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Dark Ops #5
Guardian
THEY’D DO ANYTHING FOR COUNTRY. AND EVERYTHING FOR EACH OTHER. After a dark ops malfunction, Major David Berg finds himself dead center in a military trial. It’s a race against time to root out the truth, and Major Sophie Campbell isn’t making that any easier. The hot JAG wants to bring down David’s unit and fast. His testimony is crucial to winning a case that will make her career. All Sophie has to do is ignore this witness’s unflappable charm, his unnerving good looks, and a strong, solid presence that commands her attention. It’s not easy for David, either. His attraction to this take-charge beauty is turning him inside out. But these adversaries have more in common than secret, mutual desire. There’s a traitor somewhere in the dark ops and now, to find him, David and Sophie must work together—relentlessly, tirelessly, and so intimately it could be damn near fatal.
303 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2012
13 people are currently reading
527 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Mann
597 books1,247 followersUSA Today bestseller Catherine Mann has written women's fiction, romance, and romantic suspense for Lake Union, Harlequin, HQN, Berkley, Tule, and Sourcebooks, with titles released in more than 30 countries. Catherine’s novels have won numerous awards, including a RITA Award, the Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer’s Choice Award, and the Bookseller’s Best Award.
A South Carolinian at heart, after years of moving around the country Catherine has settled back in her home state with her Harley-riding husband. Empty nesters, they have a blended family of nine children, nine grandchildren, two dogs, and three feral cats, who all provide endless inspiration for new novels. For more information, visit: http://catherinemann.com
A South Carolinian at heart, after years of moving around the country Catherine has settled back in her home state with her Harley-riding husband. Empty nesters, they have a blended family of nine children, nine grandchildren, two dogs, and three feral cats, who all provide endless inspiration for new novels. For more information, visit: http://catherinemann.com
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 13, 2012
3.25 stars
Decent book but not a stand out, both the h/H are single parents who have been hurt in their personal lives. The hero's wife walked out since she couldn't handle his life and left their daughter with him plus they lost contact with her son from her first marriage, the hero practically raised. The heroine lost her father when she was young and then the man she married was reckless and adventurous and his death affected her son hard, plus he left them with debts so her love for him is mixed with anger and clarity about his faults and how she let him run things. The heroine plans on getting out of the service, her son cannot lose her too but before that she has a big case to solve, case that puts her against the hero.
There is a subplot with the hero's sister(42) and her romance with a guy who is fifteen years her junior. The hero's sister is twice divorced and though she may come off as a woman of the world, she has been hurt way too many times.
When the heroine is targetted, they come close, working together. Both of them do not want any strings the heroine specifically because she is scared of losing someone again but things work out.
Decent book but not a stand out, both the h/H are single parents who have been hurt in their personal lives. The hero's wife walked out since she couldn't handle his life and left their daughter with him plus they lost contact with her son from her first marriage, the hero practically raised. The heroine lost her father when she was young and then the man she married was reckless and adventurous and his death affected her son hard, plus he left them with debts so her love for him is mixed with anger and clarity about his faults and how she let him run things. The heroine plans on getting out of the service, her son cannot lose her too but before that she has a big case to solve, case that puts her against the hero.
There is a subplot with the hero's sister(42) and her romance with a guy who is fifteen years her junior. The hero's sister is twice divorced and though she may come off as a woman of the world, she has been hurt way too many times.
When the heroine is targetted, they come close, working together. Both of them do not want any strings the heroine specifically because she is scared of losing someone again but things work out.
July 11, 2014
Good book. David and Sophie are on opposite sides of a case involving a military test that went wrong and injured a child. David knows that his man didn't make any mistakes and Sophie is equally convinced that he did. Sophie also discovers that she is becoming distracted by the attraction she feels for David.
Booth David and Sophie try to fight their feelings. David prefers to concentrate on raising his daughter and protecting her feelings. His wife had left them both and has no real interest in being a mother. As a single father in the military, David has many challenges to keep a stable home life for his daughter. He has been attracted to Sophie for more than a year, but at first she was still married so he buried those feelings. Now that she's a widow it is much harder. Sophie is trying to help her son through the loss of his father. Her husband had been an adrenaline junkie and died doing a stupid stunt with his plane. Now she does her best to avoid any kind of risk that could worry her son, and she also avoids risking her own heart on someone else who takes risks. Her sudden attraction to David is as unwelcome as it is hard to resist.
As David and Sophie butt heads over the case strange accidents start to happen to Sophie. David goes into protector mode to try to keep her safe. This puts the two of them into much closer contact and the attraction between them starts to escalate. At first they plan on just a short fling with each other, but their feelings become too intense for that to satisfy them for long. David is the first to admit to himself that he wants more, but getting Sophie on board proves to be a challenge. David knows that life can change quickly and wants to grab the good stuff while it lasts. Sophie is also falling for David, but she fears what could happen to her and her son if they were to lose another person that they loved. It takes almost losing him for her to realize that the risk is worth it.
I loved the portrayal of what life is like for military parents and the challenges they face. It wasn't overdone, nor was it fixed in a simplistic manner. Both David and Sophie were shown having to work at making a successful family life. I also enjoyed the interactions between the two of them as they started to mesh their lives. With two very different ways of looking at things, compromises had to be explored.
The suspense part of the story was very good. The viewpoint of the bad guy was shown from the start, even if we didn't know who he was. His increasing desperation to stop the investigation showed the escalation of the danger to Sophie. I loved seeing David and Sophie start working together to find the truth. The final confrontation was nerve wracking as I waited to see if David would be able to keep Sophie from being hurt. The identity of the bad guy was a surprise to me, which made the conclusion even better.
I also enjoyed seeing various characters from earlier books. They were included in a logical manner, not just thrown in willy-nilly. The secondary romance between David's sister Madison and the much younger Captain Tate was also good. They also had issues to overcome. The confrontation between Tate and David was good - I enjoyed the protective brother vs. boyfriend scenario.
Booth David and Sophie try to fight their feelings. David prefers to concentrate on raising his daughter and protecting her feelings. His wife had left them both and has no real interest in being a mother. As a single father in the military, David has many challenges to keep a stable home life for his daughter. He has been attracted to Sophie for more than a year, but at first she was still married so he buried those feelings. Now that she's a widow it is much harder. Sophie is trying to help her son through the loss of his father. Her husband had been an adrenaline junkie and died doing a stupid stunt with his plane. Now she does her best to avoid any kind of risk that could worry her son, and she also avoids risking her own heart on someone else who takes risks. Her sudden attraction to David is as unwelcome as it is hard to resist.
As David and Sophie butt heads over the case strange accidents start to happen to Sophie. David goes into protector mode to try to keep her safe. This puts the two of them into much closer contact and the attraction between them starts to escalate. At first they plan on just a short fling with each other, but their feelings become too intense for that to satisfy them for long. David is the first to admit to himself that he wants more, but getting Sophie on board proves to be a challenge. David knows that life can change quickly and wants to grab the good stuff while it lasts. Sophie is also falling for David, but she fears what could happen to her and her son if they were to lose another person that they loved. It takes almost losing him for her to realize that the risk is worth it.
I loved the portrayal of what life is like for military parents and the challenges they face. It wasn't overdone, nor was it fixed in a simplistic manner. Both David and Sophie were shown having to work at making a successful family life. I also enjoyed the interactions between the two of them as they started to mesh their lives. With two very different ways of looking at things, compromises had to be explored.
The suspense part of the story was very good. The viewpoint of the bad guy was shown from the start, even if we didn't know who he was. His increasing desperation to stop the investigation showed the escalation of the danger to Sophie. I loved seeing David and Sophie start working together to find the truth. The final confrontation was nerve wracking as I waited to see if David would be able to keep Sophie from being hurt. The identity of the bad guy was a surprise to me, which made the conclusion even better.
I also enjoyed seeing various characters from earlier books. They were included in a logical manner, not just thrown in willy-nilly. The secondary romance between David's sister Madison and the much younger Captain Tate was also good. They also had issues to overcome. The confrontation between Tate and David was good - I enjoyed the protective brother vs. boyfriend scenario.
