The Night Is Mine

The Night Stalkers #1

by M.L. Buchman

First in a thrilling military romantic suspense series based on the real-life elite helicopter pilots who transport Navy SEALs and Delta Force teams in and out of combat and covert missions. (SOAR are the heroes of Black Hawk Down.)

Buchman's heroine flys the most dangerous military ops and tries to find the one man who can be a hero in her own life. Ace-pilot Captain Emily Beale goes undercover as bodyguard to the First Lady, with her rugged commander, Major Mark Henderson, who is determined to cover her back. Can she learn to keep her desire at bay before her covert mission implodes.

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

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 31, 2010

About the author

USA Today and Amazon #1 Bestseller M. L. “Matt” Buchman started writing on a flight south from Japan to ride his bicycle across the Australian Outback. Just part of a solo around-the-world trip that ultimately launched his writing career.

From the very beginning, his powerful female heroines insisted on putting character first, then a great adventure. He’s since written over 60 action-adventure thrillers and military romantic suspense novels. And just for the fun of it: 100 short stories, and a fast-growing pile of read-by-author audiobooks.

Booklist says: 3x “Top 10 of the Year.” PW says: “Tom Clancy fans open to a strong female lead will clamor for more.” His fans say: “I want more now…of everything.” That his characters are even more insistent than his fans is a hoot.
As a 30-year project manager with a geophysics degree who has designed and built houses, flown and jumped out of planes, and solo-sailed a 50’ ketch, he is awed by what is possible. More at: www.mlbuchman.com.

Reviews

[Kat Latham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This military suspense romance pulled me in before shoving me away.

Captain Emily Beale is the best helicopter pilot Major Mark Henderson has ever seen. He’s her commanding officer in Afghanistan, where they both fly for SOAR, the elite group of helicopter pilots who get special forces into—and out of—the most dangerous missions.

Mark has to be careful to hide how much he loves flying with Emily, not just because it could cost one or both of them their careers in the Army but because she deserves better than to have to deal with advances from colleagues.

But when Emily is whisked away with no explanation, and Mark discovers she’s now the personal chef to the First Lady, he can’t stop himself from going after her. There’s no way his best pilot could waste her skills that way, and no way he can let her go.

Emily’s new assignment as the First Lady’s chef is a personal request from the President himself—or, as he’s always been to Emily, the boy next door. But Emily quickly realizes there’s more to her assignment than she can let anyone know—someone is repeatedly attacking the First Lady, and Emily may be the only person who can save her life.

I loved the setup of this story. Emily is ultra-tough and has earned the respect of her fellow pilots (mostly through threats and beating them up). I really loved how careful Mark was not to show his attraction to her. He comes across as an honorable man from start to finish, and I couldn’t get enough of reading his character.

My problem came when the story shifted to D.C. Okay, Emily’s an incredible pilot. She’s had to become the best to compete as a woman in a man’s field. Okay, she’s such a skilled cook that she can convincingly pull off a gig as the First Lady’s personal chef. Hey, Emily’s the daughter of the Director of the FBI, so I can sort of believe she’s had all the schooling and privileges necessary to cook to that level. But Emily’s “best in the world” skills kept mounting until I felt like they were more a plot convenience to impress me as a reader or to get herself and Mark out of trouble.

When I got to the point where Mark said, “If Emma wasn’t one of the ten percent of people who can smell potassium cyanide, she’d be dead right now,” I thought Really? Really?

Because Emily is practically perfect in every way, I couldn’t relate to her. More than that, I started to resent her.

The novel is incredibly detailed when it comes to military life and flight maneuvers. For many readers—especially those with military experience—this will probably be a selling point. For me, the details bogged down the story until I found myself skimming paragraphs because I knew I wouldn’t understand them anyway.

I love reading romantic suspense (with or without military involvement), but because I couldn’t connect with the heroine and had a hard time believing the setup, I found I couldn’t get swept up in this story. The final frustration for me was when the baddie’s motivation is glossed over in a couple of sentences at the end. I still don’t understand what there was to gain from all the effort of repeatedly attacking the First Lady.

In the end, I found myself wishing Mark and Emily had stayed in Afghanistan. Once the story moved to D.C. it asked me to suspend far too much disbelief.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Captain Beale, you go girl! Major Mark... crafty ;)


The best way to review this story is just stating what I like and didn't like, because much like the story preached, it is black and white, no gray area.

What I liked:
I liked the relationship tension between the Captain and the Major first and foremost. Plus, I love that Emily Beale was badass!!! The story definately took turns that I did not see coming and I enjoy the surprises lurking around the corners.

What I didn't like:
Okay, you can definately tell that The Night is Mine is written by a man. Wayyyyyy too much description of the helicopters and SOAR. I had to read about her Black Hawk just about every page. After a while, I really just didn't care.
Ironically, you know what lacked detail? The sex scenes!! I had to double check that it was a romance and not just a fiction. Most of the sex was merely implied as opposed to thoroughly "walked" through.


The last few pages really made me smile. I had no idea how the Captain was going to make a decision between the president and Major, and whether or not to love and leave her career or not.... Decisions decisions.... You'll never guess how she made up her mind!

[Rellim · Rating 5 out of 5]

12/1/2021 - I think this is my 3rd or 4th time through and I still love this book. Buchman writes with a lot of technical details and military jargon, explaining a few times, but not extensively. His military romance is also almost equal, if not more, military/suspense/action/thriller than romance - again something I really enjoy. He writes strong & intelligent female characters. Somehow alpha males without being assholes/jerks (or at least not outside of a momentary blunder).

Major Mark Henderson & Captain Emily Beale set the stage well and the bar high for the series. It’s fun to get to know them individually and as a couple. I like that Mark honors her abilities and acknowledges what she’s had to go through to get there. His respect for her as a pilot warring with - contributing to his attraction to her as a woman. They find themselves embroiled in uncovering a mystery at the highest of levels.

Faced paced & intriguing read.

As a side note… Having read the series before it’s interesting to see the plotting he does with certain events and characters that will show up many books (and even in another series) later.

GR note: The only ebook of the new version to select says Kindle, but I’m actually grabbing these on Kobo.

11/30/2021 - I read this whole series via my library about 5 years ago (loved them all). The rights to the books have been reverted to Buchman and he’s done revisions, edits, proofs, new covers, etc and they’re being rereleased over the next few months. Today is release day for The Night is Mine.

I’m so excited to get to own them. 🥳

[Christi Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa! At the 97% mark, I still couldn't figure out how this book was going to end. IT. WAS. SO. FREAKING. GOOD!!! Full review to come, after I let the story stew for a bit in my mind. Really an excellent book!!

My Review:
I don't even know where to start this review because I loved this book so much. Seriously, from page 1, I could not put this book down and when I was sitting at the 97% point in the book, I still couldn't see how there was going to be an HEA. OMG, it was so good, so suspenseful, and so entertaining. I LOVED THIS BOOK!


So I could start with the amazing heroine of the story, Emily Beale. She is one kick-ass chick! She is the only woman to ever make it into the highly competetive world of SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment of the Army.) She adores her job. She lives to fly her helicopters into high-stress, combat zones. She has made her way in this all-man world and has done it by being faster, tougher, and better than anyone else. When she is pulled out of this world though, to be put in the White House as the First Lady's personal chef and bodyguard, she is not happy.


Then there is the hero of the book, Major Mark Henderson. Everyone who has ever worked for him, including Emily, will tell you that he's a hardass. There is no pleasing the man. If you do well, then next time you better do better. He never lets anyone see his human side and is deeply hiding his attraction for Emily. He is ticked off when she suddenly is taken out of his command...not only because he is attracted to her, but because she is the best pilot in his unit. When there is an incident stateside where Emily is hurt, he has to be there, at least for a few hours, to check on her. He can't do anything else.


All the way through this book, the action and suspense will keep you at the edge of your seat. Never have I read such detail about flying and the intricacies of different helicopters with such passion and interest. I am a girl and I don't get into mechanical things, but reading Emily describe the different helicopters and her passion for each of them, was just incredible. The action sequences in this book left my pulse pounding and MY adrenaline levels higher. The entire book is just so well-written. Lots of detail, but never so much that you get lost or bored. It gives the entire book an incredible air of authenticity.


Then there is the romance. Mark is a Major, Emily is a Captain under his command. The regulations are very clear...NO romance allowed, but when Mark is pulled into Emily's undercover operation, things get very blurry very quickly. They both know that there is no future. They both love their job too much to give it up. These are two people who are passionate about their lives and jobs in the military, but they are also passionate about each other. Like I said, the story kept me guessing up until the very end. I just couldn't see a good resolution for this one.


I feel like I should end this review, but there were so many other layers to this story that were so good. Like the fact that Emily's childhood best friend and secret crush is now the President of the US. Her father is head of the FBI. Her mother hopes to somehow change her into the proper society wife. Then there are the peripheral stories which I hope will show up in future books, like the Delta, Michael. Did I mention how well this book was written? Just a superbly well-rounded, seriously entertaining story. REALLY INCREDIBLY GOOD BOOK!!!


BTW, I received a copy of this book as an e-book from the publisher. When I finished it, I knew that I wanted it for my keeper shelf and had seen it in my local bookstore. So the day after I read the book, I went out and bought a print copy so that I could have this book in print to re-read over and over again.

[Cheryl McNeil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent several of my undergraduate years engrossed in gender studies. But a guy writing trashy romance novels for women? That made me do a double-take. I couldn’t help myself from buying one of his (M.L. Buchman) books to see for myself what his mass market romance, complete with (hot) pink cursive title and (very hot) beefcake on the cover would read like. My verdict? It reads like a guy wrote it. And there’s something hot about that. I mean, we (educated, normally level-headed) women who have been known to take a paperback hunk home with us on occasion, are familiar with seeing the romantic world through the eyes of fellow females. It’s all so familiar — how we women typically view ourselves in relation to men, the little things about our appearance and personalities we worry to death, the way we tend to analyze intentions and interactions — as written by other women who intuitively just know what it is to be a woman in lust or love. Reading a typical trashy romance is like talking about men with a bunch of women over cocktails. But in The Night is Mine by Buchman, it’s more like having your best guy friend drop his walls and reveal the tender romantic under the usually non-verbal, tough exterior in talking about the woman he wants and loves. And so I ask you — do you want that girl chat? Or do you want it from the horse’s mouth? If you choose the latter you’re in for a military, black-ops adventure into a world of more specialized helicopters and weapons than you may ever have known existed. As someone who has struggled with pacifism, it was initially disturbing. But the fact it’s the main, very strong, female character who is most skilled with both contraptions somehow got me over myself. I found it pleasantly surprising that Buchman’s main female character was far stronger than the vast majority (in my experience) of female characters in romances written by women. To know it is a male author giving such respect to the creation of this character was additionally refreshing. And, as I mentioned, hot. The effect was to finish the last page in something of a boosted mood, feeling good about the potential of male-female relationships. Oftentimes I finish these mass market romances feeling, yeah, that got me hooked IN SPITE OF the pathetic characters. That’s when the pleasure is truly guilty — when the book reveals women’s more pernicious stereotypical qualities in characters that don’t make us reflect on ourselves as particularly strong women, and still, we find the storyline enticing. About the only guilty pleasure I felt in reading Buchman’s work was an unexpected interest in helicopters capable of swiftly dispatching people from this life. I found myself having, for the first time with my husband, helicopter conversations that were not heavily tinged with sarcasm (usually directed at the models he spends days making, or the flight simulator he could similarly spend days on). Of course, he scoffed when I asked him if HE wanted to read the helicopter romance. But isn’t that perhaps in our future? I mean, we have a few men now writing mass market romances, and doing a pretty good job. Now maybe male readers will clue in to all the fun they’re missing out on.

[Angela James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got an ARC of this from Sourcebooks via NetGalley.

This is a book that left me feeling a bit conflicted. I thought the military aspects were very well done--the detail that went into making us feel the hero and heroine were actually helicopter pilots was superb, and the first chapter really caught me up in the action and the setup. I couldn't wait to see more of this.

Unfortunately, the story lost me after the great opening. I still enjoyed the military details, but the story premise and plot were so unbelievable to me that I could never move past that, or the fact that the heroine is more than a bit of a Mary Sue (the best female pilot, an amazing chef, a kickass fighter...and every guy who meets her eventually likes her). I think I could have moved past the Mary Sue aspect if the story itself hadn't so totally lost me. She's an amazing pilot and she ends up being pulled off that detail to be the personal chef, pilot and sometimes bodyguard to the First Lady? And then her commanding officer, the hero, is able to get leave and help her figure out the suspense plot. It just didn't fly for me.

Which is too bad, because I felt like there was a lot here to like, with some of the action scenes and the flight descriptions.

I will say, also, that the author appeared to also be really uncomfortable with the sex scenes. It's mostly closed door, and what we do get isn't really much detail about the sex, but some rather...purple prose about it and the emotions of the characters. Including from the hero's POV. Given the gritty realism of some of the military scenes, the intimate scenes were even more jarring.

I think there are going to be readers who can move beyond my quibbles and really love this book, especially if their suspension of disbelief is a little more liberal than mine!

[Rachel-RN · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*; rounded up for GR
Emily is the first female fighter pilot in the 160th Airwing. Mark is her captain. Good start; flying missions in Afghanistan. Emily is then called to the US to work undercover as a chef for the First Lady. Someone is trying to kill her. Maybe.
I liked the mystery of what was happening, the who-done-it. Emily is mostly perfect. There doesn't seem to be anything she can't do. I liked her, but didn't love her. The same goes for Mark. I was invested enough that I wanted to see what happened.
I thought the book was too detailed in some things (descriptions of the aircraft/flying for example) and other scenes felt like filler (for example the "battle" with Adams). This took me out of the story. For a romance, I would term this "romance-lite." There really isn't much IMO.
It was written well, just not to my taste.

[Anne OK · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very exciting and action-packed opening to ML Buchman's new military romantic suspense series. Probably more suspense than romance, but it worked for me. Plenty of military language and details abound in this deep seated and edgy plot. The romance was believable, sweet, tender and hot. The characters were well-defined and likable in so many ways. I look forward to Mr. Buchman's second book in this series to be released in August 2012.

[Sandy M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hard-as-steel Army major who’s the best Black Hawk pilot. A captain who is his equal in everything but rank. An attraction as hot and heavy as the Afghanistan desert they work in lies between them, one that can’t be acted on. A sudden reassignment stateside removes the captain from her beloved flying, leaves her grounded – in the White House?

Oh, yeah, this book has as many twists and turns as that old Mississippi. Maybe even more. And through it all, the sparks arcing between Major Mark Henderson and Captain Emily Beale need a whole lot of water to put them out, but even that’s debatable. Even when they’re trying to stay cool with each other, there’s sizzle underneath the facade.

Major Henderson has never complimented her on her work with the unit, but he has given Emily more and more assignments every time she comes back from a successful mission. She’s had to put up with a hell of a lot throughout her career, being the only woman making it into such elite ranks, but once she proves herself, the men show her respect and admiration just as they would any other team member. When she finally receives that hard-earned “Nice job” from Henderson after an extremely dangerous close call, all is right with Emily’s world. Then because of the fluff piece on CNN – a smiling, sexy woman cooking steak, not a word about her accomplishments or her flying – her world changes as fast as her helicopter can fly.

He’s always had the best in his unit, and Emily Beale is the best he’s ever seen. She’s cool under pressure, never complains, and works just as hard as any man. And she has curves to die for. But Army regulations prevent them pursuing any type of relationship. And the next thing Henderson know is he’s got reassignment orders for Beale – stateside with no other information. Letting her go is a double-edged sword, but he does get one kiss in before she flies out of his life forever. And then the guilt begins to set in. He’s her commanding officer and he just stepped over the line. No matter how right it felt.

As exciting as the opening flying scenes are in this book, at this point in the story it now becomes fun. The First Lady just happens to see that fluff piece on Emily. And the First Lady just happens to need a chef. And the President of the United States just happens to be Emily’s childhood friend and first crush. Emily is a product of Washington, D.C. – her father the FBI director and a very high-minded socialite mother. Now, there are some top secret things going on that instigate Emily’s summons to the nation’s capital. So with that and the President’s appeal to her for her help, she reluctantly takes on the task of cooking for the First Lady. We meet some interesting characters going through Emily’s kitchen, most prominently the Secret Service aka the Blacksuits. The scenes with her and the agent in charge are all priceless.

Eventually Mark discovers where Emily is and he can’t stay away. By the time he gets there, her top secret mission, so to speak, has escalated and things begin to happen around the First Lady that take on a mysterious and dangerous edge. Mark and Emily’s father are brought into the situation, and I love this section with Mark playing his role as the laid back surfer dude cum paramilitary mercenary. He and Emily work together to try to figure out what the hell is going on. And that’s where all those twists and turns come in. I had to laugh at what Emily walks in on near the end when things are beginning to become more clear to her and Mark. Though, in reality, it wouldn’t be the least bit funny. The resulting helicopter flight where all is revealed and where all goes wrong is one suspenseful scene.

I enjoyed this book immensely. A lot of fun, terrific characters who pull you in immediately and never let you go. An equally fun plot line, even if it sounds too coincidental to you. I have no problem at all seeing it happen this way with all the movers and shakers in D.C. Other scenes that are fun are those later in the book when Mark knows he’s losing his edge after being away from flying, even if it’s a short period of time. He and Emily have a friendly competition flying from base to base with Marines as their backup. Those poor Marines. And the sexy, steamy scenes after the race is over is worth mentioning too.

I wasn’t sure how Mr. Buchman was going to get these together at the end, because Emily’s life is flying. As is Mark’s. Those Army regulations must be adhered to, so would they be able to walk away from each other? Well, as romance readers we know there’s no way. I have to say he handles it very well and quite satisfactorily. This is a book worth picking up. Do it soon.

See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com

[Luli · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can find this review in English below.

Básicamente necesitarás dos cosas para disfrutar de esta historia:
-Altas dosis de credulidad y
-Amor incondicional por los helicópteros, preferiblemente de combate.

Estas dos herramientas son las que te van a permitir disfrutar de esta historia sin fin. En caso contrario, como ha sido el mío, te va a aburrir un poco.

Si tan sólo el argumento hubiese sido más realista, más creíble, con menos agujeros, hubiese podido pasar por alto las interminables descripciones de los helicópteros, que aunque empezaron siendo interesantes pasó lo de siempre: lo poco gusta y lo mucho cansa.

La historia es de las que enganchan desde el principio. Era un estilo diferente, fresco, al grano. Las descripciones de la vida diaria de los soldados desplazados sonaban realistas y las interacciones entre ellos también. Los personajes eran muy interesantes y la acción trepidante.
Los problemas empiezan en cuanto empieza el suspense. La premisa es totalmente ridícula. Tenemos la primera mujer piloto dentro de una sub-rama de las fuerzas especiales (SOAR) que encima es la mejor piloto de la base y ¿acaba haciendo de chef para la primera dama? Sinceramente eso no tiene ni pies ni cabeza. Hay profesionales mucho más preparados que la protagonista para hacer de guardaespaldas. Aún así, la historia estaba siendo tan entretenida que fui capaz de dejar de lado todo eso para continuar leyendo.
El problema continúa con todas las situaciones inverosímiles que el autor arroja a la trama. Todas sin justificación y poco trabajadas. Una detrás de otra y cada cual menos consistente, así que llega un momento en que no tienes más remedio que tirar la toalla porque la trama no hay quien se la crea. Y lo he intentado.

Añade a todo esto un montón de lenguaje técnico sobre helicópteros y su mecánica y, pues eso, que me he aburrido bastante.

El romance tampoco ha sido nada estelar. Me ha gustado pero ha sido raro. Creo que es la primera vez que me voy a quejar de que las escenas de sexo son inexistentes. Casi siepre me quejo de lo contrario, de que son extenuantes y que desplazan el romance per se, pero en este caso todas las escenas ocurren fuera de página. Raro. Después los personajes recuerdan lo bueno que ha sido y demás pero poco más.

Los personajes (todos ellos) han sido muy planos. Los protagonistas especialmente han sido demasiado buenos para ser verdad. Ni una falta, ni un fallo, ni físico ni psicológico. Perfección absoluta y aburrida.

¿Y ese final? ¿Qué puedo decir de ese final? Después de estar durante 415 páginas esperando el HEA ha sido frustrante como se lo ha ventilado en unas líneas. Nada de ver cómo va esa relación, cómo funcionará, nada. Ha sido lo más parecido a un cliffhanger sin cliffhanger.

En fin, que a pesar de ser una historia muy inverosímil tenia potencial. Creo que veré que más puede ofrecer este autor. Quizás la siguiente entrega es algo menos técnica y más realista. Veremos…

***

Basically you will need two things to enjoy this story:
-An ginormous suspension of disbelief and
-Unconditional love for helicopters, preferably of combat.

These two tools are going to allow you to enjoy this story to no end. Otherwise, as it has been my case, you'll get a bit bored.

If only the plot had been more realistic, more credible, with less holes, I would had been able to ignore endless descriptions of helicopters; although they started being interesting, it happened what always happens: too much of a good thing.

The story hooked me from the start. It was a different, cool, and straight to the point style. The descriptions about the deployed soldiers daily life sounded realistic and so the interactions between them. The characters were very interesting and the action fast-paced.
The problems began with the suspense . The premise is completely ridiculous. We have the first female pilot in a sub-branch of the Special Forces (SOAR), who is too the best pilot in the base and she just is called to be a chef to the First Lady? Honestly, that makes no sense. There are much more qualified people to be the First Lady´s bodyguard than the heroine. Still, the story was so entertaining that I was able to put aside all this nonsense and continue reading.
The problem goes on with all the implausible situations that the author throws in the plot. One after the other and each one less consistent than the previous, so there comes a time when you don't have a choice but to throw in the towel because the plot is unbelievable. And I've tried.

Add to all a lot of technical language about helicopters and its mechanics and you have a boring read.

The romance has been nothing stellar. I liked it but it has been odd. I think this is the first time I'm going to complain about that the sex scenes are non-existent. Almost always I complain otherwise, that they are strenuous and put the romance per se to the background, but in this case all the scenes are faded to black. Odd. Then the characters remind us how good it was and little else.

The characters (all of them) have been very flat. Especially the MC´s. They have been too good to be true. Without a single flaw. Absolute and bored perfection.

And that end? What can I say about that end? After struggling for 415 pages waiting for the HEA, it has been frustrating when it has been polish off in a few lines. We don´t get to see how they manage or how they make the relationship works. It has been the closest thing to a cliffhanger without a cliffhanger.

Despite being a story very unlikely, it had potential. I think that I'll see what more can offer this author. Perhaps the next installment is something less technical and more realistic. We'll see...

[Lais · Rating 5 out of 5]

I WILL REREAD THIS BOOK UNTIL THE END OF MY LIFEEEEE


LOVED.

[crashqueen73 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intelligent read. Well written and knowledgeable. I really liked the bad-ass-ness of the heroine 5/5 for maintaining and remaining true to that. I loathe chicks that start off really strong and he instance a dude appears she turns into a joke. Not so in this one. I liked the romance. It was pleasant and sweet in contrast to all the action going on!!

My biggest complaint is that said heroine is actually perfect. To the point that she is in the 10% of the population that can smell cyanide. Like literally perfect. That always makes stories a little hard to take seriously. Like a really bad Western where no-one ever gets hit in the gun fight 🤣🤣 Other than that everything was great.

[Deb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and half stars. It started off great and steadily went downhill until reaching its utterly ludicrous ending. Buchman's strength is relating detailed, plausible sounding action sequences involving a helicopter. Unfortunately, every other element of the story left something to be desired. The characterizations were flat, the story preposterous, and the pacing was glacial.

Emily, the heroine started out as one kick-ass lady, who over the course of the book became a cartoon superwoman, able to do anything better than anyone else. Many overly long sequences served only to demonstrate how she is the best pilot, fighter, or cook without advancing the plot or revealing anything of interest about her. There was something vaguely insulting about a warrior having to demonstrate that she is still a "real" women who enjoys feeding people and garners multiple flirtatious marriage proposals based upon her cooking skills.

Mark, her love interest, has zero personality. He also behaves through out the book in a manner that can only be described as crazy. His interior thoughts alternate between thinking how amazing she is and wondering if she is making amoral decisions. I never had any idea what either of them saw in other other, and pretty much the only interactions the two of them had was in bed. They don't say much of anything to each other, beyond noting that they both find each other physically attractive. There were also several instances where they used physical force against each other that didn't speak well to either of them or their non-existent communication skills.

A lot of the set up to the central plot was simply not believable. There is simply no way that it would not be common knowledge that the first woman allowed into combat as a helicopter attack pilot is also the daughter of the Director of the FBI and it is preposterous that her CO, Mark would not know that. It is also impossible that about ten seconds after the press learned that Emily was assigned to be the First Lady's personal chef that they won't have found out that she was also the next door neighbor and childhood friend of the current President.

Key points of the plot were also simply not possible. There is no way that the two attempts on the First Lady's life, given their nature, could have been kept a secret. Nothing unfolded in an even vaguely plausible manner and the final reveal was so jaw dropping bizarre, it defies characterization.

[Bror (Abrar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a lot of mess in it (pilots (SOAR) , military , FBI , the first lady , secret-agents , chefs and mommy issues) , it's a new read to me where a heroine is actually is military ops , she's not a needy brat nor i need no man bitch .
When you see a military romance the plot is automaticly about a guy but this book is about Ace-pilot Captain Emily Beale but as usual she's trying to prove herself as a woman in the military .
I liked Major Mark Henderson character and how he always had her back .
First book to me by this author and i think it's an opening for more to come .

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a DNF for me. I really, REALLY tried to give this book the benefit of the doubt for many reasons. I had a really difficult time believing the basis of the story--the first lady doesn't have a full kitchen staff? WHAT?! The romance was fine, but took forever to get up to speed. The action writing was excellent and I might see if this author has any non-romance books that are good. This was my first time reading a male-authored romance. The writing was decent, I just couldn't get past the storyline. Too difficult to believe.

[DemetraP · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the parts about piloting and flying helicopters. I hated the parts in the White House, which was the majority of the book. Like the heroine kept saying, she's a pilot, not a chef for the First Lady.

I hated how the President and the heroine used to be best friends and she had a crush on him for most of her life. I felt like the romance between the hero and heroine really suffered because of that plotline.

I'll read further in this series hoping that it focuses more on being in the military, not in the White House.

[Sanny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the author’s earliest military romances, but it remains one of his best. In these early full-length books the characters are beautifully developed, and the events are drawn in such detail that the reader is brought right into the story. The battle and crashing helicopter scenes are thrilling!

The later books in the series cannot compare, unfortunately. Though enjoyable, they don’t show the care and craftsmanship that the early SOAR works do.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Summary 
Emily Beale is the first woman to fly for the SOAR, which is some of the best black hawk pilots in the coutrny or even the world. Over the past couple months, she has been ordered to go on dangerous missions, so she has been working her tail off to prove herself. But she is shocked when CNN does a feature on her, which didn't exactly point out her flying talents, more of her cooking techniques and her being a woman...not what she needed at all. Makes Emily pretty pissed to be portrayed as a sex object. So she shoots the computer that is relaying the feature. Nothing wrong with displaying her true feelings. Major Mark Henderson, her CO, has called her up on a dangerous mission. She performs a miracle which saves on the black op members and puts the focus even more on herself. When there have been some threats made against the first lady, the first lady is insistent that Emily gets hired on as her pilot and her personal chef. Really?? Emily is not happy about this new assignment especially when it takes her away from flying, and from the one man that is untouchable but his kisses breath a spark she never imagined she would find. As she comes to the White House, she comes face to face with a childhood friend and crush she had for years, none other than the President himself. Soon Mark is joining up with her to discovering who is really after the first lady, there is a threat and it may not be toward the first lady at all, but someone else and only Emily will be able to discover the real threat before its too late.
The Hero 
Mark Henderson, is a military man and one of the best when it comes to flying Black Hawks. He is proud to be the leader of the SOAR. Mark takes after his father, who is a retired military officer and went on many dangerous missions. Mark unfortunately refuses to get married, because he saw the hell his mother was put through every time his father was called away and refuses to do that to someone he loved. What he doesn't expect is to be drawn to one of the best pilots under his command, and giving into his desires for her could cost him his whole career. Mark is quite the hero and boy was he hot in this book. I love heroes that are badass, and he fits the picture.

