Hot Target- Suzanne Brockmann

This book was excellent!!! By far, one of the best that I've read by Suzanne Brockmann. I don't know why people were so put off by the Jules/ Robin story. It was very TASTEFULLY done. This is America. Homosexuality is real, whether we agree with it or not. I recommend this book to just about anyone. It was GREAT!!!

Let me start by saying that I am a die-hard Brockmann fan. She creates characters that you instantly care about with very little effort. Both of her series and her individual books have that intensity and that charasmatic draw. This book is no different. As usual, she offers a central story and also let's you explore another previously met character in greater depth. This is the story of Cosmo Richter, and truthfully.... his appearance in "Flash Point" made me want to know what happened to him, so I looked forward to this book. It was a good read. Her characters were definitely compelling and I've read it more than once. It just wasn't my favorite book in her huge collection. Cosmo is a legend as being a machine. He is intense and tends to frighten people into giving him a wide berth. When his opera loving mother has an accident and breaks both arms, Cosmo drops everything to go to her. Well, she's not having him help with the indelicate care taking tasks, so while he's got time he takes a job with the troubleshooter inc., located near his mother. Former Seals commander, Lt. Paoletti has just the perfect "fluff" job for this tough Seal. Bodyguard to a party girl producer whose life has been threatened. As you can imagine, not is all as it seems with this woman and love finds its way. (I'll avoid the spoiler by being vague). Jules, someone that has been brought to life over the course of several trouble shooter books, quits being quite so easy going and flip in this story. You see his heart break, the soul of an optimist, and the courage of a realist. Brockmann has been successful in creating his storyline, and though I know it is fiction, I can't help but hope that Robin pulls his act together sometime soon! If you have never read a Brockmann book, I'd recommend starting with another in this series. This is one of the few books of hers that doesn't stand alone, and works better if you know the history. (Most of her books in this series can be read without having to start at the beginning). If you are a Brockmann reader, you'll enjoy this! It isn't her best, but it really is better than most of the books out there! Last note: I was so touched by the eloquent dedication Suz wrote in this book. It exposes the pride and love of a great mother!

Once again, Suzanne Brockmann has turned in one amazing book. Jane Chadwick is a producer making a movie with a very touchy subject line, Cosmo Richter is part of the security team assigned to protect her. Some people have claimed that the Cosmo in this book doesn't match up with the one in Brockmann's previous SEAL books, but I have to disagree. He was portrayed as very quiet and mysterious about his background. Though he talks to Jane (and quite a few women dream about the mysterious man who only feels comfortable talking to them) and has a couple long conversations with people who need it (can't say too much for fear of giving away plot) he for the most part is quite spare and simple with his words. Also he has a complicated family history that accounts for his mysterious background with out being too dark and dangerous. However, if this book had been about only Jane and Cosmo, I probably would have only given it max 4 stars. Their story is a near cliche - beautiful woman needs bodyguard, they don't like each other at first but then ooops, that's changed. In fact, Brockmann already wrote that one and called it "Body Guard". But it's the story of Jules and Robin that makes this story sky-rocket into amazing territory. Jules is openly gay and dealing with the reappearance of his ex-lover, Adam, who has once again used him, this time to get a part in a movie. Robin is so deeply closeted, he's lying even to himself and [...] with every woman who'll stand still. But he has to get incredibly drunk to do it, and that's turning into incipient alcoholism. There's one gay love scene that's alluded to (unfortunately not with Jules) but it fades to black before they even leave the bar, so if you're worried about that, don't be - it's not there. To me, Jules and Robin's story line seemed to have slight shades of Sam and Alyssa's line, though this time it's only one of them who makes the mistakes. Robin has to be drunk for anything physical to happen (like Alyssa) and sleeps with another person even though we all know who he'd really like to be with (like Sam with Mary Ellen). Now, a few people have moaned that Jules and Robin take up too much time, but I'd be willing to bet these are the same people who were screaming for more, more, MORE of Sam and Alyssa. Robin's absolute repression, in California of all places, didn't make a ton of sense to me until I remembered he wanted to be a movie actor, specifically, and seemed to have no interest in theater. It's quite unfortunate that in our country a handsome, talented actor who happens to be gay will only get zany best friend parts. (Remember Rupert Everett anyone?) But watching Jules and Robin struggle with themselves was amazing. I can't wait to see more of them in the future.

This book will perhaps not please everyone, but I hope that all Brockmann's fans (and many others, besides) will read it. I admire Suzanne Brockmann for her unapologetic portrayal of a gay man's love life. For a long time I have looked forward to the story of Cosmo Richter, he has been such an enigmatic character in her other novels, and I did enjoy his story. But I was more caught up by the story of Jules Cassidy. Jules is a worthy character who has appeared in nearly all of Brockmann's Seal Team Sixteen books. This is the first time he's had his own storyline. In Hot Target , FBI agent Jules Cassidy deals with a disastrous past love, and an attraction to a man still deep in the closet. Jules struggles to resolve his emotional issues while trying to track down a domestic terrorist that has threatened the life of movie producer J. Mercedes Chadwick (Cosmo's love interest). My thanks to Suzanne Brockmann, once having introduced the storyline, for not apologizing, qualifying, or ducking the emotional issue. I hope to see more of Jules in future books.