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Keep Her Safe
Noah Marshall has known a privileged and comfortable life thanks to his mother, the highly decorated chief of the Austin Police Department. But all that changes the night she reveals a skeleton that's been rattling in her closet for years, and succumbs to the guilt of destroying an innocent family's life. Reeling with grief, Noah is forced to carry the burden of this shocking secret.
Gracie Richards wasn't born in a trailer park, but after fourteen years of learning how to survive in The Hollow, it's all she knows anymore. At least here people don't care that her dad was a corrupt Austin cop, murdered in a drug deal gone wrong. Here, she and her mother are just another family struggling to survive...until a man who clearly doesn't belong shows up on her doorstep.
Despite their differences, Noah and Gracie are searching for answers to the same questions, and together, they set out to uncover the truth about the Austin Police Department's dark and messy past. But the scandal that emerges is bigger than they bargained for, and goes far higher up than they ever imagined.
Complex, gritty, and thrilling, Keep Her Safe solidifies K.A. Tucker's reputation as one of today's most talented new voices in suspense.
Gracie Richards wasn't born in a trailer park, but after fourteen years of learning how to survive in The Hollow, it's all she knows anymore. At least here people don't care that her dad was a corrupt Austin cop, murdered in a drug deal gone wrong. Here, she and her mother are just another family struggling to survive...until a man who clearly doesn't belong shows up on her doorstep.
Despite their differences, Noah and Gracie are searching for answers to the same questions, and together, they set out to uncover the truth about the Austin Police Department's dark and messy past. But the scandal that emerges is bigger than they bargained for, and goes far higher up than they ever imagined.
Complex, gritty, and thrilling, Keep Her Safe solidifies K.A. Tucker's reputation as one of today's most talented new voices in suspense.
436 pages, Paperback
First published January 23, 2018
476 people are currently reading
14746 people want to read
About the author
K.A. Tucker
66 books25k followersK.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.
She is the internationally bestselling author of over thirty books, including Ten Tiny Breaths, The Simple Wild, and the Fate & Flame series, Until It Fades, Say You Still Love Me, and Keep Her Safe. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, Publisher's Weekly, Oprah Mag, and First for Women.
Ten Tiny Breaths, The Simple Wild, and A Queen of Thieves & Chaos were Goodreads Choice award nominees.
K.A. Tucker lives outside of Toronto. When she's not writing books, you can find her reading recipes she'll never make or chasing rabbits away from her hostas.
Join Tucker's Troop on Facebook! >>
https://www.facebook.com/groups/14685...
Signup for her newsletter >> https://www.katuckerbooks.com/newslet...
She is the internationally bestselling author of over thirty books, including Ten Tiny Breaths, The Simple Wild, and the Fate & Flame series, Until It Fades, Say You Still Love Me, and Keep Her Safe. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, Publisher's Weekly, Oprah Mag, and First for Women.
Ten Tiny Breaths, The Simple Wild, and A Queen of Thieves & Chaos were Goodreads Choice award nominees.
K.A. Tucker lives outside of Toronto. When she's not writing books, you can find her reading recipes she'll never make or chasing rabbits away from her hostas.
Join Tucker's Troop on Facebook! >>
https://www.facebook.com/groups/14685...
Signup for her newsletter >> https://www.katuckerbooks.com/newslet...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,067 reviews
September 22, 2022
Keep Her Safe was one of my most anticipated reads of 2018; lucky for me it publishes in January which means I didn't have to wait long. The author has dabbled in romantic suspense before, but while He Will Be My Ruin leaned more on the sexy, psychological thriller side, this one was all about the police procedural with a tender, budding romance. If romantic suspense isn't your thing because you can't stomach the cheesy, vomit inducing, erotic nature of a large portion of the genre out there, relax; this one totally isn't like that and feels much more like mainstream crime fiction. The cover is gorgeous and doesn't have a half naked man on the front, and the title really ties in nicely with the emotional side of the story.
I lean down to place a kiss on her forehead, and she reaches up, her palm cupping my stubbled jaw in an affectionate gesture. "I love you so much. Always remember that."
Jackie Marshall is the highly decorated police chief of the APD and her son Noah has seen a cushy, somewhat sheltered life because of it. Gracie Richards grew up with a starkly different experience, which makes for a complex comparison of the lives of the privileged and those who are not. Tucker does a nice job of tying in racial injustice while keeping the story from breaching the territory of "white man saves the day"; in fact, she does a fine job of toeing a delicate line between channeling racial diversity in Gracie and just showcasing cliches that have been done time and again. There were so many discreet details, ones that may seem insignificant to most, that meant the world to my reading experience. An example of this is in discussing how Gracie doesn't want to get her hair soaked and have to blow it out again because otherwise it turns into a giant ball of fluff. Her and Noah joke about it in a respectful way; these are the little details that brought her character to life for me and kept her from becoming whitewashed.
"I won't let anything happen to her," I promise. It was easy for a masked man to terrorize a broken-hearted Dina fourteen years ago, using threats against her little girl to scare her into silence. But Gracie's not a little girl anymore, and something tells me she won't be as easy to scare away as Dina was.
I'm trying not to say much about the plot, because I would hate to spoil it for you, but I honestly felt for the first time in my reading experience that the romance in a novel out-shined the criminal case! I was just so drawn to this intimate portrayal of two new adults who had experienced a mountain of tragedy in their short lives slowly being drawn to each other, but in more than just a sexual nature. There is something so deep and intricate about the type of love that develops between two hollow people; I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the transformation of broken and hopeless to scarred yet complete. There are so many other evolving relationships in this story, between different types of family and friends and law enforcement that I found breathed life into the narrative. My only minor complaint was that I wish we had been limited to reading from Noah and Gracie's POV; there are a few others thrown in and I might have preferred getting to know those characters from the stories and memories of others, but otherwise this was a truly fabulous read.
Some seasoned readers may find aspects of the plot easy to solve, but I still discovered a few surprises along the way and I felt the ending Tucker chose more than compensated for any predictable punches. I can't say too much, but I wholly embraced the intellectual and emotional finale rather than a focus on one last "guns a'blazing and knock 'em out" moment. It felt more real, raw, and profound than any unnecessary action scene ever could have brought. The characters remain flawed and the idea is everyone will move forward from these newfound revelations and heal in the best ways that they can find. I would highly recommend this to readers who want the whole package; if you enjoy a whodunnit where you get to solve the mystery alongside our protagonists with a classy romance thrown in, this one's for you. I don't know about you, but I'm really enjoying these seasoned romance authors breaking out of their shell and trying new genres; it's working so please keep it up!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy.
I lean down to place a kiss on her forehead, and she reaches up, her palm cupping my stubbled jaw in an affectionate gesture. "I love you so much. Always remember that."
Jackie Marshall is the highly decorated police chief of the APD and her son Noah has seen a cushy, somewhat sheltered life because of it. Gracie Richards grew up with a starkly different experience, which makes for a complex comparison of the lives of the privileged and those who are not. Tucker does a nice job of tying in racial injustice while keeping the story from breaching the territory of "white man saves the day"; in fact, she does a fine job of toeing a delicate line between channeling racial diversity in Gracie and just showcasing cliches that have been done time and again. There were so many discreet details, ones that may seem insignificant to most, that meant the world to my reading experience. An example of this is in discussing how Gracie doesn't want to get her hair soaked and have to blow it out again because otherwise it turns into a giant ball of fluff. Her and Noah joke about it in a respectful way; these are the little details that brought her character to life for me and kept her from becoming whitewashed.
"I won't let anything happen to her," I promise. It was easy for a masked man to terrorize a broken-hearted Dina fourteen years ago, using threats against her little girl to scare her into silence. But Gracie's not a little girl anymore, and something tells me she won't be as easy to scare away as Dina was.
I'm trying not to say much about the plot, because I would hate to spoil it for you, but I honestly felt for the first time in my reading experience that the romance in a novel out-shined the criminal case! I was just so drawn to this intimate portrayal of two new adults who had experienced a mountain of tragedy in their short lives slowly being drawn to each other, but in more than just a sexual nature. There is something so deep and intricate about the type of love that develops between two hollow people; I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the transformation of broken and hopeless to scarred yet complete. There are so many other evolving relationships in this story, between different types of family and friends and law enforcement that I found breathed life into the narrative. My only minor complaint was that I wish we had been limited to reading from Noah and Gracie's POV; there are a few others thrown in and I might have preferred getting to know those characters from the stories and memories of others, but otherwise this was a truly fabulous read.
Some seasoned readers may find aspects of the plot easy to solve, but I still discovered a few surprises along the way and I felt the ending Tucker chose more than compensated for any predictable punches. I can't say too much, but I wholly embraced the intellectual and emotional finale rather than a focus on one last "guns a'blazing and knock 'em out" moment. It felt more real, raw, and profound than any unnecessary action scene ever could have brought. The characters remain flawed and the idea is everyone will move forward from these newfound revelations and heal in the best ways that they can find. I would highly recommend this to readers who want the whole package; if you enjoy a whodunnit where you get to solve the mystery alongside our protagonists with a classy romance thrown in, this one's for you. I don't know about you, but I'm really enjoying these seasoned romance authors breaking out of their shell and trying new genres; it's working so please keep it up!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy.
March 1, 2023
4.5 stars!!!!
What. A. Ride. Keep Her Safe is one of the most intriguing and suspenseful books I’ve read this year. I love reading a book that not only keeps me guessing, but manages to surprise me. The suspense part of the book was the predominate part, but I loved the bit of romance Tucker threw in there as well!
