Striker (Phantom Ops 2) by Samantha Wilde-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 11, 2026

One job unravels him . . . she unravels him.

He’s the alpha with stealth precision. He never misses the shot. Deep in the Panama jungle and moving in on his target, Atlas walks into something he least expects . . .

A woman chained to the wall, beaten and starved. Her golden eyes stop his heart. He might have come here to capture their target, but he’s not leaving her behind. Even when she tries to slice his throat with a piece of broken plate. Whatever trouble she’s into, he’s right in the middle.

He has one shot to get her out alive—and he can’t miss.

Molly almost lost hope.

Kidnapped and interrogated for information she didn’t have, Molly knew she might never escape her captors . . . until a smoke grenade goes off and armed soldiers enter her prison. One man frees her from her chains. He’s strong and capable and his gentle eyes promise security.

But the people who took her aren’t finished. They’ll stop at nothing to keep her quiet. He might stop her captors from finding her, but there’s nothing to stop the blistering attraction between them.

One mission One woman. All in.

•••••

REVIEW: STRIKER is the second instalment in Samantha Wilde’s contemporary, adult PHANTOM OPS erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on the men of Phantom Ops, a cover team of former military and specialists. This is thirty-six year old Phantom Ops soldier Atlas ‘Striker’ Wall, and Molly Stewart’s story line. STRIKER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual omniscient third person perspectives (Molly and Striker) STRIKER follows the rescue and recovery of our story line heroine. Approximately two weeks earlier, Molly Stewart was abducted and held prisoner in a Panama cell but unbeknownst to Molly, her boss was in deep, and which she knew nothing about. Searching for a notorious drug kingpin, Molly would be rescued by the Phantom Ops team of former miliary soldiers, and find herself falling for the man who stayed by her side but Molly still had a target on her back, and no amount of protection was going to stop the people determined to take her down.

The world building follows in the wake of the rescue of our story line heroine. From the jungles of Panama to the staleness and overwhelming noise of the big city, Molly finds herself in hiding, under the protection of the team at Phantom Ops but a woman who is determined to push back when she gets bored.

The relationship between Molly and Striker begins as a rescue but Striker’s immediate attraction and need to protect pulls Molly into a world she knows nothing about. With a target on her back, and betrayal at every turn, Molly and Striker form a bond that may be broken when our heroine strikes out on her own.The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate with plenty of chemistry and sexual tension.

The secondary and supporting characters are determined and animated. We are reintroduced to Striker’s team: Roarke ‘Rogue’ Logan, tech specialist Wraith, Havoc, Troy ‘Viper’ Evans, Reaper; as well as Molly’s boss Willy Dunne, and Rex Younge. The requisite evil has many faces.

STRIKER is an action packed story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, brotherhood and friendships, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is fast paced, twisted and dramatic; the romance is edgy and tender; the characters are sassy and charismatic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy