Skylark

The SEAL Saga, #1

by

Megan Michelle

Gripping military action and slow-burn romance!

Skylark is the first book in author Megan Michelle’s new military action romance series, The SEAL Saga, and it is a gripping and addictive beginning. With its engaging main protagonists, well-defined secondary characters, intriguing storyline, and atmospheric settings, the book provided a cinematic reading experience that was impossible to set aside. 

Commander Rachel Ryker is the first female SEAL, and her team’s current assignment sends them back to Afghanistan in search of a dangerous and well-known but elusive terrorist, who has stolen secret malware that could destroy the power grid of any country it is deployed in, including the United States. As she and her close-knit group settle into their Khost safe house, her immediate role in their mission is to befriend the women at the local mosque, in hopes of gaining insight into the whereabouts of their target. 

Rachel is a strong woman, a strong leader, with strong opinions and an unwavering belief in herself and her ability to make a difference in the world. Her independent nature has created a complicated relationship with her family, particularly with her father, a high-ranking naval officer, to whom she has lied about her true position as a SEAL, believing he would interfere with her assignments. She has instead developed her own “family” of sorts, consisting of the men under her command. The team’s second-in-command, Lieutenant Commander Christopher Williams, is her best friend. Still, there is a palpable attraction between the two that they refuse to acknowledge, preferring to maintain their working relationship and career momentum, at least for now. The camaraderie among team members is great, and the author excels at clever yet natural-sounding repartee. 

While the book is fairly lengthy for its type, coming in at over 450 pages, it is necessary as there is a lot of ground to cover, missions to set up, and relationships to establish. The author achieves this by weaving it all together in diverse ways as the story progresses, without relying on simple info-dumping. The descriptions of the settings are vibrant and lively, making even a shopping excursion come to life. Every step through Afghan society and every drive through town is laden with suspense as the characters never know where danger may be lurking. Action sequences are electric, well-choreographed, and easy to follow, at times with tragic consequences that kept me truly and emotionally invested. These characters quickly became more than words on a page, evolving into the people I felt I really knew.

 I recommend SKYLARK to readers of military action stories, especially those who enjoy a touch of slow-burn romance. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through WOW! Women On Writing Book Tours.