Into the Blue

Wild Aces #2

by Chanel Cleeton

Eric Jansen—call sign Thor—loves nothing more than pushing his F-16 to the limit. Returning home to South Carolina after a tragic loss, he hopes to fix the mistake he made long ago, when he chose the Air Force over his fiancée.

Becca Madison isn’t quick to welcome Thor back. She can’t forget how he shattered her heart. But Thor won’t give up once he’s set his sights on what he wants—and he wants Becca.

Thor shows Becca that he’s no longer the impulsive boy he used to be, and Becca finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. But will Thor be able to walk away from his dream of flying the F-16 for their love or does his heart belong to the sky?

Genres: Romance, Military Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Military Romance, Fiction

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 5, 2016

About the author

Chanel Cleeton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick Next Year in Havana, When We Left Cuba, The Last Train to Key West, and The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba.

Originally from Florida, Chanel grew up on stories of her family's exodus from Cuba following the events of the Cuban Revolution. Her passion for politics and history continued during her years spent studying in England where she earned a bachelor's degree in International Relations from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master's degree in Global Politics from the London School of Economics & Political Science. Chanel also received her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Reviews

[✦❋Arianna✦❋ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!!



If you love military men and second chance romances, then this is the perfect book for you. Chanel Cleeton’s second installment in her newest series was as good as the first one if not better. 'Into the Blue' was “the perfect” second chance romance – with no overwhelming angst and drama, endearing characters that will steal your heart from the beginning and a wonderful love story that will make you swoon.

“It seemed like my entire adult life had been spent either running from or to this one girl. She was the compass when I was so lost I couldn’t find my way.”

This second installment features Eric ‘Thor’ Jansen, character we met before in the previous book in the series. Eric is a fighter pilot who loves flying more than anything. After a tragic accident and loss, Eric needs a little space, he needs time to find himself again. Returning home to South Carolina, he starts to wonder if he made the right choice leaving the only woman he’d ever loved. Ten years ago, wanting to serve his country, to make a difference, he hurt and left Becca, the woman who still owns his heart.

“…every time I imagined myself having a future with someone, it was always Becca.”

Becca never forget the man who broke her heart, the man she once upon a time thought he was ‘the one’. Ten years have passed, but she's still hurting, she still loves the man who chose flying over her. Now, a successful deputy solicitor, Becca is shocked when she meets her former fiancée after all these years. Confused and angry, she only wants to shut him out, but as much as she wants to push Eric away and to forget everything they lived together, she just can’t. She still remembers his smile, his laugh and the way he was with her in the past.

“How could someone feel like an old friend and a stranger at the same time? Was it my own wishful thinking imagining a connection that no longer existed, or was it possible that even with the time apart, there was still a piece of me that he held in the palm of his hand?”

Like I mentioned above I really enjoyed this one and for me it was better than the first installment in the series. I don’t always enjoy second chance romance stories, but this one was truly delightful from beginning until the end. I enjoyed almost every aspect of this story, but I guess what I liked the most was the fact that the story wasn’t high on angst and drama. Everything was balanced in a very great way.

“Have you ever looked back on a part of your life with regret? Like if you could have a do-over, would you take it?”

The relationship between the two main characters progressed slowly, but surely in a very believable way which I truly enjoyed. You can actually feel how much Eric and Becca still love each other after all these years. Their connection was palpable from the very first moment and their chemistry was off the chart most of the times. They were good for each other in every way and I have to say I loved them together. I was rooting for them from the beginning and reading their story really made me swoon and smile.

Both Eric and Becca were great characters for the most part and both of them were well developed as the story progressed. I liked Becca a lot and I really sympathize with her, but I have to say I liked Eric more. He fought for Becca from the moment he realized ten years ago did his biggest mistake leaving her. All his attempts to win her over were heartwarming and made me smile and I was really glad when Becca finally realized he loves her as much as she loves him. Eric was sweet and patient and such a swoon-worthy hero until the end.

“He kissed me like he was dying for my lips, my mouth, my tongue. Like the same madness that coursed through my veins was inside of him, too, pushing to get out.”

Their sexy times were always so intense. Sweet or hot as hell, I enjoyed every single one of them and I honestly couldn’t get enough of these two together. The cast of supporting characters was once again fantastic and I have to admit I’m dying to read the next installment – Easy and Dani’s story.

Overall, a wonderful second chance romance!

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

It seemed like my entire adult life had been spent either running from or to this one girl.

Confession time: I'm an angst addict. OK, so that's probably not that big a secret, but I'm going somewhere with this so bear with me. Now if I told you this was a sweet and sexy second chance romance that had no stupid misunderstandings, miscommunication, and light on the angst and yet I still read it in one sitting; would you believe me? Because that's exactly what happened with Into The Blue. It was perfect! A fighter pilot with the call sign, Thor, the woman he walked away from but never got over, and a second chance romance that will have you rooting for both characters...intrigued yet? You should be.

Maybe I was a fool. I probably was. But the thing with love was that once you felt it, it was impossible to turn off.

Ten years ago, Eric "Thor" Jansen walked away from his fiancé and their life together in South Carolina. He was young and torn between his career as a fighter pilot and the woman he loves. He made the choice that's haunted him since. Now after a tragic accident, he needs to get his head together, and so he comes back to the town he left behind and the woman he's never forgotten.

Becca Madison was never the same after Eric left. Ten years and she's still not over the man that broke her heart. But she had her career as a lawyer to think about and she wasn't ready to give that up for a man. Now a successful attorney for the solicitors office, she has everything but a man that owns her heart the way Eric once did.

This was a decade of pent-up unrequited whatever-we-were, and we kissed like we couldn't get enough of each other.

Their road to a second chance was a slow burn but a steady one. There was no unnecessary distractions like stupid drama or crazy angst. It was essentially one long grovel and I absolutely loved it. If you're looking for swoons, it just doesn't get better than Thor.

Holy hell, in this moment, his call sign seemed totally apropos. He looked like the god of thunder and lightning, like a warrior who commanded and men followed.

He was this perfect combination of endearingly sweet but with an edge. I wasn't sure if I'd accept his reason for leaving at first, but man, he proved me so wrong. This is a man that's determined to right his wrongs and I loved the way he went after Becca. He's not pushy or a possessive neanderthal. Just a man that's wizened up through the years and knows what he's been missing.

On our first date. I told you I spent half the night fantasizing about you. You didn't ask me what I was doing the other half."
"Do I really want to know?"
"I was falling in love with you."

This was such a sweet and sexy second chance romance! It reminded me all over again why I love Chanel Cleeton books. I loved her Capital Confessions series and I can't get enough of her Wild Aces. What can I say? The woman gives good alpha and I simply can't wait for more. With Easy's story next, I'm not sure there's enough 'wants' in the world to describe the amount of need I have for that book. Because I seriously NEED it.

ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review

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[Astrid - The Bookish Sweet Tooth · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Prettier review @ Vanilla & Spice Books

5 "Need to Fix This" Stars





Chanel Cleeton, where have you been all my life? I was fortunate to have the second of this amazing series waiting for me after finishing Fly With Me, thanks to the author gifting me an ARC.

Military men are a league of their own. They own every little bit of confidence, cockiness and arrogance but also loyalty and love for whatever they deem worthy. This is why I love stories featuring them.

The whole remaining squadron of the Wild Aces is still reeling from the tragic events in book 1. They try to deal with it but Eric, call sign Thor, finds it increasingly hard to focus. An almost accident makes him realize that he needs a time out, away from the job he loves to find solid ground again, to move on. After a chance run-in with his ex fiancée Becca he takes up the opportunity to go home and see where they stand, wanting to salvage the ties he cut loose a decade ago because they wanted different things out of life. His regret hasn't subsided in those ten years but will Becca be able to forgive him?

Look at me. Please. Forgive me. Let me in.

Seeing her ex again after such a long time has left Becca angry and confused. And when he comes to his home town after a decade of absence she does everything she can to shut him out and put up walls against this different yet familiar Eric. He sneaks past Becca's walls though and soon she finds herself entangled with him again. Forgiving is hard, forgetting almost impossible, and nobody wants to be second fiddle to your guy's job.

