Wednesday, July 18, 2007

On Target by Catherine Mann


Book description:

On his way to deliver divorce papers to his soon-to-be ex, a terrorist attack put U.S. Air Force Sergeant Shane 'Vegas' O'Riley back into soldier mode. His wife and her two adopted children were in danger. He didn't give a damn if she wanted him out of their lives—they were under his full-time protection now.

Being back with her husband had Sherry in upheaval. She still wanted Shane. Yet she was afraid obligation was the only reason he was sticking close. With a terrorist targeting their lives, Shane was all she had to hold on to. Danger lurked close to home. But it was a marriage that had to survive the ultimate battle.

This is the 3rd book in Mann's Special Forces series. It's not as good as the first two books.

Shane O'Riley is hawtness. He's also a true patriot. A major league baseball player, Shane was making the big bucks when 9/11 happened. He immediately quit and joined the Air Force. When he met Sherry during leave, they were married within two months. They fell in lurve. To Shane, the fact that Sherry had two young daughters was just a bonus. Instant family. Too bad that he expected her to just be content waiting stateside for him while he was on assignment. Yeah, she didn't like that.

Sherry grew up being taken from country to country by her humanitarian parents. When they did return to the US of A, she never fit in. Culture in the poverty ridden countries she was raised in was far from the culture in the States. So what does she do when she's a parent? She takes her two adopted daughters from country to country where she helps villages and teaches children. Oh, but she makes sure her girls know who Dora the Explorer are and what a DVD player is. So that makes it okay.

Shane is on his way to meet Sherry w/ the divorce papers when his team is ordered to intercept a terrorist boat. They all almost die, but make it to the base. I still haven't figured out how Shane arranged to have his whole crew go to the same island that Sherry was on. I must have missed that part.

Of course Shane and Sherry are fighting this burning lust they have for each other. They're both trying to be adults and not jump right into the sack. They know it wouldn't be good for their girls to give them false hope. Smart parenting right there. Too bad they didn't stick to the plan.

After two kidnap attempts on their oldest daughter and their youngest daughter getting sick with an illness that is unexplained, Sherry is on edge. Nothing like a little hot sex to take the edge off. Of course that makes things much harder on both of them b/c they start questioning their marriage again and if they can make it work and all that crap. The thing is, they've gone through two trial separations (which how hard is that when they're never together?) and been in a marriage counseling. So they both think that they've reached the end of their marriage rope.

So to wrap it up, the terrorists that were operating on the island were working on a chemical weapon. Shane and Sherry's daughters (Cara and Mally) went exploring and were exposed to the chemical. Mally got sick when they got back, but Cara didn't. In fact, according to the terrorists (and you can always trust them), Cara should have died. So they want her b/c they can figure out an antidote to give their own men.

Problems: Sherry. What a whiny little bitch. Seriously. This book was intended to show what military marriages go through. I'm not a military wife, but I'm a military sister. If you marry a man that is already enlisted you have to expect that they're going to be gone. I mean, come ON. Instead of remaining in the country and waiting for Shane to come home, Sherry takes the girls and jets off to God knows where following in the vicious cycle that she was in as a child. It was annoying. On top of that, she continually admitted to herself that Shane wasn't the only one at fault with the failure of their marriage. But does she admit that to Shane? No. It was childish and stupid.

Shane was really hot, though. So he made up for some of it. So did the secondary characters. The 1st too books are really good and I highly recommend them (if you can find them).

3 out of 5 stars.

4 comments:

Rosie said...

I'm a sucker for Spec Forces books. So I'm glad I saw this review. I think I'll try to find the first two at the UBS. Lori Foster is hit and miss for me, but when I do like the books I really like 'em. I was 'meh' about Causing Havoc but bought SIMON SAYS just in case. You know just in case I decide I desperately need to read it. :)

Lori said...

Actually, this is a series of about... oh, 8? 9? They started out as SIMs and then she moved into HQN single titles with the last two. The SIMs are fan-fricken-tastic! I love Cathy's books. She's awesome. And a really nice person, too. Rosie, I think I still have the HQNs - send me your addres, and I'll mail them to you, since I won't see you this weekend. *sob*

Casee said...

Rosie,

That's how Lori Foster is for me, too. I think she's really evolved. Remember the beginning of the Winston series?

But definitely try the Mann books if you can find them. The first one is soooo good.

Lori,

I was confused b/c for a second I thought you were talking about Lori Foster. LOL. I've read a few of the SIM's, but I can't find all of them. Which bums me out.

reviewer said...

I hated Sherry. She ruined the book for me.