Fantastic start to the new series. Declan is a Marine who was dishonorably discharged for disobeying orders, losing the career he loved. He was wandering around DC with all his worldly possessions in his backpack and less than one hundred dollars to his name. He was a little bit depressed over his lack of prospects and too ashamed to go home under those conditions. While waiting to cross the street, Declan witnessed an attempted kidnapping, and being the type of man he is, immediately jumped into action. Declan may have been dishonorably discharged, but a lack of honor was not his problem. I was on the edge of my seat as he took on the kidnappers single-handed, then had to endure unpleasant attention from the police. Fortunately, the woman he rescued stepped in and cleared him of blame before offering him a job. Charlie was a very wealthy woman who wanted to form a group that would help those who can't be helped through regular channels. I liked the way that Charlie could see the good man at Declan's core.

Grace was a young woman trying to get her life back together after divorcing an abusive husband. She did not expect to get caught up in a kidnapping attempt and end up with the hero's backpack and no way to find him. To make matters worse, she arrived home from an aborted job interview to discover that her roommate was missing. After searching all night, Grace was stunned to see her rescuer at her rescheduled interview. Her future employer immediately assigned Declan to help Grace find out what happened to Riley.

The action is nearly nonstop, as the events of the book take place over only two or three days. Declan and Grace pull out all the stops to find Riley, but they aren't the only ones looking. There were several nerve-wracking situations as Declan and Grace searched for clues to Riley's disappearance. Declan had to call on all of his skills to keep Grace safe. The more that they uncovered, the more apparent it became that Riley was involved in something very dangerous. That involvement put Grace in the middle of a deadly hostage situation. The timely arrival of Declan's recon team and another player helped Declan even the odds. The final confrontation was intense, and I loved seeing Grace take an active role in her own rescue. While the initial mystery of Riley's disappearance was solved, there are still unanswered questions. Who was behind the attempts to steal the information that Riley was working on? What happened to the man who broke into Grace's apartment? Is there a link between the attack on Charlie and Riley's project. I also have the feeling that there was more to Declan's failed mission and discharge than he knows.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Declan and Grace. The chemistry between them was evident though both tried to ignore it at first. Declan felt unworthy of Grace because of his situation, and Grace was wary of risking her heart again. I liked Declan's protectiveness and how Grace's strength and determination drew him to her. I also liked Grace's belief in Declan's goodness, and that he'd had a good reason for what he did. The sparks between them flared hot in reaction to the danger they were in, deepening the connection they felt. I loved the way that they acknowledged the potential of what was growing between them rather than experiencing "insta-love."

I liked the introduction to the other members of Declan's team. From the small bit of the story of their failed mission, it was easy to see that they all have a great deal of respect for Declan. I loved seeing their teamwork both then and during the final confrontation. Each of them is unique and I'm looking forward to reading their stories, starting with Mac and Riley. ( )

Marine Force Recon by Elle James

First in a series. Ex-Military hero hottie steps in to abort a kidnapping on the streets of DC. It’s the start of a new career for Declan and his former team. Plus a new love interest for Declan.

Harlequin Intrigue, romantic suspense.
Non stop action. Easy, fast read. I particularly liked Grace’s fighting spirit. Although at one point I wanted to tell her to stand down and let Declan do his job!
Potential future books for his team mates? I want to know more about Charlie, the support for this new team. I get the feeling there is a lot more intrigue surrounding her we don’t know about yet. ( )