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Dead Wrong #3
Run from Fear
With each step she takes, he tracks her every move, waiting for the perfect time. The perfect revenge. Until then, he'll watch her . . . RUN FROM FEAR More than anything, Talia Vega wanted to leave behind her harrowing past. Moving eight hundred miles away, she succeeded . . . until the one man who knows her darkest secrets wanders into the restaurant where she works. Now the agonizing memories come crashing back-along with an undeniable desire for Jack Brooks, the ex-Green Beret who rescued her from a sadistic monster two years ago. Jack Brooks knows that showing up unannounced is a purely selfish move. Talia doesn't need his protection anymore, but he can't get the raven-haired beauty out of his mind. And when a twisted madman is hell-bent on resurrecting her torturous past, Jack vows to do anything to keep her safe-even risk his own life to save the only woman he's ever loved.
449 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
33 people are currently reading
943 people want to read
About the author
Jami Alden
41Ìýbooks795ÌýfollowersLike so many romance readers, my first romance novel was by Kathleen Woodiwiss - The Flame and the Flower, to be exact. I was thirteen. I spent the next month working my way through her entire back list. Shortly thereafter I discovered Judith McNaught, Johanna Lindsey, Karen Robards, Catherine Coulter, Shirlee Busbee among others, and devoured their lavish historical epics full of overbearing alpha males and the women who brought them to their knees. I was hooked. My high school teachers marveled at my ability to read romance novels under the desk and still score straight A's. I started to imagine myself, living in a cabin in the mountains somewhere, writing romance novels.
It took me quite awhile to pursue my dream. After graduating from Stanford with a degree in English Literature, I worked in a variety of soul sucking admin jobs before I began my career in marketing. It wasn't exactly my dream job, but at least my writing appeared on several web sites and in many software marketing brochures. Unfortunately I wasn't able to fit the phrase "and her loins melted like hot wax" into any of them.
During my stint as the world's surliest receptionist, I took my first stab at writing. The result was a very melodramatic western historical which reads like a bad Elizabeth Lowell rip off. Its currently languishing on my hard drive, forever stuck on page 330.
Then in fall 2001 I had an incredible stroke of luck and got laid off from my marketing job. I decided it was time to stop saying I wanted to be a writer and to actually give it a serious go. Fortunately my husband, a socially well adjusted alpha male, is a very generous patron of the arts.
Four years later, I sold my first book and I'm pretty much living the dream of getting paid to write romance. I don't live in a cabin in the mountains, but I do live in a rural-ish town near San Francisco (hey, we have deer and bunnies in our yard, along with the occasional coyote) with my husband, sons, and two dogs who patiently listen to my dialogue and help me work out plot points. When I'm not writing sexy romance, I enjoy running, reading, yoga and watching Food Network and bad reality TV.
It took me quite awhile to pursue my dream. After graduating from Stanford with a degree in English Literature, I worked in a variety of soul sucking admin jobs before I began my career in marketing. It wasn't exactly my dream job, but at least my writing appeared on several web sites and in many software marketing brochures. Unfortunately I wasn't able to fit the phrase "and her loins melted like hot wax" into any of them.
During my stint as the world's surliest receptionist, I took my first stab at writing. The result was a very melodramatic western historical which reads like a bad Elizabeth Lowell rip off. Its currently languishing on my hard drive, forever stuck on page 330.
Then in fall 2001 I had an incredible stroke of luck and got laid off from my marketing job. I decided it was time to stop saying I wanted to be a writer and to actually give it a serious go. Fortunately my husband, a socially well adjusted alpha male, is a very generous patron of the arts.
Four years later, I sold my first book and I'm pretty much living the dream of getting paid to write romance. I don't live in a cabin in the mountains, but I do live in a rural-ish town near San Francisco (hey, we have deer and bunnies in our yard, along with the occasional coyote) with my husband, sons, and two dogs who patiently listen to my dialogue and help me work out plot points. When I'm not writing sexy romance, I enjoy running, reading, yoga and watching Food Network and bad reality TV.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
February 13, 2012
Underwhelmed. Maybe my hopes for this book were just too high. While I loved, loved, loved the first two in this series, I was sadly underwhelmed with this one. I did enjoy it, but in the end it didn’t have the same level of suspense mixed with great characters that I loved in the first two.
Run From Fear is Talia and Jack’s story. The last we saw of these two she had helped serve the final nail that brought down a massive international crime ring, and then went back into deep hiding where only Jack, her former bodyguard, knew how to find her.
This story takes place two years later with Talia and her little sister living in Palo Alto, California and no longer in need of their false identities. She hasn’t seen nor heard from Jack in two years, and then he walks into the restaurant where she is working to say hello. Jack works for Gemini securities and is in town for a few months on a big job.
Talia has changed quite a bit from the woman we knew in the previous books. No longer the trophy girl with fancy clothes and makeup, she is making it on her own and trying to live a simple life. She has been training in martial arts, and is determined never to be a victim again. But she begins to suspect foul play when it appears a petty burglar has tried to get access to her home. Then odd romantic items begin showing up that reminds her of her past with David Maxwell. Without any real threat, there isn’t much the police can do. But when it appears that a local kidnaper and rapist has ties to her past, the threat becomes quite real.
I think this is where the story starts to go wrong for me. We learn right off the bat that the evil bad guy of this story is not someone from her past coming to settle an old score, but a psycho copycat serial killer named Eugene Kuusik. He is fascinated with the legend of Nate Brewster, aka ‘The Seattle Slasher�, the man who tried to kill Talia while slowly torturing her. So while Talia’s past may be coming back to haunt her indirectly, the suspense just wasn’t on par with the last two books. She ruined many lives in the previous books, so it felt off that it was a stranger who is causing her problems now.
Unlike the previous two books, this one had very little mystery for the reader to solve. We are told in full detail about the crimes and his intentions all the way through. And there wasn’t the ‘race against the clock� kind of feeling we got in the first two books either. There were a few twists toward the end that helped, but oddly made the story only that much more bizarre too.
But the real issue I had with Run From Fear wasn’t so much the lackluster suspense, it was the fizzle of a romance between Talia and Jack. He was too good for her. Period. I really didn’t like this new Talia, or her snotty little sister. She treated him terribly though much of the book, she let her pride get in the way far too many times, and she made foolish decisions repeatedly. Would I call her a TSTL heroine? No, but she came real close too often for my liking.
Jack was hands-down the best part of the book, and he is worth getting to know. He is awesome hot, amazingly protective, has a heart the size of Texas, and only has eyes for Talia. Sigh. ;-) We also learn he has a thing for rescuing ‘wounded birds�, and has failed at trying to save women in the past who were not willing to accept his help or do the right thing. He realizes Talia is another wounded bird, and tries like mad to get her to make the right choices for her own protection.
I really wanted to love this book, but in the end it was just OK. This is one of those romances where I just don’t understand what the hero sees in the heroine. I LOVED Jack, and my heart broke for him over and over in this story as he tried to reason with Talia. But she was so focused on her spoiled/wounded pride she was not able to see Jack clearly or logically. The romance never fully heated up for me because Talia remained cold and distance through most of the story. Initially I gave her a big break because I understood the trauma she endured, but I felt her attitude against Jack went on far too long and was simply too much at times. On the bright side, if you are a fan of the Gemini series you might enjoy this one a bit more as we see all the major players from that series.
Run From Fear is Talia and Jack’s story. The last we saw of these two she had helped serve the final nail that brought down a massive international crime ring, and then went back into deep hiding where only Jack, her former bodyguard, knew how to find her.
This story takes place two years later with Talia and her little sister living in Palo Alto, California and no longer in need of their false identities. She hasn’t seen nor heard from Jack in two years, and then he walks into the restaurant where she is working to say hello. Jack works for Gemini securities and is in town for a few months on a big job.
Talia has changed quite a bit from the woman we knew in the previous books. No longer the trophy girl with fancy clothes and makeup, she is making it on her own and trying to live a simple life. She has been training in martial arts, and is determined never to be a victim again. But she begins to suspect foul play when it appears a petty burglar has tried to get access to her home. Then odd romantic items begin showing up that reminds her of her past with David Maxwell. Without any real threat, there isn’t much the police can do. But when it appears that a local kidnaper and rapist has ties to her past, the threat becomes quite real.
I think this is where the story starts to go wrong for me. We learn right off the bat that the evil bad guy of this story is not someone from her past coming to settle an old score, but a psycho copycat serial killer named Eugene Kuusik. He is fascinated with the legend of Nate Brewster, aka ‘The Seattle Slasher�, the man who tried to kill Talia while slowly torturing her. So while Talia’s past may be coming back to haunt her indirectly, the suspense just wasn’t on par with the last two books. She ruined many lives in the previous books, so it felt off that it was a stranger who is causing her problems now.
Unlike the previous two books, this one had very little mystery for the reader to solve. We are told in full detail about the crimes and his intentions all the way through. And there wasn’t the ‘race against the clock� kind of feeling we got in the first two books either. There were a few twists toward the end that helped, but oddly made the story only that much more bizarre too.
