Crazy Sweet

Steele Street #6

by Tara Janzen

During a secret mission gone bad, covert operator Gillian Pentycote ceased to exist. Held captive by a madman, shot full of drugs that stole her memory, Gillian survived. Now, with a new identity and nothing to lose, the woman who calls herself Red Dog has gone from bookish secretary to sizzling-hot hired gun. And she has one to find the man who shattered her life and take him down for good.

Special agent Travis James has the same plan, except he has rules to follow–and using a gorgeous amnesiac as bait isn’t in them. So Travis must play a dangerous double game of his own. He knows Red Dog will do anything to lure the ultimate criminal to her side and exact revenge. But from Central America to a Colorado showdown, Travis has gotten his priorities straight. He’ll kill the bad guy, but only if he can save the beauty–and never, ever let her go....

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Suspense, Mystery, Military Fiction

324 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 31, 2006

About the author

AKA Glenna McReynolds

Reviews

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two-haiku review:

She's very damaged
Now she's a stone-cold killer
He cares, blames himself

Least fave of series
Sorry for her, but don't like
Still tons of action

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series, and although Crazy Sweet wasn't my favorite of the books, it was engrossing and enjoyable. This book focuses almost equally on two couples - Travis James and "Red Dog" Gillian Pentycote, and C. Smith Rydell and Honoria "Honey" York-Lytton.

Gillian Pentycote was kidnapped and given a mind altering drug which robbed her of her memory in the previous novel. Now, two years later, she is known as "Red Dog," and she works as a mercenary, sometimes for SDF, sometimes for others. Her sole focus is revenge upon Tony Royce, the ex-CIA agent who captured her and was instrumental in causing her to be given the drug that changed her life. Gillian's plans to use herself to draw Tony Royce to Denver jeopardize the entire SDF organization, so they must try to stop her. Travis James, an SDF agent who met Gillian earlier on the night that Tony Royce kidnapped her, has been her lover for the past two years. Travis truly loves Gillian, but needs to prevent her from using herself and SDF as targets.

Meanwhile, in El Salvador, C. Smith Rydell, SDF's newest agent (he was formerly a DEA agent who worked with Creed Rivera in Columbia in Crazy Wild), is carrying out surveillance on Tony Royce's villa. He inadvertently sees a woman in trouble and steps in to rescue her. Unrest in the streets causes Honoria "Honey" York-Lytton to remain with Smith in his hotel room for the rest of the day and night, where their encounter turns intimate. The next book in the series, On the Loose, is the continuation of their story.

While I liked this book, I did have a few problems with it, unlike the previous ones in the series. I wasn't ever convinced that Gillian was what I want in the heroine of a romantic suspense novel. I felt sympathy for her, and there were things I liked about her, but I didn't feel that she cared for Travis in the way he cared about her. She put her interests above those of Travis and all of the SDF even knowing that her actions could destroy all of their lives. I also questioned why in the world a heroine in a romance novel would be called "Red Dog." That moniker just doesn't do anything for me. At the end of the book, I wasn't satisfied that Travis and Gillian really had a good chance at HEA. I hope that their story will continue in the next books, so that I will be convinced that they will overcome the past and happily stay together. I would have probably rated this book a three if it were only about Travis and Gillian, but I enjoyed the parts about Smith and Honey enough to give it a four.

[Crista · Rating 1 out of 5]

No, No, No! This book is all wrong. What a horrible "end" to the Crazy series. I hear that Steele Street continues with the Loose series, but after the last two disasters, I think I'll read the reviews before taking anymore of my time only to end up disappointed.

I have to admit that I'm still not over Crazy Love...Dylan and Skeeter got the big shaft!!!! I need to move on, but aghhhh!

I guess when the dust all settled, I'm just not into a scatterbrained, ditsy professor turned cold-blooded, ruthless, revenge driven killer. I absolutely HATED (I know that's a strong word) Red Dog. Her lack of emotion (even if it's from being tortured with psycho drugs) was sickening. I also really hated Travis. Why in the world did Janzen have to go and turn the Angel God into a killer. Is nothing sacred. I know I'm really hating on this book, but how horrible. Shame on Janzen for turning such a great series into a barely readable series.... Aghhhh!

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank goodness there were two other secondary characters other than Gillian and Travis in this book. Those two could just possibly be my who-gives-a-toss hero and heroine so far. I didn't really care that Gillian was on a suicidal personal vengeance mission, still didn't care that three other SDF operators were out all night trying to stop her and most definitely didn't care that she got shot herself in the end.

I am giving the whole 3 stars to Honoria and Smith. I lurved how they got stuck together in a hotel room in El Salvador in a middle of a riot. The sweet and super sexy Honoria just about rattled the cold and coolness outta Smith that night. They were very hot together in a very cute way. I just can't wait to read about them in the next book.

[PepperP0t · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can a book jump the shark? Yes! Can there still be fun had? Absolutely, the problem is it doesn't happen here.

Humph, General Grant's mild mannered secretary, Gillian Pentycote, had been kidnapped, given an experimental drug that wiped out all memories except four, one of which is the renegade CIA agent that arranged the kidnapping but got away during the rescue, adopted her alter ego name of Red Dog is partnered with former model, Travis James that was taught to shoot to protect himself are now Steele Street agents travelling the globe to wreak vengeance on said CIA agent. Humph!
Rating 2stars

[May Mostly Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

กู้ข้อมูลสมัยที่เขียนรีวิวที่ exteen มาได้เลยเอามาแปะไว้ค่ะ สมัยนั้นรีวิวไปเล่าเรื่องส่วนตัวไป เลยจะมีเรื่องชีวิตประจำวันมาแทรกตลอดนะคะ ขออภัยด้วย ขี้เกียจกลั่นกรองอีกรอบ แค่หารีวิวเก่าเจอดีใจมากแล้ว

หวานนักรักนี้

ชื่อนี้เราตั้งเองเลียนแบบชื่อภาษาไทยของหนังสือชุดนี้ที่เพิ่งออกมาได้เล่มเดียว คนที่อ่านเล่มแรกแล้วกระโดดข้ามมาอ่านเล่มนี้เลยอาจจะรู้สึกงงกับชีวิตนิดหน่อย เพราะจะได้เห็นตัวละครที่ออกมามีบทบาทในเล่มแรกเป็นนายแบบภาพนู้ด ที่หลงรักนางเอกภาคแรก เปลี่ยนแปลงตัวเองมาเป็นสายลับสุดเท่ห์

ปกติเราไม่ชอบเรื่องที่เปลี่ยนแปลงบุคลิกตัวละครแบบหน้ามือเป็นหลังมือแบบนี้ แต่ไม่น่าเชื่อว่าการเอาทราวิส เจมส์มาแปลงกายกลับได้ผล อาจเพราะทาร่าไม่ได้ทำให้เขาเปลี่ยนแปลงเพียงชั่วข้ามคืน ทราวิสมีเวลากว่า 4 เล่มก่อนจะกลายเป็นแองเจล ซึ่งเป็นโค้ดเนมของเขา โดยเฉพาะในเรื่องเครซี่ คิสที่เราได้เห็นสิ่งที่อยู่ในสมองของเขา ได้ยินความคิดของเขา และรู้เหตุผลที่เขาเลือกจากเปลี่ยนเส้นทางจากการเป็นผู้ช่วยชีวิต มาเป็นผู้พรากชีวิต

แต่ถึงแม้การเปลี่ยนแปลงของทราวิสจะได้ผลสำหรับเรา หรือแม้ว่าการเปลี่ยนแปลงของกิลเลี่ยนนางเอกจากเลขานุการขี้อายกลายเป็นนักฆ่าสุดโหดก็จะได้ผลสำหรับเรา หนังสือเรื่องนี้กลับไม่ได้ผล นั่นเพราะว่าคนแต่งให้เวลากับตัวละครสองตัวนี้น้อยเกินไป มากกว่าครึ่งเรื่องเราได้เห็นความสัมพันธ์ของพระเอกนางเอกในเล่มถัดไป (ชื่อเรื่องแปลเป็นไทยว่ากำลังเพ่นพล่าน - On the loose) เราชอบซี. สมิท และอยากเห็นเรื่องของเขา แต่เราก็อยากรู้จักทราวิสและเรด ด็อกให้มากขึ้น โดยเฉพาะเมื่อเห็นได้ชัดว่าความสัมพันธ์ของทั้งคู่ซับซ้อนมากเพียงใด

อีกประเด็นหนึ่งที่เราไม่เข้าใจว่าทำไมคนแต่งต้องเอาเข้ามาใส่ในเรื่องก็คือ ตัวท่านลอร์ดชาวอังกฤษผู้ที่เป็นเจ้าพ่ออาชญากรรม โอเคเรายอมรับว่าหลงเสน่ห์ตัวละครที่ไม่ออกตัวนี้ไปไม่น้อย ก็แหมตรงสเป็คเราเลยล่ะ เป็นตัวร้าย (ที่เราคิดเองว่าจะต้องมีอะไรมากกว่านั้น) เขาถูกกล่าวถึงในฐานะผู้ชายในอดีตของนางเอก คนที่นางเอกมีความสัมพันธ์ด้วยแม้ในขณะที่ยังคบอยู่กับพระเอก เราไม่รู้จริง ๆ ว่าทำไมถึงต้องเอาตัวละครตัวนี้เข้ามาเกี่ยว เพราะอ่านจนจบเรื่องเราก็ยังรู้สึกว่า ไม่ออกก็ไม่เห็นจะเกี่ยวกะเรื่องตรงไหน

อาจเพราะว่าเราผิดหวังที่ไม่ได้เห็นข้อสรุปในความสัมพันธ์ของทราวิสกะกิลเลี่ยน เราก็เลยรู้สึกผิดหวังมากกับเรื่องนี้ เพราะอ่านจนจบเรื่องเราก็ไม่รู้สึกว่ามีความคืบหน้าอะไรเลยระหว่างทั้งคู่

ตอนเปิดเรื่องก็รู้ว่ารักกันแล้ว รู้ว่ามีเซ็กส์กันแล้ว แต่กิลเลี่ยนก็ยังทรยศทราวิสเพื่อการแก้แค้น วิธีการแก้ปัญหาก็ง่ายมาก ไม่ใช่ทำให้กิลเลี่ยนต้องละทิ้งการแก้แค้น (เหมือนอย่างที่ซาร่าบังคับให้เพริกรีนทำใน Silk and Shadows - ซึ่งเป็นหนังสือที่ดีมากที่สุดเล่มหนึ่ง -- แปลว่าไปหามาอ่านได้แล้ว) กลับกลายเป็นการให้ดีแลนเปิดไฟเขียวเปิดทางให้กิลเลี่ยนสามารถแก้แค้นได้โดยชอบธรรม เราก็เลยไม่เห็นสักนิดว่าความสัมพันธ์ของทั้งคู่พัฒนาไปข้างหน้าอย่างไร

แล้วยังประเด็นที่กิลเลี่ยนคิดในช่วงต้นเปิดเรื่องอีกที่บอกว่ายังไงเจ้าลอร์ดกาแฟจะต้องเรียกร้องการตอบแทนจากเธอ ซึ่งเธอจำเป็นต้องจ่าย จนจบเรื่องก็ยังไม่รู้ว่าราคานั่นคืออะไร (เป็นไปได้ว่าทิ้งท้ายเอาไว้ในเล่มถัดไป) แต่ทำให้เรารู้สึกว่าเรื่องมันค้างคา เพราะอ่านยังไงก็ต้องคิดเอาเองว่าเจ้าลอร์ดนี่ต้องแอบหลงรักกิลเลี่ยนแหง แต่ดันไม่มีบทบาท

เราจะบอกให้ว่าเราคิดยังไงกับการที่ทาราเขียนเรื่องนี้นะคะ เราคิดว่าเพราะทราวิสไ���่ใช่พระเอกที่เธอตั้งใจให้เป็นในเรื่องนี้ ข่าวตอนแรกก็คือซี.สมิทจะเป็นพระเอกในเครซี่สวีท แต่จู่ ๆ ก็พลิกโผ เหมือนตอนท่านนายกอานันท์ได้เป็นนายกรอบสอง ทราวิสก็กลายเป็นพระเอกโดยไม่รู้เนื้อรู้ตัว ปัญหาก็คือ เนื้อเรื่องส่วนใหญ่ของซี. สมิทน่าจะเขียนไปแล้ว ทำให้ทาร่าไม่มีเวลาเขียนเรื่องของทราวิสเท่าไหร ก็เลยใช้มุขตัดสลับ ระหว่างเรื่องของทราวิสกับซี.สมิท เหมือนกับที่ใช้ในเรื่องเครซี่คิส (แต่ในเครซี่คิสมันเวิร์คเพราะว่าเรารู้จักคิดกะนิคกี้ดี้แล้ว ไม่เหมือนในเรื่องนี้ที่เราแทบไม่รู้อะไรเกี่ยวกับเรด ด็อกเลย) ทำให้สุดท้ายอ่านไปนึกว่าซี. สมิทเป็นพระเอก

แต่ถ้าถามว่าแฟนหนังสือชุดเครซี่ควรจะถอดใจกับชุดนี้ไหม คำตอบเราก็บอกให้เดินหน้าสู้ต่อค่ะ เพราะเหมือนอย่างที่เพื่อนผู้ทรงภูมิของเราคนนึงบอกไว้ แค่อ่านเล่มนี้แล้วได้เห็นตัวละครในเล่มก่อนหน้าก็คุ้มค่าแล้ว

สำหรับเราแล้วไม่ใช่ซุปเปอร์แมนที่ทำให้ใจสั่น (เอ๊นั่นนก, ไม่ใช่มันเป็นเครื่องบิน, ไม่ใช่... นั่นคือซุปเปอร์แมน--- คนละคนกันนะคะ) แม้ว่าจะคริสเตียนจะเท่ห์เหมือนเดิม สุดท้ายยังเป็นคนตามล่าผู้ร้าย แล้วเป็นคนเหนี่ยวไกอีกต่างหาก แต่เป็นการที่ได้เห็นความสัมพันธ์ของสกีตเตอร์กะดีแลน ทำให้เรารู้สึกว่าความรักของทั้งคู่ไปกันได้ราบรื่น

ยิ่งตอนที่สกีตเตอร์แต่งตัวออกมายั่วดีแลนต่อหน้าคริสเตียนแล้วยิ่งฮามาก ๆ แต่ทั้งหมดนี่คุณจะไม่รู้หรอกถ้าไม่ได้อ่านเล่มก่อนหน้า และรู้ว่าความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างดีแลน, คริสเตียน และสกีตเตอร์เป็นยังไง

จบคำวิจารณ์เรื่องนี้โดยการบอกว่าให้รีบวิ่งกลับไปอ่านเครซี่ให้ครบทุกเล่ม ก่อนจะเริ่มอ่านเล่มนี้ เพราะจะทำให้ความเจ็บปวดจากการอ่านหนังสือเล่มนี้ลดลงได้ประมาณครึ่งนึง

[♥ Vonda M. Reid ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall Rating: 5 // Action: 5 / Emotion: 5.5 / Romance: 4.5 / Sensuous: 4 / Suspense: 5 // Laughter: 20 / Tears: 5

Avidly reading "The Steele Street Series," one book right after the other. Each book has been great. But Book Six, Crazy Sweet, was awesome. Once I started reading, I did not want to put it down (for any reason: to feed the dog, to sleep, etc.) This book deserved the big 5.0 rating. It so engaged my emotions that I had to give the emotional aspect of the book a 5.5 out of 5.0.

