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Tall, Dark & Dangerous #7

The Admiral's Bride

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When canisters of a lethal nerve gas are stolen from a military testing lab, scientist Zoe Lange and admiral Jack Robinson pretend to be married to get into the clandestine organization believed responsible for the theft. Although the wedding is fake, their attraction isn't. Original.

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 1999

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About the author

Suzanne Brockmann

225 books3,531 followers
After childhood plans to become the captain of a starship didn’t pan out, Suzanne Brockmann took her fascination with military history, her respect for the men and women who serve, her reverence for diversity, and her love of storytelling, and explored brave new worlds as a bestselling romance author.

Over the past thirty years she has written sixty-three novels, including her award-winning Troubleshooters series about Navy SEAL heroes and the women—and sometimes men—who win their hearts. Her personal favorite is the one where her most popular character, gay FBI agent Jules Cassidy, wins his happily-ever-after and marries the man of his dreams. Called All Through the Night, this mainstream romance novel with a hero and a hero hit the New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list. In 2007, Suz donated all of her earnings from this book, in perpetuity, to MassEquality, to help win and preserve equal marriage rights in Massachusetts.

In addition to writing books, Suz writes and produces indie movies and TV including the award-winning romantic comedy The Perfect Wedding. Her recent feature, Out of Body, is streaming on Amazon Prime.

In 2018, Suz was given the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award from the Romance Writers of America. Her latest projects are Blame It on Rio (Tall, Dark & Dangerous # 14), available in print and e-book from Suzanne Brockmann Books, and Marriage of Inconvenience, a six-episode LBGTQ rom-com TV series, streaming on Dekkoo in April 2023.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
Profile Image for Preeti ♥︎ Her Bookshelves.
1,405 reviews18 followers
February 23, 2020
Hmmm, in a minority but I am more disappointed/disconcerted than happy with this one.
A May-Dec romance with a 53 yrs. old silver fox H (I have a particular weakness for them!) made me scramble to get this book. A rare breed, this old Hs especially in a non-erotica genre.
The book sounded sublime on paper (blurb and reviews) but it didn’t deliver (to me) as promised and also I expected more from this author after reading Night Watch from this very series.

*With Spoilers* The H is less problematic so let me start with him first.
As lionized and deified as he is, his character lacks conviction. He’s a SEAL, a war hero of superhero proportions, a demigod/‘deity’ in the h’s eyes. He’s so gorgeously handsome that she feels he needed a completely new word invented to describe the sheer beauty of his face . He’s a fine, principled man having been in a faithful relationship with a woman for 30 years!
So where lies the problem?
For one, with all the above qualities, he should have been an easy alpha. But no, he’s an almost beta who’s uncertain and confused around her while it’s the h who’s the aggressive pursuer. Generally, I have no problems with betas, and I enjoy a h in pursuit when the H is troubled or is uninterested. But here, the H comes across as unsure and diffident. Okay, he’s still in love with his dead wife and maybe the author did not want him to seem a ‘dirty old man’ (and that phrase is thrown around a few times in his mind) but all this takes away from his said charisma.
And I don’t know what I feel about a man/woman, in love and in a committed relationship for around 30 years but not marrying (at least not till she gets diagnosed with cancer). So, I’m a deep down traditionalist!

But it’s not just him, the h and the plot lets down too.
The h, a 30 y.o. sexy blonde, a biochemist with the ‘agency’ is a thorough professional and ‘one of the boys’. A love ‘em and leave ‘em type. The H saved her father’s life in Nam and she feels she owes her own life to him as the father could come back and so she got conceived! She has a bad case of hero-worship and she’d wanted to kiss him since she’d first found out about kissing, back in seventh grade..
My problem wasn’t her obsession with H or even her personal life but her professional attitude. It seemed that she tried too hard. Too hard to be blasé and tough , too hard to be ‘one of the boys’. Whether it’s her attitude to her sexuality or even her body. I was completely put off when she tries to say that sexual attention/groping/molesting as part of her undercover jobs was completely okay and something she took in her stride and even laughed about - when in truth it was not so for her! I know and understand the difficulties and skepticism a woman might face in such a female-rarified environment but she did not have to cover it with lies - even to herself.
And she lost me when she acts insouciant about having sex with the H in a room with hidden cameras to prove her dedication! Whoa lady, don’t be so noble. The baddies as well as your colleagues would be watching.
Just the thought was darn icky and I wasn’t in a vey happy place. Thankfully it doesn’t come to pass, at least not exactly in that way. So instead of a true professional she comes across as an imposter. Surprisingly, she accepts as much later on.

