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Wind River Valley #8
Wind River Protector
The new novel from the bestselling author of Home to Wind River.
Real love is worth every risk . . .
Ex-Air Force pilot Andy Whitcomb loves nothing more than the wide blue skies, but when a helicopter crash fighting forest fires in California leaves her injured and shaken, she's ready to return home to the peace of Wind River Ranch. The good news is, there's a chance for her to fly helos for the county sheriff's department. The bad news? The person in charge is none other than Dev Mitchell, an ex-Army Black Hawk pilot--and the rugged, sharp-eyed man Andy has never forgotten after five days together running from the Taliban after a nerve-wracking near-miss in Afghanistan.
Dev can't believe his eyes when Andy walks into the interview. She's as strong and sexy as he remembers, and every bit qualified for the job, which she clearly wants. Unfortunately, if he's going to be her boss, their relationship has to remain strictly professional--a regret Dev fights to keep hidden as they begin to work together. But when a chance encounter with violent drug traffickers forces them into survival mode, both of them will fight to hold on to the connection they can't ignore--and the chance of a future together.
Real love is worth every risk . . .
Ex-Air Force pilot Andy Whitcomb loves nothing more than the wide blue skies, but when a helicopter crash fighting forest fires in California leaves her injured and shaken, she's ready to return home to the peace of Wind River Ranch. The good news is, there's a chance for her to fly helos for the county sheriff's department. The bad news? The person in charge is none other than Dev Mitchell, an ex-Army Black Hawk pilot--and the rugged, sharp-eyed man Andy has never forgotten after five days together running from the Taliban after a nerve-wracking near-miss in Afghanistan.
Dev can't believe his eyes when Andy walks into the interview. She's as strong and sexy as he remembers, and every bit qualified for the job, which she clearly wants. Unfortunately, if he's going to be her boss, their relationship has to remain strictly professional--a regret Dev fights to keep hidden as they begin to work together. But when a chance encounter with violent drug traffickers forces them into survival mode, both of them will fight to hold on to the connection they can't ignore--and the chance of a future together.
278 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published July 30, 2019
677 people are currently reading
1200 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay McKenna
359 books2,496 followersI've lived six lives in one and it all shows up in the books I write, one way or another.
I was always a risk taker and broke mustangs at thirteen years old in Oregon. I learn to break them with love, not threat or pain.
At 17 years old, I picked night-crawlers (worms) out in our Oregon orchards from 9pm to midnight, every night. I earned enough money to buy my school clothes and book. I also plunked down $600 to a flight company at the Medford, Oregon airport and asked them to teach me...a girl...to fly. I soloed in 12 hours, which is average. From that time until I left for the US Navy at 18, I had accrued 39 hours of flight time in my Cessna 150 single engine airplane.
I was in the US military and was an AG3 (weather forecaster). There was no airplane club, so I couldn't fly when I was in the Navy. But I could look at the clouds in the sky ;-).
Later, I flew in a B-52 bomber for a day and night mission (18 hours total), a T-38 Talon jet, USAF, where I was riding in a "chase plane" on a test flight in a Dragonfly jet.
I was one of the first AFLA (American Fencing League of America) women fencers to fence with epee and sabre. These weapons were closed to women because they were too 'heavy' for a female to handle. I said baloney and fought the males and won half my bouts. I was part of a surge of women fencers on the East Coast in the 1970's to push for equality in the sport. Together, we changed the sport and changed the mind of the men. Today? In the Olympics? Women now fence in foil, epee and sabre, thanks to what we did as a vanguard showing the world it could be done.
I then became a volunteer firefighter when I was a civilian once more, the first woman in an all - male fire department in West Point, Ohio for three years. I became a local expert not only in firefighting, driving the engine and tanker trunks, but also had training in hazardous material (Reynoldsburg Fire Academy, Columbus, OH).
My books always reflect what I experienced. If you like edgy, gritty, deeply and emotionally intense love stories with sympathetic heroes and heroines, check out my newest series that will be available mid-Oct. 2015, and it incorporates much of what I have lived.
I was always a risk taker and broke mustangs at thirteen years old in Oregon. I learn to break them with love, not threat or pain.
At 17 years old, I picked night-crawlers (worms) out in our Oregon orchards from 9pm to midnight, every night. I earned enough money to buy my school clothes and book. I also plunked down $600 to a flight company at the Medford, Oregon airport and asked them to teach me...a girl...to fly. I soloed in 12 hours, which is average. From that time until I left for the US Navy at 18, I had accrued 39 hours of flight time in my Cessna 150 single engine airplane.
I was in the US military and was an AG3 (weather forecaster). There was no airplane club, so I couldn't fly when I was in the Navy. But I could look at the clouds in the sky ;-).
Later, I flew in a B-52 bomber for a day and night mission (18 hours total), a T-38 Talon jet, USAF, where I was riding in a "chase plane" on a test flight in a Dragonfly jet.
I was one of the first AFLA (American Fencing League of America) women fencers to fence with epee and sabre. These weapons were closed to women because they were too 'heavy' for a female to handle. I said baloney and fought the males and won half my bouts. I was part of a surge of women fencers on the East Coast in the 1970's to push for equality in the sport. Together, we changed the sport and changed the mind of the men. Today? In the Olympics? Women now fence in foil, epee and sabre, thanks to what we did as a vanguard showing the world it could be done.
I then became a volunteer firefighter when I was a civilian once more, the first woman in an all - male fire department in West Point, Ohio for three years. I became a local expert not only in firefighting, driving the engine and tanker trunks, but also had training in hazardous material (Reynoldsburg Fire Academy, Columbus, OH).
My books always reflect what I experienced. If you like edgy, gritty, deeply and emotionally intense love stories with sympathetic heroes and heroines, check out my newest series that will be available mid-Oct. 2015, and it incorporates much of what I have lived.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
July 21, 2019
Wind River Protector by Lindsay McKenna is another book in the series about the Wind River Valley in Wyoming. Once again, the landscape sounds beautiful and majestic and the people down to earth and hard working. The prior books were good - a little wordy to make their point about disabled vets and PTSD, but not unmanageable and the romances were good. I did not enjoy this book like I have the previous ones. I was disappointed. I felt that there was too much repetition about how Andy was adopted and about her parents and siblings. (ad nauseum) and too much repeating of the main point that Lindsay was obviously trying to make with men and woman in a fair and equal relationships.
Andy is a pilot who was shot down over Afghanistan. Dev was also shot down in his black hawk and together they managed over a five day period to find get themselves to safety, However, once back to the base they were separated and didn’t see each other again. Move ahead five years, Andy is applying for a job with the new support system for Wind River and it is Dev who is interviewing her. The two finally have a chance to figure out what they mean to each other.
