Ice Blue

Here is another excellent example of the cold dark anti-hero who spends a great deal of time wavering between the desire to assassinate or make love to the heroine. Summer Hawthorne is the daughter of a wealthy woman involved in a Japanese religious cult run by a disturbed fanatic, Shirosama, who is planning a catastrophic killing of millions of people with biological weapons. Summer was given a priceless Japanese bowl by her nanny and her mother has promised the bowl to the Shirosama (for some ritualistic reasons I didn't quite understand) but Summer refuses to let him have it. Takashi O'Brien is a member of the Committee, a top secret anti-terrorist organization. Taka is assigned the task of acquiring the bowl and assassinating Summer show more to assure her silence. But he ends up saving her from Shirosama's followers and a complex thrilling roller coaster adventure begins. Taka belongs to the Yakuza (Japanese mafia) and is half Japanese, half American and walked that fine line between hero and villain. Summer was one of Stuart's stronger heroines. show less

This is the third book of the series about the Committee, following Black Ice and Cold As Ice.

Summer Hawthorne is a museum curator. Seems like that would make her life pretty safe, even dull, doesn't it? Unfortunately, the bowl her Japanese nanny left her puts her in the middle of a terrorist's plot.

The bowl and a map to a shrine are the final things the creepy Shirosana needs to bring about his apocalypse, but getting Summer's mother involved in his cult didn't work out as he'd planned.

So now, not only does Summer have the terrorists after her, but also Takashi O'Brien, an assassin from the Committee, whose mission is to do whatever it takes to prevent Shirosana from succeeding, including killing Summer.

As in the other books in this show more series, there's an evil villain, and a cold-blooded assassin as a hero. It's definitely not a warm, fuzzy romance, but if you're not completely turned off by ultra-dark heroes, it's all the more satisfying to watch a hardened, seemingly emotionless man fall in love.

Summer is a good match for Taka--she's smart and resourceful, but personally unsure of herself, so she needs him emotionally as much as he needs her. Their developing relationship is intense, heartbreaking, and ultimately exhilarating. show less

Continuing on with this maddening but addictive series. I think, so far, I like this one the most in terms of romance. It wasn't so bad! I think. Either that, or my whole perception of romance is changing with these books. Wait, you mean the hero almost killing the heroine 36925 times, willing to sacrifice her for the mission, and even sometimes thinking demeaning thoughts about her is not romantic? How so?

Like Peter, and unlike Bastien, there was a human element to Taka that almost made me like him instantly. Almost. But in the same pattern, he's just as cold, calculated, heartless and manipulative as the others. He's also slightly different because there's this angsty side to him - he's half Japanese, half American, and he resents show more that. Also, I'm wondering, in Cold as Ice he says his father is actually Irish. I guess he lied, which is too bad. Not surprising, though. Anyways, it's always there, in the back of his mind and he mentions it quite a few times.
What I liked about him is that he's always calm and collected and you can almost feel it seeping out of the pages. At times I thought he would snap, but he never really does.
And, to be fair, he almost immediately admits he doesn't want to kill her, and while it was the same with Peter who just didn't like killing innocent bystanders, Taka actually had no qualms about doing what needs to be done if the mission asks for it. So it mattered more. I thought of him as some sort of angel of death. I don't know why.

Summer is my favorite heroine of this series yet. Extremely smart, in control and so strong. I was almost wondering if finally a hero in these books meets his match. Sadly, no, and I wonder if it will ever happen. But at least I actually approved of everything she did. She's essentially another damsel in distress, but she's feisty and resourceful and she never lets anything get to her.

The pair of them were great together! I keep thinking for once Anne Stuart will be wrong in matching a heroine to a hero, but so far... no. They were made for each other, great chemistry. And even if she can't match his "special" skills, she can definitely match him in everything else. It was almost funny seeing him annoyed that she was so comfortable in Japanese surroundings.

Yes, people, you get to go to Japan, even if it was brief. The book is set in the US, but also Japan, where it ends with a grand finale. There's a bit of mystery to the story as well, you're wondering about the location of the shrine - did Hana tell her the stories, is it in the books, did she even leave any clue to where it is? There's a mad villain, and you get brief glances into his head, and they are so incoherent you can actually tell the man is absolutely crazy. That being said, I still didn't like the extra POV characters.
Of course, there are a couple of graphic sex scenes, three I think.

