What do you think?
Rate this book
Dive Team Investigations #1
Das Schweigen des Sees
Liebe? Spannung? Autorin Lynn Blackburn vereint beides und fesselt von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite.
Als Ryan Parker an Leigh Westons Tür klopft, beschleunigt sich Leighs Herzschlag. Aber nicht nur, weil mit ihm ihre alte Highschool-Liebe vor ihr steht. Sie erfährt auch, was Ryan während eines Tauchtrainings im See vor ihrem Haus gefunden hat ... Nur wenig später wird Leigh Opfer eines Anschlages. Zusammen mit seinen Kollegen des Polizei-Tauchteams Carrington übernimmt Ryan die Ermittlungen. Ist der Täter etwa die gleiche Person, die für die Tat im See verantwortlich ist?
Während Ryan Leigh fortan zu beschützen versucht, kommen sich die beiden näher und entdecken, dass das alte Knistern zwischen ihnen nie wirklich aufgehört hat …
Als Ryan Parker an Leigh Westons Tür klopft, beschleunigt sich Leighs Herzschlag. Aber nicht nur, weil mit ihm ihre alte Highschool-Liebe vor ihr steht. Sie erfährt auch, was Ryan während eines Tauchtrainings im See vor ihrem Haus gefunden hat ... Nur wenig später wird Leigh Opfer eines Anschlages. Zusammen mit seinen Kollegen des Polizei-Tauchteams Carrington übernimmt Ryan die Ermittlungen. Ist der Täter etwa die gleiche Person, die für die Tat im See verantwortlich ist?
Während Ryan Leigh fortan zu beschützen versucht, kommen sich die beiden näher und entdecken, dass das alte Knistern zwischen ihnen nie wirklich aufgehört hat …
384 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2018
About the author
Lynn H. Blackburn
23 books1,711 followersLibrarian Note: Also writes under the pen name Lynn Huggins Blackburn.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 463 reviews
January 19, 2025
I just love this author's writing!!
I wasn't very connected to the mystery, but she writes a band of characters seamlessly!
Can't wait to read the next one!
Great faith content, romance, and pacing.
I wasn't very connected to the mystery, but she writes a band of characters seamlessly!
Can't wait to read the next one!
Great faith content, romance, and pacing.
April 9, 2018
Well, it's not what I expected, but it was definitely interesting! I thought the diving part would play a larger role in the story, but it only is featured at the beginning. Leigh is drawn into the story when the dive team needs to use her lake access to remove a murder victim from the lake. But pretty soon the action ramps up when someone makes an attempt on Leigh's life, very nearly succeeding and landing her in the hospital.
So that was twist number one. This tale takes the cake for twists, which kept me guessing all day long while reading it! Though I was quite busy, I was able to finish reading it in two sittings simply because I had to know what happened next.
I have to say, I loved having an Asian lady as a main character! Leigh was adopted from China as a child and raised in North Carolina, and her brother was adopted from Brazil. I liked this a great deal! All too often, Christian fiction tends to feature characters that look like they came from Maine, the least racially diverse state! I'm not one of those that wants every book to force diversity where it doesn't fit, but this was a nice treat. However, I found myself wishing that Blackburn had described Leigh to us more carefully, because I kept catching myself thinking of her as Vietnamese in feature.
Predictability: Well, very little, other than in the romantic interest! The killer is a slippery one and hard to think ahead of.
Content: Okay, so this one got really near the edge for me. If you don't care for really creepy and determined serial killers, make sure to read this one in the daylight! It's quite intense and the killer does mutilate victims' bodies.
Christian content: a storyline of coming back to God after one's faith has been shaken.
Overall, a solid four star read and a series I will be continuing. Thanks to the publisher for a free review copy.
So that was twist number one. This tale takes the cake for twists, which kept me guessing all day long while reading it! Though I was quite busy, I was able to finish reading it in two sittings simply because I had to know what happened next.
I have to say, I loved having an Asian lady as a main character! Leigh was adopted from China as a child and raised in North Carolina, and her brother was adopted from Brazil. I liked this a great deal! All too often, Christian fiction tends to feature characters that look like they came from Maine, the least racially diverse state! I'm not one of those that wants every book to force diversity where it doesn't fit, but this was a nice treat. However, I found myself wishing that Blackburn had described Leigh to us more carefully, because I kept catching myself thinking of her as Vietnamese in feature.
Predictability: Well, very little, other than in the romantic interest! The killer is a slippery one and hard to think ahead of.
Content: Okay, so this one got really near the edge for me. If you don't care for really creepy and determined serial killers, make sure to read this one in the daylight! It's quite intense and the killer does mutilate victims' bodies.
Christian content: a storyline of coming back to God after one's faith has been shaken.
Overall, a solid four star read and a series I will be continuing. Thanks to the publisher for a free review copy.
August 20, 2024
3.75 / 4
My first Lynn H. Blackburn book and won't be my last. I really enjoyed the writing style, characters and romance. This book was wild! I wasn't as interested in the suspense aspect in this one as the ending wasn't my favorite but I really liked the romance and writing so looking forward to continuing the series.
Leigh lives in North Carolina and works in the ER in the local hospital. Someone tampers with her breaks, she fears her stalkers is back. She reaches out to Ryan, her old high school friend turned homicide investigator to help. Ryan uses his skills as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Sherriff's office dive team to help uncover the mystery of how the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, also with a connection to Leigh... things go on from here and Ryan continues to protect Leigh and the suspense aspect tries to be solved.
As someone who loves a good romantic suspense, this had a great cast of characters and romance I really enjoyed. As far as the suspense itself, I wasn't a fan of how this ended and some of the descriptions for the killings were a bit much for me. (mentions of missing body parts and odd plastic surgery stuff) --- but that's just my personal take.
The book didn't really give you clues throughout to figure out who the killer was, which I prefer usually even if I can't necessarily figure it out myself. I found myself saying, "WHO?" when we found out the killer and I don't always love that personally.
Overall though, I enjoyed this one and am rating it 3.75 up to 4. I think if you like a good suspense with romance, try this out and see where you land. This also had some good faith elements I enjoyed.
My first Lynn H. Blackburn book and won't be my last. I really enjoyed the writing style, characters and romance. This book was wild! I wasn't as interested in the suspense aspect in this one as the ending wasn't my favorite but I really liked the romance and writing so looking forward to continuing the series.
Leigh lives in North Carolina and works in the ER in the local hospital. Someone tampers with her breaks, she fears her stalkers is back. She reaches out to Ryan, her old high school friend turned homicide investigator to help. Ryan uses his skills as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Sherriff's office dive team to help uncover the mystery of how the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, also with a connection to Leigh... things go on from here and Ryan continues to protect Leigh and the suspense aspect tries to be solved.
As someone who loves a good romantic suspense, this had a great cast of characters and romance I really enjoyed. As far as the suspense itself, I wasn't a fan of how this ended and some of the descriptions for the killings were a bit much for me. (mentions of missing body parts and odd plastic surgery stuff) --- but that's just my personal take.
The book didn't really give you clues throughout to figure out who the killer was, which I prefer usually even if I can't necessarily figure it out myself. I found myself saying, "WHO?" when we found out the killer and I don't always love that personally.
Overall though, I enjoyed this one and am rating it 3.75 up to 4. I think if you like a good suspense with romance, try this out and see where you land. This also had some good faith elements I enjoyed.
March 28, 2018
Cop suspense meets medical suspense in this enthralling caper. I loved all the characters (well, the good guys, anyway. The schmuck who left his wife is somewhere under the murderer in my estimates in line for reader love from me). Ryan and Leigh were so cute together, and so were Adam and Sabrina (even if they don't know it), and all the other people I look forward to reading in the rest of the series. I especially loved the relational dimension of everything, with the characters' entwined pasts (though, Leigh's brother was a bit annoying. I can understand telling other guys off your sister when you're both teenagers. But when you're married and she's thirty years old and you're still keeping up the don't-date-my-sister stuff, that's a bit extreme).
As for the suspense, it was really thrilling to think of anything normal in your life possibly being dangerous. Makes you realize all you take for granted in your day-to-day life. To think that someone you may know might be trying to kill you- chilling.
The mystery was also really good. You really have no idea who it is until they are finally revealed, though I did notice some patterns in the killer's 'MO' (a term this book taught me).
A thoroughly enjoyable book that I recommend to all fans of Christian suspense and those looking to try it out.
As for the suspense, it was really thrilling to think of anything normal in your life possibly being dangerous. Makes you realize all you take for granted in your day-to-day life. To think that someone you may know might be trying to kill you- chilling.
The mystery was also really good. You really have no idea who it is until they are finally revealed, though I did notice some patterns in the killer's 'MO' (a term this book taught me).
A thoroughly enjoyable book that I recommend to all fans of Christian suspense and those looking to try it out.
March 12, 2018
4 out of 5 stars.
This book was well done! I enjoyed it greatly and it kept me reading. The overall storyline was easy to follow, but hard to figure out the ending, just like a proper suspense book should do. The plot kept moving quickly enough that I was constantly turning pages. I think I broke a current record for myself in how fast I read it. It felt good to breeze through a book because it would have been hard to put it down.
The characters were great! I genuinely enjoyed all of them! Blackburn took the time to make even the background characters have personalities that shone brightly in the murky mystery surrounding them all. The team that solved the story was the best! I sincerely hope that Gabe Chavez gets his own book. That man had me in stitches. Adam, Sabrina, and Annisa were also worthy second cast characters.
Ryan and Leigh were an adorable couple. They were so realistic. I loved that Ryan wasn’t your typical self-assured hero with the good looks to go with it. He was unsure of himself at times and his occasional awkwardness made him even more endearing. I loved that he wasn’t perfect, but that he was still a gentleman. Leigh was also sweet. I could feel myself relating to her. She had just the right amount of flaws, enough spunk without going overboard in the feministic department, and enough wisdom to trust those around her to help her out. And enough pluck to remain cheery in a bleak set of circumstances.
I also enjoyed how Blackburn wove enough humor into the story that it wasn’t depressing in any way, but that it was light hearted enough to be enjoyable without reaching that point where it can be disrespectful. She had a perfect balance.
Content Advisory: Lots of people died. Let’s just suffice it
This book was well done! I enjoyed it greatly and it kept me reading. The overall storyline was easy to follow, but hard to figure out the ending, just like a proper suspense book should do. The plot kept moving quickly enough that I was constantly turning pages. I think I broke a current record for myself in how fast I read it. It felt good to breeze through a book because it would have been hard to put it down.
The characters were great! I genuinely enjoyed all of them! Blackburn took the time to make even the background characters have personalities that shone brightly in the murky mystery surrounding them all. The team that solved the story was the best! I sincerely hope that Gabe Chavez gets his own book. That man had me in stitches. Adam, Sabrina, and Annisa were also worthy second cast characters.
Ryan and Leigh were an adorable couple. They were so realistic. I loved that Ryan wasn’t your typical self-assured hero with the good looks to go with it. He was unsure of himself at times and his occasional awkwardness made him even more endearing. I loved that he wasn’t perfect, but that he was still a gentleman. Leigh was also sweet. I could feel myself relating to her. She had just the right amount of flaws, enough spunk without going overboard in the feministic department, and enough wisdom to trust those around her to help her out. And enough pluck to remain cheery in a bleak set of circumstances.
I also enjoyed how Blackburn wove enough humor into the story that it wasn’t depressing in any way, but that it was light hearted enough to be enjoyable without reaching that point where it can be disrespectful. She had a perfect balance.
Content Advisory: Lots of people died. Let’s just suffice it
April 7, 2026
This was a great start to this series. I really liked the suspense, the humor, and especially the characters. Now on to the next in the series.
Reread. Still 4 stars. Happy to be back with these characters.
Reread. Still 4 stars. Happy to be back with these characters.
July 3, 2018
I was pretty excited when I checked this one out..Dive team investigations...sounds intriguing and creepy! Well, the “dive team investigations” part was only in the very beginning. Not really sure why so much emphasis would be put on the dive team aspect when it was only one scene in the very beginning of the book? I would definitely call this a romantic suspense (slash) unrequited love story. Yes, the suspense at the end was definitely a thrill ride! But the majority of the book was two people who had been secretly in love since high school trying to navigate through their feelings. The author did a very nice job of conveying their feelings through her writing and I ended up definitely rooting for Ryan and Leigh! Although, this book was not at all what I expected it was still a good entertaining read!
**3.50 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
**3.50 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
August 11, 2025
Really good suspense and loved the side characters even more than the main characters. Can’t wait to read the next books
April 10, 2018
Lynn H. Blackburn’s new series, Dive Team Investigations, starts out with a bang.
