Tag: military fiction

A Wicked Game (Ruthless Rivals: Book 3) by Kate Bateman

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, NetGalley, St. Martin's Paperbacks, St. Martin's PressLeave a comment

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: December 27th, 2022

Series: Ruthless Rivals

Genre: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Adult, Regency, Fiction, Military Fiction, Military Romance, Regency Romance

A Reckless Match—Book 1 (review here)

A Daring Pursuit—Book 2 (review here)

A Wicked Game—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | IndieBound | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

If there’s one thing impossible for a Davies to resist, it’s a challenge from a Montgomery. . .

A teasing bet.

Shipwrecked and imprisoned thanks to an incorrect map, Captain Morgan Davies has returned to London to exact sweet revenge on the cartographer responsible for his suffering. He’s also vowed to claim the winner’s prize―three kisses―in the bet he made with his long-time nemesis, the prickly, smart-mouthed Harriet Montgomery. His incarceration has clarified his feelings for her, but convincing the infuriating woman he wants to marry her is going to be his greatest challenge yet. When Harriet’s revealed to be the very mapmaker he seeks, Morgan decides to combine revenge and seduction into one delightful package. . .

A dangerous enemy.

Harriet’s always wanted witty scoundrel Morgan, and now he’s back; as handsome and as taunting as ever. She has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s failing eyesight and a rival mapmaker copying her work to play wicked games with a dastardly Davies―however tempting he might be. But when a threat from Morgan’s past puts them both in danger, Harry discovers that she and Morgan might not be enemies at all . . .

First Line:

As he strode along Whitehall, Morgan repressed the urge to whistle a jaunty sea shanty.

A Wicked Game by Kate Bateman

I was excited when I was invited to review A Wicked Game. I had reviewed the previous two books in the series and wanted to read Morgan’s story. So, I did an odd sort of happy dance in my living room (I was dodging two kittens, two one years old and a six-year-old cat who were very curious about Mom going “Oh yeah, oh yeah” and fist-pumping). I was justified in my excitement about this book. It was the best book in the series.

A Wicked Game is the love story between Morgan Davies and Harriet Montgomery. Morgan is a Welsh naval captain who had been captured by the French for years before being freed. Harriet is Morgan’s childhood friend/nemesis. She is also the cartographer who drew the map that led to Morgan’s imprisonment. Now that Morgan is free, he is determined to win Harriet over. But that is easier said than done. Harriet is an independent woman who cares for her blind father and doesn’t trust Morgan. Add the Frenchman who captured and tortured Morgan, has eluded capture, and has been seen in London….looking for the cartographer who drew the map and Morgan. Will Morgan confess his feelings for Harriet? Will Harriet learn to trust Morgan and her feelings? Will the Frenchman find Harriet and Morgan?

I had gotten a glimpse into Harriet and Morgan’s characters in the previous two books. From what I saw, I liked them and couldn’t wait to see if they would end up together.

  • Morgan—-I don’t even know where to begin with him. As I mentioned above, I loved him in the previous two books and was looking forward to his story. It didn’t disappoint. I loved that Morgan was open about how he felt about Harriet. Even in the scenes at the ball (where he secured his three kisses), he knew he loved her. But the time spent in captivity brought those feelings more into focus. He was rare for a romance hero; he admitted his feelings pretty early on in the book and then spent the rest of the book trying to convince Harriet his feelings were genuine. That alone made this book so great to read.
  • Harriet—I liked Harriet, but there were times when I wanted to shake her. Like the night when Morgan promised her three kisses. I couldn’t believe that she thought he was joking. Harriet grew up with him. She should have known that he wasn’t playing with her. I liked that the author went in a different direction with her. Instead of making her part of the ton, she was a regular Miss who worked as a cartographer for the British government. It was an exciting change of pace from the usual Regency romances I read, and I loved it.

Several notable secondary characters added extra depth to the book. I loved seeing the characters from the previous books make appearances.

I am obsessed with Regency romance and can’t read enough of them. A Wicked Game fits perfectly into the historical romance genre. So it is a bonus when a book written in that genre is as well-written as this one was.

The storyline with Morgan, Harriet, and their love story was well written. I was 100% on team Morgan and loved that he was so much in touch with his feelings. He was willing to do anything to show Harriet that his feelings were genuine.

The storyline with Harriet, the copycat, her working for the government, and the Frenchman was riveting. The author did a fantastic job of showing how Harriet did her job, mainly how she drew the maps that would end up in the enemies’ hands. The author also showed that while she successfully ran her business, it was a male-dominated society, and she had to hide behind a male identity. That led to her issues with the rival printer, and in turn, that led to the Frenchman.

This wouldn’t be a good review if I didn’t mention the sex. There are a lot of sex and sexual situations in A Wicked Game. When Morgan started collecting his three kisses, he didn’t say what type. That first sexual situation was out of this world. The other sexual situations and sexual acts were either just as good or better than that first scene. I kept thinking, “Dang, Harriet, he’s a keeper.“

The end of A Wicked Game kept me on edge. The author kept me guessing what would happen with Harriet and Morgan (even though I knew they would end up together). She wrapped up all the storylines in a way that satisfied me as a reader. I hope she will write more books in this world.

I would recommend A Wicked Game to anyone over 21. There are sex, sexual situations, mild violence, and no language.

Steel Fear (Finn Thrillers: Book 1) by Brandon Webb and John David Mann

On By JolieIn ARC, Bantam, book review, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine1 Comment

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of publication: July 13, 2021

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, War, Military Fiction, Suspense, Mystery, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary

Series: Finn Thrillers

Steel Fear—Book 1

Cold Fear—Book 2

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | IndieBound | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

An aircraft carrier adrift with a crew the size of a small town. A killer in their midst. And the disgraced Navy SEAL who must track him down . . . The high-octane debut thriller from New York Times bestselling writing team Webb & Mann—combat-decorated Navy SEAL Brandon Webb and award-winning author John David Mann.

The moment Navy SEAL sniper Finn sets foot on the USS Abraham Lincoln to hitch a ride home from the Persian Gulf, it’s clear something is deeply wrong. Leadership is weak. Morale is low. And when crew members start disappearing one by one, what at first seems like a random string of suicides soon reveals something far more sinister: There’s a serial killer on board.

Suspicion falls on Finn, the newcomer to the ship. After all, he’s being sent home in disgrace, recalled from the field under the dark cloud of a mission gone horribly wrong. He’s also a lone wolf, haunted by gaps in his memory and the elusive sense that something he missed may have contributed to civilian deaths on his last assignment. Finding the killer offers a chance at redemption . . . if he can stay alive long enough to prove it isn’t him.

First Line:

Shivers rippled over Monica Halsey’s naked skin as she peered into the steel mirror and splashed water on her face.

Steel Fear by Brandon Webb and John David Mann

I DNF’d this book the first time I read it. I stopped reading at around 40%. The reason was pretty simple; I wasn’t a fan of how slow the book was. Fast forward to a couple of months ago. I decided to go through my NetGalley Will Not Give Feedback section and read/review all the books on that shelf. I am a little anal with keeping my NetGalley ratio on the higher side of 90. And since Steel Fear was one of those books, I decided it would be one of the first ones I read/review.

Steel Fear is a military mystery/thriller set on the USS Abraham Lincoln. Finn is a Navy Seal sniper who is being sent home for a debriefing after a raid goes wrong. With his memory of the events compromised, Finn settles for the voyage back. But soon, he is embroiled in a mystery when several seamen (and women) are found murdered in various areas of the ship. With the ship on lockdown and people beginning to think he is the murderer, Finn decides to take matters into his own hands and solve the murders. But with the body count piling up, can Finn stay one step ahead of the MPs and solve the murders? Or is he the one they are looking for?

Finn’s character was interesting to read. He was a very unlikely Navy Seal. He wasn’t tall, jacked up, or loud. Instead, he was average height, had an average body build, and was very quiet. He was so quiet that people often forgot he was there. What intrigued me the most about Finn was that he was an enigma to everyone, including the ship’s captain. No one knew why he was on board or where he was going. The authors chose to reveal almost all of Finn’s background slowly. His childhood, the horrific thing that happened, and what happened to his team were slowly revealed. And the more that was revealed, the more I needed to know.

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, this book was a DNF for me because of how slow it was. And, yes, it was still slow. But with the second reread, I noticed that the authors were weaving the story with several of the secondary characters. About halfway through the book, the pacing does pick up, and my interest in the plotline picks up with it. By the last chapters of the book, I was utterly hooked. It was more about the serial killer/murders than the ship.

The mystery angle of the book was well written. While I figured that Finn didn’t do it, I was at a loss for who it was. So when the serial killer was revealed, I was shocked. The authors did keep what happened to Finn on his last mission to the bare facts and what Finn remembered. So, there was nothing new was learned there.

The suspense angle of the book was as well written as the mystery angle. I was glued to the book, wanting to know who it was. I couldn’t hit my Kindle button fast enough.

This is a military book, and with it comes military jargon and talk. I wasn’t very interested in that and did skim over some parts of it. But, I did find it fascinating that the authors chose to highlight how women were treated in the Navy (and military). Let’s say that the women in this book weren’t treated very nicely by their COs. It goes with everything I have heard and seen on the news (rapes, coverups, etc.).

The end of Steel Fear was interesting. The authors were able to wrap up the serial killer/murders plotline in a way that I liked. I felt that person got what was coming to them. But I also liked where the author took Finn’s story. There was also enough left with his story for book 2 (which I will read).

I would recommend Steel Fear to anyone over 21. There is no sex. But there is strong language and graphic violence.

If you enjoyed reading Steel Fear, you will enjoy these books:

Shadow Falling (The Scorpius Syndrome: Book 2) by Rebecca Zanetti

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Zebra1 Comment

Publisher: Zebra

Date of publication: August 30th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Dystopia, Romantic Suspense, Post Apocolyptic, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Military Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Suspense

Series: Scorpius Syndrome

Scorpius Rising—Book 0.5

Mercury Striking—Book 1

Shadow Falling—Book 2

Justice Ascending—Book 3

Storm Gathering—Book 4

Blaze Erupting—Book 4.5

Winter Igniting—Book 5

Knight Awakening—Book 6

On the Hunt—In the Scorpius Syndrome Universe

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

Before the Scorpius Syndrome tore through North America and nearly wiped out the population, Vivienne Wellington was the FBI’s best profiler. The bacteria got her anyway. But she survived. She recovered. And when she woke up from a drug-nightmare of captivity, her trust in her fellow man had gone from shaky at best to nonexistent. Her mysterious rescuer wants to convince her he’s the exception. But no matter how tempting he is, with his angel’s eyes and devil’s tongue, Vinnie knows she shouldn’t trust him.

If the FBI were still around they would rate Raze Shadow as one of the bad guys. His military training can’t wipe out his association with the Mercenaries, the most feared gang in a thousand miles. His loyalties are compromised. He won’t even tell Vinnie his real name. But there’s no FBI in the new America of fear and firepower, only instinct and risk. And the way his arms wrap around her tells its own story. Whatever else Raze is concealing, he can’t hide his desire . . .

Oh. My. God.

I LOVED this book. Forget that it is the 2nd book in a series. Forget it. This book is that awesome.

Raze, oh, where do I start with him? He is so bad that he’s good and oozed sex appeal. What appealed to me about him was that he was 100% devoted to his family and those he considers family. Even when he got sick with the Scorpius Syndrome, he was still a badass.

Vinnie (or Vivienne) Kennedy was a mess when she was introduced. She is dealing with the aftermath of her kidnapping by the President. She was also infected with Scorpius Syndrome, and her brain was all wonky. She is seeing hallucinations of her dead schizophrenic stepmother, and she believes that she can read minds (or can she??). She doesn’t have a filter. I laughed out loud when she told Jax, Lynn, and Trace that Raze had a huge erection because she wouldn’t have sex with him.

President Atherton and Vice President Lake were creepy. I got chills when I read their scenes. I can’t wait to see them get what they are due.

The main storyline was great, but I called what would happen with it. Not that it took away from the story in any way. I liked the 2nd storyline, and the way the author wrapped that up was great. The 3rd storyline annoyed me for some reason. The Reverend was sneaky. I don’t understand why Jax didn’t shoot him the first time Vinnie told him he was up to something.  But then again, I can see why he didn’t.

The ending was great and left open for Trace and Sami’s story. Which I can’t wait to read. I have to read the first book, and I will be all set.

I would recommend Shadow Falling to anyone over 21. There is sex, language, and violence.

If you enjoyed Shadow Falling, you will enjoy these books:

Her Survivor (Black Eagle Ops: Book 1) by Vonnie Davis

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Loveswept1 Comment
Her Survivor: A Black Eagle Ops Novel by [Davis, Vonnie]

Publisher: Loveswept

Date of publication: July 19th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, War, Military Fiction, Military Romance, Contemporary, Disability, Fiction, Suspense

Series: Black Eagle Ops

Her Survivor—Book 1

Hers to Heal—Book 2 (review here)

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Indigo | Kobo | Apple Books

Goodreads synopsis:

Vonnie Davis welcomes readers to Wounded Warrior Falls! In this sizzling contemporary series, broken heroes meet women worth fighting for—and discover the healing power of love.

Navy SEAL Dustin Frank can handle physical pain; it’s his soul that needs mending. After losing part of his leg in an explosion, the panic triggered by his PTSD nearly drives him over the edge. So Dustin retreats to the Eagle Ridge Ranch, a charming hideaway tucked into the Hill Country of Texas. There he finds solace in the arms of a shy beauty who reawakens desires he thought he’d lost forever—and who makes him want to lose control, just when he needs it most.

Kelcee Todd sees beyond Dustin’s scars to the real man beneath: fiercely protective, strong yet tender. She wants nothing more than to feel his battle-hardened hands on her body. However, Kelcee is not the ordinary small-town girl she appears to be. Her brother is a killer with ties to the Russian mob, and after her testimony put him in prison, he’s out and eager for revenge. Now Dustin is her best defense, even if it could cost him everything. Kelcee could never ask him to make that sacrifice . . . but she can’t stop him, either.

I am guilty of stereotyping a book, and I am sorry. When I first started reading this book, I thought, “Wounded Army vet meets spunky girl, and sparks fly. Yawn.” And I am here to say, “I am wrong” and “Not even close.”

Dustin’s character was well written, and his PTSD symptoms were point on. There were points in the book where I wanted to cry for him. I understand how his mental fog, anxiety, and depression affected his everyday life. So when ZQ offered him a place at the ranch, I wanted to cheer.

When I couldn’t get any more vested in the book, we met Kelcee and the rest of the town. Talk about a town that I would love to live in!!! What eccentric people. I loved it. From ZQ’s mom to Sugar Loaf/Silver Stud, they stick in your mind. I also could see Kelcee being one of my good friends. She was so real, and I giggled at some of her zingers and one-liners.

The sexual tension and sexual chemistry between Kelcee and Dustin were off the wall. The tension was there from the minute they met, even though they did not want it. And when they finally ended up in bed, it was so bittersweet that I wanted to cry.

The subplot about Kelcee being in the Witness Protection Program was kept under wrap. Translated: I didn’t pay attention to the blurb (was too busy staring at the cover and drooling). When it was revealed, it was surprising to me. The only thing I didn’t like about this was that Kelcee took forever to tell Dustin. Which, in my mind, was stupid because he could have ended that whole thing for her when she got hurt.

The ending was hilarious, in a way. Not giving anything away, but when Junebug freaks out, I laughed until I had tears running down my cheeks. It was that funny.

3 Things I liked about Her Survivor:

  1. Dustin and Kelcee’s romance
  2. Junebug (OMG, loved her)
  3. Nance

3 Things I disliked about Her Survivor:

  1. Kelcee’s brother
  2. Dustin’s PTSD
  3. Instalove

I would recommend Her Survivor to anyone over 21. There are graphic sex scenes, language, and violence.

If you enjoyed reading Her Survivor, you will enjoy reading these books: