Do or Die

Reluctant Heroes, Book 1

By: Suzanne Brockmann

Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor, Melanie Ewbank

Length: 19 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Suzanne Brockmann's seamless blend of heroic military action and intense passion inspired USA Today to call her "a superstar of romantic suspense" - and for years her award-winning Troubleshooters audiobooks have been must-listens for fans of sizzling stories of action and adventure. Now the New York Times best-selling author shoots to thrill again with Do or Die, an electrifying new audiobooks that is certain to win Brockmann new listeners and delight devotees.

Navy SEAL Ian Dunn went rogue in a big way when he turned his talents to a lawless life of jewel heists and con jobs - or so the world has been led to believe. In reality, the former Special Ops warrior is still fighting for good, leading a small band of freelance covert operatives who take care of high-stakes business in highly unofficial ways. That makes Ian the hands-down choice when the US government must breach a heavily guarded embassy and rescue a pair of children kidnapped by their own father, a sinister foreign national willing to turn his kids into casualties. Shockingly, Ian passes on the mission for reasons he will not - or cannot - reveal.

But saying no is not an option - especially not for Phoebe Kruger, Ian's beautiful and unexpectedly brash new attorney. Determined to see the abducted children set free, Phoebe not only gets Ian on board but insists on riding shotgun on his Mission: Impossible - style operation, whether he likes it or not.

Though Phoebe has a valuable knack for getting out of tight spots, there's no denying the intensely intimate feelings growing between Ian and Phoebe as the team gears up for combat. But these are feelings they both must fight to control as they face an array of cold-blooded adversaries, including a vindictive Mob boss who's got Ian at the top of his hit list and a wealthy psychopath who loves murder as much as he loves money. As they dodge death squads and play lethal games of deception, Ian and Phoebe will do whatever it takes to save the innocent and vanquish the guilty - or die trying.

©2014 Suzanne Brockmann (P)2014 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

" Do or Die will captivate readers with its intense, action-filled plot, alpha-and-a-half hero, and his smart, perfect-for-him heroine, as well as secondary characters who contribute pathos and humor." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"Brockmann leaves the reader breathless.... The sex is great, the action nonstop; and the dialogue between Ian and Phoebe is some of Rita Award–winning Brockmann’s best." ( Booklist)

Good book!

I love this dream team, Brockman writes real issues, and Lawler and Ewbank could make recipes exciting! I love the character development that Brockman does!

Love for family

Some part of the story was predictable but overall good it was good Ian deserve his happy ending.

Slow starting, scripting was bad

Would you recommend Do or Die to your friends? Why or why not?

I would not recommend, the slow start made it not worth the read.

What didn’t you like about Patrick Lawlor and Melanie Ewbank ’s performance?

Melanie's delivery was stronger than Patrick's often overshadowing his delivery. The scripting was pretty bad. When you have a female and male performers, you should let the male read the male parts and the female the female parts. In this scripting, it was mixed, with both male and female performers reading both male and female, many times the same performer reading the same character.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Decent story after the slow start.

Any additional comments?

After a slow start, it did get better. If I didn't have the speed adjustment where I could listen at 1.5 times the normal speed, I would have never made it.

Glad we have a new book!

I really liked the humor....loved the new characters....loved the narrators....looking forward to the next installment....This is a little more intrigue but worth the purchase!

Loved it

Loved the book especially the chemistry between phoebe and Ian
Definitely recommend this to anyone I was listening to it every time I was driving, workouts.

One of the best Brockmann

What made the experience of listening to Do or Die the most enjoyable?

Phoebe is a great character - glasses-wearing, sheltered, smart, spectacular. I don't even like muscle men & found myself attracted to Ian. The magnetic pull between them was phenomenal.

What other book might you compare Do or Die to and why?

Brockman's Troubleshooters series. Right up there with the best of these.

What about Patrick Lawlor and Melanie Ewbank ’s performance did you like?

I love both their voices & think they do a great job every book. I enjoy the alternate voices.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Well, when Ian told Phoebe (2nd incident) to get back in the van & she laughed in his face, that was pretty funny. When Ian told the story of protecting his brother as a child & meeting Susan, that was heart-rending.

Any additional comments?

The only fly in the ointment in this book was Aaron, Ian's whiny brother. If Ian hadn't protected him and taken care of him all his life, Aaron might not be such a spoiled demanding brat. Found him very annoying. He's married & has a child & needs to grow up.

Brockman does it again!!!

Nobody does action, adventure, suspenseful, hot and sexy, heart-felt, witty romance like Suzanne Brockmann.

Patrick Lawlor is awesome!

Brockman always has great stories of adventure and love (in that order) but the narration can make or break a book. Thank you Lawlor for another great reading. Ewbanks is good to but I just love the "I am an SF guy that is telling a story to my buddies" style of reading that Lawlor gives.

Fantastic

I can't seem to put the book down or turnoff the recording of this Author's books. They keep me interested for sure.

Another Home Run for SB

If you could sum up Do or Die in three words, what would they be?

Captivating, Intense and worthwhile if I can only use 3.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ian. Why wouldn't he be my favorite. A guy like him doesn't even need to be good looking to be sexy and attractive. He is just so thoroughly male. I love Yoshi though too. His quiet dry humor has made me laugh on more than one occasion

Which scene was your favorite?

I can't pick a favorite. They were all good

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wanted to but couldn't. It took me 3 days. Unfortunately, my life's too busy to sit and listen to a book all day.

Any additional comments?

I have read every book SB has written. I adore her style and her characters. She has a wonderful way of making you relate to them and like them and care what happens to them. She also makes them some how more real than a lot of authors do. She has a fan for life in me.