What do you think?
Rate this book
Steele Street #10
Breaking Loose
SIN AND DANGER COLLIDE WHEN THE WORLD’S HOTTEST SECRET AGENTS COMPETE FOR THE PRIZE EVERYONE’S LUSTING AFTER….
No one’s ever seen it. Everybody wants it. That’s why the government has just unleashed its secret weapon. Drop-dead-gorgeous art dealer Suzi Toussi has been tapped for the toughest mission of her to locate the Memphis Sphinx, an ancient artifact rumored to possess otherworldly powers. Tracking it to Paraguay means going up against Dax Killian, the sexy special ops agent who’s planning to snatch the coveted relic right out of her hot little hands. If he can find it first…
Dax first spotted her outside a seedy bar—in three-inch heels and a too-tight dress. He’d know those curves anywhere. But what was Suzi doing in a hellhole like Ciudad del Este? Dax knows the the Sphinx. Suddenly the game is on—and only one of them will walk away with the prize. With the Sphinx surfacing and passion taking Suzi and Dax under, they’re headed for a showdown that could reveal the secrets of the ages…or expose them to the hottest danger of all.
No one’s ever seen it. Everybody wants it. That’s why the government has just unleashed its secret weapon. Drop-dead-gorgeous art dealer Suzi Toussi has been tapped for the toughest mission of her to locate the Memphis Sphinx, an ancient artifact rumored to possess otherworldly powers. Tracking it to Paraguay means going up against Dax Killian, the sexy special ops agent who’s planning to snatch the coveted relic right out of her hot little hands. If he can find it first…
Dax first spotted her outside a seedy bar—in three-inch heels and a too-tight dress. He’d know those curves anywhere. But what was Suzi doing in a hellhole like Ciudad del Este? Dax knows the the Sphinx. Suddenly the game is on—and only one of them will walk away with the prize. With the Sphinx surfacing and passion taking Suzi and Dax under, they’re headed for a showdown that could reveal the secrets of the ages…or expose them to the hottest danger of all.
407 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 28, 2009
22 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
August 23, 2009
Hmmm...I slogged through about half of this one before it really captured my attention, and thankfully my perserverance paid off. The last half of the book was really excellent, and moved waaay quicker than the first part. Don't be surprised if at first you feel overwhelmed by all the names and plot threads going on, but sooner or later everything falls into place and for me, anyway, the book became almost un-put-down-able. I loved the ending, even though Tara Janzen left one huge storyline unresolved...I hate when that happens, unless the next book is due out soon. Sadly, that's not the case here...
This was the curvy, red headed art dealer Suzi Toussi's story, and who knew that she also worked for General Buck Grant who runs the SDF (Special Defense Force)? The same SDF as Dylan, Hawkins, Creed, and Zach (all of whom appear in this book)--all the "chop shop" boys from Denver's Steele Street. Anyway, Suzi's on a mission to Paraguay to recover a priceless, stolen, 4,000 year old Egyptian art statue that the US DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) wants back. The statue, nicknamed The Memphis Sphinx, supposedly has some kind of mystical powers giving immortality to the bearer during a full moon (or some such nonsense). Suzi agrees to this mission because Grant will pay her some big bucks, which will help her cause of getting some American women who were sold into white slavery out of eastern Europe and reuniting them with their families. Anyhow, Suzi finds herself in competition with a bunch of other people (some criminals) who also want the statue (for their own reasons), and the race is on-- who's going to get their hands on the statue first?
Well, one of the people who wants the statue is the legendary former Special Forces soldier (and sexy beefcake) Dax Killian. Of course his reasons for wanting the statue are ultimately good, even though he's working with a known criminal in order to acquire it. Dax and Suzi first met six month's ago (Loose and Easy), and for Dax it was like being hit by a thunderbolt--instant lusty connection, and he hasn't been able to stop thinking about her. And now here they are on opposites sides, both trying to get their hands on an impossibly rare artifact. Is it possible that they can work together and both accomplish their goals?
There's lots of bad stuff that goes down (violence, bad guys getting knocked off) as the race is on to get the statue before sundown (or moonrise?) of a certain day (it was kind of confusing, but in essence they had about 2 days to get the statue). Just when it looked like they would finally get the statue, it turns up in the hands of a guy...that will surprise the heck out of any long time reader of this series. To say any more would be a real spoiler, but...his story is sooo sad, and when I found out the SDF guys (Dylan, Hawkins, Creed, and Zach) were actually on a mission at the same time to 'take him out' I thought "Noooo..." Anyway, it ends up in a big showdown at a riverside estate, with Suzi taken hostage, lots of bloodshed, and Dax charging in to save the day with the SDF guys lending a hand...and our mystery man? I guess that will be in another book.:(
So, is there any romance? A little. Plenty of chemistry, and lots of lusting going on, and it's very evident when we read Dax's pov--he has it baaaad for Suzi! And they have one steamy (literally) night together, which was pretty scorchin' hot, but darn, I could have used a few more of those scenes! TJ does those scenes so well...
I wished the author also would have given us a little bit more background on Suzi. She's been a minor character throughout the series, and this was her chance to have her story told, but I felt TJ left the reader hanging a bit regarding Suzi. Yes, she tells us a couple of facts, including a bit about a tragedy in her past, but I needed to know more. I just felt she could have gone into more detail, especially about her romantic relationships with two men in her past. And while I loved the character of Dax, and I believed him when he thought Suzi was the one for him (I loved how he referred to her as "my girl"), I wondered why Suzi had this overwhelming trust for him. Besides her brief meeting with him in Denver 6 months ago, she only knew him for two days, yet she felt she could trust him with her life? I don't know, I guess if he knew that she was the one for him, I should give her the benefit of the doubt also...
A bit of warning here--I would strongly recommend that this book not be read as a stand alone--at the very least, read the previous book, "Loose and Easy", where the character of Dax is first introduced. But in all honesty, I would start at the very beginning of the series with Crazy Hot--everything will be more rewarding that way.
Was this my favorite Tara Janzen book? Nah, that honor still goes to Crazy Cool, the sexy-as-all-get-out Christian Hawkins's story. I guess I prefer the books where the setting takes place in and around Steele Street in Denver, as opposed to outside the US. But this wasn't a bad effort by any stretch of the imagination. If you like lots of action and a bit of steamy romance, and a nice sweet, sexy epilogue, then you'll like this one. I think if I went back and read the first part again (now that everything is so clear to me), it might earn another half star. Right now it's earned about 4 stars, and darn, I can't wait for the next one!
This was the curvy, red headed art dealer Suzi Toussi's story, and who knew that she also worked for General Buck Grant who runs the SDF (Special Defense Force)? The same SDF as Dylan, Hawkins, Creed, and Zach (all of whom appear in this book)--all the "chop shop" boys from Denver's Steele Street. Anyway, Suzi's on a mission to Paraguay to recover a priceless, stolen, 4,000 year old Egyptian art statue that the US DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) wants back. The statue, nicknamed The Memphis Sphinx, supposedly has some kind of mystical powers giving immortality to the bearer during a full moon (or some such nonsense). Suzi agrees to this mission because Grant will pay her some big bucks, which will help her cause of getting some American women who were sold into white slavery out of eastern Europe and reuniting them with their families. Anyhow, Suzi finds herself in competition with a bunch of other people (some criminals) who also want the statue (for their own reasons), and the race is on-- who's going to get their hands on the statue first?
