HEART STRIKE by M.L. Buchman is book 2 in the Delta Force
series. Buchman is my go-to author for romantic suspense. Fans
of Suzanne Brockmann will love Buchman's spin on military
romance, providing all the spine-tingling suspense and the
romantic feelings and actions, but also adding the impeccably-
done details of military action and equipment.
Melissa Moore is the second woman ever to qualify for Delta
Force. Book 1 in the series, Target Engaged, is about the
first woman to make it to Delta Force, Carla Anderson (referred
to as Carla Effing Anderson by Melissa, who sees Carla as
someone with a record for her to beat). Having made the team,
we can easily see that Melissa has the skills to comport herself
admirably as one of the best of this elite force, even if she's
a little unsure of it herself. Less than 24 hours after
graduating from the grueling Delta Force training course,
Melissa finds herself as part of an existing team operating in
South America, with Carla as the titular head. Melissa is
uncertain if she can fit in easily with this new team that's
already been functioning tightly for the last 6 months. Her
uncertainty seems a little unreal; I would think that a woman
who has just succeeded in making Delta Force would have to have
a mind of steel to make it through the hazing and crap from all
the guys who don't want to see a woman succeed in "a man's
world," but it certainly does make her a much more sympathetic
character.
Richie Goldman is the team geek of Delta Force. Richie's
moniker is Q, after the Q in the James Bond movies who runs the
MI6 department with all the amazing gadgetry, because Richie is
his team's technical wizard. Richie and Melissa are tapped to be
the two pilots for their upcoming mission since they've both
flown before, and they train together frantically for a couple
of days to learn to fly the vast number of airplanes that
they're need to be familiar with to pull off the appearance that
they are a drug smuggler team for hire. Drawn immediately to
each other by insta-attraction, Richie and Melissa quickly learn
that each of them is competent, intelligent, and loyal. The
mutual respect Buchman's hero and heroines develop for each
other is always so refreshing. The more time Richie and Melissa
spend together, the more they are drawn to each other, and the
sexual sparks build up to the point of a raging fire. It does
seem like they fall into bed and into a relationship super
quickly, but they have the role model of Carla and Kyle (the
true head of their Delta Force team), who are already
romantically involved.
It's easy to get hooked on Buchman's books. The combination of
competent military people, sexual tension, and action with
suspense make these books addictive like catnip. One story is
never enough. Thank goodness Buchman also has the
Nightstalkers military series and Firehawks heli-
aviation wildland firefighters series as well as this Delta
Force series, so there is plenty of action and lovin' to be
had. Buchman's books always satisfy, and HEART STRIKE is no
exception.
DELTA FORCE: The deadliest elite counter-terrorism unit on the planet • A precision strike force • The most out-of-the-box thinkers in any military • Will die to get the mission done
SERGEANT RICHIE "Q" GOLDMAN: The smartest soldier on any team SERGEANT MELISSA "THE CAT" MOORE: Newest on the team, determined to be the best
Rescued from an icy mountaintop by a Delta operative, Melissa Moore has never met a challenge she can't conquer. Not only she will make Delta Force, she will be the best female warrior in The Unit, and woe to anyone who says otherwise. Technical wizard Richie Goldman is Bond's "Q" turned warrior. A genius about everything except women, he takes point on the team's most dangerous mission yet. When the Delta Force team goes undercover in the depths of the Colombian jungle, surviving attacks from every side requires that Richie and Melissa strike right at the heart of the matter...and come out with their own hearts intact.