Books & Spoons Review for CALL TO ENGAGE by Tawny Weber

The Poseidon team are hard-bodied, fiercely competitive Navy SEALs. But when a sensitive mission goes disastrously wrong, three of the team's finest will have to trust their hearts and instincts to uncover the truth… 

Lieutenant Elijah Prescott should be spending his precious leave somewhere with sun, surf and scantily clad women. Instead, he's heading home with two goals in mind. Figure out exactly how his last assignment went to hell and almost killed him—and reconnect with the woman who might offer salvation. 

Ava Monroe has streamlined her life, eliminating every source of pain—including a marriage touched by tragedy. One glimpse of her ex and those good intentions turn to bad-girl desires. Her strategy: get over Elijah by getting under him again, sating herself until she can finally let go. But as betrayal within the rank of the SEALs turns deadly, there's no denying that her heart and her life are on the line. Elijah is the only man who can protect both…

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An emotional, passionate, and touching romance story with a touch of danger and suspense.
This story has a heartfelt, in-depth look at the sacrifices, challenges, and the instability that military families live with on daily basis, how the service to the country affects those serving and to those who are left behind waiting for the homecoming. The nightmares, flashbacks, and losses the service personal faces and come home with were described with raw honesty as well as the terrors that they carry with them rest of their lives. 
Oh, there was sweet, hot romance and constantly present danger, even one on one action and palpable fear for their lives, but the mental battle of survival and learning to live with the images of the war as a constant companion in your head as you close your eyes, that is what was on my mind as I finished the story. 
Elijah Prescott and Ava Monroe's love story started years ago. They had faced the difficulties, the challenges, the troubles, the pressure, and expectations from their families. Yet what ultimately drifted them apart was a devasting loss of life. 
There's no question about if Elijah and Ava love each other, needs each other, desire each other - that is palpable in the air, a tangible force pulling them together. But the growth, the maturing, learning to accept, to be open, to communicate, to make compromises, to dare to take the risk and the leap of love, that is what they have to learn and figure out if it is worth to betting everything on their love. 
Call to Engage had the elements that I expected with romance and suspense, but it had so much more as well with the mental and emotional concerns of the protagonists, the anguished battles of their minds and hearts. 
~ Four Spoons with the teaspoon on the side

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