Linda Howard Book Junkies discussion

Lenna is Strength, a manifestation of the Tarot card, and powerful beyond reckoning. But when she's pulled into the human realm, tasked with protecting a young boy, everything is thrown into chaos. Lenna's not supposed to be here, interacting with mortals. She's definitely not supposed to be drawn to the sexy mercenary sent to retrieve her by any means necessary . . .

As a Hunter for magical beings, Caine's duty is simple: return this compelling, impossibly attractive woman—or eliminate her. Instead he's drawn into Lenna's dangerous rescue mission and blindsided by his growing feelings. But there is more than one enemy to contend with. And as the clock runs out, failure means not just the loss of an innocent life and the woman Caine has come to love, but the destruction of Lenna's entire world.

I am really looking forward to this book

I've put a hold on it at my library.

It has been on hold for some time, and from what I am seeing they are saying they are processing the book, so it could be any day. Which would be great because I am kind of holding off on starting a new book. Nothing is catching my eye.

I have to finish Obsession in Death first, then I plan to start with Frost Line. I'm kinda afraid to read Frost Line. What if its another flop and LH has lost its spell?

I'm a little hesitant too Eve. I love LH and she has written some of my all time favourite books (I read Heart of Fire so much it fell apart and I had to buy a new copy) but some of her recent books have left me disappointed. I'm hoping Frostline will be like the kickass LH I remember

It's a good book, more fantasy than paranormal. I really enjoyed it. If you're looking for a LH romantic-suspense, there are hints of it here, but not like I would have wanted.

Oh, I'm so excited about reading this book! I've read some pretty wild PN/Urban Fantasy, so I'm very curious to see what LH/LJ came up with!

I am so looking forward to this book, especially after the flop Troublemaker was. Granted it wasn't as bad i I was afraid it was going to be, but not nearly as good as many of her older books were. I am number four on the library holds so I know i will get it as soon as they are processed, unfortunately it is not soon enough.

I just finished FROST LINE. It was not a bad story, but not one of my favs.

The main characters are interesting and likable, but the plot building was sometimes a mess. Elijah, little boy (view spoiler)[who one night witness his mother's murder (hide spoiler)] was central at the beginning but authors dump him at one point and he only appears again towards the end and in the epilogue. We get to read one of the villains getting murdered but the hero and heroine don't find that out until long after the reader does.

I wish that Lenna and Caine were the main focus but now the story just had too much going on with all those different perspectives (senator’s, hunters and Derek). I also felt that Derek was a loose end that wasn't tied up and his and the senators perspectives were irritating to read.
I enjoyed the epilogue and that poofing sounded like fun.

I just finished Frost Line. I really liked the book. It was such an improvement from Troublemaker. Unlike you Eve I didn't mind that Elijah was taken somewhere safe while Caine and Lenna hunted the killer. I felt is was appropriate action, and that Elijah really needed to be somewhere safe and not having to face more killing. But like you it wasn't my favorite either, I think for the same reason. There was just too many perspectives. I felt that Derrick got too much of a center stage and IMO it would have been better if the Senator had a larger role and Derrick had the lesser role.

Do you think Derrick ever got caught?

I liked Frost Line, although I had a few problems with it. I agree with Dee that the story had too much going on. I can't point my finger to one thing, but in some ways it seemed like it had an identity crisis. I didn't think the suspense and the world building were blended as well as it could have been. I actually would have liked to seen more from the crime perspective - like the discovery of the senator, the discovery of Sammy and some more wrap up around Derrick.

I really liked the start of the book with Elijah calling for help and getting Lenna. I liked Elijah's epilogue although I wished he actually got to talk with Lenna and Caine. I also wish he had more page time during the book.

I agree with you CD I really liked the beginning where Elijah saw his mother getting killed, having to run to his best friend's house, how he hid then called for help, That made the story. I also liked the epilogue. I also wished that Lenna, Caine, and Elijah could have talked. I think that would have been cool. I couldn't see what it would have hurt if he remembered the days of hiding from the Senator and Lenna and Caine helping him.
The Senator didn't seem real to me. He wanted to kill everyone so that no one could call him on being at Elijah's house. REALLY!! He wanted Derrick to kill all the neighbors. That didn't even make sense. Logically thinking I could see that he would be terrified, but it would make more sense if LH/LJ would have let us more into his mind. You know make me understand where he was coming from. Instead he didn't seem real

Did Lenna and Caine use "magic", so Elijah would forget about them and events that happened? Elijah was old enough to be able to form memories about events/people, so why it was so impossible for him to remember who they were who came to watch his shows?

Ditto Eve. I found it strange that he didn't remember some hints about them as well. I know she touched him to give him strength to move on with his grandparents and that left a "residual" of her with him. And subconsciously he adopted the last name of "Frost" which shows some memory.

Again Dee, I'm in total agreement on the Senator. I think this is where LH/LJ dropped the suspense elements. I think the story would have been better to build these characters and give them more dimension and more threat to Elijah. As it is, Lenna and Caine just drop in, whisk Elijah away and then drop him back into his life. There was very little interaction of them with the crime and discovery process past the first few scenes. And it was the early scenes that made the story.

I totally agree. It is too bad we weren't included in the writing.