Aces Wild (Elite Ops, #1)

by Emmy Curtis

• ISBN10: 1478947918
• ISBN13: 9781478947912
• Publish Date: 30 April 2017
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Forever Yours
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 240
• Language: English

Reviews

[Lynn]

My first Emmy Curtis novel doesn't disappoint in this fast paced romance.

RAF pilot Dexter 'Dex' Stone is in Las Vegas to take part in the Red Flag training exercise, a collaboration between air forces from NATO countries and other allied forces. It's a chance for him to prove he still has the skills that made him one of the best military pilots...or determine whether he still has a career in the RAF.

Major Eleanor Daniels has earned every single career accolade, but as the daughter of General Daniels, she constantly having to prove her worth as a top air force pilot. When she overhears a conversation her father has, it puts Eleanor on high alert with suspicions about the training exercise she's taking part in.

The timeline for the narrative is short, so the action comes fast and furious. The attraction between Dex and Eleanor is instant, neither not knowing who they are flirting with. In the adrenaline fuelled backdrop of Nellis Air Force Base it becomes apparent they are opponents in the training exercise but that doesn't deter the pair. When Eleanor becomes a target, Dex comes to her rescue, throwing them both into a life threatening situations.

The banter between the protagonists is playful and sexy. Whilst recurring talks of a beach wedding sound crazy between two people who have just met, it fits the mindset of people involved in dangerous careers...living in the moment. It's tongue-in-cheek and not serious but offers Dex and Eleanor a light, happy thought to hang onto as they fly in the Las Vegas desert. 
"Then maybe we need to go back to discussing our beach wedding?"

The author has written a suspenseful military romance which kept my attention for the duration of the novel. With an intriguing storyline, engaging protagonists and a fascinating cast of secondary characters I loved the contrast between the glamour of Las Vegas and the surrounding desert. I was instantly drawn into this book from the very beginning and look forward to reading more from Ms Curtis soon.

4.5 stars

***arc generously received courtesy of Forever Publisher via NetGalley***

[EBookObsessed]

4 1/2 stars.

This is one of those books where I just wanted more. There was a lot going on in this book but the best part is the chemistry between Dexter and Eleanor. As with most first books, there was so much set up and other things going on, by the time everything really started going, the story was over.

I really enjoyed Dex and Eleanor. This is the first book of the series and I wish it was a continuing series of Dex and Eleanor but I fear they were just the first couple in the bunch. If that is so, there really wasn't enough put in to excite our interest in secondary characters for the next books, but again, there was so much going on that to really focus on other characters would have given us even less time with Dex and Eleanor.

Neither of the main characters have time for romance since they have both arrived at the Red Flag training (which is actually a real thing) to boost their careers. They both need to outshine all of the other pilots and don't realize right away that they are fighting on opposite teams. Dex recently crashed his aircraft and has to prove it wasn't pilot error and Eleanor is trying to get out of the shadow of her 3-Star General father.

This year's Red Flag almost didn't happen due to budget problems, until a private contractor known as TechGen-One steps in generously offering to foot the bill. But this seem out of sort when this sponsor seems to be taking over the military base and locking pilots out of their hangers.

While waiting to speak to her father about the problem at the hanger, Eleanor overhears a conversation which she shouldn't and now certain parties are concerned if she can be trusted or is she now a problem which needs to be eliminated. They send the goon squad after Eleanor which simply leads her further into the arms of Dexter.

I enjoyed this story a lot and simply wanted more of it. I wanted more Eleanor and Dex. I wanted more combat missions. I wanted more information about what Eleanor stumbled into. If anything, I have unanswered questions which will probably be part of further books. I could happily stick with Eleanor and Dex as the main focus of this series while all the secrets are dragged to the surface.

[Cocktails and Books]

I enjoy a good military romance and this one definitely had the workings to be something great, but I found myself bored with it at times. Dex and Eleanor were great, it was the situation they were in. I needed to know who was behind what happened to them and why. They spent quality time in the Vegas desert because of a civilian contractor and some shady government types, so why didn't we need to know why it happened and exactly who was behind it?

The romance between these two moved very fast. One day they met and we jumped to proposals about perfect places to get married. I get when emotions run high that things could move fast, but I wanted a little more realism to their relationship.