I find myself increasingly reading anthologies, partly because they contain brilliant tales but also because they are a great value for the money. I love miniseries. If I read one, then I simply must read the others. Since most serial stories are separate, this can end up costing me a fortune but with Operation Love, this is not the case.

This anthology contains the tales of triplet sisters, all of whom have vowed not to marry a man in the military. They come to realize that loving a man means you are grateful for the time you can spend with him, preferring a small amount of togetherness over none at all.

"Finding Orion" by Alyssa Brooks is the story of Lily and Hunter. These best friends are both teachers, and Hunter is in the military. So, whilst Lily is attracted to him, she hides her attraction, unwilling to get involved with a military man whose dream is to go into space. Lily's determination not to get involved is strengthened when Hunter is accepted by the Space Candidate Training program. When she finds out, she can't hide her dismay over the news, but simply asks Hunter if he has done everything he wants to do in life in case he dies in space. Hunter believes he has until he talks with his grandfather and realizes he hasn't. He hasn't done Lily, whom he suddenly realizes he is greatly attracted to. He goes after Lily the way he has gone after everything he's ever wanted; full steam ahead with no thought of failure. After one steamy night of celebration including a bottle of wine that leaves Lily completely uninhibited, neither can keep their desires under wraps. Lily gets pregnant, and Hunter is ecstatic but was impregnating Lily part of his plan?

In "Mau Loa Ko'u Aloha (Forever My Love)" by Melissa Schroeder, Daisy (AKA Dee) lives in Hawaii, where her family was stationed in her adolescent years and where she and her sisters graduated. Whilst she's been half in love with Mano, her friend's Air Force pilot brother, for as long as she has known the family, she never expected him to return her feelings in any way. He never felt anything toward her other than brotherly until now, when he spies her bending over into the fridge and is instantly in lust with her derriere. Of course, he doesn't know who it is he's admiring until he has contemplated, in depth, getting much more acquainted with said derriere-- and the rest of her body. Not wanting to get involved with someone he spent so much time with as he was growing up--not to mention he knows her military officer father would kill him--he tries to keep his distance. Jealousy pushes him over the edge and he asks her to dinner. After drinking enough to lose his inhibitions over having a sexual relationship with her, they wind up in his bed. After that, there's no going back. What kind of relationship can the pair have when Mano plans not to get married until he retires? Not to mention the vow Dee made with her sisters not to marry a military man.

"Wounded Hearts" by Karen Monroe is Lieutenant Holly Burton's story, the triplet who has been the most determined never to marry a military man. She has had a few long-term relationships, but these always ended when she was stationed elsewhere. Dedicated to her psychiatrist career, she is not interested in marriage and is on the fast track. When she first meets Commander Scott Gilcrist, who has been referred for a mental health evaluation, she is stunned by her intense attraction to this stalwart Navy SEAL. Determined to avoid any type of personal relationship with him, she does her best to keep a professional distance between them. She eventually succumbs to his single-minded pursuit of her. With her vow and his mental hang-ups, will they ever be able to give a relationship a fair chance of surviving, even though they come to intensely love one another?

This anthology is brilliant! The authors have obviously maintained contact with each other and discussed what they are writing, as there are no contradictions in the stories like I have found with others where linked tales were written by different people. I thoroughly enjoyed this trilogy of stories that are centered on the military. I like the play on the title "Finding Orion", the reasoning for which you will discover when you read the story yourself (it goes without saying that I liked the actual story!). I also enjoyed "Forever My Love", a tale of a love that matures and is at long last returned. "Wounded Hearts" is also a fabulous tale with a man who likes to be firmly in control and aware of all facts, and a woman who prefers not to analyze herself, well aware of her fears and weaknesses, many of which developed out of the absence of her father when she was growing up.

When reading a set of linked books, there is usually one that lets you down. Not so with this fabulous trio. All are brilliant, well written, enjoyable and steamy. Operation Love is definitely one anthology to add to the keep for all time collection.

Reviewed By Elizabeth
© August 2005