Great Character Development of a Female Hostage Negotiator, 28. August 2007

Many Nora Roberts fans will be surprised that this book explores how women can overcome violence in ways that are more along the lines of a Robert Crais thriller than a typical romance. If you don't care for violence, skip this book. If you are open to a story with lots of excitement, threat, and romance, you'll probably like the story quite a bit.

Phoebe MacNamara has a challenging job as a hostage negotiator with the Savannah, Georgia police department. How does a young mother end up in such a line of work? Well, if you've been a hostage whose life is saved by a negotiator, that experience could be quite an influence.

The romance part of the story opens quickly as Phoebe talks down a potential jumper and meets the attractive Duncan Swift who is immediately smitten. Swift plays a Prince Charming role in the story as an ideal man for a strong woman.

The violence soon emerges, however, when Phoebe is attacked and has to fight for the respect of her colleagues. In the background, it's clear that someone has a deep obsession about Phoebe. Can she cope with these threats?

Those challenges would be enough for a single woman, but Phoebe is the person who holds her family together . . . and has to deal with a mother who won't leave the house and a rambunctious seven-year-old daughter as a single mom. Her ex-husband puts even more stress on Phoebe before the book ends.

The book is wonderfully developed in terms of exploring the psychology of a woman handling a dangerous job while trying to lead a normal life in all other ways. Ms. Roberts does a nice job of developing some abnormal psychology at the same time to put her heroine into context.

I also liked the symbolism that covers the story as completely as Spanish moss covers the trees in Savannah. The title, for instance, has significance for the story that's quite impressive. The characters also are strongly influenced by perceptions based on past experiences and stories.

For those who are interested in sexual roles, this book is also rewarding for explaining what kind of support structure is needed to operate and "have it all."

I don't recall too many books that so thoroughly deal with women's issues and fears in pretty realistic ways. Only the romance is unrealistic . . . but such a dream element is fun rather than distracting . . . serving to further point out that strong women need accommodating men. But the romance is an important element of developing Phoebe as a character. Does she has the emotional courage to try to fit a man into her life?

To me, the book is most interesting when Phoebe is at risk. Sometimes stress can bring out the best in us. That's a worthwhile lesson to remember from this book.

      Another wonderful thriller , 2. August 2007

This is the story of police negotiator Phoebe McNamara and Duncan Swift, the "lucky guy from next door"
They first meet when one of Duncan's former employees wants to comit suicide and for him it is love at first sight.
But Phoebe is not one for impulsive decisions.
As a singlemother of a seven year old daughter who's husband ran away because he needed more freedom and a daughter to an agoraphobic mother who didn't leave the house in ten years she is rather selfsuficient and doesn't need anyone to tell her what to do.
But there is sombody who wants to change that. A murderer with the sole purpose of hurting her. He wants to show that everything she accomplished in her job he can destroy easily and so shoots a boy after a solved hostage situation.
This book is well written - sometimes it goes slow - and sometimes it goes very fast - and at the most unexpected scenes you find wonderful humor!
The one thing I couldn't agree with - the end came too soon. It was as if something was missing. Everything was accomplished, the lovers found each other, the bad guy found and then zip and "the End".
But nonetheless I'm sure every Nora Roberts fan will love this book.