[.ca] Into the Night (ISBN 0345458850)

NOT EVEN ONE STAR:
Wow did I pick up the wrong book. The subplots were fairly decent. Mary Lou was the most compelling character in the book as she struggles to grow up, shed her excessive baggage, do the right thing and get her priorities straight. She certainly had much more compassion and caring for Donny than his own sister, Joan. The Vince/Charlotte story was a nice one but I find it most unlikely that a woman like her and in her 80s would be using such terms as "pissed off". The main storyline about Joan and Mike was absolutely the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. In actuality I skipped through pages and pages of their frivolous, uninteresting (filler)banter. Unfortunately the author chose to write in this age difference conflict. She then proceeded to paint Joan as chronologically 7 or 8 years older than Mike but with a maturity level at least 10 years younger than his 25. What's the point then? Joan is a shallow, silly, self-centered, sewer-mouthed unlikeable character. As for Mike Muldoon, I found him rather bland and unbelievable in his attraction to this woman. The book started out with about a 15 page wonderful action sequence but that was it except for a few pages at the end of the book. I got the impression there was going to be lots of SEAL action. No more Brockmann for me thank you.

Well...Worth Reading But Not A "Must Read"!:
First off I should admit to not having read any other book in this series so yes, I was a tad bit confused with the prior relationships that were revisited especially the Sam and Mary Lou storyline that was one of three storylines that this book held. Sam was a very unlikable man and since I was not "up to date" on the nuances of his relationship with Mary Lou this one was my least favorite storyline. The Vince and Charlotte storyline was good. It was at least easy to follow since she started their story with flashbacks from the past, and it was tied to Joan and her storyline with Mike. Joan was an okay character. Again I must agree with other reviewers about how annoying her age thing was. She was not that old and hey, age is just a number! I liked the action scene that Ms. Brockmann wrote for the opening, and I must admit to being new to Ms. Brockmann so I'm not totally sure what her writing style is like but she seems to be able to write a very interesting story that grabs you from the beginning. This one just seemed to loose it's fizz at the end. Maybe it's due to the whole "no closure" thing that seems to be a part of the formula for this series. This is not a bad thing if you've read all of the books in the right order. It is a little confusing if you are coming in mid way (which I admit is a problem with me that I have with most series. I pick up #3 of 4 and then wonder why I'm so confused. ) but this is incentive to pick up past titles! Still this is a good book worth picking up. Especially if you have already put time into the series from the beginning. If not and your like me and picked it up...just know that it's good but you should invest in the other titles if you want complete understanding (I know I will).

Still the best:
Into The Night was the first book from Suzanne Brockmann that I had read and I think it will remain my favorite. It was sweeter and had better character depth than The Defiant Hero and The Unsung Hero (In my opinion ^_^). I especially liked the WWII flashbacks with Vincent and Charlie, and I thought they brought depth to the story, despite some bad opinions I have read in other reviews. Given the fact that I had read Into The Night first, I did NOT like Sam very much, but after having read the first two books of the team sixteen series, I look forward to reading Gone too far. I recomend this bok to anyone who likes romance but doesn't want the whole "hairless chest, bodice-ripping and cheesy heaving bosoms". It'll keep awake at night, wanting to read until the end.

Romantic Times Review:
SEAL Team 16 is preparing for a presidential visit to their home base of San Diego, CA. Lt. Mike Muldoon is assigned as the official liaison to White House staffer Joan DaCosta. Joan has the unenviable task of setting up positive press for the president's headstrong, troublesome daughter Brooke. The minute Mike lays eyes on Joan he is attracted to her; but Joan sees him only as a handsome younger man. Under Mike's persistence, Joan finds herself weakening; however, a PR disaster with Brooke puts a large monkey wrench into the works. Rising fears that the president's upcoming visit could increase the risk of a terrorist attack prove correct when an elaborate assassination plot is uncovered. INTO THE NIGHT is timely, thrilling and makes for excellent reading. As with the previous books in this series, there are multiple story lines melding together to produce a complex new tale. (Dec., 480 pp., $6.99)

Raise the Flag!:
In this Navy SEAL tale, Suzanne Brockman may have captured the idiocyncracies of military personnel and their love interests too well for it seems to have disgruntled some reviewers. However, journalists who have been imbedded with the military in more recent terrorist conflicts can recognize how real her characters are. Mary Lou is more typical of some military wives than readers may care to know. Men who have lived through and seen horrible atrocities in their overseas missions need an understanding ear when they return home, but many don't find it, as Sam didn't, because their families and spouses can't cope with it. They end up battling the heroic image of a soldier, commando or SEAL--or top gun, sailor, marine-- and suppressing the real live person wearing the uniform. It's one of the chief reasons why the post traumatic disorder syndrome haunts so many of our military who have served time in the field. Accolades to Brockmann for combining romance with suspense plots that let our heroes and heroines emerge with human foibles, including a fat kid that morphs into a poster SEAL model and a woman so conditioned to appearances that yes, she would be concerned about how it would look and affect her career to fall in love with a hunk younger than herself and who doesn't fit into Washington's power circle and social set. And kudos to Brockmann for weaving a background storyline set in WWII through all her SEALS series. While civilians have become more cynical because of today's instant access to information, those who sign up to serve their country still hold the same values as their grandparents did and they still lay down their lives for the same patriotic reason. Laying parallel story lines like this help keep alive a memory of those who protected the freedoms we take for granted today. God bless them! And God bless Brockmann! This is another taunt page turner and deserves five stars.