Another Winner! 'Twilight Tactics' - Soldiers in Shadows 1 - by Lynette Eason

 

About the book:

FBI agent Collin "Sully" Sullivan arrives at Broken Chains Ranch with Ollie Callahan--a foster teen and sole witness to a mob hit. The ranch, started by Collin's cousin to provide a trauma recovery facility for veterans, should be a place he can keep Ollie safe until the trial. But what was meant as a peaceful haven becomes a battleground when armed attackers surround the property.

Survival expert Elena Thompson teaches wilderness skills at the ranch and coaches Ollie in self-defense, but soon the series of attacks on the ranch escalates into a full siege. The question is, Who are the attackers after? Ollie, the young witness? Or Elena, with her mysterious past? Cut off from help by tech skills superior to their own, Collin and Elena fight to keep everyone alive as secrets and danger close in.

USA Today bestselling author Lynette Eason presents an action-packed start to a new series with twists and turns readers will never see coming.

My review:

This was a great start to a new series by one of my favorite authors!  I loved all of the action but that there was also a bit of a mystery, namely, who's the real target?  It felt like there were two situations escalating, which ratcheted up the tension.  I was surprised to learn about Elena's secrets; I wasn't expecting that.  I liked Sully and his determination to protect Ollie, no matter what, but felt sorry for a past bad experience he blamed himself for.  He prayed and had faith in God but also took too much on himself.  Ollie didn't know if she believed after all she'd been through but Elena had a strong faith.  There were some sweet romantic moments.  I liked the setting of the ranch and that they did horse therapy for vets.  I did question how they didn't figure out something sooner.  I also thought Elena, Sully and Ollie all made dumb decisions at different points.  Overall, I enjoyed it and am looking forward to book two!

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author.  I wasn't compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

Great Wrap-up to the Series! 'Fatal Finale' - The Erin Delaney Mysteries 3 - by Nancy Mehl

 

About the book:

When bestselling author Erin Delaney's novel gets picked up for a movie deal, she eagerly awaits her friend Kaely Quinn-Hunter's arrival in Tennessee before they head to California to observe the film's production. However, when Kaely does not arrive at the scheduled time and Erin can't reach her by phone, her concern grows.

A cryptic phone call from Kaely's kidnapper confirms her worst fears--Erin has exactly six days to save her friend's life by solving his twisted clues. The man's message comes with a Contact the police or FBI and Kaely dies. But Erin works for the Sanctuary Police Department and Kaely's husband is with the FBI, putting her in an impossible situation. As Erin races against time, she's forced to crack the kidnapper's chilling puzzle before it's too late.

My review:

This was a great wrap-up to the series and while you could read this as a stand-alone, it's so much richer having read the first two and knowing how far Erin's come and what Kaely and Erin have been through together.  It's also great catching up with Kaely after reading her wonderful trilogy and seeing her story continue through this series.  This was another hard one to put down and I almost read it in one sitting but I had to get to bed!  The book starts off with a bang and the suspense doesn't let up as we see what Kaely goes through and then back to Erin trying to figure out the clues with some help.  The profiling is fascinating as you see them both trying to understand what's going on plus you get the kidnapper's point of view as well, which adds an extra layer of suspense.  The spiritual aspect was really well done for the whole series as Erin isn't a Christian and actually somewhat hostile in the beginning and her and Kaely have some great discussions about faith.  I liked that the gospel was clearly presented and even in this book where Erin is in a much different place, faith was still a very important part as she needs to lean on God to get through the stress and pressure as she races to save Kaely.  There's a hint of romance and also some action.  There were also some great discussion questions for your book club with questions that really make you think.  I highly recommend this book and the whole series and can't wait for her new one, which you get a sneak peak of as well!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.  I wasn't compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

Enjoyable Suspense! 'When the Silence Breaks' - Mercy Ridge 1 - by Elizabeth Goddard

 

About the book:

When intelligence analyst Sarah Ellison learns of a deathbed confession connected to her brother's murder, she's determined to protect her remaining family. Under further investigation, she discovers the disclosed information points to a decades-old government secret buried deep in the Cascade Mountains. With this knowledge, she heads to the Pacific Northwest looking for a guide who knows the mountains like the back of their hand.

Ryder Goodwin, a wilderness guide and former Navy SEAL, quit guiding for the family business after his father's death in a tragic mountain accident. At first, Ryder refuses to help Sarah, but he sees the trouble chasing her, and he can't stand by while someone brings danger to this small-town mountain community.

Ryder and Sarah gear up to climb the mountain in a race against time and a looming winter storm. With her brother's killer closing in, their search for answers now shifts to a survival mission. Their only chance to make it out involves trusting each other and confronting the truth no one wants them to find.

My review:

This was an enjoyable start to a new series full of plenty of action and suspense and some romance, too!  Ryder was pretty impressive as he seemed to always have a plan and was good at thinking on his feet when the plan suddenly changed.  He was handsome, fit and had survival skills yet was also caring, considerate and optimistic.  He seemed pretty perfect except for some baggage where his dad's death was concerned.  Sarah seemed over her head with what she had gotten herself into.  I would have thought she would have had more skills with her background but maybe I misunderstood what her experience actually was.  She was gorgeous, fit and caring, though, yet with baggage of her own.  There were some twists in the story.  I enjoyed the mystery of what they were trying to find and it's connection to history.  There was some mentions of faith as it seemed like Ryder had a steady faith; Sarah had been struggling with hers.  There was a little bit of romance.  I'm looking forward to the next one.  If you enjoy romantic suspense check it out! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.  I was not compensated for my review.  All opinions are my own.