Book Review of Wild Card (Elite Ops Series)
Title: Wild Card
Series: Elite Ops
Author: Lora Leigh
Date Published: September 2008
The Blurb:
It was supposed to be simple. All Navy SEAL Nathan Malone had to do was rescue three young girls from a Colombia drug cartel, then allow himself to be captured just long enough to draw out a government spy. That was before his mission went disastrously wrong…and before his wife, Bella, was told that Nathan was never coming home.
Bella’s mourned her husband’s death for three long years. But she has no idea he’s still alive. Forced to assume a new identity, the man Nathan was is now dead. If he can get back to his wife, can he keep the secret of who he really is…even as desire threatens to consume them? And as danger threatens to tear Bella from Nathan’s arms once more?
My Review
4 go sÃoraà Stars
"A man that's whole. That's what you deserve, Sabella. And I'm not whole any longer. I haven't been in a long time."
So Wild Card is the first book in the Elite Ops Series, and the first book I have read by the author Lora Leigh, and I loved it. Life is good for Nathan Malone. He is a Navy Seal. Married to his beautiful, young, soul mate. When not out on missions for the Seals, he is running his mechanic shop. He goes out on what he thinks will be a simple in and out mission rescue three young girls from a Colombia drug cartel, but instead he is captured, beat, had almost every bone in his body broke, cut up, and pumped full of a drug called Whores dust for months and months before being rescued. By the time they get him out his wife Sabella was already told that he was dead. He is insane from all the drugs and pain, so he refuses to let the Seals tell his wife the truth that he is still alive and very messed up, instead he gives her up for her own good. He leaves the Seals for a group called The Elite Ops. Now Nathan is legally dead he takes on a the name Noah Blake, cold, super trained and deadly. It's been 6 years since his wife Sebella was told he was dead and he is being sent back to his home town to his home, and garage because his wife and brother are in danger, can he keep himself from feeling again. Will Noah be able to stay away from his bella, or will he find out he is not as dead inside as he thought?
"Why are you so frightened of this?" he whispered then. "Or are you just too frightened to live again?"
Noah /Nathan:
Noah, Noah , Noah what am I gonna do with you!!!!!! Noah made me love him and want to beat him in equal measure! He was sexy, strong, all alpha , Irish, but he was also bull headed, prideful, and at times selfish. Don't get me wrong he was really messed up, lived through hell, but in my book letting your wife think your dead for years, because you are scared that she can't handle how messed up you are, or you don't want her to see how weak you are is selfish!!! I loved that he was a total dirty talking bad boy, Loved that he remained faithful to his wife, loved his protectiveness, and at the same time I wanted to beat the shit outta him because he wouldn't tell his wife who he really was. I think him hiding who he was from her for almost the whole book made him kind of a candy ass! Like I said equal amounts of love for him and wanting to beat him!!!! I think Lora Leigh did a really good job of making you understand what he was feeling . The fear that his wife wouldn't forgive him because he didn't send for her and let her know he was alive, the fear that he wouldn't be able to stay with her because he was part of the Elite Ops, and his pain and regret over his past mistakes. Fighting to win his wife's heart again from the ghost of himself.
"Tell me, Sabella. Did you ache? Did you dream of being taken hard and rough? Of getting wild and dirty with your husband? Were you too afraid to be the little wildcat you wanted to be?"
"Get that in your head, Sabella. I am not Nathan Malone. I am not the man you loved, but by God I am the man that's going to fuck you. That's going to hold you when you cry in the night, and the man that's going to bind you to him so tight, so hard, that you'll never think to hide even a partical of who and what you are from him."
"You're the best thing that ever happened to me," he finally said. "In my life, touching you, holding you, is the best thing I've ever done. But shit happens, baby. And shit blew up in my face a long damned time ago."
Sabella:
I loved Sabella. I loved her name, loved her personality. She was strong when she needed to be, soft when she needed to be. Loyal, sweet, understanding , forgiving , but she wasn't a doormat. I could empathize with her, understand her pain, confusion and longing, she never felt fake to me. She was very brave and fought for her man. Smart figured out who he was right away and knew their was a important reason he wasn't telling her.
"If I wanted a manicure then I would have one. If I wanted to sit back and play receptionist all day then that's what the hell I would do. If I wanted another man to decide how I should act, dress, or present myself then I'd have one. That is not a part of your job description, Mr. Blake, and if you think you can make it happen then you can take a flying leap into hell."
"It was my right." She was back in his face. "Do you hear me, Noah? My fucking right to put up with it. And to do it gladly. You bastard!"
"You are my husband. My lover. And you hid that from me, Noah. I had the dark passion you hid from me while we were married, and I saw the ferocity of the man who would protect me in those mountains. It doesn't matter if your name is Nathan, Noah, or Hey Fucking You, you are my lover. My soul. My heart. And by God, you are not dead. Because if you were." Her lips trembled. "If you were, then I'd be dead. Don't you know that? Don't you see that? If the man that loved me was gone, then I'd be ashes now. Not standing here screaming at a moron with more pride than good sense."
"I carried your scratches last week like other men carry a medal," he growled, then nipped her lips. "I jacked off remembering how hot you were in my arms. And then I imagined your mouth. Watching your eyes. Seeing how hungry you could get."
Noah and Bella together had tons of chemistry and tons of drama. I loved them together, and I was rooting for them to make it the whole book. I loved Rory, Noah's brother, he was great , so was nik and Jordan. This book had a great plot, and made me feel. There is only two reasons this book is a solid 4 star book instead of a 5.
1. there was 2 sex scenes too many!!!! My eyes kinda glazed over there was so much sex
2. I think Noah should have told her who he was sooner!
Other than that I think this is a great start to the series and I can't wait to read the next one. I leave my favorite moment in the book below:
"I'm telling you. I have to tell Grandpop, and we're all gonna pay. All of us. Tell him that one for me. He does it again and we're all screwed 'cause I'm squealin' like a pig to the old man and savin' my own ass first. You tell him that."
