Beowulf by Ronie Kendig

 Tony(Candyman) has been trying to get Timbrel's attention for a while. Timbrel's prickly personality keeps everyone at arms length. Tony can't help himself. Timbrel is beautiful and he is attracted to her, but the only one Timbrel seems to have eyes for is her bull mastiff dog Beowulf. And Beo doesn't like Tony. At all!

Timbrel has secrets in her life that she would rather not share with anyone but Beo. Beo is an explosives detection dog. Timbrel's secrets keep her personality prickly and afraid to allow anyone close in her life. Tony is about to change all of that!

Tony can't figure Timbrel out, but he is relentless in his pursuit of her. Even if her beast of a dog insists on growling and snapping at him every time they are near each other. Just when Tony thinks they may be making some headway in a relationship Timbrel bolts. Running scared Timbrel must learn to break down the walls she has built up around her heart and learn to trust. But it may be too late. When disaster strikes their team while on a mission everything that Tony and Timbrel have fought for in their relationship comes crashing down. Will they be able to pick up the pieces of their lives?

My Thoughts:

First, I love the dog! Beowulf's personality is hysterical! From his drool to his snapping at Tony to his ability to sense Timbrel's moods, Beo makes the story entertaining to read. Through each of the A Breed Apart books you can see the research that went into the story.  I love the way that the dogs are treated just like another soldier. Each dog and their handler have a special bond that keeps them in tuned to each other. I found in Beowulf that I liked the characters, but did get a bit irritated at Timbrel and wanted to reach into the pages of the book and shake the bullheadedness out of her! If you like military books then the A Breed Apart series is a definite must read. Add in some romance and tense combat situations and Ronie Kendig's books keep the reader on the edge of their seats.

I received my copy of Beowulf from the publisher Barbour Publishing Inc. through NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

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.