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Silver Creek #2
Courage Under Fire
A Riveting Novel of Romantic Suspense
A gripping new novel of the West featuring the cowboys of Silver Creek by acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Lindsay McKenna, perfect for fans of the exciting novels of B.J. Daniels, Diana Palmer, and Delores Fossen.
Seeking an escape from her dark past, Carissa Taylor heads to Silver Creek to build a new life. For Cari, landing a job at a historic ranch just outside town is a dream come true, and a chance to put her beekeeping expertise to work. Not only does she feel at home in the ruggedly beautiful landscape, but she’s intensely drawn to rancher Chase Bishop, whose strong, steadfast nature quiets her unease. Maybe here she can finally be more than a hunted woman fleeing a vengeful killer—a man who’s been after her nearly all her life . . .
Chase didn’t dare open his heart again after losing his first love. Until Cari entered his life. Her gentle beauty and nurturing spirit call to him like no other. So when her enraged stepbrother breaks out of prison and comes prowling around Chase’s ranch, the former Marine goes into full protective mode, offering Cari the shelter of his home. But as the murderer’s deadly threats draw ever closer, suddenly Chase is calling on his own killer instincts, knowing he will stop at nothing to keep safe the woman who has captured his soul . . .
“Series fans will be thrilled.”—Publishers Weekly
A gripping new novel of the West featuring the cowboys of Silver Creek by acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Lindsay McKenna, perfect for fans of the exciting novels of B.J. Daniels, Diana Palmer, and Delores Fossen.
Seeking an escape from her dark past, Carissa Taylor heads to Silver Creek to build a new life. For Cari, landing a job at a historic ranch just outside town is a dream come true, and a chance to put her beekeeping expertise to work. Not only does she feel at home in the ruggedly beautiful landscape, but she’s intensely drawn to rancher Chase Bishop, whose strong, steadfast nature quiets her unease. Maybe here she can finally be more than a hunted woman fleeing a vengeful killer—a man who’s been after her nearly all her life . . .
Chase didn’t dare open his heart again after losing his first love. Until Cari entered his life. Her gentle beauty and nurturing spirit call to him like no other. So when her enraged stepbrother breaks out of prison and comes prowling around Chase’s ranch, the former Marine goes into full protective mode, offering Cari the shelter of his home. But as the murderer’s deadly threats draw ever closer, suddenly Chase is calling on his own killer instincts, knowing he will stop at nothing to keep safe the woman who has captured his soul . . .
“Series fans will be thrilled.”—Publishers Weekly
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 23, 2021
392 people are currently reading
3388 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay McKenna
359 books2,501 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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April 5, 2022
COURAGE UNDER FIRE
by Lindsay McKenna is the second book in the Silver Creek contemporary romantic suspense series. The protagonists are Carissa (Cari) Taylor and Chase Bishop. Cari has her own beekeeping consulting business in California and loves it. However, when she gets a call from the county sheriff, her life is about to change. Her stepbrother, who has vowed to kill her, has escaped from prison. Luckily, Cari lands a job on a large range in Silver Creek, Wyoming. Ex-Marine Corp sniper, Chase Bishop runs the 80,000 acre family ranch. He is trying to add organic honey production to the ranch’s diverse operations. When his initial beekeeper suddenly leaves, he hires Cari.
Both Cari and Chase are likeable characters with a lot of chemistry. They have similar values but have approached life very differently. Cari is strong, intelligent and believes in herself. She is used to working in a field that is dominated by men. Chase shows respect for others and treats women as equals. He is diversifying the ranch by including honeybees for honey, a raptor rehabilitation center, organic vegetables and much more. The secondary characters played a background role and weren’t as well developed. However, they may show up in future books in the series.
The writing and discussions gave me a strong sense of the Three Bars Ranch and the people of Silver Creek. While the dialogue felt natural, there was some repetitiveness in some areas; especially around Chase’s attitudes and treatment of women. While it was important to the story to acknowledge this, it seemed to be repeated a little too often.
This book has a lot of details in it on topics as diverse as beekeeping, raptor rehabilitation and military sniping. I felt this added depth and made the book more realistic. Additionally, I learned a lot while reading the novel. While it may have been a little over the top in some respects, it left me feeling good that people are finding innovative ways to save family ranches.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was an entertaining book that was emotionally intense at times. The author did a good job of meshing the romance and the suspense without either suffering. If you are a fan of contemporary romantic suspense without instant love, then you may want to check out this series. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Kensington Books – Zebra and Lindsay McKenna provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for February 23, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
Both Cari and Chase are likeable characters with a lot of chemistry. They have similar values but have approached life very differently. Cari is strong, intelligent and believes in herself. She is used to working in a field that is dominated by men. Chase shows respect for others and treats women as equals. He is diversifying the ranch by including honeybees for honey, a raptor rehabilitation center, organic vegetables and much more. The secondary characters played a background role and weren’t as well developed. However, they may show up in future books in the series.
The writing and discussions gave me a strong sense of the Three Bars Ranch and the people of Silver Creek. While the dialogue felt natural, there was some repetitiveness in some areas; especially around Chase’s attitudes and treatment of women. While it was important to the story to acknowledge this, it seemed to be repeated a little too often.
This book has a lot of details in it on topics as diverse as beekeeping, raptor rehabilitation and military sniping. I felt this added depth and made the book more realistic. Additionally, I learned a lot while reading the novel. While it may have been a little over the top in some respects, it left me feeling good that people are finding innovative ways to save family ranches.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was an entertaining book that was emotionally intense at times. The author did a good job of meshing the romance and the suspense without either suffering. If you are a fan of contemporary romantic suspense without instant love, then you may want to check out this series. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Kensington Books – Zebra and Lindsay McKenna provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for February 23, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
November 12, 2020
ARC received for review
There was chemistry between Cari and Chase but it was weighed down by all the talking and talking and thinking. Plus there was all the explaining about bees and raptors and snipering and his mom...way too much. Then there was the bad guy...how the heck did he find her....no real explanation, just a vague idea from the sheriff. I had to speed read a lot of parts cause it was boring. They finally hook up at about 80% in and it was over in a couple pages. Sweet epilogue.
There was chemistry between Cari and Chase but it was weighed down by all the talking and talking and thinking. Plus there was all the explaining about bees and raptors and snipering and his mom...way too much. Then there was the bad guy...how the heck did he find her....no real explanation, just a vague idea from the sheriff. I had to speed read a lot of parts cause it was boring. They finally hook up at about 80% in and it was over in a couple pages. Sweet epilogue.
April 5, 2021
I've read many McKenna books and these last two seem to be getting far away from her old writing style. Mostly she seemed to be lecturing about patriarchy, etc. I also think she seems fixated on the man/woman respect thing, always telling us how powerful women are, how disrespectful men are, etc. as if there are no nasty women. I didn't really want to be educated, just entertained and this book didn't make that happen.
October 4, 2021
Ugh. I really don't like to write negative reviews because authors and editors work really hard, and I really do appreciate the opportunity I was given to review an ARC of this novel. However, this book was really not good, at least for my taste. The storyline sounded great: bee expert flees to Wyoming to escape a dark past. Lands a head beekeeper position at a ranch owned and run by a hardened ex military sniper who still mourns a dead lover.
Instead, the book was a series of holes and head-scratching moments, Frankensteined together. The book starts with an unnecessary prologue about the heroine Cari as a young girl, saving bees from the wrath of her preschool teacher. I guess it was to show us how she has an affinity for bees. (Oh, and she's also experienced with raptors. Why the author didn't just make her a falconer or something is a mystery because there's a hawk that plays a far more important role than any bee.) Her "dark past" is never really fleshed out for us, instead told in a handful of asides. Perhaps the moments in time that led to her dark past would have been a more logical prologue.
The hero, Chase, in addition to being a skilled sniper with who-knows-how-many kills on his resume, is also a scone-baking softie who has seen the light on his own patriarchal behavior (which doesn't occur during the storyline, but we know because he tells us) and is now practically a card-carrying feminist. As for his heartbreak, I thought the book description was wrong, but then about 75 percent into the book, he finally offhandedly mentions his lost love.
The title, Courage Under Fire, is a little confusing unless it refers to Chase. Cari is not a coward, but she spends pretty much all of the book's conflicts hiding behind a rock or Chase or her baseball hat.
The information about beekeeping, falconry (or whatever hawk training is called), and sniper-ing is interesting, but it all seems like it's plopped down into the book in Wikipedia-style chunks rather than woven skillfully into the story. i.e., I'd have preferred to learn about these topics from things that the characters were doing rather than from long passages that seemed of topic at the time. (Nora Roberts is a genius at that.)
Finally, the chemistry between the two heroes was almost nonexistent. In fact, it was rated G until close to the end, when it went R for about two pages.
In short (ha, too late), I wanted to like this book, but I just didn't. I gave it two stars because it was readable and because there's a storyline in there somewhere.
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Instead, the book was a series of holes and head-scratching moments, Frankensteined together. The book starts with an unnecessary prologue about the heroine Cari as a young girl, saving bees from the wrath of her preschool teacher. I guess it was to show us how she has an affinity for bees. (Oh, and she's also experienced with raptors. Why the author didn't just make her a falconer or something is a mystery because there's a hawk that plays a far more important role than any bee.) Her "dark past" is never really fleshed out for us, instead told in a handful of asides. Perhaps the moments in time that led to her dark past would have been a more logical prologue.
The hero, Chase, in addition to being a skilled sniper with who-knows-how-many kills on his resume, is also a scone-baking softie who has seen the light on his own patriarchal behavior (which doesn't occur during the storyline, but we know because he tells us) and is now practically a card-carrying feminist. As for his heartbreak, I thought the book description was wrong, but then about 75 percent into the book, he finally offhandedly mentions his lost love.
The title, Courage Under Fire, is a little confusing unless it refers to Chase. Cari is not a coward, but she spends pretty much all of the book's conflicts hiding behind a rock or Chase or her baseball hat.
The information about beekeeping, falconry (or whatever hawk training is called), and sniper-ing is interesting, but it all seems like it's plopped down into the book in Wikipedia-style chunks rather than woven skillfully into the story. i.e., I'd have preferred to learn about these topics from things that the characters were doing rather than from long passages that seemed of topic at the time. (Nora Roberts is a genius at that.)
Finally, the chemistry between the two heroes was almost nonexistent. In fact, it was rated G until close to the end, when it went R for about two pages.
In short (ha, too late), I wanted to like this book, but I just didn't. I gave it two stars because it was readable and because there's a storyline in there somewhere.
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2021
Fantastic blend of suspense and a sweet, slow-burn romance. The story opens as Cari, a beekeeping expert, dreams of a life-changing childhood moment. It is quickly followed by a phone call from the local sheriff, warning her that her stepbrother, a sociopathic killer, escaped from prison. Cari is terrified because Dirk threatened to kill her for her part in putting him in jail. Taking the sheriff's advice, Cari immediately leaves town, quits her job with the state of California, and applies for a new job in Wyoming. She lands that job at the historic Three Bars Ranch in Silver Creek.
Rancher Chase Bishop is a former Marine sniper who came home to heal after losing his first love. A man with a deep love for the land, his ranch is well-known for its natural growing practices and diversity. His latest project involves the production of organic honey. Unfortunately, the beekeeper he hired quit after his neglect killed almost all of the hives Chase set up. Determined to try again, Chase hires Cari to restore the hives and run the honey business.
Cari is conscious of the threat Dirk poses to her and those around her and tells Chase about the issue, sure he will send her packing. Much to her surprise, Chase listens intently to her story and clarifies that not only does he want her to stay, but he also promises to keep her safe. Between his training, the abilities of his ranch hands, many of whom are vets themselves, and the involvement of local law enforcement, he feels that the Three Bars Ranch is the safest place she can be.
I loved the development of the relationship between Cari and Chase. They connected immediately over their shared love of the land. I enjoyed the tour of the ranch and seeing Chase's love and pride for it. The conversation between him and Cari about the importance of the bees and the land was fascinating. I loved her first visit to the bees and Chase's reaction to seeing her with them. Over the next few weeks, they form a solid friendship, sharing many of their world views and life experiences. With Dirk's threats always at the back of her mind, Cari is especially fascinated by Chase's sniper training and asks him to teach her some of his escape and evasion techniques.
In addition to her beekeeping skills, Cari also has a keen interest in raptors. Chase has a raptor rehabilitation and education center on part of his land, and in her free time, Cari spends some time with one of the young red-tail hawks recovering from an injury. I had to laugh at the descriptions of this hawk, named Valkyrie, as the center's "wild child." Once again, intriguing information about a vital subject became an integral part of the story.
Underneath Chase and Cari's friendship simmers a growing attraction that both are reluctant to acknowledge. Cari is cognizant that Chase is not just a friend but also her boss and doesn't want to do anything to ruin either relationship. Meanwhile, Chase also recognizes the hazards of doing anything about the attraction. He's a modern man, raised to respect women and treat them as true equals. He doesn't look at Cari as a prize to be won or a sex object to be conquered. Eventually, they get to the point where neither can deny the growing feelings. Rather than ignore them any longer, Cari and Chase sit down and talk about them, covering everything from pet peeves to expectations. I loved their honest exchange and desire to see where it goes without rushing anything.
Meanwhile, Dirk's vendetta is never far from Cari's mind. We get a couple of dips into his point of view, which only emphasizes the danger she is in. There is an intense scene in which Dirk unexpectedly appears in Silver Creek. Cari's fear leaped off the page as she uses her newly learned skills to evade his notice. I loved seeing her handle the situation despite her fear. I could feel the frustration of both the sheriff and Chase as Dirk evaded capture. The intensity picks up later when Chase and Cari are attacked while taking Valkyrie to her new forever home. I was glued to the pages as Chase used his training to evade their attackers. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with critical intervention coming from an unexpected source.
The ending was terrific as Chase and Cari moved forward together. Chase's big moment was sweet as his love for her was expressed in an incredibly beautiful and unique way. I hope they make appearances in future books.
Of all the secondary characters, Chase's mother, Mary, is my favorite. She is a woman of incredible foresight and determination and a force to be reckoned with in the community. She is the CEO of her own organic grocery business and has been the inspiration, and frequent financial backer, of similar enterprises in the area. She also has a loving heart and a way of making anyone feel welcome and safe. Her influence on Chase made him the man he is today.
One of the things I loved about this book was the detail that added depth to the characters and the story. The information on bees and beekeeping was intriguing, and I loved the emphasis on the importance of those tiny creatures. Various raptors have been included in others of the author's books, and Valkyrie's inclusion in this one was fascinating. Again, the information provided was an integral part of the story and not just thrown in to make word count. The descriptions of Chase's time as a sniper were both amazing and heartbreaking. He didn't downplay the effects of that time on his psyche, but he could also use those skills when needed.
Rancher Chase Bishop is a former Marine sniper who came home to heal after losing his first love. A man with a deep love for the land, his ranch is well-known for its natural growing practices and diversity. His latest project involves the production of organic honey. Unfortunately, the beekeeper he hired quit after his neglect killed almost all of the hives Chase set up. Determined to try again, Chase hires Cari to restore the hives and run the honey business.
