Rating: 
Summary: Evocative, powerful, and memorable -- Very highly recommende
Review: The military is Major Grayson Clark's life. His father had served in Viet Nam as his mother struggled with the challenges as the wife of career officer. Those experiences left an indelible mark on Gray, defining his goals, his fears and his needs. Consequently, Gray vows that he will never marry or have children. Even when he fell in love with Lori Rutledge, he let her walk away rather than risk the pain his family had known. A year later they are thrown together in a mission to rescue orphans from a war torn country, risking life and limb to save seventy children.The moment Lori scoops little Magda into her arms, her heart goes out to the child. Later, when Magda's adoptive parents withdraw their petition, Lori opts to adopt the child herself. That decision sweeps Gray back into her life as well, as they oscillate between the pain of the past and the demands of the present. The daughter of gypsy parents, Lori craves the stability and security of home and family, things Gray refuses to provide. Despite impossibly conflicting goals and values, however, neither Gray nor Lori seem to be able to simply walk away and stay away. Author Catherine Mann brings the reality of her own experiences as a military wife to GRAYSON'S SURRENDER. Lori's struggle with her fear for Gray's safety, her need for stability, and her longing for family encapsulate the very essence of the challenges faced by military wives. Her determination to adopt Magda cannot help but touch reader's hearts. Gray's determination to remain aloof from his emotions even as he struggles with his desire for Lori and his growing concern for Magda culminate in a poignant scene when this huge service man plays Barbie dolls with this tiny, vulnerable child. Such profound moments lend GRAYSON'S SURRENDER an endearing, evocative undertone even as Lori and Gray's wills seem to violently clash. A powerfully told tale that all readers will treasure, GRAYSON'S SURRENDER comes very highly recommended. Readers will look forward to the second Wingmen Warriors novel, TAKING COVER, to be released in November.
Rating:
Summary: A jewell
Review: When I taught English, I often found students becoming what "they read;" therefore I carefully selected literature designed to elevate their sense of possibilities and to illustrate characters (and authors) who had no inner compass or clarity. The same dynamic remains true for adults. If I remember this author's credentials correctly, her Master's Degree focused upon dramatic literature, particularly William Shakespeare. This classical education I find evident in the mental images she creates - Her characters actually "move" within the reader's mind with the vibrancy and speed of a Shakespearean drama. For readers who enjoy romantic fiction, I recommend this well constructed and fast paced book. It weaves not only a unique plot, but also leaves the reader with personal questions, "Am I in a box?" "When did I crawl into this box?" The writer offers, not just a glib romance story, but a more profound statement on what it takes to live "happily ever after." A "To be or not to be" questioning at the end, resolves quite nicely, but not without personal examination, a sacrifice of false pride, and a commitment to move forward. Alessandra
Rating:
Summary: A jewell
Review: When I taught English, I often found students becoming what "they read;" therefore I carefully selected literature designed to elevate their sense of possibilities and to illustrate characters (and authors) who had no inner compass or clarity. The same dynamic remains true for adults. If I remember this author's credentials correctly, her Master's Degree focused upon dramatic literature, particularly William Shakespeare. This classical education I find evident in the mental images she creates - Her characters actually "move" within the reader's mind with the vibrancy and speed of a Shakespearean drama. For readers who enjoy romantic fiction, I recommend this well constructed and fast paced book. It weaves not only a unique plot, but also leaves the reader with personal questions, "Am I in a box?" "When did I crawl into this box?" The writer offers, not just a glib romance story, but a more profound statement on what it takes to live "happily ever after." A "To be or not to be" questioning at the end, resolves quite nicely, but not without personal examination, a sacrifice of false pride, and a commitment to move forward. Alessandra
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