Well, one of the people who wants the statue is the legendary former Special Forces soldier (and sexy beefcake) Dax Killian. Of course his reasons for wanting the statue are ultimately good, even though he's working with a known criminal in order to acquire it. Dax and Suzi first met six month's ago (Loose and Easy), and for Dax it was like being hit by a thunderbolt--instant lusty connection, and he hasn't been able to stop thinking about her. And now here they are on opposites sides, both trying to get their hands on an impossibly rare artifact. Is it possible that they can work together and both accomplish their goals?
There's lots of bad stuff that goes down (violence, bad guys getting knocked off) as the race is on to get the statue before sundown (or moonrise?) of a certain day (it was kind of confusing, but in essence they had about 2 days to get the statue). Just when it looked like they would finally get the statue, it turns up in the hands of a guy...that will surprise the heck out of any long time reader of this series. To say any more would be a real spoiler, but...his story is sooo sad, and when I found out the SDF guys (Dylan, Hawkins, Creed, and Zach) were actually on a mission at the same time to 'take him out' I thought "Noooo..." Anyway, it ends up in a big showdown at a riverside estate, with Suzi taken hostage, lots of bloodshed, and Dax charging in to save the day with the SDF guys lending a hand...and our mystery man? I guess that will be in another book.:(
So, is there any romance? A little. Plenty of chemistry, and lots of lusting going on, and it's very evident when we read Dax's pov--he has it baaaad for Suzi! And they have one steamy (literally) night together, which was pretty scorchin' hot, but darn, I could have used a few more of those scenes! TJ does those scenes so well...
I wished the author also would have given us a little bit more background on Suzi. She's been a minor character throughout the series, and this was her chance to have her story told, but I felt TJ left the reader hanging a bit regarding Suzi. Yes, she tells us a couple of facts, including a bit about a tragedy in her past, but I needed to know more. I just felt she could have gone into more detail, especially about her romantic relationships with two men in her past. And while I loved the character of Dax, and I believed him when he thought Suzi was the one for him (I loved how he referred to her as "my girl"), I wondered why Suzi had this overwhelming trust for him. Besides her brief meeting with him in Denver 6 months ago, she only knew him for two days, yet she felt she could trust him with her life? I don't know, I guess if he knew that she was the one for him, I should give her the benefit of the doubt also...
A bit of warning here--I would strongly recommend that this book not be read as a stand alone--at the very least, read the previous book, "Loose and Easy", where the character of Dax is first introduced. But in all honesty, I would start at the very beginning of the series with Crazy Hot--everything will be more rewarding that way.
Was this my favorite Tara Janzen book? Nah, that honor still goes to Crazy Cool, the sexy-as-all-get-out Christian Hawkins's story. I guess I prefer the books where the setting takes place in and around Steele Street in Denver, as opposed to outside the US. But this wasn't a bad effort by any stretch of the imagination. If you like lots of action and a bit of steamy romance, and a nice sweet, sexy epilogue, then you'll like this one. I think if I went back and read the first part again (now that everything is so clear to me), it might earn another half star. Right now it's earned about 4 stars, and darn, I can't wait for the next one!
August 23, 2009
Rating: 2.5 / 5
BEWARE THAT THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS!!! DO NOT READ IT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!!!
This was such a disappointing book for me on several levels. I think out of all the Janzen Steele Street books I've read (and I've read them all), this is my least favorite. The plot was okay, if a bit slow in developing, but there were some ridiculously huge holes in the area of character development and romantic development. For me, it really took away from the story. Plus there was one other thing I'm not too keen on, but I'll get into that later.
Series Note: this book should not be read as a stand-alone. It relies heavily on events of previous books.
Breaking Loose continues the saga of the SDF (Special Defense Force) and the Steele Street boys (and girls). In this book, contract SDF agent (and art dealer) Suzi Toussi is asked to travel to a dangerous city in Central (South?) America in order to retrieve an ancient artifact that was stolen from the US Government. The statue was part of a mystical research project and it needs to be retrieved before the planets/stars/etc align an the statue is possible "activated."
Also after the statue is Dax Killian, but he's got his own reasons. When he encounters Suzi after the same thing he is, he's baffled. And dumbstruck. Ever since their first meeting six months earlier, he hasn't been able to forget Suzi. She gets to him like no other woman has before. But he's determined to get the statue. He needs its. Only so does Suzi. And several other people. It isn't long before people start dying in the quest for the statue. Suzi and Dax reluctantly team up to find the artifact, and find that the attraction between them is hard to resist.
Things get more complicated because of the mysterious and oddly familiar Conroy Farrell, who ends up with the statue as part of his own plan. It's a battle to the finish as to who gets to keep it, and Dax must decide what's more important, Suzi, or his mission.
So many things to say about this book. Early on, I found it to be rather slow-going. Usually Janzen's books get off to a bang, fast-paced, intense, sexy. But this one seemed to drag along for a while with a lot of Suzi and Dax chasing their tails, lying to each other and getting nowhere fast. I was kinda bored. It does pick up as the book moves along, but the story still never really hit full gear for me.
I also missed the typical feel of the books in this series, with the Steele Street high-tech headquarters, the fast American muscle cars with names, the usual cast and crew. This book, and the other one that took place outside the U.S. just didn't have the same feel. I must prefer the others; they've got such a great vibe and this book didn't have that.
Those two things were more minor issues for me, though. There were a couple more critical faults with the book. The first being with character development, or the lack thereof.
Suzi is a character known to readers of the series. She's been around since I think at least the 2nd book, maybe even mentioned in the 1st book. But we never really got to know much about her. Then in this book Janzen drops all sorts of tid-bits about her and then never fully explores them. One issue was that Suzi had a daughter who died at three years of age. It's alluded to early in the book, then we learn that it was an accident involving a handgun...and then nothing. I kept waiting and waiting and waiting for the full story of how the 3-year-old little girl of the heroine somehow accidentally died by a gunshot wound and got squat. It was so utterly frustrating because it was a major life trauma for the heroine that greatly affected her and yet we, as readers, never get a full understanding of the event. It didn't make sense.
And there were other items like that dealing with Suzi. She'd been married twice...and that's all we really got to know about her in that regard. No other info was given about who these men were, what happened, etc. Then there was also this thing where Suzi was secretly trying to rescue young women in Europe who'd been human trafficked. There were allusions to how important it was to her, that there was some reason she did it...and then that issue was never explored. We never learn why she did it. What kind of character development is that? It left Suzi this big black hole of unanswered questions and I found it so frustrating and annoying and when I finished the book I felt rather unsatisfied.
