False Identity

by Jennifer Youngblood, Sandra Poole

Chancy Hamilton can’t bear the thought of spending the holidays without her late husband Max who died in a plane crash. When Chancy and her teenage son, Travis, have an argument, Travis storms out of the house and ends up in the wrong part of town where he is attacked by a group of thugs. When a homeless man comes to his rescue, he invites the man home to have a meal with his mom and little sister. Gabe Jones is not like any other homeless man Chancy has ever seen—he’s confident, intelligent, and devastatingly handsome. Jake, Chancy’s boyfriend, takes an instant dislike to Gabe and warns Chancy to stay away from him. Nevertheless, their lives become intertwined, and Chancy is soon thrown into nightmarish events caused by a chilling deception where nothing is as it seems, bringing a terrifying aftermath that threatens not only her but the lives of her children.

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Contemporary, Christian, Christian Fiction, Thriller

240 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2014

About the author

Jennifer loves reading and writing clean romance. She believes that happily ever after is not just for stories. Jennifer enjoys interior design, rollerblading, clogging, jogging, and chocolate. In Jennifer’s opinion there are few ills that can’t be solved with a warm brownie and scoop of vanilla-bean ice cream.
Jennifer grew up in rural Alabama and loved living in a town where “everybody knows everybody.” Her love for writing began as a young teenager when she wrote stories for her high school English teacher to critique.
Jennifer has a BA in English and Social Sciences from Brigham Young University Hawaii where she served as Miss BYU Hawaii. Before becoming an author, she worked as the owner and editor of a monthly newspaper named The Senior Times.
She now lives in the Rocky Mountains with her family and spends her time writing and doing all of the wonderful things that make up the life of a busy wife and mother.

Reviews

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my third book by this mother/daughter writing duo and I have loved every one of them. Two have been romantic suspense novels and have kept me wanting to turn the page as fast as my eyes can consume the words of the story. The other was a modern retelling of the beauty and the beast fairy tale, which was a little different genre than the suspense novel but still very good and kept my attention. I will definitely continue to read more books by them.

I'll let my thoughts all come tumbling out tomorrow in my full review when I can get to my computer...

Rambling thoughts by Julie time...

The opening was INTENSE! Intense as in very emotional, some suspense about what was happening and hoping something didn't happen. As well as a great Christmas surprise. That's all I'm saying about that because I DON'T want to ruin that for you. Wowsers!

Onto the book. We meet Chancy and her family and learn they have been through an emotional year what with the death of her husband Max. We get the POV of her thoughts and seeing a glimpse into her emotional struggle. Then to top it all off she has an argument with her son sending him out into the cold and being attacked in a shady part of town. Luckily, he is saved by a homeless man whom he offers to come home and have a meal with his family for rescuing him. Gabe Jones is invited into Chancy's home in a little hesitant manner. Chancy's dead husband Max was kind and loving to everyone, especially the homeless so this isn't the first encounter in their lives with this kind of situation.

Chancy has recently started dating Jake, who comes upon their family meal with Gabe. Jake is not very happy that Chancy would allow someone like Gabe into her home but tries to hide his initial anger. Gabe realizes there is tension and excuses himself from the house. That night there is a burglary in Chancy's neighborhood and she heard someone wandering around inside her house. Jake comes to the rescue and she feels safer knowing she's not alone. Unfortunately she finds out the following day about the burglary and is wondering if Gabe could be responsible for it since he was in the neighborhood at the same time. Chancy doesn't like to judge people and she feels there is something different and broken about Gabe than the other homeless people she and Max encountered.

Chancy has a great support system with her younger sister Jill and her neighbor Janet. I really enjoyed any of the scenes with those two. They were witty and full of spunk, exactly what Chancy needed to help her through the difficult time of losing her husband. They are always lifting her up and encouraging her to see the strength she has inside.

Travis, Chancy's son who brought Gabe home, keeps seeing Gabe and inviting him to come help them and have a meal. Gabe doesn't want to intrude and scare anyone but he is drawn to their family life. He has several hidden secrets that are well kept from everyone. At one point Gabe is injured while helping Chancy do some repair work. She feels awful and can't send him away into the cold and offers him to use the extra apartment outback of their house. As you can guess, Jake is really not happy about that. Especially with several more burglaries occurring in the neighborhood.

The ending gets pretty intense. Chancy's family and everything she holds dear becomes endangered and brings her world crashing down on her again. Will she be able to uncover the truth and lies that have been weaved around her? Will she be able to save her family? Will she ever be able to recover from the pain of losing family? Can Jake and Gabe help her? Or will they only bring her more harm?

I loved this book(I know I probably say that about every book I read but hey when there are lots of books to choose from, I am pretty picky and only read what calls out to me and I know I will love, so yeah, I loved this one)! I enjoyed the suspense/thriller aspect of it all while still being a romance novel and if you haven't read any of Youngblood's books then you don't know she is a great romance author. Her romance novels are all clean with some kissing and sometimes a make out scene that is not over the top. The violence in this book is mild and there are a couple deaths but nothing overly descriptive that I wouldn't let my teens read. I would recommend this for mid teens and older due to the emotional aspects of this book and there is a very creepy stalker.

I know some reviewers are skeptical because of some coincidences, or rather I'd like to call them miracles in this book, because it doesn't seem believable. I'd like to differ because I've seen several similar miracles occur in my life, especially very recently(and throughout my life) and I know there was no coincidence about it. God was definitely in charge and sent those miracles otherwise my life would be completely turned upside down right now. So wether you believe the miracles in the book are viable or not that's totally up to you and I respect that but I couldn't sit back and not share my thoughts and feelings about it.

Enjoy and definitely check out the other books by these authors. I know I'll continue reading more by them.

I downloaded a copy from Amazon.

Happy Reading!!!

[Kim Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I STARTED THIS ONE EVENING AND COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN...AT 2:30 a.m. I finally forced myself to go to bed and finished it first thing in the morning (got up at 4:30 a.m. LOL) ! I know I should have just stayed up, right?!!
I loved everything about it...the story line is full of intrigue and suspense; the characters are wonderfully normal (well except for the bad guys) but were ALL very well developed...great banter between the married couple next door!!
This is a MUST read!!

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/14/2019)! 🎁

[jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

First book I have read from these authors. Suspenseful with a nice romance story tucked in it's pages, leaving you wanting to read more. Also a great reminder to not judge others by appearance only. Characters are believable, not over the top in drama which is nice. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good, clean read! Thumbs up to the authors - I look forward to reading more by them.

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got a lot more than I expected out of this False Identity! This is my first book by Jennifer Youngblood but she is on my TBR list now. Intense suspense, sweet romance, and outstanding characters as well as a well balanced plot highlight this awesome novel. Readers who love mystery or romance will find it fits the bill.

[~Mindy Lynn~]

KINDLE FREEBIE 6/17/17

[Robert Sory · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read keeps you on edge. Travis is very perceptive and was a teenager at the same time.

