Never Surrender - Lindsay McKenna (HQN - June 2014)

Series: Shadow Warriors (Book 6)

From Shadow Warrior…to hostage

Despite her sweet nature, Navy medic Bay Thorn's will is unbreakable. It has earned her not only the respect of her team, but also the love of Navy SEAL Gabe Griffin. And as soon as she wraps up the final six months of Operation Shadow Warriors in Afghanistan, she'll have her happily ever after….

Until her deployment goes horribly wrong.

Bay's medical expertise is needed by the Taliban, and she is taken hostage. Her captor is ruthless and cruel, and Bay isn't exempt from his evil intents. All that's left now is her resolve and the too-distant memory of Gabe -- her last and only hope for rescue. And to pull Bay from hell, this SEAL will have to break every rule in the book. But will Gabe find the woman he loves…or a woman broken beyond recognition? 

Exciting and emotional book. It deals with some very tough issues that face our military members, especially the women. This is a follow on book to Breaking Point, the first part of Bay and Gabe's story. In that book, Bay is assigned as medic to Gabe's SEAL unit. Overcoming the prejudices of her teammates, Bay won their respect, and also the love of Gabe. Bay has one more deployment to face before she can leave the military and marry Gabe. At the beginning of this book, she and Gabe have a week together between her training and her departure for Afghanistan. The time that they spend together only deepens their love and their connection. Bay is confident in her ability to make it through this last deployment and come home to Gabe. Gabe, being the protective soul that he is, and not one given to optimism, worries constantly about her safety. He maintains contact with the SEAL unit that is over there, knowing that they will watch out for a brother SEAL's woman.

Bay is assigned to an army special forces unit that is working out of a Afghani village. Because of the presence of an especially violent Taliban force, Bay is not sent out on patrols but is headquartered in the village, providing medical care to the locals as well as her unit. One afternoon, as she is treating local women and children, the Taliban sweeps in a takes several children and Bay. The Taliban leader, an especially nasty sort, kidnaps children and sells them as sex slaves to finance his operations. He hates all Americans, and a military woman is even more offensive to him, but he will use Bay's medical expertise until he has no more use for her. Bay knows that the outlook for her is bleak, but she will do what she must to survive, hopeful of escape or rescue.

I was definitely impressed with Bay's initial attempts to fight off the Taliban raiders, hoping that the rest of the team would make it in time to save her. When that didn't happen and she was captured, she had to overcome the effects of her injuries to follow the orders of her captor. The memories of her love with Gabe helps keep her from losing all hope, especially as they move further away from where she was taken. Then her pleas for help for an injured child cause retaliation of the worst kind. Even then, her mind is always looking for a way out, and when one becomes available she takes it.

In the meantime, Gabe, after waking from a terrifying nightmare, gets word of Bay's capture. Desperate, he does everything he can to get himself sent to Afghanistan so that he can search for her himself. While this stretches the bounds of reality for me a little, as I don't think it would happen in real life, it makes for a damn good story. Gabe's fear for Bay is never far from his thoughts, though he works to keep it buried. Once he arrives and meets up with Afghani guide Reza, the search is on. 

I loved the detailed descriptions of what Bay was going through, mentally and physically, as she made her escape. The realism of her fractured thoughts, including the bursts of memories of the things Gabe told her of how to survive, kept me on the edge of my seat as I hoped that she would make a clean escape. At the same time, Gabe and Reza were trying to track the group that had taken her. The intensity of the moment when Gabe realizes that Bay has escaped, but that the Taliban is gaining on her was fantastic. The firefight and rescue were incredible. Gabe's relief at finding her alive, and fears for her survival had him on a ragged edge. I ached for him as he discovered the true extent of her injuries.

From this point the book deals with Bay's recovery and Gabe learning how to support her. I loved the scene in the hospital, as one of the older nurses explains to a younger one the reality of dealing with a SEAL, especially one who is protecting one of his own. I liked the way that Bay's doctor sat Gabe down and explained in great detail what would probably go on as Bay started her recovery, and what Gabe would have to do to help her. Because of amnesia caused by her injuries, Bay doesn't remember anything about their relationship, and Gabe has to provide support as a friend not a lover. As several months pass, Bay's memories slowly start to return and Gabe is there for her. But the stress on him is intense, as he tries to keep his emotions buried. There comes a point where those emotions overwhelm him and cause him to react badly to an event involving Bay. This could be either the beginning of the end for Bay and Gabe, or a learning point for Gabe. I loved the advice that he got from Bay's mother, and how he put it into practice. 

In the final part, as Bay goes off on her own to try to put the pieces of her life back together, I loved her determination. She makes a good start, and has begun to realize that she is falling in love with Gabe. But hearing that he is gone, sends her into a spiral that only one thing can break her out of. I loved the way that Gabe followed her to watch out for her, but kept his distance. It also gave him the time to come to terms with his own fears and feelings. The step he took to help Bay away from the wall she hit was sweet and romantic and just what she needed to regain her final memories. I really enjoyed the scene where he steps out of the darkness to protect her from another threat, reuniting them. Together again, Gabe once more reaches deep for the patience he feels he needs as he and Bay rebuild their relationship. I loved seeing Bay be the one to push the envelope of their love to get back what had been missing. I loved the ending with a look at their lives together. The visit from Gabe's friend Mike was just the icing on the cake.

Running Fire - Lindsay McKenna (HQN - May 2015)

Series: Shadow Warriors (Book 8)

He was a haven in the midst of Hell…

Temporarily assigned to the Shadow Squadron in a troubled region of Afghanistan, Chief Warrant Officer and pilot Leah Mackenzie is no stranger to conflict -- even if most of her physical and emotional scars are courtesy of her vicious ex. Still, she's got a bad feeling about picking up a team of stranded SEALs. A feeling that's all too justified once enemy fire hits their helicopter and all hell breaks loose…

SEAL Kell Ballard's goal was to get the injured pilot out of harm's way and find shelter deep in the labyrinth of caves. It's a place of dark intimacy, where Leah finds unexpected safety in a man's arms. Where prohibited attraction burns brightly. And where they'll hide until the time comes to face the enemy outside…and the enemy within their ranks.

Another fantastic Shadow Warriors book that kept me glued to the pages until I finished it. Leah is a helicopter pilot filling in for an injured pilot in the Shadow Squadron at Camp Bravo. She loves what she does, and has an excellent reputation as a pilot. The bad feeling she gets about the latest mission, to pick up a team of SEALs is realized when the chopper is hit by an RPG and goes down. Leah is the only survivor.

Kell is a SEAL sniper, assigned to the area to watch Taliban activity and look for the local leader. He witnesses the attack, but is too late to stop it. He does find Leah and gets her away before the Taliban fighters can find her. He's surprised to discover that the pilot is a woman and takes her to one of the caves that he's made into his shelter and treats her injuries. 

I loved the quick connection that Leah and Kell made. Though she was disoriented and in pain when she awoke, Kell's voice made her feel safe. His care and kindness and gentle touch is something she'd never experienced from a man. It also affects her in ways she doesn't understand. Leah is cautious around men. She'd been married for three years to a man who abused her, physically, mentally and emotionally. She's surprised by how easy it is to trust Kell, something in his eyes breaking through her barriers.

Kell had quite a few reactions to Leah. Her beauty hit him first, as he was working to treat her injuries, with a physical attraction he knows can go nowhere. She is an officer and he is enlisted, so a relationship isn't possible. After she is awake and he learns more about her, there is the respect that he he feels because of the job she does. And after she awakens from a nightmare, he discovers a feeling of protectiveness, wanting to stop the fear he sees in her eyes. Kell is surprised by the things he is starting to feel, as he'd had no intention of getting involved with another woman while he's still serving. He'd been married before and his wife couldn't handle the long separations and danger of his job. 

Because of the presence of a large number of Taliban, it isn't possible to get a chopper in to rescue Leah right away. Over the next few days as Leah heals, they slowly get to know each other. I loved Kell's sensitivity to Leah. From some things she has said, he suspects what her past holds, and he's horrified when something he says brings on a flashback. I loved seeing how an event from his own past helps him figure out what to do when he is with her. He's slowly able to show her what an incredible woman she really is. Thanks to him, Leah begins to feel more confident in herself on a personal level. Her heart and soul begin to heal, and she finds herself wanting to trust him with her body as well. Even there, his sensitivity has him waiting for her, never pushing her for more than she's ready for. 

When their location stops being secure, they have to leave the safety of the cave and head for a safer area. I loved this section of the book. The descriptions of the area they traveled through were vivid, and I could easily picture it as I read. The intensity of their attempts to avoid the growing number of Taliban kept me riveted as they got closer to their destination. I enjoyed the brief mention of Khat from Taking Fire, and the stop at the cave she used for so long. I loved the way they met up with Kell's SEAL team, and the descriptions of who they were. Once they arrive back on base, Kell and Leah have to be careful not to give away their relationship any time they meet. 

