And finally we get to the sex

Title: Lethal

Author: Sandra Brown

Progress: 60%

Platform: Kindle

Amazon Rating: four out of five stars

NYT BS Hardcover List: #6 (former number 1)

Book 2 out of 107

I started reading Lethal knowing nothing but that it was a thriller, sold well and got solid Amazon reviews, which I purposely didn't read. I wanted nothing coloring my thoughts about the book.

As I Googled around a bit, learning more about Ms. Brown and the amazing amount of books she has written, I realized that I wasn't reading just a thriller, but a "romantic thriller." Yikes. That's just one word away from this book being a "romance," which means I was perilously close to reading something that Fabio might grace the cover of. I'm hoping to get through this life without that happening.

After dozens of novels, John Grisham has yet to have one character pinch the nipple of another character.
Sandra Brown broke the nipple-tweak barrier about 55% into Lethal.
John, your move.

Now that I know that, a big, bright realization slapped me in the head. Duh, I told myself. 

Lethal, and books like it, is fantasy fulfillment for women. A brooding, handsome, man with a bad streak and emotional scars shows up in cloud of danger. He turns out to be good at heart, great with kids, a man of few words, simple tastes and a deep hunger for female companionship, if you know what I mean.

And then another DUH moment hit me. I was getting a bit of a glimpse into the female mind. 

For instance, Ms. Brown has a character describe what is probably the ideal man. So men, here it is, be this and begin attracting the ladies...

"Even-tempered. Conscientious. Serious when called for, but he liked to have a good time. Loved telling jokes. Liked to dance." And after some encouragement, the character speaking also offers, "Liked to make love."

This character, Honor, the hot mom, is describing her murdered husband with those words. She is saying them to a dangerous man, a killer, a man with nothing to lose, who only seems to care about his quest for justice. He is deeply wounded and needs healing. And who can do that but Honor, who has needs herself?

The two come ever so close to doing the dead on their stranded shrimp boat, the night pitch black, their cabin lit with the flame of an oil lamp, the rain pounding outside, with secrets having been exchanged, they kiss, thighs are strategically placed, nipples are lightly pinched (well, one is).

And then Honor pushes away! Oh no! What a horrible time to realize that hooking up with a man who wants to kill a few people, and who an entire police force wants to kill, might be a bad idea.

This is teasing of the highest order. I was looking forward to seeing how Ms. Brown would describe the deed, the body parts, the motions, things John Grisham never dares put on paper. Like a movie from the 1940's, the camera always seems to pan away when two of his character get a little affectionate. 

I think Ms. Brown is going to wield that camera with a bit more confidence, as soon as she stops being so coy with it.

What have we learned? It turns out ... news flash ... sexual tension makes for interesting reading. It might be best to just go for it, be honest with it, and have fun with it. If it's a little embarrassing to write, it just might be compelling to read.