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Guardian #1
Failsafe
In the wide-open landscape of Pennsylvania, Charlotte Martin and her father live a peaceful life on their farm. . . or so it seems. In truth, the rural locale provides the perfect front for the father-daughter NSA operatives as they expertly carry out their mission: using a high-tech computer system, they protect a team of undercover agents. Some would kill to have access to this system, and it makes Charlotte and her father prime targets. It was only a matter of time before this nightmare unexpectedly crashed down on them, and only Charlotte escaped with her life. Before Dwight Martin died, though, he initiated the failsafe lockdown, and now Charlotte's the only one who can access the system.
Writer Jake Bradford left the serene Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia for the hustle and bustle New York to pursue his dreams and never looked back. Until now. Entrusted with his ailing grandmother's care, Jake knows he needs help and he can't believe his luck when a lovely young woman providentially appears on his doorstep. Charlotte creates a new persona for herself and quickly develops a bond with Jake's grandmother. But it's the connection she feels with Jake that makes it almost too easy to lose sight of her reality: she is being hunted by men who will stop at nothing to access the intelligence she protects. With time running out, can the couple find a future together, or will Charlotte's secrets tear them apart?
Writer Jake Bradford left the serene Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia for the hustle and bustle New York to pursue his dreams and never looked back. Until now. Entrusted with his ailing grandmother's care, Jake knows he needs help and he can't believe his luck when a lovely young woman providentially appears on his doorstep. Charlotte creates a new persona for herself and quickly develops a bond with Jake's grandmother. But it's the connection she feels with Jake that makes it almost too easy to lose sight of her reality: she is being hunted by men who will stop at nothing to access the intelligence she protects. With time running out, can the couple find a future together, or will Charlotte's secrets tear them apart?
302 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2015
74 people are currently reading
1012 people want to read
About the author
Traci Hunter Abramson
66 books1,942 followersTraci Hunter Abramson was born in Arizona, where she lived until moving to Venezuela for a study-abroad program. After graduating from Brigham Young University, she worked for the Central Intelligence Agency for several years, eventually resigning in order to raise her family. She credits the CIA with giving her a wealth of ideas as well as the skills needed to survive her children's teenage years. She is a eight-time Whitney Award winner and has written more than forty bestselling novels. For more information about Traci, click here: https://linktr.ee/traciabramson
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
April 16, 2015
This story immediately pulled me in. Charlotte is on the run and I had no idea how she was going to escape. Her father was killed and the killers are now after her. Let me just say, I was totally on the edge of my seat.
It's to be expected that someone with that level of training would be a pro at these intense situations, but Charlotte is real. She struggles with knowing who to trust and how much information to give out, yet she is naturally kind and caring--her training can't change who she really is. I would be a mess with all the suspense and unknowns, but Charlotte found a way to reach out and ease the lives of those around her. The way she interacted with and helped Jake's grandma is very sweet.
Charlotte ends up on Jake Bradford's doorstep, in desperate need of safety. Jake has problems of his own and has suffered a sudden loss in his life as well. With that in common, the two of them build a strong connection and had a chemistry that stemmed from awkward interactions. These two were great characters!
I loved the way the story went back and forth between Charlotte and Jake and the killers because it really upped the intensity of the situation. I loved the climax and ending--they both fit the storyline and characters really well. Nothing is over the top and it's really well done.
Content: mild romance (kissing); mild violence (deaths, kidnappings, crime violence--nothing graphic); no language or religious elements. Clean for a reader who can handle intense situations.
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*
It's to be expected that someone with that level of training would be a pro at these intense situations, but Charlotte is real. She struggles with knowing who to trust and how much information to give out, yet she is naturally kind and caring--her training can't change who she really is. I would be a mess with all the suspense and unknowns, but Charlotte found a way to reach out and ease the lives of those around her. The way she interacted with and helped Jake's grandma is very sweet.
Charlotte ends up on Jake Bradford's doorstep, in desperate need of safety. Jake has problems of his own and has suffered a sudden loss in his life as well. With that in common, the two of them build a strong connection and had a chemistry that stemmed from awkward interactions. These two were great characters!
I loved the way the story went back and forth between Charlotte and Jake and the killers because it really upped the intensity of the situation. I loved the climax and ending--they both fit the storyline and characters really well. Nothing is over the top and it's really well done.
Content: mild romance (kissing); mild violence (deaths, kidnappings, crime violence--nothing graphic); no language or religious elements. Clean for a reader who can handle intense situations.
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*
November 6, 2020
I finally got to listen to the audiobook of this story using Deseret Bookshelf and man, I didn't want to stop listening to it. The action starts within the first two chapters and once Charlotte's dad is killed and she's running for her life, I was hooked. Charlotte has unbelievable skills at staying under the radar, but how is she going to manage it until she means up with her contact in six weeks?!
Jake is only back in Virginia to take care of his grandmother since the death of his parents. His original plan was to get back to New York after getting his grandmother settled, but he soon realizes she needs more help than he thought.
Charlotte Martin is super smart and great at keeping away from the guys that are after her. Once she meets Jake and starts helping him with his elderly grandmother, it's easier for her to stay off the radar until she can meet up with her contact.
I liked Jake and Charlotte. I especially liked Charlotte with Jake’s grandma, she was so sweet, kind and understanding with the elderly woman. I liked that we got some chapters about Charlotte, some about Jake and some about the bad guys; I liked knowing what was going on with them. I liked the pacing of the book. It wasn’t all action all the time, and the slower parts of the book didn’t last too long.
I think I’m really going to enjoy this new series from one of my favorite mystery/suspense authors.
Jake is only back in Virginia to take care of his grandmother since the death of his parents. His original plan was to get back to New York after getting his grandmother settled, but he soon realizes she needs more help than he thought.
Charlotte Martin is super smart and great at keeping away from the guys that are after her. Once she meets Jake and starts helping him with his elderly grandmother, it's easier for her to stay off the radar until she can meet up with her contact.
I liked Jake and Charlotte. I especially liked Charlotte with Jake’s grandma, she was so sweet, kind and understanding with the elderly woman. I liked that we got some chapters about Charlotte, some about Jake and some about the bad guys; I liked knowing what was going on with them. I liked the pacing of the book. It wasn’t all action all the time, and the slower parts of the book didn’t last too long.
I think I’m really going to enjoy this new series from one of my favorite mystery/suspense authors.
March 17, 2019
Another gripping, fast paced suspense. Abramson's books are like salted peanuts. One is never enough.
April 18, 2015
The action starts right away in this book! We barely meet Charlotte Martin and then she is running for her life. We quickly learn that she's smart and creative and needs to stay sharp and trust her instincts.
Jake Bradford is a writer who has returned home because his parents recently died. He finds out that he needs to take care of his grandmother and isn't sure what to do. Charlotte enters his life and it turns out that his farm is just the place she needs to lay low until she can meet up with the people who can help her figure out what's going on.
Jake and Charlotte are both likable. Charlotte was so cute with his grandmother, as she would allow her to "teach" her how to cook and she truly enjoyed spending time with her. They also have a lot in common with their family situations. Their relationship has the potential to change both of their lives but she can't be completely honest with him so there are some trust issues to overcome.
I loved the fast pace and had a hard time putting this one down. I liked that it would slow down a little at times so I could catch my breath before it picked up again. I love Traci Hunter Abramson's books and this one didn't disappoint. If you enjoy clean romantic suspense, this is a great choice!
I received a copy of this book to review. My opinion is 100% my own.
Mel's Shelves
Jake Bradford is a writer who has returned home because his parents recently died. He finds out that he needs to take care of his grandmother and isn't sure what to do. Charlotte enters his life and it turns out that his farm is just the place she needs to lay low until she can meet up with the people who can help her figure out what's going on.
Jake and Charlotte are both likable. Charlotte was so cute with his grandmother, as she would allow her to "teach" her how to cook and she truly enjoyed spending time with her. They also have a lot in common with their family situations. Their relationship has the potential to change both of their lives but she can't be completely honest with him so there are some trust issues to overcome.
I loved the fast pace and had a hard time putting this one down. I liked that it would slow down a little at times so I could catch my breath before it picked up again. I love Traci Hunter Abramson's books and this one didn't disappoint. If you enjoy clean romantic suspense, this is a great choice!
I received a copy of this book to review. My opinion is 100% my own.
Mel's Shelves
April 13, 2015
This was a book I was so happy to get my hands on. I love clean, romantic suspense books and Traci Abramson is one of my favorite authors in this category.
This book was so easy to get caught up in. I was invested from the very beginning and did not want to put this book down. I almost feel bad when I read through a book so fast. What took an author countless hours of time to write, I polish off in a few. I really hope they take that as a compliment though because it is.
I liked Charlotte and I liked Jake. Separately and together. What I liked most about Charlotte was that even though her world was falling apart, she still extended kindness and gentleness to others. She wasn't lashing out to hurt others because she hurt.
The suspense was good- perfect for me because I'm somewhat of a chicken. This suspense was engaging without scaring me silly. :) What a fun book, well written and engaging. Oh, and clean! Yay!
My thanks to Covenant for allowing me to read and review this title for them.
This book was so easy to get caught up in. I was invested from the very beginning and did not want to put this book down. I almost feel bad when I read through a book so fast. What took an author countless hours of time to write, I polish off in a few. I really hope they take that as a compliment though because it is.
I liked Charlotte and I liked Jake. Separately and together. What I liked most about Charlotte was that even though her world was falling apart, she still extended kindness and gentleness to others. She wasn't lashing out to hurt others because she hurt.
The suspense was good- perfect for me because I'm somewhat of a chicken. This suspense was engaging without scaring me silly. :) What a fun book, well written and engaging. Oh, and clean! Yay!
My thanks to Covenant for allowing me to read and review this title for them.
April 15, 2015
From the first page this book drew me in and kept me turning the pages to find out how it ends.
Charlotte and Jake have both recently suffered loss. For both it was sudden and unexpected. Both have emotional scars and feel some responsibility for circumstances beyond their control. This is a common bond that draws them together.
Charlotte has deep secrets that she can't reveal to Jake. She is on the run from a security breach that led to the murder of her father and his assistant. I was amazed at how resourceful she is. It was part of her legacy and training from childhood.
This book is full of suspense. There are alternating points of view that show how determined the good and the bad guys are to find her. She is the key for both parties in hiding/opening a top secret computer program. I kept reading to find out who would find her first!
This book is a clean suspense novel. There is some violence due to the nature of the story. It wasn't descriptive. Excellent book!
Charlotte and Jake have both recently suffered loss. For both it was sudden and unexpected. Both have emotional scars and feel some responsibility for circumstances beyond their control. This is a common bond that draws them together.
Charlotte has deep secrets that she can't reveal to Jake. She is on the run from a security breach that led to the murder of her father and his assistant. I was amazed at how resourceful she is. It was part of her legacy and training from childhood.
This book is full of suspense. There are alternating points of view that show how determined the good and the bad guys are to find her. She is the key for both parties in hiding/opening a top secret computer program. I kept reading to find out who would find her first!
This book is a clean suspense novel. There is some violence due to the nature of the story. It wasn't descriptive. Excellent book!
June 26, 2015
This book provided mild entertainment, but didn't stand out to me. There wasn't nearly as much action/adventure/intrigue as I would have hoped for from a spy novel. I didn't realize when I picked it up that the focus would be so much on the romance aspect. Still, the romance was understated and tasteful. Nothing especially irritating about the book, but nothing especially compelling either. A prototypical 3 star rating.
December 19, 2021
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
In the wide-open landscape of Pennsylvania, Charlotte Martin and her father live a peaceful life on their farm. . . or so it seems. In truth, the rural locale provides the perfect front for the father-daughter NSA operatives as they expertly carry out their mission: using a high-tech computer system, they protect a team of undercover agents. Some would kill to have access to this system, and it makes Charlotte and her father prime targets. It was only a matter of time before this nightmare unexpectedly crashed down on them, and only Charlotte escaped with her life. Before Dwight Martin died, though, he initiated the failsafe lockdown, and now Charlotte's the only one who can access the system.
Writer Jake Bradford left the serene Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia for the hustle and bustle New York to pursue his dreams and never looked back. Until now. Entrusted with his ailing grandmother's care, Jake knows he needs help and he can't believe his luck when a lovely young woman providentially appears on his doorstep. Charlotte creates a new persona for herself and quickly develops a bond with Jake's grandmother. But it's the connection she feels with Jake that makes it almost too easy to lose sight of her reality: she is being hunted by men who will stop at nothing to access the intelligence she protects. With time running out, can the couple find a future together, or will Charlotte's secrets tear them apart?
MY TAKE
I've been a huge fan of Abramson since the first book of hers I read. I liked it so much I read it aloud to my husband. My schedule has been so busy that it's been difficult to "read" books, and I've turned to audiobooks to get in my reading fix. I cannot tell you how thrilled I was to find TWO of her titles now available on Audible. I snapped this one up.
I loved it! Abramson does a great job with not only the thriller/suspense aspects of her stories but also the crafting of her characters. I care about them so much. And this book was exceptional in this. I loved that the love interest was a writer too.
I'm not going to spoil what happens, but there's one tense scene that had me sitting on the edge of my seat all while smiling at the location of the face out. Brilliant!
In the wide-open landscape of Pennsylvania, Charlotte Martin and her father live a peaceful life on their farm. . . or so it seems. In truth, the rural locale provides the perfect front for the father-daughter NSA operatives as they expertly carry out their mission: using a high-tech computer system, they protect a team of undercover agents. Some would kill to have access to this system, and it makes Charlotte and her father prime targets. It was only a matter of time before this nightmare unexpectedly crashed down on them, and only Charlotte escaped with her life. Before Dwight Martin died, though, he initiated the failsafe lockdown, and now Charlotte's the only one who can access the system.
Writer Jake Bradford left the serene Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia for the hustle and bustle New York to pursue his dreams and never looked back. Until now. Entrusted with his ailing grandmother's care, Jake knows he needs help and he can't believe his luck when a lovely young woman providentially appears on his doorstep. Charlotte creates a new persona for herself and quickly develops a bond with Jake's grandmother. But it's the connection she feels with Jake that makes it almost too easy to lose sight of her reality: she is being hunted by men who will stop at nothing to access the intelligence she protects. With time running out, can the couple find a future together, or will Charlotte's secrets tear them apart?
MY TAKE
I've been a huge fan of Abramson since the first book of hers I read. I liked it so much I read it aloud to my husband. My schedule has been so busy that it's been difficult to "read" books, and I've turned to audiobooks to get in my reading fix. I cannot tell you how thrilled I was to find TWO of her titles now available on Audible. I snapped this one up.
I loved it! Abramson does a great job with not only the thriller/suspense aspects of her stories but also the crafting of her characters. I care about them so much. And this book was exceptional in this. I loved that the love interest was a writer too.
I'm not going to spoil what happens, but there's one tense scene that had me sitting on the edge of my seat all while smiling at the location of the face out. Brilliant!
April 17, 2015
I LOVED this book! I loved Charlotte, she's a really great character. She's taking a break from working with her dad and his assistant one morning when she hears gunshots. Considering that she and her dad work for the NSA, gunshots are not a good thing. When she glances out the window her eyes lock with a man with hard eyes and he starts coming after her. She quickly gets out, gets rid of anything trackable that she has with her and works to get herself off the grid. She knows that she's the only one who will be able to start the program that she and her dad work with back up and that she must stay safe until she can meet up with the NSA again.
Jake is a well-known author whose parents have just died. Leaving him in charge of the farm that has been in their family for generations and his grandmother who is going senile. He's not sure how he's going to juggle everything. And then he meets Charlotte. She's going by the name Hannah now, and accepts Jake's offer of a job to be his grandmother's companion and keep her from burning down her home.
I loved the chemistry that Jake and Charlotte have from the beginning. I love that Charlotte is able to step in to care for Jake's grandmother with as much love and compassion as though she was her own grandmother. I love the level of action and suspense in this one. There isn't a dull moment, Charlotte is constantly having to watch her back to avoid getting caught by the killers. I loved that it felt as though Charlotte and Jake are real people that do live in the middle of nowhere in Virginia. The plot is awesome, the ending was great too. I loved the characters so much that now I just want to know what happened to them! Maybe if I'm lucky that answer will be in another one of Traci Hunter Abramson's books soon.
Jake is a well-known author whose parents have just died. Leaving him in charge of the farm that has been in their family for generations and his grandmother who is going senile. He's not sure how he's going to juggle everything. And then he meets Charlotte. She's going by the name Hannah now, and accepts Jake's offer of a job to be his grandmother's companion and keep her from burning down her home.
I loved the chemistry that Jake and Charlotte have from the beginning. I love that Charlotte is able to step in to care for Jake's grandmother with as much love and compassion as though she was her own grandmother. I love the level of action and suspense in this one. There isn't a dull moment, Charlotte is constantly having to watch her back to avoid getting caught by the killers. I loved that it felt as though Charlotte and Jake are real people that do live in the middle of nowhere in Virginia. The plot is awesome, the ending was great too. I loved the characters so much that now I just want to know what happened to them! Maybe if I'm lucky that answer will be in another one of Traci Hunter Abramson's books soon.
September 16, 2016
2015 Whitney finalist in the Mystery/Suspense category. Will rate after the gala.
August 8, 2022
FAILSAFE
Failsafe is set in the setting of a small farm town in Virginia. The story highlights the adventures and life of a NSA operative name Charlotte aka “Hannah.” After having been forced to go “on the run” because of the untimely death of her father; Hannah exhausts her spy training to arrive on a farm that she later discovers to be David Bradfords farm.
Un-known to Charlotte, David is a Top Selling author of one of her favorite books. He lives much of his life in the creation of the characters of his book. He finds himself in a situation where he is responsible for his grandmother, who is suffering with the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s, after he receives the devastating news that his parents have been killed in an automobile accident. David is also left with the family farm that he had tried so hard to run from, much to his sister’s distress. His sister was not to be left out; she was left the life insurance policies from their parents. David is left with the responsibilities and feels the burden of this on his shoulders.
While on a horseback to clear his mind he comes across Charlotte. She is soaked, from having been caught in a rainstorm after having lost what little shelter she had created earlier in the day. David takes her in and provides shelter and a warm bed for her. Charlotte very quickly grows an attachment to his grandmother, who is the one that insisted upon helping her find comfort at the ranch her first night. From the observance of this relationship and the ease that it caused on David, he offered Charlotte a full time job taking care of his grandmother. By doing this, it allowed for him to continue his work on his next book.
Unfortunately, her “hunters” catch up with her after David innocently searches her “pen name” in vital records. Charlotte will have to decide if she is going to trust the man she is falling in love with, and at the same time figure out a way to keep those that she loves safe.
Failsafe is set in the setting of a small farm town in Virginia. The story highlights the adventures and life of a NSA operative name Charlotte aka “Hannah.” After having been forced to go “on the run” because of the untimely death of her father; Hannah exhausts her spy training to arrive on a farm that she later discovers to be David Bradfords farm.
Un-known to Charlotte, David is a Top Selling author of one of her favorite books. He lives much of his life in the creation of the characters of his book. He finds himself in a situation where he is responsible for his grandmother, who is suffering with the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s, after he receives the devastating news that his parents have been killed in an automobile accident. David is also left with the family farm that he had tried so hard to run from, much to his sister’s distress. His sister was not to be left out; she was left the life insurance policies from their parents. David is left with the responsibilities and feels the burden of this on his shoulders.
While on a horseback to clear his mind he comes across Charlotte. She is soaked, from having been caught in a rainstorm after having lost what little shelter she had created earlier in the day. David takes her in and provides shelter and a warm bed for her. Charlotte very quickly grows an attachment to his grandmother, who is the one that insisted upon helping her find comfort at the ranch her first night. From the observance of this relationship and the ease that it caused on David, he offered Charlotte a full time job taking care of his grandmother. By doing this, it allowed for him to continue his work on his next book.
Unfortunately, her “hunters” catch up with her after David innocently searches her “pen name” in vital records. Charlotte will have to decide if she is going to trust the man she is falling in love with, and at the same time figure out a way to keep those that she loves safe.
October 17, 2017
Excellent!! I've never read any books by Abramson although I've heard a lot about her. Sometimes hearing a lot sets me up for disappointment. This book, though, did not disappoint. Right from the first five pages I was hooked. The action started and carried the first portion of the book. The middle slowed down, but still maintained a good pace without dragging. It let the characters and the romance develop. The ending picked up the pace again. I was pleased that even with a heightened pace, the ending did not jump from one fantastic fight and chase scene to another. There was only one at the end. The setting for the ending climax did seem a bit far-fetched, and would have certainly been had it been on film. But, the way it was written didn't leave it feeling too far-fetched. Overall, I'm eager to read more of hers!
May 6, 2025
4.5 stars
I didn't realize this is the first book of a long series when I chose to read it. It is a very interesting premise and I would like to find out what happens, but I feel like this book is enough. It had a satisfying ending for me. We'll see if I keep going with the series or not. The love story was just the right amount: not too cheesy or forced. It was a little predictable, but still got my heart racing at times.
I didn't realize this is the first book of a long series when I chose to read it. It is a very interesting premise and I would like to find out what happens, but I feel like this book is enough. It had a satisfying ending for me. We'll see if I keep going with the series or not. The love story was just the right amount: not too cheesy or forced. It was a little predictable, but still got my heart racing at times.
May 21, 2020
Well, I raced through this one! Have been wanting to start the Guardian series for a while now, and the upcoming release of book 4 was enough of a trigger to do it.
A good even mix of suspense and danger with a sweet romance thrown in the mix. This story had all the elements you want. Literally couldn’t put it down!
A good even mix of suspense and danger with a sweet romance thrown in the mix. This story had all the elements you want. Literally couldn’t put it down!
April 3, 2024
This had me on the edge of my seat. The book started off with a bang and never really let up. I liked the patience the main character had with an older woman with memory problems. There are a couple elements that might not be realistic but they were easy to look past. Looking forward to reading more in this series.
September 20, 2025
read it in one sitting... 8+ hours 😆
I've read it before, but out of order.
I'm going to enjoy reading the series again n order, without missing some of them.
I've read it before, but out of order.
I'm going to enjoy reading the series again n order, without missing some of them.
November 14, 2025
Loved the story line and how the author was able to keep my attention, and keep the action going! Loving these books!
August 2, 2024
This was a fun adventure spy read! It was clean, had some romance, but nothing too to much over the top. I plan on reading more of them.
March 16, 2018
Enjoyed it as far as this genre goes. It's one of my favorite downtime genres right now. (clean romantic suspense)
June 17, 2015
I loved this one! Both of the main characters, Jake and Charlotte/Hannah are very likable! They are the couple that you are rooting for, and cheering them on to realize how perfect they are for each other!
There are a lot of secrets Charlotte can't tell Jake; she can't even use her real name when she meets him. Charlotte helps administrate and support a top-secret program for the governmentt, and there are men who will kill for access to the database... And they have killed Charlottes father. Charlotte was able to escape and now they are after her. Thankfully they underestimated her resourcefulness and she is able to hide out on Jake's farm where she is helping him take care of his sweet grandma.
Jake is surprised when his parents' will is read and he has been left the farm and the sole care of his grandmother. He is having a hard time managing his full-time writing with helping on the farm with trying to keep his grandma safe from her own forgetfulness. So when Hannah (Charlotte's alias name) shows up and has an instant rapport with his grandma it seems she is an answer to prayer.
Charlotte is keeping secrets from Jake... Not because she wants to, but because she is obligated to keep the secrets that only a handful of people know. Charlotte is also discovering secrets about herself that she didn't know. But all these secrets will ultimately put her and Jake in danger, and they will both have some big decisions to make! Like I said earlier, I found myself really cheering them on and encouraging them!
Traci Hunter Abramson is a master at weaving together the right amount of action and suspense with the right amount of clean romance!
Content: clean
Source: borrowed book
There are a lot of secrets Charlotte can't tell Jake; she can't even use her real name when she meets him. Charlotte helps administrate and support a top-secret program for the governmentt, and there are men who will kill for access to the database... And they have killed Charlottes father. Charlotte was able to escape and now they are after her. Thankfully they underestimated her resourcefulness and she is able to hide out on Jake's farm where she is helping him take care of his sweet grandma.
Jake is surprised when his parents' will is read and he has been left the farm and the sole care of his grandmother. He is having a hard time managing his full-time writing with helping on the farm with trying to keep his grandma safe from her own forgetfulness. So when Hannah (Charlotte's alias name) shows up and has an instant rapport with his grandma it seems she is an answer to prayer.
Charlotte is keeping secrets from Jake... Not because she wants to, but because she is obligated to keep the secrets that only a handful of people know. Charlotte is also discovering secrets about herself that she didn't know. But all these secrets will ultimately put her and Jake in danger, and they will both have some big decisions to make! Like I said earlier, I found myself really cheering them on and encouraging them!
Traci Hunter Abramson is a master at weaving together the right amount of action and suspense with the right amount of clean romance!
Content: clean
Source: borrowed book
June 29, 2016
This starts off quickly and Charlotte is on the run. I really enjoyed the suspense, and wondering who to trust. I like the multiple perspectives. Charlotte is smart, humble, and kind. I love her interactions with elderly people, including how she gets along with Jake's grandma. The details of the CIA, NSA, and tracking people electronically are fantastic. The ending comes together well.
April 23, 2015
This was a good romantic-suspense. It had the CSA and NSA involved and a strong heroine spy undercover and a great hero there to help out. Fun times.
February 17, 2016
Enjoyed the book. Interesting story. Clean, no offensive language, no gory violence. Some parts were a bit predictable and some of the spy/ tech stuff seemed a bit weak. Overall, enjoyable.
March 1, 2019
I am CIA, too. Teaching is my cover story.
March 22, 2017
I read the book Failsafe by Traci Hunter Abramson. This book is about Charlotte Martin who works on a farm in the Virginia country. But she works for her dad, the NSA, and the CIA trying to protect agents out in the field and their identities. Besides the stress in trying to protect these agents, and making sure nothing goes wrong with the computer system, she lives a pretty peaceful life. Until the day someone showed up unexpectedly and shot her Dad and co-worker. They got shot trying to protect her and the agents from being discovered, so they put the system on Failsafe. And she is the only one who knows how to access it and unlock the system. So she ran away from the life she knew. The only other person that she can trust is Ace, and he codes a message in the newspaper that says she can meet him in 6 weeks. Meanwhile on in Jake Bradford's life everything is going wrong. His parents just died in a car accident coming to see him in New York, and his sister blames him for the accident. Then he gets the news that he inherited their family farm, and he has to take care of his Grandmother. He's troubled because he wants to go back to New York but can't find anyone to manage both the farm and his writing career. Then Charlotte conveniently falls right onto his farm. Charlotte was running away from the people who killed her father and are also coming after her too. She bought a horse and was riding along the country when there was a rainstorm and she hid on a farm not knowing where she was at and with no fake identity or that much money left, when Jake came riding up on a horse and offered to have her stay at his house until the storm passed. While she stayed there ,she was under a false identity: Hannah Thompson and she continually started to grow closer to his grandmother when he asked her if she would watch her permanently for him while her would write. Jake and Charlotte started to fall in love without even knowing they would go horseback riding, watch movies, and take care of his Grandma together. But the 6 weeks were coming to and end and she had to go meet with Ace to open up the computer system and save the agents that were in danger she didn't know if she had to start a new life or for now would be safe with Jake on his rural farm. Jake was devastated that she had to go but eventually he let her go and she met with Ace. Ace said that he would let her stay on the farm but would have to take a computer with her so she could find the people that killed her father and wanted to have the system. But one day the people that killed her father came and kidnapped her and Jake so she could unlock the Failsafe. She refused to open the system, and she knew that when she did, she and Jake would be killed. She fought with her attackers and Ace came to the rescue and shot her attackers. Charlotte returns to the farm with a choice either help out the guardian program, go into hiding with a new identity, or live on the farm with Jake. She decides to stay on the farm when Jake proposes. Then Jake suggests that she take the guardian program to the farm and she can work on it whenever she wants. The theme of the book would be that no matter what goes wrong in your life there will always be another good thing along the way of life, even if you don't think that there is. Like the famous quote "When one door closes, another one opens." I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery, adventure, romance, suspense, or any spy type book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2021
Actual rating: 2.5 stars.
I was so excited to read the first book in this series after a weird mishap in my early days on NetGalley. I had found a book that looked interesting and requested it (and got approved for it) only to find out that it was the third book in a companion series. I read and enjoyed that one and I’ve been wanting to go back and check out the first book since then. Now I finally have and I had a pretty good time doing so. Traci Hunter Abramson is someone who used to work in the Intelligence community in the U.S. before she eventually left and became an author. It seems like all of her books have to do with some sort of government agent and a romance. In this one, I felt like there were aspects of this that fell flat for me. Including the romance.
Some things that I’ve noticed I really enjoy from this author are the suspense side of the novel (all the secret squirrel shit is right up my alley) and the settings of the stories. In this one, we’re following a woman who does the IT stuff to help protect agents in the field, but in order to disguise her real job she also works on a farm with her dad. One day her father is killed by someone wanting to close down the program she works with so she is on the run. She ends up finding safety on a farm hundreds of miles away from her own and in the arms of the farm’s owner Jake. In the first half you mostly get her on the run and settling into farm life again while waiting to hear back from her contact about what to do next. That’s all super fun and we get to see a lot of great farm scenes and cozy farm house stuff. I ate that up. And then the back half of the novel is when we really get into the secret squirrel stuff that I love even more.
However, I struggled a lot with this romance. Due to some weird circumstances, our main female character meets our main male character while hiding out from a thunderstorm with her horse on his property. That was all fine. But she was dressed in period attire and they spend the rest of the novel with this weird thing in their relationship where she’s taking care of his grandmother and operating the household and keeping it clean and cooking for him. I’m just thinking...where did the badass 20 something who was working for the NSA go? Once she meets Jake she just completely loses her badassness and her personality. So their romance was hard for me to appreciate. I DID enjoy it more once all of the action stuff happened and her secrets came to light. Especially when she is toying with the idea of letting the job go and just living on the farm with Jake and he realizes how much she really enjoys the work. He ends up being the one suggesting she does it from his farm and we get a nice shiny happily ever after. I just wish they weren’t stuck in such weird gender norms for a huge chunk of the novel.
I don’t know. I kind of struggle with this one. It’s easy and quick to read (especially the action scenes) and I love to read all of the secret agent/secret squirrel stuff. But I cannot get behind the romance.
I was so excited to read the first book in this series after a weird mishap in my early days on NetGalley. I had found a book that looked interesting and requested it (and got approved for it) only to find out that it was the third book in a companion series. I read and enjoyed that one and I’ve been wanting to go back and check out the first book since then. Now I finally have and I had a pretty good time doing so. Traci Hunter Abramson is someone who used to work in the Intelligence community in the U.S. before she eventually left and became an author. It seems like all of her books have to do with some sort of government agent and a romance. In this one, I felt like there were aspects of this that fell flat for me. Including the romance.
Some things that I’ve noticed I really enjoy from this author are the suspense side of the novel (all the secret squirrel shit is right up my alley) and the settings of the stories. In this one, we’re following a woman who does the IT stuff to help protect agents in the field, but in order to disguise her real job she also works on a farm with her dad. One day her father is killed by someone wanting to close down the program she works with so she is on the run. She ends up finding safety on a farm hundreds of miles away from her own and in the arms of the farm’s owner Jake. In the first half you mostly get her on the run and settling into farm life again while waiting to hear back from her contact about what to do next. That’s all super fun and we get to see a lot of great farm scenes and cozy farm house stuff. I ate that up. And then the back half of the novel is when we really get into the secret squirrel stuff that I love even more.
However, I struggled a lot with this romance. Due to some weird circumstances, our main female character meets our main male character while hiding out from a thunderstorm with her horse on his property. That was all fine. But she was dressed in period attire and they spend the rest of the novel with this weird thing in their relationship where she’s taking care of his grandmother and operating the household and keeping it clean and cooking for him. I’m just thinking...where did the badass 20 something who was working for the NSA go? Once she meets Jake she just completely loses her badassness and her personality. So their romance was hard for me to appreciate. I DID enjoy it more once all of the action stuff happened and her secrets came to light. Especially when she is toying with the idea of letting the job go and just living on the farm with Jake and he realizes how much she really enjoys the work. He ends up being the one suggesting she does it from his farm and we get a nice shiny happily ever after. I just wish they weren’t stuck in such weird gender norms for a huge chunk of the novel.
I don’t know. I kind of struggle with this one. It’s easy and quick to read (especially the action scenes) and I love to read all of the secret agent/secret squirrel stuff. But I cannot get behind the romance.
June 26, 2023
🎧REVIEW OF Failsafe by Traci Hunter Abramson
SYNOPSIS
"In the wide-open landscape of Pennsylvania, Charlotte Martin and her father live a peaceful life on their farm. . . or so it seems. In truth, the rural locale provides the perfect front for the father-daughter NSA operatives as they expertly carry out their mission: using a high-tech computer system, they protect a team of undercover agents. Some would kill to have access to this system, and it makes Charlotte and her father prime targets. It was only a matter of time before this nightmare unexpectedly crashed down on them, and only Charlotte escaped with her life. Before Dwight Martin died, though, he initiated the failsafe lockdown, and now Charlotte's the only one who can access the system.
"Writer Jake Bradford left the serene Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia for the hustle and bustle New York to pursue his dreams and never looked back. Until now. Entrusted with his ailing grandmother's care, Jake knows he needs help and he can't believe his luck when a lovely young woman providentially appears on his doorstep. Charlotte creates a new persona for herself and quickly develops a bond with Jake's grandmother. But it's the connection she feels with Jake that makes it almost too easy to lose sight of her reality: she is being hunted by men who will stop at nothing to access the intelligence she protects. With time running out, can the couple find a future together, or will Charlotte's secrets tear them apart?"
BRIEF REVIEW
This was a fun read. When I'm in a reading slump, sometimes I have to shake up the genre, so I picked up this romantic suspense. I had minor issues with some elements of the story/writing, but I'm glad I listened to it and will probably continue the series.
BRIEF CONTENT GUIDE
😘🙊🍷🤕 All fairly mild on page, but some mentions and themes of more serious violence (i.e., murder).
TW: Death of parents. Dementia.
BOTTOM LINE
If you want to read a clean romantic suspense with relatively mild violence, you may like this one.
FULL REVIEW AND CONTENT GUIDE on blog (betterbookbureau.weebly.com)
#failsafe #cleanreads #romanticsuspense
SYNOPSIS
"In the wide-open landscape of Pennsylvania, Charlotte Martin and her father live a peaceful life on their farm. . . or so it seems. In truth, the rural locale provides the perfect front for the father-daughter NSA operatives as they expertly carry out their mission: using a high-tech computer system, they protect a team of undercover agents. Some would kill to have access to this system, and it makes Charlotte and her father prime targets. It was only a matter of time before this nightmare unexpectedly crashed down on them, and only Charlotte escaped with her life. Before Dwight Martin died, though, he initiated the failsafe lockdown, and now Charlotte's the only one who can access the system.
"Writer Jake Bradford left the serene Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia for the hustle and bustle New York to pursue his dreams and never looked back. Until now. Entrusted with his ailing grandmother's care, Jake knows he needs help and he can't believe his luck when a lovely young woman providentially appears on his doorstep. Charlotte creates a new persona for herself and quickly develops a bond with Jake's grandmother. But it's the connection she feels with Jake that makes it almost too easy to lose sight of her reality: she is being hunted by men who will stop at nothing to access the intelligence she protects. With time running out, can the couple find a future together, or will Charlotte's secrets tear them apart?"
BRIEF REVIEW
This was a fun read. When I'm in a reading slump, sometimes I have to shake up the genre, so I picked up this romantic suspense. I had minor issues with some elements of the story/writing, but I'm glad I listened to it and will probably continue the series.
BRIEF CONTENT GUIDE
😘🙊🍷🤕 All fairly mild on page, but some mentions and themes of more serious violence (i.e., murder).
TW: Death of parents. Dementia.
BOTTOM LINE
If you want to read a clean romantic suspense with relatively mild violence, you may like this one.
FULL REVIEW AND CONTENT GUIDE on blog (betterbookbureau.weebly.com)
#failsafe #cleanreads #romanticsuspense
April 17, 2021
I have so far enjoyed every book I’ve read or listen to from Traci Hunter Abramson. She provides a dynamite mixture of intrigue, clean romance, and entertainment. Traci’s writing style is quick moving, and entertaining. There is hardly ever a dull moment in this book. Failsafe is the first book in the Guardian series, following the lives of Charlotte and Jake. Charlotte and Jake both have a rare mix of vulnerability and strength during trials. Both characters are easily likable and people I wouldn’t mind getting to know better. You do know some of the answers to the mystery right off the bat, but trying to figure out the missing pieces is a puzzle.
Charlotte and her father, Dwight, are part of a Top Secret organization called the Guardians, who protect spies and the vulnerable from the shadows. When an organization tracks the Guardians to the Martins farm, they try to force Dwight to log in to the system for them. Instead Dwight initiated the Failsafe protocol, resulting in the organization killing him. This protocol protects the Guardians and those they help, by shutting off the main system and blocking the funding chain and a direct line of communication between the Guardians. Charlotte only just escapes with her life and is relentlessly pursued by the organization threatening the Guardian program. Meanwhile Jake Bradford returns to his family home for his parents funerals. Jake left his childhood home behind him when he moved to New York to fulfill his dream of becoming a famous author. Now, with his parents dead, he is entrusted with his ailing grandmother and the family homestead, but he still doesn’t want to give up on his passion. When Charlotte unexpectedly shows up on his doorstep, she becomes the answer to his predicament. But with the organization hot on Charlotte’s tail and time running out for the Guardians, time is running out.
Charlotte and her father, Dwight, are part of a Top Secret organization called the Guardians, who protect spies and the vulnerable from the shadows. When an organization tracks the Guardians to the Martins farm, they try to force Dwight to log in to the system for them. Instead Dwight initiated the Failsafe protocol, resulting in the organization killing him. This protocol protects the Guardians and those they help, by shutting off the main system and blocking the funding chain and a direct line of communication between the Guardians. Charlotte only just escapes with her life and is relentlessly pursued by the organization threatening the Guardian program. Meanwhile Jake Bradford returns to his family home for his parents funerals. Jake left his childhood home behind him when he moved to New York to fulfill his dream of becoming a famous author. Now, with his parents dead, he is entrusted with his ailing grandmother and the family homestead, but he still doesn’t want to give up on his passion. When Charlotte unexpectedly shows up on his doorstep, she becomes the answer to his predicament. But with the organization hot on Charlotte’s tail and time running out for the Guardians, time is running out.
March 9, 2017
Failsafe by Traci Hunter Abramson, was an absolutely enthralling book. Charlotte Martin, NSA operative, faces a threat. The computer software system that her and her father designed is threatened and her father and his assistant end up dead. Charlotte must escape those who are hunting for her and the password to the system, which contains top secret information. Running for her life, literally, Charlotte meets writer Jake Bradford. Jake, who's parents recently died, is left with the house and farm as well as the task of caring for his elderly grandmother. Jake offers Charlotte a job taking care of his grandmother. Charlotte accepts, but knows that she can't stay for long, needing to meet her contact. Jake and Charlotte instantly have a connection, and soon both of them are beginning to fall for one another. Charlotte dares not tell Jake her secret, and soon trouble finds her. Jake, who eventually finds out her secret, risks life and limb for a girl he just met. The final face off, which takes place in a toy store, revels someone we never though was behind it. The day is saved, and Charlotte must decide what to do, stay with Jake or keep working on the system. Charlotte, in the end, doesn't have to decide. Jake proposes, and gives Charlotte a way to do what she loves, near who she loves. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes romance, action, and danger. This book is hard to put down, and its message of goodness makes it even more enjoyable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2018
Charlotte is a girl who lives on a farm with her father, but really they are agents in a secret program. Bad people want to get into their database, but can't, so they break in after tracking Charlotte and her father. They killed her father when he refused to give them access to the database. The database was locked and only Charlotte can open it. She runs to avoid being caught and finds safety on a farm in Virginia where she meets Jake. They fall in love, but neither know how things will work out and how their situations will change.
I did not like this book because I felt like this book was boring at the beginning and hard to get into. As I read it got better, though. Another thing I didn't like was that the plot was difficult to understand. What motivated the opposing characters seemed to elude my understanding. I also did not get what the secret organization what supposed to do, and why it was so important that they continued to operate. Other than this the book is great and captivates my attention while reading.
This book would be good for people who might like adventure. It also would be good for people who like a little romance, but not a lot of it. I do not think, however, that it would be the best book for those who only like page turners because it does give lots of events that do not have much, or any action. If you enjoy reading about secret organizations that protect society then this would also be a great book for you to read.
I did not like this book because I felt like this book was boring at the beginning and hard to get into. As I read it got better, though. Another thing I didn't like was that the plot was difficult to understand. What motivated the opposing characters seemed to elude my understanding. I also did not get what the secret organization what supposed to do, and why it was so important that they continued to operate. Other than this the book is great and captivates my attention while reading.
This book would be good for people who might like adventure. It also would be good for people who like a little romance, but not a lot of it. I do not think, however, that it would be the best book for those who only like page turners because it does give lots of events that do not have much, or any action. If you enjoy reading about secret organizations that protect society then this would also be a great book for you to read.
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