Crazy Sweet was a book of great contrasts. Dark versus Light. Good guy versus Bad guy. Humor versus Seriousness. Sweet versus Cold and Hard.

Giving this book a 5.0 rating was difficult because I hated what Gillian Pentycote had become. I hated her treatment of the love of her life. But that's what made me realize it deserved a high rating. Janzen created such a flawed personality with such depth that she was able to draw strong emotions from the reader -- the whole idea behind writing a book -- to engage the reader -- to draw her in. Janzen succeeded with flying colors!

The extent of the change in the hero and heroine's characters was so drastic. Travis James was introduced in Book One, Crazy Hot, as the laid-back, drop-dead gorgeous EMT with Boulder County Search and Rescue, who posed naked for aspiring artist Nikki McKinney. In Book Two, Crazy Cool, Travis's protective instincts are exposed when he decides to walk Skeeter Bang home from the Gallery, even though she was the street-rat. His eyes were opened to the un-safeness of the world when a street gang harassed them. In Book Four, Crazy Kisses, the really nice, non-confrontational conflict resolution-believing Travis took up arms against the men holding Kid and Nikki at gun point. By Book Five, Crazy Love, Travis has become the New Guy for the Special Defense Force. But through all the changes of Travis from a laid-back, take-things-as-they-come guy to a lethal, gun-wielding, take-the-bad-guys-out guy, there was that knowledge that Travis was still a sweet, caring, loving, loyal man underneath all that hardness.

Not so with Gillian "Red Dog" Pentycote. When Gillian was introduced in Crazy Love, she was clueless. She was a sweet thing who was falling apart at the seams. Her character charmed me as I watched her walk towards Travis (the Angel) with her shirt mis-buttoned; her skirt not quite zipped up; her glasses taped together; her shoelace coming untied, etc. There was no gradual change in Gillian's personality. She was wrongfully kidnapped and the evil warlord had her injected with an experimental truth serum, XT7. XT7 totally scrambled Gillian's brains and body functions. Wham! Sweet, messy Gillian Pentycote was no more! The amnesiac, cold, emotionless, can shoot better, run faster, think quicker Red Dog took her place.

Whenever Red Dog started having XT7 after-effect spasms, Travis utilized his famed sexual imprinting skills to relieve the tense muscles and then he made love to Gillian. But even the spicy, hot sexual scenes could not remove that hint of darkness surrounding Red Dog.

Red Dog remembered only four things from her past life. Two held importance for her. One was her Angel, Travis. The other was the man who caused her life change, ex-CIA Agent, Tony Royce. For two years, Hawkins, Kid, Creed and Travis trained Red Dog for her new life as a contract mercenary, a hired assassin. She took to it like a duck to water. For two years, Red Dog was vengefully searching for Royce. For two years, her Angel stood by her through thick and thin. And it was mostly thick.

Even though Red Dog admitted that she loved Travis, he did all the giving in the relationship, Travis was every woman's dream come true. He gave. He supported. He loved. He watched her back. While watching Travis bestow all these precious gifts on Red Dog, one kept hoping for even a teeny-tiny glimpse of Gillian. Not one speck of the sweetness remained! There just seemed to be a constant feeling of darkness as Red Dog planned her betrayal of Angel.

Dylan, Skeeter and Hawkins made appearances in Crazy Sweet because Red Dog not only betrayed Travis, she also put the entire Steele Street operation in jeopardy. Red Dog's single-minded pursuit of Tony Royce caused her to make the decision to cross the line that stood between the good guy and bad guy. The SDF killed only by orders from above, usually General Grant. Red Dog further handicapped the Steele Street boys' by making them have to choose to eliminate her if she went totally rogue, if she did cross that line and killed in cold blood.

The suspense was intense. Would Royce come for Red Dog? Who would win the fight between Royce and Red Dog? Would Red Dog cross the line? Would the Steele Street boys have to kill a friend? Would Gillian ever come back? Would Travis be able to get past Red Dog's betrayal? (It is their book and is supposed to end in happily-ever-after, but how much should one man take from the woman he loved?)

Even through there was a strong connection between Travis and Gillian, it was still difficult to forgive Red Dog for her treatment of Angel. There was hope for their happily-ever-after though. Janzen lead the reader to believe that a bit of the sweet Gillian was going to appear in the life of the cold Red Dog.

Thankfully, Janzen lifted the reader from the darkness surrounding Red Dog and Travis by shining a bright, happy light on the other romance in the book. The romance between C. Smith Rydell (the next new SDF guy) and Honoria "Honey" York-Lytton. Even though Travis and Gillian took top billing in Crazy Sweet, Smith and Honey stole the show.

