This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Military Romance
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Released on May 5, 2015
Pages: 512
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Anthologies have been a great source for encountering new authors or new series and I love it when the antho is themed like this one. The Wounded Warrior Project is a great cause and I think it fab that the authors gave a story to support it. As I do with anthologies, I will write up quick impressions about each story with a rating and then sum up.
Hot as Hell by Julie Ann Walker
Deep Six series #.5
It was a desperate dangerous terrorist attack situation and yet the humor in the down home Southernisms from Harper, the heroine, and the SEAL team’s harassment of each other and Mark, the hero, along with the scorching passion made this a fun, fast moderately developed read.
In Plain Sight by Catherine Mann
Elite Force #4.5
Second chance romance set against a dangerous situation of a woman’s fatal attraction ex trying to killer her and her childhood sweetheart the 911 Operator she calls. Enjoyed the blend of suspense, re-connection, the back story and especially the service dog to go with this spicy romance.
Torn by Kate SeRine
Protect and Serve #.5
Friends to lovers romance in this childhood sweetheart- return from the war injured-stalker plot. Enjoyed the girl and guy next door slow build romance, stalker plot and promise for the series.
War Games by Lea Griffth
Endgame Ops #.5
Whew! This author knows how to set up an opening scene. I don’t think I would have put the book down short of a tornado blowing through and even then I would have just picked up and moved to the basement. Story stayed intense and did its job setting up what looks to be a killing black ops series. An Army Ranger and his dead pal’s sister work to find out who framed him and go on the offensive to take down whoever is manipulating things for a government takeover.
Beauty and the Marine by Tina Wainscott
Justiss Alliance #3.5
So poignant to see these two people come together with one scarred, but learning he was worthy and the other scared and lonely in this mission to get rid of a dangerous stalker. And snikeys that was a great twist at the end.
NSDQ by M.L. Buchman
#6.6 Night Stalkers
And now I know what the intriguing title stands for and it’s powerful. Just as this story was intense and powerful along with sweet. I loved the role reversal of the heroine being the injured combat vet and the hero being the strong encourager who sees her as being more than she sees in herself after she sustains a career-ending injury while saving all the crew and passengers of her medivac helicopter.
Sealed With Passion by Anne Elizabeth
#3.5 West Coast Navy SEALs
Talk about fireworks and heat! This one starts with a bang and a huge misunderstanding that a determined SEAL and a feisty interior designer overcome while helping out their mutual friends settle into their new home because they never stopped caring. There is a sense that this story was a follow-up to another story, but still has its own resolution.
Home Fire Inferno (Burn, baby, burn) by Suzanne Brockmann
#17.5 Trouble Shooters
What a fun adventure helping delivery a baby while the mom is stranded out in the desert that showed off how a SEAL team and their significant others are family and support for each other. The wry humor and sweet excitement were a great intro to me for a series I now really want to read from the beginning.
The variety in the circumstances, writing styles, and romance were a big plus. I will also say that it was great that each story can function as a standalone though a few were obvious that they are part of a series. Most shared alternating narrations while a few were told third person by one character. I loved how many of the authors focused on different aspects of wounded combat vets who bore external and/or internal scars. Some even tied in the wonderful work that the Wounded Warrior Project works on. Each story was filled with so many strong points and honestly there wasn’t a weak story in the group. I now have so many series that I need to try or in one case finish and it is with anticipation that I look forward to the effort.
I would definitely recommend this anthology to those who enjoy Military Romance, but other Contemporary Romance lovers might want to dip their toe into the sub-genre with this antho. It does the job of introducing and reacquainting the reader with several of the best writers in the genre. The romances mostly ranged into the spicy heat, but the action level of the plots varied.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Curvy Woman #10
Cliché Klatch #81 ‘smart as tree bark’
New to Me #85 authors/series
Romance Roundabout #160 CR
Books N Tunes #30 Billy Ray Cyrus’ Some Gave All
About Julie Ann Walker
Julie Ann Walker is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of award-winning romantic suspense. She has won the Book Buyers Best Award, been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award. Her latest release was named a Top Ten Romance of 2014 by Booklist. Her books have been described as “alpha, edgy, and downright hot.” Most days you can find her on her bicycle along the lake shore in Chicago or blasting away at her keyboard, trying to wrangle her capricious imagination into submission.
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Hmmmmm. Anthology, that’s a new word for me in the reading world. I’m familiar with novellas so is that something like thIs? And OO LA LA There’s just something sexy about a military guy or Navy Seals that just… *fans face*
I used to shy away from anthologies b/c I would only see one author or none that I recognized and didn’t want to take the chance, but then I started treating them like samplers to test drive the authors. This is a great one if you want to test drive Romantic Suspense authors who lean toward military characters and settings. Very good and very hot with hero types. 😉
I can’t wait to read this one!! So many great stories! So much suspense! Sweetness! 😀
Oh, it really is that, PA. I encountered several authors that I totally need to stalk now. The variety of heat level, suspense and character plots was amazing.
Looks like the did a great job! It really is nice to be able to find new authors especially when they knock it out. Usually I have a big blip in the ones I pick up.
Oh, it knocked it out of the park. I actually started mentally whining just a few stories in about how would I ever be able to read these authors’ backlists and I really want to.
This sounds like a fun book – I love your mini review of each story!
Thanks, Laura! I always struggle with anthology reviews. I found this was the best method for me. I make a little note of my impressions at the end of reading each and then my mind doesn’t tangle them in the end.
Gosh, I feel like I’m the only one who wasn’t a fan of War Games! I didn’t like Rook much although his blades are cool!
Can’t wait for SeRine & Walker’s upcoming series!!
Hey, that happens to me a lot when I’m off step from other readers. You like what you like and that’s fine.
I can’t wait to catch up on a lot of these series. I’ve really been missing out.
I love military romance…and I have been hearing great things about this Anthology. Anthology’s are hard for me to write too…I do a similar process…just write a mini snippet for each one. I do plan on reading this one soon though. I do get to read military romance too often and I do love it.
Yeah, I fiddled with a few review formats and settled on this route for my own sanity if nothing else.
These are good. Glad you’re going to read them to, Renee. Can’t wait to see your thoughts.
You had me at military romances..and wow it looks like they were all solid reads too..I am gonna have to nab it!
That’s me too. Military romance? I’m there!
I also like anthologies, although I find them hard to read as well as there are so many different short stories and I don’t like reading too many short stories in a row, but they are great way to meet new authors. The only author from these whoms books I read is Catherine Mann, I really liked the books by her I’ve read so far and how she often manages to incorporate animals in her books. Great review!
It is hard to read so many short stories in a row which is why I collected notes on each one and reviewed it that way. I haven’t read any of these authors except Anne Elizabeth up until now so there were lots of good surprises for me. I love it when animals are part of a story too.
I love military romance…and I have been hearing great things about this Anthology. Anthology’s are hard for me to write too…I do a similar process…just write a mini snippet for each one. I do plan on reading this one soon though. I do get to read military romance too often and I do love it.