Reviewer: Rowena Dying to Please by Linda Howard
Publication Date: April 29th 2002
Genres: Fiction, Suspense
Pages: 320
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Loyal. Beautiful. Professional. Impeccably organized. Potentially lethal.
Sarah Stevens is a woman with many distinct qualities. First and foremost a butler par excellence, skilled at running large households smoothly and efficiently, she is also a trained bodyguard and expert marksman–indispensable to her elderly employer, a courtly gentleman whom Sarah has come to respect and love as a father.
Then one night she thwarts a burglary in progress, a courageous act that rewards Sarah her requisite “fifteen minutes of fame” with the local press. But the exposure is enough to catch the attention of a tortured soul who, unbeknownst to Sarah, will stop at nothing to have her for himself.
Sarah’s perfectly ordered life is shattered when tragedy strikes: her beloved employer is brutally murdered. The detective investigating the case, assures Sarah that she is not a suspect. Until lightning strikes twice. There’s a second killing–and this time, despite a lack of evidence connecting her to the crime, Sarah cannot escape the shadow of guilt.
The only option left for Sarah is to carry on with her life. But she doesn’t realize that a deranged stalker is luring her into an elaborate trap . . . one in which she, once ensnared, might never escape. For Sarah soon finds herself at the mercy of a man who will tend to her every whim, smother her with affection, and crush her in his all-consuming embrace.In a nonstop roller-coaster ride of unrelenting suspense, Linda Howard has written her most chilling novel yet. Dying to Please is a breathless thriller of desire and obsession.
From the Hardcover edition.
My very first Linda Howard was Mr. Perfect. You can imagine how much I loved that book, I loved it so much that I had to go out and read every single Linda Howard book I could get my hands on. One of the books that I picked up was this one.
I was on such a Linda Howard high that I jumped right into this story and enjoyed the fact that the heroine wasn’t this simpering girly girl who was more damsel in distress than strong heroine. I enjoyed that Sarah Stevens could probably kick The Rock’s ass and I enjoyed the fact that she was so good at her job. She was the perfect butler for an ex Federal Judge and when she comes home on her day off to find her employer murdered, I was like, alright Sarah …what are you going to do now? Go find the murderer and kick their ass!
It’s what Sarah does.
Sarah gets a new job and tries to put her life back together again only to have those employers die on her too and the sexy detective Thompson Cahill thinks at first that maybe Sarah is a serial killer but then he later changes his mind and while he fights his attraction to Sarah to try to find the real killer, the sparks fly between them two and the chemistry between them is enough to scorch the pages.
This book is a good one. It’s not one of my most favorites of LH but how can you not like the book with a sexy hero like Cahill and that wrestling scene with the both of them? Talk about S E X Y!
Seriously, you guys should read this book if only to read that scene…it’s HOT and so good. I enjoyed Sarah’s no nonsense attitude and her character as a whole. She was a great heroine, one that I liked a great deal because she was so sure of herself and so confident. It was a great thing to read about a strong heroine, who really was strong. There’s a scene in the book where Sarah takes some robbers down without breaking a sweat and I thought, damn I wish I had skills like that.
Then there was Cahill. Tall, sexy Cahill who was all things women want in a man. Strong, manly and so effing hot he’d scorch my pants! I loved how honest he was, he wasn’t the type of man to mince words or lead women on to get them to fall into his bed. He was upfront and refreshingly honest and I loved that about him, well I loved a lot of other things about him as well…especially his technique in the sack, man he’s yummy!
Now, one could say that this book was totally predictable in the sense that we’ve read this storyline before, the villain could be spotted with your eyes closed and your hands tied behind your back but that didn’t take away from the story for me. I enjoyed the heck out of it and I like that LH can take an old storyline and make it fresh and fun. It’s one of those books that you want to keep on reading until you know everything, until all of your questions are answered and you’re done with the whole book. It’s that good.
It’s a fun ride and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it if you’re looking for something that’s not too deep, just fun and fast…that’s this one.
So go on ahead and get this one, it’ll entertain you for sure! =)
4.5 out of 5
I liked this book, too. But Mr. Perfect? Whew – now Sam is a pants scorcher 😉
We’re really going to have to reconsider this author spotlight thing. All I want to do now is re-read all my Linda Howard books. LOL
Loved this book. I think that this was the last one (aside from CNM) before she started going down hill. Fast.
This book was the first Linda Howard book that I ever read. I remember thinking the hero was yummy. It has been a while though, and I can’t remember the wrestling scene. Sounds like a reread is in order.
I remember this one. I really liked this one. Although I lost my copy. Hmmm.
I think I didn’t figure out who the villian was until the end. LOL. But then I never figure things out. ha ha.
I thought this one was ok. I think this was in the run of the Howard books I didn’t care much for… Cry No More being my least favorite Howard book EVER. Guh.
This one was pretty interesting even with the crazy villain.
Favorite scene is rolling around in the gym!
Cry No More! OMG that book…… I need a Diaz and fast!
I really liked this book too. It was a lot of fun. There are so many of hers that i have as keepers.
Aint that the truth, Nancy? haha…LOVE SAM DONOVAN!
I think that Cry No More is one of those books that people either love or hate, with little to no middle ground.
Me? I consider it an amazing book, and was the second Linda Howard I gave my s.o. to read (the first one being Mr Perfect :grin:)
I’m very pleased to report that he liked both very much indeed.
I use to love Linda’s category reads. I have a few and re-read them from time to time.
Her new book comes out in June!
I loved this book! Yes, the wrestling scene. GUH!
Sam may be my favorite of the LH heros. Oh holy hottness!
Man, I need to dig out my copies of her books… your great review makes me want to do a major reread.
Casee,
I know what you mean…I’ve picked up a few of my LH books this past week, wanting to read the whole thing but only reading a couple of scenes between each book as I have way too many books to read anywhere.
Jill,
It was the scene in the gym…it was so steamy and totally sexy, that Cahill guy is so effing hot!
Iz,
I had this book in my hand the other night and before I know it, I had read the entire thing and man, I was all wrapped up in the book but everything was so easy to figure out for me.
Mollie,
You didn’t like Cry No More? Oh girly girl, what is wrong with you? I’m kidding, hahahhahaha, I LOVED THAT BOOK! What didn’t you like about that book?
Katiebabs,
That gym scene will always be my favorite scene in this book..ALWAYS.
Kris,
I effing love LH. So effing love this woman for introducing me to some of my favorite heroes EVER…like BEN LEWIS, Sam Donovan, etc…=)
Azteclady,
I think you’re right about that…Cry No More is either loved or hated and for me, I totally love it!
Katiebabs,
I haven’t read all of LH’s books but it’s one of those ongoing challenges that I’m going to finish soon.
Shannon,
This book is great, right? I want to reread all of my LH’s too. Maybe I will…=) And thanks! =)
Yup – this was definitely a good one! I liked both Cahill and Sarah. Why is it, though, that those dang cops always have to mke that one mistake of not believing in their woman for that split second? I just finished Carla Cassidy’s latest and the bonehead hero in that one (who I really liked, BTW) made the same mistake. Long enough to shake up the heroine. grrrrrr….. me hates conflict.
Love love love Mr. Perfect, but this book was perfectly enjoyable too. That wrestling scene – WOOT! LOL
OMG – in the middle of slacking off (hence reading your website), I realized that I did not read Dying To Please!! It’s like stumbling onto a Starbucks in the desert. I’ve been desperately waiting for the new LH book to come out – I’ve already re-read all her old books in the recent months. (Unfortunately, when you are craving an LH story, no one else will do).
I’ve had Dying to Please confused with To Die For! Don’t ask how.
Wooohooo! There will be no sleep tonight.
Thank you, Book Binge!
mph
This was my least favorite LH book. It had a darker tone to it than her other books.