Renegade (A Dark Ops Novel)

Renegade by Catherine Mann is another gripping Dark Ops Novel. Tech Sergeant Mason "Smooth" Randolph liked living on the edge. He enjoyed his job in the test squadron of the Air Force. One Mission over the desert goes terrible wrong and Mason is sent flying out into the night sky. His rescue comes in the form of one sexy security cop, Jill Walczak. Jill Walczak took her job as a security cop in Nevada's Area 51 very seriously. She is also trying to hunt down a serial killer that killed a good friend. Jill won't stop until this person is behind bars. While on a late night patrol Mason literally falls into her lap. A toxic fallout has them in quarantine. Jill knew Mason by reputation and was worried that being in close quarters would make her fall under his spell. Jill and Mason are drawn into a web of danger by someone who is keeping a watchful eye on them both. As the danger increases Jill and Mason feelings for each other go off the chart. Can their new found love grow with a killer on the loose? Renegade is a gripping story of those exceptional people that protect our country. Catherine Mann writes military romance like no other. The Military parts of the book flow right into the heartfelt feelings of the characters. Her books are tops on my list of books to buy.

Another good one from Catherine Mann. Third in the series about a group of black ops test pilots. The plot was clear. The writing well done. The dialog realistic. The feel of the characters was real, although Mason let go of the smooth operator persona a little soon maybe? I can't quite put my finger on what I felt about him. Maybe he just needed a few more pages to round him out. Liked Jill and how strong she was. But she maybe needed a few more pages to round her out also. A good solid secondary plot with the Lt Colonel. Really like that guy and hope he has his own book. The bad guy was a bit too good but was a genious and since I don't know many, maybe the skills shown are feasible. Hey it's fiction so I'm okay with it. Liked the interaction with the whole crew. The comradary among men is one of the reasons I like these kinds of books. Lots going on in this book. Plenty of flying details. It's always good when the premise of a story is used in the book. In this case that they are top secret test pilots. Plenty of words for your money. The only thing that kept it from 5 stars is that it seemed that the actual romance between the hero and heroine was shorted just a tad. Can't wait for the next one.

Renegade is now one of my favorite Catherine Mann titles. I was hooked from the excerpt in the previous book (Hotshot - which I liked ok but did not love). The excitement from the excerpt continued throughout the story. I liked that the heroine, Jill, was willing to revise her initial impression of the hero, Smooth, after witnessing him in person, rather than chronically falling back on rumor and gossip. In doing so, she proved to be a grownup in that she assessed him against her priorities, not someone else's. I liked that the hero was appreciative of Jill's strength and that he loved the family he chose. I liked their banter and I thought the mystery and bad-guy elements were well done. While I did guess the ID of the rotten apple, I kept second guessing it until late in the book so there was still suspense around it. I liked that the secondary romantic characters weren't traditional. How touching for a guy to wear ugly glasses because they amused his wife? I also appreciate the fact that she did not harm any dogs. So while there was suspense and tension, there was no horror. Of this trilogy, Renegade is my favorite (5) and then Defender (4) and then hotshot (3). But go ahead and read all three in order. I've actually read Renegade twice. Definitely worth the slot on my keeper shelf in my tiny condo.

RENEGADE brings us back into the exciting world of Catherine Mann's Dark Ops heroes and heroines - a courageous bunch, especially one particularly hot hero. Security Investigator Jill Walczak's patrolling Area 51 where a serial killer is trying to connect deaths in the Air Force to alien rumors. Sergeant Mason "Smooth" Randolph at the Tonopah flies a jet at Mach 6 speed, but runs into serious trouble when his last cargo drop malfunctions, forcing him to parachute into the desert...where Jill arrests him. A simple bail out from his jet and a routine arrest for Jill turns out like neither of them expects, exposing them to lethal toxins and putting a serial killer on their trail. Catherine Mann has once again blended high action in the emotionally engaging RENEGADE with a fresh and exciting plot.

When you read a Catherine Mann suspense book you can be sure you will get non stop action, nail biting suspense and heart stopping romance. Renegade is the third book in her Dark Ops series following Defender and Hotshot, and it doesn't disappoint. This book has a great heroine and hero but it also features some great secondary characters. I loved the dedication and camaraderie between the men and woman in Mason's unit. Their actions are a sure sign of their loyalty to each other and their country. Jill's dedication and commitment to her job is an indication of how much she admires her "Uncle Phil" and what a positive influence he has been in her life. I found myself totally involved in the storyline, and the dialogue was perfect - informative, interesting and even comical at times. Jill and Mason's relationship was paramount in this book and the author weaved in the compelling suspense with the romance effortlessly. The love scenes were perfect, sensual and drawn out but also fast and furious when necessary. This author has become an auto-buy for me because I'm never disappointed in the smooth writing style and there is always a great plot and fantastic characters to go with a great romance. It was fun to revisit characters from the previous Dark Ops books and I certainly look forward to the next book in this series. - Lisa Freeman