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Border Watch #1
Wings of Fear
Contemporary Suspense Novel set in Northern Australia.
Above the crystal-blue waters of North Queensland, Captain Morgan Pentland patrols the vast Australian coastline. When Customs Agent Rafe Daniels joins her crew, she is immediately suspicious. Why is he boarding her plane when she isn’t there? And why is he asking so many questions?
What Morgan doesn’t know is that Rafe has her under surveillance. Critical information about their Border Watch operations is being leaked and she is the main suspect, but when Morgan and Rafe are shot down in a tragic midair attack, they realise they have to start working together – and quickly. One of Australia’s most loved icons is the next target and they have only nine days to stop it.
Will they uncover details of the plot in time, or will the tension that is growing between them jeopardise everything?
Above the crystal-blue waters of North Queensland, Captain Morgan Pentland patrols the vast Australian coastline. When Customs Agent Rafe Daniels joins her crew, she is immediately suspicious. Why is he boarding her plane when she isn’t there? And why is he asking so many questions?
What Morgan doesn’t know is that Rafe has her under surveillance. Critical information about their Border Watch operations is being leaked and she is the main suspect, but when Morgan and Rafe are shot down in a tragic midair attack, they realise they have to start working together – and quickly. One of Australia’s most loved icons is the next target and they have only nine days to stop it.
Will they uncover details of the plot in time, or will the tension that is growing between them jeopardise everything?
242 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 2010
8 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
About the author
Helene Young
10 books215 followersHello! I’m Helene Young and welcome to my author page on Goodreads.
Seven years ago, after a rewarding career as an airline captain and senior manager with the Qantas Airline Group in Australia, I swapped the sky for the sea to go in search of adventure with my husband aboard our sailing catamaran. While that should have given me more time to write it seems the lure of exploring was too strong. But there is good news! My next book is in the safe hands of my publisher and I look forward to sharing title and cover details soon.
And you can be sure that all the adventures we’re having in our floating home will lead to many more books! The rural and remote places we visit, along with the fascinating people we meet, provide boundless inspiration.
I love exploring themes of social justice and delving into the complexity of human nature. Small towns and tight-knit communities are perfect settings for those, along with the messy ties that bind families together. I’d also like to think my varied career from waitress, to gardener, to rock climbing and sailing instructor, to cook, to pilot all help to add a little something to my stories.
I can’t believe it’s been 12 years since my first book, Wings of Fear, (Book 1 in the Border Watch Trilogy) released. I always be grateful for the support of readers so thank you to those who’ve already read my books and welcome if you’re browsing here.
If you’d like to keep up to date on my book news then please click follow button at the top of the page.
You can also find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeleneYoungA...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heleneyoung...
Webpage : heleneyoung.com
I love sharing photos of our travels so come join in the conversations and be part of a wonderful world-wide community of book lovers.
Happy reading
Much love
Helene
Seven years ago, after a rewarding career as an airline captain and senior manager with the Qantas Airline Group in Australia, I swapped the sky for the sea to go in search of adventure with my husband aboard our sailing catamaran. While that should have given me more time to write it seems the lure of exploring was too strong. But there is good news! My next book is in the safe hands of my publisher and I look forward to sharing title and cover details soon.
And you can be sure that all the adventures we’re having in our floating home will lead to many more books! The rural and remote places we visit, along with the fascinating people we meet, provide boundless inspiration.
I love exploring themes of social justice and delving into the complexity of human nature. Small towns and tight-knit communities are perfect settings for those, along with the messy ties that bind families together. I’d also like to think my varied career from waitress, to gardener, to rock climbing and sailing instructor, to cook, to pilot all help to add a little something to my stories.
I can’t believe it’s been 12 years since my first book, Wings of Fear, (Book 1 in the Border Watch Trilogy) released. I always be grateful for the support of readers so thank you to those who’ve already read my books and welcome if you’re browsing here.
If you’d like to keep up to date on my book news then please click follow button at the top of the page.
You can also find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeleneYoungA...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heleneyoung...
Webpage : heleneyoung.com
I love sharing photos of our travels so come join in the conversations and be part of a wonderful world-wide community of book lovers.
Happy reading
Much love
Helene
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
January 15, 2012
The coastline of Queensland stretches some 6973 km (or 4333 miles) and protecting it is a daunting prospect, particularly in the sparsely populated region of the far north which is vulnerable as a point for illegal entry to Australia. Coastal surveillance is a huge operation involving patrol by sea and air and Helene Young, a pilot herself, recognised it's unique potential as a setting for Wings of Fear.
In Wings of Fear, Captain Morgan Pentland is a pilot for the Border Watch fleet in far north Queensland. When Customs Agent Rafe Daniels joins her crew, it becomes obvious that he has an agenda Morgan and her team are not privy to. Acting on suspicions of a leak in the fleet Rafe has Morgan under close surveillance, concerned that the information is being used to create an opportunity for terrorist activity. By the time the truth is uncovered, Morgan and Rafe have just days to thwart a plot to blow up one of the country's busiest harbours, Circular Quay.
