Falcon (Quiet Professionals)

Where do I even start with this review? The book starts out with action so, I think I will take my cue from there. Go buy this book! You will not regret it. You don't have to start from the first in the series, though I would recommend it. Again, you won't be sorry! Ronnie has done it again. I am a huge fan of this author and fully recommend all of her books. She has gone above and beyond with the Quiet Professionals series. I generally hate reviews that just say "This is an awesome book!" and leave it at that. I try to give more than that in my reviews. So here you go. The second book in this trilogy, Hawk ended in a serious cliff hanger. Thankfully, I held off reading it until Falcon was released. I would have been pulling my hair out! Rather than starting Falcon after resolutions were miraculously solved, Kendig plunges you into the fray right at the start. This book starts with a bang and never lets up. There are several characters focused on and a lot of loose ends to tie. Somehow she does it without making the reader feel overwhelmed or lost in confusion. Several times I wanted to chuck the book across the room. I was that invested and involved. That's a sign of a great book as far as I am concerned. I wish I could give you more details, but I am afraid a lot of them would be spoilers. I will tell you this, Raptor Team has a lot being thrown at them and they fight back, hard. The battle that ensues has you gasping and on the edge of your seat. Chapter after chapter they are fighting for their lives, the enemy seemingly several steps ahead of them. Kendig keeps you guessing and throws a few punches of her own. This is a gripping and compelling book. Anything else I say will spoil the plot or be more gushing. I hope you decide to read it! *I received a free copy of this book. However I am under no obligation to read or review. I do so of my own free will. My words are honest and my own*

Salvatore Russo or Sal or Falcon as he is known to his brothers in arms on the Special Forces Team stationed in Afghanistan is angry at the world it would seem. However, his anger is really directed at one person, Cassie Walker. Underneath the anger though are shame, guilt and anger at himself. He chooses to deal with his feelings in an unhealthy way, one that could get him discharged if discovered. He has always been intense and any mission failures seen as person failures. He is driven and completely loyal to his team. Now that Cassie is on the scene he seems more distracted. With a mole leaking sensitive information to an enemy, Daniel Jin, and further attempts on the lives of fellow soldiers, Falcon needs his focus more than ever. But Cassie reveals something she has kept from him for four years and Falcon isn’t sure how he is supposed to deal with this new revelation. Cassie Walker took this mission in Afghanistan, working for the CIA, so she could be close to Sal and hopefully receive his forgiveness. Whenever she encounters him though he is angry with her and leaves no doubt that there will never be a future for the two of them together. A friend Cassie knew ten years ago, but has kept in touch with, now is the means by which Daniel Jin can devastate the lives of servicemen and women everywhere. However, Cassie has faith in her friend, who she used to think of as closer than a sister. Has her friend really changed that much? Is she really so cold and evil? While on the trail of her friend and trying to free her from the clutches of Daniel Jin, Cassie is also worried about Sal and her feelings of love that she still has for him. Will he ever forgive her? The plot of the story kept me guessing as to the trustworthiness of a few characters until the closing chapters. There was plenty of action, intrigue and well-developed characters. Cassie and Sal had a physical relationship in the past, which didn’t work out at the time, but in the beginning of this story Sal couldn’t stand to even be in the same room with her. Trust or lack thereof was a main theme in the book, and I liked how Cassie in the intervening four years apart from Sal had given her life to Christ. She trusted Him and this His plan for her life. There were some surprises in the story that made for a great conclusion. I have really enjoyed this military series from Ronie Kendig and hope she keeps writing in this genre.

Hours after I finished what is, the final novel in author Ronie Kendig’s Quiet Professional series, I’m sitting here, trying to process everything. Something like “wow” has been my reaction since about 30-some pages in, and that reaction stayed the course throughout the 300 pages that followed. Falcon is the story of Raptor 6 team member, Warrant Officer Sal Russo (call sign Falcon). Chasing a traitor among their ranks, Raptor 6 has suffered one too many betrayals in recent months, but the greatest of which is yet to come when they lose someone. All of this collides with Sal’s personal past when, for the greater good of the mission, he learns Raptor has to work with Cassandra Walker, the woman he once loved… and the person who he blames for the death of his fiancé. There’s always a sense of bittersweet feelings that accompany the end of a series that a reader has found – in some varying form, epic. This is certainly true of Falcon. Though many things only add to the heroics of this novel, the hero is certainly the primary hero of the story. Ronie’s leading men are a force to be reckoned with. Not only are they wonderfully (read: they’re HUMAN!) flawed, they never back down from a fight or shirk their moral responsibilities. But above all, they put their lives at risk every single time without question. Unequivocally, that trait never falters. Because of this, the whole fictional thing doesn’t hold up; these men are real heroes. What I loved so much about this novel (aside from Falcon, of course) is the conflict. This is one of the most emotionally interesting books I’ve read in a long time. The connection Falcon has with Cassie is tenuous at best, and their past is riddled with mistakes. Their scenes together are tension fueled though not without poignant moments as they respectively remember things left unsaid. The way Cassie loves Falcon is also lovely and the “twist” of the story took me by surprise. Fans of Kendig’s earlier books will be missing out if they skip over Falcon. A 2016 INSPYs shortlist novel, this one is not to be missed. It’s a cutting-edge thriller full of heart, which not all novels in this genre can pull off. This takes skill and talent, and yet, with grace, Falcon pulls off this and then some together.

I have a confession to make, although I have really enjoyed this series; Falcon, or as Cassie refers to him, "Sal" has not been one of my favorite characters. However, I was intrigued to find out the past history of Sal and Cassie, and to finish up the series. In continuing with my earlier confession, Sal was still not a fave of mine in Book 3 either. He did however, become more likable later in the book. I liked Cassie and really enjoyed getting back into the plot of the series and revisiting with the lives of the other characters. So, while the first part of the book I completely enjoyed, it was the last part of the book that really hooked me in and left me not only completely pleased with its conclusion but also that of the series. It was a fantastic wrap up! Hooah! Looking forward to Kendig's foray into fantasy (Embers/Book 1), kicking off this fall!

After reading Raptor 6 and Hawk, I was really looking forward to reading Falcon which is Sal’s story. I loved that the whole team is in this story as well as Candyman (Tony) and Timbrel from Beowulf! I LOVED their story. Falcon focuses on finding the mole who has been sabotaging the team since book one and we also get to find out just what happened in Sal and Cassie’s past. And boy, what a past it is! The action, twists and turns, and surprises in this story will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages long into the night! I mean there are some seriously jaw dropping things that happen in this story. So. Good!!! I also really love how Ms. Kendig tackles hard subjects like PTSD and guilt and what they can do to you. My heart literally broke for Sal while reading this story. I love how Ms. Kendig’s characters are real and flawed, and oh so wonderful! Another excellent read! 5 stars!

Warning review contains spoilers: I love Falcon’s story and I couldn’t stop reading it and it has so many twists and turns to the plot. Falcon aka Sal Russo who is a part of team Raptor. The first twist in the Cassie, who is Sal’s ex-girlfriend who hasn’t told him about their 4 old daughter Mila. The next twist to the plot is who is the all the bad guys trying to kill team Raptor? Is General Burnet and Hawk really dead? How many traitors are working for the own gain to help destroy Team Raptor is it Ramsey, Brie, Boris,Tang, or Daniel or all them combined? Will Sal ever forgive Cassie and let his heart open up to meet his sweet girl Mila? So happy to read about Dean aka Raptor 6 get married to Double Z aka Zahra. Hawk popping the question to Z’s cousin was adorable I couldn’t stop laughing about it. Want to know how this story ends you’ll have to read to find out.

I am officially an addict of Ronie Kendig's fast-paced fiction! My craving began several years ago when my teenage daughter introduced me to Kendig's series about military working dogs and their handlers. Since then, I wait eagerly for each new story. Her recent novel, Falcon, is Book 3 in The Quiet Professionals series. Falcon starts out of the gate with scenes from a special operations mission and weaves the story of Salvatore “Falcon” Russo as he battles enemies both foreign and domestic – both the terrorist bent on cyberattack and his own internal struggle with guilt and anger. Like a good action movie, the story combines the best of riveting action scenes, mysterious characters, and a tumultuous love interest. As one familiar with the world of special operations, I knew Ronie Kendig had done her homework. Everything from realistic details of cyber-warfare to the body language of special tactics warriors worked together to keep me reading page after page. As each chapter ended, I was compelled to keep reading until before long, I found my family had gone to bed. By 1:00am I decided I was in it for the long haul – I HAD to find out how this story ended! In her usual style, Ronie Kendig held my attention to the very last page. (And for those of you who know me and my relationship with ADHD, you realize how amazing this book must be!) I even bought a kindle copy so I can re-read her entire collection. (I did receive a copy of Falcon from the publisher in exchange for my honest thoughts about this novel.)

Falcon: by Ronie Kendig Warrant Officer Salvatore “Falcon” Russo has a difficult job ahead and he’s got to keep his head in the game. If it wasn’t for the aggravating presence of one Cassandra Walker his job would be so much easier. Cassandra Walker was there, in Afghanistan, to work. Her under cover op was wearing on her. Truth is, she asked for this assignment so she could be close to him. Falcon. And he despises her. How is she supposed to fix things with everything falling apart? What if he finds out her secret? Raptor’s got someone trying to kill them off. All are targets for this unseen enemy and no where is safe, not the nearby town, not the beautiful high rise Takkar towers, not even the base. Who can they trust? There’s a real and present threat, and Raptor isn’t sure who to trust. An insidious threat follows them. No one is safe. No place is safe. Falcon is a fast paced thrill from the first page through the last. Written by award winning author Ronie Kendig. I am Never disappointed when I open one of her books. Yes, I have them all! She amazes me time and again by creating elements and characters that I want to get to know, I want to keep up with them. I can’t wait for her next book. Well done Ronie Kendig! Thank you!