Hostage Negotiators can talk themselves out of anything—except falling in love.
Top FBI negotiator Quentin Savage is hurled into his worst nightmare when a terrorist attack on a luxury hotel propels him from esteemed keynote speaker to powerless captive.
Haley Cramer is co-owner of a private security firm and prides herself on her independence, but she is shaken to the core when gunmen attack a conference she is attending. She survives, but only because Quentin Savage pretends she’s his wife.
Together Savage and Haley plot their escape from a ragtag army of brutal but efficient thugs while struggling to figure out exactly who the enemy is. Why was the conference attacked, and why was Quentin a specific target?
Toni Anderson writes gritty, sexy, FBI Romantic Thrillers, and is a New York Times and a USA Today bestselling author. Her books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the Readers' Choice, Aspen Gold, Book Buyers' Best, Golden Quill, and National Excellence in Romance Fiction awards. She’s been a finalist in The Vivian Contest and the RITA Award from the Romance Writers of America, and also in the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Jackie Collins Award for Romantic Thrillers.
Her books have been downloaded more than three million times.
Best known for her Cold Justice® books perhaps it’s not surprising to discover Toni lives in one of the most extreme climates on earth--Manitoba, Canada. Formerly a Marine Biologist, she still misses the ocean.
In January 2016, she visited FBI Headquarters in Washington DC, including a tour of the Strategic Information and Operations Center. She hopes not to get arrested for her Google searches.
Why was Quentin targeted? Why kill everyone else at the conference? When Quentin escaped, will they try to recapture him? Lots of questions and no answers. Toni Anderson has never failed to give me a thought provoking, high energy Romantic-Suspense and this one is off the charts with action, mystery and suspense. Warning: this book contains graphic depictions of sexual assault and murder.
As the FBI's foremost hostage negotiator Quentin Savage is the keynote speaker at a conference in Indonesia for the top private security executives in the world. On the last evening the private luxury hotel is attacked and burned but Quentin and Haley Cramer, beautiful, self-sufficient, co-owner of a security firm, manage to survive only to be taken hostage.
Quentin used all his skill as a negotiator and breaks a few of the hostage behavior rules in order to escape the terrorists who has taken them. On the way out they rescue an American scientist who had been brutalized and held captive. As Haley and Quentin survive their ordeal, they grow closer to each other, but each has things in their past that prevent them from totally giving their hearts away. One thing Quentin and Haley know is that this group was not acting alone. Someone with insider knowledge and deep pockets is behind this plot. Now, Quentin and Haley have to uncover just who that is and why.
Quentin Savage, head of the FBI negotiation unit, is in Indonesia giving the keynote address at a security conference when terrorists attack the luxury resort. In the melee, Quentin and Haley Cramer, CEO of a private security firm, are taken hostage and find themselves forced to resort to any and all measures to stay alive.
***Warning: This book contains references to and details of sexual assault and violence***
The suspense plot is exciting with some solid action scenes, especially at the beginning. Nevertheless, the identity of the mastermind and their motive is obvious early on and all the reader can do is wait for the characters to catch up.
The romance between Quentin and Haley has its moments but is also problematic. To begin with, their initial relationship is based primarily on sex, and the fact that lacks veracity. There is also the impression that without the kidnapping, nothing would have developed between Haley and Quention beyond their instant attraction.
Moreover, neither Quention nor Haley completely fulfills the potential of the characters. Quentin's supposed negotiating skills fail him at key times, and he has to resort to more physical means to survive. Haley is presented as a strong-willed and independent woman but often comes across as weak and whiny.
Finally, there are too many references or incidents of . Yes, the situation sets the stage for this, but Haley . It is all way too excessive and overdone.
All in all, this is one of the weaker installments in the series although the hints at a connection between Darby O'Roarke and FBI agent Eban Winters are very intriguing and I look forward to their story (#5 in this spin off series).
Take a top notch FBI negotiator, add in an gathering of many of the world's best security firms, an intelligent and beautiful female co-owner of one of those firms, and a passel of local terrorists. Stir together and sprinkle in numerous action scenes, adventure, mystery, some graphic violence and a few surprises. Blend and voila! A dark and yet sweet and sexy story.
