Code Name: Blondie    by Christina Skye Order:  USA  Can Harlequin, 2006 (2006) Paperback     Reviewed by Martina Bexte As the story opens, Miki Fortune is working a lucrative photo gig on a remote island in the South Pacific. The money might be great but her boss is a pig and it takes all Miki's patience not to pop him in the nose and quit. Unfortunately, she can't afford to get on his bad side - she's broke. Worse, a dangerous storm is brewing and their pilot advises they leave ASAP. Deteriorating weather conditions plus sudden mechanical failure cause the plane to go down, and Miki finds herself fighting for her life in the raging sea. As she's going down for the third time a savior appears from beneath the waves and plucks her and the injured pilot to safety. Max Preston's mission does not entail rescuing tourists from ditched planes. But even the steely eyed, single-minded, paranormally enhanced Navy SEAL could not in good conscience leave innocents to drown, no matter the seriousness and secrecy of his mission. With his special service dog Truman at his side, Max carries Miki and her pilot to safety inside an abandoned bunker, hoping the enemy didn't observe the rescue. The target (once a member of the secret Foxfire Unit) escaped capture before and has been recruiting a new army of killers. Max's job involves contacting Enrique Cruz via his own enhanced psychic powers and making sure the renegade SEAL is neutralized once and for all. But the two civilians complicate his mission. Especially when the mouthy blonde he ends up having way too much close contact with seriously jeopardizes his renowned concentration. And for the commitment shy Miki, Max's close proximity is hard to resist. But while their attraction is immediate and intense, both realize that the only way to survive this island paradise is to work together to stop a relentless enemy's sinister agenda. Code Name: Blondie is another fine addition to Christina Skye's very readable SEAL action adventure series. Max and Miki are wonderfully matched and it's fun to watch Miki rise to the occasion and outwit the bad guys in a situation where she's entirely out of her element. Max and Miki's romance doesn't have much time for growth due to the fast pacing and extended action sequences of this story, but their short and heated encounters leave both wondering if they'll be able to walk away once their mission is over. Characters from previous books make return appearances, including the mysterious Izzy, the go-to SEAL who's able to sort out just about any problem. Skye's perceptive view of military experimentation for the purpose of creating super soldiers is thought provoking and ambiguous, a plot point that the author is certain to address in more depth as this series continues. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Romance books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews