Kiss Me While I Sleep: A Novel

Actual rating 4.5 stars

I just have one complaint with the book - WHERE IS JOHN MEDINA?

Honestly i was hoping to get a bit of action from the super-spy, even if just a teensy bit. Not that the book wasn't good. It was awesome, maybe the best Linda Howard book I have read so far. The suspense kept me on the edge and the climax just blew my mind. Predictable, but Howard has a way with showing even the most predictable of endings with a thrill. Though I had guessed the ending correctly, i was still gripped by how it came about. The characters too were well developed and relatable, as relatable as a contract agent for CIA can be. Swain was fun- one of those characters that made you laugh a lot and yet when he was on the job you took him show more seriously. Lily was simply kick-ass. From her cold vengeful killer trying to avenge her friends and daughter to a broken woman battling her inner loneliness- Lily was portrayed wonderfully. But for a book in the John Medina series it was lacking a bit in John Medina. I was waiting the entire book for John to make a spectacular entry- maybe a mystery savior in a sticky situation, maybe a messenger with hair-raising intel. But i was just waiting. I enjoyed the book immensely, i couldn't have put it down if i wanted to and i didnt. But a John Medina without John Medina (i know this sounds awfully like a rant but i'm trying to be objective here) simply doesnt work for me. Other than that I have no complaints. show less

Pretty typical novel with a heroine kills a bad guy. Lily Mansfield is a hired assassin, who has worked for the CIA most of her working life. She had friends and almost a daughter, but they were killed, she's looking for revenge but after the revenge she has to live. Lucas Swain is a CIA agent sent to deal with her, they're attracted and he's determined to keep her alive.

Yes there were parts that really made this work but there were also parts that didn't quite work for me. The characters were a fair bit of fun and I could get the attraction but somehow the spy game stuff came off as a bit stretched.

Lily Mansfield is a contract killer for the CIA, 37 years old, with 19 years of experience. She is also a grieving parent whose 13-year-old, adopted daughter has recently been killed, along with her foster parents who were Lily's best friends. Lily has set out to kill the man who ordered the hit on Zia and her foster parents, and to wreck as much havoc as she can on his organization. She is doing this without the CIA's sanction; in fact, they have sent one of their top agents, Lucas Swain, to stop her.

Just when I thought I figured out the plot and the ending, I was thrown a curve ball. L inda Howard's heroine is quite a departure from the norm and the ending was a surprise.

Lily is a CIA assassin who's decided to go rogue. Salvatore Nervi killed her friends and their young daughter and she's going to take revenge. Lucas Swain, a contract agent, is called in to bring Lily back to the states for 'debriefing.' When he finds out what Lily's up to, he decides to help her out before taking her in.
This is an all right book. It's easily the least well written and well-plotted book in the series, but if I was judging it on it's own merits, as opposed t comparing it to the rest of the series, I might rate it higher. It had a couple of huge plot holes that I just couldn't get over. It kept bugging me that I could think of several other ways to handle the situation that would have been not only more believable but show more more suspenseful and make a better story. At least the chemistry between Lily and Swain is good. It's nice how he makes her laugh. show less

3.5 stars

“I love you, too,” she said in a somber tone. “I think. I’m pretty sure, though. It’s scary, isn’t it?”
“Damn terrifying.” He dropped the pen he’d been using to figure the square footage of the rooms and turned in his chair so he could haul her down onto his lap. “I thought we’d just have some fun together; then the next thing I knew I was worrying if you ate enough for breakfast. You’re like a Stealth bomber. My radar never showed a blip.” He frowned down at her.
“Don’t look at me,” she protested. “None of this was my fault. I was minding my own business, having a little shoot-out in which I was outnumbered, when you charged into the middle of it. By the way, that was good driving, the way show more you slid the Jaguar around.”

If you've been wanting a more heavy centric heroine book, then this is for you. The story centers around Lily, a CIA assassin bent on revenge. Swain is the CIA agent sent to neutralize Lily but his off the cuff attitude has him working with her. With the revenge storyline we have a syndicate dipping their hand into biological warfare, a mole in the CIA, and a plethora of characters with a myriad of motivations.
The suspense side is the main focus for most of the story, our hero and heroine don't even meet until 40% in but their relationship was sassy, sweet, and fun (if not completely mega deep).
The last half loads up on the sex scenes you perverts miss in the beginning and even though the ending was abrupt and not given American closure (everything tied up with a huge big bow) it was perfect. Really though, read this for the great heroine. show less

I have read several novels by Linda Howard and enjoy them as the simple night or two diversion they present. I did not realize it was the last book of a CIA Spies trilogy but it was easily read as a stand-alone. One should not be deceived that the novel is one of spycraft as there is more romance than any suspense.

Note: Rating was lowered by 1 star due to copy editing errors.

The espionage in this romantic suspense was great but the romance started so late, they hadn't even met in the first third of the story, and there was lots of mental speculation about their relationship. Lily does jobs for CIA but makes an unauthorized killing for personal reasons so CIA agent Swain is sent in to bring her down.