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Mission Recovery #2
Threat of Danger
Falling in love can be a deadly proposition in this pulse-quickening Mission Recovery novel from the New York Times bestselling author.
Jess Taylor and Derek Daley were in the throes of first love in a small Vermont town when they were kidnapped by a serial killer. They escaped his clutches—but not the trauma of the unsolved crime. With their lives changed forever and their romance cut short, they went their separate ways to exorcise their fears.
Jess is living on the edge as Hollywood’s hottest stuntwoman. It’s no longer terror thrumming through her veins. It’s adrenaline. Derek is a former Navy SEAL spinning his ordeals into heart-pounding bestselling thrillers. But when Jess is called home on a family emergency, she must face the past—and face the man she left behind, who is just as haunted and, like her, still so much in love.
Now, as an old flame reignites, Jess and Derek are taking advantage of second chances and putting their bad memories behind them. But here, in the quiet town of Taylorville, a killer is getting a second chance as well.
Jess Taylor and Derek Daley were in the throes of first love in a small Vermont town when they were kidnapped by a serial killer. They escaped his clutches—but not the trauma of the unsolved crime. With their lives changed forever and their romance cut short, they went their separate ways to exorcise their fears.
Jess is living on the edge as Hollywood’s hottest stuntwoman. It’s no longer terror thrumming through her veins. It’s adrenaline. Derek is a former Navy SEAL spinning his ordeals into heart-pounding bestselling thrillers. But when Jess is called home on a family emergency, she must face the past—and face the man she left behind, who is just as haunted and, like her, still so much in love.
Now, as an old flame reignites, Jess and Derek are taking advantage of second chances and putting their bad memories behind them. But here, in the quiet town of Taylorville, a killer is getting a second chance as well.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2018
539 people are currently reading
955 people want to read
About the author
Dana Marton
146 books836 followers Dana Marton writes fast-paced action-adventure romances that take her readers all over the globe. She is a Rita Award finalist and the winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence. She loves writing stories of intrigue, filled with dangerous plots that try her tough-as-nails heroes and the special women they fall in love with. Her books have been published in seven languages in eleven countries around the world.
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Sign up for Dana's newsletter and never miss a new release, sale or giveaway. You’ll receive a free copy of her #1 Amazon bestselling book DEATHSCAPE (Broslin Creek #2) for signing up, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Your email will never be used for any other purpose.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
June 8, 2018
4.5 - "Out of everything at home... I missed you most." Stars!
The second book in Dana Marton’s Mission Recovery series brings us author and ex-SEAL Derek Daley’s story. Threat of Danger had all the hallmarks of the classic Romantic Suspense book, with the POV of the captive and thoughts of the killer being included at pivotal points in its telling.
Taylorville… The small Vermont Town was the place of her birth and the origin of her nightmares…
Jess Taylor and Derek have history, and it is not of the pleasant kind, first love, first touch and first sexual experience all paled into insignificance when having been taken captive the three days following that time together saw Jess, beaten, abused and everything in-between by a masked captor, Derek forced to watch it all. With the town in general disbelieving and some even saying it was a story made up by a couple looking for attention, Jess ups and leaves as soon as she is able to.
She felt as if all her fears and insecurities and pain had hung around Taylorville, preserved, waiting for her return.
A decade on and Jess has to return home, her mother in the hospital, she is needed to step in and take care of the family farm.
"You’re annoying…"
"You used to idolize me."
"I guess I grew smarter…"
"And even more beautiful"
It’s not until her arrival that she realizes Derek is also back in town, and now like her as a stunt woman, a success story of his own making.
Memory lane was a slippery slope…
It’s weird to say, but this is an author that isn’t overly flowery when it comes to adding emotion into her characters thoughts. It’s addictive in a way because it’s definitely their words and actions that make the chemistry bubble and not lengthy inner-monologues.
"We have too much of a past… I don’t think I can get over that shared past."
You feel the connection between these two from the get-go, and although Jess initially see’s Derek as the man who saw her at her weakest and lowest point, it doesn’t take long, and with an added push of confirmation that the killer is still in their midst, for them to be questioning if their attraction can actually move past their history together.
"I’m not asking for anything. I’m here to give you whatever you need."
Derek is onboard with this a lot quicker than Jess is, and what initially seems as behavior to push her away and back out of town soon shows that he is actually looking out for her safety, something that doesn’t really go to plan in the latter stages.
"I don’t want to be here. And I don’t want to like you again. I don’t even want to be friends."
I actually had an idea of who the killer was in this one before it was actually revealed, which comes as a surprise because I am usually at a total loss when it comes to the whodunit, but it didn’t really matter, because although a massive part of the story it was Derek and Jess that kept me reading. I loved the first book in this series, and the second was even better, I still class Dana as new-to-me in regards to the quantity of books I have read by her, but with a prolific back catalogue, I can see me spending many hours reading her work in the future. I do hope we have more to come from this series too, each book has totally been standalone, and although I can’t immediately see any of the characters from this one popping up in their own book, I look forward to seeing if the author has more stories to add to the Mission Recovery series.
"I’m a navy SEAL. Nobody will hear me coming…"
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
The second book in Dana Marton’s Mission Recovery series brings us author and ex-SEAL Derek Daley’s story. Threat of Danger had all the hallmarks of the classic Romantic Suspense book, with the POV of the captive and thoughts of the killer being included at pivotal points in its telling.
Taylorville… The small Vermont Town was the place of her birth and the origin of her nightmares…
Jess Taylor and Derek have history, and it is not of the pleasant kind, first love, first touch and first sexual experience all paled into insignificance when having been taken captive the three days following that time together saw Jess, beaten, abused and everything in-between by a masked captor, Derek forced to watch it all. With the town in general disbelieving and some even saying it was a story made up by a couple looking for attention, Jess ups and leaves as soon as she is able to.
She felt as if all her fears and insecurities and pain had hung around Taylorville, preserved, waiting for her return.
A decade on and Jess has to return home, her mother in the hospital, she is needed to step in and take care of the family farm.
"You’re annoying…"
"You used to idolize me."
"I guess I grew smarter…"
"And even more beautiful"
It’s not until her arrival that she realizes Derek is also back in town, and now like her as a stunt woman, a success story of his own making.
Memory lane was a slippery slope…
It’s weird to say, but this is an author that isn’t overly flowery when it comes to adding emotion into her characters thoughts. It’s addictive in a way because it’s definitely their words and actions that make the chemistry bubble and not lengthy inner-monologues.
"We have too much of a past… I don’t think I can get over that shared past."
You feel the connection between these two from the get-go, and although Jess initially see’s Derek as the man who saw her at her weakest and lowest point, it doesn’t take long, and with an added push of confirmation that the killer is still in their midst, for them to be questioning if their attraction can actually move past their history together.
"I’m not asking for anything. I’m here to give you whatever you need."
Derek is onboard with this a lot quicker than Jess is, and what initially seems as behavior to push her away and back out of town soon shows that he is actually looking out for her safety, something that doesn’t really go to plan in the latter stages.
"I don’t want to be here. And I don’t want to like you again. I don’t even want to be friends."
I actually had an idea of who the killer was in this one before it was actually revealed, which comes as a surprise because I am usually at a total loss when it comes to the whodunit, but it didn’t really matter, because although a massive part of the story it was Derek and Jess that kept me reading. I loved the first book in this series, and the second was even better, I still class Dana as new-to-me in regards to the quantity of books I have read by her, but with a prolific back catalogue, I can see me spending many hours reading her work in the future. I do hope we have more to come from this series too, each book has totally been standalone, and although I can’t immediately see any of the characters from this one popping up in their own book, I look forward to seeing if the author has more stories to add to the Mission Recovery series.
"I’m a navy SEAL. Nobody will hear me coming…"
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
April 30, 2018
With Dana Marton, each book is radically different: characters, histories and backstories, all of it and it’s this kind of unpredictability that makes Marton a compelling writer. In fact, ‘Threat of Danger’ is nothing like its predecessor (save the good writing), is only very marginally linked to it and a solid standalone in its own right.
‘Threat of Danger’ is in essence, a whodunnit mystery that builds up to the revelatory moment and it’s closer to a typical ‘crime’ story rather than a military one that I’d expected. Jess/Derek’s story unfolds slowly, almost painfully as the memories return, the irrational blame that Jess places on Derek for their ordeal in the woods a decade ago coming to light as she’s forced to revisit her hometown. Jess’s family business of sugaring fascinated me, as did Marton’s deliberate but unusual pairing of a stuntwoman who lives on adrenaline highs (yet stays anonymous) and a retired SEAL who’s now a bestselling thriller writer.
Jess’s and Derek’s story is also a second-chance one that, because of the circumstances laid out, is more or less a believable one, though it does seem as though Jess and Derek come together incidentally because of her return. This pairing would absolutely not have existed otherwise save for the hand of fate so to speak, and the quick fall back in love (was it ever?) felt a mite bit forced, especially over the few weeks that Jess stayed.
The biggest issue I have is the perp’s (somewhat weak) motivation for committing crimes which didn’t entirely make too much sense, but then again, should there really be expecting a solid, logical reason for characters doing what they do? Maybe. Nonetheless, I would have liked to be more convinced about the deeper, more twisted psychological rationale behind the string of serial killings that the perp committed at least, particularly in a story that’s all about shoring up the moments until the momentous climax.
There’s no doubt that Dana Marton’s writing is thrilling, her opening scene superbly crafted, as dreaded anticipation cuts the knife edge of a vague menace that we never quite find out about. That much I knew from the prologue that I’d better buckle in for the ride that awaited me and I was right. 'Threat of Danger' is engrossing, compelling and thankfully, filled with mature characters (some of whom act as tragic parallels to Jess/Derek’s relationship) who add rather than detract from the entire storytelling. It’s in all, an entertaining read that had the time passing without me even knowing it, and I finished the book moist with anticipation with what else Marton has up her sleeve in the rest of this series.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
‘Threat of Danger’ is in essence, a whodunnit mystery that builds up to the revelatory moment and it’s closer to a typical ‘crime’ story rather than a military one that I’d expected. Jess/Derek’s story unfolds slowly, almost painfully as the memories return, the irrational blame that Jess places on Derek for their ordeal in the woods a decade ago coming to light as she’s forced to revisit her hometown. Jess’s family business of sugaring fascinated me, as did Marton’s deliberate but unusual pairing of a stuntwoman who lives on adrenaline highs (yet stays anonymous) and a retired SEAL who’s now a bestselling thriller writer.
Jess’s and Derek’s story is also a second-chance one that, because of the circumstances laid out, is more or less a believable one, though it does seem as though Jess and Derek come together incidentally because of her return. This pairing would absolutely not have existed otherwise save for the hand of fate so to speak, and the quick fall back in love (was it ever?) felt a mite bit forced, especially over the few weeks that Jess stayed.
The biggest issue I have is the perp’s (somewhat weak) motivation for committing crimes which didn’t entirely make too much sense, but then again, should there really be expecting a solid, logical reason for characters doing what they do? Maybe. Nonetheless, I would have liked to be more convinced about the deeper, more twisted psychological rationale behind the string of serial killings that the perp committed at least, particularly in a story that’s all about shoring up the moments until the momentous climax.
There’s no doubt that Dana Marton’s writing is thrilling, her opening scene superbly crafted, as dreaded anticipation cuts the knife edge of a vague menace that we never quite find out about. That much I knew from the prologue that I’d better buckle in for the ride that awaited me and I was right. 'Threat of Danger' is engrossing, compelling and thankfully, filled with mature characters (some of whom act as tragic parallels to Jess/Derek’s relationship) who add rather than detract from the entire storytelling. It’s in all, an entertaining read that had the time passing without me even knowing it, and I finished the book moist with anticipation with what else Marton has up her sleeve in the rest of this series.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
June 2, 2018
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
I am not a fan of the prickly heroine and Jess starts out not only prickly but with a giant maple tree on her shoulder. In this case, she has every right and I truly emphasize. Jess's character faced and overcame a tragedy and the readers got to experience how she did that along with defeating the baddie and finding true love. Great book.
When a place you love becomes your worst nightmare what do you do? Do you buck up, stay and suffer the torture of the unknown, or, do you run? Jess ran. Derek ran too, but he came back. Now, after 10 years, Jess, a successful Hollywood stuntwoman, is back, but only for a few days, okay, maybe a few weeks, but she is NOT staying. The psycho madman was never found and even looking at the maple forest makes her shake and facing down her fear is not on her agenda. She wants to make the old farmhouse livable for her mom who suffered a broken hip and then get the heck back to her life in LA. So much for best laid plans.
Derek became a kick a** Navy SEAL and vowed never to be as helpless as he was while Jess suffered those three days. His career ended early with a permanent disability, but his second career as a best selling author is just as rewarding. Since his return he has never stopped looking for the masked man. His latest book was written specifically to call out him out and provoke him. He didn't figure on Jess being in the crosshairs and how much he still loved and wanted to protect her. 4 1/2-Stars
I am not a fan of the prickly heroine and Jess starts out not only prickly but with a giant maple tree on her shoulder. In this case, she has every right and I truly emphasize. Jess's character faced and overcame a tragedy and the readers got to experience how she did that along with defeating the baddie and finding true love. Great book.
When a place you love becomes your worst nightmare what do you do? Do you buck up, stay and suffer the torture of the unknown, or, do you run? Jess ran. Derek ran too, but he came back. Now, after 10 years, Jess, a successful Hollywood stuntwoman, is back, but only for a few days, okay, maybe a few weeks, but she is NOT staying. The psycho madman was never found and even looking at the maple forest makes her shake and facing down her fear is not on her agenda. She wants to make the old farmhouse livable for her mom who suffered a broken hip and then get the heck back to her life in LA. So much for best laid plans.
Derek became a kick a** Navy SEAL and vowed never to be as helpless as he was while Jess suffered those three days. His career ended early with a permanent disability, but his second career as a best selling author is just as rewarding. Since his return he has never stopped looking for the masked man. His latest book was written specifically to call out him out and provoke him. He didn't figure on Jess being in the crosshairs and how much he still loved and wanted to protect her. 4 1/2-Stars
July 1, 2018
Threat of Danger was a fantastic read with a gripping suspense plot and an amazing second chance at love romance.
For Jess Taylor and Derek Daley, experiencing first love ended in tragedy when they were kidnapped and tortured by a serial killer. While they managed to escape, they never could forget what happened and fled their small Vermont town. When a family emergency pulls Jess from her job as one of Hollywood’s best stuntwomen back to her hometown, she realizes now is the time to put everything behind her once and for all. Running into Derek though was not part of the plan, nor was confronting the feelings that still linger between them. But as the two are inevitably drawn together, a killer is moving increasingly closer.
In the years since Jess fled her hometown, she has spent her time building up her career as a stuntwoman and has become one of the top women in the business. She refuses to allow herself to ever be afraid again and has a mantra of “restate and reframe” to make herself see any situation in a new light. I enjoyed seeing a heroine with an unconventional career and admired how much time and energy Jess put into her work.
To escape their town, Derek joined the Navy and became a SEAL, a career that was cut short after a helicopter accident left him with a permanent leg injury. In the years since leaving the Navy, Derek has returned to his hometown and has become a bestselling thriller writer using past experiences to create authentic and exciting stories. I thought it was pretty cool to have the hero be a writer as that’s a profession I don’t see for the male lead very often.
Jess and Derek’s relationship didn’t start out well upon meeting again ten years after the tragedy that tore them apart. For Jess, Derek was too closely tied to what happened that she has a hard time facing him. And for Derek, he sees Jess being back as too dangerous as he believes the person who kidnapped them is still around. It becomes obvious very quickly though that they both still love each other and ultimately those feelings push aside any doubts they have. Jess and Derek do have great chemistry and there are some incredibly sexy scenes between them.
The suspense plot in this book is very well done and was my favorite part of the book. The mystery of who the killer was and how many crimes did he commit were quite interesting. While it is mentioned what happened to Jess and Derek ten years ago when they were kidnapped (TW: torture and rape), the events don’t appear on page with the exception of their escape. When the killer’s identity was revealed, I was quite surprised by who they were but felt it worked well for the direction the story went.
I enjoyed Threat of Danger even more than the first book in the series and I’m hoping there will be more books in the series in the future. I would recommend this series to fans of romantic suspense with some harder hitting topics.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
For Jess Taylor and Derek Daley, experiencing first love ended in tragedy when they were kidnapped and tortured by a serial killer. While they managed to escape, they never could forget what happened and fled their small Vermont town. When a family emergency pulls Jess from her job as one of Hollywood’s best stuntwomen back to her hometown, she realizes now is the time to put everything behind her once and for all. Running into Derek though was not part of the plan, nor was confronting the feelings that still linger between them. But as the two are inevitably drawn together, a killer is moving increasingly closer.
In the years since Jess fled her hometown, she has spent her time building up her career as a stuntwoman and has become one of the top women in the business. She refuses to allow herself to ever be afraid again and has a mantra of “restate and reframe” to make herself see any situation in a new light. I enjoyed seeing a heroine with an unconventional career and admired how much time and energy Jess put into her work.
To escape their town, Derek joined the Navy and became a SEAL, a career that was cut short after a helicopter accident left him with a permanent leg injury. In the years since leaving the Navy, Derek has returned to his hometown and has become a bestselling thriller writer using past experiences to create authentic and exciting stories. I thought it was pretty cool to have the hero be a writer as that’s a profession I don’t see for the male lead very often.
Jess and Derek’s relationship didn’t start out well upon meeting again ten years after the tragedy that tore them apart. For Jess, Derek was too closely tied to what happened that she has a hard time facing him. And for Derek, he sees Jess being back as too dangerous as he believes the person who kidnapped them is still around. It becomes obvious very quickly though that they both still love each other and ultimately those feelings push aside any doubts they have. Jess and Derek do have great chemistry and there are some incredibly sexy scenes between them.
The suspense plot in this book is very well done and was my favorite part of the book. The mystery of who the killer was and how many crimes did he commit were quite interesting. While it is mentioned what happened to Jess and Derek ten years ago when they were kidnapped (TW: torture and rape), the events don’t appear on page with the exception of their escape. When the killer’s identity was revealed, I was quite surprised by who they were but felt it worked well for the direction the story went.
I enjoyed Threat of Danger even more than the first book in the series and I’m hoping there will be more books in the series in the future. I would recommend this series to fans of romantic suspense with some harder hitting topics.
**I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
April 27, 2018
Technically this is the second book in the Mission Recovery series. However, the books are completely different from one another and really the only thing linking them is the fact that Derek was in the same unit as the hero in the first book. This book has a definite dark edge but was a wonderful novel of romantic suspense.
Ten years ago, Jess and Derek were the victims of a madman you raped and tortured Jess while forcing Derek to watch. Fast forward ten years and Jess is now a stuntwoman determined to never be caught unprepared again. While Derek went on to become a SEAL. Now for the first time, both are back home and neither have fully recovered from their ordeal or completely moved on with their lives. Even worse, it seems that the madman is still kidnapping women.
Dana Marton has written a great story that immediately sucked me in. It was just one of those novels that you hate to put down until you're finished.
Ten years ago, Jess and Derek were the victims of a madman you raped and tortured Jess while forcing Derek to watch. Fast forward ten years and Jess is now a stuntwoman determined to never be caught unprepared again. While Derek went on to become a SEAL. Now for the first time, both are back home and neither have fully recovered from their ordeal or completely moved on with their lives. Even worse, it seems that the madman is still kidnapping women.
Dana Marton has written a great story that immediately sucked me in. It was just one of those novels that you hate to put down until you're finished.
June 5, 2018
Four and a half stars.
10 years ago Jess Taylor and Derek Daley were abducted in the Vermont woods and held for three days by their sadistic captor.
These days Jess is a successful stuntwoman in LA and Derek, former Navy SEAL, is a thriller writer. After Jess and Derek were accused of making the whole thing up and villified as attention-seekers Jess left Taylorville and didn't even come back for her father's funeral but now her mother has fallen over and broken her hip Jess can't stay away any longer from the small town that left her high and dry.
Jess returns to Taylor's Sugar, the maple sugar farm her parents and grandparents before them ran to find life pretty much the same, even, she is horrified to find out, Derek Daley living next door and not in New York or some other glamorous city. Returning to Taylorville and seeing Derek brings back all the old memories, but also a sneaking suspicion that their abductor didn't die 10 years ago.
I read the previous book in this new series, I enjoyed it but there was a little too much woo-woo for my tastes. Nevertheless the plot was engaging and I really liked the characters and the way that the heroine's therapy didn't 'Abracadabra' make the hero better, just gradually helped to ease the problems, to see the wood for the trees ( that would be a joke if you have read the first book). The woo-woo in this book is restricted to a group of locals who have a Sasquatch Society - basically they look for evidence of Sasquatch in the Vermont countryside.
I really liked this book despite not really reading much romantic suspense anymore - otherwise I'd never go for a walk in the woods anymore :). About halfway through this book I turned to my husband and précised the plot and said "I think the abductor is X or Y" - well I was wrong! So great misdirection, especially considering I read the entire book in less than one day so I didn't lose any threads.
Jess was, literally, a kick-ass heroine and thank the lord she stayed that way throughout the book. Derek was - can you have a Beta Alpha male? - he was wonderful, clever, handsome, successful, brave, yet caring and considerate. I'd say he was my new book boyfriend but I think Jess would kick my butt if I looked at him wrong. Ivy Deluca introduced me to the idea of a BGF (book girlfriend) and if I thought Jess would hang out with someone who can't run more than 50 yards without fear of a heart attack, she'd definitely be my very first BGF!
Loved the way this series has gone, linked but wholly separate (I'm not gonna think on that long before I see the flaw in my logic). Can't wait for the next one.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
10 years ago Jess Taylor and Derek Daley were abducted in the Vermont woods and held for three days by their sadistic captor.
These days Jess is a successful stuntwoman in LA and Derek, former Navy SEAL, is a thriller writer. After Jess and Derek were accused of making the whole thing up and villified as attention-seekers Jess left Taylorville and didn't even come back for her father's funeral but now her mother has fallen over and broken her hip Jess can't stay away any longer from the small town that left her high and dry.
Jess returns to Taylor's Sugar, the maple sugar farm her parents and grandparents before them ran to find life pretty much the same, even, she is horrified to find out, Derek Daley living next door and not in New York or some other glamorous city. Returning to Taylorville and seeing Derek brings back all the old memories, but also a sneaking suspicion that their abductor didn't die 10 years ago.
I read the previous book in this new series, I enjoyed it but there was a little too much woo-woo for my tastes. Nevertheless the plot was engaging and I really liked the characters and the way that the heroine's therapy didn't 'Abracadabra' make the hero better, just gradually helped to ease the problems, to see the wood for the trees ( that would be a joke if you have read the first book). The woo-woo in this book is restricted to a group of locals who have a Sasquatch Society - basically they look for evidence of Sasquatch in the Vermont countryside.
