Lt. Commander Kate Hargrave is the senior weather researcher on the Pegasus Project. Pegasus is an new all terrain vehicle being tested by a special team chosen from all seven branches of uniformed services: Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force, Public Health and Kate's outfit, The National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Agency. When the Pegasus test pilot dies suddenly from a heart attack, a new USAF pilot, Capt. David Scott, is sent to join the Pegasus project. Following a painful divorce, Kate isn't interested in getting involved with another skirt chasing fly boy, but when Scott focuses all his flirtatious charm on her, she finds him hard to resist.

FULL THROTTLE is book two in Lovelace's new To Protect and Defend series. Filled with authentic material from an author who knows the military, Lovelace has created a strong heroine. Alternating between technical military information and good old fashioned physical attraction, this story is light on characterization. It is well written but lacks the kind of characterization that make a story shine. The series concept is a great idea, but the hero, David Scott, is basically a stereotypical playboy pilot. I also felt the ending was rushed. Merline Lovelace is a wonderful writer and seasoned author, but this isn't a sample of her best work.

The Protect and Defend series began in November with A QUESTION OF INTENT, featuring Pegasus team characters, Jill Bradshaw and Cody Richardson. The third book in the series, THE RIGHT STUFF, is due out in March, 2004.