C. Smith Rydell was fascinating back when he was introduced saving Kid Chaos in 'superman-style' in Book Four, Crazy Kisses. Kid was sure that Smith was still too young to be in the DEA and he was always wearing that s--t-eating grin. Even though he looked too young, happy and carefree, Smith proved that he was capable of getting the tough jobs done.

One really engaging thing that Smith did was create lists in his mind. These lists injected priceless bits of humor into even the most dire of situations. For instance in Book Four, Crazy Kisses {page 111}:

"Spending the next nine hours with a crying woman was real close to the top of his "Avoid At All Costs" list, right under untimely death and a desk job."

Smith created several more lists as he was forced to deal with the rich, high maintenance, girly-girl, Honey York as they hunkered down in the Hotel Palacio in Sun Luis, El Salvador. Smith could not believe his eyes when the obviously lost, blond (wearing a white with red polka dots halter-top dress) showed up on the wrong side of town. When Royce's goons started coming after the 'cupcake', Smith was forced to hide her in his room. Because rebels started bombing the town, Smith and Honey spent many long hours entertaining readers with their antics and dialogue.

Janzen did a great job of relieving the path into darkness by interweaving Angel and Red Dog's story with Smith and Honey's budding romance. Smith's humor and lightness was so laugh-inducing. Smith was such a man's man and Honey was so über feminine. Those personalities played well against each other. When they eventually made love, the scene was spicy and there was a sweet connection between them even though they were definitely light-years apart on the social stratosphere. Cannot wait to read their book, 'On The Loose', the seventh book of the series.

Crazy Sweet is a must-read for anyone who enjoys an emotional, action-packed, edge-of-your-seat suspense. It is even a must re-read for anyone who wants to laugh and cry the day away.

Although Crazy Sweet had enough background details about each of the characters to make it a good stand-alone read, I feel that the book is much more vivid because I had already been introduced to the protagonists. There are just so many details about Travis in the previous books of the series that explain why he was the perfect hero for Red Dog's fractured character. Would strongly suggest that the series be read in order.

[note: Am curious about one thing. Have read on the discussion boards about how readers opine that cheating, done-her-wrong heros need to spend more time on their knees groveling before the heroine forgives him and takes him back. Wonder if those same women feel that Travis should have made Red Dog spend time on her knees groveling before him? {Red Dog did not do any groveling. Travis just forgave!}]

--This review written for Wolf Bear Does Books.

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason this book gets 2 stars is Honey York and C. Smith Rydell. I debated giving it 3 for them because them, I liked. Travis and Red Dog, not so much. They weren't romantic at all and I had no idea why they were together except he felt guilty for letting her go up to the hotel alone the night she was kidnapped and he was one of the only things she remembered from before. There was no chemistry. This didn't even feel like their book because they were in so little of it. It would've been so much better if Gillian had never become Red Dog. I actually liked their interaction and chemistry in the previous book. This was just crap. And makes me debate if I even want to finish this series. Red Dog is a horrible character and drags Travis down with her. There have been some disappointing things in previous books, but this one just takes the cake. There were just so many threads left dangling.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book--I really didn't enjoy the first book. The world and characters are fun, though I found B-romance more page filler than anything else. This book barely covers 48 hours, and there are absolutely a TON of characters in this book-and they all had nicknames! This book really wasn't very friendly to readers not familiar to the series, and yet I found the wrap-up a bit anti-climactic.

This was fine, read it if the opportunity presents itself, but I wouldn't recommend seeking it out.

[Ellie (bookmadbarlow) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sixth instalment in the Steele Street series, was the perfect book to read after the last two thriller type books. This was a great escape and if you enjoy your romance suspenseful and steamy and your women as tough as your men then this series is for you.
Action packed with baddies and good guys that save the day, was ideal for a winters weekend relaxing.

[Erinn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sort of a spy novel akin to the formulaic series on television only the plot was flimsier and the romance was thicker. I'm not sure who the audience is..... I struggled to finish the book simply because it was that hard to remain interested. There are simply better books out there.

[Karen L Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this entire series a while ago. I liked the writing style, setting and characters. Fun, fast reads - all of them.

[Josi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the cars in these books. This time it was Adeline. I also like how there are multiple storylines going on at the same time. Ready for book 7.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible writing, plot development and characters.....I'm really, really, really disappointed in this book!! This series and characters deserved better!!!

[Sandy Lipinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action, Adventure, and Hot Sex Scenes. Two couples are in dangerous situations. One couple explosions ,the other a shoot out. Bad language.

[Shannon Noonan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The secondary story line was much better than the primary story. Travis James’ story deserved much better.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, I have thoughts. I was kinda dreading rereading this because I remember not liking it the first time I read it in 2006 or '07. But I made myself read it because I'm rereading the entire series this year. There's 12 books, so I'm reading one a month. And these stories overlap like nobody's business so I had to read it if I didn't want to miss out on info for the next book, which is the one I'm super looking forward too, because I remember it being my favorite of them all.