This kind of lack of development existed in the relationship between Suzi and Dax as well. The two had a really great chemistry between them and I found them intriguing to read about. But the romance was a little empty. Each had secret reasons for going after the statue and they were lying to each other about what they were doing. Yet there was never a moment of reconciliation between them about their true purposes, never a conversation where they came clean. It left the developing relationship feeling a bit superficial.
The last issue I had with this book I wouldn't really say is a fault, but it's something I'm wary about. And that's the J.T. issue. Finding out that J.T. is alive didn't really come as a surprise to me. I've been kind of expecting this since very early on in the series. And on the surface, Janzen has me very intrigued by the amnesiac Conroy Farrell (aka J.T. Chronopoulis), but I'm wary of the other details of this still developing storyline.
J.T. was apparently another victim of an evil doctor who developed extremely harmful psychopharmaceuticals. The same doctor who got to Gillian, aka Red Dog, and to a lesser extent Dylan. J.T. was tortured and drugged with extremely harmful drugs that changed his body chemistry on a cellular level, making him different on some weird level and dependent on pills. And as much as I was excited that the J.T. storyline was finally being continued and that it seems like he really is alive, I cringed over the whole pill/drugged/altered thing. It reminded me a lot of the Gillian/Red Dog storyline where a sweet young woman was turned into an almost cold-hearted machine. Out of all the heroines in this series, she's one I have a hard time liking. And so seeing a similar storyline building with J.T. makes me think of how I wasn't all that enthused over the Gillian storyline. I'm just not sure I'm going to like where Janzen is going with J.T. Which is so disappointing because I'd been waiting for this storyline for a long time and now I'm not sure I want to know anymore.
But this book wasn't all bad. If it weren't for the bad character development, I would have liked it a lot more. It was still a fairly easy book to read. Janzen has a nice, smooth style a writing that makes her books quick and easy to read. She's got a great way of writing dialogue that is modern and realistic. And I enjoy any Janzen book that includes Christian Hawkins, who is like my ultimate romance novel hero...that man just makes me drool ;)
So no, I wouldn't say this was a bad book. For me, it just has some really critical faults that kept me from being able to rate it better.
BEWARE THAT THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS!!! DO NOT READ IT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!!!
This was such a disappointing book for me on several levels. I think out of all the Janzen Steele Street books I've read (and I've read them all), this is my least favorite. The plot was okay, if a bit slow in developing, but there were some ridiculously huge holes in the area of character development and romantic development. For me, it really took away from the story. Plus there was one other thing I'm not too keen on, but I'll get into that later.
Series Note: this book should not be read as a stand-alone. It relies heavily on events of previous books.
Breaking Loose continues the saga of the SDF (Special Defense Force) and the Steele Street boys (and girls). In this book, contract SDF agent (and art dealer) Suzi Toussi is asked to travel to a dangerous city in Central (South?) America in order to retrieve an ancient artifact that was stolen from the US Government. The statue was part of a mystical research project and it needs to be retrieved before the planets/stars/etc align an the statue is possible "activated."
Also after the statue is Dax Killian, but he's got his own reasons. When he encounters Suzi after the same thing he is, he's baffled. And dumbstruck. Ever since their first meeting six months earlier, he hasn't been able to forget Suzi. She gets to him like no other woman has before. But he's determined to get the statue. He needs its. Only so does Suzi. And several other people. It isn't long before people start dying in the quest for the statue. Suzi and Dax reluctantly team up to find the artifact, and find that the attraction between them is hard to resist.
Things get more complicated because of the mysterious and oddly familiar Conroy Farrell, who ends up with the statue as part of his own plan. It's a battle to the finish as to who gets to keep it, and Dax must decide what's more important, Suzi, or his mission.
So many things to say about this book. Early on, I found it to be rather slow-going. Usually Janzen's books get off to a bang, fast-paced, intense, sexy. But this one seemed to drag along for a while with a lot of Suzi and Dax chasing their tails, lying to each other and getting nowhere fast. I was kinda bored. It does pick up as the book moves along, but the story still never really hit full gear for me.
I also missed the typical feel of the books in this series, with the Steele Street high-tech headquarters, the fast American muscle cars with names, the usual cast and crew. This book, and the other one that took place outside the U.S. just didn't have the same feel. I must prefer the others; they've got such a great vibe and this book didn't have that.
Those two things were more minor issues for me, though. There were a couple more critical faults with the book. The first being with character development, or the lack thereof.
Suzi is a character known to readers of the series. She's been around since I think at least the 2nd book, maybe even mentioned in the 1st book. But we never really got to know much about her. Then in this book Janzen drops all sorts of tid-bits about her and then never fully explores them. One issue was that Suzi had a daughter who died at three years of age. It's alluded to early in the book, then we learn that it was an accident involving a handgun...and then nothing. I kept waiting and waiting and waiting for the full story of how the 3-year-old little girl of the heroine somehow accidentally died by a gunshot wound and got squat. It was so utterly frustrating because it was a major life trauma for the heroine that greatly affected her and yet we, as readers, never get a full understanding of the event. It didn't make sense.
And there were other items like that dealing with Suzi. She'd been married twice...and that's all we really got to know about her in that regard. No other info was given about who these men were, what happened, etc. Then there was also this thing where Suzi was secretly trying to rescue young women in Europe who'd been human trafficked. There were allusions to how important it was to her, that there was some reason she did it...and then that issue was never explored. We never learn why she did it. What kind of character development is that? It left Suzi this big black hole of unanswered questions and I found it so frustrating and annoying and when I finished the book I felt rather unsatisfied.
This kind of lack of development existed in the relationship between Suzi and Dax as well. The two had a really great chemistry between them and I found them intriguing to read about. But the romance was a little empty. Each had secret reasons for going after the statue and they were lying to each other about what they were doing. Yet there was never a moment of reconciliation between them about their true purposes, never a conversation where they came clean. It left the developing relationship feeling a bit superficial.
The last issue I had with this book I wouldn't really say is a fault, but it's something I'm wary about. And that's the J.T. issue. Finding out that J.T. is alive didn't really come as a surprise to me. I've been kind of expecting this since very early on in the series. And on the surface, Janzen has me very intrigued by the amnesiac Conroy Farrell (aka J.T. Chronopoulis), but I'm wary of the other details of this still developing storyline.
J.T. was apparently another victim of an evil doctor who developed extremely harmful psychopharmaceuticals. The same doctor who got to Gillian, aka Red Dog, and to a lesser extent Dylan. J.T. was tortured and drugged with extremely harmful drugs that changed his body chemistry on a cellular level, making him different on some weird level and dependent on pills. And as much as I was excited that the J.T. storyline was finally being continued and that it seems like he really is alive, I cringed over the whole pill/drugged/altered thing. It reminded me a lot of the Gillian/Red Dog storyline where a sweet young woman was turned into an almost cold-hearted machine. Out of all the heroines in this series, she's one I have a hard time liking. And so seeing a similar storyline building with J.T. makes me think of how I wasn't all that enthused over the Gillian storyline. I'm just not sure I'm going to like where Janzen is going with J.T. Which is so disappointing because I'd been waiting for this storyline for a long time and now I'm not sure I want to know anymore.
But this book wasn't all bad. If it weren't for the bad character development, I would have liked it a lot more. It was still a fairly easy book to read. Janzen has a nice, smooth style a writing that makes her books quick and easy to read. She's got a great way of writing dialogue that is modern and realistic. And I enjoy any Janzen book that includes Christian Hawkins, who is like my ultimate romance novel hero...that man just makes me drool ;)
So no, I wouldn't say this was a bad book. For me, it just has some really critical faults that kept me from being able to rate it better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2010
Warning ... this is not a good standalone. Anyone who has not been following the Steele Street series may find it confusing. The secondary characters and some of the plot threads are continued from earlier books and are not fully fleshed out here.
It had been a while since I'd read a book in this series, so I thought I could wait until I got it from the public library. Now I'm kicking myself for not getting it sooner. I've got to buy a secondhand copy because I don't want to miss it on my next readthrough of the series.
Suzi Toussi was an enigmatic character in the earlier books, in this book we learn a lot about her motivations and reactions. It seems that she has been able to manipulate the unit into providing taxpayer-funded tactical support for her private rescue operations, and I admire any woman devious enough to make that happen. This story is about the work she does for the unit in exchange.
I loved the plot ... several independent operations, directed by differing governmental spook organizations, overlap in a cluster-f*@k so convoluted it seems like real life. A story thread (I won't spoil it) that I thought had ended several books ago resurfaces in a surprising way, making me salivate over the next book in the series. This too, seems very much like real life. It's a good thing all this sh!t happens, otherwise our heroine would have been dead in the first quarter of the book.
I was disappointed that our hero, Dax Killian, seemed at first like a cardboard cutout of the standard dangerous hero (pick any, insert here) because we are not shown enough of his backstory to make him stand out from other heroes in the series. I do love that his formerly singleminded pursuit of justice gets blindsided by his feelings for Suzi, and he messes up his mission in a way Suzanne Brockmann would never think of writing, making him adorably, fallibly human, and very realistic and lovable. Janzen shares a lot of his thoughts wondering how this is happening to him, which I liked a lot.
The epilogue was a bit contrived and one can skip it without losing anything.
In spite of the weaknesses, I'll be reading this again. I've learned my lesson, I now know I should run right out and buy the next one in the series the minute it hits the stores.
It had been a while since I'd read a book in this series, so I thought I could wait until I got it from the public library. Now I'm kicking myself for not getting it sooner. I've got to buy a secondhand copy because I don't want to miss it on my next readthrough of the series.
Suzi Toussi was an enigmatic character in the earlier books, in this book we learn a lot about her motivations and reactions. It seems that she has been able to manipulate the unit into providing taxpayer-funded tactical support for her private rescue operations, and I admire any woman devious enough to make that happen. This story is about the work she does for the unit in exchange.
I loved the plot ... several independent operations, directed by differing governmental spook organizations, overlap in a cluster-f*@k so convoluted it seems like real life. A story thread (I won't spoil it) that I thought had ended several books ago resurfaces in a surprising way, making me salivate over the next book in the series. This too, seems very much like real life. It's a good thing all this sh!t happens, otherwise our heroine would have been dead in the first quarter of the book.
I was disappointed that our hero, Dax Killian, seemed at first like a cardboard cutout of the standard dangerous hero (pick any, insert here) because we are not shown enough of his backstory to make him stand out from other heroes in the series. I do love that his formerly singleminded pursuit of justice gets blindsided by his feelings for Suzi, and he messes up his mission in a way Suzanne Brockmann would never think of writing, making him adorably, fallibly human, and very realistic and lovable. Janzen shares a lot of his thoughts wondering how this is happening to him, which I liked a lot.
The epilogue was a bit contrived and one can skip it without losing anything.
In spite of the weaknesses, I'll be reading this again. I've learned my lesson, I now know I should run right out and buy the next one in the series the minute it hits the stores.
August 18, 2009
As noted this is #10 and I have loved every one of them. Seriously, love. My brother is reading them now. The trucker brother, and he is loving them, too. Lots of guns, muscle cars, spies, tech stuff, very intricate plots, funny stuff, intense stuff, these have it all. Oh, and very hot sex. I highly recommend this series. It starts with Crazy Hot. AKM
August 5, 2017
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
November 15, 2009
Another awesome book in the series! Good luck trying to put it down!
Suzi Toussi is sent to Paraguay, by none other than General Grant himself, to authenticate the rumored Manned Sphinx. An ancient artifact so powerful, it is said to bestow the holder with unbelievable powers, including immortality and ressuretion, only if the holder holds it up to the light of the third full moon during the year of Horus. Well, wouldn't you know what year it is... The DIA wants it back. Badly. But they are not the only ones.
It seems some very bad men are also looking for the Sphinx, men who should never get their hands on it, or anywhere near it. Suzi needs to get her hands on it, and fast.
But Dax Killian also needs the Sphinx. Ex-Special Forces and childhood friend of those Chop Shop boys, he needs the Sphinx in order to trade it for information, name and location of a terrorist cell somewhere in Texas. Dax is surprised when he sees Suzi, the object of his lust since he first met her six months before. But he can't let his feelings for Suzi get in the way. ... *snicker* Yeah, right!
Chaos and mayhem ensues. Of course it does, LOL! With Janzen as the author, you can't expect anything less. In this one, part of Suzi's past is revealed, and now we have a better understanding of what she does and why she does it.
**Spoiler Alert!**
*The past comes back to haunt all of us!* A member of Steele Street previously thought dead and lost, comes back as someone else. A surprise not only to us, but the characters as well! If that's not a punch in the gut, I don't know what is!
The interaction between characters is fabulous, as always; making you, the reader, feel like you're part of the gang.
Action scenes are just as perfect; the right amount of details make the reader feel a part of it, not on the sidelines watching.
Speaking of details, as the men of SS discuss the past, of being captures, of tortures endured, now complete with photos never thought to be in existence, we now have a better understanding of their nicknames, as well as the crass, slapstick humor they use - a way of dealing with things they've seen, things they've done in the name of survival, and what they've yet to see and do.
There's only a few small places in the book, scenes that seem to drag and slow down the story a little. But I guess the characters deserve a bit of a respite too, don't they, LOL!
For me, it is the surprise entrance of a past lost soul that has me NOISILY SCREAMING for the next book! Ms. Janzen, I sure hope you heard me, LOL!
Suzi Toussi is sent to Paraguay, by none other than General Grant himself, to authenticate the rumored Manned Sphinx. An ancient artifact so powerful, it is said to bestow the holder with unbelievable powers, including immortality and ressuretion, only if the holder holds it up to the light of the third full moon during the year of Horus. Well, wouldn't you know what year it is... The DIA wants it back. Badly. But they are not the only ones.
It seems some very bad men are also looking for the Sphinx, men who should never get their hands on it, or anywhere near it. Suzi needs to get her hands on it, and fast.