First off, the characters. Leigh is an interesting and well-rounded character. Her issues of faith and fear felt very real and relatable. Ryan’s character was also good, and I think I liked him even better than Leigh. I appreciated how he wasn’t your stereotypical perfect specimen of humanity that all the girls fall for. He was awkward at times, bumbling in an adorable way, and didn’t always handle things perfectly. He was realistic.
Interestingly enough, I think I enjoyed the supporting cast of characters even more than the main characters. From Anissa and Gabe to Adam and Sabrina, they were all such fun additions. Gabe, in particular, was fabulous, and I am really hoping he gets his own book. I adore these types of sidekick characters who perfectly complement the others, yet still have so much depth and personality. He made for some great comedic relief throughout – there were even sometimes I actually laughed out loud – but he also had his serious moments that were just as great. While a supporting character, he was the best character, in my opinion.
The story gets going pretty quickly and captured my interest. I did feel that a portion of the middle got rather boring and repetitive at times, but it keeps you pushing through to find out “who dun it”.
The element that I least enjoyed, and the main reason I docked some stars, was the romance. It felt very shallow and based mostly on physical appearances, which always annoys me. Frankly, you could have taken that whole aspect out of the book and I would have enjoyed the story that much more. There was also some semi-detailed kissing/embracing/attraction that was definitely too much for me.
The themes of faith and trusting God felt slightly shoe-horned in, but were nonetheless very solid and encouraging.
All in all, I can’t say this was my new favorite novel, but it’s worth checking out if you enjoy romantic suspense.
Content Advisory: I’d recommend this book for ages 16+.
First off, the characters. Leigh is an interesting and well-rounded character. Her issues of faith and fear felt very real and relatable. Ryan’s character was also good, and I think I liked him even better than Leigh. I appreciated how he wasn’t your stereotypical perfect specimen of humanity that all the girls fall for. He was awkward at times, bumbling in an adorable way, and didn’t always handle things perfectly. He was realistic.
Interestingly enough, I think I enjoyed the supporting cast of characters even more than the main characters. From Anissa and Gabe to Adam and Sabrina, they were all such fun additions. Gabe, in particular, was fabulous, and I am really hoping he gets his own book. I adore these types of sidekick characters who perfectly complement the others, yet still have so much depth and personality. He made for some great comedic relief throughout – there were even sometimes I actually laughed out loud – but he also had his serious moments that were just as great. While a supporting character, he was the best character, in my opinion.
The story gets going pretty quickly and captured my interest. I did feel that a portion of the middle got rather boring and repetitive at times, but it keeps you pushing through to find out “who dun it”.
The element that I least enjoyed, and the main reason I docked some stars, was the romance. It felt very shallow and based mostly on physical appearances, which always annoys me. Frankly, you could have taken that whole aspect out of the book and I would have enjoyed the story that much more. There was also some semi-detailed kissing/embracing/attraction that was definitely too much for me.
The themes of faith and trusting God felt slightly shoe-horned in, but were nonetheless very solid and encouraging.
All in all, I can’t say this was my new favorite novel, but it’s worth checking out if you enjoy romantic suspense.
Content Advisory: I’d recommend this book for ages 16+.
August 20, 2020
A great introduction to a new author and a new Christian suspense series!
If I was to pick an underling theme for this story it would be relationships.
Each of the characters had a personal individual relationship with God and through the story it was great to see how those relationships was challenged it different ways and also how they developed.
I also loved the relationships that has started between the six main characters and I’m looking forward to reading the other books to see where those relationships end up.
The suspense aspect was also good. I was suspicious of everyone and was guessing to the end (my favourite part of a good suspense). I was a little disappointed at the big reveal though!
I give 5 stars to Kate Forbes for an excellent audio performance.
Definitely recommend for Christian suspense fans! :)
If I was to pick an underling theme for this story it would be relationships.
Each of the characters had a personal individual relationship with God and through the story it was great to see how those relationships was challenged it different ways and also how they developed.
I also loved the relationships that has started between the six main characters and I’m looking forward to reading the other books to see where those relationships end up.
The suspense aspect was also good. I was suspicious of everyone and was guessing to the end (my favourite part of a good suspense). I was a little disappointed at the big reveal though!
I give 5 stars to Kate Forbes for an excellent audio performance.
Definitely recommend for Christian suspense fans! :)
March 7, 2018
For all my reviews, visit my blog at http://ladyjbookishnook.blogspot.com
Follow me on Twitter
Beneath The Surface by author Lynn H. Blackburn is the first installment in the Dive Team Investigations series and my first read of this author. I noticed AFTER receiving my copy in the mail that it was a romantic suspense which truthfully I never read. I didn’t pick up on the romance while reading the blurb so this one was a surprise. But I decided to take the plunge…into Beneath The Surface! Lol!
One of the main characters is Leigh Weston a nurse practitioner living in Carrington, North Carolina. Leigh is sort of alone right now in life as both her parents have died and her only sibling lives far away. Leigh has recently moved to Carrington because of some problems in her past. Ryan Parker is a homicide investigator and volunteer underwater investigator for the Carrington Sheriff Department. Leigh and Ryan have known each other since high school and you can probably guess the romance part of the romantic suspense involves these two. It wouldn’t be fair for me to critique the romantic part of the story for a couple of reasons. One, as I stated earlier I never intentionally read a romance unless I agree to review one thinking it was a genre that does interest me. For that reason I don’t have many to compare to. The other reason is most romances to me feel cheesy, unrealistic, and just over-the-top. So I will instead focus on the suspense side which is what I usually review.
Lynn H. Blackburn does a good job grabbing the reader’s attention right from the start with the discovery of a dead body while dive team investigators were doing a practice dive. Pieces of the puzzle are spread nicely throughout the book and I never did figure out who was responsible until the end. The ending could have been wrapped up a little better. I was left with a big “why”? that was never really answered. There were hints but the why was never explained or I somehow missed it. For a reader that cares more about the suspense and mystery, leaving that part out was sort of a big deal.
Overall I liked the book, the mystery was interesting and I did find myself wanting to keep reading to find out “whodunit”, it was just sort of a let-down for me at the end with some unanswered questions. Fans of the Christian Romantic Suspense genre will enjoy this the most. At the end of the book there is a sneak peek at In Too Deep Book two in the series, expected publication November 6, 2018. I give this one 3 out of 5 stars!
Thank you Lynn H. Blackburn and Revell Books for providing me with a review copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2019
Beneath the Surface was a good romantic suspense novel. I liked the characters and found the way they interacted with each other to be authentic. I felt like they were real people.
The mystery was crazy. I wasn't sure who the villain would be until the reveal and I felt like you never knew what would happen next.
The ending was great and I liked how things wrapped up. All in all, Beneath the Surface was an enjoyable read and I recommend it.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
The mystery was crazy. I wasn't sure who the villain would be until the reveal and I felt like you never knew what would happen next.
The ending was great and I liked how things wrapped up. All in all, Beneath the Surface was an enjoyable read and I recommend it.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
December 10, 2020
Wow, this book was AMAZING from the VERY start and I LOVED every bit of it!! This was my first time reading Blackburn's work, but I'm so looking forward to Book 2 in this series. Leigh has just returned home after having a traumatic stalker experience and is trying to find her momentum again working as a nurse when the attacks against her start up again. Investigator Ryan Parker, best friend to Leigh's brother and friend from high school, gets assigned to a different case located in Leigh's backyard and it's driving him crazy that he can't get a lead for either case.
I wanted to say my favorite characters were Leigh's nurse friend, Keri, and Ryan's partner, Gabe, but there was also Sabrina, Adam and Anissa. Gabe is my fave for sure, every time he's in the scene it's just a hoot! I laughed throughout the book with his banter with Ryan, despite his flirtatious ways, he's such a good cop and a good friend. PLEASE make sure Gabe gets his own novel in this series!
I truly loved every aspect of the police meeting at Leigh's home and discussing every possible lead with her. The dialogue in this book was spectacular, I couldn't get enough of this story as my nose was literally glued to my kindle the entire time reading! And I COULD NOT figure out the culprit and WOW to those attacks...they are clever, frequent and SCARY but SO WELL written!! I was so upset when Officer Pete was hurt in the line of duty, seriously gets to me when cops are hurt in fiction, it's just too real to what happens in real life.
One great scene is when Ryan and Kirk, Leigh's brother, have a face to face meeting over Ryan's feelings at the end of the book. I really enjoyed that, there was just such unity with these characters and it really made this book a wonderful read despite the dire circumstances this investigation led to.
I received this ebook free from the publisher via NetGalley, I voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my own.
I wanted to say my favorite characters were Leigh's nurse friend, Keri, and Ryan's partner, Gabe, but there was also Sabrina, Adam and Anissa. Gabe is my fave for sure, every time he's in the scene it's just a hoot! I laughed throughout the book with his banter with Ryan, despite his flirtatious ways, he's such a good cop and a good friend. PLEASE make sure Gabe gets his own novel in this series!
I truly loved every aspect of the police meeting at Leigh's home and discussing every possible lead with her. The dialogue in this book was spectacular, I couldn't get enough of this story as my nose was literally glued to my kindle the entire time reading! And I COULD NOT figure out the culprit and WOW to those attacks...they are clever, frequent and SCARY but SO WELL written!! I was so upset when Officer Pete was hurt in the line of duty, seriously gets to me when cops are hurt in fiction, it's just too real to what happens in real life.
One great scene is when Ryan and Kirk, Leigh's brother, have a face to face meeting over Ryan's feelings at the end of the book. I really enjoyed that, there was just such unity with these characters and it really made this book a wonderful read despite the dire circumstances this investigation led to.
I received this ebook free from the publisher via NetGalley, I voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my own.
March 26, 2020
I expected more diving in this book due to the series name, but there was only some at the very beginning of the book. But the suspense rolled from page 1 and didn't stop until the conclusion. I loved the group of characters that worked together to solve the mystery: Ryan Parker, Gabe Chavez, and Anissa Bell are all homicide detectives. Leigh Weston is a nurse practitioner at Carrington County Hospital. Adam is a detective, and his friend Sabrina is a computer analyst. The way they all worked together to figure out what was happening was amazing. Each of them found pieces that finally allowed them to hone in on who the serial killer was. Best of all, I never figured out who it was. This was definitely a "can't put it down" suspense read.
Great beginning to a new-to-me author's suspense series.
Great beginning to a new-to-me author's suspense series.
February 24, 2018
Beneath the Surface is a fast paced, edgy suspense that I found hard to put down. A headless, handless, and footless body is found in a lake in central North Carolina by sheriff investigators doing a practice dive. The location is near the dock and house of Nurse Practitioner Leigh Weston, friend of one of the investigators, Ryan Parker. Because of the location, he asks Leigh if they might use her dock as a point to meet and investigate from. The next morning after working in the emergency department at the hospital all night, Leigh is on the way home when her brakes fail. Someone has cut her brakes on purpose. She wounds up back in the hospital. Leigh's life is suddenly put in danger and as attempts on her life continue, Ryan and his team try to find answers and protect Leigh. Why would someone want to kill her? There are so many questions and no answers. How can they identify the body and is there a connection to what is happening to Leigh. Then another body shows up at a house on the lake. The plot to this book is intricate and complicated with layers that kept me interested in finding out the mystery of how it all tied together and it was not what/who I came close to guessing. The characters are real and likable with a camaraderie was intense, funny and endearing. There is a little romance brewing by the end of the book. This is a great Christian suspense that I highly recommend. I look forward to reading the next book and got a glimpse of it at the end of this book. Lynn H. Blackburn is a new to me author and I plan to look into her other books.
Thanks to NetGalley and Revell for allowing me to read and review this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Revell for allowing me to read and review this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2018
Wow, now this is a suspense book! I haven’t been able to find many suspense books that I’ve enjoyed lately, but this one was amazing. I can’t wait for book #2!
The suspense was so well done in this book. There was so much going on and you never knew what was going to happen next. The mystery itself was pretty unique compared to other suspense books I’ve read, which really stood out to me. It was different and well thought out and I absolutely loved it. It’s definitely been added to the list of my favorite suspense books. This book is action packed and kept me guessing until the very end.
The characters in this book were just as amazing as the mystery itself. They were such a fun group of friends and I loved the friendship they all had. Kirk was also the perfect fit as the protective brother. I loved the last scene in the book with him and Ryan. ;)
This is a fast paced suspense book with a group of fun loving friends. I really enjoyed this book, and found myself reading it every chance I got. I definitely recommend this one!
* I received a free copy of this book from Revell in exchange of my honest review. All thought are my own”
The suspense was so well done in this book. There was so much going on and you never knew what was going to happen next. The mystery itself was pretty unique compared to other suspense books I’ve read, which really stood out to me. It was different and well thought out and I absolutely loved it. It’s definitely been added to the list of my favorite suspense books. This book is action packed and kept me guessing until the very end.
The characters in this book were just as amazing as the mystery itself. They were such a fun group of friends and I loved the friendship they all had. Kirk was also the perfect fit as the protective brother. I loved the last scene in the book with him and Ryan. ;)
This is a fast paced suspense book with a group of fun loving friends. I really enjoyed this book, and found myself reading it every chance I got. I definitely recommend this one!
* I received a free copy of this book from Revell in exchange of my honest review. All thought are my own”
April 29, 2026
꒰4 stars-christian fiction-romantic suspense꒱
₊˚ʚ ❝𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹.❞
⇢꒰𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀꒱
Lynn Blackburn has become one of my favorite authors! after reading her defend and protect series I knew I wanted to read the rest of what she has. this first book did not disappoint and i'm really excited to continue reading the series!
⇢꒰𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀꒱
⋆˚࿔🩺𝐿𝑒𝒾𝑔𝒽 𝒲𝑒𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓃
i really liked how confident she was and how she wasn't willing to back down, she was so caring!
⋆˚࿔🚓𝑅𝓎𝒶𝓃 𝒫𝒶𝓇𝓀𝑒𝓇
cutie. he was so sweet to Leigh🤭
⇢꒰𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀꒱
𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲: none!
𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: the most is kissing.
𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: mentions of bodies being cut up but it's not that descriptive, a character gets strangled, attempted murders, explosions, a character gets kidnapped.
𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿: characters deal with passing of parents.
thanks for reading this little review of mine!
₊˚ʚ ❝𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹.❞
⇢꒰𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀꒱
Lynn Blackburn has become one of my favorite authors! after reading her defend and protect series I knew I wanted to read the rest of what she has. this first book did not disappoint and i'm really excited to continue reading the series!
⇢꒰𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀꒱
⋆˚࿔🩺𝐿𝑒𝒾𝑔𝒽 𝒲𝑒𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓃
i really liked how confident she was and how she wasn't willing to back down, she was so caring!
⋆˚࿔🚓𝑅𝓎𝒶𝓃 𝒫𝒶𝓇𝓀𝑒𝓇
cutie. he was so sweet to Leigh🤭
⇢꒰𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀꒱
𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲: none!
𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: the most is kissing.
𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: mentions of bodies being cut up but it's not that descriptive, a character gets strangled, attempted murders, explosions, a character gets kidnapped.
𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿: characters deal with passing of parents.
thanks for reading this little review of mine!
August 5, 2026
Wow! That was intense! It kept me just flying through pages and wondering what in the world was going to happen next!
Characters:
Leigh was such a sweet character! She had some good struggles with wondering where God was in all the pain, been there...I think we all have. She was a super relatable character and I loves her adoption background and how much she loved her parents and brother!
Ryan was...great! He had a firmer faith than Leigh, but still struggled with questions and doubts. I would have liked to see the resolve of those questions a bit clearer, but overall it was great! I also, would have enjoyed seeing more of his nephew, Caleb, on page instead of just being told about him.
Gabe was hilarious and I loved him! He reminded me of my brother...lol...
Adam was fun too and reminded me of my other brother...lol...opposite of Gabe, yet they get along great!
Anissa was epic! And Sabrina was soooooo sweet! I am the Sabrina of a friend group y'all, but not as smart as her. XD
Romance:
Yes, a brother's best friend/best friend's little sister...it was so cute and sweet! And I loved Kirk's reaction. XD
Language:
N/A
Violence/Gore:
Mentions of a serial killer, if that is an issue, don't read. Missing heads, hands, feet, multiple attempts on someone's life, a wreck, a drug overdose, being shot at, almost strangled, mentions of infidelity, someone having more than one mistress, divorce, etc...there is no end to the action and attempts on their life. But nothing is gory.
Overall:
This book was non-stop suspense and I loved that aspect. There were a few threads that weren't quite tied up and the ending fell a bit short when compared to the rest of the book, but overall, it was a very fun read!
Recommend age 18+ (due to the serial killer aspect)
Characters:
Leigh was such a sweet character! She had some good struggles with wondering where God was in all the pain, been there...I think we all have. She was a super relatable character and I loves her adoption background and how much she loved her parents and brother!
Ryan was...great! He had a firmer faith than Leigh, but still struggled with questions and doubts. I would have liked to see the resolve of those questions a bit clearer, but overall it was great! I also, would have enjoyed seeing more of his nephew, Caleb, on page instead of just being told about him.
Gabe was hilarious and I loved him! He reminded me of my brother...lol...
Adam was fun too and reminded me of my other brother...lol...opposite of Gabe, yet they get along great!
Anissa was epic! And Sabrina was soooooo sweet! I am the Sabrina of a friend group y'all, but not as smart as her. XD
Romance:
Yes, a brother's best friend/best friend's little sister...it was so cute and sweet! And I loved Kirk's reaction. XD
Language:
N/A
Violence/Gore:
Mentions of a serial killer, if that is an issue, don't read. Missing heads, hands, feet, multiple attempts on someone's life, a wreck, a drug overdose, being shot at, almost strangled, mentions of infidelity, someone having more than one mistress, divorce, etc...there is no end to the action and attempts on their life. But nothing is gory.
Overall:
This book was non-stop suspense and I loved that aspect. There were a few threads that weren't quite tied up and the ending fell a bit short when compared to the rest of the book, but overall, it was a very fun read!
Recommend age 18+ (due to the serial killer aspect)
March 15, 2023
*Updated review to say how much fun it was to listen to this book as an audio book. I love these characters and it was so fun to listen to this story again.*
Wow! Great story and wonderful characters! I could hardly set this book down and I am completely invested in this team of people who were introduced in the novel. If you are a fan of Dani Pettrey's romantic suspense books, I would definitely recommend Lynn H. Blackburn. This is the second novel that I have read by this author and I really like the way she writes both suspense and character development. She really kept me guessing with this one.
Wow! Great story and wonderful characters! I could hardly set this book down and I am completely invested in this team of people who were introduced in the novel. If you are a fan of Dani Pettrey's romantic suspense books, I would definitely recommend Lynn H. Blackburn. This is the second novel that I have read by this author and I really like the way she writes both suspense and character development. She really kept me guessing with this one.
February 21, 2018
I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this novel. Well written with an engaging, and harrowing, plot. The romance was well done as well.
March 31, 2020
Wow! A ton of twists in this suspense novel. I never saw the villain coming. Loved the close knit friendship among the main six characters.
June 22, 2018
4.5 Stars
I knocked off .5 stars for a little bit more romance in one scene than I wanted to read.
The spiritual themes were very much there and that was a nice touch as Leigh comes to terms with why God allows horrible things to happen. While Ryan already knows why, he just needed to learn to let God be the one to work everything out.
Honestl,y Ryan and Leigh were great, but needless to say I hope there are more books with Adam, Sabrina, Anissa, and Gabe in them because they were so funny and intriguing! Leigh is pretty determined that no one could ever love her, and that is something I can relate to at times.
The mystery was really well written. It held my curiosity and the twists snd turns kept me on the edge of my seat! Looking forward to In Too Deep!
I knocked off .5 stars for a little bit more romance in one scene than I wanted to read.
The spiritual themes were very much there and that was a nice touch as Leigh comes to terms with why God allows horrible things to happen. While Ryan already knows why, he just needed to learn to let God be the one to work everything out.
Honestl,y Ryan and Leigh were great, but needless to say I hope there are more books with Adam, Sabrina, Anissa, and Gabe in them because they were so funny and intriguing! Leigh is pretty determined that no one could ever love her, and that is something I can relate to at times.
The mystery was really well written. It held my curiosity and the twists snd turns kept me on the edge of my seat! Looking forward to In Too Deep!
February 5, 2024
Beneath the Surface is book one in the Dive Team Investigations by Lynn H Blackburn. After experience with a stalker, nurse practitioner Leigh Weston decided to move back home to Carrington, North Carolina. Leigh Weston thought that she would be able to heal. However, she was worried that someone cut her breaks, and she nearly died. Does Leigh Weston have another stalker? Leigh Weston's brother's best friend, Ryan Parker, became involved in this case, and he realised that the serial killer that he was investigating could be engaged in Leigh Weston's harassment. The readers of Beneath the Surface will continue to follow Ryan Parker and Leigh Weston to discover what happens.
Beneath the Surface is the first book I have read by Lynn H. Blackburn, and I engaged with the book from the first page. I love Leigh Weston's portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. Beneath the Surface is well-written and researched by Lynn H. Blackburn. I like Lynn Blackburn's description of the settings of Beneath the Surface, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of Beneath the Surface will learn about the meaning of pseudoaneurysm of the femoral artery. Also, the readers of Beneath the Surface will understand mental illness caused by childhood trauma.
I recommend this book.
Beneath the Surface is the first book I have read by Lynn H. Blackburn, and I engaged with the book from the first page. I love Leigh Weston's portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. Beneath the Surface is well-written and researched by Lynn H. Blackburn. I like Lynn Blackburn's description of the settings of Beneath the Surface, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of Beneath the Surface will learn about the meaning of pseudoaneurysm of the femoral artery. Also, the readers of Beneath the Surface will understand mental illness caused by childhood trauma.
I recommend this book.
May 1, 2019
Full review on FaithfullyBookish.com
With an appealing combination of danger and desire, this action-packed friends-to-more romance captivated my attention page after page! The author’s attention to technical detail and skillful descriptions immersed me (pun intended) into the world of Carrington, North Carolina and the lives of Leigh and Ryan.
Fans of romantic suspense authors such as Dani Pettrey, Lynette Eason, Rachel Dylan, and Cara Putman definitely need to pick up Blackburn’s work! I highly recommend this story and eagerly anticipate reading the next installments of this and future series!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
With an appealing combination of danger and desire, this action-packed friends-to-more romance captivated my attention page after page! The author’s attention to technical detail and skillful descriptions immersed me (pun intended) into the world of Carrington, North Carolina and the lives of Leigh and Ryan.
Fans of romantic suspense authors such as Dani Pettrey, Lynette Eason, Rachel Dylan, and Cara Putman definitely need to pick up Blackburn’s work! I highly recommend this story and eagerly anticipate reading the next installments of this and future series!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
August 26, 2019
Hooray, I’ve found another awesome group of characters to get to know and another author to put on my favorites list. I am glad I have all the books in this series so I can “dive” right into the next one!
Beneath the Surface refers not only to the body the dive team finds on a training exercise...... it also describes the things going on in the investigation and a romance that is simmering between Ryan Parker, a homicide investigator, and Leigh Weston, a nurse practitioner.
Fast paced, I read this book in just over a day. It was an interesting look into what goes on during identification of bodies and how the team works to uncover clues about a serial killer. Twists and turns galore and nice background information on the team and the community of Carrington, North Carolina.
*I won this book in a contest. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own. *
Beneath the Surface refers not only to the body the dive team finds on a training exercise...... it also describes the things going on in the investigation and a romance that is simmering between Ryan Parker, a homicide investigator, and Leigh Weston, a nurse practitioner.
Fast paced, I read this book in just over a day. It was an interesting look into what goes on during identification of bodies and how the team works to uncover clues about a serial killer. Twists and turns galore and nice background information on the team and the community of Carrington, North Carolina.
*I won this book in a contest. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own. *
May 7, 2018
I love finding new to me authors, especially when it’s one like this! Ms. Blackburn is a fantastic author! She has created a wonderful story, full of amazing characters and I was hooked from the first page. Each page, each new character, each new plot twist had me on the edge of my seat and staying up late to finish the intense, captivating ride.
I loved Ryan and Leigh so much! They were wonderfully chiseled and their feelings really jumped off the page and became my own. The way they interacted and the way their story just pulled together was fantabulous.
This is a 4 star worthy novel and each page is fantastically done. The intensity of the crimes, the grace and mercy that’s woven in, the sparks of romance between characters really pull the reader into the middle of the story and doesn’t let them go. This is one of those books that will stay with you long, long past the last page. I’m highly anticipating the release of book in this fantastic new series! Well done, Ms. Blackburn! You’ve got a forever fan in me!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
I loved Ryan and Leigh so much! They were wonderfully chiseled and their feelings really jumped off the page and became my own. The way they interacted and the way their story just pulled together was fantabulous.
This is a 4 star worthy novel and each page is fantastically done. The intensity of the crimes, the grace and mercy that’s woven in, the sparks of romance between characters really pull the reader into the middle of the story and doesn’t let them go. This is one of those books that will stay with you long, long past the last page. I’m highly anticipating the release of book in this fantastic new series! Well done, Ms. Blackburn! You’ve got a forever fan in me!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
July 26, 2026
★★★★★
“You can’t keep me alive,” she said.
