Truth and Consequences

Rookie K-9 Unit #2

by Lenora Worth

THE PROTECTOR'S MISSION Honoring a promise to a fallen comrade, former army medic David Evans heads to Arizona to check up on the soldier's sister. But as his train pulls into Desert Valley, David witnesses a drug run gone wrong and narrowly avoids the bullets flying his way. And when the police show up, he discovers the investigating officer is the woman he's supposed to look after. With a fiercely protective K-9 partner and a new badge, Whitney Godwin insists she can take care of herself and her infant daughter. But the criminals want both David and Whitney permanently silenced, so David will stop at nothing to protect the family he yearns to join. Rookie K-9 These lawmen solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners

Genres: Love Inspired Suspense, Christian Fiction, Romance, Love Inspired, Suspense, Mystery, Romantic Suspense

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 3, 2016

About the author

Lenora Worth has written 75 books for three different publishers. She reached a milestone when she received her 50th book pin from Harlequin. Her books have won both regional and national awards and she now has millions of books in print and is a NY Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author. Currently she is writing both Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense and Tule Publishing. Married to her childhood sweetheart, Lenora has two grown children and lives in Florida.

Pen name: Lenora Nazworth

Reviews

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

When former army medic David Evans goes to Desert Valley, Arizona, to look for his fallen comrade’s sister, rookie K-9 Officer Whitney Godwin, he encounters drug smugglers on his train. Whitney is one of the police officers who shows up at the train and now both she and David have the drug runners hot on their trail since they can identify them. Book 2 of the Rookie K-9 Unit series was a very enjoyable read. There was plenty of action and suspense, a sweet romance between likable characters David and Whitney, and Whitney’s wonderful K-9 partner Hunter. The crime that starts this book is resolved here as is the romance plotline. The main murder mystery that started in the first book remains ongoing.

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book two of the Rookie K-9 Unit series continues right on from where book one Protect and Serve left off. The two main characters in this book are David Evans and Witney Godwin. David served as a Medic in Afghanistan and has now left the service to live as a civilian. Witney is a single parent and police woman who graduated from the Desert Valley K-9 Unit training center. Hunter has been assigned to Witney as her K-9 officer.
Witney meets David Evans when she is called to the train station where two drug dealers are holding hostages at gun point. David is one of those hostages that Witney hopes to rescue. The two drug dealers escape the scene of crime leaving behind a party pack of heroin under a seat in the train. Both David and Witney are witnesses and can identify the two dealers and from that time on their lives are in danger as the criminals try to take them both down at every opportunity they get.
When David served in Afghanistan he worked with Whitney's brother, who on his death bed asked David to find and protect his sister in Desert Valley Arizona. David has traveled miles to find her and now she rescues him from a bad situation. Witney has no idea that David knew her late brother. David must convince her to let him be her protector and watch out over her.
This was an action packed and scary suspense thriller. Romance also was woven into the story. I appreciated that the author bought readers up to date with characters and things that had happened in the first book of the series. I thought Witney was a very protective mother to her baby daughter Shelby. David was a kind hearted doctor with a gentle spirit. I loved Hunter because he was loyal to Witney and protective of Shelby. He was a trustworthy K-9 service partner. Truth and Consequences did not disappoint and I will be moving on to the next book as the mystery of unsolved murders weaves its way through the entire series.
I recommend to readers of Suspense Thrillers and fans of Lenora Worth. It's my opinion that books of this series should be read in order because of the way the mystery of the unsolved murders continues from book to book.
I down loaded a copy of this book from the Hoopla Library. A review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's official. I adore this series. And my favourite characters are the dogs. :-) Hunter stole my heart (dog not hero.) Though David is pretty hard to resist too. He inherited the protective gene and he's a man on a mission even though Whitney would rather he leave the policing up to her and K-9 partner Hunter. I really enjoyed the role reversal with the police officer heroine working the case. That doesn't stop David from having her back -- whether she likes it or not. Great dynamics that increase the intensity in their relationship. In some ways they are just too much alike -- stubborn and strong, both needing to be in control. They have to learn to trust -- in God and each other -- before they have a chance at a happily ever after.

This is the second book in the Rookies K-9 Unit continuity series. It reads fine as a standalone, but you'll get the most out of the overlapping suspense thread if you've read the first book as well. David and Whitney do have full closure and solve their case -- but there's still some mysteries to be solved and I'm eager to see it all play out in future books.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truth and Consequences is the second book in the Rookie K-9 Unit series. It's been a while since I read the first book, so I don't remember it that well. I still enjoyed this book and was able to follow the story fairly easily.

I liked the way the book opened -- with a stabbing on a bus. It was intense and I didn't know why the villains escalated to that kind of violence.

The romance was nice. I liked how he came to that town to find her because he had promised her brother he would. It was sweet and the ending was good.

All in all, Truth and Consequences was enjoyable and I recommend it.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

[Books and Spoons · Rating 4 out of 5]

A love story, that seems like kismet delivered by her late brother, in a midst of a small town crime spree, with all the odds against the rookies of the K-9 unit.
I loved how Whitney and David got together, there's just something utterly beautiful, romantic, and serendipitous about how they met. And even though the connection between them is strong, the attraction is there, and they genuinely like each other, the road to be together isn't easy, automatic, or without obstacles.
The faith both Whitney and David has in God, and the trust they have, for Him to guide them, in the moment of need and danger, is reassuring.
Even though I think this book can be read as a stand alone, there's ongoing investigations of several crimes, that started in the previous book, book one of the series, and I believe will be going on until the end of the series. There's fast paced action, crimes committed, drug cartel on a loose, and lives are in danger, as David helps Whitney to solve the case. It was tense, chaotic, and fearful, since it seems both David and Whitney are targeted especially by the criminals.
The crimes that started in this tale, are solved within the book, but the previously happened murders are still open cases. Interesting concept, and great cast of characters, with multiple authors, that are carrying the series, and doing a stellar job with it. The circumstances within the small town, the police station, the K-9 unit, and the rookies themselves, are all intriguing matters in the series, and holds the interest high, I can't wait for the next book in the series
~ Four Spoons

[Ashley Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book. Whitney is a K9 rookie officer. She and her partner were supposed to be moving on to a bigger precinct but loyalty and orders have kept her in small town Desert Valley. I really liked her and how determined she was to be the best at everything. She wants a well rounded life but she is also obsessed by the murders that have been occurring, one in particular.
David was good friends with Whitney's brother and came all the way around the world to find her after making a promise to her brother as he died. I loved the loyalty and determination he showed by following through on this promise. Maybe her brother was sending him specifically for his sister? There are several mysteries woven together and I liked how the story flowed. There were parts of this book that I really, really enjoyed. For instance the very start of it, I loved how Whitney and David met. But I just didn't feel a connection with the characters at all. Still I will read more in the series just so I can find out some answers!
It was a 3/5 for me. It solves some of the questions but leaves some still open.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy of this book (via netgalley). I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

[Glenda Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book two in the Rookie K-9 Unit Continuity Series. I am really enjoying this series and I always enjoy Lenora's work so this is a no-brainer for me. I loved it. This book is well written, action packed, full of adventure. You will love these two strong willed individuals.
Ex-military medic David Evans comes to Desert Valley to fulfill a promise to a fallen soldier, to protect his sister. When the train enters the town, he's sharing a car with only two individuals. The attendant comes in to announce their arrival; they jump up, stumble, and one man drops his bag. The bag opens and colorful plastic wrapped packages drop on the floor. They grab the packages and they shoot up the car. David is an eye witness as the attendant is shot and the men run. Because is a medic, he helps the attendant as the law enforcement arrive. The woman he's looking for, run in on the scene with her canine partner. David jumps in and helps her when her life is endangered, but she claims that she has no need of him or his protection. As a witness he must stay in town.
Whitney Godwin is a rookie with a new badge and a new canine partner. She is investigating her first assignment but runs into a medic who had been with her brother when he died. He had promised to protect her. She didn't need protection. She and her infant daughter were doing just fine. She didn't need any man's help in her life. That's what got her in this mess to begin with.
This is a journey of two broken souls. A drug smuggling operation is working through the area and they are determined to destroy them. God had a plan for these two. A plan to give them a hope and a future. A plan far greater than they had ever dreamed. God has a plan for you too. Jeremiah 29:11. It too will be far greater than anything you have ever dreamed

