It's been 2011 since the last full Troubleshooters
novel, with a few throw-away short stories and novellas
since then. This is a series I've adored for YEARS, and I
had no problem picking up again with the small amount of
refresher that Brockmann provides. While it's not at all
necessary for the reader to already know the prior
characters who show up here, I do think it heightens the
enjoyment to know the backstories. While this book could be
read on its own plotwise, it does have a very tough time
standing on its own merits in comparison to other books by
the same author.
The heroine, Shayla, is an author who writes romantic
suspense books. The main character in Shayla's books,
Harry, talks to Shayla in her head, and she answers him
back, often audibly telling him to "shhhh". I stopped
reading HEROES ARE
MY WEAKNESS by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
part of the way in because of the over-the-top annoying
cutsieness of the heroine's puppets that she used as an
emotional crutch. The imaginary Harry here has the same
sort of grating and chirpy intrusion into the tale, and it
feels to me that the author just wants to hit us over the
head with how quirky she's making her heroine Shayla. It
annoys me that Pete never asks Shayla why she is constantly
muttering "shhhh" all the time. Shayla starts out portrayed
as a shallow ditz, although her brains and practicality
thankfully show up fairly quickly. Not quickly enough to
completely restore her in my good graces, however.
Pete is a typical swoony Brockmann hero. Tough and
capable, this hot guy is nicely ogle-able, and his neighbor
Shayla has been doing just that. But his real impact for me
is what he has between his ears. He's highly intelligent,
and willing to express himself. I love a hero who can
communicate! Pete's teenage daughter Maddie runs away in an
attempt to recover the stolen money that an acquaintance has
skimmed from a drug dealer and blamed on Maddie. Shayla
assists Pete in his frantic search for his daughter, and
along the way they find that they are much more compatible
than they ever would have guessed. Both Pete and Shayla
bring real strengths to their partnership that balance them
well.
Maddie's great-aunt and her family were imprisoned in the
WWII Japanese internment camp, and there is a lot of
historical information regarding the camp brought into the
story. It feels like there is a more history crammed into
the book than there is space for, leaving me feeling
uncomfortably cramped. Additionally, there is an underlying
heavy-handed theme about the perils of racism and bigotry.
These topics, when deftly handled, can flesh out a story,
but here just serve to pull me out of the romantic suspense
into an arena where I feel somewhat preached at. There's a
lot packed into this story. It's a testament to Brockmann's
writing abilities that the book is as good as it is (I'll
still give it 3.5 to 4 stars), but it's a far cry from the
typical 5 star knock-it-out-of-the-park book that I expect
from Brockmann. I know she's been hit with writer's block
recently (which also happens to the heroine in this book,
ahem), so hopefully Brockmann's next offering will be
back up to her usual level of amazingness.
The Troubleshooters return in the latest thriller from
New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann!
Some Kind of Hero showcases Brockmann’s signature
white-knuckle suspense, romantic twists, and sexy Navy
SEALs.
Navy men don’t come tougher than Lieutenant Peter Greene.
Every day he whips hotshot SEAL wannabes into elite
fighters. So why can’t he handle one fifteen-year-old girl?
His ex’s death left him a single dad overnight, and very
unprepared. Though he can’t relate to an angsty teen, he can
at least keep Maddie safe—until the day she disappears.
Though Pete’s lacking in fatherly intuition, his instinct
for detecting danger is razor sharp. Maddie’s in trouble.
Now he needs the Troubleshooters team at his back, along
with an unconventional ally.
Romance writer Shayla Whitman never expected to be drawn
into a real-world thriller—or to meet a hero who makes her
pulse pound. Action on the page is one thing. Actually
living it is another story. Shay’s not as bold as her
heroines, but she’s a mother. She sees the panic in her new
neighbor’s usually fearless blue eyes—and knows there’s no
greater terror for a parent than having a child at risk.
It’s an ordeal Shay won’t let Pete face alone. She’s no
highly trained operative, but she’s smart, resourceful, and
knows what makes teenagers tick.
Still, working alongside Pete has its own perils—like
letting the heat between them rise out of control. Intimate
emotions could mean dangerous, even deadly, consequences for
their mission. No matter what, they must be on top of their
game, and playing for keeps . . . or else Pete’s daughter
may be gone for good.
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