Book: The Big Burn (S, R)

Terry Watkins' The Big Burn is nonstop action. Anna Quick is a smoke jumper; she parachutes into forest fires to rescue people stranded below. When she gets called in to a forest fire in Malaysia, she has no idea that terrorists, the CIA, and her own father will have such a part to play in the rescue. She also doesn't realize that Brock, the man ordered to teach her to fire a gun, will challenge her to move past her limits and change her life forever.

I liked the characters a lot. The hero didn't pose and strut like a lot of Special Ops heroes do, but instead was quietly confident in his abilities. He also respected the heroine's work and didn't feel threatened by her strength. Anna was strong both physically and mentally and was able to deal with a lot of emotional baggage in this story without losing her focus.

I always like to learn about new military procedures and technologies without being bored to tears, and this story didn't disappoint. The action and suspense were solid. The romance, while minimal, worked well. The best compliment I can give, though, is to say it had that magic that makes words on a page come alive. Outstanding! Grade: A