Night Moves - Stephanie Tyler

Book Blurb:
Kell Roberts has walked the thin line between life and death for so long that it now feels like home. He is a soldier, a survivor, and a loner. Still, Kell cannot turn his back on the beautiful woman caught in his firefight against the drug lords of Mexico. She says her name is Teddie, but Kell senses there’s much more to her story—and it’s about to pull him into a mission he didn’t sign on for: keeping her alive.

Teddie knows this lean, mean rescuer just saved her life, but the steel glint behind those soft gray eyes seem to be hiding something deep. The men after Teddie are deadly, but the man who holds her life in his hands and tempts her with his wicked touch is even more dangerous. He could make her dream about living and loving again. And if they can survive, maybe, just maybe, they can stop fighting the world and each other—and simply surrender.

In My Own Words:
Teddie is a US diplomat's daughter who has lost her entire family and is forced into witness protection.   She used to be a photographer/videographer. She’s strong-willed and determined to get vengeance on the ones responsible for her family’s murders, no matter the cost to herself.  Armed with a photo, a phone number of a "reliable" helper and her stiff back bone, she sets off, out of the "security" of the witness protection and directly in to the arms of Kell Roberts.

Kell Roberts is ex-Delta turned private contractor. He’s gruff and has learned early in life that the only one he can trust and depend on is himself. Guilt has been chipping away at him, causing him to turn away from his best friend, whom he almost lost in an ambush attack on his former team and also initially from the woman who turns out to be his anchor and love of his life.  The night Kell and Reid are set to end the lives of two very bad men, Teddie literally runs right in to them.  He has two choices, help her or leave her.  He can't bring himself to leave her.  The spark isn't instant, but the flame grows.  Can Kell forgive himself before he looses the only love he has ever felt for a woman?

Notable Quote:
And then it was time to stop playing cat and mouse with the marshals and lost them for good.  That was accomplished too easily and he cursed the fact that no one knew how to track anymore.  Fucking economy was ruining training.  (glad to see that the economy isn't only hitting us lol)

Review:
Night Moves is a part of the Shadow Force series, and I loved this one from the beginning.  The prologue did a beautiful job of showing Kell and Reid's lives before the military and how their friendship developed in to the lifelong friendship they have today.  The love story with Kell and Teddie wasn't an in your face romance, and I thought the balance of romance and suspense was right on.  I think my favorite part was when Reid announced that since Teddie belonged to Kell, she was to be protected by his brothers, and then it was done.  That is family, blood or not, family just the same.

I loved how Night Moves set up a book for Reid perfectly, and I sincerely hope he gets his own HEA and is snagged by a sassy marshall with a backbone made of steel and a heart of gold.

In The Air Tonight - Stephanie Tyler

Synopsis:
Haunted by a mission he barely survived, Delta Force operative Mace Stevens still carries a soldier’s burden. Running a small bar in upstate New York, he remains a stone-cold warrior who guards dangerous secrets and stays ready for anything. Anything except beautiful, vulnerable Paige Grayson, who shows up at his door, demanding answers about her heroic stepbrother’s death under his command.

Paige bears burdens, too. She’s plagued by demons unleashed by an older brother who committed mass murder before her eyes. But here in this snowy haven with Mace, she almost feels safe from the menacing promises of her insane sibling. As a nurse whose hands can read the deepest thoughts of anyone she touches, Paige knows that Mace needs her as desperately as she needs Mace. And when a faceless killer begins unleashing fresh terror, Mace proves just how far he will go to save the woman who means everything to him.

In My Own Words:
After a near death experience, and seeing her face plastered on the news, again, Paige decides it is time to find out some truths.  She heads to see her brother's teammates and isn't going to take no for an answer.  As soon as she walks in to his bar, he knows who she is and Mace is determined to make her go away.  With all of the determination you can't help but to expect sparks to fly.  Mace and his "brother" Caleb are at his hideaway bar to help recuperate from the last FUBAR mission that cost them the life of a brother and almost their own.  Caleb has lost his memory and Mace sees it as his own mission to help him regain it.  Mace knows all about Paige and her life, knows her secrets and Paige has now made it her mission to uncover all of his, and steal his heart.

Caleb can't remember anything but knows the last thing in his mind is him holding a bloody knife standing over Mace who had a cut throat.  No one wants to believe that he could have done it, but Caleb can't forget about what he remembers, no matter how drugged he was, or what they gave him, he questions himself and what he did to his brothers in arms.  Vivi came to the bar to see for herself that Caleb is indeed well.  When she walks in, he remembers her but only from the pictures he has been drawing, no details no emotions.  While Vivi tries her best to break down his defenses, Caleb tries his best to keep her at arms length.

Review:
I have to admit, when I first started reading this book, I was leery of Paige's "gift".  My thoughts were, this is a romantic suspense novel, not a paranormal novel.  The "gift" could have turned cheesy really quickly, but Stephanie Tyler pulled it off beautifully.  I have loved each of the Shadow Force books, but I have to say, I think this is my favorite.  I remember thinking a few times, holy cow this girl has been through the ringer, is there HEA that is actually going to happen?  There were so many emotional scenes, and several with Caleb that actually made me cry right along with the characters.  The thing I love most about these characters is the family unit they have made.  I can't decide who I want to learn more about, Kell or Reid, but it is a good thing Kell is next, I think I have a crush on him.

Promises In The Dark - Stephanie Tyler

Synopsis:
A rugged Navy SEAL, Zane Scott, was part of a failed mission to rescue Dr. Olivia Strohm from abduction by the terrorist group Dead man's Hand - and her anguished screams have haunted him ever since.  So when he gets word that the beautiful physician has escaped from her captors in Africa, he's got personal reasons to storm the continent and save her. like her would-be liberator, Olivia carries the burden of a dark secret from her past.  Ruthless and relentless, the DMH has threatened to hunt her down - and to systematically hurt anyone she's close to.  The last thing she wants is to be rescued - even by someone as shockingly handsome as Zane.  Yet the hotheaded special ops hero has come for her, and together she and Zane just might have a shot at not only stopping DMH's reign of terror, but also saving what's left of their souls.

Review:
I was really looking forward to this book.  This is the 2nd book in the Shadow force series and I enjoyed the first book immensely.  This book was VERY hard for me to get in to.  There is actually 3 stories going on and there is a lot of ground work that had to be laid down for the story to melt cohesively.  I am a bit disappointed that only one of the stories came to an "end" at the end of the book.  Caleb, Zane's brother, had a big role in this book and a love interest of his own, but it never got to an ending and while reading the preview of the next book, it is about a different team member.  So I was a bit confused by that and was left....wanting more, and not in a great way.  After all of the ground work was finally laid, I actually got in to the book and enjoyed it a great deal.

Notable Quote:
"Is that why you hit me in the head with a frying pan, to stop me from leaving?" Zane and Liv convincing each other they are in it for the long haul.

Rating:
I have this story a 3 out of 5.  Zane's story was great, but I was left asking more questions and wondering about the other 2 couples.  Not giving up, I love Stephanie Tyler, and I will be first in line to buy the next Shadow Force book.