“I’ll die trying.”
࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎
I am not just happy because of how I absolutely enjoyed reading this book! But also because I finally read a five star book after a while which makes me even more happy!!! And this book is definitely one of my favorite reads of this year!! 🤗
I loved, loved–LOVED this book from beginning to end!! The storyline, the characters (excluding the characters I despised), the mystery, the suspense, the romance (although I do wish there was a little more of it, if I'm being honest), and the banter was all amazing!! 🥰 Lynn did a really great job writing this! The way she wrote was easy to read and gave just enough information without it being overwhelming. She reminded me a little bit of Dee Henderson.
Okay, now about the main characters. From the very first page, I absolutely loved Ryan and Leigh! They are so cute together!! I loved their whole relationship but before they confessed I was raging on the inside when they kept asking themselves if one of them feels the same way as they did with each other. I kept saying, “Yes, he cares about you!” or “Yes, she cares about you!” I had a whirlwind of emotions going on there, haha.
I was always swooning when Ryan was being overprotective of Leigh or him always checking in on her. What made me love him even more was when he really showed in not just his words–but in his actions that he really cared and loved Leigh. (Kirk is blessed to have a man like him in love with his younger sister). It was so so sweet! 🥹 I love him so much!! He's such a gentleman! I must mention this, seeing Ryan act jealous was priceless! Especially when he found out Gabe and Leigh were on a first name basis 😂
Leigh was a force to be reckoned with. What she went through before she moved back to Carrington, North Carolina, and then going through this psycho trying to kill her left and right. I'm so happy she had Ryan there as her anchor and guardian! Even with all that, she was still a strong, independent and intelligent woman with a heart of gold. She did have her flaws, but the one that stood out was where she was questioning God and why He allowed bad things to happen in her life. Her also not praying to God anymore. Her finding her way back to praying as the story progressed. Learning to put her faith and trust in God again. I really loved the faith struggles/elements Lynn incorporated in this book without it being too preachy.
And Leigh did have her moments where I was cracking up. Especially when she called Ryan or Gabe by their first and last name when they were in trouble (like a parent), and also when she kept saying she'd strangle her brother for telling his friends that she's off limits 🤣 Oh, I do not want to get on her bad side, lol.
I really wish I could add all the things I loved in this book, unfortunately that would end up with this being a very long book review. So I'll just add a couple more things I really wanted to share.
I love it when the author can make side characters that you immediately just love when they're introduced. Those would include: Gabe, Adam, Sabrina, and Anissa.
Gabe is hilarious and a bit of a flirt (I will say–not in a bad way). I was literally dying of laughter at his remarks and provoking either Ryan or Adam by making them jealous or calling them out on who they're in love with 😂 I swear he enjoyed riling up Adam a bit too much, haha. And he and Anissa are just so cute and hilarious together! Them never agreeing on anything and then when they do, Ryan is shocked 🤣 I can't wait to read their book!
Adam was easy to like from the start. I really liked how he came from wealth but didn't even act like he did. I couldn't stop laughing when he was in Sabrina's presence or when Leigh suggested he go get the umbrella from her closet and walk Sabrina out to her car that he practically fell out of his chair, trying to go get it 🤣 Oh! And those dirty glares he gave Gabe when he would tease or provoke him were the best!! I have a feeling I'll love their book, just like I did with this one!
This was such an amazing read! I'll definitely continue reading this series and read more books from this author! I'm a sucker for Christian Romantic Suspense books and Lynn H. Blackburn delivered!!
᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁
⚠️ 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘: Dead bodies with their heads, hands and feet severed from their bodies (not described in detail), mention of the mmc's sister's husband left her and her children for another woman, mentions of the victims cheating/having more than one spouse, fmc's life is in jeopardy multiple of times, fmc is drugged a couple of times, kidnapping, death of parents
🌶 𝖘𝖕𝖎𝖈𝖊 𝖑𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖑: None, just kisses, hugs and holding each other
🗣 𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖚𝖆𝖌𝖊: None
﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡
💬 𝓜𝔂 𝓕𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼:
“You are a dangerous woman, Leigh Weston.”
~ That she is, Ryan
“Please be careful. I can’t live without you,”
~ Oh, be still my heart, Ryan!! 😭🫶🏻
“I hope I haven’t made you late for work.”
“I cannot begin to tell you how much I do not care about that.”
~ Ahhh! This conversation! Where do you find a man like this??? 😭
“Oh, nothing much,” Ryan said. “Just Leigh putting us all in our place.”
~ One of the reasons why I love Leigh 😏
“You laugh now,” Leigh said. “You’re all three drop-dead gorgeous and you know it. Someday you’ll be pushing sixty and your cheeks will have jowls and your eyes will have dark circles and you will look in the mirror and wonder what happened.”
~ And then Sabrina was blushing and Anissa was looking at the three men, realizing Leigh was correct, lol.
“No. I mean. Yes. No. I kissed her cheek.”
“I’m confused,” Gabe said.
“You and me both, bro.”
~ One of my favorite conversations between Ryan and Gabe 🤣
Gabe slid down in his seat. “I can see you, Gabriel Chavez,” Leigh called.
~ Ohh, he's in trouble… 😂
“Don’t run away from me, Ryan Parker.”
~ I was always laughing when Leigh would say his full name when he was in trouble 😂
“I have a job for you.” Ryan turned to her.
If he suggested she bake a cake, she would throw something at him. “What?”
~ I would too, lol.
Gabe must not have either. “When I find someone to translate, I’ll think of a crushing reply.”
~ Probably one of my favorite remarks from Gabe 😂
“I’m going to kill him.”
~ The amount of times Leigh has said this about her brother 🤣
“You can’t keep me alive,” she said.
“I’ll die trying.”
࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎࿎
I am not just happy because of how I absolutely enjoyed reading this book! But also because I finally read a five star book after a while which makes me even more happy!!! And this book is definitely one of my favorite reads of this year!! 🤗
I loved, loved–LOVED this book from beginning to end!! The storyline, the characters (excluding the characters I despised), the mystery, the suspense, the romance (although I do wish there was a little more of it, if I'm being honest), and the banter was all amazing!! 🥰 Lynn did a really great job writing this! The way she wrote was easy to read and gave just enough information without it being overwhelming. She reminded me a little bit of Dee Henderson.
