Chill Factor in The Insecure Writer's Support Group Book Club

Apr 15, 2017 Sandra Hoover rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-suspense, sandra-brown

Reviewed at: Cross My Heart Writings and Reviews

Like most Sandra Brown books, Chill Factor is high on suspense and rich in details with a setting that plays intricately into the story. The list of possible “who-done-it” candidates is laden with red herrings and the stakes are high. Like the road that snakes up the mountainside where Lilly Martin finds herself stranded in a cabin during a blizzard, the plot is twisted with s-turns and roadblocks. If only she had headed down right behind her ex Reviewed at: Cross My Heart Writings and Reviews

Like most Sandra Brown books, Chill Factor is high on suspense and rich in details with a setting that plays intricately into the story. The list of possible “who-done-it” candidates is laden with red herrings and the stakes are high. Like the road that snakes up the mountainside where Lilly Martin finds herself stranded in a cabin during a blizzard, the plot is twisted with s-turns and roadblocks. If only she had headed down right behind her ex-husband, she would have been off the mountain before the storm hit . . . and she wouldn’t be trapped alone in a cabin with a man that she’s extremely attracted to – one that may or may not be a serial killer.

Ben Tierney is a man of mystery. Very little is known about him other than the fact that he’s an extreme sports writer and attracts women like flies to honey. Lilly first met him on a kayaking trip the previous summer. They both felt the jolt of chemistry that passed between them, but Lilly was still married to the very jealous police chief of the small, mountain town at the time. They parted ways, each wanting but not taking more. And now, they’ve met again – under much different circumstances. Five local women are missing, presumed dead. The town’s people are on edge, tempers are volatile. The only “stranger” in town is Ben – does that make him the most likely suspect? Should Lilly trust her heart or follow the evidence?

Chill Factor is intense with on-the-edge-of-your seat suspense filling the pages from cover to cover. The character list is stacked with possible suspects - damaged, fallible characters with motive, opportunity, and major issues of their own. The rugged, frozen winter setting plays heavily into the storyline as roads are impassable with no one getting up or down the mountain. Brown is a master at throwing readers off the scent of the real culprit, but I managed to figure this one out early. But with heart-racing, adrenalin-inducing scenes playing out through the block buster ending, it didn’t lessen my enjoyment. My only minor issue was the lack of open communication between the hero/heroine with a couple of over-the-top scenes, but still another chilling story by this author. Another Must Read! ...more

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Mar 21, 2020 Naughty rated it it was ok

I listened to this as an audiobook, and if I had taken a shot every time I found myself blurting out "oh, for Chuck's sake," (what I actually said rhymed with Chuck) or "ew," I would have been unconscious on the couch oozing alcohol out of my pores.
It became clear pretty early in the game that this book was not going to be high on my list of favorites. Every one of the male characters aside from Scott, the eighteen-year-old high school senior and long-suffering son of the school's abusive athle ...more

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Mar 16, 2020 Toi Thomas rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, rated, romance, general-fiction, thriller, adult

This book was way better than I expected, but mainly because I didn't know what to expect and was reading outside of my comfort zone.

So, I guess this can be considered a romantic-suspense thriller... Assuming I'm writing that correctly. I've read other romantic suspense, but outside of a specific series from an author I adore, I haven't indulged much in the genre. I guess there's a part of me that has trouble reconciling the romance with the thriller aspect. In any case, I'm glad I read, or at This book was way better than I expected, but mainly because I didn't know what to expect and was reading outside of my comfort zone.

So, I guess this can be considered a romantic-suspense thriller... Assuming I'm writing that correctly. I've read other romantic suspense, but outside of a specific series from an author I adore, I haven't indulged much in the genre. I guess there's a part of me that has trouble reconciling the romance with the thriller aspect. In any case, I'm glad I read, or at least listened, to this book.

There were few characters in the story that really pulled me in but I absolutely adored the heroine. This is one of those stories where I'm always afraid I'll figure it out too soon and be disappointed, but that was not the case here. The initial set up of the main lead character was easy to write off, which made trying to piece the great mystery together more intriguing. Sorry if that sounds odd but I'm trying not to give away spoilers. Anyway, there were a few things I figured out before they were revealed but overall this author really got me. There was even one character I expected to be around at the end who was pleasantly not. It's probably not a good thing to be glad when a character doesn't make it to the end, especially when they are technically not a bad guy (but also not really a good guy either).

Back to the heroine for a bit. I love the fact that she has asthma and is still depicted as a strong character, not just a strong woman. She is tough and smart, using her mind and her body to fight back at every chance she can, but still remains feminine and human. Sadly, many strong female characters have to adopt masculine traits to stand out (much is the way of the world), but our heroine is a woman literally running out of breath and fighting to the very last second. Kudos to the author. I may try to pick up another book from this author.

Again, I seem to be rambling. So here are my final thoughts. The narrator did wonderful voice work bringing all the characters to life. All the unlikable characters came off perfectly awful and the likable ones were like music to my ears. The author's use of language really helped to define each of these characters' complexities. Most of them are not what they seem on the surface. The ending was very satisfying.

Highly recommended to fans of this author, the genre, and a great intense short read. ...more

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