Review: Wait until Dark - ML Buchman

Name: Big John Wallace

Rank: Staff Sergeant, Chief Mechanic and Gunner

Mission: To serve and protect his crew and country.

Name: Connie Davis

Rank: Sergeant, Flight Engineer, Mechanical Wizard

Mission: To be the best...and survive.

Two Crack Mechanics, One Impossible Mission

Being in The Night Stalkers is Connie Davis's way of facing her demons head-on, but mountain-strong John Wallace is a threat on all fronts. Their passion is explosive, but their conflicts are insurmountable. When duty calls them to a mission no one else could survive, they'll fly into the night together—ready or not.

My thoughts:

This is book 3, but it does work well as a stand alone.

Both were in the previous book, but this is their time. Connie is the dedicated mechanic, the soldier who forms no attachment. She feels weird and that she does not belong. I kind of felt that I I understood where she was coming from. Yes she has issues, but that is who she is. While Big John is nice, fits in and is just a good guy. A perfect fit? Well not exactly and that is what makes it good. They first fight their attraction and then they have lots of other things to deal with. They grow.

Is there lots of military action then? Yes and no. Military yes, action, mostly at the end. That part I liked the least. Sure it was suspenseful but by then I just wanted to know everything would be ok between these too. And I rather watch and read the truly suspenseful bits in books (yes I like movies ;)

Conclusion:
Suspense, romance, a bit of nice family life makes it into a good book.

Cover
Ok

Series: The night stalkers #3
Genre: Military romance
Pages: 376
Published: Feb 1st 2013 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: for review

Rameau Friday: Counterpunch - Aleksandr Voinov

Imagine a modern Britain where at least two or three decades ago the politicians gave up on trying to keep up with the ever-growing prison population, chucked the fourth article of the Universal Declaration of Human rights, and started to commute life sentences into slavery. Now people are both born and condemned to it. And it’s not just in Britain, it’s all around the world. 

Brooklyn Marshall was born free and worked hard to build a good life for himself. Then a simple mistake, an accident, at the job took all that away from him. He was made into an example and his life was no longer his own. Now he boxes because it’s better than getting shot at in a war zone, and he fucks and is fucked because he is told to. He is used. He’s chattel that can talk.

”You haven’t resigned yourself to slavery yet, have you?”
“No. And I never will.”

It’s cruel to give hope to a such man, but that’s exactly what Nathaniel Bishop does. 

I’m not a fan of romanticising slavery, and I’m not a fan of any relationship that’s based on a severe imbalance of power, but I’m always curious to see if the author can make it work. If those obstacles of differing wealth, social status, and culture can be overcome believably. Realistically. Even in urban fantasy.

It works here because Brooklyn has never accepted his status as anything less than a human being. It works because both Brooklyn and Nathaniel recognise how wrong their situation is, and because both are fighters in their own way. 

Much of the story focuses on the boxing—again, something I know nothing about—and how it reflects Brooklyn’s growth as a character. He’ll never see any of the winnings, but the fighting he does is for himself. He’s broken and beaten both in the ring and out, and he is affected by it, but he’s also a survivor. What doesn’t kill him makes him stronger, and the final fights show this vividly.

If I hadn’t struggled with the beginning of the story—it was good but not amazing—the ending would have earned Counterpunch its fifth star. Voinov opted out of the fanciful and kept it realistic.

P.S. The story includes triggers for <spoiler>rape.</spoiler>

4 stars

Series: Belonging #2

Pages: 173 (ebook)

Publisher: Storm Moon Press LLC

ISBN: 1937058182

Published: November 4th 2011

Source: Bought

Review: Cowboy Tough - Joanne Kennedy

She’s hardly a cowgirl…

Cat Crendall left a successful advertising job in New York to teach art workshops in the wild west. The Boyd Ranch is hardly her dream destination, but if the outing’s a success, the company will send her to more exotic locations.

But once a cowboy…

Mack Boyd was in the middle of the best bronc-riding season of his life when his mother asked for help with an artists’ retreat at the ranch. Mack might be able to ride a wild stallion to a standstill but he can’t say no to his family.

Cat and Mack are complete opposites…but when the ranch is threatened financially, can they set aside their differences and work together?

My thoughts:

Cowboys, if you had missed it, I like them. Why, well do you really need a why?

Cat is a big city girl with dreams. Sure she has her problems, but it's tough trying to bond with your niece, when that niece is mourning. I get that.

The hero is a cowboy, like you did not see that coming, lol. Mack is nice and works hard to keep the ranch going. He used to be a bronc rider and came home to help his mum. Gotta love a good guy.

The story is about Cat trying to bond with her niece. Cat and Mack falling in love, being passionate, messing things up cos of spoilers spoilers. There is also the story of wanting the ranch to thrive and..well other things I can't mention either. But all good things to read about as they brought excitement. 

Conclusion:

A nice cowboy romance. Boy meets girl, and after a few fights things start to happen.

Genre: Contemporary romance / Western romance
Pages: 373
Published: Feb 5th 2013 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Source: For review

Review: X Marks the Scot - Victoria Roberts

He was a Highland rogue—
wicked with a bow and just as wicked with the ladies.

Declan MacGregor hadn’t a care in the world beyond finding a soft bed and willing woman…until he had to escort Lady Liadain Campbell to the English court. The woman needles him at every turn, but he can’t just abandon her to that vipers’ nest without protection.

She never asked for a bodyguard…

Liadain wasn’t thrilled to be left in the care of her clan’s archrival. It was as if the man never had a lady tell him no before! And yet as whispers of treason swirl through the court and the threat of danger grows ever sharper, her bitter enemy soon becomes the only one she can trust…

My thoughts:

We have a healer from an enemy clan, and the rake who has bedded half of Scotland. As you can imagine they bicker constantly ;)

Declan is a no good rogue who loves to bed women. Liadan is a gentle healer who only wants to help people. They met in book 1, but you do not need to read book 1 to follow the story. This is a new story, their story.

At first we have court intrigues, and a sinister plot in the making. You will see what when a certain character shows up, and you will know at once. The romance is slow building, as they of course bicker. She is the bloody Campbell's sister of course, while she is mostly annoyed by his presence. The love, when it did come, did feel too fast. It was more like, banter banter, lust lust love. For her yes perhaps, him, I just do not know. But then how much time can they have since the book ends ;)

And now I really want a book with Montgomery as the hero, or that cousin from book 1. Yes please.

Conclusion:

A hunky highlander meets a feisty lass. That's the story.

Cover:

I do want his face too

Series: Bad Boys of the Highlands #2

Genre: Historical romance

Pages: 352

Published: Feb 5th 2012 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Source: for review