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Ice
A Novel
208 pages
A breathless, freezing game of cat-and-mouse where the only thing hotter than the gunfire is the forced-proximity romance.
What it feels like
This is a quintessential survival romance that plunges you straight into the biting cold of a relentless winter storm. The reading experience is intensely physical; you can practically feel the ice crusting on the trees and the biting wind as the characters navigate a deadly, frozen wilderness. It moves at a propulsive clip, balancing the immediate, adrenaline-fueled threat of armed pursuers with the slow-burn tension of two people who must rely entirely on each other to survive. The prose is sharp and pragmatic, focusing heavily on tactical survival and sensory deprivation, which makes the sparks of forced-proximity romance feel all the more vital and warm. It is a perfect, gripping read for anyone who loves their suspense served with a side of rugged competence and high-stakes intimacy.
- Mood
- frigid
- tense
- adrenaline-fueled
- claustrophobic
- Tone
- urgent
- gritty
- romantic
- pragmatic
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- forced proximity · survival against the elements · protective instincts · thawing relationships
- The writing
- Direct, action-oriented, and sharply focused on sensory details of cold and physical endurance.
- The arc
- Moves from frosty, reluctant obligation to high-stakes adrenaline, culminating in fierce, hard-won intimacy.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave high-stakes romantic suspense where the harsh environment is as dangerous as the armed villains.
Content notes
- gun violence
- hostage situation
- peril and freezing conditions
About the book
'Tis the season for mistletoe and holly, Santa... and suspense. And the gift that keeps on giving is Ice: premier thriller author Linda Howard's breathless tale of a man, a woman, and a battle for survival against an unforgiving winter--and an unrelenting killer. Oh what fun it is to read.
Gabriel McQueen has only just arrived home on holiday leave from the service when his county-sheriff father sends him back out again with new marching orders. A brewing ice storm, and a distant neighbor who's fallen out of contact, have the local lawman concerned. So he enlists Gabriel to make the long haul to the middle of nowhere, and make sure Lolly Helton is safe and sound. It's a trip the younger McQueen would rather not make given the bitter winter weather--and the icy conditions that have always existed between him and Lolly. But there's no talking back when your dad is the town's top cop.
And there's no turning back when night falls just as Gabriel arrives--and discovers that the weather outside isn't the only thing that's frightful. Spotting strangers in Lolly' s home--one of them packing a weapon--is all it takes to kick Gabriel into combat mode. And his stealth training is all he needs to extract Lolly from the house without alerting her captors. But when the escape is discovered, the heat--and the hunt--are on. And the winter woods are nowhere to be once the ice storm touches down, dropping trees, blocking roads, and trapping the fleeing pair in the freezing dark.
Description from Open Library.
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