Tess Gerritsen - Never Say Die

Review by showhost
I have never read a book by this author before but was guided by what was written on the cover: 'Its scary just how good Tess Gerritsen is....' statement by Harlan Coben. So, gotta be a good thriller then I thought.........hmmm, how wrong can we be.
Well less than halfway through this book and I am thinking 'am I reading a crime thriller or a Mills & Boon!?’.
So, whats the story about? Well, its a bout a girl called Willy Maitland who goes looking for her father, Wild Bill. He was flying planes in Southeast Asia around the time of the Vietnam war(1970)but his plane crashes and he is presumed dead. Twenty years later Willy's mum is dying of cancer. Willy decides she has to go looking for her father to find out if he really died, as they had an anonymous tip off from a friend of her fathers that he was still alive. They also never recovered his body.
She has a meeting in Bangkok with a General Kistner to find out as much information as she can about where the plane went down and who may be able to help her find some answers. The General tells her very little but to go home.
Guy Barnard (ex army turned mercenary), is also meeting with General Kistner, on official business so when Willies' driver leaves her stranded Guy offers her a lift. They discover they are both leaving for Saigon in two days time.
Somebody does not want Willie uncovering the events of her fathers disappearance and when an attempt is made on her life she doesn't know who to trust or turn to. The obvious choice is the self-assured, arrogant but handsome Guy Barnard - of course.
They find themselves under threat and under fire as they both look for the same man!

I took this book away to the mainland with me, along with the 'Secret Life of Bees', two completely different style of books.
I thought this one was going to be a Martina Cole kind of crime thriller, but wasn't. There are some murders in it but then the Mills & Boon bit comes in (dear me!). Let me quote you two examples:
"Willy, I'm right here....I won't let you fall, I swear it. Come on, sweetheart. Just reach for my hand". She looked across at Guy's face, tense and gleaming with sweat. At his hand, reaching for her. And in that instant she knew, without a shred of doubt, that he would catch her. That she could trust him with her life.........
"I've got you!" he yelled as he swept her into his arms, away from the yawning vent.

Guy hauled her into his arms and kissed her hard on the mouth.
"What was that for?" she demanded, pulling back in surprise.
"That," he whispered "was pure instinct"
"Do you always follow your instincts?"
"Whenever I can get away with it"
"And you really think I'll let you get away with it?"
In answer, he gripped her hair, trapping her head against the sacks and kissed her again, longer, deeper. Pleasure leaped through her, a desire so sudden, so fierce, it left her voiceless.
"I think" he murmured, "you want it as much as I do".
With a gasp of outrage, she shoved him onto his back and climbed on top of him, pinning him beneath her. "Guy Barnard, you miserable jerk, I'm going to give you what you deserve".
He laughed "Are you now?"
"Yes, I am".

There are many, many more of these I could quote but I won't bore you.

Its an easy read with a couple of thriller bits in it.

Looking at other reviews they say her books after this are better.....Some reviews:
'Where's the paint to watch dry?'
'Not as good as her current writing'
'Barabara Cartland writes Frederick Forsyth' (this reviewer nailed it!)