Love You to Death

Edge of your seat...

First book with this author, had to stop reading at times very intense, great story, hot ...... will read more of hers!

Romantic thriller and a satisfying escapist read!

Synopsis:
International journalist Elise McBride flies from Hong Kong back to the Midwest deeply worried about her artist sister Ashley. Ashley and Elise share the same beautiful looks, but while Elise is practical and responsible, Ashley is creative and flighty. So flighty that the local police don't take Elise's missing person complaint seriously.

But Elise is able to convince Ashley's neighbor, ex-cop Trent Brady. Though Trent suffers from post traumatic stress, he has confidence in his investigative skills and finds himself strangely protective of Elise. Together Trent and Elise enter the dangerous underbelly to search for clues to Ashley's disappearance. With a serial killer on the loose, the stakes have risen and Elise must decide how best to trap her sister's captor.

Review:
If you're looking for a romantic thriller and an escapist read, Love You To Death will not disappoint. The two lead characters, Trent and Elise, are interesting and sympathetic - you feel a connection to them. Building on each scene, Shannon K. Butler weaves the plot to a dramatic climax. This is my first time to read a Shannon K. Butler book and I am looking forward to reading more by her!

Publisher: Forever (October 1, 2009), 400 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

Great romantic thriller

Reporter Elise McBride knows her beloved capricious sister Ashley is missing a card or two from the deck of fifty two, but the siblings always stay in touch in spite of the former being in Hong Kong and the latter in Chicago. However, when she fails to hear from her artistic sister for a few days and is unable to reach her, Elise becomes a bit concerned. She panics especially when CPD blows her away even after she learns of a serial killer murdering women in the Windy City. She flies home to insure her sibling is safe.

In Chicago, former police officer Trent Brady catches Elise trying to break into the home of his neighbor. She explains who she is and why she is there. Realizing how obstinate and resolute yet vulnerable Elise is, he offers to assist her while wondering what made him do so as they team up to track down and hopefully rescue Ashley.

The irony behind this tense thriller that never takes a breather is Elise and Trent are obsessive compulsive disorder types who feel a deep need to protect those they see as vulnerable, she to her sister and he to her. The story line is fast-paced as Shannon K. Butcher places her pedal to the metal throughout the tale. With the romance playing an important but secondary theme as saving the sister is paramount; LOVE YOU TO DEATH will grip readers as increasingly the evidence points towards Ashley as a victim of the serial killer and Elise a potential target.

Harriet Klausner

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Excellent!

After spending too many years as an Industrial Engineer, Author Shannon K. Butcher learned to write from her husband, best-selling author Jim Butcher. Other titles include: No Control, No Regrets, and No Escape, (for which she won an award). She resides in Missouri with her husband and son.
Free-lance reporter, Elise McBride, hasn't heard from her sister, Ashley, in more than a week. The artist side of Ashley often has her flighty and distracted in her own paintings, but this time, Elise knew something was wrong. Convinced that Ashley has met with foul play, Elise breaks into her sister's house to try to find some information or leads, since the police seem to think Ashley just ran off. Instead, she finds Trent Brady, an ex-cop still trying to wash the blood off his hands from before he resigned. The last thing he wants or needs is to become involved in a missing persons case, or become romantically involved with said person's sister. But Elise needs his help, and he's determined to keep her out of trouble until the police find Ashley. Except now, the bodies of other missing women are surfacing bearing an uncanny resemblance to Ashley, and it would appear that Elise is the next target of this brutal serial killer.
Two things stand out to me after reading this book. One: it was extremely well-paced, having a perfect blend of romance, suspense, and humor where appropriate. And two: the heroine, Elise, was not your typical hard-ass, strong as nails lead character you'd typically find in romantic suspense. She was strong and determined, but her insecurities and flaws were crafted nicely, making her enormously relatable. I found the other lead hero, Trent, very realistic in his flaws as well. Readers will appreciate being inside the killer's head, as well as Ashley's while she was in captivity. Mostly, you'll never leave your doors unlocked again. The murders, the investigation, and fear the author illustrates will remain with you long after the pages are closed- a true testament to stellar writing. The setting was appropriate and the secondary characters moved the plot well. There wasn't a dead spot to find in the entire book. Shannon is most definitely an author to keep your eye out for.

