Talon by Ronie Kendig

Aspen Courtland’s twin brother Austin has been declared MIA and now considered dead. Aspen is determined to find any way possible to go search for her brother. She has been training with Austin’s dog Talon in order to take him with her to track Austin’s whereabouts. Talon is unpredictable because of the PTSD that coming back from combat and losing his partner has created. Aspen knows though that if she takes Talon she will have a greater chance of finding Austin.

Dane Markoski is the best undercover operative that America has. His superior thinks it best that he team up with Aspen to go find her brother. When Dane discovers that she is a woman he refuses to go on the mission. What Dane doesn’t count on is the lengths that his superior will go in order to achieve the purpose of the mission.

Dane is determined to not let Aspen under his skin. She is beautiful and too trusting for her own good. Warned by her friend Timbrel that Dane is playing her, Aspen still gives Dane the benefit of the doubt even when he tells her not to trust him. 

As Talon gets more and more hits on Austin the enemy moves closer and closer. With each clue to her brother’s disappearance Aspen discovers that she doesn’t know either Dane or Austin like she thought. Who can she trust? Her twin whom she feels a part of or the man that she has come to love? Both have secrets they are keeping and both are playing a deadly game.

Talon is the second book in the A Breed Apart series. I found the story gripping and moving. The descriptions of combat were exciting and nail-biting. Reading about Talon’s loyalty to his partner was especially moving. Not only were the combat scenes tense, but the relationships between the characters were also tense. I’m looking forward to reading more about Timbrel and her relationship with Candyman. I haven’t read the first book in the series, but I intend to go back and read Trinity and I can’t wait for the third book in the series Beowulf coming out in January 2014.