Balancing action, adventure, mystery and romance is something Helene Young proves she is skilled at over the length of this novel. From the first page I was captured by the mystery of the murdered man and then quickly absorbed in the adventure of patrolling Queensland's coastline by air. By the time Morgan and her crew were shot down by a surface to air missile I was turning the pages as fast as I could.
It wasn't only the exciting pace of the story that had me engrossed, the characters in Wings of Fear are well developed and interesting personalities. Morgan has come from a background of violence and intimidation, issues she is struggling with in her current relationship despite her best intentions to not repeat the mistakes of her mother. Intelligent and down to earth, Morgan is an admirable protagonist who is easy to relate to.
Rafe has already been the victim of a terrorist act that decimated his team and the hunt for the spy within Border Watch is both professionally and personally motivated. Though he has the traits of a fairly typical romance hero- handsome and strong with a touch of arrogance, he has a emotional depth that is appealing.
I also enjoyed the supporting characters, Laurie as the incurable flirt and Gavin, the more serious member of Morgan's flight crew. The author is able to build tension around the identity of spy amongst them and though the clues are there, doubt keeps the reader guessing.
What particularly struck me in Wings of Fear is Young's ability to evoke the Australian people, culture and place without resorting to cliche phrases or over the top references. I can't tell you how rare that is, and how much it added to my enjoyment of the novel. In particular, the dialogue has a genuine Australian 'accent' with a cadence that is natural and familiar.
Wings of Fear heralds wonderful things to come from Helene Young with a second book, Shattered Sky released recently (to be reviewed soon) and a third to be published mid year. With a unique sense of place, engaging characters and an interesting story, Wings of Fear is an entertaining and exciting read.
In Wings of Fear, Captain Morgan Pentland is a pilot for the Border Watch fleet in far north Queensland. When Customs Agent Rafe Daniels joins her crew, it becomes obvious that he has an agenda Morgan and her team are not privy to. Acting on suspicions of a leak in the fleet Rafe has Morgan under close surveillance, concerned that the information is being used to create an opportunity for terrorist activity. By the time the truth is uncovered, Morgan and Rafe have just days to thwart a plot to blow up one of the country's busiest harbours, Circular Quay.
Balancing action, adventure, mystery and romance is something Helene Young proves she is skilled at over the length of this novel. From the first page I was captured by the mystery of the murdered man and then quickly absorbed in the adventure of patrolling Queensland's coastline by air. By the time Morgan and her crew were shot down by a surface to air missile I was turning the pages as fast as I could.
It wasn't only the exciting pace of the story that had me engrossed, the characters in Wings of Fear are well developed and interesting personalities. Morgan has come from a background of violence and intimidation, issues she is struggling with in her current relationship despite her best intentions to not repeat the mistakes of her mother. Intelligent and down to earth, Morgan is an admirable protagonist who is easy to relate to.
Rafe has already been the victim of a terrorist act that decimated his team and the hunt for the spy within Border Watch is both professionally and personally motivated. Though he has the traits of a fairly typical romance hero- handsome and strong with a touch of arrogance, he has a emotional depth that is appealing.
I also enjoyed the supporting characters, Laurie as the incurable flirt and Gavin, the more serious member of Morgan's flight crew. The author is able to build tension around the identity of spy amongst them and though the clues are there, doubt keeps the reader guessing.
What particularly struck me in Wings of Fear is Young's ability to evoke the Australian people, culture and place without resorting to cliche phrases or over the top references. I can't tell you how rare that is, and how much it added to my enjoyment of the novel. In particular, the dialogue has a genuine Australian 'accent' with a cadence that is natural and familiar.
Wings of Fear heralds wonderful things to come from Helene Young with a second book, Shattered Sky released recently (to be reviewed soon) and a third to be published mid year. With a unique sense of place, engaging characters and an interesting story, Wings of Fear is an entertaining and exciting read.
March 23, 2010
So often in romantic suspense the story only scratches the surface of the suspense aspect, glossing over the gritty parts in order to get to the romance. Helene Young has found just the right balance between romance and suspense in her story. This is a tricky genre to write, as often one aspect takes over from the other, and the story becomes difficult to believe. This one – well, I can’t think of anything negative to say! She made me fall in love with her characters, and that is so important in romantic suspense.
Something that helped immensely is that Young knows what she writes. My favourite writers of the genre put at least as much care into the details and the accuracy of the ‘action’ parts of the story (in this case the heroine is a pilot, and we actually get a believable story).
There is a death in this book that was shocking and took me completely by surprise. I also appreciated that we were not kept guessing about certain aspects of the story for too long, and instead were given time to look at why certain characters acted the way they did instead of who the bad guys were. I love that Young took risks with the plot, and in my opinion she definitely pulled it off.
I am really glad this is not the only book in this series, as I definitely want more from this genre and this writer.
Something that helped immensely is that Young knows what she writes. My favourite writers of the genre put at least as much care into the details and the accuracy of the ‘action’ parts of the story (in this case the heroine is a pilot, and we actually get a believable story).
There is a death in this book that was shocking and took me completely by surprise. I also appreciated that we were not kept guessing about certain aspects of the story for too long, and instead were given time to look at why certain characters acted the way they did instead of who the bad guys were. I love that Young took risks with the plot, and in my opinion she definitely pulled it off.
I am really glad this is not the only book in this series, as I definitely want more from this genre and this writer.
February 5, 2012
Morgan Pentland is a pilot who patrols the coastline of northern Queensland. Rafe Daniels is a customs agent who joins her crew. On the trail of suspected terrorists, Morgan doesn’t realise that Rafe has her under surveillance, due to a leak in sensitive security information (that everybody assumes Morgan is responsible for). Then Morgan and Rafe are shot down in a terrifying mid-air attack and each realises they are both on the same side. However they are now in a race against time as terrorists plot to destroy iconic Circular Quay in Sydney.
I really enjoyed the setting of this novel. You can really picture the awesome north Queensland coastline unfurling under the watchful eye of the border patrol pilots. The author depicts the tropics so well and manages to work the descriptions into the storyline, rather than just “telling” about it. I enjoyed the characters too, especially Morgan. Right from the start, we know she is a damaged soul – but is also someone who has picked herself up and carved out a life – doing something dangerous but rewarding.
The plot is exciting and fast paced (although a little predictable). But this doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the story. As the suspense built I had no problems turning the pages. One thing I found a little bit unusual was the way the author created dialogue. Rather than using “said”, almost all dialogue is followed with a full stop and then an action from the speaker. For example rather than writing ‘Okay,’ Rafe said, disconnecting: It is written as ‘Okay.’ He disconnected. While it didn’t really impact on my enjoyment of the story, it did make the dialogue seem a little bit stilted at times. It just didn’t flow as naturally. However, this is just a small point. Overall Wings of Fear was an exciting, fast-paced read with interesting, strong female characters. Very enjoyable – I hope to read more of Helene Young soon.
I really enjoyed the setting of this novel. You can really picture the awesome north Queensland coastline unfurling under the watchful eye of the border patrol pilots. The author depicts the tropics so well and manages to work the descriptions into the storyline, rather than just “telling” about it. I enjoyed the characters too, especially Morgan. Right from the start, we know she is a damaged soul – but is also someone who has picked herself up and carved out a life – doing something dangerous but rewarding.
The plot is exciting and fast paced (although a little predictable). But this doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the story. As the suspense built I had no problems turning the pages. One thing I found a little bit unusual was the way the author created dialogue. Rather than using “said”, almost all dialogue is followed with a full stop and then an action from the speaker. For example rather than writing ‘Okay,’ Rafe said, disconnecting: It is written as ‘Okay.’ He disconnected. While it didn’t really impact on my enjoyment of the story, it did make the dialogue seem a little bit stilted at times. It just didn’t flow as naturally. However, this is just a small point. Overall Wings of Fear was an exciting, fast-paced read with interesting, strong female characters. Very enjoyable – I hope to read more of Helene Young soon.
April 1, 2013
I read this book as part of the AWWC 2013.
This book was a nice find for me. Helene Young has followed the old adage of writing what you know, and has done so very well.
Her obvious love for the far north of Queensland was conveyed beautifully in this book. Her female characters were interesting, strong, and well characterised, and I felt an affinity with Morgan from the beginning. I really enjoyed the dialogue between her characters - it was engaging and realistic. The changes in point of view were done beautifully.
The story was clever and well written, and the romance was sensitively done, which I really appreciated. There were some lovely subtleties. The pacing was great, with a good balance of plot and character development interspersed with some great action.
The relationships between the characters were well developed and realistic. I enjoyed the minor characters as much as the major ones. (Thommo was a highlight for me!)
I read this story in kindle eBook form. There were a couple of formatting errors, nothing major or disruptive, (just extra blank lines here and there) but I'm sure they're easily fixed by the publisher.
I will most definitely be seeking out more from this author. The end of the kindle version had a taste of the subsequent novel, and I was disappointed when it ended! Clever tactics by the publisher!
This book was a nice find for me. Helene Young has followed the old adage of writing what you know, and has done so very well.
Her obvious love for the far north of Queensland was conveyed beautifully in this book. Her female characters were interesting, strong, and well characterised, and I felt an affinity with Morgan from the beginning. I really enjoyed the dialogue between her characters - it was engaging and realistic. The changes in point of view were done beautifully.
The story was clever and well written, and the romance was sensitively done, which I really appreciated. There were some lovely subtleties. The pacing was great, with a good balance of plot and character development interspersed with some great action.
The relationships between the characters were well developed and realistic. I enjoyed the minor characters as much as the major ones. (Thommo was a highlight for me!)
I read this story in kindle eBook form. There were a couple of formatting errors, nothing major or disruptive, (just extra blank lines here and there) but I'm sure they're easily fixed by the publisher.
I will most definitely be seeking out more from this author. The end of the kindle version had a taste of the subsequent novel, and I was disappointed when it ended! Clever tactics by the publisher!
March 29, 2012
Captain Morgan Pentland works in far north Queensland, flying an aircraft as part of the border patrol team, tasked with keeping Australia’s vast borders secure. It’s a difficult job with so much coastline, especially far up north where there are sections that are uninhabited. When Customs Agent Rafe Daniels appears to join her crew for a mission, she is instantly suspicious and wary of him. What does he want? Why does what he says not match what he orders them to do? Morgan is even more disturbed when finds him in her aircraft, alone. And even though she doesn’t trust him, it doesn’t stop her being attracted to him, which she really doesn’t need right now. Morgan is an expert at holding herself distant, trusting only her core team – her beautiful, flirtatious young co-pilot Lauren and technical wizard Gavin.
Rafe Daniels is former SAS now working for Customs investigating suspicious activity and the possibility of a double agent in Queensland’s beautiful tropical north. He knows there is a leak and their first suspect is none other than Morgan Pentland and Rafe is here not only to investigate the goings on, but also determine if Morgan is involved, and if so, how deep. When they find a boat carrying a SAM that shoots them down, Rafe and Morgan are forced to put their distrust of each other aside and start to work together in order to discover exactly what is going on up here and what the plans are of the boat they’ve spotted, which isn’t the normal illegal fishing trawler looking to score in Australian waters. Doesn’t look like people smugglers either, so as far as Rafe is concerned, that leaves one option: terrorists.
With relative quickness, Rafe and Morgan uncover the plot – extremists plan to target one of Sydney’s most famous icons at a time when crowds will be at their peak, an act which would be a catastrophic. And what’s worse is that they have just nine days before the attack is due to take place – nine days to find and intercept the explosives, or capture the perpetrators and get them into custody.
I’d seen a few good reviews of Wings Of Fear (which was previously published as Border Watch) around so when I discovered both this book and the sequel of sorts, Shattered Sky were at my local library I headed down and picked them both up. And right away, this book draws you in with its characters and the job they do.
Morgan is heavily flawed – a traumatic childhood has made her aloof and it’s clear trusting other people doesn’t come easy to her. However, she has a strength and purpose that makes her admirable, and the fact that she relaxes around her friends and loosens up provides the reader with another side of her. Lauren, her beautiful off-sider provides a perfect balance for Morgan, who is taciturn more than flirtatious and despite their differences, the two women have a very deep friendship that doesn’t waver, which as I’ve mentioned before, I love reading about. And their job sounds like a dream – flying aircraft over the beautiful waters of far northern Queensland, keeping an eye out for suspicious activity and simply taking surveilance and sending the photos back to the relevant organisations.
Rafe has his own demons – his previous career in the SAS ended in tragedy and now he works in customs. He’s sent to investigate Morgan and her team but from early on, he has a feeling that she isn’t involved. He’s attracted to her, despite her difficulties and keeping him at arms length and he’s a patient man. He has the time to work slowly, to win her over and worm his way into her affections when she holds herself so aloof from most people. But first he will need to negotiate Morgan finding out that he was sent to investigate her…
Their simple recon mission turns deadly when they are shot down by a boat with a SAM (surface to air missile). Morgan and Rafe go for help, leaving Lauren and a critically injured Gavin, the tech wiz, behind as Gavin isn’t able to move. By the time Morgan and Rafe are able to secure the help they need and return to the crash site, they discover that the boat that shot them down wasn’t content to just stop there. Now Morgan is dealing with grief and guilt, further spurring on her determination to find the culprits and bring them to justice before they can put into action their plot.
Wings Of Fear is a tightly written and really enjoyable novel about a job that the average Australian might not know too much about. The top of our country is remote and expansive to guard and I have to admit, I’ve never given too much thought to what goes on up there other than HMAS Navy boats possibly patrolling. I really enjoyed reading about Morgan, Lauren, Gavin and Rafe’s jobs, it was certainly something different for me.
Rafe Daniels is former SAS now working for Customs investigating suspicious activity and the possibility of a double agent in Queensland’s beautiful tropical north. He knows there is a leak and their first suspect is none other than Morgan Pentland and Rafe is here not only to investigate the goings on, but also determine if Morgan is involved, and if so, how deep. When they find a boat carrying a SAM that shoots them down, Rafe and Morgan are forced to put their distrust of each other aside and start to work together in order to discover exactly what is going on up here and what the plans are of the boat they’ve spotted, which isn’t the normal illegal fishing trawler looking to score in Australian waters. Doesn’t look like people smugglers either, so as far as Rafe is concerned, that leaves one option: terrorists.
With relative quickness, Rafe and Morgan uncover the plot – extremists plan to target one of Sydney’s most famous icons at a time when crowds will be at their peak, an act which would be a catastrophic. And what’s worse is that they have just nine days before the attack is due to take place – nine days to find and intercept the explosives, or capture the perpetrators and get them into custody.
I’d seen a few good reviews of Wings Of Fear (which was previously published as Border Watch) around so when I discovered both this book and the sequel of sorts, Shattered Sky were at my local library I headed down and picked them both up. And right away, this book draws you in with its characters and the job they do.
Morgan is heavily flawed – a traumatic childhood has made her aloof and it’s clear trusting other people doesn’t come easy to her. However, she has a strength and purpose that makes her admirable, and the fact that she relaxes around her friends and loosens up provides the reader with another side of her. Lauren, her beautiful off-sider provides a perfect balance for Morgan, who is taciturn more than flirtatious and despite their differences, the two women have a very deep friendship that doesn’t waver, which as I’ve mentioned before, I love reading about. And their job sounds like a dream – flying aircraft over the beautiful waters of far northern Queensland, keeping an eye out for suspicious activity and simply taking surveilance and sending the photos back to the relevant organisations.
Rafe has his own demons – his previous career in the SAS ended in tragedy and now he works in customs. He’s sent to investigate Morgan and her team but from early on, he has a feeling that she isn’t involved. He’s attracted to her, despite her difficulties and keeping him at arms length and he’s a patient man. He has the time to work slowly, to win her over and worm his way into her affections when she holds herself so aloof from most people. But first he will need to negotiate Morgan finding out that he was sent to investigate her…
Their simple recon mission turns deadly when they are shot down by a boat with a SAM (surface to air missile). Morgan and Rafe go for help, leaving Lauren and a critically injured Gavin, the tech wiz, behind as Gavin isn’t able to move. By the time Morgan and Rafe are able to secure the help they need and return to the crash site, they discover that the boat that shot them down wasn’t content to just stop there. Now Morgan is dealing with grief and guilt, further spurring on her determination to find the culprits and bring them to justice before they can put into action their plot.
Wings Of Fear is a tightly written and really enjoyable novel about a job that the average Australian might not know too much about. The top of our country is remote and expansive to guard and I have to admit, I’ve never given too much thought to what goes on up there other than HMAS Navy boats possibly patrolling. I really enjoyed reading about Morgan, Lauren, Gavin and Rafe’s jobs, it was certainly something different for me.
March 15, 2016
This was my first Helene Young and I don’t think it will be my last. I liked the Queensland setting - mainly north Queensland, but a little bit in Brisbane. And as I read this, it was toward the end (I’m hoping it’s toward the end, anyway!) of a steamy summer here in Brisbane - I’m sure it’s been much worse up north, but I can still certainly identify with the descriptions of hot weather and oppressive humidity!
There was a little too much soppy romantic stuff for my liking - lines that sound like they come from a Mills & Boon or would be easily adapted for a scene in The Bold and the Beautiful (“Grim faced, fatigue etched in every line, his dark eyebrows drawn together in a solid frown, he looked forbidding. It might have been too late for him to start with. Too long hiding emotions, too long needing no one and too long living alone. This sudden craving for softness, for comfort, was a weakness. Must be getting old, but he couldn���t shake the desire, the need to have ___ in his life, whatever the price.” And here I roll my eyes - oh, please!!), but other than that, it was enjoyable. I enjoyed the Border Watch part of the Customs crew doing their work tracking down people smugglers, drug smugglers and worse.
Shattered Sky is a kind of sequel with some of the same characters, apparently, so I would definitely be interested in reading it sometime, along with other Helene Young works with different characters.
There was a little too much soppy romantic stuff for my liking - lines that sound like they come from a Mills & Boon or would be easily adapted for a scene in The Bold and the Beautiful (“Grim faced, fatigue etched in every line, his dark eyebrows drawn together in a solid frown, he looked forbidding. It might have been too late for him to start with. Too long hiding emotions, too long needing no one and too long living alone. This sudden craving for softness, for comfort, was a weakness. Must be getting old, but he couldn���t shake the desire, the need to have ___ in his life, whatever the price.” And here I roll my eyes - oh, please!!), but other than that, it was enjoyable. I enjoyed the Border Watch part of the Customs crew doing their work tracking down people smugglers, drug smugglers and worse.
Shattered Sky is a kind of sequel with some of the same characters, apparently, so I would definitely be interested in reading it sometime, along with other Helene Young works with different characters.
November 21, 2011
Fasten your seatbelts and let Helene take you on a fabulous journey, flying with the dedicated and intensely private Captain Morgan Petland (and crew) as she and hunky ex-SAS soldier, Rafe Daniels, work together to expose a devastating terrorist threat on Australian soil.
This story is HUGE.
It has depth of both plot and character that you rarely see in the contemporary romance-suspense genre, giving readers a story as rich as our big brown land and as vast as the pristine coastal waters that surround it. Helene’s vivid descriptions of life, the land and the sea in the N/E tropics will make Aussies glow with pride (and make those not lucky enough to live here want to visit.)
The author, like her heroine, is not afraid to tackle the difficult stuff head on and this story boldly touches on the political, the personal, and the cultural by exposing chinks in Australia’s defence systems as well as chinks in the personal armour of Captain Petland and aloof Customs Agent, Rafe. As a result, readers are guaranteed plenty of turbulence for Morgan, both in the air and in love. Helene also skilfully weaves substantial sub-plot and back-story through this novel so that each character has ample baggage to deal with. (In fact, I’d say excess baggage charges are applicable for this lot. LOL)
I certainly had no problem remaining seated until the real Captain Helene Young (aka author) turned off the fasten seatbelt sign on the last page. I actually didn’t want the journey to end at all, reading the last one-hundred pages without stopping.
This story is HUGE.
It has depth of both plot and character that you rarely see in the contemporary romance-suspense genre, giving readers a story as rich as our big brown land and as vast as the pristine coastal waters that surround it. Helene’s vivid descriptions of life, the land and the sea in the N/E tropics will make Aussies glow with pride (and make those not lucky enough to live here want to visit.)
The author, like her heroine, is not afraid to tackle the difficult stuff head on and this story boldly touches on the political, the personal, and the cultural by exposing chinks in Australia’s defence systems as well as chinks in the personal armour of Captain Petland and aloof Customs Agent, Rafe. As a result, readers are guaranteed plenty of turbulence for Morgan, both in the air and in love. Helene also skilfully weaves substantial sub-plot and back-story through this novel so that each character has ample baggage to deal with. (In fact, I’d say excess baggage charges are applicable for this lot. LOL)
I certainly had no problem remaining seated until the real Captain Helene Young (aka author) turned off the fasten seatbelt sign on the last page. I actually didn’t want the journey to end at all, reading the last one-hundred pages without stopping.
July 21, 2013
WINGS OF FEAR previously published as BORDER WATCH is by author Helen Young.
Captain Morgan Pentland is unaware that customs official Rafe Daniels has her under surveillance. He is her mission commander and she follows his orders. Yet Rafe is sure that someone is leaking information to the terrorists.
Could it be Morgan? His instincts are screaming a resounding no, yet the evidence points to her.
While following Rafe’s orders, Morgan’s airplane was shot in the sky. And she had to crash land the aircraft, losing one of her closest friend and colleague. Would Rafe still take her as guilty?
WINGS OF FEAR is a fast paced, thrilling and keeping me on the edge of seat story. It is full of drama, action and danger. With car chases and police stakeouts. Morgan is a strong heroine. Author Helene Young has packed this thriller with tension, danger and suspense. As well as some sizzling scenes and emotional punch. After reading this story I have new respect for the hard job done by border control officers.
Captain Morgan Pentland is unaware that customs official Rafe Daniels has her under surveillance. He is her mission commander and she follows his orders. Yet Rafe is sure that someone is leaking information to the terrorists.
Could it be Morgan? His instincts are screaming a resounding no, yet the evidence points to her.
While following Rafe’s orders, Morgan’s airplane was shot in the sky. And she had to crash land the aircraft, losing one of her closest friend and colleague. Would Rafe still take her as guilty?
WINGS OF FEAR is a fast paced, thrilling and keeping me on the edge of seat story. It is full of drama, action and danger. With car chases and police stakeouts. Morgan is a strong heroine. Author Helene Young has packed this thriller with tension, danger and suspense. As well as some sizzling scenes and emotional punch. After reading this story I have new respect for the hard job done by border control officers.
September 21, 2011
This review was first posted @ The Australian Bookshelf
I loved this book! Wings of Fear was my introduction to Suspense Romance and I must say I am now hooked! I love trying a new genre and being pleasantly surprised. What’s more exciting is that it is by an Australian author, Helene Young.
Captain Morgan Pentland patrols the coastline of North Queensland Australia and leads a team who are like her family, co-pilot Lauren
and IT genius Gavin. Customs Agent Rafe Daniels joins her crew and Morgan is not too happy with his authoritative presence. Little does she know she is under surveillance as a suspect a serious leak in custom operations.
What stood out for me about this story is the character development. If I can connect with a character then I am halfway there to loving the story. Morgan has a shaky past- her father murdered her mother and she grew up in foster care. Now dealing with the fallout from abusive boyfriend (and policeman) Carl Wiseman she throws herself into her work and tries to forget the attractive ‘latin lover’ Rafe peering over her shoulder. Morgan’s history influences her choice in adult relationships and she recognises the destructive patterns she has fallen into despite her confidence and intelligence. She does not easily trust people and is certainly not willing to give her heart away easily. So when Commander Rafe takes an interest in her he recognises the many layers of defences he needs to get through to really connect with her.
Wings of Fear is told in third person and so we get to know both Morgan and Rafe in depth as well as Lauren to some extent. Young succeeded in creating characters who are relateable with even young flirty Lauren having personality depth and intelligence which makes this story stand out from the chic lit genre.
Of course with a storyline involving awesome characters with aviation and customs involvement the plot is also full of action and kept me in suspense throughout the entire novel. I tried to drag out reading the book by the end because i didn’t want to finish it! I’m glad I did though because the ending was perfect in my eyes.
Wings of Fear is the first in a loosely linked trilogy and I can’t wait to read the second novel, Shattered Sky.
5/5 rating
I loved this book! Wings of Fear was my introduction to Suspense Romance and I must say I am now hooked! I love trying a new genre and being pleasantly surprised. What’s more exciting is that it is by an Australian author, Helene Young.
Captain Morgan Pentland patrols the coastline of North Queensland Australia and leads a team who are like her family, co-pilot Lauren
and IT genius Gavin. Customs Agent Rafe Daniels joins her crew and Morgan is not too happy with his authoritative presence. Little does she know she is under surveillance as a suspect a serious leak in custom operations.
What stood out for me about this story is the character development. If I can connect with a character then I am halfway there to loving the story. Morgan has a shaky past- her father murdered her mother and she grew up in foster care. Now dealing with the fallout from abusive boyfriend (and policeman) Carl Wiseman she throws herself into her work and tries to forget the attractive ‘latin lover’ Rafe peering over her shoulder. Morgan’s history influences her choice in adult relationships and she recognises the destructive patterns she has fallen into despite her confidence and intelligence. She does not easily trust people and is certainly not willing to give her heart away easily. So when Commander Rafe takes an interest in her he recognises the many layers of defences he needs to get through to really connect with her.
Wings of Fear is told in third person and so we get to know both Morgan and Rafe in depth as well as Lauren to some extent. Young succeeded in creating characters who are relateable with even young flirty Lauren having personality depth and intelligence which makes this story stand out from the chic lit genre.
Of course with a storyline involving awesome characters with aviation and customs involvement the plot is also full of action and kept me in suspense throughout the entire novel. I tried to drag out reading the book by the end because i didn’t want to finish it! I’m glad I did though because the ending was perfect in my eyes.
Wings of Fear is the first in a loosely linked trilogy and I can’t wait to read the second novel, Shattered Sky.
5/5 rating
March 4, 2012
Captain Morgan Pentland hasn’t had an easy life, but she has worked hard to create a great career for herself as a pilot patrolling the vast Queensland coastline. Immediately curious when customs agent Rafe Daniels joins her crew, she soon realises there is more to him than meets the eye. What Morgan doesn’t realise is that Rafe has her under surveillance as a suspected leak in a terrorist plot. It’s only when their plane is shot down that they realise they have limited time to prevent an attack that could devastate Sydney.
What first drew me to this book was the Queensland setting, but I soon realised there was much more to be enjoyed about this novel. As well as portraying the amazing beauty of North Queensland brilliantly, the author has also created a strong female character that most of us would be able to relate to. The authors love for North QLD and flying shines through the character of Morgan, as she faces and deals with danger while also realising that despite her tragic past, she is worthy of being loved.
The pace of the story is great, with many action packed scenes interspersed with the suspense of who is ultimately behind the terrorist plot. The vastness of North Queensland is the perfect setting for a giant game of cat and mouse, where help may not be forthcoming until it’s too late.
A very enjoyable, well-paced book that kept me intrigued until the end.
What first drew me to this book was the Queensland setting, but I soon realised there was much more to be enjoyed about this novel. As well as portraying the amazing beauty of North Queensland brilliantly, the author has also created a strong female character that most of us would be able to relate to. The authors love for North QLD and flying shines through the character of Morgan, as she faces and deals with danger while also realising that despite her tragic past, she is worthy of being loved.
The pace of the story is great, with many action packed scenes interspersed with the suspense of who is ultimately behind the terrorist plot. The vastness of North Queensland is the perfect setting for a giant game of cat and mouse, where help may not be forthcoming until it’s too late.
A very enjoyable, well-paced book that kept me intrigued until the end.
May 10, 2011
Wings of Fear, formerly known as Border Watch (my preferred title and jacket), had me flying with the characters through through this tension packed story. The far north QLd setting felt real - the heat, humidity and balmy tropics dripped through the pages. I knew the romantic outcome of this story from the start but other aspects of mystery and danger kept me reading to find out who was behind the security leaks and how would the story unfold next. What danger was around the corner for Morgan - such a tortured heroine!
The characters were beleivable and the author explained all technical terminology of plane flying as the story required. Its great to see romantic suspence being set in such wonderful locations! Well done!
The characters were beleivable and the author explained all technical terminology of plane flying as the story required. Its great to see romantic suspence being set in such wonderful locations! Well done!
August 31, 2012
4/5; 4 stars; A-
This is my first book by this Australian author. I really enjoyed it. I particularly liked the authentic feel to the aviation aspects of the story. The mystery was well done as was the romance.
I enjoyed reading a story situated in Australia. The author's firsthand knowledge of the wilds or Northern Australia as well as the issues facing customs and law enforcements when dealing with a vast, unpopulated region, reminded me very much of some of Canada's issues.
Books from Australia are expensive and hard to get over here but it was well worth the wait and expense. I look forward to reading the next book, Shattered Sky.
This is my first book by this Australian author. I really enjoyed it. I particularly liked the authentic feel to the aviation aspects of the story. The mystery was well done as was the romance.
I enjoyed reading a story situated in Australia. The author's firsthand knowledge of the wilds or Northern Australia as well as the issues facing customs and law enforcements when dealing with a vast, unpopulated region, reminded me very much of some of Canada's issues.
Books from Australia are expensive and hard to get over here but it was well worth the wait and expense. I look forward to reading the next book, Shattered Sky.
March 27, 2015
I was in a hurry when I listed this book and confused it with another till I read the synopsis later. Glad I realised the mix up. It deserves more than the 2 stars I originally gave it!
Border Watch is a great read - an action packed adventure thriller, with a strong female lead character and all the necessary ingredients of a really good story. Fantastic to read a good novel set in Australia, and especially in the north. Hope we see more of Helene Young's work.
Border Watch is a great read - an action packed adventure thriller, with a strong female lead character and all the necessary ingredients of a really good story. Fantastic to read a good novel set in Australia, and especially in the north. Hope we see more of Helene Young's work.
July 6, 2012
I love to try new Australian authors and this one didn't let me down. A great suspense story with plenty of action, sexual tension and well developed characters.Helene's background in planes shows in the details of this story. The plot jump started, but I got to know the characters gradually and developed an affinity for them, so I cared whether or not there was a happy ending.
April 8, 2013
I can easily count the number of un-put-downable books I've read in my lifetime, and Border Watch is definitely one of them. A great, swashbuckling type of story with a hero I fell in love with as soon as I 'laid eyes' on him! And the glimpse of cockpit workings, provided by someone in the know, was fascinating.
Get it.
Read it.
You'll enjoy it! :)
Get it.
Read it.
You'll enjoy it! :)
November 12, 2013
A fairly interesting story., only a little far fetched. If I was a fan of the romance genre I would probably have given it more stars. The main characters were likeable and I wanted them to get together but the whole thing was a bit cliched - first they hate each other, then they fall in love, then something happens which rips them apart and then at the last minute - but no spoilers!
July 21, 2013
Wings of Fear, (which I've read as Border Watch), is the type of story that deserves to be turned into mini-series.
Without going into the plot description, which other people have done here ably, a couple of observations:
-- It's great to see our heroine along with her best friend and colleague go about their work as respected, capable pilots as a matter of fact without devolving into feminist cheerleading or featuring snide commentary from stereotypical sexist male colleagues.
-- Helene's vivid descriptions of life in far North Queensland should be bottled and used in the region's next tourism campaign.
-- Why hasn't this been optioned as a mini series yet? Anything has got to be better than Sydney/Melbourne centric reality TV.
Without going into the plot description, which other people have done here ably, a couple of observations:
-- It's great to see our heroine along with her best friend and colleague go about their work as respected, capable pilots as a matter of fact without devolving into feminist cheerleading or featuring snide commentary from stereotypical sexist male colleagues.
-- Helene's vivid descriptions of life in far North Queensland should be bottled and used in the region's next tourism campaign.
-- Why hasn't this been optioned as a mini series yet? Anything has got to be better than Sydney/Melbourne centric reality TV.
April 9, 2013
I am hopeless at reviews but what I do say I mean. I read this book when it had its original name Border watch and I was looking around for something a little bit different from the high fantasy that I was reading at the time. This book lept out at me at Big W and so i grabed it. Read it on 1 sitting and loved it. Helene writs characters that I love, honest real and with depth that makes you thing you could know them. Her stories are fresh and will appeal to everyone, to be advertised as Australia's Nora Roberts even better. You should sit down with some chocolate a good wine and just keep reading. Loved it.
August 28, 2014
A fantastic Aussie (QLD at that!!) romantic suspense style of story. It's obvious to see the author's love for far north Queensland - the vast beautiful countryside where Morgan lives and works to patrol the borders and help keep the country safe.
Fantastic read - I went and got the second book Shattered Sky straight away!
Fantastic read - I went and got the second book Shattered Sky straight away!
October 14, 2012
I would have given this book 3 1/2 stars if that was an option as it really isn't quite four stars. It's a good read - however I did find it dragged a bit towards the end. I liked the characters and the steady build of the relationship between Morgan and Rafe. It is a beach read that is not too taxing. It was entertaining enough and I don't regret the time I spent reading it.
October 2, 2014
What a fantastic read! I cant believe I didn't find this book sooner, it has shot straight to the top of my favourites list! This story had a bit of everything- action, mystery, suspense, romance and the setting made me feel like I was really in far north Queensland,i just could not put it down. I have to get started on the next one right now!
February 1, 2011
This book improved as it went along. Wasnt too sure at first, but by the end I found I was quite interested to know what would happen. Not too keen on romances - it always seems so obvious as to who will end up with whom - so that aspect of the story didnt appeal.
March 19, 2012
Well done Helene, this book has everything: romance, friendship, mystery, intrigue, suspense, & action. Such a well-crafted and detailed plot which is enriched by strong, believable characters and just the right amount of emotion and romance. The writing is also superb!
January 2, 2013
I enjoyed this book. It's the first one I've read of Helene's and will be going onto the next one, once I've brought it. I loved the characters and couldn't put the book down. But had to because of the kiddos :P
October 12, 2011
Totally awesome book, can't wait for the next book in March.
December 9, 2010
Great!
January 14, 2011
This is such a great read Helene made me feel as if I was going through all of this with the hero and heroine and I loved the interaction between the characters.
January 16, 2012
I enjoyed reading a romantic suspense set in Australia. At times I had to reread to follow references to government agencies and flight terminology. I'd definitely read another by same author.
October 16, 2012
Enjoyed this book especially reading about far North Queensland. My copy is titled Border Watch so not sure why it has changed but an easy book to read.
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