What do you think?
Rate this book
T-FLAC #2
Kiss and Tell
She was looking for adventure.
Marnie Wright has seen more than her fair share of testosterone. Growing up with four overly protective brothers was one thing. Now a mountain man named Jake Dolan has invaded a peaceful day of soul-searching at her grandmother's secluded cabin. Sure, she was trespassing on his private property, but did he have to pull a gun on her? There's more to this longhaired soldier of fortune who calls himself the Tin Man, but she's not sure she wants to stick around to find out what. Then he stashes her in his secret lair--an underground techno-fantasy complete with security monitors and an arsenal--and Marnie realizes the guy is military, top secret military. He's also got the most beautiful mouth she's ever seen.
He could get her killed.
From the Paperback edition.
Marnie Wright has seen more than her fair share of testosterone. Growing up with four overly protective brothers was one thing. Now a mountain man named Jake Dolan has invaded a peaceful day of soul-searching at her grandmother's secluded cabin. Sure, she was trespassing on his private property, but did he have to pull a gun on her? There's more to this longhaired soldier of fortune who calls himself the Tin Man, but she's not sure she wants to stick around to find out what. Then he stashes her in his secret lair--an underground techno-fantasy complete with security monitors and an arsenal--and Marnie realizes the guy is military, top secret military. He's also got the most beautiful mouth she's ever seen.
He could get her killed.
From the Paperback edition.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 5, 2000
129 people are currently reading
1563 people want to read
About the author
Cherry Adair
77 books1,468 followersAlways an adventurer in life as well as writing, New York Times best-selling author Cherry Adair moved halfway across the globe from Cape Town, South Africa to the United States in her early years to become a interior designer. Now a resident of the Pacific Northwest she shares the award- winning adventures of her fictional T-FLAC counter terrorism operatives with her readers.
Cherry settled in beautiful San Francisco, where she started what eventually became a thriving interior design business. "I loved being a designer because it was varied and creative, and I enjoyed working with the public." A voracious reader when she was able to carve out the time, Cherry found her brain crowded with characters and stories of her own. "Eventually," she says, "the stories demanded to be told."
When asked why she chooses to write romantic action adventure, she says, "Who says you can’t have adventure and a great love life? Of course if you’re talking about an adventurous love life, that’s another thing altogether. I write romantic suspense coupled heart-pounding adventure because I like to entertain, and nothing keeps readers happier than a rollercoaster read, followed by a happy ending."
Popular on the workshop circuit, Cherry gives lively classes on writing and the writing life. Pulling no punches when asked how to become a published writer, Cherry insists, "Sit your butt in the chair and write. There's no magic to it. Writing is hard work. It isn't for sissies or whiners."
Cherry loves to spend time at home. A corner desk keeps her focused on writing, but the windows behind her, with a panoramic view of the front gardens, are always calling her to come outside and play. Her office has nine-foot ceilings, a fireplace, a television and built-in bookcases that will house approximately 3,500 paperback books.
"What can I say? My keeper shelf has been breeding in the middle of the night, rather like drycleaners' wire clothes hangers.”
Cherry settled in beautiful San Francisco, where she started what eventually became a thriving interior design business. "I loved being a designer because it was varied and creative, and I enjoyed working with the public." A voracious reader when she was able to carve out the time, Cherry found her brain crowded with characters and stories of her own. "Eventually," she says, "the stories demanded to be told."
When asked why she chooses to write romantic action adventure, she says, "Who says you can’t have adventure and a great love life? Of course if you’re talking about an adventurous love life, that’s another thing altogether. I write romantic suspense coupled heart-pounding adventure because I like to entertain, and nothing keeps readers happier than a rollercoaster read, followed by a happy ending."
Popular on the workshop circuit, Cherry gives lively classes on writing and the writing life. Pulling no punches when asked how to become a published writer, Cherry insists, "Sit your butt in the chair and write. There's no magic to it. Writing is hard work. It isn't for sissies or whiners."
Cherry loves to spend time at home. A corner desk keeps her focused on writing, but the windows behind her, with a panoramic view of the front gardens, are always calling her to come outside and play. Her office has nine-foot ceilings, a fireplace, a television and built-in bookcases that will house approximately 3,500 paperback books.
"What can I say? My keeper shelf has been breeding in the middle of the night, rather like drycleaners' wire clothes hangers.”
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
August 30, 2016
What an action-packed story!
Honestly, it took me a little while to get into the story. I struggled to connect with the heroine's character during the first few chapters. But before I got irritated with her, something interesting happened and then, out of the blue, I was thrown directly into the action. At this point, I knew this book had me hooked and I completely lost myself in it. As always, Cherry Adair writes such heart-stopping and compelling action/fight scenes. While reading this, on one hand, I felt like I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, but on the other hand, I felt like I wasn’t ready to read the next page for fear of what would happen next! (Please don’t mind my craziness.)
The suspense was great; it kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat from the moment a group of the bad guys came after Jake, right through to end. But unfortunately, the execution didn't quite reach its potential as I expected. Anyway, I enjoyed this part more than the romance between Jake and Marnie. Of course, their sexy times were steamy hot, but I didn't believe in their sexual attraction at all. After trying so hard to figure out and get to know the characters, I still don't know what they saw in each other, or what attracted them so much in the first place.
Nevertheless, this was a good and entertaining read. Despite the book’s length, I could finish it in record time, and that says a lot about how much I enjoyed it. Fans of romantic suspense/action romance will definitely love this one!
December 4, 2011
Now I know why I left this book collecting dust on my TBR pile for more than 5 years! Overall, it wasn't a bad book but the first half did drag a bit. I only persevered because many readers whose opinion I trust said it was worth it. Am I glad I did? Well, let's just say I don't regret reading the book...
Jake was the typical alpha hero who had been "burned by love" and betrayed by friends, so he had serious trusting issues. Hiding in his mountain lair while trying to understand who betrayed him, the last thing he needed to further complicate his life was a somewhat clueless blonde named Marnie. In less than twenty-four hours, they were both running for their lives, trying to escape the assassins sent to kill him. I bet sweet and sheltered Marnie didn't see that coming when she decided to spend the weekend at her grandmother's cabin in the mountain.
