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Bullet Catcher #8
Make Her Pay
Bullet Catcher and former Navy SEAL Constantine Xenakis has infiltrated a dive ship to discover who's plundering priceless gems from a legendary sunken Spanish galleon. When he catches Lizzie Dare red-handed in the locked treasure room, her story of a stolen ancestral legacy convinces him to work with the sexy thief instead of turning her in -- and not just because he wants to find the real culprit. Lizzie is willing to risk everything to save the Bombay Blue Diamonds from her sworn enemy, even if that means giving in to an irresistible desire to get closer to her accomplice. But when passion hits them like a rogue wave and danger surrounds them like a school of hungry sharks, their adventure on the high seas turns treacherous...and deadly.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
38 people are currently reading
703 people want to read
About the author
Roxanne St. Claire
265 books1,832 followersI don’t know about you, but when I check out an author's bio, it’s usually because I’ve read a book I liked and wondered about the person behind it. Let's skip the formal bio and I'll give you the inside scoop on who Roxanne St. Claire really is.
First of all, call me Rocki. Everyone does. Evidently, when my mother brought me home from the hospital I seemed too scrawny and small to pull off “Roxanne” (she’d read Cyrano de Bergerac while pregnant or I would have been Judy) so they called me Rocki.
I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, the youngest of five (overachievers, every one), and fell in love with words and stories the summer I read Gone With The Wind. That year, for my twelfth birthday, my parents gave me a typewriter (with italic font – it was the coolest thing) and from that day on, I’ve had my fingers on a keyboard, pounding out love stories for fun. My AP English teacher taught me the two most important lessons an aspiring author ever needs: 1) verbs are the key to life and 2) a writer should get a real job. After attending UCLA and graduating with a degree in communications, I tried acting and television broadcasting. Oh, they aren’t real jobs? I learned that the hard way. I changed my last name from Zink to St. Claire because a news producer told me Roxanne Zink had too many harsh consonants for a TV personality – apparently Katie Couric didn’t get the memo. I got some fun gigs, and even met Tom Hanks when I did a guest appearance on Bosom Buddies. I liked on camera work, but wasn’t too crazy about starvation, so I moved to Boston and got that “real” job. In fact, I placed my foot on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder and didn’t look down until I’d climbed all the way up to the level of Senior Vice President at the world’s largest public relations firm. On the way up, I met the man of my dreams in an elevator. Two years later – in the same elevator! – he asked me to marry him and I wisely said yes.
I stayed in PR, moved to Miami, had a few babies, lost my home in a hurricane, built another one a few hours north and all along, I kept writing my “stories” for fun. One night, I read a particularly fabulous romance novel that changed my life for good. That night, I decided I wanted to make someone else feel as whole and happy as that author made me feel. (Everyone asks! It was Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.) With two small children and one big “real” job, writing my first novel wasn’t easy, but I did finish a manuscript that managed to get the attention of a literary agent. She told me to do one thing and one thing fast: write another book. (The first one is usually a “learner” book, honestly.) That second manuscript sold to Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books and was released in 2003 as Tropical Getaway. Since then, I’ve written almost thirty more, in multiple genres, and long ago replaced the corporate ladder with the rollercoaster of publishing as a full-time novelist. Finally, writing is my real job.
Today, I live in a small beach community in Florida with my husband and two dogs. Our kids are off to college and law school, which means my nest is empty! I spend my time writing, working with the kids at my church, enjoying my husband's gourmet cooking, and hanging with my many writer friends. Of course, I love to read. I’m still crazy about words and stories and hope to write at least a hundred books in my lifetime. And, yes, verbs are the key to life. My favorites? Love. Work. Believe.
xoxo
Rocki
First of all, call me Rocki. Everyone does. Evidently, when my mother brought me home from the hospital I seemed too scrawny and small to pull off “Roxanne” (she’d read Cyrano de Bergerac while pregnant or I would have been Judy) so they called me Rocki.
I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, the youngest of five (overachievers, every one), and fell in love with words and stories the summer I read Gone With The Wind. That year, for my twelfth birthday, my parents gave me a typewriter (with italic font – it was the coolest thing) and from that day on, I’ve had my fingers on a keyboard, pounding out love stories for fun. My AP English teacher taught me the two most important lessons an aspiring author ever needs: 1) verbs are the key to life and 2) a writer should get a real job. After attending UCLA and graduating with a degree in communications, I tried acting and television broadcasting. Oh, they aren’t real jobs? I learned that the hard way. I changed my last name from Zink to St. Claire because a news producer told me Roxanne Zink had too many harsh consonants for a TV personality – apparently Katie Couric didn’t get the memo. I got some fun gigs, and even met Tom Hanks when I did a guest appearance on Bosom Buddies. I liked on camera work, but wasn’t too crazy about starvation, so I moved to Boston and got that “real” job. In fact, I placed my foot on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder and didn’t look down until I’d climbed all the way up to the level of Senior Vice President at the world’s largest public relations firm. On the way up, I met the man of my dreams in an elevator. Two years later – in the same elevator! – he asked me to marry him and I wisely said yes.
I stayed in PR, moved to Miami, had a few babies, lost my home in a hurricane, built another one a few hours north and all along, I kept writing my “stories” for fun. One night, I read a particularly fabulous romance novel that changed my life for good. That night, I decided I wanted to make someone else feel as whole and happy as that author made me feel. (Everyone asks! It was Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.) With two small children and one big “real” job, writing my first novel wasn’t easy, but I did finish a manuscript that managed to get the attention of a literary agent. She told me to do one thing and one thing fast: write another book. (The first one is usually a “learner” book, honestly.) That second manuscript sold to Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books and was released in 2003 as Tropical Getaway. Since then, I’ve written almost thirty more, in multiple genres, and long ago replaced the corporate ladder with the rollercoaster of publishing as a full-time novelist. Finally, writing is my real job.
Today, I live in a small beach community in Florida with my husband and two dogs. Our kids are off to college and law school, which means my nest is empty! I spend my time writing, working with the kids at my church, enjoying my husband's gourmet cooking, and hanging with my many writer friends. Of course, I love to read. I’m still crazy about words and stories and hope to write at least a hundred books in my lifetime. And, yes, verbs are the key to life. My favorites? Love. Work. Believe.
xoxo
Rocki
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
October 29, 2017
Former Bullet Catcher Constantine (Con) Xenakis has one shot at getting his old job back and he’s determined to not blow it. However, when he gets to his next assignment on a secret marine salvage, one of the divers, Lizzie Dare, may just put a wrench in his plans. She might just be the thief he’s tasked with identifying but maybe she’s the one who’s entitled to the spoils.
I wasn’t certain that I’d warm to Con after the last story as he was a mercenary and expert thief. But he endeared himself to me with his unique sense of justice and fair play. I loved his relationship with Lizzie, even when his actions were duplicitous because you knew his heart was in the right place. The mystery surrounding the marine salvage dig was extremely interesting and educational. The locales were exotic (loved the Portugal Settings) and the characters colorful. It took me a bit to sift through the major and minor players along with their motives. The ending was exciting, as were most of the action scenes throughout the story.
Everything was almost perfect, the one downside being Lucy’s role. From the beginning, she’s been portrayed as a savvy businesswoman with particular insight into people. But, she’s made some major misses in the last few books and totally misjudged Con from the start. I’m just not a fan any longer. However, she wasn’t enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.
I wasn’t certain that I’d warm to Con after the last story as he was a mercenary and expert thief. But he endeared himself to me with his unique sense of justice and fair play. I loved his relationship with Lizzie, even when his actions were duplicitous because you knew his heart was in the right place. The mystery surrounding the marine salvage dig was extremely interesting and educational. The locales were exotic (loved the Portugal Settings) and the characters colorful. It took me a bit to sift through the major and minor players along with their motives. The ending was exciting, as were most of the action scenes throughout the story.
Everything was almost perfect, the one downside being Lucy’s role. From the beginning, she’s been portrayed as a savvy businesswoman with particular insight into people. But, she’s made some major misses in the last few books and totally misjudged Con from the start. I’m just not a fan any longer. However, she wasn’t enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.
October 10, 2017
Trying to get back his old job with Bullet Catchers, former thief Constantine Xenakis has been sent to a dive ship to find out who is stealing some of the priceless treasures that are being brought up from a sunken ship. Only three hours into his job, Con catches diver Lizzie Dare in the room where the treasure is stored. Lizzie doesn't want to steal the treasure; she wants to ensure that the person paying for the expedition gives the treasures to a reputable museum and doesn't sell them to private collectors. Lizzie decides to take Con into her confidence in hopes he will help her prove that her ancestor, the Captain of the submerged ship, did not steal the treasures but actually owned them. In turn, she will help Con find out who has been stealing from the expedition.
This is the last full-sized novel in the Bullet Catchers series and, in my opinion, the best. I loved the hero, I loved the heroine, and I loved the story. There was a limited amount of people on board the ship, so it shouldn't have been hard for me to pick out who was bad and who wasn't. I still got it wrong. The romance was hot and the suspense/mystery was exciting. A great end to the series. My rating: 5 Stars.
This is the last full-sized novel in the Bullet Catchers series and, in my opinion, the best. I loved the hero, I loved the heroine, and I loved the story. There was a limited amount of people on board the ship, so it shouldn't have been hard for me to pick out who was bad and who wasn't. I still got it wrong. The romance was hot and the suspense/mystery was exciting. A great end to the series. My rating: 5 Stars.
October 18, 2009
4 stars – Romantic Suspense
Make Her Pay is the tenth installment of the Bullet Catcher series and features hot-as-sin ex-Navy SEAL and mysterious, reformed professional thief Constantine “Con Man” Xenakis.
Former Navy SEAL Con was a Bullet Catcher until his shady past as a thief caught up with him, and he was discharged under suspicion of foul play when some South African diamonds went missing on one of his ops. Now, he’s finally convinced Lucy to give him one more chance and to earn back his job as a Bullet Catcher. Good thing his SEAL diving skills and thief expertise are needed for the Bullet Catchers’ latest assignment involving undercover infiltration of a top secret treasure salvaging operation.
Con’s job is to pose as the ship crew’s newest diver, recover stolen treasure, and catch the thief red-handed. He’s got just one shot to prove himself, and if he fails, not only is his future as a Bullet Catcher in jeopardy, but his freedom is at stake as well. No problem, the assignment should be a cakewalk for a pro with his talents because after all, who better to trap a thief than another thief? Of course, he didn’t anticipate a hot, 5’4, blonde, spitfire, diver babe attempting to sabotage the treasure hunting efforts for altruistic and personal reasons twisting him up in knots and making him question his motives, the mission, and his future.
Lizzie Dare has an important agenda of her own, which is to prove her family’s ancestral legacy and protect the Bombay Blue Diamonds from being sold illegally by greedy treasure hunters. And just when she’s getting close to finally achieving her goal, she has a run-in with a hot, strong, solid wall of muscle who threatens to turn her in. Lizzie’s not about to concede defeat or let the ship’s newest diver Con distract or dissuade her, no matter how damn sexy, tan, and Greek-god built he is. But when it becomes clear that somebody wants to stop Lizzie, as in sleep with the sharks permanently, Bullet Catcher Con finds himself risking the mission to play protector and savior.
It’s an exciting addition to the Bullet Catcher saga with a hunkalicious hero, a lovable, spunky heroine, lots of fun, treasure seeking adventure, and smokin’ hot romance. 4 stars.
Make Her Pay is the tenth installment of the Bullet Catcher series and features hot-as-sin ex-Navy SEAL and mysterious, reformed professional thief Constantine “Con Man” Xenakis.
Former Navy SEAL Con was a Bullet Catcher until his shady past as a thief caught up with him, and he was discharged under suspicion of foul play when some South African diamonds went missing on one of his ops. Now, he’s finally convinced Lucy to give him one more chance and to earn back his job as a Bullet Catcher. Good thing his SEAL diving skills and thief expertise are needed for the Bullet Catchers’ latest assignment involving undercover infiltration of a top secret treasure salvaging operation.
