Ronie Kendig's Nightshade ~ Reviewed

Nightshade (Discarded Heroes)
Ronie Kendig
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books; Discarded Heroes edition (July 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 160260777X

Book Description:

Max Jacobs is ready to end it all. His stint as a SEAL is over. So is his marriage. All thanks to his out-of-control anger. Then an invitation comes to join a black ops team called Nightshade. War changed him. War calls to him.

With nothing to lose, Max signs on. A failed marriage isn’t all her husband left Sydney Jacobs—he left her with an unplanned pregnancy. Heartbroken, she buries herself in her journalism career. Soon, she’s chasing an ultra-secret paramilitary group around the globe.

In the deadly jungle they battle for their marriage - and their lives!

To read the first chapter click here.

Review:

Make room Dee Henderson, tip your hat Chuck Holton, Ronie Kendig has well and truly arrived and stamped her authority in the suspense genre! There are writers who excel at characterization, others pace their stories to perfection while some can write a love story that touches the soul yet rarely have I seen those talents combined...until now! Just like the Hayabusa motorbike Max Jacobs rides, Nightshade is a powerful and electrifying read, accelerating through danger at breakneck speed and stirring deep emotion as Max and Sydney watch their marriage disintegrate and danger come to their door. Ronie's ability to capture the male perspective is mind blowing as Max struggles to assimilate after his tours of duty in Afghanistan, finding safety and acceptance only in returning to high risk black ops missions. Men and women alike will find themselves captivated by Ronie's exceptional talent and I can confidently say Nightshade is a book you will be unable to put down. The sequel, Digitalis, simply can't come soon enough for me!

Reviewed by:Rel Mollet


BONUS REVIEW:

As my friends Renee and Rel both said, Digitalis, the next book in the Discarded Heroes series cannot come soon enough and I fully and wholeheartedly agree. Nightshade is intense and real. Mixing up a team of veteran special ops from various divisions with a endangered marriage, a PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) SEAL in denial and anger, a wife reporter bent on discovering the black ops team with a group of missionaries in danger of Muslim terrorists and my goodness do not expect any sleep while reading this book. The pages have to go fast and as a reader you’ll negotiate that it is worth a few less hours of sleep to find out what happens next.

There were so many different elements to this book that make it enjoyable that I do not even know how to begin to touch on them. Ronie Kendig is an awesome new author and I hope and pray that there will be much more to come from her in the days to come. Nightshade is entertaining and suspenseful. The romance is realistic and heart changing. This is a great book for someone from any spectrum. There is entertainment for all here. Highly recommended! More please. *wink*

Reviewed by: Margaret Chind

BONUS REVIEW:

Nightshade is an elite commando unit who perform black op missions. Each man was handpicked for their experience. I’m so thankful for the review copy of this novel. This story reminded me of the “A–team”, with its larger-than-life characters, who individually bring something special and unique to the group. They aren’t always a happy family, but 'when the chips are down', they get along to accomplish the mission.

Max, “Frogman”, a former U.S. Navy Seal, Colton, “Cowboy”, former U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations, Griffin, “Legend”, former U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations, Marshall, “The Kid”, a former U.S. Army Ranger, Oscar, “Fix”, former U.S. Air Force Pararescue, and General Olin, “The Old Man”, Army Chief, all of these men are in this special undercover unit.

The General confronts these men,” You spent time in Afghanistan…You’ve all been trained to kill; then you come back, and what do you do with those skills, but go out of your mind...we’re here to establish a team that can penetrate hostile situations without any entanglements, without any blame on the good ol’ US-of-A…You are the best, a natural…that’s why you are here."

I loved the interplay between the men in this military elite commandos unit. I learned about the real struggle war veterans have with postwar disorders. These former military men could relate to each other's nightmares, no explanation needed. I also enjoyed the believable spiritual struggle of Max and Sydney. Ronie doesn’t sugar coat anything and I liked that.

I found myself checking the back of the book to read Ronie’s bio. Was this author really a woman? If so, how could she write about all these macho men and war stuff? This author does an amazing job of creating believable, flawed and broken characters, who function at their best together in this commando unit doing extraordinary life saving missions. I was astounded that a woman could write such a believable action packed adventure with these macho men—it was done so smoothly. Ronie is an "army brat" and is married to an Army Veteran, it says on the back of the book. Ok, this explains a lot.

This is the first book in the “Discarded Hero’s” series. The main focus of this book is on Max and his news reporter wife, Sydney. My guess is that each book will highlight one or two of these men and their personal lives, and how they deal with the missions. Digitalis is the next book to be released. I can’t wait to read where their missions take them next. Just like the “A” team, I’m sure they’ll be facing incredible circumstances in each book. I can’t wait to join them in their next adventure..

Reviewed by: Nora St. Laurent

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