Bea Reviews The Power of A SEAL by Anne Elizabeth

Series: West Coast NAVY Seals Series 

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca  
Source: The publisher for an honest review
Release Date: December 5th, 2017
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble | Chapters | iBooks* | Indiebound * associate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

With over two decades of experience, Navy SEAL Leaper Lefton is bringing his expertise to young and impressionable SEAL trainees in BUD/s. As an instructor, he knows he must prepare them for all kinds of situations—and there's a perfect opportunity for hands-on training when he spots a woman in danger in rough water. Kerry Hamilton, a marine mammal veterinarian for the U.S. Navy is beyond grateful when Leaper saves her from the rough seas, and their attraction is instant. But after everything Leaper has been through, can he truly love again? And is Kerry willing to give him the chance?

My Thoughts:

"The Power of  A SEAL" was a slow, sweet, gentle love story. Lefton was a SEAL who had been rethinking what he wants to do with his life. For the first time in his life, he's considering leaving the SEALS but he's not sure what he'd do as a civilian. In the midst of his crisis, he meets marine mammal veterinarian, Kerry. Sparks fly and they act on their attraction then have a relationship. Aaaand, that's the bulk of the book. Not a lot happens, until about the last 20% or so, when there's some action and a little mystery.

Lefton, or Leaper as he's often called, was hurt both physically and emotionally on his last field assignment. While he's recovering, he's instructing SEAL trainees. He encourages them, coaches them, and puts his heart and seal into teaching them. Whether or not they complete their training, he's going to make sure they have the cognitive, emotional and physical skills to be the best they can. Elizabeth goes overboard here, trying to show how awesome and wonderful. He was a better teacher, he cared more, he was the most ethical, blah blah bah. He was Mr. Perfect. Even as a boyfriend and love, he was thoughtful, considerate, sweet, kind, patient. At times, his dialogue sounded like a script from a couples counseling session. Do people really talk like that? No one I know does. On the plus side, he's not cold or walled off. He has emotions and mostly does a good job of owning them.

Kerry works at a local marine institute that sometimes works with the military. She's responsible for health and ell-being of the dolphins and sharks. There's a disease that's spreading amongst her dolphins and wild dolphins and she's trying to cure it. She too is almost too good to be real at times. he's supportive, encouraging, sexually adventurous and assertive, excellent at her work, neat, organized, etc.

I loved that Kerry knew what she liked sexually and didn't hesitate to ask for it or take it. She has a past, Lefty has a past, and that's not a problem for either of them. And, they had THE TALK. Yes, they actually talked about STDs, when they were last tested, and birth control. Responsible adults, a rarity in contemporary romance. Also wonderful was that they were slightly older than typical romance couple. Kerry seems to be her in mid-thirties while Leaper is late thirties or early forties. They had life experience and maturity but weren't boring. They were respectful and courteous, passionate and impulsive,

The bulk of the book is Kerry and Leaper getting to know each other and becoming entwined in each other's lives. There's not much tension, they're good together and happy together. While I enjoyed the freedom from angst, there needed to be tension between the, something besides happy times all the time. The story veered between heavy introspection, mostly from Leaper, a little work drama at both their jobs, steamy love scenes, and some action towards the end. I kept waiting for something to happen. They did have a fight near the end which had me rolling my eyes. Kerry squawks about how Leaper had overshared with her when they first met and I'm there, going "No, you don't get to fuss at for him for that when you pushed and prodded and poked him into sharing. You forced him to share when he wasn't ready, and now you're accusing him of oversharing? Oh hell, no."

"The Power of A SEAL' has some exciting moments but at heart, it's a sweet and languorous love story, full of detail about SEAL life and marine animals. Light on posturing and overbearing behavior, it was a slow, steady slide into love. It didn't rock my world, but it did brighten my day.

My review of book 4, The Soul of A SEAL 

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