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The Night Stalkers #7
By Break of Day
M. L. Buchman raises the stakes-and the heat-in the return of the acclaimed Night Stalkers series
NAME: Kara Moretti
RANK: Captain of the Army's stealthiest remote piloted aircraft (Don't call it a drone)
MISSION: To be the eyes of the team
NAME: Justin "The Cowboy" Roberts
RANK: Captain of the Army's most powerful helicopter
MISSION: To redeem the past, at any cost
They Put Life, Limb, and Heart on the Line
Two new captains join The Night Stalkers with two different strategies in life, love, and combat. When Brooklyn-raised Kara joins the crew, she knows one thing as an absolute truth: to stay safe, keep everything and everyone at a distance. Born in Texas, Justin knows only one honorable way to make up for losing his first crew to a suicide bomber: he flies with all his heart. When Kara and Justin collide on a top secret mission deep in the Israeli desert, then the battle truly begins.
NAME: Kara Moretti
RANK: Captain of the Army's stealthiest remote piloted aircraft (Don't call it a drone)
MISSION: To be the eyes of the team
NAME: Justin "The Cowboy" Roberts
RANK: Captain of the Army's most powerful helicopter
MISSION: To redeem the past, at any cost
They Put Life, Limb, and Heart on the Line
Two new captains join The Night Stalkers with two different strategies in life, love, and combat. When Brooklyn-raised Kara joins the crew, she knows one thing as an absolute truth: to stay safe, keep everything and everyone at a distance. Born in Texas, Justin knows only one honorable way to make up for losing his first crew to a suicide bomber: he flies with all his heart. When Kara and Justin collide on a top secret mission deep in the Israeli desert, then the battle truly begins.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 2, 2016
78 people are currently reading
603 people want to read
About the author
M.L. Buchman
322 books614 followersUSA Today and Amazon #1 Bestseller M. L. “Matt” Buchman started writing on a flight south from Japan to ride his bicycle across the Australian Outback. Just part of a solo around-the-world trip that ultimately launched his writing career.
From the very beginning, his powerful female heroines insisted on putting character first, then a great adventure. He’s since written over 60 action-adventure thrillers and military romantic suspense novels. And just for the fun of it: 100 short stories, and a fast-growing pile of read-by-author audiobooks.
Booklist says: 3x “Top 10 of the Year.” PW says: “Tom Clancy fans open to a strong female lead will clamor for more.” His fans say: “I want more now…of everything.” That his characters are even more insistent than his fans is a hoot.
As a 30-year project manager with a geophysics degree who has designed and built houses, flown and jumped out of planes, and solo-sailed a 50’ ketch, he is awed by what is possible. More at: www.mlbuchman.com.
From the very beginning, his powerful female heroines insisted on putting character first, then a great adventure. He’s since written over 60 action-adventure thrillers and military romantic suspense novels. And just for the fun of it: 100 short stories, and a fast-growing pile of read-by-author audiobooks.
Booklist says: 3x “Top 10 of the Year.” PW says: “Tom Clancy fans open to a strong female lead will clamor for more.” His fans say: “I want more now…of everything.” That his characters are even more insistent than his fans is a hoot.
As a 30-year project manager with a geophysics degree who has designed and built houses, flown and jumped out of planes, and solo-sailed a 50’ ketch, he is awed by what is possible. More at: www.mlbuchman.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
November 4, 2025
Texas pilot, Justin, and drone (UAV) pilot, Kara, finally give in to the chemistry that is brewing between them...giving us an action intense romance.
By Break of Day takes us on missions assigned to the elite Night Stalker crew. A very specific mission needs both Justin and Kara’s piloting skill sets, bringing them deep into Turkey, where the stakes become life and death.
Buchman doesn’t write fluffy romance but raw, real and still not skimping on heart. He also manages to pull in the past characters, the backbone of this series. Giving you a taste of familiar, with an extension of previous storylines and how they intersect with this newest tale.
By Break of Day brings danger, suspense and steam with realism that ties you to the characters, the perfect recipe for a great winter read.
I received this ARC copy of By Break of Day from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication Feb. 2, 2016.
By Break of Day takes us on missions assigned to the elite Night Stalker crew. A very specific mission needs both Justin and Kara’s piloting skill sets, bringing them deep into Turkey, where the stakes become life and death.
Buchman doesn’t write fluffy romance but raw, real and still not skimping on heart. He also manages to pull in the past characters, the backbone of this series. Giving you a taste of familiar, with an extension of previous storylines and how they intersect with this newest tale.
By Break of Day brings danger, suspense and steam with realism that ties you to the characters, the perfect recipe for a great winter read.
I received this ARC copy of By Break of Day from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication Feb. 2, 2016.
January 11, 2016
I liked this one but the first half was a little too technical for me, which made it a bit boring and very easy to put down the book. I did like the chemistry between Kara and Justin, loved how they seemed to play into their stereo types, loved too how all the other SOAR members teased both of them. Things started to pick up for me when Kara and Justin were pulled into one of those secret missions that they can never talk about. It was funny how Michael, the Delta operator, was there with them the whole way. The secret mission was harrowing! It was interesting how it led to more later, where it made the first mission look like a cake walk. I was stunned at the choice that Kara had to make, wasn't sure that I would have been able to make the same one.
While there was lots of tension with the missions, it was broke up with a trip home to Kara's family. They were great, I especially loved Nonna, who seemed to get Kara to realize some important truths. It was nice that Kara's family welcomed Justin in, even as they teased him. Better was how they all reacted to Justin's mother when she stopped by to visit her son. Annie was more than a match for Kara, you can see them plotting all sorts of things in the future.
While there was lots of tension with the missions, it was broke up with a trip home to Kara's family. They were great, I especially loved Nonna, who seemed to get Kara to realize some important truths. It was nice that Kara's family welcomed Justin in, even as they teased him. Better was how they all reacted to Justin's mother when she stopped by to visit her son. Annie was more than a match for Kara, you can see them plotting all sorts of things in the future.
February 9, 2016
Spotlight, Review & Giveaway: By Break of Day (The Night Stalkers Series) by M.L. Buchman http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-41b
Publication Date: February 2, 2016
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4 Stars
Buy Links
Kindle: http://amzn.to/1OITdVW
Amazon PBK: http://amzn.to/1OIT70L
Apple: http://apple.co/1Ou1SYu
BAM: http://bit.ly/1PuR0cP
B&N: http://bit.ly/1SQT44c
Chapters: http://bit.ly/1nmfEWq
Indiebound: http://bit.ly/1TYIlDm
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1nmfK0r
Amazon Series Link: http://amzn.to/1NKexoG
Publication Date: February 2, 2016
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4 Stars
This is another exciting edition to the elite military series of the Night Stalkers. The beginning got a little bogged down in military jargon and acronyms but I urge you to read through it because the story is exciting and romantic. Normally I roll my eyes at the southern accent jokes but nothing made me roll my eyes at Justin, a sexy strong Texan. He sure met his match in Yankee Kara and her Italian New York family, I would have loved more time with them but a taste was very much appreciated. I love the team and the camaraderie, their dangerous missions that keep you on the edge of your seat and of course the smoking hot romance. Buchman is on my must read list.
*Review copy provided by Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Buy Links
Kindle: http://amzn.to/1OITdVW
Amazon PBK: http://amzn.to/1OIT70L
Apple: http://apple.co/1Ou1SYu
BAM: http://bit.ly/1PuR0cP
B&N: http://bit.ly/1SQT44c
Chapters: http://bit.ly/1nmfEWq
Indiebound: http://bit.ly/1TYIlDm
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1nmfK0r
Amazon Series Link: http://amzn.to/1NKexoG
February 12, 2016
By Break of Day continues M.L.B.'s impressive string of introducing a compelling new kick-ass couple in each installment of the always entertaining Night Stalkers series. Emily and Mark remain my absolute favorites with Archie, Kee and Dilya close seconds, while Kara and Justin exude their own distinctive charms. The extended Moretti and Roberts clans add engaging extra emotional depth to their backstories.
Awesome action scenes and dynamic decision making by the main characters as usual. Michael cameos are always appreciated.
Awesome action scenes and dynamic decision making by the main characters as usual. Michael cameos are always appreciated.
February 3, 2016
I have read other M.L. Buchman and I have enjoyed everything she has written but this one was really hard to get though with all the clinical background she had in the beginning of the book causing it to drag.
M.L Buchman was able to balance out the darker and more action pack with humor and fun moments between family and other characters introduced into the story.
I will go back and read other Night Stalker Series.
M.L Buchman was able to balance out the darker and more action pack with humor and fun moments between family and other characters introduced into the story.
I will go back and read other Night Stalker Series.
January 29, 2016
Originally published at Reading Reality
I didn’t quite stay up until break of day to finish this book, but it was close. I’ve enjoyed every single book in Buchman’s Night Stalkers series, starting with The Night Is Mine, reviewed here four(!) years ago.
And one of the best parts of this series is that it has become real in those four years. At the time that The Night is Mine was published, heroine and decorated chopper pilot Emily Beale of SOAR was aspirational and inspirational, but not possible. Now she and her sisters-in-SOAR are still inspirational, but are an achievable goal. All combat positions, including SOAR, have been opened to women. Readers no longer have to check their reality-meters at the door to fall for this series.
For those who love military romance, the Night Stalkers are consistent winners.
In this seventh full-length entry into the series (it’s the 15th story overall, but half are novellas or shorter) we have two new Captains in the Night Stalkers. Captain Kara Moretti is the Night Stalkers first drone pilot, and Justin Roberts pilots the biggest bird that the Night Stalkers fly.
At the beginning of the book, Kara is also conducting her first mission as the unit’s new Air Mission Commander. It’s a daunting job, made even more pressure-filled if she pauses to think about her predecessors in that job; the legendary Mark Henderson (story in The Night Is Mine) and his equally impressive successor, Lieutenant Archie Stevenson (story in I Own the Dawn), now both retired and fire fighting in Oregon.
But Kara’s first foray as AMC, a testing and training run for the U.S. Turkish allies, is a success, and cements her new position. It is also the first time we see Kara get into the heads of all of her pilots as well as deducing the “enemy’s” traps with seconds to spare.
And after the mission, we see the progress of Captain Justin Roberts low, slow and sometimes confused pursuit of Kara Moretti finally trip him up and flare into life.
These are two people who probably wouldn’t have met outside of SOAR. Moretti is Brooklyn born and raised, and her Italian-American family owns a neighborhood Italian grocery and pasta shop. Everyone not working the store is a cop.
Roberts is from the other end of the country, and the other end of everything. He’s Texas through-and-through, to the point of wearing a cowboy hat whenever he doesn’t need his helmet on. His family owns ranches, including the best Quarter Horse breeding ranch in the country. In spite of his cowboy manners, Justin is from old money, and lots of it. He just doesn’t throw it around.
Roberts and Moretti bond over a black-in-black operation in the Israeli desert. At first, it seems as if their mission was a complete success. Until everyone involved in that mission; Colonel Michael Gibson of Delta, the high-level Army Intelligence unit they extracted, and the even higher-level pain-in-the-ass and button-pusher who ordered that mission all show up back in their lives with the news that enemy agents have infiltrated both the top-secret Israeli base and the American Army unit posted alongside them. It’s up to Kara to command a mission to take care of all the leaks, even as she doesn’t want to think about exactly what plugging those leaks means.
Until it all goes completely pear-shaped, and Kara is forced to shoot down Justin’s chopper as he seemingly goes rogue. She figures out exactly what he means to her, as she makes the call that blows his bird out of the sky.
Escape Rating B+: This series isn’t just good, it’s consistently good. When I pick one up, I know that I’ll be treated to a sweet/hot romance, a hero and heroine who are equals in everything, an immersion into a military family that I’ve grown to like and respect, and pulse-pounding action with guns blazing and lives on the line.
At the beginning of this story, the women of SOAR get together and let Kara know that her odds of not falling for Justin Roberts are just not in her favor. It’s a moment that shows the bond between all of these spectacular and spectacularly capable heroines. And it also lampshades the fact that every woman who joins their unit inevitably falls in love with one of the men either in or attached to SOAR. And that their marriages, unlike many military marriages, have chance of lasting because the rules for Special Operations are just a bit loose. These couples deploy together, not halfway around the world from each other. The requirements to get into this unit are just too stringent to force anyone out just because they married someone who understands what they do, because their spouse is just as highly qualified and mission critical as they are.
Perhaps this is barely plausible, but it is absolutely marvelous just the same.
Like so many of the heroes and heroines in this series, neither Kara nor Justin has led a charmed life, in spite of the relatively happy families they both come from. Kara reflects her experience as a woman in the military – she is constantly looking out for someone to treat her as a sex-object instead of an officer. She’s happy that the incidences of such treatment are much fewer and farther between in SOAR than anywhere she has served.
She’s also conscious that while the unit treats her as a pilot, in fact she doesn’t put herself in harm’s way the way the others do. Her remote controlled birds are crucial to the operations of their missions, but her own life is safely back at base on the U.S.S. Peleliu while those missions are conducted. And Kara always has her guard up, because as much as her family loves her, they are always trying to shove her back into the expected box, and she resists and resents it, even though she loves them.
Justin lost a helicopter and his entire crew to a terrorist who threw high explosives into the bird in a supposedly safe location. Everyone except Justin died, and his back is a mass of burns and scar tissue. He’s lost his sense of inviolability, and he still mourns the men and women he lost every day.
So these two wounded people find each other, fall in love, and learn about each other after the fact, then have to figure out whether it’s just a fling or if they have a future. When it seems like that future may have ended before it begins, the reader’s heart breaks with Kara’s, even though one is almost positive that it can’t end that way. And it doesn’t.
Finding out who the real villain is behind all this mess, and watching him get his just desserts, was the icing on a very tasty cake.
I didn’t quite stay up until break of day to finish this book, but it was close. I’ve enjoyed every single book in Buchman’s Night Stalkers series, starting with The Night Is Mine, reviewed here four(!) years ago.
And one of the best parts of this series is that it has become real in those four years. At the time that The Night is Mine was published, heroine and decorated chopper pilot Emily Beale of SOAR was aspirational and inspirational, but not possible. Now she and her sisters-in-SOAR are still inspirational, but are an achievable goal. All combat positions, including SOAR, have been opened to women. Readers no longer have to check their reality-meters at the door to fall for this series.
For those who love military romance, the Night Stalkers are consistent winners.
In this seventh full-length entry into the series (it’s the 15th story overall, but half are novellas or shorter) we have two new Captains in the Night Stalkers. Captain Kara Moretti is the Night Stalkers first drone pilot, and Justin Roberts pilots the biggest bird that the Night Stalkers fly.
At the beginning of the book, Kara is also conducting her first mission as the unit’s new Air Mission Commander. It’s a daunting job, made even more pressure-filled if she pauses to think about her predecessors in that job; the legendary Mark Henderson (story in The Night Is Mine) and his equally impressive successor, Lieutenant Archie Stevenson (story in I Own the Dawn), now both retired and fire fighting in Oregon.
But Kara’s first foray as AMC, a testing and training run for the U.S. Turkish allies, is a success, and cements her new position. It is also the first time we see Kara get into the heads of all of her pilots as well as deducing the “enemy’s” traps with seconds to spare.
And after the mission, we see the progress of Captain Justin Roberts low, slow and sometimes confused pursuit of Kara Moretti finally trip him up and flare into life.
These are two people who probably wouldn’t have met outside of SOAR. Moretti is Brooklyn born and raised, and her Italian-American family owns a neighborhood Italian grocery and pasta shop. Everyone not working the store is a cop.
Roberts is from the other end of the country, and the other end of everything. He’s Texas through-and-through, to the point of wearing a cowboy hat whenever he doesn’t need his helmet on. His family owns ranches, including the best Quarter Horse breeding ranch in the country. In spite of his cowboy manners, Justin is from old money, and lots of it. He just doesn’t throw it around.
Roberts and Moretti bond over a black-in-black operation in the Israeli desert. At first, it seems as if their mission was a complete success. Until everyone involved in that mission; Colonel Michael Gibson of Delta, the high-level Army Intelligence unit they extracted, and the even higher-level pain-in-the-ass and button-pusher who ordered that mission all show up back in their lives with the news that enemy agents have infiltrated both the top-secret Israeli base and the American Army unit posted alongside them. It’s up to Kara to command a mission to take care of all the leaks, even as she doesn’t want to think about exactly what plugging those leaks means.
Until it all goes completely pear-shaped, and Kara is forced to shoot down Justin’s chopper as he seemingly goes rogue. She figures out exactly what he means to her, as she makes the call that blows his bird out of the sky.
Escape Rating B+: This series isn’t just good, it’s consistently good. When I pick one up, I know that I’ll be treated to a sweet/hot romance, a hero and heroine who are equals in everything, an immersion into a military family that I’ve grown to like and respect, and pulse-pounding action with guns blazing and lives on the line.
At the beginning of this story, the women of SOAR get together and let Kara know that her odds of not falling for Justin Roberts are just not in her favor. It’s a moment that shows the bond between all of these spectacular and spectacularly capable heroines. And it also lampshades the fact that every woman who joins their unit inevitably falls in love with one of the men either in or attached to SOAR. And that their marriages, unlike many military marriages, have chance of lasting because the rules for Special Operations are just a bit loose. These couples deploy together, not halfway around the world from each other. The requirements to get into this unit are just too stringent to force anyone out just because they married someone who understands what they do, because their spouse is just as highly qualified and mission critical as they are.
Perhaps this is barely plausible, but it is absolutely marvelous just the same.
Like so many of the heroes and heroines in this series, neither Kara nor Justin has led a charmed life, in spite of the relatively happy families they both come from. Kara reflects her experience as a woman in the military – she is constantly looking out for someone to treat her as a sex-object instead of an officer. She’s happy that the incidences of such treatment are much fewer and farther between in SOAR than anywhere she has served.
She’s also conscious that while the unit treats her as a pilot, in fact she doesn’t put herself in harm’s way the way the others do. Her remote controlled birds are crucial to the operations of their missions, but her own life is safely back at base on the U.S.S. Peleliu while those missions are conducted. And Kara always has her guard up, because as much as her family loves her, they are always trying to shove her back into the expected box, and she resists and resents it, even though she loves them.
Justin lost a helicopter and his entire crew to a terrorist who threw high explosives into the bird in a supposedly safe location. Everyone except Justin died, and his back is a mass of burns and scar tissue. He’s lost his sense of inviolability, and he still mourns the men and women he lost every day.
So these two wounded people find each other, fall in love, and learn about each other after the fact, then have to figure out whether it’s just a fling or if they have a future. When it seems like that future may have ended before it begins, the reader’s heart breaks with Kara’s, even though one is almost positive that it can’t end that way. And it doesn’t.
Finding out who the real villain is behind all this mess, and watching him get his just desserts, was the icing on a very tasty cake.
October 6, 2017
I love this series! Great military action, with strong men and women, putting their lives on the line for their country. In Break of Day, we meet the Remote Piloted Aircraft Captain, Kara Moretti, as she joins the Night Hawks. When she joins forces with a cowboy helicopter pilot from Texas, they ignite to form an unstoppable team in the air. But can she open her heart to him too? If you like an action packed romance, don't miss this one. It's made me want to run out and buy a pair of cowboy boots.
February 2, 2016
My Review:
*happy sigh* Another greatly entertaining and fabulous read from the brain of M.L Buchman. OMG, I love how this guy writes military romantic suspense!!
This book features Kara...she pilots the most elite class of UAV's or drones to support the SOAR pilots, specifically 5D. She works out of her 'coffin' on the group's boat. At the very beginning of the story she becomes the Mission Commander...something unheard of for a UAV pilot, but she has the distinct ability to oversea all aspect of the mission from her eyes in the sky and make adjustments to the mission plan on the fly according to what she sees.
Justin flies the big helicopter for the group...the Chinook, Calamity Jane. He's a Texan from a family who raises elite quarter horses. He sees flying the big helicopter like riding his horse...he knows how to ease and coax the beast to do exactly what he needs it to do. He's the very best of the best...as are all the members of SOAR.
Justin is a laidback, easy-going cowboy. Kara is a high-strung, tough as nails, Brooklyn girl. But I loved them together. He's much more accepting of their relationship than she is, but I loved how she came to her realizations about just how much she cared for him. It's such a great character arc. But gah...I had tears rolling down my cheeks at what she has to go through in this book. M.L. Buchman always writes strong heroines, but I think Kara sets a new bar. She was amazing and I loved her even more for it.
I had to laugh at so many moments in this book. My husband spent 20 years in the Air Force and yes, the author absolutely takes writer's license in his story telling, but he acknowledges that in this book. At #7 in the series, pretty much everyone in this group is married to one another...that would NEVER be allowed in the real military. But these people are elite and so good, they are given allowances that no one else would get. I like that the author acknowledged the fact. Note: I come from a military background and I think in every one of these books, there is a scene that I read aloud to hubby because of the fantastic scenes the author puts together...OMG...that humvee scene had me hyperventilating, so of course I had to re-read it.
I think I say it every time I review an M.L. Buchman book...no writes military romance like he does. The books are completely action packed and filled with authentic details without getting bogged down or confusing. I absolutely recommend this one and any of the others in his military series to anyone interested in military books. You will NOT be disappointed. Fantastic reading!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
*happy sigh* Another greatly entertaining and fabulous read from the brain of M.L Buchman. OMG, I love how this guy writes military romantic suspense!!
This book features Kara...she pilots the most elite class of UAV's or drones to support the SOAR pilots, specifically 5D. She works out of her 'coffin' on the group's boat. At the very beginning of the story she becomes the Mission Commander...something unheard of for a UAV pilot, but she has the distinct ability to oversea all aspect of the mission from her eyes in the sky and make adjustments to the mission plan on the fly according to what she sees.
Justin flies the big helicopter for the group...the Chinook, Calamity Jane. He's a Texan from a family who raises elite quarter horses. He sees flying the big helicopter like riding his horse...he knows how to ease and coax the beast to do exactly what he needs it to do. He's the very best of the best...as are all the members of SOAR.
Justin is a laidback, easy-going cowboy. Kara is a high-strung, tough as nails, Brooklyn girl. But I loved them together. He's much more accepting of their relationship than she is, but I loved how she came to her realizations about just how much she cared for him. It's such a great character arc. But gah...I had tears rolling down my cheeks at what she has to go through in this book. M.L. Buchman always writes strong heroines, but I think Kara sets a new bar. She was amazing and I loved her even more for it.
I had to laugh at so many moments in this book. My husband spent 20 years in the Air Force and yes, the author absolutely takes writer's license in his story telling, but he acknowledges that in this book. At #7 in the series, pretty much everyone in this group is married to one another...that would NEVER be allowed in the real military. But these people are elite and so good, they are given allowances that no one else would get. I like that the author acknowledged the fact. Note: I come from a military background and I think in every one of these books, there is a scene that I read aloud to hubby because of the fantastic scenes the author puts together...OMG...that humvee scene had me hyperventilating, so of course I had to re-read it.
I think I say it every time I review an M.L. Buchman book...no writes military romance like he does. The books are completely action packed and filled with authentic details without getting bogged down or confusing. I absolutely recommend this one and any of the others in his military series to anyone interested in military books. You will NOT be disappointed. Fantastic reading!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
February 28, 2016
By Break of Day by M.L. Buchman By Break of Day (The Night Stalkers #25)
by M.L. Buchman
Captain Kara Moretti flies high in her MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAV. It is the Night Stalkers' eyes and ears in the sky, and being behind a remote control and one step back from the action has always worked for her… and her love life.Right until Captain Justin Roberts walks straight through her shields and into her heart. Justin is a pilot who loves being right in the middle of the fray. Together they'll go where life, limb, and heart are at risk in the Mongolian wilderness. But Justin learns there's something more important than missions - Kara.
My Review:
Buchman has seriously managed to impress me with his writing every time with each new book he puts out. Readers get a realistic feel for someone who dedicates their life for a higher purpose.As a woman I couldn't help but love and respect Kara for where she places her priorities even when she doesn't want to.
As a romance this is definitely not your fluff kind of sweetness. There is heartache, there is determination, there is a story with roots, family and soul that you don't find with regular romance novels.
I have never read a Buchman book I haven't liked.
Buchman does his homework, knows his stuff and puts it to use in each book he writes.
My Rating:
5 Stars
Reviewed By: Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews
http://kkmalott.booklikes.com/
Note: I received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review by Sourcebooks
by M.L. Buchman
Captain Kara Moretti flies high in her MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAV. It is the Night Stalkers' eyes and ears in the sky, and being behind a remote control and one step back from the action has always worked for her… and her love life.Right until Captain Justin Roberts walks straight through her shields and into her heart. Justin is a pilot who loves being right in the middle of the fray. Together they'll go where life, limb, and heart are at risk in the Mongolian wilderness. But Justin learns there's something more important than missions - Kara.
My Review:
Buchman has seriously managed to impress me with his writing every time with each new book he puts out. Readers get a realistic feel for someone who dedicates their life for a higher purpose.As a woman I couldn't help but love and respect Kara for where she places her priorities even when she doesn't want to.
As a romance this is definitely not your fluff kind of sweetness. There is heartache, there is determination, there is a story with roots, family and soul that you don't find with regular romance novels.
I have never read a Buchman book I haven't liked.
Buchman does his homework, knows his stuff and puts it to use in each book he writes.
My Rating:
5 Stars
Reviewed By: Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews
http://kkmalott.booklikes.com/
Note: I received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review by Sourcebooks
January 26, 2016
By Break of Day (The Night Stalkers) - M. L. Buchman
By Break of Day (The Night Stalkers #25)
by M.L. Buchman
Captain Kara Moretti flies high in her MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAV. It is the Night Stalkers' eyes and ears in the sky, and being behind a remote control and one step back from the action has always worked for her… and her love life.
Right until Captain Justin Roberts walks straight through her shields and into her heart. Justin is a pilot who loves being right in the middle of the fray. Together they'll go where life, limb, and heart are at risk in the Mongolian wilderness. But Justin learns there's something more important than missions - Kara.
My Review:
Buchman has seriously managed to impress me with his writing every time with each new book he puts out. Readers get a realistic feel for someone who dedicates their life for a higher purpose.As a woman I couldn't help but love and respect Kara for where she places her priorities even when she doesn't want to.
As a romance this is definitely not your fluff kind of sweetness. There is heartache, there is determination, there is a story with roots, family and soul that you don't find with regular romance novels.
I have never read a Buchman book I haven't liked.
Buchman does his homework, knows his stuff and puts it to use in each book he writes.
My Rating:
5 Stars
Reviewed By: Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews
http://kkmalott.booklikes.com/
Note: I received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review by Sourcebooks
By Break of Day (The Night Stalkers #25)
by M.L. Buchman
Captain Kara Moretti flies high in her MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAV. It is the Night Stalkers' eyes and ears in the sky, and being behind a remote control and one step back from the action has always worked for her… and her love life.
Right until Captain Justin Roberts walks straight through her shields and into her heart. Justin is a pilot who loves being right in the middle of the fray. Together they'll go where life, limb, and heart are at risk in the Mongolian wilderness. But Justin learns there's something more important than missions - Kara.
My Review:
Buchman has seriously managed to impress me with his writing every time with each new book he puts out. Readers get a realistic feel for someone who dedicates their life for a higher purpose.As a woman I couldn't help but love and respect Kara for where she places her priorities even when she doesn't want to.
As a romance this is definitely not your fluff kind of sweetness. There is heartache, there is determination, there is a story with roots, family and soul that you don't find with regular romance novels.
I have never read a Buchman book I haven't liked.
Buchman does his homework, knows his stuff and puts it to use in each book he writes.
My Rating:
5 Stars
Reviewed By: Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews
http://kkmalott.booklikes.com/
Note: I received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review by Sourcebooks
April 9, 2016
Another hit for a fab series.
I absolutely loved this story. Both characters seemed so down to earth and REAL, if that makes any sense. In most romances, it's tough to associate with some characters as they seem larger than life, or their dialogue is so off, but with By Break of Day, I didn't get that feeling at all.
It was full of action when it needed it, of drama at the right spot, and with plenty of love scenes that made it believable. I love both of their jobs and how they ended up supporting one another.
Five out five great stars for a fabulous story.
I absolutely loved this story. Both characters seemed so down to earth and REAL, if that makes any sense. In most romances, it's tough to associate with some characters as they seem larger than life, or their dialogue is so off, but with By Break of Day, I didn't get that feeling at all.
It was full of action when it needed it, of drama at the right spot, and with plenty of love scenes that made it believable. I love both of their jobs and how they ended up supporting one another.
Five out five great stars for a fabulous story.
August 27, 2016
Sorry, Author, but I quit reading at 250+ pgs because NOTHING SEEMED TO HAPPEN! Boring stuff except for a brief scene in the beginning. Plus I didn't ever CARE about Kara. Too much to read on my Kindle to finish this one.
July 31, 2023
I will read all of Buchman's books; he is that good at balancing military details & mission suspense while developing strong chemistry between the main characters. I also admire his strong female characters. But so disappointed in this one, especially after the masterpiece of Carla and Michael. I really dislike Kara. Also, are all special ops personnel utterly clueless at 'love'? Annoyed at the cutesy Texas dialogue, analogies to horses, etc.
October 27, 2019
There are a few small parts that drags some, but a lot of danger and excitement. A scary ending, but the bad guys got what they deserved. I don't know how families of service men and women survive. Reading this series has brought to my mind lots of circumstances that are so far out of my experience that it's hard to conceive.
August 24, 2021
As like the last one, I was between a three and a four but had to give it the latter because I do enjoy the characters and majority of the stories. For me, it goes on a little too much at times when they’re thinking amongst themselves or with each other. Just drags on a little too much for me. The overall story in the action is great. Sure would like to see them back at his ranch.
April 23, 2018
Didn’t quite see the ending as it was. Had doubts about Wilson though. I love the way Cowboy is. So honest and pure. Money does not make him have a big head. Kara was almost to stubborn for me.
I wish there was a ending book to Night Stalkers that brought everything together .
I wish there was a ending book to Night Stalkers that brought everything together .
May 22, 2021
SOAR Chinook pilot Cowboy Justin and Kara, UAV pilot. Several exciting missions, reappearance of Colonel Michael Gibson and the SOAR team. The leave days spent in Brooklyn were a bit slow. Another great Night Stalker read.
January 1, 2023
Despite the kinda cringe cover, this book was EXCELLENT! It served as my entree into the romantic suspense subgenre and gets bonus points for a man writing an authentic, swoony, non-misogynistic romance.
February 14, 2018
Good enough romance, got bogged down on tech details, good action
library
July 30, 20210
January 6, 2024
⛔️(in notes)
June 30, 2021
Back with the Night Stalkers, the super elite black ops team featured in most Buchman's fiction, we watch the heat sizzle between Brooklyn Italian Kara, the newest woman to join the team as the stealth drone pilot and Texas cowboy Justin who pilots the team's Chinook helicopter. Neither us looking for love and marriage, both have some baggage, but of course during dangerous missions, all is overcome to deliver a HEA for these likeable characters. Lots of action both in black ops and in bed.
February 12, 2016
4.5 Stars!
I discovered M. L. Buchman not too long ago when I had the opportunity to review Target Engaged and I can't get enough of his writing. Every one of his books I have read since then is absolutely worth the sleep I give up to read it. If you love to watch action movies and watch things blow up or love military romances, then you definitely should read this series because it combines both of those things, and also because it has some of the most baddest women ever!
Captains Kara Moretti and Justin Roberts are new to the Night Stalkers. Kara is the first UAV pilot on the team and Justin joins the team as the pilot of the largest helicopter the team has. With these two, their differences are more obvious that their similarities. While Kara is of Italian descent, born and raised in Brooklyn with the spitfire temperament to go with it, Justin is Texan cowboy all the way to the bone and as laid back as can be. But it's what they can do as a team that is a thing of beauty. Professionally, they are in sync and work so well together but personally, it's a whole different story. Kara's shields are almost impenetrable but Justin's southern charms works its magic on her and completely strips her of all shields.
Kara is the new Air Mission Commander, a very unexpected and unlikely choice at that and on the heels of a successful operation finds herself recruited for a rescue mission within the borders of an ally nation that leads to the discovery of a terrorism plot and an America traitor, both of which must be stopped by all means possible. Justin is a very important part of the mission plan but when he and his crew get into trouble, Kara is right in the thick of things as the team rushes to rescue them.
BY BREAK OF DAY begins with action, not just the flash and bang kind, but the tactical planning that takes place before and alongside, the split second decisions that make the difference between success and failure or life and death and the fast missions that will have the reader on the edge as the tension builds up. The story is exciting, intense and absorbing. The technical details and military terminology, while sometimes a lot to take in, give the story a richness and depth that it would otherwise lack. It's also a fascinating glimpse of what military intelligence and special operations as well as behind-the-scenes relations with other countries, even allies, looks like.
While Kara and Justin's characters were a bit stereotypical, they were still great because they both brought something to their professional partnership and personal relationship. I really enjoyed the camaraderie between the women and men as well as catching up with couples from previous books. It's always a thrill to read this author’s books because of the varied backgrounds of the characters and the skills they bring to the team.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Want more? Subscribe to my Newsletter on The Sassy Bookster.
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I discovered M. L. Buchman not too long ago when I had the opportunity to review Target Engaged and I can't get enough of his writing. Every one of his books I have read since then is absolutely worth the sleep I give up to read it. If you love to watch action movies and watch things blow up or love military romances, then you definitely should read this series because it combines both of those things, and also because it has some of the most baddest women ever!
Captains Kara Moretti and Justin Roberts are new to the Night Stalkers. Kara is the first UAV pilot on the team and Justin joins the team as the pilot of the largest helicopter the team has. With these two, their differences are more obvious that their similarities. While Kara is of Italian descent, born and raised in Brooklyn with the spitfire temperament to go with it, Justin is Texan cowboy all the way to the bone and as laid back as can be. But it's what they can do as a team that is a thing of beauty. Professionally, they are in sync and work so well together but personally, it's a whole different story. Kara's shields are almost impenetrable but Justin's southern charms works its magic on her and completely strips her of all shields.
Kara is the new Air Mission Commander, a very unexpected and unlikely choice at that and on the heels of a successful operation finds herself recruited for a rescue mission within the borders of an ally nation that leads to the discovery of a terrorism plot and an America traitor, both of which must be stopped by all means possible. Justin is a very important part of the mission plan but when he and his crew get into trouble, Kara is right in the thick of things as the team rushes to rescue them.
BY BREAK OF DAY begins with action, not just the flash and bang kind, but the tactical planning that takes place before and alongside, the split second decisions that make the difference between success and failure or life and death and the fast missions that will have the reader on the edge as the tension builds up. The story is exciting, intense and absorbing. The technical details and military terminology, while sometimes a lot to take in, give the story a richness and depth that it would otherwise lack. It's also a fascinating glimpse of what military intelligence and special operations as well as behind-the-scenes relations with other countries, even allies, looks like.
While Kara and Justin's characters were a bit stereotypical, they were still great because they both brought something to their professional partnership and personal relationship. I really enjoyed the camaraderie between the women and men as well as catching up with couples from previous books. It's always a thrill to read this author’s books because of the varied backgrounds of the characters and the skills they bring to the team.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Want more? Subscribe to my Newsletter on The Sassy Bookster.
Follow me on Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin’.
Like my page on Facebook.
February 2, 2016
4.25 stars
ABOUT: Release Date February 2, 2016
Captain Kara Moretti flies high in her MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAV. It is the Night Stalkers' eyes and ears in the sky, and being behind a remote control and one step back from the action has always worked for her… and her love life.
Right until Captain Justin Roberts walks straight through her shields and into her heart. Justin is a pilot who loves being right in the middle of the fray. Together they'll go where life, limb, and heart are at risk in the Mongolian wilderness. But Justin learns there's something more important than missions –
••••••••••
REVIEW: 4.25 stars--BY BREAK OF DAY is latest installment in M.L.Buchman’s contemporary, adult, military romantic suspense series focusing on an elite group of military personnel from the US army secret military operations known as 160th SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment) aka The Night Stalkers. This is helicopter specialists Captain Kara Moretti, and Captain Justin Roberts’s story line. BY BREAK OF DAY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Several characters cross over between series and books.
NOTE: Do not be frightened by #15-there are numerous short stories and novellas found in several multi authored. anthologies
Told from alternating third person points of view (Kara and Justin) BY BREAK OF DAY follows recent addition to the 160th SOAR and new AMC (Air Mission Commander) Kara Moretti, and Justin Roberts as they are recruited for the blacker than Black Ops military organization known as The Activity. Secret missions, on a need to know basis only, finds Kara and Justin in a precarious position when rescue missions turn to search and destroy, and five team members go missing in the dark of night.
Kara is a native New Yorker who specializes in remotely piloted aircrafts; Justin is a Chinook helicopter pilot and a good ‘ole boy from Texas; but their personalities and stereotypical attitudes find our couple at a crossroads when Kara is unable to look past the Texas twang and cowboy hat. Kara is a woman unable to let go of her heart and in this Justin is on the outside looking in. What ensues is the building relationship between Kara and Justin, and Kara’s realization that Justin just may be the one for her. The $ex scenes are mostly implied.
BY BREAK OF DAY, like all of M. L. Buchman’s story lines, is awash in a vast amount of technical and military terminology; detailed search and rescue operations, intense missions; and numerous secondary and supporting characters-some familiar, some new introductions. There was a nice blend of action, suspense and building romance. The premise is exhilarating; the characters colorful, charismatic and animated; the romance a slow build to a happily ever after. M.L.Buchman’s realistic look at US Army intelligence and Special Operations Forces takes the reader onto the front lines of a war played out in our minds.
Copy supplied by the publisher by Netgalley
www.thereadingcafe.com
ABOUT: Release Date February 2, 2016
Captain Kara Moretti flies high in her MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAV. It is the Night Stalkers' eyes and ears in the sky, and being behind a remote control and one step back from the action has always worked for her… and her love life.
Right until Captain Justin Roberts walks straight through her shields and into her heart. Justin is a pilot who loves being right in the middle of the fray. Together they'll go where life, limb, and heart are at risk in the Mongolian wilderness. But Justin learns there's something more important than missions –
••••••••••
REVIEW: 4.25 stars--BY BREAK OF DAY is latest installment in M.L.Buchman’s contemporary, adult, military romantic suspense series focusing on an elite group of military personnel from the US army secret military operations known as 160th SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment) aka The Night Stalkers. This is helicopter specialists Captain Kara Moretti, and Captain Justin Roberts’s story line. BY BREAK OF DAY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Several characters cross over between series and books.
NOTE: Do not be frightened by #15-there are numerous short stories and novellas found in several multi authored. anthologies
Told from alternating third person points of view (Kara and Justin) BY BREAK OF DAY follows recent addition to the 160th SOAR and new AMC (Air Mission Commander) Kara Moretti, and Justin Roberts as they are recruited for the blacker than Black Ops military organization known as The Activity. Secret missions, on a need to know basis only, finds Kara and Justin in a precarious position when rescue missions turn to search and destroy, and five team members go missing in the dark of night.
Kara is a native New Yorker who specializes in remotely piloted aircrafts; Justin is a Chinook helicopter pilot and a good ‘ole boy from Texas; but their personalities and stereotypical attitudes find our couple at a crossroads when Kara is unable to look past the Texas twang and cowboy hat. Kara is a woman unable to let go of her heart and in this Justin is on the outside looking in. What ensues is the building relationship between Kara and Justin, and Kara’s realization that Justin just may be the one for her. The $ex scenes are mostly implied.
BY BREAK OF DAY, like all of M. L. Buchman’s story lines, is awash in a vast amount of technical and military terminology; detailed search and rescue operations, intense missions; and numerous secondary and supporting characters-some familiar, some new introductions. There was a nice blend of action, suspense and building romance. The premise is exhilarating; the characters colorful, charismatic and animated; the romance a slow build to a happily ever after. M.L.Buchman’s realistic look at US Army intelligence and Special Operations Forces takes the reader onto the front lines of a war played out in our minds.
Copy supplied by the publisher by Netgalley
www.thereadingcafe.com
March 2, 2016
To read this review and others like it check out my site at www.homelovebooks.com
I am a big fan of military romances, especially when it well written. I spent a lot of time being a military wife, and I've heard the lingo and the stories enough to know when things just don't sound right in a book (nothing drives me more nutty then when an author gets ranks wrong when its so easy to use google). I have to say I really thought the military aspects of this book were done so well. I know very little about how different hardware works, and even less about helicopters, but the author was able to explain things in a way that wasn't so over technical that I was confused, but informative enough to where I understood; and better than that though all of the detail served the plot, it wasn't just showing off details just for the sake of doing it. So all of that really made me happy.
The thing that stuck out the most to me about this book was Kara. Our heroine is new to the unit, which is a very specialized unit that walks among the elite ranks. She is new, but very capable. She's also after some time been put into a leadership role, so she's calling some of the shots during missions, which can be a highly stressful and hard thing to do. I think it says a lot about her in how the people in the unit react to her, they all trust in her and believe that she's doing the right thing. Plus she has this great ability to think on her feet. I love that she's a strong woman. And watching her get close to Justin, our hero, was just all the better. When it came time for Kara and Justin to couple up if you will, neither one them was more in charge then the other, they are partners in really every sense of the word. They know each others strengths and weaknesses and are there to back each other when needed and to be silent support when not needed. It really was a fantastic dynamic, and it made me really proud to see two people on such equal footing.
Now Justin was interesting to me, he does come off as maybe a little more youthful for lack of a better word. He really enjoys his job and believes in what he is doing. And really he is trying to find his place in the unit, fitting into the pre-existing dynamic. He's a cowboy in every sense of the word, which I loved, especially his hat. He's also a very capable pilot and a very loyal person in general. And in terms of the romantic elements, man is he good. I liked that maybe he was more in tune with his feelings then Kara was, or maybe just more willing to face them then she was.
There was a lot going on in this book, and really just enjoyable from beginning to end. It was suspenseful, and interesting, it had great character development and emotional moments. It really everything I want in a suspenseful romance, very impressed. I'm looking forward to reading more of this author in the future, as well as more of this series.
I am a big fan of military romances, especially when it well written. I spent a lot of time being a military wife, and I've heard the lingo and the stories enough to know when things just don't sound right in a book (nothing drives me more nutty then when an author gets ranks wrong when its so easy to use google). I have to say I really thought the military aspects of this book were done so well. I know very little about how different hardware works, and even less about helicopters, but the author was able to explain things in a way that wasn't so over technical that I was confused, but informative enough to where I understood; and better than that though all of the detail served the plot, it wasn't just showing off details just for the sake of doing it. So all of that really made me happy.
The thing that stuck out the most to me about this book was Kara. Our heroine is new to the unit, which is a very specialized unit that walks among the elite ranks. She is new, but very capable. She's also after some time been put into a leadership role, so she's calling some of the shots during missions, which can be a highly stressful and hard thing to do. I think it says a lot about her in how the people in the unit react to her, they all trust in her and believe that she's doing the right thing. Plus she has this great ability to think on her feet. I love that she's a strong woman. And watching her get close to Justin, our hero, was just all the better. When it came time for Kara and Justin to couple up if you will, neither one them was more in charge then the other, they are partners in really every sense of the word. They know each others strengths and weaknesses and are there to back each other when needed and to be silent support when not needed. It really was a fantastic dynamic, and it made me really proud to see two people on such equal footing.
Now Justin was interesting to me, he does come off as maybe a little more youthful for lack of a better word. He really enjoys his job and believes in what he is doing. And really he is trying to find his place in the unit, fitting into the pre-existing dynamic. He's a cowboy in every sense of the word, which I loved, especially his hat. He's also a very capable pilot and a very loyal person in general. And in terms of the romantic elements, man is he good. I liked that maybe he was more in tune with his feelings then Kara was, or maybe just more willing to face them then she was.
There was a lot going on in this book, and really just enjoyable from beginning to end. It was suspenseful, and interesting, it had great character development and emotional moments. It really everything I want in a suspenseful romance, very impressed. I'm looking forward to reading more of this author in the future, as well as more of this series.
June 29, 2016
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
It’s always a treat to step back into the Night Stalkers world, and By Break of Day is no exception. On the surface, Kara and Justin are just about as opposites as you could find. She’s Brooklyn born and bred with a family that she loves but avoids for much of the time as they keep trying to fit her into their version of what her life should be. Justin is Texas cowboy from the brim of his hat to the tip of his boots, born of old money with a successful Quarter Horse breading ranch, among other family ranches, Justin is a slow burn just waiting to catch fire – and Kara is certainly his match, in more ways than one.
Half the fun of reading anything Mr. Buchman writes is diving head first into the military unit with all the jargon and tech stuff, the action packed scenes and the feeling of being right there in the heart of all that is happening to the characters. The other half is from knowing that you’re going to meet up with previous members of this group, members who have married still fight side by side, some have retired to move on to other things that keep their hands in the action when needed. This is a unique family, one that new members quickly become part of, whether they intended to or not, it isn’t really an option to not become one of them. The people (at this point they are no longer mere characters to me) from the previous stories are the backbone, the heart, the vital organs of this group – without them, it simply wouldn’t work as well.
If you’re looking for a cutesy, lighthearted romance then with all due respect, kindly move right along you won’t find what you’re looking for here. If you burn for intense action, realistic characters doing what they do to keep this world a bit safer – then you’ve found a great bunch of people to enjoy. Many members of the elite Night Stalkers are simply legendary. If you’ve enjoyed By Break of Day (which I firmly believe you would), then consider going back to the beginning. Yes, fifteen stories in this series seems like a lot, but with a combination of full length novels, short stories and novellas it really isn’t all that daunting. Most of the secondary characters who are part of this unit, even to this day, started out as just team members who became… more. I’d recommend learning about them first hand by checking out The Night Is Mine, where all of this began. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed at all.
*I received an e-ARC of By Break of Day from the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*
It’s always a treat to step back into the Night Stalkers world, and By Break of Day is no exception. On the surface, Kara and Justin are just about as opposites as you could find. She’s Brooklyn born and bred with a family that she loves but avoids for much of the time as they keep trying to fit her into their version of what her life should be. Justin is Texas cowboy from the brim of his hat to the tip of his boots, born of old money with a successful Quarter Horse breading ranch, among other family ranches, Justin is a slow burn just waiting to catch fire – and Kara is certainly his match, in more ways than one.
Half the fun of reading anything Mr. Buchman writes is diving head first into the military unit with all the jargon and tech stuff, the action packed scenes and the feeling of being right there in the heart of all that is happening to the characters. The other half is from knowing that you’re going to meet up with previous members of this group, members who have married still fight side by side, some have retired to move on to other things that keep their hands in the action when needed. This is a unique family, one that new members quickly become part of, whether they intended to or not, it isn’t really an option to not become one of them. The people (at this point they are no longer mere characters to me) from the previous stories are the backbone, the heart, the vital organs of this group – without them, it simply wouldn’t work as well.
If you’re looking for a cutesy, lighthearted romance then with all due respect, kindly move right along you won’t find what you’re looking for here. If you burn for intense action, realistic characters doing what they do to keep this world a bit safer – then you’ve found a great bunch of people to enjoy. Many members of the elite Night Stalkers are simply legendary. If you’ve enjoyed By Break of Day (which I firmly believe you would), then consider going back to the beginning. Yes, fifteen stories in this series seems like a lot, but with a combination of full length novels, short stories and novellas it really isn’t all that daunting. Most of the secondary characters who are part of this unit, even to this day, started out as just team members who became… more. I’d recommend learning about them first hand by checking out The Night Is Mine, where all of this began. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed at all.
*I received an e-ARC of By Break of Day from the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*
November 17, 2015
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review. Squee!
First off let me say I'm not a fan of Cowboys or accents so on paper Justin would be my worst nightmare. Indeed, his speech, peppered as it was with 'y'alls' and 'purty' made my teeth ache. Add to that his horse similes!
But I really enjoyed this novel. I do love the Night Stalkers and after the disappointment of Michael and Claudia's book (although let's be honest how could a novel ever do justice to the awesomeness that is the Delta Force Colonel?) this was a winner.
Kara Moretti, pilot of the unmanned aircrafts Gray Eagle and Tosca, New York Brooklyn Italian, has been made AMC for the latest mission for SOAR's 5D company. She is the latest woman to make the team. Justin is the tall blonde Texan pilot of the chinook helicopter in 5D and the two of them have been circling each other since they both joined the 5D.
In Kara's first mission as AMC the 5D are about to demonstrate to an 'ally' that it needs to do better at dissuading home grown terrorists by overwhelming them in a training exercise. Kara earns her (metaphorical) stripes by realising that the Turkish ground troops are a trap and calmly reorganises the attack in mid-air.
Thereafter the novel bounces from mission to mission with a short shore leave in the middle. All our favourite characters make an appearance, even if only in mentions by others, but Michael features heavily.
What I love about the Night Stalker series is that I learn something new with each book some things (like giant trees - I'm looking at you Michael) I don't want to know, but stay I'm fascinated and rush off to google them to find out if they are real or artistic licence. There's plenty of that here.
As I received an ARC I noticed a few typos which I expect will be corrected in the novel when it is released.
So, in summary, a return to what I love about the 5D, missions and danger. I was musing about who could be the next couple and had thought Tom and Tanya but think that would fail on the overall premise of the series. My other thought might be a spoiler so I'll leave it in my head.
Recommended for anyone who liked the other Night Stalker books or anyone who likes intelligent military romances, low on the macho posturing.
First off let me say I'm not a fan of Cowboys or accents so on paper Justin would be my worst nightmare. Indeed, his speech, peppered as it was with 'y'alls' and 'purty' made my teeth ache. Add to that his horse similes!
But I really enjoyed this novel. I do love the Night Stalkers and after the disappointment of Michael and Claudia's book (although let's be honest how could a novel ever do justice to the awesomeness that is the Delta Force Colonel?) this was a winner.
Kara Moretti, pilot of the unmanned aircrafts Gray Eagle and Tosca, New York Brooklyn Italian, has been made AMC for the latest mission for SOAR's 5D company. She is the latest woman to make the team. Justin is the tall blonde Texan pilot of the chinook helicopter in 5D and the two of them have been circling each other since they both joined the 5D.
In Kara's first mission as AMC the 5D are about to demonstrate to an 'ally' that it needs to do better at dissuading home grown terrorists by overwhelming them in a training exercise. Kara earns her (metaphorical) stripes by realising that the Turkish ground troops are a trap and calmly reorganises the attack in mid-air.
Thereafter the novel bounces from mission to mission with a short shore leave in the middle. All our favourite characters make an appearance, even if only in mentions by others, but Michael features heavily.
What I love about the Night Stalker series is that I learn something new with each book some things (like giant trees - I'm looking at you Michael) I don't want to know, but stay I'm fascinated and rush off to google them to find out if they are real or artistic licence. There's plenty of that here.
As I received an ARC I noticed a few typos which I expect will be corrected in the novel when it is released.
So, in summary, a return to what I love about the 5D, missions and danger. I was musing about who could be the next couple and had thought Tom and Tanya but think that would fail on the overall premise of the series. My other thought might be a spoiler so I'll leave it in my head.
Recommended for anyone who liked the other Night Stalker books or anyone who likes intelligent military romances, low on the macho posturing.
January 21, 2016
I shall, as I all too often do, admit I am a 'major' ML Buchman fan. I have been since I read my first SOAR novel (which was, sadly, not the first one in the series - I had to go find that one on my own). I like all of those books, including this one, because there is a certain familiarity to it. The rhythm doesn't change from book to book. You get to see old familiar faces, get deeper stories on newer faces, and so on. The wonderful insight into military life and technology is simply icing on the cake.
Let's look at this book (duh). In the past few books, there have been multiple references to the drones SOAR (and the firefighting company that Emily and her man went off to run). This book features Kara Moretti, the actual drone pilot for SOAR. She's not in a helicopter, but she's right there along with the helicopters in spirit and vision. Without her drones, their missions don't go nearly as smoothly, and I LOVED seeing that. I loved that she was blunt and honest. I adored her slow fall for Justin. She didn't want to be in love with him, wanted to sleep with him sure, but she was just so...New Yorky...I loved seeing the mix of Big City Girl (and Italian to boot) with Big Sky Cowboy.
Justin, a helicopter pilot of the Chinook, not the DAPs we're so familiar with from other books, was just about as good ol' boy as you could get. I loved the way Buchman characterized him with his words. I could just hear the country-boy ooze out of him (in my head) as I read.
As I intimated above, there's a certain rhythm. Hero/heroine dance around getting together, start on it, then at approximately 60-75% through, you have the emergency mission crisis. This book was no different. I knew the crisis was coming, but wow, when it did...I just couldn't read through it fast enough. It was heartbreaking when Kara had to make a very specific decision and live with the aftermath of it.
Of course everything works out (it's not a romance if it doesn't), and Justin and Kara get their HEA. But I wouldn't trade a single minute reading this book for a more "traditionally" (read here sex, hot and heavy fun and games) flowing romance. ML Buchman is (to me) a god among romance authors.
Please - check this book out. You won't regret it.
Let's look at this book (duh). In the past few books, there have been multiple references to the drones SOAR (and the firefighting company that Emily and her man went off to run). This book features Kara Moretti, the actual drone pilot for SOAR. She's not in a helicopter, but she's right there along with the helicopters in spirit and vision. Without her drones, their missions don't go nearly as smoothly, and I LOVED seeing that. I loved that she was blunt and honest. I adored her slow fall for Justin. She didn't want to be in love with him, wanted to sleep with him sure, but she was just so...New Yorky...I loved seeing the mix of Big City Girl (and Italian to boot) with Big Sky Cowboy.
Justin, a helicopter pilot of the Chinook, not the DAPs we're so familiar with from other books, was just about as good ol' boy as you could get. I loved the way Buchman characterized him with his words. I could just hear the country-boy ooze out of him (in my head) as I read.
As I intimated above, there's a certain rhythm. Hero/heroine dance around getting together, start on it, then at approximately 60-75% through, you have the emergency mission crisis. This book was no different. I knew the crisis was coming, but wow, when it did...I just couldn't read through it fast enough. It was heartbreaking when Kara had to make a very specific decision and live with the aftermath of it.
Of course everything works out (it's not a romance if it doesn't), and Justin and Kara get their HEA. But I wouldn't trade a single minute reading this book for a more "traditionally" (read here sex, hot and heavy fun and games) flowing romance. ML Buchman is (to me) a god among romance authors.
Please - check this book out. You won't regret it.
July 16, 2016
Army Captain Kara Moretti flies a Remote Piloted Aircraft (Never call it a drone. It is a specialized, highly complex surveillance craft.) from a high security ‘coffin’ on the hangar deck of the helicopter carrier USS Peleliu off the coast of Turkey. Her GCS, Ground Control Station, is a secure, air-conditioned cargo container brimming with technology. Kara flies her Gray Eagle RPA for the Night Stalkers, the U.S. Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, with some spectacularly ‘bad-ass’ male and female helo pilots flying some fine technically advanced equipment.
A demonstration flight, designed to awe and intimidate some of our middle-East allies, performs better than anticipated due to Kara’s direction and instincts. Even though she is the new kid on the block, Kara is selected as the Night Stalkers’ Air Mission Commander guiding missions from the ground.
Her command is called to action in an emergency – the recovery of a surveillance team hidden in an ally’s air base. They have infiltrated in order to find a terrorist traitor hidden in their forces or perhaps our own. In addition to the mission, Kara is also becoming involved with the best Chinook pilot in the army, a Texan from a wealthy family as different from her Brooklyn roots as it is possible to be. Captain Justin Roberts will set her world on fire.
A good romance, some sizzle, some families, military action, chilling suspense,and great characters will charm readers. Recommended.
Readers who enjoy the heroic men and women of Suzanne Brockmann should also enjoy the Night Stalkers series. Other authors with spec ops action include: Julie Ann Walker, Kat Martin, Linda Howard’s Troublemaker, Maya Banks’ Shades of Gray, and Alexandra Ivy’s Kill Without Mercy.
Pace: fast read
Characters: good within genre stereotypes; well revealed back story
Story: character-driven
Language: engaging, witty
Tone: sensual, suspenseful, heartwarming, strong sense of place
Frame: Contemporary, Israel, off the coast of Turkey
A demonstration flight, designed to awe and intimidate some of our middle-East allies, performs better than anticipated due to Kara’s direction and instincts. Even though she is the new kid on the block, Kara is selected as the Night Stalkers’ Air Mission Commander guiding missions from the ground.
Her command is called to action in an emergency – the recovery of a surveillance team hidden in an ally’s air base. They have infiltrated in order to find a terrorist traitor hidden in their forces or perhaps our own. In addition to the mission, Kara is also becoming involved with the best Chinook pilot in the army, a Texan from a wealthy family as different from her Brooklyn roots as it is possible to be. Captain Justin Roberts will set her world on fire.
A good romance, some sizzle, some families, military action, chilling suspense,and great characters will charm readers. Recommended.
Readers who enjoy the heroic men and women of Suzanne Brockmann should also enjoy the Night Stalkers series. Other authors with spec ops action include: Julie Ann Walker, Kat Martin, Linda Howard’s Troublemaker, Maya Banks’ Shades of Gray, and Alexandra Ivy’s Kill Without Mercy.
Pace: fast read
Characters: good within genre stereotypes; well revealed back story
Story: character-driven
Language: engaging, witty
Tone: sensual, suspenseful, heartwarming, strong sense of place
Frame: Contemporary, Israel, off the coast of Turkey
January 23, 2020
First half of this book, I would’ve rated 2 stars. I skimmed. A lot. But then the story and romance got really good! Just be prepared to skim the whole first half.
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