It both was, and was not, a page turner. I love Ms. Anderson's books, especially her Cold Justice series. This one though, despite all of the action, adventure, and mystery was lacking something. I liked both Quentin and Haley and I rooted for them to have an HEA and yet I was detached. I never really believed that they wouldn't have their HEA. Then there was the oh so predictable villain, and the story didn't completely gel for me. I liked it but it didn't wow me. It's hard to put into words, exactly why didn't work for. As I look at other reviews, I see that I am in the minority, that others are loving this story. Give it a whirl and see if it grabs you.
Toni Anderson has to be one of my favourite romantic suspense authors and she didn't disappoint with Colder Than Sin. I'm looking forward to the next book in her Cold Justice: Crossfire series.
I loved the original series but this spin-off so far has been a letdown.. couldn't care less about the storyline or characters and I wanted this heroine book for quite some time... oh well...
Trauma, danger and death chase FBI Negotiator Quentin Savage and Haley Cramer, co-owner of a private security firm, as they are in a fight for their lives. The danger of being on a volcanic island certainly doesn’t make things any easier for them. While the book and their time together starts off hot when it comes to Quentin and Haley, there is also something that is a clear stretch for me as a reader to have to read about. There is sexual assault and an extreme amount of violence in this book.
Beyond that, especially since this is the second book that I have read by Toni Anderson, I know going in that there is going to be a lot of action, sex and violence. Quinton proves to be the ideal hero in this book. He takes his responsibility to protect Haley very seriously and in her words, he lives up to his name Savage, which she will take any day when it comes to the fact that he is doing everything he can to keep her alive.
Both Quentin and Haley were fabulous in this story. Quentin because of his genius, strength and morality. The fact that as a widower, he doesn’t know if he can forget his wife. With Haley, her resilience and kindness shone through. Considering that Haley had been kidnapped and Quentin did everything he could to save her and keep her safe, despite the trauma that she experienced, it is no wonder that they had any chance at all when it came to considering whether they could have a future together.
Meanwhile, while they were on the run, someone else had been kidnapped, and that is a volcanologist named Darby O’Roarke. Her trauma was palpable and not only was she saved by both Quentin and Haley, she too showed remarkable strength.
The action and intensity, including the steamy sex scenes, are nonstop, clearly making this an easy one-sitting read. Although I only have the third book in the series, Cold Wicked Lies, for review, I am glad that I went ahead read this as well as the first book in the series Cold & Deadly. I really love continuity in this series serves it in spades.
Very fast paced, from beginning to end. From massacres to kidnappings on foreign soil, to who can you trust if anyone! A great addition to the Crossfire series.
2 thumbs up and 4.5 stars!
From the blurb: Top FBI negotiator Quentin Savage is hurled into his worst nightmare when a terrorist attack on a luxury hotel propels him from esteemed keynote speaker to powerless captive.
Haley Cramer is co-owner of a private security firm and prides herself on her independence, but she is shaken to the core when gunmen attack a conference she is attending. She survives, but only because Quentin Savage pretends she’s his wife.
Together Savage and Haley plot their escape from a ragtag army of brutal but efficient thugs while struggling to figure out exactly who the enemy is. Why was the conference attacked, and why was Quentin a specific target?
I wonder if the author sat down before writing this book rubbing her hands together and went I wonder what would happen if I put the FBI Crisis team, Alex Parker's security team and fellow author Rachel Grant's Rapture team all together and see what happens. The outcome of course is one action packed, high body count, combustive romance and at times heartbreaking story. No punches pulled here in the story, all out balls to the wall.
With non-stop action, ‘Colder Than Sin’ pushes all the James Bond buttons right: a terrorist bombing of a security convention in Indonesia—itself a volatile part of Southeast Asia—, a bid to escape, the kind of incidental romance that blooms along the way.
And this might just be Toni Anderson’s grittiest one yet, as she deals with the very, very uncomfortable topic of sexual assault and its repercussions, more so because this is in particular a crime against women and throwing it in the spotlight as one of the main plot devices in a romantic suspense story (a genre mostly written for and read by women) makes it harder to swallow.
For this reason, the surprise for me, weren’t really Haley and Quentin (who seemed alright together, but not a blazingly hot couple I was entirely invested in), but Darby O'Roarke, the young, strong survivor who probably deserved her own medal and story for keeping it together as well as she could given the circumstances.
But I think the icing on the cake was the riveting story on its own with or without the romance: the superb suspense, the search for answers, the breathless fight for survival lent a fast-paced trot to the whole narrative that there wasn’t quite time to think about the implications of such before the next twist occurred. I did have a suspicion how it would all go down and did guess correctly in the end but Anderson’s execution of this was simply done so, so well.
There was a contrived moment or two though: it was hard to stomach seeing Quentin and Haley getting it on while terrorists were on their tails (mud and all) while Darby was waiting for them—it just felt thoughtless at that moment, when good sense seemed abandoned for blazing lust. There were also a few TSTL moments for Haley, nonetheless, but Anderson generally writes mature characters who own up to their mistakes, their cowardice and their own emotional blocks and resolved it in a way that was by and large, satisfying.
Having been a fan of Toni Anderson for a long while, there’re few books of hers that actually disappoint. If there’s something she is known for, it’s complex and intelligently crafted stories that are in the unique position of boasting an equal amount of romance and suspense to keep the pages turning and turning. I’d be crossing my fingers for Darby’s own story next—this has really given me something to look forward to.
Colder Than Sin is the second book in the Cold Justice series. I believe this is a spin-off from another series by this author. There were characters that seemed to have back story that wasn't shared in this book. However, the book still worked well as a stand alone novel. I listened to the audio book and really enjoyed it in that format.
For the most part, I enjoyed the book. It's a pretty solid romantic suspense. It's very fast paced and kept my attention. I didn't call the twist in the end. I did like Haley and Quentin together. I could understand their reasons for being hesitant to be in a relationship. They both have their baggage. The only thing I didn't love was what happened in the beginning. After Haley is grossly propositioned and feels violated, she almost immediately turns around and sleeps with Quentin. That was kind of icky for me. Especially since she barely knew Quentin. Beyond that, I would recommend giving this one a shot.
I should add in that there is an almost rape scene and talk about other rapes that take place off page. So, if that is a trigger for you, you might want to skip this one.
I am fan of Toni Anderson and I believe I have every book she has had published. Book 2 in Crossfire can be read as a stand a lone, but its so well written you want to make sure you have all the little bits and pieces that start in book 1. Heads up for those who have triggers, this has violent scenes, sexual assault, murder. That being said, it is not over the top barring every detail, but it is succinct enough to cause disturbance for some individuals. I am in love with Quentin, his intelligence, his compassion, his humor, his strength, OMG give me this man! I like the strength in Haley as she deals with the arrogance, and asshat of men in a male dominant world. This was a wild action pact ride with terrorist, bombing, gunfire, hostage, escape, and steamy sex. There is depth, there is pain, there is love it is a truly a colossal mind numbing ride. Some awesome secondary characters and twist and turns. Batten down the hatches, find a corner and indulge. Thank you Toni Anderson for the arc! All thoughts and opinions are my own and were unsolicited.
Top FBI negotiator Quentin Savage is hurled into his worst nightmare when a terrorist attack on a luxury hotel propels him from esteemed keynote speaker to powerless captive.
Haley Cramer is co-owner of a private security firm and prides herself on her independence, but she is shaken to the core when gunmen attack a conference she is attending. She survives, but only because Quentin Savage pretends she’s his wife.
Together Savage and Haley plot their escape from a ragtag army of brutal but efficient thugs while struggling to figure out exactly who the enemy is. Why was the conference attacked, and why was Quentin a specific target?
•••••••••••
REVIEW: 4.25 stars--COLDER THAN SIN is the second instalment in Toni Anderson’s contemporary, adult COLD JUSTICE: CROSSFIRE romantic suspense series-a spin off/crossover with the author’s COLD JUSTICE series. This is FBI Negotiator Quentin Savage, and business woman Haley Cramer’s story line. COLD THAN SIN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line/series is revealed where necessary. Quentin Savage was first introduced in book one Cold and Deadly.
NOTE: Due to the story line content, there may be some triggers for more sensitive readers.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Quentin and Haley) COLDER THAN SIN follows in the aftermath of a terrorist attack on Nabat Island in the Flores Sea, Indonesia during a security conference where most of the attendees were former military or security specialists. Running from a personal nightmare Haley Cramer finds herself in the arms of FBI crisis negotiator Quentin Savage, the man with whom she would fall in love. As our couple struggle to break free of the carnage at the local hotel, they will find themselves prisoners of a rogue band of guerrillas, barely surviving through the Indonesian jungle, and volcanic activity of the nearby islands. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Haley and Quentin as our couple struggle to stay one step ahead of a dangerous terrorist cell, and the potential fall-out as Quentin battles memories from the past, and the possible connection to someone involved with the hotel massacre.
Quentin Savage had flown to Indonesia to negotiate the freedom of several American citizens currently held hostage by a militant group of soldiers. With no ransom demands on the horizon, Quentin finds himself struggling to locate the people in charge but never expected to be caught up in an attack at the local hotel. Haley Cramer was hoping to make contacts for her security business but finds herself the victim of unwanted advances by a business colleague. Making her escape, Haley lands in the arms of FBI negotiator Quentin Savage, the man who would save her life on multiple occasions.
The relationship between Quentin and Haley is one of immediate attraction but Haley doesn’t do relationships, and Quentin is warned away by a confidant and friend. The attack against the hotel pushes Haley and Quentin closer together but it remains to be seen whether the adrenaline rush for the for fight of their lives will continue or be accepted back home. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Australian billionaire businessman Cecil Wenck: former military operatives Grant Gunn, Chris Baylor, and Nick Karlovac; FBI agent Alex Parker; business woman Tricia Rooks and partner Sean Logan; operator Logan Master, Eban Masters, and volcanologist Darby O’Roarke. I am looking forward to Eban and Darby’s story line.
COLDER THAN SIN is a story of betrayal, revenge, terrorism and love. The fast paced premise is intriguing, suspenseful and gritty; the characters are animated, strong and resilient; the romance is captivating and seductive. COLDER THAN SIN is a spicy, timely and edgy addition to Toni Anderson’s COLD JUSTICE: CROSSFIRE romantic suspense series.
Update - reread this one again to remind myself of everything that went down in it before I start Colder than Sin, which is the Eban and Darby book I wanted so much when I read this one the first time.
I enjoyed it every bit as much this time around as I did the the first time, and rereading it pretty much confirmed that it's my favourite book in the series so far. ______________
OK, I just literally inhaled this book. I think I started it at about 11.30am today, and just came up for air at the end of it now at 6.3opm, and I freaking loved it.
Fair warning: the author's put a content warning for sexual assault on the book, and it deserves it. There's a lot of it in there, happening over a variety of timeframes and in a variety of shades to not one but two of the characters. None of it is massively graphic, but it's there as a theme that's constantly present throughout the book. If that's a trigger for you - or even something that will frustrate or annoy you, this is NOT the book for you.
However, I felt as though what was there was skillfully handled. I also feel as though Ms Anderson has done her research, and the responses of the characters felt realistic to me.
I liked all four of the leads in this book - and I say 'four' because while it's nominally Quentin and Haley's story, the second half is every bit as much Eban and Darby's - and perhaps even more so, Haley and Darby's, which I particularly loved. The friendship and sisterhood that develops between the two women was every bit as interesting to me - again, if not more so - as the main romance thread. And I really find myself hoping that Eban and Darby's book is planned for later on in the series.
I did, however, call the identity of the person responsible for the initial attack on the hotel fairly early on in the piece (and also the proto-relationship building between Eban and Darby from pretty much the moment she was rescued), so I didn't find myself surprised by any of the directions the plot took.
But hey: I don't NEED to be surprised by plot twists if I have competent characters I resonate with who work well together so I can enjoy spending time with them. And that, this book had in spades.
Special mentions for things that made me laugh - and at one point, squee - loudly include:
- Someone (Eban?) commenting that they didn't care if Alex was a cold-blooded assassin, as long as he could help. Nice shoutout to Book 1 there :-D
- Sean Logan and Raptor from the Evidence-verse turning up for a quick cameo. Oh crossover appearances, how you make me happy!
Thank you, Ms Anderson, for a truly enjoyable read. That was an excellent use of a Sunday, and I can't wait to read the next one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Chief of the FBI's Crisis Negotiation Unit, Quentin Savage found himself dragged into his worst nightmare when the event he was attending as a keynote speaker was attacked by terrorists.
Haley Cramer, co-owner of one of the most prestigious security firm in the US, Cramer, Parker & Gray. She was very proud of her independence until one day she was shaken up when the conference she was attending she was nearly attacked by a potential client. She survived thanks to Quentin Savage's fast thinking.
That wouldn't be the only time the sexy as sin, FBI agent would come to her rescue. When the hotel they were staying at got attacked by terrorists, Quentin saved her again by claiming to be her husband. They were taken hostage and as they worked together to discover what the terrorists wanted with Quentin. They were also planning their escape.
Turned out that the evildoers kidnapped a female volcanologist, Darby O'Roarke in the Banda Sea, a few days before the events at the hotel. She was rescued by Quentin and Haley but not before coming to harm. The three of them made sure they gog word to their people letting them know that they needed rescuing.
They were both biting by the love bug, they decided to take a chance on each other. Together they uncovered why their hotel was attacked, why Quentin was kept alive and who was behind such of hideous act of violence. And the sense of betrayal that both Haley and Quentin felt was understandable.
It was great to see Alex Parker making an appearance. Love his bond with Haley. As well as the one the latter had with Darby. Speaking of Darby, the way she was comfortable with Eban (one of Quentin's agents) was adorable.
COLDER THAN SIN is the second installment in Toni Anderson's COLD JUSTICE: CROSSFIRE series. What an action-packed, full throttled and extraordinary ride. Another masterpiece by Toni Anderson. Looking forward to more in this series. Two thumbs up and a recommendation for you all to give this series a chance!
Wow! This book is action packed and intense and while it does have some very violent scenes (See warning) there is nothing gratuitous about it and necessary for the plot. This is a #2 but can be read as a stand alone. Toni Anderson has a fantastic way of writing a romantic suspense book that is a great balance of both suspense and romance and this book is a great example of that balance.
You'll be on the edge of your seat waiting to see how the MC's navigate out of danger and rooting for them to fall in love and get an HEA at the same time. I really loved both main characters - they are both very strong characters but not perfect - they have their flaws but are very realistic and characters you can relate to.
I loved Haley - she is an independent woman working in a male-dominated field but she navigates it very well. Quentin is also a very strong character with a very strong moral code and a desire to protect/save people. He's an FBI negotiator and his skills are definitely put to the test.
Not only is this book full of action packed suspense but it is also full of intrigue. Quentin is trying to figure out who is behind the terrorist attack and why he was being kept alive. There are several suspects and a few clues dropped along the way (that I missed) but the plot was tightly woven and kept me guessing. Of course my all time favorite character Alex Parker plays a role in this book and that made it even better!
If you love action packed, intense romantic suspense books with intriguing, strong characters then you can't get much better than Colder Than Sin. I highly recommend this book.
A copy of this book was provided to me by the author with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.
Ms. Anderson added this content advisory to Colder Than Sin, “Content Advisory: this book contains graphic violence (sexual assault, murder). For more information https://www.toniandersonauthor.com/co....” I, for one, am glad that she did. When I read Ms. Anderson’s books, her settings and characters are so vivid, so real, so world like that I am immersed in the scenes. My emotions are raw during the actions scenes and my toes curl during the love scenes (my glasses may have fogged a little, also). Colder Than Sin grabbed my heart, my emotions and did not let go. From the start, it was fast paced and action packed. The sexual assaults felt real. The care of the victims, compassionate and honest. I was surprised when the perpetrators were revealed. I was touched and delighted when Quentin and Haley survived all the obstacles put before them and overcame their painful pasts in order to capture their happily ever after. As always, Ms. Anderson has included subject matter which is prevalent in today’s society. I highly recommend Colder Than Sin and cannot wait to see what Toni Anderson writes about in the Cold Justice: Crossfire series.
As with any romantic suspense, don’t expect a light fluffy read. This story included some scenes that may be difficult for some readers.
Colder Than Sin was a fast-paced, action-packed story, and I thought Quentin and Haley were a great team. My only problem with the story was that Haley didn’t seem like a co-owner of a private security firm. I realize she was thrust into some very difficult and terrifying situations, but I still would have expected her to be a little more badass. Don’t get me wrong, overall I did like her, she just didn’t seem like someone who would run a security firm. I’m guessing she’s more involved in the business end of the firm rather than the security.
I don’t want to provide any spoilers, so I’ll just say this - I really hope Eban is the focus of the next book!
This was my least favorite book out of the series so far. I hate the dead ex trope. It ruins the book for me. Especially when the hero can’t get over the dead wife. And I kinda felt like Haley was second best.
Another great read from Toni Anderson. She never disappoints. Always look forward to reading her books and highly recommend them. This book will hook you from the beginning to the end.
Loved the hero! Always a good, twisty mystery. Although, I found myself more intrigued by the subplot with Eban and Darcy. Looking forward to their book!
4.25 stars--COLDER THAN SIN is the second instalment in Toni Anderson’s contemporary, adult COLD JUSTICE: CROSSFIRE romantic suspense series-a spin off/crossover with the author’s COLD JUSTICE series. This is FBI Negotiator Quentin Savage, and business woman Haley Cramer’s story line. COLD THAN SIN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line/series is revealed where necessary. Quentin Savage was first introduced in book one Cold and Deadly.
NOTE: Due to the story line content, there may be some triggers for more sensitive readers.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Quentin and Haley) COLDER THAN SIN follows in the aftermath of a terrorist attack on Nabat Island in the Flores Sea, Indonesia during a security conference where most of the attendees were former military or security specialists. Running from a personal nightmare Haley Cramer finds herself in the arms of FBI crisis negotiator Quentin Savage, the man with whom she would fall in love. As our couple struggle to break free of the carnage at the local hotel, they will find themselves prisoners of a rogue band of guerrillas, barely surviving through the Indonesian jungle, and volcanic activity of the nearby islands. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Haley and Quentin as our couple struggle to stay one step ahead of a dangerous terrorist cell, and the potential fall-out as Quentin battles memories from the past, and the possible connection to someone involved with the hotel massacre.
Quentin Savage had flown to Indonesia to negotiate the freedom of several American citizens currently held hostage by a militant group of soldiers. With no ransom demands on the horizon, Quentin finds himself struggling to locate the people in charge but never expected to be caught up in an attack at the local hotel. Haley Cramer was hoping to make contacts for her security business but finds herself the victim of unwanted advances by a business colleague. Making her escape, Haley lands in the arms of FBI negotiator Quentin Savage, the man who would save her life on multiple occasions.
The relationship between Quentin and Haley is one of immediate attraction but Haley doesn’t do relationships, and Quentin is warned away by a confidant and friend. The attack against the hotel pushes Haley and Quentin closer together but it remains to be seen whether the adrenaline rush for the for fight of their lives will continue or be accepted back home. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Australian billionaire businessman Cecil Wenck: former military operatives Grant Gunn, Chris Baylor, and Nick Karlovac; FBI agent Alex Parker; business woman Tricia Rooks and partner Sean Logan; operator Logan Master, Eban Masters, and volcanologist Darby O’Roarke. I am looking forward to Eban and Darby’s story line.
COLDER THAN SIN is a story of betrayal, revenge, terrorism and love. The fast paced premise is intriguing, suspenseful and gritty; the characters are animated, strong and resilient; the romance is captivating and seductive. COLDER THAN SIN is a spicy, timely and edgy addition to Toni Anderson’s COLD JUSTICE: CROSSFIRE romantic suspense series.
Hmmm... This seemed more of a story about Quentin and Haley having sex, or lusting after each other every second, than them escaping from the terrorists. I found myself rolling my eyes so many times in this book. I mean, after the terrorists almost found them then went away the two of them had to stop for sex. Really? With Abby hiding in the brush, scared to death and wondering if the two lovebirds got caught. There was way to much sex in this book, and I've read a lot of Toni Anderson to know this is a big change for her, almost 20 books of hers.
The parts with the terrorists and running for their lives was the best part of this book. I won't be reading anymore from this author if all she wants to do is stop writing her murder/mysteries in exchange about sex.
Lots and lots of sex and the F-bomb was used 36 times.
As for the narration: Eric G. Dove is a wonderful narrator.
This one grabbed me from the start. I felt for Haley and the situation she was in, that she knew how off the rails it would go, but still felt like she had to ride it out. I was so happy that when she was escaping she managed to run into Quentin, becuase he was a genuine good guy that did what he could to help her out. Of course that was just the start to the craziness that they encountered. It was a good thing that they had built the relationship that they did, tenious as it was because they needed to depend and trust the other as they went from the fire into the fire pan.
I liked that they managed to keep it together while on the run, that they were able to think about others and help them and that towards the end Quentin managed to figure out what happened, even as he didn't want to face who was behind things.
By the end of the book you have a good feeling that Quentin and Haley will make things work and that they will keep those that they encountered in their lives.
**Full disclosure – I received an advanced reader copy for my honest review**
I appreciated the potential trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. Anyone wondering if they should read this, take heed of the warnings.
Not spoiler free.
Let me start by saying that it didn’t take too long before this book got HOT. Most often, the sexual tension is built up for 100+ pages before the two main characters finally get down to business. In Colder Than Sin? Nope. I loved how Quinten and Haley knew they were attracted to each other from first eye contact and after fate put Haley in his room, sparks flew. Don’t get me wrong, I love sexual tension but having that edge taken off before building it again was a nice touch that you don’t see often in romantic suspense books.
So Quinten and Haley are both at a private security conference in Indonesia – Quinten as a keynote speaker (and FBI negotiator) and Haley looking to expand the private security agency she co-owns with Alex Parker (and if you’re at all familiar with Toni Anderson novels, you know who he is). This conference also gives Quinten a chance to catch up with one of his best friends, Chris, who is also there for the private security conference. Haley is trying to secure a lucrative contract with a shady business man when things take an unfortunate turn and he decides he wants a little something extra from Haley. She ends up climbing from his balcony to the balcony next door and ends up in Quinten’s room. After they share what they think is a HOT one night stand, the hotel is attacked by terrorists who are so ruthless they intend to kill everyone. Quinten and Haley manage to escape into the forest surrounding the hotel only to end up taken as hostages by some of the terrorists who found them hiding. Before they are taken however, he and Haley return to the hotel and try to save anyone they can. Quinten is relieved to find that Chris is still alive.
After Quinten realizes the kidnappers are aware he is an FBI agent, he lies and tells them that Haley is his wife, hoping to keep her safe. Quinten decides their best chance is to escape before their treatment gets worse. Once their night watch falls asleep, Quinten picks the lock on their hut and he and Haley run down to some docks they saw earlier and plan to steal a boat.
Once on the docks, they hear the scream of a woman and Quinten realizes that she must be Darby – a woman captured about a week earlier and who Quinten had been trying to negotiate her return. He knows he cannot leave her behind so Haley goes to the boat to get it prepared to leave while Quinten goes to rescue Darby. Horrified and what he sees two men doing to Darby, he ends up killing the men and taking Darby to the boat where the three of them take off.
They end up back at one of the islands where Darby was taken and using some GPS trackers that Darby was using to study volcanos, they set up a huge SOS signal – hoping it’ll be seen by satellite and that either the FBI or Alex Parker will see it and find them. Their time on the island is spent trying to comfort Darby who is suffering from PTSD, fighting off a team of terrorists sent looking for them after realizing they’d escaped and Quinten and Haley getting hot and heavy a couple of times after deciding to live life to the fullest with the time they have left – feeling pretty certain they’d never get out of this alive.
Obviously this wouldn’t be a book worth writing if everyone died, so naturally they get rescued and are taken by helicopter to a Navy ship. Once on board, Quinten reteams with his coworkers and begins the task of trying to find out who the terrorist were, why they attacked the hotel and why he and Haley were not killed instantly once captured. He also begins the task of trying to see what will happen between him and Haley once they return to “normal” life. Despite both having obstacles in their past that might make a relationship difficult, they both decide it’s worth it to try.
Slowly, Quinten begins piecing some of the clues together. He suspects, to his horrifying surprise, that Chris is behind the attack. He decides to question Chris’s business partner, Nick, in hopes to either confirm or deny that Chris had something to do with the attack. Meanwhile, Haley decides to have a conversation with Chris because she knows that he’s important to Quinten and she wants to be on good terms with him too. Obviously things don’t go as planned and Chris brings Haley to where Nick is holding Quinten – Nick and Chris are both in on this. They tell them all of the details of the why and how before they plan to kill both Haley and Quinten. Thankfully, due to his suspicions, Quinten is wearing a wire and the FBI storm in and save the day.
So yes, there’s a happily ever after – complete with a proposal. But I’ll end this review by saying that I loved the slow build of something happening with Darby and Eban. I have a feeling that they will be the subject of the next book in this series. I must admit that I’m a little torn by this though. Poor Darby has been through enough so can Toni Anderson put her through more in order for her to be the lead in the next book. But on the other hand, she and Eban are so cute and I would love to see where things go between them. We’ll see. Regardless, I can’t wait for the next book!
3.5 stars. I think this book was well written. Yes somethings are very unrealistic, but I am also reading fiction so I expect that. My issue and why I am giving this rating is that this book was pretty overwhelming for me to read.
I felt like I barely got to breathe as a reader because so many bad things were constantly being revealed and happening. I am no stranger to Toni's stories and how there are explicit details and violence but this book has a lot of it. Please read the trigger warnings. This book has a lot of violence and references to sexual assault. Every time something worse happened I just felt so frustrated and sad for these characters. I know bad things like this and worse happen to people everyday especially with hostage situations, but especially after coming out from reading my favorite of Toni's books, this one sort of shook me.
I was so excited to read about Haley since I heard so much about her, but she was different than I expected, not in a bad way. The , but I did enjoy her and Alex's friendship. I liked Quentin, but I do agree with other reviews that I felt like these characters had unfulfilled potential. Quentin was a negotiator but it didn't really serve him in this story. Also I do appreciate that both characters had once felt broken and had past baggage and could empathize with each other, but sometimes it was just so much that I wanted the story to be over with. We kept hearing so much about which did make me empathize and see why he would bring her up in certain moments and how difficult his feelings were, but also yeah it was overwhelming.
I feel like the last 4th of the book was were things got muddled. It felt partially like a promotion of the other couple Darby and Eban, and also the ending just felt really rushed and kind of like a cop out. Also the fact that Alex finds out Haley is dating Quentin from Mallory, who found out from FRAZIER, of all people. Lmao Frazier is my least favorite guy in this series, and now hes's fucking gossip girl. Everything that happened in the ending just kinda had me doing a crazy laugh and wondering wtf did I just read.
Final comment and maybe my one big critique; I love Alex in this story and I loved getting to hear about him being a dad and finally knowing the gender and name of the baby. (Even though I kinda hate the name) I feel like I have now read about Alex in a lot of other books and I do love when he is mentioned. He is probably the best male character in the series and he is kinda like Iron Man in the Toniverse but, I feel like she basically downgraded Mallory to an incubator and background person in all the books I've read. She is either pregnant and that's her big storyline or she's resting. Toni, if you are gonna write such a great male main character and have him be mentioned in most, if not all your books then you need to pair him with someone who also stands out or maybe he shouldn't have gotten together with anyone at all because right now Mallory is about as thrilling as an unsalted soda cracker. I want to like Mallory cause I know Alex deserves the best, but right now mam you are giving us nothing in this department.
I will continue to read her books. I am not sure how I feel about this series yet. Maybe I should start with the first book or read book 5 but I need a break after this one because it's intense.
I didn't know this was going to be a non stop rush from start to finish. Yes there was a warning it was violent and all that stuff. With the plot it's a given I would say. But this got me hooked I wanted to know what happens. Dangerous and harrowing things, Quentin and Haley went through. Also they grew closer and Quentin has been closed off.
The chemistry was hot and the whole survival thing together was really good. Haley was a trooper with everything. Her career in security is male dominated and she gets undermined but this event showed she's tough. It's after the whole ordeal that gets complicated they have to navigate what will happen outside that bubble they were in and see if it was more than just lust. I can definitely see Quentin cares a lot about Haley and her well being. She's gone through a lot in her past too.
Toni Anderson gives good suspense and action, I'veenjoyed her romantic suspense a lot. It was one heck of story. Some parts were hard to read the graphic way. But it was necessary for the plot. I had my suspicions on who might've been behind the whole attack and abduction. It wasn't till late in end it was revealed. It was still crazy how everything went down. The end could have been not a rushed but it still wrapped things up nicy and left something to look forward to.