Run To You (Military Men)

This story is silly, insipid, poorly plotted and has weak/two-dimensional leads. There is also a rushed and unpolished feel to it, like it was given to the publisher before the author had finished. It does not reflect the kind of smart, funny & clever romantic storytelling that I've come to expect from Gibson.

Another thing that turned me off is that the story seems pointlessly pornographic in places - as if the author thought if she added enough graphic raunchiness her readers wouldn't care that the story was so lame. While I think there is a place for (and thoroughly enjoy) Hot & Steamy scenes, it is not the way to fix a mediocre story. In "Run to You" the romance is so unrealistic and unconvincing that no amount of sex scenes can save it.

I read this because I'd enjoyed "Rescue Me" which is book 3 in the Lovett, Texas series. "Run to You" is book 4 and I was hoping for the same level of entertainment value as the previous story, but this book falls woefully short.

From the back cover:

Rachel Gibson, New York Times bestselling author of Rescue Me, returns to Texas with a tale of what happens when a tough guy meets his match--and falls harder than a ton of red-hot bricks . . .

There's nothing like fleeing Miami to ruin a girl's day.

Stella Leon's bartending gig was going fine until gorgeous ex-Marine Beau Junger decked her mob-connected boss, spirited her out of the city, and claimed that Stella's half-sister--the one with the perfect life--sent him. Now Stella has no choice but to go along for the ride . . . and seduce

Beau's military-issue socks off . . .

The Marine Corps was Beau's escape from his old man's legacy of naval heroism and serial philandering, but no amount of training could prepare him for the day he looked in the mirror and saw his father staring back. The answer: swear off meaningless sex. Oh, and find a way to make Stella Leon quit being so damn hot . . .

RUN TO YOU is what I call Popcorn Romance. It's tasty, fun and not too filling. I enjoyed RUN TO YOU while reading it but I doubt I'll be back for seconds (re-read). I'm a big Rachel Gibson fan but this isn't my favorite of her works.

I have read each and every single book that Rachel Gibson has put out and have loved each one. This one was no exception except it did fall a bit short. The steamy scenes were still there like all her normal books - delicious and steamy! The character development was good, and the fact that we get to catch up with old characters is also fun. The storyline essentially is that Stella is being summoned by her half sister (Sadie) to meet her for the first time. Sadie asks Beau to seek her out. Beau goes to Florida and essentially bodyguards Stella out of some seedy situations to get her to Texas. Along their road trip, romance strikes up. In the end, it was still a good book but just fell a little short of Rachel's normal awesome books. Likeable characters but just missing that normal back and forth pull between them. I gave it 4 stars because I still do like it but just didn't fall completely in love with it. Looking forward to her next book due out in August about Beau's twin brother Blake.

3.5 stars, really.

I've always liked Rachel Gibson for her light, humorous style and this book is no exception. In Gibson's 2012 book "Rescue Me" we heard about Sadie's half sister, whom Sadie had never met. This is Stella's book.

I enjoyed Stella's character and her personal growth throughout the book. The hero, ex-military security expert Beau, was a little flat and their relationship seemed a little unlikely, but it was still enjoyable to follow their adventures.

I have to agree with some of the other reviewers that think this might not be Rachel Gibson's best book. I finished it and let it sit for a few days before writing this review, then had trouble remembering the plot. So while it's definitely an enjoyable few hours, it didn't seem to stick with me like some other light romances have. I think I would have rated it higher if I had listened to it in audible format.

(Mrs. Js)

I enjoyed this book very much. This is my favorite genre so I plow through quite a few of these books. Yes, this one is pretty predictable which I like. And while there is some Mob action, it's tame and not violent (which I hate). I don't like fear in my candy fluffy reading!

So, I LOVED Stella. She's sassy and fails at being funny and has charm and is selfless at times. Beau is hot and sensitive and I said hot right?!?! Their unlikely pairing is as expected and I found their journey to be a nice ride. Ok, so she has one super annoying character flaw for me that I rolled my eyes at, but it wasn't enough to make me not like the book. It's pure licorice and lollipop lovin.

The banter is effortless and the story moves quickly. I'll read more by this author. I see a lot of negative reviews so I'm stoked, if this is her worst I can't wait to read the rest!

Stella Lennon had an alright job working as a waitress and was currently satisfied with her life , that was until Beau Junger walked into it and turned everything upside down for her. All her life , Stella has never known her father and his other daughter Sadie . Now Sadie has just discovered Stella and wants to get to know her. Sadie's fiance has connections and has hired Beau to track her down. That he did, but along the way came complications which now means that Stella is on the run from her boss who has Mob connections and is about to spend a long time on the road with Beau Junger as he reluctantly transports her to Lovett, Texas. However, Beau has currently for the past eight months taken a celibate vow as he is waiting for the right women. Has he finally found his match with Stella Lennon who is in fact a technical virgin ? Find out in Run To You by Rachel Gibson and for all those who love a man in a uniform or have a thing for Gibbs - Beau Junger is a Marine.

Rachel Gibson writes hot romance. Her penchant for sexual banter is unparalleled. This book is great! Nice, tight plotting, lot's of sensuality between hero and heroine, good character crafting.