So there's two main overlapping stories in this book. The couple that is advertised on the back of the book, Travis and Gillian. As well as another new couple, Smith and Honey. Smith was introduced in book 4, but his part was minor. He's practically a 2nd hero in this story. I swear more of this book was about Smith and Honey than it was about Travis and Gillian.

That was honestly ok with me because i dislike the Travis/Gillian storyline. Their part of the book gets 2 stars. Brainwashed women with zero personality and a vendetta aren't my cup of tea. I've read a couple of other books with a brainwashed heroine storyline, and I just don't like it. This book opens with some pretty intense sex scenes in the very beginning. They have a whole BDSM thing going on that doesn't make any sense. Why a woman with no memory of her past but lots of memories of pain from the drugs that were used on her would like being tied up, gagged, and blindfolded during sex is beyond me.

Travis has been in almost every book before this one. He's actually had romantic feelings for at least two other women before Gillian. And he and Gillian banged in the previous book before she was ever brainwashed. It actually kinda felt like he was on his fourth woman because she's such a different character in this book than that book. Travis has actually been my least favorite character in the whole series, so I've always disliked that so much time has been devoted to him.

Everything about Travis and Gillian is boring, and while reading, it was like pulling my feet through thick, heavy mud.

But Honey and Smith? That was like reading a really exciting, sexually charged train wreck that I wanted to be a part of! I'd forgotten that their beginning was I this book and that it was the majority of the story. Thank goodness for that because it made it worth reading! The perfect pristine-ness of Honey against Smith's casual-ness was a bit of an irresistible contrast.

They, of course, fall for each other in less than 24 hours because that's what happened with every other couple in this series, too. I shouldn't be surprised that they hook-up, but I was a little bit. I didn't remember that happening so soon. But it kinda worked. I liked how after she slipped out, he followed her but didn't try to burst into the place she was at and take her back. He waited and observed, and they parted ways on good terms to set up their book next!

The ending with Gillian and Travis was fine. The bad guy she was hunting the whole book was killed by another character, so she didn't even get the satisfaction of that. It ended in a very basic way, with them together but her still not herself. I certainly don't see how they could make their relationship last. Hopefully, now he's gotten his own book, and I won't have to read about Travis again.

Two stars for Gillian and Travis.
Five stars for Honey and Smith.
So average of 3.5 as a whole.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+ stars
.
SPECIAL DEFENSE FORCE ~~ TARA JANZEN
.
Order Title
1 Crazy Hot
2 Crazy Cool
3 Crazy Wild
4 Crazy Kisses
5 Crazy Love
6 Crazy Sweet
7 On the Loose
8 Cutting Loose
9 Loose and Easy
10 Breaking Loose
11 Loose Ends

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been trucking along with the Steele Street stories having a grand ol' time, but I have to say that for me, this one was a speed bump. After Crazy Love I was really looking forward to Red Dog and Travis' story. Travis' transformation alone has been kind of out there, but still within the realm of "Okay, I get it" because he still holds on to those characteristics that were him down to the marrow like the meditation and laid back attitude. He's just also been changed ever since he shot a man to save Nikki and Kid. Plus, the fact that two years has passed only cements the changes. At the end of Crazy Love we know that after being injected Gillian lost all her memories and only remembers being called Red Dog, the face of the man who tortured her, and the face of Travis. So in this new life of fierce, Need Revenge Hardassness, Travis is the one person she softens for, allows to touch her, and he sets out to soothe her and buy her lacy, feminine underwear while she sets off like a loose cannon to kill the man responsible for her torture.

I get it. It should of been great, and it was alright, but it was sort of tiring. I understand that it wasn't meant to have the SNAP CRACKLE POP of the other stories. This one wasn't meant to be about sexual chemistry, fast driving, nights that last forever, and getting busy in elevators. I get that. This one was a little more...pained? I don't know. I just felt bad for Travis the whole time. I was tired of Gillian's narrow single-minded purpose, and her willingness to disobey.

Great things? Smith and Honey. Here was the SNAP CRACKLE POP, and funny enough, in the shorter book of the series it seemed more time was spent in South American with those two then with the lead couple. Also, we get to see Superman in action again. Family man or not, he's still out there for SDF and I love that about him. Apparently so is Quinn but we haven't seen him since the first book. This is the end of the line for the Crazy books and the main chop shop boys, but after getting to know Smith I won't be able to help myself from reading more, and I hope SDF is still central to the stories.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

