Up Close and Dangerous by Linda Howard
Why I read this: I felt like a contemporary read, and it was the first one that caught my eye when I delved into my TBR pile.

A mysterious plane crash . . . a dangerous trek through the Idaho wilderness . . . a smoldering attraction . . . and a deadly game of cat and mouse. In her latest tour de force of romantic suspense, New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard blends these elements into a gripping story that will keep readers breathless–and leave them begging for more. For in Linda Howard’s world, trust can be a weapon, a kiss can be a threat, and intimacy can be deadly.

Bailey Wingate’s scheming adult stepchildren are surprised when their father’s will leaves Bailey in control of their fortune, and war ensues. A year later, while flying from Seattle to Denver in a small plane, Bailey nearly dies herself when the engine sputters–and then fails.

Cam Justice, her sexy Texan pilot, manages to crash-land the aircraft. Stranded in the wilderness, and struggling to douse her feelings for the ruggedly handsome man by her side, Bailey begins to wonder whether this was a mere accident. Who tampered with their plane? Who’s trying to reunite Bailey and her husband in the afterlife? Cut off from the world, and with little hope of rescue, Bailey must trust her life–and heart–to Cam, as they battle the harsh elements to find a way out of the unforgiving wilds and back to civilization . . . where a killer may be waiting to finish the job.

I've now read three Linda Howard books. Cry No More, Mr. Perfect, and now, Up Close and Dangerous. I have enjoyed all of them!

I read this book in one day. It caught my attention at once and didn't let go. I was flipping pages so fast that I got a paper cut-I'm not even joking. I still have the band-aid on my finger to prove it.

What I liked about Up Close and Dangerous is that it was exciting from the get go. A plane crash, injuries and trying to survive. Wow. It was interesting to read all the detail that went into making shelters, gathering food, melting water, etc. That stuff intrigued me and there wasn't a single thing about their survival that left me asking questions about how they did this or that.

The villain of the story, the one that caused the plane to crash, was a surprise to me. I wasn't expecting the book to take that turn, so kudos to the author for keeping me on my toes.

My only complaint was the end. It felt too sudden and incomplete. I was left saying that's it?

I'll give Up Close and Dangerous a B. It was good, but not great. The ending was lacking, and I felt like there could have been more with the romance part of the story.
Other than that it was awesome. I'm happy to read another Linda Howard book ASAP.

Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard
Published by Simon & Schuster
Why I read this: I heard it was good.

Jaine Bright and three close friends share dinner one night and during casual conversation, create a list of qualifications for the perfect man--some logical, some hilariously funny, some racy. Within days, their tongue-in-cheek wish list of attributes for Mr. Perfect has been leaked to the press and the resultant publicity is overwhelming. Coworkers, TV crews, and reporters barrage the quartet with comments and criticism.

As if Jaine doesn't have enough to cope with, she has a new neighbor who she suspects is a criminal. She's relieved to learn that her neighbor is really an undercover cop, but she's still wary--because smart, sexy Sam Donovan handles her sharp witticisms with easy humor, and Jaine suspects that he may threaten her heart. What Jaine doesn't know is that she's about to need Sam desperately for something other than romance because her circle of friends is in big trouble. Unfortunately, that list of qualifications for Mr. Perfect has touched off a madman's rage. All of their lives are threatened and some of them are going to die, maybe all of them, if Sam can't stop the unknown killer.

Two words. KEEPER SHELF.

Jaine and her 3 best friends put together a list of what the perfect man to them is. It gets out of control when the list is made public and there is a huge uproar. Like the women in the novel, I can't figure out what the big deal was about the list, but hey, it still made for a great story.

One of the women is killed by someone who has a big problem with the list. I figured out the bad guy very early on, and I felt kinda proud of that, because I usually always have the villian wrong.

Sam, who is a police officer and Jaine's next door neighbour helps to protect Jaine and catch the killer. I absolutleye loved the back and forth banter Jaine and Sam had. They are indeed the perfect match.

Mr. Perfect had me sucked in right from the get go. This novel is romantic suspense, but there is just the right amount of both to even it out. Something that surprised me was how many times I laughed out loud. What a pleasant surpise it was to find so many laughs when I least expected it. Every comical moment fit in perfectly with the story line and each scene. Nothing was forced or out of place.

That brings me to another thing about it. The romance. In true suspsens fashion, the H/H fell in love fast, but the flow of it, while reading, felt natural. The love scenes were not just thown in there at odd moments.

Everything from the story, the H/H, the writing style was great. No doubt in my mind that Mr. Perfect is an A book.

Are all novels by this author so good? If so, I have some major back list buying to get to.