[Debbie Oxier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just found another author to add to my favorites list. This was one fantastic read. I couldn't put it down ans read it in one sitting. If I could I would give it more than five stars. Any book that can make me cry is a winner in my book as I seldom cry while reading. This is a book about miracles and Destiny, a wonderfully clean love story that stays with you long after you're done. Chancy's husband, Max, is killed in a plane crash. She and her children, Travis and Susie, are doing their best to pick up the pieces of their lives. When the book opens, she is seeing a man named Jake, who has been very supportive of her and while he wants to make their relationship more, she's not ready to do that. For one thing, Travis and Chancy' s sister, Jill, don't care for the man. He's very controlling and there have been times Chancy has disapproved of the way he treats her children. Then Gabe enters the scene. When Chancy and Travis have an argument, he goes storming off and is set upon by a gang of thugs. Gabe rescues him and Travis invites him home for dinner. Chancy is concerned about letting him in their home when he's a stranger and judging from his appearance and the fact Travis saw him digging in the garbage, apparently homeless. Even so, she can't turn him away. The kids take to him right away and when he comes back and shovels their walk, Travis convinces his mom to hire Gabe to help them remodel the room above their garage. Before long it's like he's part of the family, a fact that makes Jake furious, Jill uneasy to the point she starts investigating him, and Chancy' s good friend speculate that there's more to her feelings for Gabe than what Chancy is letting on. But neither Gabe nor Jake are who they appear to be and soon Chancy and her family are caught up in their deceit to the point they are all in danger. The author does a nice job with the suspense elements in the book and ties everything up in the end. The romance is sweet and the relationship between Gabe and the children touching. I can't wait to see what else this mother/daughter writing team has to offer. Highly recommend.

[Kerstin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, the two stars are for plot because the "young widow falls in love with homeless man" stories are not all the rage right now. LOL. I don't understand the appeal of these "weak women" romance/suspense novels. In what universe would you support your sister/daughter/friend to start dating months after their husband is killed and then before that ill timed relationship fails jump feet first into another one with a guy she knows for maybe 2 weeks. Yes, this book is chaste & clean (is that why I see so many 4/5 star reviews?) Is this is what women want; to fall instantly in love without learning to stand on their own two feet? To be rescued. No wonder that there is so much disillusion out in dating land. I wanted to know why there was so much hype about this author, and now I know. And one more thing, while this book is not overtly faith based, it is clearly written from a Mormon perspective, and the "oh my gosh" in response to a horrific crime & miracle sub plot do not redeem the story.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was OK. I would read more by this author. This is the first book of hers I have read. I felt this was a good idea that could have used some editor's tweaking. I wondered about the frequent point of view switching. I wondered whether some of that could have been avoided by revealing some of Jake's misdeeds at the get-go and then getting into the story so as to avoid his POV. I wondered about having Jill's POV at all and felt like it could have been worked around to have avoided it. I am not sure how to have worked around Janet's or Drake's, etc. I thought the premise was interesting but strained--someone googly-eyed first over a person who was clearly stalker material and then over a person with no visible means of support. I also felt the poem stuff was a bit much. I don't know if I would say some bits were not credible but perhaps they weren't. Or they were too sentimental. Or something.

[Russty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This work started out very promising... About a third of the way through, the "homeless" man concept fell apart and the main theme of the rest of the book was revealed(to me, anyway)!!! Not that I'm any more perceptive than everyone else(ok, maybe 93% of them!!!), but more because it was simply a variation of a well-worn theme.

A few unexpected twists and turns after the first third; but, in addition to the "homeless" man theme revealed, then came the also well-worn "'bad" guy get the girl, almost loses her, then gets her back again, to set the stage for the classic "and they lived happily ever after". But, they just had to also end with the "Christmas, it's a miracle"...

The first third of the book seemed to be pretty tight; but, after that, it seemed that they discontinued the use of any editor and there were many errors - spelling, grammar, wrong names in wrong places...

[Loretta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never trust a man to tell you the truth - at least in this book. False Identity was a good (clean/G rated)romantic thriller with some unexpected twist and turns. Sometimes I got a little irritated with Chancy being so weak, but she was still a likable lead character. Most of it was pretty enjoyable, but one of the miracle in the end was too unbelievable; not because I don't believe in miracle, but because it felt rushed and out of place. Without giving anything away, I think it would have been better if the event with little Susie was more plausible, that things with the white haired old man went differently, and leaving the answer to the prologue as the and some of the other "coincidences" to serve as believable miracles.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read. The story begins with a gripping and intense prologue while the last chapter will have your in tears. You will fall in love with the characters(except for the bad guys who you will despise). I had one problem with the plotline--the burglaries in the neighborhood and the subsequent arrest and release of the perpetrators. That part was not fully explained. Maybe I missed something there. I might also add that this is a clean read with a Christian theme, but it is not an in-your-face obvious one.

This is a first read of the author for me and I plan on checking out her other books. At the end of False Identity, she does give you a link to another book and it's free. Thank you Jennifer Youngblood.

[Audra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, loved it!

Encouraging, suspenseful, and romantic with a touch of humor. A great read for Christmas time. It's enjoyable to read a book with Christian values and still be suspenseful.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sinister

It takes a short time to figure out who is lying and why. But then it gets dangerous and everyone is questioning what's going on. A sweet love story that fils you with hope and a knowledge that we are not alone.

[Teya Teya · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This is not what I was expecting at all. I got it for the author and cover but I loved it! It is a romance, suspense, thriller. Some parts were predictable yet there was some "whoa" kind of twists. Great Job!

[Judith Hokanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

What an excellent book. Couldn't put it down. I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author. Thank you.

[Bev Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bcbritt@comcast.net

What a great book. I couldn't put it down. So much suspense it kept you on your toes to try to figure out what was going to happen next.

[Pillymail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book, well written and very hard to put down. Definitely 5 stars.

[Renee Abernathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

This was a totally beautiful story. The whole story line was gripping and held the reader completely. It kept you guessing throughout. And it was a lovely surprise!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

Was great to find a nice clean book that still held interest. The characters were great. The author wove a great mystery that kept me reading

[Morgan Beynon (loriwaylittlelibrary) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Predictable, but with a satisfying end. Author is LDS so there are some religious elements to it, but If you’re a fan of domestic thrillers, then this could be for you.

[Sonya Wasden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book several years ago but hadn't had the time to sit down and read it so when the audiobook was made available to me, I jumped on the chance and I couldn't "put it down". It captured my interest from the very first chapter.

There is suspense, family drama, dealing with death and grief, romance, social issues like homelessness and so much more. I also love that the story came full circle when you realize at the end, that there was a connection to the beginning of the story in a beautiful way.

Gabe had hit rock bottom after his wife and unborn child were killed in a traffic accident. He threw himself into his work but kept his personal life shut down. When he saved a young boy from a beating in a bad part of town, he never imagined how much his life would be changed.

Chancy had dealt with the grief of losing her husband and feeling alone, while raising two children. Now, it was Christmastime and she just couldn't get into the spirit of the season. When her son, Travis, brings a "homeless man" to their home after he had saved him, she doesn't realize how much her life is going to change, too.

I liked the audio version of the book, as well. It was well done with different voices, or inflections to create different characters keeping it easy to follow along with the story and not be in a monotone state.

This book was a clean story with more adult elements so I wouldn't recommend the story for young people, necessarily, but I loved it.

[Deeann Zessin · Rating 5 out of 5]

False Identity
by Jennifer Youngblood (Goodreads Author), Sandra Poole

Chancy Hamilton can’t bear the thought of spending the holidays without her late husband Max who died in a plane crash. When Chancy and her teenage son, Travis, have an argument, Travis storms out of the house and ends up in the wrong part of town where he is attacked by a group of thugs. When a homeless man comes to his rescue, he invites the man home to have a meal with his mom and little sister. Gabe Jones is not like any other homeless man Chancy has ever seen—he’s confident, intelligent, and devastatingly handsome. Jake, Chancy’s boyfriend, takes an instant dislike to Gabe and warns Chancy to stay away from him. Nevertheless, their lives become intertwined, and Chancy is soon thrown into nightmarish events caused by a chilling deception where nothing is as it seems, bringing a terrifying aftermath that threatens not only her but the lives of her children.


The perfect mix of emotion, angst and suspense.

I thought back to the prologue several times while reading the story, wondering about the identity of that person. I had my suspicions, but was not 100% sure. This was true with most of the story. Most of the time I had my suspicions as to what was going to happen or how the story would progress, but I was usually not 100% sure or at least had no idea as to what the details would be. The story was fresh and kept my interest wanting to see what would happen next.

The story began well and ended well with lots of suspense, emotion and desire in-between. I can’t wait to dive into another of this author’s books.

Awesome job Jennifer YoungbloodJennifer.

[Jennie Pendergast · Rating 5 out of 5]

A police detective gets a second chance at love with a widow and her kids.

Loved being with this author again. Chancy and Gabe story was exciting from start to finish. Gabe and Chancy had many things to work through before the love bug hit and trust came. The first one an ex boyfriend who became a stalker. The second Gabe telling part of his background. Then being there for Chancy and the kids. In the end it all came out why he was there the Travis got hurt and saved him. God had it all planned how two hurting people would find love once again. Travis and Susie needed a new daddy after their loss. Jill Chancy sister was a little to protective I thought she had good intentions but it almost smothered Chancy enough so she almost couldn't think for herself. But she finally got a hold of herself which was a good thing. Gabe definitely treated Chancy better the creep who was stalking her. Some people also took advantage of her too which wasn't good. She had some great neighbors to stand by her and also Gabe. Will read more by this author.

[Yvonne Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be ready for a rollercoaster ride in this captivating audiobook.
Chancy Hamilton lost her husband a year ago. She has started dating a man named Jake, but her son Travis is not happy. When Travis has an argument with his mom, he storms and ends up in a dangerous area. Thankfully, a “homeless” man saves him.
Gabe Jones is that man . As Gabe helps the family, questions about his past emerge. Can Chancy trust him? Is Jake right that Gabe is up to no good?
The action was non-stop filled with suspense, whodunit, lies of omission and many surprises. Who can be trusted?
This is an audiobook worth your time , one that will keep you on the edge of your seat and one you will remember for a long time.

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

"So be fixed like the start and remember who you are. No matter where you roam, it will always guide you home. All you to do is believe....and its peace you will never leave."

Chancy was trying to get Christmas Cookie ornaments into the oven, when her son Travis arrived home beaten up and with a homeless man who had saved him. But Gabe spoke too well and looked a little to neat to actually be homeless. Meanwhile, Jake, Chancy's boyfriend with whom she wanted to end things, wouldn't seem to take no for an answer and kept coming over, running into her, and inviting her on dates. Things were getting creepy. Was Gabe not who he seemed when he kept helping Chancy and rescuing her from Jake?

Well written suspense that was very enjoyable by a new-to-me author.

[Phyllis (Avid Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

With a good editor and proofreader this could have been a 5 star book.

The plot made this a page-turner, but there were several times when I had to roll my eyes at Chancy's foolishness and poor choices and one glaringly bad decision on Gabe's part. There were also a few holes in the plot that seemed obvious to me and there were odd POV changes. A really good editor could have corrected these flaws.

Grammatical errors, poor word choices (especially when it comes to adjectives and adverbs), and a few typos distracted me from the story, but those things might not bother most readers.

Kudos for the clever book title.

I did enjoy the book, but given all the negatives (in my opinion, anyway), I probably won't read more by this author.

[Robin Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Web

Gabe and Chancy are each struggling to break free of their grief. Brought together by Chancy's son Travis and a strange set of circumstances, they not only help each other heal, they find answers to questions they didn't know they were asking.

The mystery is good--sometimes surprising, sometimes predictable. The characters are well developed and keep you reading because you are interested in them. The authors lay out lots if story threads and do a great job of tying them all together.

Just the right amount of romantic connections and snarky side characters tiomake it a fun read.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tradition for Travis is what he needs to keep the memory of his father with him. Especially at Christmas time, angry when his mother doesn’t understand how important it is. Running out of the house and walking, till thugs gang up on him, and a homeless man comes to his rescue.True to what he wants to keep alive, he invites the man home for a meal, and they welcome him in. He seems to be there when they need help. Who is this mysterious man. The story is of family, going on after losing a loved one.
How life sometimes blends from the past to the present.