Gone Too Far
4 Stars

Six months after the terrorist attack at the Coronado base, Lieutenant Sam Starret arrives in Sarasota to collect divorce papers from his ex only to find a decomposing body in her house and his daughter gone. With the investigation more focused on him than finding Hayley, Sam and FBI agent Alyssa Locke reluctanly join forces in the search.

This time around the storyline is set primarily in the present and the WWII thread is minor even though the details surrounding the attitudes toward the Tuskegee Airment are compelling. The present day plots focus on Sam and Alyssa's second chances romance, FBI negotiator Max Bhagat and former hostage Gina Vitagliano's doomed attempts to move on from their past, and updates on Tom Paoletti and Kelly Ashton's relationship.

While Sam and Alyssa's story has been a long time coming and their happiness is well-deserved, there are times when their bickering and deliberate goading of one another becomes tiresome. It is almost as if they thrive on their conflict and misunderstandings.

In contrast, Max and Gina's tug-of-war relationship is a highlight. Max struggles with his feelings for Gina, and it is great watching the stoic leader brought to his knees by a slip of a girl with more resilience and determination than all of SEAL Team 16.

The issue of Tom and Kelly's endlessly pending nuptials are also resolved albeit with some heartwrenching scenes, and even Mary Lou gets her HEA even though her character is still intensely unlikable.

This installment brings to an end the ongoing arc from the past few books although there are new directions for many of the characters. The next book appears to focus on a completely new couple and I look forward to seeing how Brockmann merges the new Troubleshooters into the already established atmosphere of the series. ( )

Finally Sam and Alyssa's story. I do like Sam but have always found Alyssa to be too whiny for my tastes. She does okay here. I was surprised at how much I liked MaryLou's story. One of the best things about Suzanne Brockmann is how each of the men are clearly separate people. Alyssa is tough and a good operator. She has just strung Sam along so long that I got tired of her. ( )

I liked this book the first time I read it, now that I've read [b:Into the Night|414653|Into the Night (Troubleshooters, #5)|Suzanne Brockmann|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320442475s/414653.jpg|1907365], which is both a turning point and set up for this novel, I like it even more. A definite keeper.

[ETA - 2018] - as time goes on, and certain things have changed, like the military's discontinued use of the shameful DADT (Don't Ask-Don't Tell) policy as well as who the current players are in the Islamic terrorist groups, this book has begun to settle into its early 21st century setting in some ways. In others, it's still as fresh as the first time I read it. Good stuff. ( )

Sam's story - overly long at 18 hr 41 mins, but wow - I was looking forward to his book, and this is unexpected and revealing about this navy seal, as all the seal's story in this Troubleshooters series all turn out to be. I came to Suzanne Brockmann after reading Linda Howard. Two authors who excel at the romantic suspense genre. But the deep humour embedded in Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter series is incomparably satisfying! If you know of another like it, readers, please send me your recommendations! ( )

Gone Too Far takes place about six months after the events in the previous book, Into the Night. I think readers unfamiliar with that book will struggle to catch up in this one. For fans who've been eagerly waiting for the steamy, antagonistic, on-again off-again relationship between Navy SEAL Sam Starrett and FBI agent Alyssa Locke to reach its culmination, the wait is finally over.

Sam is going to Florida to work out a child custody agreement with ex-wife, Mary Lou. When he arrives he discovers a dead body, presumably Mary Lou, but there's no sign of his daughter, Haley. Meanwhile, Alyssa has been tasked with finding and arresting Sam for murder.

The Troubleshooters books are kind of unique in that they have multiple POV characters, and more than one story arc going on. I don’t think it’s a series one can easily pick up in the middle and understand. Traditionally there is a main story, in this case Sam and Alyssa. There's usually a teaser couple that will be featured in a future book. Here it is Max and Gina. There's a plot line featuring Sam's boss, SEAL Lt. Tom Paoletti and his fiancee, Kelly, who were in the first book of the series and are in some legal trouble themselves. Finally, Sam’s Uncle Walt and Aunt Dot are featured in flashbacks. Walt was one of the Tuskegee Airmen and he and Dot found love during segregation and Jim Crow.

I wasn't much of a fan of the Sam/Alyssa story but I ended up liking Sam much more in this book, probably because we get to know him better. I always enjoy the WWII backstory and can't wait to get to the future book featuring Max and Gina. Overall, much more enjoyable than I expected. ( )