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A Breed Apart #3
Beowulf: Explosives Detection Dog
Former Navy handler Timbrel Hogan has more attitude than her Explosives Detection Dog, Beowulf, but she’s a tough woman who gets the job done. Green Beret Tony “Candyman” VanAllen likes a challenge and convincing the hard-hitting handler they belong together might just get him killed.
When tragedy strikes and Tony’s career is jeopardized, Timbrel must re-evaluate her priorities—and fast! A terrorist plots to unleash a weapon of mass destruction on American soil. Can Timbrel and Beowulf track the chemicals in time? Will Tony surrender everything to save the woman nobody believes in?
When tragedy strikes and Tony’s career is jeopardized, Timbrel must re-evaluate her priorities—and fast! A terrorist plots to unleash a weapon of mass destruction on American soil. Can Timbrel and Beowulf track the chemicals in time? Will Tony surrender everything to save the woman nobody believes in?
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
56 people are currently reading
729 people want to read
About the author
Ronie Kendig
61 books1,241 followersRonie Kendig is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty books. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army-veteran husband have returned to their beloved Texas after a nearly ten-year stint in the Northeast. They survive on Sonic runs, barbecue, and peach cobbler that they share--sometimes--with Benning the Stealth Golden and AAndromeda the #mwdwashout. Ronie's degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.
Since launching onto the publishing scene, Ronie’s Rapid-Fire Fiction has hit the CBA Bestseller List, won the prestigious Christy Award, Carol Award, the RT Reviewers' Choice Award (twice), the HOLT Medallion, the IRCA, and FamilyFiction’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
Ronie loves people and helping other writers through speaking, workshops, and/or mentoring. Find Ronie at www.roniekendig.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction) , Twitter (@roniekendig), GoodReads, and Instagram (www.instagram.com/kendigronie ).
Since launching onto the publishing scene, Ronie’s Rapid-Fire Fiction has hit the CBA Bestseller List, won the prestigious Christy Award, Carol Award, the RT Reviewers' Choice Award (twice), the HOLT Medallion, the IRCA, and FamilyFiction’s Readers’ Choice Awards.
Ronie loves people and helping other writers through speaking, workshops, and/or mentoring. Find Ronie at www.roniekendig.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction) , Twitter (@roniekendig), GoodReads, and Instagram (www.instagram.com/kendigronie ).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
April 1, 2017
As I put this book away, I can think of only one word to express how I'm feeling right now... Satisfied.
Timbrel and Tony have been my favorite characters from this series and I have been looking forward to reading this book for so long! I knew they were going to have some issues to work through and I enjoyed "seeing" them do that. Yes, I got frustrated at them both, but that's okay. There were some hard parts, several of them, where things got a little discouraging and knowing how it would turn out (I mean, come one! Doesn't everyone know how this story will end?) was the only thing that kept me reading. But those parts were important and necessary for the characters to be able to grow and to grow closer together. And there were also a lot of good, funny, and sweet parts that I enjoyed very much!
Beowulf... What can I say? I want this dog! The more I read about him, the more I loved him. It seemed to me that he sort of played the part of big brother to Timbrel. Being there for her, protecting her, helping her, loving her, giving the other guy in her life a super hard time... ;) Sometimes, he seemed a bit more like a human than a dog.
Usually, I'm disappointed when a series ends. And, after reading the last book in Ronie's "Discarded Heroes" series, I was almost scared to read this book! But I wasn't disappointed at all. I was, as I said earlier, very satisfied. I like how this book ended. And I'm sure I'll be returning to it for a re-read in the future.
There is one thing I must say about Ronie Kendig's writing -- It is so vivid that I felt like I was watching this story take place rather than reading it in a book. I could see the things happening and feel the emotions of the characters. This really helps draw me into the story -- it makes it more real to me -- and I love that!
It's official: This is my favorite book so far this year!
Timbrel and Tony have been my favorite characters from this series and I have been looking forward to reading this book for so long! I knew they were going to have some issues to work through and I enjoyed "seeing" them do that. Yes, I got frustrated at them both, but that's okay. There were some hard parts, several of them, where things got a little discouraging and knowing how it would turn out (I mean, come one! Doesn't everyone know how this story will end?) was the only thing that kept me reading. But those parts were important and necessary for the characters to be able to grow and to grow closer together. And there were also a lot of good, funny, and sweet parts that I enjoyed very much!
Beowulf... What can I say? I want this dog! The more I read about him, the more I loved him. It seemed to me that he sort of played the part of big brother to Timbrel. Being there for her, protecting her, helping her, loving her, giving the other guy in her life a super hard time... ;) Sometimes, he seemed a bit more like a human than a dog.
Usually, I'm disappointed when a series ends. And, after reading the last book in Ronie's "Discarded Heroes" series, I was almost scared to read this book! But I wasn't disappointed at all. I was, as I said earlier, very satisfied. I like how this book ended. And I'm sure I'll be returning to it for a re-read in the future.
There is one thing I must say about Ronie Kendig's writing -- It is so vivid that I felt like I was watching this story take place rather than reading it in a book. I could see the things happening and feel the emotions of the characters. This really helps draw me into the story -- it makes it more real to me -- and I love that!
It's official: This is my favorite book so far this year!
March 18, 2024
Rating 3.5
Since I've met Timbrel in Book 1 of the series, I liked her. In book 2 I loved the interaction between her and Candyman and couldn't wait to read their story.
Action/Suspense: The action/suspense was mild for me. It wasn't as action packed as with book 2 and the ending happened very fast. It felt like I was missing something between chapters.
Timbrel and Candyman: This book was more focused on the emotional journey and turmoil of these two characters and was greatly written. Things from Timbrel's past which was revealed provided understanding of her behaviour towards men. She had to work through a lot. Candyman also had some family issues to deal with which was surprising and after an accident, he had to work through probably the worst challenge of his life. How he dealt with this was, for me, a true representation of what heroes like Candyman struggle with and I was glad he found himself again. I think he was my favourite hero through the series.
I loved the 4 paw characters, Beo and Rika!
Recommended to fans of military suspense books.
Since I've met Timbrel in Book 1 of the series, I liked her. In book 2 I loved the interaction between her and Candyman and couldn't wait to read their story.
Action/Suspense: The action/suspense was mild for me. It wasn't as action packed as with book 2 and the ending happened very fast. It felt like I was missing something between chapters.
Timbrel and Candyman: This book was more focused on the emotional journey and turmoil of these two characters and was greatly written. Things from Timbrel's past which was revealed provided understanding of her behaviour towards men. She had to work through a lot. Candyman also had some family issues to deal with which was surprising and after an accident, he had to work through probably the worst challenge of his life. How he dealt with this was, for me, a true representation of what heroes like Candyman struggle with and I was glad he found himself again. I think he was my favourite hero through the series.
I loved the 4 paw characters, Beo and Rika!
Recommended to fans of military suspense books.
January 27, 2014
My Comments
Wow, what a GREAT book, it’s worth MUCH MORE than 5 stars! From the FIRST ten pages, I knew I was gonna love this story and I was NOT disappointed. Beowulf starts exactly where Talon leaves off at. As Timbrel runs from Candyman in her car, he takes chase and she calls the police on him knowing that will be the only way to subdue him….couldn’t believe she did that!
Timbrel is determined to have only one man in her life and that’s her dog, Beowulf. Too many men, boyfriends and step dads, have failed her in the past and she refuses to let anyone guy get close to her now. However, Candyman’s different and determined even though Timbrel makes it clear she’s not interested. Will Candyman be able to see past her brokenness and barriers to have a future with her?
James Tony “Candyman” VanAllen is the best at his job being a Green Beret Special Ops soldier and he loves serving his country. He has always been a flirt and a charmer with the ladies and he enjoys annoying Timbrel with his jibes. However, no matter how badly she treats him, he can’t stop thinking of her. What will it take on his part to prove he’s the real deal in her life, that he won’t fail her?
What I loved in this story:
Candyman’s team of soldiers, they make things lively and interesting, they stick together through everything
Tony’s family back home; his parents, his siblings, and his niece and nephew….they enhance the storyline tremendously
Without a doubt, Beowulf, an ugly beast (that I easily fell in love with) who never fails his handler or their missions….he was the real hero in the story all the way!
The conversation between Timbrel and Tony’s mom….seriously loved that scene between these two women who are very special to Tony
Loved that Candyman and Timbrel get to work together in more than one emergency/mission
Really loved the movie lines between Tony and Timbrel
There is no profanity or inappropriate content and there is plenty of constant action
Kendig includes a small glossary explaining what EDD (and others) stand for
I thought of the movie Turner and Hooch and that’s kind of the idea I had of Beowulf. This youtube video conveys that even though I’m convinced that Beowulf is much better trained and more deadly than Hooch, they are both vicious dogs to cross paths with.
“No, I’m trying to make you understand that Timbrel won’t give you that chance. She’s been hurt. You pose a threat. She’s had enough training through hard life experiences to know not to let anyone in, that even if she wants to, she can’t take that risk. So like I said, Timbrel won’t give you the chance you want.”
Jaw set, Tony refused to back down. “Then I’ll take it.”
“Take it, how?” Ghost scowled. “You hurt her and I’ll--“
“No, I mean…Listen, I’ve got a dad at home who doesn’t recognize me half the time. I work some of the most dangerous missions in some of the darkest places on earth. I don’t scare easily. I’ll do what I do in the field with the candy bars, gaining the trust of the people.”
“You’re going to give her candy bars?”
Tony grinned. “I’m going to make her life sweet.”
Kendig doesn’t just describe combat, she places the reader in the heart of it with honesty and respect. The story is filled with action, humor, loyalty, passion, intensity, with some sadness but always hope, romance, faith, anger/frustration, integrity, an amazing explosives detection dog who never fails, a few misunderstandings, forgiveness, learning to let go and redemption. I was in amazement over the way Timbrel spoke and her attitude (did she just say that? no way, she did not just take that risk!) in much of the story, but I wouldn’t have her ANY OTHER way. You will NOT be able to put this book down once you’ve started it and you will have new respect for military dogs and their handlers. There are characters from Trinity and Talon in the story, but I consider Beowulf a standalone read. The entire series is awesome, but Beowulf was my favorite and a great conclusion. God bless EDDs, their handlers, and amazing writers like Kendig who tells their stories with passion, humor, and authenticity! Go Beowulf and rock on Timbrel!
I want to thank the author for the review copy and giveaway copy provided. The opinions expressed are my own.
Wow, what a GREAT book, it’s worth MUCH MORE than 5 stars! From the FIRST ten pages, I knew I was gonna love this story and I was NOT disappointed. Beowulf starts exactly where Talon leaves off at. As Timbrel runs from Candyman in her car, he takes chase and she calls the police on him knowing that will be the only way to subdue him….couldn’t believe she did that!
Timbrel is determined to have only one man in her life and that’s her dog, Beowulf. Too many men, boyfriends and step dads, have failed her in the past and she refuses to let anyone guy get close to her now. However, Candyman’s different and determined even though Timbrel makes it clear she’s not interested. Will Candyman be able to see past her brokenness and barriers to have a future with her?
James Tony “Candyman” VanAllen is the best at his job being a Green Beret Special Ops soldier and he loves serving his country. He has always been a flirt and a charmer with the ladies and he enjoys annoying Timbrel with his jibes. However, no matter how badly she treats him, he can’t stop thinking of her. What will it take on his part to prove he’s the real deal in her life, that he won’t fail her?
What I loved in this story:
Candyman’s team of soldiers, they make things lively and interesting, they stick together through everything
Tony’s family back home; his parents, his siblings, and his niece and nephew….they enhance the storyline tremendously
Without a doubt, Beowulf, an ugly beast (that I easily fell in love with) who never fails his handler or their missions….he was the real hero in the story all the way!
The conversation between Timbrel and Tony’s mom….seriously loved that scene between these two women who are very special to Tony
Loved that Candyman and Timbrel get to work together in more than one emergency/mission
Really loved the movie lines between Tony and Timbrel
There is no profanity or inappropriate content and there is plenty of constant action
Kendig includes a small glossary explaining what EDD (and others) stand for
I thought of the movie Turner and Hooch and that’s kind of the idea I had of Beowulf. This youtube video conveys that even though I’m convinced that Beowulf is much better trained and more deadly than Hooch, they are both vicious dogs to cross paths with.
“No, I’m trying to make you understand that Timbrel won’t give you that chance. She’s been hurt. You pose a threat. She’s had enough training through hard life experiences to know not to let anyone in, that even if she wants to, she can’t take that risk. So like I said, Timbrel won’t give you the chance you want.”
Jaw set, Tony refused to back down. “Then I’ll take it.”
“Take it, how?” Ghost scowled. “You hurt her and I’ll--“
“No, I mean…Listen, I’ve got a dad at home who doesn’t recognize me half the time. I work some of the most dangerous missions in some of the darkest places on earth. I don’t scare easily. I’ll do what I do in the field with the candy bars, gaining the trust of the people.”
“You’re going to give her candy bars?”
Tony grinned. “I’m going to make her life sweet.”
Kendig doesn’t just describe combat, she places the reader in the heart of it with honesty and respect. The story is filled with action, humor, loyalty, passion, intensity, with some sadness but always hope, romance, faith, anger/frustration, integrity, an amazing explosives detection dog who never fails, a few misunderstandings, forgiveness, learning to let go and redemption. I was in amazement over the way Timbrel spoke and her attitude (did she just say that? no way, she did not just take that risk!) in much of the story, but I wouldn’t have her ANY OTHER way. You will NOT be able to put this book down once you’ve started it and you will have new respect for military dogs and their handlers. There are characters from Trinity and Talon in the story, but I consider Beowulf a standalone read. The entire series is awesome, but Beowulf was my favorite and a great conclusion. God bless EDDs, their handlers, and amazing writers like Kendig who tells their stories with passion, humor, and authenticity! Go Beowulf and rock on Timbrel!
I want to thank the author for the review copy and giveaway copy provided. The opinions expressed are my own.
February 27, 2017
Beowulf was a book I was eagerly anticipating, mainly because the previous books had me really intrigued by the main characters, Timbrel &"Candyman". This book definitely lived up to my expectations and had so many twists and unexpected moments! Also, I loved the dog, Beowulf, and how loyal he was to Timbrel.
All in all, a great read and conclusion to the series. I did think the ending was a bit quick, but maybe that was just me.
*I received a complimentary eBook copy of this book for my honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
All in all, a great read and conclusion to the series. I did think the ending was a bit quick, but maybe that was just me.
*I received a complimentary eBook copy of this book for my honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
March 27, 2014
First of all, I love Ronie Kending, she has always been sweet to reply to my tweets and that says a lot to me about the authors I adore! I immediately fell more in love with her when she was willing to reach out to her fans.
Ok, I have hounded Ronie about how I am in count down for Beowulf because Tony and Timbrel are my all time favorite characters from her books. I got Beowulf the day it came out and finished it the same day! And she did NOT dissapoint me! I love that Ronie writes long books and I ate it up all day. I was seriously not productive at all yesterday but thankfully I have a patient family who knew I was looking forward to this book and carved out reading time for me!
I marvel at the realistic telling of the military action as well as the characters. Timbrel and Tony feel like they're out there somewhere living their lives amongst us. I love how authors can do that because for me it just makes the book that much better. And all the military jargon and tactical stuff, WOW! I even thought to myself, did this happen and our government swept it under the rug?! Some kind of secret military thing. Good job Ronie!
I love Timbrel because of her feistiness and attitude, so to see a new side of her personality and to find out why she is the way she is was became a crazy wild ride (in a good way). I was sad in the parts when she lost part of her spark and comebacks but I realized she NEEDED to do that in order to grow! There were parts that I wanted to slap her silly, REALLY, SLAP.HER.SILLY! But, kudos to Ronie for being able to bring about such a strong reaction! Then there were times I wanted to hug Timbrel and give her words of encouragement, "stay the course, don't give up". I think Timbrel was one of the more changed characters at the end of book 3 then any other characters in Ronie's books.
Tony, Tony, Tony, be still my beating heart. How I fell in love with this man! I LOVED his laid back attitude and determination to win Timbrel over. I pretty much wanted to hug him through the whole book, well, wait there was a couple of times I wanted to slap some sense into him too. Wow, I was very passionate during Beowulf!!! :) And I had so many laughs between Tony and Beowulf!!! I'm snickering now just thinking about it. Those two cracked me up and then when Rita entered the picture, ahhh. So cute!
I'm really hoping this isn't the last book in the ABA series mainly because of these two characters. I feel like there is unfinished business with them and questions that did not get answered. So, Ronie, if you read this PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, consider writing more ABA books and include the old characters and let us know what is happening to them.
I got a little lost with all the new characters and keeping them straight but that is not Ronie's fault, I tend to have this trouble in other novels as well. I think it was a little more difficult for me when the names were uncommon because there were so many middle eastern names. I have questions below that dealt with probably my confusion w/ names and hoping someone can help me answer them. :)
****Spoiler Alert*****
It was hard for me to watch Tony change when he was injured. That was one character I never wanted to change but how could he NOT after the bomb. That would impact anyone. Great scene when he discovers his injury, it made me put the book down and really THINK about what that would be like. It made me shutter. To watch laid back Tony become angry and push people away (even and especially Timbrel) was so hard to read but so realistic and appropriate for the story. But, I breathed a big old sigh of relief at the end of the book to hear his wit and joking return! That made me beyond happy!
Along those lines, especially if I have Ronie's attention, here is my wish as your devoted reader; please consider to continue to write books about the 3 main characters- Heath, Aspen and Timbrel with new adventures even though they may have their soul mate, those of us who are married know that once to the alter is not the end of a relationship but rather it's just the beginning! How will these couples handle trials, ops, children etc.. You get the picture. This is probably not a popular idea because most books are about the couples finding each other and then end with either THE couple getting engaged or married. I'm so ready to read beyond that and not just little snippets of how the former couples are doing but more books on the same couple but how married life is treating them. I mean I can't even imagine my sweet Hubby and I getting married learning to adjust to that and then BAM our government needs us to help keep our country safe. Agh, how cool would that be?! Actually, I'd be horrible at managing all that but STILL that would be an awesome series. Pretty please!!! (puppy dog eyes, cherries on top and all that stuff...)
Also please remember Jibril and his sister Khaterah need a love life too!!!! Maybe you have planned at least 5 books to this series, ooohhhh, then Jibril would get a book and Khaterah would get a book. Then let's start all over with the married couples. Heehee
Ok, last I have lots of questions from this series that I HAVE TO FIND OUT THE ANSWERS especially if this was the last book. Here we go. If anyone knows the answers, please let me know.
1. Dane and Aspen are married right? In Beowulf it sd. Heath and his wife Darci, then it sd. Aspen and her Russian, hottie Dane. Soooooo are they married?
2. What happened to Dane's sister and Aspen's brother? I was confused about Austin and was he good/bad? Did he reconnect w/ Dane's sister, did she live? Did Austin get court marshaled for how he handled things? Did he and Dane make amends? Did Austin and Aspen reconnect?
3. Why did Austin think Dane betrayed him?
4. What happened to the spy in Trinity that helped Darci? I really thought that was going to end up being Dane's character in Talon. But once I learned Dane was Russian then I knew it couldn't be that guy.
5. Ok, the big one, WHAT OTHER SECRETS does Timbrel have? She made a point to herself that there was more she hadn't told anyone not even Tony. What more can it be???
6. Why wasn't Timbrel's rapist from the Navy not prosecuted or her step-father for that matter? Did anyone else catch that reference that the Navy guy (Corey, I think) was working at the Pentagon. He was def. not prosecuted if he's working that high up. What's the story there???
7. Who is Timbrel's father?
8. Who is Variable??? He was the spy the General met with and everyone seemed a little scared of. Is he Sajjan???
Ok side note, I had a crazy thought when I first read about Variable all I could think of was ooohhh, he would be a cool match for Khaterah. But if he's Sajjan then too late.
9. Which by the way, Sajjan and Nina, how did THAT happen? Was it his mission and it turned to love? What did her Mom think when all this was revealed, I mean she married him but did she know the whole time?
10. Will Tony be in the Raptor 6 series? Yes, folks it all about Tony for me. Heehee
Last thing-I was so sad or maybe frustrated that NOONE told Tony that Beowulf helped save his life and that Timbrel almost died too!!! They didn't tell him that she had a major brain surgery. I kept thinking the General or Watters should tell him to maybe help motivate him or help him see some light and tell him Timbrel kept asking about him and trying to find him. Typical men, add them to my list of people I wanted to slap last night as I read this book. :) At the very end Timbrel as blunt as ever tells him about the brain surgery and his reaction was that he gaped but then they moved on. I had built so much on that revelation that it took me off guard when part of it came to light that it felt a little anti-climatic. I still didn't think Tony really knew the whole picture. But that did not make me think less of this book. It truly is a 5 star awesome story. You go Ronie, give us more, much more!!! And more Tony and Timbrel please!
Oh and Gray, I think that's his name, (Tony's brother), I definitely wanted to slap that guy HARD! Wow, this review is very therapeutic for me. Heehee
Ok, I have hounded Ronie about how I am in count down for Beowulf because Tony and Timbrel are my all time favorite characters from her books. I got Beowulf the day it came out and finished it the same day! And she did NOT dissapoint me! I love that Ronie writes long books and I ate it up all day. I was seriously not productive at all yesterday but thankfully I have a patient family who knew I was looking forward to this book and carved out reading time for me!
I marvel at the realistic telling of the military action as well as the characters. Timbrel and Tony feel like they're out there somewhere living their lives amongst us. I love how authors can do that because for me it just makes the book that much better. And all the military jargon and tactical stuff, WOW! I even thought to myself, did this happen and our government swept it under the rug?! Some kind of secret military thing. Good job Ronie!
I love Timbrel because of her feistiness and attitude, so to see a new side of her personality and to find out why she is the way she is was became a crazy wild ride (in a good way). I was sad in the parts when she lost part of her spark and comebacks but I realized she NEEDED to do that in order to grow! There were parts that I wanted to slap her silly, REALLY, SLAP.HER.SILLY! But, kudos to Ronie for being able to bring about such a strong reaction! Then there were times I wanted to hug Timbrel and give her words of encouragement, "stay the course, don't give up". I think Timbrel was one of the more changed characters at the end of book 3 then any other characters in Ronie's books.
Tony, Tony, Tony, be still my beating heart. How I fell in love with this man! I LOVED his laid back attitude and determination to win Timbrel over. I pretty much wanted to hug him through the whole book, well, wait there was a couple of times I wanted to slap some sense into him too. Wow, I was very passionate during Beowulf!!! :) And I had so many laughs between Tony and Beowulf!!! I'm snickering now just thinking about it. Those two cracked me up and then when Rita entered the picture, ahhh. So cute!
I'm really hoping this isn't the last book in the ABA series mainly because of these two characters. I feel like there is unfinished business with them and questions that did not get answered. So, Ronie, if you read this PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, consider writing more ABA books and include the old characters and let us know what is happening to them.
I got a little lost with all the new characters and keeping them straight but that is not Ronie's fault, I tend to have this trouble in other novels as well. I think it was a little more difficult for me when the names were uncommon because there were so many middle eastern names. I have questions below that dealt with probably my confusion w/ names and hoping someone can help me answer them. :)
****Spoiler Alert*****
It was hard for me to watch Tony change when he was injured. That was one character I never wanted to change but how could he NOT after the bomb. That would impact anyone. Great scene when he discovers his injury, it made me put the book down and really THINK about what that would be like. It made me shutter. To watch laid back Tony become angry and push people away (even and especially Timbrel) was so hard to read but so realistic and appropriate for the story. But, I breathed a big old sigh of relief at the end of the book to hear his wit and joking return! That made me beyond happy!
Along those lines, especially if I have Ronie's attention, here is my wish as your devoted reader; please consider to continue to write books about the 3 main characters- Heath, Aspen and Timbrel with new adventures even though they may have their soul mate, those of us who are married know that once to the alter is not the end of a relationship but rather it's just the beginning! How will these couples handle trials, ops, children etc.. You get the picture. This is probably not a popular idea because most books are about the couples finding each other and then end with either THE couple getting engaged or married. I'm so ready to read beyond that and not just little snippets of how the former couples are doing but more books on the same couple but how married life is treating them. I mean I can't even imagine my sweet Hubby and I getting married learning to adjust to that and then BAM our government needs us to help keep our country safe. Agh, how cool would that be?! Actually, I'd be horrible at managing all that but STILL that would be an awesome series. Pretty please!!! (puppy dog eyes, cherries on top and all that stuff...)
Also please remember Jibril and his sister Khaterah need a love life too!!!! Maybe you have planned at least 5 books to this series, ooohhhh, then Jibril would get a book and Khaterah would get a book. Then let's start all over with the married couples. Heehee
Ok, last I have lots of questions from this series that I HAVE TO FIND OUT THE ANSWERS especially if this was the last book. Here we go. If anyone knows the answers, please let me know.
1. Dane and Aspen are married right? In Beowulf it sd. Heath and his wife Darci, then it sd. Aspen and her Russian, hottie Dane. Soooooo are they married?
2. What happened to Dane's sister and Aspen's brother? I was confused about Austin and was he good/bad? Did he reconnect w/ Dane's sister, did she live? Did Austin get court marshaled for how he handled things? Did he and Dane make amends? Did Austin and Aspen reconnect?
3. Why did Austin think Dane betrayed him?
4. What happened to the spy in Trinity that helped Darci? I really thought that was going to end up being Dane's character in Talon. But once I learned Dane was Russian then I knew it couldn't be that guy.
5. Ok, the big one, WHAT OTHER SECRETS does Timbrel have? She made a point to herself that there was more she hadn't told anyone not even Tony. What more can it be???
6. Why wasn't Timbrel's rapist from the Navy not prosecuted or her step-father for that matter? Did anyone else catch that reference that the Navy guy (Corey, I think) was working at the Pentagon. He was def. not prosecuted if he's working that high up. What's the story there???
7. Who is Timbrel's father?
8. Who is Variable??? He was the spy the General met with and everyone seemed a little scared of. Is he Sajjan???
Ok side note, I had a crazy thought when I first read about Variable all I could think of was ooohhh, he would be a cool match for Khaterah. But if he's Sajjan then too late.
9. Which by the way, Sajjan and Nina, how did THAT happen? Was it his mission and it turned to love? What did her Mom think when all this was revealed, I mean she married him but did she know the whole time?
10. Will Tony be in the Raptor 6 series? Yes, folks it all about Tony for me. Heehee
Last thing-I was so sad or maybe frustrated that NOONE told Tony that Beowulf helped save his life and that Timbrel almost died too!!! They didn't tell him that she had a major brain surgery. I kept thinking the General or Watters should tell him to maybe help motivate him or help him see some light and tell him Timbrel kept asking about him and trying to find him. Typical men, add them to my list of people I wanted to slap last night as I read this book. :) At the very end Timbrel as blunt as ever tells him about the brain surgery and his reaction was that he gaped but then they moved on. I had built so much on that revelation that it took me off guard when part of it came to light that it felt a little anti-climatic. I still didn't think Tony really knew the whole picture. But that did not make me think less of this book. It truly is a 5 star awesome story. You go Ronie, give us more, much more!!! And more Tony and Timbrel please!
Oh and Gray, I think that's his name, (Tony's brother), I definitely wanted to slap that guy HARD! Wow, this review is very therapeutic for me. Heehee
May 21, 2020
Brilliant! Beowulf, tough,brindle-coated bullmastiff, is misjudged on his appearance. He's a highly skilled, trained soldier loyal to his handler, Timbrel Hogan.
Ms. Kendig skillfully exposes the lethal threat of bitterness and self-pity to our souls. Tony, "Candyman", VanAllen's war with these enemies clearly demonstrates their destructiveness. With the help of our "Commander in Chief", Jesus Christ, we are able to overcome our enemy!
This final book brings an explosive, heart-pounding conclusion to this amazing trilogy.
Recommended to those who enjoy fast-paced military adventure with handsome, fierce warriors.
I purchased a copy directly from Ronie Kendig. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
Ms. Kendig skillfully exposes the lethal threat of bitterness and self-pity to our souls. Tony, "Candyman", VanAllen's war with these enemies clearly demonstrates their destructiveness. With the help of our "Commander in Chief", Jesus Christ, we are able to overcome our enemy!
This final book brings an explosive, heart-pounding conclusion to this amazing trilogy.
Recommended to those who enjoy fast-paced military adventure with handsome, fierce warriors.
I purchased a copy directly from Ronie Kendig. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
March 5, 2016
I cannot contain just how much I LOVED this book!!!
The third book in Kendig's A Breed Apart series,Beowulf: Explosives Detection Dog met and exceeded my expectations!
