The Defiant Hero by Suzanne Brockmann (Troubleshooters #2) - February 2022

[Jonetta]

"The United States refuses to negotiate with terrorists." Meg Moore remembered the warning from her job as a translator in a European embassy. Those same words will spell out a death sentence for her daughter and grandmother who have been kidnapped by a lethal group called the Extremists. Meg will do anything to meet their unspeakable demands; anything—even kill—to save her child.

When Navy SEAL Lieutenant, junior grade, John Nilsson is summoned to Washington, D.C., by the FBI to help negotiate a hostage situation, the last person he expects to see holding a foreign ambassador at gunpoint is Meg. He hasn't seen her in years, but he's never forgotten how it feels to hold her in his arms. John could lose his career if he helps her escape. She will lose her life if he doesn't. . . .

Book Discussion

[Sharon]

I'm in. Another great story.

[Meg]

Already have it checked out!

[Jonetta]

Audiobook is in the queue!

[Anita]

Can't wait, love this series.

[Christine]

I finished the book and I really liked it

[Lauren]

So this is the book I stopped on. I just couldn't get into it. I will probably skip it and read #3.

[Jonetta]

Lauren, the series does a major pivot after this one and, IMHO, you’ll be fine.

[Lauren]

Jonetta wrote: "Lauren, the series does a major pivot after this one and, IMHO, you’ll be fine."

Crossing fingers (and toes!)

[Jonetta]

My sister-in-law was the one who recommended this series to me in 2010, which led me to Shelfari. She never read the first two books😏

[Lauren]

Good to know!

Ah, Shelfari! Brings back good memories 😉

[Laura]

I stopped this series after first book, even though I thought it was great (weird I know) because I really hate the back and forth present one story to past another story. From what I can see this does the same. My question is does every book do this?

[Jonetta]

Not so much after this one. She does a lot of point of view transitions, though.

[Laura]

Point of view transition is fine, great actually but the going to the past about the parents or whoever while telling the story about the current couple totally takes me out of the story. That’s just me. I may try it or skip to the 3rd like Lauren.

[Jonetta]

These two are the only ones I can recall transitioning between the past and present, at least with this many years difference. She may go back a little to present the main characters’ backstories but nothing like the first two books.

[Laura]

Jonetta wrote: "These two are the only ones I can recall transitioning between the past and present, at least with this many years difference. She may go back a little to present the main characters’ backstories b..."

Ok thanks, that I don’t mind.

[Lauren]

That's good to know Jonetta.
I don't mind dual timelines in mysteries, but I'm not really a fan of them in romances.

[Jonetta]

From here on out, the stories are classic romantic suspense, LOTS of action and steam.

[Sandra]

I'm always amazed how different we are as readers even as we're so much alike and that's a good thing. Makes for great discussions! I absolutely love the switching from past to present. I love getting the backstory of the older person/couple and what brought them to this place in time and how it affects the present couple. It's one of my favorite parts of these books.

[Anita]

I agree, Sandra.

[Sharon]

I agree Sandra. My cousin and I read a lot of the same books, but sometimes we disagree about one so much it makes me wonder what is wrong with her. 😂

One of the pluses for me in the first couple books is the flashbacks and how it links with present events. They are a big homage to the many heroes of WWII, especially the women.

[Laura]

Jonetta wrote: "From here on out, the stories are classic romantic suspense, LOTS of action and steam."

Action and steam I’m sold.

[Laura]

Sharon wrote: "I agree Sandra. My cousin and I read a lot of the same books, but sometimes we disagree about one so much it makes me wonder what is wrong with her. 😂

One of the pluses for me in the first couple ..."

I feel like it’s false advertising in a way. Disguising an historical inside a contemporary RS.

[Sharon]

I understand Laura. I know a lot of readers who get pulled from the story with flashbacks like these. I think it is the way our brain works when we are reading.

I come from a big family in a small house so reading, unrelated conversations, and television shows taught me how to keep track of many things at once.

A side note: To this day I don't know how we survived with one bathroom. I live with my son and grandson and two bathrooms aren't enough in the morning.

[Jonetta]

Sharon, we had 1 & 1/2 baths. Never was a problem. Now? Couldn’t survive.

[Meg]

I'm probably in the minority in that the flashbacks didn't bother me a lot. They not only gave good background info but they also gave me a breather from some of the action, etc.

This was my second read of this title (first read it wayyy back when), and I was surprised how much I'd forgotten. Can't wait to get to #3.

[Sharon]

Jonetta, I know what you mean. My father always "threatened" that he was going to put in a 1/2 bath in the basement. By the time he got around to it most of us were off to college.

[Anita]

Jonetta wrote: "Sharon, we had 1 & 1/2 baths. Never was a problem. Now? Couldn’t survive."

We had 1 & 1/2 baths too. My girls tell me that the 1/2 bath made all the difference, plus their dad was up and gone before anyone even woke up.

[Sandra]

Meg wrote: "I'm probably in the minority in that the flashbacks didn't bother me a lot. They not only gave good background info but they also gave me a breather from some of the action, etc.

This was my seco..."

I'm with you, Meg. Love the flashbacks!

[Jonetta]

Starting this now.

[Cindy (BKind2Books)]

I thought that this one had a lot of plot holes (this author totally ignored posse comitatus) and was a little frustrated by the main characters (Meg & John). It was just okay for me.

I really liked the action between Alyssa and Sam/Roger and feel like we will be seeing them in a future book (fingers crossed that it's soon enough to rescue this series).

[Jonetta]

Discussion questions are now posted!