What do you think?
Rate this book
Code Name #9
Code Name: Bikini
Ex-cop Gina Ryan traded in her Smith & Wesson to follow adream. Now she's creating decadent desserts aboard a luxurycruise ship in the Caribbean. But a gorgeous passenger isabout to send her perfect world up in smoke.�
Trace O'Halloran is a hard-edged navy SEAL, under strictorders to take some high seas R & R. There's a shipload ofwomen in bikinis eager to help him unwind, so why can'the take his mind off the stubborn pastry chefwith an attitude the size of Montana?
When a dangerous assassin from Trace's past appears,Gina and Trace must join forces to save the ship's guests.The clock's ticking, and they'll need every weapon at hand—from body armor to chocolate ganache!
Trace O'Halloran is a hard-edged navy SEAL, under strictorders to take some high seas R & R. There's a shipload ofwomen in bikinis eager to help him unwind, so why can'the take his mind off the stubborn pastry chefwith an attitude the size of Montana?
When a dangerous assassin from Trace's past appears,Gina and Trace must join forces to save the ship's guests.The clock's ticking, and they'll need every weapon at hand—from body armor to chocolate ganache!
377 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2007
12 people are currently reading
415 people want to read
About the author
Christina Skye
59Ìýbooks339ÌýfollowersAKA Roberta Helmer
Roberta Helmer is an American writer of Chinese art and culture and as Christina Skye is a best-selling USA Today and Publishers Weekly writer of over 23 romance novels. Her romance book have been translated into 8 languages.
Roberta Helmer was born in Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A., an is a descendant of Revolutionary War hero Adam Helmer. She attended the University of Pennsylvania and obtained a doctorate in classical Chinese literature at Ohio State University, where she learned to speak fluent Chinese, French, and Japanese. Later, she worked as translator and as a consultant to the National Geographic Society and the American Museum of Natural History. She lived in on the western slopes of McDowell Mountains in Arizona.
Roberta Helmer is an American writer of Chinese art and culture and as Christina Skye is a best-selling USA Today and Publishers Weekly writer of over 23 romance novels. Her romance book have been translated into 8 languages.
Roberta Helmer was born in Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A., an is a descendant of Revolutionary War hero Adam Helmer. She attended the University of Pennsylvania and obtained a doctorate in classical Chinese literature at Ohio State University, where she learned to speak fluent Chinese, French, and Japanese. Later, she worked as translator and as a consultant to the National Geographic Society and the American Museum of Natural History. She lived in on the western slopes of McDowell Mountains in Arizona.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
August 5, 2007
I don't understand why these books are marketed as light and fun when they're not.
I also didn't think this one was believable. The last one I read (photographer who knits? forget the title) at least had a situation that seemed right -- stranded on an island, far away from the everyday world. This one is about an ex-cop-turned-pastry-chef working on a big cruise ship. So she can handle puff pastry AND handguns. Oh, and she's going blind.
I won't even get into the SEAL part. The military bits aren't realistic, but it's part of the fantasy, so that's ok.
I think I keep reading these because they're kind of hit or miss. Some of them are pretty good, and since they're all about SEALs it feels like a patriotic act to read them. But they're in an odd in-between place, not way out there like Feehan's series about genetically modified special forces soldiers, not realistic like anything by Brockmann.
Her characters are good people, you want to see them happy at the end, and Skye stays true to the world she's created where realationships are tough. There's no guaranteed happily-ever-after in the end. We're all hoping, though, aren't we? And maybe that's the appeal.
I also didn't think this one was believable. The last one I read (photographer who knits? forget the title) at least had a situation that seemed right -- stranded on an island, far away from the everyday world. This one is about an ex-cop-turned-pastry-chef working on a big cruise ship. So she can handle puff pastry AND handguns. Oh, and she's going blind.
I won't even get into the SEAL part. The military bits aren't realistic, but it's part of the fantasy, so that's ok.
I think I keep reading these because they're kind of hit or miss. Some of them are pretty good, and since they're all about SEALs it feels like a patriotic act to read them. But they're in an odd in-between place, not way out there like Feehan's series about genetically modified special forces soldiers, not realistic like anything by Brockmann.
