Story dragged a bit. Delilah once lived with her in the Florida forrested bayou. Her family attempted to marry her off to an arms dealer to forge an alliance with another family (gain a higher standing in the militant band of antigoverment.). The man she was matched with attempted to rape her thd first night they met....shd fought him back, stabbed him and was able to escape.

She has returned to her home town area under the premise of reseaching the local band of monkeys. After escaping her betrothed she went on to college and is now attempted to get her masters degree. Her return though had two reasons, to rescue her younger sister from the same fate she experienced at 16, and to research thd monkeys.

"Hollywood " the local fish and game officer finds Delilah attractive, but wonders what happened to her, what caused her not to ask for help. Hollywood vows to assist Delilah , to kerp her safe. Delilah 's brother recognized her at the local coffee shop...even though she had been gone eight years. It appears tha her brother has worked his way up the ladder to being the leader of the arms dealer in the back woods of Florida.

Aaron fears that his sister, Delilah, will stop the new social standing of their family, if she takes their younger sister away from the deal they made to marry her off to another band of militants.

Delilah is almost killed several times, once in a fire, another with her brake lines being cut, abd lastly being shot at.

I don't want to give the story away...so read it if you like strong women and a good mystery time of book.

3.5 stars- BEYOND POWER is the second full-length instalment in Connie Mann’s contemporary adult FLORIDA WILDLIFE WARRIORS romantic suspense series. This is Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer Josh Tanner, and Masters wildlife researcher Delilah Atwood’s story line. BEYOND POWER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Josh and Delilah) BEYOND POWER follows Delilah Atwood in her search for her younger sister Mary. Growing up as part of fundamental militant survivalist family Delilah knows only too well that her sister’s future is out of her control. Under the guise of studying a family of monkeys in Ocala, Florida, Delilah hides in plain sight in an effort to uncover the whereabouts of her mother and sister but Delilah never expected to face off against Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officer Josh Tanner when a man is found murdered, with possible connections to the militant organization of which Delilah was once connected. As Delilah struggles to locate her sister, our heroine will find herself targeted in a game of cat and mouse. What ensues is the slow building romance and relationship between Delilah and Josh, and the potential fall-out when Delilah’s life hangs in the balance, and her time in Ocala, Florida comes to a close.

Delilah Atwood is a strong and independent woman determined to rescue her sister, with or without the help of local law enforcement. Placing herself in danger on more than one occasion, Delilah has a little bit of TSTL (Too stupid to live) mentality, often disregarding orders from the people in charge.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Hunter and Charlee (Beyond Risk #1), fellow officers Pete Tanner, Marco Sanchez, Lisa Bass aka Fish, IT specialist Byte, counselor Kimberly Gaines; Delilah’s father John Henry, her brother Aaron, her mother and sister Mary; as well as militia member Nate

BEYOND POWER is a story of a dysfunctional family whose militant ideals are threatened by outsiders, and the power of the local law enforcement community. In an effort to merge for a stronger organization, the local fundamental militia has made a deal, a deal that will directly affect Mary and our story line heroine. As Delilah continues to work on her studies, she uses the research as a means to track her ‘at risk’ sibling. The premise is intriguing and entertaining; the romance is passionate; the $ex scenes implied; the characters are stubborn, strong, colorful and energetic.



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GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3527709904


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iBooks (Sandy Sch) posted

Great second book in the Florida Wildlife Warriors series. Josh and Delilah were excellent as the main characters. Their romance might have been a slow burn, but their chemistry buzzed the air with smexy vibes. They seemed like people you'd really want to know and hang out with. Plus we got to visit with the characters from the first book.

The descriptions of the swampy areas, the waterways, and the monkeys in the trees were interesting and seemed well-thought out. I actually did not know there were monkies in Florida.

I really enjoyed this fun and intriguing romantic suspense that kept me wondering what was going to happen next. Highly recommend.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.

Beyond Power is the first story by Connie Mann that I remember reading. It won’t be the last. If like me you find romantic suspense your cup of tea then this is an author for you. While the romance builds, it does not overpower the suspense in the story. The focus stays on the danger, adventure, and mystery within the plot with the romance coming naturally. That is just the way I like it. The characters are aware of each other and their attraction but it is not the instant lust that sometimes happens in romantic suspense.

I was afraid from the cover that it might be a Rambo type story taking place in the wetlands. Then I found that the cover had been revised. This one fits much better. It is not that way at all. Josh Tanner is a by the book Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer. It reminds me of NCIS New Orleans with the radicals in the area but it is way, way better!

I like this author, her style of writing and the plots. This one shows the plight of many women even here in the US. I will be reading more by her.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lately I have been in the mood for a gripping, moving, action-packed romantic suspense so when I saw Beyond Power pop up in my feed, the cover and premise immediately begged to be devoured.

And whoa, boy did I devour.

First off, I need to start by saying that I love Josh’s profession. Often in RS you find heroes who are police officers, Navy SEALS, FBI agents, private bodyguards/security officers. This is, without a doubt, the first book I’ve read where the leading man is a Fish and Wildlife conservation officer and that is SUCH a refreshing breath of fresh air. Plus, Josh rocks those uniforms… even if it’s only in my head.

Phew, okay, back to the review.

As one would expect with any decent RS, we have a dead body. Unlike others in this genre I’ve read… there are also wild monkeys. Who knew there were wild monkeys in Florida? Well, Delilah apparently knew because our heroine is studying those crazy creatures, which led to finding the aforementioned dead body.

As much as I love reading RS, I have to say that I find them so hard to review because a good romantic suspense (and, yes, this is SUCH a good romantic suspense) has a million twists and turns and “OMG WTF just happened???” moments that you don’t want to share for fear of ruining it for another reader.

Trust me when I say that this is not only an excellent suspense that keeps you gripping the edge of your seat by the fingernails, it also brings the steamy, sexy romance that will make ice water a necessity.

During this stay at home period I have been reading a lot and so inevitably began to cast a wider net looking for authors that write in the genres I enjoy but haven't read before. Ms. Mann is one such author who I discovered thanks to the awesome power of Netgalley.
Her writing style fits right into my personal sweet spot with enough suspense and action to keep that adrenaline flowing and the sweet romance that keeps my romantic heart beating.
Delilah Atwood escaped from the wild lands of the Florida forests where she grew up, earned a degree, reinvented herself but now she's back where it all started. Her sixteen year old sister is at the cusp of woman hood and the new sacrificial lamb for the family as attested by the burnt toy doll that Delilah finds at one of the family camping sites.  Determined to rescue her sister she roams the forests researching the monkeys she loves who helped her escape her hellish life so long ago and trying to locate her sister.
But someone's watching and they are not hesitate to use guns, fire and other tools to smoke her out and potentially kill her. Fortunately for Delilah the handsome forestry office Josh Tanner comes to her rescue even as he and his team have suspicions of her.  Drugs and guns are being smuggled through these lands and Delilah's family is definitely complicit. As they try to stay one step ahead of trouble and operate within the bounds of the law the attraction between them grows to conflagration that might burn them alive
.I enjoyed the characters so much that I need to go back to the beginning.  Fortunately there's just one earlier book in the series and I've just downloaded that to my kindle.  Can't wait to see this series evolve.

Delilah Page is on a mission studying the rhesus monkey in the Ocala, Florida area when she comes across a dead body. She has also come for another secret reason that only she knows about. Her sixteen year old sister is about forced into marriage by her family, primarily her father and her brother. Delilah is determined to stop that marriage from happening. She comes in contact with Josh Tanner, who is a Fish and Wildlife Conservation officer. Although there is definitely an attraction between them, she is not about to divulge her real reason for being there. Then her life is threatened and she is being hunted. While she is determined to find her sister on her on and not trust anyone to help her, Josh is just as determined that he will keep her alive at all costs. This is my first time reading a book by this author but I am certainly looking forward to reading more. I received an ARC of this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when her sister turns sixteen?

