I really however, enjoyed their connection toward the end of the novel. I must admit at the beginning of the novel I really didn’t like Drea. She actually reminded me of the annoying character Amber from the Young and the Restless. But she started to grow on me when I realized how much smarter she was when compared to the character Amber.

And regarding the spiritual part of the book. I’m a somewhat religious person and I must admit I was kind of thrown off by it coming up in this secular novel. But I believe it added more to Drea’s character then less. You saw her more as a vulnerable individual or a person others could possibly relate to as oppose to a dense bimbo.

Overall it was a good book.

I have literally read all of Howard's books, and have found quite a few that I did not enjoy so much: “Up Close and Personal” and “Open Season”. I have also found a few that I LOVE: “All The Queen's Men” and “After The Night”. This book is in my list of Howard's best.

Yes, the hero initially slept with Drea to mess with the drug lord's head, but her scent stayed with him. He could not shake it off. He began to fall in love with her vulnerability and her intelligence. He loved here because her life was not golden but her heart was soft. I believe that he liked her because she was something he is not…..and because he gave himself an opportunity to connect with her.

The hero is quite dark, but he is also a lover. He is supposed to be this very unfeeling, uncaring perfect killing machine, but he cried when she died. He was unsure of himself whenever he was around her. He went out of his way to make sure she was safe and happy. I believe that he loves Drea more than she does him, which is not uncommon in Howard books.

I don't believe that he would have killed her for 2 million. He usually distances himself from people. He could have just shot Drea from a roof top, but he did not. Instead, he followed her for days and engaged in a high speed highway chase. That is unlike him. By following Drea, he created a familiarity, a connection. He could not have killed her.

I have only just stumbled on this site but fully intend to use it for my own and work related reading. I have just spend this afternoon compiling a list of what to read based on some of the reviews here. So thanks to you all, your work is appreciated.

I work for a small independent bookseller in the uk and a lot of my customers have come to rely on me for recommendations as they know I am an avid reader. I am sad to say I know I wouldnt have recomdended this book, but when the paperback (sorry Ms Howard but we dont stock hardbacks)comes out it will be on the shelf.

What I like about this book is the fact that both the hero and heroine are like they are not because they are inherently bad but because they took the easier of lifes options, and they both know that and arent looking for redemption in the normal sense of the word, but are looking for a true second chance. Not a page turner but a thought provoking read…or at least it was for me.

As a reader, I think I’ve outgrown LH. *tear* I’ll go back to re-reading her southern pot-boilers.

This story was so dark in many ways. I was completely wrapped up in how the Andie and Simon were coming back to life – how each begin to question their worth and then try to redeem themself ( for Andie, sacrificing her life. For Simon, no longer killing.) They both failed in their plans. In the end, you/they accept that perhaps there is no way of knowing, that perhaps the only prove is in how deeply you loved and were loved in your life. (My heart nearly broke when Simon accepts that there may be no redemption for him but as long as he had her in this lifetime, it was all he ask for.)

I liked the story alot – it’s not the best but it’s definitely felt it’s mark on me. Cry No More made me cry but this one left me shaken. Still.

mph

I always love Linda Howard and LOVE her to reread. I now classify books in my mind by their reread potential. Linda is on my reread list.

Anyways, after thinking about this book and then rereading SLOWLY which is totally the opposite of my regular speed of reading HOT OFF THE PRESS books, I decided I like it more and more. It is in a similar category to Cry No More and Son of the Morning. By that I mean the heroes are doing what they do, because it is necessary. It is almost like Linda stuck her toe in that water (Son of the Morning) then walked in up to her knees (Cry No More) and then in the deep end in Death Angel.

In Son of the Morning, I still was hooked on Grace’s newly dead husband and had a hard time getting into the hero. Also, he wasn’t super friendly in a heroic romance way at first; he was all about keeping to his quest. In their first true sex scene, she is not sure whether he is going to kill her or not, and as a reader I never was sure he knew either.

In Cover of Night, Diaz is truly pretty much working for good, but doing things that are not considered in a civilized world, the “good thing” to do. But he really bonds with Milla, and they are very similar in their approach. He becomes more “lovable” as she grieves in NC and he takes care of her.

By Death Angel, we meet a hero that truly has the goodness of love for Andie as what keeps him from being utterly “beyond the pale” to quote Regency terminology. But again, Linda makes it believable and understandable…this man doesn’t prey on you and me, but on the really big bad fish. The ones we really don’t want around.

Segue here: in my area a couple of twenty year old women were sentenced yesterday for stalking an elderly lady from the grocery to her home where the jumped her, threw bleach in her face and robbed her. I believe she is 87 years old. Now, who is morally more empty, them, or our character in Death Angel? I see the point Linda went for when she took us down that path with him.

Love the site.

It seems the only way you can redeem a heroine whose made bad choices and used sex to get what she wants, is by involving angels and death and reminding us of her intrinsic goodness because she felt a ‘mother's love.'

I just got the book today and now I want to cry. And I was so excited to read about a bad-ass heroine! Guess I’ll have to re-read Kelley Armstrong’s Haunted.

I began it thinking “it’s great an author of Howard’s stature can take a risk with her characters” and I ended up up last night with my face contorted into a grimace of displeasure (plus, that headache). It seems the only way you can redeem a heroine whose made bad choices and used sex to get what she wants, is by involving angels ad death and reminding us of her intrinsic goodness because she felt a ‘mother’s love.’ Way to reduce your character to a pair of ovaries. (so what else is new in romance).

Speaking of Amazon reviews, this snippet pretty much captured my feelings (is it okay to quote if I reference it?):

The frustrating part of this novel is that too much attention is devoted to the insignificant details … and not enough time to real characterization techniques through dialogue and interactions so readers can appreciate the characters fully. The hero/heroine have very few scenes together; any “bond” they have is superficial and undeveloped. The action/suspense elements in the novel are lacking: no clever action scenes, no intense scenes between the hero and the heroine confronting the the drug king, no real description into the inner workings of the criminal world, no real drama

Yep. I might have gone along with it if I was even remotely invested in the relationships and the story.

Ok did anyone else find the “plot point that went nowhere” odd?

I didn’t find it odd, since it was referenced in the book. Remember how Drea explained researching the subject of near-death experiences and how some people came back with precognition. That said, it would have made sense to have her new-found ability play a larger role in the story.

I felt that if you were going to have an assassin as a “hero” – which I don't have a problem with, at all – just explain what was so extraordinary about the heroine that made him change so.

I don’t think Simon changed because there was something extraordinary about Drea, but because of what happened in the car accident. Since I’m in spoiler territory here, I want to be somewhat vague: Simon changed because Drea survived. He knew the time lapse involved in getting medical help, so he began to believe that perhaps there is an after-life. Therefore, in order to remain in Drea’s life, Simon had to make some changes in his own life.