In Norse mythology, valkyrie (/vælˈkɪəri, –ˈkaɪri, vɑːl-, ˈvælkəri/;^[1] from Old Norse valkyrja “chooser of the slain”) is one of a host of female figures who choose those who may die in battle and those who may live. More recently, in the Marvel Universe, we saw them as Asgard’s mighty horde of female warriors. Needless to say, being a female and a feminist to boot, I’ve always been intrigued by this term (of course, the Tom Cruise movie on the Valkyrie protocol on the death of Hitler was another major factor). But FEMALE WARRIORS CHOOSING WHO LIVES AND WHO DIES, what’s not to love!

Thus, when I was approached by Kaylea Cross’s publicists to review her latest offering, Stealing Vengeance, about a top secret government program turning orphan girls into elite spies, very fittingly called the Valkyrie, I was immediately hooked. I put on my reading glasses and dived into a world of government conspiracies, a female force to be reckoned with, bodies dropping like flies, spying and counter spying, bloodthirst, betrayal and of course, righteous vengeance.

My love for Sir Ian Fleming, Dame Agatha Christie, Arthur Hailey, Alistair McLean and their ilk have upped my standards for thrillers, spies and whodunnits. I am pleased to report that Stealing Vengeance checks all the boxes in my strict list of ‘things that will make me read every book in this series’.

Kaylea Cross effortlessly weaves a crisp tale of pain and love interspersed with a deadly hunt where the best laid plans go awry and the best of intentions may be misguided. She makes us love the Valkyrie, despite the nature of their work, and loathe the Government for ‘creating’ them out of innocent children in the most brutal of ways for their self-serving purpose. And once their dirty task was done, the elite became dispensable. Left to fend for themselves, a saga of sisterhood, loyalty and romance is lived by these incredible women. Not to mention, I really like how the women take centre stage here despite the presence of strong, powerful men and how their characters are so beautifully depicted that they are in awe of these women rather than nursing bruised egos or asserting male dominance while saving damsels in distress. All in all, Stealing Vengeance makes me want to read all the previous titles in the main series while awaiting the sequel to come out. Ms. Cross, I urge you to hurry.

I don’t usually give ratings but I would go out on a limb and give this one 4.5/5 as it stands out amongst its genre. However, you don’t just have to take my word for it – here’s a sneak peak into the book for your eyes only!

Book Blurb:

She’s an expert at getting into places she doesn’t belong.

The government created Megan, transforming her into a Valkyrie—a deadly operative only whispered about in certain circles. They took everything from her and made her into a weapon. Now someone is leaking secret information about her sisters-in-arms, betraying them for money. Loyal Unto Death is the Valkyrie motto. So when Megan is recruited to find who leaked the files, she takes the high-risk assignment. Even if it means working with the man who betrayed her trust long ago. Even if it means giving her life. Because she’ll do whatever it takes to find justice.

But this is one situation she can’t escape from on her own.

Tyler Bergstrom never forgot the resourceful woman who escaped during the toughest phase of SERE school. So when he learns the stunning truth about her and his unwitting part in her past, he volunteers to work alongside Megan for a chance at redemption. Except she doesn’t want a partner. Doesn’t want to let anyone into her life, including him—hell, especially him. Yet whether she likes it or not, for this mission they’re partners. Now it’s a race against the clock to bring down the shadowy figure targeting Valkyries. But the threat goes deeper than they ever imagined. No one is safe. And if they can’t overcome the past and learn to trust each other, they’re both dead.

Today we are celebrating the release of a brand new romantic suspense title from Kaylea Cross. STEALING VENGEANCE is available now, and you will not want to miss this series! Be sure to follow Kaylea for exclusive updates about the book and the brand new Vengeance series.

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**Stealing Vengeance (Vengeance Series, #1)**

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Releasing July 30

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kaylea Cross writes edge-of-your-seat military romantic suspense. Her work has won many awards, including the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence. A Registered Massage Therapist by trade, Kaylea is also an avid gardener, artist, Civil War buff, Special Ops aficionado, belly dance enthusiast and former nationally-carded softball pitcher. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her husband and family.