The Rule of Thirds

by Jeannée Sacken

Despite her PTSD, seasoned photojournalist Annie Hawkins heads back to Afghanistan. The Taliban's takeover of the country is the story of the decade, and Annie is determined to cover it. She's also desperate to keep an eye on her twenty-two-year-old daughter Mel, whose first job out of college has taken her to Kabul. The very air of the city is heavy with fear as the Taliban draw closer. The danger becomes even more personal for Annie when she discovers her daughter at the airport after a bombing. Then, her activist friends Bahar and Fatima face arrest and probable death sentences for their work in support of women and the coalition forces. When she tries to help them escape, Annie realizes that she's in the crosshairs, too. With her longtime love Admiral Finn Cerelli in Washington, D.C., Annie has to rely on her crew's Afghan fixer and her own wits to save as many lives as possible.

436 pages, Hardcover

Published October 3, 2023

About the author

A former English professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, Jeannée Sacken is now a photojournalist who travels the world, documenting the lives of women and children. She also photographs wildlife and is deeply committed to the conservation of endangered species. When not traveling, she lives with her husband and three cats in Shorewood, Wisconsin, where she's hard at work on the next novel in the award-winning Annie Hawkins series. Follow Jeannée at jeanneesacken.com

Reviews

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ This book was utterly captivating from start to finish. I was a bit worried that I would be lost, given that this is book 3 in the Annie Hawkins series and I’ve not read the first two yet; however, the author does a fantastic job of filling in the missing details while not spoiling it for those who may want to backtrack (like I will most definitely be doing).

Annie is such a strong, yet vulnerable, MC who is continuing to deal with PTSD from her previous assignments in wartorn Afghanistan and her entanglements with the Taliban. This feels like a very realistic portrayal of what those who are witness to the atrocities of war, without being in uniform, would experience post assignment. I loved the mother-daughter relationship at play in this installment and how far Annie would go to protect her daughter, yet another aspect of Annie’s persona that makes her feel so relatable.

And the love stories are just…well let me just say that I cannot wait to go back to book one and see how it all began, and then read on in hopes of getting to experience the new love story teased towards the end. I sure hope there are more books in this series to come.

ʀ ᴇ ᴀ ᴅ ɪ ғ ʏ ᴏ ᴜ ʟ ɪ ᴋ ᴇ :
📚suspense series
💖romance
👩‍👧mother/daughter dynamics
📸 photojournalist life
🪖afghanistan setting
📚the Clare Fergusson series

Thank you Get Red PR Books for my gifted copy.

[Dona's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review on my blog!

Thank you to the author Jeannee Sacken, publishers Ten 16 Press, and tour organizers TLC Book Tours and Get Red PR, for an advance paperback copy of THE RULE OF THIRDS. All views are mine.



Three (or more) things I loved:

1. I have to admit that I sort of love this badass hang-with-the-boys female protagonist with emo problems and demons trope. She's fun! And she's real and I relate to her.

...

3. PTSD rep is so important! I love-vuh how the author works therapy into the storylines, and how well the leads communicate the issues within each of their stories.

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. This book is the third in a series of three books. In true "me" fashion, I've not read the first two. Even though this book builds on the first two somewhat, the author does a good job filling in crucial details and interspersing back story without ham-fisting it.

...

4. I adore how much this book centers PTSD, but I'm not a fan of the casual sanism, such as the frequent misuse of the word "crazy."

Rating: 📸📸📸📸 perfect shots
Recommend? Yes
Finished: Nov 10 23
Read this book if you like:
🪖 war stories
✈️ world travel
🧭 adventures
🙈 closed door romance
👥️ mental health rep 

[Randi (randi_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a great book to wrap up the Annie Hawkins Green trilogy! She suffered PTSD after her last time as a photojournalist in Afghanistan. Now, she needs to decide whether she is going back there or not. Her relationship with her daughter, Mel, turns rocky when Mel tells Annie she got a job with a competing news organization and is heading to Afghanistan. That seals the deal for Annie. She is heading to that country, too, so she can be there to protect her daughter.

One thing is for certain...Admiral Finn Cerelli is an amazing man. Strong, handsome, confident and he would do anything for Annie. I love their relationship.

This is quite the page turner, and I am sad that this is the last book in the series.

Thank you to Get Red PR Books and the author for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Suanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Rule of Thirds, the third (and, alas, the final) book in the Annie Hawkins series, author Jeannée Sacken again draws upon her experience as an international photojournalist to heighten the reality she creates. Annie is a veteran photojournalist who's been embedded during wars around the world. She returns to Afghanistan with a crew from TNN to document the Taliban's takeover of the country after the US and its allies precipitously bail out. Phinneas Cerelli, with whom she now has a well-established relationship, is angry at her hard-headedness and his own inability to adequately protect her, but long ago he promised he'd never interfere with her professional decisions. Annie continues to suppress her PTSD. Though in therapy, none of the treatments have "taken." Her daughter, now in her twenties, is as strong-willed as her mother, and plans a trip to Kabul as a gofer for another news team. Knowing the dangers that lie in Kabul, Annie advises Mel to stay home—which results in the complete disintegration of their relationship at a time when each could have used the other's support as they face the dangers in Afghanistan.

Like Sacken’s Behind the Lens and Double Exposure, I could not put The Rule of Threes down, though, knowing it is the last in this series, I tried to stretch it out. Having spent time in Afghanistan during my own stint as an international travel photographer, I identified strongly with Annie. Sacken’s vivid descriptions of people, places, foods, and the experience of taking photographs are authentic. She is true to the customs and religion of Afghans, sympathetic to their plight but wary of the effects of the Taliban and ISIS on the country. Annie herself is an extraordinarily strong female protagonist, one to be reckoned with by those who underestimate her drive and stamina. The other characters are convincing, multifaceted, and evolve over time, revealing layers that must be peeled away to reveal the truth. I confess I found an unexpected new “book boyfriend”—Finn Cerelli—and enjoyed Annie and Cerelli’s slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. I am disappointed that this series has ended.

[Lainey Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Rule of Thirds, courageous war-photographer and single mom, Annie Hawkins, returns with a double bill of gut-wrenching adventure and heartbreak.

It's been six years since Annie departed from Afghanistan, a country she loves dearly that almost killed her. As a result, she now struggles to live with PTSD.

Her romance with Finn Cerelli, a US admiral, has progressed into a beautiful relationship. But Annie is afraid of commitment or kids, having lived through one failed marriage.

Set just before the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, she has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to return and document this key moment in history. But Annie is torn. She fears how putting herself in danger again will affect the man she loves. And will her PTSD become a liability for the rest of her journalist team and the locals on the ground helping them?

But then her daughter, Mel, now in her early twenties, receives an offer to go into the field with a competing news organization. When she takes it, Annie believes her best chance to protect her is to return to the field. At least she’ll be in country if something goes wrong — and it goes very wrong.

Struggling against the clock at the end of a regime, Annie needs to rally all of her courage and resourcefulness to save those she loves.

In The Rule of Thirds, the author hits you hard with the full pain, humanity, and useless destruction of war. The novel is fraught with edge of your seat drama and written with the cultural sensitivity and depth of research a reader expects from the author, Jeannée Sacken.

A tense page-turner that still makes you think, with wonderfully engaging characters, insights into a country few of us will get to visit, and adventure that had my heart pounding to the last page.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeannee Sacken's novel The Rule of Thirds is the final book in her trilogy featuring war photojournalist Annie Hawkins Green, a smart, strong, confident woman. It is a fast-paced, engaging story that is so well written. Sacken's novel is told in first-person point of view through Annie Hawkins, who comes to life as the narrator of her story. Through Annie, Sacken creates a narrator with an authentic voice. I loved listening to Annie as she tells the story of her final trip to Afghanistan to cover the Taliban as they regain power. In addition to the demanding nature of her job as a war photojournalist, Annie deals with PTSD issues. Then her young-adult daughter, Mel, goes to work for a rival news network and will be stationed in Afghanistan, too, causing Annie to worry and creating tension between mother and daughter. And Finn, Annie’s boyfriend and the love of her life, keeps proposing. I read The Rule of Thirds in a few days, and I savored every page.

