Shock Wave

Stormswept #1

by Dana Mentink

TRAPPED…WITH A KILLER?

When an earthquake rips through San Francisco, the last person journalist Sage Harrington expects to run into is ex-soldier Trey Black. After what they survived in Afghanistan, she doesn't know if she can face him again. But now they're trapped in the bowels of a ramshackle opera house on a mission to find Sage's missing cousin. And they may not be the only ones. Someone is desperate to keep them from discovering the truth. With time running out and devastation and danger all around, Sage and Trey must put their trust in each other to make it out alive.

Stormswept: Finding true love in the midst of nature's fury

Genres: Christian Fiction, Love Inspired Suspense, Love Inspired, Romance, Suspense, Mystery, Romantic Suspense

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

USA TODAY bestseller Dana Mentink enjoys writing in many different capacities. She currently writes for Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense and Poisoned Pen Press.

Dana is the recipient of a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, two ACFW Carol Awards as well as a Holt Medallion.

Dana loves feedback from her readers. Contact her via her website at www.danamentink.com. and be sure to follow her on Bookbub!
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/dana-...

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an old, run-down opera house, journalist (Sage Harrington) unexpectedly runs into an ex-soldier (Trey Black) she knew while she was in Afghanistan. (Sage and Trey parted ways on not very good terms.) Sage is at the opera house searching for her missing pregnant cousin (Barbara). While they are there, they get caught in an earthquake. Will Sage and Trey be able to work out their problems, and make it through the danger and after effects of the earthquake?

This was a very interesting book. I’ve never read a story that dealt with an earthquake before, with all the crumbling buildings, flooding, looting, etc… It was quite different. I really liked the hero Trey, he was a nice guy, he liked dogs and went out of his way to rescue one, and was a good, sensible guy. The heroine, Sage… she was too impetuous, selfish, and headstrong. Luckily, there were many other characters and tense situations to make up for her irritating character, though she did eventually improve later on. I was curious to find out what happened to Barbara and I enjoyed all the action at the end of the book.

A very good read by Dana Mentink.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series, though I probably would have had a bit more suspense if I hadn't read this last out of the series and known one of the people was trustworthy because of their having a starring role in the last book. I loved how vivid each of the characters were and how the culprit fit so well into everyday life and was hard to spot until the end. Also, the side story with what happened to Barbara kept me flipping the pages to see if she could possibly survive.

Fair warning: earthquakes while in buildings and subterranean passages. Not for the severely claustrophobic.

[Aerykah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may sound strange, but I enjoy reading books about people who are dealing with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). That reason alone caused me to want to read this book and I wasn't disappointed.
This book is short, fairly fast-paced, and it kept my attention from start to finish.
I thought the history between Sage and Trey made the story more interesting and the romance more believable.
One thing that I really liked was having to wait to guess who the "bad guy" was. I suspected different people at different times, usually coming back to the same couple of people, but I was never sure about them until close to the end. I also loved trying to visualize the setting: an earthquake-ravaged opera house. My imagination had a lot of fun with that! ;)
My favorite scene? Probably the proposal scene. I've never read one quite like that before... ;)
Overall... Good book! I really enjoyed it and I'm totally open to reading more books by Dana Mentink!


Note: I won this book through a giveaway here on Goodreads. I was not required to give a review, positive or otherwise. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me guessing til the end about what happened to Barbara! There was truly nothing to indicate foul play or anything truly sinister. It was a great story, it would e fun to read a sequel to find out what happens to the theater after the earthquake cleanup ad to find out more about Trey and Sage's relationship/engagement. If you like a story that draws you in from the get go then you will enjoy reading this one! Earthquakes, attempted looting, mysterious strangers (at least to Sage), humor, excitement, these are just some of the things experienced by the characters and the reader.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Shock Wave
Author: Dana Mentink
Series: Stormswept, 1
Format: ebook
Length: N/A
Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis: TRAPPED WITH A KILLER?
When an earthquake rips through San Francisco, the last person journalist Sage Harrington expects to run into is ex-soldier Trey Black. After what they survived in Afghanistan, she doesn't know if she can face him again. But now they're trapped in the bowels of a ramshackle opera house on a mission to find Sage's missing cousin. And they may not be the only ones. Someone is desperate to keep them from discovering the truth. With time running out and devastation and danger all around, Sage and Trey must put their trust in each other to make it out alive.
Stormswept: Finding true love in the midst of nature's fury.

Favourite character: Trey
Least favourite character: N/A

Mini-review: To be honest, I struggled a bit with this book at the beginning, and I think that was because of Sage's blind decisions to do stuff without thinking it through. Once she calmed down about halfway through the book, I enjoyed it a lot more and I can't wait to reread Antonia's story, as well as Dallas' story.

Fan Cast:
Trey Black - Nikolai Nikolaeff
Sage Harrington - Alexandra Daddario

[Susan Faloon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent story. The tension builds like the rolling of the earth during an earthquake. I liked the main characters very much. They both experienced the horror of war and feel they have let significant people in their lives down. Each is driven to prove themselves, always striving for a forgiveness they don't fully understand. The memories, mutual connection to the war experience and the current horror of an earthquake, it's aftershock and missing people combine for one wild ride in a story. It is very well written with great tension.

[Autumn Slaght · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read "Christmas Crime Coverup" by Dana Mentink and I really enjoyed it. I wasn't quite as thrilled with this one, despite the presence of an earthquake and an old opera house.
I think the issue was that I hated the main character Sage. She was not a nice person so in reality, I don't see what Trey saw in her. Granted, I would love to have her as a friend. I know that if I were ever lost, I wouldn't be lost for long. Her determination and refusal to take "no" for an answer definitely got her places, but she didn't do it in a nice manner at all. She made it really hard for me to like the book and get into a romance. I also thought that the romance was kind of unrealistic as it progressed very fast, within a few days, really and then he was asking her to marry him. And her change of heart was overnight, too, so it just seemed rushed to me. But the mystery was fantastic! Mentink really has a great way of doing unexpected twists at the end. I suspected the culprit all along, but the motive was strange. I loved the way the story came together and can I just say: Phantom of the Opera reference?! Yep, that alone made this a worthy read. Coupled up with a good mystery, writing that snaps (I do love her writing style) and a good plot, the book was good, I just didn't enjoy the main characters that much.

[Joy Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book covers a lot of what people deal with every day. From earthquakes, PTSD, greedy and deceitful people. Sage is looking for answers about her cousin , Barbara ,in the old Imperial Opera house when an earthquake hits. Trey is there doing some repairs also. They already know each other since she was shooting pictures in Afghanistan during the war and was put with Trey and his platoon. They both have PTSD from their time overseas and the eartqauke doesn't help matters. Will they be able to find a way out of the opera house? Will they be able to find any clues as to what has happened to her cousin? I believe this book shed an accurate light on PTSD on lets people know that there is help out there along with putting your trust in God. It also showcases what happens in natural disasters and how people come together to help each other. Though this is an older book, the theme is still centered around current events.

[Joan Arning · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely would not want to be wandering around under buildings in San Francisco after an earthquake(or any time)! I admired the female protagonist and former journalist, Sage, for her determination in searching for her pregnant cousin but she certainly did not use much wisdom! Captain Trey Black was my favorite person in this exciting book! He kept up with Sage and protected her in spite of their past in Afghanistan and the fact that she put them in more danger. I recommend this fast paced book, Shock Wave, to others. I received a complimentary e-book from the author. This is my honest opinion.

[Mary Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shock Wave
Dana Mentink

Earthquakes and PTSD are blended in a way that keeps you reading to see if Trey and Sage can overcome memories of the horror in order to survive the earthquakes while trying to solve the mystery of the Opera House.
Read it in one day because I was drawn into the story and just had to find out what happens. Once again strong characters and a strong story line that keeps the pages turning.

[Mary Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

To say this novel is "action-packed" is an understatement. There are few quiet moments as the hero and heroine go from one dangerous situation to another as they try to find out what has happened to Sage's pregnant cousin. They are sure she is somewhere in an old opera house in San Francisco, but their search is hindered by a series of earthquakes in the city. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was happening in the story and would recommend this book to others who enjoy a good read.

[Judine Brey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The setting of this story in a run-down opera house during a San Francisco earthquake lent a lot of tension to the mystery. Sage's certainty that her pregnant cousin has been the victim of foul play is a nice counterpoint to her guilt over the death of her journalist partner in Afghanistan. I love that Trey is able to use his military training to improve their situation.

[Pianosue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hang on to your seat with lots of action and intrigue. An earthquake has hit and Sage and Trey are in the old Imperial. Can they find a way out? Can they find the woman she was there to meet? She is trying to find her cousin Barbara but keeps hitting walls. What is going on? Will they survive the multiple quakes and tremors and maybe someone with ulterior motives?

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a lot of action in this book. Earthquakes, potential killers, a missing person, a collapsed opera house. Trey and Sage have to fight their way out and hopefully find Sage’s missing cousin. I thought this was a great story.

[Pascale’s*ARC,Unwind,Read,Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a very original plot and that’s probably what I liked best about it. I guessed who was behind the crimes before the end but it wasn’t super obvious. I didn’t really connect with the characters but the storyline made up for that.

[Dorel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book I read by Dana Mentink. I'm sorry I stopped reading this story at chapter 4 because it didn't hold my interest.

[Rose Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, lots of action, Christian, a good read start to finish.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this novel - suspense, action, romance - kept me intrigued and up late! Dana Mentink books never disappoint!

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a good mystery if you like suspense and some romance you will want to read the book

[Barbara Tobey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging and exciting page turner. Interesting couple with a shared past war experience. Earthquake and after shocks amp up the action.

[cookiemonger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very nicely balanced book. There are a number of strong elements that shape the story: disaster, romance, faith, suspicion and intrigue... None of them overpower the others to a degree greater than they ought to at any given moment in the narrative.

Trey Black and Sage Harrington first met in Afghanistan. He was a soldier, and she was a headstrong reporter. They shared an unspoken attraction, but after the death of her colleague, a wedge of guilt and blame formed between them. Now they're both back home, and run into each other in the same dilapidated opera house. Trey is just doing the caretaker a favour, but Sage is there to meet someone who she thinks can shed some light on her cousin's increasingly suspicious absence. Then an earthquake on the level of The Big One shakes the area, and everything becomes more urgent.

There's more than just sparks flying between these two. Sage suffers from PTSD and although she tries to blame Trey for it, both of them believe her to be responsible. If anyone can really be deemed responsible. They have great chemistry, although I do have a number of issues with the dialogue. There are a lot of places where contractions would have made the speech much more natural, and at least one or two lines that don't sound like something any human being would actually say, despite or especially because of the circumstances.

The description, however, is great. One line in particular: "Broken glass spangled the streets like fallen stars, glittering in the failing light." There's always a danger of some feeling of being cut off or worse, too much telling, when reading a shorter book like this, but I don't think I ever felt like there was a show v tell problem.

I was surprised by how good the mystery was, though. Most of the book points the finger very strongly that at one point, I honestly thought that the story would be that cut and dried. But no. I wasn't completely thrown, but the resolution to the mystery wasn't exactly what I expected either.

This was my first time reading any of the Love Inspired line, and I'm satisfied with it. Which is a good thing, because I think I have almost forty of them.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sage and Trey are back together after they spent time together in Afghanistan. As a photographer, Sage was in Afghanistan to report on the war and she was assigned to Trey's unit. Disaster caused her to return to the USA with PTSD. Trey returned and has taken up carpentry work. They are both going to work on Sage's cousins Opera House renovation. Only the very pregnant cousin is suddenly AWOL. Sage is convinced her husband killed her and Trey doesn't know what to think, but he's there to keep an eye on Sage and keep her safe.

