Ryker And Tia's Military Romance Feels Authentic, Taking The Reader On Location In Afghanistan Along With The Characters! When Tia's Friends Forest And Skye Show Up On Post With Rock Band Angel Fire, Things Get Complicated.
This is book four of the Angel Fire Rock Romance series, a four book series about the hugely successful rock band Angel Fire. It reads as a stand-alone. A prequel, Ashes to New, gives the tragic background story of Skye Summers and her foster brother Forest. Forest plays an important role in this series and goes on to play an important role in the Captive Hearts series, a three part series ending in Forest's own story.
Angel Fire is one of the biggest rock bands around. The band nearly broke up a few years back when drugs and addiction became a problem, but after some rehab and a sobriety pledge, the band has continued on stronger than ever. Lead singer and guitar player Blaze has been friends since high school with Bash, who plays drums. Spike plays guitar and happens to be covered in piercings. Bent, who has a mop of curly black hair, plays bass. Noodles, tall and lanky, plays on keyboards and stands out with his tribal tats. Although the men have settled down in comparison to their earlier years, they continue to be a rowdy bunch. They fight like brothers and enjoy the pleasures offered by scores of groupies.
In book one, Ash Dean, a.k.a. Blaze of Angel Fire, wears a dragon tattoo on his neck that hadn't gone over well with his minister father and elementary school teacher mother. At twenty-eight, he has achieved great success, but not without a price. His addiction nearly broke up the band, but he has been clean for years now. He has had more than his share of women over the years, but the novelty has worn off. He is waiting to find that elusive "one" that his father told him about. Skye Summers, probably twenty-seven, has worked hard to become an ER doctor, graduating early from high school and entering an accelerated six year medical program. It has kept her busy, which is why she does it. Working is her way to self medicate. She also avoids conflict. Her childhood was robbed from her by her foster father, and although she knows she needs therapy, she hasn't had time to slow down for it yet. Rocker Ash and ER doctor Skye's story is emotionally charged as Skye's painful past becomes an unavoidable obstacle to the couple's happiness, yet their story is also tender and sweet as Ash, with infinite patience, never gives up on Skye, who sees him as Ash, not as Blaze, his rock star persona.
Book two is a military romance that takes place almost entirely in Afghanistan. It almost reads as a spin-off, as the band itself plays more of a supporting role in the story. Skye and Forest appear as well.
Major Tia Meyers, or T, is probably in her mid-twenties and the only female on her six member Air Force Special Ops surgical team. The team saves lives on the front lines and prepares the injured for transport back to Bagram. She has one month left on her deployment and another year on her commitment, but she loves what she does and plans to make it her career. It is tough to be a woman in her position, surrounded by alpha males, but she worked hard, beating out other men to earn it. Tia attributes her success to Forest and Skye Summers. Forest saved Tia from a bad foster home as a teen. After later becoming a nurse, she worked with Skye in DC before followed Skye's advice and going back to school to become a CRNA, or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. The military's loan forgiveness program caught her attention afterward, and a few years have passed since she last saw Forest.
Technical Sergeant Ryker Lyons turns heads with his good looks and arrogant, bad boy attitude. At about thirty, He has no trouble finding a woman to bed when the team is on post, yet there is just one woman he really wants, and she is out of reach. As the respiratory technician on the Air Force Special Ops surgical team, he works closely with T. She is perfect, but fraternization rules prevent him, an enlisted airman, from pursuing anything with T, who is an officer. If caught, they risked their careers and possible jail time. There was also the issue of her fiance. But when time and distance lead to heartbreak for T, who desperately wants to find a rebound man, all bets are off. Ryker won't let her make that mistake with anyone but him.
Ryker and T risk everything on love in this exciting military romance. When Tia's friends Forest and Skye show up on post with Angel Fire, things get complicated. Their surprise USO tour is great for morale, and as a bonus Forest works his magic to get Lieutenant Colonel Vane to allow Tia and Ryker to accompany them on tour. In the end the couple gets their happy ending.
Ryker and Tia's story feels authentic, taking the reader on location along with the characters. Their story is well-written. The plot is somewhat complex. The characters feel real, although their history lacks depth. I wanted to hear about Tia's youth and a little more of Ryker's story prior to enlisting. Something held him back musically, but it is never explored. His experience with Angel Fire, though, is beautifully written in great detail. The story is written in third person. The POV alternates between Ryker and Tia. I rate this book 4.5 stars.