Heartthrob

Rating:
Summary: A Moving Story!!!
Review: I have been a long time fan of this author. This is the first time I have read one of her older books. Previously I've only read were her SEAL team books. This book on the other hand went much deeper and really delved into a very touchy subject and that is substance abuse.

In "Heart Throb" our hero is a recovering alcoholic and prescription drug abuser. This is so different from the "perfect" hero that we normally find in the romance genre. As a result we are able to see what kind of conflict comes from this kind of life. Jed or Jericho is not perfect in life, but he had been perfect on the big screen. Then he hit rock bottom and finds that his ticket back to the A list in a movie called "The Promise". Problem is the producer of the movie Kate does not trust him as far as she can throw him. This is her movie and even though Jericho is the real life version of her hero on screen she can't run the risk that he will ruin everything by taking a drink. Kate's problem though is she finds herself attracted to Jericho and she knows that this could be the biggest mistake of her life is she allows herself to act on those feelings.

Ms. Brockmann does not tie up this romance all nice with a pretty bow. She allows both of them to experience a wide range of feelings one of which is mistrust on Kate's part. She would not be true to real feelings if this issue was ignored. As a result this was a much deeper romance and as a result of this much better. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is not afraid to have a touchy topic as a backdrop for a story.

Rating:
Summary: Romantic Times Review
Review: Producer Kate OLaughlin is determined to see her dream up on screen. Shes lined up a good director, her ex-husband Victor Strauss and although The Promise, a pre-civil war drama, is a tough sell, with the right cast, Kate knows it can succeed.

Jericho Jed Beaumont was once the golden boy of Hollywood. His immense talent put his name at the top of the casting list, until alcoholism caused him to crash and burn. Desperate to get his career back on track, Jed attends an open casting call for The Promise.

Kate flatly refuses to cast Jed as Virgil Laramie, but the insistence of both Victor and hot young TV star Susie McCoy finally wears her down. But before Kate will agree, she insists that Jed sign a contract that allows the production to monitor him and conduct daily drug tests. Humiliated but resigned, Jed agrees.

After the overzealous marine hired to watch Jed, handcuffs him to his bed, Kate realizes she must act as the watchdog. The stresses of making a movie are always present, but the cast of this film have some major problems to overcome: their 15-year-old star, Susie, is suffering badly under the thumb of her domineering father. A lot of careers are riding on this picturecan they really pull it off?

Series author Suzanne Brockmann demonstrates that drama, laced with a gritty edge, is definitely her forti. HEART THROB marks her outstanding entry into mainstream fiction. (Apr., 420 pp, $5.99)

Rating:
Summary: Another winner from Suzanne Brockmann!
Review: This is the first mainstream romance by an award-winning series romance author, and it's well worth the wait! Brockmann delivers drama, comedy and believable, three-dimensional characterizations in this tale of Jericho Beaumont, a former a-list actor trying to rebuild his career after its flaming wreck due to his prescription-drug and alcohol abuse, and Kate O'Laughlin, a first time producer and screenwriter who is determined to get her independant movie made and made right, even if she has to demand her lead actor submit to daily drug testing and 24/7 supervision. The secondary characters also shine, particularly Susie McCoy, a 15-year-old child star who is trying to be taken seriously in her first adult role, and Jamaal Hawkes, a young, African-American man struggling to figure out how to deliver his best performance in the role of a slave when all he feels is anger and humiliation at the thought of being another man's property. Brockmann has obviously done her research on both movie production, and substance abuse and recovery. Yet, while the book deals with some very serious issues, the story and characters never wallow in self-pity or melodrama. I read very little romance, and buy even less of it new, but Suzanne Brockmann's name is at the top of my list. Read this book. Then do yourself a favor, and look into Suzanne Brockmann's backlist. Her books are well worth your time.