August 29, 2012
I have read a few of Catherine’s books, and loved each one and this is absolutely no exception. I did not want to put this book down.I felt drawn into the dialogue wanting to know what would happen next and found myself rooting for the hero and heroine.
Major Sophie Campbell is a lawyer determined to find out the truth to an incident that harmed a civilian child when no one will take the blame for it. Winning this case will surely help the child, but it will also destroy the reputation of a pilot with a spotless record. She has no time for a relationship, but boy does she get all hot and bothered when she sees Major David Berg, and she will do anything in her power to try to avoid those feelings. Which is going to be very hard for her to do when he is called to the stand as a witness.
Major David Berg is the director in charge of the unit that was testing a gun mount system in a few of their aircrafts. He knows that his pilot did nothing to cause the gun to malfunction, but cannot figure out what caused it to discharge on its own. He has had feelings for Sophie for quite a while, so when things start putting her in danger he cannot sit back a watch. He decides to offer Sophie his help with the case and protection.
They agree to work together to find out the truth no matter what the results may be. As they try to find answers it’s getting harder to keep their feelings to themselves and things start heating up between them. As they get closer to finding out the truth there is someone that does not want it known and will stop at nothing to keep it buried, even murder. Can Sophie and David find out who is behind this horrible incident? Will they both have a second chance at love before it’s too late? Or will someone put a stop to it all before it really starts.
I received this book from the author for free in exchange for an honest review.
Major Sophie Campbell is a lawyer determined to find out the truth to an incident that harmed a civilian child when no one will take the blame for it. Winning this case will surely help the child, but it will also destroy the reputation of a pilot with a spotless record. She has no time for a relationship, but boy does she get all hot and bothered when she sees Major David Berg, and she will do anything in her power to try to avoid those feelings. Which is going to be very hard for her to do when he is called to the stand as a witness.
Major David Berg is the director in charge of the unit that was testing a gun mount system in a few of their aircrafts. He knows that his pilot did nothing to cause the gun to malfunction, but cannot figure out what caused it to discharge on its own. He has had feelings for Sophie for quite a while, so when things start putting her in danger he cannot sit back a watch. He decides to offer Sophie his help with the case and protection.
They agree to work together to find out the truth no matter what the results may be. As they try to find answers it’s getting harder to keep their feelings to themselves and things start heating up between them. As they get closer to finding out the truth there is someone that does not want it known and will stop at nothing to keep it buried, even murder. Can Sophie and David find out who is behind this horrible incident? Will they both have a second chance at love before it’s too late? Or will someone put a stop to it all before it really starts.
I received this book from the author for free in exchange for an honest review.
May 25, 2016
I liked this one and loved the ending.
August 25, 2017
I didn't know what to expect from this book as I couldn't place the hero in this or to the others. It does some of the guys from the group helping the hero in this story, so that must be the connection.
I liked how strong the heroine was in this one. However, the butting of heads over and over started to get old after awhile. You could understand where all the concern for the non military members of the family were. The sister of the heroine I was tired of and the boyfriend of hers, I would have let him go to jail.
Overall the chemistry between the hero and heroine started off good but seemed to sizzle bait. This being said the heroine seemed to remember she was a female by the end which was good.
I liked how strong the heroine was in this one. However, the butting of heads over and over started to get old after awhile. You could understand where all the concern for the non military members of the family were. The sister of the heroine I was tired of and the boyfriend of hers, I would have let him go to jail.
Overall the chemistry between the hero and heroine started off good but seemed to sizzle bait. This being said the heroine seemed to remember she was a female by the end which was good.
October 30, 2017
This story had a hard time holding my attention. I found it tedious that the trial went on & on and it took until the end of the book to determine an equipment malfunction. Duh.
It would have been more interesting if they had reached that conclusion much sooner, then followed the money to see who was involved.
The romance was a bit lackluster, too, with all of the "should we or shouldn't we". I realize that relationships are stickier with children involved, but still, it was almost a buzz-kill.
It would have been more interesting if they had reached that conclusion much sooner, then followed the money to see who was involved.
