Death Angel
Author: Linda Howard
Series: None
Genre: Romance, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Ballantine
My Rating:
Summary:
Though Drea runs, Salinas knows she can’t hide – and he dispatches a cold-blooded assassin in hot pursuit, resulting in a tragic turn of events. Or does it?
Left for dead, Drea miraculously returns to the realm of the living a changed woman. She’s no longer shallow and selfish, no longer steals or cheats or sells herself short. Both humbled and thrilled with this unexpected second chance, Drea embraces her new life. But in order to feel safe and sound–and stop nervously looking over her shoulder–she will need to take down those who marked her for death.
Joining forces with the FBI, supplying vital inside information that only she can provide, Drea finds herself working with the most dangerous man she’s ever known. Yet the closer they get to danger, the more intense their feelings for each other become, and the more Drea realizes that the cost of her new life may be her life itself – as well as her heart.
First Sentence: “You did an excellent job,” Rafael Salinas purred to the assassin, who stood on the other side of the room, near the door.
My Review:
I’ve never read a book that had me gasping, panicking, raging, and shocked speechless in just the first fifteen pages, but boy, did Death Angel manage to make me do that. In fact, in just those fifteen pages, Linda Howard managed to make me deadly hungry for even more. A lot more. For those of you who think I’m over-exaggerating things, go read the first fifteen pages of Death Angel. I dare you to. You won’t be able to stop reading.
Before I go on, let me clear some things up – a majority of Death Angel is not about Drea and Rafael. Rafael only really appears in the first one-third of the book and that’s it.
The FBI part in the summary is also about two chapters, or maybe even less. I don’t know why the summary made it seem that the FBI plays a huge role in the book when they don’t.
Okay, so back to that first fifteen pages. Linda Howard caught me completely off-guard; in fact, I had absolutely no clue how the book would go after that first fifteen pages. Is that mysterious man going to kill Drea or will something develop between them? (I was secretly hoping something would develop between them because I wanted to see how that would turn out with the guy’s ego.) Why does that guy never get mentioned in the summary? What on Earth was going to happen?!
However, Death Angel slowly goes downhill from there. We learn about things Drea does to hide from Rafael in such lengths that I become easily bored. Nothing really happens; in fact, I can pretty much summarize the rest of the book in a single sentence. Maybe two.
I also didn’t really enjoy the romance, with the exception of the brilliant first chapter of course. I didn’t really feel that Drea and him (I’m using “him” to avoid giving out spoilers) really connected that deeply except for that first chapter. When she told him that she loves him, I was shocked, especially since she can somehow see his deepest insecurities after really knowing him for a day. It’ll be a lot better if Linda Howard decided to make things between them even slower.
Although I really hate giving this book a three-point-five rating instead of a four rating, I have to do it. Sadly, the first half of the book is the only redeeming quality of Death Angel.
this is my fav books,,i love it,,i give a 4 star..nice riview kelly..
I’m glad to hear that you also loved Death Angel Dian! :D
Thank you! (:
Kelly recently posted…New Blog Design + A Giveaway
I was so intrigued when I read your first paragraph, and I felt really sad when I finished reading this review. I hate a book that is so amazing in the beginning and then falters off. It is such a disappointment! I am not sure if I will give this book a go, but who knows if I run across it and it’s the right price at the right time I may swoop it up and give it a try. I have never read anything by Linda Howard before. Thank you for sharing your review Kelly!
Yeah, I really hate when that happens. Death Angel had SO much potential that it’s just sad that it didn’t quite work out.
Oh my goodness, you’ve never read any book written by Linda Howard before?! Check her books out NOW Ashley! You absolutely won’t regret it.
Kelly recently posted…New Blog Design + A Giveaway
i love linda howard’s books….great story and suspense…one of my fave author :)
Yeah, her books automatically pulls me in into the story and I will read any of her books. ;D
Kelly recently posted…Book Review: The 5th Wave – Rick Yancey
This sounds very interesting and that cover is totally hot! I can’t wait to pick this one up, despite the beginning being the only interesting part of the story. Hopefully, I’ll enjoy it! lol ;p
Great review! ;p
~ Maida
Literary Love Affair
Maida @ Literary Love Affair recently posted…Blog Tour: Tragic by J.A. Huss – Excerpt & Giveaway
Hopefully Death Angel will capture and keep your attention from the beginning of the book until the end Maida! :D
Thank you! (:
Kelly recently posted…Summer Lovin’ Readathon: Day 1 – Class Orientation + Teaser Tidbits
I have heard great things about Linda Howard’s books but haven’t had the chance to read any of them. This sounds really intriguing and I love books that can make me gasp for more! lol ;p Sorry the awesome didn’t last long though. :( I’m a romance girl so I hate it when the romance in a book is not satisfying. But nonetheless, hopefully I’ll enjoy it once I get a chance to pick it up! :D
Great review!
~ Maida
Literary Love Affair
Maida @ Literary Love Affair recently posted…Cover Reveal: Devious by Suzannah Daniels
I hate it when the awesome doesn’t last. ):
I was so disappointed when it didn’t.
Hopefully you’ll enjoy it more than I do when you pick it up. ;D
Thanks! (:
Kelly recently posted…ARC Book Review: Thornhill – Kathleen Peacock
The beginning of this book was definitely different from your typical romantic suspense. I agree that the book wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t worth reading again.
If you want to read a great book by LH, try Mr. Perfect.
Yeah, sadly Death Angel is definitely not worth reading again.
I read Mr. Perfect already. It’s sooo good. ;D<3
Kelly recently posted…ARC Book Review: Thornhill – Kathleen Peacock
I haven’t read anything by Linda Howard. I’m usually a but turned off by the “romance” designation. Your review had me fired up to give it a try but by the end, I think I’ll pass.
Ha ha, if I have to re-read this one again, I’ll just re-read the first three chapters. Those three chapters are literally unforgettable. :P
And yeah, sorry to disappoint you. ):
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [52]
Great review! i love this author. Her writing keeps me on the edge of my seat. ;)
looks like my type ;D
This really sounds like a disappointment. This has happened to me in the past. For me, it’s so frustrating to come out thinking, huh that wasn’t really anything.
I don’t know if anybody else noticed but he never said I love you back to her.