Saturday, July 25, 2020

My Review - Don't Keep Silent by Elizabeth Goddard

4.5 out of 5 stars

DON’T KEEP SILENT is the final installment in the Uncommon Justice series, and for me, it was the best by far!

Rae Burke is an investigative reporter who will stop at nothing when pursuing a story. But when her sister-in-law goes missing, the stakes are raised to an even higher level. So much so, she reaches out to Liam McKade, the DEA agent who almost lost his life saving hers.

Trying to find himself, Liam McKade returns to his family ranch in Wyoming, but it isn’t peace that he finds. Rae Burke, of all people, seeks him out and asks for his help. Furious that she has the nerve to insert herself into his world, he tells her to leave. But knowing the danger she is toying with, he has no other option but to help.
What starts out as one dead-end after another, soon breaks open into a spiderweb of heinous activity involving: sex trafficking, drugs, and the dark web. Lives are in danger. Time is running out. And even though Rae and Liam feel an undeniable force pulling them together, they both struggle with the idea of endangering each other in their pursuit of the truth.

After reading all three installments in the Uncommon Justice series, I feel DON’T KEEP SILENT had the most action, twists and turns that were unexpected but credible, and a hero and heroine with insecurities and flaws that made them relatable and human. Rae isn’t used to someone else calling the shots, so her split decisions were completely in character even though they drove Liam crazy. And Liam’s protective nature wasn’t over-bearing, he just acted on his instincts . . . to keep the woman he loved (even though he didn’t know it yet) safe. At times, the integral plot and the number of players was difficult to keep straight, but it didn’t slow down the momentum. Though the ratio of suspense to romance was more on a 70/30 scale, a little less than I am looking for, it still kept my attention to the very end.

I received an advance copy of this book from Revell in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Saturday, July 11, 2020

My Review - The Heart of a Hero by Susan May Warren



5 out of 5 stars
THE HEART OF A HERO, book two in the Global Search and Rescue series was definitely action-packed, both physically and emotionally.

Former Navy SEAL, Jake Silvers, is coming to grips with who he is and what he’s become. A SEAL. A sniper. A villain. Does he protect people? Or does he eliminate threats? Dealing with these emotions and a tragedy from his childhood, Jake doesn’t see himself as settling down material. However, when he rescues Dr. Aria Sinclair from the slopes of Denali, and their paths continue to cross due to mutual friends, he has to do some soul-searching and decide what kind of man he wants to be.

Aria Sinclair’s life work is taking care of children. As a pediatric heart surgeon, she devotes herself to kids who are just like she was. Though personal tragedy gifted her with a new heart, she doesn’t feel deserving of it. She is constantly going above and beyond to prove herself worthy, leaving her lonely and without much of a personal life. That is until she meets Jake Silvers. She tries to convince herself that the feelings they shared for each other were merely the results of an emotion-filled, life-and-death experience. But every time she thinks of him, she can’t help but feel they are fighting the same demons, and in doing so they push their own happiness aside.

When Jake follows Aria to Florida, and they find themselves in a category 4 hurricane, their need for each other resurfaces. Now they have to hope and pray they survive not only the cataclysmic storm but the other dangers that threaten them.

THE HEART OF A HERO overflowed with action and danger. So much so, I found myself questioning each new hurdle that put our hero and heroine in jeopardy. I mean . . . how can two people be that unlucky? Even so, I continued on because that is what good fiction is all about. Entertainment. Escapism. A story that grabs you and doesn’t let you go. Characters you cheer for, and sometimes want to smack up the side of the head. Though I feel Aria’s struggles were a little more self-induced than Jake’s, their internal battles of self-worth were believable. While THE HEART OF A HERO was Jake and Aria’s story, we also got a glimpse into the life of Hamilton Jones, the focus of THE PRICE OF VALOR the next book in the series. Overall, I am thoroughly enjoying this series. Not that I had any doubt that I would. Ms. Warren always creates stories and characters that get your heart pumping and your pulse racing.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Revell. However, the opinions expressed are completely my own and without influence.