Gracie grew up in a similar way as Noah. Her dad was a cop, and she had a happy childhood. Then her father was killed, his name tarnished, and things changed for her. She moved with her mother to a trailer park in The Hollow. Things aren’t good for her, but she manages to survive. Then Noah shows up. Noah is not someone Gracie wants to see, but he brings things to light that has her asking more and more questions about her father and his death.
The more time Noah and Gracie spend together, the more her hardened shell starts to crack a bit. She can tell after a while that Noah is the real deal and he really does want to help. Even if that means sacrificing things that are important to him. With time, Gracie learns to trust someone again, for the first time in a long time, someone has her back.
As I said before, this book really did keep me on my toes. I didn’t want to put it down and wow- was I shocked at some of the revelations at the end! KA Tucker does an incredible job doing romantic suspense. This book is a must read and I highly recommend it to all!
What. A. Ride. Keep Her Safe is one of the most intriguing and suspenseful books I’ve read this year. I love reading a book that not only keeps me guessing, but manages to surprise me. The suspense part of the book was the predominate part, but I loved the bit of romance Tucker threw in there as well!
“Who were you, really, Jackie Marshall?”This is the question Noah Marshall finds himself asking after he finds his mother, the police chief of Austin, dead. Before his mom passed, she said some things to him that made him question everything. Noah could just let it all go and move on with his life, but he can’t. He’s not that type of person. He chooses to go and find Gracie.
Gracie grew up in a similar way as Noah. Her dad was a cop, and she had a happy childhood. Then her father was killed, his name tarnished, and things changed for her. She moved with her mother to a trailer park in The Hollow. Things aren’t good for her, but she manages to survive. Then Noah shows up. Noah is not someone Gracie wants to see, but he brings things to light that has her asking more and more questions about her father and his death.
The more time Noah and Gracie spend together, the more her hardened shell starts to crack a bit. She can tell after a while that Noah is the real deal and he really does want to help. Even if that means sacrificing things that are important to him. With time, Gracie learns to trust someone again, for the first time in a long time, someone has her back.
When was the last time I trusted anyone the way I seem to trust Noah almost instinctively, no matter how many times he’s given me reason not to? I never have. Because I’ve never met a guy like him.I adored Noah and Gracie, both. Their relationship wasn’t the biggest part of the story, but it was still a great part of it! Noah was the best character in my opinion. I loved how honest he was, how he would sacrifice a lot to do the right thing. His heart was always in the right place. Gracie was strong and even though her life had been tragic, she always had a bit of hope that things would get better.
As I said before, this book really did keep me on my toes. I didn’t want to put it down and wow- was I shocked at some of the revelations at the end! KA Tucker does an incredible job doing romantic suspense. This book is a must read and I highly recommend it to all!
October 19, 2017
Just my way of balancing out the low stars this book got before I even finished writing it *shrugs* :D
December 11, 2021
after my last experience with a KAT mystery/thriller, i thought i would have to give up and stick to only reading her romance stories. but this has surprisingly changed my mind, or at least willing to give her another chance.
although this is heavily marketed as a romantic thriller, there is hardly any romance present and i think thats why i enjoyed this so much. the romance isnt necessary to the plot and, had it got more attention, i think i would have been annoyed because i was really in the mood for a thriller. this is set up so effectively with the different POVs and timeline shifts that it creates a narrative full of suspense and intrigue. had the focus changed to the growing dynamic between noah and gracie, then crucial information might have have been overlooked. so i really enjoyed the organisation of this novel and i think KAT has improved with her handling of crime/police dramas.
so consider me impressed and excited to see what kind of mystery/thriller tucker will come up with next!
↠ 3.5 stars
although this is heavily marketed as a romantic thriller, there is hardly any romance present and i think thats why i enjoyed this so much. the romance isnt necessary to the plot and, had it got more attention, i think i would have been annoyed because i was really in the mood for a thriller. this is set up so effectively with the different POVs and timeline shifts that it creates a narrative full of suspense and intrigue. had the focus changed to the growing dynamic between noah and gracie, then crucial information might have have been overlooked. so i really enjoyed the organisation of this novel and i think KAT has improved with her handling of crime/police dramas.
so consider me impressed and excited to see what kind of mystery/thriller tucker will come up with next!
↠ 3.5 stars
January 21, 2018
3 Stars.
Noah Marshall and Gracie Richards knew each other when they were children. Noah remembers her well. His mom, Jackie Marshall, and her dad Abe were friends as well as partners in the Austin Police Department. Abe was like a father to Noah. Then something went awry. Abe got killed and was found to be a corrupt cop. Embarrassed, Gracie’s mom, hightailed it out of town and took Gracie with her and never looked back. Years later, Jackie Marshall became the Chief of the APD. For all these years, she has kept a secret pertaining to Abe and it has torn her apart. One night she finally divulges something about it to her son Noah and it sends him on an wild good chase. One that involves Gracie. Together Noah and Gracie get wrapped up in something extremely dangerous and sparks fly - in more ways than one.
“Keep Her Safe” by K.A. Tucker is a crime thriller and a romantic suspense novel. I didn’t quite know what I was getting into - and unfortunately for me it didn’t quite deliver. What I did enjoy however, was the book’s setting - which took place in Austin, TX, where I lived for a while in 2013. The bio for the author, K.A. Tucker, says that she is from Toronto, yet the scene she set for Austin was spot on. From Congress Street, and the bats, to Lady Bird Lake and Downtown - I felt like I was back there, which I loved, so kudos to Ms. Tucker for that. All in all however, “Keep Her Safe” was simply just an ok story. While the characters were extremely well written, the novel was also fairly long. It took a while to get to the end, which I had figured out from the first few chapters and therefore didn’t find it suspenseful. Fans of romantic thrillers may, however like this one.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and K.A. Tucker for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley, Goodreads, on 1.21.18.
*Will be published on Amazon on 1.23.18.
Noah Marshall and Gracie Richards knew each other when they were children. Noah remembers her well. His mom, Jackie Marshall, and her dad Abe were friends as well as partners in the Austin Police Department. Abe was like a father to Noah. Then something went awry. Abe got killed and was found to be a corrupt cop. Embarrassed, Gracie’s mom, hightailed it out of town and took Gracie with her and never looked back. Years later, Jackie Marshall became the Chief of the APD. For all these years, she has kept a secret pertaining to Abe and it has torn her apart. One night she finally divulges something about it to her son Noah and it sends him on an wild good chase. One that involves Gracie. Together Noah and Gracie get wrapped up in something extremely dangerous and sparks fly - in more ways than one.
“Keep Her Safe” by K.A. Tucker is a crime thriller and a romantic suspense novel. I didn’t quite know what I was getting into - and unfortunately for me it didn’t quite deliver. What I did enjoy however, was the book’s setting - which took place in Austin, TX, where I lived for a while in 2013. The bio for the author, K.A. Tucker, says that she is from Toronto, yet the scene she set for Austin was spot on. From Congress Street, and the bats, to Lady Bird Lake and Downtown - I felt like I was back there, which I loved, so kudos to Ms. Tucker for that. All in all however, “Keep Her Safe” was simply just an ok story. While the characters were extremely well written, the novel was also fairly long. It took a while to get to the end, which I had figured out from the first few chapters and therefore didn’t find it suspenseful. Fans of romantic thrillers may, however like this one.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and K.A. Tucker for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley, Goodreads, on 1.21.18.
*Will be published on Amazon on 1.23.18.
January 24, 2018
3.5
Solid romantic suspense police procedural.
Noah Marshall's mom, Jackie was chief of police in Austin, Texas twenty years ago. She worked with her partner Abe Wilkes, who was also her best friend. His wife, Gina and daughter Grace were close to Jackie and Noah.
Tragedy strikes before Grace is 6 years old, and her father Abe is killed during a horrendous drug bust and is labeled a "bad cop". Jackie can't live with herself any longer because she has personal knowledge about that day and divulges unsettling information to Noah concerning Abe. After all, it did tear many lives apart.
Noah wants to set things straight with Grace and brings to light not only answers to what happened, but reveals the layers of corruption that no one imagined.
Sweet romance sprinkled between tracking down clues makes this a solid romantic suspense novel. It was predictable for me as I saw all the twists coming, but I enjoyed the characters and the Austin setting. If you're a fan of romantic suspense, you should check this one out.
Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for my Arc. This book was released on 1/23/2018
Solid romantic suspense police procedural.
Noah Marshall's mom, Jackie was chief of police in Austin, Texas twenty years ago. She worked with her partner Abe Wilkes, who was also her best friend. His wife, Gina and daughter Grace were close to Jackie and Noah.
Tragedy strikes before Grace is 6 years old, and her father Abe is killed during a horrendous drug bust and is labeled a "bad cop". Jackie can't live with herself any longer because she has personal knowledge about that day and divulges unsettling information to Noah concerning Abe. After all, it did tear many lives apart.
Noah wants to set things straight with Grace and brings to light not only answers to what happened, but reveals the layers of corruption that no one imagined.
Sweet romance sprinkled between tracking down clues makes this a solid romantic suspense novel. It was predictable for me as I saw all the twists coming, but I enjoyed the characters and the Austin setting. If you're a fan of romantic suspense, you should check this one out.
Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for my Arc. This book was released on 1/23/2018
January 1, 2018
*****4.5 STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Publisher}
My stomach tightens as my mother’s voice fills my head, reminding me that it’s not just money that she wanted to give Abe’s daughter. She wanted to fix this. To give Gracie peace of mind. A coat of polish for the tarnished memory of her father. A chance to know a different truth.
