Originally published at Reading Reality

Wild Justice is a story with layers, an onion. And also an onion, some of those layers will make the reader at least sniffle a bit.

all of the Delta Force series, this is a story of a crack military team ghosting into someplace where angels fear to tread and governments fear to leave official footprints. Members of “the Unit” go in, they get the job done, and they were never there.

The series, which began with Target Engaged, is about one particular team of Delta operators. Not that they call themselves that. To its members, Delta is just “the Unit”, and they are the best of the best.

As this case begins, they are joined by an intelligence analyst from an equally elite but completely different U.S. Black Ops agency, one known only as “the Activity”.

Sofia Forteza has called in an operational unit to help her take down a Venezuelan military officer who is a local kingpin in the human trafficking cesspool. She’s found her dirtbag, she just needs help with the extraction as well as the rescue of the women and children he is currently holding.

What she gets is Duane Jenkins, nicknamed, of course, The Rock. He may not quite match up to the actor, but he gets damn close. Even more important, when he brings in the rest of his team, he trusts Sofia to have his back, and gives her just enough pointers to help her help him without ever insulting her capabilities or her intelligence.

And he helps her come down from her first field kill without thinking or acting as if she’s weak for any reason whatsoever.

Duane gives her respect, and Sofia is forced to admit that he’s the first man she hasn’t had to prove herself to, over and over and over, even within the top ranks of the elite units – or within her own family.

There’s something between them from the moment they meet, and it’s something that neither of them has ever experienced before. They are fortunate that their coinciding missions give them the chance to explore what it might be.

Even if neither of them believes that love is remotely possible. Not for who they are now, and not for what they came from. But just because neither Sofia nor Duane believes in love, that does not mean that it does not believe in them.

Escape Rating B+: Any reader who loves military romance should pick up the first book in M.L. Buchman’s series of interconnected books, The Night Is Mine, and just binge. He starts with an elite SOAR unit, branches some of them off into an elite civilian wildfire fighting operation, and then links others to Delta Force. You don’t have to read all of them to get the sense of any individual book in the series, including this one, but they are all tremendously fun.

And Buchman has a gift for making sure that his female protagonists are every single bit the kick-ass warriors that his male protagonists are. And as they should be under the circumstances. But it’s not something that we see nearly enough.

Wild Justice operates on multiple layers. A big part of the story is the operations that the team takes on to help dent the human trafficking trade in South America. This part of the story is based on very real and very harrowing events. The civilian team they partner with is based on a real organization that works similarly to the way their fictional counterparts are portrayed.

In the middle of the operation, there’s also a romance. Of course there is. Unusual for this series, though, Sofia and Duane are both from similar backgrounds, both, in their own ways “poor little rich kids” who grew up with all the monetary advantages in the world but not much in the way of nurturing or moral support. Sofia had one person who had her back, her grandmother, the powerful owner of a premier wine-making company. However, she also had not merely a narcissistic and nasty mother, but also an abusive older brother.

Duane’s dad is a Coca-Cola executive, his mother is a high-powered attorney, and Duane is a disappointment to both of them. He chose to join the military to try to fix at least a few of the things that can’t be fixed with “a Coke and a smile.” They’ve never forgiven him, not that they ever gave much of a damn about him in the first place.

That both of them grew up as part of the 1% and chose a career in service to make a difference gives them something in common. It also means that Duane is not over-awed by the wealth of Sofia’s family’s winemaking empire – an empire that Sofia will someday inherit.

Although the course of true love never does run smooth, these are two people who plausibly have a chance, and also plausibly have a rocky road ahead of them. It works.

One final note. In the midst of the current #MeToo campaign, one scene early in the book had a tremendous amount of resonance. As part of a training mission, Duane and his Delta team, along with Sofia, take down a cruise ship being “held” by a Black Ops team from another agency. After the operation is over, Duane and Sofia overhear the “losing” team indulging in what is often dismissed as “locker room talk”. They are evaluating the women on the Delta team, including Sofia, by their physical attributes and discussing just how much they want to “punish” the women for beating them. It’s not just disgusting, it’s actual rape talk. Sofia wants to dismiss it. She’s fought this battle all of her life, and it never ends well for her. Her response is one that so many of us often make, that it’s only talk. That it doesn’t really matter. Or most tellingly, that it can’t be fixed.

What makes the scene stand out is the way that the Delta team does indeed “fix” it. As a unit. This is not something they will tolerate, not the men in the unit, and not the women. It’s a joint effort to make these assholes pay.

The physical payback meted out is relatively minor, but the response from the higher ups is stellar. Instead of dismissing the complaint, as we so often fear will happen, because it so often does happen, the perpetrators are punished severely with loss of jobs, loss of promotions, loss of assignments, retraining, black marks in their files. The authorities do what they are supposed to do, and what we always hope they do but frequently don’t. At the same time, there’s the very real world acknowledgement that the worst offenders will go out and offend somewhere else. The powers that be in both agencies can drum these bastards out, and get the word out to all their reputable contacts not to hire them. Which means that, unfortunately but all too ly, the less reputable outfits will hire them. But they have done everything they can reasonably do to pull the rotten apples out of their own barrel.

And that’s still a big win.3 s Martha836 45

I love the strong characters, mix of action and romance that Mr. Buchman presents. My rating 4.25.

This story opens with an intense sniper reconnaissance scene where Sofia and Duane meet in a sniper blind. She is a complete surprise to him, while she is expecting a team. Their acerbic banter is engaging from the get go. Sofia is an aloof, intel analyst who wanted to be on site when the special ops team arrives. She is impressed with Duane’s precision in preparation and execution of the take down.

Duane quickly observes that Sofia is smart, skilled and capable in addition to being stunning. His growing interest in her sort of blind sides him and the situation only gets worse as she remains with the team as they zip from one mission to another…to another. Then Sofia invites Duane home where they face another tense situation.

There is plenty of intense action in at least three settings that are well plotted and fast moving. I found the detailed description of Caracus very interesting. There is a good balance with the strong romance element. Duane and Sofia are passionate characters accustomed to their independence as revealed in their difficult family backgrounds. They move cautiously in spite of the obvious draw that escalates into an intense relationship without being overtly graphic. Their conflicted feelings begin to create difficulties in the team dynamics and have to be dealt with.

The author presents technical details on guns, boats and helicopters. This will either be interesting to the reader or can be skimmed after recognizing that it fits the characters. There is some profanity which for me is not necessary but can also be skimmed.

I am always confident that I will find an engaging story with strong romance in Mr. Buchman’s works. The story includes a battle against the terrors and evils of human trafficking. In an afterword the author encourages donations to the causes fighting those evils which is certainly commendable. I recommend this book and this author’s work to romance readers who military elements and strong male and female characters.

I am pleased to have received this from the author for an honest review.2 s Sandy S7,148 187

4.25 stars--

About the book: Release Date October 17, 2017

DELTA FORCE
The best counter-terrorism force on the planet.

SERGEANT DUANE JENKINS
• Elite Delta operator—explosives just make him grin •

AGENT SOFIA FORTEZA
• Top Intel Analyst for The Activity—thinks data is sexy•

The team must face their toughest mission yet: take down a massive human-trafficking ring and a corrupt Venezuelan spy agency—without leaving a trace.

Sofia and Duane.
In common: black sheep of extremely wealthy families, renegades against the status quo.
Differences: tactician vs. explosives expert, thinker vs. pure warrior.

Together: fight to keep their team alive, and their love.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: WILD JUSTICE is the third installment in M.L. Buchman’ contemporary, adult DELTA FORCE military, romance series focusing on an elite group of men and women known as the Delta Force. This is ‘The Activity’ Intel Analyst and helicopter pilot Agent Sofia Forteza, and Elite Delta Operator Sergeant Duane Jenkins story line. WILD JUSTICE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Duane and Sofia) WILD JUSTICE focuses on the latest assignments of the Delta Force team known as ‘The Unit’, including the take down of a child trafficking ring in the seedy underbelly of Caracas, Venezuela. WILD JUSTICE takes the Team from the Venezuelan jungles to the vineyards of Oregon and back as newest Delta Force Team member Sofia Forteza finds a place she hopes to call home. What ensues is the building relationship between Elite Delta Operator Sergeant Duane Jenkins, and The Activity Intel Analyst Sofia Forteza, and the planning, setup and destruction of one of Venezuela’s hottest illegal commodities-child trafficking.

The world building focuses on the set up and take down of the evil that preys on the innocent and the young; the elite team of The Delta Force unit; and the camaraderie and friendships that continue to grow within the team. There is plenty of banter and light-hearted humor interspersed amongst a story line that focuses on the world’s most prevalent evil. Throughout the story, our heroine struggles with her family back home in Oregon-a family that borders on the psychotic with delusions of power and greed. A visit will bring everything into perspective including her relationship with our story line hero.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Kyle and Carla (Target Engaged #1), Richie and Melissa (Heart Strike #2) as well as The Unit’s resident sniper Chad, CIA operative Fred Smith, and Colonel Michael Gibson. all of M.L. Buchman’s military, romance stories and series WILD JUSTICE is awash in technical jargon, military lingo and acronyms, luscious visuals, and heart stopping action. The requisite evil has many faces but no one person in particular.

WILD JUSTICE is a comprehensive, smartly written and exciting story line. The premise is engaging and entertaining; the characters are real, honorable and inspiring; the romance is sensual and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. M.L. Buchman’s writes an intense series focusing on the elite members of the US military and its’ secret organizations.

Copy supplied for review

www.thereadingcafe.com Dewey1,002 1 follower

So glad I found this author. Excellent beginning. The story bogs down into too much family drama and narrative tour of Caracas. Action doesn't start until the last 20% of the story. It needed tighter editing on the pages spent when they visited Sofia's family at the Oregon family vineyard estate; too much narrative about her awful family. I don't really care about the customer service she practices "offered the same to everyone from the beginner for a 30-minute tasting, to the owner of a restaurant chain that placed a hundred-thousand-dollar order over a complimentary glass of the three-hundred-dollars a bottle Soleada Signature Reserve." And this narrative goes on and on; how she greeted buyers from Wolfgang Puck's restaurants to trading air kisses with a Michelin-starred French chef. We get it! Darcy13.2k 511

At the start of this one I had a hard time buying into the couple, Sofia and Duane, they didn't seem they would fit together. However as you got to know them you realized they were perfect together, had a similar background and both loved their jobs.

It was nice to see Sofia accepted on the missions, to be taught things to enhance her skills. Even as the girls learned her background it didn't matter to them as much as the skills she brought to the job.

The trip back home to Sofia's family was interesting on so many levels. I was glad that Sofia and Duane were able to change their relationship and for them to see what was going on and help change things. Home will become a refuge for them at some point, but I hope they continue to work together for a bit first.2017 e-book military ...more Sally J Anderson242 2

Fast paced

The Delta team put themselves into great danger finding human traffickers in Venezuela in this book. Duane, a Delta, on a mission in the jungle to wire a hidden encampment, where kidnapped women are being held comes upon a hidden Activity member. Sophia is watching and gathering intelligence on the leader of the encampment.
Duane and Sophia are attracted to each other and their feelings continue to grow while getting to know each other and Sophia being including into another mission. There's suspense, intrigue, hot sex, Delta maneuvers and plenty of humorous bantering. A good read. Catherine105

New favorite Buchman book!

Yes, I've read them all (Ok, not one of the fantasies) and this is super. I have to give an immediate second reading to figure out how he crammed in so much action. What a thrill ride! But don't worry, no romance was hurt or harmed in the making of this adventure:) Duane and his new love are taken from adventurous meet through to happy ending with full development of their characters and relationship.. Did I mention how much I enjoyed this? GailAuthor 25 books212

Good read. This is the third Delta Force book in Buchman's series, set again in Central and South America. The hero is Duane Jenkins, the team's explosives specialist; the heroine is Sofia Forteza, who works for a special multi-agency intelligence group. It begins with a raid on a crooked general's jungle compound in Venezuela, and ends with an attack on the Venezuelan secret police, with training incidents and a trip to the heroine's home in between. All of it is good stuff. I d it a lot.adventure contemporary-romance e-book ...more Barbara Murrin49 2

Brains + Brawn + Military Strategy + Attraction = Buchman Delta

Buchman's military romances are on my automatic "To Buy" list. Every story renews that decision. I absolutely loved Sofia's strategy in the training exercise at the beginning of the book--and Duane's reaction to it. Can't wait for the next book! Peggy Brittain1 review

Best Buchman book yet

I have read all of the Buchman books. I thought The NighStalkers were great, but the Delta books are better. Duane & Sofia are my favorite characters yet. I recommend these books to anyone who s seat of your pants thrill rides. Beverly1,470 41

Needless to say, a good writer and a good story. I the action and the characters. There are a few editing errors, but the story pulled me back in very quickly. Anjee244 2

Great read!

Love it! These guys cracked me up. Love the bad ass women and their alpha men. It feels these guys are just getting started and I can't wait to read more. Rita4,020 28

I d the story quite a bit, but it ended too abruptly for my tastes. I a bit more denouement and description of how things turned out and what will happen with the characters next. Betsy2,850 4

Slightly more episodic than I , but still good Buchman. Traann841 9

Really good book. Kind of felt there was some resolution missing but maybe it will be in later books. karen1,530

I love these Delta stories a d the people that are such a family. Duane and Sophia were a good match. Lot of suspense. Mixed up families produced wonderful humans. Can’t wait for more Delta Scribbled Mind153

DNF Nibrock1,563 3

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