In Do or Die by Suzanne Brockmann, Ian is a former Navy SEAL and questionable criminal currently serving jail time for an offense he may or may not have committed. He is offered a get out of jail free card if he’ll agree to go in and rescue two children being held in a foreign embassy. Ian tries to refuse this deal, but suddenly finds himself out of jail anyway, in the company of his lawyer Phoebe. This sets in motion numerous events that will make for an action packed adventure.
His brother has been in hiding with his family, and when Ian gets out of jail suddenly they are all targets of some very unsavory characters. On the run with his family and more, lawyers and a couple of FBI agents, it is all they can do to stay one step ahead of the mob after them…let alone plan a rescue, look to the future, and have unexpected feelings for his somewhat naive but well meaning lawyer. Because in the midst of danger, the chemistry between Phoebe and Ian is incredible. Before long they can no longer deny it…even if what they have will only last as long as the mission – if they survive the mission.
Do or Die is a romantic suspense, a mystery that has many different threads woven into it. It took me a long time to feel like I was getting into Do or Die. I felt that there was too large of a gap between the prologue and chapter one, and it took me a long time, too long to get my bearings in the story. At times it was confusing, hard to grasp and I felt like I was missing a lot. Following the main plot was somewhat difficult because there were so many other micro plots brewing.
Suzanne gives us a vast array of characters in Do or Die. In my minds eye, Ian and Phoebe are the main characters, but that is really open to interpretation. Ian’s brother and his family play a significant role in Do or Die also. As disjointed as things at times felt while reading, I truly enjoyed Ian and Phoebe. Their interactions and relationship was worth reading! Ian is all alpha male, but Phoebe manages to see deeper into him than he really wants anyone to. Phoebe is a lawyer who really believes in the law and that good will prevail. Her naivety puts them at risk a few times! Ian and Phoebe develop a relationship in a quick time frame, that at times is absolutely hilarious, lightening up the severity of their situation.
While I believe in love at first sight, the whole book takes place over a period of days, and a lot is happening in a very short time frame, not just with Phoebe and Ian. I did find that Do or Die is a long book, especially given the short time frame being covered. But there is a lot of action…all kinds of action from running from the bad guys to heating up the sheets!
If you are looking for a romantic suspense that is not one to jump in and out of, but one that will make you concentrate, laugh and hope for the best, you’ll enjoy Do or Die.
Book Info:
Published February 4th 2014 by Random House
Navy SEAL Ian Dunn went rogue in a big way when he turned his talents to a lawless life of jewel heists and con jobs. Or so the world has been led to believe. In reality, the former Special Ops warrior is still fighting for good, leading a small band of freelance covert operatives who take care of high-stakes business in highly unofficial ways. That makes Ian the hands-down choice when the U.S. government must breach a heavily guarded embassy and rescue a pair of children kidnapped by their own father, a sinister foreign national willing to turn his own kids into casualties. Shockingly, Ian passes on the mission… for reasons he will not–or cannot–reveal.
But saying no is not an option. Especially not to Phoebe Kruger, Ian’s bespectacled, beautiful, and unexpectedly brash new attorney. Determined to see the abducted children set free, she not only gets Ian on board but insists on riding shotgun on his Mission: Impossible-style operation, whether he likes it or not.
Though Phoebe has a valuable knack for getting out of tight spots, there’s no denying the intensely intimate feelings growing between Ian and Phoebe as the team gears up for combat. But these are feelings they both must fight to control as they face an array of cold-blooded adversaries, including a vindictive mob boss who’s got Ian at the top of his hit list and a wealthy psychopath who loves murder as much as money. As they dodge death squads and play lethal games of deception, Ian and Phoebe will do whatever it takes to save the innocent and vanquish the guilty.
Or die trying.