Her characters are good people, you want to see them happy at the end, and Skye stays true to the world she's created where realationships are tough. There's no guaranteed happily-ever-after in the end. We're all hoping, though, aren't we? And maybe that's the appeal.
April 21, 2019
I put off reviewing this because I was so upset that the author passed away and we wouldn't be able to visit these characters anymore. She was such an awesome writer and brought to life such amazing people and animals. This is a fantastic series that anyone who is a fan of the action/adventure/romance story should read.
December 27, 2018
Um no. I dont know why but I just couldnt get into it.
July 28, 2022
Compelling story that was fun and engaging. I might just pick up another.
July 22, 2023
Pleasing read that was captivating most of the time. I fully enjoyed the characters.
November 9, 2023
ex cop, cruise ship pastry chef Gina Ryan meets Navy SEAL Trace O'Halloran
June 29, 2013
For the most part, I've enjoyed this series of books. As the books progress, there is more of a paranormal element to them, with the Navy SEAL heroes all being part of an elite group who are genetically enhanced. I didn't anticipate that, and it didn't really show up as a major plot point until the third book, which was a bit of a let down for me. But the fourth book was very appealing with it's desert island setting. So I wasn't sure what to expect.
Fortunately, it was quite enjoyable. Gina is a likeable heroine, and Trace, who we met in the previous books (he's the sister of book three's heroine and best friend of that book's hero), is a satisfying hero. That being said, neither really stood out from the pack, with neither character being much different than the heroes and heroines in the previous books.
Trace is basically on the cruise ship for an enforced vacation, but also as possible back up for the ship's security officer, who has his own ties to the organization Trace is with. Gina is the ship's pastry chef, and she loves her life of traveling with the cruise ship, and the family she's created around her among her staff and other members of the crew. But she has her own issues of course, knowing that she has a condition which is slowly causing her to lose her sight, which will eventually end her career.
Like all of the Foxfire men, Trace has invested himself completely in his work and has never regretted the decision to join the elite group, even though it means virtually no life outside the group and their missions, and no personal relationships beyond the occasional visit home to see his sister. But Gina of course gets under his skin from their first accidental meeting. Gina has also invested herself in her career, and she has a nemesis on board the ship who appears to be trying to sabotage her, and she has no interest in a relationship. But of course Trace gets under her skin, yada yada yada, you know where this sentence is going.
Since Trace is still recovering and building up his strength after nearly being killed in his last mission, his chips (the genetic enhancement all the Foxfire men have in common) have been inactivated for the time being. The chips were my least favorite plot points of previous books, and I liked this little twist, which left Trace a more vulnerable than the previous heroes. There's also a side plot line about a girl who Trace rescued in a previous mission having died, listed as a suicide but suspicious to Trace, and her ghost occasionally manifesting and trying to tell him something. I would have liked her to actually be more involved and make more appearances than she did, but she was almost like an afterthought thrown into the storyline.
There is also a cat, young triplets, and Izzy even gets a storyline with some family drama. According to the author's bio on her website, she is working on the sixth book in the series, and I'm sure I'll want to read it as soon as I can get my hands on it.
Fortunately, it was quite enjoyable. Gina is a likeable heroine, and Trace, who we met in the previous books (he's the sister of book three's heroine and best friend of that book's hero), is a satisfying hero. That being said, neither really stood out from the pack, with neither character being much different than the heroes and heroines in the previous books.
Trace is basically on the cruise ship for an enforced vacation, but also as possible back up for the ship's security officer, who has his own ties to the organization Trace is with. Gina is the ship's pastry chef, and she loves her life of traveling with the cruise ship, and the family she's created around her among her staff and other members of the crew. But she has her own issues of course, knowing that she has a condition which is slowly causing her to lose her sight, which will eventually end her career.
Like all of the Foxfire men, Trace has invested himself completely in his work and has never regretted the decision to join the elite group, even though it means virtually no life outside the group and their missions, and no personal relationships beyond the occasional visit home to see his sister. But Gina of course gets under his skin from their first accidental meeting. Gina has also invested herself in her career, and she has a nemesis on board the ship who appears to be trying to sabotage her, and she has no interest in a relationship. But of course Trace gets under her skin, yada yada yada, you know where this sentence is going.
Since Trace is still recovering and building up his strength after nearly being killed in his last mission, his chips (the genetic enhancement all the Foxfire men have in common) have been inactivated for the time being. The chips were my least favorite plot points of previous books, and I liked this little twist, which left Trace a more vulnerable than the previous heroes. There's also a side plot line about a girl who Trace rescued in a previous mission having died, listed as a suicide but suspicious to Trace, and her ghost occasionally manifesting and trying to tell him something. I would have liked her to actually be more involved and make more appearances than she did, but she was almost like an afterthought thrown into the storyline.
There is also a cat, young triplets, and Izzy even gets a storyline with some family drama. According to the author's bio on her website, she is working on the sixth book in the series, and I'm sure I'll want to read it as soon as I can get my hands on it.
December 15, 2015
Somewhat uneven in the writing department. Plot was great with a paranormal aspect. Romance was standard issue, but hot. Great end for a very bumpy series. I loved each plot, but the writing was not great in some of them but, overall, entertaining.
Trace is an enhanced Navy SEAL who gets seriously injured during an op. They turn off his chips while he recovers and he is adrift without his special senses. He is sent to San Francisco, CA for a meet and greet and encounters an extraordinary woman, Gina, who is a pastry chef on the cruise ship that is Trace's mission. Trace is to safeguard a package of Foxfire technology during the cruise. It is supposed to be a cakewalk assignment and R&R for Trace. If only.
Gina had had it rough in life. Her father, a cop, is killed in the line of duty and she lost her job as a cop due to bad personal decisions. She has found joy as a pastry chef, but will soon lose that also as she is slowly going blind. Life is rough and not looking very bright when she meets Trace and falls hard.
Gina is being targeted on ship by a jealous co-worker and Trace helps her out and discovers a threat to the mission. He also discovers that he has fallen in love with Gina.
Trace is an enhanced Navy SEAL who gets seriously injured during an op. They turn off his chips while he recovers and he is adrift without his special senses. He is sent to San Francisco, CA for a meet and greet and encounters an extraordinary woman, Gina, who is a pastry chef on the cruise ship that is Trace's mission. Trace is to safeguard a package of Foxfire technology during the cruise. It is supposed to be a cakewalk assignment and R&R for Trace. If only.
Gina had had it rough in life. Her father, a cop, is killed in the line of duty and she lost her job as a cop due to bad personal decisions. She has found joy as a pastry chef, but will soon lose that also as she is slowly going blind. Life is rough and not looking very bright when she meets Trace and falls hard.
Gina is being targeted on ship by a jealous co-worker and Trace helps her out and discovers a threat to the mission. He also discovers that he has fallen in love with Gina.
November 1, 2010
Why the title? I don't know. I got this book from paperback swap on a whim and, since it was free, I wasn't as disappointed in this book as i might have been.
Gina Ryan is an ex-cop, though we don't learn much about why she's ex except that her partner betrayed her. I'm sure there could have been more explanation, but there wasn't. She's now the chef on a cruise boat and about to land her own television series though she's hiding the fact that she is slowly going blind.
We finally get Trace O'Halloran's story in this book. He's temporarily de-commissioned while he heals from a mission gone bad. All of his chips have been shut off until he is back to 100%. Also while on vacation, he is supposed to watch over a secret packet being guarded on the same cruise ship.
But there's a really bad guy that wants that packet also and Gina and Trace will have to work together to keep everyone on board the shipi alive.
I love Skye's Draycott series but the Code Name just aren't as good. I hope we get Izzy's story soon. I probably won't read the books unless I stumble across them like this one but they're okay to read the whole thing.
Gina Ryan is an ex-cop, though we don't learn much about why she's ex except that her partner betrayed her. I'm sure there could have been more explanation, but there wasn't. She's now the chef on a cruise boat and about to land her own television series though she's hiding the fact that she is slowly going blind.
We finally get Trace O'Halloran's story in this book. He's temporarily de-commissioned while he heals from a mission gone bad. All of his chips have been shut off until he is back to 100%. Also while on vacation, he is supposed to watch over a secret packet being guarded on the same cruise ship.
But there's a really bad guy that wants that packet also and Gina and Trace will have to work together to keep everyone on board the shipi alive.
