Red Heat by Nina Bruhns (Men In Uniform #1)
Romantic Suspense
June 7, 2011
Paperback
Berkley Sensation
Guest review by Helyce
I love me some romantic suspense with sexy military hunks-the sexy Russian accent, which I of course could only hear in my head, was just icing on the cake.
Captain First Rank Nikolai Kirillovich Romanov is a Russian naval officer who is a bit down on his luck where his career is concerned. Just a month ago, he was in command of a first rate Russian Nuclear submarine. When an accident occurs and he disobeys a direct order to flee the scene, choosing to stay and help with the rescue, he is demoted, big time. Now in command of the B-403 Ostrov, a broken-down, and much neglected diesel-electric sub, he is tasked with taking a group of scientists into the Arctic to collect data regarding the climate and environment. The night before he is to depart, Nikolai is approached by a member of the Russian Federal Security Bureau or FSB. Think: KGB. Nikolai is well aware of the FSB and what they do, having worked a short stint for them in his younger more naïve years. They have something on him and use it to keep him in line. He hates this leash they have on him, but he really has no choice, considering his recent failings. The FSB contact informs him that an American CIA agent posing as a reporter will be amongst the scientists leaving on the Arctic expedition and Nikolai must find out what the spy is after.
CIA analyst Julie Severin is the agent tasked with posing as a reporter while she attempts to fulfill her objective. Julie is not a field agent; in fact, she’s never done anything like this. She’s also got major baggage. Because her father was killed in Moscow when she was a child, she distrusts all things Russian. If that wasn’t enough, due to a childhood accident, she’s deathly afraid of the water. She forces her fears aside, determined to be successful in this mission.
The sparks fly right off the bat between Nikolai and Julie. They both try to fight it, but their attraction is strong and despite Julie’s trust issues where Russians are concerned, she’s having a really hard time not reacting to Nikolai’s blatant advances. Julie is not cut out to be a spy, though, and Nikolai trips her up easily. She’s not on the sub long when he accuses her of being a spy.
“Trust me, I know a shpion when I see one.”
Shock went through her. Even she didn’t need a translation for that word. Her heart pounded in her throat.
She forced a scoff. “Are you really accusing me of being a spy, Captain Romanov?” Lord she didn’t know what she’d do if he actually said yes.
He leaned in, putting his lips to her ear. “Think about it. Stay here and seduce me. No one has to know. With such an incentive, I might voluntarily tell you everything you’ve been sent to find out. Hell, I may even want to defect to your country. Imagine what a coup that would be for you, back at Langley.”
It’s clear for both Nikolai and Julie that their attraction is so much more than what it appears to be on the surface. In spite of their respective “missions” they both find their feelings to be real and special but the fact that they are supposed to be enemies keeps the tension high between them. While they each strive to be loyal to their task and their country, the lines easily become blurred as they struggle with the decision of how to do the right thing.
I very much enjoyed Red Heat. We learn right away that Nikolai has lost favor with the Russian Navy and my initial thoughts of Julie were that she was some kind of scapegoat for the CIA to be given this mission. Clearly she is not spy material, but she surprised me. She was strong and it becomes clear as we learn more about the mission that she has the intelligence and specific credentials to carry it out and succeed in her task. The secondary characters are an interesting and very likable mix of people. Nikolai’s crewmen are loyal to him and I could feel the camaraderie and respect that they felt for him. While we meet all the scientists of the expedition, we only really get to know a few of them but they provide some humorous moments and some of them will surprise you.
The action is fast paced and Red Heat is full of deception, secrets and intrigue and will keep you guessing until the very last pages.
Rating: B+
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I’ve heard lots of good things about this one! Can’t wait to read it.
It really was very good. I hope you like it!
I’m not a “spy” girl/boy book reader but this one sounds really good. Great review Helylce
Thanks Tori. It was really well done. Kept me guessing, and I so had the wrong villain. I love when the author can trick me like that.
Great review. I’m a cover person and this one definitely caught my eye. It sounds like a really good read.
Thanks ChrisS-I love when a cover actually matches the author’s description of the character. Nikolai is yummy!
I’ll have to check this one out. I love me a good romantic suspense!! Great review!
Thanks MinnChica, I’ve not read a lot by Nina Bruhns, but what I have read has been excellent!
I haven’t heard of this one however that cover is hard to miss. Great review!
Thanks Sophia! It’s the first in a new series by the author. We meet the hero of book two in this book! I’m looking forward to it!
Great now I have sexy Russians in my head too ;) mmmmmm, I like it!
Yup, Nikolai is sexy!
I cut my teeth way back when on spy novels and have long felt they were some of the books intelligent people read and enjoy. Now don’t get me wrong, that was the arrogance of youth. I have progressed to a much more open-minded acceptance of lots of different kinds of books that intelligent people read, but I still harbor the love of a good spy tale–it just seems that and the love of a good mystery get my curiosity and I’ve-got-to-figure-out-who’s-the-bad-guy juices flowing. That being said, I especially resonated with your comment about hearing the character’s voice in your head. I have to own up to the fact that I’m not sure I can ever remember another reviewer saying that. It happens to me all the time, and I have a very definite mental picture of what that character looks like, so much so that when I see the cover I am sometimes really taken aback. Oh well . . . I often like mine better. Thanks for the really insightful review.
Hey Dr. J: It doesn’t happen with every book I read, but yes, the story literally plays like a movie in my head and I ‘hear’ the voices. When that happens, I know I’ve really connected with the story and it’s characters. And because of that, I’m with you-it’s kind of a pet peeve of mine when the cover doesn’t do justice to the characters and how they are described in the book. I guess the marketing/graphics dept. can’t be expected to read all the books they design covers for, but a description from the author or editor should be taken into consideration. I’ve learned from several of my favorite authors that they have little to no say on their covers. Thanks for your comments. If you decide to give Red Heat a shot, I hope you like it!
This sounds like romantic suspense right up my alley Helyce :D *scribles on the wishlist*
Hi Leontine! I hope you like it!
A great review on one of my favorite authors and genre. It just makes me want to get it that much faster:) I never buy a book by it’s cover but this one sure is lick worthy:)
Hey Nancy-thanks for coming by! ;) I really liked this one! I agree about the cover, definitely.
The cover would have drawn me in. The topic might have turned me off. so I probably wouldn’t have picked it up. BUT after reading your review, I think I’ll give it a try.
Thank you for the lovely review Helyce :) I don’t know why, but the last name of the hero – Romanov – has me kind of scratching me head. I wouldn’t have thought anyone with that family name would have survived in Russia post revolution… I’m sure it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things :)