Not too long ago I reviewed ML Buchman’s THE NIGHT IS MINE, the
first book in a four-book series (because there’re four seats on a Black Hawk
helicopter) featuring “women pilots who fly for the
immensely secretive, real-life U.S. Army SOAR.” I loved it and eagerly
anticipated book two in the series.
Book two, I OWN THE DAWN, revisits the sunbaked,
forward SOAR operations in Pakistan and doesn’t disappoint. I may actually like
it even better than book one. Sergeant Kee Smith is an immensely flawed and
very human character. A volatile firecracker always on the verge of explosion,
she is wonderfully offset by cool and collected First Lieutenant Archie Jeffrey
Stevenson who can’t believe his luck when Kee strolls into camp.
At first, their relationship is a turbulent, hot,
hotter mess, but they navigate it like they navigated everything else in their
lives: with 100% “Night Stalkers Never Quit” commitment.
I love Buchman’s warrior women. He has an undeniable
way with them; they’re tough, capable, oh so deadly, and yet completely female
(not feminine so much). His men are often exasperated by their chosen mates, a
very endearing trait that robs them of none of their masculinity.
Fair warning: I OWN THE DAWN is a military romance
set in the world of a forward deployed group of elite fighters, but there’s
nothing romantic about the setting of war. People die. Lives are in constant
danger. Love is a luxury. I loved all the technical, military details that
dealt with SOAR, the helicopters and Kee’s job as a gunner, but if you’re not a
closeted military enthusiast, the technical aspects of the novel could become a
tad bit overbearing.
If you enjoyed book one, you’ll love book two. If
you’re hesitant to jump into a new series, don’t worry about needing to know
previous events; I OWN THE DAWN can be thoroughly enjoyed as a stand-alone.
A
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