Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Wednesday Thoughts

As I said in my previous post I have had a very busy August and have felt that I am behind in everything except my reading.  I will be showcasing books that I have read this past month. Today I want to introduce you to the second installment of Danger in the Deep South, Devoted Defender, that comes from Rachel Dylan.  



Devoted Defender (Danger in the Deep South #2)  Personal Chef Annie Thomas thought she’d finally found a safe haven from her past. But when her boss is shot in cold blood leaving her as the only witness, she’s forced to go on the run—again. And this time there is an even bigger target on her back.

Navy SEAL turned small town police chief Caleb Winters doesn’t like that danger has come to Maxwell, Georgia. But he vows to protect the innocent woman seeking refuge from an organized crime network that he knows will stop at nothing to tie up loose ends.

When hiding is no longer an option and threats surround them, will Caleb be the devoted defender Annie needs with her life on the line?

Published August 8th 2016
 by NYLA 






My Thoughts:

This is a great story that took me from Atlanta to a small town of Maxwell, Georgia.  I met some incredible characters a long the way.  
Annie Thomas is a personal executive chef to the Perry's, one of the most elite families in Atlanta.  This job comes with many perks for her as a chef, such as, trying out new recipes and full reign of the beautiful kitchen.  She has a good heart and weaved her way into mine quickly. When she witnesses the murder of her elderly employer she does what anyone would do in such a situation.

"She has witnessed a murder, but she willed herself to run faster.  She pushed back a wave of nausea that threatened to overtake her.  Doc had been shot point blank right in front of her eyes.  
Suddenly she was very conflicted.  Should she go to the police? And tell them what? She'd just witnessed a murder? A man she had never seen before was in the house and shot Doc Perry? One of the most well-known men in the fancy Atlanta suburb?  What if the didn't believe her? Given her past she could never trust law enforcement again.  Not when they had abandoned her before.  And even more, what about the threats from the shooter?  He said he would kill her if she went to the police. No, it wasn't worth the risk right now."

From page one the mystery and suspense starts and pulled me in.  The author weaves words together that just brought the characters and community to life for me.  I could feel the anxiety, fear and confusion Annie was feeling.  As her mind raced with all sorts of scenarios she kept coming back to the thought that she needed to find a place to hideout until she could figure out what to do.  
Maxwell, Georgia is a small town south of Atlanta.  Their chief of police, Caleb Winters was a former Navy SEAL and took the job of protecting the citizens very personal.  On patrol he ran into a brunette with beautiful hazel eyes that told him she was hiding something and that could possibly mean trouble was coming either for her or the town. How could he convince her to trust him to help her? 
As the story progresses I found twists and turns that kept me reading until I turned the last page.  Even then I found myself thinking about the characters, especially Annie.  I began to ask myself could I trust a stranger completely?  Annie found herself in a situation where she was scared, afraid and basically, had no one she could trust, but over time finds Caleb is a man of honor who is dedicated to his job.  Unfortunately his job was what made her question whether she could trust him.  

The author brings us a story with elements of mystery, suspense, romance and lots of faith.  This is the second book in the Danger in the Deep South series, but it's definitely a stand alone book.  As with any series I recommend reading the other books to get the full impact of the series, but it's not necessary.  I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good suspense that keeps you guessing until the end. 
 **I received this book from the author for a honest review without bias or outside influence.  


Available for Purchase:


   
 Meet the Author:


Rachel Dylan
Rachel Dylan writes Christian fiction including inspirational romantic suspense for Love Inspired Suspense and the Windy Ridge Legal Thriller series. Trial & Tribulations is a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist.
Rachel has practiced law for a decade and enjoys weaving together legal and suspenseful stories. She is a member of ACFW and RWA. She lives in Michigan with her husband and five furkids–two dogs and three cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers. She is represented by Sarah Younger at Nancy Yost Literary Agency.

I found Rachel through reading her first book in the Windy Ridge series. I was automatically intrigued with her writing and ability to weave a story that literally comes to life for me.  

 
Connect with Rachel Online:

2 comments:

  1. Sounds really great Thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Linda, thank you for stopping by. This a great book and series. Rachel Dylan is one of those authors that can pull the reader into her stories and hold them until the last page is turned.
      Blessings

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