I love Skye's Draycott series but the Code Name just aren't as good. I hope we get Izzy's story soon. I probably won't read the books unless I stumble across them like this one but they're okay to read the whole thing.
May 8, 2015
The good brother and SEAL member, Trace O'Halloran, is all about an "all work and no play" attitude until he literally runs into a pastry chef, who just happens to also be an ex-cop.
Gina Ryan is a woman who is struggling with the new reality that at some point she may loose her sight entirely and yet still has to deal with the day to day struggle of being a cruise ship dessert caterer.
When Gina and Trace meet there is a definite mutual attraction on both sides but the timing is all wrong and that have to part ways before anything can get too interesting.
They happen upon each other again aboard the same cruise liner, with Gina working and Trace on a semi mission. The sparks still fly and there is nothing keeping them apart now, except some secret biology cells and a crazy ex SEAL partner.
Gina and Trace are super cute and they almost seem to do the whole "love at first sight" thing. And it's believable! The reader can feel the instant heat and heart the two share.
We also get to revisit a couple of the previous SEAL and Code Name series characters which are incredibly adorable: I'm looking directly at your McKay triplets.
Gina Ryan is a woman who is struggling with the new reality that at some point she may loose her sight entirely and yet still has to deal with the day to day struggle of being a cruise ship dessert caterer.
When Gina and Trace meet there is a definite mutual attraction on both sides but the timing is all wrong and that have to part ways before anything can get too interesting.
They happen upon each other again aboard the same cruise liner, with Gina working and Trace on a semi mission. The sparks still fly and there is nothing keeping them apart now, except some secret biology cells and a crazy ex SEAL partner.
Gina and Trace are super cute and they almost seem to do the whole "love at first sight" thing. And it's believable! The reader can feel the instant heat and heart the two share.
We also get to revisit a couple of the previous SEAL and Code Name series characters which are incredibly adorable: I'm looking directly at your McKay triplets.
July 25, 2011
I really like this series. Yes it is not something that is completely believable but come on do we really read books to make us stay in the NOW? I read books to take me away from it all and these books usually do. I enjoyed this couple and Trace has been a back ground character for a while so it was nice to have his story. Yes it was a little odd that the girl seemed to need help a lot when she has the background she does (don;t want to give away anything) but I really liked her anyway. I like most people who have read this series love Izzy a character that has been in a lot of her books and in this book we get a little more insight into him and his background. Skye really writes books that you can sink into and lose yourself in as far as I am concerned. The men are diamonds in the rough. They are SEALs who are tough and never expect to be tender but when they find the one they are the guys every woman wants. I like that we got a snippet of a character from Going Overboard too.
October 23, 2008
I thought I read this one on Hurricane Ike evac, but apparently I read it before. So. The heroine is the ex-cop pastry chef on a cruise ship. The hero is an ex-spy--or he wants to be an ex-spy, but he's talked into taking on "one last easy job." Going on a cruise and handing off some information. Except nothing's ever as easy as it seems. He gets tangled up with the heroine, who has her own nasty nemesis in the food service area, who gets tangled up with the hero's nemesis, and there are friends, and the heroine has a kind of doom hanging over her, which complicates things even more. It's a nice easy read with some not too nasty suspense mixed in.
September 3, 2016
I wasn’t expecting much out of a suspense book published by Harlequin. Probably because my expectations were so low, I was surprised to find that it wasn’t that bad. What surprised me the most was that it was suspense with some supernatural added out of nowhere. I accidentally grabbed book nine off my shelf instead of book one. I don’t know if it’s because I read out of order or not, but the secret society and their super powers were not explained well enough in this book. Still, it was an entertaining enough piece of fluff. I might even go back and read the other books, if I need books for the beach.
Read
September 17, 2015Not horrible for a beach read but when you are done reading you will realize that it didn't really make sense. The title has nothing to do with the book - the main female character never wore a bikini. There were also a lot of hints given about the characters' pasts but nothing was ever really explained. It really felt like half a book.
I didn't have high hopes for this one though (paid 10 cents at a used book sale) so it really wasn't bad for what it is, but just know that you will finish feeling uncomfortable because all the good plot lines involving the history of the characters are not explained and are just tossed away at the end.
I didn't have high hopes for this one though (paid 10 cents at a used book sale) so it really wasn't bad for what it is, but just know that you will finish feeling uncomfortable because all the good plot lines involving the history of the characters are not explained and are just tossed away at the end.
September 14, 2016
It was so good! It's been a while since I read a book that I just wanted to start rereading after I finished it. I don't even know where to begin.
I have to admit that I like this book because Gina is a knitter. She's a knitter people! She's a baker and ex-cop so she can hold her own with bad ass navy SEAL, Trace. Their courtship was intense and sweet and I just liked that they were super honest with each other.
I bought this book randomly at a newly open used bookstore in my area and it was the best book buy ever!
I have to admit that I like this book because Gina is a knitter. She's a knitter people! She's a baker and ex-cop so she can hold her own with bad ass navy SEAL, Trace. Their courtship was intense and sweet and I just liked that they were super honest with each other.
I bought this book randomly at a newly open used bookstore in my area and it was the best book buy ever!
January 9, 2008
Fun little book in a series -- each one follows a member of an elite special forces unit as he goes on a mission and ends up working with the eventual woman of his dreams. This one was about Max trying to track down Cruz on a remote island, where Miki ends up after a plane wreck.
These are great beach reads for sure -- I'd give more stars but I can't bring myself to put it the same rank as more serious or intricate books.
These are great beach reads for sure -- I'd give more stars but I can't bring myself to put it the same rank as more serious or intricate books.
May 11, 2015
This is part of a series. It can be read alone, but reading the series in order is the preferred way to enjoy these books. The characters flow from one book to another.
In this one, the female lead is a former cop turned chef on a cruise ship. Characters from previous books show up on the cruise. Things get dicey when the villain joins them. SEALs to the rescue! Will they be in time? Enjoy this story and find out.
In this one, the female lead is a former cop turned chef on a cruise ship. Characters from previous books show up on the cruise. Things get dicey when the villain joins them. SEALs to the rescue! Will they be in time? Enjoy this story and find out.
April 11, 2015
This book has a little different twist to the stories about the SEALs. One of the team has had to have his sensors deactivated due to a series injury so Trace O'Halloran is flying blind on this mission aboard a cruise liner. He had met Gina Ryan by accident before they boarded and he was blinded by her. His mission is to see that the transport of some very important equipment makes it to where they need to be unfortunately everything does not go according to plan.
You will enjoy this story
You will enjoy this story
April 30, 2010
Fun read but not in any way believable. Would have liked a little more wrap up at then end with Gina's staff. You do find out more about Izzy's background.
Gina is a pastry chef on a cruise ship and is having trouble with sabotage in the kitchen. Trace is a SEAL who was put on the ship to guard a package.
Gina is a pastry chef on a cruise ship and is having trouble with sabotage in the kitchen. Trace is a SEAL who was put on the ship to guard a package.
June 28, 2008
good book, need to read more in the series. like the idea and the characters, glad to know the characters are seen in other books of the series. fun and light with the perfect amount of danger in it.
July 3, 2010
Not a great book; as close to a Harlequin romance as I get, with hunky super spies and sex scenes. Good enough to read at the pool, though, and finish in the car on the way home. Cute children and animals for good measure.
February 1, 2010
What's not to love about a souped up SEAL, a former cop turned pastry chef, and various other strange connections and relations all coming together on a tropical cruise? Oh, and they solve a murder and safe humanity from a madman while falling in love. Ha.
February 23, 2011
pretty good. i feel kind of sorry for Izzy because you finally got a see into his past and he is forced to work with her father, who walked out on him and his mother. I can't wait to finally read about Izzy.
July 9, 2007
Better than the past couple in her Navy SEAL series. Fast-paced suspense and a decent plot.
July 9, 2007
I've read the other two in this series, and I still have issues with the plausibility of the whole plot and Navy SEAL unit. But for the most part, they were entertaining reads.
July 16, 2007
I like her contemporary books better than her historical romances. Her "Code Name" series are easy reading.
December 9, 2007
What a fun read! Fast paced, great characters that develop well with the story.
January 11, 2008
I enjoyed this book. There was alot of humor.
October 8, 2008
Prefer the Draycott Abbey series
May 23, 2010
Another great "Code Name" book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.