Review, Author Interview & Giveaway: Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey

Chesapeake Valor Book Three

 

5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

FBI agent Declan Grey is in the chase of his life--but isn't sure exactly what he's chasing after. Threatened by a terrorist that "the wrath is coming," Grey fears something horrible is about to be unleashed on American soil. When his investigation leads him to a closed immigrant community, he turns to Tanner Shaw to help him. She's sought justice for refugees and the hurting around the world, and if there's anyone who can help him, it's Tanner.

Tanner Shaw has joined the FBI as a crisis counselor . . . meaning she now has more opportunity to butt heads with Declan. But that tension also includes a spark she can't deny, and she's pretty sure Declan feels the same. But before anything can develop between them, they discover evidence of a terror cell--and soon are in a race against the clock to stop the coming "wrath" that could cost thousands their lives.

My Review

Yeah, so I finished this book at 2 am, my husband was out of town, and I had to fall asleep with the lamp on! Talk about intense! This is one of those can't-put-it-down books, where the pace is quick and the characters don't seem to stop for one second. Well, they do stop for some good kissing, but that's another kind of intense ;) There are two cases being worked by the team of friends, and by now we've gotten to know Griffin and Finley from Cold Shot, and Parker and Avery from Still Life. I've been so excited for Declan and Tanner's story since there was a great lead-in to their current relationship, so I recommend reading the books in order for the best experience. It can also be read out of order since there are no spoilers for the plots of the previous books (which I think is a good choice).

The case that Griffin is leading is creepy and a little gory. There's a lot of angles that the team had to work since it involves some obvious suspects but also options for hidden motives by others. Declan is continuing his investigation from Still Life, and now gets to work with Tanner as his partner, which gives them plenty of opportunities to get up close and personal. There is quite a bit of danger, running from bullets, and taking out would-be assassins. Declan learns more about Tanner's past and why she is so good at her job, and is able to trust that she can indeed handle the scary situations they find themselves in. Tanner sees a lesser-known side of Declan and as his walls come down, they grow closer together. I loved their developing romance and the great chemistry they have together!

I was impressed how the members of the team really lived their faith as they petition the Lord for guidance and safety as they search for clues and follow the leads to obtain justice and protect innocent lives. Another thread is woven in that will lead into the fourth book in the Chesapeake Valor series, and this one has been a long time coming, solving a mystery that was introduced in the first book, Cold Shot. I can't wait to read what I hope will be Kate and Luke's story! I highly recommend this series to fans of romantic suspense!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Interview with Author Dani Pettrey

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

My husband Mike and I have been married 25 years. We have two beautiful daughters, two adorable grandsons, one awesome son-in-law, and a one-hundred and twenty-pound Newfoundland puppy who looks more like a bear than a dog, but has the sweetest temperament ever. I love connecting with readers, so please drop by www.danipettrey.com and say hi!

What do you do besides writing?

I spend a lot of time with my grandbabies and girls. I also love hiking, kayaking, traveling, reading, spending time at the beach and am always in search of the world’s best iced mocha.

Do you have images you can share that come close to how you picture your characters? Do you like to find visual inspiration for your characters before or during your writing process?

Absolutely. I’m a super visual writer, so I always find pictures of my characters either before I start writing, or more often, as I’m writing. And, there have been times when I’ve changed my inspiration as the character comes to life and I need to find a better ‘fit.’ For Declan, I pictured Henry Cavill and for Tanner I pictured Shiri Appleby.

  
What are some songs that you listened to or inspired you while writing your book?

I always make a soundtrack as I’m writing when I hear songs which remind me of the story and my characters. I’ll be sharing Blind Spot’s playlist soon, but in the meantime, a couple of the songs include: From the Ground Up from Dan & Shay and Praise You in This Storm by Casting Crowns.

What message would you like readers to ultimately take away from the book?

My take-away for Blind Spot is hope. Hope in friendships, family, loved ones and, most importantly, hope in Christ and all that we have in and through Him and His constant presence and love.

What can we look forward to coming from you in the future?

I’m currently working on two projects. I’m revising book four of the Chesapeake Valor series, which will release in July. I’m also extremely excited to be partnering again with Dee Henderson and Lynette Eason on a novella collection. When those projects are complete, I will dive into my new series, Coastal Guardians, which features Coast Guard Investigative Service special agents and is set in coastal North Carolina. I’m thrilled to be able to bring new characters and new settings to my readers in the coming years.

Thanks so much for hosting me!

Thank you Dani for sharing your insights about Blind Spot and providing a copy to give away to one lucky reader!

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Don't miss the first two books in the Chesapeake Valor series . . .

Read my 5 star review here

Synopsis

In college, Griffin McCray and his four best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world--and friendships--crumbled.

Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet--until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern--a young social justice lawyer missing since spring--and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper. When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he'll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he--and those he cares about--are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.

Read my 5 star review here

Synopsis

Blacklisted in the photography business over a controversial shot, Avery Tate answered an ad for a crime scene photographer. She expected to be laughed at, but crime scene analyst Parker Mitchell hired her outright--and changed her life. But six months ago, when her feelings for Parker became too strong, she left his employ to sort out her heart.

Now, for the first time, Avery is facing the world that rejected her to attend the gallery opening of a photography exhibit and support her best friend, who modeled for the show. But the only image of her friend is a chilling photo of her posing as if dead--and the photographer insists he didn't take the shot. Worse, her friend can't be found. She immediately calls Parker for help. As Avery, Parker, and his friends in law enforcement dig into the mystery, they find themselves face-to-face with a relentless and deadly threat.

Stuck in a Good Book Giveaway Hop!

I just love getting stuck in a good book! You know it's amazing when you simply can't put it down and do what you really should be doing... like sleep ;) 

Dani Pettrey's romantic suspense books are my favorites of the genre and I love how each book in a series leads into the next one. Blind Spot is the third book in the Chesapeake Valor series and while we meet the characters in the first two books, it can be read as a stand alone. Enter below to win a print copy of this new release and then check out the other blogs in the hop!

Synopsis

FBI agent Declan Grey is in the chase of his life--but isn't sure exactly what he's chasing after. Threatened by a terrorist that "the wrath is coming," Grey fears something horrible is about to be unleashed on American soil. When his investigation leads him to a closed immigrant community, he turns to Tanner Shaw to help him. She's sought justice for refugees and the hurting around the world, and if there's anyone who can help him, it's Tanner.

Tanner Shaw has joined the FBI as a crisis counselor . . . meaning she now has more opportunity to butt heads with Declan. But that tension also includes a spark she can't deny, and she's pretty sure Declan feels the same. But before anything can develop between them, they discover evidence of a terror cell--and soon are in a race against the clock to stop the coming "wrath" that could cost thousands their lives.

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Fall Reading Recommendations: Christian Fiction

I'm so over summer. To help get ready for the new season I combed my Goodreads list and found a armful of books I rated 5 stars that would be perfect for fall reading! I picked some of my favorites from a variety of genres including classics, young adult, Christian fiction, and general clean romance. Of course I ended up with too many books to share in one post, so my picks will be spread out over 2-3 posts. Today... Christian Fiction!

Feel free to comment! Have you read any of these? What books would you recommend for reading this fall?

Synopsis

Abigail Foster fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry to improve her charms and the one man she thought might marry her--a longtime friend--has fallen for her younger, prettier sister.
When financial problems force her family to sell their London home, a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play . . .

The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem to know something about the manor's past, the only information they offer Abigail is a warning: Beware trespassers who may be drawn by rumors that Pembrooke contains a secret room filled with treasure.

Hoping to improve her family's financial situation, Abigail surreptitiously searches for the hidden room, but the arrival of anonymous letters addressed to her, with clues about the room and the past, bring discoveries even more startling. As secrets come to light, will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?

Synopsis

After her father’s death, Caroline Taylor has grown confident running the Windmill Point Lighthouse. But in 1865 Michigan, women aren’t supposed to have such roles, so it’s only a matter of time before the lighthouse inspector appoints a new keeper–even though Caroline has nowhere else to go and no other job available to her.

Ryan Chambers is a Civil War veteran still haunted by the horrors of battle. He’s secured the position of lighthouse keeper mostly for the isolation--the chance to hide from his past is appealing. He’s not expecting the current keeper to be a feisty and beautiful woman who’s angry with him for taking her job and for his inability to properly run the light. When his failings endanger others, he and Caroline realize he’s in no shape to run the lighthouse, but he's unwilling to let anyone close enough to help. Caroline feels drawn to this wounded soul, but with both of them relying on that single position, can they look past their loss to a future filled with hope…and possibly love?

Synopsis

Sadie Schrock swore she would never marry. All of her other Amish friends could court and marry—she was content to manage the family business and eventually take it over when her parents are ready to retire. But all of that changes when a reckless driver kills both of her parents and seriously injures her younger sister. With mounting hospital bills adding to the pile of debt her parents left behind, Sadie is left with no choice: she must marry. And not just any man—the man who saw her at her weakest and walked away.

Aden knows what his brother did to Sadie years ago was inexcusable. And every day since that incident, Aden has lived with the guilt for not intervening sooner. When he is faced with the chance to protect Sadie once again, he can’t let her down—even if it means living with the scorn of the woman he loves for the rest of his life.

