Wait Until Dark

Buchman’s third Night Stalkers military romance (after I Own the Dawn) delves deep into the complicated and dangerous world of elite helicopter fighter pilots and their in-air support team. Sgt. Connie Davis, a genius mechanic with photographic memory, is new to Maj. Emily Beale’s Black Hawk helicopter crew, but she’s already impressed Staff Sgt. “Big John” Wallace. A nerdy introvert with no family support, Connie slowly begins to open up to John as they train together intensely for a high-stakes mission. Buchman mixes adrenalin-spiking battles and brusque military jargon with a sensitive approach to Connie and John’s relationship, allowing two wary individuals to get to know each other and build trust before moving into physical and emotional intimacy. While the outcome of their mission is never really in question, readers will feel real tension over whether Connie can allow herself to add a relationship to her hyperorganized, self-contained life. (Feb.)