I have no idea how to put all my emotions for this book and the series into words. The heartbreak these two endured separated from the other because of one bad decision, the love that jumps from each page at you, the hope that is tangible, it all lured me in, hook, line and sinker and I just couldn't stop reading.

"What?"
"You being here. In South Carolina. With me."
"Not a nightmare?"
"It depends on the day you ask me."
"It feels like a dream."

Becca is an endearing heroine with a huge chip on her shoulder. Her strength is what defines her, so it's no surprise that forgiveness doesn't come easy to Becca but she is willing to work through the history that connects her with Eric. And so is he, he shows her with small and big gestures that he thinks the world of her. The way he treats Becca is achingly sweet.
Eric is such a swoon-worthy hero. He has it all, the cockiness, the arrogance and the depth to make him doubt himself and his decisions. His remorse for cutting himself loose is in every word he says. With his heart in Becca's hands he is desperate to find a solution out of the mess he created otherwise it would mean ending up where they did those ten years ago.

"Have dinner with me tonight."
She grinned. "Okay."
I graduated from "maybes to "okays", and I felt like a fucking king.

Their soul deep connection makes this story so worth reading. They try so hard to get past their messy history, it's beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. And then there is that lady parts-tingling attraction, the undeniable force that draws them together that makes you gasp and hold your breath. Their deep sexual need for one another is exciting and it almost makes you feel like an intruder. I loved their chemistry.


At some point I was wondering how this would play out, with both of them being on completely different paths and not being able to stray from them. I couldn't see either of them give in...but I shouldn't have doubted that the author would get it right. When Becca finally realizes that things have changed from the impossibility of their love to the only way, it is mindblowingly sweet. At that point my heart strings let loose a crescendo of feelings for these two. I was so relieved. You realize that these two had to go through the heartbreak to find a common path. They weren't in the same place when they separated and only the time apart got them to where they had to be.

Maybe it took losing her to realize just how much I needed her, the contrast between my life with Becca and my life without never clearer than in this moment.

What I love about the heroes of this series is that they are good men and still have the edge of badasses and super-alphas. They don't mess around, they go for what they want without being dicks about it. They are open about what they feel and have no shame admitting it. It's easy to fall in love with them.

Chanel Cleeton's writing style is fluid. The dialogues feel natural and you can't help sinking into the story and being swept away with it.

I hope after this series finishes Chanel Cleeton will continue writing romance with fighter pilots. I have no idea why not more authors do it, there is so much potential. Maybe they shy away from the knowledge that is needed, or even the insight that Ms. Cleeton has. But be that as it may, I think if this author continues what she's doing she'll strike a rich vein. I'm her devoted reader at any rate.

ARC received by the author in exchange for an honest review - thank you so much!

Quotes are taken from the unpublished work and are subject to change.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

RE-READ JULY 2020

Having adored, Fly With Me, the first in Chanel Cleeton’s Wild Aces series, I couldn’t wait to acquaint myself with Eric “Thor” Jansen.

”…it was the force of Eric. Six-feet-two-inches of Eric.”

Following the tragedy that unfolded in the first book, Eric finds himself taking time away from base, returning home to South Carolina determined to lay old ghosts to rest. Ten years previously he left, determined to become a successful fighter pilot, but in his wake he left a devastated and broken-hearted fiancée.



This time around readers are treated to second chance story of love, regret and rediscovery between Eric and now-attorney, Becca Madison. He wears his heart on his sleeve and sets out to break through her defences to prove to her that whilst he left Bradbury a boy, he has very much returned a man and his feelings for her haven’t diminished over the years.

”What we had—what we have—you and I both know it isn’t a given. I’ve never found it with anyone else, never felt the way I do about you. And I think you feel the same way.”

It’s not plain sailing by any stretch and I did spend a fair proportion of Into the Blue questioning just how Becca and Eric could find their HEA because her career is important to her and not particularly conducive to air force life, however there is absolutely no doubt that they are meant to be together. Chanel Cleeton has once again created a couple to absolutely adore, who are completely relatable and pull all the emotion from you and, whilst the first book had the edge for me, Into the Blue is still a strong addition to a wonderful series which I highly recommend.

[Christie«SHBBblogger» · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Into the Blue
Series: Wild Aces
Author: Chanel Cleeton
Release date: July 5, 2016
Cliffhanger: No
HEAYes



After reading (and loving) Fly With Me, I knew I'd be faithfully following this series. Not only did I love the main characters in the first, but the secondary characters were built well enough to hook me easily into wanting to know more about them. This book is about Eric (Thor), Noah's friend and fly buddy in the Wild Aces military aviation squadron.

If you've read book one, you know that Eric is suffering from a case of PTSD due to witnessing a tragedy up in the air with one of his fellow pilots. He's hurting emotionally and without his full concentration and confidence, he feels like he's putting the rest of his team at risk. In order to get his head straight, he decides that a visit back to his hometown might be just what he needs. Even if it means facing his biggest regret: Becca Madison. One glance at her and all of his long suppressed feelings came flooding back in a tidal wave. But with the way he handled their break-up, she wasn't giving him an inch. He was in for the fight of his life.

I felt like I was falling, reaching out with nothing to hold on to, the girl whose hand I wanted to grab, just out of my reach.

This was a thoughtfully well-written second chance love story. Becca and Thor had all the history of a deep and broken love along with a lot of bitterness and anger on her behalf. They met young, fell in love, and their futures were mapped out early. But they both had big dreams and Eric made the toughest choice of his life. They both lived in the knowledge that no one else could ever measure up for the last ten years. He was ready to let her back into his life and make amends-whatever it took. But could she risk the same pain and heartbreak that she barely survived the first time around?

He kept sneaking his way past my defenses, and I kept letting him, because no matter how hard I fought to deny it, he had always been my weak spot.

Becca is now a successful attorney, and even if they wanted to explore a future together, how would they navigate their careers together and not lose a part of themselves in each other? This heroine was one tough cookie. She make Eric prove himself time and again and wasn't bending an inch in her resolve to not fall for his charming smile and irresistible dimple. She couldn't afford to be wrong about him again after everything she had been through. I admired her strength, her tenacity in making him prove himself.

Eric was sweet, willing to open himself up to her and be vulnerable. He was clearly ready to earn her trust back and not afraid to face his actions from the past. What he did, and the way he did it was truly despicable. Their separation was handled very badly and I couldn't really fault the heroine for her distrust. However, I was rooting for him all along. I found it hard to hold what he did against him. And the more I knew about his mental state and reasoning at the time, I realized that there was a time and place for them to make their relationship work. Everything worked out the way it was meant to, as harsh and destructive as things were.

Their fragile friendship moved to a sizzling hot, physical connection that was stronger than it had ever been. These two just about burned up my kindle. All of their pent up passion and desire for each other combusted when they let their inhibitions go. This author knows how to write sexual tension and need. It was blatant, overwhelming, and thrilling. Becca never stood a chance in holding her heart of the equation with this sexy pilot.

Our hands and bodies became extensions of each other as we reconnected, as we came together once again with an audible click, as though the rightness of it all overshadowed everything else.

If you like second chance love stores, sexy pilots that will make you re-live all of your favorite Top Gun fantasies, and plenty of heat with your romance, then this book will be for you. This is told in dual POV and can be read as a standalone. I'm personally salivating over Easy's book, the third in the series. Ever since book one I've needed to see him finally get his HEA, and after reading the tease at the end I couldn't be more excited. There's tons of promise and potential and angst in store for the future. Bring it!

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[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

 
I'm certain I've said this before but it bears repeating, Chanel Cleeton is a woman well versed in the art of creating sexual tension! After the sizzling sensation that is Fly with me, Chanel changes gears with this slow burn love affair. Into the Blue is an emotion-filled second chance romance, with the wildness and anticipation of first love.

Eric ‘Thor’ Jansen is a filter pilot whose squadron has recently suffered a personal loss. With more than his work performance being affected, he decides to take a leave of absence and return to a the only place he feels grounded. Home is where the heart is, as is the girl whose heart he broke when he left.

