I read a spectacular book this last week called Battle Charged by Hannah Hood Lucero. Man, it was such a good story. I don’t think my review even begins to do it justice.
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Battle Charged: A Military Romantic Suspense
Author: Hannah Hood Lucero
Genre: Romance, Military, Romantic Suspense
Spice Level: Maybe a 2. Kissing, but more flirty tension.
As a professional bodybuilder, Gatlin Baker knows fitness. And as a survivor of a chronic diagnosis and a broken family, he’s no stranger to overcoming insurmountable odds. Yet no one has ever mystified him more than the laser-focused young woman who comes to his gym at five o’clock every morning to complete a flawless routine.
Something other than a training goal is motivating the army medic he secretly nicknames “Athena.” Gatlin wants to figure it out, but her story is far darker and more complicated than he ever imagined.
Randee Carter’s whole world came crashing down in one week’s time. Now she’s threatened with the loss of her career, while ghosts of the past keep haunting her at every turn. Betrayed by those closest to her and plagued with guilt and grief, whom can she trust, and how will she ever find answers to move forward in her life?
As Gatlin and Randee draw together in a blossoming romance, dark forces close in, threatening to rip them apart. Will the truths kept silent too long be revealed before it’s too late?
Find it on Goodreads and Amazon.
My Thoughts on Battle Charged by Hannah Hood Lucero
Ah, this story. This story. When I say I was hooked, I mean it. I didn’t want to put Battle Charged down. It is easily one of the best books I’ve read in the past ten years, or ya know ever.
The setting (Colorado Springs) was perfectly described. As someone who’s lived there and has been to Fort Carson, I felt like I was walking back through memories with a new set of friends. And Hannah Hood Lucero was definitely right, Rudy’s is the best BBQ in Colorado Springs.
These characters were bar none. Loved them and their banter. Hannah Hood Lucero did an amazing job building them out, their backstories, their relationship, the struggles, and tying in a very interesting mystery with lots of twists and turns. Battle Charged certainly fits Randee, who is strong (think a strength on the battlefield), fierce, and yet still lets people (Gatlin) treat her as a lady; a great combination that isn’t often shown in stories. I wish she were real, as I could see us being great friends.
Gatlin was epic. IF I were to ever have a book boyfriend, it’d be someone like him; sorry, Gilbert Blythe. But this man has a gentle spirit, prays with her, and is always encouraging her to be the best version of herself. A total green flag man if there ever was one.
Man, this was good (Can I say that again?)
The plot was intriguing, and kept me well and truly hooked. Love the action, the military intrigue, and the sub characters that I absolutely must have stories for now.
Favorite quote:
“Perfection is self-defeating, in my opinion. The things worth having … they take the most work. If we never struggle, we can’t appreciate anything.”
Cannot recommend reading this one more highly.
My only complaint would be that the ending was a bit whirlwindish and felt slightly rushed, though that could also be due to how quickly I was trying to get to the end to find out how the story ended. (shrugs shoulders)
About Hannah Hood Lucero
HANNAH HOOD LUCERO is a wife, mom of three, Army veteran, and self-proclaimed word-slinger. While it is the brackish waters of the Mississippi Sound that flow through her veins, western North Carolina holds her heart. Her love for storytelling is the fruit of a lifetime of cultivation in the vibrant cultures of the Gulf Coast and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
She currently resides in South Mississippi with her husband and three children on their ten-acre homestead. They have a dog, thirteen chickens, and at least fifty species of mosquitos, depending on the month of the year. When she isn’t in the garden, at the stove, or homeschooling, she can be found at her computer—just follow the sound of frenetic typing. Her motto is, “Draft, edit, read, repeat.”
