Grace Under Fire by Julie Garwood - Book Review

Grace Under Fire by Julie Garwood

Series: Buchanan-Renard #14 (Standalone) 

Publication Date: 19th July 2022

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense 

4 Stars 

One Liner: An entertaining read

*****

Of all the things Grace Isabel McKenna can do, she didn’t expect to kill a man by shooting him between the eyes. Her short visit to Boston for the Buchanan anniversary party turns into a police investigation. The unexpected developments delay her Scotland trip to claim her inheritance and bring the infuriating Michael Buchanan back into her life. 

Michael is a navy SEAL and a lawyer- Isabel’s lawyer until the case is solved. Neither of them is happy about the arrangement, but Michael knows he will do anything to keep Isabel safe. The attraction between grows just as the case gets complicated. Isabel’s trip to Scotland puts her life at risk. Michael follows her, but can they unearth the criminal intent on getting rid of Isabel? What about their feelings for each other? The duo has a lot to deal with. 

The story comes from the third person POV. 

My Views 

This is the 14th book in the series and can be read as a standalone. However, knowing a little backstory will make it more enjoyable. Slow Burn has Kate and Dylan’s story, where Isabel is first introduced. Isabel is Kate’s younger sister. Reading Murder List (Regan & Alec’s story) might be a good idea. 

Reading the book made me realize an important point. The book will get two different ratings based on whether I consider it a standalone or a part of a popular series. But since I read around 65-70% of the books in the series, I chose to rate it based on the series template. 

Here’s why: 

• Alpha hero 
• A charming heroine (will come to this later) 
• Hot and flawless bodies
• A family full of FBI agents, judges, business owners, etc. 
• Steamy romance (2ish level) 
• Recurring characters (quite a few)

These can make a book a hit or flop, depending on the reader and how they perceive the elements. It worked great for me because I expect these elements from this series. 

The beginning is a bit choppy and messy, probably coz mine is an ARC with an uncorrected proof. I remember how the other books began, and I'm hoping this will be polished to that level.  

The pacing is also a bit slow, which could be because of the plotline. It has many things going on and off. There’s also some info about the Buchanan couples for new readers. 

The suspense takes its own sweet time to unravel, which is how it is in the other books. I could pretty much guess when things would go for the last punch. 

Michael and Isabel have good chemistry, and their banter was fun to read. However, I felt there could have been a deeper connection between them. There was enough material for it. 

Michael is headstrong or dumbass, as Isabel calls him. He’s got flaws but makes a decent impression. Maybe not as much as Dylan or Alec (or Nick or Noah)… you get the point. 

Now Isabel… she’s 23 and has just graduated, so maybe I can forgive her for being a bit stupid. From what I remember, Isabel seems to be the weakest (or not strong enough) female lead in the series. It could be because she was under Kate and Dylan’s care, but she’s not what I’d call a Garwood heroine. 

However, the book has comic relief, thanks to Isabel’s driving skills. She’d ace it in Indian traffic (you know if you know). Her driving plays a vital role in the story, and I love how it is incorporated into the plot. 

The mystery is also a bit weak in this one. It kind of pales out (but the comic relief might just save it if you have a twisted sense of humor). Still, the mystery could have been better. 

I love revisiting some of the previous characters from the series (it can be confusing if you don’t know them). They made the book so much better. 

To sum up, Grace Under Fire is an entertaining and enjoyable read. Just go with the flow in this one and then read the previous ones in the series. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #GraceUnderFire