Welcome to the Beyond the Call of Duty Blog Tour! If you are looking for an intense, fast paced book that will get your heart racing, try this one out. Check out more about the book, read Tina’s Thoughts and an excerpt from the story, enter the giveaway, and watch the book trailer!
Beyond the Call of Duty
by Tracy Tappan
Wings of Gold #2
Publication Date: September 25, 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Military, Romance, Suspense
Eric “LZ” O’Dwyer, a senior lieutenant stationed out of San Diego, is in command of his own helicopter detachment out of the HSM-75 Wolf Pack. Deployed off the coast of South America on a counterdrug operation, Eric jumps at the chance to take down a ruthless drug lord. But to do it, he’ll have to join forces with badass DEA Agent Nicole Gamboa. Infiltrating the drug lord’s mansion is crucial to the mission, and to pull it off, Eric and Nicole have to play out an intimate scene together that leaves them both reeling. In the aftermath, Eric wants to foster something real with Nicole, but there is a secret part of Nicole’s life that makes a relationship impossible. The mission erupts again, and Nicole and Eric end up relying on each other in ways they’d never predicted. The stakes are raised to their highest when the drug lord gains the upper hand, and living or dying hinges on a final showdown between Nicole and her past…and whether Eric can get to her in time!
Content warning: contains profanity and adult situations.
You can purchase your copy today at the retailers listed below!
Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks
Beyond the Call of Duty is a heart racing story of drug dealers, dangerous missions, and a romance that blooms in the middle of the chaos. This story is about two people who are different yet the same. I love how this book gives us a romance that seems very tangible in the story but there is SO much more than romance in this book. There is a thrilling ride that will take you deep into places full of suspense and intrigue, making you feel like you are watching this story unfold in a cinematic experience.
There is an authenticity to this story that is often missed in other military books. I appreciated the reality that crashes into this story but I did have some trouble figuring out some of the lingo. There is a glossary in the back of the book to refer to but reading on my kindle made it hard to go back and forth. Luckily, the lingo that is unknown doesn’t detract from the story but just goes to show that this is real. Most things I wasn’t sure about where explained through a situation or an obvious conclusion could be drawn.
Within this story there are A LOT of things happening. There is never a dull moment. You have to focus on what is happening to make sure you see the big picture. There is the DEA operation happening. Helicopter flight missions are taking place. Bad guys are popping out and causing mayhem. Emotions rise to the surface and feelings are developed. There is never a down moment within this book. It spans the course of many months, allowing the reader to absorb what is happening at a steady rate.
I appreciated the romance between Eric and Nicole. These are two characters so entrenched in their lives and professions that they almost miss what could be. The more the readers learn about who they are and why they view life the way they do, hesitation makes sense. Nicole is on badass and I loved watching her learn to let go and embrace every part of who she is, not just the DEA agent trying to prove herself. Eric learns to feel again and these two are an explosive match, one that has the potential to bring healing or destruction.
If you love high action stories that are more than just a romance, make sure to give this book a try. It is filled with ups and downs, adrenaline laced situations, and a romance that is passionate yet subtle. I will definitely be looking for more from Tracy and hopefully seeing more of Eric and Nicole as they live their lives.
Her DEA partner, Ryan, was at her side in two paces. “You’ve got the wrong idea about what just happened, Nicole.”
Nicole squared her chin and walked faster, nearing the doorway into the Air Traffic Control tower.
“Would you stop—” Ryan grabbed her arm—“and let me talk to—?”
She whirled, and with a hard downward chop of her hand, crashed his hold off her.
Ryan barked in pain.
“I have two black belts in martial arts!” she shouted into her partner’s face. “Do you ever bother to remember I’m more than a pair of tits?”
“Hey, what’s going on?” Eric jogged up to them, hauling off his flight helmet. “Are you two okay?” Behind him, the helicopter’s rotors were still turning.
Aagaard kept his eyes on her. “That wasn’t about your ability to fight. It was about distraction. The target was going to blow us to Kingdom Come. There weren’t any other options I could see for handling the situation other than what we did. You either, or you would’ve mentioned them. I knew it would work. And it did.”
“Congratulations.” Her voice came out of a dark pit in her stomach. “You’ve seen my breasts now, Ryan. Maybe you—”
“What?” The one word cracked out of Eric like a bullet from a gun.
“—finally stop being such a jerk.”
Ryan’s face flushed a strangled shade of red. “You’re out of your skull if you think that’s what this was about.”
“Right. Then why do you keep blushing?” Nicole reached for the door handle to the tower.
A hand grabbed her arm again. Eric’s.
“Everyone needs to stop touching me.”
“I’m sorry,” Eric said, dropping his hand. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
“No, Eric, I’m not okay.” She turned to face him fully. “I haven’t been okay since we pretended to have sex together.”
To celebrate the release and blog tour for Beyond The Call of Duty, Tracy is hosting an awesome giveaway! Fory our chance to win a $15 Amazon GiftCard or one of 2 print copies of The Bloodline War, enter this Rafflecopter giveaway. Follow the instructions listed and you will be entered for your chance to win! Don’t miss out on this chance. Good luck!
Tracy is the bestselling and award-winning author of gritty romance, her books spanning genres across paranormal (The Community series), military romantic suspense (The Wings of Gold series), and medieval historical (The Baron’s War trilogy). During nearly twenty-five years spent as a naval aviator’s wife, she lived all over the United States and in Europe, enjoying seven years overseas in the diplomatic community, first in Rome then in Madrid, until she settled back in San Diego. Tracy holds a master’s degree in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling (MFCC), loves to play tennis, is a volunteer puppy raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and enjoys a good glass of wine. To learn more, please visit her website at www.tracytappan.com
