Breaking Point

( 9 )

Overview

In the line of fire…

OPERATION SHADOW WARRIORS

An ongoing U.S. military experiment to test the integration of trained female military operatives in live combat scenarios…

The Alpha Platoon. A unit of Navy SEALs stationed in the unforgiving dryness of Afghanistan…who just learned that their newest team member is a woman. But Bay Thorn has a spine of steel—and the chops to prove it. Without a team to back her ...

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Breaking Point

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More About This Book

Overview

In the line of fire…

OPERATION SHADOW WARRIORS

An ongoing U.S. military experiment to test the integration of trained female military operatives in live combat scenarios…

The Alpha Platoon. A unit of Navy SEALs stationed in the unforgiving dryness of Afghanistan…who just learned that their newest team member is a woman. But Bay Thorn has a spine of steel—and the chops to prove it. Without a team to back her up, however, she's dead in the water. And her only ally is Gabe Griffin, a lone SEAL who is lethal, dangerous and unbearably attractive….

Between the open hostility from her team and the harsh al Qaeda territory, Gabe is a lifeline for Bay. But mutual respect quickly grows into mutual attraction. And with each day and every assignment, the longing only deepens.

They mustn't speak of it. Mustn't act on it. Because in this line of work, falling in love can get you killed….

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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher
"McKenna skillfully shows that it's all about the romance and not only the sex. After all, hard work, honesty and trust is what western romance is all about."
-RT Book Reviews on The Wrangler

"McKenna's latest is an intriguing tale...a unique twist
on the romance novel, and one that's sure to please."
-RT Book Reviews on Dangerous Prey

"Gunfire, emotions, suspense, tension and sexuality
abound in this fast-paced, absorbing novel."
-Affaire de Coeur on Wild Woman

"A fresh plot and a good blend of romance and action make this an amazing read." RT Book Reviews on Beyond Valor

"McKenna's story is relevant, moving and eye-opening." RT Book Reviews on The Loner

"McKenna...writes her stories with knowledge and compassion .. A must-read for anyone who loves military romance." RT Book Reviews on Down Range

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780373778676
  • Publisher: Harlequin
  • Publication date: 4/29/2014
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Pages: 352
  • Sales rank: 99217
  • Product dimensions: 4.10 (w) x 6.60 (h) x 1.00 (d)

Meet the Author

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. Visit her online at www.LindsayMcKenna.com.

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Read an Excerpt

"Time for your trial by fire," SEAL Chief Hampton said, gesturing for Baylee-Ann Thorn to follow him out of Operations. Hampton had met her CH-47 helo from Bagram Air Base. As he walked with her from Ops toward the SEAL compound, he told her how it was always below freezing in the morning despite its being a day in June in Afghanistan.

Bay tried to quell her nervousness. They traversed deeply rutted Humvee tracks outside Operations. Camp Bravo, an FOB, forward operating base, was thirty miles from the Pak, Pakistan border. It housed all types of black ops groups. Hampton led them toward a small concrete one-story building located near the edge of the CIA and black ops complex.

The Afghan sun was rising above the sharp, high peaks of the Hindu Kush Mountains. Bay was glad for the desert cammies and her soft cap since it was so cold. She removed her wraparound sunglasses as the chief of Alpha Platoon pushed open the door for her. Bay took a deep, steadying breath, feeling as if she were about to walk into a firefight.

Inside, she halted, unsure where to go. Looking to her left, she noticed seven SEAL shooters sitting and talking among themselves. They looked as if they'd just finished a patrol, sweaty, dusty and tired-looking. She felt exactly like them, flying out of Iraq and leaving her Special Forces, a team stationed near Baghdad, for this outpost.

"Follow me," Hampton said, giving her a smile of encouragement.

Bay felt slightly better, ignoring her exhaustion and following the tall, wiry Navy chief to the front of the large room. As soon as Hampton arrived, all talking stopped and the seven SEALs sat alert and focused. There were large wooden plyboard tables pushed off to one side. To her, they looked like planning or mission tables where the black ops SEAL team would plan their patrols. The SEALs sat on a few wooden bleachers at the other end of the room.

The room quieted as three Navy SEAL officers, who ran the platoon, entered the area from another doorway. Bay stood off to one side with Hampton as Lieutenant Paul Brafford, the OIC, Officer in Command, strolled up to the center. Every man in the room wore a beard in order to fit into the Muslim culture. Two other officers followed him into the silent room.

"Gentlemen, two days ago we lost Steve, our 18 Delta combat medic and sniper." His voice turned heavy. "It's a loss we didn't want to see happen, and I know we're all upset about it." He sat down on a four-legged stool, hooking the heel of his combat boot on a lower rung. "What I'm about to tell you is top secret. And Chief Hampton is going to be passing around a paper that you will sign, ensuring that this will be kept that way."

There was a murmur among the shooters, who collectively looked at the woman standing beside their chief. They rested their safed rifles, muzzle down, across their legs or chest.

Brafford said, "Unbeknownst to us, there has been an ongoing initiative called Operation Shadow Warriors. It is an experiment created by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to see if women, who are adequately trained for combat, can be successful under combat conditions. This operation has been ongoing for three years now, in Iraq and Afghanistan. You will read and agree to what you're signing. Basically, it says you won't ever speak a word about having a woman assigned to our platoon."

Bay saw the collective shock on the SEALs' faces. Chief Hampton passed the papers among them. Bay was interested in how the SEALs operated. There were three SEALs on the first bench, three on the second bench. On the last bench near the rear bulkhead or wall sat one lone SEAL. She was good at interpreting facial expressions and body language. Bay noticed the anger and disgust in the faces on the first bench of SEALs. They wanted nothing to do with her. The second bench of SEALs looked surprised. Bay saw something else in the expression of the SEAL who sat by himself. Interest. Curiosity. No judgment. At least, not yet.

Bay felt her skin prickle as the lone SEAL's green eyes narrowed speculatively, assessing her. He had a square face, strong chin, wide-set eyes and was deeply tanned from being out in the elements. His black hair was dusty, longish and reminded Bay of a raven's wing. He was tall and she felt coiled energy around him. His right hand rested relaxed across the rail system on top of his M-4 rifle. Even though he appeared to be at rest, Bay noted the tension in his broad shoulders. There was nothing casual about this shooter.

Bay was used to relying on her intuition, which was finely honed by her years of living in the Allegheny Mountains with her hill family. This man was lethal in ways she couldn't imagine. Yes, SEALs, as she understood them, were at the tip of the black ops spear. They went out on patrol or a direct action mission and moved into harm's way. SEALs were intent on taking out HVTs, high-value targets. Bullets were going to fly when they entered the picture. Still, there was something about the lone SEAL that touched Bay's fast-beating heart. If she hadn't been so tired and stressed at being thrown into this awkward and unexpected situation, she might have picked up more about him.

"Okay, gentlemen," Brafford said, "you've read it. Now sign your life away so we can move on."

Bay stood next to the AOIC, a tall, lean second lieutenant, Reed Latham. The AAOIC, an ensign, Pete Scardillo, watched and listened. The chief had told her the SEALs were instituting a new officer training template. The AAOIC was a recent graduate and officer, but he'd be going out on every mission with the SEAL shooters, learning the trade. Latham critically watched his SEAL shooters. They were all enlisted men, Bay knew. Like her. Would they accept her or not? She'd worked with Marines and Army Special Forces in Iraq over the past three years. She'd heard about the clandestine SEALs, who had an awesome reputation of being a deadly force behind the scenes. Now, for the first time, she was getting a personal and up-front look at them. There was a lot of muttering and grumbling among them.

Hampton moved through the group, took the signed papers and walked over to the AAOIC and handed the sheaf to him. The chief then came and stood at Bay's side.

The tension in the room amped up. Bay felt every pair of SEAL eyes on her. She wanted to cringe inside her cammies and hide. This wasn't going to go down well. She could feel it.

"Chief," Brafford said mildly, "would you like to finish up introducing our new doc and getting her assigned a mentor?" He eased off the stool.

"Yes, sir," Hampton said.

All three officers left through another door. Bay tried to appear relaxed, but her heart was pounding now, with adrenaline leaking into her bloodstream. She watched Hampton take the stool with accustomed ease, his hands resting relaxed on his thighs as he regarded his men.

"I want to introduce you to your newest team member, Petty Officer First-Class Hospital Corpsman Baylee-Ann Thorn. She's a combat corpsman. She's been trained for a year by the Marines at Camp Pend-leton and knows the drill on being a shooter. Plus-" he looked over at her "-she's going to be one of our medics in our platoon. You'll find her competent. And I know that all of you are going to have to be flexible about having a female in our midst. I feel sure you guys can handle it. Be gentlemen and understand that because she's a medic, your life is in her hands. Got it?"

Bay saw a lot of unhappy faces in front of her. They didn't want a woman around. She could feel their anger, surprise and distrust of her being an outsider to the tight SEAL team. Swallowing hard, Bay kept her face carefully arranged. Somehow, with the chief's help, she was going to have to make this work. The SEALs were a badass group. None of them was smiling. All but one, frowning.

"Doc, why don't you come up here and introduce yourself? Tell the guys a little bit about yourself," Hampton invited, gesturing for her to step forward.

Oh, Lord, give me strength. Doc was the nickname every combat corpsman was called in the military. Bay stepped next to the chief. "Good morning," she said, "I'm Corpsman Thorn. I know my first name is a mouthful, so most folks call me Doc or Bay." She fearlessly met their black, flat stares. "I know this is an odd situation, but I promise you, I won't become a liability. I've been working for years over in Iraq with Marines and U.S. Army Special Forces. I know the drill."

Hampton intervened. "Well, I can tell you that Doc is a very humble person. She isn't going to brag on herself." He smiled a little over at Bay and then shifted his attention to the team. "Doc Thorn is the first woman to ever be allowed to go through and graduate from Army 18 Delta combat medic training. Almost two-thirds of the Army Special Forces guys who go through this eighteen-month course fail. But she didn't. She's used her skills for the last two years in Iraq combat situations and hasn't lost a man yet."

All the SEALs looked at one another, doubly shocked. The 18 Delta combat medics were the golden hour in a field of combat. They saved lives that regular combat medics were not trained to do. Nearly all SEALs who were medics were graduates of 18 Delta. The looks on their faces turned to grudging respect.

Gabe Griffin smifed a little to himself. Chief Hampton was smart. Bay showed her humbleness and yet nailed the disbelievers in the team with the one thing that counted: a damn good medic who could save their sorry ass if they got shot out on a patrol or mission. About half the SEALs sat back, seriously digesting the info. Baylee-Ann Thorn's soft drawl wasn't quite Southern, so he wondered where she was from. He liked her husky voice, her confidence as she stood relaxed in front of the group. For a medic, she was a good height and weight. Bay, as he decided to call her, was probably around five feet ten inches tall. In a firefight, this woman could haul a SEAL to safety if she had to. Adrenaline would make up the difference.

Still, as Gabe listened to her background, he was struck by how innocent Bay looked. She had light brown, slightly curly hair, pulled back into a riotous ponytail. With intelligent blue eyes, a nice mouth and kind-looking face, she wasn't typical of a combat SEAL. She wasn't beautiful. Rather, natural and at ease with herself and who she was. Gabe liked her easygoing nature, and as he studied his team, he saw a couple of the guys losing their bristling demeanor.

Yes, Bay certainly had a nice voice. The kind of voice you'd want around if you were bleeding out and going to die in two and a half minutes. You'd believe anything Bay told you because you trusted her and trusted her incredible training. Gabe wondered if her personality would be able to tame the animals in this squad of eight shooters. They all sat alert on their benches, listening closely to what she had to say.

Chief Hampton looked at the team. "Thanks, Doc," he said. "I want to welcome you to Alpha Platoon. Do you animals have any questions for her?"

"Yeah, I sure as hell do," Hammer, who sat on the first bench nearest them, snarled. "Just what the hell was the Navy thinking? Putting a woman in our platoon? I don't care if this is some top-secret op or not. It's insane."

Bay winced inwardly at the tall SEAL's angry comment. He had disgust in his eyes. She felt his emotions strike her.

Hampton sighed. "Hammer, stand down. This is not her fault. Doc did volunteer for this experiment. Keep in mind this op has been ongoing for three years and it has been very successful."

Hammer glared at the chief, challenging him. "Have there been any other bitches assigned to a SEAL squad?"

"Knock off the disrespect," Hampton growled. "The answer is yes. And you wouldn't have heard about it through the grapevine because every man signed that waiver, promising to never speak of it to anyone. Not even to other SEAL squads or platoons."

Hammer lifted his chin. "She's going out on our patrols with us?"

"That's what a doc does," Hampton replied in a reasonable tone.

"That's friggin' babysitting, Chief!" Hammer protested loudly. "It's not like we don't have enough on our hands watchin' out for the tangos, the goddamn IEDs and the rest. Now we have to watch out for her ass, too? She's a major distraction and that can get us killed."

Bay put her hand out and briefly touched the chief's shoulder. "Chief, if you would allow me?"

Hampton shrugged. "Go for it."

Gabe sat back. Bay Thorn's blue eyes narrowed slightly and her wide, soft mouth thinned. He was surprised she'd take on a SEAL, expecting her to hide behind the chief and let him do the fighting for her. That impressed him.

Bay met Hammer's black glare. "I have never worked with SEALs, that's true. From what I've heard about you guys over the years, y'all are heroes in my eyes."

Gabe watched the team preen to a man, as if stroked by her long, narrow hand. They were warriors. And they had the confidence and training to rightfully feel that way about themselves. It was always nice to hear someone consider them heroes and tell them to their face, however. He watched Bay with fascination, wondering how she was ever going to handle this male alpha wolf team.

"The chief was right. I am trained for combat. I also have a yearlong immersion course in Pashto. I hope to be of help in different ways to you. I'd much rather be a terp, translator, for you, or another gun in the fight, than have to save your hide once you took a bullet out in the field. But I can do that, too. Like you, I'm multi-skilled and consider myself an asset."

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 9 )
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  • Posted Tue Apr 29 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    4 STARS Breaking Point seems like it has it all. Interesting ch

    4 STARS

    Breaking Point seems like it has it all. Interesting characters, drama, romance. action, honor and heartbreaking situations.
    It is non stopping action, drama I did not want to put the book down till I had finished.

    The setting is in Afghan. Bay Thorn has been assigned atop secret mission. She is joining a Navy Seal team as a medic. Bay cares about people. She is brave, talented, smart. She speaks their language, and on top of it she is a sharp shooter.

    Gabe Griffin is set to teach her the Navy Seals training that she will need on missions with his team.

    Their are Seals who do not welcome Bay into their group. They do not think a woman can belong to their group and keep up that she will costs lives. Hammer is the biggest person outspoken against her. On first day Hammer and Bay get into a sniper rifle competition. She borrows Gabe's rifle. She has never used the military sharpshooter rifle. Bay did tell them she shot long distances to get meet for her family.

    Bay proved that she could shoot and belong to their group.

    The book got a little about how tough war is on everybody. How little the people of Afghan have compared to what we take for granted here in the states.(I personally live below the poor line in our country. Compared to them I am so rich. With warm house, groceries & clothes a plenty. Hey my outhouse is nailed shut.)

    It also makes me want to sent a package of cookies to someone who does not receive any from home. Thank you for keeping our Country safe and trying to make a better world.

    There is no boring parts to this story. I cared about Bay and was heart broken with her when some of her patients don't make it.

    I like reading Lindsay McKenna's novels. They entertain, educate and leave us thankful for what we have.

    I was given this ebook to read and asked in return to give honest review of it by Netgalley and Harlequin.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Sun Jun 08 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    I've been reading Lindsay McKenna's military romances since she

    I've been reading Lindsay McKenna's military romances since she burst onto the scene in the 1980's and she has only gotten better.

    Bay (Doc) Thorne is a member of Operation Shadow Warriors, a top secret group of 40 women who are combat trained and imbedded in Special Forces units. Bay is a trained sniper, 18 Delta combat medic and a Navy petty officer.

    Gabe Griffin is aNavy Seal sniper who presents a rough and ready game face to the world to hide his sensitive heart.

    Bay is sent to Afghanistan and imbedded into a Seal platoon. All the seals but one are against Bay being there as they feel they will have to protect her, and in so doing, get themselves killed. Only Gabe is for Bay being there.
    Bay has to keep proving to the seals that she is not a liability to them which is a point of frustration for her as the Army special forces teams readily accepted her. Even when she out shoots one of the seals against her being there, she is not completely accepted. 
    Gabe is appointed her mentor in the platoon, and it is his job to teach her the things she needs to know to fit in.  
    When Bay and Gabe are involved in a helicopter crash into a valley that is a known Taliban stronghold, it is up to Gabe  and Bay to hold off the Taliban until the Apache gunships and the rescue helicopter can get there.  
    When they are finally rescued, Gabe realizes that the rest of the platoon need have no worries about Bay being able to do her share.  
    The relationship between Bay and Gabe grows slowly. Gabe is there each time Bay needs help to decompress from the stress of combat and their feelings grow. They are unable to acknowledge or do anything about their feelings which adds to the tension.  This  is a fast paced story that I couldn't put down till it was done. Lindsay's military background helps her to get things  right and adds to the depth of the story.
    I highly recommend this book.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Still hooked on reading Lindsay McKenna¿s books. I am now on the

    Still hooked on reading Lindsay McKenna’s books. I am now on the 30th book and continue to be captivated by how real her characters are. Her descriptions of the protagonists in the story as well as their surroundings are so vivid that you feel that you are part of the story plot and are able to experience each moment described in the book. The author enables you to become so captivated with the plot and all its characters that you can’t wait to turn the page. In Breaking Point you share the lives of Baylee-Ann Thorn, an Army 18 Delta combat medic and Gabe Griffin, a lone SEAL who is lethal, dangerous and a very protective, sensitive individual. In this book, as well as in all of her other books, we see the multi-faceted qualities of her main protagonists. McKenna shows us that even the toughest and lethal SEAL can behave with sensitivity, love, and understanding towards a special woman he respects and admires. His demonstration of loving tenderness towards Bay as she decompresses during her precious 30 days of R&R in Coronado goes a long way to show the love of a man for his soul mate. The author enables us to be silent witnesses to some very tender, loving and highly erotic moments between two people very much in love with each other.

    As I begin reading each of her books, I can't put them down till I get to the last page. When I do that, I am filled with mixed emotions because there is always a happy ending and, yet, I am sad because I have reached the end of the book. Well...that's when I pick up the next one where the saga continues with some of the same characters of the original story I read. Can’t wait for the upcoming sequel, Never Surrender, coming in July of 2014!

    I highly recommend this author!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sat May 31 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    This book is CLASSIC Lindsay McKenna in its best vintage! I lov

    This book is CLASSIC Lindsay McKenna in its best vintage! I loved Breaking Point, from the first moment we meet Bay and Gabe. Bay is a woman who is all woman, but can hold her own with the SEALs. Gabe is a man of true honor, and not one of those hormonal-driven guys who can't seem to think of anything else but how much he'd like to get into the heroine's pants. I gave up reading romance due to that kind of character in too many novels, but this book is bringing me back into the genre. The exciting military battle scenes had me glued to the book for days. The relationship between Bay and Gabe grew naturally and strong, and in a believable way that touched my heart. Is there sexual tension? Absolutely! But I loved reading a book where the hero is a real HERO, and Gabe is that, all the way. What a man. Bay is someone I'd love to know and be with as her best friend. Her authentic honesty and grace are marvelous. I can't WAIT to see them in the next book of the series. All of Lindsay McKenna's best strengths as an author, and the unique perspectives only she can offer, are here---present and rarin' to go. I'm so glad I read this book. I have hope again in popular romantic fiction, thanks to Lindsay McKenna and Breaking Point.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Fri May 23 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    This book caught my interest from the very beginning. I think it

    This book caught my interest from the very beginning. I think it’s the best one so far in this series. I do wish this wasn’t a sequel, but can hardly wait for it to come out.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Mon May 12 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    more from this reviewer

    OMG - how have I missed this author?

    5 Stars!
    Contemporary Military Romance
    May 1, 2014

    ABOUT THE BOOK: In the line of fire...

    Operation Shadow Warriors. An ongoing U.S. military experiment to test the integration of trained female military operatives in live combat scenarios...

    The Alpha Platoon. A unit of Navy SEALs stationed in the unforgiving dryness of Afghanistan... who just learned that their newest team member is a woman. But Bay Thorn has a spine of steel — and the chops to prove it. Without a team to back her up, however, she’s dead in the water. And her only ally is Gabe Griffin, a lone SEAL who is lethal, dangerous, and unbearably attractive...

    Between the open hostility from her team and the harsh Al Qaeda territory, Gabe is a lifeline for Bay. But mutual respect quickly grows into mutual attraction. And with each day and every assignment, the longing only deepens.

    They mustn’t speak of it. Mustn’t act on it. Because in this line of work, falling in love can get you killed...

    MY REVIEW:

    Since the change in policy with women in combat, I’ve wondered when I’d come across the first book that showed it. I gotta say, it was worth the wait! This read was highly engaging, nail-biting, hot, and at times, funny as hell. It was five stars all around, and one I wanted to read again immediately.

    So you have this bunch of hardened warriors and introduce a female to the mix, a female to what is considered a man’s world, and all hell breaks loose right? Exactly. It was nice to watch how Bay managed to win the hearts over with these man, but secure the one of Gabe, who’s supposed to be her superior. What a tough situation she had to hold on to, not to mention they couldn’t really fraternize.

    Gabe tries to fight his feelings and attraction—of course—but he’s no match for Bay, nor is she for him. The ending left a lot open, but one thing is for sure, these two are getting their HFN (Happy For Now) and I can’t wait to see what else the author has in store for them with the next release.

    If you want a book that gives insight into the true military world, and puts a fantastic twist on it, one where you’ll laugh and want to cry, need a cold shower, and a snuggle, then pick this up now!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Fri Apr 18 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    This is the latest story in the ongoing Operation Shadow Warrior

    This is the latest story in the ongoing Operation Shadow Warriors series by Lindsay McKenna. Here we meet Petty Officer First-Class Hospital Corpsman Baylee-Ann Thorn. As part of a Top Secret initiative and due to the loss of their 18 Delta combat medic and sniper, Bay is assigned to the SEAL Alpha Platoon. Although she is highly trained the SEALs question her experience and skills to fit in with them. They doubt she’d ever be capable of having their six. In a little competition with the most vocal objector Bay shines!!!

    Bay faces hostility and skepticism from most of the SEALs except for 1 team member, Gabe Griffin. Somehow from the very beginning with his own innate SEAL senses he trusts that she will be an asset instead of a detriment. Gabe gets assigned as her mentor and introduces her to the unique aspects of SEAL operations. While working together in war ravaged Afghanistan they cannot act upon a mutual attraction that slowly grows between them. Time, circumstances, patience and LOVE will determine their fate.

    The writing has you engaged from the first page until the very end. You are drawn into the action as if you are actually there in the midst of all of the chaos. You’ll be holding your breath and cheering for OUR team!

    Even more is revealed as the story of Bay and Gabe continues in a highly anticipated sequel, NEVER SURRENDER, HRS, July 2014.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Thu Aug 07 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    Gabe Griffin is on assignment with his SEAL team in Afghanistan

    Gabe Griffin is on assignment with his SEAL team in Afghanistan when they learn they are about to become part of a top secret test which the team is really upset about. They recently lost their medic so he is being replaced by a FEMALE medic as part of the test. 

    Bay-lee (Doc) Thorne is a woman who volunteered for this test as part of Operation Shadow Warriors knowing it was going to be really, really hard on her. The Shadow Warriors are a top secret group of 40 women who are combat trained and ready to be put in Special Forces units. Bay knows she is qualified for any mission she is sent on because she is trained as an 18 Delta combat medic and a Navy petty officer but she also knows the men will not accept her easily so it will be difficult. 

    When she gets to the unit, all the SEALs are against Bay except one. They are unhappy about her joining them and don’t want her there because they feel they will have to protect her and may get themselves killed while looking out for her. The team were very vocal about their feelings and let her know how they felt on the first day she got there.

    Gabe is the only one who is comfortable with Bay being with their unit. He is a Navy Seal sniper who looks rough and ready all the time, which he is but he is also sensitive, protective and compassionate. He is the only one who accepts Bay being there and is appointed her mentor in the platoon. As her mentor, he has to teach her the things she needs to know to fit in. 

    Bay is very competent woman, which was nice to see.  Not only did she complete the grueling 18 Delta combat medic training but she is well suited for the job being friendly and compassionate. Bay was raised as a Mountain Girl where she learned how to shoot squirrel with her dad and became an accomplished sniper. In no time she showed the team that she didn’t need to be looked after and they could depend on her in a firefight.

    There isn’t much that Bay can’t do. She is almost too perfect.  With Gabe mentoring Bay, they spent a lot of time together and their relationship grew.  I liked that their growing feelings balanced the difficult war scenes in this story.

    I love books about the military and Breaking Point was unique in having a woman in the front lines.  If you like military romantic suspense, you will love this book.

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  • Posted Fri Jun 13 00:00:00 EDT 2014

    From the Operation Shadow Warriors series Baylee-Ann Thorn is a

    From the Operation Shadow Warriors series
    Baylee-Ann Thorn is a Hospital Corpsman and she has been assigned to a SEAL unit. McKenna captures beautifully how hard it is for a woman to gain respect in a field that is predominantly male but doesn’t dwell on it as the story flows. The book is fast paced with lots of action, suspense and a growing romance between Gabe and Bay. The dialogs between the characters make you feel like you are among a real SEAL unit –without the constant swearing. I am ex-Navy and I got to meet a few SEALS and they form a very tight, rowdy unit, just as the guys in the book are portrayed. We get a taste of the harsh military life as we see the characters being push to their limits and are still expected to do more. I admire Gabe’s and Bay’s professionalism. I have met many men and women like them in the service which makes their characters very close to my heart.
    If you like military romance this is a book, and series, you do not want to miss.

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