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Troubleshooters #5
Into the Night
Beloved and bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann writes terrific edge-of-your-seat novels of romantic suspense set in the world’s exciting danger zones and exotic hotspots. Now, in her new sensational novel, she comes stateside for her most action-packed adventure yet.
It was supposed to be a “dog and pony show”—an elaborate demonstration of SEAL rescue techniques—to celebrate a presidential visit to a California naval base. Professional, no-nonsense White House staffer Joan DaCosta arrives early to scope out the area. Assigned to be her SEAL liaison is Lt. (jg) Mike Muldoon, a born leader—strong, decisive, tough, and fearless.
Against her better judgment, Joan finds herself drawn to the handsome young officer. Skilled at being “one of the guys� in the mostly male world of politics, she is dismayed when Muldoon breaks through her defenses. While tension mounts between them, fueling their growing attraction, a far more sinister danger is lurking, as terrorists plot a daring attack against the president. To protect their commander in chief, Joan and Muldoon must not only risk their hearts—but their very lives. . . .
673 pages, Hardcover
First published November 26, 2002
245 people are currently reading
1662 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Brockmann
242books3,541followersAfter childhood plans to become the captain of a starship didn’t pan out, Suzanne Brockmann took her fascination with military history, her respect for the men and women who serve, her reverence for diversity, and her love of storytelling, and explored brave new worlds as a bestselling romance author.
Over the past thirty years she has written sixty-three novels, including her award-winning Troubleshooters series about Navy SEAL heroes and the women—and sometimes men—who win their hearts. Her personal favorite is the one where her most popular character, gay FBI agent Jules Cassidy, wins his happily-ever-after and marries the man of his dreams. Called All Through the Night, this mainstream romance novel with a hero and a hero hit the New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list. In 2007, Suz donated all of her earnings from this book, in perpetuity, to MassEquality, to help win and preserve equal marriage rights in Massachusetts.
In addition to writing books, Suz writes and produces indie movies and TV including the award-winning romantic comedy The Perfect Wedding. Her recent feature, Out of Body, is streaming on Amazon Prime.
In 2018, Suz was given the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award from the Romance Writers of America. Her latest projects are Blame It on Rio (Tall, Dark & Dangerous # 14), available in print and e-book from Suzanne Brockmann Books, and Marriage of Inconvenience, a six-episode LBGTQ rom-com TV series, streaming on Dekkoo in April 2023.
Over the past thirty years she has written sixty-three novels, including her award-winning Troubleshooters series about Navy SEAL heroes and the women—and sometimes men—who win their hearts. Her personal favorite is the one where her most popular character, gay FBI agent Jules Cassidy, wins his happily-ever-after and marries the man of his dreams. Called All Through the Night, this mainstream romance novel with a hero and a hero hit the New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list. In 2007, Suz donated all of her earnings from this book, in perpetuity, to MassEquality, to help win and preserve equal marriage rights in Massachusetts.
In addition to writing books, Suz writes and produces indie movies and TV including the award-winning romantic comedy The Perfect Wedding. Her recent feature, Out of Body, is streaming on Amazon Prime.
In 2018, Suz was given the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award from the Romance Writers of America. Her latest projects are Blame It on Rio (Tall, Dark & Dangerous # 14), available in print and e-book from Suzanne Brockmann Books, and Marriage of Inconvenience, a six-episode LBGTQ rom-com TV series, streaming on Dekkoo in April 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
May 23, 2022
White House public relations assistant Joan DaCosta is assigned to coordinate with representatives from the Coronado Naval Base for a presidential visit. Lieutenant Mike Muldoon is tagged to be her liaison, providing her a tour, demonstrations involving the SEAL Teams and anything else she may need to finalize the plans for the visit. Mike may have movie star looks but the Teams consider him to be one of their most reliable and respected members. Joan thinks he looks like a kid and couldn’t possibly be one of those formidable SEALs she’s heard so much about. Mike, however, is quite taken with Joan and isn’t used to being the pursuer, especially going after someone who doesn’t quite take him seriously. Meanwhile, Sam Starrett’s wife Mary Lou is struggling in her marriage to a man who clearly isn’t invested. She’s forming friendships with neighbors and other acquaintances as an outlet to salve her loneliness and some may not be who they’ve represented themselves to be.
This was my second time around but my first on audio and the difference was remarkable. I listened to the original version with one narrator who delivered a strong performance but may have reshaped my opinion of Joan. I recall being annoyed at how dismissive she was with Mike because he seemed so young but this time she came across as bordering on cruel and a bit of a bully. I actually wanted him to give up on her but to his credit, Mike saw the essence of the woman and refused to give up on her, even though I did.
I appreciated getting more insight into Mary Lou, making her a much more sympathetic character but still with too many flaws for me to root for her. Her new relationships provided the suspense as it was clear that they had ulterior motives. She also didn’t win any awards for how she handled the aftermath. As with the earlier stories, there was another storyline about events from World War II involving Joan’s grandparents, Charlotte and Vince DaCosta whose histories I found engrossing and fascinating. I loved the way they connected to the SEALs and other aspects of the story.
Despite my issues with the Joan/Mike romance, I enjoyed the story because of the strength of the other storylines. And, listening to the book continues to elevate the reading experience as I’d forgotten a lot from my first time. It’s now much more memorable.
Posted on
This was my second time around but my first on audio and the difference was remarkable. I listened to the original version with one narrator who delivered a strong performance but may have reshaped my opinion of Joan. I recall being annoyed at how dismissive she was with Mike because he seemed so young but this time she came across as bordering on cruel and a bit of a bully. I actually wanted him to give up on her but to his credit, Mike saw the essence of the woman and refused to give up on her, even though I did.
I appreciated getting more insight into Mary Lou, making her a much more sympathetic character but still with too many flaws for me to root for her. Her new relationships provided the suspense as it was clear that they had ulterior motives. She also didn’t win any awards for how she handled the aftermath. As with the earlier stories, there was another storyline about events from World War II involving Joan’s grandparents, Charlotte and Vince DaCosta whose histories I found engrossing and fascinating. I loved the way they connected to the SEALs and other aspects of the story.
Despite my issues with the Joan/Mike romance, I enjoyed the story because of the strength of the other storylines. And, listening to the book continues to elevate the reading experience as I’d forgotten a lot from my first time. It’s now much more memorable.
Posted on
January 7, 2015
4 stars � Romantic Suspense
I thought Into the Night was supposed to be Mike and Joan's story? How did it end up being Mary Lou's Pity Party Diary? I recognize and can appreciate Brockmann’s attempt to make her character more than a one dimensional white trash bimbo for us Sam and Alyssa fans, but I still didn’t feel much (if any) sympathy for her. And there was definitely waaay too much of Mary Lou’s whining and self-loathing and not nearly enough of Mike and Joan’s romance. Also, the suspense element was somewhat lacking in this one, especially compared to the previous two books.
Mike is a total dream...he’s drop dead gorgeous, sweet, tender, romantic, easy going, funny, humble, and he worships Joan. I thought Joan was funny and sarcastic, but her constant insecurities over their age difference and her weight got annoying. If I had a Navy SEAL resembling a young, prime Brad Pitt in my hotel bed telling me sincerely that I’m the sexiest goddess he’s ever seen...I don’t think I’d argue (or ever leave the hotel room for that matter!). He pursues her relentlessly, even though she treats him like crap most of the time, and it takes her forever to finally come around.
This was more like a 3 star read for me, but I’m bumping it up to 4 because Brockmann is a skilled writer and some of the events provide key basis for Sam and Alyssa’s story next, in book six...finally!
I thought Into the Night was supposed to be Mike and Joan's story? How did it end up being Mary Lou's Pity Party Diary? I recognize and can appreciate Brockmann’s attempt to make her character more than a one dimensional white trash bimbo for us Sam and Alyssa fans, but I still didn’t feel much (if any) sympathy for her. And there was definitely waaay too much of Mary Lou’s whining and self-loathing and not nearly enough of Mike and Joan’s romance. Also, the suspense element was somewhat lacking in this one, especially compared to the previous two books.
Mike is a total dream...he’s drop dead gorgeous, sweet, tender, romantic, easy going, funny, humble, and he worships Joan. I thought Joan was funny and sarcastic, but her constant insecurities over their age difference and her weight got annoying. If I had a Navy SEAL resembling a young, prime Brad Pitt in my hotel bed telling me sincerely that I’m the sexiest goddess he’s ever seen...I don’t think I’d argue (or ever leave the hotel room for that matter!). He pursues her relentlessly, even though she treats him like crap most of the time, and it takes her forever to finally come around.
This was more like a 3 star read for me, but I’m bumping it up to 4 because Brockmann is a skilled writer and some of the events provide key basis for Sam and Alyssa’s story next, in book six...finally!
May 22, 2022
White House staffer Joan DaCosta arrives at a California Naval Base to inspect the area ahead of a planned Presidential visit. Lt. Mike Muldoon is assigned as her SEAL liaison to answer any questions or address any problems with the visit. When Mike meets Joan, he is instantly fascinated by her. Joan is not flirty or shy like most of the women are around him. She looks him straight in the eye and tells him what she is thinking. Mike's fascination quickly turns into lust, but Joan quickly puts the breaks on a relationship. She can't believe a good looking 25 year old Navy Seal would falls for a thirtysomething woman who lives clear across the country. Muldoon decides he will conquer her reservations in the few short weeks she will be in the area.
The fifth book in the Troubleshooter series has a lot of good storylines. I love Mike Muldoon. He's such a sweetheart. Joan was fun, but I got tired of her constantly pushing him away. By the time she finally admitted that she wanted to be with Mike, I was starting to get a little bored with their story. But there were many other characters to read about in this book. The WWII story was nice. The couple in the flashback were Joan's grandparents. We got to see the beginning of their relationship, and their current relationship sixty years later.
Another interesting part of the book was getting to know Mary Lou Starrett. She is married to Sam and she is the reason Sam and Alyssa are not together. I wanted to hate her, but I couldn't. I'm hoping we see more of her in this series. Overall, this is a good book worth reading, but not my favorite in the series. My rating: 4 Stars.
2022 Re-read: I'm re-reading the series with a ŷ group. My thoughts on this book were just about the same as when I originally read the book. I think Joan DaCosta and her attitude toward Mike Muldoon bothered me more this time around. She was sometimes friendly with him, and other times very patronizing toward him.
I still enjoyed the WWII story with Joan's grandparents. And I enjoyed getting to know Mary Lou Starrett and what makes her tick. She has a lot of problems, but she's an interesting character. My rating for this book is still 4 Stars.
The fifth book in the Troubleshooter series has a lot of good storylines. I love Mike Muldoon. He's such a sweetheart. Joan was fun, but I got tired of her constantly pushing him away. By the time she finally admitted that she wanted to be with Mike, I was starting to get a little bored with their story. But there were many other characters to read about in this book. The WWII story was nice. The couple in the flashback were Joan's grandparents. We got to see the beginning of their relationship, and their current relationship sixty years later.
Another interesting part of the book was getting to know Mary Lou Starrett. She is married to Sam and she is the reason Sam and Alyssa are not together. I wanted to hate her, but I couldn't. I'm hoping we see more of her in this series. Overall, this is a good book worth reading, but not my favorite in the series. My rating: 4 Stars.
2022 Re-read: I'm re-reading the series with a ŷ group. My thoughts on this book were just about the same as when I originally read the book. I think Joan DaCosta and her attitude toward Mike Muldoon bothered me more this time around. She was sometimes friendly with him, and other times very patronizing toward him.
I still enjoyed the WWII story with Joan's grandparents. And I enjoyed getting to know Mary Lou Starrett and what makes her tick. She has a lot of problems, but she's an interesting character. My rating for this book is still 4 Stars.
January 25, 2016
Ultimately a good read but draggy in parts. Multiple storylines going on, with the main couple (Joan & Mike) sort of meh with some hot sex scenes. Sam and his mixed up wife Mary-Lou featured prominently and were exhausting. Enjoyed the Charlie and Vince flashback storyline very much, back to world War 2, heartache and loss and new beginnings. Took me forever to finish this.
February 10, 2012
When this book ended I had to check my ipod to see if it had randomly skipped to the end because it seemed to abrupt. There was a lot going on in this book and a lot seemed to be left unresolved. It was also very light on the action. And the characters were lacking. And everyone had a POV- Mike, Joan, Rose, Vince, Mary Lou, that guy Mary Lou meets, Sam... Not the best installment in the series.
The format of the books has seemingly always been 1 main romance, 1 WW2 flashback romance, and a secondary current romance. Plus a little Sam and Alyssa thrown in to keep everyone anticipating their book (which will be next). This book had all that plus a major storyline about MaryLou (Sam's wife) and a terrorist and seemingly nice guy both who want her, one genuinely and one not so much. Plus it introduced quite a few character's and story lines that felt really unresolved. And there was no combat mission in either the flashback or the current times.
First we had Mike Muldoon and Joan DaCosta. Mike played a small part in the Terry/Stan romance a few books back and Joan works in the West Wing of the White House. The President is coming to the Troubleshooters Team 16 base to present and award to then and there is going to be big military demonstrations and such with the seals doing a little showing off, but in the end the problem is that the event has been opened to the public and the seals think there will be an attack. Plus, Joan has to keep reigns on the President's wild child daughter who is 40 but seems to act like Britney Spears, "The Head Shaved Years". Somewhere in the middle of all this Mike & Joan spark, but Joan is one of the more annoying heroins and halts any possible romance. Her humor is ok, but her insecurities are so incredibly annoying that you just want to smack her with a "get a clue" stick. She spends most of the book pissing and moaning that she's too old and too fat for Muldoon.
Which reminds me, and a secondary story we have Mary Lou, how whines about how fat she is as well. So fat in fact that hot men keep wanting to sleep with her! Poor Mary Lou. In this book her previous racist remarks are revisited and despite the path of the story line, she doesn't ever seem to redeem herself, because as it is it seems that she hasn't changed a bit in those regards. You find out some truths about Mary Lou that also don't paint her in a very flattering light. Every scene just made me hate her more. Although I can say the same for Sam in this book as well. He was just such a tool! I mean previously he was just a guy that loved a girl he could never have. then he was the guy that tried to do the right thing. Now he's the incredible jackass that is making everyone miserable because he's miserable. Not really excited to read his book now. As a matter of fact, I'll be taking a James Patterson break before the next one.
Then there was the flashback to WW2. The story of Rose and Vince was uneventful. I mean usually the flashback stories tell the story of amazing men or women or both during WW2, which I enjoy. It's just enough war romance with going overboard. There was no suspense to this story. Just a sweet story. Although, maybe Joan comes by her insecurities naturally via her grandfather. Oh and Joan's brother was in the book as well, he was sweet and I sort of wish we got some resolution to his life as well too. I'd like for him to have a happy ending of some kind. I'm not sure what his purpose served to the story except that randomly he's also Mary Lou and Sam's neighbor. But he's around a lot and I just wish he had some resolution.
So, clearly not my favorite. I'll come back and see what's happening in Sam and Alyssa land and hope for some improvement in regards to the massive amount of characters and point of views, unfinished story lines, and lack of conflict.
The format of the books has seemingly always been 1 main romance, 1 WW2 flashback romance, and a secondary current romance. Plus a little Sam and Alyssa thrown in to keep everyone anticipating their book (which will be next). This book had all that plus a major storyline about MaryLou (Sam's wife) and a terrorist and seemingly nice guy both who want her, one genuinely and one not so much. Plus it introduced quite a few character's and story lines that felt really unresolved. And there was no combat mission in either the flashback or the current times.
First we had Mike Muldoon and Joan DaCosta. Mike played a small part in the Terry/Stan romance a few books back and Joan works in the West Wing of the White House. The President is coming to the Troubleshooters Team 16 base to present and award to then and there is going to be big military demonstrations and such with the seals doing a little showing off, but in the end the problem is that the event has been opened to the public and the seals think there will be an attack. Plus, Joan has to keep reigns on the President's wild child daughter who is 40 but seems to act like Britney Spears, "The Head Shaved Years". Somewhere in the middle of all this Mike & Joan spark, but Joan is one of the more annoying heroins and halts any possible romance. Her humor is ok, but her insecurities are so incredibly annoying that you just want to smack her with a "get a clue" stick. She spends most of the book pissing and moaning that she's too old and too fat for Muldoon.
Which reminds me, and a secondary story we have Mary Lou, how whines about how fat she is as well. So fat in fact that hot men keep wanting to sleep with her! Poor Mary Lou. In this book her previous racist remarks are revisited and despite the path of the story line, she doesn't ever seem to redeem herself, because as it is it seems that she hasn't changed a bit in those regards. You find out some truths about Mary Lou that also don't paint her in a very flattering light. Every scene just made me hate her more. Although I can say the same for Sam in this book as well. He was just such a tool! I mean previously he was just a guy that loved a girl he could never have. then he was the guy that tried to do the right thing. Now he's the incredible jackass that is making everyone miserable because he's miserable. Not really excited to read his book now. As a matter of fact, I'll be taking a James Patterson break before the next one.
Then there was the flashback to WW2. The story of Rose and Vince was uneventful. I mean usually the flashback stories tell the story of amazing men or women or both during WW2, which I enjoy. It's just enough war romance with going overboard. There was no suspense to this story. Just a sweet story. Although, maybe Joan comes by her insecurities naturally via her grandfather. Oh and Joan's brother was in the book as well, he was sweet and I sort of wish we got some resolution to his life as well too. I'd like for him to have a happy ending of some kind. I'm not sure what his purpose served to the story except that randomly he's also Mary Lou and Sam's neighbor. But he's around a lot and I just wish he had some resolution.
So, clearly not my favorite. I'll come back and see what's happening in Sam and Alyssa land and hope for some improvement in regards to the massive amount of characters and point of views, unfinished story lines, and lack of conflict.
May 13, 2016
Another awesome read! Mike Muldoon is a special man in many ways - starting with being a SEAL. He's sweet, nice, loves to talk, and on yeah...sinfully sexy...the stuff women dream about. Mike doesn't pursuit women, they chase him. So when Joan enters his world and starts treating him like her baby brother in order to keep her distance, he is perplexed about what to do. But don't give up yet . . . Remember, he's a SEAL. SEALS just do it. So Mike treats it like a mission, formulates a plan, and goes after the uptight lady from the White House. Meantime, there's a plot to attack the President when he visits and all the SEALS are on high alert. I was very happy to get a little more of the Sam/Mary Lou/Alyssa scenario. And my, my, hasn't our little Mary Lou been busy - quite a pickle she's gotten herself into. Have to include the backstory of Vince & Charli...so beautiful, so touching...these backstories are one of my favorite parts about these books. A Must Read!
December 2, 2009
Into The Night is Suzanne Brockman’s latest entry in her on(and on and on)going SEALS saga. In this story yet another of her larger than life heroes falls prey to true love while battling a terrorist cell or two along the way. While I’ve been following this series since its beginning I do believe I may be done waiting with breathless anticipation for the next installment which promises to wrap up character Sam Starret’s love story. More on that later.
This time around Lieutenant Mike Muldoon finds love. He’s a twenty-five year old sweetie-pie of a man who prefers brainy, older, unconventional looking woman and wants to be loved for more than his drop-dead gorgeous looks. Awww. When the President sends his public relations assistant, 30-ish Joan DaCosta, to scope out his team and view their maneuvers Mike is assigned as her SEAL liaison. He’s instantly smitten by the smart, funny, sexy woman and pulls out all the stops to impress her. Unfortunately, Joan insists on thinking of Mike as her “younger brother by a different mother� and refuses to enter into any sort of relationship with him because she feels he’s way too young and sexy for an older lady like herself. Instead she tries to set him up with the President’s daughter which, of course, backfires in the worst way possible.
Though Joan is intelligent and has a wonderful sense of humor she doth protest too much when it comes to her relationship with Mike. And, as much as I enjoyed their love story I do wish more of the book had been committed to it. Sadly, Mike and Joan’s relationship seemed like just another subplot to the many others crowding the book and I didn’t experience the closeness to the characters that I have in the previous Brockmann SEAL books. Taking up a whole lot of space was the obligatory World War II flashbacks and the extended glimpses into Mary Lou and Sam Starret’s miserable marriage.
This brings me to the ongoing tale of doomed romance between fellow SEAL Sam Starret and Alyssa. Several books back I ached for the couple who were separated just when they’d found true love. Now I’m just sick and tired of them. In this entry Sam (who married Mary Lou when he discovered she was pregnant with his child a few books back) is transformed into a miserable husband and a neglectful father. He spends the bulk of the story doing nothing but pining away for his Alyssa instead of acting like a real man and asking Mary Lou for a divorce (which would be a blessing for her). A miraculous thing does happen here though. Mary Lou, who was previously an obnoxious, drunken lush, is now a recovering alcoholic and a loving mother who becomes a sympathetic but still quite needy character. She struggles to do the right thing and longs for love with a desperation that is almost heartbreaking. Mary Lou is friendless and out of a need for comfort and help battling her addiction of alcohol she forms a tentative friendship with a kind man of Arab descent despite her initial fear of his looks. Their friendship was genuine and interesting. Too bad I can’t say the same for Sam whose appearances were tedious and unsympathetic. At this point Sam is a creep in my book and I could care less if he gets together with Alyssa in a future book.
Also going on is (what seems at this point to be) the token look back in history. Joan’s grandmother Charlotte DaCosta looks back to the grief filled year she lost her husband and met a young soldier named Vince during World War II. These glimpses into the past were more of a distraction than anything and I felt jolted out of the story every time they appeared. Normally these flashbacks add richness to the current story but this time they didn’t work for me and they didn’t seem to mesh with the rest of the story at all.
Finally, unlike Brockman’s previous books, “Into The Night� contains a shockingly small of amount of action (I say this because her books are usually non-stop and are impossible to put down!). As a result, it took me over four weeks to get up the ambition to finish this one despite the great characterization of Mary Lou, the humor threaded throughout and the mostly enjoyable love story between Mike and Joan. In the end this book simply didn’t live up to my high expectations for a book written by Suzanne Brockman.
This time around Lieutenant Mike Muldoon finds love. He’s a twenty-five year old sweetie-pie of a man who prefers brainy, older, unconventional looking woman and wants to be loved for more than his drop-dead gorgeous looks. Awww. When the President sends his public relations assistant, 30-ish Joan DaCosta, to scope out his team and view their maneuvers Mike is assigned as her SEAL liaison. He’s instantly smitten by the smart, funny, sexy woman and pulls out all the stops to impress her. Unfortunately, Joan insists on thinking of Mike as her “younger brother by a different mother� and refuses to enter into any sort of relationship with him because she feels he’s way too young and sexy for an older lady like herself. Instead she tries to set him up with the President’s daughter which, of course, backfires in the worst way possible.
Though Joan is intelligent and has a wonderful sense of humor she doth protest too much when it comes to her relationship with Mike. And, as much as I enjoyed their love story I do wish more of the book had been committed to it. Sadly, Mike and Joan’s relationship seemed like just another subplot to the many others crowding the book and I didn’t experience the closeness to the characters that I have in the previous Brockmann SEAL books. Taking up a whole lot of space was the obligatory World War II flashbacks and the extended glimpses into Mary Lou and Sam Starret’s miserable marriage.
This brings me to the ongoing tale of doomed romance between fellow SEAL Sam Starret and Alyssa. Several books back I ached for the couple who were separated just when they’d found true love. Now I’m just sick and tired of them. In this entry Sam (who married Mary Lou when he discovered she was pregnant with his child a few books back) is transformed into a miserable husband and a neglectful father. He spends the bulk of the story doing nothing but pining away for his Alyssa instead of acting like a real man and asking Mary Lou for a divorce (which would be a blessing for her). A miraculous thing does happen here though. Mary Lou, who was previously an obnoxious, drunken lush, is now a recovering alcoholic and a loving mother who becomes a sympathetic but still quite needy character. She struggles to do the right thing and longs for love with a desperation that is almost heartbreaking. Mary Lou is friendless and out of a need for comfort and help battling her addiction of alcohol she forms a tentative friendship with a kind man of Arab descent despite her initial fear of his looks. Their friendship was genuine and interesting. Too bad I can’t say the same for Sam whose appearances were tedious and unsympathetic. At this point Sam is a creep in my book and I could care less if he gets together with Alyssa in a future book.
Also going on is (what seems at this point to be) the token look back in history. Joan’s grandmother Charlotte DaCosta looks back to the grief filled year she lost her husband and met a young soldier named Vince during World War II. These glimpses into the past were more of a distraction than anything and I felt jolted out of the story every time they appeared. Normally these flashbacks add richness to the current story but this time they didn’t work for me and they didn’t seem to mesh with the rest of the story at all.
Finally, unlike Brockman’s previous books, “Into The Night� contains a shockingly small of amount of action (I say this because her books are usually non-stop and are impossible to put down!). As a result, it took me over four weeks to get up the ambition to finish this one despite the great characterization of Mary Lou, the humor threaded throughout and the mostly enjoyable love story between Mike and Joan. In the end this book simply didn’t live up to my high expectations for a book written by Suzanne Brockman.
July 21, 2022
Mike Muldoon and Joan DaCosta's story.
Reread July 2022: I enjoyed the book much more this second time around. The plot of this one is a little complicated. I think the first time around I raced through it and struggled a bit when I got too sidetracked by some of the red herrings. This time I understood what was happening much better.
As with previous books in the series, there is the main couple, but there are also other secondary couples, and the writer jumps between their stories. Once you get used to the style of writing, it adds a richness to the story rather than just reading all about one couple. I really felt for Vince and Charlotte and their wonderful romance that began during the dark days of WWII. It was a bit sad that it took so many years before they fully communicated about some of the events of that time.
I did get a little tired of Sam and Mary-Anne's storyline in this book. Their marriage was a mistake and a disaster, even though Sam had been trying to do the honourable thing by marrying Mary-Anne. Sadly it took way too long for both of them to be able to admit that they would be better off apart. For me, there was a bit too much page time spent on the fairly unlikeable and insecure Mary-Anne and her issues.
I loved Mike with his 'model SEAL' good looks, bravery and charisma, his quirks (such as his reluctance to use bad language), and his hidden insecurities that made him feel like a believable person. He and Joan were lovely together. Altogether I really enjoyed the reread. IMO this is the best SEAL romance/suspense series out there.
Reread July 2022: I enjoyed the book much more this second time around. The plot of this one is a little complicated. I think the first time around I raced through it and struggled a bit when I got too sidetracked by some of the red herrings. This time I understood what was happening much better.
As with previous books in the series, there is the main couple, but there are also other secondary couples, and the writer jumps between their stories. Once you get used to the style of writing, it adds a richness to the story rather than just reading all about one couple. I really felt for Vince and Charlotte and their wonderful romance that began during the dark days of WWII. It was a bit sad that it took so many years before they fully communicated about some of the events of that time.
I did get a little tired of Sam and Mary-Anne's storyline in this book. Their marriage was a mistake and a disaster, even though Sam had been trying to do the honourable thing by marrying Mary-Anne. Sadly it took way too long for both of them to be able to admit that they would be better off apart. For me, there was a bit too much page time spent on the fairly unlikeable and insecure Mary-Anne and her issues.
I loved Mike with his 'model SEAL' good looks, bravery and charisma, his quirks (such as his reluctance to use bad language), and his hidden insecurities that made him feel like a believable person. He and Joan were lovely together. Altogether I really enjoyed the reread. IMO this is the best SEAL romance/suspense series out there.
February 4, 2010
I was lucky some of my friends here had already warned me about this book. This story would have been great if some of the female characters were not the, I-want-to-slap-her kind. Also, i can deal with an insecure heroine but there's a limit after it's just annoying.
While i understood the reason for having Mari Lu's(dont care to correct spelling) point of view, it just made me dislike her all the more to be on her head. Part of it, is that Sam and Alyssa have been killing me with their Romeo and Juliet story line. I can't freaking wait to get started on their book next. It's about time i get to stop feeling heartbroken for them.
While i understood the reason for having Mari Lu's(dont care to correct spelling) point of view, it just made me dislike her all the more to be on her head. Part of it, is that Sam and Alyssa have been killing me with their Romeo and Juliet story line. I can't freaking wait to get started on their book next. It's about time i get to stop feeling heartbroken for them.
June 4, 2019
I skipped a lot. I am really only after certain character stories. Overall I enjoyed this, but it's the series as a whole that really makes this good. You can see characters develop over several different books and learn about them. Recently talking to some GR friends, Sam and Alyssa aren't as popular a couple as I thought they were, which aww - I want everyone to love them as much as me but I can TOTALLY see why they don't spark the same for everyone. For me they are in my top 3, Jules and Robin are in first place, then Sam and Alyssa. I'm not 100% sure which couple is in 3rd, but I know you haven't met them yet so naming names might spoil things. :) I do like Tom and Kelly, they are maybe in 4th place.
Anywho, you can't give up on this series even if the first few books don't speak to you. They get better as they go and I am soooooo excited to get to the next one because Sam and Alyssa are next and I have been buzzing to get to this one. Squee! You get a lot of Sam and his relationship with his wife in this book, Into the Night. I don't hate Mary Lou as much as I once did; she is trying to be good but had poor role models and very bad advice. Her story turns out okay too.
4 stars! The narration was very good!
Anywho, you can't give up on this series even if the first few books don't speak to you. They get better as they go and I am soooooo excited to get to the next one because Sam and Alyssa are next and I have been buzzing to get to this one. Squee! You get a lot of Sam and his relationship with his wife in this book, Into the Night. I don't hate Mary Lou as much as I once did; she is trying to be good but had poor role models and very bad advice. Her story turns out okay too.
4 stars! The narration was very good!
May 26, 2022
Reread 05/16/2022 - The audio of this book was outstanding. It really made me realize I missed a lot of things the first time around. I still remember way too much of this plot and it is tying my stomach in knots. Sam and Mary Lou are just so, so sad and there is just no way to fix this shotgun marriage. Their inability to communicate on any level makes the smart terrorist's plan work.
I didn't question this the first time around, but just what did Mike Muldoon see in Joan DaCosta? She views him as a sexy, young, boytoy and even though she is in lust with him, keeps shooting him down, preferring "friendship" to a sexual relationship. He sees a mature woman totally unlike his usual bimbo, but she is adamant about keeping him in the friend zone. 4-Stars
04/17/2013 - I really love this series. But I loved Tall, Dark and Dangerous too! This one is the terrorist attack at the SEAL base and the love story of Michael Muldoon and Joan DaCosta, with Joan's grandparents as the WWII story. I have to go buy the next one - that one is Sam's and Alyssa's story.
Mike meets Joan, a Presidential aide, when Mike is assigned to be her guide around the base. She is older and not the sex on a stick type that Mike usually attracts, but he really likes her. All she sees is the hottest male on the planet and too young for her. Mike has never had to work to get any girl and has a real problem when Joan keeps him at arm's length.
Mike and Joan's story is tangled up with Sam and Mary Lou Starrett and their marriage woes. It tells their story from Mary Lou's view this time and man, it is heartbreaking. Their inability to even basically communicate helps facilitate the terrorist attack. 5-Stars
I didn't question this the first time around, but just what did Mike Muldoon see in Joan DaCosta? She views him as a sexy, young, boytoy and even though she is in lust with him, keeps shooting him down, preferring "friendship" to a sexual relationship. He sees a mature woman totally unlike his usual bimbo, but she is adamant about keeping him in the friend zone. 4-Stars
04/17/2013 - I really love this series. But I loved Tall, Dark and Dangerous too! This one is the terrorist attack at the SEAL base and the love story of Michael Muldoon and Joan DaCosta, with Joan's grandparents as the WWII story. I have to go buy the next one - that one is Sam's and Alyssa's story.
Mike meets Joan, a Presidential aide, when Mike is assigned to be her guide around the base. She is older and not the sex on a stick type that Mike usually attracts, but he really likes her. All she sees is the hottest male on the planet and too young for her. Mike has never had to work to get any girl and has a real problem when Joan keeps him at arm's length.
Mike and Joan's story is tangled up with Sam and Mary Lou Starrett and their marriage woes. It tells their story from Mary Lou's view this time and man, it is heartbreaking. Their inability to even basically communicate helps facilitate the terrorist attack. 5-Stars
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August 1, 2022
� The central romance is ADORABLE, sadly the book is just let down by a preponderance of other POVs.
32-year-old White House PR assistant Joan DaCosta visits the home of the US Navy SEALs in San Diego, California, to try and set up a potential event with the President. When she's handed off to 25-year-old Lieutenant Mike Muldoon, their seven-year age gap makes her determined not to fall prey to his wiles. That's hard, considering he's basically a sweet, earnest, innocent-faced kid (with a surprising streak of stubbornness).
Their relationship was so cute. Joan is definitely hard on Mike in a way that made me feel insanely sorry for him, but he was up for it. Good-boy heroes with a hidden dirty core are like catnip to me. Pair that with Joan - a decidedly plain heroine, who's not just older than Mike but curvy to boot - and this romance was everything.
Unfortunately, Brockmann spends a LOT of time in other characters' heads, which detracts from the main couple's romance. I found myself skimming some of these other chapters in order to get back to Mike and Joan. I don't care about Joan's grandparents' romance! The terrorist action, however, was well-handled. I enjoyed the twist of who the real terrorist was. Brockmann deserves a lot of credit for writing a variety of diverse characters (a black heroine, an Arab hero, etc) in a book published 20 years ago, WITHOUT beating you over the head with, 'Look I've written a diverse character!', as many authors nowadays do.
32-year-old White House PR assistant Joan DaCosta visits the home of the US Navy SEALs in San Diego, California, to try and set up a potential event with the President. When she's handed off to 25-year-old Lieutenant Mike Muldoon, their seven-year age gap makes her determined not to fall prey to his wiles. That's hard, considering he's basically a sweet, earnest, innocent-faced kid (with a surprising streak of stubbornness).
Their relationship was so cute. Joan is definitely hard on Mike in a way that made me feel insanely sorry for him, but he was up for it. Good-boy heroes with a hidden dirty core are like catnip to me. Pair that with Joan - a decidedly plain heroine, who's not just older than Mike but curvy to boot - and this romance was everything.
Unfortunately, Brockmann spends a LOT of time in other characters' heads, which detracts from the main couple's romance. I found myself skimming some of these other chapters in order to get back to Mike and Joan. I don't care about Joan's grandparents' romance! The terrorist action, however, was well-handled. I enjoyed the twist of who the real terrorist was. Brockmann deserves a lot of credit for writing a variety of diverse characters (a black heroine, an Arab hero, etc) in a book published 20 years ago, WITHOUT beating you over the head with, 'Look I've written a diverse character!', as many authors nowadays do.
November 24, 2014
Oh, man, this book SHIT me. I ended up DNF about a third of the way through. I just finished a reread of Out of Control and think it's one of the best books I've read. LOVED it, but this one is a severe let down after reading that. A severe let down period.
I had read reviews that this book was a bit “difficult� and, yes, too right. The heroine was beyond annoying constantly going on about the hero being soooo young. For God’s sake, he was 25 and she was 32, and she acted like she was a grandmother of 60 trying to race off a 25 year old. That got annoying incredibly fast, and unfortunately stayed annoying until I just couldn't stand it anymore. On top of that heroine thought she was too fat even though the hero told her he thought she was hot. I'm not so secure in my looks either, but if a hot bloke's going to tell me I'm incredibly hot, too right I'll go with it, but damn it, she was just frickin' stupid and rude and nasty, and he was hot but stupid because he just kept coming back.
On top of that you’ve got Sam and Mary Lou both feeling completely sorry for themselves. I’m afraid I’m not of the persuasion that just because you help someone get pregnant you give up your entire life to them, death till you part, so everyone is miserable, so I wasn’t feeling it for Sam. I almost jumped up and ran around the lounge room shouting, “Yes, yes, yes,� when Jules pointed out that exact thing to a miserable Sam.
I only started reading this book and pushed on because I think this and the next book have a little bit of stuff about storylines I am keenly interested in in a future book, namely Max/Gina and Jones/Molly. Although I’m not so sure I much like Max at this point. Not sure if I like a man who has a “relationship� with someone to let down another woman “easy� who has been through hell, instead of just telling her straight out he thinks she’s too young. I'm starting to think I'll have to put these guys down as a bunch of SEALs who are supposed to be heros, but in actual fact are men I wouldn’t care to meet anytime. Not many of them display much of the “hero� stuff I normally look for.
This book was a test of my patience, and unfortunately I failed, as did this book.
I had read reviews that this book was a bit “difficult� and, yes, too right. The heroine was beyond annoying constantly going on about the hero being soooo young. For God’s sake, he was 25 and she was 32, and she acted like she was a grandmother of 60 trying to race off a 25 year old. That got annoying incredibly fast, and unfortunately stayed annoying until I just couldn't stand it anymore. On top of that heroine thought she was too fat even though the hero told her he thought she was hot. I'm not so secure in my looks either, but if a hot bloke's going to tell me I'm incredibly hot, too right I'll go with it, but damn it, she was just frickin' stupid and rude and nasty, and he was hot but stupid because he just kept coming back.
On top of that you’ve got Sam and Mary Lou both feeling completely sorry for themselves. I’m afraid I’m not of the persuasion that just because you help someone get pregnant you give up your entire life to them, death till you part, so everyone is miserable, so I wasn’t feeling it for Sam. I almost jumped up and ran around the lounge room shouting, “Yes, yes, yes,� when Jules pointed out that exact thing to a miserable Sam.
I only started reading this book and pushed on because I think this and the next book have a little bit of stuff about storylines I am keenly interested in in a future book, namely Max/Gina and Jones/Molly. Although I’m not so sure I much like Max at this point. Not sure if I like a man who has a “relationship� with someone to let down another woman “easy� who has been through hell, instead of just telling her straight out he thinks she’s too young. I'm starting to think I'll have to put these guys down as a bunch of SEALs who are supposed to be heros, but in actual fact are men I wouldn’t care to meet anytime. Not many of them display much of the “hero� stuff I normally look for.
This book was a test of my patience, and unfortunately I failed, as did this book.
March 21, 2008
Book 5 in the series. And hmmm...I didn't particularly dislike this story, but I didn't exactly love it either. It was just sort of the next story in the series, containing needed details for book 6 to make sense.