The romance was a bit lackluster, too, with all of the "should we or shouldn't we". I realize that relationships are stickier with children involved, but still, it was almost a buzz-kill.
September 14, 2023
Utterly predictable plot; I am just skimming it to get to the end and resolution, which is a foregone conclusion. No suspense here.
November 1, 2024
I picked this series of books because I wanted to read about the military - not read about the development of a sexual relationship
August 20, 2012
This book will be available to purchase on September 4, 2012.
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I used to read military romance like there was no tomorrow. Big, strong, gallant soldiers, impassioned romance, and plenty of suspense all add up to a captivating story.
Major Sophie Campbell is involved in a case that could make her career. Single mom and Jag lawyer, she is on a mission and Major David ”Ice” Berg is sitting in the hot seat. She needs crucial evidence from him, but a surprising attraction has caught her off guard. She’s known David for over a year. Why now? Remaining focused on her agenda, she grills David mercilessly, looking for a chink in his defensive armor, trying to get that much-needed information to prove her case.
But David isn’t called ”Ice” for nothing. Sure that Captain Tate is innocent of any wrong doing, he does what soldiers are trained to do, what becomes ingrained in them in order for them to face a battle field. He covers the captain’s back. Trying to remain calm while being picked away at by Sophie is getting more and more difficult. Not only is she an experienced lawyer, she is also incredibly beautiful. David has been drawn to her ever since they met over a year ago. At the time, she was still married so he ignored the attraction. Now she is widowed and, like him, unattached .
We have two strong-willed people with successful military careers, both single parents, recognizing the growing physical and emotional attraction between them. Things get complicated as their desire for each other proves to be distracting. They need to concentrate all of their energy on solving this case, exposing a traitor, and staying alive.
Can Sophie and David work together to expose the truth and have a happily ever after?
You’ll have to read Guardian and discover for yourself.
Thinking this would be a casual, light read sure wasn’t what I got. The suspense grows gradually as the case moves along and the attraction between Sophie and David is well plotted, no instant giving in to their desires.
Catherine Mann keeps the romance true-to-life, showing how difficult it is to have a career, raise a child as a single parent, and have a relationship. I enjoyed reading about this from both the female and male perspective. The emotional longing to be close to each other and the steamy scenes when they give in to their desires is like an intense suspense and then an Aah moment. Now you can relax for a while.
Here are a couple of examples of what I mean:
She wanted to kiss his smile more than she wanted air. She also wanted to tear his clothes from his body and have him here, in the water or even on the dock – if it was a little more private.
What the hell was going on with her?
She wasn’t a rip-a-man’s-clothes-off type. She was more the candlelight-and-flowers sort, sensual romanticism, not gritty passion. Making a change in her address was one thing. Taking on an affair with this man was a different matter altogether…if she dared.
He leaned toward her, and her hand settled on his chest, her fingers gripping the warm cotton of his polo shirt. She felt his heart beat faster. Touching him, angling into the kiss was beginning to become such a natural thing…
Feel the heat? It gets hotter.
David crossed the kitchen in three strides, kneeling inches in front of her.
Sleepy-lidded eyes stared down at her as he braced both hands on either side of her on the sofa. If she leaned even a hint either way, they would touch. Her every nerve ending would ignite.
“David?”
“Until today, for over a year I’ve resisted the urge to take you to bed, uncover every inch of you, and show you just how good we can be together. ” He seduced her without a single caress, using his low husky tones instead.
Okay, that’s enough for now.
No doubt about it, Catherine Mann knows how to write a suspenseful military romance. I missed reading stories like this and enjoyed my racing pulse. Much more than a story of wrong-doing, Guardian is a story of life and living it despite the hardships dropped in your path.
Romance and Romantic Suspense are Catherine’s specialty! I would suggest you do as she does. Grab her book, head to the beach, and “dive” in (to her book, silly). Don’t forget a hat and sunscreen as you will forget where you are once you start this book. She wields a wicked pen. Wouldn’t want you to get a sunburn.
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I used to read military romance like there was no tomorrow. Big, strong, gallant soldiers, impassioned romance, and plenty of suspense all add up to a captivating story.
Major Sophie Campbell is involved in a case that could make her career. Single mom and Jag lawyer, she is on a mission and Major David ”Ice” Berg is sitting in the hot seat. She needs crucial evidence from him, but a surprising attraction has caught her off guard. She’s known David for over a year. Why now? Remaining focused on her agenda, she grills David mercilessly, looking for a chink in his defensive armor, trying to get that much-needed information to prove her case.
But David isn’t called ”Ice” for nothing. Sure that Captain Tate is innocent of any wrong doing, he does what soldiers are trained to do, what becomes ingrained in them in order for them to face a battle field. He covers the captain’s back. Trying to remain calm while being picked away at by Sophie is getting more and more difficult. Not only is she an experienced lawyer, she is also incredibly beautiful. David has been drawn to her ever since they met over a year ago. At the time, she was still married so he ignored the attraction. Now she is widowed and, like him, unattached .
We have two strong-willed people with successful military careers, both single parents, recognizing the growing physical and emotional attraction between them. Things get complicated as their desire for each other proves to be distracting. They need to concentrate all of their energy on solving this case, exposing a traitor, and staying alive.
Can Sophie and David work together to expose the truth and have a happily ever after?
You’ll have to read Guardian and discover for yourself.
Thinking this would be a casual, light read sure wasn’t what I got. The suspense grows gradually as the case moves along and the attraction between Sophie and David is well plotted, no instant giving in to their desires.
Catherine Mann keeps the romance true-to-life, showing how difficult it is to have a career, raise a child as a single parent, and have a relationship. I enjoyed reading about this from both the female and male perspective. The emotional longing to be close to each other and the steamy scenes when they give in to their desires is like an intense suspense and then an Aah moment. Now you can relax for a while.
Here are a couple of examples of what I mean:
She wanted to kiss his smile more than she wanted air. She also wanted to tear his clothes from his body and have him here, in the water or even on the dock – if it was a little more private.
What the hell was going on with her?
She wasn’t a rip-a-man’s-clothes-off type. She was more the candlelight-and-flowers sort, sensual romanticism, not gritty passion. Making a change in her address was one thing. Taking on an affair with this man was a different matter altogether…if she dared.
He leaned toward her, and her hand settled on his chest, her fingers gripping the warm cotton of his polo shirt. She felt his heart beat faster. Touching him, angling into the kiss was beginning to become such a natural thing…
Feel the heat? It gets hotter.
David crossed the kitchen in three strides, kneeling inches in front of her.
Sleepy-lidded eyes stared down at her as he braced both hands on either side of her on the sofa. If she leaned even a hint either way, they would touch. Her every nerve ending would ignite.
“David?”
“Until today, for over a year I’ve resisted the urge to take you to bed, uncover every inch of you, and show you just how good we can be together. ” He seduced her without a single caress, using his low husky tones instead.
Okay, that’s enough for now.
No doubt about it, Catherine Mann knows how to write a suspenseful military romance. I missed reading stories like this and enjoyed my racing pulse. Much more than a story of wrong-doing, Guardian is a story of life and living it despite the hardships dropped in your path.
Romance and Romantic Suspense are Catherine’s specialty! I would suggest you do as she does. Grab her book, head to the beach, and “dive” in (to her book, silly). Don’t forget a hat and sunscreen as you will forget where you are once you start this book. She wields a wicked pen. Wouldn’t want you to get a sunburn.
September 6, 2012
I loved the Guardian by Catherine Mann. I've been reading her military romances for years. It is a true feel good, happy ending romance.
Major David Berg and JAG officer Major Sophie Campbell are on opposing sides of a conflict. They decide to work together to find out answers on whether it was an equipment failure or one of his men's failures. As they work together, the single parents find much in common including the neighborhood they both live in, and their children already being friends. As they continue the investigation mysteries deepen and lives are in peril.
This continuation of Mann's Dark Op series is an entertaining and suspenseful read. I look forward to future books.