Major Mark "The Viper" Henderson stood two paces inside the rolled-back flap of the tent, one foot still buried in the machine. Six feet of clichéd soldier. Broad shoulders, raw muscle, and the most dangerous-looking man Emily had ever met.

He is military, but has a sense of humor, one of the best pilots and knows how to fight. What I found most likeable about his character, was how driven he is and I really liked the reason behind him not having settled down yet. You see how much he would like that, but he is more concerned about the wife he would have and how much grief and pain he would put her through. It has shaped him to be the best of the best. And despite his toughness on the surface, he is sweet and tender on the inside. Love the mix in a hero.
The Heroine 
Emily Beale is a Captain, and even though she has always loved cooking and is pretty talented at it, her true love is flying in the skies. Ever since her father took her up in a helicopter, she knew that was what she wanted to be. She has fought hard to make a good name for herself and become the first woman to be part of SOAR, an elite band of military pilots. And it wasn't easy to prove to everyone on the team including her CO that she is dang good at what she does. We see how flying is natural to her as breathing, and giving it up would practically be a death sentence for her. In the beginning, we see how good Emily really is, and she has pure talent when it comes to flying in dangerous situations and bringing everyone home. "never leaving anyone behind" is her personal motto. She is quite the entertaiining character. I love how sassy she is, can bring a guy to his knees on the mat in seconds, and can cook like a professional chef. She has this tough side that is vital because she is a woman serving in the military, but she has passion and dreams too. She craves love and to be accepted for who she is, but is more than willing to wait for the right man to come along who will encourage her to pursue her dreams. I quite loved Emily, because despite how tough she is, she has a soft side to her character that shines through in this book. Seriously, though, reading this makes me want to learn to fly Black Hawks.
Plot and Story Line 
I just want to say WOW...this story was so phenomenal, and boy I can't wait to read more of this author. I love that this author is male and writes romantic suspense. That is so amazing to me, I don't get a chance to read too many male romance authors, but now he is one of my favorite when it comes to this genre. M.L. Buchman has a way of bring intense and action filled books to life, and boy did I feel it in The Night Is Mine I absoultely couldn't get enough of this one. The plot was so surreal and kept me on my toes from beginning to end. What I liked the most is how there is so much more to the story than the blurb reveals to us. Much of the book is about Mark and Emily at the White House and on their undercover mission. But we see how well they fly together, and how talented each of them are and Emily really pulls a few moves on Mark that just livened up the story even more. I could believe how much I got sucked into this story, but it did. Normally I never know with Military themed romances, but this one had me hooked from the first page. What was also fun was seeing a old friendship between Emily and Pete (the President) at first its a bit awkward because of how long they haven't seen each other, and it might seem like a love triangle, but it really isn't. Emily may have had a crush on Peter when they were younger, but one Peter is married, and Emily is totally attracted to Mark in a very real way. Now Mark was so fantastic and quite works his way into, working undercover. Technically he isn't even suppose to be undercover, but when Emily gets hurt, he comforts her and thus begins their secret and forbidden love affair and ends up helping her and posing as her beach bum boyfriend. The romance was pretty different but I quite had a ball with it. It had its edgy moments, but there was so much sweet and tender scenes it just made me fall for Mark and Emily even more.

He slid a hand around her waist and pulled her across the tile until he could tuck her under his arm. Until she leaned her head on his shoulder. He leaned his cheek on the top of her head and just let her breathing ease as he rubbed his hand up and down her back.

She wasn't a wreck; she was a miracle.

And the President was an idiot for ever letting her slip through his fingers.

 

Those eyes inspected him. Looked at him until he wanted to look away to preserve his soul. They saw through him, inside him. No secrets were safe from those eyes.

They have so much in common in the important aspects, and where they are different just adds more to their relationship.  There were so many fun elements that made this book become a winning story for me. Can't wait to read more of these "Night Stalkers" and I am so ready for more Emily and Mark and more badass military pilots.
The Cover 
Quite a great cover, love the male yumminess, and those abs, just perfect. Love the White House imagery in the background, and the "night" background...very mysterious yet a danger appeal to it as well.
Overall View
The Night Is Mine is a crazy adventure that takes us from the desert into the danger zones of America's capitol. Who said flying was never dangerous or fun? Well we get both, a story that takes us to the edge, with kick ass characters, vivid details, and some stunning action that will make you feel like you have literally jumped right into the suspsense of it all. One Hell Of A Rollercoaster that takes the reader to the edge!!

The Night Is Mine (1)

I Own The Dawn (2)

Wait Until Dark (3)

Take Over At Midnight (4)

Light Up The Night (5)

Bring On The Dusk (6) 

By Break Of Day (7) 

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

See all my reviews at http://www.readingreality.net/
The Night is Mine by M. L. Buchman has got to be the lightest-weight military-oriented romantic suspense story I've ever read, in spite of the number of times the heroine gets injured. What I'm saying is that I found the story to be a tremendous amount of fun, and I absolutely got sucked way into it the first night, but that I totally checked my reality-meter at the door. And I had a wilder ride than any of the chopper pilots in the story!

Let's start with our heroine. Emily Beale is a Captain in the U.S. Army. This is totally believable. And she is a helicopter pilot. Again, totally believable. She is also a member of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) generally referred to as SOAR, the elite unit that transports Navy SEALs and Delta Force teams in and out of covert missions. In other words, she flies in forward combat operations. I want to believe this is possible, but I don't think we're there yet.

Emily is the first and so far only woman in SOAR. And as the story opens, she and her unit are watching a profile of her that is being played on CNN. In spite of the secrecy that surrounds SOAR, this profile was okayed by "Command". Because Emily is not just an ace-pilot. Her father is a career FBI agent and is now the head of that agency. And when Emily was growing up in the suburbs of DC, the "boy next door" that she had her girlhood crush on, well he's now the President of the U.S. The youngest president ever. And no, he's not Clinton. And Mrs. President sure ain't Hillary.

That CNN profile showed nothing of Emily's piloting skills and everything about how good she looks in her flightsuit and how well she's figured out how to cook in the desert with minimal supplies. Someone back at CNN turned it into a girlie "puff piece". Emily is so pissed she shoots the laptop her unit used to watched the profile. The crew buries the laptop with full military honors and gives Emily the tiny flag.

After the profile runs, Emily gets mysterious orders to report to an aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean, which is not where she wants to be. After two months, she's finally earned her place in SOAR as just another pilot, albeit a damn fine one, and that's how she wants it. All she wants is to fly helicopters. All she wants is to fly. The DC political social whirl is not for her, even if it is the air her mother breathes and the water she swims in like a shark in an aquarium tank. Emily's sure her mother is behind all the machinations as a move to get Emily back to DC and out of the military. Somehow, someway.

But Emily's commanding officer, Major Mark Henderson, sees Emily's mysterious orders and becomes even colder to her than she thought possible. Emily's never quite been able to live up to the Major's expectations of her, as a pilot or as an officer. She's worked all the harder for it. Little does she know that the problem is completely different. Mark Henderson has been bending over backwards to treat her just like any other officer, because he can't see her as anything except the one woman he wants more than any other. So he's just a tiny bit colder and more distant than he needs to be, to keep himself under control--because he barely has any. And one misstep will cost them both their careers.

But Emily's orders are not her mother's doing. The former "boy next door" is now Emily's Commander-in-Chief. He's calling on his best friend to come back to DC and protect the First Lady from repeated, but so far unsuccessful, attempts on her life. Emily is the only one the President trusts.

So Emily goes back to Washington, to the world she left behind, to help her best friend. But President Peter Matthews, back when he was just a Senator, broke her heart when he married another woman, even if he didn't know it. And he's breaking her heart again by taking her away from the life she loves, to save the life of a woman she really doesn't like very much.

And just before she gets on the flight that whisks her away, her commanding officer kisses her goodbye. For real. And Emily nearly breaks his hand and walks away.

So he follows her to Washington, and fakes his way into her secret mission. Then the real fun begins!

Escape Rating B: I started reading this one night at about 11:30, and 150 pages later I was telling myself that I really, really needed to get some sleep. I didn't want to shut my iPad off; but this is a 400 page book, and finishing wasn't realistic. I'll admit I thought about it.

As a character, Emily is a little too good to be true. She's not just an ace pilot, but all her commanders say that she's the best they've ever seen. Her dad being head of the FBI and her childhood friend being President are both integral to the plot, but it stretches belief. DC may be a company town, but that level of connectedness smacks of a Tom Clancy novel. I will say that Clancy's aren't quite this much fun.

What The Night is Mine reminded me of most is Stargate SG-1 fanfiction of the Jack and Sam persuasion. It has the same flavor and the same problem to solve. This is not a criticism, I like Jack/Sam SG-1 fanfic. The issue is that both are in the military, they are in a commander/subordinate relationship and they have to deal with the military frat regs. Jack and Sam are even both pilots, they just happen to be Air Force instead of Army. Faking a relationship for a covert operation that turns real is one of the tropes.

A fun story is a fun story. The Night is Mine is the first book of the author's The Night Stalkers series. Book 2, I Own the Dawn, will be out in August, 2012. A couple of my nights were M. L. Buchman's thanks to The Night is Mine. Looks like a couple of nights in August are pre-booked.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: 3.5/5

…when Captain Emily Beale flew ten tons of armored attack helicopter into battle, it was absolutely the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

This story has a great, fast paced beginning. We’re taken right to Emily’s current home and family, with her team heading out on missions. We get proof early on about what a top pilot she is when she risks it all trying to get a Delta Force team member out of an impossible location. She thrives under pressure and gets the results every, single time. She’s respected, works hard and wants to do nothing else; flying is her life and she loves it.

Sparks fly early when she around her commander, Mark Henderson, but a relationship of any kind or even an acknowledgement of feelings is a big no-no. Their different ranks prevent any relationship from ever happening, but Mark knows his pilot is very special. When she’s suddenly reassigned to a top secret mission that Mark’s not informed of, he makes it his mission to find out where she is and what’s going on.

The first section of the story really grabbed my attention, we get to see Emily in her element and I loved getting the action told through her. Her reassignment seemed a bit farfetched. She’s brought back to the US to be a bodyguard to the First Lady, who’s had a couple attempts on her life, working undercover as her chef. The order was ultimately given by the President, who Emily was childhood friends with, and obviously you don’t say no when the President makes this type of order, but I still had a hard time getting past this during the bulk of the story that takes place in Washington DC. Here’s this hot shot pilot, the best in her field, the woman you want flying a helicopter into and out of dangerous situations because you know she’ll get the job done and bring her men back safe. But you pull her away from her important work to be a bodyguard and chef? It was a hard change of pace for me to grasp, after that great opening and the story slowed down quite a bit when we moved with Emily to the White House.

Mark works his way into this secret mission posing as Emily’s boyfriend as they work with her father to try and figure out where the threats to the First Lady are coming from and why all the clues and paths are leading them in a bad direction. The action picks back up at the end and thankfully we get to see Emily in her prime again, piloting a copter that ends up being the scene of the final fight with the story’s enemy.

The romance between Mark and Emily, and even the hints of a potential romance we get between Emily and her childhood friend Peter, now the President, take a long time to build up. The subplot between Emily and Peter never went beyond the teenage crush she had on him growing up and the real chemistry throughout the book was between Mark and Emily. They have the threat of breaking every rule they’ve ever been forced to follow regarding no relationships allowed, over their heads, but Mark is there for her, during some hard times. Those moments were great build ups to the point when they finally give in and be together. One scene that stood out and showed us the depth of Mark’s feelings for Emily, was after she’s blinded by a flashbang while flying the First Lady. The thought of never being able to see again, or even having less than perfect vision which would ground her for good, was too much to handle and Mark was there to simply hold her and let her cry in safe arms. They were sweet, tender scenes and drove home how much these two cared about each other and how easy it would be for them to fall in love if they were able to.

The hand pulled her. Pulled her until she curled in its owner’s lap.

She wept against his shoulder.

She wept while the sobs wracked her body, until the only thing keeping her from flying apart were the strong arms around her. Wept until she was wrung dry. Wept until the fear left her. Wept until she remembered that Night Stalkers Don’t Quit.

Emily simply curled against the man who held her, her head tucked safe beneath his chin.

Then he cupped her cheek with one of those wonderful hands and held her head ever so gently against his chest.

She knew that hand. Now that she could think, she’d known it from the first instant it had taken hers.

Major Mark Henderson. She’d wept on his shoulder like a scared little girl, not a woman playing tough in a man’s world. And she’d never felt so safe in her life.

THE NIGHT IS MINE is book 1 in the new Night Stalkers series by M.L. Buchman, and I really enjoyed seeing this woman be at the top in a field dominated by men. We get a hint of the women who might be getting books in the future, and I love the idea of a series centered around these strong women and watching them go through the ins and outs of this dangerous line of work they’ve chosen. This was a really nice set up to get an idea of what these women will face – and Emily will be a tough act to follow. She kicks ass, literally. She’s smart and a fighter and it just takes one guy who thinks he can take her before he and everyone else is quickly proven wrong. I love that in a heroine. Emily in action was my absolute favorite part of her book. Being with her in the pilot’s seat was a great view and I look forward to seeing who’s up next. And of course, finding out about the men who fall for and “try” to keep up with these women.

[Jay Beatrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! It started off slow with a lot of jargon and description, but then got really good. Stayed up until 5am to finish it in one sitting!

[Crystal _ Reading Between the Wines Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night is Mine is a fast paced thrill ride of action and romance taking readers from the sweltering deserts of Afghanistan to the dazzling glitters of the White House.

Emily Beale is the first woman SOAR pilot and she is determined to prove that she has what it takes. Not shying away from the risky missions, she gets her crew in and out of tight situations with a cool head quickly earning the respect of her fellow soldiers and her hard-ass but sexy commanding officer, The Viper. When she is shipped out and away from her unit for a covert mission in the White House though, her world is turned upside down. Masquerading as the First Lady’s chef and personal bodyguard, Emily must find the traitor who is after the First Lady. But what she finds instead could be even more dangerous; deception, intrigue and betrayal run rampant through these gilded halls and not everyone will make it out unscathed.
Major Mark Henderson, a.k.a. The Viper, is a top-notch pilot and runs his unit like a well oiled machine. With his cool attitude, mirrored Ray Bans and sparse compliments, Mark has strived to treat Emily like any other of his soldiers, pushing her to be her best and has never been disappointed. He knows the attraction he feels for her can never be acknowledge unless he wants to see himself court marshaled. When Emily is sent packing on a mysterious mission though Mark refuses to sit idly by while one of his own gets thrown to the dogs. Pulling in every favor her can, Mark takes a leave and follows Emily to D.C. Posing as her boyfriend, he has no clue to what he’s about to wade into but Mark refuses to leave Emily floundering by herself. Little did either of them know that they’d see more action state side then they ever saw in Afghanistan.
Passion flares and danger ignites, can Emily and Mark discover the supposed traitor before they succeed in taking the First Lady’s life? And if they can make it out of this mission alive, a relationship with her commanding officer if still against the rules, will Emily even be able to return to the unit she thinks of as home after all is said and done?

The Night is Mine is my first read from a male romantic suspense author and I have to say, I loved it! The story kept me hooked the entire time; the author provided plenty of action to keep my excited, twists that kept me guessing and romance that had my heart pounding.

The characters of the story were in depth and endearing. The hero and heroine, Emily and Mark, were both kick ass characters that balanced each other perfectly. I enjoyed all of Emily’s dimensions; she was a well developed heroine with a solid history that plays into the current plot. With an F.B.I. director for a father, a socialite mother and a childhood crush for the boy next-door who turns out to be the President of the United States of America and husband to the woman she is assigned to protect, you can imagine how all those little points can come into play in this story of political intrigue. Throw in her amazing chopper flying skills as well as her knowledge of weaponry and hand-to-hand combat, good looks and culinary skills and you have someone who will give even Lara Croft a run for her money!

And then there’s Mark, the alpha in charge with a surly attitude that surprisingly let’s Emily do her own thing without getting in her way. That’s not to say he’s happy with it all but he supports her no questions asked. But he also has this super sweet side that you get a first glimpse of when Emily is injured. Strong, sexy and swoon worthy, this hero is sure to capture female reader’s hearts. The relationship that unfolds between Emily and Mark was smoothly written and captivating and the love scenes were good but lacked detail. The kind of detail that smutty girls like me crave! I think that would be the only difference that I found from reading a romance from a male perspective versus a female one.

I would have liked to see more from the SOAR unit in the story, and yes, the main plot and eventual villain was unrealistic but never-the-less entertaining. Like I said, it kept me hooked. And the cover? That adds a star all its own. Haha, just kidding. The Night is Mine was a fun action-packed read and as long as you don’t put too much into the actual realism of it and just enjoy the ride, you’re sure to love the romantic suspense. After all, this is fiction. I’m looking forward to the next installment, I Own the Dawn. (August 2012)

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily Beale lives to fly helicopters. Being the first and only female pilot to fly helicopters for SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment), she is a big deal. These SOAR pilots are the rebels of the bunch. They wear their hair long, and have beards, to blend in wherever they are stationed. Currently she is running missions in Afghanistan. SOAR helicopters provide Special Forces with nighttime transpiration and protection. She is the best of the best, and strives everyday to maintain this. Only being with this branch of the military for two months, she has spent a lot of time proving that she is the best to the group of men she is working with. She has definitely earned their respect, but she never knows if she is in good standing with Major Mark Henderson, or as he is called for good reason, “The Viper.”

Mark is one scary dude and has earned the respect from everyone in his crew. An excellent pilot himself, he has continuously given Emily harder and harder assignments, and has been so impressed by her each time. Of course he would never tell her that. A grunt and maybe a glare through his rayban sunglasses which are permanently attached to his face is all she might get. He also isn’t going to tell her that he has this big attraction towards her. Something forbidden since he is her commander.

But things start to get intense when Emily gets a sudden summons to go back to the states. It is such a secret mission, she is not even allowed to tell Mark where or why she is going. The second before she leaves, he leans over and kisses her, which Emily responds to for a second before completely pinning him to the table and stalking off. (Yes, she is that bad ass).

What Mark doesn’t know is that Emily has been asked by the President and First Lady to become the First Lady’s personal chef (another thing Emily is really good at, cooking). But there is more to it. The First Lady has had physical threats against her, and is not sure if she can fully trust the Secret Service. Also, Emily and the President grew up together, and he knows just how tough she can be. So acting as chef, and being the First Lady’s personal bodyguard/pilot is definitely not what Emily has in mind. But when more attacks happen, she realizes there is a much bigger plot in motion.

First let me say that I liked The Night is Mine but there are definitely things in here that should have annoyed me. For some reason though, I could let them go in this book. First of all, Emily is SO perfect. She is the best helicopter pilot ever, the best chef ever, the most skilled fighter, the bravest person to walk this earth, and every man that sees her has instant lust. She was best friends growing up with the man that is now President. Her father is the head of the FBI. In most books, this would be a deal breaker for me. I don’t like a perfect heroine. But for some reason, I liked Emily. I don’t know why! She never felt like she bragged about her accomplishments or that she acted better than anyone else. She worked for me – maybe because she isn’t perfect at love? Her relationship with Mark is a very interesting one that kept my interest the entire time. They had amazing chemistry together.

Now Mark – oh Mark I loved. He is such a cranky, surly, alpha male. Totally in love with Emily, but unable to tell or show her due to his higher rank. When he slips and kisses her right before she leaves, he gets so upset with himself that he erred. But when he learns she is injured back in the states, he is the one that comes, quietly, and just sits in her hospital room in a dark corner and holds vigil. He is there for her, even though she doesn’t know it. Excuse me while I swoon. He is super tough, but super in love with Emily, and I loved how their relationship unfolds. I will say the sex scenes are not the greatest in this book. I mean, they are there, but not written very well. We needed more detail! I wanted more naked Mark. What?

The plot and conflict in this one is so outlandish and totally unrealistic.The drama involving the first lady is crazy. The fact that one of the USA’s most elite helicopter pilots has to go become the First lady’s chef is also crazy. But again – I liked it. It is action packed and totally sucked me in.

