Way of the Warrior (fundraising anthology) Review

 4.5 out of 5 stars

Way of the Warrior is a fund-raising anthology of eight sizzling military romance stories penned by some of the top authors of the genre.  “NSDQ” by M.L. Buchman details the importance of the motto, ‘Night Stalkers Don’t Quit’ as it follows U.S. Army Captain Lois Lang as she comes to terms with the injury that ends her career as a Black Hawk pilot involved in combat search and rescue (CSAR).  “Beauty and the Marine” by Tina Wainscott (Jaime Rush) explores the actions of Griff Tate who is coping with both survivor’s guilt and the scarring that makes him wary of interacting with model Kristy Marsden.  “War Games” by Lea Griffith is a thrilling tale of Olivia (Vivi) Bentwood who sees beyond the reputation that prisoner Anthony “Rook” Granger and is willing to go to extraordinary lengths to help him and honor her fallen brother.  Suzanne Brockmann’s “Home Fire Inferno” gives a quick look at a SEAL with the unusual sobriquet of HoboMoFo, plus some of his teammates, as they go from ‘mission ready’ status to taking care of a mission that is all too far away yet just as vitally important as any they are used to handling.  “Torn” by Kate SeRine centers on Joe Dawson as he tries to pick up his life after being seriously injured and finds that he has to put aside his doubts to protect the woman he’s admired for years, and trust in his abilities and training.  Anne Elizabeth’s “SEALed With Passion” presents Lt. Cmdr. Jonah Melo and Alisha Winters, who need to learn to get beyond the past and truly communicate.  “Hot as Hell” by Julie Ann Walker showcases southern girl Harper Searcy whose life is endangered when the embassy she is serving in is attacked, but she has faith that SEAL Michael “Mad Dog” Wainwright will save the day, although no idea how she’s going to protect her heart.  Catherine Mann’s “In Plain Sight” features Stacy Currie who is struggling to survive being stalked by her ex-husband and finds she has to depend on Gavin Novak, who has been through many changes since he refused to comply with her ultimatum when they were both much younger, and fears to rekindle what they once shared.

Military romance stories have ready-made heroes inherent in the genre but their fascination lies in the contrast between the kick-ass capabilities displayed and the vulnerability of letting one’s guard down and allowing someone else to become essential for happiness and a sense of security.  This collection of stories has a delicious combination of scenarios that provide a look at the extreme sacrifices made by those individuals brave enough to put their lives on the line to keep the rest of us safe, even as it shows the extreme loyalty and camaraderie that develops between them.  I was delighted to revisit some of my favorite series with their iconic characters, including Buchman’s exciting Night Stalkers and Brockmann’s eclectic combination of SEALs, FBI agents and a movie star from the ‘Troubleshooters’ series even as I found exciting new series to explore.  The poignant and gutwrenching situations that result in scars that are both seen and unseen are balanced by the sensual interactions as each soldier finds someone who truly sees him or her, no matter what the outside packaging looks like.  This is a delicious and mesmerizing collection of stories that was difficult to put down, so don’t start this book unless you have a fair amount of time to devote to it!

© Night Owl Reviews 

I received a copy of this title in return for an honest review.  


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