Christmas Blackout

by Maggie K. Black

NO WAY OUT

The last thing Benjamin Duff needs is to be stranded at his friend Piper Lawrence's bed-and-breakfast with a dangerous intruder. But when he stops to say goodbye before moving across the world, he finds a masked man attacking Piper. Benjamin rushes to save her, crashing his truck and trapping them during a winter storm in the process. With no power or cell phones and time running out before his trip, he'll have to work fast to catch the killer. As they fight for their lives and their feelings for each other grow, Benjamin must decide if he's really willing to leave Piper behind.

Genres: Christmas, Love Inspired, Romance, Christian Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Love Inspired Suspense

221 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2015

About the author

Maggie K. Black is an award-winning journalist with a thirst for adventure. She's lived in the American South, Europe and Middle East, and left a piece of her heart in each. She now makes her home in Canada, where she writes stories that make her heart race, chases her dog around the park and shares her adventures with her one true love and and their two daughters.

Reviews

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has it all great title, book cover, excerpt, well written, hated to put down excellent reading
Great book. The book is not only Suspenseful, unpredictable, easy to read, page turner, mysterious but Well Written, Clean and romantic. I loved seeing how love comes about in times of turmoil and distress. With love anything can happen.
Highly recommend it and will read again and have. A lot of plot twists. Love it and you will too. Like I said I love this book that's set around Christmastime. However, the best part of this book is it can be read anytime.
I highly recommend this Book
Will Definitely read again

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh goodness! This was way over the top!

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas Blackout is a love inspired suspense by Maggie K. Black.
Benjamin Duff is finally going to live his dream. He will soon be setting sail in his own boat and sailing around the world. He put this off while his sister was in need and now that she is getting married on Christmas Eve, he will be free on Christmas Day. That is, as soon as he delivers his dog, Harry, with his friend Piper at her Bed and Breakfast. He and Piper had met on Manitoulin Island while he was helping his sister and running his own business and she was there on vacation with her aunt. They had a great time together and she had told him about her place and how she had lots of room for a dog if he ever needed a place for Harry. He would drop Harry off and make the seven hour trip back to his sister’s for her wedding. However, he did not plan on the weather and danger to Piper.
Piper was desperately trying to make a success of the Bed and Breakfast for her aunt and uncle. They had taken her in when she had nowhere else to go and raised her as their own. She owed it to them to keep them happy in their home as long as possible. Right now she had only three guests over this Christmas holiday but hoped for more. She was also single-handedly planning a traditional Christmas Eve party for the town. As she walked to the barn with a box of decorations and as she talked to Benjamin on the phone, she was attacked and dragged towards the lake. Who would want to kill her and for what?
The suspense begins on page one and continues throughout the book. Someone is targeting Piper and Benjamin can’t leave due to a heavy snowstorm and a wrecked truck. He doesn’t want to leave her alone; but he has to make his sister’s wedding. He can’t let her down again

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

All hail to kick-butt heroines who wear glasses! I can seriously relate to a woman who only sees misshapen blobs without her glasses on. I'd love Piper just for that endearing fact, but there's so much more that makes her a winning heroine in my book. Dedication and loyalty to family for one. A giving nature. The steely determination to overcome whatever obstacle is placed in her path. Not to mention her keen sense of self-preservation. It's no wonder Benjamin is drawn to her at a time when he can't possibly be. They are set on two difference paths -- destined to be continents and oceans apart. So not the time for romance!

The plot is all a suspense lover could want -- twisty and turny and convoluted. The real keep-you-on-your-toes-until-the-very-end kind. I did not have a clue regarding some things. Not. A. Clue. Made for a voracious reading spell. Good luck putting this one down before you've reached the last page!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Piper and Benjamin have more dangerous adventures than you can imagine, and the ending is not predictable, in my opinion. There are so many twists and turns that you can't be totally sure which direction things are going, although you think you might. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Maggie Black has suspenseful action happen frequently, and sometimes when you aren't expecting it. Both main characters grow in different ways during the plot, and I found this book interesting and quick to read.