I'm still taken aback by the fact that I actually love these heroes. I hate them, but I love them. I was sorely disappointed that we don't get a glimpse of Bastien here (as hard as it is to admit that), but HAI PETER! Yep, I was happy to see him.

Overall, it's a great book. It would be my favorite of the three if there wasn't some weird affection for Bastien and the first book. I'm not sure I'll like the fourth book as far as the blurb goes, but we'll see. show less

Dark, brooding foreign assassin who needs to do a kill to save the world but can't because he falls in love with the target? Check.
Target is a young, helpless yet strong female who is slightly overweight and an all-American girl? Check.

It's funny, the books in this series have different (but v. similar) story lines, but everything else is identical. Madam Isobel must be really fed-up, and wondering what you have to do to get the staff these days! However, despite all that, I LOVE this series. So hot. How do I get my hands on an Alpha assassin with penetrating eyes that is going to do what these guys do to their targets? Yum. This book in particular has a scorching scene in the airplane- can't give it away but, ooooh, it's hawt. Need to show more have a cold shower just thinking about it! show less

Ice Blue
4 Stars

Synopsis
Museum curator, Summer Hawthorne, treasures the Japanese bowl given to her by a beloved nanny and will do anything to keep it safe from the smarmy cult leader who is willing to kill for it. International operative, Takashi O'Brien, has the same goal and will do anything, including kill Summer, to ensure that the cult never fulfills its apocalyptic vision.

Review
A good addition to the series.

Stuart's heroes are cold and emotionless, and her heroine's naive and vulnerable. It is unclear what they see in each other but for some reason it works.

There is something about the dark and enigmatic heroes that appeals on a visceral level and Taka is no exception - his inability to control or withstand his attraction to show more Summer is very appealing. While Summer is likeable, her illogical reactions to events and her passivity in the face of imminent death can be irritating.

Taka and Summer have great chemistry and their characters' back stories are compelling. Nevertheless, the traumatic event in Summer's past and her relationship with Hana Hayashi are never fully developed. Likewise, details are sketchy on Taka's torture in the previous book and his conflict with his grandfather needs fleshing out.

The doomsday cult plot is the most compelling and believable but it lacks that extra bit of tension that would make the apocalyptic threat immediate and intense. The villain is more insane than diabolical, which detracts from the suspense.

The writing and pacing are good, and the ending is very sweet and emotional even if it is a bit rushed (this seems to be a trait of the books in the series). Looks like Isobel's book is next and it will be interesting to see behind her facade. show less

This book does not survive scrutiny well. Yes things were exciting but I don't see Takashi surviving a normal life well, nor do I see Summer surviving well in his life, but apart from that, it is quite an amusing story.

The True Realization Fellowship and their leader Shirosama want the bowl Summer Hawthorne was bequeathed by her Japanese Nanny. They have plans for it and they don't care what it takes to get it. Summer doesn't want to give it to them, she doesn't trust them and she really doesn't trust what they've done to her mother, not that her mother was outstanding at any rate.

Into the struggle comes Takashi O'Brien, he works for The Committee, an international group whose aims aren't clear but they want to keep Shirosama from show more attaining his goal. Summer is expendable, but why does Takashi keep saving her? She is proving to be a chink in his armour.

It's pretty predictable romance-wise but the thriller aspects of it kept me going and were, while far-fetched, quite interesting. show less

This is the 3rd book in the Ice series by Anne Stuart. I had never read one of her books until this series and I have to say I am hooked. For those that are uncomfortable with violence, I will warn you that this a lot of violence and the #1 thing said over and over again is "I will kill you". At times I got a little tired of hearing that but the men in these series are very dangerous men who work for The Committee.
In this book Summer Hawthorne is a museum curator who has a Japanese Urn that is very valuable to The Shirosama to use to change the world. She is kidnapped and Takashi O'Brien comes along when she is danger. The story begins there because Takashi is just as dangerous as The Shirosama as he learned a long time ago that show more everyone is expendable. Summer is feisty, argumentative, but easy to like. Takashi is handsome (you first meet him in Book 2 "Cold As Ice") and I really liked him in that book however I had a harder time liking him in this book. Eventually I did like him but at times I thought I wanted the story to end. All of sudden I was really into the book & to me that makes this a good book. show less