RTC

58191

I've read a number of books by this author and she usually does a good job. Though we're not dropped into the action on page 1, the story drew me in quickly. Both Daniel and Katie are good people.

Given how many of this author's books I've read, I guessed who the villain was--though I did have to wait to see if my guess was correct (well, partially correct, but in retrospect, I should have realized there was a team given some clues in the story itself.)

I agree with Katie saying Daniel was a trusting person--perhaps a bit too trusting, though he did say his trust usually was given after knowing the person for a time.

I was glad to see that Riley's and Steve's relationship seems to have survived the craziness. Also glad that Maurice tried to do the right thing and that Daniel chose to help Maurice's daughter. Also glad that Katie and her family reconciled.

My biggest issue is that Katie and Daniel haven't really known each other that long and he's already proposed to her. This is an issue that I find is common to the genre. ( )

This book. Wowza! Action, suspense, drama, and sweet romance all rolled into a 346 page book. My second favorite in the series, the first being Always Watching.

The characters were by far the best part of this book. Katie was a very well-rounded and complex character. I empathized a lot with her various struggles and could really relate to her, which is the mark of a good character in my mind. Then, there's Daniel. The best character, hands down. Compassionate, honest, loyal, former military named Daniel? That's a pretty good mix if you want me to like a character. But amidst his awesomeness, he still had his struggles and issues, just like any normal human being. I loved his relationship with his niece. Who, speaking of which, was also a pretty great character.

The storyline was intense, action-packed, and just downright crazy, but amongst that, there was still room for some heartwarming scenes between characters or characters and their emotions. I love a book that has physical conflicts, (aka, action-packed crazyiness) as well as emotional and spiritual conflicts (aka, inner issues the character needs to deal with.) that need to be resolved. Adds so much more depth to the story. The romance was so sweet and not at all in-your-face, which I appreciated. It wasn't sudden, unexpected or unwelcome. Just sweet, slow, and natural feeling.

The main thing I was not a fan of, and the main reason I docked a star, was the storyline with Riley and her 'boyfriend'. It just felt rather wedged in, and unnecessary. Riley was more of a background character throughout much of the story, so it felt jarring to be suddenly thrown into her POV and to witness her issues and such. Honestly, you could have taken that storyline right out of the story, and it would have worked just as well - probably more so. Another thing I wasn't big on was the identity of the antagonist. It was unexpected (yes, that was kinda the point, but it didn't feel like a "good" kind of unexpected.) and the motive behind said antagonist didn't really make a ton of sense. I don't know. It just didn't feel right to me.

I loved the glimmerings into Quinn's and Maddy's characters that were given in this book, setting things up for book 3. Nice foreshadowing. And the ending was the best ever! So sweet! Katie and Daniel are one of the best couples!

All in all, I really enjoyed this book! If you are looking for a clean suspensethriller, with a touch of romance, this would suit perfectly! I think I will be buying some paperback copies very soon! Recommended for ages 16 for some pretty intense stuff, as well as mild romance.

CONTENT NOTE: There is a good bit of violenceintensity. Bombs, murder by hanging, lots of guns and threating to shoot people. Characters are nearly crushed in a car as someone uses a backhoe to flip it over and crush it. Also, various injuries. None of the above things are graphically described in any way. Also some mild attractionromance, and kissing. Also not graphic. ( )

Katie's tough but kind. Strong and smart. Add that to the fact that she's attractive, and how's Daniel supposed to resist? Unfortunately, the reason she's become more than "the lady who teaches my niece's class" is that Daniel's being targeted.
By whom? Why? They haven't got a single, solid clue. Their mutual frustration grows as the enemy burns one of Daniel's restaurants, uses Daniel for target practice, and eventually, resorts to kidnapping.
Together, they overcome the impossible. Including overcoming the demons in Katie's past. ( )