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Second Chances #1
Running Home
Ivy’s husband is a cheat and a liar, but when he gets caught up in a game of espionage and flees the country with his latest bimbo, Ivy has finally had enough. She packs up the kids and moves back to her hometown to escape the fallout. Trouble is – her problems don’t stay behind in California, but follow her all the way to Omaha, Nebraska.
Home is no safe haven for Ivy Winter. Danger lurks behind every smiling face. The FBI tracks her every move, hoping she’ll lead them to her fugitive husband, while evil men threaten her family’s safety to get what they want.
Agent Samson Sinclair is assigned to keep an eye on Ivy. He is her only ally against threats and suspicions that come from every side. But can he keep their relationship professional when he finds himself falling for the woman he’s supposed to be protecting?
Ivy’s attempt to assemble the broken pieces of her life may prove harder than she anticipated. Especially on her own. Will her husband’s secrets push her over the edge or into the arms of grace?
Home is no safe haven for Ivy Winter. Danger lurks behind every smiling face. The FBI tracks her every move, hoping she’ll lead them to her fugitive husband, while evil men threaten her family’s safety to get what they want.
Agent Samson Sinclair is assigned to keep an eye on Ivy. He is her only ally against threats and suspicions that come from every side. But can he keep their relationship professional when he finds himself falling for the woman he’s supposed to be protecting?
Ivy’s attempt to assemble the broken pieces of her life may prove harder than she anticipated. Especially on her own. Will her husband’s secrets push her over the edge or into the arms of grace?
271 pages, Paperback
First published December 12, 2011
668 people are currently reading
832 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Ellen Brink
25 books120 followersBarbara is a multi-published author of mystery, suspense, and young adult. Her Fredrickson Winery Novels have been on the best-seller lists multiple times, and her Christian thriller, Split Sense, won the Grace Award in 2012. Again in 2016, she won the Grace Award with the 2nd book of her Double Barrel Mysteries, Much Ado About Murder.
Barbara grew up on a small farm in Washington State, but now lives in the mean "burbs" of Minnesota with her husband and their pups. With their adult kids now pushed out of the nest and encouraged to fly, she spends much time reading, writing, collecting books, riding motorcycles, and keeping one step ahead of AARP. She also really likes black licorice.
Barbara grew up on a small farm in Washington State, but now lives in the mean "burbs" of Minnesota with her husband and their pups. With their adult kids now pushed out of the nest and encouraged to fly, she spends much time reading, writing, collecting books, riding motorcycles, and keeping one step ahead of AARP. She also really likes black licorice.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
July 28, 2019
Running Home is book one in the Second Chances series by Barbara Ellen Brink. When Ivy's husband disappears with his lastest girlfriend and their money, Ivy decided to pack up and return home with her children. Unbeknown to Ivy, her husband, took something from his employer, and they want back. FBI was called in to investigate, and Agent Samson Sinclair assigned to go undercover to keep an eye on Ivy. Things got complicated for both Samson and Ivy when someone else threatens her family. The readers of Running Home will continue to follow Ivy and Samson to see what happens.
Running Home is the first book I have read of Barbara Ellen Brink, and I will read more books by her. I love Barbara Ellen Brink portrayal of her characters and the way they interacted with each other throughout the book. I like Barbara Ellen Brink way of intertwining religion into the plot of this book. Running Home was well written and researched by Barbara Ellen Brink.
The readers of Running Home will start to understand the rival between different branches of the FBI. Also, the readers of Running Home will learn about industrial espionage and the problems it causes everyone who is involved.
I recommend this book.
Running Home is the first book I have read of Barbara Ellen Brink, and I will read more books by her. I love Barbara Ellen Brink portrayal of her characters and the way they interacted with each other throughout the book. I like Barbara Ellen Brink way of intertwining religion into the plot of this book. Running Home was well written and researched by Barbara Ellen Brink.
The readers of Running Home will start to understand the rival between different branches of the FBI. Also, the readers of Running Home will learn about industrial espionage and the problems it causes everyone who is involved.
I recommend this book.
July 19, 2017
Just ok
I read this book because it was a free download. It was a decent book but I don't feel compelled to read any more in the series.
I read this book because it was a free download. It was a decent book but I don't feel compelled to read any more in the series.
March 13, 2018
A couple confusing grammatical errors
This story was just so unrealistic. For it to work you’d have to believe:
The fbi...
can’t track cell phones
Would forget to freeze bank accounts or search safe deposit boxes
Would forget to track credit card usage
... and on and on
I finished it, but barely
This story was just so unrealistic. For it to work you’d have to believe:
The fbi...
can’t track cell phones
Would forget to freeze bank accounts or search safe deposit boxes
Would forget to track credit card usage
... and on and on
I finished it, but barely
December 22, 2024
I was very excited to read this as it was located in my hometown, Omaha. However, the author is evidently not from here as within the first few chapters she gets major landmarks and streets wrong. If she had done minimal research on Omaha, she would have realized her errors.
They kept pulling me out of the story and I got so annoyed I didn't finish.
They kept pulling me out of the story and I got so annoyed I didn't finish.
September 7, 2025
Running Home by Barbara Ellen Brink is a suspenseful, faith-driven story about Ivy, whose life collapses when she discovers her husband is a criminal on the run. With the FBI watching her every move and danger closing in, she must protect her children, rebuild her life, and learn to trust again. A gripping mix of intrigue, redemption, and second chances.
July 9, 2017
A great read!!
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery and intrigue. It was easy to read, and had some great surprises tucked into this storyline.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery and intrigue. It was easy to read, and had some great surprises tucked into this storyline.
April 3, 2023
This is a book about Ivy, a woman who has to rebuild her life after her husband steals money and military secrets from his company and runs off with another woman. She decides to move back to the midwest without even checking to see what might be in their bank accounts (which is odd because she doesn't have a job before he leaves or even at any point in the book, so it's unclear what resources she's working with). Meanwhile, her husband never delivered the military secrets to the criminals he promised them too and they decide that Ivy might have them. Samson is an FBI agent who is assigned to find out if Ivy has the information, but he's way more interested in converting her to Christianity.
The main issue with this book is the issue with a lot of Christian books -- the author simply has no ability to write a convincing non-Christian character. Ivy is your stereotypical "one bad thing happened to me once, so I'm angry at God" non-Christian and Raven, a secondary character, is even more stereotypical. Bonus eye-roll points for the reference to a "Jewish cap" when "yarmulke" is very easy to Google.
The main issue with this book is the issue with a lot of Christian books -- the author simply has no ability to write a convincing non-Christian character. Ivy is your stereotypical "one bad thing happened to me once, so I'm angry at God" non-Christian and Raven, a secondary character, is even more stereotypical. Bonus eye-roll points for the reference to a "Jewish cap" when "yarmulke" is very easy to Google.
September 3, 2012
I always have an active book on my iPhone for all those times I am sitting around waiting. I found myself putting my physical bedtime reading book aside so I could continue reading Running Home, anxious to find out what would happen next. Ivy is a woman who knows her husband is no saint, but when he runs off and the FBI come knocking on her door, she learns how little she really knew him. This was a fast paced, fun read, and I look forward to reading more by Barbara Brink.
June 10, 2018
I obtained this free e-book from Amazon and I am voluntarily writing a review. I am so glad I did get this free and did not invest any of my money into this. After reading a third of the book I could not stomach any more of little to no research done on the subject she was writing about .
March 20, 2016
There were plusses and minuses with this story but all in all it was a nice romance with Christian messages throughout. Now, I will need to see how things turn out in book 2.
April 17, 2022
After years of putting up with her cheating husband, Ivy has enough when he gets involved in espionage and leaves the country. She packs up their two kids and goes home to where her sister and her husband live, intent on making a new life. However, the problems follow her to her hometown: not only is the FBI watching and suspecting her, someone more evil insists she has something that belongs to them. Agent Samson Sinclair, tasked with surveilling her, finds it more and more difficult to separate his duty - and his growing attraction to a woman he thinks is innocent. Samson is a man of Faith and believes God will help Ivy solve her problems, if only she would find her way back to Him.
All in all, a good story and a good plot, with mostly likeable characters - however, I find it hard to believe that an FBI agent trusts so much in God that he is willing to neglect his duties. Ivy's struggle to find her way back to God also seems a bit unrealistic to me, as it came quite of a sudden.
I do like the book, but I thought it was a bit unrealistic, and perhaps a bit naive? Does not mean it is a bad book, and I definitely want to read the next one!
All in all, a good story and a good plot, with mostly likeable characters - however, I find it hard to believe that an FBI agent trusts so much in God that he is willing to neglect his duties. Ivy's struggle to find her way back to God also seems a bit unrealistic to me, as it came quite of a sudden.
I do like the book, but I thought it was a bit unrealistic, and perhaps a bit naive? Does not mean it is a bad book, and I definitely want to read the next one!
March 1, 2018
Been married to a liar and a cheat for eight years, till husband took off. What was missing was excitement and adventure, he told her, and he now had the funds from the company he use to work for. How will Ivy feel when she is once again being lied to by the FBI, saying he is a realtor, and being attracted to her. Good plot of how she’s trying to rebuild her life, around her two kids, a new state, and apartment. Readers will be drawn into this from the beginning.
May 24, 2018
This story is a thriller, a romance and a Christian novel. It speaks of a woman whose husband is a liar and cheat. He steals sensitive material to sell and leaves his wife and children behind. This is how the wife deals with the pain of her bad marriage, taking care of her kids and dealing with the FBI. Although, I'm not sure of some of things done by our heroine wouldn't have gotten her thrown in jail. Other than that, the story was well-written and kept me intrigued til the end.
June 7, 2022
Interesting book
This is one of those stories that has you sitting on the edge of your seat. Loads of action and surprises but and heartbreak. The people are so real and lovable and well described and entertaining and the characters were well chosen and very strong people. It all turns out well in the end.Gods love is well described and right through the whole story. Very well written.
This is one of those stories that has you sitting on the edge of your seat. Loads of action and surprises but and heartbreak. The people are so real and lovable and well described and entertaining and the characters were well chosen and very strong people. It all turns out well in the end.Gods love is well described and right through the whole story. Very well written.
February 23, 2019
Great clean romantic suspense novel!
I liked the characters very much. The author made The story very believable I caught myself shaing my head as Ivy did something that I thought was stupid. 😀 When you do that, you know the author's good! It was a clean romance, & an excellent suspense romance novel!
I liked the characters very much. The author made The story very believable I caught myself shaing my head as Ivy did something that I thought was stupid. 😀 When you do that, you know the author's good! It was a clean romance, & an excellent suspense romance novel!
September 28, 2022
Ivy's husband, Todd, decides to abandon his family and in the aftermath of that she finds he's accused of stealing government classified material when he ran off with his girlfriend. The FBI is involved as well as the buyers for the info and things take a turn for the worst when Todd winds up murdered. Christian theme.
November 2, 2025
Great book!
This book is a beautiful love story that includes God's version of . It also has drama that includes international espionage, murder, family, true friendship, and so much more! The characters are wonderful, the plot Flows beautifully, and the action is dynamic. This is a fun and entertaining read!
This book is a beautiful love story that includes God's version of . It also has drama that includes international espionage, murder, family, true friendship, and so much more! The characters are wonderful, the plot Flows beautifully, and the action is dynamic. This is a fun and entertaining read!
July 2, 2017
Cute story. It had a lot of coincidences in it, and some things sounded so familiar in the beginning, I thought maybe I had read the book already. But I must have just read a free chapter somewhere. It was an enjoyable, light suspense.
April 4, 2020
This is a story of redemption, of a woman who tried to do it herself, but who finally recognized she couldn't. It's a good story where no one is perfect and everyone needs help along the way. Help comes from strange places sometimes and you just have to accept it.
February 12, 2021
An exciting book!
This storyline was full of interesting characters and a lot of excitement. It was well written and held my attention with every chapter. This is not the first book I have read by this author and I know I will read more. It was a wonderful journey . Thanks!
This storyline was full of interesting characters and a lot of excitement. It was well written and held my attention with every chapter. This is not the first book I have read by this author and I know I will read more. It was a wonderful journey . Thanks!
December 17, 2021
Formula
Kudos for the original settings. . the plot is predictable and trite. Stereotypical characters complete the mediocrity of this novel. Only slightly more interesting than watching paint dry.
Kudos for the original settings. . the plot is predictable and trite. Stereotypical characters complete the mediocrity of this novel. Only slightly more interesting than watching paint dry.
December 20, 2021
Suspense, intrigue and love
I was taken in with the suspense from the beginning. The twists in the story kept my interest so that I didn’t want to stop reading it. The characters were well developed.
I was taken in with the suspense from the beginning. The twists in the story kept my interest so that I didn’t want to stop reading it. The characters were well developed.
July 3, 2023
After finishing about a third of the book, the suspense lost its appeal, the romance disappeared, add that to a third character’s point of view, with pages long preaching, I lost interest in the book and skipped to the ending.
May 13, 2025
This is an interesting story, all be it somewhat predictable. The main characters were intriguing and fun. One of the significant minor characters appears to have been set up for another book in this series. The author is new to me and I am looking forward to delving into that next book.
June 27, 2017
RUNNING HOME
A very enjoyable suspense thriller with a bit of romance. A clean Christian book, loved the characters- loved the message.
A very enjoyable suspense thriller with a bit of romance. A clean Christian book, loved the characters- loved the message.
July 3, 2017
Free Fluff easy read, very light Christian thriller, predictable in spots. Didn't like well enough to read series
July 3, 2017
I liked this book start to finish. Some of it was predictable, but the story was still compelling. It was a very enjoyable read!
July 18, 2017
Couldnt put this book down
Real!y liked this book. Finished it in 2 days. Action the whole book. Will be reading book 2 sure it will be good as well.
Real!y liked this book. Finished it in 2 days. Action the whole book. Will be reading book 2 sure it will be good as well.
July 21, 2017
Great
Great story line....kept me captivated. Intense moments had me holding my breath, routing for good to win. Wish the ending had a little more meat though.
Great story line....kept me captivated. Intense moments had me holding my breath, routing for good to win. Wish the ending had a little more meat though.
August 3, 2017
It was fun to read and I enjoyed the characters. There were some plot holes, but for the most part it was worth my time. I appreciate how clean it was.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews