ARC provided by the Publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Aces Wild ended up being on my DNF list. I couldn't get into the story.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this title. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to connect to the story because I did not think the third person POV fit the story.. As I didn't completely finish this book, I will not be publishing a review. We do not feature uncompleted books on the blog. Although this title didn't work for me, I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

We didn't complete reading this story for reasons that we will not disclose at this time. If anything is under three stars we have a policy that we won't review on our blog and will not publish reviews on any websites.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this title. Unfortunately in this case I found it difficult to connect to the story. As I didn't completely finish this book I will not be publishing a review. We do not review uncompleted books on the blog, and again, thank you for sending through a review copy. Although this title didn't work for me, I do look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

aces wild kicks off the elite ops series in thrilling style. the world's most elite military pilots are all in the nevada desert for a friendly, competition-style training mission. raf pilot dexter stone is just getting back into the swing of things after a horrific crash. he has to prove he is ready to fly into danger if he's going to reclaim his former role on his squad.

when he meets a mysterious and sexy stranger on the bus to the military base the red flag exercises are run out of, he realizes he may need to work on his game because he manages to be cocky and awkward and unintentionally amusing, which is kind of the opposite of what he was going for.

maj. eleanor daniels has plenty to prove at red flag, she's sick of living in her father's shadow and having to work twice as hard as her male peers. she knows that she has the skills to act as squad leader if given the chance. so the last thing she is looking for is a romantic connection, even with a sexy british pilot. they're on opposite sides for this training exercise and she doesn't need a cocky pilot distracting her.

but things get complicated quickly. for the first time, the private sector is involved in the training exercise and shady dealings seem to be happening on every corner. when eleanor overhears something she shouldn't have in her father's office she's suddenly targeted by goons that appear to be out to kill her.

while on a mission, her plane and dex's are sabotaged, and they are left out in the desert without water or supplies and must use all their training in order to keep going. even as dexter and eleanor's story comes to a close, there is so much going on at the base that you know there is more romance and suspense ahead in this series. i really enjoyed the chemistry between the leads and the mystery of what is happening on the base totally worked for me.

4 Wine Glass #Review of Aces Wild by Emmy Curtis
*Posting 10/18/2017 @ 8pm EST

Emmy Curtis' Aces Wild is a high-flying adventure brimming with scorching romance and thrilling action that I easily became lost in!

After puttering out half way through this authors debut series, Alpha Ops, I was a little skeptical going into Aces Wild. However, this author's writing has very obviously evolved within the last year or two, because I could hardly tell that it was the same writer! Aces Wild was fast moving, intriguing, and the romance was red hot. The protagonists of the book were interesting, quick witted, and fun. Dexter and Eleanor had wonderful backstories that helped shape their characters and gave them that extra dimension. They also had great chemistry and the secondary characters, which will be spotlighted in following books, were compelling. I look forward to reading more about them.

I still have some big questions about the bad guys, as there were substantial loose ends left open by the end of the book. Hopefully that aspect is still an evolving story in this series and answers will come with more installments! Over all, Aces Wild was a titillating military romance that I enjoyed! I definitely recommend this title to romantic suspense and military romance fans.

First off I absolutely loved Eleanor. She is a bada$$ woman and she knows how to navigate the world with confidence. This book took a little bit to capture me. At the beginning I just thought Dexter was a huge arrogant jerk. But the more I read and got to know him the more I understood him. The suspense of the book was fantastic and the romance was sparking hot. The descriptive details made my mental picture of the scenes vivid and when it came to the action and fighting I loved every minute of it. Dexter and Eleanor's hard beginning developed into a great relationship. This story will keep a reader in suspense, I definitely recommend it.

What’s it About? After a surviving a near fatal crash in enemy territory, RAF pilot Dexter Stone is more determined than ever to prove that he is still at the top of his game. As long as he can keep from getting distracted by Major Eleanor Daniels, a fellow Red Flag trainee, Dex should be able to accomplish his goals in no time. Eleanor on the other hand is trying to prove that just because she's a woman doesn't mean she doesn't deserve a spot at Red Flag but when she inadvertently becomes the target of killers, she and Dex will have to work together to survive and find answers.




Overall reaction to the story? Aces Wild isn't a bad way to start a new series but it DID have some issues that kept it from being rated a solid four. For starters, the pace was too fast. It seemed like things were happening super fast over a long period of time when in fact it had only been a few days. Also, for two characters like Dex and Eleanor who didn't have a past together, I expected a bit more development from them when it came to romance. I know the setting doesn't exactly lend itself to slow romance but I felt like there was something missing from it at the end. Another issue I had was with the suspense plot. It felt unfinished, and left me thinking I had missed something. The buildup was great and had me all in but the way that aspect of the book wrapped up fell short of my expectations. Even with my hangups about the book, I would still pick up the next book in the series.




Describe the hero in five words: Cocky. Stubborn. Fun. Loyal. Smart.

Did you like him? Yes.

Why? Dex is all about trying to prove he can still be the best after basically walking away from a death defying plane crash. I loved his determination to succeed but I also loved that he wasn't a jerk about it. He was willing to work hard to reach his goal but he wasn't one of those guys who would walk all over or worse, sabotage a fellow pilot's reputation to do it. He was confident but overall, a really good guy who was fighting some anxiety along the way and ended up meeting a woman he couldn't let go of. Speaking of which, Dex was never intimidated by Eleanor or women in the military in general, a trait which should never be overlooked in a male character. I loved how he could be an easy going, teasing charmer to a highly trained RAF pilot in the blink of an eye.



Describe the heroine in five words: Determined. Intelligent. Loyal. Stubborn. Confident.

Did you like her? Yes

Why? Eleanor is the type of heroine who really stands out in book like Aces Wild because she's determined to succeed on her own merit in a male dominated workplace. Her father is a high ranking officer who hasn't paid all that much attention to her and has certainly never helped her get ahead but that doesn't stop people from thinking he has. I loved that she could back up her tough girl talk with actions, she wasn't just mouthing off about proving herself, she actually did it. For the most part she was confident about her ability to do the job she was trained to do but she also recognized when she needed help. She was a definite leader but at the same time she knew when someone else was better suited to lead in a difficult situation. Love those traits in a female character.



Let’s talk about the romance: Okay so the attraction between Dex and Eleanor was spot on and always there, even when the focus was on work it was hanging around in the background waiting for the right moment to really dig in.These two worked so well together and their personalities complimented each other BUT I do think the romance needed more development instead of seeming like it happened off page or worse, too fast. I get that the book is a romantic suspense but a balance between the two is possible, especially with two characters like Dex and Eleanor who play off each other so nicely when they were bantering and teasing each other.


Click It or Skip It? Click It. Even with the issues I had, Aces Wild is still worth reading and generates a lot of interest in the rest of the series.

DNF

Yeah, no. I’d previously enjoyed the first two books in Emmy Curtis’ Alpha Ops military romance series, the gave up on that series after barely getting through the third and DNFing the fourth. I was hoping that Ms. Curtis’ new Elite Ops series would bring me back into the fold… but it was not meant to be: a third of ACES WILD was enough for me to officially give up on all things Emmy Curtis. Forever.

ACES WILD is, essentially, what would be called a ‘PWP’ (plot, what plot?) in fanfiction parlance--and not a particularly enjoyable one. The premise could’ve been promising but was executed so poorly there was barely a plot, the characters (both hero and heroine) were vapid facsimiles of actual military personnel (or actual humans, for that matter), and the ‘romance’/relationship had zero emotional depth (or any depth, really). Nothing really made sense, and the supposed witty repartee between hero and heroine became irritating very quickly.

So maybe ACES WILD and the entirety of Ms. Curtis’ surprisingly extensive body of work is for you, but it’s most definitely not for me.

**ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating ~ 4.25 stars

Flight Lieutenant Dexter 'Dex' Stone is a British pilot with something to prove after crashing his plane on his last mission and what better way to then beating the aggressor squadron at the Red Flags. Dex wants to prove it to himself crash wasn't the end of his career.

Major Eleanor Daniels is at Red Flag to prove it to Air Force community that she is more than a general's daughter, (especially one who doesn't care for her to begin with) and she got her position on her own merit and not because of who her father is. Eleanor just didn't count on this Red Flag changing the course of what she thought about her family.

Eleanor ends up hearing something about the Red Flag and TechGen-One that she shouldn't have and now finds herself facing danger from all ends. Eleanor doesn't know if she can trust anyone but maybe the annoying Brit can be trusted, especially now that TechGen-One is after both of them. I enjoyed the suspense plot, I think Emmy Curtis did a good job at building up suspense and the mystery factor. I do wish however we could have gotten a bit more about what TechGen-One's goal was.

I loveeddd Dex and Eleanor, honestly from the get go they had this connection (and chemistry) even with Dexter being an arse and ending up with his foot in the mouth at their first meeting. I loved their banter! Their relationship was just easy, in the sense that they just understood each other, they got each others sense of humour and maybe the circumstance helped but that made easier for them to open to each other. They had this playful aspect to their relationship that I adored, it made me smile.

Quibbles: I wish the book had been a bit longer because I wasn't ready to see goodbye to Dex and Eleanor, I wanted a bit more of background on. Dex and Eleanor. I also would have liked a bit more about how TechGen-One was dealt with since it wasn't in this book, that might be the continuity aspect of the series ?? I don't know because it felt incomplete.

This was first read by Emma Curtis but certainly won't be the last. I really enjoyed the writing, the plot, the characters and can't wait to read more books from her. While I enjoyed the plot, Dex and Eleanor were easily the best part of this book.

Wild Aces is a great start to a new series, with some danger, suspense and action along with a fab couple thrown in to make it a great light romantic suspense read!

I was so excited for this book, the idea that the female heroine was also a pilot...but I found this title to be terribly cliche. It felt like the book was written with the intention of making it about a female, and this overshadowed the story for me.

I have chosen to DNF the title.

So much potential! I love military romances. This one had just a little bit too much intrigue with no reason or conclusion, and it made Eleanor and Dex's "on the run" adventure seem a little far-fetched. it was still a fun read.

Received in exchange for a honest review.

This was great. I love the banter between Dex and Eleanor. Even when in dire straights we got some great banter.

Dex is the guy we all love. He is hard working, honest and kind. I love his chivalrous ways in the bar with Eleanor and how he went along with her when she was in need of it. He was also suffering from flashbacks of a time he would rather forget. Nothing drama filled but a work accident. He is lucky to be alive and he knows it. this time at Red Flag training is to prove to himself and others that he can still be in the cockpit. Didn’t expect to meet spunky and stubborn eleanor. when he does sparks fly off the kindle. these two have so much chemistry and the witty comments to one another are so fun.

Eleanor is the girl trying to prove she is more than her namesake. That she belongs and got where she is on talent. That is what she hopes to prove in this training. Only she gets put in the middle of something that has her fighting for her life. Hers and Dex’s. She is a smart cookie with witty comebacks and she is kind to boot.

the story has so much banter but also adventure and danger. Dex is placed in the center of it all when he comes to the aide of Eleanor. It is this danger that has them learn about each other and help each other survive and fall in love with one another. While they are fighting for their lives they still joke and keep things light while learning who they are and who each other is as well.

A fun exciting and exhilarating story that has you smile, laugh, at the edge of your seat and hoping they come out alive and together.

2.5 Stars

Military romance? Military pilots? Throw in a sexy Brit and some cloak and dagger stuff? Well, sign me up! I was so excited to get my hands on this book, especially after enjoying the author's Alpha Ops series so much and I was expecting more of the same thrilling suspense and action.

Unfortunately, ACES WILD did not live up to my expectations for it. I enjoy a fast-paced story as well as the next person, and this story started out at breakneck and just stayed there for all of it, but here is my issue: it felt like I was missing sections of the story completely. Ms. Curtis has always been able to deliver on military details and she did here, but this only made the other areas stand out is stark contrast.

Both the romance and suspense went from zero to Mach speed rapidly but much of the development of both was missing. We barely got to know the characters before they went from barely tolerating each other to hot and heavy with nothing in between. A routine training exercise went to hell very fast with no build up and very scant details.

I completely get that the few clues strewn about in the book are supposed to lay a foundation for an overarching story-line spanning the entire series (maybe), but I would really have loved it if there was enough of this story to engage me and build up my enthusiasm for the rest of the series. At the moment, all I have is a headache from trying to connect the dots and disappointment because I really wanted to love this book so much.

This is one of those books where I just wanted more. There was a lot going on in this story but the best part is the chemistry between Dexter and Eleanor. As with most first books, there was so much set up and other things going on, by the time things really started getting exciting, the story was over.

I really enjoyed Dex and Eleanor. This is the first book of the series and I wish it was a continuing series of Dex and Eleanor but I fear they were just the first couple in the bunch. If that is so, there really wasn’t enough put in to excite our interest in secondary characters for the next books, but again, there was so much going on that to really focus on other characters would have given us even less time with Dex and Eleanor.

Neither of the main characters have time for romance since they have both arrived at the Red Flag training (which is actually a real thing) to boost their careers. They both need to outshine all of the other pilots and don’t realize right away that they are fighting on opposite teams. Dex recently crashed his aircraft and has to prove it wasn’t pilot error and Eleanor is trying to get out of the shadow of her 3-Star General father.

This year’s Red Flag almost didn’t happen due to budget problems, until a private contractor known as TechGen-One steps in generously offering to foot the bill. But this seem out of sort when this sponsor seems to be taking over the military base and locking pilots out of their hangers.

While waiting to speak to her father about the problem at the hanger, Eleanor overhears a conversation which she shouldn’t and now certain parties are concerned if she can be trusted or is she now a problem which needs to be eliminated. They send the goon squad after Eleanor which simply leads her further into the arms of Dexter.

I enjoyed this story a lot and simply wanted more of it. I wanted more Eleanor and Dex. They had great chemistry and we didn’t get enough of them. I wanted more combat missions. I wanted more information about what Eleanor stumbled into. If anything, I have unanswered questions which will probably be part of further books. I could happily stick with Eleanor and Dex as the main focus of this series while all the secrets are dragged to the surface.

Aces Wild was a little bit of Top Gun with its competitive Red Flag exercise and cocky pilots, a little bit cloak and dagger with some mystery and suspense surrounding the event, and a little bit of hot with a yummy British RAF pilot trying to get his career back on track and a no-nonsense take no prisoners American female pilot who is determined to prove to these guys once and for all that she is no fluke.

Dex "Ironman" Stone survived a crash and a group of insurgents while on a mission overseas but his commanding officer took him to task for being too reckless and taking unnecessary chances. So now he finds himself at the Red Flag training exercise outside Las Vegas trying to prove he is still the best and guarantee he is able to continue flying a plane instead of becoming a desk jockey. When he meets a feisty and steely female on the bus on the way there, he brushes off his rusty flirting skills only to be brushed off himself, yet he finds himself intrigued by the elusive Eleanor.

Eleanor Daniels has spent her entire career trying to accomplish two things: prove to her father that she has what it takes to be worthy of his praise, and prove to her team that she has absolutely earned everything she has gained over the course of her career despite the fact her father is a high ranking officer because he has certainly never taken the time to help her advance no matter what anyone thinks. Red Flag is her chance to show everyone exactly how skilled she is and no one is going to distract her from that task, not even one completely sexy James Bond- sounding RAF pilot who is a legend in his own right. She learned long ago that sleeping with a fellow pilot only brings her more headaches but he certainly is tempting!

Once they arrive and split into their teams, things turn strange fast between the private contractor who seems to be running this military exercise and civilians showing up in places on base they have no business being in. Add in that Eleanor's father is unexpectedly onsite and she is very suspicious. When she goes to try to talk to him to find out what is going on, she inadvertently overhears a conversation she was never meant to be privy to and her life is suddenly turned upside down as she becomes the target of a set of men determined to kill her. Dex is pulled into the fray when he steps him to save her from being strong-armed, and now he is a target in their plan too. Bullets fly, planes may be sabotaged, and they have no idea who they can trust aside from each other. When both their planes mysteriously malfunction on a mission, they are in a fight for their lives.

Dex and Eleanor were a lot of fun together! His cockiness and humor have a way of melting through the steel walls she put up around her heart years ago, and her spirit and passion appeal to him in a way he hasn't experienced before. They have some fun (and hot) moments in between the competitions and the danger that stalks them, and it serves them well when things turn bad. If they can survive long enough to get back to base, what awaits them there? And what kind of future can they have when he has to return to duty in England and she is tied to the US military?

Aces Wild was a quick read that kept me entertained, but I was a bit disappointed in the things that were left open-ended and unresolved. I was waffling back and forth between 3.5 and 4 stars for this read, so I rounded up to 4 in the end. I know this book is part of a series so I am looking forward to finding out what comes next and I hope to see more of Dex and Eleanor while finding out the answers to my lingering questions.

My first Emmy Curtis novel doesn't disappoint in this fast paced romance.

RAF pilot Dexter 'Dex' Stone is in Las Vegas to take part in the Red Flag training exercise, a collaboration between air forces from NATO countries and other allied forces. It's a chance for him to prove he still has the skills that made him one of the best military pilots...or determine whether he still has a career in the RAF.

Major Eleanor Daniels has earned every single career accolade, but as the daughter of General Daniels, she constantly having to prove her worth as a top air force pilot. When she overhears a conversation her father has, it puts Eleanor on high alert with suspicions about the training exercise she's taking part in.

The timeline for the narrative is short, so the action comes fast and furious. The attraction between Dex and Eleanor is instant, neither not knowing who they are flirting with. In the adrenaline fuelled backdrop of Nellis Air Force Base it becomes apparent they are opponents in the training exercise but that doesn't deter the pair. When Eleanor becomes a target, Dex comes to her rescue, throwing them both into a life threatening situations.

The banter between the protagonists is playful and sexy. Whilst recurring talks of a beach wedding sound crazy between two people who have just met, it fits the mindset of people involved in dangerous careers...living in the moment. It's tongue-in-cheek and not serious but offers Dex and Eleanor a light, happy thought to hang onto as they fly in the Las Vegas desert. 
"Then maybe we need to go back to discussing our beach wedding?"

The author has written a suspenseful military romance which kept my attention for the duration of the novel. With an intriguing storyline, engaging protagonists and a fascinating cast of secondary characters I loved the contrast between the glamour of Las Vegas and the surrounding desert. I was instantly drawn into this book from the very beginning and look forward to reading more from Ms Curtis soon.

4.5 stars

***arc generously received courtesy of Publisher Forever Yours via NetGalley***

Aces Wild was my first time reading Curtis, but I’ll definitely be back to try more. It wasn’t a perfect raed for me, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

My main issue was with the rushed romance. For a long time, the romance felt a bit MIA, to be honest. The two didn’t even spend any time together until the 40% mark, have (what’s supposed to be) their one-night stand, and then the suspense plot kicks up and they’re a bit busy running for their lives and whatnot. Which, I get, trust me, but the long wait for them to even really meet, followed by a mad-dash to hit the HEA by the end was a bit disappointing. I mean, when I'm at the 80% mark, let's say, and have almost ZERO visible progression of the romance going on, it's a bit of a romance flop, even if I'm liking the overall story. Better pacing, more time spent on their budding romance, and this story could have worked even better for me.


The chemistry between these two was pretty good; there’s only a few brief scenes, but they are hot. And there’s even an instance of the infamous romancelandia Danger Boner, as they have sex while running from the bad guys, both injured and dehydrated, because boning > everything else, of course. 😊


I found the story, especially the suspense plot, to be pretty engaging. But I do feel like there were some things that were never fully explained or addressed by the end, though perhaps that’ll continue into the next book in the series? I guess I’ll have to see.


I liked their banter for the most part (a few times it came across as more ‘awkward conversation attempt’), and found myself smirking at a few of their exchanges.


I’m not sure yet which couple will be in book 2, but I’m definitely curious after meeting some of the characters in this one.



3 1/2 STARS

Mystery, betrayal, and non-stop action all come into play in this thrilling military romance, set in the desert of Las Vegas during a joint military training, dubbed Red Flag. This competition exercise between the best NATO air force pilots is sponsored by military contractors and billions in defense contracts are at stake.

Dexter Stone, aka Ironman, is a RAF pilot whose reputation was damaged after he crashed his aircraft in Iraq. Red Flag is the perfect opportunity to prove his ability to keep a firm hold on his impulses. Failure is not an option and would mean the end of a career that has shaped all his adult life. Dexter has found a worthy opponent in Major Eleanor Daniels, aka Bees Knees. Poised and sharp witted with a knack for teasing him, Eleanor is part of the Aggressor Squadron whose role is to prevent the others teams from achieving their assigned objectives. Eleanor has accepted to join Red Flag to prove her military rank has everything to do with her flying skills and nothing to do with her father’s influence. Her father is an officer of high rank and she has a complicated relationship with him.

Dexter and Eleanor have a lot in common and their friendly connection is a way to release the stress of the training. Eleanor is a seductive combination of daredevil attitude, and girl-next-door type. Dexter and Eleanor’s chemistry is instant, but neither one of them is willing to surrender to their mutual attraction, their focus must be on the competition. They are the perfect team, though. Cooperating will be a matter of survival when they are both caught in a twisting spiral of duplicity and corruption and their life is at stake.

The combination of danger, betrayal and chemistry makes this an entertaining read. I loved the angsty and thrilling ride of suspense, the steady rise in tension! The writing is well-paced, the story was interesting and intriguing. The happy ending was a bit rushed and abrupt, I would have enjoyed more relationship development between Dexter and Eleanor. Some plots twists were partly unresolved, but this book being the first in a new series, I hope we’ll get the answers in a next installment!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley.