Run the Risk by Lori Foster
Series:Love Undercover, #1
Publication Date:September 25th 2012
Publisher:Harlequin HQN
It saddens me to say so, but Run the Risk disappointed me in many levels. It's not the fact that it is a bad book, or anything as simple as that, but for a Lori Foster book, it is nothing close to what I expect from this author.
I haven't read much from this author, granted, but I have heard so many great things about her writing and her stories, and from the one book I have read of hers, my expectations were pretty high. And having high expectations from a book or an author, never works in my advantage. Never.
Run the Risk is the first book in Lori Foster's new romantic suspense series, Love Undercover, and it's the story of Logan, an undercover detective who will stop at nothing to uncover his best friend's murder and Pepper, sister of the sole witness in the murder case Logan tries to solve. Intriguing enough? I know I was intrigued to no ends as soon as I read that blurb and I just had to read this book immediately. Now that I actually read it, maybe I shouldn't have rushed to it so quickly. Run the Risk was a typical romantic suspense story, with nothing fresh to add to the genre and with a romantic plot that could have been so much better. As it is, neither the plot, nor the romantic part of the story holds something memorable or remarkable. We get an alpha male, a heroine that from an ugly and sitting duck transforms into a swan and an independent woman everyone lusts after and a mystery that is pretty predictable and easy to solve.
My first problem with this book was the main hero, Logan. Granted, from the blurb I knew that he would try to seduce Pepper to serve his own means. That fact on itself is something I don't usually enjoy reading, but if done correctly, I end up loving it. But, Logan and his attitude didn't help matters. He was much too arrogant for my taste, much too certain for his sexual prowess and at times, ruthless. At least that's how I saw him. Pepper on the other hand was an easy victim, who didn't think twice on acting at the exact same way when Logan's betrayal revealed and use him in turn to satisfy her sexual needs. At least Logan had an ulterior motive. Pepper's revenge on him was purely mean. And how could she ever sleep with a man she felt betrayed from is beyond me. So, one could safely assume that the romantic department of the story was a total failure for me. I didn't care neither for Logan nor for Pepper and their happily ever after left me deeply untouched. I couldn't connect with neither of them, almost from the first chapters of the story.
The plot is typical for the genre. Some mystery, some hot scenes, and like I said before, nothing memorable... Especially the first half of the book was boring. The second half was way better and the reason my overall rating of Run the Risk isn't lower. It possessed a certain spark and things finally picked up a bit. Contrary to the first half where all we got to read was how much Logan and Pepper lusted after each other, even if they shouldn't, for their own reasons. And talking about lust and sex between those two, I still can't understand why Pepper was against the whole touching thing. An explanation is given, but from the way she reacted to every touch I assumed something greater was behind her attitude. But now. Nothing great or exciting...
The writing style is good. We are talking about a Lori Foster story here. The writing is expected to be good. As good and sexy are the sex scenes as well, but for a sex scene to work for me and to enjoy it I have to care for the protagonists. If I don't, then even the best written and sexiest scene fells flat for me. And that was the case with every sex scene in this book. I couldn't connect with the heroes, so the spark between them eluded me. It almost felt as if they didn't care for each other and all they wanted was to blow off some steam, and that wasn't the case, believe me, but it surely felt that way at some points.
All in all, Run the Risk is just a good book for me, nothing special, with a set of characters I could feel no real connection and a mystery that was far too predictable. Still, I read it pretty quickly, so that counts for something, right?
Paperback, 379 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository
When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend's unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her….Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new "construction worker" who's moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer's crosshairs?
Review first published at Book Lovers Inc
It saddens me to say so, but Run the Risk disappointed me in many levels. It's not the fact that it is a bad book, or anything as simple as that, but for a Lori Foster book, it is nothing close to what I expect from this author.
I haven't read much from this author, granted, but I have heard so many great things about her writing and her stories, and from the one book I have read of hers, my expectations were pretty high. And having high expectations from a book or an author, never works in my advantage. Never.
Run the Risk is the first book in Lori Foster's new romantic suspense series, Love Undercover, and it's the story of Logan, an undercover detective who will stop at nothing to uncover his best friend's murder and Pepper, sister of the sole witness in the murder case Logan tries to solve. Intriguing enough? I know I was intrigued to no ends as soon as I read that blurb and I just had to read this book immediately. Now that I actually read it, maybe I shouldn't have rushed to it so quickly. Run the Risk was a typical romantic suspense story, with nothing fresh to add to the genre and with a romantic plot that could have been so much better. As it is, neither the plot, nor the romantic part of the story holds something memorable or remarkable. We get an alpha male, a heroine that from an ugly and sitting duck transforms into a swan and an independent woman everyone lusts after and a mystery that is pretty predictable and easy to solve.
My first problem with this book was the main hero, Logan. Granted, from the blurb I knew that he would try to seduce Pepper to serve his own means. That fact on itself is something I don't usually enjoy reading, but if done correctly, I end up loving it. But, Logan and his attitude didn't help matters. He was much too arrogant for my taste, much too certain for his sexual prowess and at times, ruthless. At least that's how I saw him. Pepper on the other hand was an easy victim, who didn't think twice on acting at the exact same way when Logan's betrayal revealed and use him in turn to satisfy her sexual needs. At least Logan had an ulterior motive. Pepper's revenge on him was purely mean. And how could she ever sleep with a man she felt betrayed from is beyond me. So, one could safely assume that the romantic department of the story was a total failure for me. I didn't care neither for Logan nor for Pepper and their happily ever after left me deeply untouched. I couldn't connect with neither of them, almost from the first chapters of the story.
The plot is typical for the genre. Some mystery, some hot scenes, and like I said before, nothing memorable... Especially the first half of the book was boring. The second half was way better and the reason my overall rating of Run the Risk isn't lower. It possessed a certain spark and things finally picked up a bit. Contrary to the first half where all we got to read was how much Logan and Pepper lusted after each other, even if they shouldn't, for their own reasons. And talking about lust and sex between those two, I still can't understand why Pepper was against the whole touching thing. An explanation is given, but from the way she reacted to every touch I assumed something greater was behind her attitude. But now. Nothing great or exciting...
The writing style is good. We are talking about a Lori Foster story here. The writing is expected to be good. As good and sexy are the sex scenes as well, but for a sex scene to work for me and to enjoy it I have to care for the protagonists. If I don't, then even the best written and sexiest scene fells flat for me. And that was the case with every sex scene in this book. I couldn't connect with the heroes, so the spark between them eluded me. It almost felt as if they didn't care for each other and all they wanted was to blow off some steam, and that wasn't the case, believe me, but it surely felt that way at some points.
All in all, Run the Risk is just a good book for me, nothing special, with a set of characters I could feel no real connection and a mystery that was far too predictable. Still, I read it pretty quickly, so that counts for something, right?
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