Major David Berg and JAG officer Major Sophie Campbell are on opposing sides of a conflict. They decide to work together to find out answers on whether it was an equipment failure or one of his men's failures. As they work together, the single parents find much in common including the neighborhood they both live in, and their children already being friends. As they continue the investigation mysteries deepen and lives are in peril.
This continuation of Mann's Dark Op series is an entertaining and suspenseful read. I look forward to future books.
July 26, 2016
I somehow got my hands on book five in the Dark Ops series from Catherine Mann, Guardian, without having read any of the earlier books. I didn’t have too much trouble jumping right in with Major Berg, David, and Major Campbell, Sophie. I really liked how Ms. Mann approached the challenge of being a single parent, both from the mother’s and father’s prospective since David and Sophie were raising a child on their own. I loved Ms. Mann's take on how these two worked to put family first as well as serving in the military and carved out some time for a budding relationship. Really enjoyable action packed, sexy story with very strong characters. Fun read!
November 14, 2012
This one riveted me right from the start. I do love romantic suspense and this one delivered quite a punch. Can't wait to read more. She is a new author for me (I know, where have I been?), but my recent taste change to military romantic suspense brought me to Catherine's writing, and I have to say now I have another 10 books to my TBR pile. But I'm enjoying every minute of it. This Black Ops series is fantastic.
August 18, 2013
5 stars more because of family feelings than military parts!
The story is really sweet and if it's lacking of action it counterparts with lots of steamy parts!!!
Both of hero and heroine are lonely with a child, both of them are working together to find the truth about a flying incident that injured a little boy, they are really positive character bent to find the truth despite their personal positions.
It's a sort of legal story and I loved it very much.
The story is really sweet and if it's lacking of action it counterparts with lots of steamy parts!!!
Both of hero and heroine are lonely with a child, both of them are working together to find the truth about a flying incident that injured a little boy, they are really positive character bent to find the truth despite their personal positions.
It's a sort of legal story and I loved it very much.
October 17, 2012
I kinda loved the beginning, the chemistry between David and Sophie, the relationship.. I really enjoyrd it. But somehow the ending was not that thrilling. The bad guys was so easily got caught and dead. But i think it was quiet entertaining, a quick light reading one.
3.5 stars. But I gave it 4 stars for the sake of Paul Marron on the cover. Hohohoho...
3.5 stars. But I gave it 4 stars for the sake of Paul Marron on the cover. Hohohoho...
February 19, 2013
How can you not fall in love with a man in uniform who wants to protect the women in his life? David is that man and trying to get Sophie to take a chance on him may be the greatest risk she has ever taken. To add to the fighting attraction they are on the opposite sides of a case. Filled with mystery and intrigue this is sure to not leave you wanting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2014
I have been reading Cathy's books for a while and yes she is one of the authors that are on my keeper shelf. I love the fact that she combines real Alpha males and amazing heroines into a story that is very believable. Once I started reading it, I could not stop. I highly recommend Guardian. I have the rest of the Dark Ops series and I am so looking forward to reading my next one.
September 6, 2012
Kind of a quick read, but good. Likable characters with baggage that affects their relationship but is overcome. Story was reasonable exciting. I actually liked the sub-plot involving Megan just as much as the one with Sophie and David.
September 15, 2012
A solid addition to the series.
October 29, 2012
the identity of the villian was not a dead giveaway.
September 5, 2012
Hate to say it because I LOVE Catherine Mann, but this one was disappointing. I did not connect with the characters and there was nothing surprising about the story.
November 19, 2012
David "Ice" Berg is one sizzling hot bad boy! And JAG lawyer Sophie Campbell is more than a match for this flyboy.
I just wish Tater had gotten his own story instead of a bit part in this book.
I just wish Tater had gotten his own story instead of a bit part in this book.
April 20, 2013
Really enjoyed this one. Lovely epilogue.
April 3, 2014
Another great read by the amazing Catherine Mann.
Read
February 10, 2016DNF at 50%
boring af
boring af
May 31, 2016
Great read. Intriguing storyline. Dynamic characters. Love this series.
April 16, 2024
⛔️(in notes)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews