Troublemaker audiobook

Troublemaker by Linda HowardTroublemaker by Linda Howard is a 2016 William Morrow publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.It is so nice to see a brand new romantic suspense novel by Linda Howard! Morgan is a member of the exclusive GO-team, and an operative who has been shot, resulting in a heart attack, and is now in need of a place to lay low after his cover was compromised. Bo is the chief of police in a small W. Virginia community, trying to pull herself out of a financial bind, and mostly living a quiet, peaceful life…until a man shows up at her home, obviously in pretty bad shape, claiming her former step-brother sent him. Initially, Bo was irate, but if she will simply allow the man to stay with her until he gets back in shape and the danger he is in has passed, she stands to earn enough money to pay off her debts. This story is quintessential Linda Howard and I really enjoyed reading this romantic suspense novel written in the style I grew up with, but this story shows a new side of Ms. Howard, which is a little softer around the edges, shows more restraint by building the romantic tensity slowly, and allowing the mystery to float in the background for a while, then revving the suspense up to an action packed finale.Also, on tap is the author’s trademark humor, but in this story she adds in a sweet small town romance element, and a loyal dog named Tricks, you will fall in love with. I’m trying to remember if I have read a romantic suspense novel with this unique combination. It may seem like an odd pairing, but it works. Bo is a character I admired a lot because she has a high ranking position, and despite her sad background, she isn’t bitter, just cautious. I liked her attitude, the way she loves her job, her duties, and how she handled the situations she was faced with with aplomb and a respect for the people she works for. Morgan is a bit of an enigma for a long while, but what I loved about his story was seeing him settle into the small town life, his companionship with Tricks, and how he falls in love with Bo. The change in him is interesting and fun to watch. The suspense and mystery lies in the uncertainly of who Morgan’s enemies might be. It’s a real puzzle and it takes a long time for information to develop in this area, but once it does, things get tense in a hurry. Linda Howard is an author I have followed for many years, and I have always liked her style, and have read many of her books. This story is pretty much what I would expect from her, only better. If you are a long time fan, I think you will be happy with this one. If you have yet to discover this author, this will be a nice introduction. This story will obviously appeal to romantic suspense lovers, but contemporary romance fans will like this one too.

I'm glad I didn't read any reviews here before reading the book, because I would have missed hours of epic amusement had I gone by popular opinion. Agreed, the dog was more memorable than the protagonists and the plot was nothing new, but it was definitely entertaining. Can always count on LH for a fun read!5 stars for Tricks and her awesome tricks (she totally deserved the prom-queen treatment), 4 for Morgan and Bo (The guy was pretty hot and chemistry was great) and 3 for the story. So mean score = 4.

Vintage Linda Howard, but with an unforgettable golden retriever named Tricks as an additional character. I loved the intimacy of this book.

Loved this romantic thriller! Great storyline and characters.Linda Howard is one of my favorite writers. Morgan Yancy is a operative team leader who is home on leave and gets jumped and stabbed by Russian operative. His team leader knows its only a matter of time before who ever wants Morgan dead will send someone to finish the job.so he sends Morgan to live with his step sister Bo, from along ago marriage. What happens when you take a man who's life is a dangerous and secretive and put him with a woman has kept the walls around her heart high and a golden retriever who is more human then dog!!! A great love story!!!!

The dog saved the book! 🐕 Some of the book was over-the-top romance but the over all story was interesting. But the best part was definitely the cool dog.

Shadow's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book ReviewsWhat's not to love about Linda Howard's Troublemaker? It features a hot Alpha special ops hero, a strong, smart, independent heroine, and a bright, funny diva of a golden retriever named Tricks. Weave in a suspenseful plot that keeps you turning the pages, a host of delightful secondary characters, a surprising love story, along with laugh out loud humor and you have a winning combination.When Special Ops agent Morgan Yancy was shot in an ambush, it raised all kinds of all red flags because no one could understand who shot him or why. Weak and helpless after open heart surgery to repair the wound and an ensuing bout of pneumonia his boss sends him to the one place no one would find him-to his step sister, Isabeau “Bo” Moran in West Virginia.Having a very sick man fetch up at her isolated mountain cabin sends all kinds of warning bells for Bo, who has emotionally isolated herself from people. It doesn't help that he is sent by her hated step-brother, Alex. They were only siblings for a few months when she was 13 and he was 18, but the animosity generated by those few months has lasted a lifetime. However, its obvious that her unwanted guest isn't capable of going further, and with the incentive of thousands of dollars deposited in her bank account, she agrees to take care of Morgan. Alex also sets a trap to see if they can find the people behind his assailant.As Morgan recovers his strength, he finds himself attracted to Bo's strength and logic-and to her dog. Bo also feels the attraction, but she knows Morgan will move on as soon as the trap is sprung and she resists the pull. Can these two very different people actually find a relationship together while avoiding the danger hanging over them?I loved all the characters but especially Tricks. I saw so much of some of my dogs in her antics, and the humor she brought to the story was remarkable. Overall, this was a totally delightful read, a return to the good solid story telling that makes Linda Howard such a favorite author.Review copy provided for an honest review.

I'd like to start this off by saying that I'm a huge fan of Linda Howard. Ever since I read Mr. Perfect, a copy of which I have in paperback, I became addicted to her writing. She seemed to have an innate sense of when to pull back on the romance and introduce spine-tingling doses of terror! The suspense was always woven effortlessly throughout the plot, and although for the most part we knew who the bad guy was, how he would meet his end was still a mystery. The steady build towards the climax was definitely felt. If I were to sum up her work in one word, it would be intense .This book wasn't intense. As interesting and as entertaining as many will find the story of Morgan (government mercenary) and Isabeau (administrative Chief of Police), this story had more of a contemporary feel than a suspenseful one. It started off strong and along the lines of what I expected, with Morgan being ambushed, shot and in critical condition. However, once Bo (Isabeau) was introduced, I felt the vibe of the story change. The plot seemed to be more about Tricks the dog (Isabeau's) than about Morgan and the situation he found himself a victim to. It was a bit off-putting, if I were to be honest, but once I accepted this change, I found that I was able to enjoy how everything developed.So was I disappointed? In a way, but that's only because I went into this book with certain expectations. It worked out and I really liked the story once I removed those expectations. If I could offer some advice to future readers of this story: go into this with an open mind and heart and allow Linda Howard, an accomplished master of the pen, to take you off the beaten path. Release Date: December 27, 2016 Genre: Romantic Suspense POV: Dual - 3rd person Steam: 2 out of 5 Series or Standalone: Standalone Publisher: HarperCollins

3.5 'needs another edit' Stars. I don't know whether to call this RS or not. The first 10% and the last 10% were solid, suspense action; but all the story in between was full-on small town romance. Both were enjoyable enough, but I’m not sure how well they worked together. I'll have to do a reread of the final book.Morgan has just come home after a mission with the shadowy paramilitary group he works for, when someone tries to kill him. Desperately wounded, and not knowing who was behind the attempt on his life, Morgan’s group leader sends him to his stepsister Bo’s mountain home in West Virginia to heal while his team tried to flush out the bad guys. Once in the mountain town, the story focuses on the typical small town stuff; including nosy neighbors, gossipy townsfolk, small town drama...and the blossoming relationship between Morgan and Bo.One thing I really enjoyed in the story was Tricks, Bo’s Golden Retriever. Far from being a prop piece in the story, as children and dogs often are, she was instead an interesting and fully fleshed character, a firmly integrated part of the storyline. I also learned a couple of things. One was that in West Virginia, the Chief of Police (which Bo was) is often a strictly administrative position. I also learned that ‘Naked Pig Beer’ from Alabama is real, because I looked it up. LH is from Alabama, and I don't know if that was a shout-out to the Back Forty Microbrewery Company, or if Howard might be part owner.This was vintage LH, but not quite; not her best work, but certainly much better than what she has been writing the last few years. The story definitely needs another round of edits before publication, and I hesitate to use the book title, as I understand it may be changed. The middle part of the book dragged just a little, and the story ran on too long. Another good edit should take care of that issue, however, and there is plenty of time for that before the book is released in June.

4/5 starsPues me ha gustado, y mira que no tenía muchas esperanzas a pesar de que esta autora me gusta mucho.Casualmente, el libro anterior que leí fue La testigo de Nora Roberts, y me he quedado muy sorprendida por las similitudes que existen entre las dos novelas. Ambas protagonistas viven aisladas, pero en este caso Bo no huye de un pasado traumático. Ambas tienen como mascotas un perro. En cuanto al personaje masculino, en La testigo es policía y en este libro es agente secreto. Ambos son guapos, encantadores, altos, fuertes, derrochan pasión y tienen el pito grande. En ambos libros hay un peligro inminente, que si bien en La testigo no acaba de llegar, en este llega pero no acaba.A pesar de todo, Amenaza entre las sombras me ha gustado más que La testigo. Los personajes son más entrañables, el perro es más simpático, la gente del pueblo más adorable, y la relación de los personajes más normal. Se hace más llevadero y es más entretenido. No se me ha hecho largo ni me he aburrido en ninguna parte. Sinceramente, todo ha ocurrido cuando tenía que ocurrir. Quizá el altercado entre los habitantes del pueblo se hace algo más pesado, pero lo compensa siendo rápido de leer.Recomendable como lectura ligera y entretenida.PD: Maria Clara, si está leyendo esto, te recomiendo este libro, ya que con el de Nora Roberts te quedaste con mal sabor.

As a big Linda Howard fan and somebody who's read a number of her novels, trust me when I say this book is hugely underrated.Looking at the plot, characters and world building, it might as well be a part of her Kell Sabin series, though there is a distinct difference. The heroines in her series were meek, pathetic creatures while the heroes were these super macho types who eat nails for breakfast and shit like that. While the hero in Troublemaker was still a very manly man, it was toned down and it was tolerable. But what I really appreciated was the heroine, who had a strong personality and a smart head on her shoulders. And this is what really made this book worth reading and what had me thinking please don't let this book ever be over.Two thumbs up.

The reviews on this book seemed to be all over the place, but I read it since it looked good, and I like dogs. The dedication was made to all the dogs who had been, and still was in the authors life, so I was not surprised the dog played a big part . I have a dog who is to smart, and spelling, went to sign language, and she still gets what we are discussing. Tricks did not bother me, in fact I liked her. Morgan, and Bo had the chemistry that was believable, since he arrived on her door a stranger, and to ill to kick out. I felt that the story could have been shorter in length. The walks, and talks could have been more compact, but that did not ruin the book for me. I was hoping more would be accomplished by Axel, concerning the characters involved in that part of the book, but the rest of the ending was great. I guess perhaps I am jaded on how government helps cover its own, and I felt the punishment no where near covered the cost of the damage, and crime. I liked all the characters, and found Morgan tough, yet kind. I also felt Bo was tough in her own way, yet had grown comfortable in who she had become. They made a good. couple for me. It kept my interest, and I enjoyed it. The storyline is not all about private ops, or spies, or murder. It has all that in it, but the book is more about the town, the couple, and her dog. The rest is there at the fringes, but this is not a fast paced thriller. It is more of a romance, with someone in hiding, who is surrounded by these things. I picked up on the puzzle right away, so that part was gratifying. I knew all along who was involved, but it was still chilling when they struck.

3.5 estrelasJá há muitos anos que não lia um livro de Linda Howard, de modo que me surpreendeu. Eu sei que 3.5 estrelas não é uma classificação extraordinária mas, mesmo livros com esta classificação, merecem tanto ser lidos como os de 4 e 5 estrelas. A pontuação mais baixa até é uma injustiça da minha parte pois só nos últimos 26% (que li no último dia) é que o meu mood, não sei porquê sequer, esteve em baixo, ao contrário dos dias anteriores, que prescindi de outros passatempos para aproveitar e ler mais.Já me tinha esquecido de como Linda Howard escreve bem e fui surpreendida pela escrita que é uma maravilha, fluida, bem humorada, os personagens são deliciosos (sendo Tricks, a cadela, a grande estrela).Não teve muita ação, foi um livro um bocado parado mas adorei ler sobre a estadia de Morgan em casa de Bo numa pequena cidade e as cenas com os habitantes dessa pequena cidade foram fantásticas, fizeram-me rir.