Book Review: Operation: Endeavor by Christi Snow

Title: Operation: Endeavor
Series: When the Mission Ends, Book 2
Author: Christi Snow
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: review copy from author
Published: January 2013

Colton Robertson left his career in the Air Force…

… to come home and help his family heal. Unfortunately, his reception was not quite what he’d hoped for and he ended up as roommate to hippy dippy yoga instructor Penelope Pruitt.

Penelope has spent her life under the restrictive thumb of her parents and she doesn’t want to do the same with the straight-laced, serious Colton. But when it becomes apparent that Penelope’s life is in danger, Colton won’t settle for anyone else protecting Penelope besides him.

Opposites attract and that’s definitely the case with Colton and Penelope. On the surface, they don’t have anything in common, but as the sparks fly and the danger ramps up, their passion is inevitable.

Why I Read this Book: I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Operation: Endgame (my review). That book had a well-balanced blend of romance and suspense and I expected Operation: Endeavor to follow suit, which it did.

What I Liked: I love how the author brings the backstory to the reader in the way of a prologue. It gives the reader information to help visualize the lead characters on a full scale and bring them to life.

The suspense/mystery element was intricately plotted and pieced together very nicely. The author gives the readers little clues here and there with the reader being none the wiser. Sure, some things I knew had something to do with the mystery subplot but it was the ‘how’ or the ‘why’ that remained a mystery until it was due time. The way everything tied together was done so in a cleverly fashion.

The reader also gets small bits of narration from the villain’s POV. I find it interesting to see what’s going on in the bad guy’s mind and to see how things go down from their standpoint. It gives a different prospective and allows the reader to envision the complete story in its entirety without missing anything.

I love how the author took the publishing world as she knows it and incorporated into Operation: Endeavor. There’s a story arc involving Penelope that was fun to read. I won’t say any more, so as not to spoil it.

What I Didn’t Like: I don’t like characters doing stupid (TSTL) things. Unfortunately, Colton did. He drove Penelope home and instead of making sure she was buckled in safely, he sat her on his lap for the duration of the drive. Bad Colton, bad boy.

A secondary character was taken out of the equation too easily. I can’t help but wonder if his removal from the story was done to help alleviate things for the heroine in the next book in this series (and subsequently her hero).

Memorable Moment:

“Look, Colt,” she grabbed hold of the slats of the headboard and the thick bedpost beside it, “this would work really well for the Dom/Sub games you’re into. Just imagine tying someone up to the corners of this baby.”

Overall Impression: Just like its predecessor, Operation: Endeavor was a great blend of romance and suspense. The author kept me on the edge of my seat while at the same time delivering the smut. I am anxiously looking forward to reading the next installment in this series.

Brianna’s Rating: