The first book in the Valkyrie Ops and my first read by this author, Beyond the Limit is a story of determination, forbidden romance and danger. I enjoyed the premise, the story and characters are engaging and the support cast round this for a promising start to this new series.

He’s not happy with his team’s top-secret mission, training the first female SEALs and Griffin Caldwell is determined to prove that his former beauty queen trainee doesn’t have what it takes to join the world’s most elite warrior’s club. Navy media officer Sherri Tate has been given the opportunity to achieve her dream of becoming a SEAL and she won’t let anything stand in her way, not even her sexy, arrogant trainer.

The first book in the Valkyrie Ops series is a surprisingly powerful read. The characters are strong, bold and take no enemies in their quest to achieve their goals, exactly what you expect from a SEAL right… But the chemistry between these two is off the charts magnetic and has sparks flying in every direction. The relationship off course has a couple of major snags that just may prove to be impossible to overcome, the trainee and trainer relationship and the fact that Griffin doesn’t think females belong in the SEALs, so this keeps lots of emotional turbulence flowing from the pages even as the passion is building to volcanic proportions.

But this fast paced plot is more than a just a romance, this story is about something that the majority of the world feels is impossible… a female becoming a SEAL. The author builds the suspense of the achievement throughout the story and the story pulls readers in ensuring that readers become completely engaged in the lives of these characters as the author has portrayed it in an informative with lots of details to make it realistic and yet not so many to make it boring or overdone. The story also has several twist that adds danger and excitement to the story so, there is no way for a readers to lose interest in this powerfully explosive and emotionally gripping read.

I liked the blurb of this book, so I requested an arc. I hadn't read anything of Cindy Dees, so it was a bit of a gamble. But with hot navy seal guys, how can anything go wrong? Well, apparently, when you mix this up with some feisty women who want to become Navy SEALS as well, you get some chemistry. And although it was a nice story, with a great description of all the brutal training the Navy SEALS must endure, it just didn't knock me of my socks.
The concept of the story is definitely great: since 2016 the US army allows woman to join the Nave SEALS. In 2018 the first woman has signed up and was flushed during the selection process. So Cindy's story is actually spot on: how long will it take the government to set up a secret training to make sure some woman will pass the BUD/s and become a SEAL? In this book we see how that story could play out.
Cindy does have the mortification of the tough as nails guys correctly shown. But in all I found the story a bit too much descriptive on the BUD/s training and not on the underlying story. But it was an easy read, so I would recommend it definitely. Three out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

BEYOND THE LIMIT is the first instalment in Cindy Dee’s contemporary, adult VALKYRIE OPS romantic, military suspense series focusing on female SEALs. This is Lieutenant Sherri Tate, and Navy SEAL Griffin Caldwell’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Sherri and Griffin) BEYOND THE LIMIT follows the rigorous and arduous training as Sherri Tate, and two other women warriors attempt to pass the BUD/S training for the US Navy SEALs. Sherri Tate is a media officer for the Navy, and is hoping to become the first female SEAL in US history but the fight to the top is harder than expected. From the outset our heroine is targeted by the people in charge, people who struggle with women in the US Navy SEALs. Enter SEAL and Reaper Team member Griffin Caldwell, the man with whom Sherri will fall in love. What ensues is the forbidden and secret relationship and romance between Sherri and Griffin, and the potential fall-out when SEAL Team Reaper walks into an ambush, and Sherri becomes collateral damage in an international war with the US Navy.

Griffin Caldwell’s career as an active member of Team Reaper has been side lined by a potential career ending injury. Assigned to the SEAL training division our hero will come face to face with former pageant queen Sherri Tate, a woman who stirs something deep within our story line heroine. Not everyone is happy to see women vying for a position with the US Navy SEALs, and Sherri, for all her determination and guts is targeted on more than one occasion.

The relationship between Sherri and Griffin is one of immediate attraction but Griffin battles between head and heart believing women in the Navy SEALs is a mistake and a disaster waiting to happen. Griffin is not the only man who believes this to be true, as our heroine will discover as she struggles her way to the top of the class. Having to hide their relationship and keep secret their love, our couple battle to remain stoic in the face of potential danger and loss of their jobs. The $ex scenes are intimate, passionate and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including two other candidates for US Navy SEAL: Lily VanDyke and Anna Marlow; Commander Calvin Kettering, as well as several members of Griffin’s Reaper SEAL Team: Kenny, Trevor, Axe, Sam and Jojo; and a number of recruits vying for one of the few remaining BUD/S training positions.


