Zac is a widower (accident also claimed his son) and ex-Army Green Beret. His deceased wife Becky, was BFF with the h, Anne; they all grew up together, and both Becky & Anne loved Zac. Zac & Anne had a drunken hook-up after the death (6 years ago flashback) in which Zac acted like a prick, but he can’t remember details.
I’m not going to give spoilers, but did want to give an explanation on a couple of things that I saw in reviews that skewed my expectations.
1. Zac met Becky first, and they were already a couple when she introduced him to Anne in middle school; it later says that he always thought she was attractive, and felt sorry for her, but he was all about Becky. I don’t think the two actually interacted much; A was quiet and blended into the background. I say this because, A reflects on a memory from the night before Z & B’s wedding in which Becky said “I wish I didn’t love Zac so much so I could give him to you.” Anne was pretending to sleep so they didn’t discuss, but all text evidence portrays Becky as a good friend who loved Anne; both her and her mom were like Anne’s family. (A had a shit family, and was socially awkward-stuttered w/ no friends) I think she said this because she truly loved her bestie, and wished she could be happy. Basically, this isn’t what we see typically where the h LOVES the H so much and the BFF swoops in and snatches him. I also wouldn’t call it unrequited love, because she fell in love with her BFF’s boyfriend. (who had no clue she liked him) IMO neither woman acted inappropriately; it was just a no-win situation.
2. I will tag this as "hero hung up" because of the drunken hook-up, but this book starts 6-years later, and IMO, Z is moving on and not hung up. I don’t think he was looking for anything serious, but he had dated, (it only states "dated" so no clue if he had sex) and after the first meeting w/ A (where he freaks); he’s committed to pursuing her. He’s not drowning in guilt; he doesn’t push her away, or flip-flop in his feelings. It’s healthy; he even expresses his desire for the girl who caused his family's deaths to be paroled, because six years is enough penalty for an accident. Becky’s name is brought up a lot (nearly 100x) but it’s usually from other people calling Anne (Becky’s friend), and Z & A do discuss her, but it flows maturely and positively.
3. Excluding the “drunken hook-up’’ that happens before the book starts and the “first meeting freak-out”; Zac isn’t a prick. He’s never cruel; goes out of his way to take care of her; tells her how beautiful-smart-awesome she is; supports and woos her… he’s book b-friend goals material. IMO he doesn’t treat her as second best; she’s by far his top priority. Of course, he’d still be married if B hadn’t died, but it seems unfair to label all partners of widows as 2nd best merely because they come after the dead spouse.
Bottom line- I went into this thinking it would be the military version of Unbreak My Heart, and it was not… like at all. So, if you're looking for angsty drama... it's not here. This is a sweet, second-chance romance with two nice, likeable, loving people. The “mystery” aspect kicks up more in the second half of the book; the secondary characters will be the H’s in the future books in the series.
I’m not going to give spoilers, but did want to give an explanation on a couple of things that I saw in reviews that skewed my expectations.
1. Zac met Becky first, and they were already a couple when she introduced him to Anne in middle school; it later says that he always thought she was attractive, and felt sorry for her, but he was all about Becky. I don’t think the two actually interacted much; A was quiet and blended into the background. I say this because, A reflects on a memory from the night before Z & B’s wedding in which Becky said “I wish I didn’t love Zac so much so I could give him to you.” Anne was pretending to sleep so they didn’t discuss, but all text evidence portrays Becky as a good friend who loved Anne; both her and her mom were like Anne’s family. (A had a shit family, and was socially awkward-stuttered w/ no friends) I think she said this because she truly loved her bestie, and wished she could be happy. Basically, this isn’t what we see typically where the h LOVES the H so much and the BFF swoops in and snatches him. I also wouldn’t call it unrequited love, because she fell in love with her BFF’s boyfriend. (who had no clue she liked him) IMO neither woman acted inappropriately; it was just a no-win situation.
2. I will tag this as "hero hung up" because of the drunken hook-up, but this book starts 6-years later, and IMO, Z is moving on and not hung up. I don’t think he was looking for anything serious, but he had dated, (it only states "dated" so no clue if he had sex) and after the first meeting w/ A (where he freaks); he’s committed to pursuing her. He’s not drowning in guilt; he doesn’t push her away, or flip-flop in his feelings. It’s healthy; he even expresses his desire for the girl who caused his family's deaths to be paroled, because six years is enough penalty for an accident. Becky’s name is brought up a lot (nearly 100x) but it’s usually from other people calling Anne (Becky’s friend), and Z & A do discuss her, but it flows maturely and positively.
3. Excluding the “drunken hook-up’’ that happens before the book starts and the “first meeting freak-out”; Zac isn’t a prick. He’s never cruel; goes out of his way to take care of her; tells her how beautiful-smart-awesome she is; supports and woos her… he’s book b-friend goals material. IMO he doesn’t treat her as second best; she’s by far his top priority. Of course, he’d still be married if B hadn’t died, but it seems unfair to label all partners of widows as 2nd best merely because they come after the dead spouse.
Bottom line- I went into this thinking it would be the military version of Unbreak My Heart, and it was not… like at all. So, if you're looking for angsty drama... it's not here. This is a sweet, second-chance romance with two nice, likeable, loving people. The “mystery” aspect kicks up more in the second half of the book; the secondary characters will be the H’s in the future books in the series.
August 31, 2018
Reading ‘Cyclone’, or rather, getting into the first book of Linear Tactical, is strangely akin to seeing Janie Crouch freed of her writing restraints, and there’s no blunter way of putting it especially when it showcases the writing in fine form. ‘Cyclone’ is a full-length, more colourful, more explicit (hooray) story and simply a lot more compelling than the ‘tamer’ novellas Crouch has done for the Harlequin Intrigue/Suspense imprint in contrast, and begins with a huge misunderstanding and a painful event that neither of the main protagonists have quite gotten over.
Justifiably skittish, broken and gun-shy, Anne Nichols’s return to her small hometown brings her back into contact with the man she’d never wanted to see again, though Zac Mackay isn’t even aware of what exactly had put the rift between them that Anne wouldn’t talk about. And that’s where the pieces slowly come together, as I sat in with spiteful glee and got on the grovelling journey Zac took in trying to make up for his abysmal misdeeds 6 years ago, more so because I found myself sympathising and identifying with Anne’s insecurities, her wariness and even her quiet bravery and the strength that are so easily looked over. That she's too forgiving made me a little outraged, even.
The element of the forbidden isn’t as strong as I thought here—Anne being the good friend of Zac’s long-dead wife, even if they’d known each other for a long time—and that Anne had always loved him yet tamped it down always made it feel as though Zac had a long way to go before getting up to speed with her. Apart from feeling that Anne was a little short-changed for the longest time, colour me surprised when Zac was able to move forward rather easily with her, as I’d expected some kind of accounting for how he finally had eyes for Anne when he never quite did before.
Still, ‘Cyclone’ is less angsty than I thought it would be, less drawn-out with the push-pull that happens between with a couple so weighed down by their pasts (this is not a NA novel after all), especially after the growing relationship between Anne/Zac is gradually overshadowed by the growing suspense plot that inevitably snares Anne in its trap.
Nonetheless, if ‘Cyclone’ is the standard-setting benchmark for the rest of the books to come—I was impatient to get back to the book each time my attention was called away—, then wherever or however Crouch might take this entire series is something I’m really looking forward to.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
Justifiably skittish, broken and gun-shy, Anne Nichols’s return to her small hometown brings her back into contact with the man she’d never wanted to see again, though Zac Mackay isn’t even aware of what exactly had put the rift between them that Anne wouldn’t talk about. And that’s where the pieces slowly come together, as I sat in with spiteful glee and got on the grovelling journey Zac took in trying to make up for his abysmal misdeeds 6 years ago, more so because I found myself sympathising and identifying with Anne’s insecurities, her wariness and even her quiet bravery and the strength that are so easily looked over. That she's too forgiving made me a little outraged, even.
The element of the forbidden isn’t as strong as I thought here—Anne being the good friend of Zac’s long-dead wife, even if they’d known each other for a long time—and that Anne had always loved him yet tamped it down always made it feel as though Zac had a long way to go before getting up to speed with her. Apart from feeling that Anne was a little short-changed for the longest time, colour me surprised when Zac was able to move forward rather easily with her, as I’d expected some kind of accounting for how he finally had eyes for Anne when he never quite did before.
Still, ‘Cyclone’ is less angsty than I thought it would be, less drawn-out with the push-pull that happens between with a couple so weighed down by their pasts (this is not a NA novel after all), especially after the growing relationship between Anne/Zac is gradually overshadowed by the growing suspense plot that inevitably snares Anne in its trap.
Nonetheless, if ‘Cyclone’ is the standard-setting benchmark for the rest of the books to come—I was impatient to get back to the book each time my attention was called away—, then wherever or however Crouch might take this entire series is something I’m really looking forward to.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
September 30, 2018
Book 1 of Linear Tactical Series was this fast paced, sizzling, intense and fabulous read. Ms. Crouch put together an intriguing romantic mystery with a passionate romantic suspense and the perfect blend of action/ adventure which gives this story just the right amount of it all.
We learn that the main characters Zac and Anne had been friends because of Zac's late wife, Becky. They had all been friends during high school. Zac married Becky, and never knew that Anne had this huge crush which grew to this deep love for him. Two weeks after Becky's death, both of them ended up drunk together and grieving Becky's loss , Zac and Anne had sex, this event that Zac has very little remembrance of. Zac went back to the army, and Anne left town quite literally after. Six years later, Zac and his buddies have a very successful business teaching survival and safety. Yet Zac is haunted by the events of that night and feelings that he betrayed Becky.
Now Anne has just returned to Oak Creek as the new ER doctor at hospital. She never wanted or planned to come back, but after her recent divorce left her literally broke and broken, she was left with no other choice but to come home.
Anne is the very last person Zac ever expects or wants to see again. But when he sees fear in Anne's eyes when her eyes gaze at him, he is determined to find out the reason why. As Zach and Anne reconnect with each other, Zac realizes he never stopped having feelings for Anne, but while they are reconnecting, someone dark and evil has Anne in his crosshairs, one who has the capacity of taking Anne away from Zac forever. Can Zac save Anne in time or will she be forevermore lost to him ?
The romance really is front and center in this read with a mystery/ suspense that is weaved through the pages that builds to such an emotionally complex and fiery end that I didn't see coming. The emotions in this book are very complex and tissues will be needed at times. I felt as if i was right in this book, with the characters, experiencing everything the main characters were feeling. I cannot wait for the next book in this new series.
My rating: 4.8 stars *****
We learn that the main characters Zac and Anne had been friends because of Zac's late wife, Becky. They had all been friends during high school. Zac married Becky, and never knew that Anne had this huge crush which grew to this deep love for him. Two weeks after Becky's death, both of them ended up drunk together and grieving Becky's loss , Zac and Anne had sex, this event that Zac has very little remembrance of. Zac went back to the army, and Anne left town quite literally after. Six years later, Zac and his buddies have a very successful business teaching survival and safety. Yet Zac is haunted by the events of that night and feelings that he betrayed Becky.
Now Anne has just returned to Oak Creek as the new ER doctor at hospital. She never wanted or planned to come back, but after her recent divorce left her literally broke and broken, she was left with no other choice but to come home.
Anne is the very last person Zac ever expects or wants to see again. But when he sees fear in Anne's eyes when her eyes gaze at him, he is determined to find out the reason why. As Zach and Anne reconnect with each other, Zac realizes he never stopped having feelings for Anne, but while they are reconnecting, someone dark and evil has Anne in his crosshairs, one who has the capacity of taking Anne away from Zac forever. Can Zac save Anne in time or will she be forevermore lost to him ?
The romance really is front and center in this read with a mystery/ suspense that is weaved through the pages that builds to such an emotionally complex and fiery end that I didn't see coming. The emotions in this book are very complex and tissues will be needed at times. I felt as if i was right in this book, with the characters, experiencing everything the main characters were feeling. I cannot wait for the next book in this new series.
My rating: 4.8 stars *****
September 10, 2023
Rec by hertslionessbooks on insta
Box sets of audios available
9/10/2023 - This is book 1 in Janie Crouch’s Linear Tactical series.
Normally I don’t include spoilers - but the subject matter and discussing the parts that didn’t work for me means this one will.
Overall I liked the writing, but this one had themes that aren’t my favorite. Outside the romance the main storyline is about a series of rapes across several counties. Apparently Linear has several expert trackers on the team so various law enforcement agencies call them in to help with parts of the investigation. The investigation aspect wasn’t fleshed out as well as I’d like.
I don’t mind romance involving a widower, but having Annie be the best friend of Zac’s dead wife while simultaneously acknowledging that they were interested/attracted the whole time of his marriage was…odd. There was also this constant theme of stating the dead wife was supportive of Zac & Annie as a couple that wasn’t substantiated outside of a bizarre statement she made when the girls were teens.
I did like how Crouch approached them getting to know each other as they are now and moving beyond what happened in the past. I might have liked a little more groveling, but Annie asked Zac not to focus on that so it was OK.
I wasn’t overwhelmed, but several folks have recommended this & I grabbed the first few books during a sale so I’d like to keep going. Especially since book 2, Eagle, involves a single dad.
Narration:
I like Tom Campbell’s voice, but the delivery didn’t quite work for me here throughout. It felt more like non-fiction at times, missing some of the natural conversational feel and emotional punch I like to experience. He’s new to me & from a quick glance this looks like one of his earlier romances, so I’ll listen to the next book and see if it clicks better.
CW:
Immediate aftermath of several rapes with details of physical injustices, Annie is attacked twice - once being a thwarted sexual assault
Box sets of audios available
9/10/2023 - This is book 1 in Janie Crouch’s Linear Tactical series.
Normally I don’t include spoilers - but the subject matter and discussing the parts that didn’t work for me means this one will.
Overall I liked the writing, but this one had themes that aren’t my favorite. Outside the romance the main storyline is about a series of rapes across several counties. Apparently Linear has several expert trackers on the team so various law enforcement agencies call them in to help with parts of the investigation. The investigation aspect wasn’t fleshed out as well as I’d like.
I don’t mind romance involving a widower, but having Annie be the best friend of Zac’s dead wife while simultaneously acknowledging that they were interested/attracted the whole time of his marriage was…odd. There was also this constant theme of stating the dead wife was supportive of Zac & Annie as a couple that wasn’t substantiated outside of a bizarre statement she made when the girls were teens.
I did like how Crouch approached them getting to know each other as they are now and moving beyond what happened in the past. I might have liked a little more groveling, but Annie asked Zac not to focus on that so it was OK.
I wasn’t overwhelmed, but several folks have recommended this & I grabbed the first few books during a sale so I’d like to keep going. Especially since book 2, Eagle, involves a single dad.
Narration:
I like Tom Campbell’s voice, but the delivery didn’t quite work for me here throughout. It felt more like non-fiction at times, missing some of the natural conversational feel and emotional punch I like to experience. He’s new to me & from a quick glance this looks like one of his earlier romances, so I’ll listen to the next book and see if it clicks better.
CW:
Immediate aftermath of several rapes with details of physical injustices, Annie is attacked twice - once being a thwarted sexual assault
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2019
If someone else had hurt Annie, Zac would have beaten them into the ground until they apologized. She deserved to have someone as her champion, even if he was fighting himself.
CYCLONE is the first novel of a series that centers around a group of former Green Berets who now use their skills to teach others. Zac is our widowed hero, who lost his wife and son in a car accident six years ago. Anne is an ER physician and Zac's wife's best friend who has moved back to Wyoming after six unhappy years in Florida. I normally don't enjoy the widow trope because things tend to get messy, and let me tell you this novel DID NOT DISAPPOINT.
Two weeks after his family was killed, Zac gets hammered and ends up with Anne in his hotel room. Anne has always had feelings for Zac--but never acted on them--so when she finally confesses her feelings to a drunk and hurting Zac, he freaks out and says some unbelievably harsh things. Fast forward six years, Anne is forced to move back to Wyoming where Zac is forced to face how he treated Anne. Even though the emotions were raw and beyond messy, I was still able to forgive Zac his jackass ways and enjoy the heart-pounding story. I thought I had the killer figured out, but I was wrong in the end!
July 21, 2021
Awesome read!
Janie Crouch is an amazing author, and her Linear Tactical Series is one of my faves. She draws the reader in from page one and doesn’t let go until the story’s over. I highly recommend anything written by this author!
Janie Crouch is an amazing author, and her Linear Tactical Series is one of my faves. She draws the reader in from page one and doesn’t let go until the story’s over. I highly recommend anything written by this author!
October 10, 2022
A promising start to a series. I'll see where it goes.
September 11, 2018
Terrific start to the new series, and one that had me hooked from the opening pages. The mix of sometimes heartbreaking emotion and pulse-pounding suspense had me glued to the pages well past my bedtime. I loved both Zac and Annie, who had realistic flaws and strengths, making them both easy to like and relate to. Zac, Annie, and Zac's late wife, Becky, had all been friends during high school. Zac married Becky, and never knew that Annie had a huge crush on him. Two weeks after Becky's death, both of them drunk and grieving, Zac and Annie had sex, an event that Zac remembers very little of. Zac went back to the army, and Annie left town. Six years later, Zac and his buddies have created a successful business teaching survival and safety. Zac is haunted by the events of that night and his feelings that he betrayed Becky. Annie has recently returned to Oak Creek as the new ER doctor at the hospital. She never planned to come back, but a recent divorce has left her broke and broken.
Zac and Annie's reunion came as a shock to both of them. Zac didn't know she was back until he ended up in her ER. In his shock, he wasn't particularly pleasant but didn't think he'd been bad enough to cause the fear he saw in her eyes. He has a sinking feeling it may go back to "that night," but he doesn't remember. I ached for Annie, whose memories are much more vivid. She's afraid of what he might say, not knowing that he doesn't recall what happened. The scene at the hospital was emotional, as both dealt with the influx of memories. Over the next few days, Annie and Zac encounter each other several times. Zac is haunted by the fear he sees in Annie's eyes and wants to know what caused it, while Annie doesn't want to remember or talk about it. Zac finds himself feeling very protective of Annie, which really surprises him. I loved the scene where he takes her to dinner after she treats the rape victim. I liked the way that they connected over their memories of Becky, and how it eased a little of the tension between them. I ached for Zac later that night, when the pieces of what had happened six years earlier finally came together. It was also quite satisfying to see how bad he felt about what he had done. His way of making amends was terrific, and I thoroughly enjoyed how he got the others involved also. I loved seeing his respect and admiration for Annie as he learned more about what she'd been through.
I loved watching them get to know each other as they are now. It was obvious that Zac was a goner over her. I loved his tenderness and his patience as he tried to control his attraction to her. Annie's insecurities made her blind to what was going on for the longest time. I had to laugh as Riley enumerated all the things that Zac had done for Annie. Seeing her finally believe was fantastic, as was watching her go after what she wanted. I loved the growing confidence in herself as a woman, and how Annie saw the various facets of her personality. When Annie gets into trouble, I liked the way that Zac gives her the support she needs to recover and also the tools to make her feel safe again. I liked how he feels so protective, but also knows her well enough that he doesn't smother her. The ending was sweet and romantic as they conquered their pasts and moved to a future together.
The suspense of this story was a page-turner. It started slowly, with both Annie and Zac involved in dealing with a sexual assault case. The tension picked up with a second assault and the realization that they may be dealing with a serial rapist. I was intrigued by the methods used by the Linear Tactical guys and loved their determination to catch the guy. My heart was in my throat when Annie was attacked, and I felt like I was right there with her. I suspected that there would be more to deal with as the LT men discovered the circumstances surrounding the attack. I had a couple of ideas of who the bad guy was, leaning toward one of them, but there were still some doubts in my mind right to the very end. The final confrontation was incredible. The bad guy was truly frightening in his determination. I loved seeing Annie's inner warrior, so well prepared by Zac, and how she dealt with the danger and terror. The ending was fantastic with an unexpected twist making the perfect resolution.
Zac and Annie's reunion came as a shock to both of them. Zac didn't know she was back until he ended up in her ER. In his shock, he wasn't particularly pleasant but didn't think he'd been bad enough to cause the fear he saw in her eyes. He has a sinking feeling it may go back to "that night," but he doesn't remember. I ached for Annie, whose memories are much more vivid. She's afraid of what he might say, not knowing that he doesn't recall what happened. The scene at the hospital was emotional, as both dealt with the influx of memories. Over the next few days, Annie and Zac encounter each other several times. Zac is haunted by the fear he sees in Annie's eyes and wants to know what caused it, while Annie doesn't want to remember or talk about it. Zac finds himself feeling very protective of Annie, which really surprises him. I loved the scene where he takes her to dinner after she treats the rape victim. I liked the way that they connected over their memories of Becky, and how it eased a little of the tension between them. I ached for Zac later that night, when the pieces of what had happened six years earlier finally came together. It was also quite satisfying to see how bad he felt about what he had done. His way of making amends was terrific, and I thoroughly enjoyed how he got the others involved also. I loved seeing his respect and admiration for Annie as he learned more about what she'd been through.
I loved watching them get to know each other as they are now. It was obvious that Zac was a goner over her. I loved his tenderness and his patience as he tried to control his attraction to her. Annie's insecurities made her blind to what was going on for the longest time. I had to laugh as Riley enumerated all the things that Zac had done for Annie. Seeing her finally believe was fantastic, as was watching her go after what she wanted. I loved the growing confidence in herself as a woman, and how Annie saw the various facets of her personality. When Annie gets into trouble, I liked the way that Zac gives her the support she needs to recover and also the tools to make her feel safe again. I liked how he feels so protective, but also knows her well enough that he doesn't smother her. The ending was sweet and romantic as they conquered their pasts and moved to a future together.
The suspense of this story was a page-turner. It started slowly, with both Annie and Zac involved in dealing with a sexual assault case. The tension picked up with a second assault and the realization that they may be dealing with a serial rapist. I was intrigued by the methods used by the Linear Tactical guys and loved their determination to catch the guy. My heart was in my throat when Annie was attacked, and I felt like I was right there with her. I suspected that there would be more to deal with as the LT men discovered the circumstances surrounding the attack. I had a couple of ideas of who the bad guy was, leaning toward one of them, but there were still some doubts in my mind right to the very end. The final confrontation was incredible. The bad guy was truly frightening in his determination. I loved seeing Annie's inner warrior, so well prepared by Zac, and how she dealt with the danger and terror. The ending was fantastic with an unexpected twist making the perfect resolution.
September 14, 2018
I am a fan of military romances, especially those with elements of mystery and action, which Cyclone has. This book also has a feeling of brotherhood between the lead and secondary characters which I found enjoyable.
Anne is shy and tries to be invisible much of the time. She is a competent ER doctor, but is anxious in social situations. Usually I prefer characters with a bit more sass, however, I enjoyed Anne's progression from meek and mild to a still reserved but stronger woman.
The action and mystery of this book held my attention more than the romance. I was eagerly awaiting the resolution of the dramatic conflict involving the crime committed against Anne. The romantic backstory didn't have me fully invested in the two leads. Don't get me wrong, I liked both Anne and Zac and wanted them to find their HEA, but there were some parts of the love story that didn't sit well with me. Zac's first wife, Becky plays a BIG part in their relationship as she was Zac's high school sweetheart and the love of his life, she was also Anne's childhood friend. Zac says he wants the Zac of now to get to know the Anne of now and not dwell in the past. I want to feel like these two are meant to be, but I can't seem to fully believe in their HEA. I just felt their love was tainted by the ghost of Becky, leaving Anne forever being a consolation prize.
