There seem to be a steady stream of books that place the main character, mostly female, in dangerous, disorienting situations not of their own making. It is a clever plot line, but one that can quickly become hackneyed if not carefully thought out and scripted. In this case, Dave almost achieved that goal, but not quite. This is also the second time I have been disappointed by a Reese Witherspoon Book Club choice, which may mean that I need to stop using that as a source for choosing books in the future!

Hannah Hall had almost given up on love and then she met Owen Michaels. They quickly fell in love and got married and although Owen’s, teenage daughter, Bailey, was not thrilled with her as a stepmother, Hannah felt that in the last year they had made some progress or at least had entered a detente in their relationship.

The one day everything changed. As news began breaking that her husband’s company was under investigation and raided by the FBI, Hannah is unable to reach Owen. Instead she receives a note in her husband’s handwriting that says “protect her!” Instinctively Hannah knows that he means Bailey, but is uncertain as to who she needs to protect her from. Besides, Bailey, confused by what has happened and by the disappearance of her father, is uncooperative to say the least.

Pressured from all sides-by Owen’s former boss, the FBI, and a US Marshall who shows up unexpectedly, Hannah must figure out who she must protect Bailey from and what past her husband was running from.

The pieces of a great book are here they just don’t mesh very well together. Dave does a good job in developing Hannah’s character, but Bailey comes off as a stereotyped teen character who keeps putting herself and Hannah in danger. The past that Owen is running from doesn’t seem very plausible and there are some major unanswered questions which are glossed over. However, there is plenty of suspense and drama to allow you to suspend your inner critic and hang on for the ride.

If you need something to read while sipping margaritas on the beach, this might be perfect!

Brenda’s Rating: ***(3 Stars Out of 5)

Recommend this book to: Sharon

Book study worthy? Unfortunately not.

Read in ebook format.