Blackburn (Special Forces: Operation Alpha)

by Brynne Asher

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Blackburn by Brynne Fisher began on an exciting note, however, somewhere along the journey it lost the excitement and ended up being an average read for this reader.
This is the first book in the Special Forces Operation Alpha series. It tells the story of Gabe Blackburn and Lillian Burkette. Gabe is a tech genius, a former ranger owner and CEO of a top tech company. Lillian is a marketing rep in Gabe’s company. Gabe’s attracted to Lillian, but being his employee, he keeps her at a distance with his frosty attitude. So, when he stepped in to accompany her on a business trip to Nicaragua, because her immediate boss could not make it, she was not enthused. Then, to make matters worse, while returning from conducting business with a potential client, they got caught in an ambush.


The author delivered a story broken down in to two parts. I found the first part of the story exciting. Fraught with danger, Gabe and Lillian found themselves in a perilous situation while trying to stay alive and make their way safely back to the States. In the middle of their crisis, Lillian will learn of Gabe’s protective nature, which made her see him in a different light. Lillian may not have been a kick-ass heroine, but she proved to be strong and never allowed her fears to overwhelm her. It disappointed me to see how this aspect of the story played out. It ended abruptly and left me with questions as to the identity of the mastermind of the ambush and the primary reason for it.


The second half of the story focused on Lillian’s issues with her family upon her return to the states. I am not clear as to the reason for inclusion, as it had no connection to character’s experience in Nicaragua.


Narration
The narrators Virginia Rose and Aaron Shedlock did a great job in bringing the story to life and in portraying the voices of the characters. I would listen to them again if given the chance.


Conclusion/Recommendation
This had the potential to be a four-star or higher read, however, because of unfinished storylines and the lack of fluidity between the two plotlines it ended up being a three-star read for me. That being said, I would read more of the author’s work.