Running to You

The Wright Heroes of Maine #1

by Robin Patchen

Sam never understood why Eliza left him five years ago, ghosting him without explanation. He’s avoided romance ever since, focusing on building his business. Money might not keep him warm at night, but it can sure buy a lot of blankets. Then Eliza shows up on his doorstep and throws herself into his arms. She can’t explain her bruises or the head injury that’s left her with no memories of the past five years, including their breakup. No matter how good it feels to hold her, though, there’s no way he’s getting sucked into romance again. He’ll deliver Eliza to her mother, and that will be that. But instead of finding her mom, they’re met by two attackers and barely escape alive. Despite the danger to his life and his heart, he can’t leave Eliza to fend for herself. Together, they embark on a journey to reconstruct her past while evading the men chasing her. As Sam and Eliza close in on the truth, their romance reignites, but her secret threatens to destroy them both. Prepare to be enthralled by this gripping story of amnesia, a second chance at love, and a secret baby. Running to You is an edge-of-your-seat Christian romantic suspense set in Maine that will keep you reading all night long.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Suspense, Mystery, Christian, Second Chance

586 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2023

About the author

Robin Patchen is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Christian romantic suspense. She grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, the setting of her Nutfield Saga books, and then headed to Boston to earn a journalism degree. After college, working in marketing and public relations, she discovered how much she loathed the nine-to-five ball-and-chain. After relocating to the Southwest, she started writing her first novel while she homeschooled her three children. The novel was dreadful, but her passion for storytelling didn’t wane. Thankfully, as her children grew, so did her writing ability. Now that her kids are adults, she has more time to play with the lives of fictional heroes and heroines, wreaking havoc and working magic to give her characters happy endings. When she’s not writing, she’s editing or reading, proving most of her life revolves around the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. Visit https://robinpatchen.com/subscribe to receive a free book and stay informed about Robin’s latest projects.

Reviews

[Paula (on hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

SPOILERS!!!!

- DNF. This one is so badly written that I could not find one redeemable quality to either character – especially the MMC who is a selfish & pathetic narcissist who is so unlikable that I had a hard time wondering what the heck this writer thought she was creating on page.

- Religious theme page after page where MCs prays for every damn thing & quote bible scriptures.

- Cheater MMC who flirted & kissed OW while he & FMC were in a committed relationship and deep in love. He was going to propose to FMC but he instead played tonsil hockey with OW and after FMC witnessed his cheating, she rightfully left him and he dated & slept with OW. In the present, he found God and therefore won't sleep with FMC unless they are married. However, besides the sex/hook up/dating he had with OW right after FMC left his sorry ass, he said that he also was in another relationship with yet another OW who helped him select his current house and I think decorate it. He was hoping to marry this one and raise a family but he said she was in it for his money only. Also, I should mention that when heroine returns, there is no apology or much talk about his cheating. MMC continued to blame FMC for leaving & that she didn't trust him and he was "lonely". He made a lot of excuses for himself and constantly blamed FMC for leaving him and that everything was her fault.

- 5 yr separation in which idiot FMC unknowingly joins a Cult. Pregnant with MMC’s kid, she is manipulated by Cult leader that MMC married the 1st OW after showing her pictures of them together and doesn’t tell him about the kid. He finds out about him towards the end. More on that below.

- A vile, pathetic and often psychotic MMC that spent the entire story (with a few exceptions towards the end) blaming heroine for leaving him and conveniently forgetting his part of why she left! Blowing hot & cold all throughout the story because it was okay for him to kiss, flirt, date & sleep with the OW and others but not for FMC because to him she had to remain pure in order for him to take her back.

When he learns FMC has a kid, he believes the kid is fathered by the Cult leader and after he is vile to her and says some unforgivable things, he then proceeds to gripe to himself how he cannot ever be with FMC again because he cannot accept her 5 yr old son as it isn't his. Only when he finds that he is actually his and not the OM's, is all hunky dory with him and of course he forgives FMC everything. Uhm... HE cheated. She did not. Yet HE forgives HER? For what? Lol.

So if this is anyone’s idea of a romantic fiction/drama read, then all power to ya.

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explosive start to a new series!

For the past five years, Sam has focused on his business and increasing his fortune. He thinks he is over Eliza, but then sees her briefly in Utah.

Eliza isn't certain why she's in danger due to memory loss. She just knows that she trusts Sam to help.

Some twisted characters in this suspense novel. I can' wait for Michael's story in book two.

My gratitude to authority for a complimentary copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Debbie DiFiore · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing

Just a tale of a woman gone for five years coming back with amnesia being chased after by bad guys and finding her boyfriend from five years ago. She left him because she saw him kiss another woman, who he eventually slept with, but it was nothing. He turned his life over and judged her for something she hadn't done. I really didn't like the hero and it ruined the book for me. He said there was nothing between them, and then towards the end, remembers that he slept with her. I hardly call that nothing. But he probably loved her in the end. I didn't care by that point. Just a weird tale of cults and secret babies and secrets. It really is more a two. The writing was good. Just hated the hero. Even before I knew he slept with the other woman.

[Erin Laramore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic romantic suspense by Robin Patchen! This one hit the ground running and didn't let up. It felt a bit more intense than most of her other novels, but that made it even better and more difficult to put down! This is the first book in the Wright Heroes of Maine series. There are some side characters from the last few books of the Coventry series, but if you haven't read those books you won't be lost at all. As a fan of the previous series, though, it was nice to catch up with some "old friends" and see how they were faring. This book follows Sam Wright, who gets a surprise visitor one evening when his ex-girlfriend who'd disappeared and ghosted him 5 years prior shows up, missing those 5 years from her memory and thinks they're still together. When it becomes evident that she's in danger, he won't let her face it alone, especially since she doesn't remember who might be after her or why. Between the intense suspense, the ongoing action and the 2nd chance romance with amnesia trope, this book has a lot going for it!

This book boasts great character development with good family relationships, a believable romance (due to the history the couple shared), really intense action, a solid mystery, a definite faith thread and a really cute kid. There was some fun banter, some sweetness, and some deep emotions that had my eyes misting a bit. As a warning, there is reference in this book to cults, so if that's a trigger for you, be forewarned on that front. But otherwise, this is one that I was not able to put down. If you enjoy clean romantic suspense, this is one I'd highly recommend! I look forward to reading about the rest of the Wright brothers. Special thanks to the author for an advance e-copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this suspenseful second chance at love story! I thought that the way these two reacted to each other after being apart for five years was very realistic. Especially considering what led up to the breakup. Of course, Eliza felt as if yesterday they had been dating and today they weren’t. Add in all of the confusion and danger that began chasing them and it made for quite a few overwhelming emotions for her. And for Sam, too, for that matter. Wow! He was very messed up five years earlier when Eliza simply disappeared from his life. Now she’s back and feelings of love are trying to resurface even as he is afraid of trusting Eliza again.

This story had great tension between the two main characters. The author did a good job of revealing memories and information slowly throughout the story, which kept me anxiously turning the pages to find out what would happen next. There was a great combination of danger, secrets, family, and romance in this story.

(4.5 stars)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

[Debbie Chatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this suspenseful story with themes of cults, false saviors versus the one true savior, forgiveness, new beginnings, love and trust. I couldn’t help but fall in love with Sam and Eliza and rooting for them. I sat on the edge of my seat praying for good to overcome evil. Such a vivid picture of our world today where evil seems to triumph but this story reminds us to keep going the right thing and trusting God for the outcome. This story is also a warning to make sure we are not deceived by the lure of evil. The best way to do that is to read our Bibles regularly

[Elle G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wealthy Sam Wright is about to have a life altering experience that begins with a late night knock on his front door. From there the reader is taken on a wild adventure. There’s amnesia, secrets - lots of secrets, brotherly love and redemption culminating in a shocking surprise.
It’s classic Robin. Great dialogue, great plot with enough twists and turns to keep you reading into the early hours. I can’t wait for book two.
I was given an advanced copy of the book. Opinion is my own.

[Jorgia Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been MIA for a few years, and I'm late to the Patchen Party, so I didn't realize this was a spin-off. Plus, I was feeling poorly while reading it, so I was doing a little head-scratching, wondering if I'd missed a prequel.

I'll have to go back to the other series to catch up with a few things, but I enjoyed Running to You so much that it didn't bother me too much that some of the brothers were already married, etc.

Aside from the exceptionally good writing, the characterisations were some of the best I've read in a loooong time. Sam was flawed, and intense, but also driven, and as someone who's not made the best choices in life, I liked that he wasn't squeaky clean. It made him real.

Eliza was also deeply layered, and I appreciated that she wasn't one-dimensional and struggled to make decisions and stand on her own two feet. I can probably relate to the emotional manipulation factor in her character as well! I also loved that her strength and resilience came from Christ, not any other source.

As a Kiwi/Brit, I especially appreciated references to fictional detectives I grew up watching unless
RP was referring to the American versions of Clouseau and Poirot; if so, I'll forgive her. 😊

Running to You was such a welcome surprise after a long hiatus from reading Christian Romantic Suspense, and this hit all the right notes for me. I especially appreciated the author not skimming over the heat between the two MCs. She walked right up to the line and didn't step over, so for me; heat level and kissing (because there HAS to be kissing) were bang-on.

I don't usually highlight quotes, but this one tickled my fancy, so I'm including it in my review.

“Her feelings weren't exactly well-trained soldiers, eager to do her bidding. Right now, they felt like toddlers let loose on a playground. Running, swinging, sliding. Laughing, screaming, crying. Total chaos. Completely uncontrollable.”

Maybe it's just me, but after almost five decades of living in this broken world, that's precisely how my emotions behave.

And really, isn't that why we, beautifully flawed and perfectly hopeless emotional sinners, need a Saviour?

[Beauty in the Binding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Running to You by Robin Patchen commenced The Wright Heroes of Maine series and I want to read them all! This novel gripped my attention from the beginning and was terribly difficult to put down. First, the action and mystery weaved together to create a constantly moving (and entertaining) plot. Some of my guesses at what had happened were totally off! Second, due to Sam and Eliza’s past mistakes, both characters had to develop individually and together. The characters felt real as they worked through the messiness. Third, the second-chance romance had the perfect balance of tension and attraction which led to plenty of swoony moments.

Running to You by Robin Patchen is an independently published, romantic suspense novel, but it felt professional and lacked the inferior editing present in some indie books. I’d happily read this novel again. 4.5 Stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

[Amanda H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this story starts off fast paced and doesn't let up! I can only imagine being in Eliza's place, with having no memory of the past 5 years except the feeling that you aren't totally safe. It would be hard to think that you were back in at the same place you were 5 years previous! I thought it was interesting how Sam handles her being back in his life. He had recognized that their relationship wasn't something that should pick up where they had left off, but he didn't always succeed in coming across as a changed man. I felt bad for both the characters, at times.
This is an enjoyable, fast paced story! I look forward to reading more books in the series.
I received this book from Just Read. This is my honest review.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite all references to God, I still enjoyed this.

The H came off too high handed after his actions in the cafe and interactions leading up to the cafe but the author had him sort of get that he was sort of in the wrong.

I will keep my out out for the rest of the series.

Edit to say that I didn’t read the whole blurb to know this was a Christian romance. Usually avoid.

[Myra Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting from the very first page! It's hard to resist a brooding hero like Sam Wright. When his long-lost sweetheart, Eliza, sweeps back into his life with little memory of the past five years--and no memory at all of their painful breakup--Sam is quickly enmeshed in a search for answers that brings danger at every turn. Plenty of intrigue, romance, and resulting spiritual growth kept me turning pages right through the surprising and satisfying ending!

[Lovenia Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author to me. I loved this book . Can’t wait to start the next one in this series.

[Lauren Beardslee · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intense story. A sweet ending. A little more content than I would have preferred in a couple spots for a Christian fiction.
My first title for this author and I liked it overall!

[Kay Defreese · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this series. I can't wait to get acquainted with more of the Wright brothers.