But Dax Killian also needs the Sphinx. Ex-Special Forces and childhood friend of those Chop Shop boys, he needs the Sphinx in order to trade it for information, name and location of a terrorist cell somewhere in Texas. Dax is surprised when he sees Suzi, the object of his lust since he first met her six months before. But he can't let his feelings for Suzi get in the way. ... *snicker* Yeah, right!
Chaos and mayhem ensues. Of course it does, LOL! With Janzen as the author, you can't expect anything less. In this one, part of Suzi's past is revealed, and now we have a better understanding of what she does and why she does it.
**Spoiler Alert!**
*The past comes back to haunt all of us!* A member of Steele Street previously thought dead and lost, comes back as someone else. A surprise not only to us, but the characters as well! If that's not a punch in the gut, I don't know what is!
The interaction between characters is fabulous, as always; making you, the reader, feel like you're part of the gang.
Action scenes are just as perfect; the right amount of details make the reader feel a part of it, not on the sidelines watching.
Speaking of details, as the men of SS discuss the past, of being captures, of tortures endured, now complete with photos never thought to be in existence, we now have a better understanding of their nicknames, as well as the crass, slapstick humor they use - a way of dealing with things they've seen, things they've done in the name of survival, and what they've yet to see and do.
There's only a few small places in the book, scenes that seem to drag and slow down the story a little. But I guess the characters deserve a bit of a respite too, don't they, LOL!
For me, it is the surprise entrance of a past lost soul that has me NOISILY SCREAMING for the next book! Ms. Janzen, I sure hope you heard me, LOL!
August 29, 2015
The most disappointing book of the series so far.
I really had to push myself to finish this book, and if I hadn't invested so much time into the series to date, I probably would have DNFd this one and moved on.
Part of Tara Janzen's signature style is to deliver fast-paced, adeneline-fuelled, action-packed plots with lashings of smoking hot sexy times. All of which was missing here. The pacing for more than half the book dragged, and that might have been more tolerable were we invested in the characters, but there was so little development there that it was almost boring - not a word I would have thought to associate with this series.
The author really let the reader down by not following through with so many elements of the characters and the plot. Despite hints, we never really got to know anything of Suzi's past. She's played a bit part in some of the previous books, and despite being the heroine of this one, there really wasn't any further development of her character.
And the whole reason Dax was working with Warner and going after the sphinx - what ended up happening with that? Just a sentence or two would have done me, but it was all but forgotten.
Then there's the whole I'm willing to keep an open mind, but it had better not be a been there, done that kind of book. I wish Janzen would go back to the style of her earlier books - that was a winning formula. This one? Not so much.
I really had to push myself to finish this book, and if I hadn't invested so much time into the series to date, I probably would have DNFd this one and moved on.
Part of Tara Janzen's signature style is to deliver fast-paced, adeneline-fuelled, action-packed plots with lashings of smoking hot sexy times. All of which was missing here. The pacing for more than half the book dragged, and that might have been more tolerable were we invested in the characters, but there was so little development there that it was almost boring - not a word I would have thought to associate with this series.
The author really let the reader down by not following through with so many elements of the characters and the plot. Despite hints, we never really got to know anything of Suzi's past. She's played a bit part in some of the previous books, and despite being the heroine of this one, there really wasn't any further development of her character.
And the whole reason Dax was working with Warner and going after the sphinx - what ended up happening with that? Just a sentence or two would have done me, but it was all but forgotten.
Then there's the whole I'm willing to keep an open mind, but it had better not be a been there, done that kind of book. I wish Janzen would go back to the style of her earlier books - that was a winning formula. This one? Not so much.
November 6, 2023
FINALLY. I finally finished this and I don't think it's taken me this long to finish a book in years. Kinda like the previous book, this one started strong and then just kinda went downhill from there and never got back it's uphill momentum.
We met Dax and Suzi in the previous book. I liked their meet-cute and was looking forward to their story. I love a good treasure hunting story, so I was hoping this one would be good like the first couple books in the series.
I was thinking they'd end up working together, but she's working for the government undercover and he's working for some psycho dude. That didn't make sense to me. He was a good man and friendly with the Steele Street guys. Why did he accept work from this crazy dude?
When Dax comes across Suzi, he assumes she's in trouble and decides that she doesn't belong there and makes it his mission to get her out of the country. I was like, this woman can handle herself, how about working with her instead?
There was so many background characters, all bad guys trying to find the same sphinx. There was just too many of them. An actual treasure hunt with clues and them working together would have been so much better than these other dudes getting in Suzi's way, getting killed and then Dax becoming overprotective again.
When they FINALLY hook up, it's satisfying, but it also felt like the author places their lovemaking haphazardly instead of intentionally. It was like she realized they had banged yet and she had to make it happen so she concocted a way for it to happen to didn't totally fit in the story.
I've only got two more books in the series. I've never read either of them. The next one is about the long believed dead Steele Street brother, J.T. I'm intrigued to see how it will work out. His love interest was introduced way back in book 6 or 7 and hasn't really shown up much since. We only know she works for Suzi as the gallery. He also has no memory of who he really is. I dont know how that’s gonna work go. So we'll see.
We met Dax and Suzi in the previous book. I liked their meet-cute and was looking forward to their story. I love a good treasure hunting story, so I was hoping this one would be good like the first couple books in the series.
I was thinking they'd end up working together, but she's working for the government undercover and he's working for some psycho dude. That didn't make sense to me. He was a good man and friendly with the Steele Street guys. Why did he accept work from this crazy dude?
When Dax comes across Suzi, he assumes she's in trouble and decides that she doesn't belong there and makes it his mission to get her out of the country. I was like, this woman can handle herself, how about working with her instead?
There was so many background characters, all bad guys trying to find the same sphinx. There was just too many of them. An actual treasure hunt with clues and them working together would have been so much better than these other dudes getting in Suzi's way, getting killed and then Dax becoming overprotective again.
When they FINALLY hook up, it's satisfying, but it also felt like the author places their lovemaking haphazardly instead of intentionally. It was like she realized they had banged yet and she had to make it happen so she concocted a way for it to happen to didn't totally fit in the story.
I've only got two more books in the series. I've never read either of them. The next one is about the long believed dead Steele Street brother, J.T. I'm intrigued to see how it will work out. His love interest was introduced way back in book 6 or 7 and hasn't really shown up much since. We only know she works for Suzi as the gallery. He also has no memory of who he really is. I dont know how that’s gonna work go. So we'll see.
March 1, 2017
According to prophets and followers of the occult certain celestial alignments at a specific time will unleash the reigned powers of the legendary, mythical Memphis Sphinx. Now that it's surfaced where it shouldn't and that time is near agents and mercenaries of greedy individuals and governments alike have swarmed Paraguay in a high stakes race to reach the Holy Grail of power first.
Art dealer and (apparently contract) DIA agent Suzi Toussi is perfect to travel alone, locate and validate an artifact that turned up somewhere in a war zone and babysit it until agents can break from their assignment to pick it up. Special Ops agent Dax Killian has been on the hunt for months and when he saw the dangerous curves he'd know anywhere he had no doubt he was in the right place.
