Rating: 
Summary: Fun storyline!
Review: I enjoy anything written by this writer as a rule and KILLJOY is added to that list. I enjoyed reading about the new characters in this story as well as some characters the reader was already introduced to. If you enjoy a good time while reading then you should read this book!
Rating:
Summary: Getting Closer
Review: I have long been a fan of Julie Garwood's work, having first fallen in love with her historical novels. I admit to being disappointed when she switched to suspense romance though. Her newer books (Mercy, Heartbreaker) lack the sense of humor she had in the historical pieces. In fact, the humor was the reason I so enjoyed her books. For the first time Ms. Garwood has included that humor in her suspense novels. I enjoyed Killjoy, though as with other reviewers I was disappointed also with the ending. After the huge build-up, the ending left a lot to be desired, the reader is just left hanging. Avery Delaney is an FBI analyst. For a woman that is perceived to be so brilliant in the begining she really does fizzle when her own life is in danger. The hero, is fairly predictable. He like all heros is a loner with deep emotional scars. He is the typical macho man who saves the day. The plot is complicated and the villian just too warped for words. Jilly, the supposedly dead mother of Avery has returned for revenge. She is delusional and apparently so beautiful that every man she ever meets falls hopelessly in love with her. Jilly concocts a complicated scheme to kill Avery and her aunt. Of course the plans to wrong and she and her accomplice struggle to find a way to kill them before being caught. I found the dialog between Avery and John Paul witty and it reminded me of many of her earlier works. Hince the reference to the humor. This is the first of her contemporary novels that I have truely enjoyed and hope she continues to improve in this area.
Rating: 
Summary: Action, Suspense, and Romance, what more could you want?
Review: I just recenlty found Julie Garwood by reading Mercy and I loved it. I also loved this book as well. It's fast paced but it matches with the plot. The romance between the two characters develop nicely and I love how spunky the heroine is. It's a great read and a great follow up to Mercy, though not a sequel. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone who loves suspense and romance in one package.
Rating:
Summary: couldn't put this book down
Review: I loved this book, it was a page turner and kept me wondering how it was going to end. I did like the little twist it had at the end when Jilly needed some extra help. The only problem I had was that I did not like the ending, it did leave me wondering what happend with Jilly and her extra help and why he had got invold. But over all it was just a great book.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as should be
Review: I'm one of the biggest fan of Julie Garwood. I love all her books and have the whole collection or most of it. I do have to say that her historical stories are the best of them all, while I liked the change of HeartBreaker and was open to the idea of Julie's new style I was a bit disapointed by Mercy, and almost didn't make it to the end of KillJoy.
I think it is from far the only book that shouldn't be worth buying. But try her historical books, they are amazing!
Rating:
Summary: KILLJOY
Review: KILLJOY is a real treat! It's one of those "Can't put down" reads. Julie Garwood is right on the money with this one! It's one of the best romantic suspense thrillers I've read and you won't believe the plot twists. Avery is a strong, smart and warm heroine who can hold her own againt John Paul, the hero. Remember him? He was Dr. Mike's mysterious brother in MERCY. He is one [good looking] man and Avery is a perfect match for him. Noah is back as well. Can't wait till Julie tells Noah's story. And Monk. I don't know who's more evil...Monk or Jilly, Avery's wicked mother.
If you want an exciting, suspensful read that has wonderful humor, pick up KILLJOY.
Rating:
Summary: Not Up To Usual Standards
Review: Killjoy was, to say the least, a killjoy. I consider Julie Garwoods an excellent writer (though her historical romances seem to be a bit formulaic), but this story really let me down. The beginning starts off incredibly slow. Garwood describes the childhood of the main character, Avery through her "young" eyes. Maybe it's just that I don't particularly like this style but I thought it was a bit too cheesy for my taste. The next chapter is pretty slow, too, as it talks about everything between Avery and her Aunt Carrie. The storyline, though promising ends up lacking any real substance. The characters aren't given much depth- their actions don't mesh with what their personalities are supposed to be. Aunt Carrie was supposed to be as sweet as can be, but I found her character to be vulgar and not likeable at all. Avery seemed a bit too sweet for somebody working in the FBI, and she lacked the confidence I'd expect. I was disappointed that her third book was to be written about John Paul, as he wasn't described as a great person in the book Mercy. He wasn't very exciting, and it was hard to grasp the fact that he fell in love with her because she could stand up to him. As for the 'evil' characters, they were a bit laughable. Monk (from Mercy) is lovesick and seemingly weak. The story would have been more exciting if he had truly been a smooth operator instead of a guy drooling over a girl. As for Jilly... we're constantly bashed over the head with how 'evil' she is. She is described as evil and vicious, but her behavior doesn't seem to match that so well. All in all, I didn't find this book to be interesting. It lacked the usual warm humor in Garwood's other books, and the ending left many questions unanswered. The general plot is interesting, I just feel that Garwood could have done more to really increase the danger and love elements. I just hope she writes a book about Noah Clayborne soon!
Rating:
Summary: Follows the rules
Review: There's obviously a set of rules for the present-day thriller, and this book certainly follows them. As far as I can determine, the major provisions are these: (1) Paranoia must prevail. The hero can trust no one, not spouse, not parent, not lifelong friend--no one. (2) The action must be non-stop, preferably condensed to one day, even though this results in patent absurdities. Lengthy chase scenes are required, it goes without saying. The chases may be in any sort of vehicles, on foot, or downriver (3) The hero must be virtually superhuman, able to survive falls from great heights, stabbings, gunshot wounds, etc. The villain must be likewise but not quite so since he has to lose eventually. (4) The central figure must be a physical specimen of great beauty and in perfect condition. Usually the hero is a health and physical fitness nut. (5) There must be sex scenes bordering on the x-rated, nay, animalistic, even though these scenes have nothing whatsoever to do with the plot. (6) There must be specific, even gratuitous, violence. Writers of thrillers apparently think violence is, per se, high drama.
One has to wonder what sort of reader the author of this book envisioned. The plot isn't believable for a second. The characters are ridiculous. The atmosphere (mostly Colorado) is often vague. The only thing going for the book is that it is fast paced and the reader is soon done with it.
Unfortunately there is a plethora of thrillers that follow the same rules, to the letter. Alas and alack.
Rating:
Summary: Five Enthusiastic Stars!
Review: This book was absolutely fantastic. Garwood has moved from historical romance to romantic suspense and finally I'm able to enjoy the transition. I have to admit I didn't like Heartbreaker or Mercy all that much, but Killjoy was amazing. The suspence never quit and the story was masterful.
It involves a woman named Avery Delaney who wasn't wanted by her mother when she was born and was given to her aunt and grandmother to be raised. The mother turns into a true sociopath, deciding that Carrie, the aunt, has to die along with Avery. All hell breaks loose and the ride is intense and masterful.
The romance between Avery and her sidekick John Paul is a secondary plot, not at all essential, but still enjoyable. We see an old character (Noah from Mercy) who is lots of fun and we can only hope that he will be featured in an upcoming book.
All in all, the story was great and the characters were intense. Way to go, Julie!
Rating:
Summary: A disappointment
Review: This continuation of Julie Garwood's exciting and well-written 'Mercy' was a lackluster disappointment. It almost felt like it had been written by another person! Where its predecessor, 'Mercy,' made Monk an intriguing villain, 'Killjoy' turned him into a buffoon. The protagonists had few likeable moments, and while I had hoped John Paul Renard's character would be given more depth now that he was the hero of the story, there was hardly any development. Perhaps that was what was what was so unappealing about this novel - everyone, whether they were supposed to be on the side of right or wrong, came off as immensely shallow, and the traumas that were meant to endear them to the reader felt sorely contrived. Also, too often the action of the story was told in past-tense summation. Escapes, explosions - some moments that could have been tense, page-turners were half-heartedly skimmed over in ho-hum narrative. The end result was more deflating and tedious than thrilling. Julie Garwood's prior work is much more entertaining than this selection.
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