Throughout the first part of the book Leah's ex-husband was hovering in the background. Though he pretends to be anxious for her return, in reality he is planning to blame the crash on her. He is looking for a way to destroy her career. Kell and Leah are worried about what he might do and Kell enlists the help of his brother SEALs in watching out for her. We also see that Hayden's abuses have continued. When his latest victim comes out to Leah with her plans to press charges, Leah realizes that it's time for her to come forward also. She's afraid, but with Kell's support she is determined to make sure Hayden is punished. I loved seeing how the other SEALs also were behind her, and their efforts to help. Leah also has to deal with her father, a man who would easily win the award for worst father. His indifference to her and support of Hayden was just sickening. I was really waiting for him to get what was coming to him, though what he got was not what I expected. That confrontation was really intense and I loved seeing Leah stand up to him. What happened next was nerve wracking and seeing Kell and Clutch in action was amazing.

The ending was fantastic, with Leah healing physically and emotionally. I loved the way that she and Kell kept in touch while they were apart and they continued to learn about each other. Their trip to Kentucky to see his parents was sweet and his two brothers were great. It was terrific to see Leah and Kell talk about their future and what they wanted. I loved learning something new about Kell and his dreams. I was a bit surprised at Leah's choice but happy that she had the confidence to make it and know that Kell would support her in it.

Taking Fire - Lindsay McKenna (HQN - Feb 2015)

Series: Shadow Warriors (Book 7)

She dances on the edge of life…and death

Not all are meant to walk in the light. Marine Corps Sergeant Khat Shinwari lives among the shadows of the rocky Afghani hills, a Shadow Warrior by name and by nature. She works alone, undercover and undetected -- until a small team of US Navy SEALs are set upon by the Taliban…and Khat is forced to disobey orders to save their lives.

To go rogue.

Now, hidden deep in the hills with injured SEAL Michael Tarik in her care, Khat learns that he's more than just a sailor. In him, she sees something of herself and of what she could be. Now duty faces off against the raw, overwhelming attraction she has for Mike. And she must decide between the safety of the shadows…and risking everything by stepping into the light.

Loved this book. It started out intense and maintained the tension throughout the story. Khat is a Marine Corps sniper and a member of the top secret Shadow Warriors, women who have been trained as special forces operators. She has been working in the Hindu Kush mountains, harassing the Taliban and bringing aid to some of the villages. While out on a mission she saw a SEAL team that was about to be ambushed and stepped in to help them. Three of the SEALs get away, but the fourth is injured and Khat gets him to her hideout. Suffering from a concussion and a broken arm, Mike Tarik is stunned by the beauty of the woman who rescued him. He is also puzzled by who and what she is, and determined to get to the truth. 

I loved both Khat and Mike. Khat is a very complex woman. She is the daughter of an Afghani man and an American woman and raised in the US. Her father is from a village in the area where she works. Five years earlier she had been captured and tortured for a month before she was rescued. The things she has gone through since then have made her an incredibly strong woman. She is determined to do everything she can to help and protect the people around her. She has sworn off men, believing that there isn't one who can accept her for who she is, scars and all. 

I liked the way that Mike saw past her scars from the beginning. He's attracted and fascinated, and in spite of knowing how capable she is, he is also protective. Mike is the son of a Saudi man and an American woman, and understands Khat's passion for her people. When he gets back to his base, he can't get her off his mind. 

There's a strong attraction between them. A passionate kiss from Mike before he returned to his base has got Khat's emotions in an uproar. She has spent five years emotionally shut down, and suddenly she's got feelings that are all over the place, but centered on Mike. She is torn by her feelings for him and her need to continue her mission. Mike knows that she's the woman for him. He has great respect for what she has been doing, but is also very worried about her. Khat has never really dealt with the things that happened to her, and has taken refuge in burying herself in her work. He sees the stress that she is under and fears that she is on the edge of disaster. 

I loved Mike's way of trying to take care of Khat while still allowing her to be who she is. He doesn't try to force her to do anything, but gives her the space to see what she needs to do. I especially loved his patience, and how he made sure that she knew that he was there for her and nothing was going to drive him away. I loved the support he got from his fellow SEALs and how they all worked together to take care of her. That support is critical at the end when Khat's in trouble and it takes a group effort to get her through it.

Khat has fallen hard for Mike too, but her inner conflict over what she should do is tearing her up. I liked seeing how close she was to her Afghani aunt, and the trust she showed in Mike as she took him to meet her family. I loved her aunt and her straightforward talk about Khat and to her and the effect it has on Khat and her decision making. When she ends up in a life or death situation she finally sees where her heart is leading her.

There was a great section where Khat and Mike go to stay with Emma and Khalid (Operation: Forbidden). I loved catching up with them, but they also play a big part in Mike's understanding of Khat. Because Khalid is so much like Khat, Emma is able to give Mike a better idea of what has made Khat the woman she is. Being away from danger also gives Khat and Mike the opportunity to learn more about each other and explore the passion that is growing between them. There may also be some changes coming for Emma and Khalid and I hope to find out more about those.