I have enjoyed this series by Lindsay McKenna. I know she has showed her compassion and understanding of Vets with PTSD in the prior books. While she did touch on this, she really spent too much time on constantly repeating about Andy and Dev’s early life especially Andy and her siblings adoption. I did not enjoy the book and am hesitant to publish this review because of the negative nature. I will read another book in this series by this author and will hope this is an anomaly.
Andy is a pilot who was shot down over Afghanistan. Dev was also shot down in his black hawk and together they managed over a five day period to find get themselves to safety, However, once back to the base they were separated and didn’t see each other again. Move ahead five years, Andy is applying for a job with the new support system for Wind River and it is Dev who is interviewing her. The two finally have a chance to figure out what they mean to each other.
I have enjoyed this series by Lindsay McKenna. I know she has showed her compassion and understanding of Vets with PTSD in the prior books. While she did touch on this, she really spent too much time on constantly repeating about Andy and Dev’s early life especially Andy and her siblings adoption. I did not enjoy the book and am hesitant to publish this review because of the negative nature. I will read another book in this series by this author and will hope this is an anomaly.
October 11, 2019
I normally love both this author and this book subject. I love ready about vets and independent women. I especially love that this books connects characters from other books Ive read. Now for the downside this books is so repetitive. Yes they had to escape the Taliban and that part of the book was very intense but to repeat it so many times in the book was just way too much. I know the siblings where thankful (I liked hearing about there lives, which I'm sure will be in other books) but the rescue didn't need to be repeated. I will try the next book and hope that one is better.
August 2, 2019
Good book that started with heart-stopping intensity, moved to a fantastic, slow-burn romance, and finished with another bout of gripping intensity. The book opened four years earlier as Air Force pilot Andy is providing close air support for a Black Hawk helicopter in Afghanistan. The firefight is fierce and Andy watched as the helicopter ended up getting shot down just as she also took aircraft crippling fire. I was on the edge of my seat as Andy ejected into the middle of enemy territory. Fortunately for her, the Black Hawk pilot also survived and came looking for her. She and Dev teamed up and spent five days on the run before they were rescued. She never forgot the time she spent with him.
Fast forward four years. Andy left the Air Force and went to work for the LA Police Department as a pilot. A crash there left her shaken and longing to return home to Wind River. Word of a new air unit for the sheriff's department makes the move even more appealing. What she doesn't expect is to find that one of her bosses is Dev. Meanwhile, Dev is just as stunned to find Andy as one of the applicants for the pilots jobs. He thought of her often in the intervening years.
I loved the part describing their time in Afghanistan. Though he was surprised to find a woman pilot, Dev never looked down on Andy or treated her as less than capable. Having dealt with more than a few Neanderthal-like pilots, Andy was pleasantly surprised by Dev's attitude. Neither expected to feel drawn to the other, but their circumstances prevented anything personal from being explored. When Dev returned to his unit immediately after their rescue, they never had a chance to really talk.
Dev and Andy's surprise and pleasure at seeing each other again could not be denied. It was also clear that the connection they felt before was still there, but with the added obstacle of being boss and employee. I loved their decision to be friends, taking the time to get to know each other over a period of months. The connection that they forged during their five days in Afghanistan made it easier for them to share some of their deeper issues, such as Dev's grief over the loss of his young wife years earlier, and Andy's problems with trusting people after being abandoned as an infant by her mother. I enjoyed their mutual respect for each other's abilities and strengths as they worked together. I especially liked the scene at the truck accident, as Dev worried about Andy on a personal level, but was also proud of what she accomplished. I laughed out loud at the truck driver and his amazement at how such a "Squirt" was able to move him.
One of the things I liked most about Dev was his sensitivity. He is truly a 21st-century man, willing to express his emotions, including tears. I also liked how well he was tuned in to Andy. The way he was able to help her through the adrenaline crash and emotional firestorm after their near encounter with the drug smugglers was fantastic. There was also a sweet scene early on in the book as he surprised Andy with the arrival of two interviewees for the other pilots' positions. Dev fits in well with her family, too, I especially enjoyed his long talk with Gabe, and how much alike they seemed to me.
I loved Andy for her kick-ass abilities, but also ached for the vulnerability caused by her start in life. I really enjoyed the acknowledgement that women and men think differently, each bringing something different to a problem. I especially enjoyed how it was Andy who sensed approaching danger both in Afghanistan and in the mountains. I loved her close relationship with her family and the sisterhood with her fellow pilots.
The development of the relationship between Dev and Andy was fantastic. Because of the added complication of their work relationship, they had to make the extra effort to keep their working hours relationship professional, and save anything else for their off hours. I liked that they both felt that a solid friendship was a prerequisite to anything deeper. I loved the time they spent together doing things as simple as ranch work and hiking gave them the time to talk and really learn about each other. Not rushing into physical intimacy made the relationship feel much more realistic.
There was a nice bit of suspense included as the county's issues with drug smugglers continue to plague them. There was a little foreshadowing as Andy's first flight with Dev included visiting areas where drug drops were known to take place. Andy's brother Gabe, an undercover DEA agent, makes an appearance in this book. His conversation with Dev adds to the building feeling that something is going to happen. I was on the edge of my seat at the end when Andy and Dev had their close encounter with the smugglers, wondering if they would make it out safely. The resolution was very satisfying and felt realistic in the way it happened.
Fast forward four years. Andy left the Air Force and went to work for the LA Police Department as a pilot. A crash there left her shaken and longing to return home to Wind River. Word of a new air unit for the sheriff's department makes the move even more appealing. What she doesn't expect is to find that one of her bosses is Dev. Meanwhile, Dev is just as stunned to find Andy as one of the applicants for the pilots jobs. He thought of her often in the intervening years.
I loved the part describing their time in Afghanistan. Though he was surprised to find a woman pilot, Dev never looked down on Andy or treated her as less than capable. Having dealt with more than a few Neanderthal-like pilots, Andy was pleasantly surprised by Dev's attitude. Neither expected to feel drawn to the other, but their circumstances prevented anything personal from being explored. When Dev returned to his unit immediately after their rescue, they never had a chance to really talk.
Dev and Andy's surprise and pleasure at seeing each other again could not be denied. It was also clear that the connection they felt before was still there, but with the added obstacle of being boss and employee. I loved their decision to be friends, taking the time to get to know each other over a period of months. The connection that they forged during their five days in Afghanistan made it easier for them to share some of their deeper issues, such as Dev's grief over the loss of his young wife years earlier, and Andy's problems with trusting people after being abandoned as an infant by her mother. I enjoyed their mutual respect for each other's abilities and strengths as they worked together. I especially liked the scene at the truck accident, as Dev worried about Andy on a personal level, but was also proud of what she accomplished. I laughed out loud at the truck driver and his amazement at how such a "Squirt" was able to move him.
One of the things I liked most about Dev was his sensitivity. He is truly a 21st-century man, willing to express his emotions, including tears. I also liked how well he was tuned in to Andy. The way he was able to help her through the adrenaline crash and emotional firestorm after their near encounter with the drug smugglers was fantastic. There was also a sweet scene early on in the book as he surprised Andy with the arrival of two interviewees for the other pilots' positions. Dev fits in well with her family, too, I especially enjoyed his long talk with Gabe, and how much alike they seemed to me.
I loved Andy for her kick-ass abilities, but also ached for the vulnerability caused by her start in life. I really enjoyed the acknowledgement that women and men think differently, each bringing something different to a problem. I especially enjoyed how it was Andy who sensed approaching danger both in Afghanistan and in the mountains. I loved her close relationship with her family and the sisterhood with her fellow pilots.
The development of the relationship between Dev and Andy was fantastic. Because of the added complication of their work relationship, they had to make the extra effort to keep their working hours relationship professional, and save anything else for their off hours. I liked that they both felt that a solid friendship was a prerequisite to anything deeper. I loved the time they spent together doing things as simple as ranch work and hiking gave them the time to talk and really learn about each other. Not rushing into physical intimacy made the relationship feel much more realistic.
There was a nice bit of suspense included as the county's issues with drug smugglers continue to plague them. There was a little foreshadowing as Andy's first flight with Dev included visiting areas where drug drops were known to take place. Andy's brother Gabe, an undercover DEA agent, makes an appearance in this book. His conversation with Dev adds to the building feeling that something is going to happen. I was on the edge of my seat at the end when Andy and Dev had their close encounter with the smugglers, wondering if they would make it out safely. The resolution was very satisfying and felt realistic in the way it happened.
October 11, 2019
I've read and reviewed most of Lindsay McKenna's Wind River series, but Wind River Protector, the eighth novel in the series started out like gangbusters and fell totally flat for me for a number of reasons, which I'll get to, and which is also why I can only give it a 2-star rating.
As the novel opens, Andy, the heroine, is flying an armored helicopter over Taliban territory and helping to deflect ground fire for a Black Hawk helicopter, dropping off black ops personnel into the area. Both helicopters are shot down, and Andy watches the Black Hawkcrash and burn before the same thing happens to her and her copter. She ejects herself from the doomed helicopter and manages to parachute to earth with nothing more than scraped knees, a few bruises, and, unfortunately, a broken GPS device that would signal her location for rescue--she has a couple of protein bars and no water. It doesn't take long before the lone survivor of the Black Hawk crash, Dev, finds her, and they spend the next five days dodging the Taliban and getting to safety. Dev is almost immediately sent off on another mission, and her harrowing experience made Andy leave the military, eventually landing herself a job with the helicopter division of the Los Angeles Police Department, where once again, after about 3 years, her copter hits a drone and crashes down in an empty ball field. That's it for Andy, she decides to return home to her family's Wind River Ranch. Quite an exciting start.
When Andy returns home, the author spends an extraordinary amount of time explaining that Andy's adoptive parents, whom we've met in the previous Wind River novels, were wonderful and supportive of all 4 of their adopted children. As luck would have it, they've been instrumental in helping to establish a full service airport in Wind River, and of course, there's are openings for helicopter pilots. Andy is thrilled at the chance, and what a surprise--her new boss is none other than Dev, and both are thrilled to have found one another again, but Dev will be Andy's boss if she's hired, and what will happen between them? Sadly, things are about to change, and not for the better.
Andy is all for women's equality, and is impressed that Dev sees and treats her as an equal. It's hard to gauge her feelings because at first she mentions never wanting to have a man of her own or raise a family of her own, yet she's certainly interested in Dev. While I generally like a slow-building romance, for some reason, the author felt it necessary to launch into endlessly preaching about women's equality, in life and in the workplace, and while I agree with her position wholeheartedly, it went on seemingly forever, along with endless passages of repetitive dialogue reiterating how Dev and Andy met, and how they impressed one another with their survival skills, abilities and fortitude. By the time the airport is nearly ready of open we're also subjected to more overdone angst about the feelings of abandonment experienced by Andy and her 3 other adopted siblings. Too much angst. too little story, virtually no forward momentum.
In addition there are also redundant passages about Dev's feelings about his late wife, who died of a heart attack at age 20. Nine years later, Dev is still struggling to come to terms with his loss and wondering about his attraction to Andy. Yes, it's a devastating occurrence to 20-year-old Dev, but he's had nine years to comes to terms with it, and while it's a tough blow, nine years to even show interest in another woman seemed too long and to hard to believe for this reader.
Yes, there's eventually some action later in the novel, drug smuggler's dropping their loads of contraband drugs into empty fields, and Andy and Dev getting into more scrapes and more danger, but by the HEA ending, I was totally bored by both of the main characters and totally annoyed at the endless preaching. I've been reading Ms. McKenna's novels for decades, consider myself a fan of her work, and it hurts me to say this, but, in this reader's opinion, this was the least interesting, most preachy, and biggest let-down of the lot.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
As the novel opens, Andy, the heroine, is flying an armored helicopter over Taliban territory and helping to deflect ground fire for a Black Hawk helicopter, dropping off black ops personnel into the area. Both helicopters are shot down, and Andy watches the Black Hawkcrash and burn before the same thing happens to her and her copter. She ejects herself from the doomed helicopter and manages to parachute to earth with nothing more than scraped knees, a few bruises, and, unfortunately, a broken GPS device that would signal her location for rescue--she has a couple of protein bars and no water. It doesn't take long before the lone survivor of the Black Hawk crash, Dev, finds her, and they spend the next five days dodging the Taliban and getting to safety. Dev is almost immediately sent off on another mission, and her harrowing experience made Andy leave the military, eventually landing herself a job with the helicopter division of the Los Angeles Police Department, where once again, after about 3 years, her copter hits a drone and crashes down in an empty ball field. That's it for Andy, she decides to return home to her family's Wind River Ranch. Quite an exciting start.
When Andy returns home, the author spends an extraordinary amount of time explaining that Andy's adoptive parents, whom we've met in the previous Wind River novels, were wonderful and supportive of all 4 of their adopted children. As luck would have it, they've been instrumental in helping to establish a full service airport in Wind River, and of course, there's are openings for helicopter pilots. Andy is thrilled at the chance, and what a surprise--her new boss is none other than Dev, and both are thrilled to have found one another again, but Dev will be Andy's boss if she's hired, and what will happen between them? Sadly, things are about to change, and not for the better.
Andy is all for women's equality, and is impressed that Dev sees and treats her as an equal. It's hard to gauge her feelings because at first she mentions never wanting to have a man of her own or raise a family of her own, yet she's certainly interested in Dev. While I generally like a slow-building romance, for some reason, the author felt it necessary to launch into endlessly preaching about women's equality, in life and in the workplace, and while I agree with her position wholeheartedly, it went on seemingly forever, along with endless passages of repetitive dialogue reiterating how Dev and Andy met, and how they impressed one another with their survival skills, abilities and fortitude. By the time the airport is nearly ready of open we're also subjected to more overdone angst about the feelings of abandonment experienced by Andy and her 3 other adopted siblings. Too much angst. too little story, virtually no forward momentum.
In addition there are also redundant passages about Dev's feelings about his late wife, who died of a heart attack at age 20. Nine years later, Dev is still struggling to come to terms with his loss and wondering about his attraction to Andy. Yes, it's a devastating occurrence to 20-year-old Dev, but he's had nine years to comes to terms with it, and while it's a tough blow, nine years to even show interest in another woman seemed too long and to hard to believe for this reader.
Yes, there's eventually some action later in the novel, drug smuggler's dropping their loads of contraband drugs into empty fields, and Andy and Dev getting into more scrapes and more danger, but by the HEA ending, I was totally bored by both of the main characters and totally annoyed at the endless preaching. I've been reading Ms. McKenna's novels for decades, consider myself a fan of her work, and it hurts me to say this, but, in this reader's opinion, this was the least interesting, most preachy, and biggest let-down of the lot.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
July 15, 2019
It's been a while since I have read a book written by Lindsay McKenna. The overall story was good, however the descriptive paragraphs about different settings and situations were too long and verbose. I have to admit to skimming over a lot of the passages about relationships as the author kept harping on the same subjects: their parents relationship and the fact that Andy was adopted.
The setting was great and descriptions of the terrain and town set the tone for the story. If you can overlook the verbose ramblings the bones of the story is worth the read.
I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher for my honest opinions.
The setting was great and descriptions of the terrain and town set the tone for the story. If you can overlook the verbose ramblings the bones of the story is worth the read.
I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher for my honest opinions.
December 16, 2019
I didn’t bother to finish this one. It feels as though it was published without any editing. Lots of weird typos, incomplete sentences and sentences that start out on one topic and then jump tracks to another mid-stream. Lots of continuity errors too.
In addition to that the protagonists keep having the same conversation over and over again, and their thoughts are equally repetitive. The book opened well, but when we got to the present day, the story ground to a complete halt. I got to chapter 11, most of the way through before I bailed. Andy acted surprised to hear about Dev’s first wife, but they had already discussed it a while ago. That’s kind of a big thing to forget.
In addition to that the protagonists keep having the same conversation over and over again, and their thoughts are equally repetitive. The book opened well, but when we got to the present day, the story ground to a complete halt. I got to chapter 11, most of the way through before I bailed. Andy acted surprised to hear about Dev’s first wife, but they had already discussed it a while ago. That’s kind of a big thing to forget.
January 7, 2022
Il libro mi è piaciuto, ma avendo letto la trama continuavo ad aspettare che accadesse una certa cosa... Vorrei capire perché a volte le trame sono inesatte e le copertine non c'entrino nulla coi libri, mah...
December 16, 2019
At first this book started out really good and captured my attention reading about their crashes and escape when they first met. Then the book gets really, really slow and starts repeating the same points. Adoption, the crashes, not trusting people, what could and should have happened. Once Dev and Andy reconnected parts of it were just downright cheesy. I had a hard time staying with this one and completing. It had the potential to be an amazing story and I did enjoy the characters, they are well written and descriptive. The scenery sounds amazing and made me want to visit places listed in book. I've read 0ther books from this author and enjoyed them but this one was a letdown. I won this book in a goodreads giveaway thank you.
January 19, 2020
I enjoyed this author back in the nineties when she wrote for Silhouette, although I haven’t read her in a while. This book started out great, with the two main characters working together to survive a tense military situation. When they meet again, (a bit too much of a coincidence for me), the relationship is slow to develop. In fact, the middle of the book is slow, with repetitive info about the heroine’s adoption issues continually hampering any forward motion. The drug problems plaguing the area could have provided more plot, but didn’t. I respect Ms McKenna’s work, but this was not my favorite.
September 7, 2019
I love reading and I loved this series, until this book. It got too political and when I read, I don’t want partisan headlines in my reading material CONSTANTLY. There’s enough non-fiction out there (and I don’t want it in the romances). The author was stuck on one thing (basically that men suck) that I couldn’t finish the book. That rarely happens but I can only read ‘men are neanderthals’ so many times. Like I said, I rarely don’t finish a book but I’m done with this one halfway through it. I also rarely leave reviews but this one was awful. I can’t force myself to read any more of it.
December 7, 2019
I have read all of the Wind River series and this book was terrible. The story about the 5 days on the run from the Taliban was repeated over and over in the book. Andy was adopted by Whitcomb family and this was repeated several times.
There was also a repeat in the book constantly about strong women. All the #metoo, and #timesup references thru out the book was so repeated. I'm sure most of her readers are women and don't need to have this preached to them.
I just hope the next books are better and to think I paid full price for this book!
There was also a repeat in the book constantly about strong women. All the #metoo, and #timesup references thru out the book was so repeated. I'm sure most of her readers are women and don't need to have this preached to them.
I just hope the next books are better and to think I paid full price for this book!
July 7, 2020
There was so much wrong with this book. Repetition being the cardinal sin. Having spent time in Wyoming I’m not buying this idyllic setting including elevation, the ease of flying choppers there and getting a state of the art airport. Not having served I’ll not pass judgment on that part but from what I’ve read, it’s an extremely rosy picture.
July 30, 2019
Slow read
I always like reading books by this author. This was a very slow read There were times when I skipped over sections. The last third of the book speed picked up some and I enjoyed it very much. I will be buying more books in the series.
I always like reading books by this author. This was a very slow read There were times when I skipped over sections. The last third of the book speed picked up some and I enjoyed it very much. I will be buying more books in the series.
July 15, 2019
I asked for a review copy of this title from NetGalley because I love the Wind River area of Wyoming. For years I would take college students up to Lander, Wyoming and we would go out on the Wind River Reservation for volunteer work. We hiked the mountain trails around that area and all of us fell in love with the place.
Lindsay McKenna gives us a novel about several hot topics in today's culture. One hot topic is "the role of women in the workforce." Her character Andy is a feminist who wants equality in all she does. She feels that men should treat women as equal's, and she is so correct about that. What I truly appreciate about the character and the dialog of the issue is that Andy is not someone who you can't love because of her feminist qualities, but she is someone you fall in love with because she is a genuine, caring, loving, loyal and faithful friend, woman, worker, soldier, etc.
A second topic of the book is "Adoption." Andy and her three siblings are all foster kids who were adopted by Maud and Steven when they were just young children, either infants or toddlers. These "Adopted" kids were loved as you would think only a biologic parent would love their child. They were accepted without condition. Nurtured to face the trials of daily living as mature, well adjusted adults who love and care for their fellow human beings.
Another topic though is the adopted child's view of "Abandonment." Each of the four siblings had to struggle with the concept of having been "abandoned" or maybe their term is better, "tossed aside without regard." You feel their pain. You feel their sorrow. You feel their hurt.
The final topic would be "Trust." Each of the four siblings, because of their abandonment issues has a problem trusting other humans. They have to work hard at it. It doesn't make them unpleasant or boring or secessionist. But because of their adoptive parents good upbringing they are all well adjusted and are able to trust, it's just that the trust has to be earned.
Each of these topics makes the book awesome.
Now, the gist of the story. Andy, a woman, is also a Combat Warthog Pilot offering close-in air support for the troops on the ground in our current battles with the Taliban. She is driven, loyal, aggressive and determined to win at all costs. But when she is shot down she is thrown into a whole new world.
In the same conflict a battle helicopter is also shot down, but with only one survivor. Dev Mitchell finds Andy on the ground and together they outsmart and outrun the Taliban for five days to make it on their own back to a Forward Operating Base and safety. Along the way, Andy learns she can trust Dev. But once back at the base they are separated to never see each other again, or will they?
The story of their relationship is what all the topics are woven around and Lindsay McKenna does a fabulous job of drawing you in, teaching you truths and along the way, at least for me, helping me learn a valuable lesson that many feminists are not to be feared, but to be admired, cared about and someone you would want to work alongside.
I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.
Lindsay McKenna gives us a novel about several hot topics in today's culture. One hot topic is "the role of women in the workforce." Her character Andy is a feminist who wants equality in all she does. She feels that men should treat women as equal's, and she is so correct about that. What I truly appreciate about the character and the dialog of the issue is that Andy is not someone who you can't love because of her feminist qualities, but she is someone you fall in love with because she is a genuine, caring, loving, loyal and faithful friend, woman, worker, soldier, etc.
A second topic of the book is "Adoption." Andy and her three siblings are all foster kids who were adopted by Maud and Steven when they were just young children, either infants or toddlers. These "Adopted" kids were loved as you would think only a biologic parent would love their child. They were accepted without condition. Nurtured to face the trials of daily living as mature, well adjusted adults who love and care for their fellow human beings.
Another topic though is the adopted child's view of "Abandonment." Each of the four siblings had to struggle with the concept of having been "abandoned" or maybe their term is better, "tossed aside without regard." You feel their pain. You feel their sorrow. You feel their hurt.
The final topic would be "Trust." Each of the four siblings, because of their abandonment issues has a problem trusting other humans. They have to work hard at it. It doesn't make them unpleasant or boring or secessionist. But because of their adoptive parents good upbringing they are all well adjusted and are able to trust, it's just that the trust has to be earned.
Each of these topics makes the book awesome.
Now, the gist of the story. Andy, a woman, is also a Combat Warthog Pilot offering close-in air support for the troops on the ground in our current battles with the Taliban. She is driven, loyal, aggressive and determined to win at all costs. But when she is shot down she is thrown into a whole new world.
In the same conflict a battle helicopter is also shot down, but with only one survivor. Dev Mitchell finds Andy on the ground and together they outsmart and outrun the Taliban for five days to make it on their own back to a Forward Operating Base and safety. Along the way, Andy learns she can trust Dev. But once back at the base they are separated to never see each other again, or will they?
The story of their relationship is what all the topics are woven around and Lindsay McKenna does a fabulous job of drawing you in, teaching you truths and along the way, at least for me, helping me learn a valuable lesson that many feminists are not to be feared, but to be admired, cared about and someone you would want to work alongside.
I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.
July 4, 2019
Real love is worth every risk . . .
Ex-Air Force pilot Andy Whitcomb loves nothing more than the wide blue skies, but when a helicopter crash fighting forest fires in California leaves her injured and shaken, she’s ready to return home to the peace of Wind River Ranch. The good news is, there’s a chance for her to fly helos for the county sheriff’s department. The bad news? The person in charge is none other than Dev Mitchell, an ex-Army Black Hawk pilot—and the rugged, sharp-eyed man Andy has never forgotten after five days together running from the Taliban after a nerve-wracking near-miss in Afghanistan.
Dev can’t believe his eyes when Andy walks into the interview. She’s as strong and sexy as he remembers, and every bit qualified for the job, which she clearly wants. Unfortunately, if he’s going to be her boss, their relationship has to remain strictly professional—a regret Dev fights to keep hidden as they begin to work together. But when a chance encounter with violent drug traffickers forces them into survival mode, both of them will fight to hold on to the connection they can’t ignore—and the chance of a future together.
My thoughts:
Ratings:4.5
This is book 8 in her Wild River Valley series ,and while I haven't read the other books in this series after reading this one I differently want to , While it's a slow building romance ,I actually found out that I like it that way because this way you get to see the characters as well as the places come to life With that said I want to thank Nettgaley for letting me read and review in change for my honest opinion. .
Ex-Air Force pilot Andy Whitcomb loves nothing more than the wide blue skies, but when a helicopter crash fighting forest fires in California leaves her injured and shaken, she’s ready to return home to the peace of Wind River Ranch. The good news is, there’s a chance for her to fly helos for the county sheriff’s department. The bad news? The person in charge is none other than Dev Mitchell, an ex-Army Black Hawk pilot—and the rugged, sharp-eyed man Andy has never forgotten after five days together running from the Taliban after a nerve-wracking near-miss in Afghanistan.
Dev can’t believe his eyes when Andy walks into the interview. She’s as strong and sexy as he remembers, and every bit qualified for the job, which she clearly wants. Unfortunately, if he’s going to be her boss, their relationship has to remain strictly professional—a regret Dev fights to keep hidden as they begin to work together. But when a chance encounter with violent drug traffickers forces them into survival mode, both of them will fight to hold on to the connection they can’t ignore—and the chance of a future together.
My thoughts:
Ratings:4.5
This is book 8 in her Wild River Valley series ,and while I haven't read the other books in this series after reading this one I differently want to , While it's a slow building romance ,I actually found out that I like it that way because this way you get to see the characters as well as the places come to life With that said I want to thank Nettgaley for letting me read and review in change for my honest opinion. .
July 28, 2019
Andy Whitcomb loves nothing more than blue skies, but when her helicopter crashes in California, she’s ready to return home to the peace of Wind River Ranch. The good news is – that there’s a chance for her to fly helos for the county sheriff’s department. Bad news – the person in charge is none other the ex-Army Black Hawk pilot, Dev Mitchell. Dev can’t believe his eyes when Andy walks into the interview, but if he’s going to be her boss, their relationship has to remain strictly professional.
This story is an emotionally gripping and engaging slow burn romance with some intense life threatening situations. The characters are strong, vivid and easily draw readers into their story while the relationship is a slow burn building with lots of passionate intensity, readers are in no doubt that Andy and Dev belong together. This story is a clean romance that provides readers with the illusion of quite a bit of time passing and the characters growing closer together the longer they spend time together which gives them time to overcome their emotional issues to finally reach for their happily ever after.
The plot is set a steady pace and has lots of intense conversations as the couple get to know each other, both have past issues that have them hesitant to reach for forever after relationship, so the story has a lot of emotionally powerful moments and reflections. While some of the conversations seem to be a little repetitive, the overall spacing of the conversations and some thrilling suspense and excitement gives readers an overall ‘real life experience’ kind of story that can really enjoy.
This story is an emotionally gripping and engaging slow burn romance with some intense life threatening situations. The characters are strong, vivid and easily draw readers into their story while the relationship is a slow burn building with lots of passionate intensity, readers are in no doubt that Andy and Dev belong together. This story is a clean romance that provides readers with the illusion of quite a bit of time passing and the characters growing closer together the longer they spend time together which gives them time to overcome their emotional issues to finally reach for their happily ever after.
The plot is set a steady pace and has lots of intense conversations as the couple get to know each other, both have past issues that have them hesitant to reach for forever after relationship, so the story has a lot of emotionally powerful moments and reflections. While some of the conversations seem to be a little repetitive, the overall spacing of the conversations and some thrilling suspense and excitement gives readers an overall ‘real life experience’ kind of story that can really enjoy.
September 11, 2021
I can't with this novel. A visceral anger towards the waist of time this was. I can't leave a book alone once I've started reading and now I hate myself for it.
The 1st chapter was very promising, two strong leads with exciting roles in the military and instant chemistry. And then the repetitive mundane shit-show (I'm not even going to apologize for my language) started.
If you cut out the number of times we were retold the story of them being in Afghanistan, her being adopted, their parents having a perfect marriage, men are Neanderthals (but Dev is so sensitive), and the fate of Dev's last marriage, this would have been a delightful short story, maybe even worth 3 stars.
The dialogue between the the two protagonist felt terribly contrived and rehearsed, giving me grade 9 drama class flash backs.
The forest drug encounter was over the top, might as well land a UFO into the river while you're at it.
$5 says an AI wrote the novel! I bet for shits and giggles McKenna uploaded all her novels into the program and this is what it came up with.
But WORST OF ALL, and unforgivable, there was no dog in the novel! Why have that hunky puppy on the cover and not deliver?
The 1st chapter was very promising, two strong leads with exciting roles in the military and instant chemistry. And then the repetitive mundane shit-show (I'm not even going to apologize for my language) started.
If you cut out the number of times we were retold the story of them being in Afghanistan, her being adopted, their parents having a perfect marriage, men are Neanderthals (but Dev is so sensitive), and the fate of Dev's last marriage, this would have been a delightful short story, maybe even worth 3 stars.
The dialogue between the the two protagonist felt terribly contrived and rehearsed, giving me grade 9 drama class flash backs.
The forest drug encounter was over the top, might as well land a UFO into the river while you're at it.
$5 says an AI wrote the novel! I bet for shits and giggles McKenna uploaded all her novels into the program and this is what it came up with.
But WORST OF ALL, and unforgivable, there was no dog in the novel! Why have that hunky puppy on the cover and not deliver?
October 15, 2019
This being number 8 in the series, hopefully I haven’t gone to the well too often. Andy doesn’t have much luck staying airborne. She’s shot down by Taliban in the Sandbox, sabotaged by a civilian drone in her helo in LA.
Returning to Wind River she runs into Dev Mitchell, the man of her dreams. Trouble is dating the boss is a problem. Doesn’t stop them from sharing a hot tub though. The pair can’t seem to go hiking without running into some kind of trouble. The book ends abruptly with the pair sharing the same bed.
The romance genre is highly predictable. The books have their own spoilers built in. Reading about the couple’s angsty yearnings can get repetitive. My kingdom for a book that doesn’t need further editing. For example “territorial vicinity” is a tautology, both words mean the same thing.
Since Andy has three adoptive siblings we can expect at least three more entries in this series, the next title including Undercover it would seem to involve Gabe.
Returning to Wind River she runs into Dev Mitchell, the man of her dreams. Trouble is dating the boss is a problem. Doesn’t stop them from sharing a hot tub though. The pair can’t seem to go hiking without running into some kind of trouble. The book ends abruptly with the pair sharing the same bed.
The romance genre is highly predictable. The books have their own spoilers built in. Reading about the couple’s angsty yearnings can get repetitive. My kingdom for a book that doesn’t need further editing. For example “territorial vicinity” is a tautology, both words mean the same thing.
Since Andy has three adoptive siblings we can expect at least three more entries in this series, the next title including Undercover it would seem to involve Gabe.
September 8, 2021
I did finish reading this story just to find out what happened to the characters - but I thought there was a bit too much of psychological dialogue surrounding Andy and Dev about their feelings and wellbeing .... both engaged in the military and experiencing traumatic expeditions and how their lives changed once back home. It was good to see how they re-engaged again personally as pilots in a new airport hub of search and rescue; and voila towards the end of the book acknowledge their romantic interest in each other.... all in all curiosity got me to the end but seriously this plot didn't really hook me in like an earlier novel this author wrote ....
November 20, 2021
It was an easy read, but a little messy and too angsty for my taste; not feeling that it fit there honestly. Plus, all the danger they were in…meh.. the characters had so-so with chemistry.
I got this eARC from Netgalley..
I got this eARC from Netgalley..
June 25, 2019
McKenna brings a bit more than the usual romance pages in Wind River Protector. History started while Andy Whitcomb and Dev Mitchell were in the service behind enemy lines fighting to escape a gruesome death. Upon their rescue instead of being able to express the feelings that had been suppressed they loose touch with each other. Dealing with not only the danger of her job; Andy is homesick for Wind River and decides it is time to return. Many sweet pages along with challenges grace the pages of this novel. A copy of this book was provided by Kensington Books via Netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion." THIS WORKS FINE AS A STAND ALONE READ.
February 10, 2023
bad! like a bad soap opera! what kills it? the way it is narrated! fire everybody !
July 2, 2020
DNF!!!!
I am really sorry to be writing this review but I cant help it. Based on the blurb I was excited to read this book but halfway into the first chapter I realized this book is just not to my taste. I plowed on however thinking it will change but ultimately i gave up around page 207. My various points are outlined below of why i didnt finish this book:
1. The cover is deceiving. Dev is NOT a cowboy and he DOES NOT have a dog. He is an ex army pilot. Why design and use a cover that doesn't depict any scene from the story??
2. Too many military jargon. I cant wrap my head around them. Yes I know this is a military story from the blurb and yes I am very patriotic towards my country but come on this book just took it to the extreme with military words flying here, there and everywhere.
3. Too many similarities between the hero and heroine. If it's not them individually it's their parents. I like when hero and heroine are different from each other like night and day. Not when they have similar interests and intuitions. That doesn't make for an exciting read.
4. Andy's family is too much. There are too many of them and the author spent time discussing about each one of them repeatedly which took away from the relationship between andy and dev. I just couldn't connect with andy and dev because there is hardly any private moment between them and Andy's family is always around.
5. No private moment between andy and dev. Reiterating this point again. I know I mentioned it above. They are always around a bunch of people. They have no privacy. There is hardly any kissing, touching and the romance is basically dead between them.
6. Andy was adopted and she kept monotonously repeating that thing over and over in the story. Yes we know you are adopted , your mother abandoned you but a wonderful family adopted you and gave you a privileged life. Be grateful to them and stop going on and on about your past abandonment.
7. Andy and dev spent 5 days in Afghanistan evading and hiding from Talibans. That's how they met and this is another point that the author used it so much and referenced it so much, that I got frustrated with it.
8. Finally my 8th point, I have more but there are just too many to mention, andy and dev were just not compatible to me. I do not like neither of their character. She is always whining about her adoption. They talk so much about their family instead of discussing about themselves. I couldn't help but dislike both of them.
As I said, I only made it to page 207 so I have no idea how the rest of the story goes and truthfully I dont wana know.
I am really sorry to be writing this review but I cant help it. Based on the blurb I was excited to read this book but halfway into the first chapter I realized this book is just not to my taste. I plowed on however thinking it will change but ultimately i gave up around page 207. My various points are outlined below of why i didnt finish this book:
1. The cover is deceiving. Dev is NOT a cowboy and he DOES NOT have a dog. He is an ex army pilot. Why design and use a cover that doesn't depict any scene from the story??
2. Too many military jargon. I cant wrap my head around them. Yes I know this is a military story from the blurb and yes I am very patriotic towards my country but come on this book just took it to the extreme with military words flying here, there and everywhere.
3. Too many similarities between the hero and heroine. If it's not them individually it's their parents. I like when hero and heroine are different from each other like night and day. Not when they have similar interests and intuitions. That doesn't make for an exciting read.
4. Andy's family is too much. There are too many of them and the author spent time discussing about each one of them repeatedly which took away from the relationship between andy and dev. I just couldn't connect with andy and dev because there is hardly any private moment between them and Andy's family is always around.
5. No private moment between andy and dev. Reiterating this point again. I know I mentioned it above. They are always around a bunch of people. They have no privacy. There is hardly any kissing, touching and the romance is basically dead between them.
6. Andy was adopted and she kept monotonously repeating that thing over and over in the story. Yes we know you are adopted , your mother abandoned you but a wonderful family adopted you and gave you a privileged life. Be grateful to them and stop going on and on about your past abandonment.
7. Andy and dev spent 5 days in Afghanistan evading and hiding from Talibans. That's how they met and this is another point that the author used it so much and referenced it so much, that I got frustrated with it.
8. Finally my 8th point, I have more but there are just too many to mention, andy and dev were just not compatible to me. I do not like neither of their character. She is always whining about her adoption. They talk so much about their family instead of discussing about themselves. I couldn't help but dislike both of them.
As I said, I only made it to page 207 so I have no idea how the rest of the story goes and truthfully I dont wana know.
August 5, 2019
The beginning was the only part I enjoyed, folks. I loved the heart pounding drama that set the stage to what I had hoped was going to be a great romantic read. However, the mechanical writing and overly windy dialogue that took over after this main couple's initial meeting completely killed my interest by 30%.
I wish this author continued writing success and hope others enjoy this book. Unfortunately, the writing style it morphed into kept me from be able to see this one to the end.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)
I wish this author continued writing success and hope others enjoy this book. Unfortunately, the writing style it morphed into kept me from be able to see this one to the end.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)
December 29, 2019
The plot concept was great. Execution was shoddy. So many contradictions and inconsistencies. Did anyone even edit this book? I wanted so much to love this book because I loved the author’s previous work, but so much of the book just didn’t make sense. Also, the author uses the word “gasp” all the time. The characters are constantly gasping. It got old. There was also very little action, most of the book was just conversations between the two main characters, or inner dialogues about whether they loved each other, whether they should pursue a relationship, etc. I hope the author slows down and takes her time on the next book, she appears to have written this one too fast and it came out sloppy.
February 20, 2021
Amateurish and lessons in feminism
At 52% I chalked this book up to 'never to be to finished'. The characters were one dimensional and unrealistic. Conversations were stilted and superficial. A tale of orphans adopted by affluent couple. The girls labeled all men Neanderthals as the author drags the reader through the whining of women who entered predominantly male military combat aviation careers and were angry to find resistance. Treating the reader to helpings of various political correctness labelings via #'s amid the tedium of poor writing skills eventually led me to give up finding this book worthwhile. I won't try this author again. I gave it one star because a star rating is required.
At 52% I chalked this book up to 'never to be to finished'. The characters were one dimensional and unrealistic. Conversations were stilted and superficial. A tale of orphans adopted by affluent couple. The girls labeled all men Neanderthals as the author drags the reader through the whining of women who entered predominantly male military combat aviation careers and were angry to find resistance. Treating the reader to helpings of various political correctness labelings via #'s amid the tedium of poor writing skills eventually led me to give up finding this book worthwhile. I won't try this author again. I gave it one star because a star rating is required.
September 15, 2020
I cannot recommend this book to anyone. If it had been the first book I had read in the series I would not have read anymore, it was boring and repetitive and lacked continuity, There were glaring inconsistencies and serious man bashing. It totally lacked any serious romance. I almost didn't finish it but I was optimistic and hoped that it would get better but that didn't happen. I am so glad that it was a library book and only cost me the time I spent reading it. I'm not sure what book the reviewers were reading that gave it 4 and 5 stars. BTW I don't understand the cover. There were no cowboys or dogs.
December 8, 2019
Too Sugary Sweet !
Oh boy, this book was so sugary sweet it became sickly. I persevered to the very end hoping against hope it would improve, sadly it didn't. I half expected Andy & Dev's halo's to slip and choke them, sadly that didn't happen either!!
Oh boy, this book was so sugary sweet it became sickly. I persevered to the very end hoping against hope it would improve, sadly it didn't. I half expected Andy & Dev's halo's to slip and choke them, sadly that didn't happen either!!
September 9, 2019
Too, too much repetition . Same facts over and over. Then out of 296 pages there was a smattering of the drug bust. Boring
August 6, 2019
Andrea “Andy” Whitcomb can't forget the pilot who was shot down with her in Afghanistan. Devlin “Dev” Mitchell can't forget the female pilot he came to admire so much when they spent 5 days together running from the Taliban. A new airport in Wind River Valley, her return home, his new job. Is there a reunion for these two Wind River Protectors?
Four years ago Andy Whitcomb left the Air Force not thinking to ever see the pilot who helped her to survive five days running from the Taliban in Afghanistan. She can't stop thinking about him and regretting that she wasn't able to tell him thank you. Dev Mitchell couldn't stop thinking about the woman he quickly became to admire and respect when they spent time together after being shot down on a mission. Andy goes from flying airplanes to Blackhawk helicopters after leaving the service. Living in Los Angles and working for the police she crashes and decides its time for a change and heads home to Wind River Valley after her mother mentions that the new airport is opening soon. Deciding to apply for a job, Andy runs into the the one person she never thought to see again, Dev. Dev is surprised to see Andy. The feelings they had for each other in Afghanistan are stronger than years before. She gets the job. Andy and Dev try to keep their relationship on a professional level but soon realize that won't be possible. Her parents want to meet Dev and thank him for what he did for Andy all those years ago. As they reveal their pasts to each other and work and hang out together they become closer. They talk about their mutual past experience and how it has effected them. They go on missions together for the county. They do some hiking together and come across the sheriff's dispatcher who was attacked. A traffic accident has Dev worrying about Andy when she helps out on the rescue. Andy reveals about her grandmother's foundation and what it does and the family wealth. He realizes how he feels about Andy. Andy has realized how strong her feelings are for him. Her family comes in for the grand opening of the airport and Dev gets to meet her two brothers and sister. Between her and her parents they try to get her siblings to come home and work. Each has a dangerous type job. They became wranglers at a young age. Andy and Dev go out a work as wranglers to keep in shape. She's always been put off of relationships because of the men she's had contact with. Dev wanting to have a serious relationship with Andy shows his patience. Andy realizes that Dev is like her father and the type of man she's been looking for. They decide to take their relationship to the next level. On their day off they go hiking to one of Andy's favorite places but come across the county drug dealers who are using their camping spot as a drop zone. They're out numbered and they must evade the drug dealers to get away and contact the sheriff. It brings back to Andy the feelings and anxiety from them running from the Taliban. They're new experience brings them closer together. They reveal their feelings and when they get home plans are made for the future.
Lindsay McKenna brings to life the lives of military pilots and how they deal with their shared past and work toward their future. Wind River Protectors is the 8th book in the Wind River series. The series gives you a look at the affects of combat on military pilots. The whole series plays homage to our military men and women who suffer from PTSD in its different forms and how these brave heroes must work through there experiences. She sets the scene of these heroes who have regrets about their parting four years earlier and who get the opportunity to renew their acquaintance and pick up the relationship, and go where they'd never thought it would. I was hooked from the beginning and sad to see the book end. Can't wait for the next in the Wind River series.
Four years ago Andy Whitcomb left the Air Force not thinking to ever see the pilot who helped her to survive five days running from the Taliban in Afghanistan. She can't stop thinking about him and regretting that she wasn't able to tell him thank you. Dev Mitchell couldn't stop thinking about the woman he quickly became to admire and respect when they spent time together after being shot down on a mission. Andy goes from flying airplanes to Blackhawk helicopters after leaving the service. Living in Los Angles and working for the police she crashes and decides its time for a change and heads home to Wind River Valley after her mother mentions that the new airport is opening soon. Deciding to apply for a job, Andy runs into the the one person she never thought to see again, Dev. Dev is surprised to see Andy. The feelings they had for each other in Afghanistan are stronger than years before. She gets the job. Andy and Dev try to keep their relationship on a professional level but soon realize that won't be possible. Her parents want to meet Dev and thank him for what he did for Andy all those years ago. As they reveal their pasts to each other and work and hang out together they become closer. They talk about their mutual past experience and how it has effected them. They go on missions together for the county. They do some hiking together and come across the sheriff's dispatcher who was attacked. A traffic accident has Dev worrying about Andy when she helps out on the rescue. Andy reveals about her grandmother's foundation and what it does and the family wealth. He realizes how he feels about Andy. Andy has realized how strong her feelings are for him. Her family comes in for the grand opening of the airport and Dev gets to meet her two brothers and sister. Between her and her parents they try to get her siblings to come home and work. Each has a dangerous type job. They became wranglers at a young age. Andy and Dev go out a work as wranglers to keep in shape. She's always been put off of relationships because of the men she's had contact with. Dev wanting to have a serious relationship with Andy shows his patience. Andy realizes that Dev is like her father and the type of man she's been looking for. They decide to take their relationship to the next level. On their day off they go hiking to one of Andy's favorite places but come across the county drug dealers who are using their camping spot as a drop zone. They're out numbered and they must evade the drug dealers to get away and contact the sheriff. It brings back to Andy the feelings and anxiety from them running from the Taliban. They're new experience brings them closer together. They reveal their feelings and when they get home plans are made for the future.
Lindsay McKenna brings to life the lives of military pilots and how they deal with their shared past and work toward their future. Wind River Protectors is the 8th book in the Wind River series. The series gives you a look at the affects of combat on military pilots. The whole series plays homage to our military men and women who suffer from PTSD in its different forms and how these brave heroes must work through there experiences. She sets the scene of these heroes who have regrets about their parting four years earlier and who get the opportunity to renew their acquaintance and pick up the relationship, and go where they'd never thought it would. I was hooked from the beginning and sad to see the book end. Can't wait for the next in the Wind River series.
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