KEEP HER SAFE was a mystery filled with nail-biting suspense. There is romance but this one is very low on steam. The plot is what makes this book insanely entertaining. The entire time reading this I was trying to figure out the truth and it was like being on a crazy roller coaster ride with no end in sight. Everyone appears to be a suspect, the only two people who I knew were innocent were Noah and Gracie, the Hero and Heroine. We get alternating POVs during the present between Noah and Gracie, and then we are given clues through alternating POVs from the past between Noah’s mother and Gracie’s deceased father. Each travel back in time brings us closer to the truth, but I didn’t see that jaw-dropping reveal at the end coming!!
Noah’s mother, who was the Chief of the Austin police department has just committed suicide. He’s devastated because it happened right after he had a disturbing chat with her while she was clearly intoxicated and in a bad way mentally. While meeting with his mother’s lawyer to go over her will, he gives Noah an envelope which contains a letter from his mother. The letter is brief. It instructs him to go to a hidden safe she had in their pantry and she asks him to take what’s in it to her old partner’s daughter who now lives in Tucson. Abe Wilkes and Noah’s mother used to be the best of friends and Abe was more of a father figure to Noah then his own dad. But something happened in the past that destroyed their friendship and whatever it was it had Noah’s mother turning to alcohol to numb her guilt and regret.
Noah takes the $98,000 and Abe’s gun holster, which is what was in the safe, and he heads out on a road trip for Tucson to deliver them to Gracie Wilkes. When he makes it to her home, he’s shocked to see she is living in a run-down trailer park. He’s also struck by what a stunning young woman she’s become. Noah shows up when he’s needed the most. Although their first encounter is extremely hostile since Gracie assumes he is one of her mother’s drug dealers, he turns out to be her hero when he saves her mother from their burning trailer. When he tries to give her the money, Gracie wants nothing to do with is as she believes all the reports of her father being a crooked cop who died in a drug bust gone wrong. Gracie is a very bitter young woman since she and her mother have lived a hard life since her father’s death.
When the FBI shows up questioning Gracie’s mom and then a box filled with old photos and newspaper clippings that her mom had been hiding resurfaces, Gracie starts to have hope that her father was wrongly accused. Noah battles internally over helping Gracie find the clues they need to prove her father’s innocence because he fears that it will result in tainting his mother's reputation when the truth is revealed. But Noah is starting to have feelings for Gracie and he also loved her father a great deal so not helping Gracie isn't an option.
Here are my overall ratings on the book:
Hero: 5
Heroine: 4
Plot: 5
Angst: 3
Steam: 3
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4
This romantic thriller will have you on the edge of your seats!
KEEP HER SAFE releases on January 23rd!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2DJ1OWm
{ARC Generously Provided by Publisher}
My stomach tightens as my mother’s voice fills my head, reminding me that it’s not just money that she wanted to give Abe’s daughter. She wanted to fix this. To give Gracie peace of mind. A coat of polish for the tarnished memory of her father. A chance to know a different truth.
KEEP HER SAFE was a mystery filled with nail-biting suspense. There is romance but this one is very low on steam. The plot is what makes this book insanely entertaining. The entire time reading this I was trying to figure out the truth and it was like being on a crazy roller coaster ride with no end in sight. Everyone appears to be a suspect, the only two people who I knew were innocent were Noah and Gracie, the Hero and Heroine. We get alternating POVs during the present between Noah and Gracie, and then we are given clues through alternating POVs from the past between Noah’s mother and Gracie’s deceased father. Each travel back in time brings us closer to the truth, but I didn’t see that jaw-dropping reveal at the end coming!!
Noah’s mother, who was the Chief of the Austin police department has just committed suicide. He’s devastated because it happened right after he had a disturbing chat with her while she was clearly intoxicated and in a bad way mentally. While meeting with his mother’s lawyer to go over her will, he gives Noah an envelope which contains a letter from his mother. The letter is brief. It instructs him to go to a hidden safe she had in their pantry and she asks him to take what’s in it to her old partner’s daughter who now lives in Tucson. Abe Wilkes and Noah’s mother used to be the best of friends and Abe was more of a father figure to Noah then his own dad. But something happened in the past that destroyed their friendship and whatever it was it had Noah’s mother turning to alcohol to numb her guilt and regret.
Noah takes the $98,000 and Abe’s gun holster, which is what was in the safe, and he heads out on a road trip for Tucson to deliver them to Gracie Wilkes. When he makes it to her home, he’s shocked to see she is living in a run-down trailer park. He’s also struck by what a stunning young woman she’s become. Noah shows up when he’s needed the most. Although their first encounter is extremely hostile since Gracie assumes he is one of her mother’s drug dealers, he turns out to be her hero when he saves her mother from their burning trailer. When he tries to give her the money, Gracie wants nothing to do with is as she believes all the reports of her father being a crooked cop who died in a drug bust gone wrong. Gracie is a very bitter young woman since she and her mother have lived a hard life since her father’s death.
When the FBI shows up questioning Gracie’s mom and then a box filled with old photos and newspaper clippings that her mom had been hiding resurfaces, Gracie starts to have hope that her father was wrongly accused. Noah battles internally over helping Gracie find the clues they need to prove her father’s innocence because he fears that it will result in tainting his mother's reputation when the truth is revealed. But Noah is starting to have feelings for Gracie and he also loved her father a great deal so not helping Gracie isn't an option.
Here are my overall ratings on the book:
Hero: 5
Heroine: 4
Plot: 5
Angst: 3
Steam: 3
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4
This romantic thriller will have you on the edge of your seats!
KEEP HER SAFE releases on January 23rd!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2DJ1OWm
January 23, 2018
LIVE AMAZON https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Her-Safe-...
4-4,5 STARS
This was another great story from K.A. Tucker!!I loved it, it has an interesting plot, the writing was flawless and the story captivating!It started a little bit slow but I think it happened to set up the atmosphere and keep the readers interest!The truth is I was hooked from the first pages and I couldn't put it down!
Noah and Gracie are two different people who are connected in so many ways!Gracie is an interesting character, she is stubborn and strong heroine.Noah on the other hand is sweet and a nice guy.I love the alternative POVS because this makes the story more intimidate!
Keep Her Safe has it all, suspense,twists and a sweet romance!You won’t be disappointed with this one, I highly recommend it!
4-4,5 STARS
This was another great story from K.A. Tucker!!I loved it, it has an interesting plot, the writing was flawless and the story captivating!It started a little bit slow but I think it happened to set up the atmosphere and keep the readers interest!The truth is I was hooked from the first pages and I couldn't put it down!
Noah and Gracie are two different people who are connected in so many ways!Gracie is an interesting character, she is stubborn and strong heroine.Noah on the other hand is sweet and a nice guy.I love the alternative POVS because this makes the story more intimidate!
Keep Her Safe has it all, suspense,twists and a sweet romance!You won’t be disappointed with this one, I highly recommend it!
March 19, 2018
Big thanks to Atria Books for providing my free copy of KEEP HER SAFE by K.A. Tucker - all opinions are my own.
This is my first Tucker novel and boy can she write! I was hooked from the first page. With interesting characters and a complex plot, I was glued to this book!
Jackie is a highly decorated police officer for the Austin Police Department. She has been burdened by a terrible dark and dangerous secret that quite possibly ruined an innocent family’s life. One day while coping with her grief, she inadvertently reveals this secret to her son, Noah. Now Noah, carrying the burden himself, starts working with a young woman named Grace and together they try to find the answers.
The story alternates between past and present, between several perspectives. Full disclosure: I’m not really a big police procedural reader. I like them but I’m extremely picky. Tucker does a tremendous job with this one! It has a compelling and multi-layered plot with crime after crime after crime. Classified as a romantic suspense novel, the thought of reading a romance scared the bejesus out of me, but it is tastefully done and beside the occasional giggle (I don’t read romance) it perfectly fit into the story. The characters are very well drawn out and I enjoyed learning about each of them!
The book is perfectly structured and I really enjoyed how the chapters were seamlessly constructed to create an engaging and fun mystery. At one point, I thought I had it all figured out but then Tucker got me with one jaw dropping scene at the end! Highly recommended!
This is my first Tucker novel and boy can she write! I was hooked from the first page. With interesting characters and a complex plot, I was glued to this book!
Jackie is a highly decorated police officer for the Austin Police Department. She has been burdened by a terrible dark and dangerous secret that quite possibly ruined an innocent family’s life. One day while coping with her grief, she inadvertently reveals this secret to her son, Noah. Now Noah, carrying the burden himself, starts working with a young woman named Grace and together they try to find the answers.
The story alternates between past and present, between several perspectives. Full disclosure: I’m not really a big police procedural reader. I like them but I’m extremely picky. Tucker does a tremendous job with this one! It has a compelling and multi-layered plot with crime after crime after crime. Classified as a romantic suspense novel, the thought of reading a romance scared the bejesus out of me, but it is tastefully done and beside the occasional giggle (I don’t read romance) it perfectly fit into the story. The characters are very well drawn out and I enjoyed learning about each of them!
The book is perfectly structured and I really enjoyed how the chapters were seamlessly constructed to create an engaging and fun mystery. At one point, I thought I had it all figured out but then Tucker got me with one jaw dropping scene at the end! Highly recommended!
October 12, 2022
reread 10/08-10/11/2022.
5 stars.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I originally read this long enough back that there were still some surprises for me during this reread.
I LOVE THIS BOOK.
The writing, the storyline , the characters....simply the best!!!!!