[Cindy Davis- Cindy's Book Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Running to You by Robin Patchen is the first book I have read by this author. The beginning of a series seemed like a great place to try a new author.

Running to You starts fairly mild, but before you have a sense of the story, danger has arrived on Sam's doorstep. His ex-girlfriend, Eliza, who broke his heart five years ago, is bruised and battered on his doorstep. She is suffering from amnesia, which is just one of the many problems she brings with her. Her last memories are of being with Sam.

Sam is a conundrum. He is practically married to his business and is very successful. He seems quick-tempered and hard. But at other times, he is more mild-tempered. He is not perfect and has become a Christian since the last time Eliza had seen him.

Eliza is also multi-layered. Obviously, with her amnesia, we don't know who she is now, only what Sam knew of her previously. As her memories start coming back, she becomes a very sympathetic character. You feel the anger that Sam feels at what Eliza has been through.

I enjoy reading amnesia stories. It is always interesting to see what triggers the memories and how they come flooding back. I found the story captivating and hard to put down. I wanted to know everything Eliza had gone through and if she and Sam should give their relationship another try. The story is full of twists and turns to keep you guessing and turning the page.

I will be looking for other books by this author. Thank you to JustReads and the author for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Beverly Dibble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a great suspenseful book. I love well-done books involving amnesia and second chances, and this one delivers very well! The author wove an excellent tale with lots of twists and turns while Sam and Eliza tried to figure out what was happening in Eliza’s life. Sam struggled with several things off and on throughout the book, but he had never gotten over his love for Eliza, and ultimately that was what mattered. Sam’s family, and others that we saw in previous books, were involved in taking care of Eliza and getting to the bottom of her situation, so it was good to renew acquaintances with some of them. Sam and Eliza had to learn to trust each other and to communicate their fears and feelings, as they both had insecurities concerning their previous relationship. I truly enjoyed this story!

[Laura Goodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a unique story. Sam and Eliza face their past and lots of struggles and plenty of danger with their deep faith. I couldn't put it down. A must read.

[June Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A riveting story of suspense filled with depth, action, and faith . . .

Author Robin Patchen has created an extraordinary plot that will lead readers on a rich journey through an intricate mystery.

The main characters, Sam Wright and Eliza Pelletier, have not seen or talked to each other in five years when she unexpectedly arrives on his doorstep battered and incoherent. Sam's brother, Daniel—a medical doctor—soon discovers that Eliza has amnesia. She's basically lost five years of her life.

Both of the main characters are new Christians. I found the faith thread in this book to be realistic, sincere, and grounded in scripture. I respected both characters for the changes they were striving to make in their lives, and I enjoyed reading about their personal growth since they began their walks with God.

A highlight of the book for me was how the author deftly peels back layer after layer of the plot only doling out information to readers when she is good and ready. I love stories with that trait!

The last quarter of the book is extremely tense, and it closes with a rewarding ending. Readers of this genre will be thrilled at all of the twists and turns the author has included in her plot.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through JustRead Publicity Tours. All of my thoughts and opinions shared here are solely my own.

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[Kelly Bridgewater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Running to You by Robin Patchen introduces a new family saga in Maine. From the first chapter, Patchen throws the readers for a loop as the heroine comes to the house and hugs Sam. She has been out of his life for five years. Their relationship did not end well, so of course, this is a huge surprise to him. With amnesia affecting the main heroine, this makes it really hard for her to remember anything that has happened in the past five years. Of course, as the story progresses, the heroine starts to get her memory back, and she remembers the mission that she was on earlier. This explains what she was trying to do and the people she was trying to help. The romance is a little jaded since Sam and her did not end on a good note. They have to understand what happened five years ago, and how to learn to either trust each other or move on with their lives. Patchen does a good job at diving into their personal struggles, giving depth to each character. The plot will keep readers guessing as they flip through the pages of the book. Plenty of action and tension. Overall, Running to You by Robin Patchen will keep readers invested into the plot, wanting more.

I received a complimentary copy of Running to You by Robin Patchen through JustRead Tours, but the opinions stated are all my own.

[Dana Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book and i enjoyed the story. However, i had a little difficulty with the AI generates voice. But overall, I thought it was a really good suspense. I think i would habe enjoyed it more if I had read it.