Cari is conscious of the threat Dirk poses to her and those around her and tells Chase about the issue, sure he will send her packing. Much to her surprise, Chase listens intently to her story and clarifies that not only does he want her to stay, but he also promises to keep her safe. Between his training, the abilities of his ranch hands, many of whom are vets themselves, and the involvement of local law enforcement, he feels that the Three Bars Ranch is the safest place she can be.
I loved the development of the relationship between Cari and Chase. They connected immediately over their shared love of the land. I enjoyed the tour of the ranch and seeing Chase's love and pride for it. The conversation between him and Cari about the importance of the bees and the land was fascinating. I loved her first visit to the bees and Chase's reaction to seeing her with them. Over the next few weeks, they form a solid friendship, sharing many of their world views and life experiences. With Dirk's threats always at the back of her mind, Cari is especially fascinated by Chase's sniper training and asks him to teach her some of his escape and evasion techniques.
In addition to her beekeeping skills, Cari also has a keen interest in raptors. Chase has a raptor rehabilitation and education center on part of his land, and in her free time, Cari spends some time with one of the young red-tail hawks recovering from an injury. I had to laugh at the descriptions of this hawk, named Valkyrie, as the center's "wild child." Once again, intriguing information about a vital subject became an integral part of the story.
Underneath Chase and Cari's friendship simmers a growing attraction that both are reluctant to acknowledge. Cari is cognizant that Chase is not just a friend but also her boss and doesn't want to do anything to ruin either relationship. Meanwhile, Chase also recognizes the hazards of doing anything about the attraction. He's a modern man, raised to respect women and treat them as true equals. He doesn't look at Cari as a prize to be won or a sex object to be conquered. Eventually, they get to the point where neither can deny the growing feelings. Rather than ignore them any longer, Cari and Chase sit down and talk about them, covering everything from pet peeves to expectations. I loved their honest exchange and desire to see where it goes without rushing anything.
Meanwhile, Dirk's vendetta is never far from Cari's mind. We get a couple of dips into his point of view, which only emphasizes the danger she is in. There is an intense scene in which Dirk unexpectedly appears in Silver Creek. Cari's fear leaped off the page as she uses her newly learned skills to evade his notice. I loved seeing her handle the situation despite her fear. I could feel the frustration of both the sheriff and Chase as Dirk evaded capture. The intensity picks up later when Chase and Cari are attacked while taking Valkyrie to her new forever home. I was glued to the pages as Chase used his training to evade their attackers. The final confrontation was a nail-biter with critical intervention coming from an unexpected source.
The ending was terrific as Chase and Cari moved forward together. Chase's big moment was sweet as his love for her was expressed in an incredibly beautiful and unique way. I hope they make appearances in future books.
Of all the secondary characters, Chase's mother, Mary, is my favorite. She is a woman of incredible foresight and determination and a force to be reckoned with in the community. She is the CEO of her own organic grocery business and has been the inspiration, and frequent financial backer, of similar enterprises in the area. She also has a loving heart and a way of making anyone feel welcome and safe. Her influence on Chase made him the man he is today.
One of the things I loved about this book was the detail that added depth to the characters and the story. The information on bees and beekeeping was intriguing, and I loved the emphasis on the importance of those tiny creatures. Various raptors have been included in others of the author's books, and Valkyrie's inclusion in this one was fascinating. Again, the information provided was an integral part of the story and not just thrown in to make word count. The descriptions of Chase's time as a sniper were both amazing and heartbreaking. He didn't downplay the effects of that time on his psyche, but he could also use those skills when needed.
February 18, 2021
Courage Under Fire is the second title in Lindsay McKenna's Silver Creek series. Since I haven't yet read the first in this series, I was happy to realize that it worked just fine as a standalone. There were quite a few things I liked about this novel, and quite a few things that I didn't, and for that reason, the best I can give this novel is 3 stars.
The novel opens with the heroine, Cari Taylor, asleep and deep in a dream about her childhood experience in day care. Her day care provider noticed a nest of honeybees in a tree near their playground, called the children indoors, and called the fire department to have them come, kill the bees and remove the nest, despite Cari's pleas not to kill the bees. In a scene reminiscent of Fried Green Tomatoes, Cari, daughter of an environmentalist, women's equal rights advocate, and beekeeper, sneaks outside undetected, reaches into the nest, grabs the queen bee, settles her in a new location, and the rest of the bees follow, so that when the firemen arrive, the bees are gone, and Cari saved them without being caught. If that, and learning that present-day Cari was not only a beekeeper, but a beekeeping consultant worldwide, it would have been enough, but that didn't happen, as I'll soon explain.
Young Cari's father died long before his time, and when her mother remarried, she gained a loving stepfather and a stepbrother--Dirk, clearly a sociopath, who tormented her as a child, and who, by the time he was 20, had shot and killed his girlfriend. Unfortunately, Cari witnessed the murder and testified to it in court, resulting in a long prison sentence and Dirk's vow that as soon as he got out, he was going to hunt her down and kill not only Cari, but her mother as well.
Plot-wise, so far, so good, as we move to the present day, when Dirk escapes prison, and Cari, fearing for her life, leaves her home and takes a job using her beekeeping talents on a ranch in Wyoming, where she meets the hero of this novel, Chase Bishop, former Marine sniper, and son of a woman much like Cari and her mother--an independent, empowered matriarch, smart, innovative, an environmentalist, and proprietor of an organic farm market and organic food business, and with a serious problem. The beekeeper she'd hired managed to kill off most of her 20 hives, and Cari soon accepts a 2-year contract to restore the hives and help keep the organic honey business going. It's also a great place to hide from her violent, drug-dealing stepbrother. Nice, suspenseful set-up to a romantic suspense novel, but after that, there were problems.
Had the author stuck to the basic story line I just outlined, this would have been an excellent read, but I never expected that more than half of this novel would be a doctoral dissertation on apiculture (beekeeping), raptor rehabilitation, organic farming methods, herbalism, environmentalism, women's equality and empowerment, and their attempts to avoid and/or re-educate patriarchal men. While I not only applaud Ms. McKenna's advocacy on these issues, and actually share them, the seemingly endless minutia of facts and extraneous details, up to and including the pattern of dinnerware on the ranch, it was all I could do to finish reading this novel.
Luckily, by the time I reached the last 20% of this novel, the action, the danger, and finally, the romance between Chase and Cari gets back on track, and this once again becomes a romantic suspense novel with a really intense life or death struggle. And finally, Cari and Chase begin to acknowledge their feelings for one another, but again, I wish the author had stuck to more forward momentum, emotional connection "on-screen," and action, rather than more seemingly endless conversations between Cari and Chase. Yes, there's an HEA ending, but it would have greatly benefited this story for the editor to have made or suggested some serious cuts to the very long, drawn-out passages that were quite informative but which caused much of this novel to become more of a textbook on the aforementioned issues, than a romance, and which unfortunately almost made the action in this novel to draw to a complete standstill.
While I don't think this is a bad or poorly written novel, Ms. McKenna is a highly skilled author whose books I've enjoyed for decades, but I think this novel would have been a far more engrossing read with the edits I mentioned.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated are my own.
