Guest Review: Heartbeats by Susan Rae

Posted December 4, 2008 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 2 Comments

Publisher: Berkley, PenguinGenres: Romantic Suspense


Kris‘ review of Heartbeats (Berkley Sensation) by Susan Rae

Dr. Elizabeth Iverson’s career is on track–she’s just landed a prestigious position as a cardiologist at a renowned cardiac care center in Chicago. Meeting her former lover, Drake McGuire at an alumni banquet where she is the keynote speaker is decidedly disconcerting, but she vows to put him out of her mind–she can’t, won’t let him stir up her life now! Her plans for a quiet, controlled life are shattered, though, when she discovers her one-time college roommate stabbed to death in her apartment. When Drake shows up on her doorstep with the cops, he sparks a storm in her heart that further threatens to destroy the life she’s managed to create for herself and her daughter, Allison.

Although known for getting his man, dark, explosive Drake McGuire’s maverick ways have earned him a forced vacation from his FBI post. Returning to Chicago, he is amused to find “love ’em and leave ’em” Elizabeth’s life plan on track. But her seemingly innocent amber eyes and quiet smile twist at his heart, fueling a desire to make those amber eyes smolder, those heart-shaped lips once more cry out his name in passion–even as his instinct for self-preservation screams at him to run the other way. When it seems Elizabeth might have been the intended target for murder, he can’t help himself as he is compelled to protect both her and her precocious daughter.


(Blacked out area is a spoiler, highlight to show.)
This book was very nice. Elizabeth and Drake meet again after having a one weekend fling 6 years ago. Later that evening he gets up the courage to go to her apartment to talk to her and he walks in on her trying to revive her murdered best friend. Now he is trying to keep her safe. Because her friend’s death was meant to be her. The cop on the case thinks that Drake did it because he does not like him. But the cop is painted as an idiot and Drake has to go over his head to get help.

The suspense kept me guessing ( I had inklings but was never quite sure). The relationship and chemistry between them was very good. But the whole secret baby thing is not my cuppa. I also was a little disappointed with the ending, it was too abrupt for me. They caught the killer then we had two pages of ending and that was it, I wanted more.

I would probably give this a:

3.5 out of 5 (the spoiler is one of the reasons for the grade and it is a personal preference)

This book is available from Berkley Sensation. You can buy it here.


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2 responses to “Guest Review: Heartbeats by Susan Rae

  1. Willa

    I guessed the spoiler from reading the back blurb . . . and then I peeked! Lol!

    Have to say the words ‘precocious daughter’ made me (((shudder)))!

  2. Lori

    I read/reviewed this a good long time ago, and as I recall I labeled it as a very good first book. It also sparked a discussion on why we read romance in the first place, aside from all the feel good, HEA, etc. Because as I recall, the book was quite formulaic, but I think I commented on the fact that part of why we read romance is because we like the formula; it’s what keeps us coming back for more. It’s how each author deals with the formula that makes a good book or a not so good book. And this book was riddled with formula everywhere, but the author did a fairly credible job of using it, especially in a first effort, I thought.

    K, ramble over…

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