When shy and reserved Maggie Ferringer is called for jury duty, she never expects to be kidnapped by an escaped convict. but when Cain Cannon, disguised as a prison guard, pulls a gun, she has no choice but to be taken hostage. Cain claims that he's innocent of killing his girlfriend six years ago, and now he wants revenge on the people who put him behind bars. Soon Maggie becomes more than just a hostage to Cain. As they slowly begin to share the secrets of their respective pasts, Maggie discovers that she wants to fight for Cain's freedom-because he just might be the kind of man she can love. ( )

MAGGIE'S MAN
By Lisa Gardner (writing as Alicia Scott)
Alicia Scott...Lisa Gardner...the name doesn’t matter. What does is the magic between the covers of this novel. And that’s what Gardner/Scott writes.
Maggie, a meek, redheaded twenty-seven-year-old woman is duty bound to honor her calling to serve as juror. But instead, ends up being kidnapped by Cain, a convicted murderer, who is there at the courthouse to defend himself pro se. After knocking out a guard, he steals the guard’s clothes, a truck, and Maggie. He binds her to him with the handcuffs he steals from the guard and makes a run for it.
He doesn’t expect meek and mild Maggie to put up a fight and she doesn’t; at least not a physical one. Drawing upon her knowledge and experience of being a marriage counselor, she uses simple morality to turn Cain into someone he never dreamed he’d become.
Whether it be Stockholm Syndrome or just plain loneliness, Maggie begins to believe Cain and everything he tells her. As she fights for her sanity and safety, she begins to see not everything is just in the world and Cain’s cause may just be an injustice.
I was captivated from page one until the end by Cain and Maggie’s stories. And at the culmination, which is typical of romantic suspense, I cheered on Maggie’s heroics and Cain’s desperate entreaty to be seen as someone other than a convicted murderer, and was thrilled when love won out. But what is atypical is Gardner/Scott’s ability to pen an entrancing tale of fanaticism mixed with gripping suspense and love. Well done and I absolutely recommend this book.
Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “The Other Side: Melinda’s Story” ( )

Not great literature, not even a great Lisa Gardner book. Best described as chic romance pulp fiction that has some entertainment value. ( )

MAGGIE'S MAN
By Lisa Gardner (writing as Alicia Scott)
Alicia Scott...Lisa Gardner...the name doesn’t matter. What does is the magic between the covers of this novel. And that’s what Gardner/Scott writes.
Maggie, a meek, redheaded twenty-seven-year-old woman is duty bound to honor her calling to serve as juror. But instead, ends up being kidnapped by Cain, a convicted murderer, who is there at the courthouse to defend himself pro se. After knocking out a guard, he steals the guard’s clothes, a truck, and Maggie. He binds her to him with the handcuffs he steals from the guard and makes a run for it.
He doesn’t expect meek and mild Maggie to put up a fight and she doesn’t; at least not a physical one. Drawing upon her knowledge and experience of being a marriage counselor, she uses simple morality to turn Cain into someone he never dreamed he’d become.
Whether it be Stockholm Syndrome or just plain loneliness, Maggie begins to believe Cain and everything he tells her. As she fights for her sanity and safety, she begins to see not everything is just in the world and Cain’s cause may just be an injustice.
I was captivated from page one until the end by Cain and Maggie’s stories. And at the culmination, which is typical of romantic suspense, I cheered on Maggie’s heroics and Cain’s desperate entreaty to be seen as someone other than a convicted murderer, and was thrilled when love won out. But what is atypical is Gardner/Scott’s ability to pen an entrancing tale of fanaticism mixed with gripping suspense and love. Well done and I absolutely recommend this book.
Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “The Other Side: Melinda’s Story” ( )

Read from October 16 to 19, 2013

Listened for Review (Brilliance)
Overall Rating 3.75
Story Rating: 3.50
Character Rating: 4.00

Audio Rating: 3.50 (not part of the overall rating)

First Thought when Finished: I liked Maggie's Man more than I thought would and now need the rest of the series!

Story Thoughts: I am a huge fan of Lisa Gardner but not always a fan of escaped convicts do good type of stories. To say that I was torn on whether to give this one a whirl was an understatement. However, Lisa (or Alicia) did this story right. Yes there was a little bit of insta-love that had me rolling my eyes a bit but overall this was a true cat/mouse/cat game of who done it/how to prove it/how not to get caught. I thought the action was really well paced and the storyline moved along nicely. The ends were tied up but you were left wondering about Maggie's brothers and their books are coming. This was a strong beginning to a series.

Character Thoughts: I loved Maggie! She was such a unusual leading lady: frumpy, unassuming, and a bit of wallflower. She had spunk but it had to be pulled out. Though when her temper flared was when she was at her best. Overall, she is going to go down as one of my favorite leading ladies because she could be 1/2 dozen women that I actually know. I also really liked Cain. He wanted to do the right thing but knew there were some things he was going to have to do in order to accomplish his goal. He was a thinking man, strategic man, and his emotions were not over the top. I really liked this different alpha hero because there are not too many like him out there. They were a great couple. Maggie's brothers were fantastic too and I can't wait for their books!

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated By Kate Rudd /Length 8 hrs and 21 mins

Kate Rudd does an excellent job with Cain and Maggie's voice. Her pacing, emotion, and cadence were pretty spot on as well. I wasn't a huge fan of CJ's voice (one of Maggie's brothers) so I am not sure I will listen to the next one on audio as that is his book. I could get used to it but he wasn't in this enough for me to tell.

Final Thoughts: Maggie's Man was an unexpected delight for me and I love those! ( )