The novel opens with the heroine, Cari Taylor, asleep and deep in a dream about her childhood experience in day care. Her day care provider noticed a nest of honeybees in a tree near their playground, called the children indoors, and called the fire department to have them come, kill the bees and remove the nest, despite Cari's pleas not to kill the bees. In a scene reminiscent of Fried Green Tomatoes, Cari, daughter of an environmentalist, women's equal rights advocate, and beekeeper, sneaks outside undetected, reaches into the nest, grabs the queen bee, settles her in a new location, and the rest of the bees follow, so that when the firemen arrive, the bees are gone, and Cari saved them without being caught. If that, and learning that present-day Cari was not only a beekeeper, but a beekeeping consultant worldwide, it would have been enough, but that didn't happen, as I'll soon explain.
Young Cari's father died long before his time, and when her mother remarried, she gained a loving stepfather and a stepbrother--Dirk, clearly a sociopath, who tormented her as a child, and who, by the time he was 20, had shot and killed his girlfriend. Unfortunately, Cari witnessed the murder and testified to it in court, resulting in a long prison sentence and Dirk's vow that as soon as he got out, he was going to hunt her down and kill not only Cari, but her mother as well.
Plot-wise, so far, so good, as we move to the present day, when Dirk escapes prison, and Cari, fearing for her life, leaves her home and takes a job using her beekeeping talents on a ranch in Wyoming, where she meets the hero of this novel, Chase Bishop, former Marine sniper, and son of a woman much like Cari and her mother--an independent, empowered matriarch, smart, innovative, an environmentalist, and proprietor of an organic farm market and organic food business, and with a serious problem. The beekeeper she'd hired managed to kill off most of her 20 hives, and Cari soon accepts a 2-year contract to restore the hives and help keep the organic honey business going. It's also a great place to hide from her violent, drug-dealing stepbrother. Nice, suspenseful set-up to a romantic suspense novel, but after that, there were problems.
Had the author stuck to the basic story line I just outlined, this would have been an excellent read, but I never expected that more than half of this novel would be a doctoral dissertation on apiculture (beekeeping), raptor rehabilitation, organic farming methods, herbalism, environmentalism, women's equality and empowerment, and their attempts to avoid and/or re-educate patriarchal men. While I not only applaud Ms. McKenna's advocacy on these issues, and actually share them, the seemingly endless minutia of facts and extraneous details, up to and including the pattern of dinnerware on the ranch, it was all I could do to finish reading this novel.
Luckily, by the time I reached the last 20% of this novel, the action, the danger, and finally, the romance between Chase and Cari gets back on track, and this once again becomes a romantic suspense novel with a really intense life or death struggle. And finally, Cari and Chase begin to acknowledge their feelings for one another, but again, I wish the author had stuck to more forward momentum, emotional connection "on-screen," and action, rather than more seemingly endless conversations between Cari and Chase. Yes, there's an HEA ending, but it would have greatly benefited this story for the editor to have made or suggested some serious cuts to the very long, drawn-out passages that were quite informative but which caused much of this novel to become more of a textbook on the aforementioned issues, than a romance, and which unfortunately almost made the action in this novel to draw to a complete standstill.
While I don't think this is a bad or poorly written novel, Ms. McKenna is a highly skilled author whose books I've enjoyed for decades, but I think this novel would have been a far more engrossing read with the edits I mentioned.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated are my own.
February 25, 2021
Courage Under Fire by Lindsay McKenna is the second book in a new series by Lindsay McKenna. The new series is called Silver Creek and once again takes place in Wyoming. I found this author with her series Wind River Valley and enjoyed her writing. I did like how she shared information to help teach people about soldiers and PTSD, without being overwhelming.
Chase Bishop owns a huge ranch in Wyoming. His family has focused on sustainable and organic farming for the ranch. Unfortunately his old bee keeper was not able to maintain healthy hives, so Cari (Carissa) is hired to salvage the operation.
Carissa Taylor is a famous beekeeper and has found jobs over the world helping save and then plan for safe and well cared for bees. Her love of bees is documented in the book by a flashback (in a dream) to when she saved her first hive. Cari’s life is just where she wants it when her step brother breaks out of prison threatening to find and kill her. Cari accepts a job living on the ranch under an assumed name to help protect her. Then one day she sees her brother in the small town.
Cari and Chase have some chemistry and the ramping up of the step brother presence and threat being nearby increases the tenor of the story. However, as much as I found the straight storyline as interesting and enjoyed reading it, I found parts of the book long winded and “lecturey” on beekeeping, organic farming and a stronger matriarchal society. As much as I personally have beliefs that line up with the story, I felt they did not add to the story and as a matter of fact - took away from the story and may turn off readers. I also was unclear about how the step brother found them. Where there was a supposition about it, I was not satisfied with the explanation.
Lindsay McKenna's newest book, Courage Under Fire, will be enjoyed by many.
Chase Bishop owns a huge ranch in Wyoming. His family has focused on sustainable and organic farming for the ranch. Unfortunately his old bee keeper was not able to maintain healthy hives, so Cari (Carissa) is hired to salvage the operation.
Carissa Taylor is a famous beekeeper and has found jobs over the world helping save and then plan for safe and well cared for bees. Her love of bees is documented in the book by a flashback (in a dream) to when she saved her first hive. Cari’s life is just where she wants it when her step brother breaks out of prison threatening to find and kill her. Cari accepts a job living on the ranch under an assumed name to help protect her. Then one day she sees her brother in the small town.
Cari and Chase have some chemistry and the ramping up of the step brother presence and threat being nearby increases the tenor of the story. However, as much as I found the straight storyline as interesting and enjoyed reading it, I found parts of the book long winded and “lecturey” on beekeeping, organic farming and a stronger matriarchal society. As much as I personally have beliefs that line up with the story, I felt they did not add to the story and as a matter of fact - took away from the story and may turn off readers. I also was unclear about how the step brother found them. Where there was a supposition about it, I was not satisfied with the explanation.
Lindsay McKenna's newest book, Courage Under Fire, will be enjoyed by many.
February 6, 2021
I’m thinking that ‘grab you in the first pages’ is going to be a thing with this series. And I’ll be rethinking moving to a small town, that’s for sure. In Courage Under Fire, Cari (Carissa Taylor) and Chase (Bishop) have their own story of intrigue and suspense and a sweet, budding relationship.
In this book two of the series, the story starts out about bees on the Bishop ranch. It’s a pretty interesting storyline, too. For me, learning about how important bees are to our very life was pretty cool. Of course, though, there is a much bigger part of the book that involves Cari, and her mother, and how they are being stalked/hunted by a predator – of the human kind.
Love the growth of the relationship between Chase and Cari. It plays a huge part in keeping Cari safe from harm. And I loved all that I learned, about Mother Nature and our environment. The story kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the book! Can’t wait to read what comes next in this small town.
In this book two of the series, the story starts out about bees on the Bishop ranch. It’s a pretty interesting storyline, too. For me, learning about how important bees are to our very life was pretty cool. Of course, though, there is a much bigger part of the book that involves Cari, and her mother, and how they are being stalked/hunted by a predator – of the human kind.
Love the growth of the relationship between Chase and Cari. It plays a huge part in keeping Cari safe from harm. And I loved all that I learned, about Mother Nature and our environment. The story kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the book! Can’t wait to read what comes next in this small town.
February 4, 2021
This is the second book in the silver creek series. Cari is running from her stepbrother who has escaped from a California prison. She flees to Three Bars Ranch in Wyoming. She meets the owner of the ranch, Chase Bishop. I really like Cari as a character. Chase was a likable hero and I loved his mother, Mary. I liked the suspense scenes and the storyline of Cari's stepbrother hunting her. However, I feel that the book was repetitive at times and while I liked the beekeeping facts as they were thrown in here and there, I didn't care to have half a chapter of Cari and Chase talking about what he carries in a go bag and why. Overall the story was good. I received this book from netgalley and Kensington publishing in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2021
Courage Under Fire is the second of Lindsay McKenna’s new Silver Creek series. The couple have an obvious chemistry but this is a slow burn romance with danger and suspense. Carissa Taylor comes to work on Chase Bishop’s ranch as a beekeeper. They have a friendship before it leads to romance. I like this kind of story much more than those instant lust/ love ones. This feels real and natural. This is also exactly what I expect from this author.