But the real issue I had with Run From Fear wasn’t so much the lackluster suspense, it was the fizzle of a romance between Talia and Jack. He was too good for her. Period. I really didn’t like this new Talia, or her snotty little sister. She treated him terribly though much of the book, she let her pride get in the way far too many times, and she made foolish decisions repeatedly. Would I call her a TSTL heroine? No, but she came real close too often for my liking.
Jack was hands-down the best part of the book, and he is worth getting to know. He is awesome hot, amazingly protective, has a heart the size of Texas, and only has eyes for Talia. Sigh. ;-) We also learn he has a thing for rescuing ‘wounded birds�, and has failed at trying to save women in the past who were not willing to accept his help or do the right thing. He realizes Talia is another wounded bird, and tries like mad to get her to make the right choices for her own protection.
I really wanted to love this book, but in the end it was just OK. This is one of those romances where I just don’t understand what the hero sees in the heroine. I LOVED Jack, and my heart broke for him over and over in this story as he tried to reason with Talia. But she was so focused on her spoiled/wounded pride she was not able to see Jack clearly or logically. The romance never fully heated up for me because Talia remained cold and distance through most of the story. Initially I gave her a big break because I understood the trauma she endured, but I felt her attitude against Jack went on far too long and was simply too much at times. On the bright side, if you are a fan of the Gemini series you might enjoy this one a bit more as we see all the major players from that series.
August 23, 2017
For the most part I liked both main characters. Talia didn’t make the best choices in the past, but everything she did was with the intent to carve out a better future for her and her teenage sister. And after surviving the terrible things that were done to her by a serial killer, all she wanted to do was make a better future for them and not relying on anyone else. This was very admirable but it also make her difficult to like at times, since she kept on pushing away Jack, who only wanted to protect her.
Now Jack Brooks I really liked. In the two years since he rescued Talia from the pain she had suffered, he’s tried to keep her safe from a distance but he’s never been able to get her out of his mind. I loved how focused he was on her, on keeping her safe and making sure she was happy. He definitely was a very sweet hero.
The romance was definitely better for me than the previous two books, but I still didn’t love it and I find it difficult to explain why. Perhaps because Talia kept pushing Jack away? Or perhaps because I just didn’t feel any intensity between them?
I have to say this author knows how to write chilling suspense and although it wasn’t as dark and twisty as the previous books the plot was very gripping and thrilling with the villain focused on Talia Vega, intent on resurrecting her darkest past.
I remember loving this book the first time I read it, but three years later it doesn’t hold up so well anymore and I hate it when that happens. Still for readers who love dark and twisty RS this is an enjoyable series.
February 7, 2012
Story Rating 4 stars
Character Rating, Hero Jack - 5 stars, Heroine Talia - 3 stars
Romance Rating 4 stars
Heat Level 3.5 stars
Overall Rating 4 stars
I really liked this story, it kept me interested all the way through. I just felt that it was not as good as the two previous book's. The action, suspense and the villain just not near what the other book's were. But the hero, sighhhhhhhhhh, he made the book for me. I loved Jack. The heroine Talia had some flaws, some of them she had for good reason and others...............
The love scenes were good and hot but you know me, I wish there would have been more :)
I must say the ending was excellent and left me happy overall with the book.
Character Rating, Hero Jack - 5 stars, Heroine Talia - 3 stars
Romance Rating 4 stars
Heat Level 3.5 stars
Overall Rating 4 stars
I really liked this story, it kept me interested all the way through. I just felt that it was not as good as the two previous book's. The action, suspense and the villain just not near what the other book's were. But the hero, sighhhhhhhhhh, he made the book for me. I loved Jack. The heroine Talia had some flaws, some of them she had for good reason and others...............
The love scenes were good and hot but you know me, I wish there would have been more :)
I must say the ending was excellent and left me happy overall with the book.
March 1, 2012
Rating 3.5
This is the third book in a series that started with a bang with Beg for Mercy and before starting it I had my reservations, mainly because of Talia the heroine.
When we met Talia in the first book I didn't like her much, yes she was a victim but her actions had had consequences. The book opens almost two years later, Talia has tried to rebuild her life away from the Seattle Slasher and the Talia who flaunted her beauty and fell in love with a monster, who used her, abused her and threatened the one thing that Talia held dear, her sister Rosie, is gone. Her self-esteem is decimated and we see this through out the book, she doesn't trust her judgment or men and then she sees Jack again.
Jack represents her past, he saw her at her lowest and saved her and Talia feels shame seeing him, shame that he knows who she used to be, that she was foolish enough to be the mistress of a monster. Now, I have to say Talia was her toughest critic, she beat herself for everything she had done and the choices she had made and that is what made it hard for me to dislike her since she already despised herself enough.
Jack, oh, Jack he was a totally yummy hero. Protective to the extreme I might say and I loved him. He had kept tabs on Talia and her sister though he never told Talia because he knew that her past had done a number on her and she needed to feel powerful again, as if she was in control. I admired him a lot and when we see the flashes to his past, I felt for him, he had always been the protector, when his father beat them and even years later with another woman, but he took on too much of responsibility. I thought that his feelings for Talia may stem back to his past but they didn't, he saw her totally and didn't judge her.
The suspense was great as well, creepy since we know who the bad guy is and go into his mind and his effort to relive the Seattle Slasher.
There were things that lessened my enjoyment, I didn't like Talia's sister much, she was a brat in my opinion and Talia herself, she had a tendency to over-analyze stuff and I know it was because of her past but I didn't like how she pushed and hurt Jack in the process.
All in all an enjoyable book but not as great as Beg for Mercy.
*ARC provided by Netgalley
This is the third book in a series that started with a bang with Beg for Mercy and before starting it I had my reservations, mainly because of Talia the heroine.
When we met Talia in the first book I didn't like her much, yes she was a victim but her actions had had consequences. The book opens almost two years later, Talia has tried to rebuild her life away from the Seattle Slasher and the Talia who flaunted her beauty and fell in love with a monster, who used her, abused her and threatened the one thing that Talia held dear, her sister Rosie, is gone. Her self-esteem is decimated and we see this through out the book, she doesn't trust her judgment or men and then she sees Jack again.
Jack represents her past, he saw her at her lowest and saved her and Talia feels shame seeing him, shame that he knows who she used to be, that she was foolish enough to be the mistress of a monster. Now, I have to say Talia was her toughest critic, she beat herself for everything she had done and the choices she had made and that is what made it hard for me to dislike her since she already despised herself enough.
Jack, oh, Jack he was a totally yummy hero. Protective to the extreme I might say and I loved him. He had kept tabs on Talia and her sister though he never told Talia because he knew that her past had done a number on her and she needed to feel powerful again, as if she was in control. I admired him a lot and when we see the flashes to his past, I felt for him, he had always been the protector, when his father beat them and even years later with another woman, but he took on too much of responsibility. I thought that his feelings for Talia may stem back to his past but they didn't, he saw her totally and didn't judge her.
The suspense was great as well, creepy since we know who the bad guy is and go into his mind and his effort to relive the Seattle Slasher.
There were things that lessened my enjoyment, I didn't like Talia's sister much, she was a brat in my opinion and Talia herself, she had a tendency to over-analyze stuff and I know it was because of her past but I didn't like how she pushed and hurt Jack in the process.
All in all an enjoyable book but not as great as Beg for Mercy.
*ARC provided by Netgalley
March 21, 2012
I think I had too big hopes for this book.
I wanted it to be marvelous!
It was just an ok suspense book that had about everything thrown in, including the kitchen sink. :/
I dragged my feet with writing this review, because nothing really gripped me in the whole plot.
The reason I did in the end sit down to write it is to talk about expectations�
From previous books I had a distinct liking for the heroine and a very lukewarm feel concerning the hero. I saw him as one more broken cookie collector with a spec of alpha thrown in. These are a dime a dozen these days and are a no great mystery to me.
So what was the twist, you ask me?
After I read the book, I actually liked the hero and wanted to bleach out the heroine from my mind.
Her strong woman persona that could have grown in to something special turned caricaturistic. She was, all at once, this martial arts down to earth babe with an attitude. I had a strong urge to ask if she was also bitten by a radioactive spider, just like Spiderman. And do not get me started on all the bad man and stalkers that are coming out of the woodwork right at her. It was a circus. :/
The bottom line is: this whole experience was depressing. This is a book by an author I really love and I was anxiously anticipating the read.
The good thing is, I got the book from NetGalley. And the sad thing is that I will not be getting my copy of it.
I wanted it to be marvelous!
It was just an ok suspense book that had about everything thrown in, including the kitchen sink. :/
I dragged my feet with writing this review, because nothing really gripped me in the whole plot.
The reason I did in the end sit down to write it is to talk about expectations�
From previous books I had a distinct liking for the heroine and a very lukewarm feel concerning the hero. I saw him as one more broken cookie collector with a spec of alpha thrown in. These are a dime a dozen these days and are a no great mystery to me.
So what was the twist, you ask me?
After I read the book, I actually liked the hero and wanted to bleach out the heroine from my mind.
Her strong woman persona that could have grown in to something special turned caricaturistic. She was, all at once, this martial arts down to earth babe with an attitude. I had a strong urge to ask if she was also bitten by a radioactive spider, just like Spiderman. And do not get me started on all the bad man and stalkers that are coming out of the woodwork right at her. It was a circus. :/
The bottom line is: this whole experience was depressing. This is a book by an author I really love and I was anxiously anticipating the read.
The good thing is, I got the book from NetGalley. And the sad thing is that I will not be getting my copy of it.
March 15, 2012
I'm going to be honest and say I wasn't really looking forward to the third installment to the Trilogy series. To me, the series was always about Megan Flynn trying to exonerate her brother Sean and the aftermath of Sean being found not-guilty. I didn't like Talia Vega, in either book, despite what horrible things she had suffered because of Nate Brewster. I was iffy on Jack Brooks, because he seemed shady and wishy washy at times. But, I'm absolutely, positively glad I picked this one up because it was absolutely fabulous and changed all my feelings about Talia and Jack.
The story picks up two years after the events in Beg for Mercy and Hide from Evil. Talia is living in Northern California and trying to put together some semblance of a normal life for herself and her eighteen year old sister, Rosie. But she's still haunted by what Nate Brewster, David Maxwell and Margaret Grayson-Maxwell did to her. So it's no surprise that when she starts receiving "gifts" in the mail that were things David Maxwell gave to her, she starts to freak out. What she wasn't counting on was Jack Brooks showing up.
Jack has been keeping his eye on Talia and Rosie, from a distance, for the past two years. He knew how important it was for Talia to feel like she was rebuilding her life and he knew that his feelings for her would always make him want to wrap her up and protect her. When business brings him to Northern California, he stops by to check on her. When their visit didn't go quite as planned, he vowed to stay away. But Talia's gifts make him take control and do what he needs to do to protect her.
As I said at the beginning of this post, I was really crazy about either Jack or Talia in the previous two books. But this book gives you a bird's eye view on just how scarred both of these characters are.
Talia is dealing with the guilt and fear the have been her constant companions since Nate Brewster kidnapped her. She knows it was her mistakes that landed herself and Rosie in the situation that they are in and she trying to ensure they have as normal a life as possible. Unfortunately, despite how she feels about Jack (and she really does like him) all she thinks he sees is the woman he rescued and pities her.
Jack isn't much better off in the emotional department. He had an abusive father with a mother was wasn't willing to help herself or her kids. He tried to save a friend and her son from an abusive Green Beret teammate, but instead had to deal with the aftermath of their murder/suicide. And then there is Talia and what she went through. The man is a big pile of mush covered in muscle.
Putting these two together is a tremendous emotional roller coaster. She pushes, he pulls. He says yes, she says no. But when they do finally get their act together and connect, as a reader you can visually see to halves joining together.
As with the other two books in the series, Jami Alden creates some fabulously evil characters who try to wreck havoc in our hero and heroine's lives. In this case, it's a geeky physics TA who has a need to emulate his hero and take a step his hero was never able to take. He's creepy, in an unassuming kind of way, that may have you looking at the quiet ones a little bit differently!
The story picks up two years after the events in Beg for Mercy and Hide from Evil. Talia is living in Northern California and trying to put together some semblance of a normal life for herself and her eighteen year old sister, Rosie. But she's still haunted by what Nate Brewster, David Maxwell and Margaret Grayson-Maxwell did to her. So it's no surprise that when she starts receiving "gifts" in the mail that were things David Maxwell gave to her, she starts to freak out. What she wasn't counting on was Jack Brooks showing up.
Jack has been keeping his eye on Talia and Rosie, from a distance, for the past two years. He knew how important it was for Talia to feel like she was rebuilding her life and he knew that his feelings for her would always make him want to wrap her up and protect her. When business brings him to Northern California, he stops by to check on her. When their visit didn't go quite as planned, he vowed to stay away. But Talia's gifts make him take control and do what he needs to do to protect her.
As I said at the beginning of this post, I was really crazy about either Jack or Talia in the previous two books. But this book gives you a bird's eye view on just how scarred both of these characters are.
Talia is dealing with the guilt and fear the have been her constant companions since Nate Brewster kidnapped her. She knows it was her mistakes that landed herself and Rosie in the situation that they are in and she trying to ensure they have as normal a life as possible. Unfortunately, despite how she feels about Jack (and she really does like him) all she thinks he sees is the woman he rescued and pities her.
Jack isn't much better off in the emotional department. He had an abusive father with a mother was wasn't willing to help herself or her kids. He tried to save a friend and her son from an abusive Green Beret teammate, but instead had to deal with the aftermath of their murder/suicide. And then there is Talia and what she went through. The man is a big pile of mush covered in muscle.
Putting these two together is a tremendous emotional roller coaster. She pushes, he pulls. He says yes, she says no. But when they do finally get their act together and connect, as a reader you can visually see to halves joining together.
As with the other two books in the series, Jami Alden creates some fabulously evil characters who try to wreck havoc in our hero and heroine's lives. In this case, it's a geeky physics TA who has a need to emulate his hero and take a step his hero was never able to take. He's creepy, in an unassuming kind of way, that may have you looking at the quiet ones a little bit differently!
November 13, 2015
3.5 stars
March 14, 2012
3.5 Stars
Well there are so many things I really enjoyed about this book but it wasn't my favorite in the series.
I loved Jack, he was a wonderfully perfect Hero. The bad guy was a real creep but I'm not sure why he was so obsessed by the heroine. The suspense storyline was lacking especially when compared to the other books in the series.
I had to deduct a star for the heroine, Talia. She got on my very last nerve and jumped up and down! I know I'm tough on the heroines but this woman drove me bonkers.
Ah well, I love Jami Alden and will read anything she writes. Her Alpha Heroes are over the top protective and the steam is always nice and hot!
Well there are so many things I really enjoyed about this book but it wasn't my favorite in the series.
I loved Jack, he was a wonderfully perfect Hero. The bad guy was a real creep but I'm not sure why he was so obsessed by the heroine. The suspense storyline was lacking especially when compared to the other books in the series.
I had to deduct a star for the heroine, Talia. She got on my very last nerve and jumped up and down! I know I'm tough on the heroines but this woman drove me bonkers.
Ah well, I love Jami Alden and will read anything she writes. Her Alpha Heroes are over the top protective and the steam is always nice and hot!
January 30, 2016
Run from Fear
2 Stars
After escaping the clutches of a madman, Talia Vega is finally rebuilding her life, and the last thing she wants is a reminder of her past in the form of Jack Brooks, the man who rescued her. Jack has never been able to forget Talia and feels compelled to protect her, especially when someone from the past resurfaces to threaten everything that Talia holds dear.
The first two books in this series are very entertaining. Unfortunately, this one is a dud as neither the hero nor the heroine manage to evoke any sympathy and the suspense plot has too many disconnected threads.
Talia is a problematic heroine. On the one hand, her troubling past is, to a large extent, the result of her own naïveté and bad choices (some of which had detrimental effects on others), but on the other, she is also a victim of the machinations of a manipulative and charismatic man. Regardless, she comes across as weak-willed and her hot/cold reactions to Jack are off-putting.
Jack’s propensity toward overstepping his bounds and controlling situations does not make for an appealing hero either. In fact, his behavior is borderline obsessive and stalkerish.
Aside from weak romance, the suspense plot is far too convoluted. The story would have been better served with one more simple yet better developed plot rather than the more complex twists that really don’t go anywhere. Moreover, the villain has potential as a real threat, but his psychological makeup is inconsistent with his criminal acts.
The secondary characters do little to improve the situation as Talia’s sister, Rosie, comes across as a spoiled brat and her alleged friend Susie is exceedingly manipulative. One additional problem is the numerous references to characters from an earlier series that do not appear in any of the earlier books in this series. The only possible conclusion is that the author is shamelessly plugging her other series.
All in all, a huge disappointment.
2 Stars
After escaping the clutches of a madman, Talia Vega is finally rebuilding her life, and the last thing she wants is a reminder of her past in the form of Jack Brooks, the man who rescued her. Jack has never been able to forget Talia and feels compelled to protect her, especially when someone from the past resurfaces to threaten everything that Talia holds dear.
The first two books in this series are very entertaining. Unfortunately, this one is a dud as neither the hero nor the heroine manage to evoke any sympathy and the suspense plot has too many disconnected threads.
Talia is a problematic heroine. On the one hand, her troubling past is, to a large extent, the result of her own naïveté and bad choices (some of which had detrimental effects on others), but on the other, she is also a victim of the machinations of a manipulative and charismatic man. Regardless, she comes across as weak-willed and her hot/cold reactions to Jack are off-putting.
Jack’s propensity toward overstepping his bounds and controlling situations does not make for an appealing hero either. In fact, his behavior is borderline obsessive and stalkerish.
Aside from weak romance, the suspense plot is far too convoluted. The story would have been better served with one more simple yet better developed plot rather than the more complex twists that really don’t go anywhere. Moreover, the villain has potential as a real threat, but his psychological makeup is inconsistent with his criminal acts.
The secondary characters do little to improve the situation as Talia’s sister, Rosie, comes across as a spoiled brat and her alleged friend Susie is exceedingly manipulative. One additional problem is the numerous references to characters from an earlier series that do not appear in any of the earlier books in this series. The only possible conclusion is that the author is shamelessly plugging her other series.
All in all, a huge disappointment.
February 29, 2012
Run from Fear by Jami Alden is the much coveted 3rd book in the untitled trilogy that showcases Jami’s remarkable ability in delivering romantic suspense the way we readers crave them. Anyone who has read the 1st book in the series entitled Beg for Mercy would have encountered the larger than life Jack Brooks and definitely craved to learn more about the man behind the intimidating figure. I belong in the said group and when I saw this title up for grabs at Netgalley, I quickly seized my chance get my hands on a copy. Though I was disappointed in the book when compared to the previous 2 books in the series, Jami Alden still manages to deliver a decent romantic suspense that makes for a none too shabby a read.
Talia Vega is slowly making a life for herself in an affluent corner of California, having survived one of the most horrific incidents a woman can ever go through. Two years of her life spent in hiding with her younger sister Rosario in tow means that Talia appreciates the freedom that life has offered her with the death of the man who had made her a slave of his in every way. Talia’s regrets in life are many, and the way she looks at herself and comes up lacking is one of the many scars left behind with many more, some of them even physical in nature. Talia’s only aim is to give her sister everything she has got to give and though she feels those tendrils of unease coursing through her every now and then, she lets them slide through never knowing that her days of enjoying peace, serenity and order in her life are quite numbered.
Jack Brooks is ex-military and works in the security business. From the moment Jack had encountered the sexy siren version of Talia, Jack had been a goner. And watching Talia pick up the pieces of her tattered life and come out fighting the demons that must haunt her just makes Jack feel emotions of a stronger nature towards a woman who already has him on a dangerous edge. Jack stays on the sidelines, never letting Talia know just how much he is affected by her, and only re-enters her life 2 years later in order to severe the ties that binds him to her, or so he tells himself.
But so it happens, danger is never too far from Talia and Rosario and once again Talia is the focus of a stalker who would stop at nothing to complete a legacy that he claims to be rightfully his. Jack once he learns of the danger is as unmovable as a ton of steel and whether Talia wants it or not, Jack is around to stay until he can once again breathe easy, knowing that Talia and Rosario would remain safe from the clutches of mad men.
As always, Jami Alden does a superb job out of creating a villain, whose vicious thoughts alone is enough to give a person the shivers of the bad variety. But knowing who the villain was right from the very start somehow stole all the glory from the suspense aspect of the story, though the nature of the villain’s fascination with Talia and how he goes about securing access to Talia is one that was splendid.
Talia was a tough nut to crack. Though she is beautiful, smart and independent, she has a lot of self esteem issues, understandable when throughout her life men had deceived and made use of her. Talia is not ready for a relationship, especially not with someone like Jack who makes her feel uncomfortable and tingly all over, all at the same time. Talia is cautious with whom she gives her trust, and comes across as a bitch sometimes and makes life pretty much miserable for Jack who adores the very path that she walks on. And maybe it was because of that reason that I couldn’t like Talia much though she makes for a strong heroine in most of the ways.
Now, Jack Brooks is the type of hero that I salivate over all the time. I like larger than life heroes and Jack is one of them whose sheer size is in direct contrast with his gentle nature. He has “knight in shining armor� syndrome, something that had been triggered due to the abuse he had witnessed and gone through as a child. And when it comes to Talia, Jack’s over protectiveness is something to behold, his utter lack of control around Talia something to be savored. His gentleness around Talia who is skittish as a newborn colt when it comes to expressing sexual desire was one of the best aspects of his character. I totally fell for him because Jack is a man who is willing to do anything, and I mean literally anything to be with the woman he loves, to protect and cosset her and give her the life that he feels she deserves.
So, even though certain elements within the story didn’t work that well for me, Run from Fear still made for a great read, Jack Brooks� character the reason I am bumping the rating from the “good read� range to the “great read� range.
Recommended for fans of the series and fans of Jami Alden. Jami certainly knows how to deliver on heroes that would appeal to the female readers and Jack Brooks is no exception.
Rating=4/5
Quotes included below.
Talia Vega is slowly making a life for herself in an affluent corner of California, having survived one of the most horrific incidents a woman can ever go through. Two years of her life spent in hiding with her younger sister Rosario in tow means that Talia appreciates the freedom that life has offered her with the death of the man who had made her a slave of his in every way. Talia’s regrets in life are many, and the way she looks at herself and comes up lacking is one of the many scars left behind with many more, some of them even physical in nature. Talia’s only aim is to give her sister everything she has got to give and though she feels those tendrils of unease coursing through her every now and then, she lets them slide through never knowing that her days of enjoying peace, serenity and order in her life are quite numbered.
Jack Brooks is ex-military and works in the security business. From the moment Jack had encountered the sexy siren version of Talia, Jack had been a goner. And watching Talia pick up the pieces of her tattered life and come out fighting the demons that must haunt her just makes Jack feel emotions of a stronger nature towards a woman who already has him on a dangerous edge. Jack stays on the sidelines, never letting Talia know just how much he is affected by her, and only re-enters her life 2 years later in order to severe the ties that binds him to her, or so he tells himself.
But so it happens, danger is never too far from Talia and Rosario and once again Talia is the focus of a stalker who would stop at nothing to complete a legacy that he claims to be rightfully his. Jack once he learns of the danger is as unmovable as a ton of steel and whether Talia wants it or not, Jack is around to stay until he can once again breathe easy, knowing that Talia and Rosario would remain safe from the clutches of mad men.
As always, Jami Alden does a superb job out of creating a villain, whose vicious thoughts alone is enough to give a person the shivers of the bad variety. But knowing who the villain was right from the very start somehow stole all the glory from the suspense aspect of the story, though the nature of the villain’s fascination with Talia and how he goes about securing access to Talia is one that was splendid.
Talia was a tough nut to crack. Though she is beautiful, smart and independent, she has a lot of self esteem issues, understandable when throughout her life men had deceived and made use of her. Talia is not ready for a relationship, especially not with someone like Jack who makes her feel uncomfortable and tingly all over, all at the same time. Talia is cautious with whom she gives her trust, and comes across as a bitch sometimes and makes life pretty much miserable for Jack who adores the very path that she walks on. And maybe it was because of that reason that I couldn’t like Talia much though she makes for a strong heroine in most of the ways.
Now, Jack Brooks is the type of hero that I salivate over all the time. I like larger than life heroes and Jack is one of them whose sheer size is in direct contrast with his gentle nature. He has “knight in shining armor� syndrome, something that had been triggered due to the abuse he had witnessed and gone through as a child. And when it comes to Talia, Jack’s over protectiveness is something to behold, his utter lack of control around Talia something to be savored. His gentleness around Talia who is skittish as a newborn colt when it comes to expressing sexual desire was one of the best aspects of his character. I totally fell for him because Jack is a man who is willing to do anything, and I mean literally anything to be with the woman he loves, to protect and cosset her and give her the life that he feels she deserves.
So, even though certain elements within the story didn’t work that well for me, Run from Fear still made for a great read, Jack Brooks� character the reason I am bumping the rating from the “good read� range to the “great read� range.
Recommended for fans of the series and fans of Jami Alden. Jami certainly knows how to deliver on heroes that would appeal to the female readers and Jack Brooks is no exception.
Rating=4/5
Quotes included below.
July 28, 2015
The third and final book in this trilogy, Run from Fear, jumps a couple of years on from Hide form Evil. This time we catch up with Talia and her sister Rosario, and of course sexy Jack. Since the take down of David Maxwell’s empire, Talia has been able to live out in the open, although she doesn’t broadcast who she is. She now works as a bar manager and her sister is at Stanford. Things are pretty good.
Unfortunately it all change for the worst as Talia stars to receive gifts from her past that bring a cold chill to her bones. It’s a past she’s tried hard to forget, but someone out there doesn’t want her to. Although there are two threads to the suspense plot, as we find out their are two unconnected baddies, for one of them we really don’t find out why they did the things they did, but we do get to know who both baddies are.
I can’t say I loved this book as much as I did the previous two, it was addictive reading as always, but I thought it was the weakest instalment plot wise, and there were a couple of irritating characters, namely Rosario, who just acted too dumb for an 18 year old, and Talia’s friend, Susie, who was too selfish for words. I did like both Talia and Jack as our hero and heroine though, and I believed in their relationship and budding romance. It did take a while for the romance aspect to get going, but I understand it had to be handled lightly due to Talia’s past and what happened to her.
I enjoyed how protective Jack was of Talia and her sister and how much he wanted to keep them safe. I also liked how he kept his feelings for Talia in check because of her history. He is thoughtful, caring and just an all round nice guy. But he also has a quick temper, and although it’s never aimed at the women in his life and never would be, any threat to them would be dealt with his fists and without remorse. Jack is a bad boy but with a soft center.
I was disappointed that we didn’t get to see any of the characters from the previous books as it would have been nice to see how they were doing. The conclusion to this instalment was a little rushed with respect to the suspenseful plot and the romance. I would have liked it to be drawn out for a few more chapters at the end but there was a definitive conclusion, and it was pretty cute.
Unfortunately it all change for the worst as Talia stars to receive gifts from her past that bring a cold chill to her bones. It’s a past she’s tried hard to forget, but someone out there doesn’t want her to. Although there are two threads to the suspense plot, as we find out their are two unconnected baddies, for one of them we really don’t find out why they did the things they did, but we do get to know who both baddies are.
I can’t say I loved this book as much as I did the previous two, it was addictive reading as always, but I thought it was the weakest instalment plot wise, and there were a couple of irritating characters, namely Rosario, who just acted too dumb for an 18 year old, and Talia’s friend, Susie, who was too selfish for words. I did like both Talia and Jack as our hero and heroine though, and I believed in their relationship and budding romance. It did take a while for the romance aspect to get going, but I understand it had to be handled lightly due to Talia’s past and what happened to her.
I enjoyed how protective Jack was of Talia and her sister and how much he wanted to keep them safe. I also liked how he kept his feelings for Talia in check because of her history. He is thoughtful, caring and just an all round nice guy. But he also has a quick temper, and although it’s never aimed at the women in his life and never would be, any threat to them would be dealt with his fists and without remorse. Jack is a bad boy but with a soft center.
I was disappointed that we didn’t get to see any of the characters from the previous books as it would have been nice to see how they were doing. The conclusion to this instalment was a little rushed with respect to the suspenseful plot and the romance. I would have liked it to be drawn out for a few more chapters at the end but there was a definitive conclusion, and it was pretty cute.
April 28, 2019
RATING: 4 STARS
(Review Not on Blog)
Talia Vega survived the Seattle Slasher with the help of the ex-Green Beret, Jack Brooks. Wanting to leave her terrifying past she moves to another town close to her now college bound sister, Rosario. She also wants to get away from Jack who she feels greatly attracted to but thinks he sees her as a broken victim.
Soon Talia starts receiving items that David, her ex-lover and mad man, had given to her and her home is being violated. Rosario calls Jack and suddenly Talia is not only running for her life but for her heart.
***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***
Jack has tried to forget Talia but can't and he will jeopardize his heart, job and life to keep her safe and for a moment with her. Together they must work together to find the her stalker.
Another great novel by Jami Alden and I am so glad she decided to write Talia and Jack's story. From book one I have liked Talia and could not wait to find out more about her. She is a strong woman stuck in a bad situation and thought herself in love with a man who loved her.
This novel also features men and women from Alden's Gemini Trilogy as Jack is a member of Gemini Security. Although I already know the outcome of the trilogy I will give book 1 a shot. I do kind of wish I would have known this before as I am a stickler with order.
(Review Not on Blog)
Talia Vega survived the Seattle Slasher with the help of the ex-Green Beret, Jack Brooks. Wanting to leave her terrifying past she moves to another town close to her now college bound sister, Rosario. She also wants to get away from Jack who she feels greatly attracted to but thinks he sees her as a broken victim.
Soon Talia starts receiving items that David, her ex-lover and mad man, had given to her and her home is being violated. Rosario calls Jack and suddenly Talia is not only running for her life but for her heart.
***I received an eARC from NETGALLEY***
Jack has tried to forget Talia but can't and he will jeopardize his heart, job and life to keep her safe and for a moment with her. Together they must work together to find the her stalker.
Another great novel by Jami Alden and I am so glad she decided to write Talia and Jack's story. From book one I have liked Talia and could not wait to find out more about her. She is a strong woman stuck in a bad situation and thought herself in love with a man who loved her.
This novel also features men and women from Alden's Gemini Trilogy as Jack is a member of Gemini Security. Although I already know the outcome of the trilogy I will give book 1 a shot. I do kind of wish I would have known this before as I am a stickler with order.
March 15, 2012
After such a powerful beginning with the first two books, the finale in "Run from Fear" was a little disappointing. Still yet, this trilogy will remain one of my favorites. Jami Alden did a fabulous job with character development and the well-balanced blend of romance and suspense.
Jack gets an A+ rating. He stayed true to himself and he's just about perfect in every way. He never waivered in his loyalty and determination towards Talia and Rosie.
Talia, on the other hand, drove me nuts. Her character made me ask, "why can't you see what's before your very eyes?" I will give her credit for unselfish devotion and love for Rosie.
I wish the author had waited a bit longer to reveal the villain. That decision lessened the suspense for me. Overall, I still enjoyed this book and one of the best romantic suspense trilogies to come along in awhile.
Jack gets an A+ rating. He stayed true to himself and he's just about perfect in every way. He never waivered in his loyalty and determination towards Talia and Rosie.
Talia, on the other hand, drove me nuts. Her character made me ask, "why can't you see what's before your very eyes?" I will give her credit for unselfish devotion and love for Rosie.
I wish the author had waited a bit longer to reveal the villain. That decision lessened the suspense for me. Overall, I still enjoyed this book and one of the best romantic suspense trilogies to come along in awhile.
August 5, 2012
I wanted to like this book, and probably would have if the heroine didn't DRIVE ME CRAZY. I admired her survival of terrible abuse, both the psychological and horribe asssult that happened in the first book. BUT she hurt the people she loved, and didn't just have a wall she threw poison knives from behind it. The hero was lovely, dark and deep. mmm, this author knows how to write great male leads. Frankly, others may really like this female lead, but she wasn't my cuppa...I look forward to reading more of this author's work...
September 21, 2014
Excellent! I love this trilogy. Jack was so much better than I had imagined. I just loved him. Talia was strong, bullheaded and a pain in Jacks ass. But Talia was seriously messed up after what happened to her in book one. I loved all the drama, the slow build up to the eventual romance and the action. The baddie was crazy, nasty and just plain creepy. What I really hope is that there will be more books. I mean come on Tomas needs a book and so does Ben. Hint hint Mrs. Alden..
February 23, 2014
Great suspense. Nice romance but dropped a star because of Talia. She seemed a bit too ungrateful for everything Jack did for her. I understand her past and all she went thru but her belief that Jack would try to control her like David Maxwell, annoyed me when Jack has done nothing but protect her and her sister.
The suspense was spot on but I felt the killer died too easily. I wanted to see him realize he failed.
Still a good book but the heroine took it down a star for me.
The suspense was spot on but I felt the killer died too easily. I wanted to see him realize he failed.
Still a good book but the heroine took it down a star for me.
February 29, 2012
Well while i have to agree with other reviewers in that knowing who the bad guy was in advance sorta killed that aspect this is still a great book. The ups and downs of the roller coaster relationship between Jack and Talia made this an awesome book. Cannot wait to see if this is the end or if more stories are to come.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
May 17, 2014
This was just crap, the girl was just selfish B$$$h and Jack too sweet with hero complex deserved better. Like seriously how do justify lying ..... And putting someone on death row just so your sister don't go into foster care....I really was hoping for better story line. Crap crap....sucks.....the first book was the best and not everything need to be a series!
June 4, 2016
i didn't think that this would be a 5 Star book for me but Jami Alden has the knack for taking a story south of the direction you think it should go and then before you realise it gone North!! A great ending to what for me was my ideal read. Off to look at what Ms Alden has in store for me next.
February 5, 2017
Actual Rating: 2.5 Stars
Run from FearÌýwasn't the worst book in the world, but it was definitely a lot less enjoyable for me than the first two books in this series... and that may or may not be a good thing depending on what you take away from my opinions of the first two Dead WrongÌýbooks.
The heroine in this third book, Talia Vega, had shown a penchant for TSTL-ism in the previous book, Hide from Evil. ÌýHer need to keep everything a secret to keep everyone safe was already grating on my nerves, because NOT saying anything and NOT testifying against the bad guy... or even keeping the bad guy's name a secret seemed to have been doing more harm to everyone than keeping them safe.
So, to be honest, I wasn't expecting much from her in this third book. ÌýBut then we start everything off with Talia being a very changed woman--she's learning to defend herself, she's become super vigilant with her security... although I really think that was all she had going for her, because not soon after that, she ends up showing us how wishy-washy, ungrateful, and manipulative she can be.
I understand that Talia was supposed to come out looking like she just wasn't sure of herself, unable to trust other people, didn't know how to lead a normal life, etc., etc.... ÌýBut the entire "woe is me' thing dragged on for so long that it started feeling tiresome for me. ÌýAnd her constant hot-cold behavior with Jack made it all the more frustrating. ÌýBecause while there were definitely a lot of things Jack did that crossed several lines, it wasn't as if she made it easy for him to take the direct approach and NOT keep certain secrets from her. ÌýI'm not excusing Jack's behavior, because coming from a different man, not as well-intentioned as him, we would call it stalking.
But when you've always got a woman who is obsessing over the fact that nobody will ever find her attractive again, or that there's no one in the world she can trust, or that she can't just have normal friends, and harping on about the unfairness of it all... Ìýand then she turns around and pushes away everyone who tries to be her friend; and then also practically accuses Jack, not once, but several times, of being nice to her and protecting her just so he could get into her pants... ÌýI'm not entirely sure how to digest this constant back and forth.
"Why doesn't Jack find me attractive? ÌýI'm only an obligation to him because he feels like he couldn't protect me last time. ÌýHe's not interested in me at all and that makes me upset." ÌýAnd then, as quick as the very next page, "He's obviously doing all this for me so he can collect some sexual payment later. ÌýEveryone wants something in return for being nice and helping me. ÌýHe's only interested in getting in my pants."
This dragged on for 70% of the book, and then you can even see her practically looking for reasons to sabotage her relationship with Jack, even after they DO start getting closer.
And all the guy wanted to do was protect her. ÌýWhich was really hard to do considering how much he had to tip toe on eggshells around her all the time. ÌýShe twisted his meaning and his words at least 80% of the time they were together, and then even insulted him by comparing him to a psychotic criminal, even after everything he did to help her.
Then, on top of that, just because she was pissed at him, she pretty much ignored all of his warnings to keep herself safe and secure. ÌýThere was an exchange in the book where Jack practically shoves that point in her face: Ìý"I know you're mad at me about what happened, but don't put yourself at risk just because you're pissed."Ìý In which the next sentence she snaps back with, "Don't try to make me sound stupid."
Talia, honey... you do a damn good job of making yourself sound stupid, all on your own.
I found it a little hard to believe that someone as paranoid about safety as Talia wouldn't have taken any kind of possible threat to her life, or even her sister's life, seriously, if she hadn't been so caught up in her righteous anger towards Jack. ÌýBut then again, even at the beginning of the book, she had her moments of righteous anger directed toward Jack because he tried to beef up the security at her house, despite being paranoid that someone was still out there ready to get her.
So I'm not sure anymore...
Anyway, the premise of the book wasn't entirely bad. ÌýI just found myself continuously frustrated with the characters. ÌýTalia was frustrating, and even as great a guy as Jack was, he was also frustrating. ÌýHis co-workers at Gemini were kind of silent in the background, but Danny came off like an asshole for several chapters. ÌýEven Rosario got frustrating, watching her continuously breaking up with, and getting back together with a guy who's kind of a douchebag... despite the fact that she keeps breaking up with him BECAUSE he's a douchebag.
All-in-all, this book could have been better.
***
I will be using this book for Romance Bingo 2017.
Squares that this book will fit include:
- Too Stupid To Live - Will be explained in my eventual review, but basically, this is the story of a woman who's pride kind of gets in the way of her and her sister's safety. Talia had already shown a penchant for being frustratingly illogical in the second book of this series. I had a feeling that would carry over.
- Love is Murder - Romantic suspense with murder and danger.
- Secret Billionaire - Actually, our hero guesstimates his worth around a million to half a million, but who's splitting hairs? It's not important to this story's plot anyway...
- Interracial Couple - Talia Vega, based on her name and descriptions of her, I assume, is Hispanic, but it is never actually stated.
Run from FearÌýwasn't the worst book in the world, but it was definitely a lot less enjoyable for me than the first two books in this series... and that may or may not be a good thing depending on what you take away from my opinions of the first two Dead WrongÌýbooks.
The heroine in this third book, Talia Vega, had shown a penchant for TSTL-ism in the previous book, Hide from Evil. ÌýHer need to keep everything a secret to keep everyone safe was already grating on my nerves, because NOT saying anything and NOT testifying against the bad guy... or even keeping the bad guy's name a secret seemed to have been doing more harm to everyone than keeping them safe.
So, to be honest, I wasn't expecting much from her in this third book. ÌýBut then we start everything off with Talia being a very changed woman--she's learning to defend herself, she's become super vigilant with her security... although I really think that was all she had going for her, because not soon after that, she ends up showing us how wishy-washy, ungrateful, and manipulative she can be.
I understand that Talia was supposed to come out looking like she just wasn't sure of herself, unable to trust other people, didn't know how to lead a normal life, etc., etc.... ÌýBut the entire "woe is me' thing dragged on for so long that it started feeling tiresome for me. ÌýAnd her constant hot-cold behavior with Jack made it all the more frustrating. ÌýBecause while there were definitely a lot of things Jack did that crossed several lines, it wasn't as if she made it easy for him to take the direct approach and NOT keep certain secrets from her. ÌýI'm not excusing Jack's behavior, because coming from a different man, not as well-intentioned as him, we would call it stalking.
But when you've always got a woman who is obsessing over the fact that nobody will ever find her attractive again, or that there's no one in the world she can trust, or that she can't just have normal friends, and harping on about the unfairness of it all... Ìýand then she turns around and pushes away everyone who tries to be her friend; and then also practically accuses Jack, not once, but several times, of being nice to her and protecting her just so he could get into her pants... ÌýI'm not entirely sure how to digest this constant back and forth.
"Why doesn't Jack find me attractive? ÌýI'm only an obligation to him because he feels like he couldn't protect me last time. ÌýHe's not interested in me at all and that makes me upset." ÌýAnd then, as quick as the very next page, "He's obviously doing all this for me so he can collect some sexual payment later. ÌýEveryone wants something in return for being nice and helping me. ÌýHe's only interested in getting in my pants."
This dragged on for 70% of the book, and then you can even see her practically looking for reasons to sabotage her relationship with Jack, even after they DO start getting closer.
And all the guy wanted to do was protect her. ÌýWhich was really hard to do considering how much he had to tip toe on eggshells around her all the time. ÌýShe twisted his meaning and his words at least 80% of the time they were together, and then even insulted him by comparing him to a psychotic criminal, even after everything he did to help her.
Then, on top of that, just because she was pissed at him, she pretty much ignored all of his warnings to keep herself safe and secure. ÌýThere was an exchange in the book where Jack practically shoves that point in her face: Ìý"I know you're mad at me about what happened, but don't put yourself at risk just because you're pissed."Ìý In which the next sentence she snaps back with, "Don't try to make me sound stupid."
Talia, honey... you do a damn good job of making yourself sound stupid, all on your own.
I found it a little hard to believe that someone as paranoid about safety as Talia wouldn't have taken any kind of possible threat to her life, or even her sister's life, seriously, if she hadn't been so caught up in her righteous anger towards Jack. ÌýBut then again, even at the beginning of the book, she had her moments of righteous anger directed toward Jack because he tried to beef up the security at her house, despite being paranoid that someone was still out there ready to get her.
So I'm not sure anymore...
Anyway, the premise of the book wasn't entirely bad. ÌýI just found myself continuously frustrated with the characters. ÌýTalia was frustrating, and even as great a guy as Jack was, he was also frustrating. ÌýHis co-workers at Gemini were kind of silent in the background, but Danny came off like an asshole for several chapters. ÌýEven Rosario got frustrating, watching her continuously breaking up with, and getting back together with a guy who's kind of a douchebag... despite the fact that she keeps breaking up with him BECAUSE he's a douchebag.
All-in-all, this book could have been better.
***
I will be using this book for Romance Bingo 2017.
Squares that this book will fit include:
- Too Stupid To Live - Will be explained in my eventual review, but basically, this is the story of a woman who's pride kind of gets in the way of her and her sister's safety. Talia had already shown a penchant for being frustratingly illogical in the second book of this series. I had a feeling that would carry over.
- Love is Murder - Romantic suspense with murder and danger.
- Secret Billionaire - Actually, our hero guesstimates his worth around a million to half a million, but who's splitting hairs? It's not important to this story's plot anyway...
- Interracial Couple - Talia Vega, based on her name and descriptions of her, I assume, is Hispanic, but it is never actually stated.
March 19, 2012
Good book. I've enjoyed this trilogy from Jami Alden and I'm glad that it got recced to my by one of my GR friends.
Series Note:
Third book in Alden's untitled trilogy centered around a connected set of characters and some terrible crimes committed that involve them. You'd don't necessarily need to read the other two first, but you'll definitely have a better picture of past events if you read them in order.
Summary:
Talia Vega is finally starting to put her life back together. She's made some terrible mistakes, mistakes that had tragic impact on others, but she is trying to put it all behind her and make a good life for herself and her sister, Rosario. And all's going well until she starts getting threats.
The threats bring Jack Brooks back into her life. During her darkest time, Jack helped rescue her and tried to keep her safe. Because of all she's done, Talia doesn't think Jack could ever see her as just a woman...not that she's sure she could ever trust anyone enough to be in a relationship. What she doesn't realize is that Jack has wanted her from the beginning. And now he has a chance to show her as he once again tries to keep her safe from a maniac who wants her dead.
Review:
Interesting character dynamic in this book. It's not often you get a heroine who started out as a semi-bad guy (girl) in the series. Which is what happens with Talia. In book 1, , Talia lies to authorities and helps put an innocent man on death row. So she doesn't come off as a very likable character.
But author Jami Alden does a good job at redeeming her. In the past books, you get a glimpse at why Talia did what she did, but in this book you get a clearer picture of who she is and what she does. That doesn't take away from her stupid actions, but you can sympathize with her and find her to be likable. At least I did. And I liked that Alden went this route with Talia. It's nice to read about a character now and again that doesn't meet the normal standard of being perfect, honest, etc etc.
There's a nice emotional depth to the story as Talia has to deal with her life - all she's done, the physical and emotional scars its left, and how she plans to move on. There's great chemistry between her and Jack but there's a lot of issues between them. Jack's been less than honest wit her and Talia isn't sure she'd ever be able to trust a man again. The romantic conflict at the end was a bit predictable but it worked for the story. So there's definitely a nice level of emotional depth for a story that is a romantic suspense.
And the suspense plot is pretty good. Not quite the most original, I'll allow, but it worked. It's creepy and disturbing...not overly so, but enough. I did wish that Alden had made some mystery about who the bad guy was. She's tells you straight out who it is and the suspense surrounds how it will all play out. It took away some of the tension so I wish she'd made us guess a bit on it.
You also get some guest appearances by some of Alden's past characters from her "Gemini" series...which I haven't (yet). They intrigued me enough to want to read those books. I'm sure those who did read them enjoyed getting updated on those characters. I did miss that there wasn't much on the other characters from this series. I wanted to know what they were up to. And then there's the fact that Alden may have been setting up some other characters for future books. I definitely hope we get a story for Talia's sister, Rosie.
Good series, though. Not really great...I've read better romantic suspense series and books, but it's solid. Definitely something I think romantic suspense readers would like.
WARNING, this book contains: some explicit sex and language, and dark themes of rape, torture, and murder.
Series Note:
Third book in Alden's untitled trilogy centered around a connected set of characters and some terrible crimes committed that involve them. You'd don't necessarily need to read the other two first, but you'll definitely have a better picture of past events if you read them in order.
Summary:
Talia Vega is finally starting to put her life back together. She's made some terrible mistakes, mistakes that had tragic impact on others, but she is trying to put it all behind her and make a good life for herself and her sister, Rosario. And all's going well until she starts getting threats.
The threats bring Jack Brooks back into her life. During her darkest time, Jack helped rescue her and tried to keep her safe. Because of all she's done, Talia doesn't think Jack could ever see her as just a woman...not that she's sure she could ever trust anyone enough to be in a relationship. What she doesn't realize is that Jack has wanted her from the beginning. And now he has a chance to show her as he once again tries to keep her safe from a maniac who wants her dead.
Review:
Interesting character dynamic in this book. It's not often you get a heroine who started out as a semi-bad guy (girl) in the series. Which is what happens with Talia. In book 1, , Talia lies to authorities and helps put an innocent man on death row. So she doesn't come off as a very likable character.
But author Jami Alden does a good job at redeeming her. In the past books, you get a glimpse at why Talia did what she did, but in this book you get a clearer picture of who she is and what she does. That doesn't take away from her stupid actions, but you can sympathize with her and find her to be likable. At least I did. And I liked that Alden went this route with Talia. It's nice to read about a character now and again that doesn't meet the normal standard of being perfect, honest, etc etc.
There's a nice emotional depth to the story as Talia has to deal with her life - all she's done, the physical and emotional scars its left, and how she plans to move on. There's great chemistry between her and Jack but there's a lot of issues between them. Jack's been less than honest wit her and Talia isn't sure she'd ever be able to trust a man again. The romantic conflict at the end was a bit predictable but it worked for the story. So there's definitely a nice level of emotional depth for a story that is a romantic suspense.
And the suspense plot is pretty good. Not quite the most original, I'll allow, but it worked. It's creepy and disturbing...not overly so, but enough. I did wish that Alden had made some mystery about who the bad guy was. She's tells you straight out who it is and the suspense surrounds how it will all play out. It took away some of the tension so I wish she'd made us guess a bit on it.
You also get some guest appearances by some of Alden's past characters from her "Gemini" series...which I haven't (yet). They intrigued me enough to want to read those books. I'm sure those who did read them enjoyed getting updated on those characters. I did miss that there wasn't much on the other characters from this series. I wanted to know what they were up to. And then there's the fact that Alden may have been setting up some other characters for future books. I definitely hope we get a story for Talia's sister, Rosie.
Good series, though. Not really great...I've read better romantic suspense series and books, but it's solid. Definitely something I think romantic suspense readers would like.
WARNING, this book contains: some explicit sex and language, and dark themes of rape, torture, and murder.
December 6, 2018
Great mix of romance and suspense! The plot will definitely keep you reading till you're finished.
February 13, 2012
*Rating* 3.0
*Genre* Romance
*Review*
In Jami Alden’s “Run from Fear,� Talia Vega and Jack Brooks take turns in the spotlight. Both characters were last heard from in the story Beg for Mercy where both characters were left for dead. If you haven’t read it, no worries, you get hit over the head plenty of times to be reminded of what happened.
Talia Vega is now living in Palo Alto, California where her 18 year old sister Rosario goes to school at Stanford. After nearly dying at the hands of Nate Brewster, aka the Slasher, Talia went into hiding and moved away from Seattle. Once known as David Maxwell’s mistress, or whore, Talia is now working as a bar manager for Suzette's Bistro while helping her sister through college.
Talia isn’t a character I can get behind or cheer for. She’s a cold fish and really makes me want to shake her and tell her to get over herself and let others help her. She lashes out at the wrong person after she discovers that he has spent his own money in order to protect her and Rosario from further harm. For a person who spends all her free time training against being hurt again, it’s all for naught.
Jack Brooks works for Gemini Securities as a security consultant but Talia has never been out of his mind. The last time we saw Jack, he was nearly one of Nate’s victims after allowing him to sneak up on him, and take Talia.
Jack eventually set up a special scholarship for Rosario at Stanford, and also was instrumental in getting Talia her job at Suzette’s because he failed to protect her from Nate Brewster and his attempt to kill her and Megan Flynn.
Jack is also one of the good guys. He gives plenty of money to organizations that help and treat battered woman and kids. Jack’s past is fraught with being the son of an abusive asshat and a mother who just didn’t find a way to say stop to the beatings she took.
For me, Jack is the story behind this book. He is fiercely loyal and protective of both Rosario and Talia. He spends his own money not only to upgrade Talia’s security at her home, but to ensure that Grayson-Mitchell stays away from Talia. He is willing to give up his job in order to remain by their sides and ensure they are allowed time to heal and be happy.
As with the previous installment Hide from Evil, there is no mystery as to who the killer is or what he wants. We learn right off the bat that the bad guy of the story is a psycho copycat serial killer named Eugene Kuusik. Gene, as he is called, has an obsession with Nate Brewster and his methods of torturing women. His obsession is crystal clear: Talia Vega and not allowing her to escape his wrath.
For me, this story wasn't as good as the first two books. There was way too much sexual tension between Talia and Jack. Talia dances around too much emotionally and pushes away the one person that loves her as much as life itself. When they do get together, Alden spends way too much time conversationally between the two characters instead of just allowing the characters to explore each other sexually.
I would offer that the first 2/3 of this book was pretty damn boring. The last 1/3 was okay but expected since we already knew who the killer/rapist/serial asshat was and what would eventually happen. Alden truly does believe in HEA's and doesn't leave her characters hanging in the end.
I would totally recommend Beg for Mercy if you are looking for an example of Alden’s writing.
*ARC recvd 01/30/2012 via Netgalley.com ~ Releases March 1, 2012.
*Genre* Romance
*Review*
In Jami Alden’s “Run from Fear,� Talia Vega and Jack Brooks take turns in the spotlight. Both characters were last heard from in the story Beg for Mercy where both characters were left for dead. If you haven’t read it, no worries, you get hit over the head plenty of times to be reminded of what happened.
Talia Vega is now living in Palo Alto, California where her 18 year old sister Rosario goes to school at Stanford. After nearly dying at the hands of Nate Brewster, aka the Slasher, Talia went into hiding and moved away from Seattle. Once known as David Maxwell’s mistress, or whore, Talia is now working as a bar manager for Suzette's Bistro while helping her sister through college.
Talia isn’t a character I can get behind or cheer for. She’s a cold fish and really makes me want to shake her and tell her to get over herself and let others help her. She lashes out at the wrong person after she discovers that he has spent his own money in order to protect her and Rosario from further harm. For a person who spends all her free time training against being hurt again, it’s all for naught.
Jack Brooks works for Gemini Securities as a security consultant but Talia has never been out of his mind. The last time we saw Jack, he was nearly one of Nate’s victims after allowing him to sneak up on him, and take Talia.
Jack eventually set up a special scholarship for Rosario at Stanford, and also was instrumental in getting Talia her job at Suzette’s because he failed to protect her from Nate Brewster and his attempt to kill her and Megan Flynn.
Jack is also one of the good guys. He gives plenty of money to organizations that help and treat battered woman and kids. Jack’s past is fraught with being the son of an abusive asshat and a mother who just didn’t find a way to say stop to the beatings she took.
For me, Jack is the story behind this book. He is fiercely loyal and protective of both Rosario and Talia. He spends his own money not only to upgrade Talia’s security at her home, but to ensure that Grayson-Mitchell stays away from Talia. He is willing to give up his job in order to remain by their sides and ensure they are allowed time to heal and be happy.
As with the previous installment Hide from Evil, there is no mystery as to who the killer is or what he wants. We learn right off the bat that the bad guy of the story is a psycho copycat serial killer named Eugene Kuusik. Gene, as he is called, has an obsession with Nate Brewster and his methods of torturing women. His obsession is crystal clear: Talia Vega and not allowing her to escape his wrath.
For me, this story wasn't as good as the first two books. There was way too much sexual tension between Talia and Jack. Talia dances around too much emotionally and pushes away the one person that loves her as much as life itself. When they do get together, Alden spends way too much time conversationally between the two characters instead of just allowing the characters to explore each other sexually.
I would offer that the first 2/3 of this book was pretty damn boring. The last 1/3 was okay but expected since we already knew who the killer/rapist/serial asshat was and what would eventually happen. Alden truly does believe in HEA's and doesn't leave her characters hanging in the end.
I would totally recommend Beg for Mercy if you are looking for an example of Alden’s writing.
*ARC recvd 01/30/2012 via Netgalley.com ~ Releases March 1, 2012.
February 4, 2012
Talia Vega has been looking over her shoulder for 2 years. She’s struggled to keep not only herself safe, but her baby sister safe as well from the effects of a horrific crime Talia was involved in. But you’re past always has a way of creeping back up on you, or walking through the door, as it does for Talia in the form of Jack Brooks. The unforgettable man who saved her life from a sadistic madman.
I was really looking forward to Talia’s book. She was such an interesting character in the previous book in the series, Hide From Evil. She was untouchable, gorgeous and a sort of an ice queen. But when Jack Brooks came around we got to see a vulnerable side to her. I was curious to see what had become of her after escaping death. When you begin Run From Fear you’ll find Talia living a completely different one than that of her past. The old Talia dressed like a bombshell, made thousands of dollars in tips at her job, and oozed sex appeal. The new Talia is comfortable in sweats and anything that covers her whole body, especially her scars, is lucky if she breaks 100 dollars in tips and does not want anything to do with men.
Find my full review here:
I was really looking forward to Talia’s book. She was such an interesting character in the previous book in the series, Hide From Evil. She was untouchable, gorgeous and a sort of an ice queen. But when Jack Brooks came around we got to see a vulnerable side to her. I was curious to see what had become of her after escaping death. When you begin Run From Fear you’ll find Talia living a completely different one than that of her past. The old Talia dressed like a bombshell, made thousands of dollars in tips at her job, and oozed sex appeal. The new Talia is comfortable in sweats and anything that covers her whole body, especially her scars, is lucky if she breaks 100 dollars in tips and does not want anything to do with men.
Find my full review here:
June 2, 2012
I was a little worried as this book had received a few reviews that were not terribly flattering, but on the whole I enjoyed it. My trouble with this book was that I couldn't feel much for the heroine Talia. I haven't forgiven her for what she did in the first book. I know she has tried to mend her ways but I am not very forgiving. Luckily I adore Jack, the hero, and knew I would enjoy reading about him, and I did.
The pace of this story was quiet fast, and the twists kept me happily reading for a little too long at night. If I had read Jami Alden's Gemini series I would have enjoyed this more, as the characters from this series made an appearance in this book as well.
All in all I found this an enjoyable book in a very good series. I will be looking forward to more stories from this author.
The pace of this story was quiet fast, and the twists kept me happily reading for a little too long at night. If I had read Jami Alden's Gemini series I would have enjoyed this more, as the characters from this series made an appearance in this book as well.
All in all I found this an enjoyable book in a very good series. I will be looking forward to more stories from this author.
February 14, 2012
First of all I'd like to say, I never read the two first books in this trilogy so my review might be impartial. Then again, it might be right on the mark because that leaves me on an unbiased level than other avid readers of this trilogy.
Usually with these type of books, I can guess what it going to happen but the double angle to the plot the author did a good job of leaving me pretty well clueless. I easily fell into the novel, it was quite remarkable how quickly I couldn't look away from the book for a second. I was hooked!
Overall I was VERY VERY VERY impressed. Jami Alden is an amazing author and this book is totally worth a read. The characters made you fall in love with them, the bad guy characters made you cringe and be on the edge of your seat and the ending was almost pure Harlequin. I liked it A LOT!
Usually with these type of books, I can guess what it going to happen but the double angle to the plot the author did a good job of leaving me pretty well clueless. I easily fell into the novel, it was quite remarkable how quickly I couldn't look away from the book for a second. I was hooked!
Overall I was VERY VERY VERY impressed. Jami Alden is an amazing author and this book is totally worth a read. The characters made you fall in love with them, the bad guy characters made you cringe and be on the edge of your seat and the ending was almost pure Harlequin. I liked it A LOT!
May 28, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. The suspense was awesome � the bad guy a true sicko who gave me the willies.
Talia was almost a little too much work for me. She was too insecure, too contradictory…too combative. She had legitimate reasons for her erratic behavior, but I didn’t like how she treated Jack so unfairly � the only man who ever loved her unconditionally. Frankly, it left me frustrated and pissed off.
Jack was a wonderful hero. He was strong, masculine, sexy, loving, protective, and patient. I adored him. And despite my reservations regarding Talia and her attitude problems, they were good together. I’m happy she pulled her head out of her ass in time for them to get the HEA they both deserved.
Talia was almost a little too much work for me. She was too insecure, too contradictory…too combative. She had legitimate reasons for her erratic behavior, but I didn’t like how she treated Jack so unfairly � the only man who ever loved her unconditionally. Frankly, it left me frustrated and pissed off.
Jack was a wonderful hero. He was strong, masculine, sexy, loving, protective, and patient. I adored him. And despite my reservations regarding Talia and her attitude problems, they were good together. I’m happy she pulled her head out of her ass in time for them to get the HEA they both deserved.
December 24, 2015
3.5 / 5 stars
I put off reading this book for quite a while despite really enjoying the previous two in this trilogy due to my dislike of the heroine, Talia Vega, but I should not have doubted Jami Alden. Alden makes the reader sympathize with Talia; she had a clear motivation for her questionable behavior in the previous books. Other readers seem to resent Talia's attitude or her actions, but really--how many of them, in Talia's situation, would do any differently? In Run from Fear, Talia's efforts to piece her life back together come undone as ghosts from her past come back to haunt her, new monsters come to the fore, and shocking truths are brought to light. It's a wild ride and worth every bit of the journey!
I put off reading this book for quite a while despite really enjoying the previous two in this trilogy due to my dislike of the heroine, Talia Vega, but I should not have doubted Jami Alden. Alden makes the reader sympathize with Talia; she had a clear motivation for her questionable behavior in the previous books. Other readers seem to resent Talia's attitude or her actions, but really--how many of them, in Talia's situation, would do any differently? In Run from Fear, Talia's efforts to piece her life back together come undone as ghosts from her past come back to haunt her, new monsters come to the fore, and shocking truths are brought to light. It's a wild ride and worth every bit of the journey!
February 22, 2012
I absolutely LOVED the first 2 books in this series, but I thought this one was just ok. Parts of it were kinda boring, parts of it were really good, and parts of it were just eh. There just weren't enough really good parts for me to give it more than 3 stars. Oh, and while I had sympathy for the heroine, she really got on my nerves after awhile. I did love getting to see the guys from the Gemini series involved in the storyline, and the hero, Jack, made the story. Based on how much I loved the other 5 books, I so wish there were going to be more Gemini and/or Trilogy series books!
October 21, 2013
FINALLY got the chance to read RUN FROM FEAR and Jami....you still rock the Sexy Heroes, and Kick-Butt heroines and Smoking Hot Sexual Chemistry! Oh...and Villains that are creepy as S#$%
Great Great addition to the series, and I am going to assume it is the last, even thought I'd love to see more of these characters.
I think I'll have to go back and do a BEG FOR MERCY re-read!!
Great Great addition to the series, and I am going to assume it is the last, even thought I'd love to see more of these characters.
I think I'll have to go back and do a BEG FOR MERCY re-read!!
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