After Sundown is the story of a small town in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee that undergoes a radical change after a worldwide power outage due to a solar storm. Sela Gordon and her Aunt Carol, who run the local gas station and convenience store are elected to take control of the town. Their job would be much easier with the help of local survivalist, Ben Jernigan, but he has vowed never to get involved with the problems of others again. His days in the military have left him jaded and bitter. When Aunt Carol is hurt falling down a flight of stairs, shy Sela must assume leadership, and once again looks to Ben for help. If her attraction to him isn't one-sided, then she might be able to talk him into stepping up.
This is an unusual story for Linda Howard. She usually writes romantic suspense with lots of action and suspense, but this story just rolls along at a leisurely pace as each problem that faces the community is dealt with using common sense and cooperation. It is a very topical story during the current pandemic, but other than a minor climax at the end, it lacks substance. Overall, a disappointment. ( )

This is a quiet novel despite the cataclysmic circumstances of a year long power shutdown and society grinding to a halt way more than our current global pandemic. The two leads are attracted to each other for 2? years before they do anything about - and never would have except for the unearthly events. It was an easy read with reasonable momentum. Inevitable reflection on how lonely people are so much of the time.... or until they get hit by reciprocated attraction/love/ A good suspense romance with no deviation from the formula but nicely stitched up in a diverting scenario. ( )

After Sundown by Linda Howard & Linda Jones

Apocalypse coming and Ben Jernigan is the only one in the area that seems to be prepared. Soon after he becomes aware there is one person he feels compelled to tell - Sela Gordon. His alerting her as soon as he finds out gives her a bit of time to stockpile a few things.

Sela and Ben have seen and appreciated one another from time to time but were both dealing with issues and not ready to embrace more than nods of the head…then…that changed.

In a time where working together is essential for survival there will always be a few that are only out for themselves and their greed and amoral behavior can and does create a problem. Whether or not the town will be strong enough to survive and also protect themselves from not only the CME but the predators is what this book is about…plus a wee bit of romance.

What I liked:
* Ben: a quiet, knowledgeable man anybody would want in their corner…and perhaps also in their bed.
* Sela: shy and unwilling to risk her heart again but also smart, organized and caring…someone to have on your side.
* Dog: what a sweet mutt
* The way the community, for the most part, came together
* That the situation was “dire” for awhile but with an expected eventual improvement
* Ben & Sela as a couple
* The supporting characters – too many to name
* That though this wasn’t the typical Linda Howard romantic suspense it had the same quality writing and character development.

What I did not like:
* The people I was meant not to like

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by these authors? Yes

Thank you to Edelweiss-Above the Treeline and Harper Collins Publishers for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars ( )

When a series of coronal mass ejections--massive solar flares--take down the world power grid for an extended period of time, the small town of Wears Valley, Tennessee, is in better shape than a lot of places, but they still face major challenges. Retired military man Ben Jernigan is well-prepared for catastrophe and not inclined to get involved with his neighbors--except for lusting after Sela, who owns the local convenience store. She and her family are in the thick of the planning for pulling the community together and making it through the rough times. Threats from without and within make things even harder.

Howard and Jones are known for their romances; there is a whole lot of lusting going on here, but not a lot of actual romance.

Well-written, with competent characterizations, but it just didn't grab me. ( )