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This romance is action all the way with drug smuggling, stabbing and threats in the first chapter. Police dog training and medicine are to the fore in this small town in Arizona, but a sinister ongoing issue is threaded through a series by different authors. In this tale a pointer has been trained to search for drugs and his handler, a rookie cop, is threatened as she is an eyewitness to crimes. Can the new doctor in town, a former Army medic, help her or is he under siege too? The drug gang seems keen to eliminate witnesses.

With seemingly not a single CCTV camera in town or on the train the cops have to do police work the old fashioned way; they do have good mobile phone coverage. The dog training unit is suffering after the murder of a trainer, but everyone would do her credit with their dedication and high standards. I like that a pointer is the focal dog in this book because he is not the usual big police dog, capable of tackling armed intruders, while he is still very useful and determined to protect his handler.

The romance is subsumed under all the action and sustained tension as the two main characters get to know each other under stresses both personal and work related. A good lively read.
I downloaded a copy from Net Galley for an unbiased review.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth And Consequences by Lenora Worth a Rookie K-9 Unit series. David Evans is an Army Medic. When the train he was on stopped at Desert Valley he witnessed a drug run that had gone bad. The bad guys got away with all the drugs except one bag. David saw them and now they are after him and Whitney Godwin who is a police office in the K-9 division. Whitney is investigating the drug dealers and past murders in town. David and Whitney get involved. David wants to keep Whitney safe. Whitney has a baby girl. A good read.

[Sheri Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick, easy read. All of the Love Inspired K-9 unit books are not to be missed and this one is no exception. We are now into the Rookie K-9 officers but the others still come into play in these books. Whitney and David cannot catch a break but they don't give in nor do they give up. If you like dogs or if you just like the K-9 series, give this one a chance.

[Tonya Swearingen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as good as the first book in the series TO PROTECT AND SERVE. This was a book I couldn't put down. It was full of suspense and romance. I can't wait until the next book in the series comes out in June 2016.

[Leslie McKee]

You can read my review in the May issue of RT Bookreviews Magazine.

[DayDreamer8912 · Rating 4 out of 5]

🚨TW: loss of love one, being followed, mentions of being kidnap, murder.

Whitney a rookie K-9 police woman along with her K-9 partner, Hunter came to catch drug dealers and that's how she met David, a former army medic who actually know her brother who died in the war. He came to fulfil her brother's wishes is to take care of his beloved sister who is a single mother to a cute baby daughter, Shelby. He volunteer himself to help up in the clinic with a grumpy doctor who always want to do everything his way but David doesn't really care because all he thinks about is the patients and he pity the nurses that never get breaks that they needed.

And both Whitney and David are stubborn. Whitney wants to be independent and doesn't want people to help her and doesn't want to see her as a damsel in distress. She is a capable woman and can take care of Shelby and herself by herself. She had been through a lot in her life, her beloved brother and her cheater bf who is the baby's father too were dead. And it seemed that the death of her cheater bf is also a link to the case that she is handling.

David wants to keep her safe along with her baby. And he also want to fulfil his best friend wishes to take care of his sister but of course after they get to know each other better, fell in love with each other and they worked together and catch the culprit of the drug dealing case. And the person is right under their nose. And both were protecting each other and also praying for each other's safety.

Can't really spoil too much of the story because it is suspense so if you want to know more read this series. And I suggest to read the first book first because it is link to the case to find the true mastermind or the strings of murders.

Can't wait to find out who is the mastermind.

[Romancing the Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Tammy
Book provided by NetGalley

I have been enjoying Love Inspired novels for many years. Lenora Worth’s latest book, Truth and Consequences is book two in the Love Inspired Suspense Rookie K-9 Unit series. She has written more than 45 books and has received awards for her writing.

In Truth and Consequences , David Evans, a former medic, returned to the states to find an army buddy’s sister. Upon arriving in Desert Valley, he not only found Whitney Godwin, a K-9 Rookie Police Officer, but he stepped into trouble before even stepping off of the train. Their relationship and lives became anything but boring while they were getting to know each other.

There is a lot of action in this novel. One thing that I didn’t like about it was how quickly Whitney trusted David, especially with her background and being a police officer. I also had trouble connecting with the characters. There are six books in the series and I would recommend reading the first before starting this one. It seems that a lot of what is going on started in book one . I also have a feeling that it will take getting to the end of the series to have the initial murders and mysteries solved. Any reader who enjoys action with a little bit of sweet romance should check out this book.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful second installment! I love Lenora Worth's writing so this was a pleasure to read from the get-go.

David Evans made a promise to K-9 rookie officer Whitney Godwin's brother in Afghanistan to watch over her and he arrives to do just that. Unfortunately, that proves to be difficult as she is just as stubborn as he is and refuses to accept his help. The more time they spend together, as luck would have it, Whitney realizes David is nothing like the man who burned her in the past and left her with an adorable baby girl. Battling drug dealers and the past, this couple proves that both are strong and resilient in situations, especially Whitney, who proves that she has the strength for the job and can protect not only herself but those she loves.

It's a slow burn romance which proves that the pain from the past can be a crutch and only with faith in God and His plan can it truly be overcome and we can find happiness.

I absolutely loved her K-9 partner, Hunter, and his scenes with her baby girl, Shelby. Once again, this series does not disappoint, now I'm off to begin the third installment!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed David and Whitney’s story. I liked that there was plenty of action from the first page and maintained a steady flow of activity throughout the story. The drug trafficking angle was interesting. I was disappointed that Whitney did not take her canine partner everywhere with her or that the dog was often kenneled and unable to help her when she needed him. In the previous book, Shane treated his canine like an actual partner whereas Whitney tended to treat her canine, Hunter, more like a babysitter or even a pet, often needing someone else to take care of him. I was disappointed in that. I like the Christian aspect of repentance. Whitney recognized that she had made a moral mistake with Brian, repented of it and more than just saying I’m sorry, she actually made the effort to change her life and live for God. Her behavior with David was affected by her decision to please God and be careful and control herself physically and sexually. I appreciated that. Overall, the story and romance was good and I like that there’s a bigger mystery to solve in the series.

[Teresa Pollock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of suspense and lots of questions

The police here have their hands full with the murder of several Rookie cops on the eve of their annual dance over the last few years, the K-9 head trainer's death and a missing puppy as well as others in Cora's, and drug smuggling. Medic David comes into town on a train to find K-9 officer Whitney because he took care of her brother over seas and was asked to find her and look out for her. He arrives and a stabbing occurs on the train as drug smugglers stabbed a train employee. Whitney arrives on the scene and becomes a target as she stops the smugglers from taking their stash off the train and David jumps in the help her. They both become targets and all sorts of attacks occur. Whitney also has a small.baby that her brother did not know about. So much mystery, decite, murder attempts and mayhem. Do they discover all the villians in this book? Get it and find out. I couldn't put it down. Lenora Worth writes a great story line. Looking forward to the rest of the series

[Sherrill Watson · Rating 2 out of 5]

See Kathy's review. A Harlequin story, Rookie K-9 unit. Guess I expected more.

Full of holes. So who dropped the bracelet? Whatever happened to the puppy, Marco? Nasty and often missing Dr. Pennington was really the only ongoing problem from page 46 to the end on p 217. Why did the drug smugglers attack on the night of the police dance? Why did the drug smugglers show up at the exact moment David buys a ticket out of town? Why did he suddenly try to leave anyway? And on p 144 ". . . David threw his body over hers and held her down." Oooo. Then there was Normal Carrie, that I'd hoped to hear from again, and didn't. If I see "drug smugglers" written one more time . . . I did find the commands to the dog, Hunter, (too banal a name!) interesting. But I could have learned that at a class or from a friend . . .

[Paula Legate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Former Army medic David Evans Headed to Arizona to honor a promise he made to a fallen comrade. Lucas was his best friend, and his last words were please check on my little sister Whitney. She was a K-9 officer and her big brother always worried about her. David promised he would. He just didn’t expect to be on the same train as drug trafficking. The beginning of the book was intense. David met Whitney and her K-9 partner moments after his train pulled into the station. Under those circumstances he couldn’t tell her why he was there. I loved the action, suspense and romance throughout this book. I think I’m off my game because it took me a while to figure out who the drug boss was. This was an excellent book.

[Cathy Beckett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and interesting read. The characters were believable and the story was fast-paced. David Evans was the perfect foil for K-9 rookie cop, Whitney Godwin. Whitney is a single, unwed mother who has really messed up her life n the past but now she is trying hard to straighten out her life. David is a medic home from Afghanistan. He is keeping a promise to his best friend who just happened to be Whitney's brother Lucas. Lucas's dying wish was for David to find and protect Whitney. Little did either of them know that they were both going to be targeted by a group of drug dealers using Desert Valley as their home base.

[Mary Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy the K-9 series in the Love Inspired books. In this novel, dangerous drug dealers are trying to retrieve some drugs they lost in a situation aboard a train. There is also a concern over rookie K-9 officers being murdered around the time of the police ball. Whitney and David join forces to try to find out who is behind the drug situation and the murders of the K-9 officers. There is also a K-9 named Hunter who plays a significant role in the story. I enjoyed this read.

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was a good book. love the connection between Whitney and her dog Hunter. The story line was ok... It threw a lot into the mix. my only issue is the ending.. only part of the issues were addressed. I felt it ended abruptly. supposedly the main character was ok in not getting answers... but I was thinking, " but what about this and this and this." lol. all and all it was a good book.

[Inger Cierniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Friends promise

Written like a Hallmark movie, it is a pleasant read but lacks some real life feel. It never explains what degree is his medical training besides medic. He went to bed school but he is not a doctor . He acts like a P A and he has a license. So what is he, an EMT? Sounds like the author didn't know either.

[Pascale’s*ARC,Unwind,Read,Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I liked it. It moved the story along a tiny bit following book 1 in the series by a different author. But, again, there’s a cliffhanger and I Don know if I will have the patience to read through all 6 books before all the missing pieces come together. I liked the story but the amount of crimes and continuous attacks were very unbelievable and just too over the top for me.

[Bev Walkling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed from Libby. Ex- medic David comes to town to look for his dead friend's sister Whitney, only to find her and her canine partner with loads of trouble at hand and drug dealers out to get them. It was a quick enjoyable read.

[Sue Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book - really liked David and Whitney. The suspense continues!

[Sandra Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the storyline. Suspense and a clean romance with a dog involved....how can you not love this series!

[Bertha Rainey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

Like the plot and characters very much. Anticipating a concluded all the mysteries going on and a few new ones very soon.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Winner

These books just keep getting better and better. I can't believe how involved I get with them. It's nice to read a faith centered book.

[Heather Willson · Rating 2 out of 5]

predictable plot. stale action. lame dialogue that you’ve seen on every romance movie. drawn out scenes that I skimmed. unrealistic police actions that would put real officers on leave without pay