Hot-Blooded

It Takes A Hero #1

by Karen Foley

First Sergeant Chase McCormick isn't a chauvinist. But he does believe that women have no place in combat zones. Why? Because his men forget their training! They fall all over themselves trying to protect the women around them. As far as Chase is concerned, females belong in the bedroom, the home, the office. But not anywhere near Chase McCormick when he's on duty.Too bad nobody mentioned that to gorgeous Elena de la Vega. She's been sent to Chase's remote outpost in northern Afghanistan.

"After" they'd shared a sizzling one-night stand!

Elena can handle herself. It's Chase who needs a directive on how to deal with his own wildly undisciplined sexual attraction to the woman! Because her presence is making short work of his hardened soldier training...and putting more than their hearts at risk.

Genres: Romance, Harlequin Blaze, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Military Fiction, Contemporary, Fiction

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Karen is the multi-award winning author of 28 novels, and is both a RWA RITA ® and a RWA Vivian Award nominee. She believes life is better with love, chocolate, and a view of the ocean. Karen splits her time between writing romance and folding laundry, and escapes to Ireland as often as possible. She lives in coastal New England, in a sweet little waterfront cottage that she shares with her high school sweetheart and one very skittish cat.

Reviews

[Maura · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Sergeant Chase McCormick doesn't want women out on the front lines and in tough combat areas because he believes they are a distraction to men who want to take care of and protect them. Which is why he's not happy to see Elena de la Vegas at his post in Afghanistan...especially after the one-night stand they had in Kuwait City that he hasn't been able to forget. She's a DOD civilian working on the military contracts on base. And she can't forget about her night with Chase either which is why she melts into a puddle of goo right after calling him a hypocrite. It's clear to her that Chase wants her gone and he's not shy about his beliefs, but she thought they'd had something special at that he might still want her around. But Chase is all about self-preservation - he's finding it difficult to focus on his duty, to not give her special treatment and to abide by the "no-sex" rule. The alternative is to have her sent away, which is increasingly becoming an unbearable thought.

Okay, so just from a setting perspective, with this being set on a military outpost in Afghanistan, this is a fascinating story. I have absolutely no idea how realistically this is portrayed, but even if it isn't, the setting itself is interesting enough - it sort of changes the dynamic of their interactions too. They're not going out to dinner and sexing it up on the back of his motorcycle - they're riding around in MRAPs and sexing it up in the open shower bays. It was definitely a refreshing change of scenery from what I'm used to.

Now for the romance, it was okay. Chase is definitely a hypocrite, but he kinda sees exactly how it is but can't help it. He wants Elena gone because he can't resist her, but he also wants her to stay because he loves her. His push and pull attitude provided the perfect amount of tension to their relationship...and it was believable. I had a bit more of an issue with Elena who basically believes that rules (even the ones handed down by the military) are meant to be broken and deliberately seeks to entice Chase to break them. She forgets the importance of what they're doing and why they're out there and all she can focus on his her lust for Chase. Even after he spells it out for her and even after he risks his life to go make sure she was safe, she doesn't see how she's actually putting him in more danger by being there. I wish she'd had that realization at least, even if she doesn't want to leave him. But in the end, I had an issue with Chase making decisions for Elena without discussing them. She messes up and he arranges/manipulates things to have her transferred to another, safer base (before he tells her that his team is going so they'll still be together). I'm not a big fan of men making decisions on behalf of women like that, even if it does work out better for their HEA. I really prefer they talk it out first.

[Kimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book!!! I laughed thinking about my time in NC!! I think it was an awesome story. I married my hero but Ive always wondered lol ahhh all those sexy Marines.... Hell Id totaly be fine with being Desert Hot :)

[Shawna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars – Contemporary Romance

[MsRomanticReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want a Chase of my own!

The best part of the story was the appearance of this fella:

[Sara]

still i can't understand the felling of solder her.why go some punsh how have diesses in there mind to fuck unther land far from him,i have prob with ma lover i will deal with that not go to kill pepole in the earth .where the courge here.ha

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hot-Blooded: Karen Foley

I've never read anything by this author before. I did enjoy the book because to me it's a first hand experience of what our men and women in uniform endure while on deployment.

First Sergeant Chase McCormick is a Special Ops man in the Marine Corp. He's a little bit chauvinist and a whole lotta sexy. He doesn't believe in women fighting on the front lines due to they become a distraction to the men and that endangers their lives. Chase does things by the books and doesn't plan on getting serious until he done his time.
Elena de la Vega works for the Defense Procurement Agency and is considered "boring" by her sisters and boyfriend. She catches the boyfriend cheating and rallies back and decides to do something spontaneous, like being deployed to a remote outpost in Northern Afghanistan. After 3 days of being on stand by to catch a plan she meets Chase at a party and after a little to much to drink has a one night stand and thinks she will never see him again.
It's Chase's outpost also and Chase makes it clear that women are a distraction and should not be there including Elena. Mixed signals are sent out by Chase and they fight there attraction while avoiding sand storms and mortar attacks. Chase must decide if he can risk his life and heart to Elena's presence while still being a stand up soldier.

[Netanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely written contemporary military romance about a woman escaping her "boring" life by accepting a 6 month civilian deployment in war-torn Afghanistan and falling for the special ops hero who believes women should stay out of combat zones. The change in Chase McCormick, from ridiculing the men who break rules for women, to becoming the very person he made fun of when he falls in love with Elena, is fun to watch. Dangerous, too, but it's a Harlequin, so you know there's a happy ending to this romance.

I enjoyed the unusual setting a lot, which rated this book an extra star.

[Beckey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was interesting plausable story about a spurned women bound to put excitement in her life She decides to volunteer for a 6 month assignment in the war torn country of Iraq and finds love with male that has idea that women should be banded from the miltary. Chase has seen that women can cause major distraction to men.

[Catrina Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. It borders more on the erotica side of things, but is a thrilling read, good for when you need a good read to curl up with on a cold night. This story will keep you nice and warm.

[Lena Dublin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this story!

I have probably re-read this story at least 20 times. This is a quick hot read with a great story line. The action and suspense will keep you reading. Chase and Elena are two characters you You can't help but love. This a definite read.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: It Takes a Hero

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. I really enjoyed the locale and how Ms. Foley put us right in the middle of the war zone and fashioned a romance that felt extremely real. 4 stars

[Hbeebti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good. I wish that it was longer. I loved how the story played out. Chase was just so yummy. Plenty of action and some hot lovin.

[Tracy Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book

[Renata Pahanish]

cant wait to read this one o love military action and romance and i hope to get it all in this book