Troublemaker

by Linda Howard

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Troublemaker by Linda Howard is the first book in the GO-Team series. I have to admit I am confused as to the classification of this book. The synopsis hinted at it being romantic suspense, so I jumped in expecting a thrilling, suspenseful ride interspersed with romance. Well I never got what I expected. Instead, I got a story set in a small town, filled with drama, laughter and some romance. There was virtually no suspense. At one point, it appeared as if there would be action, but that scene fell flat leaving me with a lot more questions than answers.

The story introduces Morgan Yancy a member of the Go-Team. Shortly after returning home from a gruelling yet successful mission, he was attacked outside his home. His boss not willing to take any chances sent him into hiding and proceeded to set subtle traps to catch the persons responsible.

Isabeau Mara (Bo) is the chief of police for Hamrickville, the town that Morgan was sent to hide. It so happened she was Morgan’s boss stepsister, but they did not have a good relationship. Not sure why he sent Morgan there, but I figured, it was to get a rise out of Bo. She was not amused when she saw him, especially when she discovered who sent him. However, when she saw his physical appearance, she realised he direly needed help, and she extended her hospitality.

The story started out slow and took time to build up. When it did, I found it to be a sweet and entertaining read. The focus was on the dramatic events in the town and the budding romance between Morgan and Bo. I would classify it as sweet small town romance. Small town drama added spice to the story.

There were a few loose ends. I figured out the reason for the attack on Morgan and the need for the precautions taken to flush out the villain. However, what I could not fathom the reason for allowing the masterminds to escape. What baffled me even more was they had one in their grasp but they allowed the person to walk away with no consequences. The reason was there was no proof, and this was another area, which I had an issue. Most story was focused on Morgan’s recuperation and his romance with Bo. Mention was made that Morgan’s boss was working to uncover the reason behind the attack. However, readers did not get an opportunity to experience the investigation. At one point, I wondered if an investigation had taken place. The story ended, and I still did not understand what was their agenda.

I enjoyed spending time with the characters, but my favourite was Triks. It says a lot that when s story ends the character you loved the most was the dog. Triks is such a Diva. There were moments when she made me laugh and times when I found myself saying aww. She is so adorable. She brought life to the story and helped to make it a worthwhile read.

Conclusion/Recommendation
Although it did not live up to my expectations, I still had some fun reading this installment.. If I were to rate this book, as a romantic suspense, then it would fail miserably, but as a sweet small town romance, it hit the spot.