Amy

Ronie Kendig is one of those authors whose books I automatically want each time she releases one – and Havoc is the epitome of why. Her writing is like nobody else’s – it’s tight, it’s provocative, and she’ll keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last.

Havoc is the first book in the new A Breed Apart: Legacy series being created with Sunrise Publishing, and this one is by Kendig herself. It shows. The level of military knowledge, terminology, and operations sets this series apart. It’s clear that Kendig knows what she’s writing about, and while that military slang may take some getting used to, it also makes the story more intense.

Which it is. Havoc himself is a beast of a working dog, and his sergeant Crew Gatlin is the kind of hero everyone wants on their team. He’s battle scarred and battle weary but also not bitter, which I think is pretty amazing, and his continued determination to serve and protect just ups my admiration of him.

Vienna Foxcroft hasn’t had it easy, either, and she’s chosen to fight her way through hardship literally. Trained in MMA and working in Hollywood as a stunt double, she doesn’t run away when the going gets hard, and that’s what makes this story so very exciting. Can these two people, who come from such totally different backgrounds, learn to put their personal fears aside and fight the enemy together? I love that Vienna isn’t a powderpuff girl but is instead the kind who will stand and fight, because really, whether you’re fighting physically or whether your battles are mental or emotional, it’s hard not to turn away from trouble. It’s hard to face it head on and with determination, and that’s what Crew and Vienna show readers how to do: they teach us that we, too, can be brave and face our fears.

Isn’t that what we need heroes for? To remind us that while monsters (of sorts) do exist, we can face them and be victorious? And even that sometimes it’s okay – and even encouraged – to ask for help, to work as a team, to know when to fight and when God is asking us just to acknowledge Him and be still?

That is what really makes Havoc great: it’s like a fairy tale for adults, modernized for our current world. It’s fast-paced, exciting, and suspenseful, with characters I want to know and a plot that reminds us that even though we’re adults, we can still dream of being heroes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

If you’re a fan of Lynette Eason’s Elite Guardians universe, you can’t miss Christmas in the Crosshairs. Full of action-packed stories that update you on each couple since their original books released, this set of sweet stories packs a powerful punch.

In a way, the book is based on the premise that each couple needs to relearn their primary lesson from their main story – they need to be tutored to overcome their fatal flaw again, so to speak, and isn’t that right in tune with human nature? Don’t we doubt, and fear, and self-talk ourselves right out of God’s good-but-not-yet-understood plan? This basic foundation in human nature makes each story relatable to everyone in some way.

While the Elite Guardians are a romantic-suspense series, containing both elements, I think this book is definitely higher on the suspense and lower on the romance. It’s there, for sure, as each couple figures out how to overcome their fears to make things work; but while there’s still tingly tension between them, the fast pace and high stakes keep them primarily focused on survival. Each story takes place in a very short time span, keeping the action moving. This works well for me, and I think it will for people who maybe want a good story with less of the romantic angles.

So, then, can it stand alone? I think it could, though the cast of characters might get a bit confusing, especially since their backstories are referenced at times. Personally, though, I’d just start rereading the previous books so you’re ready when Christmas in the Crosshairs drops on October 3rd – because you won’t want anything to delay your reading pleasure when this book hits your hands.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.