The second half is used up reminiscing about his past laurels (by one and all) and tricking their way around the cameras. The cameras were another major problem - the baddies weren’t shown watching them but their colleagues/good guys did as part of surveillance and stupidly maybe, I felt upset and queasy.
I detested him (and took back my dibs-worthy tag) for putting the onus of the decision on her. Deciding whether to give in and have sex with the commune leader or blow their cover! All those hyped up stories of heroics of decades and instead of telling her a plain loud NO as the team leader, he has the gall to imply that as technically he isn’t her boss, so the decision’s hers!
And for her, her crowing chickens had so come home to roost!

The ending is still okay and I liked the action bit which is too little, too late.
Usually, I get irked by the hovering ghosts of loves past but here I didn’t much care as I didn’t feel as invested on this h/H’s behalf.

I know I’m against the general opinion regarding this book but I feel majorly let down myself.
Profile Image for When Funmi Met Romance.
128 reviews295 followers
August 2, 2012
The Admiral's Bride (Tall, Dark, and Dangerous #7): Great 5 star read that was just hat I needed



So Idk why but I had the craving for a b ook tha had a May-December romance. I stumbled upon this book by Suzanne Brockman where the insanely attractive Admiral Jake is 24 years senior to the heroine. He is 54 and she is turning 30. Anywho, who cares because his body is hard as steel and he's in better shape them some 21 year olds. The heroine Zoe, however, can hold her own. Having her PhD and being the most knowledgeable in any and all types of weapons makes her amazing. Also, she works as a spy obtaining information and making the world safer. She's no simpering miss. What ensues is a great paced novel where two unlikely characters fall in love despite of themselves. It was interesting reading a book with a self assured female and a unsure male. Being a widower he was a bit rusty, but boy did he heat the hell up. This guy could be so frustrating with his sense of honor and need to resist the nubile young pyt who was saddling up to him. However, he did come to his senses.

Anyway, I don't quite think this is a 5 star book in terms of how it is written, but I got an amazingly happy feeling reading this. the pacing was great, the epilogue was cute. And, i understood everything despite it being the seventh book. All in all, it was perfect for me as I've been a little antsy lately due to some impending life changes. The mood i was in before i started the book was similar to this However, afterward I felt like... I can't wait to read some more Brockmann, who knew military romance could be so damn hot!
Profile Image for Buggy.
538 reviews689 followers
May 18, 2011
Opening Line: "Dr.Zoe Lange gazed out the window of the limo as the driver pulled up at the Pentagon."

What a great addition to the Tall Dark & Dangerous series this turned out to be. I would have to say that THE ADMIRAL'S BRIDE is one of the better (best?) from the series so far and the reason why all stems from its absolutely sigh-worthy hero (and some damn sexy shower scenes) With this 7th addition we get 53 year old Admiral Jake Robinson’s story and who knew I’d end up having a thing for older men when I was done? But Jake is just a great hero regardless of his age; accomplished, kind, selfless, more than capable, oh so sexy and kinda awesome.

After first meeting Jake in (Hawken's Heart) I was a little sceptical about his romantic lead abilities however I need not have worried because Brockmann does an excellent job here with the older man/younger woman scenario, writing both characters in such multifaceted ways that I had no trouble in believing that they belonged together despite their considerable age difference. Zoe, with her military background is Jake’s perfect match as she understands him in ways even his late wife couldn’t. A little hero worship on her part doesn’t hurt either.

When six canisters of a deadly nerve agent are stolen from a military testing lab our Admiral defies convention and decides to lead his handpicked team of SEAL’s in infiltrating the cult leader’s compound where the deadly toxin is being stored. Posing as a married couple Jake’s partner on this mission is Dr Zoe Lange, a biological warfare specialist and expert in espionage. She is well aware of the Admiral’s reputation although she seems to be the only one on the team that has faith in his aging capabilities. Jake is still sharp however and in as good of shape as men 30 years his junior.

The love scenes in this one are smoking hot in part because of this ‘big brother’ scenario our couple finds themselves in. Once inside the compound their every move is being monitored, forcing them into some fake newlywed intimacy. This really added an element of naughty sensuality to an already volatile situation because despite the roles they’re playing these two want each other. Zoe however often doesn‘t know if the affection the Admiral is showing her is real or for the benefit of those watching on the strategically placed cameras? When the shower becomes the one place that they can truly be alone um… Wow!

Of course then we still have the added element of Jake grieving for his wife, the guilt over that and again the age difference. Oh and lets not forget about those canisters of deadly nerve agent, the crazy cult members and the team of wisecracking SEAL‘s watching everything back at base. Yeah this was super good.
Profile Image for Marta Luján.
Author 23 books196 followers
December 29, 2019
Una historia que nos trae un protagonista que conocimos en la novela anterior pero que, en esta, me ha parecido que carece de profundidad de sentimientos.

La ambientación nos reduce a un pequeño espacio ocupado por una secta en el que se desarrolla toda la acción, prácticamente.

La trama es bastante sencilla, dándole peso a la historia de amor, ya que la historia de rescatar el agente químico robado solo cobra peso hacia el final de la novela y se resuelve con mucha facilidad. Por su parte, el desarrollo de la relación entre los protagonistas se basa más en la atracción física que en los sentimientos, poniendo el énfasis en los porqués del rechazo que Jake tiene hacia la relación, y el malentendido que esto causa.

Jake Robinson, a quien conocimos como secundario en la anterior novela, ha quedado viudo. Es un héroe al que todo el mundo admira, no solo por su valor, sino también por su integridad y su carácter. Me ha gustado mucho cómo la autora ha presentado a este personaje, porque se trata de un hombre que ha llegado a los cincuenta años, con lo que no es el típico protagonista. Aquí la autora le da otra oportunidad para enamorarse, para encontrar la felicidad, a pesar de que él se empeña en rechazarla precisamente a causa de la diferencia de edad con Zoe, y porque piensa que, de alguna manera, está traicionando a Daisy. Jake tendrá que aprender que el amor no entiende de edades, y que la felicidad puede llamar dos veces a tu puerta. Me encantó el hecho de que él acepte al final que puede amar, con la misma fuerza, a dos mujeres tan diferentes, porque cada una le aporta algo distinto. "No existe una sustituta para Daisy. Eso no existe. Siempre la querré. Es importante que lo sepas, porque forma parte de mi pasado. Pero en mi corazón hay sitio para el pasado y para el presente. Y tú eres mi futuro".

Zoe Lange es una joven experta en armas químicas, la mejor en su campo. Trabajar con Jake, el hombre que salvó la vida de su padre, es un honor... y un placer, ya que el Almirante es un hombre atractivo. La atracción que le despierta irá convirtiéndose poco en amor, pero ella tendrá que hacer la transición desde una mirada de adoración al héroe, hasta una mirada de amor al hombre. Y lo logrará, precisamente, conforme vaya conociendo los defectos de Jake que son, en el fondo, los que lo hacen humano.

