Breaking Free

SEAL Team Heartbreakers #1

by Teresa J. Reasor

Zoe Weaver is determined never to get involved with a man in uniform. Her father was killed during the Gulf War. Her brother Brett, is in a coma. If that isn’t enough, Zoe has scars both physical and emotional from a hit and run accident that almost cost her a leg. She refuses to lay her fragile self-esteem, or her heart, on the line for a man who puts his military career ahead of his family. But her brother’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Adam “Hawk” Yazzie, triggers a passion beyond her experience. Is she strong enough to love Hawk and, when the time comes, watch him go to war?

Lieutenant “Hawk” Yazzie, is a SEAL. The Navy is his life, and his family. He’s learned the hard way he can’t be there for anyone. He finds Zoe’s combination of feisty femininity hard to resist, but the guilt he carries prevents him from offering a commitment to anyone ---but the Navy. Will he love Zoe and leave her?

When Zoe and Hawk investigate the events surrounding her brother’s injuries, they grow suspicious of three members of Hawk’s team. Hawk is torn between loyalty to his men and his need to see justice done. But when he tries to save a troubled teammate’s career he unwittingly puts Zoe’s life in danger. Can he lead the rest of the team in a rescue operation to save her? Or will one of Hawk's brothers in arms destroy the woman he loves?

Genres: Military Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Romance, Military Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Suspense

347 pages, Paperback

First published June 16, 2011

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Teresa Reasor was born in Southeastern Kentucky, but grew up a Marine Corps brat. The love of reading instilled in her in Kindergarten at Parris Island, South Carolina made books her friends during the many transfers her father's military career entailed. The transition from reading to writing came easily to her and she penned her first book in second grade. But it wasn’t until 2007 that her first published work was released.

After twenty-one years as an Art Teacher and ten years as a part time College Instructor, she’s now retired and living her dream as a full time Writer.

Her body of work includes both full-length novels and shorter pieces in many different genres, Military Romantic Suspense, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy Romance, Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, and Children’s Books.

MILITARY ROMANTIC SUSPENSE:
Breaking Free (Book 1 of the SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers)
Breaking Through (Book 2 of the SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers)
Breaking Away (Book 3 of the SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers)
Building Ties (Book 4 of the SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers)

PARANORMAL ROMANCE:
Timeless

FANTASY ROMANCE:
Whisper In My Ear


HISTORICAL ROMANCE:
Highland Moonlight
Captive Hearts

SHORT STORIES:
An Automated Death (A Steampunk Short Story) Paranormal
To Capture A Highlander’s Heart: The Beginning (A Highland Moonlight Spinoff)
Caught In The Act (A Humorous Short Story) Contemporary Romance

NOVELLAS:
To Capture A Highlander’s Heart: The Courtship (A Highland Moonlight Spinoff
Breaking Ties: A Seal Team Heartbreakers Novella


CHILDREN’S BOOK:
Willy C. Sparks: The Dragon Who Lost His Fire

Her next children’s book will be Haiku Clue a book of Haiku poetry for children. The poems will act as clues for the reader to guess what the creature is before they turn the page. It will be out in the fall of 2015.

ANTHOLOGIES HER WORK HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN:
Malice, Mischief, and Men (Breaking Free)
SEALed With A Kiss: Heroes With A Heart (Breaking Free)
Mystery, Murder, and Mayhem (Building Ties)

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We don't pick the people we love. We just love wherever our heart takes us."
Really liked this, Ms. Reasor!

Lieutenant Adam "Hawk" Yazzie is the commanding officer of a Navy SEAL unit. During their last mission one of his team mates was badly injured and left to die. Fortunately Hawk was able to save his life. While doing this he got wounded, too. Back home in California he tries to support Brett "Cutter" to regain consciousness. Brett is in a coma. Hawk meets Brett's sister, Zoe Weaver. She never gives up hope and is determined that he'll be able to fully recover. Zoe came from Kentucky to California to support her brother. Staying in California can get quite expensive, therefore Hawk invites Zoe and her mother to stay at his house. Due to a family emergency Zoe's mother, Clara, has to leave California shortly afterwards. Feelings start to develop between Hawk and Zoe, however, both of them have to deal with a few personal issues.

Zoe is incredibly self-conscious about her physical appearance. She's a beautiful woman but her legs are very, very badly scarred and she is physically handicapped – she's limping. But Hawk handles Zoe with great care and tenderness and he doesn't care about her flaws and imperfections!

There is a little battle scene at the beginning of the book and as the story unfolds you'll find a bit of action, too. Ultimately this book isn't about war and action, however, the author used the chance to reprocess the Navy SEAL mission which was leading to Brett's injury. And the main part of this story is devoted to the developing romance/relationship between hero and heroine. The suspense part is just a nice bonus to the story.

The author has written a very sweet, emotional, and believable love story. While reading this book you'll get to know quite a lot of interesting secondary characters. What are these guys doing when they aren't on a mission? You'll get an insight into their "ordinary" lives. Being a SEAL isn't just a job. It is a way of life and it's kind of a calling. And I think it's really hard what they have to do. And it is still harder on their families and loved ones. A lot of these men in uniform have to deal with a lot of baggage, and I felt that the author did a fine job in pointing out all these issues.

Loved these "quotes":
"...Your father and I crammed as much loving into our lives, in the months he was home each year, as most people do in a lifetime, Zoe. I don't have any regrets. I always knew he loved me."

"I love you was right there on the tip of his tongue when she said bye and hung up. Hawk swore. Why was that so fucking hard for him? Because every time he said it, it made him more and more vulnerable. Why was it he could deal with people shooting at him, trying to kill him, with a sort of controlled distance, and Zoe could twist him up inside with just a word or a look?"

Unfortunately two or three details of the plot remain unexplained. That left me a bit unsatisfied. I know this happens in real life too. But this is fiction and I'd prefer not having any loose-ends. Whatever, this is a really well written story and I'm sure this book will appeal to anybody who's interested in military romantic suspense. Hooyah!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't care for this book. To me this read like an elongated HLQ Presents. There wasn't anything in this I hadn't seen before, and it was chalked full of a large number of all the usual cliches and tropes. I think at the crux of my disappointment with this book was the heroine. I didn't care for her personality. I thought she was pushy and rude. Zoe also had some serious hallmarks of a Mary Sue, everyone liked her and was interesting in perusing a relationship with her. I felt that she was described as one thing, then shown to be another. I'm told over and over she is shy, but she has no problem flirting with anything in pants. I'm told she is strong, yet she is constantly getting emotional. I completely understand that she was in a tough situation, and really worried for a loved one. However, her reaction to the slightest thing caused her to tremble and to cry which annoys me.

She is sexually inexperienced yet has no problem jumping into bed with someone on a very short acquaintanceship. Which brings me right to another trope this book contains that just makes me see red. Her sexual inexperience was explained by a leg disfigurement with heavy scarring and a "bad experience" in college where her boyfriend who was repelled by it. Yet, constantly through out the book she is described as being so beautiful that every male seems compelled to flirt with her. I'm to believe that NO man but the hero could accept her scarring. It just doesn't ring realistic. It also pushes my buttons when authors go to great lengths to create excuses and situations to explain a heroine's sexual inexperience. Save yourself the work, I'd prefer it if she was a confident woman with a healthy attitude towards sex.

Finally my last major problem with the book was that I could not buy the HEA. I am convinced that the heroine would make a horrible military wife. The entire length of the book she is angsting over her father's military career which caused him to be gone a lot resulted in his death. She is with a SEAL, they are gone ALL the time. During the course of the book she flies off the handle and gets upset when she can't reach the hero by phone, and is shone to be quite angry as what she perceives as the hero holding back information from her. I'd image there is not a whole lot a SEAL can disclose about his missions to his wife, and I'm not sure Zoe could handle that. The author does make an effort to show that the heroine mindset changes (due to some good advice from her mother), but I don't think the transformation is believable.

[Anne OK · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well written first book in Reasor's new Navy SEAL's "Heartbreakers" series. The first book introduced us to the Team and left us with a bit of a cliffhanger. Set up for the next book, I'm wondering who will be our "star" SEAL and who will share his HEA. I'm also eager for the cliffhanger to be solved. The suspense was well-developed and captivating. The romantic relationship wasn't hurried but moved at a good clip. I liked the main characters very much, along with most of the secondary. I've got a few questions about some of them that I hope get answered in the next book. If you enjoy the military romances and good suspense, I would recommend you try Teresa Reasor's "Breaking Free."

[J.M. Madden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this book. Loved the characters and emotions, loved the suspense. You really don't know until the very end who the bad guy is, and then you didn't want him to be. I can't wait for more in the series from this wonderful author!

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25 stars - English Ebook

Nice mix of mystery and romance.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lieutenant Adam "Hawk" is the commanding officer of a Navy SEAL unit. During their last mission one of his team mates Brett "Cutter" Weaver was badly injured and left to die. Hawk is also hurt rescuing him before the place is blown up.

Zoe Weaver and her mother are in California for Brett who is in a coma. Zoe was in an accident when she was 7 that almost severed her leg and has left her from the waist down severely scared. Hawk out of a sense of duty to protect his men and their family insist Zoe and her mom stay at his place. Right off the bat Zoe and Hawk are attracted to each other but they both have alot of baggage from their past that causes insecurities about getting involved in a relationship.

Though out this whole book Hawk has to deal with the fact that someone on his team hurt Brett and tries to find out who of his men could have done something like this. What he finds out is that more than one of his men has secrets and some are not good.

We as the reader get to find out each of the men's secrets and wonder which one could have done it. The author does tell us at the end who does it but we are left hanging with many loose threads.

I've read that some readers had a hard time with the loose ends. That doesn’t bother me. I have followed many series where we didn’t even find out who the bad guy was until the 3 book in the series. What I am wondering based on something I saw the author say is how is she going to redeem 2 of the men in this series.

I look forward to the next book and also for the book of the one who left Brett for dead.

[Hope Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best word I can use to describe this book is EPIC. The heartbreak of a family over a severe accident to one of their own, not only the family by blood, but the brothers in arms. There was a part of the book where Clara had to go because her daughter was having complications in her pregnancy, and she said "I shouldn't have to choose between them." That really struck me, and made me tear up a little. This is an epic journey that had ups and downs and loves and hurts. It is a long story, which I actually appreciated because nothing felt rushed, and on the other hand, it didn't feel drawn out either. The author did an amazing job of keeping my attention. I thought I had the bad guy figured out several times, then something would change my mind and I would move on to someone else. I didn't figure it out until the end, which I really appreciated. My one complaint would be, the book was pretty long, so it didn't appear there was a rush to end the story, but the HEA seemed a little rushed at the end, in my opinion. I don't at all think that took away from the story and I can't wait until the next one is out. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romantic suspense story!

[Books and Spoons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was everything I want from romantic suspense story!
It took a hold of me from the first page, and kept it through the night until I finished it.
The author builds up both romance and suspense in such a clever way through the story.
And the suspense was intriguing, it kept you guessing of the twists and turns of the plot.
The romance was sweet as well as steamy, the attraction intense. There was a lot of pull-push in the relation from both of their part, things they had to work out.
What I liked about the story is that none of them were perfect, they had some real issues, real problems, that the whole cast of characters had to work through. The military camaraderie, brotherhood, ultimate trust to each other, was put into a test in this story, but in the end it prevailed.
Can't wait to start the next one!!

[L.J. Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first book in Reasor's new series is well-written, entertaining, and she does an excellent job portraying the personal lives behind the Navy SEAL's stressful military work. This SEAL story stands out because the heroine, Zoe, isn't physically "perfect." Reasor builds Zoe's character arc with gentle persistence until she blossoms into a match, and surpasses the fortitude of any Navy SEAL. Zoe's hero, Hawk, has his own personal growth to account for, and does a fine job of matching Zoe's strength. Twists and turns in the plot keep the reader engrossed and turning pages.

An excellent read all around. I'll be keeping tabs on when the next book in this series is released and snap it up.

[A.A. Schenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this book. Interesting characters and interesting story. Recommended 😊

[Tracey Cramer-Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hawk is a SEAL team leader with a lot on his mind. He was on a mission when his mother died. His latest mission went wrong, leaving him injured and one of his men (Brett) in a coma. And now he’s pledged to take care of the comatose man’s sister (out of guilt?) while he simultaneously tries to figure out which of his own men could have tried to kill their teammate.

Zoe was injured quite young and is very self-conscious about her body. She grew up a military brat and lost her father that way, AND she had a disastrous experience with romance/love… so by all rights she should have no interest in Hawk.

But when her mother is (conveniently) called away to minister to her sister, the attraction between Hawk and Zoe turns into more. They both have to overcome their reservations while they team up to try to find out who attacked Brett.

What I liked the most about this story is that it portrayed these SEAL guys as what they are: human beings with vulnerabilities and faults. I liked the fact that this SEAL team was unravelling in a big way.

The romance between Hawk and Zoe is believeable - not over the top, not too sappy and not too erotic. It had just the right amount of suspense and a satisfying ending.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lieutenant Adam “Hawk” Yazzie is concerned that someone on his team has attacked and tried to kill another member. While on a mission in Irag, he rescues Ensign Brett “Cutter” Weaver who had been attacked and left for dead inside a building they just wired to blow. They make it out just before it blasts but not fast enough for them both to feel the affects of the blast. Now Cutter is in a coma and his sister Zoe Weaver is at his bedside just waiting for him to wake up. Hawk and Zoe both feel a strong pull to one another but neither knows if they should act on it. Zoe is reluctant to be involved with a man in uniform and Hawk is trying to figure out who on his team was out to kill Cutter and betrayed them all. Can he keep Zoe safe from his team when he has no clue who the traitor is?

Oh wow…I have heard so many wonderful things about this author and finally had the chance to sit down and read her book! WOW! I have always loved a good Military Romance and this was right on! It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I fell in love with ALL the characters from the first!!! I highly recommend this series to ANYONE!!!

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book! I loved meeting the men of the Team and I definitely hope there are more books about this group of men to come. I really felt for Zoe and Clara…My God could any more bad things happen to their family! I loved that they were strong women who held their family together. I thought Hawk and Zoe were great together, their relationship moved at a quick pace, but not so quickly it was unbelievable. I could feel them struggling with their feelings for each other. I kept trying to figure out who the villain was. I’d think I had it all figured out then I would change my mind. I can't wait for more from Teresa Reasor!

[Coral · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot: 3/5
Characterisation: 4/5
Prose: 3/5
How much I enjoyed it: 3/5

[Erica Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I loved that I thought I knew who did it but was not sure till I got to the end. This books keeps you guessing who did it. A great read for anyone looking for a new series to read. Hawk is just to freaking hot. But my goodness he needed a smack in the back of his head to get his butt into gear. Zoe oh my what can i say.....She is such a strong woman. Going through what she did at such a young age. I really fell for her. They are both great for each other. It is great to see such a huge connection between everyone in this books. it really does show that family is more then blood its the people that have you 6 no matter what.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

When her brother is injured and in a coma on a mission, Zoe Weaver runs to his side receiving comfort from his teammates and trying to make sense of his condition. Lieutenant Adam "Hawk" Yazzie offers his home to Zoe and her mother while her brother remains in a coma. When it looks like the injury her brother sustained could possibly be foul play, Hawk enlists Zoe's help all the while trying to keep his attraction to her quiet, for Hawk has some fears of his own and one of them is believing he can have a happily ever after of his own.

Has a lot of story going on from Zoe to Hawk to the mystery behind Zoe's brothers injury. Entertaining story.

[Sassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't remember how I came across this book but I'm glad I did. When I saw it was 747 pages on my eReader I hoped it wasn't a long drawn out story of how the main characters got together which tends to happen in many books I read but it wasn't the case in Breaking Free. The pace of developing the characters flowed nicely and there was a right amount of suspense to keep me captivated. I felt the motive of the bad guy was weak and I'm hoping the sequel will have an elaborate explanation of what happened and why. Overall I give it 4.5 stars.

[Jennifer Jeffery · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great! I loved the suspense of who done it mixed with romance. Although I am not up to date on military lingo I didn't find that I was lost in descriptions. I couldn't stop reading and was quite sad when it ended but glad they had an HEA! Hawk is amazing and quite a hottie! I recommend this book to anyone and I can't wait to start on Breaking Through!!

Favorite quote: "Sweetheart, I almost did when Tad opened that door." : )

[AliciaJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a re-read, and I actually liked it better this second time around. I still found the heroine to be a bit annoying with her back and forth emotional angst about the hero being a SEAL and being in danger, etc., but I was able to focus more on the mystery this time, which made the story more fun for me.

[Elizabeth (Liz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful military, romantic suspense! It holds your attention the entire time, with a great balance of romance and suspense. This story will have you looking forward to the next in, what I assume is, the series! 4 stars!

[Debi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great story, suspenseful right up until the end. The only thing that kept me from giving it a 5 star rating is that the proofreader could have done a better job. But that's my issue--a grammar nazi.

[Diana Leneker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a new author read for me so I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. I will be reading the next book in this series for sure!!!

[Mandie Foxylutely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! Review to post

[Glenda Bettin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had never read any of this authors books but sure enjoyed this one so looking forward to the next
one

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!! outstanding book. i loved this book so much. fantastic story line

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was SO good. More after I have had some sleep.

[Diana Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating!!!

[Rih · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars

[Jen_C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just not for me style wise & definitely not for sticklers on grammar/editing or those who hate unanswered questions. Story was fine but man that needed an editor.

I liked most of the characters in the first half of the book but not so much as time went on. I am okay with characters who are human or who have flaws but I did not like that this made almost all Navy SEALs look bad. The LT has no idea that these men he is so close to and has spent all these years with have serious issues like gambling addiction, domestic violence, depression, (forgetting condoms - ha) etc? One is an attempted murderer obviously. I expect men who can get through Hell week to have a bit more control in these suspense novels. There are some great quotes and great scenes though.

Style wise, I disliked how repetitive things got. I know Zoe has a limp. You read "she limped" NUMEROUS times, but you never get the details of what happened, just lots of references to an "accident". Hooyah is in there a lot. Hawk and Zoe spend so much of the book in their own heads with questions and more questions - yet I never got the answers I wanted. I am probably in the minority so take that in to consideration - you may love this style and this book. I wanted to know if they were staying in the same room like a couple after they began their physical relationship and then moved back to separate bedrooms when her mom returned (for context). I wasn't sure if they were really in a "relationship." I wanted to know Zoe's thoughts on giving up her V card. Hawk thinks to himself that she must be a virgin but he has no problem banging her and he does not stop to say "are you sure? or even go slow the first time. After he is "in" he just says "Tell me I'm not hurting you." Well, if you were, I doubt she is gonna say so since you phrased it that way. I wanted to know Hawk's answer when Zoe asked if he would leave the military if she was preggers after the condom broke and then they forgot one the next 2 times. but the subject changed and they never went back to it. Also how did the conversation go when Cutter asked Hawk straight out "So, are you sleeping with my sister or what?" Who slapped Cutter and why? Did Flash really make up a picture?

I will not be continuing with this series so if the questions get answered in the following books - oh well, too late for me. I also did not like the continuity issues. Hawk hands Zoe a key and tells her to stay at his house while he deploys and then the next conversation keeps saying don't go back to the apartment. Too much for me.

Sample Quotes:
“Do they give a class in flirting, along with weapon maintenance and hand to hand combat, when you train to become a SEAL?”
“Naw,” Flash shook his head. “We just pretty much know what we want, keep our eye on the prize, and don’t give up. It’s a characteristic of the breed.” She’d lived with two people growing up who fit that bill. Her father and her brother. She figured she could handle that.
“I wonder how you two would react if you met up with a female with those same characteristics?” The two men looked at one another.
“Run,” they said together.

“After dinner, want to go out for ice cream?” Flash whispered from beside her.
“No fair making time with my woman, Flash,” Doc said.
“All things are fair in love and war, Doc.”
She shook her head at their good-natured competitiveness. Her mother winked at her.
“Unless you’re ready to walk down the aisle tomorrow, my daughter won’t be making time with anyone,” she said in her best schoolteacher voice.
The men looked at one another. Flash laid an arm along the top of Zoe’s chair. “Where should we have the rehearsal dinner, sweetheart?”
She laid a hand on flash’s knee and leaned close. “There’s something I have to tell you, Harold.”
“What’s that honey?” He covered her hand and focused on her with the eagerness of a bird dog spotting a pheasant.
“I always keep my eye on the prize, and I never give up.”
His look of surprise had Doc bursting into laughter. “You don’t really want to see a grown man run in fear, do you?” Flash asked.

What the hell is going on with these guys?”
“They’re just guys, Hawk, under tremendous pressure. All of you are.” She rose to her feet and came to him. When she put her arms around his waist and pressed close, some of the pain eased. “We send you to awful places and ask you to do things, terrible, painful, necessary things, and then we ask you not to think about it, remember it, or internalize any of it. We ask the impossible.”

“So, are you sleeping with my sister, or what?” Brett asked.

“You’ve done hard before. If it came easy, it wouldn’t mean as much. Your father and I crammed as much loving into our lives, in the months he was home each year, as most people do in a lifetime, Zoe. I don’t have any regrets. I always knew he loved me.” (Zoe's mom)

“I can’t ask you to stick it out. When we go wheels up and I’m shipped out for six months, a year, longer, you’ll be back here in the states and you’ll get tired of being alone, waiting on someone who might or might not return. You’ll get tired of wondering if I’m hurt or dead. You’ll resent my being gone just like you’re resenting my not telling you everything right now. And if you got sick or were hurt, I couldn’t be here for you and you’d resent that too.”
She brushed at a fresh wave of tears that streaked down her face. “Not if you love me.”
For a moment, some unseen force squeezed his heart in a tight fist.
“I won’t say that, Zoe.”
She turned away, sparing him from seeing her reaction. But when she faced him again, anger etched a bitter light in her eyes. “What was the whole point then, Adam? Was it to show the poor little crippled girl that someone could fu%$ her despite the scars?”
He welcomed the anger. It helped him seal off the pain. He reached for her and gave her a shake before he could control the urge. “Stop it.”
“I would have never pegged you as an emotional coward. You’re ready and willing to lay your body, your life, on the line, but not your heart.
“I can’t let anything distract me from what I have to do. You don’t need the added grief of another person you care about being in harm’s way. It’s as simple as that. I’m trying to spare you that.” She jerked free of his grasp.
“You’re a little late, Adam. I already love you.”

“Please, Zoe. Your safety is more important than what’s happened between us.”
Nothing was more important than what had happened between them. Nothing. Every touch, every look, every word they had shared was everything. That’s what he didn’t get.
“I don’t need you to protect me. I can buy locks, and guns for that. I don’t need you to provide a roof over my head. I have that covered. The one thing I needed from you, you say you can’t give me, so please—just leave.” Hawk rested a hand on her shoulder and she jerked away.
“Zoe—I have to know you’re safe,” Hawk said in a tone, nearly hoarse with emotion. Pain and anger gave her the courage to look up at him.
“Why would that matter to you? If you go wheels up, and you’re seven thousand miles away, will you know if I’m sick, or hurt? Will I know if you are?”
Hawk’s expression blanked for a second, then he flinched. “I promised your mom—”
“To hell with that and to hell with you!” Had her hands been free, she’d have slapped him.

[Carole Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ooooh Amazon freebies...it is such a hit-or-miss. I feel like I say this all the time, but it is so true.

This story follows Adam/Hawk/Yazzie and Zoe. Adam/Hawk/Yazzie is a Navy SEAL and while out on a mission one his brother-in-arms, Brett/Cutter/Weaver, is injured mysteriously and is now in a coma. They believe a fellow member of the team is to blame so now he is ordered to figure out what really happened over in Iraq. At the same time, Brett/Cutter/Weaver's sister, Zoe, comes to town to take care of him. Sparks between Adam/Hawk/Yazzie and Zoe while they hunt for the truth.

Interesting story. I liked the mystery part and the romance was okay. It was insta-lust, but it took a while for them to actually fall in love especially Zoe. Not only does she not want to be a military bride, but she also had a horrible injury years before which has ruined her leg and so she doesn't think she is "hot" enough for Adam/Hawk/Yazzie. Which...I get. I would feel the same.

Now..I enjoyed the journey, but there were some major issues I had with the story.

One...too many nicknames and actual names flying around. Yes, yes I get that is real life and real life people have a million names for their friends. My group of friends are like that. I think I have a grand total of 3 names in my group of friends...BUT it is hard to follow sometimes while reading. I kept getting confused on who was who.

Two....I just flat out did not care the first 50+ pages. I wanted to claw my eyes out. It took forever for the story to get interesting. A lot of this had to do with my confusion on the whos. But once I got everything straight and the plot started to get interesting, I was able to enjoy what was left of the book.

In the end, this was okay. I liked the mystery and I had no idea what the truth was. The characters, especially Zoe, were interesting. There were a slow beginning and a lot of confusion. Not horrible, but not great. Just okay. I'll give this 3 stars.