I
felt this romantic suspense novel got off to a rough start. It opens
in Mexico with lots of action. Bailey, from Logan Point, is a
missionary there, teaching school to children and Bible to village
women. She's getting ready to accompany one of her young students,
Maria, to the U.S. to see her grandparents when there is an attempted
kidnapping. A suspenseful escape occurs with the aid of Bailey's
ex-fiance who just happens to come on the scene at the right time.
The
action then moves to Logan Point. The central part of the novel deals
with Bailey and Danny, the ex-fiance, thinking about the future and
worrying about the present. There is much discussion about Mexico, a
ceramic factory, gun running, and a nefarious Mexican drug cartel.
After this rather long interlude the novel ends with renewed
suspense.
I
found much of the novel confusing. There are many characters
introduced early on, owners of manufacturing plants, both in Mexico
and the U.S., uncles of Maria, and more. One is never sure who the
good guys and bad guys are. The characters are good at telling
conflicting stories and we don't know who to believe. It was not
until the near end that all of the characters kind of fell into
place. Bailey herself was having trouble understanding it all as
halfway through the novel she says, “I'm visual, so I've been
trying to see what's going on as a big picture – like a jigsaw
puzzle – but I'm having trouble fitting all the pieces together.”
I know exactly how she felt.
My
favorite part of the book is a realization Bailey has. While in
danger near the end of the book and at the end of her rope, so to
speak, she realizes she cannot control God. She cannot control what
He is going to do and can only trust. “It surprised her how freeing
that realization was.” That's a good lesson for us all.
Another
thought provoking issue in the book concerned Bailey being in Mexico
in the first place. Had she really felt the call of God on her life
to be a missionary or was she running away from what she couldn't
face back in Logan Point? A reading group could have a good
discussion on that topic.
This
novel is a good romance novel with suspense at beginning and end. It
could be read alone but would be best enjoyed as a sequel to the
previous books in the series.
My
rating: 4/5 stars.
Patricia
Bradley is a published short story writer and is cofounder of Aiming
for Healthy Families, Inc. Her manuscript for Shadows of the Past
was a finalist for the 2012 Genesis Award, winner of a 2012 Daphne du
Maurier Award, and winner of a 2012 Touched by Love Award. She lives
in Corinth, Mississippi. You can find out more at
http://ptbradley.com/.
Revell,
352 pages.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for
the purpose of an independent and honest review.
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