Working alongside Aden at the store, Sadie realizes he isn’t the same boy who once betrayed her. Just when Sadie starts to let her guard down and perhaps develop feelings for her new husband, dangerous secrets are revealed. Now everything Sadie has worked so hard to protect is threatened, and she must find a way to save her family—and herself.

Synopsis

Dear Mr. Knightley is a contemporary epistolary novel with a delightful dash of Jane Austen.

Samantha Moore survived years of darkness in the foster care system by hiding behind her favorite characters in literature, even adopting their very words. Her fictional friends give her an identity, albeit a borrowed one. But most importantly, they protect her from revealing her true self and encountering more pain.

After college, Samantha receives an extraordinary opportunity. The anonymous “Mr. Knightley” offers her a full scholarship to earn her graduate degree at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. The sole condition is that Sam write to Mr. Knightley regularly to keep him apprised of her progress.

As Sam’s true identity begins to reveal itself through her letters, her heart begins to soften to those around her—a damaged teenager and fellow inhabitant of Grace House, her classmates at Medill, and, most powerfully, successful novelist Alex Powell. But just as Sam finally begins to trust, she learns that Alex has secrets of his own—secrets that, for better or for worse, make it impossible for Sam to hide behind either her characters or her letters.
 

Synopsis

Piper McKenna couldn't be more thrilled that her prodigal brother, Reef, has returned to Yancey, Alaska, after five years. But her happiness is short-lived when Reef appears at her house covered in blood. A fellow snowboarder has been killed--but despite the evidence, Reef swears he's innocent. And Piper believes him.

Deputy Landon Grainger loves the McKennas like family, but he's also sworn to find the truth. Piper is frustrated with his need for facts over faith, but he knows those closest to you have the power to deceive you the most. With his sheriff pushing for a quick conviction, some unexpected leads complicate the investigation, and pursuing the truth may mean risking Landon's career.

With Piper waging her own search, the two head deep into Canada's rugged backcountry--and unexpected complications. Not only does their long friendship seem to be turning into something more, but this dangerous case is becoming deadlier with each step.

Synopsis

When Anna Konig first meets Bairn, the Scottish ship carpenter of the "Charming Nancy," their encounter is anything but pleasant. Anna is on the ship only to ensure the safe arrival of her loved ones to the New World. Hardened by years of living at sea, Bairn resents toting these naive farmers--dubbed "Peculiars" by deckhands--across the ocean. As delays, storms, illness, and diminishing provisions afflict crew and passengers alike, Bairn finds himself drawn to Anna's serene nature. For her part, Anna can't seem to stay below deck and far away from the aloof ship's carpenter, despite warnings.
 
When an act of sacrifice leaves Anna in a perilous situation, Bairn discovers he may not have left his faith as firmly in the past as he thought. But has the revelation come too late?
 
Amish fiction favorite Suzanne Woods Fisher brings her fans back to the beginning of Amish life in America with this fascinating glimpse into the first ocean crossing as seen through the eyes of a devout young woman and an irreverent man. Blending the worlds of Amish and historical fiction, Fisher is sure to delight her longtime fans even as she attracts new ones with her superb and always surprise-filled writing.

Synopsis

After fleeing Virginia, Temperance Tucker and her family established an inn along the Shawnee River. It's a welcome way station for settlers and frontiersmen traveling through the wild Cumberland region of Kentucke--men like Sion Morgan, a Virginia surveyor who arrives at the inn with his crew looking for an experienced guide. When his guide appears, Sion balks. He certainly didn't expect a woman. But it is not long before he must admit that Tempe's skill in the wilderness rivals his own. Still, the tenuous tie they are forming is put to the test as they encounter danger after danger and must rely on each other.
 
With her signature sweeping style and ability to bring the distant past to vivid life, Laura Frantz beckons readers to join her in a land of Indian ambushes, conflicting loyalties, and a tentative love that meanders like a cool mountain stream.

Synopsis

Darek Christiansen is almost a dream bachelor—oldest son in the large Christiansen clan, heir to their historic Evergreen Lake Resort, and doting father. But he’s also wounded and angry since the tragic death of his wife, Felicity. No woman in Deep Haven dares come near.

New assistant county attorney Ivy Madison simply doesn’t know any better when she bids on Darek at the charity auction. Nor does she know that when she crafted a plea bargain three years ago to keep Jensen Atwood out of jail and in Deep Haven fulfilling community service, she was releasing the man responsible for Felicity’s death. All Ivy knows is that the Christiansens feel like the family she’s always longed for. And once she gets past Darek’s tough exterior, she finds a man she could spend the rest of her life with. Which scares her almost as much as Darek learning of her involvement in his wife’s case.

Caught between new love and old grudges, Darek must decide if he can set aside the past for a future with Ivy—a future more and more at risk as an approaching wildfire threatens to wipe out the Christiansen resort and Deep Haven itself.