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Escape Route

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Exposing a gang’s leader…
is the only way out of danger

While flying above the Texas border, helicopter pilot Tara Jean “TJ” Baskins witnesses a brutal murder. Now a deadly arms-smuggling gang wants her out of the way. To stay alive, TJ must work with border patrol officer Trace Leyton—her old friend and the man who once betrayed her—to catch the ringleader. But when the search leads to Trace’s family, can TJ trust him to save her?

From Love Inspired Courage. Danger. Faith.

198 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 23, 2022

29 people are currently reading
58 people want to read

About the author

Tanya Stowe

60 books309 followers
Tanya Stowe is an author of Christian Fiction with an unexpected edge. She fills her stories with the unusual…gifts of the spirit and miracles, mysteries and exotic travel, even an angel or two. No matter where Tanya takes you…on a journey to the Old West or to contemporary adventures in foreign lands…be prepared for the extraordinary.

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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Profile Image for Lucy.
1,177 reviews119 followers
August 23, 2022
An intense roller coaster ride or should I say helicopter ride of heart stopping moments. It was so vivid I could see the evil lurking and visualize the snide smiles on Denby’s face. It was definitely an evil verses good story that made you want to jump in and help. I loved Tara Jean and her take charge protective nature. Learning to trust and let walls down is hard until you choose to forgive so healing can begin. It was interesting to read about arms deals and how motorcycle gangs play a part. All in all a well rounded story that kept me turning pages. Pick up a copy and hold on to your seat.
I received a complimentary copy from the author. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
Profile Image for Sheila.
3,217 reviews135 followers
March 11, 2023
Such a good book. Great characters.
Profile Image for Heather Pickett.
395 reviews27 followers
July 31, 2022
Texan Tara Jean (TJ) Baskins was doing some contracted pilot work for Border Patrol when she witnesses a murder, and almost becomes a casualty herself.
Border Patrol officer Trace Leyton is called back to his hometown to assist agent in trying to catch an arms-smuggling gang, and to protect TJ. But Trace and TJ have history.
TJ is holding onto some old, hurtful wounds, and while Trace is sincere in his apology, the concept of forgiveness is so hard for her.
They have to set that aside for now, though, as TJ is a hunted woman.
Twists and turns abound as Trace’s family, an old bully, and a brainy young foster child are brought into the mix.
Can they catch the gang before they are able to kill TJ and complete the smuggling transaction? Can TJ give in to all the Lord’s nudging about forgiveness? Will it lead her and Trace to each other?
I really enjoyed this story, and am hoping one of the additional characters might get his own book. I’d love to return to Leytonville and read more! I do think this book would have benefitted from an epilogue to put the extra curl in the bow-of-an-ending.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but my opinion is entirely my own.
Profile Image for June Jacobs.
Author 51 books152 followers
July 31, 2022
An action-packed story of resolving misunderstandings, renewing faith, and finding love where it's least expected . . .

This is the first book I've read by Tanya Stowe, and I was impressed with her excellent character and scene development. There is nothing one-dimensional about this plot!

Tara Jean Baskins, called 'TJ' by just about everyone, is a skilled pilot who is doing contract work for the Border Patrol Service in Texas. She is not happy when she is paired up with a childhood friend and neighbor, Trace Leyton, to investigate a case involving illegal trade of goods over the border. She has awful memories of how she was treated by Trace's brother, Chad, and Chad's friend, Bill Denby.

Trace wants to diffuse the tension that fills the air whenever he is around TJ, whom he calls Tara Jean. Unfortunately for him, his attempts to discuss the past with her are unsuccessful. She is resistant to forgiving him and refuses to believe that he is remorseful about his behavior back then.

The author has included a strong group of supporting characters who add meaning and depth to the plot. In particular, TJ's widowed mother, Eva Baskins, is a wonderful addition to the story. Eva is the spiritual stronghold for the entire group of struggling younger adults and children who are having difficulty grasping the Lord's purpose and meaning for their lives. Eva became my favorite character in the story because of her sound advice.

The young foster teen, Squirt, and the younger boy, Bobby, are spirited and add some whimsy and levity to an otherwise tense story. The rapport that quickly develops between these two 'misfits' is realistic and sweet.

