Books: To Protect and Defend series (R, S)
Merline Lovelace's To Protect and Defend series is about three female officers pulling temporary duty at a top-secret military test site. The three women are very different; all find love with one of the men at the site.
A Question of Intent Jill Bradshaw is the head military police officer at the test site. When she meets Cody Richardson, the on-site doctor and biological weapons expert, sparks begin to fly.
The story started off slowly, but the last few chapters picked up the pace and brought it to a satisfying conclusion. This was my first book by Lovelace, and I'm looking forward to reading more. Grade: B+
Full Throttle Kate Hargrave is the weather officer in charge of the site. She falls for the test craft's pilot, Dave Scott.
This novel starts off with the Hero Most Likely to Annoy Me--a hotshot ladies' man. I'm not talking just about someone having previous sexual experience, but the kind of man who interprets "not interested" as a challenge along the lines of "she wants me and doesn't know it yet." (In real life, these guys are the ones most likely to cheat--or to commit date rape.) Despite my cynical attitude toward him, the story eventually captured my attention if not my heart. Grade: B
The Right Stuff Lt. Caroline Dunn and Major Russ McIver have clashed from their first meeting. When they are sent on a mission to rescue two missionaries from a Central American jungle, things really start to heat up.
In the first two books, these characters are in constant conflict. I knew they would end up together, and the author does too, but little effort is put into showing us why they are a good match; apparently, "it is meant to be" is supposed to be a good enough reason, but I needed more convincing. Plus, it was strange that they stoppped arguing once they acknowledged their feelings for one another. Once you added in the missionaries' problems and a serious injury, the focus fell away from the romance. Oh, and blow jobs without condoms are NOT SAFE SEX. Arggh. Overall, a good story, but not a keeper. Grade: B-
A Question of Intent Jill Bradshaw is the head military police officer at the test site. When she meets Cody Richardson, the on-site doctor and biological weapons expert, sparks begin to fly.
The story started off slowly, but the last few chapters picked up the pace and brought it to a satisfying conclusion. This was my first book by Lovelace, and I'm looking forward to reading more. Grade: B+
Full Throttle Kate Hargrave is the weather officer in charge of the site. She falls for the test craft's pilot, Dave Scott.
This novel starts off with the Hero Most Likely to Annoy Me--a hotshot ladies' man. I'm not talking just about someone having previous sexual experience, but the kind of man who interprets "not interested" as a challenge along the lines of "she wants me and doesn't know it yet." (In real life, these guys are the ones most likely to cheat--or to commit date rape.) Despite my cynical attitude toward him, the story eventually captured my attention if not my heart. Grade: B
The Right Stuff Lt. Caroline Dunn and Major Russ McIver have clashed from their first meeting. When they are sent on a mission to rescue two missionaries from a Central American jungle, things really start to heat up.
In the first two books, these characters are in constant conflict. I knew they would end up together, and the author does too, but little effort is put into showing us why they are a good match; apparently, "it is meant to be" is supposed to be a good enough reason, but I needed more convincing. Plus, it was strange that they stoppped arguing once they acknowledged their feelings for one another. Once you added in the missionaries' problems and a serious injury, the focus fell away from the romance. Oh, and blow jobs without condoms are NOT SAFE SEX. Arggh. Overall, a good story, but not a keeper. Grade: B-
posted by JJ at 11:59 AM
