Slow Burn: A Novel (Buchanan-Renard)

As always I'm never disappointed with a Julie Garwoods book. This series is one of my favorites. I wish the Buchanan family was larger so the series could continue. Ms Garwoods stories always have humor as well as drama, which I feel are a great combo.

I really enjoyed this book. It was full of action but also had a lot of humor. The chemistry between the main characters was both sexy and amusing. Dylan has become my favorite of the brothers so far.

I am a huge contemporary Garwood fan, and this was nothing short. People expecting something different must not be familiar with the author and this series. It was a great addition to the series with a new twist on the issues of family and finances. The wit in the dialogue was fantastic and I will definitely be rereading this later.

I love Julie Garwood. So, I was really disappointed in this one. I think I could have related to the characters if the plot hadn't been so thin. There were too many "bad" people and I found it REALLY hard to believe when one of the bad people called Kate and told her about the "bombs". Sure...

Read some of her older books and be impressed...

The book keeps you interested from the very begining. The plot keeps you guessing and your surprised in the end on who was really behind it. Once you start reading it you don't want to put it down. I loved the characters and how the author continues to introduce us to the Bucanan family.

It seems Kate McKenna was born under a lucky star. She has survived two bombings, as well as a near fatal hit and run.
She would tell you she has no enemies ... but that was before she found out a distant uncle left her millions of dollars in his will. Now there are many more suspects to investigate.

Detective Dylan Buchanan is the brother of her very best friend and former college roommate. While visiting her friend, she winds up have a one night stand with Dylan. And Dylan is watching her back ... very closely.

I absolutely adore Julie Garwood's romantic suspense books. The reader gets mystery, thrills, suspense, romance, love, lots of suspects, and plenty of humor. I think it's the humor that pulls me in.

I love the characters! Kate is smart, sassy, and loving. Dylan is irascible, teasing, but nothing and no one is as important to him as Kate. He's also a dedicated law enforcement officer and will let nothing harm her.

The book is well written and the ending came as a surprise .... not even close to what I had anticipated.

There are 13 books in this series .... each is terrific as a stand-alone and they don't have to be read in order. If you like romantic suspense, they don't come much better than this.

Pro: Lighthearted, mostly positive characters, not badly written, relatively good descriptions
Con: Farfetched plot; long, rather slow buildup with all action at end in <25% of book

BLUF: Light reading for vacuous types - similar to what one could expect from one of those "made for tv" movies on Lifetime. Even with the roll-ones-eyes-at-the-characters-actions/words, this is still much more tolerable than the dreck to which I have become accustom (see my other reviews).

SPOILER ALERT
Plot centers around character and her sisters who, despite their modest upbringing, inherited well. Can't say as though I'd agree with the main character's southern belle "...oh, I declare - po' lil' ol' me just has the worst luck..." attitude despite incredible luck/good fortune. In the end of the main character, who gets the man of her dreams, gives away >$80 million inheritance, then opts to live in a rundown house and take out a personal loan to pay off a substantial debt. Had to roll my eyes on that one.

Have you ever felt frustrated! Life not going your way? Have I got a story for you! In Slow Burn the fifth novel in the Buchanan series we Kate MacKenna and her sisters.
Synopsis:
It all started with the wonder bra! Kate was on her way to an exhibit when an explosion occurs. She wakes to find paramedics and policemen looking her over. Kate brushes off the explosion as nothing more than bad luck. She starts to put it behind her when asked to come to Boston by her friend Jordan Buchanan. Kate meets up again with the Buchanan family who she knows well, and one in particular brother Dylan Buchanan. After one night together she leave quickly but her luck doesn't change. Who is out to harm Kate? Will she and Dylan hook up?
My Thoughts:
If you are excitedly waiting for Julie's next novel. Then I suggest you either revisit Slow Burn or read it for the first. I happened to be able to listen to the audiobook this time around. I have listened to others on audio that are by Julie Garwood and this one is the best! I thought the reader did a great job!
Ms. Garwood tells stories with much humor and wonderful plot. She employs a form irony which pokes fun at her characters which creates an entertaining read.
One side note if you have followed her other novels then you will know that they relate back to one another.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

Entrepreneur Kate McKenna has survived not one but two bombings, as well as a near fatal hit and run. She and her two sisters have just discovered that their mother, who died a year earlier, mortgaged Kate's business and soon they will lose their home, as well as Kate's livelihood if they cannot come up with a balloon payment. She travels to Boston to see her best friend and former college roommate, Jordan, who is undergoing surgery. While in Boston, Kate has a one night stand with Jordan's sexy brother, Dylan.

When Kate reveals to Jordan all the bad luck that has come her way, Jordan becomes concerned and asks that Dylan to travel to South Carolina to look after Kate. Dylan is still is upset with Kate for taking off without saying goodbye, but goes down there anyhow. While the two decide to keep it platonic, she is summoned to a Savannah, Georgia law office for the reading of her uncle's will. When it's discovered that Kate will inherit the bulk of the estate, there are a whole lot more suspects to sift through.

Garwood mixes humor with suspense and romance to come up with a knockout mystery about a woman who suddenly finds herself the victim of a mad bomber. Dylan and Kate ooze chemistry and Garwood gives them some great bantering dialogue. Dylan's way of telling her he loves her is priceless. I often guess who the baddie is, but this one had me baffled right up to the revelation.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

Kate MacKenna has worked extremely hard to make a success of her business that she had started purely by accident when she made candles to give away as gifts. Her friends convinced her that they were marketable and her company grew from there. Just when it seems that everything should be going great, inexplicable events start happening.

Dylan Buchanan is the brother of Kate's best friend, Jordan. He also happens to be a detective in Boston. Dylan was injured in the line of duty and is currently on leave from the department. Dylan's had a crush on Kate for many years. He's never acted on it though, until now.

Unbeknownst to Kate or her sisters, a wealthy relation whom they'd never met changed his will, leaving each a very wealthy woman , but which puts them at great risk from the various money hungry relatives who are desperate to get their hands on the fortune. In Kate's world, everything is going wonderfully, her company is expanding, her sister's are both happy and well adjusted. The only exception is her sister, Kiera's attempts at `sexing Kate up' which includes wearing a Wonderbra. Little did Kate know that uncomfortable contraption would save her life! She'd worn the Wonderbra to an art showing that was being put on by a friend of hers'. When it became too uncomfortable, Kate was forced to go outside to remove it because the bathrooms were out of order. An explosion occurred and Kate was knocked unconscious. Once she is released from the hospital, Kate learns that her mother had put all her assets up as collateral before her death, one of the assets was Kate's company. When Kate had returned to college, she made her mother a partner so that she'd be able to make deposits and sign checks. The balloon payment is due within thirty days or Kate loses the company. Without her company how would she pay for her sisters' college tuition? Kate is soon given yet another reason to panic when she receives a phone call from Jordan. She'd discovered a lump in her breast and surgery was scheduled in a few days. Amidst all her worries about her sisters' tuition, her company, and their home, Kate flies to Boston from Charleston, South Carolina, to be with her friend. She'd never expected to see Dylan while she was in town, or have the one night stand she wouldn't be able to forget.

Julie Garwood has been one of my favorite authors for many years. Her books are smart, sassy, brilliantly humorous, and they always have an awesome plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. SLOW BURN had me hooked right from the first chapter. You can easily envision the elderly relative's disdain for his self-indulgent relatives as he has someone videotape his explanation of his last will and testament to them all. It's a brilliant scene, and I absolutely loved it. The main characters are all down to earth, just the kind of people you'd want to have as friends. I was fascinated by Kate's ability to come through each crisis relatively unscathed, and was thrilled with Dylan's involvement in her life, especially after she practically ran out on him after a one night stand. Just when I thought I knew who was out to kill Kate and why, I reached the end of the book only to have to go back and reread it just because it stunned me the way it turned out. I have recently been told that Julie Garwood is the "Queen of Suspense" and I have to agree. Wonderfully done Ms. Garwood.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

Compton Thomas MacKenna makes a video announcing his last will and testament. Because if his nephew's totally
wasteful lifestyle he has decided to disinherit them. They are off into every vice on earth and have squandered several small fortunes. He hasmade the decision to leave his estate to his neice Kate MacKenna. He has been
estranged from her but admires her ability to manage and make money. His estate is worth over $80 million dollars.
After this video is made things start to pick up for Kate. She is at a art gallery showing when she is nearly killed by a bomb blast. A little while later she is nearly killed again by an explosion at a building. Her car is totalled. While visiting a friend in Boston she strikes uo a relationship with Dylan Buchannan a childhood friend. He comes to Silver Springs to see who is trying to kill Kate.At the reading of Compton Yhomas MacKenna's will thw suspect list growa in leaps and bounds. The three nephews Ewan,Roger,and Bryce immediately become suspects. This book has an exciting conclusion where the guilty party is revealed. This book has it all,romance,
greed and a good crime mystery. Be sure to read it.