So final verdict – I liked, but keep in mind of the very perfect heroine, lackluster sex scenes, and crazy plot. But I bet you will be entertained.

[Heather Book Savvy Babe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed reading The Night Is Mine, a book full of action, suspense, and a heroine who speaks "guy." Before I began reading this book, I was looking over reviews, and there were some mixed opinions, making me even more curious about this book. With an open mind, I began reading The Night Is Mine, and from the beginning I was drawn into this thrilling adventure.

I love the heroine of this story, Emily Beale. Emily is a tough, kick-butt heroine who doesn't put up with crap. She is an extremely talented aviator in the military and resents when people judge her because of her gender. Basically, Emily is my kind of heroine. Emily's gets thrown a curve-ball when she is called out of active duty to go undercover as a bodyguard for the First Lady of the United States. The catch, Emily has to masquerade as a chef and private pilot, a seemingly demeaning operation for someone as talented as Emily. However, there is a traitor in the White House, the First Lady's life in in danger, and it's Emily's job to discover the truth.

Mixed throughout the story is plenty of action. In the beginning, Emily is in Afghanistan on a mission, flying fighter planes. I only wish that I new more about military aircraft so I could have envisioned the scenes better. I will admit that I have very little understanding of military speak and terminology, so there were a few moments when some things would fly right over my head. However, I was always caught up in the story and appreciative of the action and fast pace of the plot. Also, the action does not end when Emily is acting as a chef, she may not be in a war zone, but there is still danger, flying, and showing the secret service what's up.

Yes, this book is a ROMANTIC suspense. Major Mark Henderson is Emily's commanding officer, and he was not pleased when Emily was reassigned. Mark, feeling very attached to Emily, managed to get leave and be with Emily on her new assignment. Mark acts as Emily's boyfriend as a cover identity and sparks definitely fly between the two. However, due to the military rules about fraternization, the pair are hot and cold for fear of the repercussions of a relationship. Both Emily and Mark have to ask themselves what they really want for their future. While the on and off relationship status persisted, both Emily and Mark showed strength of character by being there for each other and for accepting each other for who they are. Neither of them wanted to change the other, and I liked that about their relationship.

As to the end, I was surprised. I was not able to guess the ending, there is more to the situation in Washington than even I thought. I was very pleased with the outcome, both for the situation in Washington, but also for Mark and Emily. However, I do think that some questions were left unanswered (for example, how long they would be able to make a relationship work). The Night is Mine is a solid story, not perfect, but highly enjoyable to read.

The Night is Mine is a breakout romantic suspense novel with thrilling action and a capable heroine. There are a lot of high points to this novel, and not a lot of lows. So, I rate The Night is Mine 4 of 5 stars. I recommend this book to romance readers, and those readers who love romantic suspense.

*I received this book for review*

[The_Book_Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The review that follows is a partial review. To read my full review, please visit: http://tbqspersonalbookpalace.blogspo...

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What do you get when you combine a high-paced adventure with a sexy SOAR couple and a bit of edge-of-your-seat suspense? One hell of a ride!



Emily Beale, Captain in the rarely heard of SOAR division of the Army, is not a wimpy heroine, nor is she the social butterfly her mother had always hoped for. Instead, she's a tough woman, strong. One who knows what she wants (to fly) and does whatever is needed to accomplish it. As the only woman in a male-dominated career, she's had to work her a$$ off—literally—to get where she is. It's not easy earning the respect of the me she works with. But she's found that a good a$$-kicking or two goes a long way to helping to smooth the road...


I loved Emily's character. She was talented and smart, brave and motivated—she knew what she wanted to do and she didn't let anyone stand in her way. I can respect that. She was also a more complex character, I came to realize,with a few surprises up her sleeves. She's definitely not your typical blonde (no offense to anyone!) nor is she your usual heroine. And yet this fit, because she was herself, pure and simple.


Major Mark Henderson, aka “The Viper”, has a reputation for being tough. He never jokes, he never makes a mistake, and he rarely compliments one of his men—even when they do their job correctly. But Emily brings out all of these things in him. Not a good thing when showing any interest in her can get him court-marshaled! Oh, but it would be so tempting, just to be able to kiss her—just once. But when he does, he realizes that once will never be enough....

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This review is property of TBQ's Book Palace (The_Book_Queen).

[Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was posted at Under The Covers

This story started out very well for me. The cover is nice, the blurb sounds good, and when I start reading there's a kick ass military helicopter pilot female, and a hot alpha male helicopter pilot. So far, it has me hooked. I love military couples, I love kick ass heroines, and I have a thing for pilots. Maybe this has to do with my obsession with the TV show Pensacola: Wings of Gold back in the 90s. But nonetheless, I was ready to enjoy this.

Except I ran into a few problems. Captain Emily Beale goes from kick ass chick to Ms. Perfect Martha Stewart. Turns out she's practically a professional chef while she's slumming in the desert and is being called to act the part of the First Lady's Personal Chef. This is all a coverup, and she's being brought in as security for the First Lady. Who just happens to be married to Emily's childhood crush, yeah, the President.

So once I was able to put that aside, Emily and Major Mark Henderson had so much potential as a couple but I felt their relationship was never really developed. We spent more time on tactical details of flying a helicopter or mission specifics than on the actual building up of the relationships. There were times that I felt Emily still had a crush on the President and maybe that story should be developing more.

The twist at the end of the story was good though and it kept things interesting. I should've seen that coming but I didn't. In the end, Emily and Mark do find the traitor and find that they can make a life together.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so much fun to read, mostly because for a great portion of the book I couldn't figure out the bad guy or just where the story was going to go.

I loved that Emily was one of the few elite helicopter pilots. I also loved that she didn't try to be super manly, yes she did fit in with the guys, but the guys respected her too based on her actions.

I hated the whole yanked to the White House detail that came up. If I had been Emily I would have been so pissed!! But this cush job turned out to be anything but. It was here that I kept getting surprised. I loved how Marky acted, the way that Emily's parents acted towards him, and how he was so off kilter about what to do with Emily. I loved that Emily seemed to get her balance once she had a mission, she rarely doubted herself then.

I could hardly believe the action at the end! Both Emily and Mark's actions were above and beyond the call. I hated the choice that Emily was forced to make too, one that had it come even a month earlier her decision would have been different. I understood her anger and loved what she choose to do.

The ending was great too, as it showed how much Emily was respected for her skills and how she finally was going to get what she really wanted!

[Sunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a LOT more complicated than the summary would suggest. I am really torn about how to rate this book. This is a highly suspenseful story (+), if a little implausible. However, it is mired in too much jargon. I've learned more than I ever wanted know about piloting a helicopter. Actually, I didn't learn that much because I had no context to understand the specialized language. I guess I could've carries around a helicopter manual and that might have helped. So I was going to give this story a 3 star rating, but then.....

More review to come when I finished writing it.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Night is Mine is the perfect mix of action and romance. Since I read Pure Heat first, I loved learning about Emily and Mark Henderson's beginnings. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys military/suspense/romance.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent premise for the story but at times the writing did not seem to flow. Do not know if it was a glitch from the publisher or just the authors style.