Today’s Throwback is from 5 years + 1 day ago, another Romantic Suspense from Rachel Grant. Caz is a big fan of the narrator Greg Tremblay and rated his narration in this audiobook A+, so we thought it was a worthy contender for remembering!
Narrated by Greg Tremblay
(This review was originally published August 2, 2018)
I had the same feeling when I finished listening to Firestorm (book three in Rachel Grant’s Flashpoint series) as I did when I finished reading the novel a few weeks back – the urge to stand up, applaud and yell “bravo!” – because it is easily one of the best romantic suspense novels I’ve ever listened to. It’s also a story I’ve been waiting for since the series began; Sergeant First Class Cassius ‘Cal’ Callahan and CIA operative Savannah James have been striking sparks off each other for two books now, and in Firestorm they get their chance to kick ass, take names, and burn up the sheets. (And then some).
Both Savvy and Cal were prominent secondary characters in the other books, and it’s been clear from the off that while Cal doesn’t particularly like Savvy, he’s strongly attracted to her – and that the reverse is true. Savannah is the resident “spook” at the military base at Camp Citron in Djibouti, and pretty much everyone on base views her with suspicion; she’s widely rumoured to be with the CIA, but nobody knows for sure. Whatever her affiliation though, there’s no question she’s extremely competent and is completely focused on getting the job done, no matter what the cost. This ruthlessness is one of the things about her that Cal dislikes intensely; he believes she’ll sacrifice anything and anyone in pursuit of her goals – plus he has his own reasons for being wary of the CIA. So when his commanding officer tells him that Savvy has requested his services for a sensitive operation, he’s not eager to sign up.
Savvy is well aware of the way she’s viewed by the personnel in the camp, but that’s not her concern. She’s a highly-trained operative of the Special Operations Group of the CIA; sometimes she runs spies and collects intelligence, and sometimes she’s deployed as a spy herself, and she’s been tasked with gathering information on one Jean Paul Lubanga, a Russian-backed wannabe dictator who may be planning a coup in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). An opportunity to acquire that intel has presented itself in the form of a party that’s taking place on the yacht belonging to Russian oligarch Radimir Gorev, and Savvy has a cover story all ready to go – but for it to work, she needs Cal’s cooperation. She plans to gain access to the party by letting it be known there are some valuable black market antiquities for sale, but men like Gorev and Lubanga have only one use for women and will never accept one at the table. So she needs Cal to pose as a businessman looking for an ‘in’, while she’ll tag along as his sex toy.
I’m not going to say any more about the plot other than that it’s utterly compelling and perfectly paced, with plenty of high-stakes drama, action sequences and steamy love scenes. Cal and Savvy have incredible chemistry and their relationship is brilliantly developed; both are guarded, in spite of their burning mutual attraction, and I loved listening to them gradually working through their issues and learning to trust one another emotionally as well they do when it comes to kicking enemy butt. Ms. Grant never fails to impress me with the quality of her research, her knowledge of the politics of the region, and the seamless way she incorporates them into her stories; I never feel as though I’m being subjected to a lesson, and her books always make me want to find out more.
The two leads are likeable and strongly characterised; they’re tough, determined professionals with a fierce dedication to doing what’s right, and Ms. Grant has created rich personal backstories for both of them. They work extremely well together, and I particularly liked the fact that Cal never questions Savvy’s ability or courage; he’s concerned for her, but he knows she can take care of herself and admires and respects her for it. He also comes to see just how tough her professional journey has been, to understand the degree of sexism and misogyny she has faced throughout her career – even from those who are supposed to have her back. But even Savvy hasn’t realised the extent to which she has been used and manipulated – and a calculated, heart-breaking betrayal sees her and Cal fleeing for their lives.
The mission has a very personal dimension for Cal, as his mother is from the Congo and her family was devastated during the Second Congo War. Her sister and nieces were raped and murdered, and her nephews either killed or conscripted into the army that is, even today, perpetrating the same acts on other women and girls. Cal is American by birth, but feels a strong connection to his mother’s homeland and is every bit as determined as Savvy to put an end to Lubanga’s ambitions and strike a blow against those who want to strip the Congo of its resources and autonomy.
I have Rachel Grant to thank for introducing me to the work of Greg Tremblay – I confess I’d not come across him until I listened to Tinderbox back in 2017 – and he’s now someone whose work I seek out and listen to at every available opportunity. (Which will come as no surprise to anyone around here!) Everything about his performance – pacing, characterisation, differentiation – is superb, and his interpretation of the two leads is perfect; Cal’s deep, resonant tones are knee-weakeningly sexy, and he does a great job when it comes to balancing and revealing the different facets of Savvy’s character. The accents used to portray a significant number of the secondary characters are appropriate and consistently applied, and once again, Mr. Tremblay proves just how good he is at zeroing in on the emotional heart of any given scene; whether the characters are in danger or in bed together, he’s always appropriately expressive and never over the top. He’s an outstanding vocal actor and I’m struggling to find enough words to say how good he is – just go and listen to him and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
If you’re a fan of romantic suspense and haven’t yet listened to any of the books in the Flashpoint series, then I’ll tell you, right now, that you’re missing out big time. Complex, totally gripping and high-stakes plots? Check. Interesting, well-developed characters who act like adults and really know their stuff? Check. Off-the-charts sexual tension and plenty of steam? Check – and mate. Seriously, the books in this series are the perfect blend of romance, action and suspense; they’re brilliantly written and researched, the plots are realistic – in some cases frighteningly so – and then you throw Greg Tremblay into the mix? Lock the doors, switch off the phone and tell everyone you’re out of town for a few days, because once you’ve started listening to Firestorm, you won’t be able to stop.
Caz
Buy Firestorm by Rachel Grant on Amazon
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