**************************
4.75 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So very good.
My first book by K.A. Tucker and it was magic.
The sort of book that you want to pick up and keep reading until the finish, which I pretty much did.
Great story and it was really well told. Also the pacing in this book was just perfect for me, the story unfolded in a clear and fascinating way - not hurried or overly drawn out.
I also enjoyed the flashbacks (which I am not usually a huge fan of) they brought to life characters central to the storyline that are now deceased and made me them very real for me.
In fact all the characters in this story were interesting and well developed. I could imagine them as people in real-life.
This book was a little light on the romance but it really didn't matter as the story was really good (I highly recommend it). Getting to know Gracie and Noah was definitely fun though.
I have always liked police procedurals so this romantic mystery that was set in Austin, Texas and rife with characters that worked for the Austin Police Department, D.A.'s office or F.B.I. was right up my alley.
*****Writing is fabulous. Must read for romantic suspense fans. Checked all my boxes.******
5 stars.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I originally read this long enough back that there were still some surprises for me during this reread.
I LOVE THIS BOOK.
The writing, the storyline , the characters....simply the best!!!!!
**************************
4.75 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So very good.
My first book by K.A. Tucker and it was magic.
The sort of book that you want to pick up and keep reading until the finish, which I pretty much did.
Great story and it was really well told. Also the pacing in this book was just perfect for me, the story unfolded in a clear and fascinating way - not hurried or overly drawn out.
I also enjoyed the flashbacks (which I am not usually a huge fan of) they brought to life characters central to the storyline that are now deceased and made me them very real for me.
In fact all the characters in this story were interesting and well developed. I could imagine them as people in real-life.
This book was a little light on the romance but it really didn't matter as the story was really good (I highly recommend it). Getting to know Gracie and Noah was definitely fun though.
I have always liked police procedurals so this romantic mystery that was set in Austin, Texas and rife with characters that worked for the Austin Police Department, D.A.'s office or F.B.I. was right up my alley.
*****Writing is fabulous. Must read for romantic suspense fans. Checked all my boxes.******
January 12, 2025
Chiar dacă are și o poveste de dragoste în stilul caracteristic al autoarei, asta nu diminuează cu nimic povestea polițistă care face subiectul cărții. Corupția la nivel înalt, sustragerea de probe și secrete de familie întunecate sunt un subiect numai bun pentru thriller reușit. Autoarea m-a convins că știe să creeze o poveste polițistă care te ține în suspans până la final unde îți mai servește o surpriză.
January 23, 2018
4.5/5 stars
K.A. Tucker is one of my favorite authors. So I was very excited to get to read her latest book.
Keeping Her Safe is a standalone novel. The author describes the book as an intense suspense story with a genuine deep-rooted romance. And unlike any other book that she's written.
I guess if I had to choose a genre to put this book in I would say romantic suspense. Romance is definitely featured in this book. Although to me the mystery/suspense aspect of the story is more prevalent.
The main narrators are Noah (25) and Grace (20). There are also some POVs from the past: Noah's mom Jackie (Police Chief) and Grace's dad Abe (police officer). It was interesting to get some insight into the past. But I found it unusual that the reader was learning things from these chapters that the narrators did not know.
A lot of the story takes place in Austin Texas. Noah lives in Austin. The Austin Police Department plays a very big part in this story.
Grace lives in Arizona in a trailer park with her mom who is constantly on drugs. Her dad died 14 years ago.
To be honest it took me a few chapters to really get into this book. When I started I could not figure out what the story was about. But by 15% the book started getting a lot better for me.
The book is about uncovering the truth. Noah and Grace team up to try to discover the truth about what happened 14 years ago. Her father Abe was killed. But there is much more to the story. There are so many secrets and lies. It is difficult for Noah and Grace to know who to believe and trust.
I really liked both Noah and Grace. Noah was polite and kind. Abe was his mentor. Grace had such a tough life. She was sassy and full of spunk. I really enjoyed reading about them trying to solve this mystery. And the dog, Cyclops was the funniest thing ever!
There were lots of interesting characters including: Grace's mom Dina, Noah's Uncle Silas (the District Attorney), former Police Chief Canning, and FBI agent Klein.
The mystery was really good. By halfway it was getting so interesting that I did not want to put the book down. I was hoping that the story would be full of twists and turns. And I was not disappointed.
There were definitely a bunch of shocking discoveries in this book. And I really liked the story. I just wanted more from the romance. I loved the couple. I just wish that the romance aspect had been addressed earlier in the book (there is hardly any romance in the first half of the story).
I am a big fan of the suspense/thriller genre. So I was thrilled to see so much suspense in this book. And even though I wanted more romance in the story, I was very invested in the romantic aspects of this book. Noah is going to be on a lot of Book Boyfriend lists.
Overall the last half of the book was the strongest to me. And the end was really good. It took me a little bit to become invested in the story. But once I was I could not put this book down. Does this feel like a K.A. Tucker book? Not exactly. There is a bit less focus on romance. And more focus on the mystery to be solved. That said the romance was strong. But I wish that there had been more of it. But wow the ending was intense. What a captivating story!
Complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thanks to Atria and netgalley for allowing me to read this book.
K.A. Tucker is one of my favorite authors. So I was very excited to get to read her latest book.
Keeping Her Safe is a standalone novel. The author describes the book as an intense suspense story with a genuine deep-rooted romance. And unlike any other book that she's written.
I guess if I had to choose a genre to put this book in I would say romantic suspense. Romance is definitely featured in this book. Although to me the mystery/suspense aspect of the story is more prevalent.
The main narrators are Noah (25) and Grace (20). There are also some POVs from the past: Noah's mom Jackie (Police Chief) and Grace's dad Abe (police officer). It was interesting to get some insight into the past. But I found it unusual that the reader was learning things from these chapters that the narrators did not know.
A lot of the story takes place in Austin Texas. Noah lives in Austin. The Austin Police Department plays a very big part in this story.
Grace lives in Arizona in a trailer park with her mom who is constantly on drugs. Her dad died 14 years ago.
To be honest it took me a few chapters to really get into this book. When I started I could not figure out what the story was about. But by 15% the book started getting a lot better for me.
The book is about uncovering the truth. Noah and Grace team up to try to discover the truth about what happened 14 years ago. Her father Abe was killed. But there is much more to the story. There are so many secrets and lies. It is difficult for Noah and Grace to know who to believe and trust.
I really liked both Noah and Grace. Noah was polite and kind. Abe was his mentor. Grace had such a tough life. She was sassy and full of spunk. I really enjoyed reading about them trying to solve this mystery. And the dog, Cyclops was the funniest thing ever!
There were lots of interesting characters including: Grace's mom Dina, Noah's Uncle Silas (the District Attorney), former Police Chief Canning, and FBI agent Klein.
The mystery was really good. By halfway it was getting so interesting that I did not want to put the book down. I was hoping that the story would be full of twists and turns. And I was not disappointed.
There were definitely a bunch of shocking discoveries in this book. And I really liked the story. I just wanted more from the romance. I loved the couple. I just wish that the romance aspect had been addressed earlier in the book (there is hardly any romance in the first half of the story).
I am a big fan of the suspense/thriller genre. So I was thrilled to see so much suspense in this book. And even though I wanted more romance in the story, I was very invested in the romantic aspects of this book. Noah is going to be on a lot of Book Boyfriend lists.
Overall the last half of the book was the strongest to me. And the end was really good. It took me a little bit to become invested in the story. But once I was I could not put this book down. Does this feel like a K.A. Tucker book? Not exactly. There is a bit less focus on romance. And more focus on the mystery to be solved. That said the romance was strong. But I wish that there had been more of it. But wow the ending was intense. What a captivating story!
Complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thanks to Atria and netgalley for allowing me to read this book.
January 18, 2018
Menacing, adrenaline-pumping, and well crafted!
Keep Her Safe is a steamy thrill ride that takes us into the lives of Noah and Gracie as they investigate and unravel all the lies, secrets, deception, and corruption that has tainted their past and present and try to vindicate their loved ones once and for all.
The writing is taut and edgy. The characters are complex, secretive, scarred, and genuine. And the plot told from multiple perspectives is an intense, suspenseful love story filled with police politics, familial drama, palpable chemistry, coercion, manipulation, violence, and murder.
Overall, Keep Her Safe is another absorbing, touching page-turner by Tucker that has just the right amount of romance and mystery to keep you invested, engaged, and guessing until the very last page.
Thank you to Atria Books and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
Keep Her Safe is a steamy thrill ride that takes us into the lives of Noah and Gracie as they investigate and unravel all the lies, secrets, deception, and corruption that has tainted their past and present and try to vindicate their loved ones once and for all.
The writing is taut and edgy. The characters are complex, secretive, scarred, and genuine. And the plot told from multiple perspectives is an intense, suspenseful love story filled with police politics, familial drama, palpable chemistry, coercion, manipulation, violence, and murder.
Overall, Keep Her Safe is another absorbing, touching page-turner by Tucker that has just the right amount of romance and mystery to keep you invested, engaged, and guessing until the very last page.
Thank you to Atria Books and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
March 5, 2018
Noah Marshall’s very comfortable and orderly life changes in an instant when his successful but troubled mother’s life ends one night. Jackie Marshall was the chief of police for the Austin Police Department and she left behind some troubling secrets, partially revealed to Noah the night of her death. His quest for answers takes him to Arizona in search of Grace Richards, the daughter of his mother’s former partner who was revealed to be a corrupt cop the night he died.
What an interesting story! I liked how the mystery unfolded through the voices from the past (Jackie Marshall and her former partner, Abe Wilkes) and their children. At one time they were all very close but it’s been almost 15 years since Abe’s death. To say that Grace and her mother hadn’t had an easy life since is quite the understatement. Because of their early foundation, both Noah and Grace had a jump start in developing their adult relationship. I enjoyed how they had to quickly work out trust and respect while teamed together to figure out the truth of what happened to fracture their parents’ working and personal relationship, investigate Abe’s death and his name. The balance of mystery and romance was about equal, neither overpowering each other and weaving together rather nicely.
I liked the use of the four narrators, particularly those for Jackie and Abe since their voices were distinctive and represented transitions to the past. The narrators for Noah and Grace were really good but Noah’s voice for Grace made her sound a bit shrewish at times. Otherwise, they turned in a good performance. It’s a compelling story with lots of twists, turns, bends and an eye-brow raising ending. It was great storytelling.
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review)
What an interesting story! I liked how the mystery unfolded through the voices from the past (Jackie Marshall and her former partner, Abe Wilkes) and their children. At one time they were all very close but it’s been almost 15 years since Abe’s death. To say that Grace and her mother hadn’t had an easy life since is quite the understatement. Because of their early foundation, both Noah and Grace had a jump start in developing their adult relationship. I enjoyed how they had to quickly work out trust and respect while teamed together to figure out the truth of what happened to fracture their parents’ working and personal relationship, investigate Abe’s death and his name. The balance of mystery and romance was about equal, neither overpowering each other and weaving together rather nicely.
I liked the use of the four narrators, particularly those for Jackie and Abe since their voices were distinctive and represented transitions to the past. The narrators for Noah and Grace were really good but Noah’s voice for Grace made her sound a bit shrewish at times. Otherwise, they turned in a good performance. It’s a compelling story with lots of twists, turns, bends and an eye-brow raising ending. It was great storytelling.
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review)
April 24, 2019
YES!!!!!!
This was an "on the edge of your seat" story. I could not put this down. After reading The Simple Wild, I had to read more from this author.
Noah and Grace are are reunited after his mother dies. She has a secret that prompts him to find Grace and her mom, and discovers there is more to the story of Grace's father's murder 14 years ago. The two are confronted by FBI agents who also have an interest in the murder. As clues are revealed, it becomes clear that the two deaths are linked and the lengths taken to cover it up. Noah and Grace work very well together to get to the truth while still trying to figure out their feelings for each other.
This story checked all the boxes and there were so many layers with characters that you cared about and some you didnt, but you felt that. And Noah, so full of heart and determination to get to the truth. He was such a rock and Grace had a strength of her own. Loved this!!!!
This was an "on the edge of your seat" story. I could not put this down. After reading The Simple Wild, I had to read more from this author.
Noah and Grace are are reunited after his mother dies. She has a secret that prompts him to find Grace and her mom, and discovers there is more to the story of Grace's father's murder 14 years ago. The two are confronted by FBI agents who also have an interest in the murder. As clues are revealed, it becomes clear that the two deaths are linked and the lengths taken to cover it up. Noah and Grace work very well together to get to the truth while still trying to figure out their feelings for each other.
This story checked all the boxes and there were so many layers with characters that you cared about and some you didnt, but you felt that. And Noah, so full of heart and determination to get to the truth. He was such a rock and Grace had a strength of her own. Loved this!!!!
November 23, 2018
2.5 stars
I loved Until it Fades by the author, so I'll admit I was kinda disappointed with this one. It's like the basic elements of the story could have been intriguing but somehow the way it was put together just didn't work for me. I usually give 3 stars to a book that I thought was at least okay but this didn't quite meet that standard so I'm shaving off half a star.
Noah Marshall's mother is the chief of the Austin Police Department. Her son is now carrying the burden of a secret his mom has held for years. Noah looks to find Gracie, the daughter of his mom's former partner, who he hasn't seen in years. Gracie and Noah are on the search for answers but the truth is going to be far messier than they ever could have imagined.
The book is probably best classified as romantic suspense. Unfortunately, even though I liked Noah and Gracie as characters, I just wasn't feeling any type of sparks between the two. The actual mystery of what happened so many years ago sustained my interest for awhile but eventually I just didn't even care. The story drags on for over 400 pages which definitely helped contribute to my boredom. The author kinda wrote herself into a corner because there were only so many ways she could go with the story. So it's fairly easy to figure things out on your own way before you get to the ending.
I wish I would have liked this one more as others seemed to enjoy it. Sometimes though a book just doesn't work for you.
I loved Until it Fades by the author, so I'll admit I was kinda disappointed with this one. It's like the basic elements of the story could have been intriguing but somehow the way it was put together just didn't work for me. I usually give 3 stars to a book that I thought was at least okay but this didn't quite meet that standard so I'm shaving off half a star.
Noah Marshall's mother is the chief of the Austin Police Department. Her son is now carrying the burden of a secret his mom has held for years. Noah looks to find Gracie, the daughter of his mom's former partner, who he hasn't seen in years. Gracie and Noah are on the search for answers but the truth is going to be far messier than they ever could have imagined.
The book is probably best classified as romantic suspense. Unfortunately, even though I liked Noah and Gracie as characters, I just wasn't feeling any type of sparks between the two. The actual mystery of what happened so many years ago sustained my interest for awhile but eventually I just didn't even care. The story drags on for over 400 pages which definitely helped contribute to my boredom. The author kinda wrote herself into a corner because there were only so many ways she could go with the story. So it's fairly easy to figure things out on your own way before you get to the ending.
I wish I would have liked this one more as others seemed to enjoy it. Sometimes though a book just doesn't work for you.
February 21, 2018
DNF at 50%
I decided that this year I'm not going to finish books that I'm not enjoying, I just don't have the time or energy for it. Unfortunately, this one just really bored me. It's a "romantic suspense" but the romance is mediocre at best and the suspense wasn't very interesting. It's taken me weeks to get through some of this book, which is rare for me. I wasn't really interested in Gracie and her back story and how Noah is connected to all of it and idk..... It was all just forgettable.
This is the third K.A. Tucker book that I've been disappointed by so I should probably stop reading her books lol. But I loved He Will be My Ruin so much so I keep giving her a chance, but I think I'm done trying now.
Thank you to Atria Books for sending me a copy of this book!
I decided that this year I'm not going to finish books that I'm not enjoying, I just don't have the time or energy for it. Unfortunately, this one just really bored me. It's a "romantic suspense" but the romance is mediocre at best and the suspense wasn't very interesting. It's taken me weeks to get through some of this book, which is rare for me. I wasn't really interested in Gracie and her back story and how Noah is connected to all of it and idk..... It was all just forgettable.
This is the third K.A. Tucker book that I've been disappointed by so I should probably stop reading her books lol. But I loved He Will be My Ruin so much so I keep giving her a chance, but I think I'm done trying now.
Thank you to Atria Books for sending me a copy of this book!
July 16, 2020
Audio ...
Robin Eller 2 Stars
Will Damron 5 Stars
Story 2 Stars
Robin Eller 2 Stars
Will Damron 5 Stars
Story 2 Stars
January 15, 2018
K.A. Tucker has a wonderful ability to be able to completely capture you with her stories from the very first page down to the last. They are captivating, thrilling and will leave you with an ending that is always as every bit as satisfying as it was fulfilling.
Her mysteries even more so.
I read a lot of mysteries and because I have for many years now, I've come to be able to predict a lot of what is going to happen in a story and sometimes that can leave the story lacking. But Tucker manages to keep me on my toes and even guessing until the very end and I couldn't love her more for it.
I love a story that is not only a tad bit darker than I expected but also has a romance that is every bit as sweet as I expected and this story has it in ten fold.
There is something about a good cop murder mystery that is so alluring and when I saw the synopsis for this I knew I had to read it and even though it was hard to put this down, I wanted to savor it as well and take it all in and adsorb every last word of it.
Truly another wonderfully told, wonderfully written story that many are going to be captivated by.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Her mysteries even more so.
I read a lot of mysteries and because I have for many years now, I've come to be able to predict a lot of what is going to happen in a story and sometimes that can leave the story lacking. But Tucker manages to keep me on my toes and even guessing until the very end and I couldn't love her more for it.
I love a story that is not only a tad bit darker than I expected but also has a romance that is every bit as sweet as I expected and this story has it in ten fold.
There is something about a good cop murder mystery that is so alluring and when I saw the synopsis for this I knew I had to read it and even though it was hard to put this down, I wanted to savor it as well and take it all in and adsorb every last word of it.
Truly another wonderfully told, wonderfully written story that many are going to be captivated by.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
January 15, 2018
Keep Her Safe
K A Tucker
Received from Atria Books
Oh my goodness! KEEP HER SAFE is such an intense story! Once I started reading it was very hard to put down. I had no idea who dun it and I would not rest until I knew. The suspense and the mystery surrounding Police Chief Jackie Marshall's death kept me on the edge of my seat and left me almost afraid to turn the page, afraid of what was coming next. Nail biting moments are going to keep you flipping the pages late into the night! I have read K A Tucker before but not in this genre. She writes young adult books and I love how she stepped out of her comfort zone to write KEEP HER SAFE and I hope she continues to write both.
Noah and Gracie are the only two innocent people in KEEP HER SAFE. Noah is Chief Marshall's son. Gracie is the daughter of Abe Wilkes, a cop in Austin who died in a seedy motel with a known drug addict. They were found with drugs and money and Abe is quickly labeled a bad and crooked cop who succumbed to temptation. Abe played a big part in Noah's life as his parents divorced when he was young and Noah always looked up to Abe as a father figure. Noah cannot accept the fact that his mother and Abe are both dead. He thinks there is much more to the story and convinces Gracie that they should investigate. What they find out blows them both away!
