Tuesday, October 20, 2009

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All opinions still remain my own.

Review: Magnum Force Man by Amanda Stevens

Title: Magnum Force Man
Series: Maximum Men
Author: Amanda Stevens
Read copy: eBook
Published: November 1,2009
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 1426843186
ISBN-13: 9781426843181

He had little memory of who he was or where he'd been, but the images that kept flashing through his mind meant computer genius Claudia Reynolds was headed for danger and only Jack Maddox could rescue her. Although they'd technically met before, it wasn't until the bullets started to fly that the blonde beauty was convinced to follow him through the remote South Dakota woods...far from the mysterious facility that Jack had once called home. Now, as Jack sensed they were closing in on answers too many people had died covering up, the long-forgotten pain buried deep in his past proved their connection was the only thing he could rely on. And the only thing keeping Claudia alive.

My rating:

Having witnessed her mentor’s murder two years ago, Claudia Reynolds has been on the run ever since. Hiding in a remote cabin, she hopes her pursuers wouldn’t find her and dreads the day they do.

When a stranger runs into the middle of the road in a storm, right planting himself right before her car, she fears her running days are over. But the stranger with the soulful blue eyes has apparently been sent to save her. But can she trust a man who has no idea who he is, beyond his name, and has no recollection of his past. And is he really her guardian angel or the devil sent there to kill her?


This book was an acquired taste, but a really good read once you get into it. The suspense was subtle, but nicely executed, with the story concentrating more on the hero and the whys and hows of him actually being there.

I liked the style, the story flowed nicely, and for once I didn’t dislike the heroine. Sure, she was suspicious, be she had her reasons, and her adversity of trusting a complete stranger wasn’t overdone. The author succeeded in maintaining a good balance between stubborn and cautious in Claudia and I applaud her for it.

It’s the slight paranormal angle that made all the difference in this book for me. Paranormal romance is my favorite genre and when aspects of it influence other stories, I’m a happy reader indeed.
This reminded me slightly of Christine Feehan’s GhostWalkers with the pre-cog hero, a telepathic link to a distant voice in both the hero’s and heroine’s heads, the top-secret, hush-hush facility where such special talents are developed to the maximum etc.

This was a great start to what will hopefully become a series. Good premise, plot, and pacing combined with nicely-drawn characters (though they could’ve been developed a wee bit more), a nice dash of paranormal, a pinch of romance, and great, yet subtle suspense elements.
While not exactly a keeper, it was still a pretty great read.



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