Tag Archive | Army

Cooper Comments: Finnian’s Rescue (Book Review)

Reading Time: 2 minutes

My mom has a lot of stuff happening this month including her third stand-alone romantic suspense: Finnian’s Rescue. This one take place in Wisconsin in the Holy Land.

Finnian is has returned from being held in captivity for a long time. Much like Rip van Winkle he discovers that the world has moved on and some of the changes are harder than others. His father died and his fiance up and married someone else.

When he meets Piper he’s intrigued. She understands the challenges he faces better than anyone else and while some consider him a traitor, she calls him a hero.

Piper likes the cute soldier but doesn’t feel to secure and doubts a man like him could really like her. When both their lives are in danger who else would they cling to?

There are so may twists and turns in this book you have to keep reading it to find out just why Finnian and Piper are under attack and how they will resolve it.

As a dog, I’m disappointed again that there is no dog in this book but since mom gives me treats I’ll give her grace on this. It is a fascinating read and I highly recommend it and give it five tennis balls because they are my favorite.

Cooper Comments: Operation: Skirmish (Book Review)

Nov10

Reading Time: 2 minutes

My mom, Susan M. Baganz and her dear friend DeeDee Lake have come out with book four of their Rules of Engagement military romance series called Operation: Skirmish.

Now this takes place mostly in Colorado, so where is the skirmish? This isn’t a military proceedural type of book but a romance featuring a military person as the main character and Eliza Torres, aka Tornado, is in for the fight of her life in many ways.

When she meets the handsome Kristos Sava, Eliza is living in a black hole of indecision about her future. Wounded overseas, she’s dealing with a physical disability and in denial about the post-traumatic stress that accompanies it. She’s not sure what she’ll do or where she’ll go when she’s medically discharged from the Army.

Then she spies Kristos and things begin to happen. Her roomate brings her to church, she’s being challenged to stop making excuses and take responsibity for her life. Eliza struggles to come to grips with God. She never needed Him before so why now? Then on top of all that, she decides to go on a mission trip with the church to Mexico.

Kristos is intrigued with Eliza but realizes she’s got issues and the biggest hurdle is her relationship with God. Besides, he’s not in a hurry to get a girlfriend. He has a stable filled with wonderful horses he adores and who adore him. But something about the pint sized soldier stirs him to pray for her. The more he gets to know her, especially on their misadventures in Mexico, the more he desires her.

Battles ensue on many levels and romance blooms. This is the fourth installment by Lake and Baganz and well worth reading.

I’m a dog so I have to say I’m disappointed that Eliza chose a parrot for her pet and not another dog to interact with Obadiah and Lola who have appeared more in other stories in the series. Maybe the authors will rectify that in future books. I hope there will be more anyway, they are wonderful stories. I’ll give this 5 tennis balls, because I’m a dog and they are my favorite.

Cooper Comments: Operation: Reconnaissance (Book Review)

Jul28

Reading Time: 3 minutes

I’m slacking. I admit it. I am living the life as an only dog and to be honest, with the beautiful summer weather I’m having fun making mom take me on walks. And then DeeDee Lake and her husband Seth came to visit and I fell in love with Seth. He wanted me to go to Colorado with him but I chose to stay with mom because they are moving ot Texas and I used to live there and didn’t want to go back.

So my mom and her friend DeeDee Lake wrote this book in their Rules of Engagement military romance series called Operation: Reconnaissance. Now I have to say I loved this because Rusty, the main character, has a dog! Any book with a dog is aces in my mind. Lola is a sweet Sheba Inu and while she was merely in a supporting role, I thought she did great.

Now as for the story, Rusty falls head over heels for Jane who brings her son Mark who has Down Syndrome to visit Kobbe who was in the last book (Operation: Allegiance) for equine therapy. Whew, did you get all that?

Jane is a widow with some serious trust issues and what will she do with her son when she is deployed? Her friend Harley is no longer in the Army and lives too far away. Her parents and in-laws don’t understand this sweet boy. And Rusty? The man must be bonkers to want to help her.

Rusty to be honest does have some issues from a fall he took many years ago but while he’s an adventure guide and successful businessman who lives in his van, he does listen to God. When God tells him to marry Jane even though she doesn’t believe in God, he obeys.

But how can a romance work when they marry for convenience and in name only, and then are separated for many, many months?

Guess that’s where you’ll need to read the story to find out. The only thing I can tell you for sure is it does have a happy ending (all mom’s books do). Lots of challenges are faced on both sides but somehow love does prevail!

So go get this book and read it because book #4 (Operation: Skirmish) releases in November! And mom said something about really wanting people to write short reviews on Amazon. But only if you like the book.

I’ll give it five tennis balls! Mostly because of Lola but also because I love Seth, and my mom. So help them out, buy the book, write a review and tell others about it!

Cooper Comments: Operation: Allegiance (Book Review)

Mar24

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Well, Mom finally is making me write book reviews and ironically she’s making me review a book she co-authored with her friend DeeDee Lake.

I will say that the biggest selling point in a book is 1) my Mom sits and reads so I can snuggle with her and 2) if there is a dog in it. This book excells in both those areas in my opinion (three dogs! Woof!)

Operation: Allegiance is book two in the Rules of Engagement Military Romance series and features Alexandros Sava who is an Army helicopter pilot wounded on the job (but not the kind of battle you might think – no spoilers!) He meets the twin of Brooke who features in book 1, Operation: Camouflage Christmas that came out last year. Kobbe is a twin and little less enamoured of the military lifestyle than her twin sister. So much so that she has vowed to never marry a military man.

God has a sense of humor right? Two individuals set on a path that would automatically keep them apart and yet somehow through as series of events works things out for love to bloom. Not without conflicts and barriers to ultimate happiness the authors work to bring it all out to a wonderful happily-ever-after ending.

I recommend this book highly. It has adventure, angst, family, love, conflict, faith, and suspense at times. And three dogs. Don’t forget the three dogs! Obediah, Lola, and Hunter show up in supporting roles although I admit my puppy dog heart ached for what Hunter endured. Although poodles are kind of silly dogs, I wouldn’t wish that on any dog. He’s OK though so don’t fret. Oh, and check out their Rules of Engagement blog: https://rulesofengagementmilitaryromance.com/ where they feature real life military stories!

Get this book! I highly recommended it and like my predecessor, Spatzle (RIP) I will give it five bones because I don’t have thumbs either. Or maybe I should give it five squeaky tennis balls? OK that will my thing now since I’m in charge here.

Spatzle Speaks: Camouflage Christmas (Book Review)

Oct28

Reading Time: 2 minutes

My mom and her friend DeeDee Lake have conspired to start a new series of books called Rules of Engagement. The first installation, a novella, is Operation: Camouflage Christmas. Do you realize how hard it is to spell that with paws?

You can check out their blog here: https://rulesofengagementmilitaryromance.com/

So mom and DeeDee spent lots of time bringing Brook and Bernard to life in this story. How do you fall in love when in Army Officer Cadet School at Fort Benning, GA?

Brooke has been disappointed in love and she’s resolved to move on even as the date for a wedding she was supposed to star in, nears. Instead, she’s distracted by the rigors of training and also a series of gifts that show the sender knows more about her than most people, which has her perplexed and hoping.

Bernard fell in love with Brooke when they were in high school but she was off-limits. When they met up again she was engaged, but now? Brooke is free and as much as he wants to make it through OCS, he wants to win Brooke’s heart even more. Will she ever see that it’s him? Would she even return his affections? And how would that work when relationships are forbidden in training?

I highly recommend this book for a sweet romance as well as a peek behind the scenes of the challenges our soldiers go through to become officers. It’s not for the faint of heart. Get it! Now! And write a review please? I give the book five bones because I’m a dog and that’s how I roll.