No Escape

Isabelle Carson knows these people, and she knows they'd never commit suicide, especially her friend Beverly. They all shared a past; all were foster kids in the home of the molesting, pedofile Lavine. Fourteen years earlier, Grant had been moved to Lavine's care. One night, while sneaking out, he came upon Lavine trying to rape Isabelle, his rage snapped his control and he put a permanent halt to Lavine's molestations. Fourteen years later, now a Delta Force vet, he's been receiving birthday cards and Christmas cards from Isabelle all these years. But her phone call left him worried, for it wasn't just her words, but her tone of voice that was off. Something was going on, and Grant is determined to find out. Now a foster mom to seventeen-year-old Dale Townsend, Isabelle is frightened; Wyatt, Dale's father, is now out of jail, and he wants his son, even if Dale doesn't want him. And people that she cares about are dying, and she's sure they're not suicides. She's been to the police, but they don't believe her. But Grant does, for he's found something in her research that the police never saw... the 'suicides' are happening in the order that they had gone to live with Lavine. Now the police are taking it seriously. However, will they find the killer in time before Isabelle becomes his next 'suicide'? Totally awesome and I can't wait for more from Shannon K. Butcher! Isabelle is a strong woman who's determined to become a great foster mom to children who need her, some with pasts very similar to her own. She's gotten over that past, and her determination really speaks through to the author. When her cards and letter start coming back from some of her friends and fellow foster brothers and sisters, Isabelle places phone calls and doesn't like what she hears. She knows they wouldn't commit suicide, especially her friend and foster-sister Beverly, who had recently married and was the proud mother of a three-week-old baby boy. Isabelle was the one that found her, her body still warm, in the tub, her wrists slit. This was the last straw. Determined to get to the bottom of it and warn everyone else, Isabelle calls the man who'd saved her from Lavine years ago and left a message Grant didn't like. Grant, Delta Force vet, decides on his way through to go work for David, to stop at Isabelle's and find out what's going on. At first, he believes that she believes the suicides weren't suicides, but Grant waited until he had more proof. And when that proof is found, the suicides are happening in the same order as they'd been placed in Lavine's care, Grant really believes something's going on, and it sure isn't suicide. He's determined to help, but knows he can't stay when all is solved, for the lonely and scared little boy still buried deep believes that he can't be the man that Isabelle wants, that he doesn't have it in him to be a good husband and a good father, because of his own past. Suspenseful, fast-paced and tense, you feel what the characters ar

This is the third in the series about Delta Force operatives, following No Regrets and No Control. They're connected books, but they stand alone, so there's no problem with reading out of order. I'd highly recommend reading all of them, though--they're excellent. Elementary school teacher Isabelle Carson grew up in foster homes. Three of her former foster-siblings have died--suicides, according to the police, but Isabelle thinks that's too many for coincidence. And she knew them--they weren't suicidal. Worried, she contacts the others who were in the home with them, including Grant Kent, who'd saved her from their abusive foster father years ago. Grant, a Delta Force vet, has a couple of days before starting his new job with his friend David's (from No Regrets) security company, so he decides to visit Isabelle to see what her message was all about... and because he hasn't been able to get her out of his mind. He figured he'd take a couple of hours, straighten things out for her, and be on his way. Instead, he finds Isabelle and himself, and the rest of their former foster-siblings the targets of a ruthless killer, and he can't leave. He also can't stay. Isabelle is realizing her dream of being a foster parent herself, and Grant knows he's not father material. But the longer he stays, the harder it is to resist Isabelle, and the closer he gets to Isabelle's foster son Dale. No Escape puts the "suspense" in "romantic suspense." The chilling prologue sets the stage, and the pace and suspense don't let up until the end of the last chapter. (The epilogue does let you catch your breath, thank goodness--you'll need it.) We do find out whodunit midway through the book, but that just adds to the suspense. These characters just do not get a break. They're tested physically, emotionally, and professionally: they're in physical danger, Grant's in danger of losing his job, they're both in danger of having their hearts broken, Isabelle is frightened for her friends and her foster son, and Grant has to deal with feelings of being an outsider. Through all these intensely emotional crises, you get to know Grant and Isabelle, and watch them fall in love. It's vivid and believable. They're such complex characters, and they're fighting their attraction because they don't think there's a future in their relationships (Isabelle had experience with a fiance who left because he didn't want to be a foster parent, so her worry--and her taking Grant at his word that he wasn't cut out to be a father--was understandable). But underneath it, you can tell how much they care for each other. I loved Isabelle--she's triumphed over a difficult childhood and is now dedicated to helping other children. And I loved Grant--from a similar background, yet he's dealt with it differently. Typically male, he's found his self-worth in what he does, and first in Delta Force, and now in his friend's security company, that's in protecting people. Yet he still has trouble accepting and

Isabelle Carson refused to believe that so many of her friends have committed suicide. The survivor of a particularly seedy and foul foster home and vile foster father, Isabelle has strived to make something of herself and has done so. But so did her friends that have died. Knowing there is a connection and scared that she is next, Isabelle contacts the one man that saved her so long ago - Grant Kent. She knows calling him is a long shot but feels he needs to be warned. If her friends are dying, he could be next. She didn't count on Grant showing up on her doorstep willing to help her. Grant Kent has never forgotten Isabelle Carson. Finally retired after many years in Delta Force, he is looking forward to his new occupation as a security consultant. Hearing a voice from so long ago asking him to be careful, Grant knows Isabelle is spooked and decides to pay her a visit, which in turn becomes so much more than just looking up an old friend. Grant refuses to leave Isabelle, even if he is in danger, much to her dismay. If there is anything Grant is trained for, it is this dangerous situation. The feelings he has for Isabelle are new to him, but he is willing to see where their relationship leads. As with her previous two books, Shannon K. Butcher treats readers to an outstanding romantic suspense. The mystery surrounding Isabelle, as well as the intriguing plot, gained my attention and never wavered. Add in steamy and romantic love scenes and I was unable to put NO ESCAPE down. Fast paced, suspenseful, and sensual - NO ESCAPE has it all and I, for one, am a die hard fan of this talented author.

Shannon K. Butcher Forever, 2008 ISBN: 0446510289 Reviewed by Kay Ramsey for ReviewYourBook.com, 09/08 5 stars Tense, Fast paced, Steamy Scenes... Shannon K. Butcher won my heart in her previous books, No Control and No Regret. Once again, she proves herself a master at combining suspense and romance. Her male leads are always the stuff fantasies are made of. In No Escape, Grant is a Delta Force vet. Her female leads are always strong and self-reliant--but in danger. In this instance, childhood friends of Isabelle Carson are dying of apparent suicide. Isabelle knows they would never take their own life. She is connected to each victim and knows she is next. A killer is on the loose. Butcher has a talent for building tension in her novels. No Escape is no exception. The romance between Grant and Isabelle keeps building as the killer gets closer. Fans of Shannon K. Butcher will not be disappointed. No Escape is an excellent read. I could not put it down. This book is filled with both romance and suspense. I will be eagerly awaiting her next book.

Everyone around Isabelle Carson are dying. The police aren't concerned because to them these people took their own lives. Isabelle does not want to consider that could be possible especially when two of the people were Isabelle closest friends. Isabelle knows they won't kill themselves when they have little kids around. Isabelle calls Grant to warn him. When Grant receives Isabelle message he comes running right away to protect Isabelle but Grant might be the one that needs protecting from Isabelle. The longer Grant is around Isabelle the faster he is falling in love with her again. When you think of Grant Kent, there is only one word to describe him...H-O-T. Grant Kent is what heroes are made of. He is tall, dark and deadly but has a heart of a lover. Right away No Escape gets your heart racing a hundred miles a minute with no end in sight. Shannon K. Butcher throws all the punches and holds nothing back. No Escape is moving at a rapid pace and if you don't watch out No Escape will blow you away. I had no clue who was the villain in this book. The ending did not let me down. I will definitely read more by Ms Butcher.