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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This book was just ok for me. I have never particularly enjoyed stories that involve reporters. Especially ones who are more interested in exposing the “truth” than people’s safety if the truth comes out. Britney is just such a heroine, and I found her so tedious I could hardly stand it. She was just TSTL and she felt really desperate and young. John was just ok for me. I just didn’t feel their story. At. All. Now the side story about Kate and Colt.... yes please. So much more interesting! I was relieved every time the story switched over to them, and I wished this was their book!
I found this second book better than the first one in the series.
Quickie Review-(May contain spoilers)
So I wanted to really enjoy this one, as I had loved the first book. I should have been aware of who the heroine is though. So my issue with this book is the heroine. I gave it till about 50% and I just had to set it aside. The heroine was very toxic and honestly TSTL. Normally I am not super picky about that but why can't author's write journalistic heroines better? My issue with the heroine was she was willing to do anything for a story including risk the hero's life. She literally tells the hero he is fine and he can handle himself. Basically shrugging it off like its no big deal that she is willing to put his life at risk so she can get her story. And it just got worse as the story moved forward and not seeing how this author can redeem this heroine, so will be setting it aside.
So I wanted to really enjoy this one, as I had loved the first book. I should have been aware of who the heroine is though. So my issue with this book is the heroine. I gave it till about 50% and I just had to set it aside. The heroine was very toxic and honestly TSTL. Normally I am not super picky about that but why can't author's write journalistic heroines better? My issue with the heroine was she was willing to do anything for a story including risk the hero's life. She literally tells the hero he is fine and he can handle himself. Basically shrugging it off like its no big deal that she is willing to put his life at risk so she can get her story. And it just got worse as the story moved forward and not seeing how this author can redeem this heroine, so will be setting it aside.
John was hiding out in Finland! Wohoo. Though the bad thing is that I am very aware that the narrator did not pronounce the city he was in or the name of his friend correctly. He said it more like it was written, which is wrong. See, those thing I would not have know if John had not been in Finland!
An op went wrong. Now 6 seals are hiding. John chose Finland and makes it sound very awesome up north if I can say. I doubt it is that fun off season. There are blondes and he drinks. He is a good guy, but he is not meant to do "nothing" (of course he has a job and even saved a life, but I guess that is nothing for him.)
Then there is Brittany that we heard about in book 1. She has been writing articles about missing seals and she is a bloodhound. In a good way. She wants to find out what happened to her brother.
So they will meet. And did I mention that they had a fling 5 years ago and she is so not over him ;)
There is also danger since someone do not like her articles. And of course the Seals want to keep on hiding.
And I must not forget. Another couple got a lot of time in the spotlight, and yes it was a bit strange. Cold and Kate are trying to find out what happened too and they too have a history. Their story is not over in this book so I guess it will spill over into the next one. I did like them but dang that man has issues.
Narrator
Charles Lawrence
He did a great job (even if he can not pronounce Levi ;) I liked him more than the narrator for book 1 and he does feel great for this one
An op went wrong. Now 6 seals are hiding. John chose Finland and makes it sound very awesome up north if I can say. I doubt it is that fun off season. There are blondes and he drinks. He is a good guy, but he is not meant to do "nothing" (of course he has a job and even saved a life, but I guess that is nothing for him.)
Then there is Brittany that we heard about in book 1. She has been writing articles about missing seals and she is a bloodhound. In a good way. She wants to find out what happened to her brother.
So they will meet. And did I mention that they had a fling 5 years ago and she is so not over him ;)
There is also danger since someone do not like her articles. And of course the Seals want to keep on hiding.
And I must not forget. Another couple got a lot of time in the spotlight, and yes it was a bit strange. Cold and Kate are trying to find out what happened too and they too have a history. Their story is not over in this book so I guess it will spill over into the next one. I did like them but dang that man has issues.
Narrator
Charles Lawrence
He did a great job (even if he can not pronounce Levi ;) I liked him more than the narrator for book 1 and he does feel great for this one
This is the book club selection this month. Please send help.
I'm not going to rate this since it is not my genre of choice. Good that the book club gets me out of my box though.
I'm not going to rate this since it is not my genre of choice. Good that the book club gets me out of my box though.
Need to reread book 1.and book 3 coming out in Dec. So I will wait for 3 and read all three at once.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Reviewed for Wit and Sin
When a top secret mission goes wrong in Russia and more than half of SEAL Team Nine is killed, the survivors are ordered to scatter and go dark. Only not everyone is willing to let them stay off the grid. Reporter Brittany Blake can smell a government cover up a mile away and since this one involves her missing – possibly dead – brother, she’s not about to let it rest until she discovers the truth.
John Donovan hates being stuck in Finland, doing nothing, while he waits for orders from his lieutenant commander. And while he would like to pretend otherwise, John also can’t move past the death of his best friend and teammate, Brandon Blake. When he’s ordered to shut Brittany up – for her safety as well as the rest of his surviving teammates – it throws him for a loop. Years ago, Brandon made it clear Brittany was off-limits. But with the adrenaline rush of danger and the pull neither John nor Brittany can deny, it’s clear that some promises are meant to be broken…
I really struggled with rating Off the Grid. On the one hand, Monica McCarty’s writing is engaging, drawing me into the book and keeping the story moving at a quick clip. The action is cinematic and the overarching series question of who betrayed SEAL Team Nine and why was interesting. That being said, I struggled with the characters which kept me from liking this book as much as I wanted to.
Brittany Blake gave me flashbacks to Lois Lane (always a good thing). She’s a reporter with a sharp mind and dogged determination to get her story. She has been wronged more than once by a government cover up and her brother is one of the missing SEALs, so I did understand why she was so determined to find out what happened to the group of men she dubbed “The Lost Platoon.” That being said, Brittany’s strengths were also her weaknesses. She can get tunnel vision, which is frustrating when she doesn’t seem to fully understand – or more importantly care – that she’s putting other lives in danger besides her own. One of those lives belongs to John Donovan, the man who broke her heart five years ago. John is known for his laid-back ways, but he’s mostly intense and frustrated in this book. He definitely has reason to be, but at times it felt like his personality had melted away and we were left with a generic military hero, which was a pity. John and Brittany do have chemistry, but their romance paled in comparison to the sexual tension between two supporting characters. Added to that, Brittany and John suffer from the same problem that a lot of characters in this book do: a lack of honest communication. It’s a common enough plot device, but it’s one that I find a bit frustrating, so people who aren’t bothered by this may like their romance more than I did.
Off the Grid isn’t just John and Brittany’s story. Former SEAL Colt and his ex-wife, CIA analyst Kate are working to discover who betrayed Colt’s former team. Colt and Kate are the reason I am so invested in this series. Their chemistry is off-the-charts explosive and the pure drama keeps me coming back for more. The pain, anger, distrust, and lust practically jump off the page and I cannot wait to see if/how Ms. McCarty makes things work for these two. She definitely has her work cut out for her, because even though I got a fair sense of Colt’s history and why he acts the way he does, he definitely is cruel to Kate; so much so that I’m honestly not sure if I should be rooting for him to win her back. Whether or not he does, he and Kate livened up the book and their storyline ensures that I’ll be back for Out of Time, the next Lost Platoon book.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
When a top secret mission goes wrong in Russia and more than half of SEAL Team Nine is killed, the survivors are ordered to scatter and go dark. Only not everyone is willing to let them stay off the grid. Reporter Brittany Blake can smell a government cover up a mile away and since this one involves her missing – possibly dead – brother, she’s not about to let it rest until she discovers the truth.
John Donovan hates being stuck in Finland, doing nothing, while he waits for orders from his lieutenant commander. And while he would like to pretend otherwise, John also can’t move past the death of his best friend and teammate, Brandon Blake. When he’s ordered to shut Brittany up – for her safety as well as the rest of his surviving teammates – it throws him for a loop. Years ago, Brandon made it clear Brittany was off-limits. But with the adrenaline rush of danger and the pull neither John nor Brittany can deny, it’s clear that some promises are meant to be broken…
I really struggled with rating Off the Grid. On the one hand, Monica McCarty’s writing is engaging, drawing me into the book and keeping the story moving at a quick clip. The action is cinematic and the overarching series question of who betrayed SEAL Team Nine and why was interesting. That being said, I struggled with the characters which kept me from liking this book as much as I wanted to.
Brittany Blake gave me flashbacks to Lois Lane (always a good thing). She’s a reporter with a sharp mind and dogged determination to get her story. She has been wronged more than once by a government cover up and her brother is one of the missing SEALs, so I did understand why she was so determined to find out what happened to the group of men she dubbed “The Lost Platoon.” That being said, Brittany’s strengths were also her weaknesses. She can get tunnel vision, which is frustrating when she doesn’t seem to fully understand – or more importantly care – that she’s putting other lives in danger besides her own. One of those lives belongs to John Donovan, the man who broke her heart five years ago. John is known for his laid-back ways, but he’s mostly intense and frustrated in this book. He definitely has reason to be, but at times it felt like his personality had melted away and we were left with a generic military hero, which was a pity. John and Brittany do have chemistry, but their romance paled in comparison to the sexual tension between two supporting characters. Added to that, Brittany and John suffer from the same problem that a lot of characters in this book do: a lack of honest communication. It’s a common enough plot device, but it’s one that I find a bit frustrating, so people who aren’t bothered by this may like their romance more than I did.
Off the Grid isn’t just John and Brittany’s story. Former SEAL Colt and his ex-wife, CIA analyst Kate are working to discover who betrayed Colt’s former team. Colt and Kate are the reason I am so invested in this series. Their chemistry is off-the-charts explosive and the pure drama keeps me coming back for more. The pain, anger, distrust, and lust practically jump off the page and I cannot wait to see if/how Ms. McCarty makes things work for these two. She definitely has her work cut out for her, because even though I got a fair sense of Colt’s history and why he acts the way he does, he definitely is cruel to Kate; so much so that I’m honestly not sure if I should be rooting for him to win her back. Whether or not he does, he and Kate livened up the book and their storyline ensures that I’ll be back for Out of Time, the next Lost Platoon book.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.