When Beau is cajoled into a short assignment by his twin brother, he never expects to find himself embroiled in a hot romance with his client. He breaks all his own rules, and tries hard to run from what he sees as a mistake.

Stella, whose father died recently, is given the opportunity to meet her half-sister for the first time. The tall, massively built ex-marine who has come to deliver her to the nearest airplane is in for a surprise when Stella refuses to fly. Stella has a mind of her own, and deep hidden pain.

If you like hot romance, fast action and a thrill ride of a story, you'll love this book.

Rachel Gibson's Run to You is a brilliant, wonderful, and seductive romance with tons of action and even a few funny moments. When Stella is forced to flee Miami after Beau flattens her boss with a punch to the face, she is surprised to find out that the sister she never knew when she was growing up is looking for her. But will Stella make it to her father's (now Sadie's) ranch in Texas, and more importantly, will she and Beau be able to keep their hands off each other?

I loved this romance because it not only had all the seductive elements, but some very tender moments between Stella and Beau as well. The action was well-balanced, and the first meeting between Stella and her long-lost sister Sadie was wonderfully written. I can most definitely say that I give this book my heartiest recommendation.

Run to You by Rachel Gibson
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Dawn
Rated: 5 Stars

REVIEW:
Stella is a fun carefree woman. Beau is a sexy alpha Marine. I loved following the antics on their road trip. Laugh out loud humor mixed with sexual chemistry made this a great book. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, needing to know what would happen next. I loved everything about this book.

According to Rachel Gibson’s website, this book is not part of a series. Rescue Me, released in May 2012 is about Stella’s sister Sadie. I read this book last year and remember I couldn’t put it down. Run to You can certainly be read as a stand alone, but I enjoyed Rescue Me just as much as Run to You.

*Review copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

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Twitter: @readingpajamas

This was a little bit less involved than this author's books usually are. The characters were great, they had humor, sadness, chemistry, depth and likeability. Every other aspect of the story was surfacey and never really plumbed. The danger aspect-the hero rescues the heroine from her bar owning mob affiliated boss with a jaw breaking punch which then makes the mob guys come after her-hard to buy and they never really pose a big danger. The heroine is going to Texas to meet her father's legitimate offspring, she was the illegitimate one, which causes her much uncertainty. Once she meets her half sister, however the big drama of the story is underplayed and kind of dismissed. The whole book feels that way. I like the author so I'm not sorry I read the book, but she has written more compelling novels in previous outings without a doubt.

Let's be very clear. Rachel Gibson is an excellent writer. Her books are easy to read and usually easy to love. But she has been in a slump lately, and in re-issuing this book for additional review (I received my copy, Spring 2014, as an Advanced Review Copy in return for an honest review), it's kind of amazing that she didn't really read the criticisms of this book and use her considerable talent to do a substantial rewrite. But that is not the case, and this book, while entertaining, is ultimately just okay.

The hero, Beau Junger, the uber-sexy silent-type, Alpha ex-Marine elite black ops (of course) tracks down Stella Leon as a favor for his buddy, Vince who is engaged to Stella's half-sister, Sadie (the couple from Gibson's "Rescue Me.) Stella works in Miami as a bartender in a bar with mob connections. Beau immediately has to save Stella from the unwanted sexual advances of her sleazy boss, and the follow-up visit from the boss' mobsters. In doing all that, Beau makes it impossible for Stella to stick around Miami, and even though she has serious misgivings, he drives her to Texas to meet the half-sister who didn't know about her until their father died. (Stella is the dead dad's illegitimate daughter. Her mother was Sadie's nanny when Sadie was five or six.)

Stella, who has always felt second-best because of her dad's rejection and because she didn't really fit in with her mother's large Hispanic family because she is half-white, is a survivor and also a bit lost.

So the storyline is how this totally mis-matched pair fall for each other on the eight-day trip between Miami and West Texas.

Part of the problem with the book is that there is an awful lot of "telling" instead of "showing" in the development of the relationship. For instance, we are told that Stella has a quirky sense of humor. But not one line she utters is ever funny. We are told that Beau is looking for a meaningful forever kind of love, but it never seems that he has any kind of attraction for Stella except sexual until the last twenty pages of the book.

Another problem with the book is that the author sets up some excellent plot devices which have real possibility for excitement and sexual tension, and then lets them just dwindle off.

Two examples:

1. The reason Beau has to get Stella out of Miami is that both of them have seriously displeased the mob. But there is never any ending to that story line -- Beau never fights mobsters or saves Stella from their wrath. Stella keeps using her cell phone during the road trip, calling her mother in New Mexico and a friend who works at the bar in Miami. Stella even gets her picture in the newspaper along the way for winning big at a casino. She leaves a trail that a sleepy poodle could follow. But the Mafia can't? That's dumb. I was waiting for a showdown at the ranch. Something.

2. Another set-up is the reaction of the citizens of Lovett, Texas to Stella coming into town. The author makes it clear that everyone will have something to say about Sadie's illegitimate sister. I was waiting for a scene where someone had to come to Stella's defense, or Stella defends herself, concerning her entry into the tight-knit community. But after the set-up, nothing.

Gibson's earlier books are gems. She is not a two-time RITA-award winner for nothing. Perhaps the only reason this book was re-issued is that sequels are about to be released. I hope that the author has spent more time on character development and plotting in subsequent books.

Miami bartender Stella is getting unwanted attention from her boss. When Beau, a sexy, good Samaritan rushes to her rescue and clobbers the guy, she knows that the mob won't be happy. Beau has been asked to reunite Stella with her estranged sister. But a road trip to Texas may be a bit too tempting, especially with the mob on their tails.

I pretty much devour anything written by Gibson - I love the way that she mixes humor with a sexy storyline! This novel fell short for me for a couple reasons - it was a little light on character development, and the story just seemed to meander at times. Of course, even a not perfect Gibson novel is wroth reading!

I used to really enjoy Rachel Gibson books but they've not been the best recently. However, I really liked this story. I thought it was a fun progression for the characters and everything felt pretty organic within the story. The only thing I didn't like -- which I guess she's setting up for a sequel-- is that there wasn't much follow up with his brother and mom. It mentioned the mom feeling thin when stressed but nothing was followed up on that. Otherwise, pretty well back to form for Gibson.

I was expecting a romantic mystery suspense novel. What I got was a so so romance with sex scenes. The characters involved were vry one dementional and not very interesting. It took an afternoon to read and I never got involved enough to care what happened. I did find myself skimming sometimes looking for something besides sex to hold it together. My suggestion is skip this one and look for her older books.

Usually I like Rachel Gibson's books, but because I did not care for the first of the Military Men series I was a little hesitant to read this book. This story was much better. There is a bit of a tangled web of Idaho, Texas, Military and Writer Friends going on. Hopefully most are more like this.

Even a superhero would be hard pressed to keep their cool with Stella Leon. She is undoubtedly a handful, although you never question her intentions or her heart. I really like that Beau acknowledges her flakiness, even calls her on it, yet he sees past that to the woman she longs to be. Lovett, Texas will never be the same, and you are not going to want to miss all the fun to be had!

Lototy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

This was most definitely a whirlwind of a road trip story to read. Sweet, funny in her own way gal travels with stone face nothing is funny guy on a bit of crazy adventure to meet her half-sister. Sweet, funny, steamy, tearful, romance. Just couldn't put it down. : )
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I've really enjoyed some of Rachel Gibson's other books,but this one was just okay. It's not that it was a bad book -- it's technically well-written and pleasant enough to read. My problem is that it introduces some exciting plot points and then just lets them sit there (identifying the plot points would spoil what tension there is, so I won't go into detail here). I didn't find the love story particularly believable -- two people start a long car trip antagonistic but end up in love? Even though one of them spends most of the time in the car wearing ear buds? The sex scenes are spicy and extremely detailed. I'm no prude, but some of the description made me cringe, probably because some of the vocabulary is more commonly used at the OB/GYN than in the pages of romantic fiction (not that I'm a fan of dippy euphemisms either, but there has to be a middle way). It might be that this book works better if you've read the first book in the series. I have not.

Rachel Gibson is one of my favorite authors; she never fails to deliver a delightful book. Her characters in RUN TO YOU are no different in that they aren't perfect, but they're perfect together! Realistic, believable characters and events make RUN TO YOU one of Ms. Gibson's most charming stories.

My first Rachel Gibson book and I loved the story. Other people say it isn't her best so I'm looking forward to more of her stories. Gentler than the steamy erotica that twists you into knots and spits you out. I liked the strong characters and the love. Well written.

Rachel Gibson's writing has such great style that it sweeps you along on a thoroughly enjoyable ride. Her characters are quirky and funny, and her world view is just slightly out of whack in a way that can surprise you into laughing out loud. The story in Run to You isn't much - the book is a little too short to be totally satisfying - but reading it was a pleasurable journey.

What a wonderfully entertaining read! I always look forward to new books by Rachel Gibson, and this one doesn't disappoint. The romance of the story was great, and I enjoyed the relationship between the characters. The hallmark of Rachel's books is her humor. I laughed out loud at several points during this book, and was grateful that I didn't wake my husband. I'm glad I purchased this book for my kindle, and would do so again.

My first Rachel Gibson book and I loved the story. Other people say it isn't her best so I'm looking forward to more of her stories. Gentler than the steamy erotica that twists you into knots and spits you out. I liked the strong characters and the love. Well written.

Rachel Gibson's writing has such great style that it sweeps you along on a thoroughly enjoyable ride. Her characters are quirky and funny, and her world view is just slightly out of whack in a way that can surprise you into laughing out loud. The story in Run to You isn't much - the book is a little too short to be totally satisfying - but reading it was a pleasurable journey.

What a wonderfully entertaining read! I always look forward to new books by Rachel Gibson, and this one doesn't disappoint. The romance of the story was great, and I enjoyed the relationship between the characters. The hallmark of Rachel's books is her humor. I laughed out loud at several points during this book, and was grateful that I didn't wake my husband. I'm glad I purchased this book for my kindle, and would do so again.