Review: When Tony Met Adam by Suzanne Brockmann (Short Story, Book 12.5 Troubleshooters Series)

First of all, if you are not a fan of the series you might want to skip this review because it won’t make any sense. You need to be familiar with the books to know what I’m talking about.

                      

I have read 29 novels by Suzanne Brockmann (believe me, I just counted them); so that pretty much tell you that I’m a huge screaming fan-girl of her books, not only that but the Troubleshooter series is my all-time favourite romantic suspense series. However, the last books in the series lacked (or at least for me) that “magic” from the first books. In the last couple of stories I found myself kind of hating the heroine, the hero, the plot or the constant preaching. And after the big disappointment that followed the long wait for Izzy’s book I really wasn’t expecting anything great about this novella.

It doesn’t sound really nice I know, but to read this review you have to understand from where I’m coming from in the series. So, I was a little pissed about Izzy’s book, I really really didn’t like Eden and what I loved about Jenny in Hot Pursuit ended up being another disappointment in Breaking the Rules, Not to mention that one of the novella’s leads is Adam and I didn’t like the character.

So now you understand that I wasn’t expecting to like this short story, the only thing that made me read it was Tony Vlachic, I was dying to read his story and I’m incredible glad to say that it was so much more than what I was hoping for. I have no idea how Suzanne did it but by the end my heart warmed to Adam and I was rooting for him.

The story begins when Adam starts getting hate email from a fan -this happened in book 12 All thought the Night- his heart is completely broken by Robin and Jules’s wedding and he finally realises that he has to move on. In that moment he meets Tony, who is instantly attracted to the tormented actor.

Adam is not in his best moment, but everything that happens to him is what makes him wake up. Suzanne gave us an insight of his life and how hard was to come out with his family and the debacle that came after; sure, Jules talked about him in several books before this but is not until we get into Adam’s mind that we understand his mistakes and his attitude.

On the other hand we have Tony, I’ve been dying to know more about him since he was introduced in the books as the new member of the fabulous four (Danny, Izzy, Jay and Mike). He has been hiding his sexuality from his friends and co-workers, and even though he is a tough Navy SEAL there is the problem of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. So when he approached Adam in from of his teammates his risked his career. But hey, he is a Navy SEAL so he loves risky situations. He understood that Adam was emotionally unstable at the moment but he couldn’t deny his attraction to him, which is why he takes the lead and goes after Adam. They meet, they hook up and Tony gets the call to got wheels up with a lot left unsaid between them. Fast forward a little and you’ll get a dangerous situation, life-threatening moments and unexpected encounters that are the perfect mix to make them realise that they love each other.

So yes, I recommend this story a lot, it’s short (shorter than a novella) but not light, and is a great ending to two lovely characters. I could live without a couple of stuff: Adam does have an awful past but that doesn’t justify being a jerk even when it makes it understandable. The other thing that I think was a bit rushed was the falling in love part, but again is a novella and this definitely can help a little to pass the frustration of Breaking the Rules.

Review By Marie

Grade: 4

Sensuality: McSteamy

Synopsys:

Tony Vlachic, a ruggedly handsome Navy SEAL, has kept his sexuality a secret for years under the threat of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” That is, until he meets Adam Wyndham, a charismatic yet troubled film star. Tony knows that by approaching Adam in front of his teammates he’s jeopardizing his military career. And Adam, nursing a broken heart, has no interest in a relationship. Still, neither man can deny their instant attraction.

Tony didn’t become a SEAL by accepting rejection, and his pursuit of Adam leads to one unforgettable night. But the next morning, Tony is ordered to ship out to Afghanistan, and he’s forced to leave Adam with too much left unsaid. As Tony enters a dangerous war zone, Adam, back in Los Angeles, struggles with the demons of his past, while dealing with the very real possibility that Tony could be killed in action. Half a world apart, both men must face their feelings for each other—and decide if what they’ve found is worth risking everything in the name of love.

When Tony met Adam (Short Story) by Suzanne Brockmann

Ballantine Books; June 6, 2011. (Kindle Edition)