Hot Target
4.5 Stars

On leave from SEAL Team 16, Cosmo Richter accepts a freelance job with Troubleshooters, Inc., which has been hired to provide protection for Hollywood producer, Jane Mercedes Chadwick. Jane has been receiving death threats due to her controversial new film focusing on the homosexuality of a WWII hero. Soon sparks are flying on the set not only between Cosmo and Jane, but between the leading man, Robin Chadwick, and FBI agent Jules Cassidy. With the cast and crew in the crosshairs of a killer, dangerous and desperate decisions will have to be made.

It is a toss-up as to whether this or book #3 is my favorite in the series. Looking at the two books, it is clear that my preference is for strong, silent, and stoic heroes, and Cosmo certainly meets each and every criterion. Unlike Teri, who is likable at the outset, Jane takes some getting used to as she initially comes across as shallow and self-absorbed. It soon becomes clear that she has developed this persona for professional and personal reasons. One of the highlights of the book is that both Jane and Cosmo are able to see beyond each others' facade to their true selves.

The secondary storyline focusing on Jules and Robin is just as engaging and it will be interesting to see how Brockmann develops this relationship as Robin is still in denial regarding is sexulaity. Adam is the one problem with this thread. He is completely self-centered, egotistical obnoxious and unlikable yet he exhibit some emotional depth every now and then that makes the reader reconsider his nature (even if it is short-lived). Kudos to Brockmann for creating such a morally ambiguous character.

While the assassin plot takes a back-seat to some of the other drama in the book, it develops well and keeps the reader guessing. The climax and resolution are intense and exciting, and there is one truly heartbreaking scene the really brings the threat to the fore.

Overall, one of the best books in the series and I look forward to the next book, which focuses on another couple whose story has been long awaited - Max and Gina. ( )

Love Cosmo Richter. There's nothing like a strong silent man. I didn't like Jane as well. She kind of treats Cosmo poorly which I don't like. She also seems kind of weak. This is a common gripe with me. SB's female characters can sometimes be kind of non entities. She didn't seem quite so bad the second time I read it though.

This book is a good indicator of how the Troubleshooters and Team 16 are going to work together.

This is where Jules story really starts to take off. He has some good lines in this one and you get into his head.

I'm holding back a star because I just can't get into Jane very well. ( )

As I said about Gone Too Far, such a great read, such delicious humour. Meeting Cosmo was a revelation but glad to see Jules again, and the new characters of Robin and Jane/Mercedes, the best female lead so far. Loved her! The audiobook's length at 15 hrs 53 mins was more tolerable than the 18+ hours of Gone Too Far, but still I think these books could be cut by an hour or two. ( )

Troubleshooters novels usually have two main stories, plus a third related to something that happened during WWII. In Hot Target the main story features Cosmo Richter, the minor story features FBI agent Jules Cassidy, and the WWII story is told through the making of a movie called American hero.

Cosmo, has always been one of my favorite Team 16 SEALs. He's mysterious, quiet, and has eyes like a husky dog. While on leave to take care of his injured mother, Cosmo takes a quick job with Troubleshooters to work as a bodyguard for J. Mercedes Chadwick. She's an ambitious movie producer who has extremist groups threatening to kill her for daring to focus on a gay World War II hero in her latest film. I was disappointed that Cosmo wasn't developed as well as I'd hoped. The other books in the series seem to make him out to be this strong, very independent, quiet navy SEAL member, who supposedly is some kind of legend for killing so many enemies during a botched foreign raid. As much as I wanted to love Cosmo's story it was just too contrived. Why did Cosmo have to belong to PFLAG, with an actual card in his wallet, for readers to believe that he was sympathetic to gay people? A tremendous build-up that ultimately falls a bit flat.

FBI agent Jules Cassidy has a talent for attracting unsuitable men. Hot Target is where he first meets Robin Chadwick, who plays a gay role in the movie, and starts to come to the realization that he could be gay himself. He is incredibly attracted to Jules. Jules has been hurt before and doesn’t want to be go through it again, knowing that he could easily fall for the hot actor in a flash.

Soon the more compelling triangle of Jules-Adam-Robin heats up the story. When Jules' former boyfriend, Adam, is cast as Robin's lover in the movie, things heat up. Brockmann portrays the triangle with such sensitivity and compassion, the reader is swept away with the romance of it all.

Troubleshooters novels are always fun, fast reads and this one was too, despite my disappointment with the Cosmo storyline. ( )

This book was a page turner... I couldn't put it down!

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