Con’s job is to pose as the ship crew’s newest diver, recover stolen treasure, and catch the thief red-handed. He’s got just one shot to prove himself, and if he fails, not only is his future as a Bullet Catcher in jeopardy, but his freedom is at stake as well. No problem, the assignment should be a cakewalk for a pro with his talents because after all, who better to trap a thief than another thief? Of course, he didn’t anticipate a hot, 5’4, blonde, spitfire, diver babe attempting to sabotage the treasure hunting efforts for altruistic and personal reasons twisting him up in knots and making him question his motives, the mission, and his future.
Lizzie Dare has an important agenda of her own, which is to prove her family’s ancestral legacy and protect the Bombay Blue Diamonds from being sold illegally by greedy treasure hunters. And just when she’s getting close to finally achieving her goal, she has a run-in with a hot, strong, solid wall of muscle who threatens to turn her in. Lizzie’s not about to concede defeat or let the ship’s newest diver Con distract or dissuade her, no matter how damn sexy, tan, and Greek-god built he is. But when it becomes clear that somebody wants to stop Lizzie, as in sleep with the sharks permanently, Bullet Catcher Con finds himself risking the mission to play protector and savior.
It’s an exciting addition to the Bullet Catcher saga with a hunkalicious hero, a lovable, spunky heroine, lots of fun, treasure seeking adventure, and smokin’ hot romance. 4 stars.
October 18, 2017
I just love a treasure hunt and this is a really good one. Great plot, wonderful H/h and lots of action and romance. This is one of my favorites in the series.
Constantine Xenakis is a former SEAL and a former Bullet Catcher. Lucy has decided that since he helped save Dan and his son that she would give him another chance. She has a job that is tailor made for his very specific skill set and since Con badly wants to be back with the Bullet Catchers, he agrees. His job is to infiltrated a dive ship to discover who's stealing the treasure recovered from a legendary sunken Spanish galleon, El Falcone. His first night aboard he catches Lizzie Dare red-handed in the locked treasure room, She tells him she just wanted to take pictures and that the treasure of El Falcone is actually her ancestral legacy. Lizzie would do anything to stop the private sale of the collection and convinces Con to work with her instead of turning her in. Together they work to find the real thief and recover her family's treasure and restore her family's name. Along the way this becomes something more for Con than his make or break assignment for the Bullet Catchers.
Constantine Xenakis is a former SEAL and a former Bullet Catcher. Lucy has decided that since he helped save Dan and his son that she would give him another chance. She has a job that is tailor made for his very specific skill set and since Con badly wants to be back with the Bullet Catchers, he agrees. His job is to infiltrated a dive ship to discover who's stealing the treasure recovered from a legendary sunken Spanish galleon, El Falcone. His first night aboard he catches Lizzie Dare red-handed in the locked treasure room, She tells him she just wanted to take pictures and that the treasure of El Falcone is actually her ancestral legacy. Lizzie would do anything to stop the private sale of the collection and convinces Con to work with her instead of turning her in. Together they work to find the real thief and recover her family's treasure and restore her family's name. Along the way this becomes something more for Con than his make or break assignment for the Bullet Catchers.
November 10, 2017
Make Her Pay
4 Stars
Former Navy SEAL, Constantine Xenakis, has spent years on the questionable side of the law. Now, after rejoining the Bullet Catchers, Con must prove himself by investigating a series of thefts on board a salvage ship. Thus, no one is more surprised that Con when he catches diver Lizzie Dare red-handed in the treasure room and decides to help her recover a stolen ancestral legacy. But someone else is also on the trail and will stop at nothing to satiate their greed. Can Con and Lizzie beat them to the treasure?
Con was an intriguing character in the last book and he more than lives up to expectations in this one. There are one or two moments when the secret keeping trope raises its ugly head and Con's actions are rather questionable. Thankfully, this is very short lived and does not undermine either the suspense or the romance.
Lizzie is a charming heroine and her initial encounter with Con is one of the best (and steamiest in the series). The romance is sweet and the conflicts realistic.
The treasure hunt aspects of the story are exciting and the backstory on Lizzie's ancestor is very compelling. The mystery has some good twists and the identity of one of the villains comes as a complete surprise. St. Claire has some excellent misdirection here.
On a side note, Lucy Sharpe is an exceedingly unlikable woman and she does not redeem herself in her own book or in this one. Her tendency toward making snap judgments about people and twisting her view of professional ethics to suit her purposes is annoying in the extreme. Can you tell I don't like Lucy? :)
All in all, an excellent conclusion to the series and I'm glad I didn't give up on it with Lucy's book.
4 Stars
Former Navy SEAL, Constantine Xenakis, has spent years on the questionable side of the law. Now, after rejoining the Bullet Catchers, Con must prove himself by investigating a series of thefts on board a salvage ship. Thus, no one is more surprised that Con when he catches diver Lizzie Dare red-handed in the treasure room and decides to help her recover a stolen ancestral legacy. But someone else is also on the trail and will stop at nothing to satiate their greed. Can Con and Lizzie beat them to the treasure?
Con was an intriguing character in the last book and he more than lives up to expectations in this one. There are one or two moments when the secret keeping trope raises its ugly head and Con's actions are rather questionable. Thankfully, this is very short lived and does not undermine either the suspense or the romance.
Lizzie is a charming heroine and her initial encounter with Con is one of the best (and steamiest in the series). The romance is sweet and the conflicts realistic.
The treasure hunt aspects of the story are exciting and the backstory on Lizzie's ancestor is very compelling. The mystery has some good twists and the identity of one of the villains comes as a complete surprise. St. Claire has some excellent misdirection here.
On a side note, Lucy Sharpe is an exceedingly unlikable woman and she does not redeem herself in her own book or in this one. Her tendency toward making snap judgments about people and twisting her view of professional ethics to suit her purposes is annoying in the extreme. Can you tell I don't like Lucy? :)
All in all, an excellent conclusion to the series and I'm glad I didn't give up on it with Lucy's book.
July 26, 2010
Enjoyed the uniqueness in this 10th installment to the Bullet Catcher series. The hero, Constantine Xanakis, was first introduced in book #9 as a former Bullet Catcher who wanted another chance with the team. He's had his fair share of bumps and bruises in life and did what he needed to do to survive. The author never finished revealing his "secrets" as she left off how his brother died and why he quit the SEALs.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Dare is on a mission to restore her family name...from the 1700's. O-kay. She doesn't want her great-great-great-how many more-grandfather to be thought of as a pirate and she's out to prove that her relative was PAID to do a job.
I had a hard time with the plot plausibility, but like forcing puzzle pieces together because they "just have to fit" I went with it. I was glad when the H/h finally got off the boat! There were all kinds of turns and twists--and potential suspects. A lot of running around, going here and there to find this and that.
This was not this author's best work, but a super series overall and Make Her Pay is a necessary read because at the very end the entire Bullet Catcher organization changes. Frankly, I'm glad because Lucy Sharpe is just too over-the-top. She's everywhere and knows everything; always answers her phone on the first ring; too much! She's too young to have the unbelievable contacts that she has--everywhere. She went from threatening to fire Con to promoting him in a blip.
The title, "Make Her Pay" well...I don't know how that title fit in with the story, so still scratching my head on that one.
Make Her Pay had a few places where scenes were confusing and hard to follow--particularly the intimate scenes. Jumped around here and there. A character's name was changed toward the end, page 341 "Dare Hawn" should have been "Dave Hawn." Stuff like that.
The ending--before the Epilogue--was silly. Unrealistic and it appeared to me that the author needed to wrap up the book, so did it quickly. Talk about a fly in the coke bottle...
3 1/2 Stars only because I'm a fan of the series and the author.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Dare is on a mission to restore her family name...from the 1700's. O-kay. She doesn't want her great-great-great-how many more-grandfather to be thought of as a pirate and she's out to prove that her relative was PAID to do a job.
I had a hard time with the plot plausibility, but like forcing puzzle pieces together because they "just have to fit" I went with it. I was glad when the H/h finally got off the boat! There were all kinds of turns and twists--and potential suspects. A lot of running around, going here and there to find this and that.
This was not this author's best work, but a super series overall and Make Her Pay is a necessary read because at the very end the entire Bullet Catcher organization changes. Frankly, I'm glad because Lucy Sharpe is just too over-the-top. She's everywhere and knows everything; always answers her phone on the first ring; too much! She's too young to have the unbelievable contacts that she has--everywhere. She went from threatening to fire Con to promoting him in a blip.
The title, "Make Her Pay" well...I don't know how that title fit in with the story, so still scratching my head on that one.
Make Her Pay had a few places where scenes were confusing and hard to follow--particularly the intimate scenes. Jumped around here and there. A character's name was changed toward the end, page 341 "Dare Hawn" should have been "Dave Hawn." Stuff like that.
The ending--before the Epilogue--was silly. Unrealistic and it appeared to me that the author needed to wrap up the book, so did it quickly. Talk about a fly in the coke bottle...
3 1/2 Stars only because I'm a fan of the series and the author.
August 27, 2017
for the surprise factor 3.5 stars
So the last in my marathon run of Bullet Catchers novels. It concerns Con (with the unpronounceable surname) and Lizzy. Con is a former high-end thief given a second chance by the Bullet Catchers. His mission? To join a secret dive mission and identify a thief. Lizzy is the daughter of a world-famous diver, part of the secretive dive mission with secrets of their own.
Not that anyone has been following my reviews, but if hypothetically you had, you will know that I have an issue with Ms St Claire's novels in that she has a penchant for having two separate criminals with different agendas both plotting at the same time (sometimes ostensibly together and other times oblivious to each other). Well, you'll be pleased to know that she hasn't changed, but … I completely got one of them wrong! Yep, didn't see it coming at all, totally gobsmacked. So 10 out of 10 for that one.
As to the romance, meh. Con only got introduced yesterday (and I do mean yesterday because that's when I read book 7 where he was first mentioned), so we had no real for him and I don't think we got much more in this book. Thief with a heart of gold, misunderstood and falsely accused seeking a way back to the good guys is a bit hackneyed and heaven save me from one more Alpha male who says he can't be trusted or isn't who she thinks he is – puhlease! Similarly, I really didn't understand Lizzy's mission – I mean really does anyone really give a rat's arse about what their ancestors did or didn't do over a 100 years ago? Why would you make it a family mission to clear the man's name when what he was being accused of would be something that most people would brag about: "oh, my great, great, great grandfather was a famous pirate!"!
As always, I have a number of logistical questions about some of the plot – some may be because I don't read carefully enough. Others because they seem to get glossed over.
So the last in my marathon run of Bullet Catchers novels. It concerns Con (with the unpronounceable surname) and Lizzy. Con is a former high-end thief given a second chance by the Bullet Catchers. His mission? To join a secret dive mission and identify a thief. Lizzy is the daughter of a world-famous diver, part of the secretive dive mission with secrets of their own.
Not that anyone has been following my reviews, but if hypothetically you had, you will know that I have an issue with Ms St Claire's novels in that she has a penchant for having two separate criminals with different agendas both plotting at the same time (sometimes ostensibly together and other times oblivious to each other). Well, you'll be pleased to know that she hasn't changed, but … I completely got one of them wrong! Yep, didn't see it coming at all, totally gobsmacked. So 10 out of 10 for that one.
As to the romance, meh. Con only got introduced yesterday (and I do mean yesterday because that's when I read book 7 where he was first mentioned), so we had no real for him and I don't think we got much more in this book. Thief with a heart of gold, misunderstood and falsely accused seeking a way back to the good guys is a bit hackneyed and heaven save me from one more Alpha male who says he can't be trusted or isn't who she thinks he is – puhlease! Similarly, I really didn't understand Lizzy's mission – I mean really does anyone really give a rat's arse about what their ancestors did or didn't do over a 100 years ago? Why would you make it a family mission to clear the man's name when what he was being accused of would be something that most people would brag about: "oh, my great, great, great grandfather was a famous pirate!"!
As always, I have a number of logistical questions about some of the plot – some may be because I don't read carefully enough. Others because they seem to get glossed over.
June 30, 2010
I loved this book, a large part due to the barely reformed bad boy Con. The little we saw him last book made him intriguing, but this time around we really got to know him good. It seems like when Con was bad he was only doing it because that is what people expected of him, his heart really wasn't in it.
I really loved the whole deep sea treasure hunt aspect of this book, it made for really interesting background. Lizze was fun, her wariness and complete faith in Con was great. I also loved when Con stood up to Lucy and laid out what he was and wasn't going to do. The changes that Lucy is making in the Bullet Catchers should make for interesting things to come.
I really loved the whole deep sea treasure hunt aspect of this book, it made for really interesting background. Lizze was fun, her wariness and complete faith in Con was great. I also loved when Con stood up to Lucy and laid out what he was and wasn't going to do. The changes that Lucy is making in the Bullet Catchers should make for interesting things to come.
February 8, 2011
Loved this series. Have already read the Novella and first book of the Guardian Angelinos series which follows this one. Looking forward to more by Roxanne St. Claire. Of all the books in this series Con and Lizzie's relationship seemed to take the longest to get started and turned around almost too quickly to be beleived. I ranked the other books in this series rated a definite 4.5 stars. Ranked this one a 4.0 Although I liked Con/Lizze as a couple and they started out strong but the chemistry didn't happen until much later in the story than the other books. Still a great series and a favorite.
April 22, 2013
3 1/2 Stars
It took me a while to finish this book. I have to say I'm glad to be finished with this series. It seemed to me like the plot was pretty predictable and cookie cutter-ish. Lucy's character annoyed me in this book. I didn't feel any character connection. The plot could have been summed up much faster. There was to much fluff and constant distrust between the hero and heroine. The repetitive "Can I trust you?" stuff got old. Fast.
Definitely ready to move on to bigger and better things.
It took me a while to finish this book. I have to say I'm glad to be finished with this series. It seemed to me like the plot was pretty predictable and cookie cutter-ish. Lucy's character annoyed me in this book. I didn't feel any character connection. The plot could have been summed up much faster. There was to much fluff and constant distrust between the hero and heroine. The repetitive "Can I trust you?" stuff got old. Fast.
Definitely ready to move on to bigger and better things.
December 5, 2009
What a fabulous read! Con Xenakis is a dead sexy hero and Lizzie is determined without being annoying. Loved the treasure hunting setting and the romance and suspense were blended beautifully. Fun, sexy read.
January 3, 2010
This was not the best book in the series. It was an interesting read but there was something lacking. I was waiting for the story to pick up but it remained flat. I did loved the H/H but the surrounding story was dull.
January 3, 2016
Spannend bis zur letzten Seite!! Perfekt!
April 2, 2022
Roxanne St Claire always delivers with great characters and lively banter, regardless of the genre. The Bullet Catcher series is exciting with action, romance and intrigue. Constantine Xenakis appeared in the previous book, so here we learn more about why he was previously fired from the Bullet Catchers, accused of stealing an object he was supposed to be guarding, but after been been exonerated, Lucy is willing to give him a second chance. This books explains his behavior and who he really is. Here he is assigned to find a thief on a not so legal diving salvage job. He catches Lizzie Dare first night, but all is not what it seems and soon he trusts Lizzie more than he does Lucy, his boss. But now they are both in danger. Can Con keep Lizzie safe and both of them alive?
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September 22, 2025I'm still not sure what the title of this is about.
Pull quote/note
"His eyes were the color of a winter sky" (23) so...white?
"... from the sight and smell of her woman's body." (123) the one she keeps in the basement on ice, just for such an occasion
"The only village on the island, it couldn't be more than a square mile of charmingly dilapidated houses built right on top of one another along a few cobblestone streets" (249-250) add "charmingly dilapidated" to the list of "condescending af Americans describing poor non-American's lives"
Pull quote/note
"His eyes were the color of a winter sky" (23) so...white?
"... from the sight and smell of her woman's body." (123) the one she keeps in the basement on ice, just for such an occasion
"The only village on the island, it couldn't be more than a square mile of charmingly dilapidated houses built right on top of one another along a few cobblestone streets" (249-250) add "charmingly dilapidated" to the list of "condescending af Americans describing poor non-American's lives"
May 19, 2017
Con want to go straight so he gets a trial at the Bullet Catchers to go on a dive, he wash;t expecting Lizzie Dare and all her spunk. They decide to work together. He knows this isn't going to turn out good for her, however they do it anyway. She is looking for the treasure as she has the history behind it and he is working for the person paying for the dive. The situation gets sticky and there is way more to the story. You will be on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
October 4, 2020
I felt like I was in the adventure with Con & Lizzie. I love Lizzie's sassy, adventurous personality and Con's flirting and straight forwardness was HOT! While I was reading I thought I figured out who the killer was but I was totally wrong. This book made me antsy, always wondering if they were gonna get caught by others when they were snooping. I totally enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading her other books!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2021
ตื่นเต้นตอนช่วยกันหาสมบัติ กับ ทึ่งในความฉลาดของพระเอก แต่ขัดใจความไม่ค่อยฉลาดของนางเอกกับน้องสาว น้องสาวนางเอกกะจะลุยเดี่ยวไปสืบเรื่องสมบัติและล้างมลทินให้ปู่ของปู่ของปู่ แต่สุดท้ายเกือบตายดีที่นางเอกกับพระเอกไปช่วยทัน ส่วนนางเอกก็ความไม่เชื่อใจพระเอกทำให้เกือบตายอีกเหมือนกัน กว่าจะรู้ว่าใครเป็นคนร้ายต้องรอพระเอกออกโรง
May 8, 2018
So now I really am seasick. From really fast boats, and dangerous dives, to even faster motorcycles. And I used to love windmills. Who do you trust? No really. Do you really know your friends . . . and your enemies? Throw in a Bullet Catchers’ love story and you’ve got Con and Lizzie!
