BLINDSIDED by Katy Lee

FBI agent Ethan Gunn has been working undercover for a year now trying to gain enough evidence to bring down a big trafficking ring of which Veronica (Roni) Spencer is supposedly a part of.  Roni owns a race-car track and is kidnapped when she discovers stolen vehicles in one of her garages.  Ethan is posing as one of the criminals and won’t stand by and watch his ‘boss’ murder this strong, very spunky woman but that might mean blowing his cover.  The FBI is convinced that Roni is involved with the trafficking but from all Ethan has seen she’s innocent.  Now the criminals and the FBI are out to get them both.  Someone has set Roni up with a pretty tight case against her and Ethan’s real boss thinks he’s gone rogue. It becomes a race against time and a fight for their lives as they try to figure out who’s behind the set-up.

Blindsided is one of those stories that keeps you turning pages from start to finish.  It seems like there is something happening on just about every page.  Roni is a strong leading lady with a big dose of spunk.  She does that to hide the real her from the world.  Ethan is a great leading man, strong yet tender, who doesn’t think much of himself because of where he came from. I loved watching these two together and seeing them grow and change throughout the story.  It made me think of how man looks on the outward but God looks on the heart.  There are twists and turns and honestly, I wasn’t sure who Ethan and Roni should trust.  I never did figure out who was behind the set-up until it was revealed.  I love that because it keeps you moving through the story to find out the answers.  If you enjoy a story that keeps you on your toes (and on the edge of your seat) then Blindsided is the book for you.  It is the second book in the Roads to Danger series but I didn’t feel lost at all not having read the first book.  However, it did make me want to go back and read the first book (Silent Night Pursuit)!  Her tagline is ‘writing higher purpose stories at high speed’ and I can assure you she did just that!  Highly recommended.

*This complimentary copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

A few favorite quotes:

I’ve been there.  When it was God and me, only.  He was always with me.  Sure, there were times I doubted it, but I know now He never left me.  And He hasn’t left you either, Agent Ethan Gunn.

"Stand back,” Ethan warned with a voice so menacing she pushed into the wooden walls to follow his order.  Where was her kind, protective Ethan she’d come to know and…care about?  “State your name, or I shoot,” Ethan said.  Roni didn’t get that kind feeling now.  But the way his arm kept her behind him, she did get the protective feeling.  That much hadn’t changed.  Knowing he stood before her calmed her even in the presence of someone who meant to harm her.

God was working in her.  He was marking her as His.  She stood exposed in the light, but for the first time in her life it didn’t scare her.  She hoped the people of her town would see God’s mark over the ones on her neck, but she also hoped her scars would actually welcome people around her, because scars were something everyone had in common.

For more information on this book or other books by Katy Lee I encourage you to visit her website at http://www.katyleebooks.com.

ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE by Beth K. Vogt

Caron Hollister has spent her whole life doing what her father wanted her to do so she would win his approval and attention, even letting go of Kade Webster, a man she truly loved.  She also became a realtor and works in her father’s real estate firm in hopes she would one day partner with him.  Caron’s currently dating Alex Madison who she’s known forever and who her father thinks is the perfect guy for her.  When the unexpected happens, she quits her job and heads to Colorado to visit her friend Margo.  While there, Caron wins a destination wedding package, which would be exciting except she’s not even engaged to Alex.  While in Colorado she runs into Kade who now owns his own realty company.  He’s participating in the Colorado Springs Tour of Homes and wants to make a big impression.  Everything is going well until his home stager can’t do the job.  Kade knows Caron Hollister is the only one who could pull it off and though it would be hard to be around the girl he still loves, he calls to offer her a temporary job.  Caron accepts his offer with the intention of having a business only relationship. But spending time with Kade has her emotions all in a whirl and questioning everything concerning her relationship with Alex. 

Almost Like Being in Love is another great destination wedding story.  I love how this book was connected to the first one in that Caron Hollister is the sister of Logan Hollister.  It was great to meet up with familiar characters again.  Beth Vogt has a real talent for weaving a wonderful story filled with humor, heartache, romantic tension as well as some good life lessons.  You’ll find a lot of family problems and a lot of complacency but you’ll also find hope and encouragement.  There were times in the story that I just wanted to give Caron a good swift kick in the be-hind.  I didn’t understand her choices but I also know that I’ve never had to deal with what she did.  I appreciated getting to know her friends Margo, Mitch and Lacey and catching up with her sister-in-law, Vanessa, all of whom helped her work through things.  The author gives you a full-on view of Caron and Alex as well as Caron and Kade and allows you to ‘feel’ the difference between each relationship, which was very insightful and just plain good writing.  I loved how the character’s faith determined their steps but just like us, they sometimes questioned what God was doing.  I must say, that the ending exceeded my expectations and made the story all that much better. Beth K. Vogt is one of my favorite authors.  Her writing is rich, realistic and refreshing; like a cold drink on a hot day.  

*This complementary copy was provided by Howard Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

For information about this book or other books by this author I recommend you visit her website at http://www.bethvogt.com