Review: Embattled Marines
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 19, 2014
The Embattled Road.....J.M. MaddenMs. Madden is a new author to me, recommended by my reading sisters.  I thank them very much.  The best thing is, I  have a few books to read to catch up!This prequel novella introduces us to the Lost and Found Series. It is a contemporary  military story, introducing us to the main characters in later books.  Ms. Madden explains in the forward that this is the story of three men. First Sergeant Duncan Wilde, Gunnery Sergeant John Palmer and Sergeant Chad Lowell.  There is no romance, just the story of three warrior Marines, and how they joined together while recovering at Walter Reed.Duncan Wilde was injured when he ended up being too close to a helicopter that crashed from enemy fire. He has a crushed pelvis, severe burns on his back, and spinal cord trauma. After months of treatment he is starting to feel sensations in his toes and ankles which has given him new hope.  He has been moved to a two bed room, sharing with John Palmer, known throughout the hospital as an angry silent man, except when using foul language to all.  He had been injured when the humvee he was riding in hit an IED. His spinal cord was severely damaged, he is now a paraplegic and a bitter man.  Chad Lowell is the last member of this group. He was injured when a soldier he was walking beside stepped on an IED, he lost his left leg, with severe burns to his left arm and hand.  These three men find comfort and friendship with each other, and the promise of seeing each other after discharge.  Duncan  heads home to his family in Colorado, Chad to his family ranch in Texas,  and John to Camp Lejeune to pack up and find a place to spend his endless days and nights.  Duncan has come up with a plan to make these men feel alive again. He has started the ball rolling to set up a private investigation/protection agency called Lost and Found. All he needs are his partners, and they are all in.  The business is set up in Colorado, they have clients, and they are ready to begin the next step. I thoroughly enjoyed this introduction to these brave honorable Marines, and I'm looking forward to the first in the series Embattled Hearts, I understand there's some romance in that one!Pat Fordyce