A Life Once Dreamed

RACHEL FORDHAM

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2020.

How acquired: Recieved from the publisher for review via the Revell Reads Blogger Program. 

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: Six years ago Aggie's childhood sweetheart, James, proposed to her, and when she rushed home to tell her parents, they revealed a secret they had been keeping from her. Distraught, she broke the engagement and fled the big city for the small town of Penance, where she now teaches school. We, the reader, aren't told that secret until well into the book, though it wasn't too hard to eventually guess. And then James shows up in town, having been hired to be the new town doctor.

After a fire leaves a little boy orphaned, Aggie takes him in and falls in love with him, and is determined to keep him. But you know what high standards schoolteachers were kept to back in the day – if she has a child, she loses her teaching contract and her home.

I loved this book. The characters are all so well written, even the supporting characters. Aggie's love for her students and the town shines through, and the arrival of James leaves her a bit unsettled. And poor James, his frustration is almost palpable as he tries to find out why Aggie broke their engagement before it had hardly started. And then there's Sam, one of the miners who comes into town fairly frequently and is smitten with Aggie. I was rooting for him almost as much as for James. True to small town dynamics, everybody is all up in everybody else's business, and Aggie's friends and the mayor pushing her to pick a husband and settle down was amusing.

Ms. Fordham writes beautifully, with the narrative seamlessly switching between the points of view of Aggie and James, letting us get know each of them. James, especially, grows as a character, from feeling that he may be in over his head as a town doctor when he's fresh out of medical school, to learning to love the small town that he had expected to be a temporary part of his life. I loved watching his views and ideas change as he began to love the town and its inhabitants as much as he still loved Aggie.

If you're a fan of When Calls the Heart, I believe you'll enjoy this story. I know I did, very much.

Goodreads synopsis: Six years ago, a shocking secret sent Agnes Pratt running in search of a new start. She found it in Penance, a rugged town of miners and lumberjacks in the Dakota Territory, where she became Miss Aggie, respected schoolteacher and confirmed old maid. But the past has a way of catching up with people.

When childhood friend and former sweetheart James Harris accepts a position as the town doctor, Aggie's pleasantly predictable days suddenly become anything but. James wants to know why Agnes left behind the life they had dreamed of creating for themselves--but he is the one person who can never know.

In the shadows of the Black Hills, can a healing light be shed on the past? Or will the secret Agnes can't seem to outrun destroy her chance at happiness?

Fan-favorite Rachel Fordham brings to life the dusty streets of an 1880s frontier town in this story that affirms where you come from matters far less than where you're going.

Cowboy Commando (Special Ops: Texas, Book One; Harlequin Intrigue No. 1123)

JOANNA WAYNE

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Harlequin, 2009.

How acquired: Bought.

First line: “Welcome home, cowboy!”

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: I enjoyed this older Harlequin Intrigue. Cutter is a former Navy SEAL who misses his military days and feels a little lost now that he's back in Texas. He's half-heartedly job hunting and staying in his aunt's condo. She lives on the family ranch and would welcome Cutter back, but he isn't sure that ranching is for him. He comes home one evening to find Linney in his kitchen, with a small child who she admits that she “sort of kidnapped”.

This is an Intrigue, so there's a mystery – the child's mother, and Linney's best friend, recently drowned in her own pool, and Linney is convinced that her abusive husband killed her. Problem is, said husband is a cop, and Linney can't get anyone to take her seriously.

This is the first book I've read by Joanna Wayne, and I like her writing. Linney is a little foolish, determined to prove her friend was murdered but not going about it in a very sensible way, letting her emotions drive her. But she's goodhearted and worried about little Julie's safety. Cutter is reluctant to be pulled into Linney's investigation, but once it's clear that her life is now in danger, Cutter is all in, and not about to let anything happen to Linney, or young Julie.

There's a little history between them, a few days spent together several years ago, after which they didn't see each other again, and they both harbor bitterness toward the other for walking away. Those pesky misunderstandings, always driving a wedge between lovers.

The mystery was well plotted, with a surprise twist at the end. And of course, being a category romance, there's a happy ending. My only complaint is the cover photo. At no point in the book do I recall Cutter climbing over rocks shirtless. And why must cover models always have hairless chests?