The final few chapters are literally a wild ride filled with action, red herrings, and danger. I enjoyed what you might call an unconventional type of romance between the two lead characters.

This book is completely clean in language and content.

I received a copy of this book from the author through JustRead Publicity Tours. All of my thoughts and opinions shared here are solely my own.

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Profile Image for Cover Lover Book Review.
1,515 reviews87 followers
August 22, 2022
Oh, how I love second-chance stories. I also love original characters and storylines. Escape Route includes these aspects nicely. Tara Jean, a helicopter pilot, is in great danger. She now must work with Trace, a Border Patrol Officer and someone from her past, to investigate illegal happenings at the border. Trace and TJ are interesting and easy to connect with. I enjoyed learning about them and the way they deal (or don’t deal) with internal issues. I sympathized with Trace’s desire for forgiveness and empathized with TJ’s resistance. But their relationship is just a tip of the action going on in this story. It’s exciting, fast-moving, dangerous, touching, intense, and satisfying.

This is my first experience with a Tanya Stowe Love-Inspired novel. I really like her writing style and how she dips you right into the action without loading you down with backstory or heavy descriptions.

First Line: TJ Baskins pushed the control stick, and the helicopter dipped closer to the ground.
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Content: Clean

Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book.
Profile Image for J.E. Grace.
Author 23 books143 followers
July 18, 2022
T. J., a contracted pilot for the border patrol sees some disturbing traffic and witnesses a murder. The arms smuggler has a vendetta, and her life is in danger. Trace is sent to protect her family.

Old acquaintances and family squabbles complicate things and add a guessing game to the mix. Who is reporting on their every move? There are plenty of intense moments of cat and mouse, run for your life, and other sweet romantic gestures between T. J. and Trace.

The story has some unexpected moments, and everything is wrapped up nicely at the end.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and voluntarily choose to review it.
Profile Image for Sharon Dean.
313 reviews14 followers
August 8, 2022
Suspense, mystery, edge of your seat, this read had it all! Wow! I enjoyed TJ and Trace’s story so much. I felt like I was along side them every step of the way. TJ goes through a very tough time and the Author crafted her story with a lot of thought and heart. You can feel the emotion, the tense situations and it was hard to put the book down. A great read!
Profile Image for Tracy Baker.
40 reviews11 followers
August 8, 2022
Such a great book grabbed me from the beginning and didn’t want to put down
Watching TJ and Trace’s journey to catch the bad guys was great. So suspenseful and exciting
Highly recommend
410 reviews8 followers
July 2, 2022
A really great story that I would recommend to all
Profile Image for Janice Sisemore.
1,659 reviews16 followers
July 26, 2022
Escape Route

A very exciting book. I loved that Tara Jean was a helicopter pilot. She was a very good one too. I loved how Tara cared for Squirt who was a young foster boy. Escape Route is a very suspenseful book. Tara Jean was determined to figure out who the bad guys was and save the good guys. I loved the family atmosphere too. I recommend reading this book.

I received an advanced copy of the book from the author. This book review is my own opinion.
Profile Image for Jasmine.
1,297 reviews43 followers
September 1, 2022
Can they move beyond the pain of the past...?

I was totally intrigued by Escape Route as soon as I saw those cool old planes on the cover. They looked so mysterious that I just had to read it. This was the fourth Love Inspired Suspense that I've read by Tanya Stowe so I knew the story would certainly live up to its cover. And it certainly did.

Escape Route had a little bit of everything in it. From gunrunners and drugrunners to secrets from the past, from betrayal to a thrilling ground/air chase. Tanya Stowe kept the tension high and action fast-paced throughout the entire story – and the final showdown was definitely edge-of-your-seat stuff!

The thread of the importance of forgiveness and the letting go of past hurts, even when it seems impossible, that was woven throughout the story was both accurate and very well done. I appreciated how Tanya Stowe portrayed it as something that doesn't come easy to everyone – even Christians sometimes.

Escape Route was an entertaining read that did not disappoint. The romance and suspense were pretty well balanced, which kept the story moving forward zippity-zip and me very much interested in what would happen next to the characters I was quickly coming to like, well, except for that particularly nasty villain with vicious disposition. Anyway...Any Love Inspired Suspense fan will be sure to enjoy this book as I did and be left in anticipation of more from this author...

(I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are entirely my own.)
Profile Image for Melissa.
358 reviews35 followers
August 22, 2022
Escape Route by Tanya Stowe is a christian romantic suspense set in West Texas near the border of Mexico. Tara Jean Baskins or TJ as most people call her is a helicopter pilot working with border patrol. TJ witnesses a murder and now must be protected. Border patrol pulls one of their agents Trace Leyton to work with other agents to find an arms smuggling gang plus protect TJ. Although these two don't get along because of a lot of past hurts when they were younger, they put aside their issues. Things quickly escalate and Tj and her family must relocate to Trace's family ranch. Can they work together to find the arms smuggling gang? It's worth finding out. I really enjoyed this book. I read it really quickly and that's always a good thing. No looking at the pages wondering if I'm almost done. It was interesting learning about old airplanes and west Texas weather, etc. I had no idea they got such big hail storms. It was fascinating. The side characters and stories were some of my favorite aspects. They were just as interesting as the main storyline. Forgiveness runs throughout. I love the idea that forgiveness is the only way for complete healing. It was one of my favorite aspects of the book. No epilogue, but we do get a happy ending which I teared up reading. I hope that someday we can visit Leytonville again. I'd like to see a few characters get happy ever afters of their very own. I was given a copy of this book by the author, but all opinions are my very own.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
1,189 reviews
August 21, 2022
Escape Route
By Tanya Stowe
Wow, what a ride, and I mean helicopter ride that will have you holding your breathe till the end.
Witness a murder from a helicopter, suspense, murder, mystery, Stowe brings it all to you. I enjoyed this story about TJ and Trace Leyton. Can Trace help TJ with the murder? I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Meagan Myhren-Bennett.
Author 31 books162 followers
August 31, 2022
Escape Route
By Tanya Stowe

When TJ Baskins stumbles upon tracks while flying for the border patrol, she didn't expect the agents she was helping to wind up dead. Worse, the killer saw her, and she now has a target on her back. When border patrol assigns an agent to "babysit" her, they couldn't have picked a worse agent, in her opinion - Trace Layton has earned her ire, and she's not about to let him forget it.

Trace made mistakes when he was a teen, and not standing up to his brother and his bully friend was one of the worst. He never meant for Tara Jean to get hurt, but she did, and she may never forgive him. But he is determined to keep her safe even if she's determined to bring the man responsible for everything to justice.

Escape Route is a standalone title that is a Love Inspired Suspense offering, so you are assured of clean-reading suspense. Now the suspense isn't over the top, but you are left with several scenes where you wonder if everyone will make it out alive. TJ is an interesting character - she has an obvious chip on her shoulder and has problems exhibiting forgiveness. The few scenes that include her mother make for an interesting contrast. There are some interesting family and personal dynamics in play when it comes to both TJ and Trace.

The past has decided to pay a visit, and it is seeking what it feels is its due - and the price is too high. Can they stop it before it extracts its price?

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own
Profile Image for Betti.
1,395 reviews38 followers
August 18, 2022
A small town in Texas, where everyone knows everything about everyone else - close to the border, so what could possibly go wrong! TJ Baskins, a local misfit, is now a helicopter pilot working a contract with border control. Trace Leyton, a border patrol launch operator is thrust into a position he doesn’t want, but Denby had to be stopped before he turned everyone in town into victims.

In the final end, who is going to escape? Between gun running, accidents, fires, kidnapping and more will anyone survive the transfer of weapons from one country to the other? Besides the money, is there another motive at play here? Will these wonderful characters finally learn that forgiveness isn’t an easy process, but it’s the only way to true healing?

This early copy was received through Love Inspired Suspense. These comments and impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.
Profile Image for Rachel DeVaughn.
1,100 reviews32 followers
September 3, 2022
This love inspired suspense story was awesome! I enjoyed the story line, characters and steady action from beginning to end. I liked getting to know the main characters Tara Jean (TJ) and officer Trace as they investigate their childhood town and attempt to break up a gang ring.

TJ and Trace have a past they have to work thru along with suspicious family members, grudges and learning about forgiveness. Even with dealing with personal issues, they were able to separate their business and personal relationship and worked well together to protect each other and their loved ones.

I also loved the secondary characters like Squirt, Bobby, Missy and Eva. Lots of action, drama and some light romance. I really enjoyed reading this book from start to finish. Highly recommend!

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
3,995 reviews1,764 followers
September 21, 2022
Whoa -- some of the best chase scenes I've ever read...and they don't all involve cars! TJ pulls some amazing stunts and Stowe knows how to make them riveting. Love TJ's unorthodox (for a heroine) career as a helicopter pilot. She's stubborn and courageous -- foolhardy at times -- but her heart's in the right place. Except when it comes to dishing out forgiveness. The girl knows not only how to hold a grudge, but nurse it to fiery perfection.

Meanwhile Trace is dealing with estranged family dynamics and as much as he would like TJ's forgiveness for the foibles of his youth, he's not holding his breath. Makes for some lovely romantical angst as these two are thrown together in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

An intense page-turner that was fun to read.

https://bestreads-kav.blogspot.com/20...
Profile Image for Ethelann.
440 reviews
September 5, 2022
A real page turner!! This book was one I read in 2 days. Had to work and just couldn't put it down. Definitely kept my attention and the ending wasn't at all what I thought it would be.
398 reviews13 followers
September 21, 2022
I enjoyed read this very much. Kept me on the edge all through the book as wanting to know what was going to happen next. This book had Little romance lots if action. A hard to put down book . 😀
Profile Image for Jan.
753 reviews24 followers
February 19, 2023
Packed with plenty of action and suspense and mystery. I couldn’t put it down.
13 reviews1 follower
October 27, 2025
great story

Tanya Stowe spins a great story worth reading. She set things up for a nice sequel. I hope she writes it.
Profile Image for Carol Round.
Author 9 books22 followers
December 12, 2025
Loved this book!

This is the first book I've read by this author, and I can't wait to read more by her. I stayed up late to finish reading this fast-paced romantic suspense.
Profile Image for Connie Hill.
1,901 reviews46 followers
August 30, 2022
Escape Route is written by Tanya Stowe. The book starts out with some heart pounding action and does not let up. Tara Jean "TJ" Baskins loves to fly. She flies on contract for the US Border Patrol. One day while assisting in the air she witnesses a murder of two agents. She almost becomes a victim herself. She suddenly finds herself in the midst of a ARMS smuggling operation that may be run by people she grew up with.
Trace Layton decided to step out side his family name. He wanted to build his name from the ground up. His family could never understand how he could just up and leave and join the US Border patrol at entry level. His family seems complicated. He is brought back to his home town and assigned to watch over TJ and see what he can uncover about the crowd he used to run with. TJ and Trace have some bad blood and a shared history. The first thing Trace does is apologize to TJ. He seems sincere and wants to fully watch over her. TJ seems to be holding on to the past.

Now the two of them have to outrun the two gangs that are working together to smuggle ARMS back and forth. This means that they don't know who they can trust. People they have known for years and thought they were friends with suddenly seem like enemies. When I say there is a ton of action, there is a ton of action. I did not want to put this book down. There is also a foster child, Squirt who you will love who is way to smart for his age that wants to help figure everything out.

The characters are well written, the storyline suspense filled. The author did a great job with reminding us that forgiveness allows us to begin healing. Thank you to the author, publisher and JustRead Publicity Tours for allowing me to read a copy of this story. All thoughts are my own.
Profile Image for Karla Cook.
189 reviews18 followers
January 26, 2023
Escape Route is a nice blend of romance, family drama, suspense, and a little bit of whodunit. TJ (Tara Jean) is a helicopter pilot contracting for Border Patrol in Texas. After witnessing a murder from the air and narrowly escaping being shot down herself, Border Patrol offers TJ protective custody. That involves reconnecting with an old boyfriend who happens to be a Border Patrol officer.

The novel explores several relationships: family, friends, neighbors, and even a foster teen. Life is complex like that, so that made the story believable for me. Also, it had an interesting setting, one thing I love about reading formulaic romance series.

If you need a quick read to tuck in your bag for the weekend, Escape Route is a good one.

Disclosure: I voluntarily received a complimentary copy from the author as part of JustRead publicity tours. All views expressed are my own.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews

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