As long as you go into this book NOT expecting the stories of Travis and Gillian, aka. Red Dog then the book is enjoyable.
The story definatly seems to focus on C. Smith Rydell during a trip to El Salvador. Janzen herself seems not at all interested in Travis and Gillian's stories because she constantly drifts off when she's narrarating their stories. Basically, out of the 300 or so pages in this book only 75 are dedicated to Red Dog and the Angle boy.
Other than the beginning dissapointment, I found myself liking the book more and more by focusing on Rydell's story. His story was byfar the most interesting part of the book. It definatly had more action going on than just Red Dog waiting for the attack.
Even though Travis' story wasn't that interesting, the book moved along pretty fast. While I was sitting there complaining to myself that nothing was really happening and that Tara Janzen just kept drifting off with random information, i realized that I was already 100 pages into the story and I hadn't even been reading for an hour.
The book, overall, is good. But it would've been soooo much better had Travis, the supposed main character, story been more interesting. The ending also needed help. Something dramatic happened and then the world is a happy place and people are living peacefully again. There needed to be a better transition there. Janzen was rambling off at the beginning of the story... that rambling would've helped here.
It's at the end of the book that readers are really attached to the characters.... we need more than "they lived happily ever after" or "all is good in the world again." There was so much that Tara Janzen could've done with the ending that would've made it much more interesting.
Although, considering she has yet to write a book without a sequal, she probably doesn't know how to write a proper ending.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just jam packed with sex, dangerous situations, lots of action, and that is just the first 100 pages. The rest you will have to read for your self. I think that Tara Janzen is a very underappreciated author and it is a real shame she hasn't written anything since wrapping the Steel Street series in 2011.

Gillian, Admin Assistant to General Grant, was given a mind wiping drug that destroyed her memory at the end of Crazy Love. This book picks up two years later and we find her transformed into a killing machine by the SDF guys at Steel Street. I find it really hard to believe this all happened in two years as well as the total transformation of Gillian from an adventure seeking Admin Assistant to a cold blooded operative. I believe that even with her memory wiped, she would still retain some of her personality. Instead we are to believe that she is hell bent on revenge against Tony Royce, the former CIA agent who was responsible for her situation, and is going to get revenge even at the cost of the lives of the people at Steel Street. The drug that they gave her did more than wipe her memory and it's side effects are totally unpredictable.

Travis has a feeling that Gillian is not playing by the rules set out for SDF operatives. She has disappeared for periods of time and he knows that she is taunting Tony Royce to come and get her. Travis loves her and can't let that happen.

C. Smith Rydell, an operative in Central America, has his hands full with Honoria (Honey) York, a D.C. socialite who it trying to ransom her sister and has caught the attention of the guards at Tony Royce's compound and Smith comes to her rescue. Before he can return her to her hotel to town erupts in a riot and Honey and Smith just erupt in passion. It will be fun to read their story.

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I forgot about C. Smith Rydell; liked him when he was Kid's partner in Crazy Kisses. Looks like he is the side story in this book since Janzen can't just concentrate on one couple. I am really liking Mr. Rydell and almost wish this was his story.
Even being a couple chapters in I just didn't get where Janzen is taking this story. I get Gillian wants to kill Royce (CIA agent gone bad) and I get Travis is in love with her. I didn't get the bondage sex scene between Gillian and Travis and as much as I am beginning to like C. Smith Rydell, his and Honey's story didn't blend in.
I find myself getting mad at Gillian and Travis' story interrupting Smith's and Honey's, even though this is suppose to be Gillians and Travis's. Smith and Honey have a great rapport and what feels like some smoking chemistry on the way.
So, I completely didn't get this book. There seemed to be more story about Smith and Honey than Gillian and Travis. I'm not even sure I get the story line of Gillian turning into a "superhuman". I definitely didn't feel connected to Travis and Gillian. To be completely honest if someone were to ask me to describe this book in one word, I would say retardo. Very mature of me yes, I know. Only Smith and Honey saved this book for me, and I am excited to read their story. Janzen has a branch off series from this one called "Steele Street-Loose" which is where we get their story. I think I am going to take a break from this series though and come back to it later. Janzen has disappointed me too much in these later books.

C

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still love that rough and tough Steele Street team. Nothing will stop me from enjoying this gloriously unrealistic series.

This book was a little less fun than the previous in the series for a number of reasons. First, the sex scene between two characters was kinky to the point of gratuitousness. This is because of the lack of emotional availability of one of the participants. The participant is willing but emotionally...nothing. Sensation only. When a character has that flaw an emotionally satisfying relationship is impossible.

Second, this is most likely a transitional book as Janzen moves from Steele Street to the Loose series. Transitional books can be difficult.

Third, unlike previous books in the series, this book goes back and forth between two romances. Red Dog and Travis began their romance in a previous book and it remains both strong and oddly ambiguous. Honey and Smith's romance looks to be only beginning. I'll be interested in seeing if it is explored in later books.

Finally, it is sadly time to say goodbye to 738 Steele Street. While I have enjoyed seeing how many lofts and cars and tech and arms can be located here, this location has, sadly reached the point of no return with probability. Further, the detailed descriptions of the cars and fantasy lofts was lacking in this book, causing a real hole in the series.

Do I still adore the series? Absolutely! This book was just a little weak.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the Steele Street series because they have super sexy, alpha heroes and heroines that kick ass and can bring those heroes to their knees. This is definitely not a series you can jump in on so if you haven’t read the previous books, Crazy Sweet is going to be a little difficult to understand. Our hero, Travis, has been around since book 1 and has slowly integrated himself in to the world of SDF and has become a valuable asset to the team. Gillian had just left Arizona for a new life as an assistant to the head of SDF when she was kidnapped and drugged, leaving her with absolutely no memories except for the man who ruined her life and the man her makes her heart beat faster, Travis. I loved how Gillian and Travis connect, there was some great action, and I really enjoyed how the overall story moved forward. My biggest issue with this story was that I didn’t feel like it was much of a romance. You don’t really get to see how Travis and Gillian fall in love, just that they are together. I would have liked to see a little more of the romance, a little less of the action. Still really enjoy this series but I’m hoping the next will bring a little more romance back.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gillian Petycote has not only lost her memories after being kidnapped and injected with a uber-truth serum but developed into the ultimate assassin, and the only thing she remembers are the two bad guys who did this too her and the Angel who saved her. Travis, the newest member of Steele Street and part time nude male model in Nikki's Angel series, is Gillian Petycote (now Red Dog) savior. Using his almost complete doctorate in psycology, sexual imprinting, he's the only one who can keep her from fracturing and going rouge.

ohhh that sounds so sexy... it's not. After falling in love with 3 seperate characters before Red Dog, Travis is a relationship disaster. As evidenced by his guilt driven love for Red Dog and thats what it reads/feels like. It's all guilt and honor and lust masquerading as love. And Red Dog doesnt even know her name but remembers him, of course shes going to cling to him. I didn't like these two characters in this book. I know I know I said I was looking forward to what was going to happen after the last book but I was disappointed. They only saving grace in this book for were Honey and Smith. Now them I liked!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have liked this whole series. I think the reason for a lot of the below average reviews is because Ms. Janzen changed her style in this book. In past books, she's had two lead characters that are involved in the action and the romance. However in this book, she doesn't do that. There are actually four lead characters. She uses Angel and Red Dog as the action and Honey and Smith as the romance. If you look at it that way then I think you'll enjoy the book a lot more. Many were just upset that Angel and Red Dog didn't get a whole book to themselves and some time has passed since Red Dog became Red Dog. However if you remember Red Dog and Angel were major characters in the book before this one, so I'm guessing that Smith and Honey will be the very next book. I would recommend this book but you need to start at the beginning of the series to get a true feel for it. I haven't read the first couple books in it and I'm planning on going back and reading them. I think I'll get a better understanding of how everything works.

[Pattianne]

CRAZY SWEET - STEELE STREET #6 - (Travis and Gillian)

During a secret mission gone bad, covert operator Gillian Pentycote ceased to exist. Held captive by a madman, shot full of drugs that stole her memory, Gillian survived. Now, with a new identity and nothing to lose, the woman who calls herself Red Dog has gone from bookish secretary to sizzling-hot hired gun. And she has one plan: to find the man who shattered her life and take him down for good.

Special agent Travis James has the same plan, except he has rules to follow�and using a gorgeous amnesiac as bait isn�t in them. So Travis must play a dangerous double game of his own. He knows Red Dog will do anything to lure the ultimate criminal to her side and exact revenge. But from Central America to a Colorado showdown, Travis has gotten his priorities straight. He�ll kill the bad guy, but only if he can save the beauty�and never, ever let her go...

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read several of the Steele Street books and liked them for their fast pace, their gritty depiction of heroes who operate just this side of the law performing secret missions for the government while driving souped-up classic cars, and their hot, sexy romance between the leads. This book delivers much of the same, but the ending disappointed me. The pace here is page turning, switching between the secondary plot of C. Smith Rydell and his "Honey" York, and the Angel and Red Dog romance. Honey and Smith took over for me. Their situation was engaging and mostly satisfied at the end. (They will be back in another book, and I'll keep my eye out for it.) The Angel and Red Dog storyline fell flat because the conflict wasn't resolved in a way that gave the characters enough ownership of the outcome.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was really C Smith Rydell and Honey York's prologue. It was. Travis and Red Dog/Gillian didn't have the arc that C and Honey did. I also really didn't like Gillian. I didn't connect with her, and didn't feel that there was anything there for me to like. Then, because I felt that way, I didn't understand why Travis DID like her, and that made me dislike him as well. What HAPPENED to him, anyway?

I absolutely did not buy their "romance" (mostly because their romance consisted of two sex scenes). And that fact that Travis seems to fall in love a lot (Regan, Jane, Skeeter) didn't make me believe that This Girl was the One For Him. I got a lot more I-love-her-because-I-feel-guilty-about-what-happened-to-her. I did not see a Happily Ever After for them, either. The fact that he calls his love for Red Dog "demoralizing"? Not good.

Loved C and Honey, though. A LOT.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the end of the last installment of the Steele Street books, Gillian aka Red Dog was tortured by a sadistic doctor in a white room. The drugs injected into her body caused amnesia. She spends the next two years tracking down the man who told the doctor which drug to use that one faithful night. But now, she’s gone too far… This time, she left her calling card. Literally. And the ex-CIA agent turned rogue is ready for the fight she has been preparing for.

At the same time, a few thousand miles away, we follow the day of a new SDF agent, Smith, who attempts to be the hero, but finds himself way over his head when the damsel in distress turns out to be packing.

Another easy read. Entertaining. Fun. Not deep in any way. This is all about guns, and cars, and sex.