You don't need to read the first two books in the series before reading The Rule of Thirds. However, both Behind the Lens and Double Exposure, which feature Annie during two earlier trips to Afghanistan are filled with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. And reading the first and second novels in the series makes reading The Rule of Thirds even more enjoyable. I will miss Annie Hawkins, but I'm looking forward to reading what Jeannee Sacken writes next.

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️


I loved being back in the world of photojournalist Annie Hawkins. She is strong and brave, yet a genuine character - struggling with PTSD, being a mom, and juggling work and a relationship.

Annie is asked to return to Afghanistan with her crew, the very place that has left her with PTSD. The Taliban is taking over the country and critical officials are fleeing - healthcare workers are being targeted. As if this isn’t stressful enough, her daughter has decided to head to Kabul for her first job assignment, a hotbed for danger as well.

This entire series has captured my heart. The writing masterfully immerses you in the culture of Afghanistan and its people and traditions. Packed in these pages are moments of heartbreak, riveting action, friendship, and love. The romance between Annie and Admiral Finn Cerelli has been tense and IN-tense, and I was really surprised where their relationship went in this book (no spoilers).

I’ve heard this may be the series' final installment, but I’m crossing my fingers that we will get more of Annie’s journey.

Thank you @getredprbooks and @authorjeanneesacken for a gifted book.

[Amy Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved every book in the Annie Hawkins series, and I felt fully satisfied with the direction this final book took. Annie remains alive with all her complexities and feistiness, continuing to search out that balance between living out her authentic self and navigating complex relationships with the people surrounding her.

Without giving spoilers, having this book set during the very real events in 2021 when the Taliban took full control of the Afghanistan government gave this third book tremendous impact. I had trouble putting the book down at all, both from a desire to see what happened to these characters I had come to care for over the course of three books and realizing that this was an echo of what those living in Afghanistan were experiencing.

If you have never read these books, start with book one, Behind the Lens, and work forward. Like me, once you finish this one you will want to circle straight back around and re-read them all to see Annie's journey with new eyes.

[Marta Block · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie Hawkins, intrepid photojournalist, needs to travel back to Afghanistan, a place where she and the man she loved almost died, and the source of her PTSD. In this third installment of the trilogy (after Behind the Lens and Double Exposure), we see the impacts of traumas over years, what it means when our children grow up into adults who are so much like ourselves.

Sacken chose to set this book during the evacuation of Allied forces from Afghanistan, and Kabul in particular. She deftly covers the fear and angst of the Afghan people and international workers scrambling to escape as the Taliban encroached and took over the country. There is violence and fear and underneath it all, fierce love and devotion between various characters.

I’ve loved following Annie’s journey and feel deeply for the main characters in this novel! Another great read from Jeannee Sacken!

[Jennifer Rupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore romantic suspense. The Rule of Thirds, the last in Jeannée Sacken’s Annie Hawkins Green trilogy, offers another thrilling sojourn into war-torn Afghanistan. While reading (greedily consuming) this much anticipated novel, I appreciated once again the total immersion the author provides. Sacken also paints a realistic picture of how PTSD can impact one’s life, career, and family. In this third novel, Annie Hawkins Green returns to Afghanistan a much less reckless journalist, yet one still willing to risk all for the lives of others. At just about any moment during this read, anything could happen. Careers could be lost, things could blow up, people might die, loved ones could be kidnapped, everything is at stake and the tension is relentless. As with her other novels, The Rule of Thirds stands alone, but read all three. It makes the conclusion of this last one so, so satisfying.

[Riss 🫶🏻☕️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third in the Annie Hawkins Green Series, The Rule of Thirds follows Annie’s life as a photojournalist determined to get the story of the decade. I truly enjoyed getting to read more about Annie and her daughter, Mel, who is a recent college graduate and is headed to Kaul. Annie is covering the story of the Taliban taking over, and things start to become more complicated as she tries to save her friend’s lives because of their work with supporting women and the coalition forces. I love the way the author tells Annie’s story, the characters felt real and very well written.

My favorite part of this is the interaction between Annie and her daughter, Mel. Bahar and Fatima are also my favorite characters, I love their parts in the book. I was really excited to read Sacken’s latest book and was highly impressed with this! Go read!!

[Belinda Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was captivated with Annie Hawkins and her story. The last book of her story with dealing with PTSD and being a wartime photographer, true to life. I genuinely loved and enjoyed all the characters, the good ones and the bad ones, I couldn't put this book down, I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. Annie's relationship with her daughter Mel, honest, touching and relatable. Her relationship with Cerelli, you cannot dislike this guy, and the two together is so romantic and fun. You will love this story, Annie trying to do her job, keeping her daughter safe, and all the members of her team alive, with the help of the Afghan member of the team's guidance. I would get up in the mornings, with one thing on my mind, to continue reading. I highly recommend this book and the first two as well in this series.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a riveting story of photojournalist Annie Hawkins, the admiral who loves her, and her cohorts, many of whom are also involved in covering the events in Afghanistan as the Taliban draw closer. The Taliban’s takeover of the country draws Annie back despite her PTSD diagnosis following her earlier photo journalistic career covering world stories in dangerous places. Then she discovers that her daughter Mel has gone to Kabul, where she finds her at an airport following a bombing. The novel involves Annie’s desperate attempt to protect and save her daughter and her daughter’s Afghani friends Bahar and Fatima, who face almost certain death if they are caught by the Taliban. Written by a Shorewood, Wisconsin photojournalist who travels the world documenting the lives of women and children, this book has guaranteed appeal to many audiences.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie Hawkins is an amazing character. She's tenacious, brave, smart, and more. A photojournalist who is once again going to Afghanistan to photograph as the Taliban take over the country... But this time, her daughter will be there too and Annie is determined to keep an eye on her.

Most of this book has me in pulse pounding terror. I was certainly on the edge of my seat a lot. The horrors that Afghans are subjected to constantly are terrifying.

I have a new found respect (I tried to come up with a better word) for those going through PTSD. The author brought triggers of PTSD into the story for Annie even when she was actually in a safe environment each time it reared its head. I could clearly see how frightening it can be through this character's experience of it.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 3 in this thrilling series is the best yet. I love MC Annie Hawkins, who has done a lot of work on herself regarding the PTSD she developed in Afghanistan as a photojournalist. She's grown even closer to her lover, Admiral Finn Cerelli, yet her relationship with her daughter Mel becomes more complicated as Mel takes a job that takes her in country. Annie accepts an assignment there too as the Taliban and ISIS move to take over the country while key officials flee. So heart pounding and authentic that I could not put it down, then could not stop thinking about this gripping tale. Fans of romantic suspense and courageous heroines will love it!

[Beth (what.beth.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful third book in the Annie Hawkins trilogy, Rule of Thirds kept me riveted from page one. I had previously read the first two books, Behind the Lens and Double Exposure, and enjoyed them immensely. They are powerful and suspenseful, and Rule of Thirds is the perfect complement.

Book three finds photojournalist Annie back in Afghanistan in 2021 - which is not recommended by her therapist due to her PTSD from past trips - on assignment and also to protect her 22-year old daughter. Her love, Finn Cerelli, is back in the states. A very captivating read; I highly recommend the entire series!
I Received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

[Janis Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an amazing fictional/historical insight into the fall of Afghanistan. I was absolutely hooked.
The characters are excellently brought to life. The main character, Annie, is a photojournalist suffering fromPTSD she suffered from after a previous stint in Afghanistan. When her daughter defies her wishes and goes to Afghanistan herself, Annie leaves her admiral boyfriend to return there.
From what I have read about the fall of Afghanistan in the news, there are a lot of truths in the story and it was a great opportunity to learn more about it as part of a very, very good book.

[Barbara Conrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The energy from Jeannee Sacken’s The Rule of Thirds hits you right in the face from page one as the story follows Annie Hawkins, Pulitzer-prize winning photojournalist, back to Afghanistan to record the last days before the Taliban takes over.

Annie Hawkins is every writer’s dream character: tough as nails, badass extraordinaire, riddled with guilt, and filled with love for her daughter and the man she adores.

Sacken’s words speed through paragraphs and chapters, leaving her readers no choice but to feel the sweat, heat, dust, and dirt as they cling to every part of their bodies as they inhale this book.

[Lisa Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is one of my favorite book series ever. Annie Hawkins is an amazing main character and I love that we not only get to see her courage and bravery, but also the flaws and fears that make her human. Finn Cerelli is the perfect man for her and I love the glimpses that we get into his life as a Navy SEAL and then also as an admiral. The research and on the field knowledge that the author brings to this series makes it seem like we are right there, in on the action, and especially in this third book. I was almost surprised to find that I wasn't dodging the Taliban in the alleyways of Kabul when my son called my name. It's that good. Suspense, romance, foreign affairs, photography, military, family, friendships...these novels have it all. To get the full experience, and I highly recommend it, start with the first book. It's so worth the time and I already can't wait to reread them all!

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rule of Thirds is a stunning novel that travels from the US to Afghanistan and back again. Along the way, we meet fierce photojournalist Annie, the admiral who adores her, and a colorful cadre of confidantes. With masterful prose, Jeannee Sacken pits her protagonists, still freshly grappling with PTSD, against the Taliban and ISIS. The result is heart-pounding action paired with tender storytelling. Beautifully wrought and unputdownable, The Rule of Thirds earns 5 heartfelt stars!

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤!

I love this series and every book just gets better. Another gripping, intense, suspenseful and addictive story. Simply fantastic, I loved every page.

Thank you Get Red PR for this gifted copy.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱𝘀 by Jeannee Sacken and TEN16 Press released October 3, 2023.

𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁?
I vote for sweats!

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcof...

[Adalaide Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely immersed from page one of the first book, I fell in love with the characters, the story, the adventure and experience of learning about a culture it's important we know more about.
Prepare yourself to binge read the series, your heart will swell over the victories, be wrecked with the atrocities, a roller coaster of emotions, you'll be on the edge of your seat, reading faster and faster. Don't forget to remind yourself to breathe.
I eagerly await her next book.

[Laurie Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I held off reading THE RULE OF THIRDS because I knew it was the last book in a series I adore and I would have to say goodbye to Annie Hawkins and Finn Cerelli. As in the first two books, this one is riveting. Rich in detail, searing, brilliant, and moving in regard to the setting—Afghanistan. Tenderly observed and heartfelt. Raw and emotional, it highlights the resilience of women." —LAURIE BUCHANAN, author of the Sean McPherson novels

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A satisfying bookend to Annie Hawkin’s journey in this series. The story captures the terrifying collapse of a society, yet the resilience of a people. Well written and heartbreakingly true to life situations.
Kathy J Jacobson, author of the Noted! series and In The Secret Heart/A Change of Heart mysteries

[Christina McComiskie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my absolute favorite in this fantastic series. I was at the edge of my seat and read with a pounding heart. I highly recommend this series. Annie Hawkins is one of my favorite fictional characters who I will keep in my heart forever.

[Spiritedbookishbabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book! It had a great story and the characters were very well written and very interesting!! I loved everything about this book!!

[Kate Penzenstadler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was action packed especially at the end. It showed how courageous the women of Afghanistan are and the extent the war photographers go to tell the story.

[Angie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best series. Epic trilogy

[Sarah W · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

If this the last book in the series, I’m going to be a little sad because I love following Annie’s intense Job. The author describes the scenes beautifully as Annie captures them in picture form, I love the writing style. After reading the first two books I knew there was going to be a twist somewhere in the book but I was still so surprised at what it was. We got more of Annie’s relationship with Cerelli, and I loved seeing it grow even more. His concern for her safety without telling her what she could and could not do melts my heart every time. The quick thinking/action that Annie has to save her photos from being destroyed and being able to feel the panic going on in her internal monologue keeps me on the edge of my sea. I like the friendship she forms with Nick and how the mother daughter bond also grows throughout the series.

Thank you @authorjeanneesacken @ten16press and @getredprbooks for the gifted copy.

[Stacey (reading2escape) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Annie Hawkins series, and it was so nice to delve back into her world!

I always admire how strong and brave Annie is. The author does such a great job at showing what it would be like to be in a war-torn country, and many times, you feel like you are right there with the characters. It definitely adds a new level of tension to the story.

I especially felt for Annie in this book because of the added worry she had about her daughter, Mel, being in Kabul for her first job out of college. Luckily, she had Finn to help her work through that, as well as helping her to cope with her PTSD.

I don't want to give away any spoilers, so I will just say that I thought the ending of this book was so amazing!