[jimtown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Piper is determined to help save The Downs, a historic bed and breakfast owned by her Aunt and Uncle. She hopes her Christmas Eve benefit will bring in enough funds to help remodel and restore The Downs so her aging Aunt and Uncle can live there comfortably. When Benjamin arrives to drop his dog off before embarking on a year long sailing trip, he finds Piper in a heap of trouble. Benjamin is surprised by how his urge to save and help Piper seems to put his sister's wedding and his trip on the back burner. He jumps in to save Piper several times, even though she seems much more capable, able and willing to do things on her own than Benjamin's sister ever was. He'd put off his dreams when his sister needed help. Will he do the same for Piper, or is it time for him to live his own dream now?

I had a hard time feeling the characters in this one, but I love the premise and the cover.

[The Girlzzz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was kind of strange. From the description on the back of the book, I was under the impression that Benjamin and Piper were going to be trapped inside the bed and breakfast for the majority of the book, but that’s definitely not what happened. It started off with Piper being attacked twice in the first chapter. There was no lead up at all, which isn’t necessarily bad, but then I felt like the other parts of the story (without any action) were really dragging. I was also confused… and so were Piper and Benjamin… so maybe that was intentional?

We’re three sisters who love to read and are always on the hunt for clean books. Read our full review including language, violence/gore, and spice ratings on our blog Clean Reads with the Girlzzz

[☺Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually read Romance books so I didn't really know what a "love inspired" suspense story would be. I guess it means that it's a "clean" romantic mystery book.
It's a good thing Benjamin was around all of those times to save Piper while henchman "Kodiak" was trying to kill her.
This was a three star story elevated to four stars by the twist at the end. I was completely surprised by exactly who "Alpha" turned out to be!
I thought that it was going to turn out to be family friend Dominic - like he was a Jekyll and Hyde monstrously disturbed murderer.
A quick engrossing read with a good ending.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this better than the first book I read by her. It did keep me on my toes and I was surprised by who the perp actually was. I did find out that there is another book that was about Benjamin's sister so I am going to read it next.

[Kimberly DuBois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful story filled with suspense and danger and mystery. A strong woman with strong family ties and a handsome hero with big dreams of his own. A quick read I couldn’t put down except to bake some Christmas cookies!!!

[AlegnaB † · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot of suspense in this book.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book got my attention from the first and kept me guessing until the end. I would definitely recommend it.

[Kenya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked it.

First time I have ever read one of her books. I will have to read her others. It was a mystery & love story all wrapped in to one.

[Holli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had a difficult time with this book. I liked the read, just hard to grasp the events

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So excellent. The ending was not what I expected. There were a bunch of twists and turns. Fascinating story.

[Pascale’s*ARC,Unwind,Read,Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read another book by this author that I really enjoyed. This one, not so much. As a Canadian, I did enjoy the setting and the various Canadian references, though.

[Raelene · Rating 1 out of 5]

I probably could say a lot but we’re just going to make this quick by saying that the story was bizarre and Benjamin was kind of an idiot.

[Bernie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas Blackout review

Christmas Blackout is an exciting romantic suspense book written by author Maggie K. Black. The story takes place in Canada.

[Kim]

This was a good book to read like it very much.

[MaryD · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure why, but I've got mixed feelings about this book. It's a Love Inspired book, which means it's a clean romance, but somehow the romance between the two main characters just isn't there for me. The tangle of "bad guys" got to be a little too involved. I did like the strength that Piper showed- both physical and emotional.

[Charline Bonham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benjamin cannot take his dog with him when he sails around the world so is taking Harry to Piper. He arrives just as Piper is being attacked and needs his help. Plenty of mystery and did not know the culprit until the last chapter.
Begin to wonder if Benjamin is a help or part of the problem.

[Linda Straub · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. The author has the suspense starting from the very beginning and keeps you interested throughout the book. A must read!

[Harlequin Books]

"Piper is a feisty character who is fun to follow in this well-paced and easy-to-visualize tale. The fear and suspense are palpable" (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).

[Harlequin Books]

received 4 stars @ RT Book Reviews

[Hazel Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

First book I have read by this author a lot of action. A lot of surprises. So happy that Piper and Benjamin got there HEA.

[Valerie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I have to say that I predicted this book to go in an entirely different direction than it did. I like that I wasn't able to guess how it would end.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5