Hadley Baker can’t believe her boyfriend finally invited her on a fancy hotel dinner date only to break up with her in public. Even more unbelievable is the moment FBI Agent JD Byers finds her crying in the women’s restroom and demands she evacuate. Seconds after JD ushers Hadley outside, an explosion shatters the building. Could her life be any more disastrous?
JD didn’t anticipate seeing Hadley, the beautiful schoolteacher, again after he saved her from the hotel attack. But soon after her ex-boyfriend became a lead suspect of the hotel bombing, the man turned up dead—and now it seems that Hadley herself is a target. Determined to keep her safe, JD shelters Hadley as they join forces to put together the pieces of the perplexing case. When they discover the horrifying truth behind her ex-boyfriend’s nefarious work, Hadley realizes her life is far from the only one being threatened. Countless others are in danger, and she and JD may hold the key to saving them.
Traci Hunter Abramson was born in Arizona, where she lived until moving to Venezuela for a study-abroad program. After graduating from Brigham Young University, she worked for the Central Intelligence Agency for several years, eventually resigning in order to raise her family. She credits the CIA with giving her a wealth of ideas as well as the skills needed to survive her children's teenage years. She is a eight-time Whitney Award winner and has written more than forty bestselling novels. For more information about Traci, click here: https://linktr.ee/traciabramson
This is a book that I could NOT put down. The action started at the beginning. The momentum kept building until the end. The characters, plot, story, and setting all blended perfectly to create a powerful book. This is what I have come to expect from Traci Hunter Abramson. She knows her material and how to present it for readers.
The Saint Squad, Guardians, CIA, and FBI all work together to bring down a human trafficking ring. The skill, information, intelligence, and undercover agents form a formidable team. This book brings together characters that I love from previous books. It is a stand-alone. You don't have to read her other books to enjoy this one, it was just satisfying for me to have them come together.
I highly recommend this book. I also recommend that you wait until you have some time to devote to this story before you start reading it. If you are like me, you won't be able to put it down.
This book contains non-graphic violence, human trafficking victims, and kissing.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Have I said how much I love Traci Hunter Abramson books? Probably every time I review one of them. I love the Saints Squad series and I'm equally hooked on her newer Guardian series too, so this book was a win-win for me because it brings them together! *squeal*
Hadley Baker is a third-grade teacher who goes on a date with her boyfriend and her life is quickly turned upside-down. She's physically carried out of the ladies restroom before a bomb explodes, and then finds out her boyfriend wasn't who he said he was. She quickly finds out what was her reality was really just an illusion.
FBI agent JD Byer didn't expect to find anyone in the ladies restroom when he cleared the hotel before the bomb went off. Hadley's boyfriend is a suspect but when he turns up dead JD gives into his urge to protect her. This case has JD and his partner Noah getting help from Hadley, the Saint Squad, and one of the Guardians. It's like all hands on deck to solve this one.
This story never let up and I didn't want to stop reading because I needed to know how all the pieces fit, if the bad guys would be caught, if the good guys would be hurt and if Hadley and JD got together? I don't want to give anything away about the plot but I will say it went in a completely different direction that I thought it would when the bomb first exploded. I loved seeing characters that I hadn't heard about in a while. It was like catching up with friends.
This is a clean mystery/suspense with mild romantic moments and mild peril. Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for my copy. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.
Mistaken Reality is such an engaging suspense novel full of heart! Traci Hunter Abramson brings together familiar characters from multiple novels such as the Saint Squad, Guardian series, and Deep Cover to join up with new characters in this edge of your seat, can't put it down suspense novel. I was pulled in from the start as a hotel bombing throws Hadley Baker, a third grade teacher who just had a terrible breakup, together with FBI agent JD Byers. At first I loved how there was so much mystery surrounding who Hadley's ex-boyfriend really was (and I love even more how that played out), but the best part of this book to me was how it tackled human trafficking and created such an incredible sense of awareness for me. The concept of the book itself is powerful, playing on what perceptions of reality each character had at different points in time and thereby making me as a reader reflective of my own perspective. Full of twists and turns, unexpected ups and downs, and a great set of heroes Mistaken Reality is a fabulous addition to the suspense novel scene. I highly recommend this book! I received an advance reader copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own and I am voluntarily reviewing because I truly enjoyed this book.
There's not much that delights my soul more than to have a cast of fantastic characters who intertwine in each other's stories, making them deeper and richer, in spite of moments of intense suspense and danger. You don't have to read these books in order, but you'll be surrounded by familiar faces at any point when you pick one of these books up. In true Abramson fashion, I found myself easily immersed in this book and had a hard time putting it down. 😅
Hadley is just a third grade teacher, but finds herself smack in the middle of a perilous mystery, with more questions than answers, and at the side of a handsome rescuer. JD is thorough in his job and is a very compassionate man.
The story progresses at a spine-tingling pace at times, but is interspersed with calm patches that left me eagerly anticipating what was coming next. I'm just glad I can escape into these types of stories and not have to live them because my nerves couldn't handle it day-to-day.
Content: mild romance; mild+ moments of danger/peril; very, very mild moments of religion
*I received a complimentary copy through the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
This book was exactly what I was hoping for when I started reading. Fast paced, exciting and full of wonderful characters. I have been reading and loving Traci Hunter Abramson's books for a looooooong time now. Every time I see she has a new book coming out it is cause for celebration!
The story starts off with a bang. Literally- because a bomb goes off. From there the story expands and expands to include more people in many locations. Once it has stretched out fully, it begins to come back in as all the players in the game start to converge in one place and all the puzzle pieces start to come together. The story gains momentum and intensity as it goes and I LOVE that.
JD is everything you could want in a lead man. He is strong, smart and he takes his job as an FBI agent seriously. He protects people. I appreciated that he was attentive and kind as well. Those make for the best kind of heroes in my opinion. Hadley seemed like a normal, every day kind of gal. She teaches school, cares about her students and exudes kindness. I liked her. While this story focuses on Hadley and JD, there is a whole cast of people from previous books who also play key roles in making everything happen. I would say that this book and it's characters will mean more to you if you have read previous books by this author.
I loved this book. Simple as that. This is romantic suspense at it's best. 💙
Content: some violence, peril, kissing, human trafficking, death, some of the characters are Christian (specifically LDS) so there are some mentions of religious things although nothing preachy.
"For Hadley Baker, people are not always what they seem. Her endangerment in a restaurant bombing leads to an FBI investigation that uncovers truly heinous results. Mistaken Reality starts with a literal bang and just keeps right on going to its breathtaking conclusion. The story introduces new characters and well-loved ones alike. "
If you’re looking for a good, suspenseful novel, you can never go wrong with one of Traci Hunter Abramson’s books! I love the way she writes, her books just draw the reader in. And I love that her characters appear over and over in subsequent books.
I really liked Hadley in this one. She’s a teacher. She goes on a date with her boyfriend and he breaks up with her, in the middle of dinner – in front of some of his associates. So crazy! Hadley’s in the bathroom confused when JD storms in and demands she leave the building. What a way to meet someone!
I loved that Hadley was bright. She’s a civilian, but she was able to see things that the FBI agents in the book couldn’t. And that was helpful. I really loved the way she watched out for herself and for those who she was in charge of at the end. She’s just a really great heroine!
Then there’s JD. He’s FBI and he’s looking into some things on the bombing that Hadley was there for. I liked the way people were people to him, not just a number or an inconvenience. He went out of his way to help out Hadley, and the kids in her class as well. JD is just a great guy!
The plot of this one was fast moving. There’s always danger lurking around every corner. I loved that! It’s a book that will keep your interest from page one. I didn’t want to put it down!
From breaking up with her boyfriend Spencer in front of his work associates to crying in the bathroom of the fancy restaurant, Hadley Baker doesn't believe her night could get worse until FBI Agent JD Byers makes her evacuate. Seconds after they escape the restaurant, an explosion rocks the building. What seems like a disastrous date, ends up being more when Spencer's body is found in a car outside of Hadley's apartment. JD and Hadley are thrown together as they try to piece together the life of Spencer Andrews and his connection to the bombing.
From glittering diamonds to bombs and other world-class crimes, "Mistaken Reality" delivers all the suspense that you would expect from Traci Hunter Abramson. Fans of mystery and suspense will be sure to love this new addition to Abramson's long list of steller novels. While it can be read as a standalone novel, don't be surprised to see familiar faces from the Saint Squad series, the Guardian series and a previous standalone novel, "Deep Cover".
From the very beginning, Mistaken Reality by Traci Hunter Abramson is a thrilling and fast paced story that will capture the attention of readers. This is a great story with a plot that thickens with the adventures of several different characters, bringing this enticing story to life. This story is about living a life of danger, creating a page turning and suspenseful read. Abramson has crafted a story that will keep readers turning pages late into the night.
Genre: contemporary, romance, suspense Publisher: Covenant Communications Publication date: October 1, 2019 Number of pages: 312
A review copy of this book was provided by Covenant Communications. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
I had Traci Hunter Abramson as our guest author a couple of months ago and I was looking forward to reading her new book, Mistaken Reality. Suspense fans will definitely love this one!
Hadley Baker finds herself in the middle of a bombing, barely escaping with her life. Handsome FBI agent JD Byers manages to save her, but then has to protect her when Hadley realizes that the man she once thought of marrying wasn't who he said he was and her life could be in danger. JD takes her in and together they try to unravel the mystery of Hadley's former boyfriend and the underworld he seemed to be involved in. The story also includes characters from previous Abramson books, though I admit, I was a little confused because I didn't recognize some of them. The story still stands well alone, but I think the reading experience would have been richer for me if I'd known who they were.
Ms. Abramson deftly handles the multiple threads in the story, from Hadley's job as a schoolteacher and the challenges her students face all the way to Kelsey's emotional mission to "Abolstan." There were a lot of characters to keep track of, which can be challenging, but they all kept the action moving with just the right pacing. This book deals with human trafficking and does a believable job in shining a light on an ever-growing problem. Plenty of twists and turns in this exciting story of rescuing souls and healing hearts.
Another terrific book by Traci Hunter Abramson (it says it's a standalone but it involves the Guardians and the Saint Squad from some of her other books). This book got better as it went along and I realized all the intricacies of the mystery that the characters (a third-grade teacher, two FBI agents, an undercover federal agent, and other people) were trying to solve and what was really at stake. Again, Abramson is brilliant at taking an incredible situation and turning it into a completely credible and always exciting story. Abramson was a CIA agent earlier in her life, and that gives an extra layer of detail and realism to the people in her books. I usually read and then give away all the books in the category of the 200-page-ish, romance-and-suspense genre that are just light fun ("potato chip books," a friend calls them) but I have kept all of Abramson's and have reread most of them. She writes with intelligence and more depth than many others. I finally figured out that the red grenade on the cover is supposed to be an apple (as in, for the teacher) that turns out to be a grenade. Everyone else probably got that before I did!
Suspense, mystery, romance-clean; some violent and suspenseful elements give this a PG-13 rating; CJCLDS faith elements Murder, romance, suspense all in one. This action packed suspense novel, with JD and his FBI coworker trying to catch bomb suspects and later solve a murder and child trafficking ring, was a suspenseful, well-crafted novel. JD and Hadley's attraction for each other, and later affection as they spend time together while JD guards Hadley to keep her safe from the criminals who murdered her ex-fiance, was well-done too. Their gradual fall, as they are sleuthing, working, trying to riddle through all the clues in this case, was heartfelt, honest, and sweet. Loved the appearances of members of the Guardians and Saint Squad as supporting characters and helpful in solving the case. Perfect read if you like suspense, a bit of romance, and a bit of faith. T.A. knows how to write a suspenseful, well-crafted story. I received a copy from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for a fair and honest review. My opinions are my own and in no way influenced by this gift.
Oh my heavens!!! This book was unputdownable! I need a shelf for that.
It starts with a bang and just keeps running nonstop until the end. I was reading it with my daughters and they didn't want me to take any breaks. We all had our guesses as to who, what, where, why and such. And I have to say that I was pretty impressed and proud that they were able to guess and figure out a lot of the answers to those questions. They've been raised on lots of Agatha Christie and other clean mysteries. Thanks Masterpiece Theatre.
Hadley experiences one shock after another which of course leaves her questioning what is real and what isn't. Her one source of surety is JD. Together they must piece together the clues and figure out the who, what, where and whys of all the ups and downs happening in Hadley's life. I'm being pretty vague because I really don't want to give away any clues. You must read this and let all the little pieces unravel and fall as the author intended. Because let me tell you, it's a fun ride.
I was out of town and went into one of my favorite bookstores with my kiddos and this book was sitting all pretty and displayed. They giggled and said, "It's the book we just read. We have to buy it!" So I've created several more fans for Traci Hunter Abramson. Now I need to have them go back and read all of her other books. I've read several of them but not all of them. And I want to dive into the different series because this book combines the characters from a couple of her book series and I loved it!
If you enjoy suspense and mystery with a dash of romance, I can't encourage you enough to try this one. Even though it connects characters from previous series into it, this book can be read as a stand alone. It has my kiddos stamp of approval!
Content: Clean. This is a suspense novel so there are moments of peril, fights, gun fighting, kidnapping, and discussion of human trafficking. Not overly graphic.
I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Mistaken Reality has been one of my most anticipated books to read this year. In this novel, it brings together so many characters that have been in Traci's other novels. This was very exciting to have the Saint Squad Series and The Guardian Series characters working together. Of course, I made the same mistake of first picking up the book to start reading and four hours later finally giving in to sleep. This book hooked me from the first page and really never let up.
One of the main characters, Hadley, is a third-grade teacher. Being a teacher myself, this character held special interest for me. Poor Hadley one minute is living a normal life dating a rich, handsome man. Within a few pages, her world is turned upside down and her life is threatened. The plot involves a harsh subject of human trafficking. Government agencies FBI, CIA, The Guardians, and the Navy Seals Saint Squad end up working together to bring down a very dangerous organization.
This story has a lot of action, angst, and romance too. I carried my book around everywhere hoping to read at least a chapter or two when I could. This is not a book you'll want to put down and I suggest spending an afternoon to enjoy it all at once. Traci Abramson's books get better and better with each new offering. She knows how to write suspense and handles hard subjects in a non-glorified way that speaks the truth. Mistaken Reality is a well-woven tale that will keep you up late into the wee hours of the night. This could be a stand-alone read but like I always suggest, read the previous books first to get the most out of this gathering of loyal reader's favorite characters.
This was an enjoyable story. I've read a handful of Traci Hunter Abramson stories, and this was probably my favorite one. As seems to be the case with many of her books, there are several storylines going on. While these storylines will connect, this isn't a mindless book. You will need to pay attention to fully understand the book.
I enjoyed trying to figure out how different people fit into the story. I am happy to say that from early on, I figured out Spencer's role in things. I did not waiver in my prediction concerning him, and I was correct.
I enjoyed this book. For me, it's a 4.5-star book, so I'm back and forth on whether to round up or down. The romance factors were a bit too cheesy for me at times. Along with that, I'm not sure how I feel about Hadley. I'll just say that she definitely recovers quickly from broken romantic relationships.
There's no swearing, graphic sexual content, or graphic violence. Even these are handled in a sensitive way, so they are unlikely to be an issue.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is filled with action, suspense, mystery, and love.
Hadley Baker is a third grade teacher who unexpectedly found herself breaking up with her perfect boyfriend Spencer.
JD a FBI agent is in pursuit of crime boss Rabell.
The story starts out with a hotel bombing organized by Rabell, Spencer and his co-workers disappearing, and a mystery behind who was the real target for the bomb? It then delves into the controversial topic of human trafficking and the agencies that work together to stop the criminals in their tracks. It covers the topic of human trafficking without crossing the lines of inappropriateness.
JD, his partner Noah, and Hadley continue to wrack their brains looking for any information to ultimately solve the who and why of the bomb. While other agencies travel the world pursuing different leads.
Traci Hunter Abramson has once again written another intriguing book. Mistaken Reality is well written and uses her knowledge of CIA operations to make this book feel credible. This book had me staying up late to finish, and hoping that there is a happy conclusion. It left me thinking about the evils of human trafficking and what everyone can do to try and stop such a horrible practice.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves mystery, crime, or romance novels. It is a clean novel that will keep you reading until the very end.
I was given access to this novel from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Complex, unexpected plots and an array of marvelous characters with the most incredible skill sets are the hallmark of Traci Abramson's books. This one is no exception. Such a great read!
I like Traci's books - so much adventure, suspense and action. Usually with a little romance sprinkled in. This one kept me reading late into the night! 4.5
It was interesting to read about Hadley and how quickly her life became endanger. It was interesting to see the danger escalate and the case go from a bombing to something more. The romance and character development added deeper layers and complexity to the story. The more I got involved in reading the story the more invested I became in discovering what was going on within the pages. It was quite the page turner! The action is intense, but it's not graphic. I enjoyed reading this story and I am sure you will too!
Please note that I received a free copy of this book to review, however, this is my honest opinion.
I am an avid fan of Traci Hunter Abramson and read everything she writes. I love the action and suspense with just a tickle of romance that she always writes about. You will come to love Hadley and JD and will be totally enthralled with the crime they are so desperately trying to stop. I loved it!
ETA: Listening to all the books almost back-to-back I'm remembering things I missed with the first read. Because someone else narrated this book and made Noah sound so different, I didn't make the connection that he was the Noah from Deep Cover. It made their storyline in this book that much more fun!
WHAT IT'S ABOUT Hadley Baker can’t believe her boyfriend finally invited her on a fancy hotel dinner date only to break up with her in public. Even more unbelievable is the moment FBI Agent JD Byers finds her crying in the women’s restroom and demands she evacuate. Seconds after JD ushers Hadley outside, an explosion shatters the building. Could her life be any more disastrous?
JD didn’t anticipate seeing Hadley, the beautiful schoolteacher, again after he saved her from the hotel attack. But soon after her ex-boyfriend became a lead suspect of the hotel bombing, the man turned up dead—and now it seems that Hadley herself is a target. Determined to keep her safe, JD shelters Hadley as they join forces to put together the pieces of the perplexing case. When they discover the horrifying truth behind her ex-boyfriend’s nefarious work, Hadley realizes her life is far from the only one being threatened. Countless others are in danger, and she and JD may hold the key to saving them.
MY TAKE This book was longer, I think, than Abramson's book usually are and it really had more than the two love interests as main characters. It was as much Kelsey and Noah's story (not a romance though) as it was JD and Hadley's. It doesn't advance the Whitmore for president storyline but does mention it, and we get to see the senator and his wife. There are guest shots appearances from the Guardian and Saint Squad series.
The main storyline of human trafficking inside the US was chilling. The way the monsters went about it even more so. While the story seemed a little long, it was interesting and powerful. 4 1/2 stars
I love this author and thoroughly enjoy her talent for creating a thrilling story, and this book is definitely another fantastic read. I believe it is listed as a stand-alone novel, but I think it would be very confusing if you’ve never read any of her other series or books. This story is incredible and completely intertwines characters from her Saint Squad series, her Guardian series, and her novel “Deep Cover”, which has always been a favorite of mine.
I loved the suspense throughout this story. It kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing til the last minute what would happen and who was behind it. It also jumps from character to character using third person perspective, and right as the tension would build with one character it would switch to another. While it sometimes drove me crazy, it kept me reading long into the night to find out how everything would resolve.
There was some sweet romance as well, and I loved how it played a part in the story. You first meet “JD” in her novel “Deep Cover”, so it was wonderful to see him have his own story, while still getting the chance to revisit favorite characters from previous books.
Another fantastic romantic suspense by the talented Traci Hunter Abramson- I can’t wait to see what she writes next!
This was a pretty good book, not great, but worth a read! I don't normally go for suspense/thriller/action novels, but it's nice to have variety once in awhile :-). What I liked: The plot was pretty good with some twists and turns that I didn't see coming, such as what was eventually revealed about Hadley's ex-boyfriend. I liked the spotlight that was put on the horrible issue of human trafficking- it's hard to believe that it happens in the USA, so I think it's good for people to know that things like this happen in this country in real life. It was interesting to read about Kelsey's adventures overseas rescuing the trafficked children and trying to track down the main operation base for the villain's evil crimes. She is a bad*** haha! Speaking of Kelsey, I liked reading about how good of friends Kelsey and Noah were to JD and Hadley- I don't like books where the MC's literally have to do everything on their own without help from friends and allies. The romance between JD and Hadley was pretty sweet, with just a bit of sizzle too! It was a little bit too much of insta-love for me to have REALLY loved their relationship, I prefer a slow burn romance and/or an enemies to friends love story, but I still enjoyed the development of their feelings for each other. I did LOVE how protective JD was over Hadley...I read a really similar style of book to this one a few months ago, and the FBI agent in that story hardly did anything to protect the vulnerable woman he was supposedly falling in love with. JD did everything in his power to take care of Hadley, so it was much more satisfying than the other book I read which was frustrating to no end. So yeah, wow, JD is definitely a dream guy!! A few things I didn't like: This is just a teensy bit of a pet peeve, so not a big deal, but I really always love viewing a book's cover art, and this one was just ugly. I guess that's supposed to be a picture of the bomb that exploded at the hotel restaurant at the beginning of the story, but why is it made to look like a pineapple? There is literally no reference to pineapples in this book. Another teensy pet peeve was Hadley's name- it sounds like a last name. Sometimes I think it's a tiny bit distracting when authors choose weird, barely used names for their characters. She could have easily used Hailey instead of Hadley which is more normal and pretty. A bigger issue that just seemed "tacked on" into this story was the random mentions of the LDS church. Don't get me wrong, I love Christian fiction, and I really admire this author for at least attempting to bring a faith element into this book, but the way she did it seemed a little forced. Also, why does she have to specifically mention the LDS church, like when Kelsey asks her colleague, "so your squadron is pretty much all LDS members, right?" First of all, I doubt a whole squad of CIA operatives would be LDS and why couldn't she just have said Christian? Doesn't the LDS church identify first and foremost as being Christian? I'm Catholic, but overall, I identify as being Christian and that's what I say when people ask what my religion is. It's really nice that the author included a prayer scene in this book, but I wish there had been faith/religious talk between Hadley and JD- they were the MC's and they didn't discuss it at all. When people are falling in love with each other, it seems like finding out about someone else's religious beliefs should be one of the first questions you would want to know. There is SO many references to food and eating in this book that it got annoying after awhile. Like literally I think every major character mentioned at one point how much they wanted to eat a brownie?! Don't get me wrong, I love me some brownies too, but it's almost like there was an obsessive focus on food and on what the characters were eating and then how they exercised to get off the calories- it was irritating. Anyways, overall, this was a decent book that focused on a really important issue in today's society like I mentioned above, a good balance of action and dialogue and a sweet romance. So, happy reading and God bless everyone!
I have never read anything by this author before and it has been a long time since I last read anything in the LDS thriller/suspense genres. I prefer historical/romantic fiction. So I checked this out from my local Salt Lake County library (thank you COVID curbside pickup!) and gave it a whirl. I am sorry to say, it failed to make me a fan of this genre. These FBI agent characters need to go back to basic training as they spent most of the book stumbling around, informing each other of their weak leads that did nothing to advance the plot until the anticlimactic payoff at the end. Apparently this bad guy, Rabell, who lurks in the shadows throughout the entire story and who everyone is trying their darnedest to intercept is supposed to be "pure evil," yet is hardly intimidating. He doesn't even swear. Not even once.
There are three plotlines starting with Hadley and JD. Hadley is a third grade teacher, a "stunning brunette" out on a date with Spencer, the boyfriend she THOUGHT she knew, until the bomb went off outside the Washington DC restaurant. JD is the VERY SINGLE federal agent investigating the bomb scene and after their meet/cute is always at Hadley's service when she gets scared or needs rescuing. They wander around the suburbs of Virginia together trying to figure out why this now dead boyfriend would even be interested in dating such a boring woman like Hadley while ducking bullets from the "Rabell mob squad." I kept waiting for the BIG REVEAL to be that Spencer and Rabell were the same person, but I was wrong.
Then there's the two married couples who also work for the FBI: Noah & Kelsey and Kade & Renee. Apparently they all belong to some sort of FBI "Saint Squad" and this book is part of a series. It was hard to keep them straight in my head as Kade & Renee didn't really have much to do in this story and until Kelsey goes off on an anti-human trafficking mission to some Turkish country unrecognized by the United Nations THEN the reader won't forget who she is. Working with other members of the Saint Squad, including Kade, Kelsey saves some women and girls from Rabell's men and that's about it.
Yes, human trafficking is bad but it seems hard to believe First World native born American Caucasian females could really be kidnapped while taking their Mediterranean cruises before getting tossed in with the rest of the international trafficking victims and nobody back in the USA blinks an eye. I always thought the REAL reason little girls, and grown women from all around the world, get sold into human slavery is because their irresponsible parents and boyfriends need the money. That needed to be brought out more in this story.
As for the real reason the bomb went off in chapter 2, well, it was never fully resolved. As most of us who watch the news know, the ones setting off the bombs of today are not the kingpins of illegal international human trafficking rings so I had a hard time believing the real target of that bomb was Spencer, the plot device boyfriend. There are also random mentions of LDS jargon: "Noah and Kelsey went to sacrament meeting," narration tells us. Kelsey asks for a priesthood blessing before they go storm the bad guys' hideout where the human trafficking victims are being kept. Oddly enough we are never shown OR told if our two main characters, JD and Hadley, are members of the church. They don't sleep together. It's not THAT kind of book. But it would've been nice to see how they spent their Sunday since they were thrown together in chapter 2 when it became obvious Hadley needed protection and JD was the ONLY FBI agent available with any amount of chivalry to provide it. The author should know if anyone in the real world is "dating" and whenever anyone refers to each other as "boyfriend" and "girlfriend," it means they are sleeping together.
That's why all the LDS characters in this story are married. A perfectly clean read but not enough to tempt me to check out any more books by this author.
PLOT: A single, Third Grade teacher gets mixed up in a child smuggling ring and is protected by an FBI agent who is also single. They rescue over a hundred children.
CHARACTERS: Hadley is our heroine and teacher. JD is the brave undercover FBI agent who saves her and rescues the children. Noah is also an FBI agent who helps out. Ramier is the bad guy smuggling children.
SETTING: Modern day Virginia in the spring time. Also a nondescript middle-eastern country in a terrorist base.
PROBLEM: Hadley is rescued from a bomb and finds out her ex boyfriend might have been involved. JD has to keep her safe, find the people responsible and figure out why the bomb was set in the first place.
SOLUTION: Different agencies need to work together; Saint Squad, Ghost Guardians, and FBI and follow the clues. Hadley helps with her knowledge of the school system.
MY SUMMARY: Single teachers were targets of a kidnapping ring who used them to get information about vulnerable girls who could be taken and not missed. Hadley was dumped by her boyfriend at a work dinner and hides in the bathroom. A bomb is about to go off and FBI agent JD saves her and gets her out. Someone kills her ex and they decide he must have been involved in the bomb and they might go after Hadley. JD takes her to his home to protect her. Other agencies find a child smuggling ring and the two cases are linked together. JD just has to figure out where they get the children, where they hold them and who is involved, plus fall in love. JD was drawn to Hadley from the start. She didn't take long to get over her dead ex boyfriend. I guess it was meant to be.
There is a lot of crossover between other books by the same author so if you like this author you will like this book. If you don't read much from this author and you like this book you might want to check his others out.
This one is one of my favorites by Abramson. Although it is billed as a standalone, it is pretty much a sequel to Deep Cover. It brings back the protagonists from that book. It has the Saint Squad. It has the Guardians. It’s all the best of Abramson’s works in one volume.
This book starts with a literal bang. And the more Hadley learns about her ex-boyfriend, the more she wonders whether anything in their relationship was genuine. (By the end, I was thinking…maybe he really did love her. I read the book so fast though, and that element was so minor to me, that it didn’t really matter that much.)
I’m just going to jump to the chase and let you know that the crime in this case is human trafficking. And while I strongly disliked the way it was portrayed in the Poulson story in Entangled, it works in this case.
As with all of Abramson’s female protagonists, Hadley is a good combination of capable and vulnerable. She, like the rest, does not simply wait to be rescued; she is an active participant in her own survival.
Possible objectionable material: The same as with Abramson’s other work: perilous situations, kissing. This time, children are in danger as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for the eARC, which was provided in exchange for my unbiased opinion.