This story is well written and the pace is good, but personal preference has me rating this lower. I don't love third person narrative and I had issues with this second chance pair.
I will read the other books in this series, as the writing is top notch and the Linear boys have endeared themselves to me.
Anne is shy and tries to be invisible much of the time. She is a competent ER doctor, but is anxious in social situations. Usually I prefer characters with a bit more sass, however, I enjoyed Anne's progression from meek and mild to a still reserved but stronger woman.
The action and mystery of this book held my attention more than the romance. I was eagerly awaiting the resolution of the dramatic conflict involving the crime committed against Anne. The romantic backstory didn't have me fully invested in the two leads. Don't get me wrong, I liked both Anne and Zac and wanted them to find their HEA, but there were some parts of the love story that didn't sit well with me. Zac's first wife, Becky plays a BIG part in their relationship as she was Zac's high school sweetheart and the love of his life, she was also Anne's childhood friend. Zac says he wants the Zac of now to get to know the Anne of now and not dwell in the past. I want to feel like these two are meant to be, but I can't seem to fully believe in their HEA. I just felt their love was tainted by the ghost of Becky, leaving Anne forever being a consolation prize.
This story is well written and the pace is good, but personal preference has me rating this lower. I don't love third person narrative and I had issues with this second chance pair.
I will read the other books in this series, as the writing is top notch and the Linear boys have endeared themselves to me.
May 16, 2023
This was an OK read. I would've probably have rated it higher had it no been for the initial set-up. Dead spouse & kid. Drunk sex 2 weeks after said death with introverted virgin who was dead spouse's best friend and had been crushing on him for years. Just too much of a deliberate emotional set-up... that, in truth, served no real purpose. All it did was put me off the two leads. Am interested in the other characters tho.
01/03/22 Better read for me this time around... probably due to the fact that I am far more familiar with the characters and with Janie Crouch's writing style. Still feel the same about the set-up. And I am unsure about the whole Zac 'dating' thing... does that mean that he basically slept with or had a 'one and done 'with much of the female community of that town? Cos that is just not nice... I mean
18/08/22 Am not quite sure why I re-read this one so quickly... I hadn't realised that I had until I finished it. Have to say, feel very much the same as I did.
01/03/22 Better read for me this time around... probably due to the fact that I am far more familiar with the characters and with Janie Crouch's writing style. Still feel the same about the set-up. And I am unsure about the whole Zac 'dating' thing... does that mean that he basically slept with or had a 'one and done 'with much of the female community of that town? Cos that is just not nice... I mean
18/08/22 Am not quite sure why I re-read this one so quickly... I hadn't realised that I had until I finished it. Have to say, feel very much the same as I did.
September 18, 2019
Zac Mackay lost his wife and toddler son while on deployment, then he came back, got drunk and did something stupid.
Dr Anne Nichols was the something stupid. His late wife's best friend, he ran he rout of town, but now she is back. Gone is the stutter, the shyness now replaced with a confident amazing ER doc. Being home though starts to bring back a little of the shy, stuttering, book nerd of her past. Especially when Zac is brought into the ER and her secret identity is revealed.
Zac is drawn to her but every attempt to get close only leads to her stepping back. She hints at her hurting him. He was drunk and worries what he did....while he didnt force himself on her, what he did is almost as bad and now he has to work to make things right.
I really connected to these two leads, this is a great start to the series.
Dr Anne Nichols was the something stupid. His late wife's best friend, he ran he rout of town, but now she is back. Gone is the stutter, the shyness now replaced with a confident amazing ER doc. Being home though starts to bring back a little of the shy, stuttering, book nerd of her past. Especially when Zac is brought into the ER and her secret identity is revealed.
Zac is drawn to her but every attempt to get close only leads to her stepping back. She hints at her hurting him. He was drunk and worries what he did....while he didnt force himself on her, what he did is almost as bad and now he has to work to make things right.
I really connected to these two leads, this is a great start to the series.
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