Now, here comes my first "problem" with the story... One could say that Jake had "trust no one" tattooed on his forehead, but he not only took Marnie to his ultra secret lair but also revealed what he did for a living and told her all his past history. Okay, he was in lust with her but he wasn't in love with her and, most importantly, he didn't trust her yet. I didn't expected him to leave her alone to deal with the assassins on their trail, of course, but his revealing the location of his lair and everything else early on was out of character.
My second "problem" was Marnie... Maybe she was supposed to provide some comic(?) relief with her never-ending blabbering but I just wanted her to shut up. As the story progressed and she managed to save Jake's life a couple of times, she grew on me a little but she was still far from becoming one of my favorite heroines.
The villain's identity came as no surprise to me, and he was somewhat pathetic. Seeing how Jake manipulated his emotions easily in their final showdown, it was hard to believe he had managed to elude so many highly trained agents for so long. And why, oh why, do villains always have to waste time bragging and tauting the hero? Don't they know the cavalry will come and end their evil doings right before they're ready to kill the H/h? Sucker! :)
But then came the last chapter... and I melted into a puddle of goo. Awww, Jake was so sweet and adorable! I closed the book with a sigh and almost forgot my previous complaints. I said, almost...
All things considered, this was just an okay read. I wasn't able to suspend my disbelief to buy that many plot holes, but the actions scenes were good and kept me on the verge of my seat. If only I had been able to check my brain at the door when I started reading this book... ;)
Jake was the typical alpha hero who had been "burned by love" and betrayed by friends, so he had serious trusting issues. Hiding in his mountain lair while trying to understand who betrayed him, the last thing he needed to further complicate his life was a somewhat clueless blonde named Marnie. In less than twenty-four hours, they were both running for their lives, trying to escape the assassins sent to kill him. I bet sweet and sheltered Marnie didn't see that coming when she decided to spend the weekend at her grandmother's cabin in the mountain.
Now, here comes my first "problem" with the story... One could say that Jake had "trust no one" tattooed on his forehead, but he not only took Marnie to his ultra secret lair but also revealed what he did for a living and told her all his past history. Okay, he was in lust with her but he wasn't in love with her and, most importantly, he didn't trust her yet. I didn't expected him to leave her alone to deal with the assassins on their trail, of course, but his revealing the location of his lair and everything else early on was out of character.
My second "problem" was Marnie... Maybe she was supposed to provide some comic(?) relief with her never-ending blabbering but I just wanted her to shut up. As the story progressed and she managed to save Jake's life a couple of times, she grew on me a little but she was still far from becoming one of my favorite heroines.
The villain's identity came as no surprise to me, and he was somewhat pathetic. Seeing how Jake manipulated his emotions easily in their final showdown, it was hard to believe he had managed to elude so many highly trained agents for so long. And why, oh why, do villains always have to waste time bragging and tauting the hero? Don't they know the cavalry will come and end their evil doings right before they're ready to kill the H/h? Sucker! :)
But then came the last chapter... and I melted into a puddle of goo. Awww, Jake was so sweet and adorable! I closed the book with a sigh and almost forgot my previous complaints. I said, almost...
All things considered, this was just an okay read. I wasn't able to suspend my disbelief to buy that many plot holes, but the actions scenes were good and kept me on the verge of my seat. If only I had been able to check my brain at the door when I started reading this book... ;)
July 14, 2008
The first half of this book is a looooong and drawn out 3 star but the second half is a quick and perky 4 star that thankfully makes up for that tedious first half ;D
I’d say that those initial 150 pages just have the h/h going around in circles and as a reader you're wondering when something "good" is going to happen. It does set the stage but I thought it could have been done better.
The heroine, Marnie, is sooooooo annoying. The author does such a great job at making her sound like a ditzy chatterbox that you just want to throttle her and tell her to shut the hell up already! She’s a bit too forward with the hero all of a sudden so that didn’t quite work for me, but thankfully with a few strokes of the pen she turns normal towards the end.
As for the hero, mercenary cum mountain man Jake, he is stone cold and there’s nothing nice or hot about him –but that too changes towards the second half. You just can’t help but love and excuse the big lug for the error of his ways. Mr Tough Alpha is so cute too the way he trips over himself when he tried to tell Marnie how he feels (big awww here).
So the good stuff and the action is pretty much all in the second half though it’s more of a romantic suspense “lite” novel I thought.
Perseverance is the key for this book :D
I’d say that those initial 150 pages just have the h/h going around in circles and as a reader you're wondering when something "good" is going to happen. It does set the stage but I thought it could have been done better.
The heroine, Marnie, is sooooooo annoying. The author does such a great job at making her sound like a ditzy chatterbox that you just want to throttle her and tell her to shut the hell up already! She’s a bit too forward with the hero all of a sudden so that didn’t quite work for me, but thankfully with a few strokes of the pen she turns normal towards the end.
As for the hero, mercenary cum mountain man Jake, he is stone cold and there’s nothing nice or hot about him –but that too changes towards the second half. You just can’t help but love and excuse the big lug for the error of his ways. Mr Tough Alpha is so cute too the way he trips over himself when he tried to tell Marnie how he feels (big awww here).
So the good stuff and the action is pretty much all in the second half though it’s more of a romantic suspense “lite” novel I thought.
Perseverance is the key for this book :D
April 28, 2023
For some reason, suspense romance is appealing to me right now. I've read recommendations for Cherry Adair for a while now, so I finally decided to give her a try.
Kiss and Tell is actually the second book in her T-FLAC series, but I started with it because the first book had far fewer stars and was actually written a long time before this second installment. I definitely didn't feel like I was missing anything by skipping the first so I guess I made the right decision.
This story is based on one of those absurd, too coincidental encounters that simply don't actually happen. Nothing realistic about the way the hero and heroine meet. And the swift progression of their hook-up is also preposterous.
And yet, it's enjoyable and, to tell you the truth, I got tears in my eyes at the end of this tale. The hardened, heartless mercenary and his sweet lil Bo Peep. Go figure.
The writing is engaging and the story has some fun details. I really want a multi-million dollar lair like Jake's, and brothers like Marnie's. I could rule the world! LOL.
It's fun stuff. T-FLAC would probably make a fun video game series, actually. That's what it feels like when you're reading it.
Having just finished the first three installments of the Last Chance Rescue series by Christy Reece, I can't help but compare them. So far (after only one Adair), Reece comes out ahead. But I'm continuing with this series and I may change my mind.
Diverting, time-passing and, although violent (against the bad guys, of course), pretty darn romantic.
Kiss and Tell is actually the second book in her T-FLAC series, but I started with it because the first book had far fewer stars and was actually written a long time before this second installment. I definitely didn't feel like I was missing anything by skipping the first so I guess I made the right decision.
This story is based on one of those absurd, too coincidental encounters that simply don't actually happen. Nothing realistic about the way the hero and heroine meet. And the swift progression of their hook-up is also preposterous.
And yet, it's enjoyable and, to tell you the truth, I got tears in my eyes at the end of this tale. The hardened, heartless mercenary and his sweet lil Bo Peep. Go figure.
The writing is engaging and the story has some fun details. I really want a multi-million dollar lair like Jake's, and brothers like Marnie's. I could rule the world! LOL.
It's fun stuff. T-FLAC would probably make a fun video game series, actually. That's what it feels like when you're reading it.
Having just finished the first three installments of the Last Chance Rescue series by Christy Reece, I can't help but compare them. So far (after only one Adair), Reece comes out ahead. But I'm continuing with this series and I may change my mind.
Diverting, time-passing and, although violent (against the bad guys, of course), pretty darn romantic.
February 21, 2008
Book #2 in the T-FLAC series and it was WONDERFUL. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire book. Great action, lots of romance and funny (at times). I thought the book was well written and had wonderful characters--including Marnie's overprotective brothers.
Loved the dog!
I see that book #3, "Hide and Seek" is with Marnie's brother, Kyle.
Hot!
Loved the dog!
I see that book #3, "Hide and Seek" is with Marnie's brother, Kyle.
Hot!
January 13, 2019
Kiss and Tell by Cherry Adair (enhanced collectors edition)
Romantic suspense with an alpha male and strong female character that can fight the terrorist bad guys. Second book in the TFAC series. Can be read as a standalone.
Fun, fast and fantastic.
Marnie is strong and capable and can fight her battles well having been brought up with four brothers. The scenes with her actually fighting are wonderfully crafted although I hated that she got hit. ***Minor spoiler*** I’m surprised that her brothers didn’t make more of an issue about her bruises including the black eye.
The enhanced version contains complete character outlines, back stories and even equipment snapshots. Definitely read because it contains a couple of sentences as epilogue.
Loved this romantic adventure. Looking forward to more TFAC (good guys fighting terrorism).
Romantic suspense with an alpha male and strong female character that can fight the terrorist bad guys. Second book in the TFAC series. Can be read as a standalone.
Fun, fast and fantastic.
Marnie is strong and capable and can fight her battles well having been brought up with four brothers. The scenes with her actually fighting are wonderfully crafted although I hated that she got hit. ***Minor spoiler*** I’m surprised that her brothers didn’t make more of an issue about her bruises including the black eye.
The enhanced version contains complete character outlines, back stories and even equipment snapshots. Definitely read because it contains a couple of sentences as epilogue.
Loved this romantic adventure. Looking forward to more TFAC (good guys fighting terrorism).
May 19, 2013
Completely unremarkable, downright silly in some parts.
Although I guess it's a good thing that I can still remember that absurd techno-dungeon. Or maybe not.
Although I guess it's a good thing that I can still remember that absurd techno-dungeon. Or maybe not.
September 25, 2010
Not entertaining enough and didn't enjoy reading about heroine.
There was no interesting interaction. There was nothing interesting about the personalities or characters. The only thing that attracted Marnie to Jake was chemistry, a biological reaction to his smells, etc. that she had never experienced before. She was so drawn to him that she couldn't help herself. She did everything she could think of to get him to have sex with her. He finally did. The side story is that assassins are after him. She is on the run with him and then in hiding with him. This book did not entertain me. I didn't care for Marnie enough. I would have preferred a little less time hearing her thoughts as she grieved over the death of her grandmother who had died a month earlier. The dialogue was not creative or witty. Nothing surprised or delighted me. In addition, some events bothered me which I describe below.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
I did not like that when they were on the run from the assassins and trying to keep silent, Marnie kept doing a loud whisper calling for her dog.
I did not like that they were safely hidden underground from the assassins, but Marnie kept worrying about her dog. At least twice, Marnie/Jake went above ground and opened the door to let the dog take care of its bathroom needs. Their lives were in danger. They should have used newspapers, plastic bags, etc. and kept the dog inside. The assassins knew about the underground place and were looking for the entrance.
After Jake killed all the bad guys, he and Marnie punched the leader, Dancer, and left him supposedly knocked out on the ground. Jake didn't even tie him up. Then Dancer grabbed a gun and shot Marnie. That did not make sense to me.
I hated the part where Michael (Marnie's brother) talked Jake into leaving Marnie by saying that Jake couldn't take care of her because he was a warrior. Jake's soldiering had put her in danger. Jake was in love with her, but he left her because of that idea.
Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: five. Setting: current day Sierra mountains, U.S. Copyright: 2000. Genre: romantic suspense.
To date, I've read one other book by Cherry Adair. My 3 star review for her book "On Thin Ice" Copyright 2004 was posted on 7/20/08.
There was no interesting interaction. There was nothing interesting about the personalities or characters. The only thing that attracted Marnie to Jake was chemistry, a biological reaction to his smells, etc. that she had never experienced before. She was so drawn to him that she couldn't help herself. She did everything she could think of to get him to have sex with her. He finally did. The side story is that assassins are after him. She is on the run with him and then in hiding with him. This book did not entertain me. I didn't care for Marnie enough. I would have preferred a little less time hearing her thoughts as she grieved over the death of her grandmother who had died a month earlier. The dialogue was not creative or witty. Nothing surprised or delighted me. In addition, some events bothered me which I describe below.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
I did not like that when they were on the run from the assassins and trying to keep silent, Marnie kept doing a loud whisper calling for her dog.
I did not like that they were safely hidden underground from the assassins, but Marnie kept worrying about her dog. At least twice, Marnie/Jake went above ground and opened the door to let the dog take care of its bathroom needs. Their lives were in danger. They should have used newspapers, plastic bags, etc. and kept the dog inside. The assassins knew about the underground place and were looking for the entrance.
After Jake killed all the bad guys, he and Marnie punched the leader, Dancer, and left him supposedly knocked out on the ground. Jake didn't even tie him up. Then Dancer grabbed a gun and shot Marnie. That did not make sense to me.
I hated the part where Michael (Marnie's brother) talked Jake into leaving Marnie by saying that Jake couldn't take care of her because he was a warrior. Jake's soldiering had put her in danger. Jake was in love with her, but he left her because of that idea.
Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: five. Setting: current day Sierra mountains, U.S. Copyright: 2000. Genre: romantic suspense.
To date, I've read one other book by Cherry Adair. My 3 star review for her book "On Thin Ice" Copyright 2004 was posted on 7/20/08.
January 29, 2008
This was my first book by this author, it has been in my TBR pile for quite a while and to be honest I don’t remember why I got it. I had a hard time determining what kind of story it was. It could be a romantic suspense but the truth is that it lacked on the suspense part so I’ll just call it a contemporary romance.
She was looking for adventure.
Marnie Wright has seen more than her fair share of testosterone. Growing up with four overly protective brothers was one thing. Now a mountain man named Jake Dolan has invaded a peaceful day of soul-searching at her grandmother's secluded cabin. Sure, she was trespassing on his private property, but did he have to pull a gun on her? There's more to this longhaired soldier of fortune who calls himself the Tin Man, but she's not sure she wants to stick around to find out what. Then he stashes her in his secret lair-an underground techno-fantasy complete with security monitors and an arsenal-and Marnie realizes the guy is military, top secret military. He's also got the most beautiful mouth she's ever seen.
He could get her killed.
My first problem was that I don’t really like military / secret agents / navy seals / special operations books. I know they are all the rage but I really don’t get the appeal. I much prefer profilers and psycological thrillers... And then the heroine was my second problem, she sounded too naïve, always blurting out what was on her mind and salivating after the hero as soon as she set eyes on him. It just seemed too soon.
I did like the hero! He helps her when her cabin is smashed to bit by a falling tree. Although he has a lot of work to do he is always correct to her even if she talks his head off and starts coming on to him. There are 2 situations in which Marnie saves Jack’s life but really she doesn’t seem the type of being able to survive alone in a emergency.
I also liked her brothers, I thought they had potential even if the protective brothers always menacing little sisters beau’s scene is a bit dated. I have Hide and Seek in my TBR pile and I think it’s about a non military brother so maybe I’ll like that one better. This one, I’m afraid, was a C
She was looking for adventure.
Marnie Wright has seen more than her fair share of testosterone. Growing up with four overly protective brothers was one thing. Now a mountain man named Jake Dolan has invaded a peaceful day of soul-searching at her grandmother's secluded cabin. Sure, she was trespassing on his private property, but did he have to pull a gun on her? There's more to this longhaired soldier of fortune who calls himself the Tin Man, but she's not sure she wants to stick around to find out what. Then he stashes her in his secret lair-an underground techno-fantasy complete with security monitors and an arsenal-and Marnie realizes the guy is military, top secret military. He's also got the most beautiful mouth she's ever seen.
He could get her killed.
My first problem was that I don’t really like military / secret agents / navy seals / special operations books. I know they are all the rage but I really don’t get the appeal. I much prefer profilers and psycological thrillers... And then the heroine was my second problem, she sounded too naïve, always blurting out what was on her mind and salivating after the hero as soon as she set eyes on him. It just seemed too soon.
I did like the hero! He helps her when her cabin is smashed to bit by a falling tree. Although he has a lot of work to do he is always correct to her even if she talks his head off and starts coming on to him. There are 2 situations in which Marnie saves Jack’s life but really she doesn’t seem the type of being able to survive alone in a emergency.
I also liked her brothers, I thought they had potential even if the protective brothers always menacing little sisters beau’s scene is a bit dated. I have Hide and Seek in my TBR pile and I think it’s about a non military brother so maybe I’ll like that one better. This one, I’m afraid, was a C
September 16, 2012
Cherry Adair's T - FLAC series is one of my favorite romantic suspense series. This is the second book in the series.
Marnie has taken a little time off to do some serious soul searching. Her grandmother, whom she was very close with, died not long ago and Marnie wants to camp out in an old cabin where she had fond memories of her grandmother. The cabin is on it's last leg, and Marnie 's family is about to tear it down. It's the perfect getaway for Marnie. She has some big decisions to make about her life and needs a quiet place to think and say goodbye to her grandmother. But, there is someone else on the mountain and when Marnie and her dog, Duchess, wander onto his property, he shoos her off very rudely. Then an accident occurs, tearing her cabin to pieces. Her neighbor has no choice but to let her stay with him until the weather clears.
Jake is a member of a special ops organization called. T-FLAC. He's been placed on "vacation " while they figure out who the mole is in their operation.
Jake hates cute blondes, for good reason. But, Marnie, no matter how rude he is to her, just keeps worming her way under his skin. Then, the baddies show up, and Jake and Marnie have to work together to survive.
Marnie 's character is a sharp contrast against Jake 's personality. She is spirited, upbeat, funny and up for anything. Jake is dark, paranoid, brooding, and angry. The two characters differences made the relationship sharp, with crisp dialogue. Marnie wasn't a pouty female that got her feelings hurt constantly. Instead, she just blew Jake off and kept right on being nice to him. She was a hoot. Jake has good reason to feel the way he does. He doesn't have a lot positive relationship experience and it shows, but he is also a likeable. character. He is honest and has integrity and principles.
There are some annoying "romance novel" stuff, that I personally don't care for because it's actually irresponsible behavior. But, if you remind yourself that it's not meant to be copied in real life, I can deal with it. Overall an A -
Marnie has taken a little time off to do some serious soul searching. Her grandmother, whom she was very close with, died not long ago and Marnie wants to camp out in an old cabin where she had fond memories of her grandmother. The cabin is on it's last leg, and Marnie 's family is about to tear it down. It's the perfect getaway for Marnie. She has some big decisions to make about her life and needs a quiet place to think and say goodbye to her grandmother. But, there is someone else on the mountain and when Marnie and her dog, Duchess, wander onto his property, he shoos her off very rudely. Then an accident occurs, tearing her cabin to pieces. Her neighbor has no choice but to let her stay with him until the weather clears.
Jake is a member of a special ops organization called. T-FLAC. He's been placed on "vacation " while they figure out who the mole is in their operation.
Jake hates cute blondes, for good reason. But, Marnie, no matter how rude he is to her, just keeps worming her way under his skin. Then, the baddies show up, and Jake and Marnie have to work together to survive.
Marnie 's character is a sharp contrast against Jake 's personality. She is spirited, upbeat, funny and up for anything. Jake is dark, paranoid, brooding, and angry. The two characters differences made the relationship sharp, with crisp dialogue. Marnie wasn't a pouty female that got her feelings hurt constantly. Instead, she just blew Jake off and kept right on being nice to him. She was a hoot. Jake has good reason to feel the way he does. He doesn't have a lot positive relationship experience and it shows, but he is also a likeable. character. He is honest and has integrity and principles.
There are some annoying "romance novel" stuff, that I personally don't care for because it's actually irresponsible behavior. But, if you remind yourself that it's not meant to be copied in real life, I can deal with it. Overall an A -
March 2, 2014
*3,5 stars*
This book was much more better than The Mercenary. Contrary to the first book, here I liked both MC. I even liked Duchess, the dog.
September 12, 2022
Loved this one! Full of adventure, steamy romance and action. A very good, suspense packed back story, with plenty of things going on all the time. Originally published around 2000. It was well written and pure escapism. 4.5 stars.
July 24, 2021
Read these about 15 years ago, and wanted to re-read, still find them pretty great!
June 11, 2017
Kiss and Tell
3 Stars
Synopsis:
Jake Dolan lives a seemingly quiet life minding his own business until the day he catches Marnie Wright trespassing on his property. Marnie is used to testosterone given her four brothers, but now she is thrust into a world of danger and intrigue with only a stranger to keep her grounded.
Review:
The gripping chemistry between the main characters does not quite compensate for the mediocre and excessively drawn out plot.
Jake is a lonely and paranoid yet endearing hero who feels betrayed and finds it difficult to love again. Marnie is the exact opposite – open and caring with a tendency to chatter ceaselessly when nervous. Although she is quite annoying in the beginning, she has a tendency to grow, not only on Jake, who finds her impossible to resist, but on the reader as well.
Although the characters were likeable and interesting enough to keep me reading, I almost gave up halfway through the book because the plot had a tendency to drag. I managed to stick with it and the story did liven up ¾ of the way in and the last few chapters were really good even if the villain turned out to be predictable.
The writing is mostly smooth but there is some repetitive description and ridiculous dialogue. Moreover, the final action sequence is confusing and difficult to follow. It is virtually impossible to figure out who is shooting and who they are shooting at. It is a good thing that the next chapter sorts it all out more coherently.
The book definitely has potential but isn’t as good as the first book, The Mercenary. I can only recommend Kiss and Tell to those who wish to read the rest of the T-FLAC series because the characters in the next installments are introduced in this book. I personally plan on continuing but it is not a priority.
3 Stars
Synopsis:
Jake Dolan lives a seemingly quiet life minding his own business until the day he catches Marnie Wright trespassing on his property. Marnie is used to testosterone given her four brothers, but now she is thrust into a world of danger and intrigue with only a stranger to keep her grounded.
Review:
The gripping chemistry between the main characters does not quite compensate for the mediocre and excessively drawn out plot.
Jake is a lonely and paranoid yet endearing hero who feels betrayed and finds it difficult to love again. Marnie is the exact opposite – open and caring with a tendency to chatter ceaselessly when nervous. Although she is quite annoying in the beginning, she has a tendency to grow, not only on Jake, who finds her impossible to resist, but on the reader as well.
Although the characters were likeable and interesting enough to keep me reading, I almost gave up halfway through the book because the plot had a tendency to drag. I managed to stick with it and the story did liven up ¾ of the way in and the last few chapters were really good even if the villain turned out to be predictable.
The writing is mostly smooth but there is some repetitive description and ridiculous dialogue. Moreover, the final action sequence is confusing and difficult to follow. It is virtually impossible to figure out who is shooting and who they are shooting at. It is a good thing that the next chapter sorts it all out more coherently.
The book definitely has potential but isn’t as good as the first book, The Mercenary. I can only recommend Kiss and Tell to those who wish to read the rest of the T-FLAC series because the characters in the next installments are introduced in this book. I personally plan on continuing but it is not a priority.
October 28, 2013
The longhaired mountain man thing sounded good in theory. I expected a quiet, rugged type who liked the outdoors. But what I got is a run of the mill “hard” guy who is emotionally and verbally abusive. He’s already shot her down in the manner of a Diana Palmer male—rude, insensitive, and abusive, saying he doesn’t want her, she’s not his type, etc. That just makes me dislike him. You don’t treat people like that and talk to people that way—aside from being wrong it’s about as far from romantic as you can get. And it makes the woman look like a glutton for punishment when she keeps coming back for more. And boy does she. Like a moth to a flame she just keeps coming back for more and getting zapped. She even concocts a little plan to leave her dog with Jake. Yes, that’s right. She leaves her precious dog with a complete stranger. You know what strangers could be? All manner of evil things, so why would you want to leave your dog with a stranger, stay at their house, and sleep with them?
Then she sees five assassins in the woods, and wonders if Jake is 1 of them. But then when he gets there she’s just joking and admiring his looks like the thought immediately left her head. The only thing she can process is his good looks and the fact that she wants to change her life around. And I don’t want someone crying like a baby for their grammy. I hate everything about Marnie, starting with that stupid name. The instant attraction only ticked me off further, and I knew Marnie was going to be an idiot, blindly following and trusting him in a completely clingy, helpless manner. So I slammed it down to save myself the trouble.
Then she sees five assassins in the woods, and wonders if Jake is 1 of them. But then when he gets there she’s just joking and admiring his looks like the thought immediately left her head. The only thing she can process is his good looks and the fact that she wants to change her life around. And I don’t want someone crying like a baby for their grammy. I hate everything about Marnie, starting with that stupid name. The instant attraction only ticked me off further, and I knew Marnie was going to be an idiot, blindly following and trusting him in a completely clingy, helpless manner. So I slammed it down to save myself the trouble.
October 18, 2011
Marnie goes to her Grandmother’s old cabin in the Sierra mountains for a weekend to reflect upon her life and set a more daring course. She didn’t bargain for getting caught up in Jake Dolan’s world of terrorist intrigue but that’s what happened. He’s trying to deal with assassins and get Marnie home safely.
I really enjoyed Jake and Marnie and their romance was off the charts steamy! They couldn’t be more different but at the same time perfectly suited for each other. She’s funny and he’s sardonic so the dialogue was a pleasure to follow.
My problem with the book is it didn’t seem to integrate the two aspects of the story very well. The romance seemed to be happening independently of the ops segment, which was rather protracted. The romantic tension was perfect but the intrigue related to the terrorists/assassins flagged. While I enjoyed the story, it was just okay. Even so, I’m glad I read it and will continue the series for now.
I really enjoyed Jake and Marnie and their romance was off the charts steamy! They couldn’t be more different but at the same time perfectly suited for each other. She’s funny and he’s sardonic so the dialogue was a pleasure to follow.
My problem with the book is it didn’t seem to integrate the two aspects of the story very well. The romance seemed to be happening independently of the ops segment, which was rather protracted. The romantic tension was perfect but the intrigue related to the terrorists/assassins flagged. While I enjoyed the story, it was just okay. Even so, I’m glad I read it and will continue the series for now.
October 2, 2012
This is not a new book and had I read it a decade ago I would have loved it. What's changed? Adair has become a better writer in the last decade. Marnie Wright and Jake Dolan strike sparks from their first seconds and that's the only thing that doesn't ring true in this story. Or at least doesn't make sense. There is physical attraction and lust and then there is electricity and these two have it. But Marnie acts so out of character for herself and doesn't feel embarassed about it even though it is out of character. In other words, the story is well done but the characterizations are a little forced. Adair is still feeling her way. It's still a good read, the tension is hot, the story, though I had figured it out, is tight, but it took a while for the characters to settle into themselves and because of that, it took me days to settle into the story.
January 25, 2015
I really liked this book. It was much better than #1, The Mercenary. In fact, don't even bother with The Mercenary - It was a real dud. The Kiss and Tell plot was interesting, the action riveting and the romance hot.
Marnie has some decisions about her life to make. She goes up to he Grammy's cabin in the California Sierras for the weekend to figure some things out. While there she meets a foul tempered neighbor, Jake who is all over her for trespass. The only nice thing about him is that Duchess, Marnie's dog, likes him. Oh, he's hot beyond belief too. Early the next morning, a massive tree falls on Marnie's cabin and Jake takes her back to his cabin. There are others on the mountain who want to do great harm to Jake, who is an operative for T-FLAC whose past few missions have not ended well.
Marnie has some decisions about her life to make. She goes up to he Grammy's cabin in the California Sierras for the weekend to figure some things out. While there she meets a foul tempered neighbor, Jake who is all over her for trespass. The only nice thing about him is that Duchess, Marnie's dog, likes him. Oh, he's hot beyond belief too. Early the next morning, a massive tree falls on Marnie's cabin and Jake takes her back to his cabin. There are others on the mountain who want to do great harm to Jake, who is an operative for T-FLAC whose past few missions have not ended well.
February 11, 2008
Jake Dolan is minding his buisness in his underground retreat when his alarms goes off. When he looks on his monitors all he sees is a over grown dog. But when the dog moves there is a small petite woman who sits down and starts to draw. Well he is going to have to run her off otherwise she will be in danger.
Marnie Wright has been overprotected her whole life by 4 older brothers and a father. Now she is here in the mountains to soul search at her grandmothers cabin. And this mountain man with long hair and sexy lips, stashed away in his secret underground lair wants to tell her what to do. Well she is on his property.
This book has humor, suspense and romance. Loved it.
Marnie Wright has been overprotected her whole life by 4 older brothers and a father. Now she is here in the mountains to soul search at her grandmothers cabin. And this mountain man with long hair and sexy lips, stashed away in his secret underground lair wants to tell her what to do. Well she is on his property.
This book has humor, suspense and romance. Loved it.
July 14, 2010
4 stars: very good suspense/thriller romance
This is my first book by this author and will not be my last. I loved this book. Couldn't put it down--stayed up until almost 2 am reading it! Great characters, great story, great romance. It's a mix of action, adventure, mystery, suspense and romance.
EDIT
Warning - do not order all the other books in this series based on the quality of this book w/o first reading reviews on the other ones. I just tried the next book after this and it was horrible.
This is my first book by this author and will not be my last. I loved this book. Couldn't put it down--stayed up until almost 2 am reading it! Great characters, great story, great romance. It's a mix of action, adventure, mystery, suspense and romance.
EDIT
Warning - do not order all the other books in this series based on the quality of this book w/o first reading reviews on the other ones. I just tried the next book after this and it was horrible.
August 1, 2015
I loved this it was smart and sexy and a total Page turner. The dynamic between James and Marnie was interesting and seeing it change into something special was a treat. Jake was annoying at first with his inability to see past his past and see Marnie for who she was but thankfully he woke up before I threw the towel in it was close though. As book 2 in a series it definitely got me wanting to read the next one and it will be soon. I have to say look out for duchess she is best character in this book and definitely the smartest.
March 21, 2008
ok, I'm waiting on Hollywood to make the movie of Jake and Marnie. It's a great adventure/contemporary romance but the best part for me was the heroine's sharp wit. I found myself laughing through several exchanges with Jake and Marnie's four overprotective brothers. Cherry Adairs T-FLAC Series is a feel good read.
