From the TBR Pile: Blog Tour: Running Fire by Kindsay McKenna

Author: Lindsay McKenna

Publisher: Harlequin

Date of publication: April 2015

He was a haven in the midst of Hell…

Temporarily assigned to the Shadow Squadron in a troubled region of Afghanistan, Chief Warrant Officer and pilot Leah Mackenzie is no stranger to conflict—even if most of her physical and emotional scars are courtesy of her vicious ex. Still, she’s got a bad feeling about picking up a team of stranded SEALs. A feeling that’s all too justified once enemy fire hits their helicopter and all hell breaks loose…

SEAL Kell Ballard’s goal was to get the injured pilot out of harm’s way and find shelter deep in the labyrinth of caves. It’s a place of dark intimacy, where Leah finds unexpected safety in a man’s arms. Where prohibited attraction burns brightly. And where they’ll hide until the time comes to face the enemy outside…and the enemy within their ranks.

I have always been a fan of romantic suspense, especially when it involves sexy alpha Navy SEALs. I was really hoping I was going to like Running Fire. In the end, it ended up being just an OK read for me. I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but I can say that it did hold up well as a stand alone book.

What I didn't like were the inconsistencies and wtf moments in the story. For example, Leah was abused by her ex-husband. He used to beat and rape her. She says to herself that the is going to take things slow with Kell, but within a day she is sleeping with him. And that leads me to my next point. He asks her if she is protected and she says she is on the pill. Now, they have been in caves for several days with none of her supplies. How is she still on the pill since she has missed quite a few? Then later on in the story, they are about to have sex and he pulls out condoms. Why? I thought she was on the pill. Why bother now? Throughout the story, there is a big deal made about keeping their relationship secret because of their differences in rank. But when Leah is shot, she is all of a sudden sent to San Diego for rehab because she is engaged to Kell. Wouldn't they get in trouble for admitting their engagement? There were a couple more instances, but you get the idea.

Ultimately, I did like the romance. It was a little sappy, but I like that once in a while. I thought that Leah and Kell were good for each other. I liked their HEA. It was really sweet and I was happy to see Leah finally find her home. I just wish the story was edited a little better.

About Lindsay McKenna

A U.S. Navy veteran, she was a meteorologist while serving her country. She pioneered the military romance in 1993 with Captive of Fate, Silhouette Special edition. Her heart and focus is on honoring and showing our military men and women. Creator of the Wyoming Series and Shadow Warriors series for HQN, she writes emotionally and romantically intense suspense stories.

Connect with Lindsay

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Lindsay McKenna’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, April 13th: Book Mama Blog – author guest post

Monday, April 20th: Feminist Reflections

Tuesday, April 21st: Palmer’s Page Turners

Wednesday, April 22nd: The World As I See It

Thursday, April 23rd: Romance Novels for the Beach

Friday, April 24th: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Monday, April 27th: The Romance Dish – author guest post