All Through the Night: A Troubleshooter Christmas

Okay, it's a bit corny. But folks, get real. That's pretty much what holiday novellas ARE. Look at it for what it is; a tender love story about two people who really love each other with faults acknowledged and lived with. Jules' jealousy is a counterpoint to Robin's alcoholism. Both are lingering, ongoing, dealt with in real ways. Just as rehab didn't cure Robin or stop his daily struggles, no single event/realization is going to end Jules' jealousy. As Sam said, Jules is hard-wired for jealousy. What is fun is that this is a real story about two guys who love each other. Not platonically, not running or hiding, but open, sexual and in the sunlight. Readers who might not otherwise encounter gay couples find themselves really liking these guys, sharing Jones' and Sam's personal growth in accepting these guys and yes, loving them. If one knee-jerk response to gay marriage is mitigated by this story, that's great. Me? I've read it probably half a dozen times, over and over, just to be with the whole gang of Troubleshooters, Sam and Alyssa, Jones and Molly, Max and Gina, Jules and Robin. I'm still sorry when I near the end of the book, because I'm leaving them again, and want to know how they're doing. I'm glad Brockmann introduced a gay SEAL; the world needs more successful and tough guys, gay or not. We need to see guys like Sam and Jones and the SEALS of Team Sixteen accept Jules and Robin as they are, just as J & R accept Sam and the guys. We need to meet people and characters who we care about as people first and last, and whose sexuality is not the sum total of their personal and professional identities. That's what Jules gives us, and why we care about him.

I was so happy when I heard that this Christmas novella was going to be the story of Jules and Robin's wedding, and as usual Ms. Brockmann has told a wonderful story. Robin's been in Boston working on a cable show and Jules decides to go and surprise him for the weekend and with a marriage proposal. The night doesn't go quite as planned and there's a scene with Jules, Robin and Sam Starret that had me ROFL. The story goes onto a surprise wedding shower where many of my favorite characters from the earlier stories show up and it turns out to be an interesting night. Add to this a hostage situation in Afghanistan, a secondary romantic storyline with the wonderful Dolphina (Robin's former handler and now Jules and Robin's assistant) and you have another wonderful Troubleshooters story. The authors notes and the fact that ALL the authors proceeds of the book are being donated to charity are just another (of the many!) reasons that this book is highly recommended. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you won't want to miss this wonderful story!

Okay. This was the best book in the Troubleshooters Series. Hands down. Has any couple ever radiated as much love as Jules & Robin? I don't believe so. I mean you didn't even think of them as a gay couple. You just saw two people in love. All I can say is Wow! This book was beyond great. Boy, I hope we can get more stories about this awesome couple.

I love books like this... when the author treats us to a little gift and lets us see lots of favorite characters together. This book is packed full of many of our favorite Troubleshooter and Team Sixteen and FBI characters, interacting, relaxing, doing reconnaissance, taking down crazed killers, playing laser tag. I mean, just think about it! Sam and Lys and Jones and Robin all playing laser tag, with Jazz and Izzy and Jenks, etc... The list goes on and on. Even Nash is there. Now, even though all these characters are "there", the truth is there aren't enough pages to go into any detail about them, but they and several more characters are mentioned, and that in itself was a whole lot of fun. So are all the little kids that make cameo appearances in this book: Max's daughter, Cosmo's son, Tom's son, Sam's daughter, Jones and Molly's daughter... And just wait until you find out who all are pregnant!!! The best part of this book, for me, was seeing Jules and Robin sharing domestic bliss in their Victorian home in South End, a place where gays are pretty well accepted. Jules and Robin make a very cute couple, and their affection and joy in each other is very apparent and heart warming. And Sam's and Alyssa's undying loyalty to Jules and Robin is very touching. I didn't like Will Schroeder - he's not an appealing character. He went too far, and was not redeemed, IMHO. Dolphina should just keep walking. She deserves someone way better than Will. Enjoy!!

What can I say? Robin & Jules get married. Readers following the Troubleshooters series certainly know who Robin & Jules are. This book was a little different from Brockmann's usual troubleshooters novels, mainly because it was a novella - a short story. But make no mistake... Brockmann doesn't disappoint and manages to pack a "whollop" of a story in this short novel. "All through the Night" has no chapters, but it does have dates so you can easily follow the timeline. The novella starts with Jules rushing to Boston (where Robin is filming a cable series) to propose marriage. He and Robin have been dating for a few months at this point. Yet with Robin filming in Boston and Jules working in DC, they are certainly not spending as much time with each other as they would like. Jules solution - get the FBI to transfer him to Massachusetts, (not just him, but him and a few other members of the special counter-terrorist team he works with) and propose marriage to Robin, his one true-love. And...actually get married, buy a house, and live in the one state in the US that actually allows legal marriages between same-sex couples. Yet even the most most well-thought of plans can go astray. From the very beginning of their emotional and heart-felt journey, nothing goes according to the plan, including the proposal. (Or heck, even the wedding itself.) Throughout the story, Jules & Robin find themselves dealing with a crazed stalker, ex-boyfriend problems, family betrayals, and even their own insecurities. The only constant - the genuine true love that they feel for one another. It's enough to withstand any test. Honestly. WOW!! Brockmann out-did herself. This was the most BEAUTIFUL love story that I've ever read, and certainly the best in the Troublshooters series. Jules & Robin's love for each other literally radiated from the pages with a bright neon flourescent glow. I'm not prone to tears, but I practically cried while reading this story. And while Jules & Robin's love shined in rainbow colors, the secondary heterosexual love story was a tad dry. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of Dolphina and Will, b/c they didn't actually get a HEA in there, (did they?) but I really wished they were left off the pages. They kind of dragged Jules & Robin's flow, but still.... This book was AWESOME!! Loved it, Loved it and will be loving it for quite some time.