Me encanta el estilo ameno de la autora, aunque en esta ocasión haya pecado de poca profundidad en la descripción de los personajes, pasando de puntillas sobre sus sentimientos profundos. No hay un pasado detrás, al menos en el caso de Zoe, que la configure, y en el de Jake no se hace demasiado hincapié a pesar de que, por lo que habíamos conocido en la novela anterior, podía haber dado mucho juego. Sin embargo, me ha parecido entretenida.
Profile Image for Brigitte.
25 reviews4 followers
July 7, 2010
I was entertained by this story (enough to finish the book), but there were a number of aspects concerning it that left me scratching my head in disbelief. The depiction of the military in this book is laughable at best (especially for those of us who have actually served in the military). The scenes where the Navy SEAL team are discussing Jake and Zoe's feelings for each other are laughably bad. I mean, seriosuly, to have one Navy SEAL telling another SEAL as they watch their team leader and the heroine on a monitor, "I think it must be very difficult for both of them. He cares a great deal for her. And Zoe..." He sighed. "She's falling in love with Jake." These are supposed to be Navy SEALS on a mission! Not girlfriends chatting on a lazy Sunday afternoon over a dessert coffee.

The characters were a little "Mary Sue-ish" at times (too good to be true). The Admiral has too many moments of indecision for me, as a reader, to believe that he is supposed to be as heroic and strategically gifted as the book keeps reminding us he is. And the heroine, Zoe, bounces back and forth between being a first rate operative to a wounded barbie doll.

There is some witty banter between characters, and I was curious enough to finish the book so I could see how the story would wrap up, but if you decide to read this book.... be warned that you will need to leave reality checked at the door.
Profile Image for Carrie.
1,899 reviews81 followers
January 18, 2012
TBR Challenge 2012: January category- Category/Series Romance. The Admiral's Bride has been on my to-read list since May 2010.

Maybe 3.5* Good solid story, with some twists and turns that take it above the "business as usual" for series romance. Brockmann does a great job with Jake's confused feelings. That was the best part of the book, in fact. Zoe is a likeable character as well, and although there is some lack of communication between them, it feels right for the story and the characters, so that wasn't a problem for me.

The actual suspense plot is weak, however, and character development for all but Jake is also on the weak side. Still, it was an enjoyable read!
Profile Image for Tmstprc.
1,202 reviews136 followers
February 2, 2022
Back when this series was new (20+ years ago) this was my favorite.

It starts in Vietnam, the hero is a young lieutenant rescuing soldiers left behind. One of these soldiers is her father, she’s born after he returns home.

Do the math, he’s at least 23 years older than her and they meet when he’s 53. Big age gap, and I loved it when it was new, and I enjoyed it now. I give Suzanne Brockmann credit, this was an unusual age gap for category romances in the late 90s.

At times the book felt dated and yet the terrorist group still feels rather relevant.

4 nostalgic stars, it probably more like 2 or 3, but I’m willing to kick it up just for the memories.
Profile Image for Kate McMurry.
Author 1 book111 followers
November 16, 2022
Fantastic hero, great story!

At 53, Admiral Jake Robinson has been widowed for three years after a happy, 30-year marriage to an artist. The heroine, 29-year-old Zoe Lange, is different in every way from Jake's deceased wife, but she is truly his soul mate. Like him, she works in covert operations and feels a huge adrenaline rush from the danger. Because their work is so similar, Zoe understands Jake's career as his dead wife never could.

Many times internal conflicts such as Jake's guilt about the age difference between him and Zoe can get tedious in romance because the hero's "angsting" gets excessive. Happily, Ms. Brockmann never crosses that line. The very traits of honor and commitment and deep, abiding love that make the heroine fall in love with Jake are the things that believably keep them apart until the tumultuous climax.

Out of Ms. Brockmann's many fabulous heroes in this series, all of whom I adore, I *totally* fell in love with Admiral Jake Robinson! He is utterly idealistic and principled, but there is never a second of "sappiness" in the author's presentation of his heroism. She provides totally believable motivation for exactly why he seems so noble to others. No matter how many hundreds of people whose lives he has saved in Vietnam and throughout the rest of his illustrious career, he has always regretted the ones he was not able to save.

