Author: Linda Howard
Publisher: Random House
Format: Hardcover
Format: Hardcover
Cost: $26.00
Pages: 323
How I got it: Library
My Rating:★★★★☆
My Rating:★★★★☆
Synopsis:
Thirty-two-year-old Angie Powell has always spoken her mind, but in the presence of Dare Callahan she nurses a simmering rage. After all, why give Dare the satisfaction of knowing he can push her buttons and push her to the edge? Three years ago, Dare returned home to rural western Montana and opened a hunting business to rival Angie’s. Complicating matters is the fact that Dare has asked Angie out (not once but twice) and has given her a gift of butterflies in the process. Angie has no patience for butterflies. They only lead to foolish decisions. And now the infuriatingly handsome Iraq war vet has siphoned away Angie’s livelihood, forcing her to close up shop.
Before Angie is to leave town, she organizes one last trip into the wilderness with a client and his guest, who wants to bag a black bear. But the adrenaline-fueled adventure turns deadly when Angie witnesses a cold-blooded murder and finds herself on the wrong side of a loaded gun. Before the killer can tie up this attractive loose end, a bear comes crashing through the woods—changing the dark game completely.
Luckily, Dare is camping nearby and hears the shots. Forced together for their very survival, Angie and Dare must confront hard feelings, a blinding storm, and a growing attraction—while being stalked by a desperate killer and a ferocious five-hundred-pound beast. And neither will stop until they reach their prey.
My Review:
I have been a Linda Howard fan for years. Her last few books got some okay reviews which made them seem like books I didn't want to read, so I skipped them........I'm never listening to a bad review ever again (well in the case of Linda anyway).
I have been a Linda Howard fan for years. Her last few books got some okay reviews which made them seem like books I didn't want to read, so I skipped them........I'm never listening to a bad review ever again (well in the case of Linda anyway).
I was bored and I decided to read some more books to complete my challengesl since my library had all her latest books on had I figured "kismet" & I picked them up. While they aren't the deep cover spy novels she used to write these are more of the average person meets adventure books and I like them. In the case of "Prey" I thought "how is she going to write the bad guy in this one??"
At first I couldn't stand Dare ( I mean really??? who names their child that?? I can just hear all the school yard jokes now), he was driving our heroine out of business and seemed like he didn't even care. Then we met Dare and heard from him, and looking from his POV I started to wondered about Angie as well, hecause he brought up some valid points.
From the beginning of the book I was hooked on finding out, who done what, and how were these two going to survive. I also thought, well, that's a different perspective to write from, I'm not sure anyone ever wrote from that POV before. Unlike her previeous novels, mother nature plays a big role, in creating the circumstances that make this ordibary camping trip becomes extra ordinary. sidebar (how is it weathermen get to keep their jobs when they are wrong say about 90% of the time???)
Reading her scenes about the camping trip reminded me of my campung trips as a member of the outdoor club in college and boy did she have a lot of the details down, these memories also served to make the scenes more real and the story more valid (at least for me). When readindig the premise I wondered how the Heck Dare just happened to be camping near by (couincidence?? I think not); the scene that sets up the adventure was like watching a great action film, where the unexpected happens and your on the edge of your seat. From the begining of the trip, Angie noted the trouble between her campers, but ignored it due to her own issues, then they find the remains of young hiker who is the young man in the beginnign of the novel. This is where the ball starts rolling toward FUBAR and poor Angie has no idea what is about to go down.
Now you have a madman with a gun loose on the mountain. a man eating bear, Angie without a horse or her weapons, and Mother Nature decided to dump an ice storm untop of all this, all while the characters are miles from any kind of help.
I couldn't put the book down, I believe I read it in three days, I was that hooked. The climax of the book wasn't as good as I would have hoped, but then how do you enjoy the end of such a grand adventure?? All I know is I'm never going camping anywhere near here EVER, And now I also understand why they hunt the animals that harm humans I may not like it,( your in their turf you get eaten, you were stupid, wild animals are just that "wild") but I now understand.
Make space on your To be read Pile (actually move it to the top) especially if you love romance & adventure.
Happy Reading
