ARC Review: Into the Blue by Chanel Cleeton

Book Title: Into the Blue
Author: Chanel Cleeton
Series: Wild Aces #2 - Standalone
Release Date: July 5th, 2016
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Military

From the author of Fly with Me and the Capital Confessions Novels comes the newest in the sexy Wild Aces Romance series.

Eric Jansen—call sign Thor—loves nothing more than pushing his F-16 to the limit. Returning home to South Carolina after a tragic loss, he hopes to fix the mistake he made long ago, when he chose the Air Force over his fiancée.

Becca Madison isn’t quick to welcome Thor back. She can’t forget how he shattered her heart. But Thor won’t give up once he’s set his sights on what he wants—and he wants Becca.

Thor shows Becca that he’s no longer the impulsive boy he used to be, and Becca finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. But will Thor be able to walk away from his dream of flying the F-16 for their love or does his heart belong to the sky?

Into the Blue is the second book in the Wild Aces series and probably shouldn't be read as a standalone as it contains spoilers for book one, Fly with Me. Okay, with that bit of housekeeping out of the way, this is Eric (call sign Thor) and Becca's book. A second-chance romance between the F-16 pilot and the small town prosecuting attorney. Once engaged, Thor had to choose between his life in the military versus his love for Becca. Both their careers couldn't mesh so he walked away ten years ago. Now he's back on a bit of a "mental leave of absence" and finds himself home, drawn to the one girl he's ever truly loved.

I was a mess, felt cracked and broken inside, and she’d always been the one I’d counted on. It seemed like my entire adult life had been spent either running from or to this one girl. She was the compass when I was so lost I couldn’t find my way.

Becca has never really gotten over the break-up with her ex-fiancé Eric through a letter. A letter! So, she's chosen to set roots in her nice quaint hometown of Bradbury, practicing law and exacting justice where justice failed her parents. She has no idea how much her world will be rocked when she sets eyes on Eric again... all those feelings, good, bad, steamy come barreling back.

Into the Blue, was a great love story highlighting the extreme sacrifice couples make for military life, especially the life of an F-16 pilot. Becca has dreams, a career, hopes for a family and hopping from state to state, or being left behind for long deployments aren't condusive to that. Eric chose his first love- flying for the Air Force- over her and she refuses to make that mistake again. Nothing has changed. He's still an F-16 pilot and her career dreams haven't changed. Seems they're at an impasse. Or are they? Can dreams change? Focuses change? Can love come first? Can she finally come first?

I didn’t know how to start over and I didn’t know how to just be friends, and I was terrified to let him past the electrified manned-by-viciousman-eating-dogs fence I’d built around my heart.

A perfect blend of angst, romance, and steam, Into the Blue had pretty big shoes to fill after Fly With Me. I really loved this slow-build second chance romance. Eric really broke my heart. How can he choose between a job he loves, the only job for him, and the only woman he's ever really loved? Can he ask her to give up her dreams for him to pursue his? This story really felt realistic to me. I can see this scenario playing out with couples everywhere, especially the military where your life truly isn't yours.

It makes it hard to remember to live at times, to just enjoy the moment, because you’re always looking forward, always preparing for the next deployment, the next TDY. Always leaving, always going, never just standing still.

I think I loved their unselfishness and growth the most. How both characters were mature and worked together to find their happily ever after. This series has really been enjoyable thus far for me. I love all things military romance and this just is the perfect blend of everything. Bravo.

Advanced review copy received by Berkeley Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

Originally a Florida girl, CHANEL CLEETON moved to London where she received a bachelor’s degree from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever, until fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise and a fighter pilot with smooth dance moves swept her off her feet. Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure.

Law school made Chanel realize she’d rather spend her days writing sexy stories than in a courtroom, and she hasn’t looked back since. An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she’s happiest curled up with a book. She has a weakness for handbags, her three pups, and her husband.

Chanel writes contemporary romances. She is published by Harlequin HQN, Penguin/InterMix, and Penguin/Berkley and is the author of the International School, Capital Confessions, and Wild Aces series.

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