Breaking Point by Pamela ClareMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Gee-zus! Just when I thought that there could be no hero to top the awesome Marc Hunter or Gabe Rossiter, I buy Breaking Point and am blown the freak away by Zach McBride. Holy heck that man is the alpha to top all alphas in the I-Team series thus far and has flown to the #1 spot of book boyfriends.
I know, it's a bit gushy, but this man was so strong, so protective of Natalie, and had such a big heart I was blown away by him. But it wasn't just the man's alpha tendencies and need to protect Natalie. It was how he believed in Natalie and knew she could handle the things he asked her to do. He was gentle with her but firm, helping her to find an inner strength inside her she barely knew existed and by cultivating that strength they were able to get out of the hell they'd both been in (and I'm talking literally, as in being kidnapped and tortured as well as emotionally with their past and PTSD issues), together.
On to some other things that blew me away about this book:
At one point I thought the author was going to kill one of the prior heroes. I couldn't breathe the whole time as I read as fast as I could to find out what happened. Talk about nearly having an anxiety attack.
I cried at the Marc and Julian scene. I love those two and their banter cracks me up and I love their relationship.
The portrayal of both main characters and their issues with PTSD was solid and wasn't glossed over. The readers were given glimpses of how both characters handled (and mishandled) their issue, and by coming together during Natalie's kidnapping, began to heal. I also was happy to see that the issues didn't just go away. Zach still had nightmares, they just weren't as bad.
The scene at the cemetery-balled like a baby. I also did this when Zach spoke to the picture of Beau when they were in the penthouse. (Before all hell broke loose)
The torture scenes (of Zach) scared the hell out of me. And the author didn't portray Zach as someone who could get out of every situation like MacGyver. He suffered, and that suffering was palpable in the descriptions and actions of the characters.
I love catching up with the I-Team gang. I'm sad that I've read all the novels that are out there and will now have to patiently wait for Striking Distance in November 2013. Did I say patiently? Yeah, I don't know about that...
I've read some of the reviews and was surprised at how, when this book came out, people were upset by what Natalie decided to do once all hell stopped breaking loose around her. Deciding to leave her job and stay at home I think was a good decision for her. I'm not saying that I think all women should stay home and wait on their husbands. And in no way did I read the author as promoting this. For this character, after the hell she'd been through in Hurricane Katrina and then everything that happened when she was kidnapped in Mexico, it makes total sense that she just wants to be there 100% for her man and eventually for her kids. I thought the explanation and her reasoning was more than sufficient and anyone who gets pissed about it or says that the character is somehow giving her hubby control, or it's anti-feminism, and the like, is just wrong. If a woman decides the best choice FOR HER is to stay home and focus on her family, then more power to her. And no one should look down on a woman that chooses this, but women especially shouldn't. The sisterhood needs to stick together after all. Sure, personally I can't say that what Natalie decided would be my cup of tea (though if I had Zach coming home to me every night, I might! LOL) BUT I would want the freedom to be able to make that choice (if I chose to) taken away. Ever. And I wouldn't want to be criticized for it either. Women need to support each other's life choices, even if we don't agree with them. We aren't all cookie cutter versions of each other after all; we have different wants, needs and dreams. So being offended because a woman (and in this case a fictional woman) made a choice to stay home, is baffling to me. Okay, getting off my soapbox now.
If you haven't picked up this series, I highly recommend doing so. It has action, sexy times, suspense, interesting story lines and compelling characters that make the time spent with these characters worthwhile.
*This book was a self-purchase and I was not in any way compensated for, or even asked, to review this book. All opinions are my own*
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