21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Promises Are Made & Kept In Shadow Force Book 2, November 23, 2010
This review is from: Promises in the Dark (Shadow Force, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)
In the second book of the Shadow Force series Stephanie Tyler returns readers to the heart of darkness--Africa, specifically Sierra Leone and the shadowy world of black ops mercenary soldiers. "Promises In The Dark" opens 6 months following the action packed conclusion of "Lie With Me". After witnessing and being powerless to prevent the violent abduction of Dr. Oliva Strohm by the terrorist organization DMH (Dead Man's Hand), Zane Scott has been haunted by her cries for help and a picture of her that he holds close. Zane's brother Dylan, who we met in "Lie With Me" has finally gathered enough intel to enable Zane to find Olivia and bring her home. Zane therefore takes leave from his duties as a Navy SEAL and travels to Sierra Leone, a place that for him holds traumatic childhood memories.
Olivia Strohm is a brilliant transplant surgeon who has been to hell and back twice in her life, once as a child and now at the hands of DMH. Olivia has cleverly escaped her captors and been on the run from village to village trying to do what she can to help people in need. She has been living by her wits and trying to reconcile what she had to do to escape her captors. She is a lost, tortured soul, and trusts no one.
Zane expected Olivia wouldn't willingly accept that he was there to rescue her and comes armed with a number of tools to nurture her trust. Olivia however, doesn't want to leave Africa she as is terrified she will not be able to assimilate when she returns home. It takes all of Zane's patience and strength of character to convince Olivia, a woman whose psyche has been damaged nearly beyond repair. There were occasions while reading this story that I along with Zane nearly gave up on her.
Back in the US, Zane's brother, Delta Force operative Caleb Scott and his team have received intel indicating software developed by computer genius Vivienne Clare's father has come into the hands of DMH. The software has the potential to cause catastrophic events at home and abroad if used by the terrorists. Caleb therefore follows orders and brings Vivienne in for interrogation, and while it seems she has no knowledge of DMH or that they have come into possession of the software evidence suggests otherwise. Vivi isn't at all what Caleb expected and despite being involved in a dangerous mission with DMH breathing down their necks he is sexually attracted to her and she to him.
Readers are also introduced to the enigmatic Dr. J., a missionary with military background who runs a number of clinics throughout the country offering health care to the people in the surrounding villages. Additionally, he recruits mercenary soldiers who are sent to defend the clinics from any number of threats. Dr. J's right hand man is Tristan, a former Army Ranger with a traumatic history related to his youth and discharge from the service. Tristan is tough, lethal and sexy as hell. While he has not formerly attached himself to anyone or anything, Dr. J has earned his allegiance and Tristan has established relationships with the people in the neighboring villages. Enter Rowan, newly discharged from the Army where she served as a medic in Iraq. Rowan is a widow having lost her husband years earlier under the most horrific of circumstances. These two people can only be described as part of humanity's walking wounded, they act on an instantaneous attraction and find love under the worst, most dangerous of circumstances.
Ms. Tyler therefore wrote two romantic subplots into the narrative of this story which intersect with the main plot making for a tale that is suspenseful, frightening, sensual and action packed. The personal stories that are crafted for all three couples are bittersweet and at the same time beautiful. I experienced a number of emotions while reading "Promises In The Dark", fear, anguish, I cried, I smiled, but at the end of the day I was relieved. I wasn't sure until the closing pages whether Zane and Olivia were going to survive. I mentioned in my review of "Lie With Me" that I loved Zane from the first paragraph he was introduced in that novel, that feeling hasn't changed, in fact it intensified. IMHO "Promises In The Dark" is an extraordinary story.
If you enjoy an emotional, fast paced, sensual and dark romantic military suspense, you may like to give "Promises In The Dark" a try. I think this book could be read in isolation because Ms. Tyler does give enough background information for readers to be able to follow along without reading "Lie With Me". However, as with most series I think if you read "Lie With Me" first it would enrich your enjoyment of this story.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic!!, December 7, 2010
The second installment of Stephanie Tyler's Shadow Force books is fantastic. This one picks up much faster than the first book. Olivia and Zane story was just as good as fore shadowed in the first book.
The addition of Tristan and Rowen was unexpected and at first felt like a weird intruption but it soon developed into a hot well developed second story. If I had one complaint it is about Vivi and Caleb I think they should of had there own book. Their story was great although the tie in to the main story of Oliva and Zane was tenous at best. I know they are brothers but all he did was talk to his other brother Gabe on the phone about Zane. Vivi and Caleb story was really good and felt kind wasted in this book and left with a very unsatsfying conclusion leaving me to hope that they will be a main part of the next book although they arn't mentioned in the sneek peek at the end.
I love the small tie in to the Hard to Hold series. I don't partically remember Zane even as a background Character but I like that this series isn't in a vaccum.
I gave it 5 stars because 4 1/2 wasn't available. 1/2 point off for the Vivi and Caleb being a story on it's own and seperate from the main story, Gabe and Reilly supporting roles were to small, and Cam and Sky from "Promise in the Dark" did not even make and appearence. Stephanie Tyler is a really good author I have enjoyed this one as well as all her others. I am really looking foward to the next one!!!!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
strong suspense thriller, November 27, 2010
This review is from: Promises in the Dark (Shadow Force, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)
The Dead Man's Hand (DMH) terrorist cell kidnapped Dr. Olivia Strohm to teach a lesson to those who defy them; the doctor blew up one of their illegal organ transplant facilities. They tortured her and pumped drugs into her in order to keep her under their control while warning away other opponents. However, they failed to anticipate her inner strength as she escapes from captivity.
Olivia goes cold turkey by herself to rid the drugs from her system while hiding and surviving in the bush near Kambia, Sierra Leone for three months. Part of a failed SEAL rescue mission and having heard her screams while Olivia was held prisoner by DMH; Zane Scott takes leave from the Navy to search for her in order to bring her home to the States. However when he finds her she shocks him with a frying pan and when she hesitates about going home. Before he can learn why, DMH psychopaths are gunning for them. On the run, Zane knows the only way to keep Olivia safe is to destroy DMH.
The second Shadow Force suspense thriller (see Lie With Me) is an action-packed tale with a strong romantic element as the would-be rescuer is half in love with the good doctor even before they have met in person. The story line is fast-paced from the moment Olivia beams Zane in the head with the frying pan and never slows until a final hypothermic confrontation with DMH. With the wonderful African locale, Stephanie Tyler has served back to back aces while also setting up the next entry.
Harriet Klausner
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