Sergeant Darling

by Bonnie Gardner

Sergeant Darling by Bonnie Gardner released on Apr 24, 2004 is available now for purchase.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373750234
• ISBN13: 9780373750238
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Harlequin American Romance
• Length: 249 Pages
• Weight: 0.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

MILITARY ROMANCE

Boy genius meets scared widow. Life does go on but after 6 years of widow hood Prickly Patsy may finally be ready to admit a man into her life. Guilt has kept her free and clear of the association of men. Ray Darling bypassed childhood and grew up acedemically but failed to include dating 101 - he didn't even know how to flirt. He decided that the military was one way to learn how to be one of the guys. He also wanted to serve his country in the fields that he was trained in. I don't think that a shot in the butt was in his orginal plans to meet Patsy. But Aunt Myrtle took care of the initial meeting by bidding him in at the charity auction. His friend and roommate, Danny, the Irish Don Juan didn't fare so well. Darling's sprained ankle lead to more meetings with Patsy. Unbeknow to others on the base. Leave it to Runt Hagarty to throw a monkey wrench into the affair. After having some harsh words with Ray, Darlings group was called up to go overseas. I liked the part where she tries to aline a work schedule over seas to find her sergeant in the group of men being sent home because of injuries. Was she just another wimpy blonde or a silver-haired beauty that had stolen Darling's heart? Very nice read. Good characters. Liked Tripod. Recommended --M

Is winning this ice princess's heart mission impossible?

Patsy Prichard is a nurse at an Air Force base, where she sees more than her share of attractive, single men who would love to take her out on a date. 'Prickly Prichard,' however, will have none of it. She's determined to keep herself cool, calm, and detached as can be - even if Sergeant Ray Darling makes her heart skip a beat or two. A painful secret in Patsy's past urges her to keep Ray out of her life. Patsy's eccentric Great-Aunt Myrtle, however, isn't content to let Patsy keep to herself, and 'buys' Ray at a bachelor auction for her niece Patsy!Raymond Darling was sure he wouldn't fetch a good price at the bachelor auction, but it was for charity and he'd be glad to do his part. He's shocked when he learns that the older woman who 'bought' him for a date is 'Prickly Prichard's' great-aunt, and Aunt Myrtle is determined to set up the two of them! Not that it would be so bad, in Ray's mind - Patsy was a beautiful, caring woman, and if he could get her to open up to him, he was sure she could be a warm person. Ray, however, is plagued with his own difficulties in the past. Can these two battered hearts find a home in one another?This book was a solid military romance, and fans of Bonnie Gardner will note that there are several cameos of past characters in her other books. For example, Rich Larsen and his bride from 'Uncle Sarge' both make a short appearance in this book. The story itself was pretty good - there was good dialogue between the two characters, and enough issues to work through to keep the story going. I did notice, however, that the two main characters seemed to act a bit juvenile toward one another, getting in petty arguments and acting in childish manners (especially Patsy, unfortunately). I realize that neither Patsy or Ray had much experience with the opposite sex, but honestly, I thought most people outgrew such behavior by the time they hit high school.Nevertheless, the story was a good one. I am a fan of military romances, and this one was one of my keepers. One of the things I love about Bonnie Gardner's books is the fact that her heroes are not macho men who cannot show their more tender sides. Ms. Gardner paints her heroes as much more human than many other military romances do. If you don't mind characters who have a bit of growing up to do, then this book is definitely worth reading. Altogether, this book earned a solid four stars in my opinion, and I'm looking forward to reading more from Ms. Gardner.

solid military romance

Near Fort Walton Beach, Florida, everyone at Hurlburt Field knows that Flight Surgeon's Clinic nurse Patsy Pritchard has earned her "ice princess" label for her rejection of all things male. Sergeant Ray Darling is like much of the men on this air force base as he wants to be the one to reach first base with Patsy, a boost to his pride when the top guns have failed to score. However, Ray knows he has no chance as his experience with the opposite sex is lacking having graduated from college as a boy genius at eighteen. At a charity auction, Patsy's Aunt Myrtle Carter buys Ray and gives him to her niece. As they spend time together he begins to better understand why she is so aloof. Ray has loved Patsy from afar for a while, but now that he has the opportunity to prove that to her he realizes that this campaign is more difficult than some of the potentially deadly overseas missions he has had.Though readers will need to adjust to Patsy being "as prickly as a cactus", which leads to misunderstanding between the lead couple, Ray's campaign of love aided by the brilliant strategist her aunt, is fun to follow. Ray is a terrific hero struggling between his inexperience with the other sex and his love for Patsy, who trusts no man with her heart having been widowed once before. Bonnie Gardner provides a solid military romance though the conflict between the lead couple seems minor and should have been resolved faster than the 100 hour first Gulf War.Harriet Klausner