January 13, 2019
toller schreibstil, spannender thrill und ein spritzer erotik, welche nicht so dominant im vordergrund steht. hat mir gut gefallen.
November 12, 2020
Make Her Pay
Intrigue, suspense, greed, loss and tragedy, redemption, new beginnings, and a former bad boy who does the right thing in the end and also wins the heart of the girl.
Intrigue, suspense, greed, loss and tragedy, redemption, new beginnings, and a former bad boy who does the right thing in the end and also wins the heart of the girl.
did-not-read
December 1, 2020decided not to read
romantic-suspense
November 13, 202120
December 19, 2015
Why I Read this Book: I came across this book while I was browsing the paperback section at the library. I actually have 3 books by this author on my shelf at home but I haven’t gotten around to reading them yet. The blurb for Make Her Pay caught my attention. I found out prior to checking it out from the library that it was the 10th book in the Bullet Catcher series but I just couldn’t bear to put it back on the shelf so home with me it came. When I got home, I scoured Goodreads for someone knowledgeable on the series and saw that Zosia has read the entire series (and she loved it!) so I asked her if Make Her Pay could be read as a stand alone and she said it could. And she was right.
What I Liked: Make Her Pay had an interesting theme: treasure diving. The whole ‘thrill of the treasure hunt’ aspect kind of reminded me of the movie Into the Blue.
Constantine is a man of many useful skills. There’s a bit of a back story going on with his character. It seemed to me (not having read the previous book in this series) that most of it’s explained in the beginning of Make Her Pay. I’d love to read about it first hand so I plan on reading the series in its entirety. That said, Make Her Pay can definitely be read as a stand alone.
Lizzie has an interesting background and connection to the dive Constantine’s be hired on. She has a personal mission to complete on this particular dive and needs Constantine’s help. There’s a couple of missed romantic opportunities for Constantine and Lizzie, like a couple of steamy shower scenes that were hot. There’s definitely chemistry and attraction between these two but the timing’s a little off in the beginning.
Even Lucy (Constantine’s boss), a background character that doesn’t get much page time, is a character I’d like to read more about. I’m sure she has an interesting story.
I’m a sucker for epilogues. Actually, I expect an epilogues in most romance novels I read; I just need that closure. The one in Make Her Pay fit the bill. It effectively wrapped things up and I was pleased. It was definitely swoon worthy.
What I Didn’t Like: That I didn’t read this series sooner! I’m definitely going to go back and start reading this series beginning with book one. I’m also excited to read the author’s Guardian Angelinos series as well.
Overall Impression: I really enjoyed reading Make Her Pay. It’s a great romantic suspense read and it was a great escape as well. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
What I Liked: Make Her Pay had an interesting theme: treasure diving. The whole ‘thrill of the treasure hunt’ aspect kind of reminded me of the movie Into the Blue.
Constantine is a man of many useful skills. There’s a bit of a back story going on with his character. It seemed to me (not having read the previous book in this series) that most of it’s explained in the beginning of Make Her Pay. I’d love to read about it first hand so I plan on reading the series in its entirety. That said, Make Her Pay can definitely be read as a stand alone.
Lizzie has an interesting background and connection to the dive Constantine’s be hired on. She has a personal mission to complete on this particular dive and needs Constantine’s help. There’s a couple of missed romantic opportunities for Constantine and Lizzie, like a couple of steamy shower scenes that were hot. There’s definitely chemistry and attraction between these two but the timing’s a little off in the beginning.
Even Lucy (Constantine’s boss), a background character that doesn’t get much page time, is a character I’d like to read more about. I’m sure she has an interesting story.
I’m a sucker for epilogues. Actually, I expect an epilogues in most romance novels I read; I just need that closure. The one in Make Her Pay fit the bill. It effectively wrapped things up and I was pleased. It was definitely swoon worthy.
What I Didn’t Like: That I didn’t read this series sooner! I’m definitely going to go back and start reading this series beginning with book one. I’m also excited to read the author’s Guardian Angelinos series as well.
Overall Impression: I really enjoyed reading Make Her Pay. It’s a great romantic suspense read and it was a great escape as well. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
March 3, 2011
You meet Constantine Xenakis in the book before this, HUNT HER DOWN, but IMHO, you won't need to have read it or any of the other Bullet Catcher books to enjoy this one.
Con's a former employee who's given a chance to earn his back a place in the Bullet Catchers; his mission is to go undercover in a dive ship and secure the treasure uncovered as well as figure out who has either been stealing/leaking information about the dive ship. On his first night there, he catches Lizzie Dare (fellow diver) breaking and entering... and within minutes, there's sizzle in both the figurative and literal sense. (Seriously. There's acid involved.) It's one of the more sly-snicker-worthy of a hero-meets-heroine-first-time scenes I've read in a while, so that's all I'll say on that.
Like I said, we meet Con in the book before this--but his background comes out in bits and bites that had me liking him easily. There were one of two aspects of his background that I had expected to be explored more (e.g. his brother), but with a telling mention here and there, I'm not even at all disappointed in having missed out a full sad info-dumpy story. The way I learned about Con worked and I liked him.
Lizzie Dare, however, lacked the depth Con had. Not much, but I think her personality--her tendency to see Con with the best filters on--rubbed me a little raw. That said, her ability to see Con's best may be what made her his match.
The characters are the main focus in this story--which pleases me fine--but it does play against treasure hunting --fun stuff--and one or two subplots. When the main villain finally revealed him/herself (not going to spoil it for ya), the DUM DUM DUUUM wasn't playing in my head, but felt more of a "Huh. Okay. Oh, moving right along." I was a tad underwhelmed.
The story does complement Con and Lizzie's developing relationship--and the story's ending has a nice touch to the series as well as the characters.
So, I enjoyed my read (and would have given it a full four stars had I only liked Lizzie more --but that's my personal preference in heroines) and would definitely recommend this to both Bullet Catcher fans and new readers alike.
Con's a former employee who's given a chance to earn his back a place in the Bullet Catchers; his mission is to go undercover in a dive ship and secure the treasure uncovered as well as figure out who has either been stealing/leaking information about the dive ship. On his first night there, he catches Lizzie Dare (fellow diver) breaking and entering... and within minutes, there's sizzle in both the figurative and literal sense. (Seriously. There's acid involved.) It's one of the more sly-snicker-worthy of a hero-meets-heroine-first-time scenes I've read in a while, so that's all I'll say on that.
Like I said, we meet Con in the book before this--but his background comes out in bits and bites that had me liking him easily. There were one of two aspects of his background that I had expected to be explored more (e.g. his brother), but with a telling mention here and there, I'm not even at all disappointed in having missed out a full sad info-dumpy story. The way I learned about Con worked and I liked him.
Lizzie Dare, however, lacked the depth Con had. Not much, but I think her personality--her tendency to see Con with the best filters on--rubbed me a little raw. That said, her ability to see Con's best may be what made her his match.
The characters are the main focus in this story--which pleases me fine--but it does play against treasure hunting --fun stuff--and one or two subplots. When the main villain finally revealed him/herself (not going to spoil it for ya), the DUM DUM DUUUM wasn't playing in my head, but felt more of a "Huh. Okay. Oh, moving right along." I was a tad underwhelmed.
The story does complement Con and Lizzie's developing relationship--and the story's ending has a nice touch to the series as well as the characters.
So, I enjoyed my read (and would have given it a full four stars had I only liked Lizzie more --but that's my personal preference in heroines) and would definitely recommend this to both Bullet Catcher fans and new readers alike.
February 22, 2016
Bullet Catchers are an elite group of personal protection specialists ruled over by sleek and sophisticated Lucy Sharpe. They are called into jobs where expertise in guns, technology, undercover, surveillance, and, yeah, defensive physical moves are needed. Their clientele must be referred and is comprised of the upper cream of society. While they are supposed to be professionals through and through, sometimes getting close to their principal (protected client) means letting the principal into their hearts.
The last of the Bullet Catchers (I should say 'so far' because authors are always bringing these series out of retirement so there may be more someday). Constantine Xenakis is not a Bullet Catcher...anymore. Many years ago, he was accused of stealing on the job and fired. So he took it as a sign and began a lucrative career as a professional thief for hire. Now, he wants back in the illustrious Bullet Catchers. Lucy agrees to give him a trial run. He has to catch a thief on a treasure hunting expedition on a boat salvaging a sunken Spanish ship. The first person he suspects is Lizzie Dare, a beautiful accomplished diver who just so happens to be breaking into the treasure room the night Con comes on board. But it's not how it seems. Lizzie isn't stealing, but wants to study the pieces closer; she's trying to save her deceased father's name and thinks the treasures may be the ticket if they make it to the museums. But someone else is looking to take the treasure for themselves, making items disappear before they're recorded, and willing to kill for them. Con's first job back may just lead him to love...if it doesn't make him or Lizzie a number in the body count.
Luke warm in just about every way. The plot is okay, but even the windmill scenes couldn't inject much tension. Con often seemed a little stiff, maybe all that newly rediscovered morals were blocking his flow, and Lizzie lacked the sizzle that previous Bullet Catcher heroines had. Together, they seemed run of the mill. This was the 8th book in about 4 years and it felt like it. Grade: C-
The last of the Bullet Catchers (I should say 'so far' because authors are always bringing these series out of retirement so there may be more someday). Constantine Xenakis is not a Bullet Catcher...anymore. Many years ago, he was accused of stealing on the job and fired. So he took it as a sign and began a lucrative career as a professional thief for hire. Now, he wants back in the illustrious Bullet Catchers. Lucy agrees to give him a trial run. He has to catch a thief on a treasure hunting expedition on a boat salvaging a sunken Spanish ship. The first person he suspects is Lizzie Dare, a beautiful accomplished diver who just so happens to be breaking into the treasure room the night Con comes on board. But it's not how it seems. Lizzie isn't stealing, but wants to study the pieces closer; she's trying to save her deceased father's name and thinks the treasures may be the ticket if they make it to the museums. But someone else is looking to take the treasure for themselves, making items disappear before they're recorded, and willing to kill for them. Con's first job back may just lead him to love...if it doesn't make him or Lizzie a number in the body count.
Luke warm in just about every way. The plot is okay, but even the windmill scenes couldn't inject much tension. Con often seemed a little stiff, maybe all that newly rediscovered morals were blocking his flow, and Lizzie lacked the sizzle that previous Bullet Catcher heroines had. Together, they seemed run of the mill. This was the 8th book in about 4 years and it felt like it. Grade: C-
December 8, 2010
Alternate Title: His Wet Scepter
First book I've read on my Android!
Once again, St. Claire brings us a pretty-darn-good contemporary romantic suspense title. Unfortunately, I found that this one had a couple of problems. Not enough to destroy my enjoyment of the book, just a bit flawed.
I found that the emotional connection between the hero and heroine was not as well-developed as I like. It didn't seem as much a development of emotional attachment as much as it seemed an "Oh! I really like this guy!" It's almost as if sex was used in place of emotional development.
Strangely, I found the move from an isolated ship off Florida to an isolated island off Portugal a bit off-putting. I believe this is because during the shift to Portugal, we are introduced to two new characters only mentioned briefly in the first half of the book. For a while, these characters carry the storyline while the hero and heroine are left in the background.
I give St. Claire a lot of points for introducing traditional Gothic elements into the story. The isolated ship. The isolated island. The friendly characters who turn out to be threats and the threatening characters who turn out to be friendly/a love interest.
One bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch. I'm looking better to my next St. Claire read.
