Midnight Run

Here's the last book I read in 2005: Midnight Run by Lisa Marie Rice. It's a good one to end on, although it's not perfect: 4 out of 5. Before I explain why, I'll give the summary:

Claire Parks has been very sick, but she's fine now--just fine--and ready to paint the town red. Well, pink. On her first excursion into the wild world of dating, she meets Bud, a tall, sexy, good-looking lumberjack. She won him fair and square, her prize for not dying. But after a weekend of wild sex, she discovers he's not what she thinks he is.

Undercover police office Lieutenant Tyler "Bud" Morrison can't believe his eyes. What's a 'princess' doing in a dance club known for its rough trade? She needs rescuing, and rescuing women is what Bud does best. He saw Claire first--finders keepers. After a weekend of the hottest sex he's ever had, he's definitely keeping this one. When trouble comes her way, he pulls out all the stops to protect her. Except Claire doesn't want Bud at her back. She wants him in her bed.

The first part of Midnight Run is very, very good. I love romances where the hero falls for the heroine in a big way, and Bud's fall is a considerable one. Rice does a terrific job of portraying how Bud, who is usually passionate but controlled with women, completely loses control with Claire.

I love one scene in particular that really emphasizes what he feels for Claire. After Bud and Claire establish that he has always used a condom in the past, and she is on the pill, he responds immediately to the thought of being inside her without a condom. I might add this to my list of favorite love scenes--not because Bud shows particular finesse; in fact, he shows the complete opposite of finesse, but his thoughts make the scene memorable.

If the story had continued in this vein, it probably would have received a 5, but it takes a turn midway through. At that point, two elements are introduced: first, Bud becomes overprotective after learning about Claire's illness from her father; and second, the suspense aspect of Midnight Man (the first book in the series) intrudes.

I use the word "intrudes" deliberately, because although the suspense affects Bud and Claire, they aren't really the center of it. At first, it was interesting to get their point of view, but it ultimately doesn't add anything new. We hear how the events of Midnight Man affect them, but there's no real sense of danger. I say this, having read Midnight Man. I suspect, though I can't be sure, that someone reading this book without having read the previous one would be a little frustrated by how peripheral Bud and Claire are to this particular part of the story.

Then there's Bud's overprotectiveness. At first I was annoyed with it, and then I was annoyed with Bud and Claire. All they needed to do was sit down and talk about it, and the issue would have been resolved. So ultimately, I liked the book, but had problems with the second half. I'm still looking forward to the next one. I'm just waiting for it to be available in print.