Series: Wind River (Book 8)
Real love is worth every risk . . .
Ex-Air Force pilot Andy Whitcomb loves nothing more than
the wide blue skies, but when a helicopter crash fighting forest fires in
California leaves her injured and shaken, she’s ready to return home to the
peace of Wind River Ranch. The good news is, there’s a chance for her to fly
helos for the county sheriff’s department. The bad news? The person in charge
is none other than Dev Mitchell, an ex-Army Black Hawk pilot—and the rugged,
sharp-eyed man Andy has never forgotten after five days together running from
the Taliban after a nerve-wracking near-miss in Afghanistan.
Dev can’t believe his eyes when Andy walks into the
interview. She’s as strong and sexy as he remembers, and every bit qualified
for the job, which she clearly wants. Unfortunately, if he’s going to be her
boss, their relationship has to remain strictly professional—a regret Dev
fights to keep hidden as they begin to work together. But when a chance
encounter with violent drug traffickers forces them into survival mode, both of
them will fight to hold on to the connection they can’t ignore—and the chance
of a future together.
Good book that started with heart-stopping intensity,
moved to a fantastic, slow-burn romance, and finished with another bout of
gripping intensity. The book opened four years earlier as Air Force pilot Andy is
providing close air support for a Black Hawk helicopter in Afghanistan. The firefight
is fierce and Andy watched as the helicopter ended up getting shot down just as
she also took aircraft crippling fire. I was on the edge of my seat as Andy
ejected into the middle of enemy territory. Fortunately for her, the Black Hawk
pilot also survived and came looking for her. She and Dev teamed up and spent
five days on the run before they were rescued. She never forgot the time she
spent with him.
Fast forward four years. Andy left the Air Force and went
to work for the LA Police Department as a pilot. A crash there left her shaken
and longing to return home to Wind River. Word of a new air unit for the
sheriff's department makes the move even more appealing. What she doesn't
expect is to find that one of her bosses is Dev. Meanwhile, Dev is just as
stunned to find Andy as one of the applicants for the pilots jobs. He thought
of her often in the intervening years.
I loved the part describing their time in Afghanistan.
Though he was surprised to find a woman pilot, Dev never looked down on Andy or
treated her as less than capable. Having dealt with more than a few
Neanderthal-like pilots, Andy was pleasantly surprised by Dev's attitude.
Neither expected to feel drawn to the other, but their circumstances prevented
anything personal from being explored. When Dev returned to his unit
immediately after their rescue, they never had a chance to really talk.
Dev and Andy's surprise and pleasure at seeing each other
again could not be denied. It was also clear that the connection they felt
before was still there, but with the added obstacle of being boss and employee.
I loved their decision to be friends, taking the time to get to know each other
over a period of months. The connection that they forged during their five days
in Afghanistan made it easier for them to share some of their deeper issues,
such as Dev's grief over the loss of his young wife years earlier, and Andy's
problems with trusting people after being abandoned as an infant by her mother.
I enjoyed their mutual respect for each other's abilities and strengths as they
worked together. I especially liked the scene at the truck accident, as Dev
worried about Andy on a personal level, but was also proud of what she
accomplished. I laughed out loud at the truck driver and his amazement at how
such a "Squirt" was able to move him.
One of the things I liked most about Dev was his
sensitivity. He is truly a 21st-century man, willing to express his emotions,
including tears. I also liked how well he was tuned in to Andy. The way he was
able to help her through the adrenaline crash and emotional firestorm after
their near encounter with the drug smugglers was fantastic. There was also a
sweet scene early on in the book as he surprised Andy with the arrival of two interviewees
for the other pilots' positions. Dev fits in well with her family, too, I
especially enjoyed his long talk with Gabe, and how much alike they seemed to
me.
I loved Andy for her kick-ass abilities, but also ached
for the vulnerability caused by her start in life. I really enjoyed the
acknowledgement that women and men think differently, each bringing something
different to a problem. I especially enjoyed how it was Andy who sensed
approaching danger both in Afghanistan and in the mountains. I loved her close
relationship with her family and the sisterhood with her fellow pilots.
The development of the relationship between Dev and Andy was fantastic. Because
of the added complication of their work relationship, they had to make the extra
effort to keep their working hours relationship professional, and save anything
else for their off hours. I liked that they both felt that a solid friendship
was a prerequisite to anything deeper. I loved the time they spent together
doing things as simple as ranch work and hiking gave them the time to talk and
really learn about each other. Not rushing into physical intimacy made the
relationship feel much more realistic.
There was a nice bit of suspense included as the county's
issues with drug smugglers continue to plague them. There was a little foreshadowing
as Andy's first flight with Dev included visiting areas where drug drops were
known to take place. Andy's brother Gabe, an undercover DEA agent, makes an
appearance in this book. His conversation with Dev adds to the building feeling
that something is going to happen. I was on the edge of my seat at the end when
Andy and Dev had their close encounter with the smugglers, wondering if they
would make it out safely. The resolution was very satisfying and felt realistic
in the way it happened.
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