Zoe is a fabulous heroine. Brilliant, competent, and independent, she never wanted to marry because she put her career above everything else in life. She loves her work as a scientist specializing in biological warfare. Like Jake, she knows her work is very important because it saves so many lives. So up until Jake, she only got involved with men as potential lovers that she was sure she would fall in love with only a little bit. However, almost immediately with Jake she realizes this is not going to be the case. She loses her previous control, because it is impossible to keep any distance from this incredible man.

The sex scenes are both tender and passionate. Because Ms. Brockmann writes in close-third point of view, we get to be intensely immersed in the passionate feelings of each character in these scenes. The sex is never coarse or gratuitous.

All in all this is a truly magnificent book. The only "complaint" I have is that the book had to end!

This book was originally released in 1999 as a contemporary novel, but in spite of that, other than the lack of ubiquitous cell phones, and the mention of 1969 as a time when Jake was only in his early twenties, it is not particularly dated.

It's not essential to read the (currently, as of 2022) 13 books in Brockmann's Tall, Dark and Dangerous series in order, but it greatly adds to one's enjoyment to do so. Each book sets up the book that immediately follows it, introducing the SEAL who will be the hero of the next book, along with pertinent backstory, for the first 11 books. The last two books in the series, written many years after #11 are slightly different in that regard. In particular, the hero of #13 King’s Ransom is an important subcharacter in #3 Frisco’s Kid. This is the order in which this series was originally released:

1) Prince Joe, June 1996
2) Forever Blue, October 1996
3) Frisco's Kid, January 1997
4) Everyday, Average Jones, August 1998
5) Harvard's Education, October 1998
6) It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, December 1998 (Note: the 2010 audiobook is titled Hawken's Heart)
7) The Admiral's Bride, November 1999
8) Identity: Unknown, January 2000
9) Get Lucky, March 2000
10) Taylor's Temptation, July 2001
11) Night Watch, September 2003
12) SEAL Camp, May, 2018
13) King’s Ransom, December, 2020

I rate this book as follows:

Heroine: 5 stars
Hero: 5 stars
Romance Plot: 5 stars
Suspense Plot: 5 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
Profile Image for CaliGirlRae.
177 reviews96 followers
October 8, 2010
This is my first read of a Suzanne Brockmann book and now I know what all the fuss was about! The Admiral's Bride is a reissue from her Silhouette Intimate Moments edition and it's a meaty one. I grabbed this because I was looking for some older heroes/younger heroines contemporaries and since I loved romantic suspense I thought this would be a good start. What an awesome story this turned out to be. I had planned to only read it in between my others but I ended up devouring it in one day!

Where can I find a guy like Admiral Jake Robinson? A complex, sexy, strong, resolute alpha male who's not afraid to be sensitive show his feelings and tell what's on his mind will go on my list of memorable heroes. He matches well with Zoe a headstrong, whip smart biochemical weapons expert whose father was saved by Jake in the prologue. The connections are weaved from the beginning and the suspense, thrills and romance both progress nicely as the story unfolds. I was bummed when this story came to an end!

I also love the chemistry and camaraderie between the SEALs team. From Star Trek and X-Men references to the way they worked and joked with each other, they felt real and like peeking in on old friends. I found myself laughing out loud at their sayings.

I'm definitely going to check out more of Ms. Brockmann's works as I've good things about her Troubleshooters series (especially the couple of Sam and Alyssa) but first I'm going to dive into Taylor's Temptation. I hope that story has a scene to rival the scorching hot shower and rooftop scenes!!
Profile Image for Lady Grey.
46 reviews3 followers
February 8, 2011
I think the best part of this book was that one the main characters was over fifty. This book kept a good pace and I thought the story was interesting but there were many things about it that just bothered me. I found the dialogue between the SEALS to be goofy and to me, Zoe never came off as particularly intelligent despite the fact that she had a Ph.D. She was more like Christmas Jones in James Bond movie, The World is not Enough. I liked Jake's character but the continual mention of his age both by others and himself was very repetitive. The other things that bothered me were minor but just added up: we never find out what it is that the men are doing in the factory all day for weeks on end (despite the fact that it comes up in conversation), no one at the factory thinks to question that Zoe and Jake spend hours at a time in the only place that they can't be seen or heard. During the scene towards the end where Zoe dodges a bullet, I still can't figure out how she got Vincent and his guards out of that room. Did they run out or did she go into another room. She's apparently rifling through a desk in the dark so presumably she's still in the main office. Minor details, I know, but they just bugged me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for SheLove2Read.
2,986 reviews195 followers
January 29, 2010
How much do I love this book.....let me count the ways!

This is my first non-Diana Palmer read with a much older hero/younger heroine (24 years). I have to say I loved it. It was very very believable in terms of the romance and the way our hero was concerned about not only the age difference but about his former wife (deceased) and his feelings about that relationship. Would it be cheating to fall in love again? Could he fall in love again? SHOULD he fall in love again?

Former SEAL and Navy Admiral Jake Robinson is a very virile 53 years old. He's sure his romantic years are behind him after the death of his beloved wife of 30 years to cancer. Zoe Lange is a beautiful 29 year old scientist who works for the Agency (CIA). She's the daughter of a man Jake saved in Vietnam. At first I didn't see how these two could quite make it, but this really is a combination of "beauty in the eye of the beholder / age knows no boundaries" love story.

I highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Wendy.
252 reviews37 followers
December 1, 2009
I really liked this book. I found it second hand and thought it should be good because I like all of Brockmann's books. I loved that both the hero and heroine were smart and strong. The part that intrigued me was that the hero was more than twenty years older than the heroine. They find a strong attraction and can't help but fall for each other. The twists and turns are good and the story is something that as a mountain west resident I can relate to. Though finatics don't always live in the mountains, this one seemed realistic to me. Over all this book was good. Not the same caliber as her Trouble shooters series, but definately worth the read. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
Profile Image for Katherine 黄爱芬.
2,305 reviews269 followers
April 21, 2011
Jake, admiral gaek diatas 50 thn, bertemu dengan Zoe Lange, ilmuwati yang ditugaskan membantu Jake dalam operasi utk menyelamatkan zar kimia berbahaya Triple-X. Operasi ini mengharuskan mereka menjadi sepasang suami istri pura-pura. Di lain pihak, Christopher Vincent, gembong gila itu juga menyukai Zoe dan memakai berbagai cara untuk mendapatkan Zoe bahkan memaksa Jake untuk berbagi istri!!
Jake yang langsung jatuh cinta saat pertama kali melihat Zoe, tidak bisa menahan diri lagi selama operasi ini bersama Zoe. Bahkan cintanya juga tidak bertepuk sebelah tangan. Zoe juga membalas cintanya dgn lebih bersemangat.
Membaca buku ini sangat bagus dan komplit.. ada krisis paro baya pria yang ditampilkan dengan sempurna oleh Jack. Ada kisah mengharukan emosional dimana pertentangan hati Jack antara membiarkan Zoe pergi bercinta dgn Christopher Vincent atau melarangnya pergi. [image error] Ada sisi-sisi kocaknya dilihat dari sudut pandang Lucky O'Donlon (sayangnya pas di serial Lucky sendiri, karakternya kurang terlihat). Menurutku ini salah satu buku terbaik dari seri Tall Dark and Dangerous nya Suzanne Brockmann selain Prince Joe Prince Joe (Tall, Dark & Dangerous #1) by Suzanne Brockmann

Dan aku merasa admiral Jake mengingatkanku pada misuaku Tom Cruise... [image error]

[image error]

[image error]
Profile Image for Rebecca.
214 reviews19 followers
March 16, 2010
Every time I read Brockmann, it's light a breath of fresh air. I loved that hero was older and still really fit and good looking. I loved that he worried about being so much older than her. I just thought the whole thing was really well done. Great book. Great series.
Profile Image for Melanie♥.
1,078 reviews1 follower
January 3, 2011
I found the first half of this book to be rather dull and slow moving, but it improved greatly during the second half. It had been highly recommended and I went into it with high expectations that were not quite met. Still, all in all, a decent read. Plan to check out the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Gawelleb.
667 reviews22 followers
March 30, 2019
En 1999, les auteures savaient créer des héroïnes fortes sans en faire des pitt-bulls. Zoe est ici forte, compétente, pas dénuée de défaut (ce qui la rends humaine). Elle vit dans un milieu fait d’espion et de militaires sans que personne ne vienne remettre ses qualités en doutes. Mais c’était 1999 ...
Profile Image for IzamaRi H. Fabela.
749 reviews88 followers
June 30, 2020
Lo único malo de estos libros, es que no los encuentro en México y necesito más de ellos :C
Profile Image for Lover of Romance.
3,397 reviews1,034 followers
January 10, 2016
This is the first book that I have read of this series, even though its number 7 LOL, well I don't always read books in the order of the series. Sometimes I just grab a book because it sounds like something I would enjoy reading. I just grabbed this book off of the library shelf, because I love reading from Suzanne Brockmann, and the Synopsis sounded intriguing to me.
You have a Navy Seal Admiral, who has been in the Navy for 30 years or so. In his 50's he is a strong, virile man who has lost his beloved wife three years previous. Then comes along Dr. Zoe Lange who is much younger than he is. However, sparks of attraction fly between them that surprise the both of them. Even though they have a mission and a job to do! There are six canisters of a dangerous agent missing, and if they are released to the public many lives will be at risk. So knowing who stole them, they must infiltrate the compound and take back or destroy the chemical agent. So Jake infiltrates the compound, trying to gain the leader's trust. The plan is to make it seem as if he and Zoe fall madly in love and get married, so that she can properly manage the chemical agent. However despite their playacting, they both know that real emotions are involved. Even though Jake knows that Zoe is way too young for him, sometimes matters of the heart don't take into consideration the matter of age. As stakes grow higher and higher, so does their love and the passionate embraces.

I definitely enjoyed reading "The Admira'l's Bride", it was a thrilling and exciting adventure, filled with heated embraces, tender moments, and a thrilling plot and I kept thinking to myself "Oh no, something bad is going to happen, something that isn't part of the original plan," I loved how Brockmann, had the complexity in the relationship of the age difference. That age sometimes doesn't matter when your in love. I found that Zoe and Jake had much in common, for they both have had to go on missions that were top secret, and both have strong independent personalities, but are able to work as a team to get the job done. Despite their feelings for one another, it doesn't endanger their mission, almost anyway. It was such a poignant story, to see how both Zoe and Jake draw closer together despite the danger that is circling around them. It was a well written and genuine plot that captivated my attention from the first page. And who can resist an stud super SEAL, I know I couldn't. I have to say that this is a page turner 100% and I couldn't put it down, another 5 for Suzanne Brockmann!!
Profile Image for Shadow Jubilee.
731 reviews45 followers
January 2, 2012
3.5 stars

I found myself pleasantly surprised by this book. I don't imagine that I expected to enjoy it as much as I did. Oftentimes, I read romance with the expectation of feeling like it was a 3 star book. Granted, half a star bump isn't that much but to me, it felt like that. This was due to the fact that I felt like I was reading something different - an age gap of 24 years romance. It worked for me! I thought that the author had handled the age difference rather well. At least, I thought it was believable enough to suspend my disbelief.

The age difference was one of the reasons that the hero, Jake, felt he couldn't or shouldn't have a relationship with Zoe. I liked seeing how his age affected how others viewed him, particularly the others in his team. It made for a few amusing lines. Jake's other reason for being unable to accept a relationship with Zoe was also believable portrayed, which the author did with some delicacy. While I didn't feel Jake's struggles viscerally, intellectually, I understood that Jake was going through something that could probably have touched my emotions - had the author written it differently. I did think that after Jake finally has sex with Zoe, it did not seem as believable that he would feel as okay about it as he did. His feelings and decision felt sound but the writing did not convince me that his feelings were not contrived.

Zoe was an interesting character. The author described her as skilled, professional, intelligent, etc. However, I felt that we were mostly told all this rather than shown. What I did see of Zoe was not that bad. Zoe was not afraid of going after what she wanted, sexually, and I liked seeing Jake's reactions to her boldness. Although she wanted Jake, she also had the strength to act as his friend when needed. I liked how she saw Jake as a man, once she got over seeing him as a demigod of sort, while the others in their team saw him as an OLD man - although, given that those others were probably closer to the 50's than Zoe, it makes me wonder now why they'd see Jake as being old. It'd make more sense if the other men in the team had all been in their early twenties thinking that way, in my opinion.

Jake? Um, I loved Jake. :D

I was a little bit skeptical of the plot. It wasn't very sound; it didn't make too much sense. But I was able to suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy the book anyway.
1,343 reviews
December 1, 2011
I think this is one of the better Tall, Dark & Dangerous books. There was a lot of substance, although the action/suspense aspect which is usually a big aspect of a Suzanne Brockmann book, pretty much took a back seat to the romance between Jake and Zoe. I loved their relationship. The age difference, and their feelings regarding it, were very believable. Jake was so cute... this big, tough, mature alpha guy having a hard time with his lustful thoughts regarding a woman young enough to be his daughter. I thought Zoe was a great heroine. She was strong and confident and competent, but also soft and womanly and loving. Her vulnerability where Jake was concerned was touching. I didn't like that he was so hung up on his dead wife three years after her passing. I understand that he loved her and was very devoted to her, but I didn't feel like Zoe needed to feel beaten down so much because he was being "disloyal" to Daisy's memory. Other than that, it was a great book.
Profile Image for Jacqueline J.
3,537 reviews351 followers
July 23, 2010
Just reread this for about the 4th time. I like this book. And between readings I always forget how much. There is a large age difference between the characters which can be iffy but it works well here. I think since the heroine is a 30 years old professional woman and I don't feel like the hero is robbing the cradle. There is good sexual tension betwen the two main characters. You get to see plenty of most of the other members of the team but only a small bit from other POVs than the main couple. I think the way his feelings about his first wife are treated are very realistic. Brockmann does not do as many authors do in this situation where suddenly it comes out that the hero/heroine didn't really love the first wife/husband.

The suspense part of the story is well done and the ending is very touching. One of the best of the Tall Dark and Dangerous series.
Profile Image for Shea.
848 reviews
January 11, 2011
Although written in 1999 this novel still has a plot that could come from today's headlines. An egomaniacal and politically radical cult leader has stolen canisters of a biological weapon that must be recovered. It is up to the "Grey Group" made up of Navy SEALS, government agents and a biochemical engineer to infiltrate his compound and recover the deadly substance. Technically, it is a romance so there is a love story but Brockmann weaves in political and suspenseful events to create an overall great story.
Profile Image for Kirsten .
1,690 reviews286 followers
September 1, 2015
One of my guilty pleasures is reading romantic suspense novels. That's what really great about a Kindle - you can read a novel like this w/out any one knowing what you're reading! LOL!!

This book was the first Suzanne Brockmann book I'd ever read. It was great! The characters were strong and fun and three-dimensional. The villains were repulsive. The passion and romance was thrilling! I've decided to try some of her others.

Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Jeri.
537 reviews1 follower
September 22, 2010
I'm a big fan of Suzanne Brockmann's, so it's no surprise that I loved this one. The age difference between the two didn't bother me at all, perhaps because I found it easy to believe that the attraction was between two individuals who truly do fit each other. Brockmann keeps the tension high, and this was a page-turner. Give me more.
Profile Image for Evelyn Bryant.
189 reviews5 followers
December 6, 2008
I liked Jake and everything he was about. Men like this are what we all wish to meet and fall in love with.I am a Suzanne Brockmann fan and like all her books. This early novel was just a fore runner of what was to come.
Profile Image for Dee.
2,574 reviews19 followers
February 13, 2015
Two-haiku review:

He was SEAL hero
His wife died three years ago
Not looking for love

May-December tale
Not my normal, but liked it
Very nicely done
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