From the moment you open to the first page of Beowulf, you are ushered in to a world of action, intrigue, and suspense. Kendig divides her chapters to deliver multiple stories that eventual converge, but at the time leave you wondering exactly where they fit in. This puzzle-piece affect only helps to fuel the drive to finish the book.
I immediately fell in love with Timble Hogan and her Explosives Detection Dog, Beowulf. Despite Hogans tough attitude, Kendig did an excellent job of showing the reader who she really was behind the facade she fronted. She's a difficult character, but one I wanted to like.
Tony "Candyman" VanAllen was also excellently portrayed. His devotion to convincing Hogan they should date was endearing and yet, as the story progressed, and Tony's career was in danger, we see how God can step in to the most difficult of situations and still pull through with a good outcome.
To be honest, I think Beowful is my favorite out of the whole series (and that's saying a lot because I've loved all of the books!). There was a genuine rawness to Hogan and Tony's relationship, one that drives past the fluff and gets to the heart of the matter. The action-packed, "rapid-fire fiction" Kendig is famous for helps pull everything together into the perfect package of entertainment and thrill.
I thoroughly enjoyed this, as I did Talon: Combat Tracking Team (review here) and Trinity: Military War Dog . You cannot go wrong when you pick up a book by Ronie Kendig and I highly recommend reading Beowulf or starting from the beginning with Trinity!
Originally posted on my blog: http://eahendryx.blogspot.com/2014/02...
_______________
I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.
The third book in Kendig's A Breed Apart series,Beowulf: Explosives Detection Dog met and exceeded my expectations!
From the moment you open to the first page of Beowulf, you are ushered in to a world of action, intrigue, and suspense. Kendig divides her chapters to deliver multiple stories that eventual converge, but at the time leave you wondering exactly where they fit in. This puzzle-piece affect only helps to fuel the drive to finish the book.
I immediately fell in love with Timble Hogan and her Explosives Detection Dog, Beowulf. Despite Hogans tough attitude, Kendig did an excellent job of showing the reader who she really was behind the facade she fronted. She's a difficult character, but one I wanted to like.
Tony "Candyman" VanAllen was also excellently portrayed. His devotion to convincing Hogan they should date was endearing and yet, as the story progressed, and Tony's career was in danger, we see how God can step in to the most difficult of situations and still pull through with a good outcome.
To be honest, I think Beowful is my favorite out of the whole series (and that's saying a lot because I've loved all of the books!). There was a genuine rawness to Hogan and Tony's relationship, one that drives past the fluff and gets to the heart of the matter. The action-packed, "rapid-fire fiction" Kendig is famous for helps pull everything together into the perfect package of entertainment and thrill.
I thoroughly enjoyed this, as I did Talon: Combat Tracking Team (review here) and Trinity: Military War Dog . You cannot go wrong when you pick up a book by Ronie Kendig and I highly recommend reading Beowulf or starting from the beginning with Trinity!
Originally posted on my blog: http://eahendryx.blogspot.com/2014/02...
_______________
I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.
February 27, 2016
An amazing end to an amazing series. Ronie Kendig’s writing is storytelling at its best. The only negative thing about BEOWULF is that I knew I was reading the last book in the series and I didn’t want it to end.
Timbrel Hogan is tough, single-minded, and above all else−hates men. That is, all men but her Bullmastiff, Beowulf. The explosives detecting dog is the only companion Timbrel needs−at least that is what she tells herself. Events from her past have shaded Timbrel’s outlook on life and because of that, she refuses to let her guard down where men are concerned. But her hard-as-nails, man-hater persona doesn’t deter Tony “Candyman” Van Allen.
Tony, a Green Beret, has made it his goal to win Timbrel over. Being teamed together on a few missions, Tony knows he can change Timbrel’s mind if he’s only given a chance. Unfortunately, the walls Timbrel has erected seem impenetrable, especially since they are guarded by a behemoth of a dog that has taken a considerable disliking to Tony.
When a routine mission goes sideways, and Beowulf is blamed for a false positive, tensions mount. But Timbrel knows Beowulf was right. And her determination to prove him right gets her tangled up in a larger plot than anyone could have imagined. Even though Tony and Timbrel continue to butt heads, Timbrel’s attraction for Tony escalates. She’s just not sure if she can offer all that it takes to be that someone special in Tony’s life. When a mission turns dire, Timbrel opens herself up to Tony, but is it too little too late?
This was a FANTASTIC series. One that I simply devoured. The characters Kendig has created are definitely your all-American hero type men, and you independent−don’t take no crap−women. The sparks that fly don’t just happen on the battlefield. Tony is very charismatic while Timbrel is quite icy. But when the two are together, they fuel a fire even they can’t control. If you like action, adventure, suspense, romance, and hold-your-breath drama, you must read the A Breed Apart series. Then follow it up with The Quiet Professional’s series. You won’t be disappointed.
Timbrel Hogan is tough, single-minded, and above all else−hates men. That is, all men but her Bullmastiff, Beowulf. The explosives detecting dog is the only companion Timbrel needs−at least that is what she tells herself. Events from her past have shaded Timbrel’s outlook on life and because of that, she refuses to let her guard down where men are concerned. But her hard-as-nails, man-hater persona doesn’t deter Tony “Candyman” Van Allen.
Tony, a Green Beret, has made it his goal to win Timbrel over. Being teamed together on a few missions, Tony knows he can change Timbrel’s mind if he’s only given a chance. Unfortunately, the walls Timbrel has erected seem impenetrable, especially since they are guarded by a behemoth of a dog that has taken a considerable disliking to Tony.
When a routine mission goes sideways, and Beowulf is blamed for a false positive, tensions mount. But Timbrel knows Beowulf was right. And her determination to prove him right gets her tangled up in a larger plot than anyone could have imagined. Even though Tony and Timbrel continue to butt heads, Timbrel’s attraction for Tony escalates. She’s just not sure if she can offer all that it takes to be that someone special in Tony’s life. When a mission turns dire, Timbrel opens herself up to Tony, but is it too little too late?
This was a FANTASTIC series. One that I simply devoured. The characters Kendig has created are definitely your all-American hero type men, and you independent−don’t take no crap−women. The sparks that fly don’t just happen on the battlefield. Tony is very charismatic while Timbrel is quite icy. But when the two are together, they fuel a fire even they can’t control. If you like action, adventure, suspense, romance, and hold-your-breath drama, you must read the A Breed Apart series. Then follow it up with The Quiet Professional’s series. You won’t be disappointed.
January 24, 2014
Having read Talon (A Breed Apart #2) last year, I have been anxiously awaiting the next book in the series, Beowulf. This book can definitely stand alone if you have not read the other two books in the series. However, since I have read Talon, I was really anticipating this story that covers the relationship of Timbrel and Candyman.
Beowulf is definitely not a lighthearted romance! This is a hard-hitting, action packed adventure from page one! There are moments of humor, romance, fear, hurt, anger, and many other emotions that make for an extremely believable story. I really enjoyed the main characters. Tony, “Candyman”, is in love with “Timbrel”. He has been for a while now, but she just won’t let him close. It doesn’t take long to realize that this is one traumatized woman. Will she ever be able to trust again?
And the action in this book is great. Just like in Talon, we switch back and forth in the book between seeing what the “good guys” are up to and what the “bad guys” are doing. When I start military-themed books, it always takes me a couple of chapters to get into the hang of understanding military jargon. This is just a shortcoming that I have! Nothing wrong with the book at all. Once I got going, though, I had trouble setting this book down. I constantly wanted to know what would happen next.
All of the characters in Beowulf just seemed so real. The author did a great job of creating all of the personalities, including those of the dogs. Looking toward this book’s release, I felt that this was going to be a very good book with a great storyline between Tony and Timbrel, but it truly exceeded my expectations. (5 stars)
I was blessed to win a copy of Beowulf in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway and was not required to write a review, but happily do so.
You can read this review on my blog at:
http://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.co...
Beowulf is definitely not a lighthearted romance! This is a hard-hitting, action packed adventure from page one! There are moments of humor, romance, fear, hurt, anger, and many other emotions that make for an extremely believable story. I really enjoyed the main characters. Tony, “Candyman”, is in love with “Timbrel”. He has been for a while now, but she just won’t let him close. It doesn’t take long to realize that this is one traumatized woman. Will she ever be able to trust again?
And the action in this book is great. Just like in Talon, we switch back and forth in the book between seeing what the “good guys” are up to and what the “bad guys” are doing. When I start military-themed books, it always takes me a couple of chapters to get into the hang of understanding military jargon. This is just a shortcoming that I have! Nothing wrong with the book at all. Once I got going, though, I had trouble setting this book down. I constantly wanted to know what would happen next.
All of the characters in Beowulf just seemed so real. The author did a great job of creating all of the personalities, including those of the dogs. Looking toward this book’s release, I felt that this was going to be a very good book with a great storyline between Tony and Timbrel, but it truly exceeded my expectations. (5 stars)
I was blessed to win a copy of Beowulf in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway and was not required to write a review, but happily do so.
You can read this review on my blog at:
http://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.co...
January 5, 2014
Riveting - Passionate - Engaging!
I have come to count on Ronie Kendig for intense action, fierce romance, realistic characters, and honor to our military through her novels. But Beowulf took my expectations to a new level.
From the moment this story begins during an investigation for weapons of mass destruction by Beowulf, a bull mastiff full of attitude, this story grabs a reader and refuses to release. Kendig has a mastery of timing that grips through the most intense parts of the action.
The words romance, affection, or compassion just aren't strong enough to display the friction and attraction between the two main characters. Tony "Candyman" VanAllen has growing feelings for the huge dog's spitfire handler, Timbrel Hogan. She flits through his mind constantly as he struggles to keep his mind on his work, a dangerous situation in his military career.
Timbrel hates men as much as her dog does, snapping at Tony with caustic words while Beowulf threatens his hands. But the stubborn, persistent Green Beret, who insists she call him by his given name, breaks down the walls she's built. The chemistry between these two is palpable!
Tony and Timbrel and the rest of the crew aren't just characters. They're deeply researched members of teams that likely exist within our military today. They have backgrounds, warts, and hangups with which any reader can empathize. And because of the way Kendig peopled her story, a reader doesn't stand outside and observe. The reader is part of the battle, wearing the skin of the different characters, firmly ensconced within the contours of the written page.
Anyone enjoying the tingle of suspense, adventure, or romance, especially with an attitude of faith in Christ, will love this book.
I have come to count on Ronie Kendig for intense action, fierce romance, realistic characters, and honor to our military through her novels. But Beowulf took my expectations to a new level.
From the moment this story begins during an investigation for weapons of mass destruction by Beowulf, a bull mastiff full of attitude, this story grabs a reader and refuses to release. Kendig has a mastery of timing that grips through the most intense parts of the action.
The words romance, affection, or compassion just aren't strong enough to display the friction and attraction between the two main characters. Tony "Candyman" VanAllen has growing feelings for the huge dog's spitfire handler, Timbrel Hogan. She flits through his mind constantly as he struggles to keep his mind on his work, a dangerous situation in his military career.
Timbrel hates men as much as her dog does, snapping at Tony with caustic words while Beowulf threatens his hands. But the stubborn, persistent Green Beret, who insists she call him by his given name, breaks down the walls she's built. The chemistry between these two is palpable!
Tony and Timbrel and the rest of the crew aren't just characters. They're deeply researched members of teams that likely exist within our military today. They have backgrounds, warts, and hangups with which any reader can empathize. And because of the way Kendig peopled her story, a reader doesn't stand outside and observe. The reader is part of the battle, wearing the skin of the different characters, firmly ensconced within the contours of the written page.
Anyone enjoying the tingle of suspense, adventure, or romance, especially with an attitude of faith in Christ, will love this book.
September 22, 2017
Beowulf is the conclusion to the A Breed Apart series by Ronie Kendig. Each book has featured a specific breed of dog who is used as a military assistant. Timbrel has been a loner and fighter throughout her career first in the Navy and now as a dog handler for A Breed Apart. She has worked with Green Beret, Tony Van Allen, previously and sparks flew between them then; but Timbrel, due to her past experiences, wants no relationship with any male except her dog, Beo. Now Timbrel and Tony are assigned once again to the same Special Ops team, and Tony wants to pursue more than a friendship.
I felt the first one-third to one-half of the book was somewhat slow; but when the action got started it was fast paced from there to the finish. The best part of the book IMHO was the focus on the rehabilitation of those military personnel wounded during combat action. I loved the role that both Beo and Rina played in relation to Tony's dad as well as Tony during their mental and health issues. Kendig's research into the terrorist/insurgency activity versus the American fight agains terrorism was obvious throughout the entire book. Although this wasn't my favorite of the three books, it was interesting to return to Timbrel and Tony and see what became of their relationship, learn the back story behind Timbrel's distrust of men, and to see how both of them grew in their faith.
FAVORITE QUOTES:
"Sometimes, I think if it's not scary, it's not real faith. It means you're trusting someone else."
"If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans. "But sure as fire, God would show you why your plans didn't work or would send you spiraling in the opposite direction."
I felt the first one-third to one-half of the book was somewhat slow; but when the action got started it was fast paced from there to the finish. The best part of the book IMHO was the focus on the rehabilitation of those military personnel wounded during combat action. I loved the role that both Beo and Rina played in relation to Tony's dad as well as Tony during their mental and health issues. Kendig's research into the terrorist/insurgency activity versus the American fight agains terrorism was obvious throughout the entire book. Although this wasn't my favorite of the three books, it was interesting to return to Timbrel and Tony and see what became of their relationship, learn the back story behind Timbrel's distrust of men, and to see how both of them grew in their faith.
FAVORITE QUOTES:
"Sometimes, I think if it's not scary, it's not real faith. It means you're trusting someone else."
"If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans. "But sure as fire, God would show you why your plans didn't work or would send you spiraling in the opposite direction."
January 4, 2014
Beowulf by Ronie Kendig is her most emotionally charged book to date. For readers who have been reading the A Breed Apart series, they have experienced the tension between Tony ‘Candyman’ VanAllen and Timbrel. Beowulf, the third book in the series is their story. Lance Burton calls in Timbrel who is a dog handler for A Breed Apart and Beowulf, her explosive detection dog, to assist Dean Waters and his team with hunting for explosives in Afghanistan. This means she will be working with Candyman again. Candyman has been enthralled with Timbrel since first meeting her. He is witty and charming and has the patience and forgiveness of a saint. Timbrel definitely tests most of those qualities in him; more than once.
Beowulf re-engages with some of the characters from the previous books. Dane & Aspen and Heath & Darci will take part in some of the activities.
The plot is engaging and suspenseful. The scenes are action packed both in Afghanistan and on the home front. The characters were believable and likeable. The dialogue is realistic and witty. Candyman is a hero in every sense. Kendig writes military fiction with remarkable authenticity.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate books on the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol.
Beowulf re-engages with some of the characters from the previous books. Dane & Aspen and Heath & Darci will take part in some of the activities.
The plot is engaging and suspenseful. The scenes are action packed both in Afghanistan and on the home front. The characters were believable and likeable. The dialogue is realistic and witty. Candyman is a hero in every sense. Kendig writes military fiction with remarkable authenticity.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate books on the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol.
March 29, 2016
Every single thing I've ever read about Ms. Kendig's books is true! She is an amazing writer, my friends. With great characters (especially Beowulf! :) and edge-of-your-seat climaxes, this is one book that had to be read in one sitting. No other possibility, because there was no way I was going to be able to sleep without finding out what was going to happen! And if you like dogs, then I can guarantee Beowulf will make you fall in love with him with no trouble at all. He's awesome! And made me laugh so many times, especially during a few moments of tension. Timbrel caused me some frustration at times, I will admit, but once she got over her stubbornness I could forgive her. She and Tony were awfully cute together! :) If you haven't read one of Ms. Kendig's books yet, then may I suggest that you remedy that? This was a wonderful story and I plan to read more of her books in the future! So should you.
May 15, 2024
Wow, with each book I read Ms. Kendig just gets better and better...this is book 3 in A Breed Apart series and it is about a brindle Bull Mastiff named Beowulf who is trained to hunt and sniff out explosives and other things his handler Timbrel has been paired with him for 5 years and he has also helped her though some of her trauma....He is the only "guy" in her life and the only one she fully trusts with every part of her. Tony "Candyman" VanAllen is a Green Beret and is crazy about Timbrel enough so he is willing to take on her "demon dog" and risk getting his face ripped off, but Timmy's issues are deep and even with God on his side Tony might not be able to breach her thick solid defenses....When they are thrown together on a mission where each gets hurt as well as Beowulf things change.....But will the changes be enough or will the relationship Tony wants so badly go up in flames????
January 16, 2018
Unfortunately, I can't give this more than two stars because of one scene in the book. There is a scene in this book where a "Christian" tries to explain the trinity to a Muslim. So disappointing. I'm not a huge fan of preachy christian books anyway but trying to explain the trinity (which is false doctrine) in the book ruined the whole book for me.
December 22, 2013
Third book in the A Breed Apart trilogy. And the best one out of all three! I thoroughly loved this one and kept saying to myself that this should not be last one. Now I find that the team of all these characters, those of the ODA452 will be back in a new series called The Quiet Professionals, the first volume called Raptor Six. I am not sure if the MWDs will be back in this series but nevertheless, I am looking forward to this immensely.
There is more of everything we became used to in this instalment, faster pace, well researched military ops and well developed plot and characters.
In this novel, it seems Kendig has developed the main characters of Hogan and Van Allen more so in this novel than she had the main characters in the previous two. That is not a complaint just an observation and it is a good one for that matter. She has portrayed the chemistry between Van Allen and Hogan very well and makes it very enjoyable. You find yourself being an observer and not a reader watching these two develop their relationship through the various dominant characteristics of each other's personalities and their fears and hurts from the past. Kendig is quite the character developer and these two characters really show her expertise here. As an observer so described here, this relationship was fun to watch and so engaged by Kendig that you rejoiced when things went well and grieved when their relationship went sour and became frustrated but understood when their fears threatened to overtake them and put them on a path of self destruction.
One could say that there was maybe a touch too much of the romance compared to military action and therefore this made it more of a romance novel with a military background but I guess that would be a fair enough comment if one had not read the previous two novels. I felt this for a while but as the novel progressed and the situation developed with Van Allen, it made sense that this was so and it really did balance out in the second half of this novel.
I loved the touches of humour Kendig inserted especially when it came to the relationship between Beowulf and Van Allen, Beowulf growling and never let Van Allen gain any respect and Van Allen calling him the "hound from hell" whenever there was any major interaction between them. Despite this, it was Beowulf who saves Van Allen from more serious injury during the bomb blast and the two of them forget their differences when it came to joining forces and saving Hogan from harm when she was kidnapped and assaulted.
After the mission in the first part of the novel, there was quite a time gap or was it that so much transpired since this mission that it seemed the plot relating to this was a bit disjointed? I was a bit concerned but knew Kendig would deal with this as the novel progressed and she did this very well in the last quarter. This added to a great ending, one I was on the edge of my seat with and almost near tears with the thought that Beowulf could have died! One of my thoughts during this time was, "Kendig, you can't kill off Beowulf! No, just no!" I had the same feeling and did cry when the story line implied that Van Allen had died from the bomb blast!! All this does is show how masterful this author is at plot development and flow and also with characterisation.
Again, Kendig included the spiritual aspects without being preachy and applied them to the fears, hurts and challenges of not only Van Allen and Hogan but also to her mother and her fiancé. In some Christian novels this spiritual side of things can come across as either too much and not applied appropriately to the characters or their situations but in this case, Kendig does show that Christianity is indeed a relationship with God and not a crutch for those who are so called weak and cowardly. She mixes this in very well with the mind set of the strict military and regimented culture of the military who can be very independent in thought and action and masters of their own fate.
I loved the subplot of Aazim/Dehqan and how the witness of Nafisa, a Christian converted from Islam, softened his heart and this led him to consider Christ as the one True God and not Allah. Af first I felt that with Dehqan narrating his side of things in the first person a bit hard to deal with compared to the rest of the novel in the third person but after a while I found this was very unique and did fit into the plot very well.
All in all I found this a very enjoyable and compelling novel and the best out of this trilogy.
The other two were Strongly Recommended by myself but this one is Highly Recommended.
Ronie Kendig, Well done!!
There is more of everything we became used to in this instalment, faster pace, well researched military ops and well developed plot and characters.
In this novel, it seems Kendig has developed the main characters of Hogan and Van Allen more so in this novel than she had the main characters in the previous two. That is not a complaint just an observation and it is a good one for that matter. She has portrayed the chemistry between Van Allen and Hogan very well and makes it very enjoyable. You find yourself being an observer and not a reader watching these two develop their relationship through the various dominant characteristics of each other's personalities and their fears and hurts from the past. Kendig is quite the character developer and these two characters really show her expertise here. As an observer so described here, this relationship was fun to watch and so engaged by Kendig that you rejoiced when things went well and grieved when their relationship went sour and became frustrated but understood when their fears threatened to overtake them and put them on a path of self destruction.
One could say that there was maybe a touch too much of the romance compared to military action and therefore this made it more of a romance novel with a military background but I guess that would be a fair enough comment if one had not read the previous two novels. I felt this for a while but as the novel progressed and the situation developed with Van Allen, it made sense that this was so and it really did balance out in the second half of this novel.
I loved the touches of humour Kendig inserted especially when it came to the relationship between Beowulf and Van Allen, Beowulf growling and never let Van Allen gain any respect and Van Allen calling him the "hound from hell" whenever there was any major interaction between them. Despite this, it was Beowulf who saves Van Allen from more serious injury during the bomb blast and the two of them forget their differences when it came to joining forces and saving Hogan from harm when she was kidnapped and assaulted.
After the mission in the first part of the novel, there was quite a time gap or was it that so much transpired since this mission that it seemed the plot relating to this was a bit disjointed? I was a bit concerned but knew Kendig would deal with this as the novel progressed and she did this very well in the last quarter. This added to a great ending, one I was on the edge of my seat with and almost near tears with the thought that Beowulf could have died! One of my thoughts during this time was, "Kendig, you can't kill off Beowulf! No, just no!" I had the same feeling and did cry when the story line implied that Van Allen had died from the bomb blast!! All this does is show how masterful this author is at plot development and flow and also with characterisation.
Again, Kendig included the spiritual aspects without being preachy and applied them to the fears, hurts and challenges of not only Van Allen and Hogan but also to her mother and her fiancé. In some Christian novels this spiritual side of things can come across as either too much and not applied appropriately to the characters or their situations but in this case, Kendig does show that Christianity is indeed a relationship with God and not a crutch for those who are so called weak and cowardly. She mixes this in very well with the mind set of the strict military and regimented culture of the military who can be very independent in thought and action and masters of their own fate.
I loved the subplot of Aazim/Dehqan and how the witness of Nafisa, a Christian converted from Islam, softened his heart and this led him to consider Christ as the one True God and not Allah. Af first I felt that with Dehqan narrating his side of things in the first person a bit hard to deal with compared to the rest of the novel in the third person but after a while I found this was very unique and did fit into the plot very well.
All in all I found this a very enjoyable and compelling novel and the best out of this trilogy.
The other two were Strongly Recommended by myself but this one is Highly Recommended.
Ronie Kendig, Well done!!
September 24, 2014
The Good
In the interest of full disclosure, I won this book from a Goodreads First Reads drawing. I was so excited because I read Trinity, and Talon, both very good books. This book is no exception. It has memorable characters, a great pace, and a compelling story line. The most powerful relationship in the novel is between secondary characters Nafisa and Dehqan. Their story is complex and moving and serves to infuse the book with a strong Christian message without impaling the audience with the gospel. I like the tortured villain, and how Kendig uses his scenes to juxtapose Christianity and Islam. Kendig also does a admirable job showing the heroism and loyalty of war dogs and their handlers. In many poignant scenes she elucidates the evils of war (the losses to the Americans and Middle Easterners alike)as well as the sacrifices that our servicemen make everyday (PTSD, war wounds, separation from loved ones etc.)
The Bad
I feel like there was so much build up in the previous novels with Candyman and Timbrel's characters. For some reason in this novel the characters seemed toned down. Timbrel is way too vulnerable and susceptible to Candyman's charms. I loved the romantic tension and verbal barbs they shared in the first two novels and I was hoping for a little more of that in Beowolf. Also Candyman's character is too much like Ghost from book one as a result Candyman is not as funny, clever or endearing in this read.
Additionally, there were some editing things that bothered me. Mostly, some awkward sentences, some need for clarity (I couldn't always tell who was speaking,some scenes the action wasn't clear). And the ending of this book was a bit weak. There was so much build up and then the book just zooms to the happy ending abruptly. Lastly when the book shifted from third person to first person in the middle it made the book feel disjointed. I would have loved the book had it been a little easier to follow and if these editing issue were polished up.
The Ugly
The real issue with Beowolf and the one that makes me reluctant to recommend it, has to do with it's inconsistent Christian message. Had this been a secular novel the content would not have mattered, but because this is a "Christian" book marketed to Christian audiences the content does matter...A LOT. So here are the issues. Multiple uses of "swearing by all that is holy", several implied expletives, plenteous uses of the word "hell" ("I'm going to make your life a living hell", bringing "all hell to the world", "hound of hell" etc.) In fact there are 16 usages of "hell" in this novel. And there are loads of vegetarian curse words (e.g. crap). The language would not be a problem in a secular novel, but I read Christian fiction because I want to avoid bad language. Some allusions to Beowolf being almost supernatural are quite troubling. There are also multiple uses of "demon" or "demonic" which I found a bit jarring in a book that is supposed to lift up Christ.
There is also the issue of violence which may or may not offend some readers. Now of course this the novel is about a military war dog, so some violence is inevitable. I feel Kendig did a much better job in this novel of toning the violence down compared to previous novels where the body count is astronomical. Nevertheless, this book is NOT for young audiences.
So in summary, Beowolf is a fascinating, multidimensional novel, however, the un-Christian elements mar what could otherwise be a 5-star read.
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In the interest of full disclosure, I won this book from a Goodreads First Reads drawing. I was so excited because I read Trinity, and Talon, both very good books. This book is no exception. It has memorable characters, a great pace, and a compelling story line. The most powerful relationship in the novel is between secondary characters Nafisa and Dehqan. Their story is complex and moving and serves to infuse the book with a strong Christian message without impaling the audience with the gospel. I like the tortured villain, and how Kendig uses his scenes to juxtapose Christianity and Islam. Kendig also does a admirable job showing the heroism and loyalty of war dogs and their handlers. In many poignant scenes she elucidates the evils of war (the losses to the Americans and Middle Easterners alike)as well as the sacrifices that our servicemen make everyday (PTSD, war wounds, separation from loved ones etc.)
The Bad
I feel like there was so much build up in the previous novels with Candyman and Timbrel's characters. For some reason in this novel the characters seemed toned down. Timbrel is way too vulnerable and susceptible to Candyman's charms. I loved the romantic tension and verbal barbs they shared in the first two novels and I was hoping for a little more of that in Beowolf. Also Candyman's character is too much like Ghost from book one as a result Candyman is not as funny, clever or endearing in this read.
Additionally, there were some editing things that bothered me. Mostly, some awkward sentences, some need for clarity (I couldn't always tell who was speaking,some scenes the action wasn't clear). And the ending of this book was a bit weak. There was so much build up and then the book just zooms to the happy ending abruptly. Lastly when the book shifted from third person to first person in the middle it made the book feel disjointed. I would have loved the book had it been a little easier to follow and if these editing issue were polished up.
The Ugly
The real issue with Beowolf and the one that makes me reluctant to recommend it, has to do with it's inconsistent Christian message. Had this been a secular novel the content would not have mattered, but because this is a "Christian" book marketed to Christian audiences the content does matter...A LOT. So here are the issues. Multiple uses of "swearing by all that is holy", several implied expletives, plenteous uses of the word "hell" ("I'm going to make your life a living hell", bringing "all hell to the world", "hound of hell" etc.) In fact there are 16 usages of "hell" in this novel. And there are loads of vegetarian curse words (e.g. crap). The language would not be a problem in a secular novel, but I read Christian fiction because I want to avoid bad language. Some allusions to Beowolf being almost supernatural are quite troubling. There are also multiple uses of "demon" or "demonic" which I found a bit jarring in a book that is supposed to lift up Christ.
There is also the issue of violence which may or may not offend some readers. Now of course this the novel is about a military war dog, so some violence is inevitable. I feel Kendig did a much better job in this novel of toning the violence down compared to previous novels where the body count is astronomical. Nevertheless, this book is NOT for young audiences.
So in summary, Beowolf is a fascinating, multidimensional novel, however, the un-Christian elements mar what could otherwise be a 5-star read.
Like what you read? Visit me at my blog
February 23, 2014
Timbrel Hogan is not the girl we thought she was. She has a secret past that will catch up with her in Ronie Kendig’s third and final book in the fabulous A Breed Apart Series—BEOWULF!
Timbrel’s brindle-coated bullmastiff, Beowulf, is a huge dog—some call him ugly and mean—but he is the only ‘man’ Timbrel wants in her life. He is faithful and will protect her with all his might. Beo’s sniffer is trained to find bombs, drugs, and WMDs, but could it be possible that the dog is mistaken when no one can find the source for his ‘hit’?
Tony VanAllen is part of a Special Forces team. He and Timbrel have worked together earlier in the previous books in this series—Trinity and Talon. In Beowulf they team up again and are sent on a dangerous mission to Afghanistan.
Tony really likes Timbrel and wants to be a part of her life, while she is trying to keep him at a distance. But if Timbrel is really honest with herself, she must admit she likes Tony’s attention.
Throughout this story—that is filled with action, intrigue, and suspense—we get to know the real reason why Timbrel is such a difficult character that keeps men on a distance. Inside she is fighting a personal battle and Tony doesn’t make it any easier for her when he doesn’t give up on trying to win her heart. While growing closer to each other, tragedy strikes that will change the course of their lives. Both must find their new paths in life and learn to give God control of everything and trust Him above all.
As always, Kendig writes a fantastic, fast-paced novel and honors the men and women in the military. She also creates awareness of how much soldiers give of themselves for the freedom and protection of their country.
I really loved the characters! Although I didn’t like Timbrel so much in the previous books, I truly have learned to love her in this one. Beowulf made me giggle—he added a cute twist to the story. And Tony is an admirable character that will surely steal the hearts of the female reader.
This was a great series—all books were worth five stars in my opinion, but I think Beowulf is my favorite of all.
Highly recommended!
*Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.*
Timbrel’s brindle-coated bullmastiff, Beowulf, is a huge dog—some call him ugly and mean—but he is the only ‘man’ Timbrel wants in her life. He is faithful and will protect her with all his might. Beo’s sniffer is trained to find bombs, drugs, and WMDs, but could it be possible that the dog is mistaken when no one can find the source for his ‘hit’?
Tony VanAllen is part of a Special Forces team. He and Timbrel have worked together earlier in the previous books in this series—Trinity and Talon. In Beowulf they team up again and are sent on a dangerous mission to Afghanistan.
Tony really likes Timbrel and wants to be a part of her life, while she is trying to keep him at a distance. But if Timbrel is really honest with herself, she must admit she likes Tony’s attention.
Throughout this story—that is filled with action, intrigue, and suspense—we get to know the real reason why Timbrel is such a difficult character that keeps men on a distance. Inside she is fighting a personal battle and Tony doesn’t make it any easier for her when he doesn’t give up on trying to win her heart. While growing closer to each other, tragedy strikes that will change the course of their lives. Both must find their new paths in life and learn to give God control of everything and trust Him above all.
As always, Kendig writes a fantastic, fast-paced novel and honors the men and women in the military. She also creates awareness of how much soldiers give of themselves for the freedom and protection of their country.
I really loved the characters! Although I didn’t like Timbrel so much in the previous books, I truly have learned to love her in this one. Beowulf made me giggle—he added a cute twist to the story. And Tony is an admirable character that will surely steal the hearts of the female reader.
This was a great series—all books were worth five stars in my opinion, but I think Beowulf is my favorite of all.
Highly recommended!
*Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.*
December 10, 2013
Tony(Candyman) has been trying to get Timbrel's attention for a while. Timbrel's prickly personality keeps everyone at arms length. Tony can't help himself. Timbrel is beautiful and he is attracted to her, but the only one Timbrel seems to have eyes for is her bull mastiff dog Beowulf. And Beo doesn't like Tony. At all!
Timbrel has secrets in her life that she would rather not share with anyone but Beo. Beo is an explosives detection dog. Timbrel's secrets keep her personality prickly and afraid to allow anyone close in her life. Tony is about to change all of that!
Tony can't figure Timbrel out, but he is relentless in his pursuit of her. Even if her beast of a dog insists on growling and snapping at him every time they are near each other. Just when Tony thinks they may be making some headway in a relationship Timbrel bolts. Running scared Timbrel must learn to break down the walls she has built up around her heart and learn to trust. But it may be too late. When disaster strikes their team while on a mission everything that Tony and Timbrel have fought for in their relationship comes crashing down. Will they be able to pick up the pieces of their lives?
My Thoughts:
First, I love the dog! Beowulf's personality is hysterical! From his drool to his snapping at Tony to his ability to sense Timbrel's moods, Beo makes the story entertaining to read. Through each of the A Breed Apart books you can see the research that went into the story. I love the way that the dogs are treated just like another soldier. Each dog and their handler have a special bond that keeps them in tuned to each other. I found in Beowulf that I liked the characters, but did get a bit irritated at Timbrel and wanted to reach into the pages of the book and shake the bullheadedness out of her! If you like military books then the A Breed Apart series is a definite must read. Add in some romance and tense combat situations and Ronie Kendig's books keep the reader on the edge of their seats.
January 7, 2014
If you're after a lighthearted read to carry you off to pleasant places, don't read this book! If you don't want to have vivid mental pictures and hardhitting action, don't read this book!
"Beowulf, Explosives Detection Dog" is the third in Kendig's "A Breed Apart" series, which honors the dogs who serve our military in different ways. It's hard to believe that Ronie hasn't been in the service herself with her fast-moving, tense writing about the members of ODA452, which is a Special Forces military team, and their participation in combat with the dogs and handlers from A Breed Apart Ranch, which trains military dogs.
"Beowulf" focuses on Timbrel, Beo's trainer/handler, and "Candyman" Tony James VanAllen. Their story is told with honesty and gut-wrenching emotion. After just two chapters, I was entwined into their lives and story and following every twist and turn of the fast-moving plot and tense action scenes. Again, it's hard to believe that the author doesn't have military experience, as she touchingly deals with the sensitive subject of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the havoc that it can play on families who care for and live with the brave soldiers who deal with this malady. But don't think that she spouts all of the traditional platitudes that dismiss the real heartbreak that comes with PTSD.
One thing that I really loved about this book is the way that the author brings humor and playfulness into a hard, biting, real story, that you just KNOW could be playing out somewhere in the world today, despite the fact that this is a fictional story. And being a Christian myself, I love how Kendig winds the saving love of God into the lives of her characters in a way that mirrors every Christian's daily battle with self, and every seeker's journey towards Christ.
"Beowulf, Explosives Detection Dog" is the third in Kendig's "A Breed Apart" series, which honors the dogs who serve our military in different ways. It's hard to believe that Ronie hasn't been in the service herself with her fast-moving, tense writing about the members of ODA452, which is a Special Forces military team, and their participation in combat with the dogs and handlers from A Breed Apart Ranch, which trains military dogs.
"Beowulf" focuses on Timbrel, Beo's trainer/handler, and "Candyman" Tony James VanAllen. Their story is told with honesty and gut-wrenching emotion. After just two chapters, I was entwined into their lives and story and following every twist and turn of the fast-moving plot and tense action scenes. Again, it's hard to believe that the author doesn't have military experience, as she touchingly deals with the sensitive subject of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the havoc that it can play on families who care for and live with the brave soldiers who deal with this malady. But don't think that she spouts all of the traditional platitudes that dismiss the real heartbreak that comes with PTSD.
One thing that I really loved about this book is the way that the author brings humor and playfulness into a hard, biting, real story, that you just KNOW could be playing out somewhere in the world today, despite the fact that this is a fictional story. And being a Christian myself, I love how Kendig winds the saving love of God into the lives of her characters in a way that mirrors every Christian's daily battle with self, and every seeker's journey towards Christ.
February 6, 2014
Ronie Kendig returns with another stunning, action-packed page-turner. If you enjoy military suspense novels, canine heroes, and lots of action wrapped into a beautiful love story, then Beowulf is for you.
I confess, when I dove into the first page, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Timbrel Hogan is a strong, independent tomboy whose idea of comfort often involves getting dirty and sweaty. She definitely wouldn’t get caught dead in a dress and high heels. Anyone who knows me can attest I’m quite the opposite. For me dressing up is a highlight, not torture. In the beginning, I wondered how much I could relate to Timbrel. I immediately discovered that despite our blatant differences, we also shared a lot in common. I recognized a lot of her fears, insecurities, and dreams. Many of us can understand the simultaneous terror and desire to love and be loved.
Beowulf contains one of my favorite secondary plots out of all of Kendig’s novels. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Dehqan and watching him change and grow as the story progressed. I don’t want to give anything away, but his story is an intensely gripping and moving journey that will tug at the heart.
Prepare yourself for tears and some very emotional moments in Beowulf. Kendig knows how to bring home some of the horrible realities true-life military men and women encounter every day. It’s hard, if not impossible, to leave a book like this the same way one entered, knowing that some people are living the non-fiction version of this book. Needless to say, I strongly recommend the final installment in the A Breed Apart series.
Review copy provided by publisher. Thanks!
I confess, when I dove into the first page, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Timbrel Hogan is a strong, independent tomboy whose idea of comfort often involves getting dirty and sweaty. She definitely wouldn’t get caught dead in a dress and high heels. Anyone who knows me can attest I’m quite the opposite. For me dressing up is a highlight, not torture. In the beginning, I wondered how much I could relate to Timbrel. I immediately discovered that despite our blatant differences, we also shared a lot in common. I recognized a lot of her fears, insecurities, and dreams. Many of us can understand the simultaneous terror and desire to love and be loved.
Beowulf contains one of my favorite secondary plots out of all of Kendig’s novels. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Dehqan and watching him change and grow as the story progressed. I don’t want to give anything away, but his story is an intensely gripping and moving journey that will tug at the heart.
Prepare yourself for tears and some very emotional moments in Beowulf. Kendig knows how to bring home some of the horrible realities true-life military men and women encounter every day. It’s hard, if not impossible, to leave a book like this the same way one entered, knowing that some people are living the non-fiction version of this book. Needless to say, I strongly recommend the final installment in the A Breed Apart series.
Review copy provided by publisher. Thanks!
December 12, 2023
Okay, I know I’m sounding like a broken record, but if you have not read a Ronie Kendig book yet, what are you waiting for? Go. Do it!! This story is amazing! I loved everything about it! Every. Thing. Ronie Kendig is so talented, it blows my mind! Her storylines are so creative, her characters so real, and her pacing is perfect! She is a genius when it comes to throwing in a perfect touch of humor to lighten a really heavy part of the story!
One of my pet peeves as a reader is a main character that is not likable, especially a female character. While I would say that Timbrel can be...touchy at times, she’s written in a way that you really like her, root for her, and as you get to know her, feel for her. I love how much Tony loves Timbrel and all that he’s willing to do to have her love him back. And, speaking of Tony, one word, awesome! He might be right up there with TOX for me! I can’t believe I just said that! 😳 His relationship with his dad brought me to tears more than once! And, I might’ve wanted to jump into the story at a certain point to help him fix things!
Also, this is Ronie Kendig, the Ronie Kendig who likes to make you seriously feel things in her stories! Things that might make you cry, hold your breath, and talk out loud to the characters! You will also try to convince yourself “she wouldn’t do that!” even though she just did!
I highly recommend anything Ronie Kendig writes. All the stars!
One of my pet peeves as a reader is a main character that is not likable, especially a female character. While I would say that Timbrel can be...touchy at times, she’s written in a way that you really like her, root for her, and as you get to know her, feel for her. I love how much Tony loves Timbrel and all that he’s willing to do to have her love him back. And, speaking of Tony, one word, awesome! He might be right up there with TOX for me! I can’t believe I just said that! 😳 His relationship with his dad brought me to tears more than once! And, I might’ve wanted to jump into the story at a certain point to help him fix things!
Also, this is Ronie Kendig, the Ronie Kendig who likes to make you seriously feel things in her stories! Things that might make you cry, hold your breath, and talk out loud to the characters! You will also try to convince yourself “she wouldn’t do that!” even though she just did!
I highly recommend anything Ronie Kendig writes. All the stars!
March 17, 2014
I am convinced. It's impossible for Ronie Kendig to write a bad story; she is an absolutely amazing author! And "Beowulf" is a classic example of her handiwork with its exhilarating depictions of military covert operations, the strong emotional bonds that these missions breed among soldiers, and the fascinating work that military war dogs accomplish. But not only is our military honored through-out the pages of "Beowulf", this particular story takes an honest look at the physical and mental fall-out from missions-gone-bad; on soldiers and loved ones alike.
As the third and final story in a trilogy, it was satisfying to finally bring "Candyman" and Timbrel's on-again, mostly off-again relationship to a climax and a close. Skillfully weaving romance from bits and pieces of broken and shattered individuals sets Kendig apart in her field. Timbrel's past; riddled with impossible odds and suffocating fears almost succeeds in frustrating "Candyman" to point of no return. But the gentle, quiet spirit of the God who lived within him, continually reminded Tony of the power of unconditional love. And when he needed it the most, Timbrel returned the favor.
If you enjoy inspirational military suspense and romance, you will want to read every one of Kendig's books; including "Beowulf"!
As the third and final story in a trilogy, it was satisfying to finally bring "Candyman" and Timbrel's on-again, mostly off-again relationship to a climax and a close. Skillfully weaving romance from bits and pieces of broken and shattered individuals sets Kendig apart in her field. Timbrel's past; riddled with impossible odds and suffocating fears almost succeeds in frustrating "Candyman" to point of no return. But the gentle, quiet spirit of the God who lived within him, continually reminded Tony of the power of unconditional love. And when he needed it the most, Timbrel returned the favor.
If you enjoy inspirational military suspense and romance, you will want to read every one of Kendig's books; including "Beowulf"!
December 19, 2014
Beowulf resounds with quintessential Kendig. Packed with deep characterization, rich descriptions, and her trademark rapid-fire dialogue, once you start reading you won’t be able to stop.
This military romantic suspense story is filled with delightful scenes between Tony ‘Candyman’ VanAllen and Timbrel Hogan. She wasn’t one of my favorite characters in the first two books of this series but I can honestly say that by the time I finished Beowulf, she endeared herself to me. And of course Beowulf, a huge Mastiff that never leaves her side, absolutely steals the show at times.
The romance is subtle between the two and yet sizzles at the same time. But how is Tony going to convince Timbrel that he is serious about her with that hulk of a dog around? Let me tell you, Tony is one determined man and nothing, not even a brute of a dog, is going to stop him.
Whether you are snowed in or lounging on a beach, I can highly recommend this book along with the first two if you haven’t already read them. You’ll be hooked on Kendig.
I appreciate the author and publisher sending me a copy for review purposes. No other compensation was received.
This military romantic suspense story is filled with delightful scenes between Tony ‘Candyman’ VanAllen and Timbrel Hogan. She wasn’t one of my favorite characters in the first two books of this series but I can honestly say that by the time I finished Beowulf, she endeared herself to me. And of course Beowulf, a huge Mastiff that never leaves her side, absolutely steals the show at times.
The romance is subtle between the two and yet sizzles at the same time. But how is Tony going to convince Timbrel that he is serious about her with that hulk of a dog around? Let me tell you, Tony is one determined man and nothing, not even a brute of a dog, is going to stop him.
Whether you are snowed in or lounging on a beach, I can highly recommend this book along with the first two if you haven’t already read them. You’ll be hooked on Kendig.
I appreciate the author and publisher sending me a copy for review purposes. No other compensation was received.
August 1, 2017
Another great action packed adventure by Kendig.
The heroine is a relatable, but her actions will not always be appreciated by readers. Timbral and Candyman have been bickering since they met and he really does have deep feelings for her. But, they have a long road to travel before they are together.
I appreciate the author giving voice to Candyman's thoughts about giving up the chase of Timbral. He has chased her for over a year and believes they could have something special, but he has enough self- respect not to chase her forever and is willing to let her go.
However, when he surrenders his control of the situation, God steps in to make sure they are together at the right time and after both of them have learned the things they need to learn.
Unlike the Discarded Heroes quartet, this series didn't make me cry at every single book. While that is powerful writing, it was also kind of a downer because they were sad tears. So, I feel she has gotten better as an author as her characters go though trials and tribulations, but can do so without having a loved one tragically die off in each book of the series.
The heroine is a relatable, but her actions will not always be appreciated by readers. Timbral and Candyman have been bickering since they met and he really does have deep feelings for her. But, they have a long road to travel before they are together.
I appreciate the author giving voice to Candyman's thoughts about giving up the chase of Timbral. He has chased her for over a year and believes they could have something special, but he has enough self- respect not to chase her forever and is willing to let her go.
However, when he surrenders his control of the situation, God steps in to make sure they are together at the right time and after both of them have learned the things they need to learn.
Unlike the Discarded Heroes quartet, this series didn't make me cry at every single book. While that is powerful writing, it was also kind of a downer because they were sad tears. So, I feel she has gotten better as an author as her characters go though trials and tribulations, but can do so without having a loved one tragically die off in each book of the series.
January 3, 2014
I could not wait for this book to come out! If you have read any of the “A Breed Apart” Series, then I am not the only one who has been dying to hear Timbrel and Candyman’s story. Kendig does not let us down in Beowulf. It is action packed, with suspense, and the hot and cold romance between Timbrel and Candyman. In this book we learn about their pasts, and why they act the way they do. And I couldn't help but fall in love with Beowulf, drool and all. Kendig also keeps you on your toes by hearing the viewpoint of someone who is set against the American soldiers. Kendig knows her stuff, and makes it hard to put the book down! I am hooked. A Breed Apart was the first series I have read by Kendig, and she has a lifelong fan! If you don’t already own Trinity, Talon, and Beowulf, get them all! You will not regret it!
March 23, 2014
I love all books by Ronie Kendig, but this was my absolute favorite. The story of Timbrel and Candyman has been building since the first book, Trinity, and Ms. Kendig did not disappoint. From the opening page, I was pulled into their world. I felt every emotion that Timbrel and Candyman went through. They became my family and I felt like their best friend rooting for their relationship. There were many topics hit upon that every Christian struggles with at one point or the other. I can't wait to revisit them and fall in love with the characters all over again.
November 21, 2019
#3 A Breed Apart
It was nice to finally get Timbrel's and Candyman's story, and to understand more why Timbrel is as prickly as she is.
To say this is a Christian book, I was sad that the language in places is strong. From my British perspective, it also seemed that blasphemy was also used, not something I appreciate either when I'm reading, which took the edge off my enjoyment of the story.
It was nice to finally get Timbrel's and Candyman's story, and to understand more why Timbrel is as prickly as she is.
To say this is a Christian book, I was sad that the language in places is strong. From my British perspective, it also seemed that blasphemy was also used, not something I appreciate either when I'm reading, which took the edge off my enjoyment of the story.
April 28, 2014
I found Beowulf to be a real page turner, romantic, full of of action, and informative on what today's men and women in the military face while fighting for our country. I loved how Timbrel and Beo had such a beautiful bond. Throughout the book I found myself laughing, crying, and hanging on to my seat to see what happens next. I was completely surprised to what happens to one of the main characters. I did NOT see that coming!
This is a great book and series! 5 stars
This is a great book and series! 5 stars
November 11, 2016
4 1/2 rating.
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