The story has the perfect blending of romance and suspense. Cari finds herself once more in danger from her psychopathic step-brother. Chase’s military training comes into play to protect Cari. However, Chase is not the typical male, he is respectful, caring and open to new ideas. He is a new breed of cowboy who is looking for new ways to save the family ranch. Also strong enough and tough enough when needed but doesn’t run ramrod over others. I liked him.
If you enjoy romantic suspense with likable, knowledgeable, and capable characters then Courage Under Fire is the story for you. Stories where the good win and the bad are stopped in their tracks.
An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The story has the perfect blending of romance and suspense. Cari finds herself once more in danger from her psychopathic step-brother. Chase’s military training comes into play to protect Cari. However, Chase is not the typical male, he is respectful, caring and open to new ideas. He is a new breed of cowboy who is looking for new ways to save the family ranch. Also strong enough and tough enough when needed but doesn’t run ramrod over others. I liked him.
If you enjoy romantic suspense with likable, knowledgeable, and capable characters then Courage Under Fire is the story for you. Stories where the good win and the bad are stopped in their tracks.
An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 27, 2021
The next book in series hasn’t been released yet.
January 11, 2021
This is a suspense filled thriller that will keep you at the edge of your seat an the characters are captivating. Dark is a professional bee expect when he goes away to not be home in case her step brother Who she testified against an helped put in prison has escaped an he said he was going to kill her an her mom.So when she get an offer to go to a large ranch to help save their bees an set up more hives she's excited after she talks to Mary who is so sweet she reminds Cari of her mom.She flys out but feels she needs to tell them that having her there could put them in danger.When Caring meets Chase she is instantly attracted to him .Chase thinks Cari is the most beautiful woman he's ever laid eyes on.He sees she's troubled she asks if they can talk at first suggests a coffee shop but he says lets go to the ranch we can have coffee an discuss whatever it is that is bothering you .Cari and Chase are talking about her knowledge of bees.When they sit down Caring tells Chase her step brother escaped prison an ran a gang he said he was going to kill her and then her mom. Seeing Cari that upset sets off the protector in Chase.He tells her that he wants her to stay he calls his mom Mary an she tells Mary what's going on Mary says we protect our own.Chase takes Cari out to check the hives when she goes up with just a bee keepers hat an stands talking then it looks like she's mentally taking to the bees he sees several bees land on her shoulders an Chase is afraid they are going to attack her but soon they fly back to their hive an Cari walks up looking at the hives.He thinks Cari looked like a other worldly being.Like a fae..Then he takes her back to the ranch tells her to rest an he'll make dinner.He tells the men an women on the ranch what's going on with Dark an everyone votes to help her.There are so many twists an turns to this story you will be riveted until the very last page an leave you begging for more. I love the way this amazing author brings the characters to life before your eyes and makes you feel their emotions and their pain. I can hardly wait to see what's next by this multi talented author.
November 13, 2020
If you have ever dreamed of reading a western/cowboy romance that is the antithesis of toxic masculinity - this is your dream come true! I honestly never thought I would actually find one that embraces those concepts so whole heartedly. Silver Creek is definitely a bit of a shangrila - organic produce company with a female CEO, a ranch that employs men and women - with a woman foreman. Cari is definitely a woman in a male dominated field. But she is incredibly strong - especially given what she has been through with her sociopathic brother. Chase is - as Cari says at one point - a rare type of man. He is a military trained sniper now running his family's ranch. He could very easily be a classic example of the alpha male - but he is expressly the opposite. Conscious of his behavior towards women, respectful, and treating women as his true equal. He is immediately smitten with Cari - but being deeply conscious of #metoo he doesn't approach her as a prize to be won or a sexual object - but as a professional woman first. All of this was seriously refreshing.
The thing is - I think maybe Lindsay McKenna overdid it a little. I can't even imagine the research she did on bee culture or military sniper training for this book - because the detail is pretty intense. At times I felt more like I was reading a manual more than a romance. The romance is sweet and I loved seeing Cari and Chase come together - but I admit to skimming some of the details about bees, snipers, law enforcement, and even feminist culture (which I am so much in favor of in romance - like so much). At times I felt like I was getting hit over the head with it. I get that Cari was pretty surprised by Chase's forward thinking and behavior - but I think after the initial interactions - it was enough to show us that he walked the walk - not just talked the talk. The constant surprise and discussion could have been left out. So - yeah - I had mixed emotions about that. We need more of this in romance - but maybe this was too much? Please don't hate me. My feminist flag flies high!
Overall - I liked this and I am kind of anxious to read the next book. The preview for it is included in the end and I really want to see where it goes.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.
The thing is - I think maybe Lindsay McKenna overdid it a little. I can't even imagine the research she did on bee culture or military sniper training for this book - because the detail is pretty intense. At times I felt more like I was reading a manual more than a romance. The romance is sweet and I loved seeing Cari and Chase come together - but I admit to skimming some of the details about bees, snipers, law enforcement, and even feminist culture (which I am so much in favor of in romance - like so much). At times I felt like I was getting hit over the head with it. I get that Cari was pretty surprised by Chase's forward thinking and behavior - but I think after the initial interactions - it was enough to show us that he walked the walk - not just talked the talk. The constant surprise and discussion could have been left out. So - yeah - I had mixed emotions about that. We need more of this in romance - but maybe this was too much? Please don't hate me. My feminist flag flies high!
Overall - I liked this and I am kind of anxious to read the next book. The preview for it is included in the end and I really want to see where it goes.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.
August 9, 2023
I want to thank Lindsay McKenna, author and Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for the eBook Kindle copy of Courage Under Fire that I won in the Giveaway.
Beekeeper Cari comes to the Silver Valley in Wyoming to help Chase with the problems he has with his hives and to help start a honey production business on his ranch. She comes with baggage and a special problem because her stepbrother just broke out of prison and is hunting her to kill her for testifying against him when he shot his girlfriend and murdered her.
I liked the maturity, mutual respect and happy ending to the exciting and suspenseful romance in Courage Under Fire, plus the raptors help too.
Beekeeper Cari comes to the Silver Valley in Wyoming to help Chase with the problems he has with his hives and to help start a honey production business on his ranch. She comes with baggage and a special problem because her stepbrother just broke out of prison and is hunting her to kill her for testifying against him when he shot his girlfriend and murdered her.
I liked the maturity, mutual respect and happy ending to the exciting and suspenseful romance in Courage Under Fire, plus the raptors help too.
February 19, 2021
Cari Taylor was living her dream life. As a bee keeping consultant for the state of California, she traveled the state helping farmers, and traveled the world as well. It all came crashing down the night she received a call that her step brother had escaped from jail. She had helped put him there and he swore he would kill her if he ever got the chance.
Scared and unsure, she accepts a job from Chase Bishop. The Wyoming ranch owner ran a natural organic ranch, raising a variety of crops free of pesticides and chemicals. He's looking to add bees and natural honey to his list of crops and he needs a professional bee keeper to get the project up and running. Worried that trouble may end up following her, she shares her concerns with Chase who seems unconcerned. As a former marine sniper, Chase assures her he can keep her safe.
Cari enthusiastically settles into her new job, feeling at home on the ranch, making friends with the ranch hands, and gaining confidence studying self defense techniques with Chase. She finally feels safe enough to head into the small town of Silver Creek on her own only to have the past catch up with her in the form of her step brother Dirk. Fighting the panic, she makes her way back to the ranch, ready to run again. But Chase is determined to keep her safe, and keep her close.
I have read Lindsay McKenna's cowboy stories for years. She always imbeds in her stories her strong love of the earth, of natural and spiritual healing, and the importance of protecting the land. Cari is a bee keeper because Ms McKenna wants the reader to grasp the importance of raising bees, protecting them and working to increase the bee population. Unfortunately, her enthusiasm sometimes over takes the story and Cari and Chase get lost in the background. When returning to the plot, it took me a few pages to switch gears out of lecture mode and back into the suspense of the story. That being said, the story finishes strong, the last third of the book being a page turner.
This is the second book of the Silver Creek series, but it can easily be read as a stand alone. The characters from the first story are alluded to, but most of the characters are either new or reintroduced. Despite some of the issues with this story, I enjoyed the book and I look forward to the next book in the series set to come out in the Fall.
Scared and unsure, she accepts a job from Chase Bishop. The Wyoming ranch owner ran a natural organic ranch, raising a variety of crops free of pesticides and chemicals. He's looking to add bees and natural honey to his list of crops and he needs a professional bee keeper to get the project up and running. Worried that trouble may end up following her, she shares her concerns with Chase who seems unconcerned. As a former marine sniper, Chase assures her he can keep her safe.
Cari enthusiastically settles into her new job, feeling at home on the ranch, making friends with the ranch hands, and gaining confidence studying self defense techniques with Chase. She finally feels safe enough to head into the small town of Silver Creek on her own only to have the past catch up with her in the form of her step brother Dirk. Fighting the panic, she makes her way back to the ranch, ready to run again. But Chase is determined to keep her safe, and keep her close.
I have read Lindsay McKenna's cowboy stories for years. She always imbeds in her stories her strong love of the earth, of natural and spiritual healing, and the importance of protecting the land. Cari is a bee keeper because Ms McKenna wants the reader to grasp the importance of raising bees, protecting them and working to increase the bee population. Unfortunately, her enthusiasm sometimes over takes the story and Cari and Chase get lost in the background. When returning to the plot, it took me a few pages to switch gears out of lecture mode and back into the suspense of the story. That being said, the story finishes strong, the last third of the book being a page turner.
This is the second book of the Silver Creek series, but it can easily be read as a stand alone. The characters from the first story are alluded to, but most of the characters are either new or reintroduced. Despite some of the issues with this story, I enjoyed the book and I look forward to the next book in the series set to come out in the Fall.
February 23, 2021
Courage Under Fire by Lindsay McKenna is another in her Silver Creek series and features Cari Taylor and Chase Bishop. Cari had only come to Wyoming because of the wonderful e-interviews she had had with Mary Bishop and Theresa Sandoval which had excited her beyond words when they talked about Three Bars Ranch and the bee farm they were trying to start there. Bees were her life and this was so enticing. She needed to get away, to hide, and Wyoming was the perfect place. On the plane she had an attack of conscience and vowed to tell Mr. Bishop the truth of her desire to work her. It was the bees but it was also her stepbrother, Dirk, who hated her and had vowed to kill her. He would, too. She had witnessed him kill is girlfriend and had testified against him. Now he had escaped from prison and she was sure he was after her. Chase Bishop was an ex-sniper and after hearing her story was convinced they could protect her. After seeing her with the bees, he knew she was the one to rescue this enterprise. It was weeks later that Cari saw Dirk at the cafe in town. How had he found her? What was she to do?
The information about the bees was enthralling...so interesting. Cari was a likable young woman who cared about bees and other species, including raptors, as well. She was knowledgeable and insightful. She was such a change from the last guy Chase had hired who had left him with a whole lot of dead bees. Chase was an astute businessman who knew that he had to rely on the expertise of others to succeed. His mother had taught him well. He thought her could protect her, but he didn't have the resources a drug cartel had and all his skills nearly cost them both their lives. It was a race to safety. He had skills. She followed directions well. Dirk was a crazy man, a sociopath, and he almost won. It was an exciting chase. A book well worth the read.
I was invited to read a free ARC of Courage Under Fire by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #courageunderfire
The information about the bees was enthralling...so interesting. Cari was a likable young woman who cared about bees and other species, including raptors, as well. She was knowledgeable and insightful. She was such a change from the last guy Chase had hired who had left him with a whole lot of dead bees. Chase was an astute businessman who knew that he had to rely on the expertise of others to succeed. His mother had taught him well. He thought her could protect her, but he didn't have the resources a drug cartel had and all his skills nearly cost them both their lives. It was a race to safety. He had skills. She followed directions well. Dirk was a crazy man, a sociopath, and he almost won. It was an exciting chase. A book well worth the read.
I was invited to read a free ARC of Courage Under Fire by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #courageunderfire
February 24, 2021
Wow...what a ride!
Cari is an environmentalist from her earliest memories, saving a bee colony at her school as a young child. Loving bees as she does, she is excited to take a job in Wyoming for two reasons. She wants to help keep an organic honey farm afloat after the first beekeeper totally let everything go, and she needs a place to hide from her step-brother who is a sociopath and has escaped prison. He is now looking for Cari because her testimony helped put him away.
Chase is the owner of the ranch where Cari is headed. He was a military sniper and has come back to Wyoming to care for the land. Cari tells Chase her reasons for wanting to take the job, because it's not fair to keep him in the dark. He is also has a raptor rehabilitation center on his land and she is intrigued with that as well.
The suspense was palpable as Cari was evading her step-brother Dirk. Loved this!!
The love story between Cari and Chase is somewhat of a slow burn, but they totally connect with each other in so many ways. Chase's understanding and appreciation of women and their abilities was perfectly done.
I also enjoyed the information about bees, raptors, and found it added to the story. Not only was there a fabulous love story, I learned some very important things about the natural world.
All in all another good book by Ms. McKenna. I have been reading her books for years and am always happy when another book is published.
I had the privilege of getting this book from NetGalley to read early. My opinion is my own.
Cari is an environmentalist from her earliest memories, saving a bee colony at her school as a young child. Loving bees as she does, she is excited to take a job in Wyoming for two reasons. She wants to help keep an organic honey farm afloat after the first beekeeper totally let everything go, and she needs a place to hide from her step-brother who is a sociopath and has escaped prison. He is now looking for Cari because her testimony helped put him away.
Chase is the owner of the ranch where Cari is headed. He was a military sniper and has come back to Wyoming to care for the land. Cari tells Chase her reasons for wanting to take the job, because it's not fair to keep him in the dark. He is also has a raptor rehabilitation center on his land and she is intrigued with that as well.
The suspense was palpable as Cari was evading her step-brother Dirk. Loved this!!
The love story between Cari and Chase is somewhat of a slow burn, but they totally connect with each other in so many ways. Chase's understanding and appreciation of women and their abilities was perfectly done.
I also enjoyed the information about bees, raptors, and found it added to the story. Not only was there a fabulous love story, I learned some very important things about the natural world.
All in all another good book by Ms. McKenna. I have been reading her books for years and am always happy when another book is published.
I had the privilege of getting this book from NetGalley to read early. My opinion is my own.
January 19, 2021
This is the second book in the Silver Creek romantic suspense series. While it can be read as a stand-alone, I enjoyed reading the first book as it gave a lot of background about the setting in and around Silver Creek, Wyoming. Chase Bishop, the hero of this book, was also introduced in the first book. Chase is a former Marine sniper who has returned home to run the family ranch in central Wyoming. The ranch is very diversified and follows environmentally friendly ranching practices. One of the branches of the ranch is a honey producing business. The current beekeeper has resigned after leaving the ranch hives in deplorable condition. Chase's mother, Mary, goes in search of another beekeeper and comes in contact with Cari Taylor of California, a professional beekeeper and bee consultant. The timing is perfect for Cari as her stepbrother who vowed to kill her many years ago has escaped from prison. She is thinking that rural Wyoming might be a good place to hide out until he can be caught and returned to prison.
I thought the book started off a little slow and was a bit repetitive, but it picked up towards the middle and then the suspense element really kicked in. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you to Kensington Books and Goodreads for the gift of this book that I received in a giveaway.
I thought the book started off a little slow and was a bit repetitive, but it picked up towards the middle and then the suspense element really kicked in. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you to Kensington Books and Goodreads for the gift of this book that I received in a giveaway.
March 26, 2021
This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.
I love when a new Wind River or Silver Creek book comes out and enjoyed this book as well.
One of the things that I enjoy about these books is there is a slow burn as the couple gets to know each other and appreciate them. There is no instant physical attraction then they jump into bed. Instead, they get to know the other person and find that they truly like them and want to be part of their life.
In this book, Cari is running from her murderous step-brother who has escaped from prison and wants to kill her since her testimony is what sent him to prison. She runs to Silver Creek where she finds a job as a beekeeper for Chase and his mother.
There was a slow growing romance, fast action, danger, and lots of drama throughout the book so it kept me engaged and entertained while I read it. The only negative that I had about the book was when Cari kept going on (and on) about finding a man who was not a Neanderthal and was a matriarchal man. I don't mind reading about it and find it interesting but not as much as it was brought up again and again. At times, I just had to skim over those parts as it was just a reaffirmation of what Cari had said previously.
Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and story, and liked their HEA.
I love when a new Wind River or Silver Creek book comes out and enjoyed this book as well.
One of the things that I enjoy about these books is there is a slow burn as the couple gets to know each other and appreciate them. There is no instant physical attraction then they jump into bed. Instead, they get to know the other person and find that they truly like them and want to be part of their life.
In this book, Cari is running from her murderous step-brother who has escaped from prison and wants to kill her since her testimony is what sent him to prison. She runs to Silver Creek where she finds a job as a beekeeper for Chase and his mother.
There was a slow growing romance, fast action, danger, and lots of drama throughout the book so it kept me engaged and entertained while I read it. The only negative that I had about the book was when Cari kept going on (and on) about finding a man who was not a Neanderthal and was a matriarchal man. I don't mind reading about it and find it interesting but not as much as it was brought up again and again. At times, I just had to skim over those parts as it was just a reaffirmation of what Cari had said previously.
Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and story, and liked their HEA.
January 7, 2021
This is an exciting action packed suspense filled romance story.Bee specialist Cari is asked to come to a large ranch to help save the bees an set up new hives.But Cari is afraid when she tells them what's hanging over her head,that she may bring danger to the ranch.Her step brother vowed to kill her now he's escaped prison so she packed her bags an left this would
be her dream job.So she expects to be Sent on her way.Chase former recon sniper now runs the ranch an his mom Mary runs the store.They are all natural no pesticides.Gardens are organic and honey all natural.So the first thing he sees a beautiful woman that reminds him a fae.So when she tells him her story he wants to protect her.When he sees how she communicated with the bees he thought of her otherworldly .The attraction is growing between them and danger is closer than you think.Can Chase keep the woman he's fallen in love with safe?There are so many twists and turns to this story will keep you riveted until the very last page and leave you begging for more.I love the way this amazing author brings the characters to life before your eyes and you can feel their emotions and their pain.I can hardly wait to see what's next by this multi talented author.
be her dream job.So she expects to be Sent on her way.Chase former recon sniper now runs the ranch an his mom Mary runs the store.They are all natural no pesticides.Gardens are organic and honey all natural.So the first thing he sees a beautiful woman that reminds him a fae.So when she tells him her story he wants to protect her.When he sees how she communicated with the bees he thought of her otherworldly .The attraction is growing between them and danger is closer than you think.Can Chase keep the woman he's fallen in love with safe?There are so many twists and turns to this story will keep you riveted until the very last page and leave you begging for more.I love the way this amazing author brings the characters to life before your eyes and you can feel their emotions and their pain.I can hardly wait to see what's next by this multi talented author.
January 7, 2021
This suspense filled story will keep you on the edge of your seat and the characters are captivating you. The story of the bee expert Carl was invited to help save the bees at a huge ranch but she's not sure they will want her when they find out her being there could put everyone in danger.Chase is the owner that runs the huge ranch everything is natural no unhealthy practices for the animals and fruit and vegetables plus honey grown there they also have a rescue center for raptures and other animals in need .When Chase watches Cari communication with the bees he's beyond impressed.There is danger,suspense,hot chemistry between Carl an former recon Marine sniper Chase is off the charts.But the attraction between them is way !ore than just sexual.Can Chase keep Caris drug dealing escaped prisoner step brother who wants to kill het?There are so many twists and turns to this story will keep you riveted until the very last page.I love the way this amazing author brings the characters to life before your eyes and makes you feel their emotions and their pain.I can hardly wait to see what's next by this multi talented author.
February 17, 2021
There was a lot I did like, the story line, the interesting facts on beekeeping, the naturalist way of running a ranch and giving women positions in a basically mans’ world. Cari a beekeeping consultant who goes into hiding from her escaped convict step brother that has vowed to kill her. She winds up in Wyoming on Chase’s ranch, who is into natural resources in running his ranch. Having been brought up to respect the land and respect women, his ranch has always welcome women to work on the ranch. He is in need of a Beekeeper and that is how Cari winds up there. Afraid for her life she does tell Chase about her brother, is most likely hunting her down. As a ex-sniper, Chase is ready to protect Cari with his life if need be.
Feeling developed between the two, but is awkward.....Boss...employee. They decide to discuss their feelings.....this was very long winded. Which after a while turned me off, I was almost was to the point of not finishing the book. I am glad I did get thru that part, the rest was action packed and very good. If it wasn’t for that one part I would have given 4 stars.
I received this book from netgalley and Kensington publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Feeling developed between the two, but is awkward.....Boss...employee. They decide to discuss their feelings.....this was very long winded. Which after a while turned me off, I was almost was to the point of not finishing the book. I am glad I did get thru that part, the rest was action packed and very good. If it wasn’t for that one part I would have given 4 stars.
I received this book from netgalley and Kensington publishing in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2021
Well, it got a bit better at the end but lord the beginning of this book was sloooow and quite repetitive. I'm a biologist and even I found that the bee and raptor bits dragged. (Also when she bought in Flow hives I did a huge eyeroll as all the apiarists I know irl HATE these and say they're for people who don't know what they're doing and are terrible for bees).
There were quite a few distracting/comical parts in this book that made me think the author must be quite old. The 30 year old H has a Rolodex on his desk in the beginning. Really??? I can't imagine that your average 30 year old would even know what a Rolodex was. I've only seen one in pictures. Some of the other cultural references were quite dated too and interrupted the flow for me. h talks about putting a 'rinse' in her hair to change the color, which made me laugh. Isn't a rinse what old ladies used to use to make their hair go sort of blue?
Anyway, the characters were a little unrealistic, the dialogue felt clunky, and for the first 70-80% of the book I just was wishing that *anything* would hurry up and happen already.
Disappointing. I wouldn't hurry back to grab another book by this author. 2.5 stars.
There were quite a few distracting/comical parts in this book that made me think the author must be quite old. The 30 year old H has a Rolodex on his desk in the beginning. Really??? I can't imagine that your average 30 year old would even know what a Rolodex was. I've only seen one in pictures. Some of the other cultural references were quite dated too and interrupted the flow for me. h talks about putting a 'rinse' in her hair to change the color, which made me laugh. Isn't a rinse what old ladies used to use to make their hair go sort of blue?
Anyway, the characters were a little unrealistic, the dialogue felt clunky, and for the first 70-80% of the book I just was wishing that *anything* would hurry up and happen already.
Disappointing. I wouldn't hurry back to grab another book by this author. 2.5 stars.
March 19, 2021
Cari Taylor is on the run from a murderer. She comes to Silver Creek looking to change her life and hide. Chase Bishop is the owner of the organic ranch Three Bars Ranch. He’s an ex-military sniper who employs former military men and women as ranch hands. When the new beekeeper reveals her dangerous situation, a smitten cowboy will jump to be the protection she needs. Cari & Chase will face Courage Under Fire when the face fear and danger.
Lindsay McKenna takes you back to Silver Creek with the story of a woman facing the murderer she put in prison and her fear for those around her. An ex-military sniper turned rancher will become the help she’ll need to face the danger coming her way. Courage Under Fire takes the reader on a suspenseful, nail biting trip that will have you hoping these two characters will make it out alive. Along the way they’ll come to realize that their lives need to be entwined to continue past the fear and danger. Lindsay McKenna brings two characters together that you wouldn’t think to have anything in common but have a lot more than you realize at first. She lulls you into thinking that these characters just maybe are in the clear, then the surprises come. She even gives this wonderful Wild Child that may just wing their way to being the hero of the entire story. A story that keeps you on the edge with the danger. Courage Under Fire that is that book, you won’t be able to put down until the end. Lyndsay McKenna doesn’t disappoint with the second story in her Silver Creek series. I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the series Strength Under Fire. Lindsay McKenna’s Courage Under Fire and Silver Creek in her Silver Creek series are must read books for any and all of her fans as always or if you’re looking for a new author is a wonderful entrance into one of the Lindsay McKenna worlds.
Lindsay McKenna takes you back to Silver Creek with the story of a woman facing the murderer she put in prison and her fear for those around her. An ex-military sniper turned rancher will become the help she’ll need to face the danger coming her way. Courage Under Fire takes the reader on a suspenseful, nail biting trip that will have you hoping these two characters will make it out alive. Along the way they’ll come to realize that their lives need to be entwined to continue past the fear and danger. Lindsay McKenna brings two characters together that you wouldn’t think to have anything in common but have a lot more than you realize at first. She lulls you into thinking that these characters just maybe are in the clear, then the surprises come. She even gives this wonderful Wild Child that may just wing their way to being the hero of the entire story. A story that keeps you on the edge with the danger. Courage Under Fire that is that book, you won’t be able to put down until the end. Lyndsay McKenna doesn’t disappoint with the second story in her Silver Creek series. I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the series Strength Under Fire. Lindsay McKenna’s Courage Under Fire and Silver Creek in her Silver Creek series are must read books for any and all of her fans as always or if you’re looking for a new author is a wonderful entrance into one of the Lindsay McKenna worlds.
January 31, 2021
Courage Under Fire has a background story of a girl on the run from her killer step-brother. An opportunity appears to use her degree and knowledge on a ranch. Luckily for her the rancher used to be a sniper and the ranch is surrounded by former military personnel who can protect her from her step-brother. I learned so much about bees and animal conservation. Luckily for me, beekeeping is a fascination for me as are the efforts to save animals. McKenna gives plenty of information about both areas that sometimes it feels as if the romance and the action are the subplots. Chase and Cari are sweet and sometimes too adorable as they tread so carefully towards each other that they stand still. I do love how McKenna has both characters learn from each other...a true partnership. Courage Under Fire is a great read for a snowy day.
I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.
I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.
March 6, 2021
I received this title from a Goodreads contest and was tickled to get it since I alread had it on my want to read list. This was an enjoyable story of two rather insecure people finding their way together. Carissa Taylor flees to Silver Creek when her step brother escapes from prison and she knows that he will kill her if he can find her. She testified as a witness that he murdered his girlfriend. Rancher Chase Bishop has hired Cari as a beekeeper to develop an organic honey business. Cari confides her dangerous background to Chase so he has a clear idea of the threat that she may bring to his ranch and employees. He is struck by her courage and hires her. Unfortunately, her brothers crime connections lead him to Silver Creek and Cari. Chase's sniper training may be all that stands between them and death.
February 10, 2021
Full of action, suspense, and a bit of romance. Once again though, there's too much focus on a topic. In this book the author keeps harping on the proper way to treat a woman, as a person not a thing. Support her, don't smother her in her actions and profession. Once was enough, reiterating it over and over detracts from the story. It's important to understand based on the circumstances, however continued discussion is unnecessary.
That being said, this book is good and I enjoyed the story. The first half moves a bit slow. The information about beekeeping and raptor rehab was interesting, adding to the suspense. I would rate it between 3.5 and 4 stars.
I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinions.
That being said, this book is good and I enjoyed the story. The first half moves a bit slow. The information about beekeeping and raptor rehab was interesting, adding to the suspense. I would rate it between 3.5 and 4 stars.
I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinions.
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May 5, 2021I was very disappointed in this Book, typical gal falls for handsome Cowboy, like most romance books. A bit tiring and boring going onto the new Green Deal or organic way of life on ranches .
A really clueless gal who is so fragile the guy will teach her Sniper ways? Really women today aren't that out of it.
She was raised as he was in a make believe world of Fairies? Give me a break. I kept reading got to the part the step brother was in town he was going to kill her as she testified n sent him to prison. Dragged out pages of how she was in shock need the guy and all that same ole same ole crap for afternoon romance reading. Not for me 1st time I read or tried to read this Author and the Last.
A really clueless gal who is so fragile the guy will teach her Sniper ways? Really women today aren't that out of it.
She was raised as he was in a make believe world of Fairies? Give me a break. I kept reading got to the part the step brother was in town he was going to kill her as she testified n sent him to prison. Dragged out pages of how she was in shock need the guy and all that same ole same ole crap for afternoon romance reading. Not for me 1st time I read or tried to read this Author and the Last.
October 31, 2023
I started out with 2 stars, but OMG the lecturing about patriarchy/matriarchy (also in #4 book). This author can write suspenseful, romantic, stories. This isn't one of them. It's well written, but boring; feels like a text book at times. There is no chemistry developed between these 2 characters. The chapter where they are supposed to talk about their feelings for one another becomes a lecture about patriarchy/matriarchy; nothing romantic about that at all! I enjoy learning new things, like about bees and herbs (another story in the series, also featuring a crazy half brother), but that's almost the entire plot of the story. I don't read romance genre for the societal lectures. I may be done with this author.
November 16, 2020
Courage Under Fire by Lindsey McKenna is entertaining and enlightening. Lindsey McKenna stuffed her novel with delightfully written information about beekeeping and care. She almost made me want to have a few bee pets of my own. She wove in microclimates, soil, birds of prey, and mythology info-bits while she built the tension of Cari Taylor’s step-brother’s threat to kill her. Silver Creek, Wyoming and the Three Bar Ranch become desirable places to visit and live in with McKenna’s skillful descriptions. The romance between Cari and Chase is gentle and believable. Courage Under Fire is an enjoyable if tense escape into adventure and romance.
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