3.5 stars. I was looking for an easy read that i could listen to on Audiobook. It was engaging enough to hold my attention, and I actually really like the way Howard played out their relationship. I didn’t have the problem i usually have with books like this where the dialogue and relationship is so cheesy and quick moving that it’s unbelievable and annoying.

I've read a lot of Linda Howard books and usually enjoy them immensely. This one though...oof. Not much happened and nearly the whole book was spent praising a golden retriever named, Tricks. I thought this dog was going to turn into some ninja superhero sniper or something at the end of the book, save the day, and cure cancer but nope. Didn't do a damn thing. I've never disliked an animal in a book or movie before but I did not like this dog by the end of the book.

I did thoroughly enjoy the second book in the Go-Team series and recommend that one. Skip this one though. It's not really needed.

It took some getting into because it was just too wordy and repetitive at first. I honestly wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue reading it. But I did. And I enjoyed the rest of it! The honesty and straightforwardness of the main characters was refreshing. I always love it when the guy falls for the girl first. I also loved the fact that the Bo wasn’t a typical female. She was strong and outspoken, protective and stood by her word. Tricks was an added, colorful character. Could have dialed down on her though. We get how important she is to the overall story and to Bo. But I felt like she was shoved into my face a lot. I loved Morgan too, and his interactions with Bo. Very masculine man without being overbearing or heavy handed.

Overall good read. Just minimize on the repetition of information we already know.

Troublemaker by Linda Howard

Troublemaker 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.

*** audiobook ***

A romance-erotica novel where the main characters talk like third graders. Like...I’m sorry but who over the age of 10 calls someone a butt? Highly unbelievable but some solid sex scenes and a beloved golden retriever were the only upshots. Read if your borrowing from a friend or the library.

This is my first Linda Howard so I can't make comparisons to earlier books. I have to say that it reminded me a lot of Nora Roberts and in fact had a few eerily similar plot points. The one thing that bothered me is that nothing really happens between the 10%-70% mark. It's most a description of Bo and Morgan sort of dancing around each other but the only time tension shows up is when the author points to it. Otherwise the story doesn't pick up until the romance ramps up and they deal with the "suspense" part. It was decent and I'll probably read more by the author.

I'd like to start this off by saying that I'm a huge fan of Linda Howard. Ever since I read [b:Mr. Perfect|469901|Mr. Perfect|Linda Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327960914s/469901.jpg|487629], 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

This is the first Linda Howard I have read in a long time and she didn't disappoint me. I loved it I loved the characters and I especially loved Tricks.