An earthquake causes all sorts of havoc. This story was a little harder to get in to at the beginning. Their wandering through the Opera House that was falling apart in the aftershocks had my brain wandering around trying to keep up with where they were and what they were doing. I'm sure my brain must have resembled the crumbling Opera House. But once they found their way out of the building, it was much easier to follow the story and I really enjoyed it. I was pleasantly surprised with the line the story took. I liked the nice characters (not so much the murderer) and look forward to a few more stories that are sure to come our way from this story.

The author mentioned the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 a few times which interestingly enough I remember because I felt it about 500 miles away in Las Vegas. I worked on the 11th floor of an office building and just as we were closing down for the day someone who'd been watching the World Series came in and told us what we'd just felt. Experiencing just the little sway of the building let me know that an Earthquake was not something I would want to experience up close and personal. And as I read this story and all the little aftershocks were so easy to identify with I thought I kind of knew how the people must have felt. Just a tiny bit.

[DJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sage Harrington never expected to run into Trey Black. After spending time in Afghanistan, she figured she’d never see him again. When they find themselves trapped after an earthquake, will they be able to trust each other – or not?

WOW! I guess Dana Mentink has experienced a few earthquakes, since she lives in California… let me say, she certainly writes a realistic story of one.

Danger… devastation… desperation…

You’ll find all this – and more – in Shock Wave, the first story in Dana’s Stormswept series, featuring killer storms… and it looks like there may be other types of killers involved, too – namely, the human type. Or is that just someone’s imagination run amok.

This is really an awesome story! I wish I could tell you more about it; I really do. But I’m pretty sure I’d end up giving away too much and you should read it for yourself. If you think you know what’s going on – even if you’re pretty sure – don’t stop reading!

Wow! Just… wow!

I’ll be back… with my review of the next Stormswept novel.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

War, journalist in war area, death, danger and romance plus God's grace all in one story.
Whow!
Sage meets Trey while in Afghanistan as a journalist. Trey doesn't want her there. But God is at work.
But low and behold they meet again in a ramshackled opra house. Sage believes her cousin is in danger and not get gone on a vacation. Danger looms at every turn.
The plot thickens with an earthquake trembling and more and more people involved. Sage is again and again in danger as someone does not want her to figure out where her cousin is.
Trey and Sage both have flashbacks to Afghanistan.
The who doe it will keep you guessing to the very end.
Dare you to try to lay it down very long.
God's mercy is revealed throughout the story.

[Melissa]

I was fortunate to win a copy of this book through the Goodreads First reads giveaways. I am very thankful that I did. This was the first book I have read by Dana Mentink and I will definitely be reading more. Shockwave kept my attention from beginning to end. I believe what contributed to that was the number of side storylines that kept you in suspense and wanting to keep reading until the end. In addition to wanting to know what happened to Barbara, I wanted to find out about Trey's background, the aftermath of the earthquake, and what would happen to Trey and Sage. If you are looking for a story filled with suspense with a hint of romance, this is the choice for you.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so sorry that I took so long to post this. The first couple of times I tried to read this I was just not in the right frame of mind. I did enjoy this book very much. It brings home a lot about what our veterans bring home from the front. It kept me guessing on who did it. It was a very surprise ending.


Jessee

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Inspired Suspense This is set in San Francisco during an earthquake.Sage is looking for her very pregnant cousin and ends up being trapped with an ex-soldier,Trey when they are searching in an old Opera House. Just when I thought I had figured some things out, there was another twist in the plot.

book on loan from Sylvia.

[Charline Bonham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone is in the old theater when the earth quake hits and it is not just Sage. She's trying to find her friend but finds Trey instead. She first meet him is Afghanistan and she just wants to forget that encounter. No one seems to be telling them the truth and they may not survive the next quake.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always wonderful to read a story where the romance is secondary to the story--throw in some crises of faith and this story was one I'll enjoy reading again.

http://bookshelfpicks.blogspot.com/20...

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favorite Dana Mentink book, but still really great! :)