HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT Sending his family away years ago was the hardest thing FBI Special Agent Garrett Drake ever did. But it was the only way to shield them from a case turned terrifyingly personal. Now a serial killer has come to town. To safeguard his estranged son-and the entire Port Whisper community-Garrett needs help. And that means reaching out to Lana Burns, a captivating woman who cuts through his defenses. Garrett would willingly risk his life to uncover the killer. But to get a second chance at happiness, Lana has to convince the wary agent to risk his heart.…
Accused of being an eternal optimist, I was born and raised in the Midwest and migrated to the Pacific Northwest a few years ago. I began spinning tales of intrigue and adventure when I was in grade school, and wrote my first book when I was eleven — a thriller that ended with a mysterious phone call the reader never heard!
My college sweetheart and I have been married for over 20 years and are blessed with two wonderful sons, a bossy kitty and feisty Golden Retriever.
When not dreaming up inspirational tales, I’m usually out hiking in the Cascade Mountains, enjoying a fine cup of tea with friends, or hiding out in a movie theatre. I love to hear from readers! hopewhiteauthor@gmail.com
I enjoyed this book very much it was a action packed adventure that kept you on the edge of your seat wait to see what happen next . I really enjoyed reading this book very much.
The idea of being a FBI special agent or any law enforcement personnel for that matter is a pretty risky job. Not only are you putting yourself in danger repeatedly but there are times when the life of your family is threatened also. Garrett Drake is dealing with the aftermath still after years ago when he had to send his family away to witness protection and they never got back together again. His wife moved on and his son wants nothing to do with him. As soon as danger is hovering over his son once again, agent Drake doesn’t hesitate to step-up and protect him. In the process he is lucky to meet a wonderful young lady named Lana.
Hope White does a terrific job of drawing the reader in to the story about Garrett, his son and his new love interest Lana. You can’t help but to feel bad for how Garrett lost his family and the struggles he is dealing with to heal those broken relationships. Then there is determined Lana. Lana insists that Garrett can heal the past relationships that he has damaged, plus catch the killer that seems to be taunting him, and build a relationship with herself. She won’t take no for an answer and her motivation is what’s keeping Garrett going.
Just like in all these Love Inspired books there is spiritual message that goes along with the story. I found the spiritual aspect of this book pretty mellow, which is always my preference. Hope gives us just enough to love the growth God is doing in their lives but it is never over-bearing. Garrett’s biggest struggle is learning that God is in control and not him. He just needs to learn to forgive himself and let God heal his family and protect those he loves.
Small town protector is an easy, quick read that will satisfy your hunger for a little romance, some suspense and a good old’ happy ending! I easily devoured this book and always look forward to more by this talented author! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Inspirational Romance and Suspense.
I received a copy of this book to read and review from the author. My review is not biased by the fact that I was given this book. I HONESTLY read and review any book whether bought or given to me. If I did not like the book I would definitely not give a rave review or recommend it.
Small Town Protector is the third book in Hope White's "Port Whisper" series and the second book of hers I've read (the first being Christmas Haven back in December).
I found it very nice that some of the characters from Christmas Haven were in Small Town Protector - it was great to find out what was happening in their lives.
The suspense in Small Town Protector was really good - I especially liked how there were little segments in the story where we got to see inside the serial killer's mind, and, since it didn't reveal his/her identity, I feel that it heightened the suspense.
I liked the characters in Small Town Protector: Lana's like an open book and very trusting/kind; Garrett was very protective and it was sweet how much he cared for his son; and Steven (a.k.a. Sketch), who was one of my favorite characters from this book, had a lot to deal with - both emotionally and physically. It was really interesting to see how he reacted to certain things and I liked how computer savvy he was.
There was romance, which is to be expected with Love Inspired Suspense books, and I enjoyed that part of the story as well.
Overall, Small Town Protector was a great book that I loved reading - in fact, I finished it in a day! I didn't know whether to give it 4.5 or 5 stars, but in the end I went with 5 stars. I don't know whether or not there will be another book with these characters, but I'm kinda hoping there will be. There were a few minor things that didn't seem answered in the end.
I recommend Small Town Protector if you enjoy romantic suspense books, but I suggest reading "Witness on the Run" and "Christmas Haven" first - although it probably isn't necessary in order to enjoy this book.
*I received this book for free for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
I wrote out a whole awesome review...and somehow it didn't save...not doing the whole thing again but the quick version:
-fluff read for when you don't want to remember what you read. -had some major issues with the validity of this book and some things that happened in it. -it was very anti-climatic. -could have probably used another edit. -character mood swings...ugh. -kudos to the author for getting her characters to recognize that their relationship has popped into existence out of thin air in under a week. -kudos to the author for not falling into the wham bam MARRIAGE ending a lot of authors writing these kinds of books tend to do. -good concept for a book, unfortunately the execution was not to my standards.
All of this led to my 2 star rating, but it is a decent fluff read for a cold winter's day.
From the start this book grabbed my attention. This book is not your typical romance story. This story shows the differences in people, that not all women are helpless and that not all men are closed. It was nice to see a story where a woman could hold her own but need some help. She does not need love or a man to be okay but she wants it. Mr. FBI agent starts to open and make a connection with the cafe owner and they build a nice relationship where each person can be their own while saving each other. There are many twists in this story. There are some clues/hints where you begin to think you know who did it but some of the clues throw you off. The story line between the characters is very interesting. Can't wait to read more about the boy. Very good story
My all-time favorite minor character returns! In a word, Sketch! While the story was about Sketch's father, Garrett, falling for Lana, the true story centered on the reunion of father and son. . . a reunion made more awkward by the fact that Sketch's mother initially told him that his father was dead. Sketch spelling out for Garrett exactly what was at stake in his decision to go back to his FBI job or stay in the small town was priceless, but spoiled slightly by an ending that didn't provide full closure to the story line.