In this one there is SEAL Mike Muldoon, and Joan DaCosta, a White House PR rep. SEAL Team Sixteen is to receive an award for the president so he is coming to the base they train out of, and since it is an election year, the White House wants to do it in public along with having the SEALs do a demonstration. Joan is the White House liason and Mike is the SEAL one. None of the SEALs are happy about the whole thing, some of them have a bad feeling that there will be a terrorist strike, but the White House won't call it off.
There is more of the Sam/Alyssa dynamic in this book, but thrown in Max Bhagat, FBI head of the counterterrorism group, to the mix. I love all three of those characters, so I enjoyed reading about them. Also part of the book is Mary Lou, who is in an unhappy marriage with Sam, and Ibraham Raham, the gardner in the neighborhood Sam and Mary Lou live in.
I think part of the problem with this story was that there were a number of characters that I didn't really like. Mary Lou is annoying as hell. I really could have done without, but unfortunately, she was entirely necessary to the plot. Joan really ticked me off at times. She was very patronizing and judgmental. Mike was kinda cool, but I've liked the other SEALs better. The storyline itself was fairly interesting, so that was good.
The historical section was subpar, in my opinion. It involved Joan's grandparents and how the met and got married. It just didn't have the meat of the other historical parts in the other books.
On a whole, it wasn't a bad book, just nowhere near as captivating as the others.
In this one there is SEAL Mike Muldoon, and Joan DaCosta, a White House PR rep. SEAL Team Sixteen is to receive an award for the president so he is coming to the base they train out of, and since it is an election year, the White House wants to do it in public along with having the SEALs do a demonstration. Joan is the White House liason and Mike is the SEAL one. None of the SEALs are happy about the whole thing, some of them have a bad feeling that there will be a terrorist strike, but the White House won't call it off.
There is more of the Sam/Alyssa dynamic in this book, but thrown in Max Bhagat, FBI head of the counterterrorism group, to the mix. I love all three of those characters, so I enjoyed reading about them. Also part of the book is Mary Lou, who is in an unhappy marriage with Sam, and Ibraham Raham, the gardner in the neighborhood Sam and Mary Lou live in.
I think part of the problem with this story was that there were a number of characters that I didn't really like. Mary Lou is annoying as hell. I really could have done without, but unfortunately, she was entirely necessary to the plot. Joan really ticked me off at times. She was very patronizing and judgmental. Mike was kinda cool, but I've liked the other SEALs better. The storyline itself was fairly interesting, so that was good.
The historical section was subpar, in my opinion. It involved Joan's grandparents and how the met and got married. It just didn't have the meat of the other historical parts in the other books.
On a whole, it wasn't a bad book, just nowhere near as captivating as the others.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2021
I am quite anti-military, particularly the US military, but I could not put down this book at all.
An engrossing read for one of those days.
An engrossing read for one of those days.
February 29, 2024
Not bad, not great but I need to donate some updated books to the hospital I stayed in last month 🙂
January 8, 2011
It was good. I'm not a fan of Joan. There was just something missing in her character. I'm not sure what. And, to be honest, Muldoon was pretty flat, too. The action was pretty peripheral to the love interest. The WWII love story was sweet. And, liked learning more about Mary Lou. I'm still super-interested in the Sam/Alyssa story line.
June 21, 2012
I was very disappointed in this book. It started off strong and just kind of lost it's charm midway. The ending was the most frustrating.
Won't stop me from reading further, just this was my least favorite so far.
Won't stop me from reading further, just this was my least favorite so far.
May 15, 2022
Into the Night
4 Stars
White House public relations staffer, Joan DaCosta, arrives at the Navy SEALs training base to coordinate a presidential visit. Her SEAL liaison, Lieutenant Michael Muldoon, would prefer to have nothing to do with the "dog and pony show", but is unable to resist his growing attraction to Joan. With the obstacles to their romance emerging at every turn, Mike and Joan will have to decide if their future is worth fighting for.
Similar to the previous installments, the narrative focuses on three separate threads that ultimately merge together. In addition to Joan and Mike's romance, there are flashbacks of the relationship between Charlie Fletcher, a WWII widow, and Vince DaCosta, an injured marine. Finally, readers are provided with insights into the life of Mary Lou Starret (Sam's wife).
Joan and Mike are an adorable couple and their witty banter and teasing are delightful. Mike is my favorite hero in the series as he is simply too delicious for words. That said, this is the 3rd book in which Brockmann has included the age difference trope and, as with the others, Joan's preoccupation with it is excessive and annoying. It creates a conflict where none actually exists. Who cares if Joan is 6 years older than Mike? He is a Navy SEAL whose personality and life experience are mature and advanced for his years.
The secondary romance between Charlie and Vince is wonderful. Their story is just so heartwarming although it is sad that .
As for Mary Lou, it is virtually impossible to care about her. She made her bed and now she has to lie in it. If it was Brockmann's intention to evoke sympathy for her, this is a dismal failure as not only is she selfish and self-absorbed, but her nasty thoughts and appalling racist views make her completely unlikable.
The action isn't as intense in this book, and the climax is rather lackluster given the buildup. Nevertheless, this series is entertaining overall and I look forward to the closure for Sam and Alyssa in in the next one.
4 Stars
White House public relations staffer, Joan DaCosta, arrives at the Navy SEALs training base to coordinate a presidential visit. Her SEAL liaison, Lieutenant Michael Muldoon, would prefer to have nothing to do with the "dog and pony show", but is unable to resist his growing attraction to Joan. With the obstacles to their romance emerging at every turn, Mike and Joan will have to decide if their future is worth fighting for.
Similar to the previous installments, the narrative focuses on three separate threads that ultimately merge together. In addition to Joan and Mike's romance, there are flashbacks of the relationship between Charlie Fletcher, a WWII widow, and Vince DaCosta, an injured marine. Finally, readers are provided with insights into the life of Mary Lou Starret (Sam's wife).
Joan and Mike are an adorable couple and their witty banter and teasing are delightful. Mike is my favorite hero in the series as he is simply too delicious for words. That said, this is the 3rd book in which Brockmann has included the age difference trope and, as with the others, Joan's preoccupation with it is excessive and annoying. It creates a conflict where none actually exists. Who cares if Joan is 6 years older than Mike? He is a Navy SEAL whose personality and life experience are mature and advanced for his years.
The secondary romance between Charlie and Vince is wonderful. Their story is just so heartwarming although it is sad that .
As for Mary Lou, it is virtually impossible to care about her. She made her bed and now she has to lie in it. If it was Brockmann's intention to evoke sympathy for her, this is a dismal failure as not only is she selfish and self-absorbed, but her nasty thoughts and appalling racist views make her completely unlikable.
The action isn't as intense in this book, and the climax is rather lackluster given the buildup. Nevertheless, this series is entertaining overall and I look forward to the closure for Sam and Alyssa in in the next one.
January 8, 2017
Into every series a little laying of the groundwork must fall, and in the case of Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters series, it falls Into the Night.
Joan DeCosta arrives at Coronado in to help set up a presidential visit at the naval base, only to find herself passed down the chain of command until she lands Lieutenant Junior Grade Mike Muldoon as her escort. Despite "junior" being descriptive of more than his rank, Joan can't help but find the SEAL attractive, but an affair with a younger man is the last thing she or her career need right now.
While I'm always a fan of seeing romance authors switch up the ages of their leads (really, how many romances have you read where the man was twenty years older?), Joan's reluctance to entertain Muldoon as a possibility seems odd given that he's well within the decade rule. It's possible that Brockmann is leaning heavily on that thin pretext as she's got so much else to do here, namely setting up a terrorist act that will dictate a change in direction for her series, as well as finally bringing the Sam/Alyssa relationship to its head. Oh, and there's also her signature WWII era romance - in this case the story of Joan's grandparents, Vince and Charlie - which like many of Brockmann's other flashback romances echoes the main relationship without copying it exactly and is actually the most interesting coupling in the novel.
While not her best, Into the Night is another solid story from Brockmann that manages a lot of necessary heavy-lifting while still providing the kind of romantic thrills we've come to expect from the author. It might not ever be your favorite of the series, but remember: without Into the Night, we would never have Gone Too Far.
Joan DeCosta arrives at Coronado in to help set up a presidential visit at the naval base, only to find herself passed down the chain of command until she lands Lieutenant Junior Grade Mike Muldoon as her escort. Despite "junior" being descriptive of more than his rank, Joan can't help but find the SEAL attractive, but an affair with a younger man is the last thing she or her career need right now.
While I'm always a fan of seeing romance authors switch up the ages of their leads (really, how many romances have you read where the man was twenty years older?), Joan's reluctance to entertain Muldoon as a possibility seems odd given that he's well within the decade rule. It's possible that Brockmann is leaning heavily on that thin pretext as she's got so much else to do here, namely setting up a terrorist act that will dictate a change in direction for her series, as well as finally bringing the Sam/Alyssa relationship to its head. Oh, and there's also her signature WWII era romance - in this case the story of Joan's grandparents, Vince and Charlie - which like many of Brockmann's other flashback romances echoes the main relationship without copying it exactly and is actually the most interesting coupling in the novel.
While not her best, Into the Night is another solid story from Brockmann that manages a lot of necessary heavy-lifting while still providing the kind of romantic thrills we've come to expect from the author. It might not ever be your favorite of the series, but remember: without Into the Night, we would never have Gone Too Far.
March 24, 2018
My least favorite Brockmann ever (at least, so far). Usually I really like her stuff. But there is no way in hell I was buying into a HEA for the main couple. None. She did nothing but belittle him and treat him like a child from the moment they met, but he falls in love with her anyway? I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. Especially since she seems to question his professional competence from the get-go.
And Sam's awful, nasty, racist wife Mary Lou? There is an attempt to redeem her in this book. I don't buy it for a single second. I can't stand this character.
As with the others I've read in this series, there is a secondary story about a couple from World War II. That one was rather lovely. One thing I do like about these books is how many different storylines get woven together. It's like reading 2 or 3 novels in one.
Lastly, the narrator made all sorts of bad choices. She didn't differ character voices except for the Starretts (who get the same generic southern accent, even though they're from different parts of the south), Ibraham, and the bad guy. And the voice she does for him telegraphs that he's the bad guy from the first moment. Gee. Thanks. But otherwise, no differing character voices. So sometimes very macho Navy SEALs sound...weirdly soft and feminine.
I finished only because I'm reading the series and I don't want to try to fill in holes later. But I did something I have never done before: I listened to the last two hours or so on 1.5x speed. Just to get it over with.
And Sam's awful, nasty, racist wife Mary Lou? There is an attempt to redeem her in this book. I don't buy it for a single second. I can't stand this character.
As with the others I've read in this series, there is a secondary story about a couple from World War II. That one was rather lovely. One thing I do like about these books is how many different storylines get woven together. It's like reading 2 or 3 novels in one.
Lastly, the narrator made all sorts of bad choices. She didn't differ character voices except for the Starretts (who get the same generic southern accent, even though they're from different parts of the south), Ibraham, and the bad guy. And the voice she does for him telegraphs that he's the bad guy from the first moment. Gee. Thanks. But otherwise, no differing character voices. So sometimes very macho Navy SEALs sound...weirdly soft and feminine.
I finished only because I'm reading the series and I don't want to try to fill in holes later. But I did something I have never done before: I listened to the last two hours or so on 1.5x speed. Just to get it over with.
August 11, 2011
Five books into Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters series & it's goin' strong! I feel like I'm learning a lot about the military from these books (I feel safe doing so, since I know most of it's true & she did her homework) - & the adrenaline rushes from the storylines are fantastic.
The main couple in this book was Joan & Michael Muldoon. It was a lot like the Stan & Teri's book in that Joan, like Stan, had ageism issues with Michael. She took a long time to let him in, but it was fun to see when she actually did! Persistance, indeed, Lt. Muldoon!
It could just be that I'm a huge Sam/Alyssa fan but I didn't like reading from Mary Lou's POV. She is naive & racist & I hated what she did to Sam. Trapping a man into marriage with a child is one of the lowest things a woman can do to a man IMHO. However, the relationship that bloomed between her & Ibrahim was interesting.
Speaking of Ibrahim, it got REALLY confusing between who was Ibrahim/Hussan/Bob - I think I figured it out in the end & I do like that it's a continuing story line to link the next book. The terrorist POV wasn't very pleasant to read, but it definitely opened my eyes to how we profile horribly - who's to say a white man can't be a terrorist?
So now I'm on to Sam & Alyssa's story - FINALLY!!!!!!!! I can't wait!!!
The main couple in this book was Joan & Michael Muldoon. It was a lot like the Stan & Teri's book in that Joan, like Stan, had ageism issues with Michael. She took a long time to let him in, but it was fun to see when she actually did! Persistance, indeed, Lt. Muldoon!
It could just be that I'm a huge Sam/Alyssa fan but I didn't like reading from Mary Lou's POV. She is naive & racist & I hated what she did to Sam. Trapping a man into marriage with a child is one of the lowest things a woman can do to a man IMHO. However, the relationship that bloomed between her & Ibrahim was interesting.
Speaking of Ibrahim, it got REALLY confusing between who was Ibrahim/Hussan/Bob - I think I figured it out in the end & I do like that it's a continuing story line to link the next book. The terrorist POV wasn't very pleasant to read, but it definitely opened my eyes to how we profile horribly - who's to say a white man can't be a terrorist?
So now I'm on to Sam & Alyssa's story - FINALLY!!!!!!!! I can't wait!!!
March 21, 2020
I didn't think it possible but apart from the heroine consistently pushing the hero away for being too young and how being with him could ruin her career, there was a scene where the wives of the SEALs got together in Kelly's house, she is Tom Poletti's partner from the first book. The author managed to make me hate them all in one fell swoop! Why you ask?
July 10, 2019
First to clarify: This series is a 5-star series so far, and I love it. And you have to read this book, or I'm sure you're going to be confused in the book 6, but that's a big part of the reason why this book didn't stand out as being quite as good as the others have been.
Sam and Alyssa's relationship has been an ongoing thing almost from the start. There was a hint of it in the first book, then it's run in the background since book 2, with things heating up between them and then falling apart when Sam does the "right thing" by marrying his accidental baby mama. Mary Lou, the aforementioned baby mama, is far from perfect, but she came to life in this book in a way that had my sympathies about 75% with her, and much, much less with Sam.
Now, I know I haven't mentioned the primary romance in this book yet, and that's another big problem. I didn't care about it. Which was disappointing, because Mike seemed like a nice guy when I met him in an earlier volume and I wanted to care. I just never really connected with him or with Joan or with their relationship. It felt to me like THAT was running in the background while Mary Lou was the star of this book.
I am also a bit wary of moving on to the next book. I mean, I have to. This one left things decidedly unresolved, and I'm particularly concerned for Mary Lou and her daughter. But I'm also pretty indifferent to Sam and Alyssa, which I know are going to finally be the star of the next book. Sam thinks he's in love with her, but honestly, they haven't exactly spent a ton of time together and don't know one another very well. She's mostly been prickly...I've always struggled in sympathizing with prickly characters, even with that prickliness is justified.
So, to sum up: This book didn't stand on its own at all, instead serving as a bridge between the first 4 books and book 6.
On a side note: These books were published between 2000 and 2002 and this is definitely the first one written after 9/11. I recognized that "before" quality in the earlier books, and now we've got the "after." Kind of intense to think about, and as far as adapting to current events, well done.
Sam and Alyssa's relationship has been an ongoing thing almost from the start. There was a hint of it in the first book, then it's run in the background since book 2, with things heating up between them and then falling apart when Sam does the "right thing" by marrying his accidental baby mama. Mary Lou, the aforementioned baby mama, is far from perfect, but she came to life in this book in a way that had my sympathies about 75% with her, and much, much less with Sam.
Now, I know I haven't mentioned the primary romance in this book yet, and that's another big problem. I didn't care about it. Which was disappointing, because Mike seemed like a nice guy when I met him in an earlier volume and I wanted to care. I just never really connected with him or with Joan or with their relationship. It felt to me like THAT was running in the background while Mary Lou was the star of this book.
I am also a bit wary of moving on to the next book. I mean, I have to. This one left things decidedly unresolved, and I'm particularly concerned for Mary Lou and her daughter. But I'm also pretty indifferent to Sam and Alyssa, which I know are going to finally be the star of the next book. Sam thinks he's in love with her, but honestly, they haven't exactly spent a ton of time together and don't know one another very well. She's mostly been prickly...I've always struggled in sympathizing with prickly characters, even with that prickliness is justified.
So, to sum up: This book didn't stand on its own at all, instead serving as a bridge between the first 4 books and book 6.
On a side note: These books were published between 2000 and 2002 and this is definitely the first one written after 9/11. I recognized that "before" quality in the earlier books, and now we've got the "after." Kind of intense to think about, and as far as adapting to current events, well done.
May 21, 2020
As usual in this series, there are three related storylines woven together. The main story features Mike Muldoon and Joan DaCosta. Mike is extraordinarily nice and incredibly handsome. Joan is a White House staffer in charge of keeping the president’s adult daughter on the straight and narrow. The angst between them us that Joan is seven years older than Mike. How horrifying!
The second story line involves Joan’s grandparents. Charlotte Fletcher DaCosta lost her first husband in the attack on Pearl Harbor and then married her second husband, Vince, who was wounded in Tarawa. They have had almost sixty happy years together as a couple. They reveal the poignant story of how they met and fell in love throughout the book.
The third story involves Sam Starrett and his wife, Mary Lou. They have a miserable marriage. Sam's former girlfriend, Mary Lou, told him she was pregnant at the end of Book 3, but didn't mention the part about sabotaging his condoms so she would get pregnant. He and Alyssa Locke had recently declared their love for one another. I know readers are supposed to be rooting for Sam and Alyssa but my heart broke for Mary Lou, a young woman who's battling alcoholism, but is an incredibly kind woman and wonderful mother. Yes, I know she tricked him but I was happy to see how hard she worked to try and make up for that.
This wasn't my favorite Troubleshooters novel but I am interested in what happens in the next book, , which is supposed to conclude the Sam/Alyssa/Mary Lou triangle.
The second story line involves Joan’s grandparents. Charlotte Fletcher DaCosta lost her first husband in the attack on Pearl Harbor and then married her second husband, Vince, who was wounded in Tarawa. They have had almost sixty happy years together as a couple. They reveal the poignant story of how they met and fell in love throughout the book.
The third story involves Sam Starrett and his wife, Mary Lou. They have a miserable marriage. Sam's former girlfriend, Mary Lou, told him she was pregnant at the end of Book 3, but didn't mention the part about sabotaging his condoms so she would get pregnant. He and Alyssa Locke had recently declared their love for one another. I know readers are supposed to be rooting for Sam and Alyssa but my heart broke for Mary Lou, a young woman who's battling alcoholism, but is an incredibly kind woman and wonderful mother. Yes, I know she tricked him but I was happy to see how hard she worked to try and make up for that.
This wasn't my favorite Troubleshooters novel but I am interested in what happens in the next book, , which is supposed to conclude the Sam/Alyssa/Mary Lou triangle.
June 10, 2010
Another one of my favorites. I know it seems like I always say that.
I like how clueless Mike Muldoon is about women since he is so handsome that he never has to work at it. He is however very good at being a SEAL. Joan Da Costa is a pretty good character but the way that their age difference bothers her, bothers me. There just isn't that great a difference in their ages and I know from my own personal situation,(hubby is 7 years younger) that this small age difference is virtually unnoticable once you're into your late 20s early 30s. The bigger problem is that they live so far apart. It is difficult for a career woman to give up her situation to follow a man around.
I did enjoy this WWII story about the most of any of the WWII stories. I would have loved to read an entire novel about it. But I would prefer that it not be in this novel.
I was astounded how well I liked the Mary Lou story. Brockmann can really create a sympathetic character from someone you swore you would never like. Some reviewers have said that they didn't like her and couldn't forgive her for trapping Sam into marriage. But I think that people make mistakes and change and grow and I'm happy to accept that in a novel also.
That's one of the things that is so compelling about this series.
I like how clueless Mike Muldoon is about women since he is so handsome that he never has to work at it. He is however very good at being a SEAL. Joan Da Costa is a pretty good character but the way that their age difference bothers her, bothers me. There just isn't that great a difference in their ages and I know from my own personal situation,(hubby is 7 years younger) that this small age difference is virtually unnoticable once you're into your late 20s early 30s. The bigger problem is that they live so far apart. It is difficult for a career woman to give up her situation to follow a man around.
I did enjoy this WWII story about the most of any of the WWII stories. I would have loved to read an entire novel about it. But I would prefer that it not be in this novel.
I was astounded how well I liked the Mary Lou story. Brockmann can really create a sympathetic character from someone you swore you would never like. Some reviewers have said that they didn't like her and couldn't forgive her for trapping Sam into marriage. But I think that people make mistakes and change and grow and I'm happy to accept that in a novel also.
That's one of the things that is so compelling about this series.
March 19, 2011
I liked this book but did not love it; however, I’m glad I didn’t skip it. The romance between the H/Mike and h/Joan was just OK but not heart stopping (older woman/younger man scenario) and the suspense wasn’t near as exciting as the past books in this series.....But, the background info into Sam’s life and the lead up to Sam/Alyssa’s reunion in next book is well worth the read. I'd like to give this book a 3.5...but I'll settle for a 4 because I really like this series.
July 18, 2015
After the thrill a minute Out of Control (Book 4) Into the Night has quite a different feel to it as the action slowly builds to a gripping conclusion. Again we have the three storylines intertwined, the past and present stories of two generations and the slow and painful disintegration of the marriage of two unsuited people in Sam and Mary Lou which directly impacts on the suspense plotline which kept me guessing right to the poignant end.
This is quite simply an outstanding series with storytelling at its very best.
★★★★� (4.5 stars)
This is quite simply an outstanding series with storytelling at its very best.
★★★★� (4.5 stars)
November 30, 2009
I enjoyed this book and always wished we would see more of Joan and Muldoon in further books but I guess that's all we get! Sam's wife was annoying but her development in this story arc is one of the things that makes me such a big Brockmann fan. People change and grow and can devlop more dimensions.
April 9, 2013
4+ stars
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book.... Some of the GR reviews that I've scanned indicate that some readers feel it's a "pity party" book, and I suppose, in some ways, it is. But it's about real emotions, even if those emotions seem to be about pity.
IMO, this book is about the price of not speaking up and asking for what you want - or taking it. It's about living too much in your head and not enough living. And, wow, that speaks to me.
Mary Lou - Sam - Ihbraham
I know that this is supposed to be one of the two "side stories" in the book, but it's on my mind the most. It was easy to see Mary Lou as just some slut who tricked Sam into marrying her. It was easy to see Sam as the victim of that. But, I'm really, really glad that Ms. Brockmann didn't allow us to stay there. While it might have been annoying at first, I came to appreciate Mary Lou's point of view.
Yes, ML made some mistakes. She thought that bagging a SEAL meant a HEA - a far cry from her life thus far. And, in her favor, ML is a great mom to Haley. If she weren't, it would so much easier to hate her. But the truth is, ML's done a good job raising Haley and keeping a house together, essentially on her own. Because, yep, Sam's been more absent than present; even when he's there, he's not really engaged. Sam is in straight survival mode, and that's not right.
I was really, really, really glad when Jazz called Sam on it - on not being there, for either Haley or Mary Lou. OK, maybe Sam's not in love with Mary Lou, but SAM made the CHOICE to marry Mary Lou. No one forced him to do so; it's all wonderful that Sam felt obligated to "do the right thing", but in who's eyes? How was making a bad situation worse doing the right thing for anyone? I've said it before, and I'll say it again: My dad, when in the Marine Corps, was given the advice by one of his superiors that "You don't sleep with anyone you can't see yourself being married to."
Seeing ML's POV made it clear that Sam wasn't even trying. And that's sad - no, it's cruel. As a SEAL, Sam does things every day that he'd rather not do, and yet, he does them. I'm not saying that Sam should have forced or faked love; but he should have TRIED. Mary Lou tried, in her own way: she attended AA meetings regularly; she got a part time job; she cleaned, cooked, and did the laundry; she tried to do things to make Sam happy, even if she was overly insecure and overly sensitive at times. Sam didn't try. And that really makes me angry at him.
And on the reverse side, Mary Lou didn't ASK Sam for what she needed. She nagged. She did. She thought he'd know that what she was doing was for him. And while, in a way he did, ML wasn't being the person that Sam knew before they were married. He knew that she was acting, not living. And she wasn't asking for what she really wanted.
Of course, the whole set up with who the bad guy would be... well, let's just say that for it to be Ihbraham would have been too easy and obvious. Ihbraham was obviously a great guy. He took a lot of things in stride. And realizing that Ms. B had to have written this book not long after 9/11, she did an excellent job at putting a human face on Muslims and those of Arabic descent; Ihbraham wasn't al Queda or a Jihadist simply because of his faith or his race. He was a decent guy doing his best to create a living and a life for himself. He was one of the only friends that Mary Lou had - willing to be there for her when no one else was.
And THAT'S ANOTHER STORY: The wives/girlfriends of the SEALs... Yes, in that situation, I probably wouldn't have befriended Mary Lou, either. But, again, seeing things from Mary Lou's POV showed that's not right. No one had to be her bosom buddy; but to extend some sort of friendship to her and to at least attempt to include her... wow. So easy to just flip the Bozo/Bimbo switch and walk away from someone.
Joan and Mike Muldoon
Finally, we discover that Muldoon has a personality under all that perfection! He seemed like one of the dullest guys around... nice to know that there's more to the guy than what we've seen so far. His attitude about how he doesn't have to pursue women, they come to him was more than irritating. In this book, I get to see how and why. Ms. Brockmann does a great job of showing us that men can and are relegated to sex symbol status as much or more than women. And men in uniform - officers in uniform - are even more susceptible. Look at how Joan viewed the Admiral (not Larry), LT (Tom Paoletti), and even Jazz at first! They were man-candy to her. So it was easier for me to see how Muldoon, who sometimes still saw himself as that fat nerd kid, would both use and feel used for his looks.
This romance happened FAST. I know, they all seem to, with the exception of Kelly and Tom - they at least knew each other before starting up hot and heavy. And I realize that the urgency and nature of the circumstances of the book - her brother, Donny, the Pres's daughter, Brooke, and the attempted assassination of the President (which was really just crowd terrorism) can bring two people together and forge a bond that can be seen as eternal love. It's tough, 'cuz is it, really?
I have hope for Joan and Mike, mostly because Mike wants it to work. Joan is the Every Woman - she's fairly attractive, smart, ambitious, good at her job... but she's not drop-dead gorgeous. She's got her own body image issues and emotional intimacy issues - some because of her own parents, some because of her brother, and some just because it's not easy to be a modern, independent woman and yet still be seen as desirable. It can be tough to need another person (a man) when as women we're so pushed to not need anyone but ourselves. That's Joan's life. But Muldoon finally get's it. He fumbles and bumbles his way through realizing that without asking - without taking - what he wants from Joan, he'll never get it.
Vince and Charlie
This is the ULTIMATE in not asking - not taking. It wasn't until the book was virtually over that Vince realized he hadn't been living his own life for the past 60 years. He was living James' life - Charlie's dead husband's life, or what Vince thought his life would have been.
Heartbreaking. Pure and simple. Not only that Charlie (Charlotte) had never verbalized to Vince how she really thought and felt about James and then about Vince, but also that Vince never asked. Wow.
Their story was a mixture for me - sometimes heart wrenching, sometimes puzzling, and sometimes simply seeming to break up the flow of the story. It was memorable because of the history of the Frogmen - the UDT, which ultimately became the SEALs.
============
Lots of lessons for me in this book. Perhaps not for others. But I'm one of those people who can easily live in her head. And when there, it's easy to forget that living in my head isn't LIVING. It's easy to dream, to hope, to want... but until you ASK or TAKE or DO, nothing changes.
When Mary Lou finally realizes what she wants - to be loved and accepted, she has to let go of some of her previous prejudices. She has to weigh whether being friends and possibly lovers with Ihbraham is more important than the color of his skin, his differences. That her vision of the "perfect" life (with a Navy SEAL) wasn't so perfect - it was her head's version of perfect. ML might not be my cup of tea, but her life's been drastically different than mine has been. I might not approve of the choice that she and her sister Janine made to get pregnant so that Sam would marry her. But where they've been and what they've lived through - well, that was the way that they thought. That was their version and vision of what would be a HEA. (Again, living in the head and not really living.)
Vince spent his LIFE loving a woman he was convinced only loved him as her 2nd choice - in place of her 1st husband, whom he saw as a hero. Vince pushed aside himself and his own bravery and life. Wow. And, unfortunately, as much as his wife truly loved him for him and not as a 2nd choice, she never made that clear. Both of them allowed the ghost of James to disrupt their lives, simply because they didn't discuss him honestly.
And this is where Muldoon comes in. He realized in a very real way when Joan pawned him off (or tried to) on Brooke, the President's daughter, that he didn't want to be anyone's consolation prize... 2nd choice. And he knew that he had to make Joan see that she wasn't a 2nd choice simply because she didn't look the way that she thought she should to be with a "god" like him. Or because she was older than he was.
It's obvious that this book's ending sets us up for what's next: Mary Lou leaves Sam with a quickie note and divorce papers. But she's running. She's afraid that Ihbraham and/or his brothers were involved in the terrorist attack. And she knows, unfortunately, that her car was the means by which those weapons got smuggled onto the base. That's going to come back to haunt both Mary Lou and Sam. I can't even imagine what it'll do to Sam and possibly his career.
I expect we'll learn what happened to Ihbraham because of that very investigation. And that Donny was right - the aliens were watching. Just not aliens from outer space - aliens in the sense that they're foreigners from outside the U.S.
While it's easy to see this book as a pity party, that's only the surface. Human beings get caught up all the time looking at and living regrets. We forget to do what Ihbraham and, obviously, AA tells people all the time: Live NOW - this moment, this day. Tomorrow and next week and next year will come and take care of itself. You can life the NOW right now. And you can do whatever you want to or need to do right NOW. And to me, that's an awesome reminder. Which makes this book an awesome book.
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book.... Some of the GR reviews that I've scanned indicate that some readers feel it's a "pity party" book, and I suppose, in some ways, it is. But it's about real emotions, even if those emotions seem to be about pity.
IMO, this book is about the price of not speaking up and asking for what you want - or taking it. It's about living too much in your head and not enough living. And, wow, that speaks to me.
Mary Lou - Sam - Ihbraham
I know that this is supposed to be one of the two "side stories" in the book, but it's on my mind the most. It was easy to see Mary Lou as just some slut who tricked Sam into marrying her. It was easy to see Sam as the victim of that. But, I'm really, really glad that Ms. Brockmann didn't allow us to stay there. While it might have been annoying at first, I came to appreciate Mary Lou's point of view.
Yes, ML made some mistakes. She thought that bagging a SEAL meant a HEA - a far cry from her life thus far. And, in her favor, ML is a great mom to Haley. If she weren't, it would so much easier to hate her. But the truth is, ML's done a good job raising Haley and keeping a house together, essentially on her own. Because, yep, Sam's been more absent than present; even when he's there, he's not really engaged. Sam is in straight survival mode, and that's not right.
I was really, really, really glad when Jazz called Sam on it - on not being there, for either Haley or Mary Lou. OK, maybe Sam's not in love with Mary Lou, but SAM made the CHOICE to marry Mary Lou. No one forced him to do so; it's all wonderful that Sam felt obligated to "do the right thing", but in who's eyes? How was making a bad situation worse doing the right thing for anyone? I've said it before, and I'll say it again: My dad, when in the Marine Corps, was given the advice by one of his superiors that "You don't sleep with anyone you can't see yourself being married to."
Seeing ML's POV made it clear that Sam wasn't even trying. And that's sad - no, it's cruel. As a SEAL, Sam does things every day that he'd rather not do, and yet, he does them. I'm not saying that Sam should have forced or faked love; but he should have TRIED. Mary Lou tried, in her own way: she attended AA meetings regularly; she got a part time job; she cleaned, cooked, and did the laundry; she tried to do things to make Sam happy, even if she was overly insecure and overly sensitive at times. Sam didn't try. And that really makes me angry at him.
And on the reverse side, Mary Lou didn't ASK Sam for what she needed. She nagged. She did. She thought he'd know that what she was doing was for him. And while, in a way he did, ML wasn't being the person that Sam knew before they were married. He knew that she was acting, not living. And she wasn't asking for what she really wanted.
Of course, the whole set up with who the bad guy would be... well, let's just say that for it to be Ihbraham would have been too easy and obvious. Ihbraham was obviously a great guy. He took a lot of things in stride. And realizing that Ms. B had to have written this book not long after 9/11, she did an excellent job at putting a human face on Muslims and those of Arabic descent; Ihbraham wasn't al Queda or a Jihadist simply because of his faith or his race. He was a decent guy doing his best to create a living and a life for himself. He was one of the only friends that Mary Lou had - willing to be there for her when no one else was.
And THAT'S ANOTHER STORY: The wives/girlfriends of the SEALs... Yes, in that situation, I probably wouldn't have befriended Mary Lou, either. But, again, seeing things from Mary Lou's POV showed that's not right. No one had to be her bosom buddy; but to extend some sort of friendship to her and to at least attempt to include her... wow. So easy to just flip the Bozo/Bimbo switch and walk away from someone.
Joan and Mike Muldoon
Finally, we discover that Muldoon has a personality under all that perfection! He seemed like one of the dullest guys around... nice to know that there's more to the guy than what we've seen so far. His attitude about how he doesn't have to pursue women, they come to him was more than irritating. In this book, I get to see how and why. Ms. Brockmann does a great job of showing us that men can and are relegated to sex symbol status as much or more than women. And men in uniform - officers in uniform - are even more susceptible. Look at how Joan viewed the Admiral (not Larry), LT (Tom Paoletti), and even Jazz at first! They were man-candy to her. So it was easier for me to see how Muldoon, who sometimes still saw himself as that fat nerd kid, would both use and feel used for his looks.
This romance happened FAST. I know, they all seem to, with the exception of Kelly and Tom - they at least knew each other before starting up hot and heavy. And I realize that the urgency and nature of the circumstances of the book - her brother, Donny, the Pres's daughter, Brooke, and the attempted assassination of the President (which was really just crowd terrorism) can bring two people together and forge a bond that can be seen as eternal love. It's tough, 'cuz is it, really?
I have hope for Joan and Mike, mostly because Mike wants it to work. Joan is the Every Woman - she's fairly attractive, smart, ambitious, good at her job... but she's not drop-dead gorgeous. She's got her own body image issues and emotional intimacy issues - some because of her own parents, some because of her brother, and some just because it's not easy to be a modern, independent woman and yet still be seen as desirable. It can be tough to need another person (a man) when as women we're so pushed to not need anyone but ourselves. That's Joan's life. But Muldoon finally get's it. He fumbles and bumbles his way through realizing that without asking - without taking - what he wants from Joan, he'll never get it.
Vince and Charlie
This is the ULTIMATE in not asking - not taking. It wasn't until the book was virtually over that Vince realized he hadn't been living his own life for the past 60 years. He was living James' life - Charlie's dead husband's life, or what Vince thought his life would have been.
Heartbreaking. Pure and simple. Not only that Charlie (Charlotte) had never verbalized to Vince how she really thought and felt about James and then about Vince, but also that Vince never asked. Wow.
Their story was a mixture for me - sometimes heart wrenching, sometimes puzzling, and sometimes simply seeming to break up the flow of the story. It was memorable because of the history of the Frogmen - the UDT, which ultimately became the SEALs.
============
Lots of lessons for me in this book. Perhaps not for others. But I'm one of those people who can easily live in her head. And when there, it's easy to forget that living in my head isn't LIVING. It's easy to dream, to hope, to want... but until you ASK or TAKE or DO, nothing changes.
When Mary Lou finally realizes what she wants - to be loved and accepted, she has to let go of some of her previous prejudices. She has to weigh whether being friends and possibly lovers with Ihbraham is more important than the color of his skin, his differences. That her vision of the "perfect" life (with a Navy SEAL) wasn't so perfect - it was her head's version of perfect. ML might not be my cup of tea, but her life's been drastically different than mine has been. I might not approve of the choice that she and her sister Janine made to get pregnant so that Sam would marry her. But where they've been and what they've lived through - well, that was the way that they thought. That was their version and vision of what would be a HEA. (Again, living in the head and not really living.)
Vince spent his LIFE loving a woman he was convinced only loved him as her 2nd choice - in place of her 1st husband, whom he saw as a hero. Vince pushed aside himself and his own bravery and life. Wow. And, unfortunately, as much as his wife truly loved him for him and not as a 2nd choice, she never made that clear. Both of them allowed the ghost of James to disrupt their lives, simply because they didn't discuss him honestly.
And this is where Muldoon comes in. He realized in a very real way when Joan pawned him off (or tried to) on Brooke, the President's daughter, that he didn't want to be anyone's consolation prize... 2nd choice. And he knew that he had to make Joan see that she wasn't a 2nd choice simply because she didn't look the way that she thought she should to be with a "god" like him. Or because she was older than he was.
It's obvious that this book's ending sets us up for what's next: Mary Lou leaves Sam with a quickie note and divorce papers. But she's running. She's afraid that Ihbraham and/or his brothers were involved in the terrorist attack. And she knows, unfortunately, that her car was the means by which those weapons got smuggled onto the base. That's going to come back to haunt both Mary Lou and Sam. I can't even imagine what it'll do to Sam and possibly his career.
I expect we'll learn what happened to Ihbraham because of that very investigation. And that Donny was right - the aliens were watching. Just not aliens from outer space - aliens in the sense that they're foreigners from outside the U.S.
While it's easy to see this book as a pity party, that's only the surface. Human beings get caught up all the time looking at and living regrets. We forget to do what Ihbraham and, obviously, AA tells people all the time: Live NOW - this moment, this day. Tomorrow and next week and next year will come and take care of itself. You can life the NOW right now. And you can do whatever you want to or need to do right NOW. And to me, that's an awesome reminder. Which makes this book an awesome book.
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