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Absolutely Gripping Nov 22, 2008
Category: Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Author: Janie Pendleton
I really didn't know what to expect. I thought it was well organized in a he said/she said format. This worked well for me to follow. Characters were rich and I enjoyed the sections on their respective experiences in Iraq. Gave me a whole new respect for what the troops are trying to do over there. The author paints a great visual picture with her words and I can picture the vast Montana landscape. I loved the twist at the end. (won't spoil it for the reader)
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Surprised and Stunned in Montana Sunshine Jul 15, 2008
When I cracked this novel I didn't know what to expect. Really. First off, romance novels are not my cup of tea. Even with three spoonfuls of sugar. Not even Mary Poppins could make THAT medicine go down. Still I dove in undaunted fully armored in case anything romancey gushy gushy tried to gun me down. It's a war novel I thought, it can't be all bad. How pleased I was to find out I was wrong. Inside the covers of this book I found not the cheap cookie cutter category romance I half expected, but an intelligent, expertly woven and detailed story.
For fans of romance novels, I believe a different sort of conceit is in play: war stories for guys romance stories for girls, never the twain shall meet. Should this line of thinking find resonance with you, then you owe it to yourself to read this book. If for nothing else to challenge your deeply held conviction that war novels, are not for women, no no, but for men who seem to thrive on the stuff. Would it surprise you to find that this novel uses the concept of war only as a neatly encompassing framework within which to cast the main characters as they step, and struggle, and yes "grope" for subsistence in this strangely alien world called "my homeland?" If you answered yes then your surprise will be adequately rewarded as Janie Pendleton undertakes to show you that romance and war are not mutually exclusive concepts. In fact, one amazingly highlights the other. Like a hand in a glove or wrapped around a grenade.
Neatly fusing topical events with a timeless romance, Pendleton conjures a tale that is equal parts cozy seduction and psychological thriller. Beginning with a brief scene setting we are soon allowed to sit in on the inner thoughts of the tale's heroine, Jade Pickard. Equating this character with an alter ego for the author is easy to do as the author is a ranking officer in the U.S. Marines who has not too long ago shipped home from the Iraqi battlefront. How much in this tale is derived from her recent experiences we can only guess with a shudder as the unconscionable and brutal scenes depicted in flashback would test the moral fortitude of most. Yet this is not after all a gruesome slash 'em smash 'em melee of blood and gore. No, it is a love story told against a backdrop of disturbing horrors endured, sanctuary embraced, redemption sought. The story's mysteriously haunted and appropriately flawed hero, John Lewis, fills out the ensemble nicely as the charming, attractive, perhaps roguish complement to the gorgeous, self-reliant, suitably dangerous Ms. Pickard. In counterpoint is a multi-skilled and extremely capable heroine, someone who needs no one hence appears entirely unapproachable, with an adventurous and willing companion. Thus far her self reliant posture has keep her safely ensconced within a self imposed cocoon of rustic comfort with only her rural lifestyle, majestic mountain views, and simmering Irish temper for company. Until John ambles along that is, at which point her every word and action make it clear that her blissfully complete life is at best cold comfort. Joined by a similarity of military background and purpose they are quickly on the trail of a former comrade who has seemingly run amok and gone on a killing spree. At the disclosure of this fact the story quickly steers as promised to the suspense portion of the tale.
Overall the author elicits a satisfying mixture of intrigue, suspense, danger, and naked flesh. If one had cracked the covers of this novel hoping to drop in on a soft-core porn rendering of tumbling bodies, bare-chested hunks and ripped bodices, one should stand down and visit more beastly quarters. Pendleton avoids the lure of cheap salacious production and delivers an intelligent blend of romance and suspense worthy of ascension into the ranks of the reigning industry masters. Sharing glancing similarity with Nora Robert's 2006 novel, First Impressions, does nothing to detract from Pendleton's esteem as a romance novelist but rather bestow upon her work the mark of one whose methodology is established and whose attention to genre precepts will earn her the well deserved praise of the steady legion of romance fans who know what they like and where to get it. It will not be long before the praise and attention of these selfsame fans will be lavished upon this author as they quickly absorb her initial offering then await her next with breathless anticipation. This novel is highly recommended for those bored with the grind of daily responsibilities who hunger for romance and intrigue and something more stimulating than cubicle camaraderie and microwave cuisine.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Emotionally Gripping Characters! Suspenseful Plot! May 21, 2008
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RKUFUWJUSC9FG Video(Book Trailer)compliments of LinkedIN.com
Janie Pendleton's Novel, 'The Gates to Love and War' is a must read, as it took me on an action-packed adventure that carried a rare taste of real-life human perspective, in which I saw my own war-torn thoughts reappear. I cried and laughed with each character throughout their trecherous journey. This novel is filled with surprises and intrigue. This author knows how to put pen to paper! You will not want to put this book down! I will read again and again!
My overview of 'The Gates to Love and War':
After serving her country for twenty years, Lt. Col. Jade Pickard finds herself alone in the world after learning the last of her family has passed. Burying both her parents on their beautiful Montana ranch, Jade is forced to change positions in her military career in order to save the sprawling family farm. When a stranger hikes up her mountainous road and stops at her garden gate for directions, the two find an odd connection. But with the onset of a fast approaching storm, Jade invites the war-torn traveler to stay in her bunkhouse to help him find peace again. When the local sheriff comes knocking on her remote door in the middle of the night, she is forced to choose between believing in the soldier and turning him in as a murderer. The next morning, Jade finds she is right in her notion to trust him and packs her horse and mule to set out on an adventure to save the real culprit, a childhood friend. Soon these three soldiers' worlds collide, as their haunting secrets take them deep into the heart of the Black Bear Wilderness where an emotionally charged romance suspense novel begins its great journey. But don't trip over your own mind while traveling deeper in the beautiful Montana wilderness, as things are never as they seem in the Special Forces!
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Inspiring! Apr 22, 2008
If it mentions "Montana", it's going to be AWESOME! or if it mentions anything about our military heroes, it will be AWESOME!
I've been waiting for this book to be released! The author is a close, personal friend.. so I knew it was coming soon!! I can't wait to get my copy!!
After reading the story, it is even better than I imagined. It is about love lost.. and found. It's about two soldiers on two very different missions, and how they can find strength in each other to help each other through the most trying times. It shows how they lost all faith and hope in a previous love, but they found new love and strength in each other. Although it is fiction, you can put yourself in the story and examine your own life and where it is headed. It is a book of inspiration and hope... and love.
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