I really liked this book despite not really reading much romantic suspense anymore - otherwise I'd never go for a walk in the woods anymore :). About halfway through this book I turned to my husband and précised the plot and said "I think the abductor is X or Y" - well I was wrong! So great misdirection, especially considering I read the entire book in less than one day so I didn't lose any threads.
Jess was, literally, a kick-ass heroine and thank the lord she stayed that way throughout the book. Derek was - can you have a Beta Alpha male? - he was wonderful, clever, handsome, successful, brave, yet caring and considerate. I'd say he was my new book boyfriend but I think Jess would kick my butt if I looked at him wrong. Ivy Deluca introduced me to the idea of a BGF (book girlfriend) and if I thought Jess would hang out with someone who can't run more than 50 yards without fear of a heart attack, she'd definitely be my very first BGF!
Loved the way this series has gone, linked but wholly separate (I'm not gonna think on that long before I see the flaw in my logic). Can't wait for the next one.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
June 9, 2018
Jess and Derek were abducted and held hostage for 3 days before they escaped when they were in their late teens.
Jess left town soon after to become a highly sought after stunt woman in Hollywood to battle her demons/fears. It’s been 10 years and she hasn’t been home once, not even for her dad’s funeral. Her mom calls, she’s broken a hip. Jess has a break between contracts so she decides to go home for a couple weeks to help her mom.
Derek left town soon after the incident and became a SEAL. After an injury earns him a medical discharge, he returns home and becomes a bestselling thriller author. Since returning, he has relentlessly hunted for clues to the perpetrator of their abduction, since he was never caught. When Derek discovers Jess has come home, he is both concerned and excited. Concerned because he’s been stirring up muddy waters and he’s worried about her safety. Happy because he discovers he likes the current Jess even more than teen Jess.
Jess holds Derek partly responsible for their abduction but can’t help but be impressed with how he’s lived his life. As they begin spending time together, she must decide if she can move on from their past to see if they have a future.
I love the fact that Jess is a strong heroine. She didn’t let her experience destroy her. Instead, she makes her life about overcoming fears and being able to take care of herself.
I had an inkling who the criminal was, but wasn’t completely sure until closer to the end. Very strange reason for the cause of his actions. But hey, who says insane people need to make sense?
This book has possible triggers for kidnapping, torture and rape.
Even though there are a couple of inconsistencies concerning the extent of Derek’s injury, this is a great second chance romance, mystery and suspense read. This author does a great job spinning her tales. This is the second book in the series, however, it can easily be read as a standalone. I looked forward to reading more from this author.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
Jess left town soon after to become a highly sought after stunt woman in Hollywood to battle her demons/fears. It’s been 10 years and she hasn’t been home once, not even for her dad’s funeral. Her mom calls, she’s broken a hip. Jess has a break between contracts so she decides to go home for a couple weeks to help her mom.
Derek left town soon after the incident and became a SEAL. After an injury earns him a medical discharge, he returns home and becomes a bestselling thriller author. Since returning, he has relentlessly hunted for clues to the perpetrator of their abduction, since he was never caught. When Derek discovers Jess has come home, he is both concerned and excited. Concerned because he’s been stirring up muddy waters and he’s worried about her safety. Happy because he discovers he likes the current Jess even more than teen Jess.
Jess holds Derek partly responsible for their abduction but can’t help but be impressed with how he’s lived his life. As they begin spending time together, she must decide if she can move on from their past to see if they have a future.
I love the fact that Jess is a strong heroine. She didn’t let her experience destroy her. Instead, she makes her life about overcoming fears and being able to take care of herself.
I had an inkling who the criminal was, but wasn’t completely sure until closer to the end. Very strange reason for the cause of his actions. But hey, who says insane people need to make sense?
This book has possible triggers for kidnapping, torture and rape.
Even though there are a couple of inconsistencies concerning the extent of Derek’s injury, this is a great second chance romance, mystery and suspense read. This author does a great job spinning her tales. This is the second book in the series, however, it can easily be read as a standalone. I looked forward to reading more from this author.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
June 6, 2018
Threat of Danger by Dana Marton
A romantic thriller. You know the serial killer is out there but you have to wait until he shows himself. I was on the edge knowing who was the most susceptible and wanting to warn them to watch her closely.
The hero and heroine have recovered from the past incident in their own way. Now they need to revisit the past as they realize they are stronger and now ready to fight back.
I Loved the unconditional friendship between Jess and Pam. The scene of them drinking wine coolers on the roof was priceless. Jess casually throws herself off the roof (as a stunt person, she knows how to fall) and Pam shares stats on Derek without prompting (although she points out that it was without prompting) shows a depth between the two that is rare and precious.
A bit of humor. “Would it be rude to hit him with a pillow?”
Overall a wonderfully suspenseful novel. I look forward to more by this author.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I also purchased a copy to share.
A romantic thriller. You know the serial killer is out there but you have to wait until he shows himself. I was on the edge knowing who was the most susceptible and wanting to warn them to watch her closely.
The hero and heroine have recovered from the past incident in their own way. Now they need to revisit the past as they realize they are stronger and now ready to fight back.
I Loved the unconditional friendship between Jess and Pam. The scene of them drinking wine coolers on the roof was priceless. Jess casually throws herself off the roof (as a stunt person, she knows how to fall) and Pam shares stats on Derek without prompting (although she points out that it was without prompting) shows a depth between the two that is rare and precious.
A bit of humor. “Would it be rude to hit him with a pillow?”
Overall a wonderfully suspenseful novel. I look forward to more by this author.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I also purchased a copy to share.
June 11, 2018
Dana Marton is one of my favorite authors for romantic suspense. She does a great job of balancing the suspense AND the romance in her books - which is good because I want both! But Threat of Danger was a bit of a mixed bag for me.
Derek and Jess endured a horrific event when they were younger. They each coped in different ways: he joined the Navy and became a SEAL, she became a badass stuntwoman. Now, ten years later, by all accounts both seem to be doing well. At least on the outside.
When Jess gets a text from her mother that she’s in the hospital, Jess goes home for the first time in years. She’s hoping for a quick in-and-out visit. Which doesn’t happen. Things get complicated quickly when Derek shows up, and then another missing girl is discovered dead. Perhaps their abductor isn’t as dead as everyone presumed…
As Derek and Jess spend more time together, long dormant feelings are resurrected, along with a whole bunch of danger.
I love second chance romances. But in order for them to work for me, I need to understand what the hero and heroine meant to each other, I need to know what went wrong, and I need to feel their anguish about being separated. It would also be great if I could get all that pretty close to the beginning of the book. And with Threat of Danger, I don’t feel we really get any of that.
The plot technique where an author doles out bits and pieces of the couple’s past rarely works for me - maybe because I’m a little impatient, but maybe because it’s an extremely difficult way to write a story so that the right bits and pieces are revealed at just the right time, so as to build suspense but also keep the reader interested. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me this time. At 40 percent into the book, you know a little about what happened after Derek and Jess were abducted, but only a little. I don’t know what the depths of their feelings were for each other before, or now. And instead of it building suspense, I had a hard time holding my interest in the story. Something exciting needed to happen, and at that point there was mostly filler - introducing all the characters (there were a bunch - I loved them all, especially best friend Pam!), talking about Jess’s job, the maple syrup farm she grew up on, dealing with her mother’s injury and recovery and moving furniture and trips to the hospital and how long will she need to stay and on and on…. If this is a romance, I need more interaction with the hero and heroine!
Finally, at 46 percent the suspense part of the story arrives. It has nothing to do with Jess and Derek’s relationship, but at least it woke me up and got me interested in still reading! From then on, I had a hard time putting this book down. It became the type of book I expect from Dana Marton, with its quick pace, excellent dialogue and clever plot. She even surprised me with who the bad guy was!
I loved both Jess and Derek - as themselves. Jess is strong and determined, and Derek is kind and caring to everyone around him. But I still had a hard time seeing this as a second chance love story. Which is what I was expecting to read, because that’s what was in the synopsis. For once, I would have liked a little more internal monologue that revealed how they felt, what they were thinking. We know Jess had been pining after Derek for years, but what made him finally give her a chance? I don’t really need details about their abduction, but I do want to know how they felt and what they thought. We do get some of that, but only a couple of sentences at the end of the story. That they then declared their love so quickly after not seeing each other for ten years didn’t feel like the triumphant reunion of two people who belong together.
So yeah, really mixed feelings about this one. The first half took me a couple days to read (whereas I usually plow through romantic suspense in under 24 hours), but the last half was good. Also, I'm a little confused why this book is part of a series - a single, short paragraph about the couple from the first book is all that connects these two books. Seems like these books should just be stand-alones. At any rate, so this book wasn’t a solid hit for me, but it did manage to pull things off at the end. Ms. Marton is still one of my favs, and I’ll definitely be watching for the next book in this series.
* thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Derek and Jess endured a horrific event when they were younger. They each coped in different ways: he joined the Navy and became a SEAL, she became a badass stuntwoman. Now, ten years later, by all accounts both seem to be doing well. At least on the outside.
When Jess gets a text from her mother that she’s in the hospital, Jess goes home for the first time in years. She’s hoping for a quick in-and-out visit. Which doesn’t happen. Things get complicated quickly when Derek shows up, and then another missing girl is discovered dead. Perhaps their abductor isn’t as dead as everyone presumed…
As Derek and Jess spend more time together, long dormant feelings are resurrected, along with a whole bunch of danger.
I love second chance romances. But in order for them to work for me, I need to understand what the hero and heroine meant to each other, I need to know what went wrong, and I need to feel their anguish about being separated. It would also be great if I could get all that pretty close to the beginning of the book. And with Threat of Danger, I don’t feel we really get any of that.
The plot technique where an author doles out bits and pieces of the couple’s past rarely works for me - maybe because I’m a little impatient, but maybe because it’s an extremely difficult way to write a story so that the right bits and pieces are revealed at just the right time, so as to build suspense but also keep the reader interested. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me this time. At 40 percent into the book, you know a little about what happened after Derek and Jess were abducted, but only a little. I don’t know what the depths of their feelings were for each other before, or now. And instead of it building suspense, I had a hard time holding my interest in the story. Something exciting needed to happen, and at that point there was mostly filler - introducing all the characters (there were a bunch - I loved them all, especially best friend Pam!), talking about Jess’s job, the maple syrup farm she grew up on, dealing with her mother’s injury and recovery and moving furniture and trips to the hospital and how long will she need to stay and on and on…. If this is a romance, I need more interaction with the hero and heroine!
Finally, at 46 percent the suspense part of the story arrives. It has nothing to do with Jess and Derek’s relationship, but at least it woke me up and got me interested in still reading! From then on, I had a hard time putting this book down. It became the type of book I expect from Dana Marton, with its quick pace, excellent dialogue and clever plot. She even surprised me with who the bad guy was!
I loved both Jess and Derek - as themselves. Jess is strong and determined, and Derek is kind and caring to everyone around him. But I still had a hard time seeing this as a second chance love story. Which is what I was expecting to read, because that’s what was in the synopsis. For once, I would have liked a little more internal monologue that revealed how they felt, what they were thinking. We know Jess had been pining after Derek for years, but what made him finally give her a chance? I don’t really need details about their abduction, but I do want to know how they felt and what they thought. We do get some of that, but only a couple of sentences at the end of the story. That they then declared their love so quickly after not seeing each other for ten years didn’t feel like the triumphant reunion of two people who belong together.
So yeah, really mixed feelings about this one. The first half took me a couple days to read (whereas I usually plow through romantic suspense in under 24 hours), but the last half was good. Also, I'm a little confused why this book is part of a series - a single, short paragraph about the couple from the first book is all that connects these two books. Seems like these books should just be stand-alones. At any rate, so this book wasn’t a solid hit for me, but it did manage to pull things off at the end. Ms. Marton is still one of my favs, and I’ll definitely be watching for the next book in this series.
* thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
August 11, 2018
Dana Marton is a fairly new author to me, the only novel of hers I'd read until now was the first book in her Mission Recovery series, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but Threat of Danger absolutely knocked my socks off as an excellent, well-written, and well-plotted novel of romantic suspense and it get 5 stars from this reader.
Ten years ago, teenage lovers Jess Taylor and Derek Daley were losing their virginity to one another in a small, abandoned cabin in the woods, when they were abducted by a masked, sadistic madman, brought to his camper, and in the case of Jess, stripped, bound, raped, beaten, starved and tortured, while Derek's role was to watch helplessly and impotently from the sidelines, also tightly bound. After 3 days of horror, Derek managed to get loose, save Jess, and in the ensuing chase, drown their captor, or did they? His body was never found, and Jess and Derek were forever changed and haunted by what happened to them, but they refused to be victims.
After healing from her overt wounds, Jess fled her family home in Vermont and went to the other side of the country, Los Angeles, where she became a strong, talented movie stuntwoman. Derek entered the military, eventually becoming a Navy SEAL, until 6 months of capture and torture at the hands of insurgents ended is military career, leaving him with scars, a limp, and PTSD. Eventually he purged himself of his bad memories by becoming a well-known writer of mystery/thriller novels.
Ten years later, Jess is finally back in Vermont, somewhere she didn't even visit for her father's funeral. This time it's her mother's broken hip that brings her back home. Derek is already there, waiting to appear at his hometown bookstore with the release of his latest bestselling novel. He's never forgotten what happened 10 years earlier, and he's certainly not forgotten Jess, although the Jess who returns to Vermont isn't anything like the Jess who left, and Jess is shocked to discover that Derek is still around, living in his hometown rather than glitzy New York. She's prickly as all get out, and seeing Derek again brings back memories of their horrible experience and her shame that Derek witnessed her at her worst. It also revives Derek's feelings of helplessness and guilt at being unable to stop their attacker, and the suspicion that since his drowned body was never found, that he's still among them, hiding in plain sight, because every two years or so, another teenage girl disappears.
I loved that Ms. Marton set the novel in my adopted state of Vermont, and that Jess's family has long been in the maple sugaring business. The author nailed everything about the process so well, that I could practically smell the maple sap boiling. It's a harsh setting in March--gray, cold, dark and snowy and that atmosphere is something I know so well, and it added a touch of realism to this stark story. I also loved the fact that Jess and Derek didn't immediately fall into each others arms and that both had tried to deal with what they experienced 10 years earlier in their own way. I also liked the strained relationship with Jess and her mother, and her shock at discovering that her mother was now seeing her former high school principal.
There's a lot more going on in Taylorville, Vermont than first meets the eye, and as far as romantic suspense novels go, this one is a real nail-biter, and it grabbed me from from the very first page and kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning. I loved the tension, I loved the mystery, and wow, what a climax that I never saw coming! It was a great read, it cemented my Dana Marton fandom, and as long as the issues dealt with in this novel aren't triggers for you, it's one I highly recommend.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
Ten years ago, teenage lovers Jess Taylor and Derek Daley were losing their virginity to one another in a small, abandoned cabin in the woods, when they were abducted by a masked, sadistic madman, brought to his camper, and in the case of Jess, stripped, bound, raped, beaten, starved and tortured, while Derek's role was to watch helplessly and impotently from the sidelines, also tightly bound. After 3 days of horror, Derek managed to get loose, save Jess, and in the ensuing chase, drown their captor, or did they? His body was never found, and Jess and Derek were forever changed and haunted by what happened to them, but they refused to be victims.
After healing from her overt wounds, Jess fled her family home in Vermont and went to the other side of the country, Los Angeles, where she became a strong, talented movie stuntwoman. Derek entered the military, eventually becoming a Navy SEAL, until 6 months of capture and torture at the hands of insurgents ended is military career, leaving him with scars, a limp, and PTSD. Eventually he purged himself of his bad memories by becoming a well-known writer of mystery/thriller novels.
Ten years later, Jess is finally back in Vermont, somewhere she didn't even visit for her father's funeral. This time it's her mother's broken hip that brings her back home. Derek is already there, waiting to appear at his hometown bookstore with the release of his latest bestselling novel. He's never forgotten what happened 10 years earlier, and he's certainly not forgotten Jess, although the Jess who returns to Vermont isn't anything like the Jess who left, and Jess is shocked to discover that Derek is still around, living in his hometown rather than glitzy New York. She's prickly as all get out, and seeing Derek again brings back memories of their horrible experience and her shame that Derek witnessed her at her worst. It also revives Derek's feelings of helplessness and guilt at being unable to stop their attacker, and the suspicion that since his drowned body was never found, that he's still among them, hiding in plain sight, because every two years or so, another teenage girl disappears.
I loved that Ms. Marton set the novel in my adopted state of Vermont, and that Jess's family has long been in the maple sugaring business. The author nailed everything about the process so well, that I could practically smell the maple sap boiling. It's a harsh setting in March--gray, cold, dark and snowy and that atmosphere is something I know so well, and it added a touch of realism to this stark story. I also loved the fact that Jess and Derek didn't immediately fall into each others arms and that both had tried to deal with what they experienced 10 years earlier in their own way. I also liked the strained relationship with Jess and her mother, and her shock at discovering that her mother was now seeing her former high school principal.
There's a lot more going on in Taylorville, Vermont than first meets the eye, and as far as romantic suspense novels go, this one is a real nail-biter, and it grabbed me from from the very first page and kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning. I loved the tension, I loved the mystery, and wow, what a climax that I never saw coming! It was a great read, it cemented my Dana Marton fandom, and as long as the issues dealt with in this novel aren't triggers for you, it's one I highly recommend.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
July 23, 2018
✦Review: THREAT OF DANGER (Mission Recovery Book 2) by Dana Marton https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-aP3
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 5 Stars
This story kept me captive and wouldn’t let go. I’ll admit that I had my doubts in the very beginning, but then the mystery began to unfold. It was a nice combination of edgy fear and hometown comfort blended together to make a smooth flowing story. Jess and Derek not only had to deal with the psychological impact of their past trauma, rekindling their old relationship, and real-life issues – there was a serial killer on the loose. It all came to a boiling point that had me clenching my teeth. I loved this romantic thriller.
*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle https://amzn.to/2srS67B
✦Book 1: SILENT THREAT (Mission Recovery Book 1) by Dana Marton
Kindle http://amzn.to/2Eq3ENd | Review 4.5 Stars https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-ayv
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 5 Stars
This story kept me captive and wouldn’t let go. I’ll admit that I had my doubts in the very beginning, but then the mystery began to unfold. It was a nice combination of edgy fear and hometown comfort blended together to make a smooth flowing story. Jess and Derek not only had to deal with the psychological impact of their past trauma, rekindling their old relationship, and real-life issues – there was a serial killer on the loose. It all came to a boiling point that had me clenching my teeth. I loved this romantic thriller.
*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle https://amzn.to/2srS67B
✦Book 1: SILENT THREAT (Mission Recovery Book 1) by Dana Marton
Kindle http://amzn.to/2Eq3ENd | Review 4.5 Stars https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-ayv
May 27, 2020
I don't know. Lately all suspense romances seem to be about women who were abused in their past life, some even as children. I just can not find my way into romance when such a hideous crime, that here actually directly involved not only the female but also the male protagonist, is dangling around there.
Other than that a solid told story with a somewhat lame plot since the perpetrator was very far fetched. And I really do not need nice side characters to be killed off in a book like this. Why?
Audio book, narrator did a good job.
Other than that a solid told story with a somewhat lame plot since the perpetrator was very far fetched. And I really do not need nice side characters to be killed off in a book like this. Why?
Audio book, narrator did a good job.
April 23, 2018
A prologue that leaves you with fearful apprehension. The unease you feel as you wait for the author to fully explain what happened ten years ago to the main characters. And as the story move forward you felt the sense of foreboding again, knowing the unseen danger was coming back to finish what was started all those years ago.
June 16, 2018
Dana never disappoints
This book was full of action, suspense, lust, love and heat. You really should read it right away. A good, quick read with lots of good feels.
This book was full of action, suspense, lust, love and heat. You really should read it right away. A good, quick read with lots of good feels.
December 2, 2018
Love this book!
I have read it twice now. The plot and characters are so intriguing you are immediately involved in what is going on. You absolutely can't help yourself. This is a darker story and does have a happy conclusion but the road to it made me cry. Bravo Dana Write On!
I have read it twice now. The plot and characters are so intriguing you are immediately involved in what is going on. You absolutely can't help yourself. This is a darker story and does have a happy conclusion but the road to it made me cry. Bravo Dana Write On!
June 8, 2018
Good but with continuity issues.
This is book two in the Mission Recovery series dealing with a Seal Team who were P.O.W.s together. This book only made a minor reference to a character in the first book. As a reader you don’t need to have read the first book in the series.
Now I feel like the wicked witch of reviewers writing this review, as the was a solid romantic suspense mystery. It has an intriguing plot, and I do recommend it as a edge of your seat suspense. I had read the author early on in her career and she truly has increased her skills as a story teller. She writes a nice tight story, with plenty of character depth and emotions. Plus the author in this story had enough good red herrings to keep me guessing until the end, but the book has continuity issues. The beta’s and editors really let this author down, by not catching these issues before this book went to print.
Spoilers ahead in the examples.
There are three major sexual encounters in this book. The first two aren’t full on intercourse, they are one sided encounters. The reason given for the lack of penetration is they have no condoms. But in the last scene still no protection, but it’s okay because they are both clean and she has the birth control implant. Huh.... these two characters could not have had this conversation in the first encounter.
There are continuity issues with the extent of the limp Derek has, and his mobility. If you limp you can’t truly run to jump of a cliff and do daring pine jumping. Then the limp in another chapter holds him back.
I could point out other issues, but I believe these two instance show why a book that could have been five stars is only four. Maybe other readers don’t care about continuity, but I do.
This is book two in the Mission Recovery series dealing with a Seal Team who were P.O.W.s together. This book only made a minor reference to a character in the first book. As a reader you don’t need to have read the first book in the series.
Now I feel like the wicked witch of reviewers writing this review, as the was a solid romantic suspense mystery. It has an intriguing plot, and I do recommend it as a edge of your seat suspense. I had read the author early on in her career and she truly has increased her skills as a story teller. She writes a nice tight story, with plenty of character depth and emotions. Plus the author in this story had enough good red herrings to keep me guessing until the end, but the book has continuity issues. The beta’s and editors really let this author down, by not catching these issues before this book went to print.
Spoilers ahead in the examples.
There are three major sexual encounters in this book. The first two aren’t full on intercourse, they are one sided encounters. The reason given for the lack of penetration is they have no condoms. But in the last scene still no protection, but it’s okay because they are both clean and she has the birth control implant. Huh.... these two characters could not have had this conversation in the first encounter.
There are continuity issues with the extent of the limp Derek has, and his mobility. If you limp you can’t truly run to jump of a cliff and do daring pine jumping. Then the limp in another chapter holds him back.
I could point out other issues, but I believe these two instance show why a book that could have been five stars is only four. Maybe other readers don’t care about continuity, but I do.
May 31, 2018
Threat of Danger (Mission Recovery #2) by Dana Marton
4 stars
M/F Thriller
Triggers: Kidnapping, torture, rape, stalking
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
Jess and Derek have a shared traumatic experience. They were just teenagers, but it left a mark on both of them so deep that they both had to get away. Jess ran as fast and as far as she could - despite her family choosing their business and their way of life, Jess knew that if she stayed, she'd forever be known as the victim. Derek ran, but in a much more "save the world" type manner. After joining the armed forces, he realizes that he is much better off writing and entertaining.
When Jess' mom has a bad fall, she has no choice but to return to the town that is in each of her nightmares. However, once there, she realizes that she can fit in both worlds. Despite having a horrible experience in her young life, coming home does have a certain comfort.
Derek is trying to live his life, but when he realizes Jess is back, sees that there is still a major attraction there, he can't help but see if he can rekindle what could have been. He is now a successful author and a part of Jess' family - since she was gone so long.
These two dance around the mystery of their abduction and torture - is the killer truly out there? Will anyone believe them this time? Who else must go missing in order for their story to be taken seriously? Both Derek and Jess believe that their kidnapper is still at large, however, the evidence to support that is thin.
This story kept you guessing and didn't disappoint. The secondary characters were also well developed and added a great depth to the story. I can't wait for more.
4 stars
M/F Thriller
Triggers: Kidnapping, torture, rape, stalking
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
Jess and Derek have a shared traumatic experience. They were just teenagers, but it left a mark on both of them so deep that they both had to get away. Jess ran as fast and as far as she could - despite her family choosing their business and their way of life, Jess knew that if she stayed, she'd forever be known as the victim. Derek ran, but in a much more "save the world" type manner. After joining the armed forces, he realizes that he is much better off writing and entertaining.
When Jess' mom has a bad fall, she has no choice but to return to the town that is in each of her nightmares. However, once there, she realizes that she can fit in both worlds. Despite having a horrible experience in her young life, coming home does have a certain comfort.
Derek is trying to live his life, but when he realizes Jess is back, sees that there is still a major attraction there, he can't help but see if he can rekindle what could have been. He is now a successful author and a part of Jess' family - since she was gone so long.
These two dance around the mystery of their abduction and torture - is the killer truly out there? Will anyone believe them this time? Who else must go missing in order for their story to be taken seriously? Both Derek and Jess believe that their kidnapper is still at large, however, the evidence to support that is thin.
This story kept you guessing and didn't disappoint. The secondary characters were also well developed and added a great depth to the story. I can't wait for more.
December 23, 2019
***Goodreads Giveaway Win***
I didn't like this book for several reasons. One of the reasons is that I'm simply not a fan of the angst that comes with many romance novels. However, my dislike for this book went further. My main problem was I found it gross that this was a second chance romance where the plot point that created the original split was the rape/torture of the heroine (the hero wasn't the culprit but he witnessed it which made the heroine flee the town where it happened). I went into this book thinking this would be a thriller with elements of a romance. Instead I got a romance that's gimmick to bring the couple back together was the worst thing that could happen to a person. It felt icky.
Other reasons why I disliked the book: I picked out the villain from a mile away; the treatment of the villain was written like a cozy mystery - glossing over the fact that he was a sexual psychopath; the unveiling of the villain was straight out of a scooby-doo episode; the villain's motivation was laughable; and the toxic masculinity of the hero was eye-rolling.
The one thing I liked was how the heroine was able to take care of herself instead of being a damsel in distress waiting to be saved.
I didn't like this book for several reasons. One of the reasons is that I'm simply not a fan of the angst that comes with many romance novels. However, my dislike for this book went further. My main problem was I found it gross that this was a second chance romance where the plot point that created the original split was the rape/torture of the heroine (the hero wasn't the culprit but he witnessed it which made the heroine flee the town where it happened). I went into this book thinking this would be a thriller with elements of a romance. Instead I got a romance that's gimmick to bring the couple back together was the worst thing that could happen to a person. It felt icky.
Other reasons why I disliked the book: I picked out the villain from a mile away; the treatment of the villain was written like a cozy mystery - glossing over the fact that he was a sexual psychopath; the unveiling of the villain was straight out of a scooby-doo episode; the villain's motivation was laughable; and the toxic masculinity of the hero was eye-rolling.
The one thing I liked was how the heroine was able to take care of herself instead of being a damsel in distress waiting to be saved.
May 28, 2018
4.5 stars - I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
A second chance romance and a second encounter with a serial killer combine in a story set in a small town in Vermont. The result is alternately sweet and terrifying. It is an exciting read with well developed characters and a beautiful sense of place.
After a terrifying incident in college, Jess made sure she would never again be a victim. Ten years later, she is a successful and fit stunt woman with a pretty scary skillset. Similarly determined to never let the past repeat itself, Derek became a Navy SEAL. But when Derek and Jess both return to their hometown, they realise that the past hasn’t finished with them.
I loved the contrasts in this book. I can’t think of anywhere more peaceful than Jess’ family’s maple syrup farm in rural Vermont. Tiny hints of the predator who was never found play out against Jess’ quiet family dramas. Similarly, Derek’s reclusive life as an author contrasts starkly with his experiences as a SEAL and the thrillers he writes. For most of the book, it is impossible to untangle Jess’ PTSD and paranoia from her current fears.
Jess and Derek are kinda perfect together. I love that the conflict between them is about the past events Jess still associates with Derek - leaving their relationship free from unnecessary angst. They feel like adults and they communicate like adults.
The thriller part of this book starts slow and explodes near the end. Parts of the story were crazy scary. I liked that I didn’t figure out the whodunnit until almost the end - and that there were clues that I missed along the way. I really enjoyed this book.
A second chance romance and a second encounter with a serial killer combine in a story set in a small town in Vermont. The result is alternately sweet and terrifying. It is an exciting read with well developed characters and a beautiful sense of place.
After a terrifying incident in college, Jess made sure she would never again be a victim. Ten years later, she is a successful and fit stunt woman with a pretty scary skillset. Similarly determined to never let the past repeat itself, Derek became a Navy SEAL. But when Derek and Jess both return to their hometown, they realise that the past hasn’t finished with them.
I loved the contrasts in this book. I can’t think of anywhere more peaceful than Jess’ family’s maple syrup farm in rural Vermont. Tiny hints of the predator who was never found play out against Jess’ quiet family dramas. Similarly, Derek’s reclusive life as an author contrasts starkly with his experiences as a SEAL and the thrillers he writes. For most of the book, it is impossible to untangle Jess’ PTSD and paranoia from her current fears.
Jess and Derek are kinda perfect together. I love that the conflict between them is about the past events Jess still associates with Derek - leaving their relationship free from unnecessary angst. They feel like adults and they communicate like adults.
The thriller part of this book starts slow and explodes near the end. Parts of the story were crazy scary. I liked that I didn’t figure out the whodunnit until almost the end - and that there were clues that I missed along the way. I really enjoyed this book.
June 2, 2018
A great second chance story. Jess and Derek are great together, if they would only be in the same state at the same time. After a tragedy 10 years earlier, Jess hadn't been home. She has barely talked to her family. Now her mother has a broken hip and she goes home to see what she can do. Her life is on the other side of the US and she really didn't want to go home. Derek has come home after the Navy and is a writer. Now isn't the time for Jess to be there. He wants her just as much now as he did 10 years ago, but now isn't the time for her to be there. As Derek is trying to draw out the man who made their life hell, Jess is trying to just keep it together and not remember all that had happened to her. Can Derek keep her safe this time? He wasn't able to the last time. I really would like to see Kaylee get her own story.
June 19, 2018
A thrilling, suspenseful story from beginning to end!
My words just can't do justice to describe how fantastic I think Threat of Danger is. I'm a big fan of Dana Marton's work and I think this book is her best one yet. It's gritty and compelling and so suspenseful that I found myself holding my breath in places. It's also romantic and a wonderful second chance story.
The blurb is really good and it would be stupid for me to go on and on about this book – it's so, so good but I don't want to give anything away. At lot of time in romantic suspense/mystery books I can spot the bad guy fairly early on but not in Threat of Danger. Dana skillfully kept her cards to herself and when all was revealed – WOW!
If you enjoy romantic suspense/thrillers don't pass this one up.
I should also mention that while it's the second in a series the only connection I saw to book one was a brief reference to the main couple from that book. No worries at all about reading this as a standalone.
My words just can't do justice to describe how fantastic I think Threat of Danger is. I'm a big fan of Dana Marton's work and I think this book is her best one yet. It's gritty and compelling and so suspenseful that I found myself holding my breath in places. It's also romantic and a wonderful second chance story.
The blurb is really good and it would be stupid for me to go on and on about this book – it's so, so good but I don't want to give anything away. At lot of time in romantic suspense/mystery books I can spot the bad guy fairly early on but not in Threat of Danger. Dana skillfully kept her cards to herself and when all was revealed – WOW!
If you enjoy romantic suspense/thrillers don't pass this one up.
I should also mention that while it's the second in a series the only connection I saw to book one was a brief reference to the main couple from that book. No worries at all about reading this as a standalone.
May 24, 2018
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
***trigger warning *** Kidnapping, torture, rape
When the worst time of your life is coupled with what you hope to be the best night of your life and you survive, you tend to run as fast and as far as you can when you get away. That's what happened to Derek and Jess.
They survived but it changed them. Some people believed they made up the entire thing, others believed them but were accusing all the same.
Jess begged her parents to sell the land and move, but they refused, so she left and never looked back. She never wanted the notoriety or the publicity and every time a story ran in the local paper about what happened, she turned inside herself a little more. She didn't even return to town for her father's funeral because of her fear of the local press.
Derek has lived with the guilt of not being able to save Jess from the torture and rape. Not only could he stop it, he had to watch it. He was to live to tell everyone what had happened there, in that tiny camper. Except they got away.
Ten years later she's back because of her mother's failing health and she really has no choice. Over the years, both she and Derek have matured but have never forgotten that fateful night that changed everything for them. Although they suspect the killer is still out there, they just don't realize how close he really is.
A very good book that keeps you guessing until the very end.
~~Wicked Reads Review Team~~
***trigger warning *** Kidnapping, torture, rape
When the worst time of your life is coupled with what you hope to be the best night of your life and you survive, you tend to run as fast and as far as you can when you get away. That's what happened to Derek and Jess.
They survived but it changed them. Some people believed they made up the entire thing, others believed them but were accusing all the same.
Jess begged her parents to sell the land and move, but they refused, so she left and never looked back. She never wanted the notoriety or the publicity and every time a story ran in the local paper about what happened, she turned inside herself a little more. She didn't even return to town for her father's funeral because of her fear of the local press.
Derek has lived with the guilt of not being able to save Jess from the torture and rape. Not only could he stop it, he had to watch it. He was to live to tell everyone what had happened there, in that tiny camper. Except they got away.
Ten years later she's back because of her mother's failing health and she really has no choice. Over the years, both she and Derek have matured but have never forgotten that fateful night that changed everything for them. Although they suspect the killer is still out there, they just don't realize how close he really is.
A very good book that keeps you guessing until the very end.
~~Wicked Reads Review Team~~
September 23, 2019
The mystery was quite intriguing and realistic woven into a great plot. The characters were strong, vulnerable, funny and interesting with a strong development that included strong female characters. It's great to see female character emerge as a strong character rather than some weak-kneed waif who needs to be rescued or written as a damsel in distress. I can not wait to see what the next book in this series brings! You definitely do not have to read the entire series to enjoy this book, but I will say that you would be missing out as this is an excellent series with strong, well developed characters.
May 8, 2018
I really like this series. I really like this book and the characters. This book is full of angst, mystery and love.
Jess and Derek have something besides a teenage crush tying them together and it's not good. When Jess returns home after mother has broken her hip the last person she thought she would see again was Derek.
Derek is a famous thriller author now, after leaving the Navy - as a SEAL, and he has moved back home. He is in need of making things right, but first he has to get Jess to leave town. Now!
Find out all the drama, good and bad, in this book.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Jess and Derek have something besides a teenage crush tying them together and it's not good. When Jess returns home after mother has broken her hip the last person she thought she would see again was Derek.
Derek is a famous thriller author now, after leaving the Navy - as a SEAL, and he has moved back home. He is in need of making things right, but first he has to get Jess to leave town. Now!
Find out all the drama, good and bad, in this book.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2020
Second chance
This story was fantastic. A horrible act to two teenagers tore them apart and sent them in separate directions. Years later they are back for different reasons and realize everything is not exactly the way it should be.
The writing is fantastic and the characters were quite personable and very colorful. All emotions are brought forth in the writing and the story development had me eager for the next clue or action to take place.
This story was fantastic. A horrible act to two teenagers tore them apart and sent them in separate directions. Years later they are back for different reasons and realize everything is not exactly the way it should be.
The writing is fantastic and the characters were quite personable and very colorful. All emotions are brought forth in the writing and the story development had me eager for the next clue or action to take place.
October 9, 2018
I really enjoyed this book and could not wait to read it after reading and enjoying the previous book in the series. You don't want to miss Jess and Devon's book this book was amazing and scary and will have you hooked and on the edge of your seat I picked it up wanting to read the first couple of chapters before bed but could not stop reading it. A super read I would recommend it to all.
June 19, 2018
Threat of Danger is a well written, fast paced and sexy as hell suspense romance. Has a great storyline with well developed characters, a hot alpha, unexpected twists, drama, undeniable chemistry and explosive scenes the the book. This book will have you on the edge of your seat and totally glued to the pages, you will find it hard to put down once you start reading and leave you wanting more. Totally recommend this book to all book lovers out there
September 17, 2018
Awesome
Superlatives escape me!
First and foremost, while I loved Cole's story, this one was above and beyond that, I felt as if I was reading any one of my favorite Best Seller Authors!
Truly, I hope this book reaches the NY Times Best Seller list!
What can I say, READ this book, a terrific thriller, with romance merged together!
Karen McTyeire
Superlatives escape me!
First and foremost, while I loved Cole's story, this one was above and beyond that, I felt as if I was reading any one of my favorite Best Seller Authors!
Truly, I hope this book reaches the NY Times Best Seller list!
What can I say, READ this book, a terrific thriller, with romance merged together!
Karen McTyeire
June 19, 2018
Dangerous Fairytale
This book is definitely my favourite romance story. I love the combination of terror,adventure and love.Thank you Dana Marton for your wonderful expression of words making this book my first ever romance story of which I really don't like to read normally but you got my attention with the title which is more like my reading taste. I recommend this to thriller fans
This book is definitely my favourite romance story. I love the combination of terror,adventure and love.Thank you Dana Marton for your wonderful expression of words making this book my first ever romance story of which I really don't like to read normally but you got my attention with the title which is more like my reading taste. I recommend this to thriller fans
August 26, 2018
I began reading this book with the feeling it would turn out to be like many other, just sex with the flimsy thread of a story attached to it. I was so glad that it was nothing like that at all. The characters are believable and likeable. I felt for the main character. What she suffered and lost would wrap anyone's view of their world. She ran away to build and heal. I loved the hero. He didn't come on all macho but was broken himself. It's mostly a book about how people deal with trauma and how it can change them but it does have a good, creepy back story to it. I will definitely read more Dana Marton books, she knows how to make her characters real and sympathetic. I really enjoyed reading this.
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