Scholarly Pursuit

Sergeant Mary Benton, while, not quite twenty-one years old, didn’t look like what she was -- a respected member of the US Armed Forces Military Police. In spite of her small size and attractive looks, she was proficient at taking large men down with her knowledge of hand-to-hand combat. Serving in Germany, Mary loves being an MP, and has just reenlisted for another tour of duty. However, a sudden assignment to protect the son of the ranking general in Germany, makes Mary think that she is being sidelined as a nursemaid to the young man.

Frank Donaldson, the General’s son, is only twenty-one himself, but is a genius with five Ph.D.s and a mind full of defense secrets. The trouble is that Frank hates his current detail of security guards, and foils their purpose by escaping from them every chance he gets. General Donaldson thinks that maybe Sgt. Benton can get through Frank’s shell and perhaps stick with him in order to protect him. Soon, Mary discovers that Frank is not the emotionless geek that he seems to be, and begins to find herself emotionally involved with the man she is guarding.

I really liked this story. It really works as romantic suspense because it is full of intrigue. The plot starts out slow, but gradually gains momentum, until at the end, it is galloping along like a racehorse! The reader is kept entirely in the dark until the very end, as revelations begin to unfold. This is definitely romance rather than erotica, and the emphasis is on the suspense and the emotional relationship between the two protagonists and the people surrounding them. The characters of Mary and Frank are each interesting and appealing in their own ways, and they are developed with skill and subtlety by the author. The secondary characters, both the “good” guys and the “bad” guys, are multilayered rather than being one-dimensional as bit players often are. I highly recommend this well written book. I feel confident that fans of romantic suspense will find it riveting and as enjoyable as I did.

Reviewed by: Jean