Goodreads synopsis: On navy SEAL missions Cutter Martin had been a warrior. But when it came to Linney Kingston, he was just a red-blooded Texas cowboy with bad luck at love. Linney had walked out on him six years ago. Now she was back—with a motherless child and a crazy story.
Linney's theory of murder and scandal was as preposterous as her body's traitorous response to Cutter. Still, when she was shot at, the cowboy came to her rescue. Cutter—her hero. And the only man who could break her heart again. Trusting him a second time was more frightening than the killers stalking her every move….

Finding Home on Winslow Island (Winslow Island, Book One)

CHRISSY ELLIOT

Stats for my copy: .pdf review copy

Publication date: Kindle edition, 7/31/20

How acquired: Received for review from BookSirens

First line: If romance had a color, glitter would be it.

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: I requested this book from BookSirens because, like the last book I reviewed for BookSirens, it sounded like a light, fun, romantic comedy, and like that last book, it delivered. From that first glitter filled meet cute to the happy ending. I love small town stories, and the small town in this book was on an island, which was a bonus.

Tessa and her son live with her mother and help run her bed and breakfast. It wasn't Tessa's dream, but she had promised her father that she would take care of her mother after he passed away. She dreams of buying a dilapidated house that she fell in love with, and having her own art studio. But the bed and breakfast is barely breaking even, and she can't abandon her mother.

Parker is a busy doctor with a soaring career at a big city hospital. He rarely comes back to Winslow Island, but his mother is planning a party for his father's birthday. Which just happens to fall during the island's annual Matchmaking Festival.

From their first meeting, Tessa and Parker are at odds with each other. Parker ticks many boxes for me – he's gruff, direct, rude, arrogant. All of which annoys Tessa, almost as much as her attraction to him does. But of course that's just the exterior, hiding the real Parker underneath. His heart was broken in the past, and now it's locked up tight. Neither he or Tessa are looking for a relationship, and Parker has no intention of sticking around anyway.

I really enjoyed this book. Full of amusing supporting characters, and lots of fun banter between Parker and Tessa, as well as between Tessa and her sister, Gabby, and Parker and his brothers. The Matchmaking Festival was an interesting setting, and Tessa roping Parker into participating in a speed dating event was one of the highlights of the book.

Breezy writing, fun dialogue, the story is sweet and heartwarming. The romance is clean, albeit with some steamy kisses. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Goodreads synopsis: Join the residents of Winslow Island for a fun-filled, opposites-attract, sweet romance - full of piggyback rides and scrumptious baked goods.

It might be Winslow Island's annual Matchmaking Festival, but Tessa has more important things to worry about, like how to keep her mother's bed and breakfast in business.

Parker's life is as precise and planned as the surgeries he performs. He's on track for a career-making promotion - if he can improve his bedside manner.

When his mother plans a family celebration for the same weekend as the Matchmaking Festival, Parker suspects he's in for a series of sneaky setups. But with his promotion fast approaching, he has no time for distractions - until Tessa crashes into him in a shower of glitter, wreaking havoc with his plans and his heart.

With a temper as fiery as her red hair, she's a distraction too tempting to ignore.

Tessa is determined to resist Parker's charms - even if his smile makes her toes curl. He's only on the island for five days, and she won't risk a broken heart. But with the festival in full swing, resisting Parker is proving harder than she expected, especially when he becomes the key to saving her mother's business.

Can Parker convince Tessa that he's worth taking a chance on, or will his career-focused heart drive them further apart?

Whether you are fans of the Gilmore Girls or the Golden Girls, you'll fall in love with Winslow Island. 

Don't Keep Silent (Uncommon Justice, Book 3)

ELIZABETH GODDARD

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, pub. 2020

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts:  And now we have the third McKade brother's story. I loved the first two books in this series, and this third story lives up to them. Liam McKade is a former DEA agent who has come home to Wyoming after having his cover blown and getting shot during his last assignment. He's mulling over his future, and whether to stay at the ranch and help his brother run things, or accept a job as head of security at a local ski resort. Rae is an investigative reporter. Her sister-in-law has disappeared, and her brother asks her to use her investigative skills to help find Zoey. Rae finds herself going to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to find and question Zoey's mother. The last place she wants to be. Because that's where Liam is. But Liam saved her life once, and if anyone can help her find Zoey, it would be Liam.

Liam wants nothing to do with Rae, but is reluctantly drawn into her investigation. As the story progresses we're given little glimpses and tidbits of their shared history. Both Liam and Rae are wonderfully written characters, as all of Ms. Goddard's characters are. The plot moves along briskly, with plenty of twists into unexpected directions. I feel like my reviews of her books are just repeating the same things, but they are all truly engrossing. Her descriptions of the surroundings, in this case snow covered mountains with a chase on skis, are so evocative you feel you are there with the characters.

I'm sad there are no more McKade brothers, but I'm looking forward to her new series, “Rocky Mountain Courage”, and I really need to hunt down some of her earlier books.

Goodreads synopsis: Investigative reporter Rae Burke will do anything to find her missing sister-in-law, even if it means facing Liam McKade, a man who almost lost his life saving hers. A former DEA agent, Liam thought he could find peace at his Wyoming ranch, but he doesn't feel at home anywhere anymore. When the reporter who blew his cover on an important investigation inserts herself back into his life, he's less than thrilled. But Rae's keen investigative skills have led her down the right path--and directly into the dragon's mouth--leaving Liam no choice but to protect her.
As the danger increases, the past they both tried to flee catches up to them, along with the feelings they once had for each other . . .

The Detective and the Burglar

KIRSTEN PAUL

Stats for my copy: pdf review copy; pub. 2020   

How acquired: BookSirens

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: I requested this book because it sounded like a light, fun, romantic comedy, and the book delivered! Emily is an appraiser for an auction house, and is in King Court to help appraise furniture at an inn for an upcoming auction. In her younger years, she did some breaking and entering, but has been on the straight and narrow for the past ten years, and is focused on her career. Then she sees a small wooden train car at the local antique shop, which may help unlock some secrets about her biological family, and before she can talk herself out of it she steals the train car. Armand is a detective with the local police, investigating several car thefts, and when Emily's rental car is stolen, their paths cross, in a very unforgettable way. 

I was pretty captivated from the first few pages. Armand and Emily are, of course, attracted to each other right away, but both have reasons for not acting on that attraction. Armand is a morally upstanding officer of the law, and Emily is a victim and a witness in his car thefts investigation, which makes her off limits. Emily just broke the law when she stole that train car, so of course she wants to stay as far away from Armand as possible. The last thing she needs to be arrested and loose her job and her professional reputation. I smiled a lot, and laughed occasionally, while reading about their antics and escapades. And when they finally give in to the attraction? Hoo boy, worth the wait!

The author’s writing is a little on the breezy side (that’s a good thing!), and when I finally had some time over the weekend to just sit and read I sailed through the book fairly quickly. There are quite a few supporting characters, and while they weren’t all as fully fleshed out as Armand and Emily, they were often amusing. Looking at the author’s other books, I noted that one of the characters had her own story in THE HOCKEY PLAYER AND THE ANGEL, which came out in 2019, and I definitely want to read it also. 

Overall, a a fun and quite enjoyable story. 

Goodreads synopsis: Former burglar on demand, Emily Atterberry has left her life of crime behind. Or so she thinks until she stumbles on a piece of her past holding clues to her biological family's identity. She feels guilty but steals it, hoping it will lead to the answers she is searching for. Detective Armand Lecavalier is investigating recent luxury car thefts and is convinced Emily knows more than she's saying. He needs to find out what she knows to prove to the big-time police precincts he's more than just a small-town officer. Thrown together, Emily and Armand find it hard to remain professional. All they want to do is have fun—with and without handcuffs. But can Armand look past his code of conduct for love or is Emily facing time behind bars?

Fresh Fiction review - It Started With a Secret

I was recently excited to be accepted as a reviewer for Fresh Fiction, and my first review is live on their website! Click on the title below to check it out. 

It Started With a Secret, by Jill Mansell

Detour: My Journey From High-Powered Attorney to Auto Mechanic Trade School

DAVID W. ELLIS

Stats for my copy: pdf review copy; pub. 2020

How acquired: Archangel Ink marketing and the author

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: A successful attorney who decides to shuck his law practice and go to school to study auto mechanics? Intriguing. I've worked for many attorneys over the past twenty-eight or so years. I currently work for and with attorneys on a daily basis. I can't imagine any of the attorneys I know or have known leaving their law practice to learn how to work on cars. I'm not a car enthusiast (not that I don't love my Kia, who I call Fiona). But the premise of the book sounded interesting enough to accept a review copy when it was offered to me.

And it was interesting. I learned more about cars than I ever thought I'd want to know. Oh, there were technical sections that went over my head or made my eyes glaze over, but more often I was a bit in awe at how much there is to the inner workings of the automobile. What a marvelous invention it was!

I especially liked the anecdotes about the instructors and some of the other students that were sprinkled throughout. The writing flows well enough and leans a little towards stream of consciousness, as if the author were chatting with you about his experiences. And along with all the car knowledge, the author reveals a lot about himself on a personal level. I'm just a few years younger than he, and I can't even imagine leaving my job and going back to school. I admire Mr. Ellis for his courage and his perseverance. And after reading the epilogue I admired him even more.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone considering enrolling in the Automotive Technology Program at Universal Technical Institute. The book would serve well as a primer for the school. Or for anyone interested in learning a little more about what's under the hood of their car.

Goodreads synopsis: David W. Ellis was a successful lawyer, but he was not happy. He wanted something else. In particular, he wanted to learn to work on cars. So in one big leap of faith, he quit his job and enrolled in technical school.

The other students, all of whom were decades younger than David, could tell he was different―he had money. This contrasted heavily with their own financial struggles as they studied to be auto techs. And yet, they couldn't anticipate the enthusiasm with which David pursued his passion for learning. David became a “bro” and found kindred spirits among the 18- and 19-year-olds who were his classmates.

David brings you along for the ride as he relentlessly pursues a year of technical school, sharing his experiences along the way.

Standoff (Natchez Trace Park Rangers, Book One)

PATRICIA BRADLEY

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2019.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program

First line: What had he gotten himself into?

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts:  I like finding books where the characters are in a profession I don't know much about, and this book definitely scratched that itch. As the story begins, Brooke is an interpretive park ranger, on the verge of being commissioned a law enforcement park ranger. I had no idea there was more than one kind of park ranger! I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series and reading more about park rangers.

Brooke's father is a law enforcement ranger, or was – in the first chapter he dies under mysterious circumstances. Ruled a suicide by the medical examiner, Brooke is convinced he was murdered and is determined to find his killer. She's surprised to learn that her childhood sweetheart, Luke, is in town, and had apparently been close to her father. When Luke left town after high school he broke Brooke's heart, and she's had no contact with him since then.

As the book started out, I got a little confused with all the characters being introduced, especially since one has not been identified and we, the reader, don't know who he is. But I quickly became swept up in Brooke's life as she deals with her father's death, her fledgling relationship with Jeremy, a local politician, and her feelings for Luke. Not to mention secrets coming to light that throw her for a loop. She and Luke's characters are well written, and my heart hurt for Brooke as her life kept getting turned upside down again and again. The action feels pretty non-stop, yet there is still characterization in between the action.

This is my first time reading Patricia Bradley, and her writing flows. Despite all the action and characterization there is still a lot of dialogue, natural and realistic, with no info dumping. Revell is a Christian publisher, but most of their romantic suspense titles will still appeal to non-religious readers – there's no beating you over the head with scripture or religious references here, while still being a clean read. (Unless you have issues with drug references – an undercover drug investigation plays pretty heavily in the narrative.)

Solid suspense, light romance, and a mystery that I did not figure out on my own. Revell has another winner.

Goodreads synopsis: The Natchez Trace National Parkway stretches 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. It's the perfect road for a relaxed pleasure drive. Unfortunately for Luke Fereday, it's also perfect for moving drugs. 

Sent to Natchez to infiltrate the organization at the center of the drug ring, Luke arrives too late to a stakeout and discovers the body of his friend, park ranger John Danvers. John's daughter Brooke is determined to investigate her father's murder but soon finds herself the target of a killer who will do anything to silence her. 

Luke will have his hands full keeping her safe. But who's going to keep him safe when he realizes he's falling – hard – for the daughter of the man he failed to save?

Countdown America

M.C. FOX

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, 2019.

How acquired: Cozy Mystery Review Crew

First line: Isabella put her finger up to her earpiece.

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: This one started out a bit slow for me, it took about 50 pages for me to really get invested. Which was right about where Isabella, the newly appointed Chief Supervisor at CIA headquarters, first realizes that her children and her mother might be in danger. She's interrogating a man who attacked her, and when he tells her she'll never save her family, she hightails it home, to find signs of a struggle and her mother and her young twins missing.

At one point I became suspicious of one of her coworkers, and I thought to myself “I'm gonna figure this out before Isabella, darn it.” But on the next page Isabella voiced her own suspicions of that same character, which made me hopeful the book would keep me guessing after all. And it delivered! Along with some twists and turns, there's a LOT of action. While Isabella is a kick ass character, a little suspension of belief is still needed. The narrative jumps around, with some chapters focusing on her mother, Valerie, desperately trying to escape the kidnappers and keep the kids' morale up, and other chapters focusing on Andre, a Russian computer code whiz, whose own family have also been kidnapped. He's being forced to work on a computer virus, and if he doesn't cooperate his family will be killed. I felt sorry for him, of course, and despite what he's working on I had sympathy for him.

The virus was what I had a little trouble with. I mean, I know there are some serious ones out there that can cause all kinds of problems if your computer is infected. But this was like a supervirus that would literally destroy our country. I guess that's plausible? I just couldn't quite see how one computer virus could take out a whole country. But, suspension of belief in place.

As much as I liked Isabella, I liked Valerie even more. She's a former agent herself, but never worked out in the field where all the physical action is. While reassuring the twins that their mother would find and rescue them, she stepped up and did everything she could to get herself and the twins away from the kidnappers. I probably related to her a bit more, being a grandmother and not as physically fit as Isabella. I hope that if I were in Valerie's situation I would be as brave as she was.

I will admit that if I came across this book in a store, I probably wouldn't have given it a second glance based on the title and the cover. So hopefully others will look past those. Just one more example of never judge a book by it's cover. I don't know if the author plans to write any further books about Isabella, but I would like to read more!

Goodreads synopsis: After the loss of her husband, CIA agent Isabella Bendel accepts a promotion to Chief Supervisor—a much less dangerous position than what she's accustomed to—so she can raise her two children without fear of leaving her children without any parents. But any illusions of safety are shattered when, while on her Sunday morning jog in a Washington, DC park, Isabella survives a brutal assassination attempt. She hauls her assailant into CIA headquarters, confident she can get to the bottom of why he was after her. Her blood runs cold when she learns the truth... as he was trying to take her out, armed terrorists abducted her children and mother right out of her home. Pushed to the brink of what any mother can endure, Isabella calls on all of her training and deadly skills to get her family back. During this mission, she fights her way through assassins, cyber-terrorists, and duplicitous fellow agents, leading her to uncover a Russian threat that is hell-bent on destroying the United States.

A Good Marriage

KIMBERLY MCCREIGHT

Stats for my copy: Kindle edition, HarperCollins, 2020.

How acquired: NetGalley

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: It took me about three weeks to read this book, longer than it should have. While reading I could generally become immersed in the story, but once I set it down and then picked it up again later (or closed my Kindle app and then reopened it later), it took a bit to get immersed again as I didn't seem to be retaining much in my head.

Lizzie narrates her part of the story, and relates to us how she receives a call from Zach, an old law school friend, who has been accused of murdering his wife and is currently in Rikers. He is insistent that she represent him, and she is reluctantly drawn into his case. Not because she believes he is guilty, but because she recently began working for a large corporate firm, where associates aren't allowed to bring in cases. To Lizzie's disappointment, her boss, who is a partner, flouts that rule and tells her to take the case.

The narration switches back and forth between Lizzie's story, and Amanda's story, told in third person POV, and going back over the days leading up to the murder. Despite the two being very different women, the narrative voices did not feel distinctive to me. Other than the POV, it was as if the same person were narrating.

The plot got quite convoluted, with a lot of surprises and reveals. But it was Amanda's story that drew me in and kept me reading. Her story was more of a character study than Lizzie's, and I'll take a character driven story over plot driven any day. The more we got to know Amanda the more I felt sorry for her. Referencing my earlier remark about not retaining much in between reading sessions, I actually do still remember quite a lot about Amanda, but not so much about Lizzie.

As for the supporting characters, I had a little trouble remembering which woman was who, as they seemed to run together. But I was able to keep the men straight in my head. And I hated Zach early on, long before we found out whether he was guilty or innocent.

Overall, not an especially memorable story other than some of Amanda's parts, but easy reading to while away some time.

Goodreads synopsis: Lizzie Kitsakis is working late when she gets the call. Grueling hours are standard at elite law firms like Young & Crane, but they’d be easier to swallow if Lizzie was there voluntarily. Until recently, she’d been a happily underpaid federal prosecutor. That job and her brilliant, devoted husband Sam—she had everything she’d ever wanted. And then, suddenly, it all fell apart. 

No. That’s a lie. It wasn’t sudden, was it? Long ago the cracks in Lizzie’s marriage had started to show. She was just good at averting her eyes. 

The last thing Lizzie needs right now is a call from an inmate at Rikers asking for help—even if Zach Grayson is an old friend. But Zach is desperate: his wife, Amanda, has been found dead at the bottom of the stairs in their Brooklyn brownstone. And Zach’s the primary suspect. 

As Lizzie is drawn into the dark heart of idyllic Park Slope, she learns that Zach and Amanda weren’t what they seemed—and that their friends, a close-knit group of fellow parents at the exclusive Grace Hall private school, might be protecting troubling secrets of their own. In the end, she’s left wondering not only whether her own marriage can be saved, but what it means to have a good marriage in the first place.

Deal with the Devil (Harlequin Presents No. 1194

SANDRA MARTON

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Harlequin Books, 1989.

How acquired: Book Mooch.

First line: It had been a mistake to come to the market.

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: Ok, so, I enjoyed this book for the most part. It's definitely dated, written prior to consent being a big deal (in romance books, I mean), back when (again, in romance books) no meant yes-but-I-don't-want-to-admit-it-to-you-or-myself-so-you'll-have-to-force-me-a-little-until-I-give-in. That scene occurs maybe three thirds in (if I remember correctly - I don't have the book in front of me), but I don't usually have trouble accepting a story for the time it was written in so that was basically just a little hiccup to get past. Actually, prior to that, there was a bit of sub/dom vibe, with the hero demanding that the heroine obey him without question or argument. But then, he WAS trying to save her life and get her safely through a jungle and out of a country being torn apart by insurrection. So I did often agree that she needed to just shut up and stop arguing and do what he said. However, if she had just meekly gone along with him, there wouldn't have been any conflict between them, and we all know a little conflict helps get the sparks flying. 

My biggest issue was her father, who arranged for the hero to marry her and get her out of the country (they had to be married because she had a San Felipe passport so would not have been allowed out on her own but he was an American so his wife would allowed to leave with him), but waited until the last possible moment to tell her, and then that scene was dragged out ridiculously long as he hemmed and hawed while the hero keeps demanding "tell her now or I will!" God, I wanted to kick him. Her father, I mean.

So for me this ended up being a four star read, because I was pretty captivated and read the book in two days. But, if you have issues with non-consent, it may not work for you.

Goodreads synopsis: She was given no choice!


Elena's father rushed her to the San Felipe airport to put her on a plane to Miami. Their homeland in Central America had just erupted in revolution, and no one was safe. But Elena held a San Felipan passport, and officials were not letting any residents leave. Then she spotted American Blake Rogan, a ruthless adventurer she had every reason to despise, and her stomach twisted. Suddenly she knew what was about to happen. "Querida," her father said to her, "when you leave San Felipe, it will be as Mrs. Blake Rogan..

The Traitor's Pawn

LISA HARRIS

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2020.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program

First line: “Watch your back...this isn't over.”

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: Aubrey is enjoying some downtime from her job with the Houston police, visiting family friends in Corpus Christi and about to do some duck hunting. But the peaceful vacation doesn't last long, and the action begins in the first few pages of this gripping suspense from the author of DEADLY INTENTIONS, which I absolutely loved.

Aubrey is a strong, confident woman who is good at her job, but when her friend and father figure is shot and she herself is kidnapped, she finds herself on the wrong side of a gun. Aubrey felt like a very realistic character. She's experienced at bringing down bad guys, but when a bad guy gets the jump on her, she doesn't turn into Superwoman. She's resourceful and finds a way to fight back, but she's also worried and terrified, as any normal person would be, and I appreciated that.

Jack is an FBI agent who is in town on an unrelated case. He and Aubrey were best friends growing up, and when Jack finds out Aubrey has been kidnapped he willingly jumps in to help out. It makes for a bittersweet reunion, as he and Aubrey lost touch after he moved away, and I also appreciated that their renewed friendship did not include a quick “now that we see each other again after all these years we obviously are in love and must be together”. Not that they have time for that anyway, what with all the bad guys out there that need to be identified and taken down. Possibly including Aubrey's estranged father, who may or may not be involved in some way. And I can't really say much more without giving too much away.

Lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing, lots of action, high on suspense, low on romance, well written, and a great way to get your mind off the pandemic and enjoy your isolation.