Jessica Webb

It’s a good idea, when consulting GR reviews of a book before you select it to read, to remember that stellar reviews are often written by people who are predisposed to like the book. Maybe they are fond of the genre or the author. For instance, I’m a big fan of Louise Penny’s Gamache series, so any review of mine is going to reflect the affection I have developed for those characters, and the fact that I’ve read every book in the series means that I enjoy her writing style.

So I’m going to guess that the 4 average rating for this book reflects the fact that the people who chose to read it probably went in with a positive bias. It’s not at all bad, but I don’t think there is anything in the plotting, character, setting or writing style that would cause it to rise above a 3.

Unfortunately, the narrator is arguably the worst I’ve ever encountered. Imagine a thriller being read by someone who normally does teen romance. Every other sentence includes a sort of chuckle, or as I began thinking of it, the verbal equivalent of a smiley face emoticon. That’s the voice she uses for the main character and general narration. All the other characters are some version of gruff. More so for men, a bit less for the tough female cop. Well, there is also the nurse whose British accent is limited to a couple of words here and there.

One final comment. Oddly enough, this book starts out in Vancouver, BC, a city also featured in a non-fiction book I read and enjoyed immensely, immediately before this. The sense of place was completely absent from this book. It could have happened anywhere.… (more)

Storm Lines is a crime/thriller/lesbian romance novel. I loved this book. It's exactly my kind of romance story, where there's enough of a thriller-y/crime/mystery plot to keep me interested with a romance as an added bonus. I really enjoyed this book.

The book is about constable Bridget 'Marley' Marlowe, who does the wrong thing for the right reason and protects a young girl who is caught up in a drug ring. She gets injured, and meets Dr Devon Wolfe, a burned out psychologist on leave who helps her out and gets caught up in the trouble as well.

Storm Lines starts exciting. I was instantly hooked and intrigued just from reading the prologue. And the rest of the novel does not disapoint. We are launched straight into the action, the characters meet immediately, and it's a rollercoaster of emotions from then onward. The book is written in third person but alternates between Devon and Marley's perspectives, which I really liked. It's easy reading, with everything flowing well. The story never drags or gets boring. The romance part of the plot is kind of slow burn (although that's mainly because there's too much going on for the characters to slow down and think about their feelings). It has a strangers to friends to lovers feel to it, which I love. And the mystery plot is great too. There's a new drug on the street that causes weird symptoms, a child who was involved who now doesn't speak, and plenty of dangerous situations for Marley and Devon to get caught up in.

All of the characters are distinct and interesting, each with their own quirks. The dialogue is snappy, readable and believable. The chemistry between Devon and Marley is great. The two of them are adorable together right from the start. There are plenty of cute and emotionaly moments mixed in with the drama and excitement of the police case. I particularly liked the way Devon's mental health was explored, and the way that her anxiety and agoraphobia was described. I was also really invested in Carla and Aimee's story as well as the romance. Aimee is a brilliant character.

And then the ending was brilliant. No spoilers here, but I felt really satisfied with the ending, which I think makes for a good book.… (more)

Webb is an awesome writer. Even though Trigger is my favorite of the series, reading Troop 18 was time well spent. The story picks up a few months after Pathogen. To be honest, even after reading this book, I still don‘t get why Kate left.
One element of this story that stuck out was the author‘s eye for detail. The setting is important in this story because most of the action takes place outdoor. I also enjoyed reading this story from Andy’s POV. I’ve always thought Andy was a fascinating character, but disappointed that I could only know her personally through Kate’s POV. With this story, I learned about the more sensual, compassionate, and reflective side of Andy. My favorite scene in the book (one I’ve read multiple times) is when Andy and Kate reunite. I don’t think I would have enjoyed reading that scene if it where told from Kate’s perspective. There’s little action, but enough mystery to keep you guessing. Overall good book!… (more)