5 Stars... Force of Nature has it all... it's like all your dreams come true and this book give it to you. We have more funny moments, steamy scenes, love that finds each other at least *yay* and non stop action. Now what more could you ask for?When I started Force of Nature I was mainly looking forward to reading more about Robin and Jules. What surprised me was the beautiful, funny and hot relationship that developed between Ric and Annie Dugan. I wasn't left unhappy about any aspect of these relationships.*Please forgive all my quotes... I got a little excited about this book, Plus Brockmann says it so much better than I ever could.My ode to Ric AlvaradoWe met Ric in a previous Troubleshooter book as a detective that helps Max with Gina. His cameo didn't leave me drooling but there is just something about Ric that sneaks up on you. It's almost true with all the men in the Troubleshooter books. What I found sweet and endearing about Ric Alvarado was his ability to open mouth and insert foot. It's hilarious. This is my favorite right foot-in-mouth moment: “For the love of God,” Annie exploded. “Will you just finish your fricking sentence? Because I’m what , Ric? Too tall? Too short? Too smart? Too attached to my dog? A liberal? An athlete? Not feminine enough? What? ” “You’re gay,” he said, and at her total, openmouthed surprise, he asked, “Aren’t you?” He answered it himself. “No, you’re not. Okay, then. That’s…great.” Ric loves women, he loves everything about them and it literally oozes off the page. In fact several times he's tongue tied with Annie and she thinks he's thinking she's too fat or that he's not attracted to her body. Him stumbling over his words to correct himself and it makes for some fun moments. Ric looked at all women like that. With genuine appreciation. Regardless of the woman’s shape or size or age. Yeah, Ric Alvarado didn’t just look at women. He smoldered at them.Ric tried to explain. “It’s more than that. I’ve got this thing where, I don’t know, I can’t say it without it sounding like, yeah, I’m sexist, but bottom line, I just want to protect you.” It wasn’t because she was a woman, it was because she was Annie. “And yeah, it has nothing to do with your ability or skill or—” “You want to protect me, but it’s not because you’re a man and I’m a woman.” His temper sparked at the attitude she was throwing at him. “No, it’s not.” My favorite moment with Annie and Ric in the bathroom *note this is a spoiler if you haven't read the book* This is so dang hot!! (view spoiler)[ “Ric?” she said. “We need to get—” “I know,” he said, but he didn’t move. He couldn’t move. She looked at him, expectantly. He closed his eyes. “I’m afraid if I try to pull out, I’m going to come.” “Oh God,” she said. “Don’t move,” he warned her. “I’m not.” But she started to laugh. “Don’t laugh!” “Picture me pregnant,” she told him. “Picture me—” “Don’t,” he cut her off. “That’s turning me on.” “Really?” “Oh, yeah.” And there they were, staring at each other. “Marry me,” Ric said. He just opened his mouth and the words came out. Annie laughed—just once. “You just want to come inside of me.” “Shit, yeah,” he said. “For the next fifty years.” She laughed again, but her smile faded as she looked into his eyes. “You don’t really mean it, do you?” “I do,” he whispered. “I love you, Annie.” She kissed him. And she came, too. Now another moment:“What part of Will you marry me? makes you believe that I have even the slightest interest in fooling around with anyone else—except of course you don’t believe me, so, yeah, okay. You have my word. You’ll be my only fuck buddy, too.” “Oh, that’s nice,” she said. “God, Ric—” “I’m just calling it what it is,” he countered, his temper obviously flaring. “If you don’t like the name for it, maybe you shouldn’t be—” He cut himself off and exhaled hard. “Look, for the record?” He lowered his voice. “When I’m inside of you, when I’m moving the way I know you love for me to move? I’m making love to you. That’s what I call it. So why don’t you pack that in your bag and think about it while you’re in California? Of course, if that concept’s too intense for you, maybe you should just focus on all the ways I’m going to make you come, next time we’re alone together.” She was silent for such a long time that he asked, “You still there?” “Oh, yeah.” “Good,” he said. “I’m going to call Martell, have him drop by to check on you in the morning, okay?” “Yeah,” Annie said again. “I love you, Annie,” Ric said. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” (hide spoiler)]
Major movement in the Jules and Robin storyline in this book. "All through the Night" is possibly my favorite Brockmann book and this is the one that directly leads into it... making it higher on my list. The main story in this book was not one of my favorites, but a lot of other characters romances were advanced (Max and Gina as well as Robin and Jules.)Ric Alvarado has known Annie Dugan for years. Now he's hired her as his secretary, but she wants a more active role in the investigation business. Well, she gets it when one of their clients tries to gun down the man they're watching. I did enjoy the story of Ric Alvarado, private investigator, falling in love with his old friend Annie Dugan. But for me, the most enjoyable part of this book is seeing Robin Chadwick and Jules Cassidy finally getting together. All of them are caught up in trying to bring down a crime family. Annie and Ric have known each other for over a decade but Ric is friends with Annie's brother and has never made the move on her. Well, that and her brother told Ric that Annie is gay. She's not, and happily, she's attracted to him as well so it all ends well for them.Robin and Jules, however, are gay but Robin is afraid that coming out of the closet will ruin his acting career which is just taking off. Jules is afraid that Robin will hurt him again. Jules is happily out of the closet and doesn't want to have to hide his relationships, he just got out of one with a Marine and doesn't want to deal with that again. Also, Jules is worried about Robin's alcoholism. This becomes a major plot point later in the book when Robin does some really stupid stunts that almost get him killed. But it ends with Robin coming out in a pretty spectacular manner and leads into the next Troubleshooters books which is one of my favorites.
What do You think about Force Of Nature (2007)?
Florida private investigator and ex-cop Ric Alvarado's life is spiraling out of control. His beautiful new girl Friday, Annie Dugan, is far more interested in fieldwork than filing, and despite Ric's best efforts to ignore the attraction, sparks are flying between them. Then one of Ric's clients turns femme fatale and tries to gun down an innocent man. Thanks to quick thinking and even quicker reflexes, Ric comes to the rescue, only to learn he's done a very good deed for some very bad people. Suddenly Ric finds himself deep undercover with Annie, working for notorious crime boss Gordon Burns. One mistake from Ric's painfully inexperienced partner and they're both dead. FBI agent Jules Cassidy's life isn't in much better shape. For years the FBI has been trying to prove Gordon Burns's ties to terrorist activity. Now, thanks to Ric and Annie, Jules has found a way into the lion's den. But in the course of his investigation he comes face-to-face with Robin Chadwick, the charismatic but self-destructive and closeted movie star for whom Jules feels a powerful attraction. Robin's in town promoting his latest film and Gordon Burns is a star-struck movie buff. With Robin and Jules's help, Ric and Annie are soon entrenched in Burns' organization, surrounded by killers who may already have executed an FBI infiltrator. Before long the couple realizes that many more lives besides their own will be at stake if they make a false move. As the heat between them reaches dangerous levels, so do the risks they're willing to take-in the line of duty, for the sake of loyalty, and in the name of something that runs even deeper.(less) Ric's story and Jule's sotry
—Sheri faulk
Okay, I've definitely read too many of these now. This volume of the series seems to be my overall favorite, but I think that must mean that my brain has finally liquefied and run out my ears.Once again we have lost the WWII subplots from earlier books. I liked those, so it's a shame to not have them in these later books. However, Brockmann is now doing a better job at integrating the characters, action, and romance elements without seeming quite as artificial as she did in the earlier stories. Also, in this one, Jules (her gay FBI agent character)is once again a major player -- and since he is near and dear to both Brockmann and to her fans, she gives him a lot of loving (pardon the pun) attention here. I kinda hate to give this sort of trashy novel a good rating...but, what the heck. There's exciting action without too much stupidity to the plot, good sexual tension and angst between both of the couples highlighted in this installment, and a series favorite once again gets the spotlight. 4 stars.
—Contrarius
I really like Brockmann's heroes and heroines, and I have nothing against her writing- my biggest complaint would be instead of having the novel mainly being the main hero and main heroine there is another romance in the novel that is not the main couple of the novel but threatens to overtake it and maybe it has. I have nothing against Jules and Robin but I wanted more Ric and Annie. It makes sense how the two plots collided and how both couples came together in the end but Jules and Robin were
—Cam
