Breaking The Rules (Troubleshooters #16) Review

Title: Breaking The Rules
Series: Troubleshooters #16
Author: Suzanne Brockmann
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Release Date: Jan. 1, 2011

My Rating: 4 Emotional ♥'s

Synopsis:

Izzy Zanella wasn’t looking for another reason to butt heads with his Navy SEAL teammate, and nemesis, Danny Gillman. But then he met Danny’s beautiful younger sister, Eden. When she needed it most, he offered her a place to stay, a shoulder to cry on—and more. And when she got pregnant with another man’s child, he offered her marriage. But Eden’s devastating miscarriage shattered their life together—and made the intense bad blood between Izzy and Danny even worse.

Now Eden’s back, and she’s on a mission to rescue her teen brother, Ben, from their abusive stepfather. Even if she and Izzy can prove that their broken marriage is still in one piece, winning legal custody of Ben is a long shot. But they’re not alone: Danny and his girlfriend, Jenn, offer to help, and he and Izzy agree to bury the past and fight for Ben’s future.

As they plan their strategy, Izzy and Eden grapple with the raw passion that still crackles between them—while Danny and Jenn confront new depths in their own rocky relationship. But events take a terrifying turn after Ben befriends a girl fleeing a child prostitution ring. When the young runaway seeks refuge with Eden and Izzy, her pursuers kidnap Ben—and a deadly standoff begins. Now they must all pull together like never before and strike back, swift and hard, to protect their unconventional little family and everything they hold most precious.

Review:

Breaking The Rules, Troubleshooters #16, covers about every social situation you can think of as Brockmann continues her campaign of tackling the big issues head on - dysfunctional family, abusive parents, child sex trafficking, prostitution, life as a gay person, religious cult-like interventions, kidnapping, alcohol/drug addictions, custody issues, emotional immaturity, relationship phobia, lack of communication . . . it’s all here.  At times, it borders emotional overload, but this author (one of the queens of multiple plots) weaves it all into a spellbinding story that kept me turning the pages. 

Family dynamics plays a major role in Breaking The Rules.  Most of the book centers around the extremely dysfunctional Gillman family and the problems that occur when Eden resolves to get her little brother Ben away from their abusive step-father.  The danger level escalates when Ben gets involved with Neesha, a young, homeless girl who managed to escape imprisonment by child sex traffickers.  Izzy steps in to help Eden, resulting in Izzy and Dan having to work through their differences to do what SEALS do – Save the day!

I’ve been waiting for Izzy’s story since he first strutted across the pages leaving one-liners in his wake.  I’ve always felt there was a greater depth to this man who used jokes as a shield.  Izzy can be so funny & flippant, but he’s also smart, protective, dependable, passionate, and so HOT.  The sexual chemistry between Izzy and Eden is like matches & gasoline – explosive!  But the miscommunication between these two is a killer as their lack of trust in each other almost does them in.  The same issue exists between Dan and Jenn.  They love each other – problem is how do they make each other believe it? 

Per Brockmann style, readers are treated to more than one story/romance in Breaking The Rules.  While there were times I wanted to slap some sense into both couples – Izzy & Eden and Dan & Jenn – it was a satisfying journey watching them fumble their way to a hea.  Add in detailed plot lines rich in emotional turmoil, action, and lots of sex and you’ve got another great addition to the series!  A Must Read!

My Rating:  4 Emotional ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra