Dangerous Territory by Emmy Curtis (Alpha Ops #.5)
Released: August 5, 2014
Military Romance
Forever

Reviewed by Mandi

Flirting with danger is reporter Grace Grainger’s modus operandi. But she’s learned the hard way not to grow attached to the soldiers she’s embedded with in Afghanistan. To escape from her pain and loneliness, she fantasizes about the hot night she spent with a gorgeous stranger three years before in D.C. Grace never thought she’d see him again—let alone need him to rescue her . . .

Air Force Master Sergeant Josh Travers knows journalists are nothing but trouble. So when he has to risk his team’s lives to save some reporter who’s been separated from her patrol, he’s not happy—until he recognizes her stunning eyes and delicious curves. Josh has never wanted a woman like he wants Grace. He needs her—even in an Afghan cave with a sandstorm and enemy troops closing in. This might be the end for both of them—or one hell of a beginning.

The blurb sets up this story well – basically Grace and Josh have an anonymous one night stand, and then three years later, when Josh, a pararescue, jumps out of a helicopter to help his fellow soldiers in trouble in Afghanistan, he ends up trapped in a cave with Grace. They didn’t know the other was in the military or even in Afghanistan, so it’s quite a shock. Josh is angry at Grace for making him risk his life for a mere reporter. Grace is feeling lost as she has no family, and no goals for the future.

This being a novella, it’s a pretty short read. I really enjoy military romance as it can add so much excitement. This novella includes a good amount of military action. A helicopter rescue, hiding in a cave – the danger felt pretty real. The romance though lacked a bit in this one. The very first sex scene during the one night stand could have been a little more – dirty. Later, when they meet in the cave and realize who the other is, they end up having sex almost right away. I find it hard to believe in a rescue situation, hiding in a cave from the bad guys who have been walking around, to just take your clothes off and have sex. I think to find this believable in a romance book, the sexual tension has to be out of control. It has to be so ramped up that as a reader, I can think of them doing nothing else than a quicky in a cave. I didn’t feel that here. Instead, Josh goes from being resentful to having to rescue Grace, to…naked and having sex. (I stopped myself from putting in a Naked and Afraid joke).

He even feels guilt later:

He felt a little relieved that somewhere here was a phone or a radio, but still, his heart beat fast with the sure knowledge that none of his team would have slept last night, and every second he was out of contact, they were probably risking their lives looking for him.

They could have been out there being shot at while he was having sex.

Exactly Josh.

I needed more sexual tension and chemistry in this one. I liked the military action though so I’ll try the first full length out this October.

Rating: C+

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