Tailspin

This was great! I feel like I have been a fan of Sandra Brown forever. Maybe not forever but a very long time. I haven't read all of her books yet but I have been able to keep up with her new releases each year. It is probably no surprise that I went into this book with rather high expectations. I am happy to report that this met every one of those expectations. Once I started reading this story, I didn't want to put it down and ended up having a fantastic time with it.

This book opens with Rye, a pilot, agreeing to fly a box to a small airport near Atlanta even though the area is covered with blinding fog. Rye will fly in any kind of weather so he isn't even concerned about landing until something unexpected happens. Brynn was given the show more task of retrieving the box and getting it back to Atlanta as soon as possible. Soon Brynn and Rye are both pulled into a series of events that seems to become more dangerous at every turn.

This book kept me guessing. Just when I thought I had things figured out something would surprise me. I thought that the suspense element was very well done and the fact that the characters were on a deadline kept things moving at a pretty quick pace. One thing that I really liked about the story was how realistic everything was. I honestly could see a situation similar to this happening and maybe it already has. I found this to be a pretty thought provoking read.

I liked Rye and Brynn. There is a bit of romance to the story but I really felt like it was a smaller part of the story although it was very well done. Rye was a character with a big personality and I knew that he had to have a story. He really was a stand up guy who refused to cross certain lines and looked out for others. Brynn grew on me throughout the book. At first I wasn't sure about her but as pieces of her past came out along with her intentions I grew to love her. I loved that these two were able to work so well with each other to meet their goals.

I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this book was very well written with a fairly complex plot. There was a whole lot of excitement, characters that had me cheering for them, and a few villains that were kind of fun to hate. I can't wait to read more of Sandra Brown's work in the future.

I received a copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing directly and via NetGalley. show less

Tailspin
4 Stars

An Afghanistan war vet, Rye Mallett works as a "freight dog", a pilot willing to fly anything, anywhere, at any time, regardless of the dangers. Rye's current job delivering a mysterious black box in dense fog goes awry from the start. First, his plane crashes due to sabotage, and then the wrong doctor arrives to accept the package. Soon Rye and Dr. Brynn O'Neill find themselves in a race against time to deliver the box with both the police and an unknown pair of thugs on their trail.

This is classic Sandra Brown in the vein of her older romantic suspense works, such as Mirror Image and Exclusive

Rye is similar to many Brown heroes. Gruff, broody and reclusive, he is determined to maintain his distance from others, but a show more strong core of honor and integrity means he cannot resist aiding those in need. Brynn is intelligent and resilient with a profound need to make a difference. Her willingness to sacrifice her life's work for the greater good makes her a very appealing heroine. Rye and Brynn get off on the wrong foot, but their snarky bickering conceals an intense attraction that leads to its inevitable conclusion.

The secondary characters are well-developed from the small-town cops determined to get to the truth to the vicious thugs with their own motivations and the intended recipients of the box who evoke conflicting emotions - I initially sympathized with the senator and his seemingly loving wife before their intentions are revealed

The intrigue surrounding the strange black box keeps the pages turning even though some of the plot points do not initially make sense. That said, it all ultimately comes together cohesively. The chapters leading up to the climax are heart-poundingly intense and the final twist at the end is the icing on the cake.

Overall, a gripping story with engaging characters and an interesting message. show less

The pilot, Rye Mallat, flies a box through a vicious storm, but when he crash lands, finds Dr. O'Neal waiting for him. She won't tell him what is in the box. Although Rye has a "no involvement" policy, he is intrigued by the mystery of the box and and the beautiful Dr. O'Neal. The story takes them to Atlanta and Tennessee, rushing to get the box to its destination before time runs out. They are followed by thugs, law enforcement and must learn to trust each other or possibly be killed.
This book is a great read that is impossible to put down.

Please see all of my reviews on my blog at www.robinlovesreading.blogspot.com

Before I get started, just let me say that before I even open the first page of one of Sandra Brown's books that I was fairly certain that it is going to be five stars, top of the line. Tailspin most assuredly proved that fact to be true. Kudos to Sandra Brown, who has the moniker, the Queen of Suspense. What she has done in this book is solid proof that she deserves that title.

This story takes place over just two days time. When pilot Rye Mallett agrees to fly at a very dangerous time of night due to the weather, things exploded as the plane was sabotaged and he is forced to crash land. He was to deliver a critical package to a Dr. Lambert. But, it is not Dr. show more Lambert that came to pick up the package, it is Dr. Brynn O'Neal who comes for it. What is in the black box that Rye was delivering? Brynn won't say and suddenly, they both are in grave danger, and she and Rye are in a race against time. The package remains a mystery to Rye at first, but while trying to help Brynn, despite the ever-present danger, he realizes how drawn he is to her. It is just the same for Brynn. Their chemistry is undeniable.

I read this book at breakneck speed. The first 65% flew by in one sitting, and due to other obligations I had to take a break. Then I read the rest of the book like it was just a few pages. THAT is how good the story is. I was gripped right from the very beginning. During this incredible ride, there are many exciting twists and turns, especially during those final chapters. WOW! I could not even imagine which direction things would take.

This is no sweet romance. When Rye and Brynn come together, although definitely not the focus of this book, it is incendiary. With this being a romantic suspense, we know that the characters will end up together. However, Sandra Brown does a good job in creating enough conflict for readers to believe that it just cannot happen. Both of these characters were strong and memorable, and the plot was fluent. This is an exceptional read, and utterly thrilling. I most assuredly look forward Ms. Brown's next book.

I want to extend a huge thank you to Grand Central Publishing for this ARC to review. This review reflects my honest opinion. show less

Pilot-for-hire Rye Mallett, working for the airfreight company Dash-It-All, makes a flight in bad weather to deliver a mysterious package. Despite the fog, he’s about to land when an attempted sabotage causes him to crash. A woman doctor, Brynn O’Neal, shows up at the crash siteto claim his cargo, insisting the intended recipient sent her to collect it.

Rye lives by his personal “no involvement” philosophy, but finds himself drawn into the intrigue surrounding the cargo . . . and to the mysterious woman doctor. However, in a race against the clock to deliver the package, Rye and Brynn find themselves pursued and must learn to trust each other if they are to stay alive and deliver the mysterious contents of the black show more box.

Well-defined characters, an intriguing plot, and enough twists and turns in the battle of wits surrounding the mysterious padlocked box all come together to keep the suspense building, the tension high, and the reader involved in the cat-and-mouse adventure. Quasi-bad boy Rye, armed with attitude and a vintage World War II leather bomber jacket, and tender-tough Brynn keep the romantic fires burning brightly.

Highly recommended. show less

A little disappointed in this one. I didn't like it quite as much as the last few from SB. The main reason really is two fold. The story line was a bit too far out there as to everyone's motivations. Secondly I didn't really care for either the hero or the heroine. You knew the hero slightly better than the heroine but both were pretty cardboard and bland as main characters went. The tension was good especially near the end but that didn't really make up for how blah I found the rest of the book.

Don't judge SB on this one though. A few of her other recent books have been much better.

Dr. Brynn O'Neal is in a race with time to get a lifesaving drug to Senator Richard Hunt. Pilot Rye Mallett is hired to transport the box containing the drug through a heavy fog from Columbus, Ohio to Atlanta because he is the only pilot who is reckless enough to attempt the flight. When he wrecks the plane as he is landing at an airfield outside of Atlanta and discovers the manager of the airfield has been attacked, Ryan knows there is more going on than just transporting the box. After meeting Brynn, she makes it clear to Ryan that she is interested in getting the drug to a young girl on the verge of dying instead of the Senator, which puts them both in danger. Although Ryan says he doesn't want to be involved, he couldn't be more show more involved if he tried.
In Tailspin, it isn't clear why Ryan continues to involve himself until almost the end of the book. There are a couple of weak twists which show up at the end of the story, but they are fairly predictable. The villains in the book that create some of the suspense are mostly one dimensional and the romance lacks emotion. Overall, this isn't one of Sandra Brown's best efforts. show less