Suzi and Dax have enough fire to melt the ice castle she's formed around her heart as their antagonist romance dropped the antagonistic part as the job turned out to be much more complicated than presented. Revelatory snippets of Suzi's life and motivation slow the pacing to much making the read jerky. Meanwhile miscellaneous threads are wrapping (or preparing to) as the series draws to a close.
For this reader, this once fun, sexy, adventure series lost its allure along the way with 'special' special agents reaching expert level in a week or not requiring training going on solo black ops missions. A reader definitely suspends belief since everyone the DIA agents come in contact with, including the successful self employed and the rich and powerful, pant to become undercover agents for the DIA.
Rating:3stars
Art dealer and (apparently contract) DIA agent Suzi Toussi is perfect to travel alone, locate and validate an artifact that turned up somewhere in a war zone and babysit it until agents can break from their assignment to pick it up. Special Ops agent Dax Killian has been on the hunt for months and when he saw the dangerous curves he'd know anywhere he had no doubt he was in the right place.
Suzi and Dax have enough fire to melt the ice castle she's formed around her heart as their antagonist romance dropped the antagonistic part as the job turned out to be much more complicated than presented. Revelatory snippets of Suzi's life and motivation slow the pacing to much making the read jerky. Meanwhile miscellaneous threads are wrapping (or preparing to) as the series draws to a close.
For this reader, this once fun, sexy, adventure series lost its allure along the way with 'special' special agents reaching expert level in a week or not requiring training going on solo black ops missions. A reader definitely suspends belief since everyone the DIA agents come in contact with, including the successful self employed and the rich and powerful, pant to become undercover agents for the DIA.
Rating:3stars
September 17, 2020
This has all the trademarks of a Steele Street novel except Steele Street. Almost all the action takes place in Paraguay, and most of the Steele St. regulars appear in supporting rather than starring roles. While there is the usual mix of action, intrigue, nasty--very nasty--villains, and romance, most of the fast cars we've grown to love over the series are also MIA. And while I enjoyed following up on Dax from the previous book, I didn't enjoy the to-be-continued nature of one major plot thread or the mystical nature of the object to be recovered.
Once we left the main Steele St. boys and branched out, the books haven't felt as much fun. Still, the mystery was convoluted enough to keep my attention, wondering how this mess could possibly be resolved to everyone's health and satisfaction.
Once we left the main Steele St. boys and branched out, the books haven't felt as much fun. Still, the mystery was convoluted enough to keep my attention, wondering how this mess could possibly be resolved to everyone's health and satisfaction.
November 19, 2020
Loved Suzi and Dax's story. I love this whole series. I've finally re-read all of them but the last two. When I saw there was a brand new one out, I decided to reread the series before I read the new one. I'd forgotten how much I love this series. Can't wait to read JT's story and the new one!
September 11, 2017
I read this entire series a while ago. I liked the writing style, setting and characters. Fun, fast reads - all of them.
May 21, 2021
Registered on Bookcrossing - https://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/...
Really good romantic suspense!
Really good romantic suspense!
November 15, 2016
This one really took me awhile to get into. I just wasn't that interested in the "magical artifact" and I wasn't that crazy about Suzzi. We had met both characters previously but they weren't integral to any story and this one just didn't involve the Steele Street gang that much except the part about JT which quite frankly is what kept me reading and is the reason this is a 3 star and not a 2 star read for me.
October 18, 2009
Tara Janzen has written another winner! I always get a laugh out of her "guy-talk" (geezus!)and this time she's got the girls talking the talk.
As usual, the book starts out fast and just keeps going at light speed. Gallery owner & manager Suzie Toussi has been a side character in several other books but this time she's the main story. She's a strong, beautiful woman who has overcome the absolute worst life could dish out - the accidental shooting death of her 3 yr old daughter by her then-husband, not that she's ever told anyone all that - to become an ice princess with a secret penchant for saving girls in trouble overseas. We find she's also been recruited by Gen. Grant (5 yrs ago!), official boss of the SS Chop Shop Boys, to be a "pink" operative for the government, which is how she ends up in a dirty hell-hole in Paraguay to verify the location of a supposedly mystical 4,000 year old granite statue so his boys can swoop in to recover it for the DIA.
Coming for the statue from a different but no less patriotic side is Dax Killian, one-time teenage friend of the Chop Shop Boys, who became a Special Forces superhero before he went out on his own. Dax needs to retrieve the same dumb hunk of rock for a nasty European inorder to get the name and location of a terrorist sleeper-cell in Texas, and he doesn't plan to let his attraction for Suzie Toussi get in his way. Well, yes he does. He's been crazy for her since he met her at her gallery in Denver six cellibate months ago. What fun!
Ms. Janzen also brought a tear to my eye several times in this book; she has a talent for adding heartbreaking detail but not dwelling on it or letting it slow her momentum down. In this one, its when Suzie is confronted with a somewhat well-meaning drunk art dealer who brings up her daughter's death at the end of a dinner in a public place; we finally hear exactly what happened and are as horrified as the other characters who heard his outburst. And for favorite past characters Dylan, Superman, Creed and Zach, when their discussions of torture and captivity during previous missions is quantified in photos no one knew existed, war and terrorism becomes very real to the reader and not so funny. You realize the true reason all the snarky catch-phrases and well-earned nicknames of the military guys are there in lots of books... to help them deal. Roger that.
While this story stands alone very well, I'm pretty sure I know at least one of the main characters in Ms. Janzen's next book, but I sure wish she'd hurry up and WRITE the damn thing because I'm going to have a difficult time waiting to hear how the rest of the story ends.
As usual, the book starts out fast and just keeps going at light speed. Gallery owner & manager Suzie Toussi has been a side character in several other books but this time she's the main story. She's a strong, beautiful woman who has overcome the absolute worst life could dish out - the accidental shooting death of her 3 yr old daughter by her then-husband, not that she's ever told anyone all that - to become an ice princess with a secret penchant for saving girls in trouble overseas. We find she's also been recruited by Gen. Grant (5 yrs ago!), official boss of the SS Chop Shop Boys, to be a "pink" operative for the government, which is how she ends up in a dirty hell-hole in Paraguay to verify the location of a supposedly mystical 4,000 year old granite statue so his boys can swoop in to recover it for the DIA.
Coming for the statue from a different but no less patriotic side is Dax Killian, one-time teenage friend of the Chop Shop Boys, who became a Special Forces superhero before he went out on his own. Dax needs to retrieve the same dumb hunk of rock for a nasty European inorder to get the name and location of a terrorist sleeper-cell in Texas, and he doesn't plan to let his attraction for Suzie Toussi get in his way. Well, yes he does. He's been crazy for her since he met her at her gallery in Denver six cellibate months ago. What fun!
Ms. Janzen also brought a tear to my eye several times in this book; she has a talent for adding heartbreaking detail but not dwelling on it or letting it slow her momentum down. In this one, its when Suzie is confronted with a somewhat well-meaning drunk art dealer who brings up her daughter's death at the end of a dinner in a public place; we finally hear exactly what happened and are as horrified as the other characters who heard his outburst. And for favorite past characters Dylan, Superman, Creed and Zach, when their discussions of torture and captivity during previous missions is quantified in photos no one knew existed, war and terrorism becomes very real to the reader and not so funny. You realize the true reason all the snarky catch-phrases and well-earned nicknames of the military guys are there in lots of books... to help them deal. Roger that.
While this story stands alone very well, I'm pretty sure I know at least one of the main characters in Ms. Janzen's next book, but I sure wish she'd hurry up and WRITE the damn thing because I'm going to have a difficult time waiting to hear how the rest of the story ends.
January 17, 2015
I love it. This series has gotten better with each book and I am going to be so sad when I finish the series, especially since I can't find any other books by Tara Janzen. I am heartbroken that there aren't any other books by this awesomely creative, inventive mind. This is #10 and the plot of this whole series is built one book at a time. Each has a story, but the whole series is a must read, in order, for you to remember the secondary characters and baddies from previous books. A lot of them are making a reappearance in this book.
Dex Killian, former special forces, PI and street kid from Denver, from the last book and Suzi Toussi, gallery owner from the first book on and, it appears, a sleeper agent for General Buck Grant. They had a lust at first glance at the end of Loose and Easy, but the stars were not in alignment for them at that time. Now, they are, and I mean that literally. General Grant has sent Suzi to retrieve an artifact, The Memphis Sphinx, for the Defense Intelligence Agency that is thousands of years old and has paranormal powers. Dex is after the same item, but he needs it to fulfill an obligation and obtain information needed for national security. Only one of them will get the artifact by the deadline two days away. Working together is not an option. Oh, they aren't the only ones after it either. It looks like you are going to need a scorecard to keep track of all the players. I imagine that this situation is an awful lot like real life covert missions.
Dex Killian, former special forces, PI and street kid from Denver, from the last book and Suzi Toussi, gallery owner from the first book on and, it appears, a sleeper agent for General Buck Grant. They had a lust at first glance at the end of Loose and Easy, but the stars were not in alignment for them at that time. Now, they are, and I mean that literally. General Grant has sent Suzi to retrieve an artifact, The Memphis Sphinx, for the Defense Intelligence Agency that is thousands of years old and has paranormal powers. Dex is after the same item, but he needs it to fulfill an obligation and obtain information needed for national security. Only one of them will get the artifact by the deadline two days away. Working together is not an option. Oh, they aren't the only ones after it either. It looks like you are going to need a scorecard to keep track of all the players. I imagine that this situation is an awful lot like real life covert missions.
February 7, 2011
After reading the first Steele Street books one after the other, it was months before I got to this one. That being said, it brought me back into the fold easily reminding exactly what I loved about these books. Janzen is an author, much like Cindy Gerard, who can write an action scene.
And she does. She doesn't skimp on it nor does it ever sound forced. I love her books because they steal you, and they do it quick. And in ones like this one, you end up in a crazy stitch in the middle of a city in some other dangerous country where the rules are that everyone has a price. It's dirty dealings, steamy nights, and escaping gun fire.
So no, there's none of the muscle cars we know and love. BUT there is Dax Killian, who we met in Johnny and Esme's book, Loose and Easy, and whatever was going to happen between him and art dealer Suzi Toussi, was already teeming with sexy tension after their almost encounter at Duffy's in that book.
This one IS a little out there with everyone chasing a woowoo witchy statue that promises immortality, which brings all the freaks who want a piece of it out to Paraguay. Suzi, the art gallery owner we've known for several books from afar, is working a mission for Buck Grant, and is tasked with retrieving it. So is Dax, but his benefactor isn't on the up and up. But with Dax never doubt him, because he's a patriot through and through. His chemistry with Suzi is off the charts, and while there are a LOT of characters and a lot of story to be told, their romance is pitch perfect with the requisite steamy, sweet moments and the epilogue that always delivers.
Oh, and there's the issue of this guy Conroy. This guy Conroy who Dylan and Hawkins are out trying to get. Creed too. This guy who looks a hell of a lot like a certain someone else. A certain someone who is supposed to be dead.
Oh yeah, it didn't take me nearly as long to get to the next book.
And she does. She doesn't skimp on it nor does it ever sound forced. I love her books because they steal you, and they do it quick. And in ones like this one, you end up in a crazy stitch in the middle of a city in some other dangerous country where the rules are that everyone has a price. It's dirty dealings, steamy nights, and escaping gun fire.
So no, there's none of the muscle cars we know and love. BUT there is Dax Killian, who we met in Johnny and Esme's book, Loose and Easy, and whatever was going to happen between him and art dealer Suzi Toussi, was already teeming with sexy tension after their almost encounter at Duffy's in that book.
This one IS a little out there with everyone chasing a woowoo witchy statue that promises immortality, which brings all the freaks who want a piece of it out to Paraguay. Suzi, the art gallery owner we've known for several books from afar, is working a mission for Buck Grant, and is tasked with retrieving it. So is Dax, but his benefactor isn't on the up and up. But with Dax never doubt him, because he's a patriot through and through. His chemistry with Suzi is off the charts, and while there are a LOT of characters and a lot of story to be told, their romance is pitch perfect with the requisite steamy, sweet moments and the epilogue that always delivers.
Oh, and there's the issue of this guy Conroy. This guy Conroy who Dylan and Hawkins are out trying to get. Creed too. This guy who looks a hell of a lot like a certain someone else. A certain someone who is supposed to be dead.
Oh yeah, it didn't take me nearly as long to get to the next book.
Want to read
January 21, 2014BREAKING LOOSE - STEELE STREET #10 - (Dax and Suzie)
SIN AND DANGER COLLIDE WHEN THE WORLD�S HOTTEST SECRET AGENTS COMPETE FOR THE PRIZE EVERYONE�S LUSTING AFTER�.
No one�s ever seen it. Everybody wants it. That�s why the government has just unleashed its secret weapon. Drop-dead-gorgeous art dealer Suzi Toussi has been tapped for the toughest mission of her career: to locate the Memphis Sphinx, an ancient artifact rumored to possess otherworldly powers. Tracking it to Paraguay means going up against Dax Killian, the sexy special ops agent who�s planning to snatch the coveted relic right out of her hot little hands. If he can find it first�
Dax first spotted her outside a seedy bar�in three-inch heels and a too-tight dress. He�d know those curves anywhere. But what was Suzi doing in a hellhole like Ciudad del Este? Dax knows the answer: the Sphinx. Suddenly the game is on�and only one of them will walk away with the prize. With the Sphinx surfacing and passion taking Suzi and Dax under, they�re headed for a showdown that could reveal the secrets of the ages�or expose them to the hottest danger of all
SIN AND DANGER COLLIDE WHEN THE WORLD�S HOTTEST SECRET AGENTS COMPETE FOR THE PRIZE EVERYONE�S LUSTING AFTER�.
No one�s ever seen it. Everybody wants it. That�s why the government has just unleashed its secret weapon. Drop-dead-gorgeous art dealer Suzi Toussi has been tapped for the toughest mission of her career: to locate the Memphis Sphinx, an ancient artifact rumored to possess otherworldly powers. Tracking it to Paraguay means going up against Dax Killian, the sexy special ops agent who�s planning to snatch the coveted relic right out of her hot little hands. If he can find it first�
Dax first spotted her outside a seedy bar�in three-inch heels and a too-tight dress. He�d know those curves anywhere. But what was Suzi doing in a hellhole like Ciudad del Este? Dax knows the answer: the Sphinx. Suddenly the game is on�and only one of them will walk away with the prize. With the Sphinx surfacing and passion taking Suzi and Dax under, they�re headed for a showdown that could reveal the secrets of the ages�or expose them to the hottest danger of all
August 25, 2009
I don't know if I can express all of the ways that I hated this book. Somehow it just felt so much different from all of the previous Steele Street books and it wasn't good. I've never been a fan of the "zomg magical artifact" plot, so straight from the beginning I wasn't wowed. I also really hated Suzi Toussi. I thought she was really great in the other books, but apparently she is a nitwit who cannot carry out a mission without turning into a giant wimp. I really don't understand how anyone would think she was competent enough to be an operator. Dax was equally lame. He is supposed to be some tough, mission oriented guy with thousands of lives hanging on his failure but instead he is an annoying dude who can't stop panting over a woman. The only part of the story that I found remotely interesting was the JT/Con plot. Finishing this book (and not throwing it against the wall in frustration) was a real challenge.
July 15, 2010
I get the feeling that Tara Janzen is no longer interested in writing these books. Either that or she's struggling to come up with new and interesting storylines that still tie in to the overall series.
I was kinda looking forward to the story od Dax for a while, but the book like just, eh. I wasn't that into it. It took me hours to sit myseld down and read the last 60 pages or so.
Don't get me wrong, the book was interesting and all, especially the confirmation of J.T. being alive, but it was easy to walk away from. Especially the so-called romance between Dax and Suzi. Was it just me or did they fall in love the same moment they said hello??
Whatever. The book had its redeeming qualities:
1. J.T. is alive & i think he's regaining his memory (the moment he recognized Creed)
2. Everyone was running around after and Egyptian artifact. & for an Egyptian who values her culture and history, that is always good to see.
I was kinda looking forward to the story od Dax for a while, but the book like just, eh. I wasn't that into it. It took me hours to sit myseld down and read the last 60 pages or so.
Don't get me wrong, the book was interesting and all, especially the confirmation of J.T. being alive, but it was easy to walk away from. Especially the so-called romance between Dax and Suzi. Was it just me or did they fall in love the same moment they said hello??
Whatever. The book had its redeeming qualities:
1. J.T. is alive & i think he's regaining his memory (the moment he recognized Creed)
2. Everyone was running around after and Egyptian artifact. & for an Egyptian who values her culture and history, that is always good to see.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2015
Another great read from Tara Janzen in the Steele Street series. Because this series has a long running storyline, repeating characters, I do not recommend reading this as a standalone. But the entire series is worth it so head back to #1 and get reading! Undercover agent Suzi has been able to hide her real missions for so long. Working as an art0dealer she’s been able to uncover secrets but finding the Memphis Sphinx is going to be her toughest job yet especially since Steele Street agent Dax is also on the case. Neither of them know of their undercover status so as Dax tries to rescue the helpless young woman, Suzi shows him how strong she can be which only sparks their intense attraction. Can they build a relationship after beginning with so many lies? And will they be able to survive their search for such a valuable piece of art? Really fun, fast paced read. I’m sad that I’m coming to the end of the series but I’ve enjoyed the journey so far!
May 29, 2011
This Steele Street installment was awesome. The mystery was about finding an object that was legendary. No one had ever seen it. Stories were told about it for centuries. It it held the power of everlasting life. Wow. It supposedly surfaced in Ciudad del Este and two of Steele Streets best characters were hired to find it and bring it back. Each working for a different client and neither of them knew of the others mission until it was too late. Fast, edgy, and kind of creepy. I just couldn't put this one down.
November 23, 2011
Pretty standard fare from Tara Janzen, who continues to toe the line between paranormal and not. Maybe the next installment will be more conclusive on this point.
Suzi Toussi, who has flitted in and out of previous books, makes a solid heroine here. I like the idea of her and Cody working together in Eastern Europe. The side plot was better than usual - I have such a better picture of Christian Hawkins now than I did in his own book.
The cover again, though? Again with the business suits? Suzi and Dax have very distinctive looks, and neither of them look like this.
Suzi Toussi, who has flitted in and out of previous books, makes a solid heroine here. I like the idea of her and Cody working together in Eastern Europe. The side plot was better than usual - I have such a better picture of Christian Hawkins now than I did in his own book.
The cover again, though? Again with the business suits? Suzi and Dax have very distinctive looks, and neither of them look like this.
January 28, 2013
I have read and loved this series for awhile. This was the hardest book for me to read. It nearly became a DNF. There was not enough of the characters I loved and I didn't connect well with the new characters. I did finish since there were important plot points for the series overall in this book. But it felt like too many details, too many extraneous characters. And the main couple of the book - they didn't even kiss until 54% of the way thru the book and then it wasn't believable to me in the situation. I just struggled with this book.
December 10, 2009
I love this series. Can't wait for this one.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I finally read this book and my expectations were well founded. This is probably one of the best books I've read all year. I love the characters in this series and I especially like how the author keeps bringing them back in all the new books. Each book is an individual story but they all tie into a larger theme. I really like that.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I finally read this book and my expectations were well founded. This is probably one of the best books I've read all year. I love the characters in this series and I especially like how the author keeps bringing them back in all the new books. Each book is an individual story but they all tie into a larger theme. I really like that.
September 4, 2009
Spent part of my birthday with Dax & Suzi. Thumbs way up, even without an appearance by Charo or a single "for the love of God and Patsy Cline". Big plus: an appearance by almost all the original chop shop boys. Do we assume Quinn was flying the transport? Was wondering what she'd do with the cunundrum posed at the end of Loose & Easy. It's definitely a direction I was hesitent for her to go in, but I should have had more faith.
May 17, 2011
I really liked the chemistry between Dax and Suzi in the last book, but have to say that I was sort of bored with this one. The whole immortality artifact was not believable to me at all. The one redeeming factor of this book was the new drama with the maybe JT. I can't wait for the next book to see just what happens on that front.
October 10, 2012
This is another series that I love and have read twice! The muscle cars, the action and the romance. I like the way she builds the characters, people who may seem strange or stand-offish but are just like the rest of us once you get to know them. Again I read a book about every 3-4 days and don't know when the last time (that's right I have read this series twice so far) was that I read this.
April 4, 2021
Method: paperback
Rating: 5/5 stars
H rating: 5/5 - Dax
h rating: 5/5 - Suzi
Drama: 4/5 - Just read it!
Thoughts: Amazing book and series! Top favorite of mine.
December 17, 2012
This book was well written, I just had a hard time getting into it. I wanted to like it, since I have been a huge fan of this series, but I was just kind of meh about it. However, I will finish reading this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews