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Red-Hot SEALs #4
Forged in Ember
In the final novel in the scorching Red-Hot SEALs series, a desperate mother and a Navy SEAL fight fire with fire to protect their love and save the world…
Amy Chastain has made a lot of enemies—none so ruthless as the insanely powerful New Ruling Order (NRO). When they killed her husband, it was hell. Then they targeted her children by injecting them with a dangerous, experimental isotope. Now Amy trusts only one man to help her: the ex-commander of SEAL Team 7.
In the company of Navy SEALs, Jace “Mac” Mackenzie was in his physical element. Now he’s on the run from the same cabal that poisoned Amy’s children. That doesn’t stop him from launching a mission to bring down the NRO—and find an antidote. But the clock is ticking. And as the sparks fly between him and Amy, Mac realizes he has more to lose than ever before.
As Mac closes in on the NRO, he uncovers a plot that threatens more than Amy’s children. Now it’s a race against time to stop a global conspiracy, save the woman he loves, and protect the family that’s starting to feel like his.
Amy Chastain has made a lot of enemies—none so ruthless as the insanely powerful New Ruling Order (NRO). When they killed her husband, it was hell. Then they targeted her children by injecting them with a dangerous, experimental isotope. Now Amy trusts only one man to help her: the ex-commander of SEAL Team 7.
In the company of Navy SEALs, Jace “Mac” Mackenzie was in his physical element. Now he’s on the run from the same cabal that poisoned Amy’s children. That doesn’t stop him from launching a mission to bring down the NRO—and find an antidote. But the clock is ticking. And as the sparks fly between him and Amy, Mac realizes he has more to lose than ever before.
As Mac closes in on the NRO, he uncovers a plot that threatens more than Amy’s children. Now it’s a race against time to stop a global conspiracy, save the woman he loves, and protect the family that’s starting to feel like his.
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First published May 15, 2018
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May 18, 2018
Title: Forged in Ember
Series: Red-Hot SEALs #4
Author: Trish McCallan
Release date: May 15, 2018
Cliffhanger: No
HEA
Forged in Ember is the final installment of the series, one that's been seven years in coming. I don't mind long intervals between books in a series. Not saying I don't feel impatient, but there will never be a time I complain that an author takes their time to craft a quality story. The overarching action/suspense plot is one that has kept me firmly hooked, as I wait to find out how everything comes to a head. How will the heroes of the SEAL team vindicate themselves? Will Amy's sons find an anecdote before the tracking isotope injected into them becomes irreversible? How will the evil NRO be taken down before their "doomsday device" is completed and detonated? I was READY.
Here's where it fell short.
#1: The hero.
Jace “Mac” Mackenzie, commander of the SEAL team, leaves a lot to be desired. I'm talking from book one. His main fault being his extreme prejudice and misogynistic attitude towards women. He's always been my least favorite person of the group, but I had faith that he would eventually see the light and realize how damaging his attitude was. Unfortunately, insufficient time was spent on Mac's personal growth and inner reflection. At 79% into the book, he compared the woman he supposedly "loves" and the three other women his men fell in love with to his despicable mother. After realizing that they were nothing like her, these are his illuminating thoughts:
Unlike most of her gender, Amy had principles and courage and...he paused. Frowned. Shook his head. Hell, all three women were in the same percentile as Amy. Which just made the four of them an anomaly.
Wait...what? So THIS FAR INTO THE BOOK, his warped perception of women has not budged one iota. He recognizes that these women are trustworthy, brave, and good people. Yet, the conclusion he draws is that it's only because they're rare to their gender. I wanted to bash him over his THICK SKULL. Look, I get it. Both of his parents are worthless human beings who scarred him emotionally. Mommy issues are understandable. (Though, why not an issue with men too? His father was a drunk who neglected him and failed to provide even the most basic needs since he was a child.) I wanted to like Mac more, but unfortunately the author failed to convince me that he had become a better man. He did endear me more than I expected, but his growth was a big fat failure.
#2: The romance.
It. Was. Rushed. Granted, pretty much all of the books were rushed in this aspect, but because of certain PNR elements added in, some couples made me a believer. This was most definitely my least favorite in regards to romance out of the bunch. Let's face it, the author had her work cut out for her. Not only was she dealing with Mac's prickly personality and prejudice, but the heroine has a SLEW of problems hindering their relationship. After being kidnapped with her sons, raped, and her husband murdered months prior, she's not someone you would picture fighting feelings of attraction and lust over someone. But that's exactly what happens six months after being rescued and widowed.
It was so strange. If you counted by days, John’s murder hadn’t been that long ago. Almost six months now, 180 days— give or take. But emotionally . . . It felt like forever. Years at least. John felt like a dim, treasured memory. She didn’t dream about him anymore. Not like she had in the beginning. Mac dominated her dreams these days. Guilt swelled. John had been a good man, a good husband. A wonderful father. He deserved better than this.
Honestly, there was literally no grief shown by her, no mourning. The woman propositions him for sex because she didn't want her rapists to have control over her sexuality. I can understand the sentiment, but when you're googling PTSD in order to prevent triggers and flashbacks, that's not working for me. The first time went smoothly with no touching, the second attempt worked completely. Simply by using google. Her method of pushing away her feelings rather than dealing with them, combined with the amount of time that her life had been completely turned upside down, made for a very unbelievable romance. Amy's feelings of love seemed to have been plucked out of thin air, because I couldn't find a natural progression. I actually felt no sexual tension or attraction between them, which was a disappointment to say the least.
When Mac returns from a mission, he marches himself to Amy's room to reveal to her that he loved her, and all it did was make me roll my eyes. There's alpha, and then there's Mac. A man who doesn't have an ounce of tenderness in his bones.
He dug deep and coughed the emotion out. “I think I love you.” Think? You think? Dumbass. She looked like she’d been poleaxed. Obviously his suave sophistication had impressed her speechless.
#3: The resolution to The entire series. The majority of the action sequences in this book were minor missions as they raced against the clock to obtain information that would save Amy's children, and locate and take the NRO down for good. For me, there were too little of these moments. The action doesn't remotely compare to the nail-biting, non-stop suspense of the previous books. They were edgy, they made my heart pound, and my excitement rush. Personally, I felt that it wasn't matched on that level, and that was the main attraction of the writing for me.
The only way I could describe the final confrontation would be underwhelming. After being shown time and again how powerful and sinister this group is, I was expecting one hell of a fight. What we got was
To sum things up, this was a disappointing finale overall for me. While I can't say that I hated it, it certainly wasn't what I waited so many years for. It was just okay. Wolf remains one of my favorite characters, and I'd be intrigued to read his and Jillian's story. A spin-off series about the Eagle Clan and the Shadow Mountain warriors is not beyond the realm of possibility after the epilogue. I love the fact that the paranormal gifts would carry on into that series, because that is one of the big draws for me with the Red-Hot SEALs. I love Trish McCallan's style of writing, so I'm hoping that there will be more to come in the future.
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May 22, 2018
3.5 Stars
Forged in Ember was a thrilling conclusion to the Red-Hot SEALs series! A series full of danger, action, suspense and characters I’ve grown to love and care about.
I have been looking forward to Mac and Amy’s romance since we’ve been building toward it for quite sometime now, and it did not disappoint. Mac, SEAL Team’s leader has been an abrasive, foul-mouth character throughout the series, so I was pleased to get his softer side, and find out what was behind all that edge. Mac had good reason to put up a shield, but Amy and her boys break that barrier and burrow right in!
Amy has been through so much, losing her husband five months earlier when the NRO murdered him. Now finding out her boys were injected with a lethal tracking compound, they’re in a race to find a cure before it’s too late. Yet, with all of that, Amy feels shored up by Mac, and his unwavering support. When he’s near, a calm settles over her, and their attraction heats up to the point of distraction!
There’s a lot going on here, the future of Amy’s children as well as the future of the human race, but the focus is on Amy, Mac and her boys. As a mother, I could easily relate to Amy’s powerful, on-the-edge-emotions and get how she could fall in love again so soon after her husband’s passing.
I’m sad to say goodbye to the series, and I wonder if we’ll get more stories from this world because Wolf and Jillian’s story was left open when I wanted more. I guess we’ll see.
A copy was kindly provided by Montlake Romance via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Forged in Ember was a thrilling conclusion to the Red-Hot SEALs series! A series full of danger, action, suspense and characters I’ve grown to love and care about.
I have been looking forward to Mac and Amy’s romance since we’ve been building toward it for quite sometime now, and it did not disappoint. Mac, SEAL Team’s leader has been an abrasive, foul-mouth character throughout the series, so I was pleased to get his softer side, and find out what was behind all that edge. Mac had good reason to put up a shield, but Amy and her boys break that barrier and burrow right in!
Amy has been through so much, losing her husband five months earlier when the NRO murdered him. Now finding out her boys were injected with a lethal tracking compound, they’re in a race to find a cure before it’s too late. Yet, with all of that, Amy feels shored up by Mac, and his unwavering support. When he’s near, a calm settles over her, and their attraction heats up to the point of distraction!
There’s a lot going on here, the future of Amy’s children as well as the future of the human race, but the focus is on Amy, Mac and her boys. As a mother, I could easily relate to Amy’s powerful, on-the-edge-emotions and get how she could fall in love again so soon after her husband’s passing.
I’m sad to say goodbye to the series, and I wonder if we’ll get more stories from this world because Wolf and Jillian’s story was left open when I wanted more. I guess we’ll see.
A copy was kindly provided by Montlake Romance via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2018
Disappointed. I had such hopes for a satisfactory, mature romance between Mac and Amy. Especially after such a long wait. This is billed as the series ender, but there is a clear setup for a spin-off series involving Wolf and Jillian and one remaining villain. The epilogue is nice, involving all the couples from other books in the series. Book one remains my fav.
My satisfaction was blocked by Amy's strange non-grieving, and all the emotional baggage with her kids, sickness, assault and Mac's injuries. In the midst of all that angst, I just couldn't feel the romance. The setup of Mac and Amy in the previous books was better than the delivery.
The action portion of the book was so-so. The deep reliance on the mystical, the healing, the paranormal kinda killed it for me. Plus the SEALS never seemed on top of the game, including Mac. It felt more like groundwork for a Shadow Warriors spin-off.
2.5 stars rounded to 3 because I still like how McCallan spins a tale and drafts a character (all so original and different from one another), but I felt Mac and Amy were cheated out of their Great Romance.
Book source: Kindle Unlimited.
My satisfaction was blocked by Amy's strange non-grieving, and all the emotional baggage with her kids, sickness, assault and Mac's injuries. In the midst of all that angst, I just couldn't feel the romance. The setup of Mac and Amy in the previous books was better than the delivery.
The action portion of the book was so-so. The deep reliance on the mystical, the healing, the paranormal kinda killed it for me. Plus the SEALS never seemed on top of the game, including Mac. It felt more like groundwork for a Shadow Warriors spin-off.
2.5 stars rounded to 3 because I still like how McCallan spins a tale and drafts a character (all so original and different from one another), but I felt Mac and Amy were cheated out of their Great Romance.
Book source: Kindle Unlimited.
May 16, 2018
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
***WARNING*** Do not read this book unless you have read the other books in this series first. This is not a standalone. This review contains spoilers if you haven't read the other books.
But, if you have read the other books then you know that the New Ruling Order (NRO) mean business and will not stop until they are stopped. This book is seat of your pants exciting and you really care what happens to these characters. The love story is sweet and empowering. The suspense is heart stopping and the ending . . . Well, you'll have to read that for yourself.
Amy Chastain suffered more than anyone else due to the nasty world obliterating agenda of the New Ruling Order (NRO). They kidnapped her and her kids, she was gang raped, they had her husband murdered and they injected her kids with an experimental isotope, which is killing them. Amy has had to draw deep and use her spine of steel just to keep sane for the last five months. All this would have broken a lesser person, but Amy survives.
When the SEAL Team 7 foiled the hijacking of Flight 2077 it set them on a collision course with the NRO. Although Navy SEALs, Jace “Mac” Mackenzie wasn't there, he backed and supported his Team all the way and that landed him square in their crosshairs too. Now, with time running out for Benji Chastain, Mac will do anything, even betray a friend, to find a way to save him. His feelings for Amy have done nothing but grow during this whole ordeal. His initial respect for her guts and attraction for her have given way to the real thing - love. He will fight to his dying breath to end the nightmare that holds them all hostage.
Mac, his Team and the Arapaho Warriors are the only ones standing between the NRO and a global catastrophe. It's a classic Good vs. Evil and the good guys are not going to lose.
***WARNING*** Do not read this book unless you have read the other books in this series first. This is not a standalone. This review contains spoilers if you haven't read the other books.
But, if you have read the other books then you know that the New Ruling Order (NRO) mean business and will not stop until they are stopped. This book is seat of your pants exciting and you really care what happens to these characters. The love story is sweet and empowering. The suspense is heart stopping and the ending . . . Well, you'll have to read that for yourself.
Amy Chastain suffered more than anyone else due to the nasty world obliterating agenda of the New Ruling Order (NRO). They kidnapped her and her kids, she was gang raped, they had her husband murdered and they injected her kids with an experimental isotope, which is killing them. Amy has had to draw deep and use her spine of steel just to keep sane for the last five months. All this would have broken a lesser person, but Amy survives.
When the SEAL Team 7 foiled the hijacking of Flight 2077 it set them on a collision course with the NRO. Although Navy SEALs, Jace “Mac” Mackenzie wasn't there, he backed and supported his Team all the way and that landed him square in their crosshairs too. Now, with time running out for Benji Chastain, Mac will do anything, even betray a friend, to find a way to save him. His feelings for Amy have done nothing but grow during this whole ordeal. His initial respect for her guts and attraction for her have given way to the real thing - love. He will fight to his dying breath to end the nightmare that holds them all hostage.
Mac, his Team and the Arapaho Warriors are the only ones standing between the NRO and a global catastrophe. It's a classic Good vs. Evil and the good guys are not going to lose.
July 27, 2022
This book pulled everything together from the previous 3books to a happy ever after for all. If you like Seals and their adventures, you will enjoy all of the books in this series. Great sexy men, independent strong women. Reading the books in order,they would make the most sense as number three sort of leaves the story out there,leaves you wanting more.
April 24, 2018
Driven by hate, Amy Chastain seeks vengeance for her children who have been used as scientific subjects. She’s not the only one part of the collateral damage when a flight was hijacked months ago, though that critical event has made it obvious that there are bigger things at play. Smack in the middle of the instability are new bonds that are made (though not without much friction in the process) and with a revelation of a Dan-Brown-type conspiracy, 4 SEALs manage to fall in love along the way. That, in a nutshell, is how far we’ve come.
‘Forged in Ember’ closes the whole series as the bad guys are dispatched, only with a loose thread or so left hanging so that there’s room for a sequel. There’s also a helpful recap of the entire story-arc in the beginning, which makes ‘Forged in Ember’ a passable standalone, but the odd bits of paranormal activity, coupled with the suspense, would probably mean that the rest of the books in this series are best read in order before tackling this one.
There’s no bigger relief than this—to see the final book in Trish McCallan’s ‘Red-Hot SEALs’ series appear, especially since the wait time for it has stretched an excruciating number of years. But I’ve held out, unable to forget that the series contains an odd but good mix of conspiracy theories, military suspense and paranormal happenings that form a cocktail potent enough to keep me constantly lapping at the pages. That McCallan’s writing style is exactly what I go for in this particular genre for doesn’t hurt either.
I’ve always been intrigued by the tension between Jace McKenzie and Amy Chastain after their very unusual meeting (in rather tragic circumstances) in the first book, anyway, and ‘Forged in Ember’ finally tells their story. Amy Chastain has always stood out like a beacon of unflagging courage and fortitude—the horrors of what she’d suffered from the first book have made me want her story from the start, as McCallan pairs a woman whose strength can’t afford to waver with a rough-hewn, temperamentally impulsive commander who’s as brutish, gruff and blunt as they come. Still, their coming together is more muted that I thought, hindered many times, by the race to save her son.
As a result, the HEA in the uneasy aftermath feels like shaky foundation on which this book ends. McCallan’s SEALs get their happy rides into the sunset, banished as they are from active duty as they know it, reinstated into another secretive order that will probably see the light of day again. There are things that I thought somewhat bizarre and out of place—the large insertion of native Indian tribal rites and rituals, the super-secret, well-stocked military base off the official lines, the influence of the supernatural here—which also takes a great amount of the suspension of disbelief. Or that paranormal abilities, which defy all attempts at rational explanation anyway, conveniently pop up at times give a deus-ex-machina cop-out to prevent more characters from dropping dead like flies and help save the day.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
‘Forged in Ember’ closes the whole series as the bad guys are dispatched, only with a loose thread or so left hanging so that there’s room for a sequel. There’s also a helpful recap of the entire story-arc in the beginning, which makes ‘Forged in Ember’ a passable standalone, but the odd bits of paranormal activity, coupled with the suspense, would probably mean that the rest of the books in this series are best read in order before tackling this one.
There’s no bigger relief than this—to see the final book in Trish McCallan’s ‘Red-Hot SEALs’ series appear, especially since the wait time for it has stretched an excruciating number of years. But I’ve held out, unable to forget that the series contains an odd but good mix of conspiracy theories, military suspense and paranormal happenings that form a cocktail potent enough to keep me constantly lapping at the pages. That McCallan’s writing style is exactly what I go for in this particular genre for doesn’t hurt either.
I’ve always been intrigued by the tension between Jace McKenzie and Amy Chastain after their very unusual meeting (in rather tragic circumstances) in the first book, anyway, and ‘Forged in Ember’ finally tells their story. Amy Chastain has always stood out like a beacon of unflagging courage and fortitude—the horrors of what she’d suffered from the first book have made me want her story from the start, as McCallan pairs a woman whose strength can’t afford to waver with a rough-hewn, temperamentally impulsive commander who’s as brutish, gruff and blunt as they come. Still, their coming together is more muted that I thought, hindered many times, by the race to save her son.
As a result, the HEA in the uneasy aftermath feels like shaky foundation on which this book ends. McCallan’s SEALs get their happy rides into the sunset, banished as they are from active duty as they know it, reinstated into another secretive order that will probably see the light of day again. There are things that I thought somewhat bizarre and out of place—the large insertion of native Indian tribal rites and rituals, the super-secret, well-stocked military base off the official lines, the influence of the supernatural here—which also takes a great amount of the suspension of disbelief. Or that paranormal abilities, which defy all attempts at rational explanation anyway, conveniently pop up at times give a deus-ex-machina cop-out to prevent more characters from dropping dead like flies and help save the day.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
May 16, 2018
I think this is kind of a Marmite series, you either love it or hate it. On paper I should hate it, and yet its weirdness works for me.
The series follows a team of Navy SEALs (Team seven) who have got accidentally involved in a secret cartel's deadly agenda to rid the earth of 90% of its population - the cartel call themselves the NRO or New Ruling Order. Made up of a group of eight super-wealthy men and one woman the NRO have subverted high ranking individuals in the FBI and law-enforcement and have framed SEAL Team seven.
As I said in my review of book three, this series merges the paranormal (think woo-woo rather than vampires) with spec ops. If visions of future events, psychic healing and telepathy aren't your thing, walk away now. After the events of the last three books SEAL Team seven are holed up in Alaska, near Denali National Park in Shadow Mountain with an elite group of Native American warriors known as the Shadow Mountain warriors, the three girlfriends of the SEALs from the previous books and Amy Chastain and her two young sons who were injected with an isotrope which enables the NRO to track them anywhere (except Shadow Mountain). If you are still reading then this could be the series for you.
As this is ostensibly the last in the series I don't recommend starting with this book, even with the handy cast of characters and 'Sitrep' at the start of the book it took me a while to get back into the story.
In some ways this reminds me of a Robert Heinlein book (Lost Legacy, I think) in which humans with psychic abilities battle the evil group who want total world domination. There's genius scientists who create amazing machines, which are then subverted by the NRO for their own nefarious purposes. There's a grumpy SEAL Commander who has a secret longing for Amy Chastain, despite his typical (fictional) SEAL belief that he doesn't trust women, doesn't need a woman, and nothing can ever come of it. There's secret training facilities, experimental helicopters, superyachts and more psychic abilities than you can throw a stick at.
It was absolutely barking mad and I loved every second of it!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The series follows a team of Navy SEALs (Team seven) who have got accidentally involved in a secret cartel's deadly agenda to rid the earth of 90% of its population - the cartel call themselves the NRO or New Ruling Order. Made up of a group of eight super-wealthy men and one woman the NRO have subverted high ranking individuals in the FBI and law-enforcement and have framed SEAL Team seven.
As I said in my review of book three, this series merges the paranormal (think woo-woo rather than vampires) with spec ops. If visions of future events, psychic healing and telepathy aren't your thing, walk away now. After the events of the last three books SEAL Team seven are holed up in Alaska, near Denali National Park in Shadow Mountain with an elite group of Native American warriors known as the Shadow Mountain warriors, the three girlfriends of the SEALs from the previous books and Amy Chastain and her two young sons who were injected with an isotrope which enables the NRO to track them anywhere (except Shadow Mountain). If you are still reading then this could be the series for you.
As this is ostensibly the last in the series I don't recommend starting with this book, even with the handy cast of characters and 'Sitrep' at the start of the book it took me a while to get back into the story.
In some ways this reminds me of a Robert Heinlein book (Lost Legacy, I think) in which humans with psychic abilities battle the evil group who want total world domination. There's genius scientists who create amazing machines, which are then subverted by the NRO for their own nefarious purposes. There's a grumpy SEAL Commander who has a secret longing for Amy Chastain, despite his typical (fictional) SEAL belief that he doesn't trust women, doesn't need a woman, and nothing can ever come of it. There's secret training facilities, experimental helicopters, superyachts and more psychic abilities than you can throw a stick at.
It was absolutely barking mad and I loved every second of it!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
May 27, 2018
I really liked the first two books in this series and the two novellas. The last one wasn't as good for me and unfortunately I liked this one even less. The suspense part was wrapped up fine (although there was an awful lot going on) but the romance was really lacking imo. I really wanted to epic romance moments for Mac and Amy with all Amy had been through. We didn't get that at all. They're only together in a small percentage of the book.
The epilogue gives us a good wrap up for all four couple's stories and the author's notes states this is the last book in the series. Things are still up in the air for Wolf though so I'm assuming there will be a spin off series. Not sure and tbh I'm too lazy to look it up.
Overall just an ok book. Kind of a let down for a series I have mostly enjoyed a lot.
**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.**
The epilogue gives us a good wrap up for all four couple's stories and the author's notes states this is the last book in the series. Things are still up in the air for Wolf though so I'm assuming there will be a spin off series. Not sure and tbh I'm too lazy to look it up.
Overall just an ok book. Kind of a let down for a series I have mostly enjoyed a lot.
**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.**
March 9, 2019
5/5 Sterne
Geschmiedet in Glut
Ein prickelnder SEALs-Roman, Band 4
von Trish McCallan
Amazon Publishing Deutschland
"Im Finale der prickelnden »Red-Hot-SEALs«-Reihe müssen ein Navy SEAL und eine verzweifelte Mutter alles aufbieten, um ihre Familie zu beschützen und die Welt zu retten.
Amy Chastain ist jung, schön und bereit, alles zu tun, um ihre beiden Kinder zu beschützen. Nach dem Mord an ihrem Ehemann haben ihre schlimmsten Widersacher nun ihre Söhne ins Visier genommen. Amy kann nur noch auf die Hilfe eines einzigen Mannes hoffen: die des ehemaligen SEAL-Kommandanten Jace »Mac« Mackenzie.
Als Navy SEAL war Jace in seinem Element. Aber jetzt ist es seine Mission, die gefährliche Organisation NWO zu vernichten. Doch die Uhr tickt. Während es zwischen ihm und Amy immer heftiger knistert, wird Jace bewusst, dass er mehr zu verlieren hat als jemals zuvor. Er muss sich beeilen, wenn er die globale Verschwörung aufhalten, die Frau, die er liebt, beschützen und die Familie, die zu seiner eigenen werden könnte, retten will."
Ich bedanke mich bei Netgally und Amazon Publishing für das Rezensionsexemplar des Buches.
Auch wenn dieser Band von der Handlung her nahtlos an den Vorgänger anschliesst, kann man das leider von Erscheinungstermin nicht sagen. Es war eine gefühlte Ewigkeit des Wartens angesagt, bevor wir endlich den letzten und finalen Teil der Serie zu lesen bekamen.
Nachdem sich die Charakterer alle in Sicherheit untergetaucht sind in Shadow Mountain, was eine Militärbasis der Indianer ist, können sie sich endlich damit beginnen sich mit all den Dingen zu beschäftigen und auseinander zu setzen, die ihnen Probleme bereiten oder die notwendigen Entscheidungen treffen, wie es weiter gehen soll. Auch die Liebesgeschichte wird nicht vergessen, welche sich in diesem Buch auf Amy und Mac konzentriert. Die Seals arbeiten hart daran wieder rehabilitiert zu werden und einer eventuellen Verhaftung zu entgehen. Wolf und Jillian haben leider nicht das erhoffte Happy End bekommen aber man darf ja auch immer irgendwie hoffen, dass die Autorin ein Herz hat und auch noch dafür irgendwann sorgen wird. Tja und zu guter Letzt ist da ja auch immer noch NWO... aber ich will hier auch nicht spoilern und zu viel verraten. Lest einfach selbst. Ich jedenfalls kann das Buch wirklich nur ans Herz legen und da ich noch nicht alle Vorgänger kenne, werde ich die fehlenden Teile schnellstens auch noch lesen. Ein wirklich sehr gut gelungenes Buch, dass ich jedem Leser ans Herz legen möchte. Mir hat es sehr gut gefallen und daher vergebe ich 5/5 Sterne.
#newadult #liebesroman #belletristik #rezension #rezensionsexemplar #roman #bookstagram #trishmccallan #amazon #montlakeromance #bücher #bücherliebe #booklover #reading #bookadict #geschmiedetinglut #leseratte #bücherwurm #bookworm #bookaholic #lesen #lesenmachtglücklich #instabooks #booknerd #readingtime #ilovebooks #netgalley #netgalleyde #ichliebelesen #buchnerd #ichliebebücher
Geschmiedet in Glut
Ein prickelnder SEALs-Roman, Band 4
von Trish McCallan
Amazon Publishing Deutschland
"Im Finale der prickelnden »Red-Hot-SEALs«-Reihe müssen ein Navy SEAL und eine verzweifelte Mutter alles aufbieten, um ihre Familie zu beschützen und die Welt zu retten.
Amy Chastain ist jung, schön und bereit, alles zu tun, um ihre beiden Kinder zu beschützen. Nach dem Mord an ihrem Ehemann haben ihre schlimmsten Widersacher nun ihre Söhne ins Visier genommen. Amy kann nur noch auf die Hilfe eines einzigen Mannes hoffen: die des ehemaligen SEAL-Kommandanten Jace »Mac« Mackenzie.
Als Navy SEAL war Jace in seinem Element. Aber jetzt ist es seine Mission, die gefährliche Organisation NWO zu vernichten. Doch die Uhr tickt. Während es zwischen ihm und Amy immer heftiger knistert, wird Jace bewusst, dass er mehr zu verlieren hat als jemals zuvor. Er muss sich beeilen, wenn er die globale Verschwörung aufhalten, die Frau, die er liebt, beschützen und die Familie, die zu seiner eigenen werden könnte, retten will."
Ich bedanke mich bei Netgally und Amazon Publishing für das Rezensionsexemplar des Buches.
Auch wenn dieser Band von der Handlung her nahtlos an den Vorgänger anschliesst, kann man das leider von Erscheinungstermin nicht sagen. Es war eine gefühlte Ewigkeit des Wartens angesagt, bevor wir endlich den letzten und finalen Teil der Serie zu lesen bekamen.
Nachdem sich die Charakterer alle in Sicherheit untergetaucht sind in Shadow Mountain, was eine Militärbasis der Indianer ist, können sie sich endlich damit beginnen sich mit all den Dingen zu beschäftigen und auseinander zu setzen, die ihnen Probleme bereiten oder die notwendigen Entscheidungen treffen, wie es weiter gehen soll. Auch die Liebesgeschichte wird nicht vergessen, welche sich in diesem Buch auf Amy und Mac konzentriert. Die Seals arbeiten hart daran wieder rehabilitiert zu werden und einer eventuellen Verhaftung zu entgehen. Wolf und Jillian haben leider nicht das erhoffte Happy End bekommen aber man darf ja auch immer irgendwie hoffen, dass die Autorin ein Herz hat und auch noch dafür irgendwann sorgen wird. Tja und zu guter Letzt ist da ja auch immer noch NWO... aber ich will hier auch nicht spoilern und zu viel verraten. Lest einfach selbst. Ich jedenfalls kann das Buch wirklich nur ans Herz legen und da ich noch nicht alle Vorgänger kenne, werde ich die fehlenden Teile schnellstens auch noch lesen. Ein wirklich sehr gut gelungenes Buch, dass ich jedem Leser ans Herz legen möchte. Mir hat es sehr gut gefallen und daher vergebe ich 5/5 Sterne.
#newadult #liebesroman #belletristik #rezension #rezensionsexemplar #roman #bookstagram #trishmccallan #amazon #montlakeromance #bücher #bücherliebe #booklover #reading #bookadict #geschmiedetinglut #leseratte #bücherwurm #bookworm #bookaholic #lesen #lesenmachtglücklich #instabooks #booknerd #readingtime #ilovebooks #netgalley #netgalleyde #ichliebelesen #buchnerd #ichliebebücher
July 6, 2020
#4 in the Red-Hot SEALS romantic suspense series
This was surprisingly good. I didn't start it with much anticipation, having read many negative reviews about Mac and his bad attitude. I'll admit that Mac wasn't particularly appealing in the 3 previous books in this series, but this time we really got to know him and understand him. Sure, he's the gruff, tough guy who annoys everyone, but he's also thoughtful and has good intentions, he's just not good at expressing his feelings. I personally liked his strength and his knowledge and ability to lead his team, although it was good to also share his insecurities in his personal life. The book cover showed him exactly as I pictured him, so that was a bonus. Amy has been a strong character throughout the series and has survived many traumas, so it wasn't surprising that she was suffering from PTSD, besides having to deal with her sons and their problems. There were a lot of exciting moments, there was a lot of great camaraderie between the team members, and the glimpse into the Indian traditions was interesting although I thought there was a little too much of that. The mysteries were all tied up nicely at the end, and the final solution was awfully tidy, but it still fit with the semi-paranormal element running throughout. I should add that Luke Daniels did a great job of narration. I liked his gravelly Mac voice, and it was made all the more distinctive when he added so much tenderness to it during his and Amy's intimate moments. Speaking of intimate moments, yes there were more of them in this book than in previous books in this series, but that was because Amy was dealing with the aftermath of her rape so there were a lot of personal issues she had to work through, and I admired Mac's support and patience. All in all, I was happy with this series and particularly glad that it ended on a high note for me.
This was surprisingly good. I didn't start it with much anticipation, having read many negative reviews about Mac and his bad attitude. I'll admit that Mac wasn't particularly appealing in the 3 previous books in this series, but this time we really got to know him and understand him. Sure, he's the gruff, tough guy who annoys everyone, but he's also thoughtful and has good intentions, he's just not good at expressing his feelings. I personally liked his strength and his knowledge and ability to lead his team, although it was good to also share his insecurities in his personal life. The book cover showed him exactly as I pictured him, so that was a bonus. Amy has been a strong character throughout the series and has survived many traumas, so it wasn't surprising that she was suffering from PTSD, besides having to deal with her sons and their problems. There were a lot of exciting moments, there was a lot of great camaraderie between the team members, and the glimpse into the Indian traditions was interesting although I thought there was a little too much of that. The mysteries were all tied up nicely at the end, and the final solution was awfully tidy, but it still fit with the semi-paranormal element running throughout. I should add that Luke Daniels did a great job of narration. I liked his gravelly Mac voice, and it was made all the more distinctive when he added so much tenderness to it during his and Amy's intimate moments. Speaking of intimate moments, yes there were more of them in this book than in previous books in this series, but that was because Amy was dealing with the aftermath of her rape so there were a lot of personal issues she had to work through, and I admired Mac's support and patience. All in all, I was happy with this series and particularly glad that it ended on a high note for me.
May 30, 2018
Review: FORGED IN EMBER (A Red-Hot SEALS Novel) by Trish McCallan https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-aJa
Publication Date: May 15, 2018
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4.5 Stars
This novel had non-stop action bombarding the team and their families. At times it seemed a bit too desperate, full of anxiety and sadness as they combatted the crippling attacks from the NRO. That made the romance between Mac and Amy seem sporadic and strained at times. That being said, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see what happened next. The happily-ever-after was satisfying, and left enough hints as to where the next book will go….I can’t wait. I enjoyed it!
*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle $4.99 https://amzn.to/2G9n48A | Amazon Series Link http://amzn.to/2hDteqg
✦Red-Hot SEALs Series by Trish McCallan✦
✦Book 1: Forged in Fire ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/2ihcjJ5
✦Book 2: Forged in Ash ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/2ihq6zm | Review 4.5 Stars http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-1qo
✦Book 3: Forged in Smoke ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/2in2Aij | Review 5 Stars http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-7vw
✦Book 4: Forged in Ember ➢ Kindle https://amzn.to/2G9n48A
You can borrow for free via Kindle Unlimited if you are a member. If you're not a member you can signup for a Free 30-Day Trial Here: http://amzn.to/2t4xstj
Publication Date: May 15, 2018
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4.5 Stars
This novel had non-stop action bombarding the team and their families. At times it seemed a bit too desperate, full of anxiety and sadness as they combatted the crippling attacks from the NRO. That made the romance between Mac and Amy seem sporadic and strained at times. That being said, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see what happened next. The happily-ever-after was satisfying, and left enough hints as to where the next book will go….I can’t wait. I enjoyed it!
*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle $4.99 https://amzn.to/2G9n48A | Amazon Series Link http://amzn.to/2hDteqg
✦Red-Hot SEALs Series by Trish McCallan✦
✦Book 1: Forged in Fire ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/2ihcjJ5
✦Book 2: Forged in Ash ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/2ihq6zm | Review 4.5 Stars http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-1qo
✦Book 3: Forged in Smoke ➢ Kindle http://amzn.to/2in2Aij | Review 5 Stars http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-7vw
✦Book 4: Forged in Ember ➢ Kindle https://amzn.to/2G9n48A
You can borrow for free via Kindle Unlimited if you are a member. If you're not a member you can signup for a Free 30-Day Trial Here: http://amzn.to/2t4xstj
April 2, 2019
Amy Chastain ist jung, schön und hat schon einiges erlebt und würde alles für ihre Kinder tun. Als die Kinder ein Spielball für ihre schlimmsten Widersacher werden, will sie ihre Kinder nur retten. Ihr kommt Navy SEAL Jace zu Hilfe und die Uhr beginnt zu ticken.Das letzte Band der Reihe, irgendwie habe ich mich schon an die Jungs gewöhnt. Aber auch an beide geheimen Organisationen, die einen gut, die anderen Böse. Es beginnt dort wo es beim letzten Mal aufgehört hat. Bloß das Amy und Jace die Geschichte weiter erzählen. Es ist eine Mischung aus Thriller und Liebesgeschichte und einem Hauch Mystery. Dadurch kommt noch mehr Spannung auf. Ich fand es gut das Amy´s Erlebnis nicht mit einer Umarmung und ein paar Worten einfach verschwunden und überwunden wurde. Nein, es war ein langsamer Prozess, gut im realen Leben wären es Jahre nicht Tage, aber es ist immer noch ein Buch. Neben der langsamen Annäherung der Beide, geht die andere Geschichte weiter und es geht langsam auf den großen Showdown zu. Man kann das Buch jetzt nicht mehr weg legen und will es auch nicht mehr. Können Sie die Welt retten?
March 30, 2018
I didn't know this was part of a series not to mention the last book in the series. To say I was lost is an understatement. The author catches readers up fast however that will still have new readers scratching their heads.
Putting the aside the story left me wonder and scratching my head many times. Amy just lost her husband and she is attracted to the seal team leader Jace "Mac" Mackenzie. The Characters are developed enough. The over the top story will have readers needing to suspend their belief as they read this book.
The story moves quickly giving readers of the series books a satisfying ending but leaving this reader wondering the purpose of this series.
I can identify with Amy as a mother and having a child put in danger and doing anything to keep them save and healthy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher Montlake Romance for the advance copy of Trish McCallan Forged in Ember (Red-Hot SEALs #4)
Putting the aside the story left me wonder and scratching my head many times. Amy just lost her husband and she is attracted to the seal team leader Jace "Mac" Mackenzie. The Characters are developed enough. The over the top story will have readers needing to suspend their belief as they read this book.
The story moves quickly giving readers of the series books a satisfying ending but leaving this reader wondering the purpose of this series.
I can identify with Amy as a mother and having a child put in danger and doing anything to keep them save and healthy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher Montlake Romance for the advance copy of Trish McCallan Forged in Ember (Red-Hot SEALs #4)
April 25, 2018
It'd been a while since a book came out in this series and I had to do a quick review of the past books. I thought that this one wrapped things up in a good way. I liked that the bad guys were defeated and in a great way. Liked the romance between Mac and Amy. I loved how gentle Mac was with Amy, that he knew she would have triggers and did things to put Amy at east. Mac was also great with Amy's boys and there for her when the boys were in peril. The ending to this one was great, loved the gathering and how Mac was adjusting to all the changes coming at him.
May 26, 2018
4 Stars
It took a bit to get back into this story and become familiar with the characters. Forged in Ember is the finale of the Red-Hot SEALs series. It felt right to wrap it all up in this book. Amy went through a lot throughout the storyline and finding a cure for her boys was her priority. I never felt I really got to know Mac, his character didn't really grow on me. However, it worked for Amy!
Was glad to see the NRO was taken care of, but you can't tell me there aren't those in the NRO that weren't ferreted out. It felt a bit open-ended.....
It took a bit to get back into this story and become familiar with the characters. Forged in Ember is the finale of the Red-Hot SEALs series. It felt right to wrap it all up in this book. Amy went through a lot throughout the storyline and finding a cure for her boys was her priority. I never felt I really got to know Mac, his character didn't really grow on me. However, it worked for Amy!
Was glad to see the NRO was taken care of, but you can't tell me there aren't those in the NRO that weren't ferreted out. It felt a bit open-ended.....
April 18, 2018
Forged in Ember is the fourth book in this series and Trish McCallan has hit it out of the park again. This book features Amy Chastain and LT Jace "Mac" Mackenzie. Amy has been through a horrible amount of pain and heartache at the hands of New Ruling Order maniacs. It is up to the SEAL team and the Shadow team to save the world from the NRO fanatics.
Filled with intrigue, teamwork, and mysterious powers, this book fills all the blanks for a fantastic reading adventure!
Filled with intrigue, teamwork, and mysterious powers, this book fills all the blanks for a fantastic reading adventure!
May 19, 2018
Wow great book
I absolutely loved this series. In a way I’m sad this part is over. The conclusion to the dramatic events of previous books was perfectly ended with Mac and Amy’s story. I’m so looking forward to reading the next spin off series from Ms McCallan.
Highly recommend this book and series
I absolutely loved this series. In a way I’m sad this part is over. The conclusion to the dramatic events of previous books was perfectly ended with Mac and Amy’s story. I’m so looking forward to reading the next spin off series from Ms McCallan.
Highly recommend this book and series
July 24, 2018
Great! 5 stars!
What a superb conclusion! I have loved living on the edge with this team of warriors for this set of books. The men and women each bringing something completely different to the party. I just loved the resolution it was really complete. I hope we see a new series with the shadow warriors again! Bravo Trish! Write On! Davia
What a superb conclusion! I have loved living on the edge with this team of warriors for this set of books. The men and women each bringing something completely different to the party. I just loved the resolution it was really complete. I hope we see a new series with the shadow warriors again! Bravo Trish! Write On! Davia
January 28, 2019
In the space of 5 months the heroine is Just no! That's a DNF for me!
May 23, 2018
I mistakenly thought this could be read as a stand alone...it definitely cannot.
DNF 10% having not read any of the previous books I was completely lost.
DNF 10% having not read any of the previous books I was completely lost.
May 20, 2018
Wow!
What an ending to this phenomenal series! I can honestly say I am very sad to see this series end! These characters have so much heart and soul that I truly hope Trish writes a Shadow Mountain series and gives us peeks at these couples so we can keep up with them. I loved every word of these 4 books!
What an ending to this phenomenal series! I can honestly say I am very sad to see this series end! These characters have so much heart and soul that I truly hope Trish writes a Shadow Mountain series and gives us peeks at these couples so we can keep up with them. I loved every word of these 4 books!
August 10, 2018
When is the book being realeased? I've been waiting on pins and needles. Can anyone give me update?
October 9, 2020
Saving the the best for last isn't even an enough of a statement for this book. This book was the absolute best in the series and trust me, I LOVED all the books, especially book one, Forged in Fire. I honestly couldn't put this book down once I picked it up!
I've been waiting for this book and it did not disappoint in the least. Jace "Mac" Mackenzie and Amy Chastain were truly a dynamic duo. This book has all the drama, action, adventure and mystique the other books in the series had but the ride was even more exhilerating! The story's ending was absolutely perfect!
I was thrilled to find out that a spin-off series based on Shadow Mountain will be available sometime next year because I'm dying to find out where Wolf takes me.
I've been waiting for this book and it did not disappoint in the least. Jace "Mac" Mackenzie and Amy Chastain were truly a dynamic duo. This book has all the drama, action, adventure and mystique the other books in the series had but the ride was even more exhilerating! The story's ending was absolutely perfect!
I was thrilled to find out that a spin-off series based on Shadow Mountain will be available sometime next year because I'm dying to find out where Wolf takes me.
Want to read
September 14, 2012Jack 'Mac' MacKensie - book now titled Forged in Embers
Want!
Maybe March 2014
Want!
Maybe March 2014
May 20, 2018
2.5 Stars. Honestly, I wanted so much more from this final book in the series. I struggled through aspects of this book and it just wasn't near as good as the previous books in the series. Honestly, I had forgotten a lot of the previous books since it's been a long time since I read the earlier books. I think the author did a good job either reminding or catching up the reader to what had happened. My biggest issue was with the romance and well quite frankly the hero of this book. Mac was a character I wasn't all that crazy about in earlier books mostly because his attitude about women is awful. I thought he'd grow and change and I'd finally get a Mac I liked but it didn't work out that way. Mac has some serious "mommy" issues and issues with his ex-wife. Not sure why he doesn't have issues about his dad since both his parents were not good people and he had a horrible childhood. So I understand he had some bad experiences but he paints all women with the same brush and that never changes. In fact, at one point in the story when he decides Amy is a good person and courageous along with the other women his men had married he decided that they were an anomaly because most women don't have courage or strong morals. Seriously? I had a hard time getting past this - he's a smart man but instead of growing and coming to the realization that he is wrong about women in general he decides that any good women he knows are an exception. Since I didn't like Mac and Mac didn't have a good opinion of women I had a hard time with him as the hero. Then there is the romance in general. Amy is dealing with the death of her husband and the fact that she was raped all within the last 6 months. However, these issues were not dealt with enough. She seemed to "get over" her husband's death really quickly and we never really see her mourn in this book. She googles how to deal with PTSD from the rape and the next thing you know she's perfectly okay having sex with Mac. I found this ridiculous and unrealistic. So needless to say I didn't buy the connection between these two.
This book actually relied more heavily on the romance with a lot less action then I remember from the previous books which didn't help either since I wasn't a fan of the romance in this particular story. Also the villains who were built up to be strong, incredibly difficult to beat and powerful are taken out in one mission that is over before it really begins.
There are still a lot of open issues with Wolf so maybe there will be a spin off series but Jillian comes across as a very weak character so I'm not sure I'm interested enough to want to read it. I enjoyed the first few books in this series but I can't help but be disappointed in this final book in the series.
A copy of this book was provided to me by Netgalley and the publisher with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.
This book actually relied more heavily on the romance with a lot less action then I remember from the previous books which didn't help either since I wasn't a fan of the romance in this particular story. Also the villains who were built up to be strong, incredibly difficult to beat and powerful are taken out in one mission that is over before it really begins.
There are still a lot of open issues with Wolf so maybe there will be a spin off series but Jillian comes across as a very weak character so I'm not sure I'm interested enough to want to read it. I enjoyed the first few books in this series but I can't help but be disappointed in this final book in the series.
A copy of this book was provided to me by Netgalley and the publisher with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.
July 17, 2018
A can't-miss conclusion to the series
Book 4 in the Red-Hot SEALs, this is NOT a standalone but the conclusion to a storyline that stretches over all 4 books. Each book does focus on a different couple and the previous books end on a HFN for those couples.
I love stories about military types like SEALs. As a fantasy lover, I also love when the stories mix in what I call mysticism--like when the guys have a sixth sense about danger--and there's more than little of that in this series. In fact, the author did a fantastic job with her world-building, creating a nice balance between the sometimes dark and gritty world of military operators and the more fantastic elements (if you liked the McClouds and Friends series by Shannon McKenna, I'd bet you'd like this as that series had a similar type of storytelling). I also loved the inclusion of the Arapaho culture and language throughout much of the series storyline as I always like learning about other cultures. Note that I'm pretty hopeless with other languages, but I did the immersion reading with both the ebook and the audiobook, so I didn't have to try to mangle the Arapaho words on my own, lol.
I've been waiting for Mac and Amy's story. Amy is so intelligent, and so strong in spite of everything that she's gone through, and I love the way Mac's gruffness doesn't put her off. Mac has been take-charge and sometimes abrasive in his quest to take care of his team; having been burned by the women in his life, he's a little bewildered by the way Amy gets under his skin and how she and her kids become part of those he protects. Watching these two characters grow and heal together added a great deal to the appeal of the story, as did Mac's relationships and banter with his team and Amy's relationships with her kids.
The plot and pacing were on point; the former had a twist near the end I absolutely did not see coming (though I probably should have) and that had me laughing with joy at the sheer perfection of it, while the later made for a can't put down read.
Characters, world-building, plot and pacing, this book had it all. This is definitely an author I'll be stalking...erm, following closely to get her next book. My understanding is that Aiden, Kait and Wolf's brother, is going to get a full-length standalone novel, and I'm desperately hoping to get Wolf's story (hint, hint) as well as more from the Shadow Mountain team in general. I can't wait! 5+ stars
Book 4 in the Red-Hot SEALs, this is NOT a standalone but the conclusion to a storyline that stretches over all 4 books. Each book does focus on a different couple and the previous books end on a HFN for those couples.
I love stories about military types like SEALs. As a fantasy lover, I also love when the stories mix in what I call mysticism--like when the guys have a sixth sense about danger--and there's more than little of that in this series. In fact, the author did a fantastic job with her world-building, creating a nice balance between the sometimes dark and gritty world of military operators and the more fantastic elements (if you liked the McClouds and Friends series by Shannon McKenna, I'd bet you'd like this as that series had a similar type of storytelling). I also loved the inclusion of the Arapaho culture and language throughout much of the series storyline as I always like learning about other cultures. Note that I'm pretty hopeless with other languages, but I did the immersion reading with both the ebook and the audiobook, so I didn't have to try to mangle the Arapaho words on my own, lol.
I've been waiting for Mac and Amy's story. Amy is so intelligent, and so strong in spite of everything that she's gone through, and I love the way Mac's gruffness doesn't put her off. Mac has been take-charge and sometimes abrasive in his quest to take care of his team; having been burned by the women in his life, he's a little bewildered by the way Amy gets under his skin and how she and her kids become part of those he protects. Watching these two characters grow and heal together added a great deal to the appeal of the story, as did Mac's relationships and banter with his team and Amy's relationships with her kids.
The plot and pacing were on point; the former had a twist near the end I absolutely did not see coming (though I probably should have) and that had me laughing with joy at the sheer perfection of it, while the later made for a can't put down read.
Characters, world-building, plot and pacing, this book had it all. This is definitely an author I'll be stalking...erm, following closely to get her next book. My understanding is that Aiden, Kait and Wolf's brother, is going to get a full-length standalone novel, and I'm desperately hoping to get Wolf's story (hint, hint) as well as more from the Shadow Mountain team in general. I can't wait! 5+ stars
June 21, 2018
This was an incredibly long conclusion to a series. I did enjoy it for the most part but a lot of it was just filled with different pov’s that felt unnecessary and dragged for too long. I didn’t care for the bad guy’s pov or Wolf or anyone else who wasn’t a main character. This was like two books in one and while that seems like a great idea at first, it gets overwhelming with rotating from one person to another when there’s multiple povs instead of just two leads. I was interested in Mac and Amy’s story, not Eric and Esme, not Wolf and the leader of his clan, not the NRO members, not Shadow Mountain members, their side of things wasn’t boring but I wanted the focus on the main characters and their POV. This was just a jumble of everything and everyone the entire book. I like checking up on previous characters and it was done well with them. They were still in plenty of scenes which was expected, had their own issues going on but it didn’t take away anything from Mac and Amy’s stories, everything flowed very well with past characters.
Overall the storyline was much more interesting than the romance between Amy and Mac. It wasn’t that it was bad, but they just didn’t capture my attention. They were a little boring and their age showed a lot. Kids were involved along with their grave situation, trauma effects of rape were present, childhood and past relationship issues on Mac’s part were in play, it felt like there was just too much going on for these two that an enjoyable relationship wasn’t in the cards for them. They did manage to overcome the odds and find some sort of medium or common ground to meet each other halfway but with everything else going on at the same time and things happening back to back in rapid succession, I felt overwhelmed and couldn’t enjoy their journey together.
It was a good story and a nice sendoff to the group as a whole. The storyline throughout this series was finally wrapped up and concluded with a decent resolution after all the trouble they caused in the beginning. The romance wasn’t happening for me, I felt like too much action and problems took away from their time together. I liked it but personally would have enjoyed less of other people and interferences and more Mac and Amy alone time. I will keep an eye out for any more spin offs of this world and these characters though. If anything, this author has successfully invested me in these characters enough to be curious about future installments.
Overall the storyline was much more interesting than the romance between Amy and Mac. It wasn’t that it was bad, but they just didn’t capture my attention. They were a little boring and their age showed a lot. Kids were involved along with their grave situation, trauma effects of rape were present, childhood and past relationship issues on Mac’s part were in play, it felt like there was just too much going on for these two that an enjoyable relationship wasn’t in the cards for them. They did manage to overcome the odds and find some sort of medium or common ground to meet each other halfway but with everything else going on at the same time and things happening back to back in rapid succession, I felt overwhelmed and couldn’t enjoy their journey together.
It was a good story and a nice sendoff to the group as a whole. The storyline throughout this series was finally wrapped up and concluded with a decent resolution after all the trouble they caused in the beginning. The romance wasn’t happening for me, I felt like too much action and problems took away from their time together. I liked it but personally would have enjoyed less of other people and interferences and more Mac and Amy alone time. I will keep an eye out for any more spin offs of this world and these characters though. If anything, this author has successfully invested me in these characters enough to be curious about future installments.
February 21, 2022
2.75 Stars for me!
My rating range of this story... 1.5 - 3 Stars
If significant, why? No romantic feel until the last 20 minutes and Mac was still an a$$.
Main Character Ratings...
H = 3/10
h = 4/10
Narrator Rating(s)
M = 7/10
F = n/a
If below 5/10,why?
Was cheating involved? No
Any major triggers to be aware of? Rape, IGNORING THERAPY FOR VIOLENT RAPE SURVIVOR!
If Comedy... Type? n/a
Genuinely Funny
Cringe Inducing
Just No!
Angst Level? Please Stop
Light, Moderate, Heavy or Please Stop
3 Stars for me!
Internal Monolog/Dialog? Please Stop
Light, Moderate, Heavy or Please Stop
Scenes with heat... Yes
What point does it start? 60%
How much of the story? 10%
Anything beyond M/F? No
If yes, explained
Heat Rating... 6/10
Clean or Fade to Black - 1 or 2
Normal to Descriptive 3-5
Detailed Descriptive Sex - 6-7
Um, Wow, Beyond Descriptive Sex - 8 or above
Was there so much sex or unrealistic sex that you rolled your eyes and/or skipped forward? No
The back story... Series continuation with Mac and Amy
The Romance/Gist: None whatsoever! Mainly lust but even that felt forced.
The drama explosion... The final battle
Did it feel Real, OK or contrived? Anticlimactic
Was it OTT? Sort of
Separation involved? Sliggt
Was it resolved properly or rushed? Head scratching but OK.
Final Notes...
1. Mac stays a sexist jerk through 95% of the story.
2. Amy is wishy-washy at critical times and has too many TSTL thoughts and decisions with her child's life hanging in the balance.
3. The final battle sequence was completely anticlimactic although it was interesting.
4. Too much story dragging drama just to increase the page count (at least it felt that way).
I enjoyed the premise of the story but it was so drawn out with the constant negative head babble, extreme angst by every character and enough internal dialog in each story to create full length novels that it was a frustrating challenge to finish the last three books.
I know that it sounds like I am bashing the author but that isn't my intent. She has some great storylines and has fun with her characters but it almost seems like she was just trying to get through the series so she could work on other stories.
If you didn't like this series, try another story she wrote as I have enjoyed her other works. I would like to see other series with the action / paranormal / romance mix at it adds a series level of intrigue and fun.
HEA or HFN? HFN
My rating range of this story... 1.5 - 3 Stars
If significant, why? No romantic feel until the last 20 minutes and Mac was still an a$$.
Main Character Ratings...
H = 3/10
h = 4/10
Narrator Rating(s)
M = 7/10
F = n/a
If below 5/10,why?
Was cheating involved? No
Any major triggers to be aware of? Rape, IGNORING THERAPY FOR VIOLENT RAPE SURVIVOR!
If Comedy... Type? n/a
Genuinely Funny
Cringe Inducing
Just No!
Angst Level? Please Stop
Light, Moderate, Heavy or Please Stop
3 Stars for me!
Internal Monolog/Dialog? Please Stop
Light, Moderate, Heavy or Please Stop
Scenes with heat... Yes
What point does it start? 60%
How much of the story? 10%
Anything beyond M/F? No
If yes, explained
Heat Rating... 6/10
Clean or Fade to Black - 1 or 2
Normal to Descriptive 3-5
Detailed Descriptive Sex - 6-7
Um, Wow, Beyond Descriptive Sex - 8 or above
Was there so much sex or unrealistic sex that you rolled your eyes and/or skipped forward? No
The back story... Series continuation with Mac and Amy
The Romance/Gist: None whatsoever! Mainly lust but even that felt forced.
The drama explosion... The final battle
Did it feel Real, OK or contrived? Anticlimactic
Was it OTT? Sort of
Separation involved? Sliggt
Was it resolved properly or rushed? Head scratching but OK.
Final Notes...
1. Mac stays a sexist jerk through 95% of the story.
2. Amy is wishy-washy at critical times and has too many TSTL thoughts and decisions with her child's life hanging in the balance.
3. The final battle sequence was completely anticlimactic although it was interesting.
4. Too much story dragging drama just to increase the page count (at least it felt that way).
I enjoyed the premise of the story but it was so drawn out with the constant negative head babble, extreme angst by every character and enough internal dialog in each story to create full length novels that it was a frustrating challenge to finish the last three books.
I know that it sounds like I am bashing the author but that isn't my intent. She has some great storylines and has fun with her characters but it almost seems like she was just trying to get through the series so she could work on other stories.
If you didn't like this series, try another story she wrote as I have enjoyed her other works. I would like to see other series with the action / paranormal / romance mix at it adds a series level of intrigue and fun.
HEA or HFN? HFN
May 11, 2018
An exciting, and action-packed last book…
This is the fourth and final book in the Red-Hot SEALs series that can be read as a stand-alone. There’s an involved underlying storyline that carries across the series but the author provides a good recap and a list of the many characters.
The New Ruling Order killed Amy Chastain’s husband six months ago, he was an FBI agent investigating the group. Along with her two sons she’d been kidnapped and held hostage to blackmail her husband. They were saved by the rogue SEAL team 7 but her ordeal didn’t end then, a dangerous experimental drug that enables GPS tracking of a person anywhere was injected into her sons, without an antidote they will soon die. Amy needs assistance to save her sons and the only person she feels safe with and that she totally trusts is the Commander of the SEAL team who rescued her family and took them to a place of relative safety in the Alaskan mountains. Working together they’re racing against time to save two young lives, the growing feelings they elicit from each other were unexpected and have to be dealt with gingerly considering the nature of the trauma Amy has been through.
Hiding within a secret military base belonging to the Native American Indian nation, Commander Jace (Mac) MacKenzie and the remainder of his team are still considered wanted, guilty of treason by their own country. Their mission has been to clear their names but they must also now stop the NRO’s grand design which when it’s uncovered is a diabolical conspiracy that will affect all of mankind. Mac is drawn to the woman his team rescued and her children who are still in grave peril and are embroiled in the fight against the NRO. His team has seen many strange things that are hard to believe and already survived so much, they won’t stop until they’ve achieved their goals. They’ve lost their country’s resources yet find even greater resources amongst the Indians that shelter them.
In this exciting, and action-packed last book we get the answers to the complex conspiracy that was spread across the globe. The men of the SEAL team have evolved from this harrowing experience, the paranormal/mystical is now a part of their lives, accepted for valid reality. They’ve learned to do what needs to be done regardless of consequences, justice has a greater importance than the law when the enemy is cold and calculating and has no morals. Great characters and multiple points of view help the reader ponder the myriad enigmas, the suspense continued throughout with more betrayals but not from whom you would expect. I liked the technological advances within the story that may or may not be in the realm of science fiction as it’s not inconceivable that they could become reality, a realistic progression from what is known. This reader would have liked more closure on two things: Wolf and Jillian are left at an impasse and one is left hoping they find their way, and how were the underlying pieces of the NRO finally dismantled after the heads of that hydra were taken down.
An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.
This is the fourth and final book in the Red-Hot SEALs series that can be read as a stand-alone. There’s an involved underlying storyline that carries across the series but the author provides a good recap and a list of the many characters.
The New Ruling Order killed Amy Chastain’s husband six months ago, he was an FBI agent investigating the group. Along with her two sons she’d been kidnapped and held hostage to blackmail her husband. They were saved by the rogue SEAL team 7 but her ordeal didn’t end then, a dangerous experimental drug that enables GPS tracking of a person anywhere was injected into her sons, without an antidote they will soon die. Amy needs assistance to save her sons and the only person she feels safe with and that she totally trusts is the Commander of the SEAL team who rescued her family and took them to a place of relative safety in the Alaskan mountains. Working together they’re racing against time to save two young lives, the growing feelings they elicit from each other were unexpected and have to be dealt with gingerly considering the nature of the trauma Amy has been through.
Hiding within a secret military base belonging to the Native American Indian nation, Commander Jace (Mac) MacKenzie and the remainder of his team are still considered wanted, guilty of treason by their own country. Their mission has been to clear their names but they must also now stop the NRO’s grand design which when it’s uncovered is a diabolical conspiracy that will affect all of mankind. Mac is drawn to the woman his team rescued and her children who are still in grave peril and are embroiled in the fight against the NRO. His team has seen many strange things that are hard to believe and already survived so much, they won’t stop until they’ve achieved their goals. They’ve lost their country’s resources yet find even greater resources amongst the Indians that shelter them.
In this exciting, and action-packed last book we get the answers to the complex conspiracy that was spread across the globe. The men of the SEAL team have evolved from this harrowing experience, the paranormal/mystical is now a part of their lives, accepted for valid reality. They’ve learned to do what needs to be done regardless of consequences, justice has a greater importance than the law when the enemy is cold and calculating and has no morals. Great characters and multiple points of view help the reader ponder the myriad enigmas, the suspense continued throughout with more betrayals but not from whom you would expect. I liked the technological advances within the story that may or may not be in the realm of science fiction as it’s not inconceivable that they could become reality, a realistic progression from what is known. This reader would have liked more closure on two things: Wolf and Jillian are left at an impasse and one is left hoping they find their way, and how were the underlying pieces of the NRO finally dismantled after the heads of that hydra were taken down.
An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.
August 20, 2018
Plot opened in FORGED IN FIRE and ends here. In truth I wouldn’t have stuck with this series if it wasn’t so humorous at times as it tried my patience. Badly needed to scale back on the swearing and quicken up the pace by cutting back on details and too much time with characters thoughts.
As ludicrous and all as it was I had expected better here with the plots conclusion. Baddies had fingers in many pies so yes, I was expecting some sort of a twist up the chain outside of one FBI agent we got to know that was involved from the start. Even if it was a mole within Shadow Mt or some twist to do with Manheim’s wife, it would have added what was missing. Instead it played out what we already knew with a few revelations and yet missed the ones that were needed. Mac was suspicious of everyone which I’d expect as CO of ST7. Not getting much from up that chain of command was questionable especially with words like they could rely on the SEALs having their backs. Huh? Wasted time on information not relevant to the main characters or the plot instead of filling us on the past the Warriors had with NRO? Gaps/cracks peeve me off just as much as loose ends.
With that said, the pity was I really liked the theory behind the plot to do with the planet. Story wasn’t a complete loss as I enjoyed the action and the interaction between characters and the way the impish personalities of the 4 SEALs bounced of each other. Happy Rawls was back to his charming self and Mac was Mac. He cracked me up as he was and only change needed was less swearing and less thoughts. What defined his character was his actions and not the misinterpret idea that he was a woman hater just because he had a prickly attitude towards women that stemmed from his past. As much as I liked Any’s cool demeaner, if it hadn’t shown her so calm all the time it would have been better.
In all, while it had its heartache to do with characters through the series, it was laughable at times and it was that humour that saved it for me more so than its so-called conspiracy. Give the series 4 stars for its entertainment value and a generous 3 for the overall plot.
As ludicrous and all as it was I had expected better here with the plots conclusion. Baddies had fingers in many pies so yes, I was expecting some sort of a twist up the chain outside of one FBI agent we got to know that was involved from the start. Even if it was a mole within Shadow Mt or some twist to do with Manheim’s wife, it would have added what was missing. Instead it played out what we already knew with a few revelations and yet missed the ones that were needed. Mac was suspicious of everyone which I’d expect as CO of ST7. Not getting much from up that chain of command was questionable especially with words like they could rely on the SEALs having their backs. Huh? Wasted time on information not relevant to the main characters or the plot instead of filling us on the past the Warriors had with NRO? Gaps/cracks peeve me off just as much as loose ends.
With that said, the pity was I really liked the theory behind the plot to do with the planet. Story wasn’t a complete loss as I enjoyed the action and the interaction between characters and the way the impish personalities of the 4 SEALs bounced of each other. Happy Rawls was back to his charming self and Mac was Mac. He cracked me up as he was and only change needed was less swearing and less thoughts. What defined his character was his actions and not the misinterpret idea that he was a woman hater just because he had a prickly attitude towards women that stemmed from his past. As much as I liked Any’s cool demeaner, if it hadn’t shown her so calm all the time it would have been better.
In all, while it had its heartache to do with characters through the series, it was laughable at times and it was that humour that saved it for me more so than its so-called conspiracy. Give the series 4 stars for its entertainment value and a generous 3 for the overall plot.
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