Would I recommend this book to a contemporary romance reader to read at the airport? Yes
Would I recommend this book to an expert diver? No
Would I recommend this book to a contemporary romance reader who also liked the DaVinci Code? Quite possibly.
Would I recommend this book to a man in a bear suit? Naw, I wouldn't think he would have a great interest in diving in warm waters off the coast of Florida.
First book I've read on my Android!
Once again, St. Claire brings us a pretty-darn-good contemporary romantic suspense title. Unfortunately, I found that this one had a couple of problems. Not enough to destroy my enjoyment of the book, just a bit flawed.
I found that the emotional connection between the hero and heroine was not as well-developed as I like. It didn't seem as much a development of emotional attachment as much as it seemed an "Oh! I really like this guy!" It's almost as if sex was used in place of emotional development.
Strangely, I found the move from an isolated ship off Florida to an isolated island off Portugal a bit off-putting. I believe this is because during the shift to Portugal, we are introduced to two new characters only mentioned briefly in the first half of the book. For a while, these characters carry the storyline while the hero and heroine are left in the background.
I give St. Claire a lot of points for introducing traditional Gothic elements into the story. The isolated ship. The isolated island. The friendly characters who turn out to be threats and the threatening characters who turn out to be friendly/a love interest.
One bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch. I'm looking better to my next St. Claire read.
Would I recommend this book to a contemporary romance reader to read at the airport? Yes
Would I recommend this book to an expert diver? No
Would I recommend this book to a contemporary romance reader who also liked the DaVinci Code? Quite possibly.
Would I recommend this book to a man in a bear suit? Naw, I wouldn't think he would have a great interest in diving in warm waters off the coast of Florida.
July 18, 2012
The introduction given about Constantine in Hunt her down raised some serious expectations but also questions, about how a professional thief, drop-out of the BulletCatcher and drop-out of the Navy Seals could possibly reform.
The first encounter between Con and Lizzie was extremely promising. However I was a bit disappointed afterwards with its development. As Con mentions some time, Lizzie quickly develops a strong hero worship case and then forgives him anything too easily. I found her a bit bland and not too special heroine.
Constantine is much more interesting. Some of his past traumatisms are only roughly outlined. However his main failure is that for a very long time, I was definitely not sure of whether he was feeling anything for Lizzie or was just using sex to better manipulate her. I would really have appreciated if some ambiguity about his feelings could have been expressed earlier.
Although not one of the best books in the series, it was nevertheless good and difficult to lay down.
I think I finally got the major difference between Suzanne Brockmann and Roxanne St. Claire. SB never hesitates to pull out the elephant gun to make the most out of each character trauma, which usually translates into very emotional pages, while RSC is definitely much more understated, does not mind laying some seeds for which the reader will never bear the fruits (like the still mysterious reason why Alex and Max cannot bear each other...). As a result, RSC's books can be a bit shorter (in comparison with the Troubleshooters but not the TDD) and definitely lighter : less conflicts, less angst about the past.
The first encounter between Con and Lizzie was extremely promising. However I was a bit disappointed afterwards with its development. As Con mentions some time, Lizzie quickly develops a strong hero worship case and then forgives him anything too easily. I found her a bit bland and not too special heroine.
Constantine is much more interesting. Some of his past traumatisms are only roughly outlined. However his main failure is that for a very long time, I was definitely not sure of whether he was feeling anything for Lizzie or was just using sex to better manipulate her. I would really have appreciated if some ambiguity about his feelings could have been expressed earlier.
Although not one of the best books in the series, it was nevertheless good and difficult to lay down.
I think I finally got the major difference between Suzanne Brockmann and Roxanne St. Claire. SB never hesitates to pull out the elephant gun to make the most out of each character trauma, which usually translates into very emotional pages, while RSC is definitely much more understated, does not mind laying some seeds for which the reader will never bear the fruits (like the still mysterious reason why Alex and Max cannot bear each other...). As a result, RSC's books can be a bit shorter (in comparison with the Troubleshooters but not the TDD) and definitely lighter : less conflicts, less angst about the past.
June 13, 2012
The last book of the series that was released, it was a good read, but for some reason that book felt kind of disconnected from the rest of the books. To me the end of the story was when Dan found it happiness, we all knew that changes would come with Lucy being pregnant and everything, I wouldn't have needed another book to put the changes on paper. So it was more of a stand alone and I think you good actually read it without really to know the other books before.
That said it was a good read, Constantine was a nice character, not my favorite, but interesting enough to keep reading. I agree with the people who said the chemistry was lacking in the beginning. It really felt more like an assignment in the beginning rather than extremely attraction between him an Lizzie. I like the interaction more when the were of the boat and Constantine had more room to act. I also liked the tension between them, when Lizzie found out, that he wasn't a secret special agent, but just a thief on the path to get his life in order.
Lucy's perception of Constantine was a bit annoying at times. She wasn't so harsh on Jake and he nearly killed Dan. So I guess it was the pregnancy hormones, because she was pretty quick on putting him on the Bullet Catcher after what he did in the end without telling her beforehand. I felt a bit rushed.
In conclusion the story was nice on the boat, it got nicer when the were on the mainland and it got really nice when the were on the hunt for a sister and the scepter.
That said it was a good read, Constantine was a nice character, not my favorite, but interesting enough to keep reading. I agree with the people who said the chemistry was lacking in the beginning. It really felt more like an assignment in the beginning rather than extremely attraction between him an Lizzie. I like the interaction more when the were of the boat and Constantine had more room to act. I also liked the tension between them, when Lizzie found out, that he wasn't a secret special agent, but just a thief on the path to get his life in order.
Lucy's perception of Constantine was a bit annoying at times. She wasn't so harsh on Jake and he nearly killed Dan. So I guess it was the pregnancy hormones, because she was pretty quick on putting him on the Bullet Catcher after what he did in the end without telling her beforehand. I felt a bit rushed.
In conclusion the story was nice on the boat, it got nicer when the were on the mainland and it got really nice when the were on the hunt for a sister and the scepter.
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