Kelly Moran
Author and Reviewer

Mary Gramlich "The Reading Reviewer" (www.marygramlich.com)

Guilt is a powerful and debilitating controller in everyone's life forcing undue negative influence. Guilt is controlling Elise McBride as well as Trent Brady in self-doubt for a prior decision coming back to haunt them. These two people have reasons for allowing the guilt of actions they have taken to motivate them to move in directions they never thought they could but feel they must and when they become a uniting force nothing can control you when you have someone fighting your battles with you.

Elise's sister Ashley has mysteriously gone missing and this action forces Elise to come to Haven, IL to find her not knowing where she is or what has happened. Elise feels responsible for her sister even though Ashley is capable of caring for herself.

Trent Brady is a retired police officer by his own choice and Trent is going to help Elise find Ashley - it may not be the safe thing to do but it is the right action to take. The last two years he has been recovering from an accidental shooting while on the Chicago Police Force. The incident was not his fault but his partner is paralyzed and a teenager died as a result of his actions so now he has self-imposed the punishment of quitting the force and working the family business. But purging the police instinct is easier said than done so Trent is well prepared for pursuing a lead and letting the chase run its course to fruition. But Trent is not prepared when you have feelings that are stronger than any other you ever experienced regardless of any risk that might come with it including potentially having your heart broken. Elise is consuming his thoughts and soon sharing his bed and while there is some comfort involved more of it is pure passion for a woman that is as soft as she is strong.

The hunt turns up bodies of young mutilated woman and the search becomes frantic as more time keeps passing and the trail is running cold. It is finally deemed that that a serial killer is on the loose and this psycho has been abducting and killing women for a long time. Trent brings all of his prior police knowledge and expertise into play when it turns out the serial killer has a psychotic epiphany and now has his sights set on capturing an even bigger fish - Elise. Trent absolutely needs to be on the top of his game because Ashley's abductor is one step ahead of them and Trent's feelings for Elise are complexly out of his control and nothing can stop him from securing her love. Trent will get under control and not let anything bad to either sister because somehow during the hunt for the madman Trent realizes that Elise has done something he did not think possible, bring him back to life and make him want to join the human race again. The shooting left him emotionally paralyzed but he soon discovers that everyone has gone on with their lives except him and it is time to get back in the game. Trent reaches for something which turns out to be a very warm and enticing body of delight called Elise but will there be enough time to fully explore the life time of love he wants to share with her or has the clocked stopped for both of them at midnight.

This book scared me from beginning to end and I know that was Ms. Butcher's intent so to that end she produced a home run with the results. The serial killer was so realistic I reached a point that every light in the house had to be on and the doors locked because the scariest part of fiction is the reality that these people are out the

Riveting.

Ashley McBride is missing. When Elise does not hear from her sister, she rushes home to find her. She discovers there are other young women missing.

A serial killer is running rampant. He captures beautiful young blonde women, holds them captive and tortures them.

Trent Brady is a former cop. He has no intention of returning to police work. When he meets Elise he finds himself drawn into the investigation of finding her sister. Romance begins to blossom between Trent and Elise. He attempts to keep her safe but the killer has his eyes on the perfect prize, Elise.

Love you To Death is an edge of your seat page turner. Shannon Butcher does it again. She brings readers a believable but frightening plot. She combines suspense and romance to please the most discriminating reader. The characters are well developed. Elise is a strong lead; she is stubborn, intelligent, and determined, willing to meet danger head on. Trent is sexy, handsome, and intelligent. Butcher includes side plots and twists and turns to keep the reader eagerly turning pages. She does not try to hide the identity of the villain. She develops his character. The reader knows will be appalled at his dastardly deeds. I would have liked to see more of Trent's younger brother. I read Love You To Death while on vacation. My husband finally realized that I had to finish the book before we could go anywhere. I had to see what happened to Ashley, Elise and Trent.

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