Dangerous Prey (Hqn Romance) [Mass Market Paperback]

Lindsay McKenna (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2008 | Series: Hqn Romance

Expert pilot Kelly Trayhern thrives on risk—and nothing's more exciting than fighting fires, dropping water from her helicopter onto the blazes below. But on one especially perilous mission, the furious flames change her life in a way she never expected.…

Raptor rehabilitator Sky McCoy had his own dreams of flying, dreams that were brutally crushed when he was a teenager, and only the quick actions of fearless Kelly Trayhern saved his life. He had to leave her then, but he's never forgotten her—and when she needs him most, nothing will keep him away.

Now the mysterious Native American is determined to heal Kelly's spirit as he heals his birds of prey. But can he save her life despite the evil threat he knows is looming, waiting to destroy everything he loves?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Just when it seemed that her life was manageable, Kelly Trayhern, forest fire–fighting helicopter pilot and former Marine pilot in Afghanistan, is involved in a crash that kills her passengers and leaves her with a shattered leg and another bout of deep depression. Refusing all therapy, Kelly soon is a mere shadow of her former self. Her desperate mother asks longtime friend Sky McCoy for help. Sky was painfully shy, and Kelly stuck up for him when he was harassed for being Native American. One bully even killed Sky’s parents. Sky now runs a raptor rescue operation in Montana while living under the radar and preparing for the day his parents’ killer is released from jail. Sky doesn’t want to put Kelly in harm’s way, but she responds so positively to the birds, just as he responds to her. As the dreaded confrontation with the killer looms, readers will ache and cheer for this broken couple made whole once again. --Maria Hatton

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 374 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books (December 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373773218
• ISBN-13: 978-0373773213
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,370,080 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

That Gemini energy got the best of me in this life time! The best place to introduce the multi-facets of my varied life is through my blog: www.talesfromechocanyon.blogspot.com. There, you will me me, the author as I pen writing journal info for aspiring writers, the gardener who loves roses, Iris, Day lilies and anything else that blooms, the medical astrologer, the person who came from Eastern Cherokee metis background via my father, the horse lover, the Earth lover and the mystic.

I was raised in a metaphysical household. The strange was normal. My father, being the metaphysician he was, would often talk of ghosts coming through the house, who they were, what they said, and so on. I know this probably sounds pretty out of this world--but that was my world growing up. My father's Cherokee blood runs strong in me in many ways. He used to tell us stories all the time and I'm sure this rubbed off on me and fueled my desire to write, which started at age 13. My mother used to read us stories when he didn't tell us a story. I believe that reading being prominent in our household all conspired to help me be a storyteller when I grew up!

I went into the US Navy when I was eighteen years old. I became a meteorologist because I loved Father Sky and the cloud beings. Before I went into the military, I got my student pilot's license. I soloed at age sixteen in twelve hours time. I earned my money picking night crawlers every night in our orchard and selling them by the hundreds of dozens to local sporting goods stores in the area. By the time I went into the Navy at eighteen, I had forty hours of flight time logged. And because of my military background, I created the sub-genre of Military Romance in the romance publishing Industry in 1983 with Captive of Fate (Silhouette Special Edition). I write what I know and I honor and respect all men and women who either served or are serving our country. They are all heroes and heroines in my eyes.

I was a fencer (I met my husband, David, in fencing--we crossed swords and it was love at first parry...) for many years. Being part of the East Coast fencing salles, I was one of the few women to take on epee and saber--and fight the guys on the copper strip--and win. The women who refused to just use a foil to fence with, opened up a whole new era for women after us to fence all three weapons. Men said the epee and saber were 'too heavy' for us girls--but we showed them differently! Now, in the Olympics, women are allowed to fence in more than just foil. That makes me proud of our burgeoning efforts so long ago. Women can do anything!

I was one of the first women firefighters in Ohio back in 1983. I routinely rolled on 400 of the 600 fire calls a year we had, and knew how to drive the pumper, the tanker and do any job a volunteer firefighter has to do. I also took training in hazardous materials down at the Reynoldsburg Fire Academy in Columbus, Ohio.

My life has been one of breaking through stereotypes, breaking down doors closed to women and showing that women are smart, strong, and capable. As a Native American raised woman, I came from a matriarchal background--not a patriarchal one as most women come from. And because of that, my books show strong, smart women who are equal to any man. I like showing the world that women are equals. We don't need to say one gender is better than the other. Rather, we need to realize, honor and use everyone's best skills and talents to make this world a better place to live. I feel like I've lived about five lives packed into one and all of this adventure and experience is reflected in the books I write.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Vague communication, inaccurate assumptions, too much pondering, and characters being stupid/careless for the sake of the plot., February 19, 2009

By 

Jane (Chicago, IL, United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dangerous Prey (Hqn Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

STORY BRIEF:
Kelly was a Marine helicopter pilot flying in Afghanistan. She was shot down and suffers post traumatic stress issues. She had to leave the marines due to some nerve damage in her hand. She then flew helicopters with water tanks fighting fires in Arizona. During a fire fight the winds caused her helicopter to crash. The crash caused permanent leg damage and severe depression because the two passengers with her died. Kelly has no will to live. Her mother asks Sky to spend time with Kelly, hoping he will bring her out of her depression. Sky was her best friend in childhood. Sky rehabilitates wounded raptors (owls, hawks and falcons) and then sets them free. Kelly loves seeing the raptors and starts helping Sky work with them. Being with Sky and the raptors gives her the will to live, and she regains her health. Meanwhile Sky has an enemy Billy Jo who plans to kill Sky. Billy Jo is in jail because he previously killed Sky's parents, but he will be released within the year. Sky is reluctant to have Kelly around because he fears Billy Jo will hurt Kelly or anyone else close to him.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
The best part of the book was learning about the raptors. The rest of the story did not work for me. Through much of the story Sky and Kelly deny their attraction to each other. Sky won't tell Kelly about the Billy Jo threat, so she believes he doesn't like her or want her around. These conflicts are due to vague communication and inaccurate assumptions which are not a favorite for me and are overused in romance novels. There was also too much pondering and too many repetitive thoughts by Sky and Kelly about wanting to be with each other and why they couldn't. Some of the dialogue felt dated - 80's style writing. I also didn't care for the characters doing some stupid things for the sake of the plot which are described in Spoilers below.

DATA:
Story length: 366 pages. Swearing language: moderate. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: one, 5 pages long. Setting: current day Montana and Arizona. Copyright: 2008. Genre: romantic suspense.

CAUTION SPOILERS:
As Sky was preparing for Billy Jo's release from jail, he installed security equipment around his home. Morgan (Kelly's father) said that as soon as Billy Jo was released he would arrange for security personnel to guard Sky's home. But this never happened. When Billy Jo got out of jail Morgan never provided any security guards. This left Sky unprotected, and Billy Jo easily attacked him. I don't understand why Sky stayed there alone. This was doing something stupid for the sake of the plot.

One thing I did like was how Kelly escaped when she was kidnapped. But I did not like the carelessness of Kelly and Sky after Kelly escaped. They let their guard down. The enemy was still out there. They should have continued being on alert, but they didn't. Instead, the kidnapper walked in on them with a gun, again.

Another carelessness bothered me. Earlier in the story, Sky was in hiding so Billy Jo couldn't find him. Kelly wanted to talk to community groups about the work he was doing with raptors. Sky didn't want her to, but Kelly insisted, so Sky agreed as long as she kept his name a secret. What does she do? At her very first talk, she tells them Sky's name. Billy Jo's mother is in the audience. Of course, she tells her son where Sky is. Kelly apologizes to Sky saying it accidentally slipped out.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very engaging story, July 14, 2009

By 

Helena James (Phila, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dangerous Prey (Hqn Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

I couldn't believe that this book didn't get great reviews. I found the characters and the story to be very engaging. I learned so much about the rehabilitation of birds and I liked the characters very much. Although it was a bit repetitive at times. Ithought it was a nice read.

2.0 out of 5 stars Too Much Inner Anguish and Too Drawn Out, January 28, 2012

By 

Bukcrz (MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dangerous Prey (Hqn Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have to say that I was hooked even before the first chapter ended and I was already emotionaly invested (crying my heart out for the heroine) that by the time first chapter ended I was rooting for Kelly's HEA. I thought she deserved one after what she has been through and was settling down getting comfortable for a long enjoyable read.
WRONG.
After chapter one, the whole story went down hill. Both main character's has their own personal demon to contend with and that's good but to have those anguish repeated more than once every chapter ruins the story. I am shouting "I get it already, give me something new!" by chapter five. The anguish pondering went on and on for more than half the book before something new happens. But what do you know, the same problems carry on - hidden desires and all.
*Sigh* I picked up more books from this author because when I read her latest, "The Last Cowboy", I loved it. Now I am wondering if I should pick up this other book I have of the author laying around.
I love the tidbits about raptors though, they are very informative.