I think that Garwood has everything that it takes to be one of the best novelists of our time. In a couple of her books, I have read swaths of 100 or so pages that leave me with my mouth wide open. However she has a need to always hark back to what she feels is her nitch, that of mystery/thriller/romance. Every time that she does this, she creates a mass of barriers and boundries that limit her stories and in the end suffocates them.

From the start of 'Slow Burn, Garwood pens in her character Kate McKenna. She survives a couple of bomings and members of the Buchanan family come to her rescue. After reading half a dozen of these books, the formula that Garwood uses become very very obvious and you see the exact same characters existing here as you do in her other books. The strong woman who needs a law officer of some sort to protect her. In the end she does great, falls in love with the officer type and gets married.

Whoops, I just gave away the whole story.

I would love it if Garwood would just string together 500 pages of observations and very little plot. I feel that her writing is best in this form. Her characters and stories become just so similar, its like she is writing the same book over and over and over again.

Synopsis:
Living a successful life in Charleston, South Carolina, Kate MacKenna has always been able to turn her challenges into triumphs. But now the fates seem to be lining up against her...in a lethal fashion. While attending a reception at a friend's estate for a controversial artist, Kate is nearly killed by an explosion. Once home, Kate is hit with the news that the prosperous fragrance company she has nurtured from the ground up is in jeopardy: It turns out that their late mother used the business as collateral for a huge loan, and full payments is due in three weeks. Kate's still reeling from this devastating news when her younger sister's volatile ex-boyfriend shows up and threatens her. Then Kate receives a call from her best friend, Jordan Buchanan, who is hospitalized and scheduled for surgery in Boston. Though stretched to the limit, Kate immediately rushes to her side. Once she knows that Jordan is going to be fine, Kate abandons her calm façade and allows herself a major meltdown, doing something that is totally uncharacteristic: She has a one-night stand with Jordan's brother Dylan. Coming to her senses, Kate returns home determined to get back on track and save her business. But the mishaps keep coming. At Jordan's insistence, Dylan checks up on Kate. He's convinced that she's merely having a spell of bad luck―until he discovers how many people want Kate MacKenna dead.

Comments:
This is another suspense novel following the long line of Buchanan brothers. Set in Silver Springs, South Carolina, Garwood did a good job with describing the setting and the little characteristics that are found particularly in the south. Kate is the founder of a fragrance company which specializes in a variety of goods including lotions, candles, etc. While Kate was away at college furthering her business education she signed half of her company over to her mom. Unfortunately, after Kate's mom died she soon discovered that her mom signed everything away including the house and her company to pay for bills. What's worse is that payment is due in a few weeks. On top of all of that Kate was almost killed in two near explosions and then her best friend Jordan needed her support during her surgery. While in Boston Kate is about to have a meltdown and in walks Dylan. As a typical Garwood hero, Dylan has the rugged good looks, is a lady magnetic, and oozes charm. Their one night of passion ignites their attraction towards each other, which continues to increase throughout the book. Overall, Garwood did a job with the "who is trying to kill Kate" question. There was a long list of people who wanted Kate out of the way, but pinpointing who exactly was a puzzle. The situation wasn't made any better after Kate received a couple of million dollars from a distance relative she had never met. Towards the end of the novel it became apparent who was trying to kill Kate. However, there is a twist that even surprised me. This was a good novel and held my attention till the last page. However, I felt that Kate and Dylan's relationship was on the borderline of being luke-warm. Kate had a lot of spunk and Dylan was the ever so protecting boyfriend. But I felt that something was still missing. Nevertheless, good book.

This story was set in South Carolina, Savannah, and a bit in Boston. It is an action packed mystery with several possible culprits, and the suspense is held until the end. There is also a romance between the main character and her best friend's boyfriend, who also happens to be investigating in the mystery. I enjoyed the sisters, and especially the settings. I am left with a few very minor questions, but those lose ends didn't have anything to do with the main plot, just the side relationships of the characters. The characters in this book were positive and cared about doing what was right.

This is the first story I have read/listened to by Julie Garwood, and it seemed very possible that there were other books before this one that used these characters because they made many references to past experiences with each other. I would read a story by her again definately.

I have listened to a book narrated by Joyce Bean before, and again, I like her style. She differentiates the characters pretty well and uses special affects for phone conversations and things.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

I have read Julie Garwood's old historicals quite a few times, and I

have TRIED (believe me) to like her mysteries, but I just can't. I

listened on tape to about 1/3 of "Slow Burn," but I was getting so

irritated at the lackluster characterization, meandering and

pointless information, and most of all, by the stupid behavior of

the heroine that I had to stop.

SPOILERS: In about ONE WEEK, Kate is nearly killed, not once, but

TWICE by a bomb, ducks a car that swerves to hit her, TWICE, is

threatened by her younger sister's boyfriend that he will "get her,"

discovers that her dead mother had used EVERYTHING, including

Kate's business AND name, as collateral to an impossible loan

(due in a month), plus go to support her best friend who has

discovered a lump in her breast, AND has fabulous sex with said

friend's brother. I think this was Garwood's way to make us like

Kate. It made me wonder if Kate was human. She consistently

acts about as stupid as a 12 year old--not wanting to go to the

hospital, after receiving a concussion after the first bomb, driving

to a warehouse--alone--to meet with a contractor whom she did

not hire, nor know, etc., etc.. At the end (I listened to the last

tape, in hopes that I would hear something that would make it

worthwhile to go back), after it is found that the bank employee

forged Kate's mother's signature AND added Kate's business as

security for a loan, Kate leaves--happy that the bank is going to

reissue the loan, without collateral. Huh? We are supposed to

believe that now everything is okay with this bank because the

people are arrested? In what universe? Oh, no internal

investigation about the lack of safeguards. . .no state

investigation. . .. . . no fear of law suits. . . No, none. If I heard

correctly, on the SAME DAY that she defuses a bomb, after being

drugged when told that her beloved sister (who is even MORE

brainless than Kate) is kidnapped, and after being questioned for

hours by the police, she then meets with a team a lawyers to

terminate their management of her inheritance. (Are we

supposed to assume Kate is on speed?) As the reviewer on this

site discussed, Kate is wedded to the idea that Dylan (the

romantic hero) is not really interested in her, in the face of his

consistent attention. I guess the bottom line is that in my

opinion, Garwood is all written out. Even the ancient Greeks knew

that writing was mysterious, controlled by the muse, but I think

that Garwood has been deserted by her.

Kate MacKenna can thank her wonder bra for her life being spared when a bomb went off at a party being thrown by Carl Bertolli. She had snuck into the shrubs to dispose of it when the blast went off. She wasn't injured badly, but the hits just kept coming when she was released from the hospital, and found out that her company was in jeopardy due to loans her deceased mother had put in motion. Not only her company was at risk, but also her own name due to the name recognition. The next hit came when her best friend Jordan Buchanan called, and asked her to come because she was having surgery.

Kate dropped everything to be with Jordan, and as it turned out, Jordan was going to be fine. No one in her family knew what was going on, so Kate was surprised when her brother Dylan showed up. He knew about Jordan's condition, and knew Kate needed him, so he gave her his shoulder. What should have been a friendly gesture soon turned to out of control passion. They were agreed that it was just for one night, but he didn't leave her thoughts even when she headed home. Kate hadn't been home more than a few minutes when someone tried to run her down at the airport. When she received a call from a contractor demanding to meet her at the warehouse she was considering renting, she was sitting out front when it exploded.

When Dylan showed up on Kate's doorstep, she was shocked. Dylan was on leave from the Boston police department after being shot, but he was concerned by all the near misses plaguing Kate. He contacted the local PD, and learned these were deemed deliberate attempts. He wouldn't admit to himself why, but he wasn't leaving until he found out who was threatening Kate. They didn't have to wait long to find out what was behind the attempts because Kate found out she had just inherited 80 million from her recently deceased uncle. When Kate is abducted, Dylan is rushing against time to rescue her.

This is my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Dylan and Kate are priceless together, and the years of friendship/torment really added to their dynamics. Well-written characters, and an interesting suspenseful story made this a good read.

Kate MacKenna is a positive person who always manages to come out on top, until lately, that is.

Kate attends a reception for an artist at a friend's house and is nearly killed in an explosion. Soon after she learns her dead mother has used her fragrance company as collateral for a large loan ($300,000) that is coming due in a few short weeks. It appears Kate just might lose the company she has grown and nurtured. To top everything off, she and her best friend Jordan are threatened -- and best friend has a breast cancer health scare sending Kate to her bedside.

Kate decides to face her problems in a more adult manner and to fight for and save her beloved business. Dylan, Jordan's brother, believes Kate's had some bad luck but changes his mind when he discovers there really are people out there who want Kate dead. But why?

There are twists and turns and suspense galore in Slow Burn. I was a bit overwhelmed with all the staggering problems Kate experienced at once. But the story is fascinating and I kept turning the pages, torn between wanting to finish the book yet wanting the excitement to continue.

I just have to share one funny item in the book. Garwood writes, 'Roger Mackenna came armed with a .45 to the reading of the will. He arrived at the prestigious law firm of Smith and Wesson....' This just cracked me up.

Armchair Interviews says: For a compelling and exciting read, you might want to try Slow Burn.

Garwood mixes humor with suspense and romance to come up with a knockout mystery about a woman who suddenly finds herself the victim of a mad bomber.

Entrepreneur Kate McKenna has survived not one but two bombings, as well as a near fatal hit and run. She and her two sisters have just discovered that their mother, who died a year earlier, mortgaged Kate's business and soon they will lose their home, as well as Kate's livelihood if they cannot come up with a balloon payment. She travels to Boston to see her best friend and former college roommate, Jordan, who is undergoing surgery. While in Boston, Kate has a one night stand with Jordan's sexy brother, Dylan.

When Kate reveals to Jordan all the bad luck that has come her way, Jordan becomes concerned and asks that Dylan to travel to South Carolina to look after Kate. Dylan is still is upset with Kate for taking off without saying goodbye, but goes down there anyhow.

While the two decide to keep it platonic (and it gets harder and harder to do), she is summoned to a Savannah, Georgia law office for the reading of her uncle's will. When it is discovered that Kate will inherit the bulk of the estate, there are a whole lot more suspects to sift through.

Dylan and Kate ooze chemistry, and Garwood gives them some great bantering dialogue. Dylan's way of telling her he loves her is priceless. I often guess who the baddie is, but this one had me baffled right up to the revelation. I look forward to reading more about the Buchanan siblings.

I have to say I found this book disappointing. The plot was clunky- neither the mystery nor the romance pulled me in at all. The main characters seemed more like caricatures, the mystery wasn't that mysterious, and there were entirely too many subplots cluttering up the landscape whose only purpose seemed to be laying the groundwork for future novels about these two families.

I've always been a huge fan of Garwood's historical novels, and hoped her signature depth and humor would shine through this contemporary story. Unfortunately, all of the elements of a classic Garwood were missing from Slow Burn, and I was left with shallowly drawn characters and a sketchy plot- not enough to carry the book.

One thing you can count on with any Julie Garwood book is that it will intrigue you and leave you feeling a vast assortment of emotions. SLOW BURN is no exception.

Kate MacKenna is the most easy going person in the world. She has no enemies, or so she thought. Seems someone is trying to blow her up. Kate is saved from the first bomb by her push-up bra. Yes, that's right, I said her push-up bra saved her! As she's helping a friend get ready for an art show gala, her bra is making it impossible to breathe in the humid weather, so she sneaks out of the tent and heads toward a stand of trees to remove the offensive piece of clothing. Next thing she knows she's waking up in the care of EMT workers and a police detective.

Soon after, she goes to Boston to see her best friend. She ends up having a one night stand with Dylan Buchanan, her best friend's brother, whom she's known for years. The attraction has always been there, but has been denied. Yep, typical love story on this part! Kate leaves to head back to Charleston, and Dylan soon follows. He's on leave from the Boston PD, so he figures he'll help protect Kate and try to find out who's behind the bomb. Little does he know this is only the beginning of the plot to kill Kate.

The story line is well developed and even though a bit far-fetched, it's still highly enjoyable. I had to chuckle when the second bomb misses Kate because of her dropping something on the floor of her car and she reaches for it at the perfect time. Yep, not too feasible, but it worked. The story flows down a familiar path with little surprise until the end. The villain might fool a few and the ending was one of Garwood's best.

As with any Garwood book the cast of characters is unique and fun. Kate is dynamic, beautiful, and kind - not a combination found in many people. Dylan is the All American boy who has a history of "love em and leave em" relationships. The support characters are a wide assortment, ranging from Kate's flighty little sister, to her exhausted medical student middle sister, to cousins she never knew existed. The cousins make you cringe and made me wonder if money really did produce such obnoxious jerks, such as depicted in SLOW BURN.

I flew through SLOW BURN's 368 pages and didn't want to put the book down. It's one of those stories that grab you and won't let go until the last page is read. Then I felt let down - not because of the ending, which was great but because I was done. I wanted to continue the story. I wanted more! So now I wait for Julie Garwood's next release and can only hope she's a bit quicker at writing this one... I hate waiting for something I enjoy so much! Ok, so impatience might not be a good thing, but it's what happens with the authors I love so much!

After returning home to Silver Springs, South Carolina, Kate MacKenna has troubles starting when she attends a party given by Carl Bertolli. As she nears the food tent, a bomb goes off. Kate is okay. The next frightening thing to happen is that Kate's best friend Jordan found a lump in her breast and wants Kate there for the biopsy.

She immediately takes the first plane to Boston and finds herself having sex with Dylan, Jordan's sexy police detective brother. She leaves Boston without seeing him again and is almost run over by someone in the parking lot. She is then lured to a warehouse where a bomb goes off. Jordan sends Dylan down to keep her friend safe. Both Dylan and the local police believe someone is targeting Kate but to her knowledge, she has no enemies and wants nothing more than for him to go back home. He is determined to see she remains safe because the ladies man has met his match in Kate. They learn that her great uncle left her $80 million dollars, money that her three greedy male cousins expected to inherit. Some people would kill for that kind of inheritance; her cousins have eighty million motives to kill Kate.

Nobody can doubt that Julie Garwood is one of the best romantic suspense writers today. Her heroine is feisty, vulnerable and independent while Dylan is protective, caring and determined to make Kate admit her feelings for him. Some of their discussions are truly funny and gets the reader sidetracked from wondering which one of the cousins or their associates want Kate dead. SLOW BURN is a fantastic and exciting romantic thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Another Buchanan book (see Heartbreaker, Mercy, Killjoy, Murder List, Shadow Dance, and Fire and Ice) that is just awesome. My second favorite after Murder list, and they're pretty darn close. Julie Garwood is great at balancing a sexy, sweet, and loving romance with a darn good mystery. Neither one outweighs the other. Karen Robards, my second favorite in the genre, tends to do somewhat unbelievable mysteries with cops that are just plain stupid. The average Joe Blow would solve the mystery quicker! But Garwood is fantastic for making a genuine mystery. There's suspense and interesting killers/thieves, and there are always just enough clues to make you kick yourself when you don't solve it, but not enough to completely give it away. The romance in this one is especially sweet, not centered around sex (although the sex is fantastic), and very believable. I recommend her books to men trying to learn how to be a better gentleman, because her heroes always have it down pat. (She also makes condoms romantic and sexy, which means it's a great influence on young women. The guys always say the (admittedly lame) line "I want to protect you" which turns something annoying into something sweet.)
Joyce Bean is a fantastic reader and makes all the characters very distinct. Her male voices sound natural, not forced. The abridgment isn't a butchery like so many, it has all the information you need to solve the case and it flows smoothly, although I still recommend reading the full version at least once if you really like it.

To put it simply, the Buchanan series is the best romantic suspense I can possibly recommend.

Kate MacKenna is a successful businesswoman who gets called home to Silver Springs, South Carolina for her dying mother. Upon her mother's death, Kate discovers that her mother used her business as collateral on a loan due in 30 days. At the same time, her best friend Jordan Buchanan needs her in Boston as she undergoes surgery. To top things off, Kate survives two nearby explosions that were not coincidences. Jordan sends her brother Dylan, a Boston policeman to help. Being called back into the family fold once her uncle dies stretches the narrative thin. Kate flip-flops after refusing her uncle's bequest, to taking it to spite her cousins. Where were her sisters? What happen with Reece and Isabel? What happened to her friend Carl? Dylan and Kate keep the story afloat but a lot of other things are left ignored.