Into the Night (Troubleshooters, #5) in Pick-a-Shelf

May 10, 2022 Lauren rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romantic-suspense, womanizer, flashbacks, navy-seals, widow-widower, world-war-ii, ptsd, heroine-older

Into the Night
4 Stars

White House public relations staffer, Joan DaCosta, arrives at the Navy SEALs training base to coordinate a presidential visit. Her SEAL liaison, Lieutenant Michael Muldoon, would prefer to have nothing to do with the "dog and pony show", but is unable to resist his growing attraction to Joan. With the obstacles to their romance emerging at every turn, Mike and Joan will have to decide if their future is worth fighting for.

Similar to the previous installments, the narrative Into the Night
4 Stars

White House public relations staffer, Joan DaCosta, arrives at the Navy SEALs training base to coordinate a presidential visit. Her SEAL liaison, Lieutenant Michael Muldoon, would prefer to have nothing to do with the "dog and pony show", but is unable to resist his growing attraction to Joan. With the obstacles to their romance emerging at every turn, Mike and Joan will have to decide if their future is worth fighting for.

Similar to the previous installments, the narrative focuses on three separate threads that ultimately merge together. In addition to Joan and Mike's romance, there are flashbacks of the relationship between Charlie Fletcher, a WWII widow, and Vince DaCosta, an injured marine. Finally, readers are provided with insights into the life of Mary Lou Starret (Sam's wife).

Joan and Mike are an adorable couple and their witty banter and teasing are delightful. Mike is my favorite hero in the series as he is simply too delicious for words. That said, this is the 3rd book in which Brockmann has included the age difference trope and, as with the others, Joan's preoccupation with it is excessive and annoying. It creates a conflict where none actually exists. Who cares if Joan is 6 years older than Mike? He is a Navy SEAL whose personality and life experience are mature and advanced for his years.

The secondary romance between Charlie and Vince is wonderful. Their story is just so heartwarming although it is sad that (view spoiler).

As for Mary Lou, it is virtually impossible to care about her. She made her bed and now she has to lie in it. If it was Brockmann's intention to evoke sympathy for her, this is a dismal failure as not only is she selfish and self-absorbed, but her nasty thoughts and appalling racist views make her completely unlikable.

The action isn't as intense in this book, and the climax is rather lackluster given the buildup. Nevertheless, this series is entertaining overall and I look forward to the closure for Sam and Alyssa in in the next one. ...more

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