"Over-the-top campy action-adventure romance."

To say that Tally Cruise comes from a dysfunctional family is putting it mildly. Her mother was a teenager when Tally was born, and immediately abandoned Tally to be raised for her first year by a friend, while her mother chased around the globe after Tally's father. Her mother's obsession with Trevor Church meant they spent their lives pursued every rumor of his whereabouts; sometimes, he'd actually spend a few days with them. Tally recognizes her mother's emotional problems, and even sees that she's got some of the same issues, although she keeps insisting she is a well-adjusted and stable person (ha! she's a neurotic mess). The desire for her father's attention and approval has shaped her life -- for example, she learned a number of languages so she'd always be ready to go wherever her father was. But she can count the few number of times they've actually met - - 16. So she is delighted when she receives an airline ticket to come visit Church on his private island. She'd drop everything for the opportunity to meet with her father, but she needs a break anyway--she hasn't had a vacation in three years, and her boss attributes the continual accidents and near-misses she's been having lately to stress and overwork.

Michael Wright is an ex-Navy SEAL. His career ended due to injuries, including the loss of an eye, he received during a failed mission against Trevor Church. Michael's best friend was killed during the action, and Michael developed a complete phobia to water -- a SEAL who can't even wade in the surf anymore. Michael has spent the last year vowing to kill Church. Church poses as a boat broker, but is actually a murderous modern-day pirate and illegal arms dealer; any number of countries are after him. Michael, posing as a sail bum living on his disreputable boat, is cruising around Church's island, waiting to sabotage an arms deal Church has set up. He sees a woman out on a luxury yacht with Church's right-hand man -- and when the yacht explodes, he rescues her and finds out she is Church's daughter, Tally. So Michael immediately begins planning how to use Tally to get himself onto the island and near Church. He knows he will be endangering Tally and causing her incredible emotional pain, but nothing is as important to him as his revenge. Even the fact that he and Tally leap into bed within 12 hours of meeting, and he quickly realizes he is strongly attracted to her, doesn't alter his plans.

This story is improbable action-adventure from start to finish. Once on the island, waiting for her father to return from a business trip, Tally spends her time fending off murderous attacks, finding her room vandalized, and discovering dead bodies -- all this happening several times a day, every day. It seems to take her a long time to catch on that this is not all coincidence and something is going on that she doesn't know about. And I know there is no police force on this private island with only a hundred and so inhabitants, but one would expect Tally to make a bit more of a fuss, tell everyone what's going on and demand that someone find the criminals. Instead, after a few initial screams, she invariably goes to the bar to have a drink to calm her nerves. Of course, Michael is handy to comfort her -- and provide great sex. And to keep things lively, there are all sorts of quirky or sinister or unexplained characters lurking about.

Church eventually shows up and acts like the sick, twisted monster he is; the bad guys become truly e-e-e-vil; the melodramatic action at the end is completely over the top; the good guys arrive to save the day. Michael, despite broken bones and other injuries, overcomes his phobic fear of water and runs and swims and climbs like a true Navy SEAL to rescue Tally from death. Tally, trapped in a cave, has a flashback to her childhood that enables her to instantly understand and overcome her fear of the dark. These two people -- who've only known each other a week, have nothing in common, and have conflicting life goals -- admit their undying love and sail off into the sunset, happily ever after.

Don't read this book with any expectations of explainable actions or realistic behavior by the characters. Don't read this book if you get aggravated by plot holes and loose ends -- you know, it never was believably explained why someone was trying to kill Tally all that time. But do read this book if you're in the mood for some campy adventure and a heroine with a sassy mouth and spunky attitude. Tally doesn't come across as real bright, but she is funny and entertaining. And Michael is the epitome of tortured alpha hero. Just disconnect your brain when you start reading and go with the flow.

Reviewed by Raelene Gorlinsky
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted October 4, 2002

Summary

Tally Cruise has come to Paradise Island for a long-awaited reunion with the father she never knew. But when she arrives, he is nowhere to be found. Still, she is so thrilled by the seductive beauty of the island that she doesn't see the danger that is boiling right below the surface—until a mysterious explosion nearly kills her. She is rescued by an enigmatic man whose intensity is as undeniable as his sex appeal . . . a mysterious stranger who is not what he seems. Michael Wright is on Paradise to settle an old score with Tally's father, the man responsible for the accident that ended his Navy SEAL career . . . and killed his best friend. But even though he hopes to use Tally to reach his target, Michael cannot deny the deep feelings she inspires within him, or the fact that her life is in serious danger. Paradise Island is a place full of hidden intrigue and peril, as deadly as it is beautiful, and Michael will need every skill he learned as a SEAL to ensure that he and Tally escape alive. . . . IN TOO DEEP