Okay, now about the main characters. From the very first page, I absolutely loved Ryan and Leigh! They are so cute together!! I loved their whole relationship but before they confessed I was raging on the inside when they kept asking themselves if one of them feels the same way as they did with each other. I kept saying, “Yes, he cares about you!” or “Yes, she cares about you!” I had a whirlwind of emotions going on there, haha.
I was always swooning when Ryan was being overprotective of Leigh or him always checking in on her. What made me love him even more was when he really showed in not just his words–but in his actions that he really cared and loved Leigh. (Kirk is blessed to have a man like him in love with his younger sister). It was so so sweet! 🥹 I love him so much!! He's such a gentleman! I must mention this, seeing Ryan act jealous was priceless! Especially when he found out Gabe and Leigh were on a first name basis 😂
Leigh was a force to be reckoned with. What she went through before she moved back to Carrington, North Carolina, and then going through this psycho trying to kill her left and right. I'm so happy she had Ryan there as her anchor and guardian! Even with all that, she was still a strong, independent and intelligent woman with a heart of gold. She did have her flaws, but the one that stood out was where she was questioning God and why He allowed bad things to happen in her life. Her also not praying to God anymore. Her finding her way back to praying as the story progressed. Learning to put her faith and trust in God again. I really loved the faith struggles/elements Lynn incorporated in this book without it being too preachy.
And Leigh did have her moments where I was cracking up. Especially when she called Ryan or Gabe by their first and last name when they were in trouble (like a parent), and also when she kept saying she'd strangle her brother for telling his friends that she's off limits 🤣 Oh, I do not want to get on her bad side, lol.
I really wish I could add all the things I loved in this book, unfortunately that would end up with this being a very long book review. So I'll just add a couple more things I really wanted to share.
I love it when the author can make side characters that you immediately just love when they're introduced. Those would include: Gabe, Adam, Sabrina, and Anissa.
Gabe is hilarious and a bit of a flirt (I will say–not in a bad way). I was literally dying of laughter at his remarks and provoking either Ryan or Adam by making them jealous or calling them out on who they're in love with 😂 I swear he enjoyed riling up Adam a bit too much, haha. And he and Anissa are just so cute and hilarious together! Them never agreeing on anything and then when they do, Ryan is shocked 🤣 I can't wait to read their book!
Adam was easy to like from the start. I really liked how he came from wealth but didn't even act like he did. I couldn't stop laughing when he was in Sabrina's presence or when Leigh suggested he go get the umbrella from her closet and walk Sabrina out to her car that he practically fell out of his chair, trying to go get it 🤣 Oh! And those dirty glares he gave Gabe when he would tease or provoke him were the best!! I have a feeling I'll love their book, just like I did with this one!
This was such an amazing read! I'll definitely continue reading this series and read more books from this author! I'm a sucker for Christian Romantic Suspense books and Lynn H. Blackburn delivered!!
᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁᠁
⚠️ 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘: Dead bodies with their heads, hands and feet severed from their bodies (not described in detail), mention of the mmc's sister's husband left her and her children for another woman, mentions of the victims cheating/having more than one spouse, fmc's life is in jeopardy multiple of times, fmc is drugged a couple of times, kidnapping, death of parents
🌶 𝖘𝖕𝖎𝖈𝖊 𝖑𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖑: None, just kisses, hugs and holding each other
🗣 𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖚𝖆𝖌𝖊: None
﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡
💬 𝓜𝔂 𝓕𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼:
“You are a dangerous woman, Leigh Weston.”
~ That she is, Ryan
“Please be careful. I can’t live without you,”
~ Oh, be still my heart, Ryan!! 😭🫶🏻
“I hope I haven’t made you late for work.”
“I cannot begin to tell you how much I do not care about that.”
~ Ahhh! This conversation! Where do you find a man like this??? 😭
“Oh, nothing much,” Ryan said. “Just Leigh putting us all in our place.”
~ One of the reasons why I love Leigh 😏
“You laugh now,” Leigh said. “You’re all three drop-dead gorgeous and you know it. Someday you’ll be pushing sixty and your cheeks will have jowls and your eyes will have dark circles and you will look in the mirror and wonder what happened.”
~ And then Sabrina was blushing and Anissa was looking at the three men, realizing Leigh was correct, lol.
“No. I mean. Yes. No. I kissed her cheek.”
“I’m confused,” Gabe said.
“You and me both, bro.”
~ One of my favorite conversations between Ryan and Gabe 🤣
Gabe slid down in his seat. “I can see you, Gabriel Chavez,” Leigh called.
~ Ohh, he's in trouble… 😂
“Don’t run away from me, Ryan Parker.”
~ I was always laughing when Leigh would say his full name when he was in trouble 😂
“I have a job for you.” Ryan turned to her.
If he suggested she bake a cake, she would throw something at him. “What?”
~ I would too, lol.
Gabe must not have either. “When I find someone to translate, I’ll think of a crushing reply.”
~ Probably one of my favorite remarks from Gabe 😂
“I’m going to kill him.”
~ The amount of times Leigh has said this about her brother 🤣
January 25, 2022
Wow!! This book had it all- intrigue, passion, and suspense. I really enjoyed getting to read this and meeting brand new characters. Love the inclusiveness the author includes by making our protagonist a Chinese-American girl. 🤩I also thoroughly enjoyed the suspenseful plot twists within the story.
I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more Lynn H. Blackburn books in the future. Not only that, but I’ll be continuing with this awesome series!
Thank you Emma for suggesting this book. (BTW, I am mad that I didn’t read it sooner. 😉)
I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more Lynn H. Blackburn books in the future. Not only that, but I’ll be continuing with this awesome series!
Thank you Emma for suggesting this book. (BTW, I am mad that I didn’t read it sooner. 😉)
March 12, 2018
'Somewhere, probably nearby, there was someone who hated her so much they were willing to end her life and possibly a few more. Why?'
I love discovering new authors and so happy I came across Lynn H. Blackburn. This was a very intricate and detailed suspense novel. I enjoyed it very much and intend to read more from this author. Much like an adrenaline laced episode of Criminal Minds.
*My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book via Net Galley. My opinions are my own.
I love discovering new authors and so happy I came across Lynn H. Blackburn. This was a very intricate and detailed suspense novel. I enjoyed it very much and intend to read more from this author. Much like an adrenaline laced episode of Criminal Minds.
*My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book via Net Galley. My opinions are my own.
August 30, 2024
Did not like the mention of yoga, but I absolutely adore this friend group.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 463 reviews