February 17, 2012
This was the first Cherry Adair book I read. I LOVED it! Ms. Adair has a way of sucking you in to the stories from the beginning, and making you want to know what happens to the characters after the book ends. This is a book I have re-read and passed on to friends and family. I enjoyed this so much I went out the next day and bought the rest of the T-FLAC series!
August 20, 2008
I absolutely loved this book. It was very funny and exciting with lots of action and bad guys. I liked The Mercenary but book 2 was a thousand times better. I can't wait to read more about the T-FLAC guys.
July 21, 2016
reread 7/2016
January 25, 2018
A nice, entertaining romance with plenty of action!
July 20, 2018
2.25 Stars.
Read this on the promise that there would be angst. Towards the end, it...technically fits the bill, but I didn't feel this one at all. Lackluster bedroom scenes and a feeling that even the dog isn't written realistically just had me looking for this to end.
Jake's hang-ups about blondes get old pretty quickly - we're working in a compressed time frame here, so I get that his mind wouldn't change immediately, but the references become overwhelming very quickly. I never really connected with Marnie or felt like I really got her or saw her has a genuine, fleshed out person. Also, she apparently makes sex noises while hiking. I was incredulous over that one and had a good laugh.
Predicted the
Read this on the promise that there would be angst. Towards the end, it...technically fits the bill, but I didn't feel this one at all. Lackluster bedroom scenes and a feeling that even the dog isn't written realistically just had me looking for this to end.
Jake's hang-ups about blondes get old pretty quickly - we're working in a compressed time frame here, so I get that his mind wouldn't change immediately, but the references become overwhelming very quickly. I never really connected with Marnie or felt like I really got her or saw her has a genuine, fleshed out person. Also, she apparently makes sex noises while hiking. I was incredulous over that one and had a good laugh.
Predicted the
September 5, 2010
4.5 Stars.
Jake Dolan was holed up in his mountain retreat for a reason. Someone had sold him out on his last mission, the terrorist he'd dedicated six years of his life to tracking and killing had slipped away from him yet again, and it looked like there was a mole in his agency...one who was setting Jake up to take the fall and threatening his sixteen years with the specialty covert operations unit. Life wasn't exactly a bowl of cherries for him, so when he looked at the monitors and saw a giant dog and a diminutive woman on his land...not thirty feet from the front door of his cabin above him, Jake was none too happy. And the woman was blond. Jake had very bad luck with blonds.
Marnie Wright had come to her grandmother's cabin in the mountains to make some life changing decisions. She had many fond memories of the place, having spent many a summer with her four brothers running like wild children all over the place. Now that her granny was dead and her brothers were rattling their sabers about tearing down the old place, she just wanted a chance to say good bye to some poignant memories and decide what her next course of action in life was going to be. She knew what she didn't want - to be a doormat...to be beholden...to be treated with kid gloves. Mostly she wanted to live a life she could be proud of.
She didn't expect the gruff demand of a surly stranger as she sat on a log sketching the cabin she'd come across while she was hiking with her Great Dane, Duchess. She didn't expect to find someone so utterly unapproachable to be so darned attractive, either, even while he was holding a shotgun and demanding she remove herself from his mountain - and if his attitude was any indication, the planet in general. But Marnie has four older and much bigger brothers she'd spent twenty-seven years dealing with, so surly didn't have any effect on her...much to Jake's bemused fury.
Events quickly conspire to trap Marnie and Jake together and the man can't get rid of her quick enough. One blond slitting his throat was enough, he surely wasn't going to let his guard down for another to do the same thing, and when a squad of men show up bearing weapons and combing the mountain for him just after the appearance of the potentially treacherous female, Jake's convinced he's been set up...again...to take the hardest fall of all.
I loved this book! Marnie was a delightful spitfire and Jake was a perfect blend of deliciously grim and adorably helpless against her. The plot was a bit of a stretch in places, but the action was top notch and the pace heart-pounding as Marnie and Jake try to stay alive without killing each other. There was just enough humor to make me chuckle out loud in several places and enough character development to really make me feel for both of them. I was delighted by a heroine who wasn't weak and didn't do stupid things and charmed by a hero utterly lacking in charm and so damn stubborn and convinced he's right...right up until he's not.
Everyone has preferences in their reading pleasures, and Adair definitely hit on just about every single one of mine in the romantic relationship in this one. It was just perfect for me. I favor spitfires and unbendable men - the unstoppable force and the immovable object to the extreme. Despite an initial volley by Marnie near the beginning that I thought was precipitous, I found the arc of their physical and emotional development to be paced well with the action and goings on around them. It never felt rushed or implausible given the nature of the characters, and that was a particularly pleasant surprise. And I loved - just loved - everything about Jake in the final chapter. He stole the show (details withheld to prevent spoilers).
I had a few issues with the plot, though. Beyond Duchess seeming a bit too much like Lassie on more than one occasion and the identity of the head baddie not being any sort of surprise, there were a few things that seemed a bit unlikely, if not downright contradictory (baddies with hands bound behind their backs cannot shoot someone in front of them). One scene in particular bothered me a lot - and I'm going to try to be as spoiler-free as possible, but it annoyed me so much that I have to say something - a bad guy has brought Marnie to the head baddie and head baddie specifically asks bad guy if she had weapons. Bad guy tells him she had a gun that she shot at him but he took it from her. Now...this is a team of highly motivated and highly trained terrorists...don't you think the bad guy would frisk her and find the other two weapons she had on her? The fact that he didn't snapped my willing suspension of disbelief to hell and back and jolted me right out of the story.
Despite all that, the romance and the action were strong enough to keep me utterly enthralled through to the end of this very satisfying book. The romantic story arc gets a resounding five stars from me, but the suspense parts were a bit weaker in spots and kept me from rating the book as a whole quite that high. Still, I very much enjoyed it and purchased the second in the series, Hide and Seek. I am a little confused, though, because according to the author's website, Kiss and Tell is the first book of The Wrights subset of The Men of T-FLAC series, but it's listed as the second book on Amazon, with Hide and Seek listed as the third. I'm not sure what's considered the first, even after my time on Adair's website, and I'd hate to miss a good story if it's out there. Any information to clarify would be appreciated.