[Kristi]

The 428 page count should have been a clue.

[Abby Trask · Rating 3 out of 5]

So ya. I hated these characters. ONE conversation!ONE!! All of this could have been a lot less crazy. At some point many points. Their miscommunication made me want to kill somebody. At least the ending wrapped it all up nicely. The only good thing was the grandmother and Levi(Loved him!!)

[Vicki Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story

You will love this book. Great story line-Robin's character development makes you feel like you know them. Suspense, family dynamics, self-esteem issues,romance, it's all here. You won't be able to put it down. I love the way she weaves scripture and God's unconditional love throughout the story. I need to be reminded of this often. Thank you Robin Patchen for a great story!!

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Running to You by Robin Patchen is the first in The Wright Heroes of Maine series. This story is so well written with strong characters. Sam and Eliza were in a serious relationship five years earlier when she left him with no explanation. Now she is back at his door, hurt with no memory and running for her life. This story is so good, I didn’t want to put it down. I especially liked the mystery behind what happened to Eliza and where she has been all this time. The suspense is so strong with all the action and the fear of who is after them and why. I especially enjoyed Sam’s character, when he could easily have sent her away, he took Eliza into his home and cared for her and helped to find the truth of what was happening and why. This is a great new series and I can’t wait to read the books that follow.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

[Heather Pickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Running to You is my first Robin Patchen novel, but it won’t be my last! It’s also the first in her new series The Wright Heroes of Maine, and I will definitely be reading the rest.
This book hits the ground running when Sam Wright opens his door to the woman who left him - and everyone - five years prior.
Eliza Pelletier is so thankful she found Sam. But she’s disheveled and hurt. Yet she can’t remember why. In fact, she has no clue that 5 years went by. Where has she been? What has she been doing? Why is someone out to kill her?
Eliza is the only woman Sam ever truly loved, and one day she was just…gone. Now she needs his help to protect her, and hopefully help her recover her memories. But Sam has built a thick wall around his heart in these last years. With the Lord’s help, can Eliza be the one that knocks it down?
What a wonderful introduction for me to this author. I loved this book and can’t wait to read more!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but my opinion is entirely my own.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fast-paced action-packed Romantic Suspense that kept me engaged from cover to cover.
I had listened to the audiobook edition of Rescuing You (book 2 in this series). I enjoyed it so much that I decided I needed to read book one. Now I think I should read book two to refresh my memory before book three is released.

[Allyson Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great suspenseful second chance at love story. Sam Wright gets an unexpected visit from his ex girlfriend Eliza who had ghosted him 5 years ago. Eliza, who has amnesia, cannot recall anything that had happened in the past 5 years and believes that she and Sam are together. It becomes apparent that Eliza is in danger as men are trying to capture her, and bit by bit her memories are returning as Sam helps her piece what happened over the last 5 years.
Sam and Eliza also have to deal with the past mistakes they made and learn about forgiveness. Sam's brothers and a few of the characters from Coventry Saga came to help Sam and Eliza.
Running to You is action-packed and fast paced with emotional and tense moments, secrets, and twists and turns and will leave you turning the pages until you get to the end.

[Ellen White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy the authors book, the surprise at the beginning that keeps you reading to the end.
It was late at night, a bang on the door, an a woman rushed in and arms curled arm Sam, thank goodness I found you, surprising him. Eliza a mystery of disappearing five years ago and no answers, the threats are real. The protective side of Sam, and maybe a love rekindled for them as we read.
Well written plot and good characters in this new series by the author that I enjoyed.
Given arc for my voluntary review Releases Oct 17

[Terry Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam Wright is a very successful businessman who doesn't have any thing else in his life except business, since his soulmate ran off five years ago. One night there comes a knock at his front door and she walks in, dirty, smelly and she thinks they are still as deeply in love as the were in 2017. This is a many layered story. Where has Eliza been? Who has she been with? And she's been hurt, badly, who did this and although she can't remember who they are she knows they are still after her! This is Robin Patchen at her finest. She keeps you on the edge of seat at all times.