Read a Linda Howard after a long time. I find some of her books unputdownable and some of them very boring. Both ends of the spectrum.
This book I really liked. It was less romance and more action-adventure.
The entire book is over a period of around 15 hours.
What I also liked about the book was it didn't end with the protagonists claiming to be in love or wanting to get married.
Rather he just said stay for Christmas, visit me in North Carolina and lets see where it does. That sounded so much better for a 15 hour story than a happily ever after. ( )

Linda Howard doesn't disappoint - she gets quickly into the action. And the settings are varied and the love stories touching, about people connecting. Easy reads and well written.It was a short book, but I agree with a previous reader that at times passages seemed to b e needlessly repeated. ( )

I wanted to like this book. But, it was predictable and pedantic. The view switches from person to person in the story (both the protagonists and the antagonist) and while I enjoy that, Howard spent time going back over events from the other pov. It wasn't necessary and just became something to slow the story down. And the 'romance'-no. Just no.
The narrator was fine but not great. ( )

Ice
4 Stars

Growing up in a small Maine town, Gabriel McQueen and Lolly Helton couldn’t stand the sight of one another. Now, at home on leave for Christmas, Gabriel is sent out on a stormy evening to convince Lolly to come into town take shelter. Lolly would be only to happy to oblige, however, two desperate strangers have taken her hostage in a home invasion and it will take all of Gabriel’s wits and Lolly’s courage to survive.

Ice is one of Howard’s earlier and shorter works, but what it lacks in page numbers it more than makes up for with the action.

Gabriel and Lolly’s character development is actually quite good given the relatively short format. There is sufficient detail on their time as children and teens to get a good feel for their love/hate relationship and once they get together as adults, the chemistry between them is tangible.

The villains in the story are certainly diabolical enough and there are some very intense and frightening moments, especially during the initial home invasion. The action scenes are well written and exciting, and the climax and resolution are satisfying.

All in all, a thoroughly entertaining read and my only small nitpick is that the book is in dire need of an epilogue. ( )

It wasn't as good as the other books I have read of hers. But it wasn't terrible. ( )