We’d been everything to each other. Family, best friends, a fire that had burned hot and bright until it flamed out.
         
Becca Madison is a woman who has experience much loss in her life. Arguably none more so than when Eric Jansen town. As teens they were inseparable, but adulthood saw them veer in different directions. Becca craved familiarity, while Eric wanted to spread his wings. The news of his return is unwelcome, so too are the unbidden emotions that make a vehement resurgence.
 


Maybe I was a fool. I probably was. But the thing with love was that once you felt it, it was impossible to turn it off.



Chanel Cleeton once again makes easy work of affirming her 'go-to' author status. Eric and Becca's story was one I immensely enjoyed. Its distraction free, stripped back feel gave me time to get to know them, as well as absorb the emotions created.

Wild Aces in an interconnected series, so although each novel can be read as a standalone, I insist you read them in order. You'll thank me later.
 
Easy’s novel, On Broken Wings, is hotly anticipated and I’m looking forward to expiring from all the  delicious angst.
 

 

 

[Flo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 **second chance** STARS



What can I say? I adore this series. Chanel Cleeton is a relatively new author to me, but after loving Fly With Me and now getting to enjoy this second book in the Wild Aces series she is making her way on my must-read-author list. Ms.Cleeton has a way of spinning compelling, swoon-worthy and super hot love stories. Just the kind of thing this girl likes to read every once in awhile.

Into the Blue is the second book in the Wild Aces series, a second chance military themed romance about a squadron of F-16 fighter pilots.

Becca and Eric 'Thor' were highschool sweethearts, together for five years - even engaged, until ten years ago when Eric pulled the plug and left Becca. Back then their career choices didn't really work together and in the end love wasn't enough. Eric joined the Air Force to become a fighter pilot and Becca went to college and got a law degree.

Now, ten years later a chance encounter rekindles old feelings and both are at a point in their lives where they might be in a position to compromise, and maybe Becca is willing to give Eric a second chance.

I absolutely love the world created here. The characters are very real, their problems both in and out of the cockpit speak to me. I enjoy the balance between sweet romance and angst. If you like military romance with a lot of emotions this is definitely a series to look into. Especially the next book about Easy has a lot of promise and I for one can't wait for 2017. Why do we have to wait so long????? *insert ugly crying*

That's all. Thanks for your time.



**ARC very kindly provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

LIVE AMAZON https://www.amazon.com/Into-Blue-Wild...

4 STARS

Another beautiful story by Chanel!Chanel surprises me each time because I don't know what to expect, this story is different from the first book yet so good.This is a second chance romance between Eric and Becca.These two were in love when they were young but they wanted different things and they tear apart.Now after years they meet again.The electric chemistry is still there but can they give another chance to each other?



Eric and Becca have a lot to sort out, Becca is a little bit reluctant and I can't understand her why.But sometimes I felt a little bit frustrated with her behavior.Eric was an interesting character, he is bossy and persistent.Together are hot and passionate.Overall it was a great romance story.

I really can't wait for the next book...seriously it's Easy's book <3 I need it now!!!Love this series,the characters are original and unique and I'm excited to meet all of them!!Chanel captivate me for one more time!

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second chance romances aren't my favorite but I couldn't pass this book after reading Fly with Me and falling in love with all the characters. Eric, aka Thor, hasn't been the same since losing his friend in a tragic accident and he can't get his head straight while flying. To clear his head and hopefully heal he goes back home to where he grew up and to the only girl he's ever loved. But he broke Becca's heart once and she doesn't want to give him the chance to do it again. So he'll just have to make her realize their love never ended.



This was a second chance kind of book but there were a lot of times that it didn't feel like it. And I mean that in a good way! Thor and Becca had both grown up and changed a lot in the ten years they were apart so they had to discover each other all over again. So on top of the parts where you got to see them remembering the past and how they used to be we also got to see the new them finding love all over again. I really liked that there was still a slow-ish type build up between them, which isn't something you see a lot when the two main characters already know each other.

Chanel Cleeton has the ability to take a sweet and heartfelt story and make it into something unforgettable and somehow manage to putt at all my heartstrings. I fell for these characters from the very beginning and they now hold a place in my heart. I love that I was able to connect with them so well and that is all because of how great the story was written.

Bottom line, this is a series that everyone needs to read. Noah and Jordan made a small appearance, which I loved, and we got to see more of Easy and of course that was great. I can't wait to see what else Ms. Cleeton has in store for this group!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Copy provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review



So I think it’s pretty obvious that I am addicted to Chanel Cleeton and if you didn’t get that message, I am here now to tell you that I am. Anything that Chanel writes, I practically inhale in one sitting. And so it wouldn’t come as a surprise as to how much I love Into the Blue.

If you read the first book of the Wild Aces Series, you will be like me thinking you are going to get smoking wild hot steamy scenes but it turns out Into the Blue was completely different. This book was smoking hot and steamy but in a more sweet, palpable, heart-tugging and emotional slow burn kind of way. I absolutely loved that Chanel Cleeton didn’t do the angsty second chance romance but allowed her readers to see that her characters have grown up. There was no need for drama and long drawn angst but instead two people finding and rebuilding the love and trust that they have for each other.

I honestly don’t want to say much because this is one of those second chance romance that had me smiling big and had my heart filled with so much love. Chanel truly captured the meaning of second chances as she took it to another level and had our hearts soaring with her beautiful prose, strong characters, and tangible love connection. All I can say is Bravo Chanel for once again writing a love story that embodies the elements of love, forgiveness, new beginnings, and second chances.



Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...

[Geri Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered and fell in love with Chanel Cleeton's writing when I read her Capital Confessions series. Her stories are a perfect mix of sweet with a touch of angst thrown in.

Into the Blue perfectly represents what makes this author work for me.

Becca Madison and Eric Jansen are two people who are in love with each other but are being pulled in different directions by their ambition and their quest to find themselves. They went from being in love and engaged to nothing. Eric walked away to become a F-16 fighter pilot while Maddie stayed home to become a successful lawyer.

The devastation that it brought almost destroyed Maddie. She was the one who was left behind. While I'm not saying that Eric heart wasn't affected, at least he had everything to gain in their break-up.

It took me a while to warm up to Eric's character, to be honest. I thought that the way he broke up with Maddie was shitty and the fact that he stayed away for 10 years made me question his love for Maddie at first. I understood his motivation but it's still heartbreaking to see how much it destroyed Maddie.

But Ms. Cleeton was able to show readers the growth of his character, and he was able to prove his love for her, in my opinion. There were several heartbreaking moments where I felt like they had no way out of it. Like none at all because the alternative solution would be a cop-out in a way.

But Ms. Cleeton was able to bring their story full circle and gave me what I crave for in my books: HEA. The journey was well worth it because of that ending.

ARC provided by Berkeley in exchange for an honest review

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the Blue was soooo good, even better than Fly With Me! A second chance romance at its best!

Becca's hurt and resentment touched my heart, she was so broken hearted! No one ever came close to holding the same position in her heart after him, and so seeing him ten years later came as quite a shock.

Eric regretted his decision to leave Becca all those years ago. One of the reasons he's never returned home is the fear of running into her. Eric doesn't know that she'd ever forgive him. There's never been anyone like Becca in his life and he knows he'll never find another love like theirs. Can he win her back after all the hurt? He's determined to try.

I loved everything about this romance! I could empathize with both Becca and Eric, even though I was mostly on Becca's side at first because of what Eric did, I did see his side of things as the story progressed. I was never frustrated by Becca's reluctance at letting Eric back in, as I have in other second chance romances, because it didn't feel unreasonable. If the same happened to me, I'd want to protect myself, too. Their relationship was a slow, steady progression, which felt completely right. When they can't resist, the romance is utterly hot!

Onto the next in the series!

[Allison ❤️Will Never Conquer Her TBR❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Second-chance Stars!




Into the Blue is the second book in the Wild Aces series and probably shouldn't be read as a standalone as it contains spoilers for book one, Fly with Me. Okay, with that bit of housekeeping out of the way, this is Eric (call sign Thor) and Becca's book. A second-chance romance between the F-16 pilot and the small town prosecuting attorney. Once engaged, Thor had to choose between his life in the military versus his love for Becca. Both their careers couldn't mesh so he walked away ten years ago. Now he's back on a bit of a "mental leave of absence" and finds himself home, drawn to the one girl he's ever truly loved.

I was a mess, felt cracked and broken inside, and she’d always been the one I’d counted on. It seemed like my entire adult life had been spent either running from or to this one girl. She was the compass when I was so lost I couldn’t find my way.

Becca has never really gotten over the break-up with her ex-fiancé Eric through a letter. A letter! So, she's chosen to set roots in her nice quaint hometown of Bradbury, practicing law and exacting justice where justice failed her parents. She has no idea how much her world will be rocked when she sets eyes on Eric again... all those feelings, good, bad, steamy come barreling back.



Into the Blue, was a great love story highlighting the extreme sacrifice couples make for military life, especially the life of an F-16 pilot. Becca has dreams, a career, hopes for a family and hopping from state to state, or being left behind for long deployments aren't condusive to that. Eric chose his first love- flying for the Air Force- over her and she refuses to make that mistake again. Nothing has changed. He's still an F-16 pilot and her career dreams haven't changed. Seems they're at an impasse. Or are they? Can dreams change? Focuses change? Can love come first? Can she finally come first?

I didn’t know how to start over and I didn’t know how to just be friends, and I was terrified to let him past the electrified manned-by-viciousman-eating-dogs fence I’d built around my heart.

A perfect blend of angst, romance, and steam, Into the Blue had pretty big shoes to fill after Fly With Me. I really loved this slow-build second chance romance. Eric really broke my heart. How can he choose between a job he loves, the only job for him, and the only woman he's ever really loved? Can he ask her to give up her dreams for him to pursue his? This story really felt realistic to me. I can see this scenario playing out with couples everywhere, especially the military where your life truly isn't yours.

It makes it hard to remember to live at times, to just enjoy the moment, because you’re always looking forward, always preparing for the next deployment, the next TDY. Always leaving, always going, never just standing still.”

I think I loved their unselfishness and growth the most. How both characters were mature and worked together to find their happily ever after. This series has really been enjoyable thus far for me. I love all things military romance and this just is the perfect blend of everything. Bravo.

***And now I impatiently wait for the third book in this series...On Broken Wings (Easy's book). Coming January 2017.



Advanced copy received by Berkley Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[~Stéphanie's Journal~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Fly with me I was so high I had to start Into the Blue right away. Chanel just blew me away with how intense her first story was I wanted to see how she could write a different story. And believe me Into the Blue is very different than the first book in the Wild Aces series. And rest assured it's in a good way.



I adored discovering a new universe with the fighter pilot crew. I wasn't expecting to be so interested in what it entails to be a fighter pilot. I admire people who give their lives to a greater cause than themselves. In this book you can measure how much this style of life is absorbing and time-consuming. You have to be strong and well focus to be in the military field but I have a feeling that to be a fighter pilot you need to be ready to drop everything in a heartbeat.
I have like a million questions in my mind for Chanel because she lives the lifestyle for real but it might seem a bit stalker-ish



Enough of my babbling, into the story now:
Thor aka Eric is an experienced fighter pilot but after a recent tragic event, he feels less comfortable in the air than before. I don't really want to tell you exactly what happened. If you've read Fly with me, you already know and if you are a new reader, you'll discover it soon enough, no worries.
The best decision he makes is to return home but it's been 10 years and he left things unfinished there. He left a woman he loved and was supposed to marry her...

Becca is a successful lawyer who's not ready to forgive Eric him leaving brutally without a real explanation. But at the same time, seeing him and having him back in their hometown bring back memories she never truly forgot.

I'm a sucker for second chance romance. I love this genre and with the way things ended between Becca & Thor added the feelings they still have, there was a very good promises for things to happen.

For most of my read I felt torn between understanding how Becca felt and why Thor did what he did.
Becca doesn't want to give in easily to her attraction. She can't deny what they share in the past is very much present still now. She guarded her heart for so long; she doesn't want it crashed once again. Moreover things didn't change and what kept them away is still there. Will they find a way to make this work? What sacrifice needs to be done?

"What she called “unexpected,” I called “inevitable,” because there was no way we could be near each other, setting off the kind of sparks we did, without something catching on fire."

Reading both books in the series back to back I saw the differences and how Chanel Cleeton is able to give us both emotional and reflective story.

In here the story is more focus on Becca & Thor and the peace they need to find to be a couple again.

IMO Into the Blue was less emotional for some part and I wanted a little more background on our MC at a younger age. We know a few things but it wasn't deep enough.
Regardless I enjoyed very much every part of this book, from the fights to the sexual attraction, from the tears to the laughter, Into the Blue is the next book that will captivate you with the promise of spending a good time.

“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t shut down on me. Not yet. Not this afternoon anyway. Just enjoy this.”

I couldn't finish my review without speaking of the next book about Easy. I already said it previously but I need this book like I need my next breathe. The little peek we got at the end of the book makes me sweat already and I'm kinda scared of the kind of story we're gonna have.
I already expect an emotional & angst fest I'm not sure I'm ready... Urgh scratch that I'm beyond ready! Why do I need to wait until January 2017?



~Arc provided by the author in exchange of an honest review ~

[Malene · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wild Aces series keeps on delivering some yummy fighter pilots and terrific stories. This time it’s Eric aka Thor and Becca’s second chance at love.
Eric chose his career over Becca ten years ago and both haven’t gotten over it. His try at a second chance with the love of his life was swoon worthy, cute and filled with all the feels.
I appreciated Becca not opening her heart immediately to Eric. Her trust had been broken and it takes time to gain that back. Eric definitely did all he could to do that. Their chemistry was stronger and more poignant than ever.
The other fighter pilots Noah aka Burn and Easy made appearances too and it was amazing. The build up to Easy’s book has been great and I can’t get to finish this awesome series with his book.

4 Trust Me Stars

[Ivy Deluca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review posted at http://www.afterdarkbooklovers.com/20...


-Flying Aces is, well...aces: This series based on a squadron of Air Force fighter pilots, has been a great introduction to Ms. Cleeton’s writing for me. This is the second book in the series, and while it’s very different in tone from the first, it’s no less satisfying to read.

-Kind of a standalone: It’s not necessary to read the first book to enjoy this one, but it does spoil major events in that book, so be forewarned if you're OCD about reading an entire series. Not that I would know anything about that. *whistles* Anyhoodles....

-The sitch: After the events of the first book, Eric “Thor” Jansen has struggled to move on and has flashes of PTSD that make his concentration while flying go to all kinds of hell. After a scary incident, he takes some time off to get his head on straight and he heads home to Bradbury, and to the girl that he never should have let go.

-Second chance romance goodness: Becca and Eric’s relationship didn’t blow apart because of some manufactured misunderstanding, but something that happens every day - two people in love who couldn’t make their different goals in life mesh. Actually, it’s mostly because Eric, at twenty-one, was not ready to be the man that Becca needed. He left to join the Air Force and hasn’t been back since. He’s regretted it ever since and there’s never a doubt, as the reader, that he knows it. He has some major emotional grovel to dole out. He admits that he screwed up royally and let go of the best thing to ever happen to him. Did I spend some time calling him an idiot? Yes. Did he make up for it by the end and earn Becca’s love back? Absolutely.

Becca is the one left behind: The one who had to deal with the fallout of their broken engagement, Becca is a sympathetic heroine. It took her years to get past it, but she’s followed her dream to be an attorney and is successful, if a bit lonely. I truly felt for Becca and the pain of your true love choosing, in her words, a plane over her. That she’s moved on and isn’t easily letting Eric back in her life made sense and I didn’t blame her a bit for her hesitation.

-No easy fixes: Told in dual POV, this is a story that’s about reconnecting and seeing what made Becca and Eric fall in love in the first place. There’s angst, but it’s mostly about the process of overcoming the obstacles that haven’t changed, but just maybe they have. Moreover, I love that you get to see the contrast between these two and their growth as individuals. Yes, Eric bungled it up, but in the end, there’s alot of personal growth that neither would have done had they stayed together.

-That teaser: The next book is Easy and Dani’s and I am truly jonesing to see them come together. Talk about angst to the nth degree. However, just like this book, I know that in Ms. Cleeton’s capable hands, I’m in for an emotionally satisfying ride.


I really enjoyed it. If you’re looking for a second chance romance, or just good character-driven romance with fighter pilots, you can’t go wrong with this series. Ms. Cleeton is the real deal and I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**

For more reviews, visit

[Mirjana **DTR - Down to Read** · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4 Stars***

It seemed like my entire adult life had been spent either running from or to this one girl.

Chanel Cleeton does it again!! SERIOUSLY, WHY HAS IT TAKEN ME THIS LONG TO READ HER?!?!

I'll keep this brief (and kind of quote heavy because I think I highlighted damn near half the book), but it'll be spoiler free.

Eric is home trying to put his head back together after the loss the Wild Aces suffered at the end of the previous book. Being home means one thing....Becca. Becca is his high school sweetheart, his ex-fiance...and the women he walked away from to pursue a career in the Air Force.

I didn't know if I felt guilty for having survived, or like I'd dodged a bullet, or guilty for feeling like I'd dodged a bullet.

Either way I felt like I was falling, reaching out with nothing to hold on to, the girl whose hand I wanted to grab, just out of my reach.

Becca never thought she'd see Eric again. And then one day...there he is. The boy that left her for the military, now a man with haunted eyes and a heavy heart. She didn't want to get sucked back in...and even though years have passed, her heart still only belonged to him. But she'll do everything in her power to protect it this time around.

I wanted to hear about his life, driven by the desire to understand what it was that he found in the plane that he hadn't found anywhere else, that he hadn't been able to find with me.

I absolutely LOVED the honesty between Eric and Becca. They didn't dance around anything. Years may have gone by, but the love never left...and it never lessened. It was never their feelings that were the problem.

"Don't come back here with your 'maybes' and your 'what ifs' and expect me to hang my future on it. I've been here before. I know how this goes."

Both had dreams that took them in different directions. Becca wanted to plant roots, to have the stable life she didn't get growing up. While Eric wanted to grow, to figure himself out, to see how far he could spread his wings outside of his hometown. And now he's torn and reevaluating what really matters.

"My life seems like it's spiraling out of control, and I'm trying to hold on, but I"m afraid I'm holding on to the wrong things. I love my job, but I love you, too."

This second chance romance had me glued to the pages from start to finish. I was rooting for Becca and Eric from the very beginning.

The love never left, that's clear from the very first page, it's everything else that got in their way. And watching them figure things out had my pom-poms working overtime because I really wanted them to get there. To find that compromise. To have the life they both wanted. To get their second chance.

...even though those ties had felt like chains pulling me down when I was younger, now they felt like roots keeping me grounded when the wind shook the fuck out of my branches.

Also, I want to give a massive shoutout to how awesome Chanel Cleeton writes female friendships! The sisterhood is strong here. Whether it's already established friendships, or the friendships formed through the guys...there's love, support...and comedy!

"How bad is it if I send him a picture? Hot or desperate?"

Lizzie grinned. "Well, first off, you guys were together for like forever. Second, I was there Friday night and he looked at you like he was gagging for it. And finally, he went down on you in a field on Monday. I'm thinking a Wednesday sext is well timed."

And that was why she was my best friend.

Now that I've finished the second book in this amazing series....I have one thing left to say.

GIVE ME EASY'S STORY!! I'm ready for all the damn feels.

[Lacey (laceybooklovers) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

I loved loved LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Into the Blue was the PERFECT second chance romance/military romance for me. I’m usually a bit picky about these two tropes, and put them together? I was terrified about how it would play out, but holy hell, did I adore Eric and Becca’s second chance at love. I couldn’t have imagined a better story for these two characters. And omg Eric – can you say SWOON!? He was utter perfection as a hero. Seriously, I loved this book so much! Into the Blue is the second book in the Wild Aces series, though it can be read as a standalone (you can check out my review for book one here). If you loved Fly with Me, get ready to get your hands on Into the Blue – it’s an absolute must read.

I’d been an idiot before and thrown away the best thing that had ever happened to me, but there was no way I was making the same mistake again.

Ten years ago, Becca and Eric had been in love, engaged, and ready to begin a new chapter in their lives. Becca thought they were happy, but apparently not, because Eric just up and left her behind to join the US Air Force. The past ten years have been filled with bitterness, anger, and hurt, so understandably, when Eric comes back home for the first time in a decade, Becca wants nothing to do with him. I felt for this girl so hard. I was angry on her behalf, even though I knew her heart has only ever been his. My heart broke for the way hers broke, and I wanted nothing more than for her to kick Eric’s ass and show him what he’s been missing, and thankfully, she delivers. I loved Becca wholeheartedly, because I could connect with her so well. She’s got a huge heart capable of so much love, but the hurt Eric caused only made her grow stronger. And this time, she’s not about to let him in that easily. I was so happy with the way she kept making Eric prove his love to her – Becca ROCKED as a heroine.

You couldn’t fake what we had. Couldn’t duplicate it. We were so fucking lucky to have found each other once, and even as I’d always suspected it, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that letting her go was the biggest mistake of my life.
Now I needed to fix it.

The one thing that describes Eric? Regretful. He has so many regrets in life, but none does he regret more than leaving Becca, the love of his life. THIS is the kind of hero I adore reading about in second chance romances. The hero who never forgot about his lost love, the one who knows he effed up and can admit his mistakes. The kind of hero who’s not afraid to put his heart on the line again, and once he’s back in his woman’s life, he’s going to do everything he can to stay there permanently. Ten years ago, Eric gave up Becca for F-16’s – but this time around, he knows he’s not going to make the same mistake again. Will he be able to prove his love and devotion to her and win her heart again?

I’d never felt this way about anyone before. Wasn’t sure I’d even felt this way about her before. Maybe it took losing her to realize just how much I needed her, the contrast between my life with Becca and my life without never clearer than in this moment.

Eric and Becca were beautiful together. They might have loved each other back then, but they are so meant for each other even more now. Into the Blue made my heart ache in all the right places – the angst is so well done, but the love is what totally swept me away. Chanel Cleeton did such an amazing job with this story – it’s already become one of my favorite books of the year. Fly with Me was a fantastic read, but Into the Blue went above and beyond my expectations.

If you haven’t read the Wild Aces series yet, you are missing out. It’s an amazing military romance series – and if you love second chance romances too, Into the Blue will be perfect for you. This series only seems to be getting better and better, so I can’t even imagine how the third book will turn out, but I know I’m dying to read Easy’s story. I can already feel the heartache from On Broken Wings – January 2017 can’t get here fast enough!

Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.

Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change in the final version.

Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/1Iqo03d
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/1RdABxW

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[Wil Loves Books! · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is definitely becoming one of my favorites, and this author is now a must read for me. I loved this book! You know I’m a huge fan of military romances and second chance romances, so once again, I was on book heaven. Just like with Fly With Me, I love that the author has created a military series that is extremely realistic and where the characters actually act like mature adults.

This is book 2 in the Wild Aces series and can be read as a standalone. But I loved book 1 so I recommend you read them both! If you read Fly With Me, Eric is Noah’s friend and squad member. Becca and Eric (call sign Thor) dated as teenagers and were engaged to be married. Eric’s dream was to become a pilot and Becca’s dream was to become a lawyer. Eric broke off the engagement in order to fulfill his dream, breaking Becca’s heart in the process. Now, 10 years later, they find each other again, reconnect and try to see if they can have a future together.

I loved both Becca and Eric. Chanel is super talented and writes characters that are extremely relatable. Becca is a strong, smart girl that has been through a lot in life. And Eric, well he’s pretty awesome as well. He realizes he made a huge mistake by leaving Becca 10 years ago, and goes out of his way to prove to her what they have is the real deal and worth the effort.

I have to say their chemistry is amazing, and there are some scorching hot scenes!!! The romance for the most part is slow building since both of them have to rebuild their relationship, especially their trust. But the way the story is written you can’t help but root foe this couple to make it. I also loved the secondary characters, and the cameos by Jordan and Noah.

Overall, I loved this book. The only reason why I don’t give it 5 stars is because the ending felt abrupt and there’s no epilogue. And you know how much I love my epilogues. I love all of these characters and this series, and I just can’t wait for Easy and Dani’s book. I have been waiting for that couple to happen since book 1, so I need this book yesterday!!! If you’re looking for an awesome, well-written book, with tons of romance without the unnecessary drama, then you definitely need this book and this series in your life!

An ARC was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

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[Anna's Herding Cats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.

Sometimes you're really just not sure how a romance will possibly find it's way past all the hurdles in its way--a messy decades old breakup, hurt and regret, careers and lives on opposite sides of the country--but when things finally fall into place it's beautiful, touching, and just leaves you smiling.

The quick of it is that when they were young kids just starting out in life Eric and Becca were in love but their lives took them in different directions--him going into the air force and her to law school--and for the past decade they've managed to avoid each other but that's quickly changing. Suffering from burn out and the loss of a friend Eric takes some emergency down time from his job as a fighter pilot and heads back home to the town and the girl he fled so many years earlier. And maybe just finds everything he's needed to soothe his restless soul and mend her long broken heart.

Whew these two had a messy history to get past but they were so perfect together! Eric was sexy, a little cocky, and dealing with a lot of pain and uncertainty when it came to his career in the air force. I loved seeing that vulnerable side to him. And Becca, she's strong, caring, and independent. She's also got a dirty mouth, can be a little awkward when nervous and just made me smile.

Now their romance. Sexy! And a little heartbreaking, too. Things really got messed up back when they were younger and it was hard watching them try to get past that. The undeniable attraction and soul deep need for each other but the memory of how much hurt they'd gone through years earlier never quite leaving the picture. I loved seeing them working on fixing the past and getting to know each other now that they were both truly grown and successful (they're early 30s in this book vs early 20s their first go around). The sexy bits were seriously sexy too. Had me fanning myself and maybe squirming a bit too. lol The chemistry between them was just scorching hot and crazy sensual.

One thing I absolutely loved was that Cleeton addressed something that's so often ignored--military and emotional trauma. Eric's dealing with slight PTSD after losing a friend in a terrible crash. And he's not really talked to anyone about it for fear of being labeled and hurting his career. One night they're out and it all kind of bubbles up and he apologizes for bringing the mood down and ruining the night and she tells him not to worry, she's there to listen, encouraged him to actually see a professional, etc. It was just nice seeing it mentioned in the book and how important it is for both sides.

All in all, an excellent romance and a lovely addition to the series. Cleeton weaves a beautiful tale of love, healing, and finding home.

Pg 49--Serious case of heroine love happening already!

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Were the choices made years before the right ones? Were they the choices that will lead to two souls finding each other again or will they discover separating was the best that could happen for them both?

Chanel Cleeton brings us another military romance, tears, sighs, anger and all. Into the Blue is a tale of young love, different goals and the dreams that came true while others die a fiery death.

Eric left to fulfill his dream of being the best of the best, an F-16 fighter pilot. He left behind his fiancé, Becca, an independent woman with dreams of her own. Dreams she knew she could not forsake to follow Eric on his impulsive quest.

Now Eric’s back, a tragedy has brought him home and he wants nothing more to make amends for the past, but Rebecca isn’t ready to allow him to bulldoze through her life again, strafing it with even more pain and loneliness. They are no longer two kids in love, dreaming of a future together, heck, even then, their dreams were different. Can Eric and Becca mend fences and learn to be civil with each other? Is it time to let the past go and look to the future fate has chosen for them? Funny thing about true love, it knows no boundaries, but it won’t last without compromise.

Hot military fly boys, a family within themselves, only strong women can live the life, is Rebecca ready to enter the world of fighter pilots? Is Eric ready to put his cowboy days after Rebecca? Chanel Cleeton has scored a direct hit with this one! Romance, danger, struggles and realizing what is important in life…..did I mention Hot fly boys? With characters filled with a love of life spent “in the moment,” because they know the risks they take, characters who have their own dreams, neither side being 100% right. Just like real life only with more in the moment heat and passion!

I received an ARC edition from Berkley Romance and Chanel Cleeton in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Wild Aces - Book 2
Publisher: Berkley (July 5, 2016)
Publication Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN-13: 9781101986981
Genre: Military Romance
Print Length: 320 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

I dare say this was a damn near perfect second chance romance.

I just...my heart. It's so tender and sore right now. I mean, it's overflowing with all kinds of these happy, bubbly feelings, but the road there was a little ache-y and my heart is still feeling some of those bumps.

But, it hurt so good. I mean, it never felt bitter or angry in the way that second chance romances sometimes do. It never felt like the obstacles they had to overcome were too big, or that their hearts were too closed off. I was never frustrated with either character, which is sometimes a problem I have with this particular trope.

Instead, I just kept falling in love. Over and over again. Deeper and deeper. My heart ached for Eric and Becca, for their regrets and the pain they'd been living with. I completely understood Becca's hesitancy—and loved that she was written in a way that did not trivialize the bruises left on her heart, but also kept her likable (lovable, really), relatable, and…awesome. She was just awesome. I loved her great, big, huge heart that refused to stop loving no matter how much she tried to school it not to. I loved that she was smart and strong—shaped by her past, but not defined by it. She's my favorite type of heroine, and I enjoyed the hell out of rooting for her.

And Eric.
I freaking LOVED Eric.

Man, I love a cocky, confident, sexy man who is not afraid to put his heart on the line. I love a man who is not afraid to admit that he made mistakes. I love a man who is not afraid to go after what he wants. Eric had me swooning from basically his first interaction with Becca, and it never let up. His words, his thoughts, his very being with her was so deeply romantic and sweet, and yet, still confident and occasionally incorrigible (and hoo boy, I am powerless against the incorrigible heroes). I adored him. I more than adored him. He was just...amazing.

I loved Fly With Me—the first book in the Wild Aces series—but this one just felt like...more to me. I don't know if it's the richness of the history Eric and Becca had together or if I just felt their connection more intensely, but I felt this one so much more strongly and I loved every single minute of it.

Smartly written, witty, sexy, and crazy romantic, Into the Blue left me with a giant lovesick smile and a completely satisfied heart. Honestly, it was practically perfect and now I find my grabby hands flexing for Easy's story because….ugh, that one's going to be intense. And I CAN. NOT. WAIT. More fighter pilots, please! ~ Shelly, 5 stars

~~~

Oh, man…

Honestly, there were these moments in Into the Blue that left me a little speechless and a little breathless. There were these moments that tugged at my heart and made my eyes water. And then, there were these moments that made my pulse pound and my thighs clench.

So. Many. Moments. And the majority of them? Whether heart-racing or heart-breaking, they were magic.

I loved the first book in this series by Chanel Cleeton, and had been anticipating this read since I closed Fly With Me. I broke my rule of not reading the excerpt at the back of a book (I'm too impatient as is, and snippets of future books make it worse…much worse), and knew that Thor and Becca had the potential to wreck me. And they did. But in the best of ways.

Being a second chance romance, Into the Blue was full of this significance, this connection and history between Eric and Becca, which made it feel like so much more. Every look, every touch, every apology, every kiss, every regret…was filled with this tension that moved me and connected me to these two characters in a very real way.

I wanted, BADLY, for them to find their path. For Eric—sexy, swoony, sweet as hell Eric—to make his way through Becca’s defenses and back into her heart. Because they felt completely right together. They bantered well, and their fights and mistakes and hurts never felt forced; it felt like a genuine relationship, and one I genuinely wanted to see succeed. And even though it sometimes felt like two steps forward, one step back, it also felt like every page could hold the answer. At the very least, it could hold a surprising, lovely moment that solidified Thor as a book boyfriend to remember. Solidified Into the Blue as a BOOK to remember.

It helped, of course, to get to see some familiar faces from book one. I adored finding out about Jordon and Burn, seeing what was happening for them after their happily ever after. It broke my heart a little to see Easy and Dani—and brought back to life the very real hurt I felt when everything went awry in Fly With Me.

And it made me excited that there is more to come in this series. With Easy’s book on the cards for early next year, and a couple of other flyboys still single, I'm confident there are more wonderful, breathtaking moments from Ms. Cleeton to come. And I cannot wait for that. ~ Beth, 5 stars

[Jenny - TotallybookedBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘It seemed like my entire adult life had been spent either running from or to this one girl. She was the compass when I was so lost I couldn’t find my way.’

We feel the need! The need for Easy’s book! We’re really enjoying this series and eagerly dive in to meet each of the Wild Aces crew as they strive to find the love of a woman that gels with their passion for F-16 jets…and it’s not easy! Living a transient Military with a man who risks his life every day, who thrives on danger isn’t for the faint-hearted.

Getting to know Eric, call sign Thor, after briefly spending time with him in book one didn’t disappoint and one things for sure… Becca and Eric could steam up the pages! Wow! They had the heat factor well and truly turned up a notch. But this second chance romance wasn’t all hot passion. There was much that needed addressing and sweeping their unresolved issues under the carpet was not an option, as painful as it was going to be, they had to confront their past.

‘It had taken me years to get over him, years to get to the point where the sound of his name didn’t’ send a dagger through my heart.’

After being together for five years from the time Becca was 17, Eric was all she knew. He was the love of her life and all her firsts. Eric had proposed and had intended spending the rest of his life with Becca and then…..his other love became the focus of his life and he left her to pursue his dream of becoming an F-16 Fighter Pilot, wanting to prove himself capable of being the man she deserved, but in the process he shattered her heart.

“If you can’t be what she needs, then you have to let her go.”
“I did that ten years ago.”
“Did you really? “

Now, ten years later a chance meeting brings them face to face, or was it fate? Neither has moved on or sustained a meaningful relationship during their time apart and it’s apparent the old feelings and resentment lie festering under the surface despite the chemistry that sizzles between them.

After the loss of one of his Wild Aces family, Eric decides he needs to regroup and generally give himself time to grieve and think about his futures. He’s burned out and decides to go back home to Bradbury, a town he turned his back on ten years ago and a place that holds both happy and painful memories for him and a place he hasn’t stepped foot in since his rapid departure.

Eric’s reappearance in Bradbury after all these years shakes Becca to the core as unresolved feelings and old wounds resurface. Eric’s departure is something Becca has never gotten over. When Eric left Bradbury ten years earlier he took her love, her dreams and her future when she realised he had chosen his passion for flying over his love for her. Or, was there more to it?

‘Maybe I was a fool. I probably was. But the thing with love was that once you felt it, it was impossible to turn it off.'

Eric and Becca both carried a lot of baggage and there were a couple of openly moving moments within this story. A particular scene where Becca lays it all out for Eric on what his leaving meant to her is particularly heartbreaking and we couldn’t help but feel every emotion right there with her.

Chanel Cleeton has once again delivered an entertaining, sexy and emotional story. Her imagery so spot on, we felt as though we were sat in the cockpit, soaring through the clouds with Eric, sharing the immense bond of brotherhood within his crew and sharing all the angry and meaningful moments with Becca and Eric as they navigated their way back to each other.

See Our Review for Fly With Me Book One

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[Bookphenomena (Micky) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread June 2019

4.5 stars

This is one of the best second chance romances I’ve ever read. It has spark, sass, chemistry and emotion. First time round reading this, I think I was thrown initially by Thor being away from the Wild Aces at the start but I didn’t feel like that this time. What went before with Eric (Thor) and Becca was a tragedy, a situation Becca had never quite got over. When they see one another again, there is so much anger. I think that’s what I appreciated about this read the most, it was not an easy ride to reconciliation, for either of them.

Eric was that special brand of guy, the good guy, the kind I can read about for days. His homecoming was steeped in memories, good and bad which helped the contemporary memories he was trying to escape, stay away. Becca was a strong career woman, trying to hold on to her anger and not get her heart shattered again.

This book had all the feels, from the heartbreak lurking in the past, to the attraction that mimicked magnets and the spiralling depth of emotion between these two. I couldn’t put it down.

There was a little of Jordan in this book and sadly none of Noah but the Easy and Dani breadcrumbs were cleverly laid.

[Maria Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the Blue is the second book in Chanel Cleeton’s Wild Aces series. Think Top Gun but with a bit of a modern twist. Eric, call sign Thor, is finding things tough after the death of a colleague, which is making him question his decisions, in and out of the air. When he runs into his ex-fiancée Becca at a teammate’s bachelor party, he’s struck with remorse over the way things ended between them. Taking a short leave of absence from his job as an F-16 pilot, he comes back to his home town to sort through the options for his future. But he’s also determined to rekindle his friendship, and maybe more, with Becca.

Becca nursed herself through a broken heart when Eric left her ten years earlier, picking up the pieces and moving on with her life. She put Eric into the past and carried on with her career plans of becoming a lawyer. Still single, seeing him again is a reminder of the hurt he caused her but also the good memories they shared. With Eric’s apology heartfelt, and his time at home limited, Becca must decide whether to throw caution to the winds and let him back in, or guard her heart against the man who could fly away again.

Second chance romance is one of my favourite tropes, especially when it involves high school sweethearts who have a chance to reunite. And what’s rather engaging about this story is its use of modern technology in making that storyline come alive. There is a whole section of the story at the beginning – once Becca and Eric have been re-introduced to each other – that deals with the Facebook friend dilemma. Eric worries about sending a Facebook friend request to Becca but does it anyway; Becca wonders whether accepting the request is going to send the wrong kind of signal. For anyone who has graduated from high school and now has old classmates looking them up (or has done their own picture stalking of an ex), this will resonate and it’s that sense of familiarity that definitely pulls the reader more into the story and gives them a vested interest in the outcome.

Eric comes across as a smart, confident, level headed man – who happens to be dealing with a case of PTSD, even though he doesn’t want to admit it to himself. Still, he can’t deny that things don’t feel right and that he’s not comfortable being in the cockpit and doesn’t want to risk making a mistake that could have drastic consequences. He hopes that a few weeks spending time with his grandmother and reconnecting with old friends will help him sort through his issues. On meeting Becca again, he wishes that he’d handled things differently between them. At the time that he broke things off with her, he just didn’t see their futures aligning. She wanted to go to law school and settle in one place. He wanted to join the military, become a pilot, and go wherever the Air Force needed him, but they never sat down together and talked about their options as a couple. Eric worried that she’d choose him over her own career and didn’t want that responsibility, so he took the quick way out and went on to live his dream. But ten years later, his dream is no longer the same. He has pilot friends who are married, have children, and make it work. And while he may not be able to see that far ahead for himself, once he has Becca in his life again he’ll do whatever is necessary to keep her there.

Becca is a lovely woman who has dealt with issues of abandonment in her life. Her parents died tragically when she was young, and then Eric left her when they were in college. She realizes in hindsight that she had a hand in pushing Eric away; he wasn’t ready for the commitment level that she wanted, and even though they were engaged, her idea of a perfect home and family life in their small town was her dream, not his. Her reluctance to get involved with Eric again is understandable, but it’s so easy to forget the heartbreak when they are sitting and talking and laughing like they used to. Eric’s apology is sincere, both in deed and in action. He clearly still cares about Becca (and never stopped) and Becca, though she’s aware of the danger, can’t quite bury the part of her heart that Eric owns. The slow and sweet approach Eric makes to get Becca to give him another chance leads to some sensual and very sexy love scenes between them. He really is a genuinely nice guy and it’s impossible for her not to fall for him again. But the fact remains that once his leave of absence is up, they are in the same boat as they were ten years earlier – his job is going to take him away and a long distance relationship is not something that Becca wants. Clearly, there is going to have to be compromise on both sides to make things work.

Putting the romance aside, the obvious other attraction to this story is the flyboys – yes, Thor’s buddies are adept at stealing the show. There are some excellent scenes both in the air and on the ground that detail the camaraderie of the guys, but also the depth of their friendship and concern for each other. They’ve been on military missions together in Afghanistan, they’ve spent months in training and they are the best of the best, with the coveted F-16 pilot distinction. They are allowed to be a little bit cocky and self-confident. I like that it’s not all show though, and that we get to see under the surface and the stress of their long days and weeks of deployments. Their job isn’t easy, and the author has done a great job of contrasting their reputations with the reality of their work.

This story is a fine example of what works in a contemporary romance. A setting and plot that is believable, characters that are likable and engaging, modern conveniences that speak to today’s reader and a sexy and exciting romance. Into the Blue is a winner for me.

This review also appears at All About Romance: http://allaboutromance.com/book-revie...

Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seemed like my entire adult life had been spent either running from or to this one girl. She was the compass when I was so lost I couldn’t find my way.

Ten years ago Becca Maddison and Eric Jansen were very much in love, but they were also so young and wanted different things. She wanted stability and the family she lost when her parents died, and he wanted to make something of himself. So he crushed her dream and her heart, after five years of being together, when he broke their engagement by letter while he was away at the Air Force. Now it’s a decade later and they cross paths by accident. And the bond they had is still there. Eric wants to fix what he broke so long ago, but can Becca trust him to choose her this time?

“What else do you remember?”
“You’re the most loyal person I’ve ever met, and when you do something, you don’t believe it’s worth doing unless you give it your all. You love fiercely, would die for the people you love, but the flip side is that you don’t forgive easily, and once someone breaks that bond, it’s tough to get back in.
But if someone is lucky enough to be one of those people that you love, if they’re lucky enough to get just a moment of what you give, then they’d have to be a fucking idiot to do anything to jeopardize that. And if they were stupid enough, then they’ll do everything they can to get back what they lost because once someone’s had it, life without it is unimaginable.”

I really hate second chance romances. They almost never work for me. So this book was really just a case of “it’s not you, it’s me”.

There definitely were parts that I liked: the fact that Eric stills remembers after a decade everything about Becca, that he still remembers the dress she wore on their first date, and that back then and now he refused to let her give up her career for his, and that this time he chose her above everything else.

Now my big problem with this trope is that I never feel that the person who left really regretted what they had done, and that they had missed the other person. And in a way that was the problem for me here. Yes, he did sometimes miss her, but he loved flying more and it basically made him forget how it was with her. I also hate the fact that they didn’t meet again because he went after her, but that it was a chance meeting that set everything in motion.

I love how this author writes, the emotions she brings forth, how real she makes the Air Force life feel, and her sexy times are scorching. Her characters are amazing, and she just has this ability to suck you into the story. However, because of my issues with this trope, I just didn’t love this book as much as I loved the first one. But luckily most people don’t have this problem, and would love this book. This is an amazing series, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves scorching romance, with no OTT drama but only real life problems.

Easy’s book is next and I cannot wait. I really love him, and I hope that he will get his own HEA.

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coffee dates with Into the Blue

First Date: Becca Morgan is a thirty-one year old lawyer who once had her heart-broken by her high school sweetheart when he chose fighter planes over her. Eric “Thor” Jansen regrets his discussion ten years ago, but loves his career. After an incident shatters him, he begins to prioritize his life. A chance encounter with Becca has him hoping he can fix the mistakes of the past and get the girl who owns his heart. I absolutely love second chance romances and Eric and Becca are adorkable together. She is awkward and cute. He is guarded, worn and sexy. I am all in and jump straight into the next date.
Second date: An incident in the air scares Eric and he realized he needs to get his head together. He is struggling with the crew's recent lost and requests leave to get his head together. At this point Cleeton addresses PTSD and Eric’s response to his superior’s question regarding, “talking to a counselor” exposes what a lot of our men in uniform face. This needs to change and I adore Cleeton for addressing it. (Steps of soapbox) For the first time in ten years Eric goes home to South Carolina. Becca’s reaction to seeing Eric, tells me we are going to have some fun! Becca was a refreshing female character and I loved her thoughts as she struggled with her feelings. As I said, she is a little awkward and appears as wholesome as milk and cookies but her transformation behind closed doors is anything but innocent. The two share stories and some were bittersweet. Their connection felt genuine and the chemistry was off the charts. I loved their heated moments; the author delivered a mix of tenderness and kinky fun.
Third Date: Confessions heartbreak, decisions and a little drama had me wiping a tear and crossing my fingers. Becca travels to Eric’s base and meets the rest of the Wild Aces. Each has to decide what is right for them and how the other will fit into their dreams. I read the last part of this in one sitting and loved getting updates on the rest of the crew. Eric and Becca had me holding my breath as I waited to see how it would all work out. Will they be together? Will she follow him? Will he give up his love of flying for her? Are they destined to break each other’s heart? Eek gads. It was  nail-biting but trust me totally worth the truffles! 


Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. All quotes taken from a pre-published copy may be altered or omitted from the final version. ***

** 4.5 stars **

OPENING LINE

"I walked into the bar, already feeling about ten years past my prime."

I never knew how much I loved second chance romance until now!

This was my first Chanel Cleeton read and it sure won't be my last! Into the Blue is the second book in the Wild Aces series, but can be read as a standalone as each book is based on a different character from F-16.

In the second installment we meet Becca and Thor. These two have so much history together and were even engaged until Thor walked away choosing flying over his fiancee. Thor is dealing with the death of a friend and after an unexpected run in with Becca he realizes he needs time to heal and decides that there's no place like home to do that. However, it's been 10 years since he walked away from Becca! Into the Blue is told in dual POV's from Becca and Thor and I don't know how but in 320 pages Chanel Cleeton managed to show readers the history between Becca and Thor, their lives without each other and the possibility of a future. Unlike most books that I read, I loved that Becca didn't let Thor back into her life easily. He broken her heart and left her with a "Dear John" letter!



I don't want to say much to take away from anyone's experience from reading Into the Blue, but Chanel Cleeton does a fantastic job of covering why Thor left. The writing style was simple yet effective on put readers through the feels! There was so much emotion that each character perfectly displayed making them relatable.

Would I recommend Into the Blue? HECK YES! I already can't wait to read Fly With Me and the anticipation for Easy's book (which comes out in January 2017) is brutal!

Full review can be found on my blog, Bookish Wanderlove

[Dominika · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 sex voice stars. I was interested in Thor's story because he was really struggling with the tragic loss and I was curious who would work for him. He made me laugh pretty much the entire book because he was just so candid. Becca made me grin and shake my head a lot of the time, as well. I love second chance romances because I think they prove that sometimes we love the right person at the wrong time and when the right time comes around, you can find your way back.

"On our first date. I told you I spent half the night fantasizing about you. You didn't ask me what I was doing the other half."
I grinned, feeling a little bit drunk on him. "Do I really want to know?"
Whatever I'd imagined, his answer definitely wasn't what I expected.
"I was falling in love with you."

Thor was far more romantic than I thought he would be and that's a testament to how much he cared and loved Becca. He was more than willing to do whatever he could to make things work with her, to get her forgiveness and to make her happy. When he wasn't making me laugh, Eric was making me swoon or sigh longingly. Honest to God, I need to stop collecting book boyfriends.

Becca was smart, a bit skittish-fair considering how she and Eric ended, loyal, kind and wise. She could take care of herself but she didn't technically move on from Eric in the sense that she was married or anything and that shows how sometimes we really do wait for the right time to be with someone, even if it means a second chance.

There's healing, moving forward and the promise of future together. The book wraps up Eric's love life, seats his career path and shows pieces of Jordan and Noah along with setting up Alex's story. I love how tight the group is even when not physically together. Once again the supporting characters are just as lovely and important as the main characters.