I had no idea there were wild monkeys in Florida.

Jeez, her own father tried to shoot her.

Poor guy.

What is the deal with the ball?

Someone is definitely gunning for her. Literally.

I feel so old if Xena is being shown in classrooms.

Is the psycho Nate?

After her survivalist father tried to marry her off at 16, Delilah Atwood couldn't run far enough and fast enough from her family. Now she's back , determined to save her sister from the fate she escaped.

Fish and Wildlife Conservation officer Josh Tanner is fascinated by Delilah from the first time he encounters her at the coffee shop. Though she continually pushes him away, Josh refuses to back off. He's intrigued by the secrets he knows she's keeping. But when the shooting starts his curiosity takes a back seat to his need to protect her.

I felt the description of Delilah's research, another reason for her presence in her home town, slowed the action of the story and was superfluous at times. But the Ms. Mann kept the suspense building with a few surprises thrown in. All in all this was a great addition to this series.

Beyond Power is the second book in the Florida Wildlife Warriors series by Connie Mann. A fast-paced story with explosive action, murder, attempted murder, survivalists, underground militia as well as friendships, family ties, and romance. Mann creates a story where every page is full of twists and heartaches as secrets are revealed. Beyond Power is an intriguing read. I look forward to reading more in the Florida Wildlife Warriors series.

Beyond Power by Connie Mann is already the second book in the Florida Wildlife Warriors series. I fell in love with the first book, Beyond Risk, and was thrilled when I got the chance to review an Advance Reader Copy of Beyond Power.
The story of Josh and Delilah has everything a page turner needs, explosive action, murder, friendship and most importantly: romance. Being familiar with the area the story plays in, makes it even easier to get completely lost in the book!
It starts slow, but with every page you turn the story captures you more and more and makes it hard to put the book down. It took me only two rainy afternoons to read it and I enjoyed every minute of it. Can’t wait for the next book in this series!

Beyond Power is the second book in Connie Mann’s Florida Wildlife Warriors Series. It is a law enforcement, romantic suspense novel with a great storyline, fantastic characters and lots of non-stop action.
Delilah Atwood has returned home to save her sixteen year old sister from being forced into marriage by her ultra-fundamental militia family. Nothing and no one will stop her, not even Officer Josh Tanner from the Florida Fish and Wildlife conservation. Sparks fly between them, but when threats to her life escalate, Delilah will have to put her trust in Josh to keep her body and heart safe.

All the books in Connie Mann’s Florida Wildlife Warriors Series contain a happily ever after and can be read as a standalone, however, reading it in order will give you a better appreciation for the characters and the series itself. I can’t wait for the next book.

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

You enjoyed getting to know Josh and Delilah with all their baggage and their quirks.
You rooted for them to get together and overcome obstacles and, (you might get to even get to enjoy a good tv show or two in the process).
It had a little bit of everything and it kept your attention till the very end. It had a believable plot and a whole lot of interesting characters, some who actually need a story or three of their own. So when you get a chance pick up a copy and enjoy.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2020/08/28/beyond-power-by-connie-mann/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

3.5 hearts

I got started on this  <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/242050-florida-wildlife-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Florida Wildlife Warrior</strong></em></a> series because of a free anthology of novellas, <strong>Turn the Tide</strong>.  It's an interesting setting with a heartwarming group of family and friends. The stories have plenty of mystery, suspense and some romance.

<strong>Beyond Power</strong> is the story of Josh who has recently come out of a relationship and Delilah who has returned to town after 8 years as a graduate student. Delilah, also wants to find her family who is part of a cult group, to protect her sister, Mary.  While I enjoyed the action, I did think both of them acted just a bit TSTL at times.  They didn't seem to take any precautions, much less necessary ones when someone is trying to kill or abduct you.  In an area where cell phones don't work in a lot of areas, one would think they would have some other communication methods also.

In this same vein, it didn't seem like the law enforcement was very organized or professional at times.  Of course, some of this was Josh not sharing all the information because of his personal connection with Delilah.  It made the story much more dramatic but I had to suspend disbelief sometimes.

Both Josh and Delilah are good people, whose hearts are in the right place. They each had personal issues which made them cautious about having a relationship even though they were attracted to each other from the beginning.

It was great to see the whole Tanner family and all the Florida Wildlife crew and sheriff's office deputies. It wouldn't be a story without Charlee's cupcakes.

An action packed, fast paced, gripping and highly enjoyable story that kept me hooked.
I loved the well crafted plot, the fleshed out cast of characters (I rooted for them) and the sweet romance.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I loved this author’s Safe Harbor series , and this second book in the Florida Wildlife Warriors series, is definitely another winner.
If you read book one, Beyond Risk, you met Josh Tanner, brother of the main character in that book.
Josh Tanner is a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation officer. For those unfamiliar with this division, the officers have full police powers and statewide jurisdiction.
He meets Delilah Paige (Atwood) in the local coffee shop, and is enchanted by her and only knows her as the monkey researcher. But Delilah is not only in Ocala to research the monkeys. She’s there to rescue her sister who will soon be 16 and will be forced to an arranged and illegal marriage,. A man who is a member of the anti-government militia . Delilah barely escaped when she was 16 and wants to be sure he sister is safe and out of harm’s way.
But in doing so, Delilah places herself in danger. When Josh realizes what she plans to do, he is determined to keep her safe. In doing so, their attraction intensifies, but Delilah has no plans of staying in town, and Josh has already had his heart broken and isn’t willing to go through that pain again.
But fate and the danger keeps them together. Will Delilah be able to save her sister? Will she survive trying to do so? And what about Josh, will he be able to keep Delilah out of harms way and maybe finally get their HEA?
The plot will keep you engaged from the first page to the last. The characters are complex and the storyline opens your eyes not only to the work being made by the FWC, but also the reality of the existence of the militia in the US.
Another winner by this author and one that leaves you wanting to get the next book of the series in your hands asap.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Beyond Power is the second in the Florida Wildlife Warriors series but can be read standalone. I loved that this book took me places I’ve never been before. I knew about the rhesus macaques in Florida and I loved learning more about them and that they were an integral part of this story. This was a charming romance that left me with a smile.

I liked this romance for its unique setting and good characters, as well as a plot line much different from the norm in this genre. Delilah escaped her fundamentalist/survivalist family, put herself through school, and now is in a position to not only do some interesting research on monkeys, she can, more importantly, help her sister Mary before it's too late. Josh works for Florida Fish and Wildlife and he's got a special interest in what Delilah might be doing. He doesn't entirely trust her at first. but then he realizes she's got the best interests of both her sister and the animals at heart. When she's in danger, he's there as a partner. There are plot twists and the pacing is good at keeping you reading. As a romance- it's delightful but it's also quite suspenseful. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.

Beyond Power by Connie Mann is a powerful story of family; those you are born to and those you make. An interesting peek into ultra fundamentalism And the hero’s that protect the FL wilderness. I enjoy the characters. They felt real and unique. The story line was interesting, intensely suspenseful and gripping. I highly recommend this read.

Closer to a 3.5 for me.

This was a well-written romantic suspense novel that detailed a woman's search to find her younger sister before she is forced into a marriage like she nearly was, but, of course, a hot officer gets intertwined when she is pulled into an investigation.

It definitely sets up the mystery well and has a good pay off, but I felt the suspense aspect was played into more than the romance at a lot of points, and when reading these types of stories, yes, I like action, but I want the romance front and center.

The story also seemed to stretch a bit long for me (over 400 pages), and I could pinpoint sections/sub-plots that likely could've been condensed or removed to make the pacing better.