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The Lost Platoon #2
Off the Grid
A hunt for dangerous secrets leads to explosive chemistry in this exhilarating romantic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Going Dark.
A team of Navy SEALs go on a mission and disappear without a trace--they are The Lost Platoon.
Investigative reporter Brittany Blake may have stumbled upon the story of a lifetime in her search for her missing brother. When he seemingly disappears overnight, she refuses to accept the Navy's less-than-satisfying explanation. She begins her own investigation, which leads her to top-secret SEAL teams, covert ops, and a possible cover up...
John Donovan is having trouble biding his time, waiting for his Commanding Officer to figure out who set up their platoon. John's best friend and BUD/S partner, Brandon Blake, was one of the many lives tragically lost in the attack against his team. When Brandon's sister, Brittany, tracks John down, looking for answers, he realizes that she may be their best bet--or bait--for finding out who is targeting SEAL Team Nine.
A team of Navy SEALs go on a mission and disappear without a trace--they are The Lost Platoon.
Investigative reporter Brittany Blake may have stumbled upon the story of a lifetime in her search for her missing brother. When he seemingly disappears overnight, she refuses to accept the Navy's less-than-satisfying explanation. She begins her own investigation, which leads her to top-secret SEAL teams, covert ops, and a possible cover up...
John Donovan is having trouble biding his time, waiting for his Commanding Officer to figure out who set up their platoon. John's best friend and BUD/S partner, Brandon Blake, was one of the many lives tragically lost in the attack against his team. When Brandon's sister, Brittany, tracks John down, looking for answers, he realizes that she may be their best bet--or bait--for finding out who is targeting SEAL Team Nine.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 3, 2018
118 people are currently reading
913 people want to read
About the author
Monica McCarty
61 books2,966 followersWhat do you get when you mix a legal career, a baseball career, motherhood, and a love of history with a voracious reader? In my case, a Historical Romance Author.
Like most writers, I’ve always loved to read. Growing up in California there was always plenty to do outside, but all too often I could be found inside curled up with a book (or two or three). I started with the usual fare: The Little House on the Prairie series, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, Watership Down, Nancy Drew, and everything by Judy Blume. Once I cleared off my bookshelf, I started swiping books from my mom. Some, like Sidney Sheldon’s The Other Side of Midnight, probably weren’t the most appropriate choice for a pre-adolescent—although they were definitely illuminating. I can still remember the look of abject horror on my mom’s Catholic-girl-face when I asked her what a virgin was. After that rather brief conversation, she paid a little closer attention to what had disappeared off her book shelf, and steered me in the direction of Harlequin and Barbara Cartland romances. I was hooked. I quickly read through the inventory of the local library and was soon buying bags of romances at garage sales.
In high school, with the encouragement of my father (who I think was a little concerned about the steady diet of romances), I read over eighty of the Franklin Library’s One Hundred Greatest Books ever written—including Tolstoy, Confucius, Plato, and the entire works of Shakespeare. Some of them were tough going for a teenager, but the experience would prove an invaluable foundation for college. After reading War and Peace, I wasn’t easily intimidated.
For some reason Monica decided to go into writing and not fashion.
After graduation, I loaded up the VW (Jetta not Bus) and trekked down I-5 to attend the University of Southern California, majoring in Political Science and minoring in English (see why all that reading helped!). I joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and when I wasn’t studying or at football games, did my best to support the local bartending industry. Ah, the good old days.
With that kind of fun, four years of college wasn’t quite enough. So leaving Tommy Trojan behind, I traveled back up north to Palo Alto for three more years of study at Stanford Law School. Once I survived the stress of the first semester, law school proved to be one of the best times of my life—garnering me a JD, life-long friends, a husband, and an unexpectedly intimate knowledge of baseball. (See “The Baseball Odyssey” below).
Law School was also where I fell in love with Scotland. In my third year, I took a Comparative Legal History class, and wrote a paper on the Scottish Clan System and Feudalism. So I immediately dropped out of law school and went on to write Scottish Historical Romances…well no, not quite. You see, I always knew I wanted to be a lawyer. My father was a lawyer, I was a “poet” (i.e., not into math), and I love to argue. It seemed natural.
So I finished law school, got married, passed the CA bar, moved to Minnesota (with a few stops along the way), waived into the MN bar, worked as a litigator for a few satisfying years, moved back to CA, had a couple of kids, realized that a legal career and being a single parent for most of the year (due to husband's career) would be extremely difficult, and THEN decided to sit down and write.
And how did I end up writing romance? It’s not as divergent as it seems. What I loved about being a lawyer are the same things I love about being a writer—research and writing. The only thing missing is the arguing, but that’s what a husband and kids are for, right?
Like most writers, I’ve always loved to read. Growing up in California there was always plenty to do outside, but all too often I could be found inside curled up with a book (or two or three). I started with the usual fare: The Little House on the Prairie series, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, Watership Down, Nancy Drew, and everything by Judy Blume. Once I cleared off my bookshelf, I started swiping books from my mom. Some, like Sidney Sheldon’s The Other Side of Midnight, probably weren’t the most appropriate choice for a pre-adolescent—although they were definitely illuminating. I can still remember the look of abject horror on my mom’s Catholic-girl-face when I asked her what a virgin was. After that rather brief conversation, she paid a little closer attention to what had disappeared off her book shelf, and steered me in the direction of Harlequin and Barbara Cartland romances. I was hooked. I quickly read through the inventory of the local library and was soon buying bags of romances at garage sales.
In high school, with the encouragement of my father (who I think was a little concerned about the steady diet of romances), I read over eighty of the Franklin Library’s One Hundred Greatest Books ever written—including Tolstoy, Confucius, Plato, and the entire works of Shakespeare. Some of them were tough going for a teenager, but the experience would prove an invaluable foundation for college. After reading War and Peace, I wasn’t easily intimidated.
For some reason Monica decided to go into writing and not fashion.
After graduation, I loaded up the VW (Jetta not Bus) and trekked down I-5 to attend the University of Southern California, majoring in Political Science and minoring in English (see why all that reading helped!). I joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and when I wasn’t studying or at football games, did my best to support the local bartending industry. Ah, the good old days.
With that kind of fun, four years of college wasn’t quite enough. So leaving Tommy Trojan behind, I traveled back up north to Palo Alto for three more years of study at Stanford Law School. Once I survived the stress of the first semester, law school proved to be one of the best times of my life—garnering me a JD, life-long friends, a husband, and an unexpectedly intimate knowledge of baseball. (See “The Baseball Odyssey” below).
Law School was also where I fell in love with Scotland. In my third year, I took a Comparative Legal History class, and wrote a paper on the Scottish Clan System and Feudalism. So I immediately dropped out of law school and went on to write Scottish Historical Romances…well no, not quite. You see, I always knew I wanted to be a lawyer. My father was a lawyer, I was a “poet” (i.e., not into math), and I love to argue. It seemed natural.
So I finished law school, got married, passed the CA bar, moved to Minnesota (with a few stops along the way), waived into the MN bar, worked as a litigator for a few satisfying years, moved back to CA, had a couple of kids, realized that a legal career and being a single parent for most of the year (due to husband's career) would be extremely difficult, and THEN decided to sit down and write.
And how did I end up writing romance? It’s not as divergent as it seems. What I loved about being a lawyer are the same things I love about being a writer—research and writing. The only thing missing is the arguing, but that’s what a husband and kids are for, right?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
July 6, 2018
4.5 Stars
Oh, I’m loving this series! Covert-ops-gone-bad with a SEAL team thought to be dead, they’re on the run and in hiding. Just like the first book there’s action, danger, conspiracy, and the best part…romance!
Brittany Blake’s brother Brandon, along with his best friend John Donovan have gone missing and suspected to be dead. Brittany knows they’re part of some super-secret Navy SEAL team. Since she’s has had less than stellar dealings with the government and cover-ups in the past, Brittany’s pretty suspicious of all their explanations. She decides to force the government’s hand by publishing sensational exposé type newspaper articles questioning the team’s whereabouts and the mission they were lost on, dubbing the stories: The Lost Platoon. Her articles are stirring up interest and not the good kind. Brittany’s got a target on her back and the survivors of SEAL Team Nine are being put at risk for discovery with all the scrutiny.
John Donovan couldn’t have a serious relationship when he first met Brittany, but their connection was instant and intense. They didn’t part on good terms, but John thought it for the best even though he’s never felt the same way about any other woman. Hiding out in Finland has become dull, but things take a turn when Brittany starts stirring up trouble with her articles. Scott, the team’s Commander, orders John to handle Brittany and lock down the talk, but his efforts throw Brittany right into his path again with danger trailing along after. Will they survive?
Off the Grid has a second chance romance, one of my all-time favorite types, and this one’s oh-so-good! With John being the best friend of Brittany’s older brother, they have a history. There was a connection, and then John broke her heart. Brittany hasn’t forgotten the hurt but doesn’t matter, when they meet again fireworks spark and ignite, and the pull between them is irresistible! That first kiss, woo!! These two are so very hot together!
As if their romance wasn’t enough we also have Colt and Kate. I’m totally riveted by their history (they were married) and their exchanges now in the present. Colt was a total ass to Kate, but they’re working together again to get answers for SEAL Team Nine. The hurt (on Kate’s side) and anger (on Colt’s side) is palpable! The revelations through this story were soooo good and I’m DYING to find out what happens next!
Off the Grid is the second book in The Lost Platoon series, but it’s not necessary to read the first book to enjoy it. However, the first book, Going Dark is really good too, so why not read it as well?
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, I’m loving this series! Covert-ops-gone-bad with a SEAL team thought to be dead, they’re on the run and in hiding. Just like the first book there’s action, danger, conspiracy, and the best part…romance!
Brittany Blake’s brother Brandon, along with his best friend John Donovan have gone missing and suspected to be dead. Brittany knows they’re part of some super-secret Navy SEAL team. Since she’s has had less than stellar dealings with the government and cover-ups in the past, Brittany’s pretty suspicious of all their explanations. She decides to force the government’s hand by publishing sensational exposé type newspaper articles questioning the team’s whereabouts and the mission they were lost on, dubbing the stories: The Lost Platoon. Her articles are stirring up interest and not the good kind. Brittany’s got a target on her back and the survivors of SEAL Team Nine are being put at risk for discovery with all the scrutiny.
John Donovan couldn’t have a serious relationship when he first met Brittany, but their connection was instant and intense. They didn’t part on good terms, but John thought it for the best even though he’s never felt the same way about any other woman. Hiding out in Finland has become dull, but things take a turn when Brittany starts stirring up trouble with her articles. Scott, the team’s Commander, orders John to handle Brittany and lock down the talk, but his efforts throw Brittany right into his path again with danger trailing along after. Will they survive?
Off the Grid has a second chance romance, one of my all-time favorite types, and this one’s oh-so-good! With John being the best friend of Brittany’s older brother, they have a history. There was a connection, and then John broke her heart. Brittany hasn’t forgotten the hurt but doesn’t matter, when they meet again fireworks spark and ignite, and the pull between them is irresistible! That first kiss, woo!! These two are so very hot together!
As if their romance wasn’t enough we also have Colt and Kate. I’m totally riveted by their history (they were married) and their exchanges now in the present. Colt was a total ass to Kate, but they’re working together again to get answers for SEAL Team Nine. The hurt (on Kate’s side) and anger (on Colt’s side) is palpable! The revelations through this story were soooo good and I’m DYING to find out what happens next!
Off the Grid is the second book in The Lost Platoon series, but it’s not necessary to read the first book to enjoy it. However, the first book, Going Dark is really good too, so why not read it as well?
A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
October 6, 2019
Abandoned this one after reading about half of the book. There are so many wrong things about this one that annoyed me like hell.
I don’t even know where to start. But I think that priority should be given to Brittany - the most irritating heroine I have read about in some time. I really like when my heroines are strong, liberated women capable of making independent decisions. But strong does not mean stupid and idiotically stubborn. And let me say that Brittany is as stubborn as a mule and cares only about herself. She and John are being hunted down by very dangerous people who are probably trying to kill her. They abandon most of their stuff to escape the pursuit. And what is our great investigative reporter doing? She's hiding a laptop, because she has to write her big article! Poor little thing, John does not understand her! Not only John has a problem with it, I do not understand her either. Either you try to hide or make money on your brother's death. Yah! John could have done a lot better.
I pretty like John. But I do not have much to say about him because the annoying Brittany diverted my attention away from him. I do not know what he sees in her. She is too stupid to live.
Another thing is that this book is actually quite boring. The plot itself is interesting, but it is not very well executed. Showing, not telling! This is what we want! And here we have a whole lot of lengthy descriptions, which could easily be replaced with a few well-written scenes and dialogues. And so, the whole story drags unmercifully. I admit that I even tried to read the dialogues only and omit the descriptions, but the dialogues are mainly made up of bumptious Brittany which irritated me even more.
The last issue which irritated me, but definitely less than the others, is a large part of the book devoted to another couple. This is not a long book, the focus on someone other than Brittany and John shortens the time in which their relationship may develop. I also think that the reason why it did not drive me mad so much is that I like the other pair much more than the MC. I would like them to have their own book.
Anyway, there was no reason to push myself to finish this story. I hope other books by this author have less annoying heroines.
I don’t even know where to start. But I think that priority should be given to Brittany - the most irritating heroine I have read about in some time. I really like when my heroines are strong, liberated women capable of making independent decisions. But strong does not mean stupid and idiotically stubborn. And let me say that Brittany is as stubborn as a mule and cares only about herself. She and John are being hunted down by very dangerous people who are probably trying to kill her. They abandon most of their stuff to escape the pursuit. And what is our great investigative reporter doing? She's hiding a laptop, because she has to write her big article! Poor little thing, John does not understand her! Not only John has a problem with it, I do not understand her either. Either you try to hide or make money on your brother's death. Yah! John could have done a lot better.
I pretty like John. But I do not have much to say about him because the annoying Brittany diverted my attention away from him. I do not know what he sees in her. She is too stupid to live.
Another thing is that this book is actually quite boring. The plot itself is interesting, but it is not very well executed. Showing, not telling! This is what we want! And here we have a whole lot of lengthy descriptions, which could easily be replaced with a few well-written scenes and dialogues. And so, the whole story drags unmercifully. I admit that I even tried to read the dialogues only and omit the descriptions, but the dialogues are mainly made up of bumptious Brittany which irritated me even more.
The last issue which irritated me, but definitely less than the others, is a large part of the book devoted to another couple. This is not a long book, the focus on someone other than Brittany and John shortens the time in which their relationship may develop. I also think that the reason why it did not drive me mad so much is that I like the other pair much more than the MC. I would like them to have their own book.
Anyway, there was no reason to push myself to finish this story. I hope other books by this author have less annoying heroines.
July 26, 2018
Brittany Blake, an investigative reporter, has made it a mission to find out what happened to her brother, Brandon, and his missing SEAL Team. They just disappeared and the military won’t even acknowledge they’re gone. Her newspaper articles are making lots of people uncomfortable, especially John (Dynomite) Donovan, Brandon’s best friend and member of his Team. John and other members of the Team that survived the blast in Siberia are in hiding, not wanting those that set up the Team to die to know they’re still alive until they can figure out who was behind the treachery. He’s dispatched to find Brittany and redirect her efforts, a woman with whom he has a past connection.
The story continues with John and others still trying to unearth clues to help them solve exactly what happened in Russia. I liked the use of flashbacks at important moments that gave more depth to the characters and intersecting relationships. The timing was spot on and I also liked that secondary characters had major roles. John and Brittany had a budding relationship five years ago that ended badly so their reunion wasn’t a joyous one but it was explosive. It developed quite nicely as they worked together.
While there were quite a few twists and revelations, the mystery of the Siberian blast is still unsolved but it’s clearer with some likely outcomes. I really enjoyed the narrator, Charles Lawrence, who handled the female roles very, very well. He’s also a good storyteller who made this a good reading experience. I’m enjoying the series and the next book is set up quite nicely.
(I received an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review)
The story continues with John and others still trying to unearth clues to help them solve exactly what happened in Russia. I liked the use of flashbacks at important moments that gave more depth to the characters and intersecting relationships. The timing was spot on and I also liked that secondary characters had major roles. John and Brittany had a budding relationship five years ago that ended badly so their reunion wasn’t a joyous one but it was explosive. It developed quite nicely as they worked together.
While there were quite a few twists and revelations, the mystery of the Siberian blast is still unsolved but it’s clearer with some likely outcomes. I really enjoyed the narrator, Charles Lawrence, who handled the female roles very, very well. He’s also a good storyteller who made this a good reading experience. I’m enjoying the series and the next book is set up quite nicely.
(I received an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review)
January 9, 2019
I loved the first book in this series and I expect nothing less in this book. I love a good SEAL book and this one, really the series so far, is great. The man of steel, action-adventure hero is soooo my thing. When the alpha Hero is really a softie, I melt. This is not a standalone and reading the books in order is definitely recommended as there is a overarching plot and the some characters appear is each book, so far.
Top secret SEAL Team Nine are on a covert mission deep in Russia, a mission that has been compromised and leaves the team presumed dead. But, there are survivors and they "Go Dark" not knowing who in their own government they can trust or who betrayed them. This group is scattered around Europe, laying low - "Off the Grid", until they can discover who betrayed their mission and caused the death of their teammates.
Investigative reporter Brittany Blake has a brother, Brandon, who is a SEAL. She doesn't know much about his life recently as they have been estranged for 5 years. But one thing she does know - he has never missed contacting her on the anniversary of their parents death. The Navy is less than helpful in her quest to find him and she is getting blowback for a series of articles she has written, as more men than just her brother are missing. It appears his whole platoon is lost. As she begins her digs deeper, she uncovers things that certain people don't want reveled and that puts her is extreme danger.
John Donovan is a survivor of the mission that killed his best friend and Brittany's brother, Brandon Blake. He's going stir crazy with laying low, the lack of information and knowing that someone in their own government set them up. Waiting was never his strong suit. When Brittany tracks him down, demanding answers, she puts herself in the crosshairs too and John will do what ever it takes to protect her.
Top secret SEAL Team Nine are on a covert mission deep in Russia, a mission that has been compromised and leaves the team presumed dead. But, there are survivors and they "Go Dark" not knowing who in their own government they can trust or who betrayed them. This group is scattered around Europe, laying low - "Off the Grid", until they can discover who betrayed their mission and caused the death of their teammates.
Investigative reporter Brittany Blake has a brother, Brandon, who is a SEAL. She doesn't know much about his life recently as they have been estranged for 5 years. But one thing she does know - he has never missed contacting her on the anniversary of their parents death. The Navy is less than helpful in her quest to find him and she is getting blowback for a series of articles she has written, as more men than just her brother are missing. It appears his whole platoon is lost. As she begins her digs deeper, she uncovers things that certain people don't want reveled and that puts her is extreme danger.
John Donovan is a survivor of the mission that killed his best friend and Brittany's brother, Brandon Blake. He's going stir crazy with laying low, the lack of information and knowing that someone in their own government set them up. Waiting was never his strong suit. When Brittany tracks him down, demanding answers, she puts herself in the crosshairs too and John will do what ever it takes to protect her.
September 5, 2018
I've given this a C at AAR.
Off the Grid is book two in Monica McCarty’s series, The Lost Platoon , and although I haven’t read the previous book (Going Dark) I was able to follow the plot in this one without any trouble, so it worked perfectly well as a standalone. What didn’t work so well, however, were the hackneyed storyline, stereotypical characters and the hero’s thirty-going-on-thirteen attitude towards the heroine. Oh, and description of the hero’s mighty wang as a “turgid beast”. I kid you not.
The book opens with a prologue in which John Donovan and the rest of Team Nine – a top secret group of Navy SEALS which has been put together to undertake the blackest of black-ops – searching a supposedly abandoned Russian gulag for proof of the existence of some kind of doomsday weapon when an explosion kills half the platoon. The rest of the men make their escape and then scatter, dropping off the radar while their commander, Scott Taylor, tries to work out exactly what happened. He believes they were betrayed by someone on their own side, and it’s safest for them all to stay dead until he can figure out what the hell happened.
Ten weeks later, John is living as Joe Phillips, a Canadian ski-bum, and is working at a resort in Finland as a ski instructor and tour guide. He’s bored to the back teeth, until he gets a call from Scott informing him that Brittany Blake, whose brother, Brand, was killed in the explosion, is stirring up trouble. An investigative journalist, Brit has written a number of stories for the paper she works for about the so-called ‘lost platoon’ in hopes of finding out what happened to her brother, and her latest article has just hit the international news sites. Scott tells John to find a way to silence her, and when John is reluctant, points out that she could well be putting her own life in danger as well as those of the rest of the platoon.
Brit and John have history; five years earlier, before both John and Brand joined Team Nine, John and Brit spent a halcyon summer together and had become very close. In spite of John’s reputation as a bit of a player, Brit believed they really had something going between them – until John ripped out her heart and stomped on it when she caught him fooling around with a pair of twin sisters. Needless to say, they haven’t been in contact or seen each other since.
John comes up with what he thinks is a way to stop Brit, but she’s not falling for it, and not long after this, turns up out of the blue at John’s local bar. The last thing he needs is for her to start yelling at him, especially as she has no idea he’s living under an assumed name, so he does the only thing he can think of and forestalls the tirade with a blistering kiss. Rather than smacking him, she melts into the kiss (of course she does) and even though they’re both angry, they’re not angry enough to resist the pull between them and return to John’s house to work off all that anger on the living room sofa. Fortunately, his four housemates are out, or that could have been a bit awkward.
The rest of the story basically consists of John and Brit running from the bad guys, and in between having a city break in wonderful Copenhagen where John – whose mother was Danish – entertains Brit by taking her to see all the sights, which, coincidentally (not) provides the perfect way to distract her from pursuing her story. Naturally, she’s not best pleased once she realises what John is up to – and doesn’t believe him when he protests that yes, he wanted to distract her, but that he’s also enjoyed the time they’ve spent together. Maybe she’d have been more inclined to believe him if he hadn’t spent so much time pushing her away (because of that unwritten rule of romance novels – the best friend’s sister is untouchable – except when she isn’t and they shag), and generally being a bit of a dickhead towards her.
That’s not to say Brit is perfect. She’s one of those stereotypical ‘spunky reporter’ types, the sort who will stop at nothing to get to the story and is so blinkered that she can’t see she’s putting lives at risk (including her own) or doesn’t care. I can understand her need to find out what happened to her brother, especially given the complicated history surrounding their estrangement, but she wasn’t willing or able to see a bigger picture, and that sort of character drives me nuts.
In addition – and to its detriment – the novel contains a secondary (second-chance) romance that is obviously set to run throughout the series, between Team Nine’s former chief, Colt Wesson and his ex-wife, Kate, who is a CIA analyst and the only person outside the team that knows they aren’t all dead. I gather the couple made an appearance in Going Dark, but not having read that, I wasn’t prepared for the shift of focus and found it irritating. Kate and Colt (who is also a dickhead) get almost equal page-time to John and Brit, but while their story is intriguingly angsty and is, I assume, setting up their eventual book, the lack of resolution here is somewhat frustrating, and the time spent on developing their story means that not enough time is spent on the romance between John and Brit, which is consequently lacking in depth and emotional connection.
The Lost Platoon series has an intriguing premise and I enjoy these sorts of conspiracy-based thrillers, but in the case of Off the Grid, the author is trying to do too much in juggling two romances and a complex plotline. It all combines to produce an unsatisfying read in which the main storyline advances very little, one romance is superficial and the other left hanging.
There are better romantic suspense novels out there, and I’d urge fans of the genre to look elsewhere for their fix.
Off the Grid is book two in Monica McCarty’s series, The Lost Platoon , and although I haven’t read the previous book (Going Dark) I was able to follow the plot in this one without any trouble, so it worked perfectly well as a standalone. What didn’t work so well, however, were the hackneyed storyline, stereotypical characters and the hero’s thirty-going-on-thirteen attitude towards the heroine. Oh, and description of the hero’s mighty wang as a “turgid beast”. I kid you not.
The book opens with a prologue in which John Donovan and the rest of Team Nine – a top secret group of Navy SEALS which has been put together to undertake the blackest of black-ops – searching a supposedly abandoned Russian gulag for proof of the existence of some kind of doomsday weapon when an explosion kills half the platoon. The rest of the men make their escape and then scatter, dropping off the radar while their commander, Scott Taylor, tries to work out exactly what happened. He believes they were betrayed by someone on their own side, and it’s safest for them all to stay dead until he can figure out what the hell happened.
Ten weeks later, John is living as Joe Phillips, a Canadian ski-bum, and is working at a resort in Finland as a ski instructor and tour guide. He’s bored to the back teeth, until he gets a call from Scott informing him that Brittany Blake, whose brother, Brand, was killed in the explosion, is stirring up trouble. An investigative journalist, Brit has written a number of stories for the paper she works for about the so-called ‘lost platoon’ in hopes of finding out what happened to her brother, and her latest article has just hit the international news sites. Scott tells John to find a way to silence her, and when John is reluctant, points out that she could well be putting her own life in danger as well as those of the rest of the platoon.
Brit and John have history; five years earlier, before both John and Brand joined Team Nine, John and Brit spent a halcyon summer together and had become very close. In spite of John’s reputation as a bit of a player, Brit believed they really had something going between them – until John ripped out her heart and stomped on it when she caught him fooling around with a pair of twin sisters. Needless to say, they haven’t been in contact or seen each other since.
John comes up with what he thinks is a way to stop Brit, but she’s not falling for it, and not long after this, turns up out of the blue at John’s local bar. The last thing he needs is for her to start yelling at him, especially as she has no idea he’s living under an assumed name, so he does the only thing he can think of and forestalls the tirade with a blistering kiss. Rather than smacking him, she melts into the kiss (of course she does) and even though they’re both angry, they’re not angry enough to resist the pull between them and return to John’s house to work off all that anger on the living room sofa. Fortunately, his four housemates are out, or that could have been a bit awkward.
The rest of the story basically consists of John and Brit running from the bad guys, and in between having a city break in wonderful Copenhagen where John – whose mother was Danish – entertains Brit by taking her to see all the sights, which, coincidentally (not) provides the perfect way to distract her from pursuing her story. Naturally, she’s not best pleased once she realises what John is up to – and doesn’t believe him when he protests that yes, he wanted to distract her, but that he’s also enjoyed the time they’ve spent together. Maybe she’d have been more inclined to believe him if he hadn’t spent so much time pushing her away (because of that unwritten rule of romance novels – the best friend’s sister is untouchable – except when she isn’t and they shag), and generally being a bit of a dickhead towards her.
That’s not to say Brit is perfect. She’s one of those stereotypical ‘spunky reporter’ types, the sort who will stop at nothing to get to the story and is so blinkered that she can’t see she’s putting lives at risk (including her own) or doesn’t care. I can understand her need to find out what happened to her brother, especially given the complicated history surrounding their estrangement, but she wasn’t willing or able to see a bigger picture, and that sort of character drives me nuts.
In addition – and to its detriment – the novel contains a secondary (second-chance) romance that is obviously set to run throughout the series, between Team Nine’s former chief, Colt Wesson and his ex-wife, Kate, who is a CIA analyst and the only person outside the team that knows they aren’t all dead. I gather the couple made an appearance in Going Dark, but not having read that, I wasn’t prepared for the shift of focus and found it irritating. Kate and Colt (who is also a dickhead) get almost equal page-time to John and Brit, but while their story is intriguingly angsty and is, I assume, setting up their eventual book, the lack of resolution here is somewhat frustrating, and the time spent on developing their story means that not enough time is spent on the romance between John and Brit, which is consequently lacking in depth and emotional connection.
The Lost Platoon series has an intriguing premise and I enjoy these sorts of conspiracy-based thrillers, but in the case of Off the Grid, the author is trying to do too much in juggling two romances and a complex plotline. It all combines to produce an unsatisfying read in which the main storyline advances very little, one romance is superficial and the other left hanging.
There are better romantic suspense novels out there, and I’d urge fans of the genre to look elsewhere for their fix.
July 10, 2018
After reading Going Dark, I really loved the characters of this series and trying to uncover what really happened to the Lost Platoon that caused them to have to go into hiding. I was excited to read about another one of the SEAL members and watch him fall in love!
Brittany Blake has a gut feeling that her brother isn't okay, and as an investigative reporter, she's learned to trust her gut. The problem is, the more she digs into her brother's disappearance, the more danger she puts herself in. John Donovan swore to his best friend that he wouldn't hurt his sister, Brittany, but when she starts sticking her nose where it doesn't belong, John knows he has to do something to stop it, especially when she tracks John down to where he's hiding out. John has to distract Brittany from uncovering the government secret that's putting lives at danger, but the more he spends time with Brittany, the harder he finds it to keep his hands off of her.
From the moment this book started, I really enjoyed Brittany's character and how she's a different person from who she was when she shared a kiss with John years ago. Now, she's not putting up with his crap and she's finally sticking up for herself. I admired Brittany's determination as a writer and a sister to find out what really happened to her brother's SEAL team. It was fun watching John not know what to do with this new version of Brittany or with his feelings that were harder and harder to ignore.
While this is a romantic suspense story, I found that it was a little lacking in the action department. I loved how they traveled around together, but I think that the middle chunk of the book kind of dragged by as they were waiting to figure out who the real threat to Brittany and John were. Even then, we didn't really get any of the answers I wanted. I understand that this is a series and the author needs to keep us hooked for the next story in the series, but I wanted more answers!
Overall, I really did enjoy this romance and Brittany and John's relationship. While the pacing was a bit slow and I wanted more action, I enjoyed the mystery behind who really set the SEAL team up and who was after Brittany. For an entertaining romantic suspense series, I definitely recommend picking these books up!
Brittany Blake has a gut feeling that her brother isn't okay, and as an investigative reporter, she's learned to trust her gut. The problem is, the more she digs into her brother's disappearance, the more danger she puts herself in. John Donovan swore to his best friend that he wouldn't hurt his sister, Brittany, but when she starts sticking her nose where it doesn't belong, John knows he has to do something to stop it, especially when she tracks John down to where he's hiding out. John has to distract Brittany from uncovering the government secret that's putting lives at danger, but the more he spends time with Brittany, the harder he finds it to keep his hands off of her.
From the moment this book started, I really enjoyed Brittany's character and how she's a different person from who she was when she shared a kiss with John years ago. Now, she's not putting up with his crap and she's finally sticking up for herself. I admired Brittany's determination as a writer and a sister to find out what really happened to her brother's SEAL team. It was fun watching John not know what to do with this new version of Brittany or with his feelings that were harder and harder to ignore.
While this is a romantic suspense story, I found that it was a little lacking in the action department. I loved how they traveled around together, but I think that the middle chunk of the book kind of dragged by as they were waiting to figure out who the real threat to Brittany and John were. Even then, we didn't really get any of the answers I wanted. I understand that this is a series and the author needs to keep us hooked for the next story in the series, but I wanted more answers!
Overall, I really did enjoy this romance and Brittany and John's relationship. While the pacing was a bit slow and I wanted more action, I enjoyed the mystery behind who really set the SEAL team up and who was after Brittany. For an entertaining romantic suspense series, I definitely recommend picking these books up!
July 9, 2018
Reviewed for
Wit and Sin
When a top secret mission goes wrong in Russia and more than half of SEAL Team Nine is killed, the survivors are ordered to scatter and go dark. Only not everyone is willing to let them stay off the grid. Reporter Brittany Blake can smell a government cover up a mile away and since this one involves her missing – possibly dead – brother, she’s not about to let it rest until she discovers the truth.
John Donovan hates being stuck in Finland, doing nothing, while he waits for orders from his lieutenant commander. And while he would like to pretend otherwise, John also can’t move past the death of his best friend and teammate, Brandon Blake. When he’s ordered to shut Brittany up – for her safety as well as the rest of his surviving teammates – it throws him for a loop. Years ago, Brandon made it clear Brittany was off-limits. But with the adrenaline rush of danger and the pull neither John nor Brittany can deny, it’s clear that some promises are meant to be broken…
I really struggled with rating Off the Grid . On the one hand, Monica McCarty’s writing is engaging, drawing me into the book and keeping the story moving at a quick clip. The action is cinematic and the overarching series question of who betrayed SEAL Team Nine and why was interesting. That being said, I struggled with the characters which kept me from liking this book as much as I wanted to.
Brittany Blake gave me flashbacks to Lois Lane (always a good thing). She’s a reporter with a sharp mind and dogged determination to get her story. She has been wronged more than once by a government cover up and her brother is one of the missing SEALs, so I did understand why she was so determined to find out what happened to the group of men she dubbed “The Lost Platoon.” That being said, Brittany’s strengths were also her weaknesses. She can get tunnel vision, which is frustrating when she doesn’t seem to fully understand – or more importantly care – that she’s putting other lives in danger besides her own. One of those lives belongs to John Donovan, the man who broke her heart five years ago. John is known for his laid-back ways, but he’s mostly intense and frustrated in this book. He definitely has reason to be, but at times it felt like his personality had melted away and we were left with a generic military hero, which was a pity. John and Brittany do have chemistry, but their romance paled in comparison to the sexual tension between two supporting characters. Added to that, Brittany and John suffer from the same problem that a lot of characters in this book do: a lack of honest communication. It’s a common enough plot device, but it’s one that I find a bit frustrating, so people who aren’t bothered by this may like their romance more than I did.
Off the Grid isn’t just John and Brittany’s story. Former SEAL Colt and his ex-wife, CIA analyst Kate are working to discover who betrayed Colt’s former team. Colt and Kate are the reason I am so invested in this series. Their chemistry is off-the-charts explosive and the pure drama keeps me coming back for more. The pain, anger, distrust, and lust practically jump off the page and I cannot wait to see if/how Ms. McCarty makes things work for these two. She definitely has her work cut out for her, because even though I got a fair sense of Colt’s history and why he acts the way he does, he definitely is cruel to Kate; so much so that I’m honestly not sure if I should be rooting for him to win her back. Whether or not he does, he and Kate livened up the book and their storyline ensures that I’ll be back for Out of Time, the next Lost Platoon book.
FTC Disclosure: 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.
When a top secret mission goes wrong in Russia and more than half of SEAL Team Nine is killed, the survivors are ordered to scatter and go dark. Only not everyone is willing to let them stay off the grid. Reporter Brittany Blake can smell a government cover up a mile away and since this one involves her missing – possibly dead – brother, she’s not about to let it rest until she discovers the truth.
John Donovan hates being stuck in Finland, doing nothing, while he waits for orders from his lieutenant commander. And while he would like to pretend otherwise, John also can’t move past the death of his best friend and teammate, Brandon Blake. When he’s ordered to shut Brittany up – for her safety as well as the rest of his surviving teammates – it throws him for a loop. Years ago, Brandon made it clear Brittany was off-limits. But with the adrenaline rush of danger and the pull neither John nor Brittany can deny, it’s clear that some promises are meant to be broken…
I really struggled with rating Off the Grid . On the one hand, Monica McCarty’s writing is engaging, drawing me into the book and keeping the story moving at a quick clip. The action is cinematic and the overarching series question of who betrayed SEAL Team Nine and why was interesting. That being said, I struggled with the characters which kept me from liking this book as much as I wanted to.
Brittany Blake gave me flashbacks to Lois Lane (always a good thing). She’s a reporter with a sharp mind and dogged determination to get her story. She has been wronged more than once by a government cover up and her brother is one of the missing SEALs, so I did understand why she was so determined to find out what happened to the group of men she dubbed “The Lost Platoon.” That being said, Brittany’s strengths were also her weaknesses. She can get tunnel vision, which is frustrating when she doesn’t seem to fully understand – or more importantly care – that she’s putting other lives in danger besides her own. One of those lives belongs to John Donovan, the man who broke her heart five years ago. John is known for his laid-back ways, but he’s mostly intense and frustrated in this book. He definitely has reason to be, but at times it felt like his personality had melted away and we were left with a generic military hero, which was a pity. John and Brittany do have chemistry, but their romance paled in comparison to the sexual tension between two supporting characters. Added to that, Brittany and John suffer from the same problem that a lot of characters in this book do: a lack of honest communication. It’s a common enough plot device, but it’s one that I find a bit frustrating, so people who aren’t bothered by this may like their romance more than I did.
Off the Grid isn’t just John and Brittany’s story. Former SEAL Colt and his ex-wife, CIA analyst Kate are working to discover who betrayed Colt’s former team. Colt and Kate are the reason I am so invested in this series. Their chemistry is off-the-charts explosive and the pure drama keeps me coming back for more. The pain, anger, distrust, and lust practically jump off the page and I cannot wait to see if/how Ms. McCarty makes things work for these two. She definitely has her work cut out for her, because even though I got a fair sense of Colt’s history and why he acts the way he does, he definitely is cruel to Kate; so much so that I’m honestly not sure if I should be rooting for him to win her back. Whether or not he does, he and Kate livened up the book and their storyline ensures that I’ll be back for Out of Time, the next Lost Platoon book.
FTC Disclosure: 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.
February 21, 2024
Quickie Review-(May contain spoilers)
So I wanted to really enjoy this one, as I had loved the first book. I should have been aware of who the heroine is though. So my issue with this book is the heroine. I gave it till about 50% and I just had to set it aside. The heroine was very toxic and honestly TSTL. Normally I am not super picky about that but why can't author's write journalistic heroines better? My issue with the heroine was she was willing to do anything for a story including risk the hero's life. She literally tells the hero he is fine and he can handle himself. Basically shrugging it off like its no big deal that she is willing to put his life at risk so she can get her story. And it just got worse as the story moved forward and not seeing how this author can redeem this heroine, so will be setting it aside.
So I wanted to really enjoy this one, as I had loved the first book. I should have been aware of who the heroine is though. So my issue with this book is the heroine. I gave it till about 50% and I just had to set it aside. The heroine was very toxic and honestly TSTL. Normally I am not super picky about that but why can't author's write journalistic heroines better? My issue with the heroine was she was willing to do anything for a story including risk the hero's life. She literally tells the hero he is fine and he can handle himself. Basically shrugging it off like its no big deal that she is willing to put his life at risk so she can get her story. And it just got worse as the story moved forward and not seeing how this author can redeem this heroine, so will be setting it aside.
June 13, 2018
3.5 stars
Packed with danger, intrigue and suspense, Off the Grid, delivers a punch in the Lost Patrol series and leaves you wanting more. Investigative report Brittany Blake has been writing stories about the missing platoon in hopes to find her missing brother. Uncovering the truth is her only mission and it leads her to finding his best friend John Donovan living in Finland. John has been lying low for weeks now since the failed mission, waiting for answers himself on how the mission was compromised and half the team was killed. Now he’s trying to stay one step ahead of Brittany and her tenacious search for the truth, while keeping her out of harm’s way and his identity under wraps.
Off the Grid is the second story in the Lost Patrol series and had a different vibe from its predecessor. The story was following two couples and toggled between them as they paralleled each other in time and came together in the end. It was hard getting a read on either of these couples because individually all four of them were harboring their own secrets and was reluctant to the trust the other with their information. Granted that is all part of the suspense but frustrating as it carried on all the way to the end and left the minor character’s story line in a cliffhanger. The romance between the two main characters, Brittany and John, felt almost incidental when it concluded and a little cheesy at the end with the big proposal. I finished this story not learning anything more in the over-arching series story than I had at the beginning and wondered why there wasn’t any progress. Overall it was an okay story for the series but I didn’t come away with a satisfying feel and in love with the main couple. I’m not ready to give up on the series and hope that the next one fill in some more missing pieces along with a gripping storyline.
July 9, 2018
✦Review & Giveaway: OFF THE GRID (The Lost Platoon) by Monica McCarty https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-aO5
Publication Date: July 3, 2018
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4.5 Stars
Another exciting installment in the Lost Platoon series. The author managed to give good insight into John’s situation and personality without resorting to an info-dump (much appreciated). I rather liked his brooding attempt to keep from getting attached to Brittany. I related to her rather quickly and loved how their sexy romance ebbed and flowed through the turmoil. I wish the platoon wasn’t so dispersed, so they could have more of a group dynamic to the stories. I want to be pulled in deeper to them as a group. That being said – I loved the mystery, danger, romance and edge to this book.
*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle http://amzn.to/2subV0J
Check out Book 1:
GOING DARK (The Lost Platoon) by Monica McCarty
✦Review 5 Stars http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-9G1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Kindle http://amzn.to/2qtdF55
Publication Date: July 3, 2018
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4.5 Stars
Another exciting installment in the Lost Platoon series. The author managed to give good insight into John’s situation and personality without resorting to an info-dump (much appreciated). I rather liked his brooding attempt to keep from getting attached to Brittany. I related to her rather quickly and loved how their sexy romance ebbed and flowed through the turmoil. I wish the platoon wasn’t so dispersed, so they could have more of a group dynamic to the stories. I want to be pulled in deeper to them as a group. That being said – I loved the mystery, danger, romance and edge to this book.
*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle http://amzn.to/2subV0J
Check out Book 1:
GOING DARK (The Lost Platoon) by Monica McCarty
✦Review 5 Stars http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-9G1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Kindle http://amzn.to/2qtdF55
March 29, 2018
Having loved Going Dark, I could not wait to read the second book in The Lost Platoon series. (I borrowed my daughter's ARC!) In Off the Grid, we meet Brittany Blake, the investigative reporter who was introduced in Going Dark. While Brittany's Navy SEAL brother is missing, no one will answer her questions regarding where he may be. When she starts asking questions, she suddenly finds her life in danger! When Brittany tracks down her brother's best friend and Navy SEAL John Donovan, he discovers that it is a full time job keeping her out of trouble. Protecting her becomes even more difficult because the chemistry between the two is undeniable. I loved the characters, the action, the passion, and the story. If you love action mixed in with a sizzling romance, don't miss Off the Grid.
August 2, 2018
This one was just ok for me. A big reason why was John. He came off like he thought he was God's gift to women. It made it hard for me to root for him with Brittany, more so when you saw what a dick he was to her in the past. I really had a hard time buying into them as a couple, even when things were good between them.
I found myself more interested with what was going on with Colt/Kate/Scott. That sure ended up wtih some unexpected info.
The larger conspiracy arc seemed to fizzle out as the book went on.
I found myself more interested with what was going on with Colt/Kate/Scott. That sure ended up wtih some unexpected info.
The larger conspiracy arc seemed to fizzle out as the book went on.
July 3, 2018
Review posted at Got Fiction?
This is the second book in Ms. McCarty’s The Lost Platoon series and it’s amazing.
Lost SEAL Team 9 member John Donovan is hanging out in Finland, acting like a ski bum, earning money by working on the mountain. Really, beneath the ski bum exterior is a man who’s dying to get back in action. But he, and the other five surviving members of his team are staying under the radar. Someone set them up to die, so for all intents and purposes, they’re dead.
Brittany’s brother Brandon was one of the SEALs lost. She knows something more is going on than what the official reports are saying, especially since his team didn’t exist, at least not on the books. Brittany is a reporter with a chip on her shoulder about the government, so when she has a chance to expose something, even if it’s potentially dangerous, she goes for it. But her sources lead her to believe that not only are her instincts correct, her brother is probably dead, but that there may have been survivors. And a mysterious email leads her to John.
John and Brittany have a history between them, and she’s furious he can still get under her skin. He’s furious she’s not only putting herself in danger, but also potentially his surviving teammates. I’m sure you can imagine the sparks that these two are throwing.
But this is more than just a Romantic Suspense where the hero and heroine are on the run to stay safe and one step ahead of the bad guys. This is an intricate and intriguing story where the author delicately weaves strands throughout the book until something happens that you didn’t expect and you’re flipping pages as fast as you can to find out what will happen next.
For Brittany and John, there’s more in their way than his supposed death. She’s a reporter. She holds the truth as the most important thing in life. But where does she draw the line as a reporter? Publishing the truth is important because the people deserve to know what is going on, however publishing the truth could get someone killed. How can she reconcile that? And how will her article affect her budding relationship?
This is one of those books where you know the author did her research. SEAL Romance isn’t easy to write. They aren’t just a job. It’s amazing how much detail is given to the whole situation. The use of current events gives this book a realistic vibe, rather than dating it. It’s unique in that respect. There’s enough recap that you can read this book on its own, but at the same time you won’t feel as if the beginning is repetitive.
This author hooked me with her Highlanders once upon a time, and I’m pleased to say that I’m loving the new adventure she’s taking us on. Mixing real life issues and moments, combining them into the fictional SEAL Team 9, gives this series an edge. You’ll love it, trust me.
***ARC courtesy of Berkley
This is the second book in Ms. McCarty’s The Lost Platoon series and it’s amazing.
Lost SEAL Team 9 member John Donovan is hanging out in Finland, acting like a ski bum, earning money by working on the mountain. Really, beneath the ski bum exterior is a man who’s dying to get back in action. But he, and the other five surviving members of his team are staying under the radar. Someone set them up to die, so for all intents and purposes, they’re dead.
Brittany’s brother Brandon was one of the SEALs lost. She knows something more is going on than what the official reports are saying, especially since his team didn’t exist, at least not on the books. Brittany is a reporter with a chip on her shoulder about the government, so when she has a chance to expose something, even if it’s potentially dangerous, she goes for it. But her sources lead her to believe that not only are her instincts correct, her brother is probably dead, but that there may have been survivors. And a mysterious email leads her to John.
John and Brittany have a history between them, and she’s furious he can still get under her skin. He’s furious she’s not only putting herself in danger, but also potentially his surviving teammates. I’m sure you can imagine the sparks that these two are throwing.
But this is more than just a Romantic Suspense where the hero and heroine are on the run to stay safe and one step ahead of the bad guys. This is an intricate and intriguing story where the author delicately weaves strands throughout the book until something happens that you didn’t expect and you’re flipping pages as fast as you can to find out what will happen next.
For Brittany and John, there’s more in their way than his supposed death. She’s a reporter. She holds the truth as the most important thing in life. But where does she draw the line as a reporter? Publishing the truth is important because the people deserve to know what is going on, however publishing the truth could get someone killed. How can she reconcile that? And how will her article affect her budding relationship?
This is one of those books where you know the author did her research. SEAL Romance isn’t easy to write. They aren’t just a job. It’s amazing how much detail is given to the whole situation. The use of current events gives this book a realistic vibe, rather than dating it. It’s unique in that respect. There’s enough recap that you can read this book on its own, but at the same time you won’t feel as if the beginning is repetitive.
This author hooked me with her Highlanders once upon a time, and I’m pleased to say that I’m loving the new adventure she’s taking us on. Mixing real life issues and moments, combining them into the fictional SEAL Team 9, gives this series an edge. You’ll love it, trust me.
***ARC courtesy of Berkley
January 8, 2019
I'm so freaking addicted to this series. I'll admit, I keep reading mostly for Colt and Kate, but I really did enjoy Brittany and John's story, even if they did act immature at times. Off the Grid is steam-filled and action-packed, and I couldn't ask for more than that!
October 29, 2019
It was more sex then story.
July 20, 2018
John was hiding out in Finland! Wohoo. Though the bad thing is that I am very aware that the narrator did not pronounce the city he was in or the name of his friend correctly. He said it more like it was written, which is wrong. See, those thing I would not have know if John had not been in Finland!
An op went wrong. Now 6 seals are hiding. John chose Finland and makes it sound very awesome up north if I can say. I doubt it is that fun off season. There are blondes and he drinks. He is a good guy, but he is not meant to do "nothing" (of course he has a job and even saved a life, but I guess that is nothing for him.)
Then there is Brittany that we heard about in book 1. She has been writing articles about missing seals and she is a bloodhound. In a good way. She wants to find out what happened to her brother.
So they will meet. And did I mention that they had a fling 5 years ago and she is so not over him ;)
There is also danger since someone do not like her articles. And of course the Seals want to keep on hiding.
And I must not forget. Another couple got a lot of time in the spotlight, and yes it was a bit strange. Cold and Kate are trying to find out what happened too and they too have a history. Their story is not over in this book so I guess it will spill over into the next one. I did like them but dang that man has issues.
Narrator
Charles Lawrence
He did a great job (even if he can not pronounce Levi ;) I liked him more than the narrator for book 1 and he does feel great for this one
An op went wrong. Now 6 seals are hiding. John chose Finland and makes it sound very awesome up north if I can say. I doubt it is that fun off season. There are blondes and he drinks. He is a good guy, but he is not meant to do "nothing" (of course he has a job and even saved a life, but I guess that is nothing for him.)
Then there is Brittany that we heard about in book 1. She has been writing articles about missing seals and she is a bloodhound. In a good way. She wants to find out what happened to her brother.
So they will meet. And did I mention that they had a fling 5 years ago and she is so not over him ;)
There is also danger since someone do not like her articles. And of course the Seals want to keep on hiding.
And I must not forget. Another couple got a lot of time in the spotlight, and yes it was a bit strange. Cold and Kate are trying to find out what happened too and they too have a history. Their story is not over in this book so I guess it will spill over into the next one. I did like them but dang that man has issues.
Narrator
Charles Lawrence
He did a great job (even if he can not pronounce Levi ;) I liked him more than the narrator for book 1 and he does feel great for this one
November 17, 2018
DNF
I lost interest in this story. When someone you know real well, tells you that he is in hiding because a mission went bad, someone killed your brother and now is trying to kill the surviving members of your platoon, don't be a jerk and decide you have to get the truth out there if it means the loss of more innocent lives.
I just couldn't get over her selfish "I have to publish this and save my career...oh, and for my brother too" attitude.
I lost interest in this story. When someone you know real well, tells you that he is in hiding because a mission went bad, someone killed your brother and now is trying to kill the surviving members of your platoon, don't be a jerk and decide you have to get the truth out there if it means the loss of more innocent lives.
I just couldn't get over her selfish "I have to publish this and save my career...oh, and for my brother too" attitude.
April 10, 2018
Monica McCarty’s ‘Lost Platoon’ series has an intriguing premise, which is why I can’t quite let go of this just yet. ‘Off the Grid’ even started off with that sense of urgency and adrenaline-high type of action which I adore in romantic suspense, and having these in the opening chapters seemed to bode well for the whole book. 2 very different couples grounded several unrelated developments as their own histories played out at the same time, the trajectories of their own discoveries dovetailing somewhat by the end.
This was until I realised that McCarty’s juggling of the conspiracy plot and 4 couples really spread the romance thinly to the point where the second-chance trope—rather glibly inserted—was worked out in a way that made out the male protagonists to be nothing but cruel, asinine arses and women who should have known better than to melt at the slightest finger wiggle.
‘Off the Grid’ ended up being a story that had so much potential which it ultimately didn’t fulfil. I felt as though I didn’t know more at the end of the book than I really did at the beginning, save for the basics that had already been laid down in the last book. My eagerness at wanting to uncover a significant chunk of the conspiracy plot turned into frustration when the storyline went nowhere: several threads were dangled as hooks, but there didn’t feel as though any significant progress was made, enough for the end to feel like a satisfying read, both on the action and on the romantic front.
Getting on board with Brittany and John was difficult when the latter merely treated her as the off-limits best-buddy’s sister, his obvious but reluctant attraction to her an unwanted thing as his motivation for getting close to her proved to be an order that he was following more than true attraction he wanted to follow up on. So much of their ‘relationship’ felt accidental as a result, when John made her out to be a burden more than a love interest, or a secondary character whom he didn’t want to want no matter the case. Wanting some other woman to screw to get his mind off things, for one, didn’t make him seem a credible romantic hero I could get behind, not to mention the other abominable ways in which he’d treated her throughout.
Much of their relationship was much more one-sided than I liked as John did nothing but push Brittany away on all fronts, while in contrast, the latter could never seem to resist this man who couldn’t give her what she wanted or needed—not even the basic respect that even strangers actually show each other. The rushed HEA (John only realising he ‘loved’ Brittany after she got captured) and the numerous instances of mansplaining away abhorrent behaviour that was subsequently too easily excused made me dislike a pairing which didn’t feel like they could successfully be together apart from burning up the sheets in bed.
There wasn’t much I could say about Kate/Colt either, whose business was given near-equal screen time, but with a lack of resolution that piled on the annoyance, despite them having formed a larger part of the narrative arc which was essentially left dangling by the end of the book.
If I started ‘Off the Grid’ on a high, I ended this on a whimper. I wished this could have worked better. I wished I didn’t struggle so hard to like the male protagonists, who gave me every reason to dislike them intensely. I wished they had more ballsy courage as the heroines did (the lack of grovelling didn’t help either). Too many wishes, too much frustration. And that was when I finally admitted defeat.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
This was until I realised that McCarty’s juggling of the conspiracy plot and 4 couples really spread the romance thinly to the point where the second-chance trope—rather glibly inserted—was worked out in a way that made out the male protagonists to be nothing but cruel, asinine arses and women who should have known better than to melt at the slightest finger wiggle.
‘Off the Grid’ ended up being a story that had so much potential which it ultimately didn’t fulfil. I felt as though I didn’t know more at the end of the book than I really did at the beginning, save for the basics that had already been laid down in the last book. My eagerness at wanting to uncover a significant chunk of the conspiracy plot turned into frustration when the storyline went nowhere: several threads were dangled as hooks, but there didn’t feel as though any significant progress was made, enough for the end to feel like a satisfying read, both on the action and on the romantic front.
Getting on board with Brittany and John was difficult when the latter merely treated her as the off-limits best-buddy’s sister, his obvious but reluctant attraction to her an unwanted thing as his motivation for getting close to her proved to be an order that he was following more than true attraction he wanted to follow up on. So much of their ‘relationship’ felt accidental as a result, when John made her out to be a burden more than a love interest, or a secondary character whom he didn’t want to want no matter the case. Wanting some other woman to screw to get his mind off things, for one, didn’t make him seem a credible romantic hero I could get behind, not to mention the other abominable ways in which he’d treated her throughout.
Much of their relationship was much more one-sided than I liked as John did nothing but push Brittany away on all fronts, while in contrast, the latter could never seem to resist this man who couldn’t give her what she wanted or needed—not even the basic respect that even strangers actually show each other. The rushed HEA (John only realising he ‘loved’ Brittany after she got captured) and the numerous instances of mansplaining away abhorrent behaviour that was subsequently too easily excused made me dislike a pairing which didn’t feel like they could successfully be together apart from burning up the sheets in bed.
There wasn’t much I could say about Kate/Colt either, whose business was given near-equal screen time, but with a lack of resolution that piled on the annoyance, despite them having formed a larger part of the narrative arc which was essentially left dangling by the end of the book.
If I started ‘Off the Grid’ on a high, I ended this on a whimper. I wished this could have worked better. I wished I didn’t struggle so hard to like the male protagonists, who gave me every reason to dislike them intensely. I wished they had more ballsy courage as the heroines did (the lack of grovelling didn’t help either). Too many wishes, too much frustration. And that was when I finally admitted defeat.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
July 1, 2018
4 stars
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 3, 2018
A team of Navy SEALs go on a mission and disappear without a trace--they are The Lost Platoon.
Investigative reporter Brittany Blake may have stumbled upon the story of a lifetime in her search for her missing brother. When he seemingly disappears overnight, she refuses to accept the Navy's less-than-satisfying explanation. She begins her own investigation, which leads her to top-secret SEAL teams, covert ops, and a possible cover up...
John Donovan is having trouble biding his time, waiting for his Commanding Officer to figure out who set up their platoon. John's best friend and BUD/S partner, Brandon Blake, was one of the many lives tragically lost in the attack against his team. When Brandon's sister, Brittany, tracks John down, looking for answers, he realizes that she may be their best bet--or bait--for finding out who is targeting SEAL Team Nine.
•••••••••
REVIEW: 4 stars--OFF THE GRID is the second instalment in Monica McCarty’s contemporary, adult THE LOST PLATOON romantic, military suspense series focusing on SEAL Team Nine whose members are MIA or dead following an unsanctioned and undercover mission to Russia. This is twenty-seven year old investigative reporter Brittany Blake, and twenty-nine year old Navy SEAL John Donovan’s story line. OFF THE GRID can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary although I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there is an ongoing theme and premise throughout. There is also a developing story focusing on former husband and wife duo Colt Wesson, Team Nine’s former chief, and CIA agent Katherine ‘Kate’ Wesson.
Told from several third person perspectives including Brittany and John, and Colt and Kate, OFF THE GRID continues to follow in the aftermath of a mission that went horribly wrong, an unsanctioned mission to Russia and incident that could have easily sparked as US-Russian war. With only six survivors from their original fourteen, the remaining SEALs must remain ‘off the grid’ in order to survive. The US government claims no responsibility or knowledge therefore it is up to one of their own to search for the truth.
Former Navy SEAL John Donovan knows loss including the loss of his best friend, and fellow Team Nine SEAL Brandon Blake but coming face to face with Brandon’s sister Brittany, an investigative journalist hoping to prove a government cover-up in the death of her old brother and his team of Navy SEALs, finds John on the defensive as he must keep Brittany from her self-appointed task in order to protect the woman with whom he will fall in love, and the men with whom he has served. What ensues is the building relationship between John and Brittany-a second chance of sorts for our story line heroine, and the potential fall-out as Brittany is targeted by more than one source, in her journey to uncover the truth.
Brittany is hoping to write a tell-all expose on the military operation that took her brother’s life. A clandestine rendezvous nets our heroine some important information, information that is about to get our heroine killed. As John continues to warn Brittany away from her current path, her TSTL attitude places herself and John in the direct line of fire forcing John to work overtime in order to protect the woman with whom he will fall in love. John’s LC Lieutenant Commander Scott Taylor, fears the team has been set up to take the fall for an act of betrayal and revenge.
Meanwhile Team Nine’s former chief Colt Wesson is tasked with working alongside the woman he once loved. Burned by betrayal, Colt struggles to trust CIA agent Kate Wesson, a trust that was destroyed years before. As Kate and Colt begin to uncover a trail of Russian spies and US operatives in a government cover-up that could very well go to the very top.
OFF THE GRID is a story of danger, suspense, action, and the prideful determination of a journalist trying to prove she is more than just the sum of her past. Brittany’s inability to see beyond her own journalistic drive threatens the lives of the surviving Team Nine SEALs, as well as her own-in this I struggled to accept her desire for the truth. The premise is intriguing, frustrating and revealing; the romance is fated and provocative; the characters are numerous, colorful, animated and intense.
Copy supplied by Netgalley
www.threadingcafe.com
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 3, 2018
A team of Navy SEALs go on a mission and disappear without a trace--they are The Lost Platoon.
Investigative reporter Brittany Blake may have stumbled upon the story of a lifetime in her search for her missing brother. When he seemingly disappears overnight, she refuses to accept the Navy's less-than-satisfying explanation. She begins her own investigation, which leads her to top-secret SEAL teams, covert ops, and a possible cover up...
John Donovan is having trouble biding his time, waiting for his Commanding Officer to figure out who set up their platoon. John's best friend and BUD/S partner, Brandon Blake, was one of the many lives tragically lost in the attack against his team. When Brandon's sister, Brittany, tracks John down, looking for answers, he realizes that she may be their best bet--or bait--for finding out who is targeting SEAL Team Nine.
•••••••••
REVIEW: 4 stars--OFF THE GRID is the second instalment in Monica McCarty’s contemporary, adult THE LOST PLATOON romantic, military suspense series focusing on SEAL Team Nine whose members are MIA or dead following an unsanctioned and undercover mission to Russia. This is twenty-seven year old investigative reporter Brittany Blake, and twenty-nine year old Navy SEAL John Donovan’s story line. OFF THE GRID can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary although I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there is an ongoing theme and premise throughout. There is also a developing story focusing on former husband and wife duo Colt Wesson, Team Nine’s former chief, and CIA agent Katherine ‘Kate’ Wesson.
Told from several third person perspectives including Brittany and John, and Colt and Kate, OFF THE GRID continues to follow in the aftermath of a mission that went horribly wrong, an unsanctioned mission to Russia and incident that could have easily sparked as US-Russian war. With only six survivors from their original fourteen, the remaining SEALs must remain ‘off the grid’ in order to survive. The US government claims no responsibility or knowledge therefore it is up to one of their own to search for the truth.
Former Navy SEAL John Donovan knows loss including the loss of his best friend, and fellow Team Nine SEAL Brandon Blake but coming face to face with Brandon’s sister Brittany, an investigative journalist hoping to prove a government cover-up in the death of her old brother and his team of Navy SEALs, finds John on the defensive as he must keep Brittany from her self-appointed task in order to protect the woman with whom he will fall in love, and the men with whom he has served. What ensues is the building relationship between John and Brittany-a second chance of sorts for our story line heroine, and the potential fall-out as Brittany is targeted by more than one source, in her journey to uncover the truth.
Brittany is hoping to write a tell-all expose on the military operation that took her brother’s life. A clandestine rendezvous nets our heroine some important information, information that is about to get our heroine killed. As John continues to warn Brittany away from her current path, her TSTL attitude places herself and John in the direct line of fire forcing John to work overtime in order to protect the woman with whom he will fall in love. John’s LC Lieutenant Commander Scott Taylor, fears the team has been set up to take the fall for an act of betrayal and revenge.
Meanwhile Team Nine’s former chief Colt Wesson is tasked with working alongside the woman he once loved. Burned by betrayal, Colt struggles to trust CIA agent Kate Wesson, a trust that was destroyed years before. As Kate and Colt begin to uncover a trail of Russian spies and US operatives in a government cover-up that could very well go to the very top.
OFF THE GRID is a story of danger, suspense, action, and the prideful determination of a journalist trying to prove she is more than just the sum of her past. Brittany’s inability to see beyond her own journalistic drive threatens the lives of the surviving Team Nine SEALs, as well as her own-in this I struggled to accept her desire for the truth. The premise is intriguing, frustrating and revealing; the romance is fated and provocative; the characters are numerous, colorful, animated and intense.
Copy supplied by Netgalley
www.threadingcafe.com
November 3, 2018
I am a little behind in reading and reviewing this title, but better late than never! I'm so glad I decided to randomly pick up Off the Grid last week because it was just what I needed. I don't read a lot of romantic suspense stories, but The Lost Platoon series is definitely shaping up to be a favorite series of mine. These books are edgy, sexy and have a good dose of suspense to them!
The plot in this series revolves around a top-secret Navy SEAL team searching Russia for a weapon that could have disastrous impacts on the world, only to have their op go wrong with an explosion. The survivors of the op scatter around the world while their commander tries to figure out what exactly went awry that fateful day. In Off the Grid, we are introduced to one of these survivors, John, who is now living in Finland as a ski instructor. He is wrangled back into his world of danger when he gets word that his best friend's sister, Brittany, who is an investigative reporter is digging to find the truth about what happened to her brother. I really enjoy the air of danger that these books seem to have to them. Even though not much may happen plot-wise until the very end, I'm still left at the edge of my seat because of the danger lurking around. My experience with Off the Grid was no different. Both Brittany and John find themselves in murky waters here, and things are starting to clear up about what happened that day in Russia, but the book definitely left off with unanswered questions that will be certainly answered in the next book.
Though I found both main characters to be equally decently written, I did have a stronger preference for Brittany. She was a bullheaded young woman who didn't let anyone or anything come in her path to finding out what happened to her brother. She faced a lot of obstacles in this book, but she remained strong and resilient and didn't allow John to push her around. That being said, her determination did have a tendency of getting her into dangerous situations, so there were definitely times when I thought she needed to think before acting. I liked John too, though sometimes I didn't exactly care for his overprotective male instincts. It got a little bit frustrating, but I could also see where he was coming from. The romance between Brittany and John was super steamy and very well-written. The chemistry between them was instant given their shared pasts and Monica McCarty just built off of that chemistry of theirs throughout Off the Grid. All that being said, two side characters, Kate and Colt, stole the show for me in the romance department. They were previously married and their chemistry has in no way evaporated. There was a ton of angst and pain between them and I was just very into it. I can't wait for more of them!
Off the Grid was a deliciously engaging, steamy and swoony romantic suspense. If you are a fan of the genre, this is a series I highly recommend.
July 4, 2018
Off the Grid continues the story of the survivors of the "Lost Platoon" with John, aka Dynomite, and Brittany. John was hiding out as a ski instructor in Finland when he was tasked with convincing Brittany to stop her articles about the lost platoon. Brittany can't give up on finding out what happened to her brother, Brandon. They had a falling out years before and hadn't been close, but she knows she has to find out the truth. Obviously, with the identity of the person/persons who sabotaged the SEAL team still unknown, Brittany is digging into dangerous territory for herself and the survivors who are still in hiding.
John is such a manwhore. He and Brittany have a little history and his behavior is just icky. I'm not a fan of the hero who has slept with so many women everyone in his life jokes about it. That does not endear him to me. I admired Brittany's pluck and determination to get the story, but sometimes she was just making BAD decisions. Decisions that were likely to get her killed or abducted. She isn't a naive girl, so her behavior sometimes was maddening.
While I wasn't a huge fan of Britt or John, the plot is interesting! Trying to figure out who wants to silence Britt, who is helping her, and who is behind all of it was interesting. Because the story is told in 3rd person, the focus isn't always John and Britt, which actually worked well for me. If you like espionage, government conspiracy, and world travel, Off the Grid might appeal to you!
POV: 3rd
Tears: no
Trope: military, secret identity
Triggers: none
Series/Standalone: stand alone within an interconnected series
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
The Woman Left Behind by Linda Howard, Rescuing Wendy by Susan Stoker, Midnight Rescue by Elle Kennedy...then you will probably like Off the Grid!
Off the Grid
See full review on The Book Disciple
July 6, 2018
There’s such a cool foundation to McCarty’s Lost Platoon series: Top-secret Navy SEAL Team Nine is on a mission in Arctic Russia when they’re ambushed by Russian special forces soldiers, the Spetsnaz. Only, nobody should’ve known Retiarius Platoon was in the region scoping out the old abandoned gulag suspected of being a secret weapons facility. And the SEALs certainly weren’t expecting the thermobaric (vacuum bomb) explosion that made their mission FUBAR.
So the surviving members of Retiarius scatter do what they were trained to do: assimilate, gather information, then take action. McCarty’s approach to this series is really interesting. Though she’s on only the second installment, she’s set up an effective storytelling methodology by telling the team-altering event from each of the members of the team. Going Dark traced Dan Warren’s path out of the melee, and this one, OFF THE GRID, follows John Donovan. With each telling of the mission, we learn a little more about what happened and why.
John’s best friend, Brandon Blake, was inside the barracks when the vacuum bomb went off, so there’s no way he could’ve survived. And Brandon’s sister, Brittany, knows it — she senses it. As an investigative reporter, she’s used to trusting her gut. When her brother drops out of communication for months and she gets no information from the government or military, she’s more convinced than ever of Retiarius’ parallels to the Lost Legion of Rome.
But imagine what small potatoes a mysterious entity would consider one reporter when it’s already taken out an entire platoon of highly skilled Navy SEALs. Brittany doesn’t stand a chance by herself, much to John’s chagrin. Five years ago, Brandon warned John away from his sister, because the two had developed an instant rapport, and now Lieutenant Commander Scott Taylor had ordered him to get her to back off her reporting. If Brittany is to survive, she has to work with and trust John, which means that trust has to extend her way, too.
Can he trust her with the secret of his team? Secrecy is the key to survival for the men of Retiarius Platoon and the people they love. If they’re ever to return to the land of the living and reclaim their lives, it has to be because they discovered who set up their massacre. And not knowing who to trust, coupled with the necessity to operate on their own (which goes against their whole team mentality), is driving them crazy.
I can’t wait to see what piece of the mystery is revealed next!
*Originally published with USA Today's Happy Ever After: https://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2....
So the surviving members of Retiarius scatter do what they were trained to do: assimilate, gather information, then take action. McCarty’s approach to this series is really interesting. Though she’s on only the second installment, she’s set up an effective storytelling methodology by telling the team-altering event from each of the members of the team. Going Dark traced Dan Warren’s path out of the melee, and this one, OFF THE GRID, follows John Donovan. With each telling of the mission, we learn a little more about what happened and why.
John’s best friend, Brandon Blake, was inside the barracks when the vacuum bomb went off, so there’s no way he could’ve survived. And Brandon’s sister, Brittany, knows it — she senses it. As an investigative reporter, she’s used to trusting her gut. When her brother drops out of communication for months and she gets no information from the government or military, she’s more convinced than ever of Retiarius’ parallels to the Lost Legion of Rome.
But imagine what small potatoes a mysterious entity would consider one reporter when it’s already taken out an entire platoon of highly skilled Navy SEALs. Brittany doesn’t stand a chance by herself, much to John’s chagrin. Five years ago, Brandon warned John away from his sister, because the two had developed an instant rapport, and now Lieutenant Commander Scott Taylor had ordered him to get her to back off her reporting. If Brittany is to survive, she has to work with and trust John, which means that trust has to extend her way, too.
Can he trust her with the secret of his team? Secrecy is the key to survival for the men of Retiarius Platoon and the people they love. If they’re ever to return to the land of the living and reclaim their lives, it has to be because they discovered who set up their massacre. And not knowing who to trust, coupled with the necessity to operate on their own (which goes against their whole team mentality), is driving them crazy.
I can’t wait to see what piece of the mystery is revealed next!
*Originally published with USA Today's Happy Ever After: https://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2....
July 5, 2018
Originally posted on NallaReads.com!
Danger. Intrigue. Suspense. ROMANCE! McCarty's next Lost Platoon novel has all that and MORE! Brittany went in to investigative reporting for a reason, the death of her parents and the supposed cover-up of who killed them. Now the disappearance and hush-hush attitude about her SEAL brother weighs heavily in her mind. She knows she has to take any action to find out the truth.
John's living a life of secrecy on Finland. One of six survivors from his platoon he's got to keep his identity under wraps until their leader can suss out who tried to kill them...and why. It was going easy for a few months of numbinginly drinking and exploring the wilds. When his lost platoon brother's sister begins sniffing around their disappearance he has to take extreme measures. But a contingency he hadn't planned for soon bubbles up. Brittany's grown into a striking woman and John may have finally found something that shakes his calm demeanor.
I'm categorizing this as a second chance romance. John knew Brittany five years before his platoon's destruction. Back then she had been in a rough place with the supposed loss of her career and he found himself caring for her immediately. Now these two come face to face and battle it out as John fights to protect his secrets and Brittany fights for her family and the truth. McCarty does a fantastic job keeping action going on every page. Whether its investigating, running, or fighting these two are always up to something and I couldn't put this book down!
I feel as if every action/suspense romance I pickup has the tendency to get redundant but I'm so glad the McCarty keeps it fresh and inventive as her world takes crazy twists and turns. I could very easily see this being made into a movie! There's also a side story about Colt, Kate, and Taylor... OMG I was HOOKED on it and I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book! Wonderful world building, powerful characters, and never a dull moment!
Danger. Intrigue. Suspense. ROMANCE! McCarty's next Lost Platoon novel has all that and MORE! Brittany went in to investigative reporting for a reason, the death of her parents and the supposed cover-up of who killed them. Now the disappearance and hush-hush attitude about her SEAL brother weighs heavily in her mind. She knows she has to take any action to find out the truth.
John's living a life of secrecy on Finland. One of six survivors from his platoon he's got to keep his identity under wraps until their leader can suss out who tried to kill them...and why. It was going easy for a few months of numbinginly drinking and exploring the wilds. When his lost platoon brother's sister begins sniffing around their disappearance he has to take extreme measures. But a contingency he hadn't planned for soon bubbles up. Brittany's grown into a striking woman and John may have finally found something that shakes his calm demeanor.
I'm categorizing this as a second chance romance. John knew Brittany five years before his platoon's destruction. Back then she had been in a rough place with the supposed loss of her career and he found himself caring for her immediately. Now these two come face to face and battle it out as John fights to protect his secrets and Brittany fights for her family and the truth. McCarty does a fantastic job keeping action going on every page. Whether its investigating, running, or fighting these two are always up to something and I couldn't put this book down!
I feel as if every action/suspense romance I pickup has the tendency to get redundant but I'm so glad the McCarty keeps it fresh and inventive as her world takes crazy twists and turns. I could very easily see this being made into a movie! There's also a side story about Colt, Kate, and Taylor... OMG I was HOOKED on it and I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book! Wonderful world building, powerful characters, and never a dull moment!
July 17, 2018
Off the Grid closely follows book one in the The Lost Platoon series (Going Dark) and while it can be read as a stand alone, my advice would be to start with book one. From the main character's viewpoint, both stories are independent, but the background is common and a few of the secondary characters follow the plot line in both books. Actually, there's a secondary plot (Colt and Kate's) which starts on book one and continues on book two.
To be honest, I enjoyed Going Dark a lot more than Off the Grid. The quality of the writing is still good, but there's a lot less action in Off the Grid. For most of the book Brittany and John are running in circles around the world. Brittany is mugged on a parking lot, her apartment back home is ransacked (while she's in Norway, so we just hear about it over a phone conversation) and not much more happens until almost the very end.
I do like the general background theme (the one that is common to both books and the reason why I advise you to read then in order) and that's why the next book in the series can't come soon enough (according to the author's homepage, Out of Time - Scott Taylor's story - is due to be published at the very end of 2018).
To be honest, I enjoyed Going Dark a lot more than Off the Grid. The quality of the writing is still good, but there's a lot less action in Off the Grid. For most of the book Brittany and John are running in circles around the world. Brittany is mugged on a parking lot, her apartment back home is ransacked (while she's in Norway, so we just hear about it over a phone conversation) and not much more happens until almost the very end.
I do like the general background theme (the one that is common to both books and the reason why I advise you to read then in order) and that's why the next book in the series can't come soon enough (according to the author's homepage, Out of Time - Scott Taylor's story - is due to be published at the very end of 2018).
September 5, 2018
As expected, this was a great read. Our hero in the story, John Donovan, is one of the few survivors of Seal Team Nine's secret mission inside Russia. Half the squad was killed and the other half are having to go dark to make the world think they are dead also while their commander tries to discover who sold them out. One of those who did not survive, Brandon Blake, was John's best friend. His sister, Brittany, is an investigative reporter who wants to get to the bottom of what really happened to her brother. Knowing that John and Brittany had once been in a relationship several years ago, he is tasked with shutting her up. This is where the story begins.
By the end, we realize how much she always loved him and he loved her too but was unable at the time to make any kind of commitment. So she had been badly hurt by him 5 years ago. That creates the tension throughout the book. But it makes for a seriously ahhh-worthy HEA. Loved it.
By the end, we realize how much she always loved him and he loved her too but was unable at the time to make any kind of commitment. So she had been badly hurt by him 5 years ago. That creates the tension throughout the book. But it makes for a seriously ahhh-worthy HEA. Loved it.
October 4, 2018
Questo libro mi è piaciuto davvero tanto.
I due protagonisti hanno una storia pregressa che spiega molto del loro modo di comportarsi (fra loro e con gli altri). La loro storia d'amore mi è sembrata "dolce".
La parte suspence si fa molto forte alla fine del libro: ieri sera mi è dispiaciuto dover mettere giù l'ereader proprio sul più bello...
Un paio di altre storie si intrecciano nella trama principale: so già che una si evolverà (e finirà) nel prossimo libro mentre spero ardentemente che l'altra sia al centro di quello successivo. Mi sembrano entrambe molto promettenti. Quando esce il prossimo???
I due protagonisti hanno una storia pregressa che spiega molto del loro modo di comportarsi (fra loro e con gli altri). La loro storia d'amore mi è sembrata "dolce".
La parte suspence si fa molto forte alla fine del libro: ieri sera mi è dispiaciuto dover mettere giù l'ereader proprio sul più bello...
Un paio di altre storie si intrecciano nella trama principale: so già che una si evolverà (e finirà) nel prossimo libro mentre spero ardentemente che l'altra sia al centro di quello successivo. Mi sembrano entrambe molto promettenti. Quando esce il prossimo???
July 2, 2019
Second book includes a surprise and a few more details on what happened to the Seal team. I flip through several pages I feel diminish the story but I keep coming back for that ...what happened?!
November 16, 2020
Normally sequels are a bit of a let down after a really excellent first book but not this one it was just as good if not better than book 1. Absolutely loved it. It even got me choked up a couple times as well. Definitely recommend the read.
July 2, 2018
What happens when a clandestine Navy SEAL team’s mission goes horribly wrong? Nothing as far as the government is concerned.
Investigative reporter Britany Blake doesn’t agree, her writing a sequence of articles about the missing SEAL team Nine angers the wrong people. Through a series of clues, some happened upon and others delivered to her door, Brittany knows something isn’t as it seems and her conspiracy plot isn’t as far fetched as officials would have her believe. This is personal for her, her brother Brandon is one of the illicit SEAL team, and she fears the worst.
John Donovan has been a SEAL all of his life when things go horribly wrong. He and his few surviving brothers must go Off the Grid to survive and capture those responsible for the covert cover up. They go incognito, while attempting to determine the miscalculation. Questions lead to danger, and danger lead to more questions. The biggest threat is keeping his best friends sister quiet while alive when she lands herself right in the middle of the action.
In a complex quest for the missing platoon, disaster, action, and passion ensue. You are escorted through a dual storyline while the cast tries to assemble the pieces of this romantic suspense before someone else ends up dead. I’ve enjoyed the series so far and found this book more relatable than the first. Personally I loved every word. It was well written, well thought out and I’m anxiously awaiting the conclusion that will hopefully finally bring these boys home.
Investigative reporter Britany Blake doesn’t agree, her writing a sequence of articles about the missing SEAL team Nine angers the wrong people. Through a series of clues, some happened upon and others delivered to her door, Brittany knows something isn’t as it seems and her conspiracy plot isn’t as far fetched as officials would have her believe. This is personal for her, her brother Brandon is one of the illicit SEAL team, and she fears the worst.
John Donovan has been a SEAL all of his life when things go horribly wrong. He and his few surviving brothers must go Off the Grid to survive and capture those responsible for the covert cover up. They go incognito, while attempting to determine the miscalculation. Questions lead to danger, and danger lead to more questions. The biggest threat is keeping his best friends sister quiet while alive when she lands herself right in the middle of the action.
In a complex quest for the missing platoon, disaster, action, and passion ensue. You are escorted through a dual storyline while the cast tries to assemble the pieces of this romantic suspense before someone else ends up dead. I’ve enjoyed the series so far and found this book more relatable than the first. Personally I loved every word. It was well written, well thought out and I’m anxiously awaiting the conclusion that will hopefully finally bring these boys home.
July 5, 2018
Monica McCarty comes roaring back with book two in the Lost Platoon series. Off the Grid is a quintessential romantic suspense book featuring a highly likable hero and a smart, self-reliant heroine who is investigating the mysterious death of her brother. Her well-meaning efforts to uncover his disappearance inadvertently puts the surviving squad, who are hiding while investigating the explosion that killed half their platoon, in jeopardy. John Donovan is assigned by his lieutenant to get her to stop digging. Brandon, Brittany's brother, was John's best friend. He resorts to questionable means to do so and ends up exploiting her long-standing crush on him. Her efforts also attract the attention of some unsavory folks involved in the original attack on the SEAL Team. John and Brittany's efforts to outrun the villains provide fist-clenching tension that surely will appeal to any suspense fan.
My favorite part of the book, however, is the on-going storyline between Colt and Kate. I am partial to impossible relationships and I am really looking forward to seeing how Ms. Marty unravels the impossible knot of THIS relationship.
My favorite part of the book, however, is the on-going storyline between Colt and Kate. I am partial to impossible relationships and I am really looking forward to seeing how Ms. Marty unravels the impossible knot of THIS relationship.
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