War Games by Jess Anastasi – a Review

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Description:
When one of her pilots is shot down behind enemy lines, Lieutenant Theresa Brenner will stop at nothing to save her before she’s captured and tortured, even if it means being part of the dirtside team led by Colonel Cameron McAllister. Bren might respect the way the colonel commands his men, but she’ll never trust Cam—no matter how charming he is—because he was responsible for her brother’s death. Colonel Cameron McAllister has a covert mission behind enemy lines to team with the Ilari rebels and overthrow the bloodthirsty dictator who’s torn their planet apart. The last thing he needs is to get sidetracked searching for a downed pilot, especially since it means having Lieutenant Theresa Brenner tag along. Not only doesn’t the frosty pilot have the ground game to keep up with his seasoned group, she’s a potential distraction with all those gorgeous blond curls of hers—and she might be just like her brother, whose foolhardiness got his men killed.

Review: 

War Games by Jess Anastasi is the fourth book in the Valiant Knox series. 
They can be read as separate books, but I found it easier to read them in order. As there is a lot of background stories. And for the author to include it in every book would be a little page consuming. 

In a previous book the tension between Cameron and Theresa (Bren) caught my attention, so I was eager to see how they get past their animosity for each other. 
For the past decade, both Bren and Cameron have kept their distances from each other. Both have their pride and neither will listen to the other. That is until a missing pilot brings them together, and they have to learn to trust one another, and from there they learn about the past and how they can move forward. 

Cameron lost a team of soldiers under his command due to Bren’s brother (and as far as he is concerned, she’s a liability just like her brother).  I found Cameron a complex person, although overbearing, he is loyal and there is nothing he won’t do for his men. 

Bren has had to work hard for her place in this world, her brother was her family and she totally blames Cameron for his death. She loves her job and won’t let one of her own become a prisoner.  She fears that the pilot will be tortured or worse, so she’ll suck it up and work with Cameron (but that doesn’t she mean she’ll like it) 

Bren finds Cameron overbearing and not at all understanding of her predicament, one of her pilots is missing……and she’s going on the mission, whether he likes it or not !! (And it’s definitely a not) 

This is a perfect action packed thriller.  I love reading this series, as the author puts you right in the action, and you can almost imagine the fight scenes.  Jess Anastasi writes the characters so well, that I have no problem conjuring them up in my mind, and all the past friendships and relationships in the previous books are the same. The series flows really well into the next book and it was nice catching up with the series. 
Reviewed by Julie B

Copy provided by Publisher