★★★★ Secondary Target by Angela Carlisle, A Mystery Thriller with a Hint of Romance
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.
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About This Book:
A ruthless murderer. A deadly secret. An unbreakable love.
After the brutal murder of her mother and brother twelve years ago, Corina Roberts built a new life in Kentucky. But when strange things begin to happen, she is thrust into a perilous game of life and death. With nowhere else to turn, her best hope of survival depends on her ex-boyfriend, army veteran Bryce Jessup.
Recently returned from service, Bryce has every intention of staying away from Corina, but when threats close in around her, he isn't willing to leave her safety to chance. As their search for answers uncovers lethal secrets her detective father kept hidden, Bryce and Corina must untangle the mystery of the merciless killer intent on terrorizing and eliminating Corina's family before it's too late.
MY REVIEW: ★★★★ 4/5
Exciting, Thrilling and Terrifying!
With a strong, challenge-ready heroine, author Angela Carlisle delivers a heart-pounding novel that kept me turning the pages late into the night.
WHAT I LIKED:
The fast pace that remained consistent throughout the story
A sense of urgency that kept me wanting to devour the pages
A mysterious, thriller vibe that kept me guessing
Alternating points of view between the hero and heroine.
A second-chance-at-love romance with tension and chemistry
Former military hero and headstrong heroine
A heroic rescue
Small-town setting
OTHER NOTES:
A lot of the story seemed to take place in one location and I found that to be somewhat challenging for me. However, two thirds through the story, the scene settings changed more frequently making the story more enjoyable. In addition, the excitement ramps up and the climax leads to a satisfying ending which had exactly what I hoped for!
The story does offer a handful of scenes from the villains POV which is something of a pet-peeve of mine as my personal preference is NOT to be in the villain's head. However, Carlisle uses this to her advantage and I found I didn't dislike it as much as I have in other books.
Overall, I really liked this romantic suspense which had a healthy dose of both romance and pulse-pounding action. There's also a light faith thread that shines bright towards the ending and makes the story heartwarming. A recommended read for readers who enjoy authors such as Lynette Eason, Nancy Mehl and Elizabeth Goddard.
Content and Trigger Warnings: PG13. Not Descriptive Murder, Murder of a Loved One (Including a child), Stalking, Kidnapping
About the Author:
Photo Credit: © Emilie Haney | Image courtesy of Baker Publishing Group
Angela Carlisle (AngelaCarlisle.com) resides in the hills of northern Kentucky and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and The Christian PEN. Angela is an editor by day and prefers to spend her free time reading, baking, and drinking ridiculous quantities of hot tea. Her unpublished works have won awards in ACFW's Genesis and First Impressions contests and placed in the Daphne du Maurier contest. Her shorter fiction works, including the prize-winning flash-fiction piece "Mansion Murderer," have appeared in Splickety and Spark magazines.