Before Noah's mom passed she said some things that just didn't sit right with Noah. He starts to question everything and feels he can't move on until he has some answers. KEEP HER SAFE will shock readers with how the story plays out! I know I was! The twists and turns keep the reader fully engaged in the story. There is a touch of romance as well but this heart pounding read is so much more! Especially as each new secret is revealed.
K A Tucker
Received from Atria Books
Oh my goodness! KEEP HER SAFE is such an intense story! Once I started reading it was very hard to put down. I had no idea who dun it and I would not rest until I knew. The suspense and the mystery surrounding Police Chief Jackie Marshall's death kept me on the edge of my seat and left me almost afraid to turn the page, afraid of what was coming next. Nail biting moments are going to keep you flipping the pages late into the night! I have read K A Tucker before but not in this genre. She writes young adult books and I love how she stepped out of her comfort zone to write KEEP HER SAFE and I hope she continues to write both.
Noah and Gracie are the only two innocent people in KEEP HER SAFE. Noah is Chief Marshall's son. Gracie is the daughter of Abe Wilkes, a cop in Austin who died in a seedy motel with a known drug addict. They were found with drugs and money and Abe is quickly labeled a bad and crooked cop who succumbed to temptation. Abe played a big part in Noah's life as his parents divorced when he was young and Noah always looked up to Abe as a father figure. Noah cannot accept the fact that his mother and Abe are both dead. He thinks there is much more to the story and convinces Gracie that they should investigate. What they find out blows them both away!
Before Noah's mom passed she said some things that just didn't sit right with Noah. He starts to question everything and feels he can't move on until he has some answers. KEEP HER SAFE will shock readers with how the story plays out! I know I was! The twists and turns keep the reader fully engaged in the story. There is a touch of romance as well but this heart pounding read is so much more! Especially as each new secret is revealed.
January 13, 2018
K.A. Tucker, I love you!!! I discovered this author recently, and I loved everything that I read so far. This book is so good! A thriller with a romantic twist, alternating between the present and the past, to uncover a story with many, many developments. I loved every bit of it, and didn't see how I would end at all.
Loved, loved, loved!
I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Loved, loved, loved!
I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2018
★★ 4.5 stars! ★★
Keep Her Safe combines all of the elements I have loved in KA Tucker's previous books—the who-dunnit murder mystery from He Will Be My Ruin, a kickass and prickly heroine like Ivy in Surviving Ice, and a strong and sweet hero like River from Chasing River. Throw in some slow-burning chemistry, a buried family secret or two, and a mangy mutt, and you have yourself a winner!
Noah comes from a family of lawyers and law enforcement. Growing up, he was loved dearly by his mother and had a surrogate father in her police partner, Abe. That all changes the night Abe is killed by a drug dealer and it’s revealed that Abe wasn’t the honorable man everyone thought he was. Turns out, neither was Noah's mother.
Life also changed in an instant for Gracie. Not only was her father taken from her at a young age, she grew up with an absentee mother who uprooted them shortly after her father’s death. Gracie didn’t have an ideal upbringing, but she’s learned how to look out for herself and her mother. When Noah shows up on her doorstep bearing a gift from his late mother, he dredges up old memories and partial truths and takes them on a life-altering adventure into the past.
Gracie and Noah make a great team and I loved seeing them grow close while learning to trust and open up to one another. Noah is sweet and polite, while Gracie is stubborn and hot-headed, so they really complemented each other well. They’re survivors who didn’t let the tragedies of their past hold them down.
I truly love KA Tucker’s style of mystery and suspense. She delivers a unique and heart-pounding tale of lies and deception while tempering it with moments of young love and humor. There are twists and turns that I didn’t expect, and I love it when a book can keep me on my toes. If you’re in the mood for a story that you can’t put down until the very last secret is revealed, be sure to give this one a go!
ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review.
▸ Purchase: Amazon US | Paperback | Kobo | iBooks | Nook | Books-A-Million | Book Depository
▸ For more reviews, visit http://www.totallybex.com
Keep Her Safe combines all of the elements I have loved in KA Tucker's previous books—the who-dunnit murder mystery from He Will Be My Ruin, a kickass and prickly heroine like Ivy in Surviving Ice, and a strong and sweet hero like River from Chasing River. Throw in some slow-burning chemistry, a buried family secret or two, and a mangy mutt, and you have yourself a winner!
Noah comes from a family of lawyers and law enforcement. Growing up, he was loved dearly by his mother and had a surrogate father in her police partner, Abe. That all changes the night Abe is killed by a drug dealer and it’s revealed that Abe wasn’t the honorable man everyone thought he was. Turns out, neither was Noah's mother.
Life also changed in an instant for Gracie. Not only was her father taken from her at a young age, she grew up with an absentee mother who uprooted them shortly after her father’s death. Gracie didn’t have an ideal upbringing, but she’s learned how to look out for herself and her mother. When Noah shows up on her doorstep bearing a gift from his late mother, he dredges up old memories and partial truths and takes them on a life-altering adventure into the past.
Gracie and Noah make a great team and I loved seeing them grow close while learning to trust and open up to one another. Noah is sweet and polite, while Gracie is stubborn and hot-headed, so they really complemented each other well. They’re survivors who didn’t let the tragedies of their past hold them down.
I truly love KA Tucker’s style of mystery and suspense. She delivers a unique and heart-pounding tale of lies and deception while tempering it with moments of young love and humor. There are twists and turns that I didn’t expect, and I love it when a book can keep me on my toes. If you’re in the mood for a story that you can’t put down until the very last secret is revealed, be sure to give this one a go!
ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review.
▸ Purchase: Amazon US | Paperback | Kobo | iBooks | Nook | Books-A-Million | Book Depository
▸ For more reviews, visit http://www.totallybex.com
January 23, 2018
Grace is a tough as nails character; life has dealt her a pretty crappy set of cards to play. She does so with a gritty personality, she takes no prisoners and protects her family fiercely. When the world shunned her and her mom, her mom fell apart. Grace learned how to become a provider and care taker, learning how to survive in some of the toughest conditions for a young adult. Her world turned upside down when Noah entered the picture with a bag full of dirty cash and gun that belonged to her father, widely known as a dirty cop killed trying to buy drugs.
Noah has always known his life would be tangled up with law enforcement, his mom being a police chief and his uncle the district attorney. What he never saw coming was tragic end to his moms life. She tasked him with delivering something she held near and dear, something that turned Noah’s world upside down. The people he thought would be the ones to provide support and protection in his worst times are the ones he finds betrayed him the most. So much happens in such a short time in Noah’s life, but he pushes to find the truth and bring justice to those who deserve it.
Keep Her Safe is a suspense novel that really draws a reader in, be prepared to sit for hours and read. The plot line has so many twists and turns throughout it; it’s easy to get lost. The characters are young adults learning their way around the nastiness of corruption and murder, along with learning who they are as people and the ways of the world. Noah and Gracie have a little spark of romance between them, however they don’t really act upon it as I would have expected. The end of the novel shocked me, I never really expected it to turn out the way it did. If you are looking for a good psychological thriller, Keep Her Safe is one I would recommend.
January 18, 2018
I am a huge fan of KA Tucker, but I really love her contemporary romances. I don't ever read novels that are primarily suspense or mystery, but I do love a good suspense movie or TV show. So when I had the opportunity to read this book, I couldn't say no.
Noah Marshall has lived an ordinary, privileged life with his police chief mom. But when his mom reveals something that happened in the past that has been weighing on her all of these years, Noah is shocked and finds himself driving to Arizona to set things right. There, he finds Gracie, the little girl from his past who moved away after tragedy and lies ruined her family. Gracie has lived in a trailer park for the past 14 years, watching her mom deteriorate more and more to drugs. When this strange Texan stumbles into her life bringing up secrets revolving around her father's death, Gracie is determined to redeem her father and find out the truth of what happened all those years ago.
Going into this one, I was immediately drawn into the story thanks to the flashbacks we got of Noah's mom and Gracie's dad. I loved seeing first-hand glimpses into the past while we followed Gracie and Noah in the present trying to unravel this mystery. Since Gracie and Noah were so young when everything happened so many years ago, they really didn't know anything, so they were discovering new facts and information right along with us, the readers, which I really enjoyed. I was shocked when they were shocked and I was angry when they were angry. Also, it was so fun watching them grow closer and experience a little bit of romance, which I always love.
While I was reading this book, I thought it was definitely a four star read as the pacing was steady and the storyline was interesting enough. BUT. When we got to the end, this turned into a five star read. My jaw was on the floor and I definitely didn't see any of that coming. KA Tucker really created a suspenseful mystery that had me furiously turning the pages until I got to the end.
Overall, this was such a hit from KA Tucker. I loved everything about this book and she delivered a suspense that definitely kept me on my toes.
Noah Marshall has lived an ordinary, privileged life with his police chief mom. But when his mom reveals something that happened in the past that has been weighing on her all of these years, Noah is shocked and finds himself driving to Arizona to set things right. There, he finds Gracie, the little girl from his past who moved away after tragedy and lies ruined her family. Gracie has lived in a trailer park for the past 14 years, watching her mom deteriorate more and more to drugs. When this strange Texan stumbles into her life bringing up secrets revolving around her father's death, Gracie is determined to redeem her father and find out the truth of what happened all those years ago.
Going into this one, I was immediately drawn into the story thanks to the flashbacks we got of Noah's mom and Gracie's dad. I loved seeing first-hand glimpses into the past while we followed Gracie and Noah in the present trying to unravel this mystery. Since Gracie and Noah were so young when everything happened so many years ago, they really didn't know anything, so they were discovering new facts and information right along with us, the readers, which I really enjoyed. I was shocked when they were shocked and I was angry when they were angry. Also, it was so fun watching them grow closer and experience a little bit of romance, which I always love.
While I was reading this book, I thought it was definitely a four star read as the pacing was steady and the storyline was interesting enough. BUT. When we got to the end, this turned into a five star read. My jaw was on the floor and I definitely didn't see any of that coming. KA Tucker really created a suspenseful mystery that had me furiously turning the pages until I got to the end.
Overall, this was such a hit from KA Tucker. I loved everything about this book and she delivered a suspense that definitely kept me on my toes.
January 9, 2018
I didn’t pick up on the fact that this one is labeled as a romantic suspense novel before I read it and that’s completely my fault, somehow when I first read the description I assumed it was a mystery police procedural type of read even though it says romantic suspense in the blurb! All of that to say, my expectations were not correct when I started this and I think it had an impact on my overall feelings about this one so keep that in mind when reading this review.
This is told using various timelines and several viewpoints and that portion of the book was very well done. The switches back and forth were seamless and the writing was fluid and engaging. The core of the plot was interesting and I always love a cold case type of mystery with an unsolved crime being unearthed years later. Noah and Grace were both well drawn and the secondary characters were as well and there were quite a few here, this was a well though out plot but I think veteran mystery readers will have a fairly easy time sussing things out.
Now for how my expectations effected my enjoyment and overall feelings about this. It really felt like I was reading a new adult romance and I totally wasn’t in the mood for that when I started this. It wasn’t too over the top but there is definitely romance and I could’ve done with less of the kissy stuff and more action and intensity. Again, totally my fault but I do want to make sure anyone eyeing this knows romance plays a pretty big role and the suspense takes a backseat. I also felt like parts of this were drawn out, maybe it’s because I could see where things were heading early on but I had a few moments where I was thinking, come ON already!
If you’re into RS this is a solid read, if you’re looking for a mystery without gore and graphic details, this is a good one. If you’re like me and prefer gritty, dark thrillers with tense moments and surprising twists this is probably not the book for you, however I can see it working for many people as long as they know what to expect.
This is told using various timelines and several viewpoints and that portion of the book was very well done. The switches back and forth were seamless and the writing was fluid and engaging. The core of the plot was interesting and I always love a cold case type of mystery with an unsolved crime being unearthed years later. Noah and Grace were both well drawn and the secondary characters were as well and there were quite a few here, this was a well though out plot but I think veteran mystery readers will have a fairly easy time sussing things out.
Now for how my expectations effected my enjoyment and overall feelings about this. It really felt like I was reading a new adult romance and I totally wasn’t in the mood for that when I started this. It wasn’t too over the top but there is definitely romance and I could’ve done with less of the kissy stuff and more action and intensity. Again, totally my fault but I do want to make sure anyone eyeing this knows romance plays a pretty big role and the suspense takes a backseat. I also felt like parts of this were drawn out, maybe it’s because I could see where things were heading early on but I had a few moments where I was thinking, come ON already!
If you’re into RS this is a solid read, if you’re looking for a mystery without gore and graphic details, this is a good one. If you’re like me and prefer gritty, dark thrillers with tense moments and surprising twists this is probably not the book for you, however I can see it working for many people as long as they know what to expect.
January 17, 2018
3.5 Stars
Noah’s life is turned upside down with his mother’s death, a decorated police chief. Noah’s always looked up to her, but with her drunken confessions about Abe Wilkes’ death, his mother’s police partner, Noah’s not sure about anything anymore. Abe Wilkes was not only Noah’s mother’s partner, he was like a second dad to him up until he was killed in a supposed drug deal gone bad. With all these new questions, and a quest from his dead mother, Noah seeks out Gracie, Abe’s daughter. Gracie and her mom left the state not long after Abe’s death, and their lives went downhill from there.
When Noah shows up on Gracie’s door she’s suspicious, but the help and support he provides during a family crisis softens the barriers between them. Noah was a sweetheart and completely steadfast. The questions about the past, what really happened to Abe, and what was Noah’s mother’s part in it, force Noah and Gracie to work together to find the truth and, hopefully, the closure they both need. There’s an immediate attraction simmering between them, but this is a slow burn romance, both needing to trust before anything can happen.
It took me a bit to get into this, and the mystery was a bit predictable, but the story ended up being a captivating tale of lies and betrayal. A few thrilling twists, danger, suspense, and a nice romance made this an entertaining read. Can’t forget the adorable one-eyed mutt, Cyclops!
A copy was kindly provided by Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.
This review is also posted at The Readers Den.
Noah’s life is turned upside down with his mother’s death, a decorated police chief. Noah’s always looked up to her, but with her drunken confessions about Abe Wilkes’ death, his mother’s police partner, Noah’s not sure about anything anymore. Abe Wilkes was not only Noah’s mother’s partner, he was like a second dad to him up until he was killed in a supposed drug deal gone bad. With all these new questions, and a quest from his dead mother, Noah seeks out Gracie, Abe’s daughter. Gracie and her mom left the state not long after Abe’s death, and their lives went downhill from there.
When Noah shows up on Gracie’s door she’s suspicious, but the help and support he provides during a family crisis softens the barriers between them. Noah was a sweetheart and completely steadfast. The questions about the past, what really happened to Abe, and what was Noah’s mother’s part in it, force Noah and Gracie to work together to find the truth and, hopefully, the closure they both need. There’s an immediate attraction simmering between them, but this is a slow burn romance, both needing to trust before anything can happen.
It took me a bit to get into this, and the mystery was a bit predictable, but the story ended up being a captivating tale of lies and betrayal. A few thrilling twists, danger, suspense, and a nice romance made this an entertaining read. Can’t forget the adorable one-eyed mutt, Cyclops!
A copy was kindly provided by Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.
This review is also posted at The Readers Den.
January 30, 2018
It's been quite some time since I read a K.A. Tucker book. I'd always been meaning to get to them, but for one reason or another it never actually happened. Well let me tell you, Keep Her Safe was an awesome way to jump back into her books.
Noah Marshall is the son of the chief of the Austin police department. Gracie Richards is the daughter of a drug addicted mother, and a father who was a corrupt police officer, killed in a drug deal gone wrong. Noah and Gracie haven't seen each other for fourteen years, but are reunited to try to uncover some truths from the past.
Keep Her Safe is full of mystery, lies, intrigue and suspense. And I was hooked from the first page. I loved the pacing of the story. It started off slowly and allowed me to get a feel for Noah and Gracie and what they'd been through. While their lives were very different there was also a whole lot of pain and suffering for both of them. I loved that this book wasn't romance based, which allowed the relationship between Noah and Gracie to develop naturally. And they’re both such amazing characters. In the second half of the book things really picked up. I was so suspicious of so many characters and their motives and how they fit into all the mystery and cover ups. I love when an author's able to keep me guessing!
I was so impressed with K.A. Tucker's writing and storytelling. I can guarantee that I won't be waiting years before I read another book by her. If your love a good mystery/thriller with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure, then I highly recommend you picking up a copy of Keep Her Safe.
Thank you so much to @atriabooks for supplying me with a copy for my honest review.
Noah Marshall is the son of the chief of the Austin police department. Gracie Richards is the daughter of a drug addicted mother, and a father who was a corrupt police officer, killed in a drug deal gone wrong. Noah and Gracie haven't seen each other for fourteen years, but are reunited to try to uncover some truths from the past.
Keep Her Safe is full of mystery, lies, intrigue and suspense. And I was hooked from the first page. I loved the pacing of the story. It started off slowly and allowed me to get a feel for Noah and Gracie and what they'd been through. While their lives were very different there was also a whole lot of pain and suffering for both of them. I loved that this book wasn't romance based, which allowed the relationship between Noah and Gracie to develop naturally. And they’re both such amazing characters. In the second half of the book things really picked up. I was so suspicious of so many characters and their motives and how they fit into all the mystery and cover ups. I love when an author's able to keep me guessing!
I was so impressed with K.A. Tucker's writing and storytelling. I can guarantee that I won't be waiting years before I read another book by her. If your love a good mystery/thriller with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure, then I highly recommend you picking up a copy of Keep Her Safe.
Thank you so much to @atriabooks for supplying me with a copy for my honest review.
June 6, 2021
Keep Her Safe es una historia tan fascinante y llena de intensidad que realmente no creo que tenga nada que envidiar a otros libros policiacos mas conocidos, asimismo, la pluma de K. A. Tucker brilla en todo su esplendor en todas y cada una de las hojas.
Admito que lo que me empujo a darle una oportunidad a este libro fue quien es su autora, no obstante, en cuanto lei un par de capitulos ya no pude dejarlo de lado, literalmente, pase los ultimos dias aprovechando cada instante libre que tenia para avanzar en la lectura, y que pedazo de lectura fue.
Adictiva, intrigante, absorbente .... Pese a no tener pocos capitulos, yo no senti que la trama decayera en ningun momento, en todo momento mantiene tu atencion, y es mas, cada vez se vuelve mas interesante de leer si cabe, tal vez, porque la trama va desvelando secretos muy poco a poco, y esa es una manera segura de engancharme. 😄
En cuanto a la parte romantica, admito que me supo a poco, puesto que Grace y Noah me gustaron muchisimo, son unos personajes increibles a los que conocer, y tengo la sensacion de que con un poco mas de desarrollo en su historia de amor, podia haberse convertido en una de las mejores que ha creado la autora, despues claro de mis amados Jonah y Calla. ❤
Para concluir, Keep Her Safe fue una novela asombrosa, iba predispuesta a disfrutar la historia, y aun asi, me encanto mas de lo que pense.
Si quieres un libro que te hipnotice con cada nueva hoja que pases, este es tu libro. Muy recomendable!
4 Estrellas!!
January 23, 2018
K.A. Tucker steps solidly into the romantic suspense genre with a powerful new release. This is a first-rate whodunit that spins and delivers a complex story bringing two innocents together in a search for the truth.
I lean down to place a kiss on her forehead, and she reaches up, her palm cupping my stubbled jaw in an affectionate gesture. ‘I love you so much. Always remember that.'
Readers are quickly swept into the sordid underbelly of police corruption by a gripping hook. The thin blue line hides ugly secrets, dirty cops, drugs, bribery and even murder. Tucker kick-starts this saga with a suicide that turns a son's life topsy-turvy and looking for answers to family secrets and lies in an action-filled story with a mesmerizing plot. A plethora of twists and turns where no one is without suspicion lies ahead -- with an ending that comes as a shocker.
Who were you, really, Jackie Marshall?
Suspense is the driving force in this heart-pounding story, with a meaningful and slow-building romance between Noah Marshall and Grace Richards in the passenger seat. Their dubiety and mistrust of one another slowly changes into something more as their emotions begin to fire on all cylinders. When it comes to the intimacy between Noah and Gracie, the author chose the “less is more” route. The sizzle and steam are there but aren’t always graphically present on the page. I was totally happy and satisfied with the mixture and the balance.
Present day POVs come from both Noah and Grace, along with two voices from the grave -- Jackie Marshall, Noah's mom and Abe Wilkes, Gracie's dad. Both Jackie’s and Abe’s revelations enrich this story by sharing the secrets of the past with readers even before the main characters become aware of this information. A clever and unique way to unravel clues by this author, too, in my opinion.
With a dynamic character-driven plot, my curiosity was continually fueled from start to finish. Characterizations are well-developed, with contrasting dark and light personalities, and the author paints them in living color. She vividly shows us the many facets of each character’s personality.
Both in their twenties, Noah and Grace are enticing characters –- mature for their age -- with trust issues that have them bumping heads. Teaming up in their search for the truth, Noah and Grace were literally putting their lives on the line. I admired and loved Noah and Gracie. Together just made them better.
He’s that “good guy” – the one you know will always do the right thing no matter what. He’s very compassionate and loyal. A classic hero-type who does his best to protect those he loves.
I wonder if she's suspicious of everyone who comes through here, or just the corn-fed Texas boy with the nice ride.
Gracie is a firecracker, witty and sassy, smart and strong – and certainly no pushover. Gracie’s father was killed and labeled as a dirty cop when she was just six years old. In the aftermath of his death, carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, while living in a rundown trailer park with an addict mother has been no picnic for this biracial twenty-year old girl.
A rather large and extraordinary cast of secondary characters, made up of Dina, Grace's mom, Noah's Uncle Silas, who is the District Attorney, and the former Police Chief Canning, all round out the story well without bogging it down. Also included is a rat-eating, dirty and frightening stray dog named Cyclops -- that will win you over just like he did both Noah and Grace -- and me, of course. Count on a standout performance by FBI Agent Klein.
Nothing is cut and dry in this story, and the author provides the perfect set-up for her audience to struggle with issues of morality and integrity. The characters are complex, and the plot moves at an exacting pace. The District Attorney's office, the police and the criminals all have something to gain and lose here. A tale of scandalous police corruption that offers a penetrating look at the decisions that are sometimes made in the name of family and ambition.
It’s a sign of a writer’s job well-done when she creates the thrill of excitement in her readers. K.A. Tucker does a tremendous job of doing so, along with striking balance in piecing together a complicated and masterful plot in dual timelines without making it difficult to follow. In a straightforward manner with just the right amount of details, she presents readers with a dose of cleverly conceived escapism. Her writing is intoxicating as right vs. wrong battle for truth.
There is so much more that I could say, but honestly the best way to reap the total reward is to go in unspoiled and free of any hints. You should be prepared to experience a whirlwind of twisting surprises and shocking revelations. I consider myself pretty good at putting puzzles together, but just when you think you’ve got this one figured out -- think again. Readers will be hard-pressed to find a better romantic suspense novel.
Don't underestimate the chances that this book may end up topping the list in the romantic suspense genre for 2018. Nothing is cut and dry in this story, and the author provides the perfect set-up for her audience to struggle with issues of morality and integrity. The characters are complex, and the plot moves at the perfect pace. The District Attorney's office, the police and the criminals all have something to gain and lose here. A quintessential police corruption tale that offers a keen look at decisions that are sometimes made in the name of family and ambition.
What's the truth? Get a copy soon and enjoy find the answers for yourself. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
First Tucker will expertly BAIT you -- then she'll catch you HOOK, LINE AND SINKER!
I lean down to place a kiss on her forehead, and she reaches up, her palm cupping my stubbled jaw in an affectionate gesture. ‘I love you so much. Always remember that.'
Readers are quickly swept into the sordid underbelly of police corruption by a gripping hook. The thin blue line hides ugly secrets, dirty cops, drugs, bribery and even murder. Tucker kick-starts this saga with a suicide that turns a son's life topsy-turvy and looking for answers to family secrets and lies in an action-filled story with a mesmerizing plot. A plethora of twists and turns where no one is without suspicion lies ahead -- with an ending that comes as a shocker.
Who were you, really, Jackie Marshall?
Suspense is the driving force in this heart-pounding story, with a meaningful and slow-building romance between Noah Marshall and Grace Richards in the passenger seat. Their dubiety and mistrust of one another slowly changes into something more as their emotions begin to fire on all cylinders. When it comes to the intimacy between Noah and Gracie, the author chose the “less is more” route. The sizzle and steam are there but aren’t always graphically present on the page. I was totally happy and satisfied with the mixture and the balance.
Present day POVs come from both Noah and Grace, along with two voices from the grave -- Jackie Marshall, Noah's mom and Abe Wilkes, Gracie's dad. Both Jackie’s and Abe’s revelations enrich this story by sharing the secrets of the past with readers even before the main characters become aware of this information. A clever and unique way to unravel clues by this author, too, in my opinion.
With a dynamic character-driven plot, my curiosity was continually fueled from start to finish. Characterizations are well-developed, with contrasting dark and light personalities, and the author paints them in living color. She vividly shows us the many facets of each character’s personality.
Both in their twenties, Noah and Grace are enticing characters –- mature for their age -- with trust issues that have them bumping heads. Teaming up in their search for the truth, Noah and Grace were literally putting their lives on the line. I admired and loved Noah and Gracie. Together just made them better.
He’s that “good guy” – the one you know will always do the right thing no matter what. He’s very compassionate and loyal. A classic hero-type who does his best to protect those he loves.
I wonder if she's suspicious of everyone who comes through here, or just the corn-fed Texas boy with the nice ride.
Gracie is a firecracker, witty and sassy, smart and strong – and certainly no pushover. Gracie’s father was killed and labeled as a dirty cop when she was just six years old. In the aftermath of his death, carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, while living in a rundown trailer park with an addict mother has been no picnic for this biracial twenty-year old girl.
A rather large and extraordinary cast of secondary characters, made up of Dina, Grace's mom, Noah's Uncle Silas, who is the District Attorney, and the former Police Chief Canning, all round out the story well without bogging it down. Also included is a rat-eating, dirty and frightening stray dog named Cyclops -- that will win you over just like he did both Noah and Grace -- and me, of course. Count on a standout performance by FBI Agent Klein.
Nothing is cut and dry in this story, and the author provides the perfect set-up for her audience to struggle with issues of morality and integrity. The characters are complex, and the plot moves at an exacting pace. The District Attorney's office, the police and the criminals all have something to gain and lose here. A tale of scandalous police corruption that offers a penetrating look at the decisions that are sometimes made in the name of family and ambition.
It’s a sign of a writer’s job well-done when she creates the thrill of excitement in her readers. K.A. Tucker does a tremendous job of doing so, along with striking balance in piecing together a complicated and masterful plot in dual timelines without making it difficult to follow. In a straightforward manner with just the right amount of details, she presents readers with a dose of cleverly conceived escapism. Her writing is intoxicating as right vs. wrong battle for truth.
There is so much more that I could say, but honestly the best way to reap the total reward is to go in unspoiled and free of any hints. You should be prepared to experience a whirlwind of twisting surprises and shocking revelations. I consider myself pretty good at putting puzzles together, but just when you think you’ve got this one figured out -- think again. Readers will be hard-pressed to find a better romantic suspense novel.
Don't underestimate the chances that this book may end up topping the list in the romantic suspense genre for 2018. Nothing is cut and dry in this story, and the author provides the perfect set-up for her audience to struggle with issues of morality and integrity. The characters are complex, and the plot moves at the perfect pace. The District Attorney's office, the police and the criminals all have something to gain and lose here. A quintessential police corruption tale that offers a keen look at decisions that are sometimes made in the name of family and ambition.
What's the truth? Get a copy soon and enjoy find the answers for yourself. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
First Tucker will expertly BAIT you -- then she'll catch you HOOK, LINE AND SINKER!
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