Limecello’s review of Man Beneath the Uniform by Maureen Child
Contemporary romance published by Silhouette Desire on 1 Feb 04
My reading this book was somewhat serendipitous, but I’m especially happy I read it because it is loosely connected with Maureen Child’s new Man of the Month book, An Officer and a Millionaire. That being said, Man Beneath the Uniform is part of the Dynasties: The Danforths books. I’d been meaning to read the series because the very last book, Shocking the Senator, may just be one of my favorite books ever. Kimberly and Zack’s story definitely stood up to Nicola and Abe’s, and I’m very happy I read Man Beneath the Uniform. I’ve also always been fond of military heroes.
Kimberly Danforth is well known because of her name, but not really because of her person. Due to the fact that everyone in society knows who she is, Kim has retreated into academia. She likes her quiet life, and is happy. However, she’s forced to deal with Zach when her father, Abe, receives threatening letters. I liked Kim’s personality, and felt that Ms. Child did a great job of getting in her head and laying out Kim’s thoughts and emotions in regard to how it felt to be put into close quarters with Zach. Not only that, but Kim had a satisfying depth of character that made her a good match for Zach.
Zach Sheridan is really interesting. I liked that he went through a transformation of sorts in Man Beneath the Uniform. He is assigned to Kim as her bodyguard as a punishment for disobeying orders. He goes in expecting to babysit a spoiled brat, and finds someone almost the opposite of what he thought. He’s also extremely attracted to Kim, and I like that she shuts him down. It’s always nice for the hero to suffer a little. What I also enjoyed was that Zach had friends, and Ms. Child wrote in a few scenes where Zach’s friends come to visit him. It really helped develop not only Zach, but Kim’s character as well.
For once, I liked that the hero and heroine were opposites. Kim is scholarly, controlled, and lives a measured life. Zach, on the other hand, seems loose, open, and seems to have little impulse control. She drinks tea, and he’ll die without coffee. Yet the two are able to, and easily overcome their differences. For all that they live their lives differently, they’re quite compatible. I liked that they were able to find common ground, and both very strong in and of themselves.
There was a cute scene where Zach tells off Kim’s ex-boyfriend. The two of them also took a number of moonlight walks that Kim liked going on, and they bonded over their love of water. And danger. The end was also sweet, and I really liked that Ms. Child allowed the characters to communicate. Yes, Zach made assumptions about his lifestyle and whether or not a relationship with Kim would work, but he actually said something about it. (Amazing in a romance novel, I know.) Even better, Kim had a ready answer for his concerns, and threw out a few of her own. They were able to get over them, and grab their happily ever after.
I enjoyed this story, and think I might have to hunt down the rest in the Danforths series. And of course I wouldn’t mind re-reading this one, or of course Shocking the Senator again. (And again.)
Grade: B+
Summary:
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A Seductive Assignment
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It was an unusual assignment for seasoned warrior Zack Sheridan. He was more accustomed to fighting in jungles than baby-sitting sharp-tongued, wealthy young women like Kimberly Danforth. But what began as a cakewalk for the U.S. Navy SEAL quickly turned into something else. Thirty days and thirty nights of shadowing Kimberly’s every move, breathing her scent, memorizing every curve of her body… Zach was soon having trouble reconciling his duty with desire. Heaven help him if Kim came to him at night seeking comfort – and heaven help her if she did!
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No excerpt found.