Originally reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another
Jake Dolan was holed up in his mountain retreat for a reason. Someone had sold him out on his last mission, the terrorist he'd dedicated six years of his life to tracking and killing had slipped away from him yet again, and it looked like there was a mole in his agency...one who was setting Jake up to take the fall and threatening his sixteen years with the specialty covert operations unit. Life wasn't exactly a bowl of cherries for him, so when he looked at the monitors and saw a giant dog and a diminutive woman on his land...not thirty feet from the front door of his cabin above him, Jake was none too happy. And the woman was blond. Jake had very bad luck with blonds.
Marnie Wright had come to her grandmother's cabin in the mountains to make some life changing decisions. She had many fond memories of the place, having spent many a summer with her four brothers running like wild children all over the place. Now that her granny was dead and her brothers were rattling their sabers about tearing down the old place, she just wanted a chance to say good bye to some poignant memories and decide what her next course of action in life was going to be. She knew what she didn't want - to be a doormat...to be beholden...to be treated with kid gloves. Mostly she wanted to live a life she could be proud of.
She didn't expect the gruff demand of a surly stranger as she sat on a log sketching the cabin she'd come across while she was hiking with her Great Dane, Duchess. She didn't expect to find someone so utterly unapproachable to be so darned attractive, either, even while he was holding a shotgun and demanding she remove herself from his mountain - and if his attitude was any indication, the planet in general. But Marnie has four older and much bigger brothers she'd spent twenty-seven years dealing with, so surly didn't have any effect on her...much to Jake's bemused fury.
Events quickly conspire to trap Marnie and Jake together and the man can't get rid of her quick enough. One blond slitting his throat was enough, he surely wasn't going to let his guard down for another to do the same thing, and when a squad of men show up bearing weapons and combing the mountain for him just after the appearance of the potentially treacherous female, Jake's convinced he's been set up...again...to take the hardest fall of all.
I loved this book! Marnie was a delightful spitfire and Jake was a perfect blend of deliciously grim and adorably helpless against her. The plot was a bit of a stretch in places, but the action was top notch and the pace heart-pounding as Marnie and Jake try to stay alive without killing each other. There was just enough humor to make me chuckle out loud in several places and enough character development to really make me feel for both of them. I was delighted by a heroine who wasn't weak and didn't do stupid things and charmed by a hero utterly lacking in charm and so damn stubborn and convinced he's right...right up until he's not.
Everyone has preferences in their reading pleasures, and Adair definitely hit on just about every single one of mine in the romantic relationship in this one. It was just perfect for me. I favor spitfires and unbendable men - the unstoppable force and the immovable object to the extreme. Despite an initial volley by Marnie near the beginning that I thought was precipitous, I found the arc of their physical and emotional development to be paced well with the action and goings on around them. It never felt rushed or implausible given the nature of the characters, and that was a particularly pleasant surprise. And I loved - just loved - everything about Jake in the final chapter. He stole the show (details withheld to prevent spoilers).
I had a few issues with the plot, though. Beyond Duchess seeming a bit too much like Lassie on more than one occasion and the identity of the head baddie not being any sort of surprise, there were a few things that seemed a bit unlikely, if not downright contradictory (baddies with hands bound behind their backs cannot shoot someone in front of them). One scene in particular bothered me a lot - and I'm going to try to be as spoiler-free as possible, but it annoyed me so much that I have to say something - a bad guy has brought Marnie to the head baddie and head baddie specifically asks bad guy if she had weapons. Bad guy tells him she had a gun that she shot at him but he took it from her. Now...this is a team of highly motivated and highly trained terrorists...don't you think the bad guy would frisk her and find the other two weapons she had on her? The fact that he didn't snapped my willing suspension of disbelief to hell and back and jolted me right out of the story.
Despite all that, the romance and the action were strong enough to keep me utterly enthralled through to the end of this very satisfying book. The romantic story arc gets a resounding five stars from me, but the suspense parts were a bit weaker in spots and kept me from rating the book as a whole quite that high. Still, I very much enjoyed it and purchased the second in the series, Hide and Seek. I am a little confused, though, because according to the author's website, Kiss and Tell is the first book of The Wrights subset of The Men of T-FLAC series, but it's listed as the second book on Amazon, with Hide and Seek listed as the third. I'm not sure what's considered the first, even after my time on Adair's website, and I'd hate to miss a good story if it's out there. Any information to clarify would be appreciated.
Originally reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another
March 20, 2023
This was an enjoyable read. It was action packed with a fair amount of romance thrown in. Jake(hero) lives in the mountains,he has his own underground bunker secure enough for the potus. One day his cameras pick up Marnie(heroine) right outside his cabin and her dog, she's drawing and doesn't know she has trespassed on his property. There are also bad guys in the mountains hunting down Jake. They take refuge in his bunker and things get serious between them. Marnie was a headstrong Heroine and Jake even though has baggage in his past falls for her.
My rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Story: 5/5
Hero: 4/5
Heroine: 4/5
Steam: 4/5
Darkness: 3/5
My rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Story: 5/5
Hero: 4/5
Heroine: 4/5
Steam: 4/5
Darkness: 3/5
May 30, 2017
Enjoyable!
Definitely a good, entertaining read!
It has suspense, danger, death, love, sex, and family.
It could use some editing and a little work on the inconsistencies. They don't take away from the story but are definitely noticeable.
And as someone working in healthcare.... I simply must say that there is no way anyone receives "2 and a half" units of blood unless the person dies or has a reaction to the blood transfusion. Nobody would waste half a unit of blood for no reason. Ok I said it. :-)
Definitely a good, entertaining read!
It has suspense, danger, death, love, sex, and family.
It could use some editing and a little work on the inconsistencies. They don't take away from the story but are definitely noticeable.
And as someone working in healthcare.... I simply must say that there is no way anyone receives "2 and a half" units of blood unless the person dies or has a reaction to the blood transfusion. Nobody would waste half a unit of blood for no reason. Ok I said it. :-)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews