Badger

In this great suspense by Dale Mayer, there were two compelling mysteries to solve and lots of secrets to reveal. When a last minute change of orders re-routed Badger's team when on active duty, their truck was blown up, killing one man and changing the lives of the other 7 forever. Two years later, Badger still couldn't let it go. He HAD to find out who changed the orders. His body was still healing but he wouldn't slow down enough to let it actually finish the healing process. Because he lost a leg in the blast, he was fitted with a prosthetic. Kat was the designer who developed the prosthetic so she worked with Badger to make sure it fits properly. She encouraged him to have another surgery before it was too late. But he didn't want to give up on his mission to get revenge and find out the truth about what happened to change their orders. As Kat began to care for Badger, she was worried about his physical and mental health. Kat has her own problems. Someone wants her dead! I liked that the other men from the team were there when she was kidnapped, jumping right in to save her as SEALs do. I loved that Ms. Mayer has skillfully penned a crazy good mystery as her writing kept me attentive, on-edge, and highly curious. Even though I enjoyed this book, there was something I didn't like. That was that one of the mysteries was not solved. You have to read the next book to find out what happens. I really don't like cliffhangers. If you don't mind them, then you will love this book.

SEALs of STEEL is a new series recently begun by Dale Mayer. It differs from the SEALs of HONOR and HEROES FOR HIRE in that each SOS book contains clues and information that will come together in a later book to solve the mystery and identify the villain responsible for the crimes identified in the individual books. BADGER, Book 1 of SEALs of STEEL Badger is a member of an eight-man SEALs unit that was decimated when their truck hit a landmine two years ago. One member of the unit, Mouse, was killed. The remaining seven members have spent the past two years healing from wounds and injuries that have left them with missing limbs and internal organs, plus pins and plates supporting the bones and muscles with which their bodies now function. Because of their wounds were so severe and specialized, the individual members of the team were rehabbed in hospitals all over the United States. Three have now come together in Santa Fe, NM, where Kat Greenwald, a genius prosthetic designer who herself has a prosthetic leg, continues to provide new and different supports that improve Badger’s, Erick’s, and Cade’s ability to live as normally as they can. They all love Kat, but it is Badger who is in love with her. When Kat is stalked and kidnapped by hired hit-men, Badger and his cohorts rescue her and set about finding the person who wants to kill her. Badger reveals to Kat, Cade, and Erick that over the past two years he has harbored suspicions that the “military accident” in which they were so badly injured may have been intentionally set up. Instead of keeping off his mid-thigh stump so he can use his prosthetic leg without pain and the risk of infection, he decides that keeping Kat safe requires that she accompany the group of them to London to meet up with 4th unit member Talon and an informant. From here on, it’s continuous excitement that builds in each book. (Book 2 Erick will be released on May 22, and Book 3 Cade will be released on June 5.) Can’t wait to read them all. For those of you who need instant gratification, especially in the first book of the series, the SEALs of STEEL will solve Kat’s mystery, though you will need to read the book to find out how.

Loved the prosthetic aspect. It's something I had not seen in military romances, but so important. She found an interesting way to tie these men together beyond the brotherhood of combat. She clearly has many tales to tell.