BEYOND THE LIMIT is a detailed story of discrimination and determination; of betrayal and revenge; of love, lust and happily ever after. The author, a pilot in the US Air Force, uses her knowledge and experience to bring the story and her characters to life. The premise is engaging and intriguing; the romance is seductive and steamy; the characters are strong, determined and energetic.

Copy supplied by Netgalley


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I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I liked Griffin and Sherry was ok. My main problem with this book was a weird sense of time. It would seem like a couple of weeks would go by but it was actually months. Also the ending seemed too abrupt especially after all the details we are giving through the rest of the book. Although they do get together in the end there are a lot of unanswered questions. Like what happened to Jojo.

She is a lieutenant in the Navy and she is applying to be the first woman Seal ever but not everyone is happy about it and she will face intrigue and drama from inside the navy as well as out side influences. Sherri Tate may be a former beauty queen but even Navy SEAL Griffin Caldwell part of the team who is meant to train ans was secretly hoping she would fail has to admit she has got what it takes. When danger strikes he will begin to realise that she has become much more than just someone he is training and they begin an illicit affair. Will she succeed you will have to read to see

Simply amazed! Women in the SEALs would be a wonderful advancement. At first the men were hesitant and skeptical but were quickly impressed. Dees did exceptional research with the SEALs and the entire process, I learned a ton. I'm really hoping this is something that will be a possibility for women. An exciting and thrilling ride with twists and turns, even a few stolen moments for romance. My copy came through Netgalley.

This is Book 1 in the Valkyrie Ops series. I really enjoyed reading this book. The Seals aren’t happy when they have to train the first female Seals. Griffin is determined to prove that Sherri, because she’s a female and an ex-beauty pageant queen, can’t hack it. This book has about everything you can ask for, Alpha males who don’t think the little female can handle the job, the female who proves she can kick a**, feared terrorists and a lot of good times. I think you will enjoy it as much as I did. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book that I received from Netgalley.

Beyond the Limit is book one in Cindy Dees’ new Valkyrie Ops series. This is an action-packed military romantic suspense novel with no cheating and a happily ever after. Both the hero and heroine in this story are good, strong characters with strong morals and personalities. Love the storyline!

Sherri Tate, navy media officer and former Miss Congeniality, wants to become one of the first ever female Navy SEALs. But first she has to prove to Griffin Caldwell and his Navy SEALs teammates, the Reapers, that she can compete with the big boys. Griffin has a hard time believing that a female can be all she can be and work successfully with men in the field, but as time passes, Sherri begins to change his views. From first sight, the attraction and chemistry between Griffin and Sherri was instant and intense but when disaster strikes, will they have a chance to become more? Can their bond save the day? Read it to find out!

I discovered Cindy Dees and this series while searching netgallery. The cover drew my attention and once I read the synopsis I was hooked. I love action packed, military stories with a side of romance and a whole lot of chemistry. I especially love the fact that the heroines in this series are just as strong and determined as the heroes. Dees is a phenomenal writer, who’s story telling ability keeps you hanging as you go page by page. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

This is a voluntary review of an advanced readers copy received from Netgalley.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book via Netgalley but all opinions provided are my own.

Beyond the Limit is a sizzling, action-packed romance by new-to-me author Cindy Dees. It’s the story of two heroes—people willing to take any risk to save Americans—falling in love, & it was engrossing from start to finish.

Books with uber strong heroines are one of my catnips, and this book has that times three. Three highly determined, fit, and strong women learn that one of them will go through BUD/S training and become the “face” of the female SEAL, no matter what.

Sherri Tate is one of those women. She’s beautiful, and she feels like she’s been limited in some ways by how people perceive her. For her, this opportunity is a chance to serve her nation, to save people, and to prove that she has what it takes.

Then there’s Griffin Caldwell, a SEAL and one of her trainers, who would probably rather wear a powder blue suit every day, hungover—like he is the first time we meet him—than work with & support a female SEAL.

There’s also the insta lust between them, which is soon blazing out of control despite the risks associated with them indulging in it. But is there any way that this thing between them could be worth the possible danger to their careers? Particularly since Sherri is just getting started on the SEAL track?

Dees adeptly captures how physically and mentally stressful SEAL training is for Sherri and her fellow trainees. She writes action really well—the scenes have a physicality and vividness that made me even more invested in Sherri’s outcome. Sherri is a warrior, capable of handling nearly everything they throw at her. I loved it.

Ditto for the physical scenes between Sherri & Griffin. They’re so good together: the secret ways they support each other, the passion between them, and how they’re kind of perfectly matched.

But I was kind of bothered by their relationship while training—the lengths he goes to to make sure she’ll succeed to the next round. Even while I understood that they were both playing the game, it also didn’t really seem keeping with either of their characters for me. I had trouble believing that she would be satisfied moving through training like that, with advantages that other people didn’t have.

I’m looking forward to checking out some of Dees’ other books, because the aspects of the book that worked for me really worked for me. Thanks to Netgalley for my copy!

Beyond the Limit was an enjoyable story and a sound start to this new Valkyrie Ops series by Cindy Dees. As not only did it easily hold my interest, but it had lots of military action and a nice romance; along with a touch of suspense. And I really liked the mix of characters, plus, the story was well paced, engaging, and it felt quite realistic. Although there were a couple of things that seemed unfinished, but I'm hoping they'll be dealt with as this series progresses. And I have to say I'm excited to read more from these characters in the future. So I will definitely be looking out for book two when it's released.

I would happily recommend

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story really moved along very slowly and the characters didn’t reel me in. The premise was interesting.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

Beyond the limit is the first book in the Valkyrie Ops series by Cindy Dees. This much awaited title continues Cindy’s tradition of creating an exciting new mythos full of strong female warriors.

This book introduces Skylar Tate, a media officer for the Navy who aspires to be the first ever female Navy Seal. She wants to prove she has what it takes. But convincing others will prove to be an uphill climb all the way. Earning the trust of her compatriot seals and the upper brass might be tougher than the agonizingly brutal SEAL training.

Griffin Caldwell is a Navy SEAL team Commander who commands the Navy SEAL platoon, the Reapers. He and his men are tasked to secretly train women candidates to become the first female SEALs. But when he meets Skylar Tate, his entire worldview is shaken. He feels conflicted torn between repulsion and at first sight. He can't believe that women especially a former pageant queen has what it takes and feels they will ultimately compromise a mission in the field.

However, when a dangerous op goes sideways Skylar and Griffin must put aside their differences, build upon their chemistry to ride to the rescue. This book does justice to its name and has characters with depth which makes it truly spellbinding.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. Beyond the Limit is the first book in new Valkyrie Ops series and I loved getting to meet Griffin Caldwell and Sherri Tate. This book was just so easy to get lost in and I felt so much for these characters. I had so much fun learning more about each character and all they had gone through. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this author.

This is the first book that I have read by this author but, it definitely won't be the last. It was a fast-paced, suspenseful read. Griffin and Sherri are great characters and so are all of the supporting characters.. The story is full of intrigue, suspense and danger. I can't wait to read the next book.

WHO SAYS BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP? All men trying to complete Seal training do everything they can to foil Sherri Tate's goal to succeed as the first woman seal. The new program dubbed "Valkyrie" is the strategy being used to get women ready for the riggers of Seal Boot Camp. Sherri is a Beauty Queen winner who has been the Navy's media officer due to her looks and savvy communications skills. Enter Griffin Caldwell and his Seal Team to ready these women in the Valkyrie Op. Liked Dees' characters and narrative in Beyond the Limit and look forward to more in this series. "Book was provided by SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca via NetGalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion."

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

Not sure if I was going to like this type of book because at the start the three women were chosen to be the first women to try for the Seal teams. I think the book got more interesting when Sherri volunteered to be the :"first" woman to try - which basically meant that she was supposed to be the spokesperson for the women and not really expected to cut it.

Sherri not only exceeded Griffin's expectations but went on to win over her fellow classmates (well, not one) and her instructors.

More drama was added in when at the end of Hell Week things did not go as planned and Sherri again showed that she had the heart of a SEAL.

I really hope that there will be future books as they kind of left Kenny as a captive and we don't know what happened with Anna and Lilly!

The authors background in the military helped this slow paced story, average romantic suspense novel limp along. If she didn't have the background readers would assume she researched documentaries about Seal Training. The training in the story was interesting enough to pull this story from a 2 to a 3.

Sherri Tate is a decent character as long as the male lead isn't anywhere in the story. Griffin is more or less a jerk one second and lusting after Sherri Tate hoping to get her thrown out of the "Seal Program." Beauty Queen wanting to be more than her looks.



The Villain doesn't make much since to be honest let alone the ending of the story aka the twist. Beyond The Limit is selling as a romance but the romance slows down the story and takes away the interesting side of Sherri Tate and Women playing a bigger roll in the Special Forces.



Beyond Limit falls flat from the first few pages with drunks at a wedding to the romance and finally the ending Valkyrie book one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Cindy Dee Beyond The Limit.

This book elicited a rainbow of emotions from me. From fantastic scenes, to annoying characters, to stereotypical actions, to humorous moments, to hold your breath gripping scenes, to eye-rolling sighs, to pursed lips irritation at certain outcomes to finally an unhappy, disappointed feeling for the HFN ending. From the start I loved Sherri’s character. Her wit, attitude, outlook on everything…she was well-grounded and had a lot of sass and moxie and she had no problem speaking her mind. Griffin had to grow on me, but he did by the end. He was brash, overbearing, sexist, close-minded, and his moods gave me whiplash. But towards the end, he redeemed himself and became a more likable character with better traits. One of the downfalls for me in the story was that from the very beginning we have to suffer through endless chapters of Sherri and Griffin fantasizing and having internal conversations about how hot the other is, constantly. It was just a little over the top for me and a lot of it was in inappropriate places. I understand that this was a romantic suspense and you need to toss in a bit of ‘what ifs’ and ‘how I wish’, and ’ooh, he/she’s hot’, etc. but when you are on a firing range holding a gun in your hand and are supposed to be focusing on a critical point of an evaluation, wondering about sex or whatever at that particular time just seems ill-placed. The best part of the story for me was actually when Sherri moved on to training that did not involve Griffin directly at her side and she was able to shine and show everyone what she could do and that she could hold her own. Best part of the book!!! Also, once she and Griffin got things sorted out they seemed to mesh better and the story had a better rhythmic flow. However, right when I was thinking things were starting to look up, the ending took a nosedive that was a disappointment. There was a great build up toward the end, and then it just fell flat. There were a lot of situations left unresolved and some unanswered questions. It was a HFN (happy for now) ending but with the buildup, I was hoping for more.

*I received an ARC from the publisher, via NetGalley, and am providing my honest review.

I was blown away with how much I enjoyed this story -- so much so, once I started I kept going till I was done late last night!

It's always been an intriguing consideration for me, working through the feelings, beliefs, reality, and politics of women in special forces/front lines of combat. I appreciated how the author dealt with everything, and how we got multiple views and opinions - and we see how the characters worked through their opinions - specifically watching Griffin sort through things and Sherri proving herself (and I'll be honest - I was in awe of how she dealt with everything tossed at her).

I enjoyed watching the heat build between Sherri and Griffin - from insta-attraction to head-over-heals - it felt real and raw and honest, even with the struggle to express it or understand exactly how to balance the desires with responsibilities. I also loved seeing the respect that grew, not only between Sherri and Griffin, but between the Reaper Team, the other women trainees, and the SEAL community (instructors, fellow team mates, etc.) Something about the SEAL family keeps me coming back for more. I also loved the glimpse into the raw and realities of being a special operator - just what it takes to make it, what you're willing to sacrifice, and the dichotomy between your head and heart, the adrenaline highs and the heart-shattering lows.

Beyond the Limit is the kind of story that will capture your attention and drag you along in a thought-provoking journey, delivering not only a well-earned happily-ever-after, but a greater appreciation for the realities of the special few warriors who live out "the only easy day was yesterday".