Carla's Book Crush

Hunted for the Holidays by Deena Alexander
Publisher: Harlequin – Romance | Love Inspired Suspense
Publication Date: October 22, 2024
Genres: Christian Romance | Suspense
Pages: 208
Format: eARC
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Keeping out of sight

is the only way to stay alive.

When Shae Evans spots a familiar face at a Christmas pageant, she knows her witness-protection cover has been blown. Six years ago, her testimony put a crime boss away for life, but his vengeful son never stopped looking for her. Fleeing with her daughter, Shae accepts protection from former FBI agent Mason Payne—her child’s secret father. Now they’re only seconds ahead of the ruthless crime family who want Shae silenced forever. With threats everywhere, will they live to see the New Year?

Shae Evans is the mother of five-year-old Gracie. Shae and Gracie have also been in the witness protection program for six years. Shae’s testimony helped put a notorious mob boss behind bars, but it seems that hasn’t stopped him from ordering her death. Shae is already on high alert because her handler, Maria Debrosa, was killed recently in a car crash. Even though she was told it was an accident, she didn’t believe it. Maria had been near Shae’s town of Boggy Meadows, Florida, with no reason to be there unless she needed to protect Shae and Gracie. When Shae notices two suspicious men behind the curtains at her daughter’s school pageant, she quickly grabs her and goes home, packing as much of their life as she can into a couple of duffel bags. As soon as everything is gathered and she’s ready to leave, she hears unusual noises outside. Shae tells Gracie to hide just as someone pounds on the door, shouting her old name—the one she had before becoming Shae. The door crashes down, and in front of her is a familiar face, the man she thought she’d spend her life with, a face with the same eyes as Gracie’s. Mason Payne, an FBI agent, who had left her in the middle of the night after a special night together, a night Shae believed sealed their relationship after Mason’s partner was killed by the Kincaid family—the same family hunting her.

Quickly, the three of them get into Shae’s car and make their escape, with Kincaid’s goons in hot pursuit. They speed through town, but no matter what Mason does, he can’t lose them. As they’re heading over an old bridge, their car is hit by one of the mobsters, causing them to crash down into the swampy marsh below. Mason is unconscious, but she can’t leave him behind. She works to wake him up, get her daughter, and move on. When Mason finally wakes, he tells Shae to climb out the window so he can hand Gracie to her, and the three of them begin a treacherous trek through the marsh. Luckily, Mason had already notified his friend Zack, owner of Jameson Investigations, about their whereabouts, so help is on the way. Just how soon, no one can be sure.

I could not put this book down. The moment you open the book, your pulse is pounding with excitement as Shae fights to protect her and her daughter’s life. Mason realized right away that Gracie is his daughter but did not force himself on Shae or Gracie. His love for them made him fight harder to try to save them. Being an inspirational book, the book included Shae’s reflections on faith and frequent prayers, though nothing was over the top. I’d be doing a lot of praying, too, if I were in Shae’s shoes.

One thing I found slightly amusing is when dialogue with the gangsters was captured. This book was entirely clean, not even a single cuss word, and we all know that in real life there is no way they are speaking without the use of them. I suppose there could be some clean-speaking mobsters, but that’s certainly not the way they are portrayed in the movies. Along those lines, the book was peppered throughout with discussions of Shae’s faith and talks and prayers of God, but nothing over the top. I would be doing a lot of praying too if I were in Shae’s shoes.

One amusing detail was the dialogue with the gangsters. This book was entirely clean—not a single curse word—and we all know that in real life, there’s no way they’re speaking without them. I suppose clean-speaking mobsters could exist, but that’s certainly not the way they’re portrayed in the movies.

There were elements of surprise in the book. Someone had obviously tipped off Shae’s location, but the question of who was kept suspenseful. There were some cops and agents I didn’t like and some I did, and some of Mason’s colleagues at Jameson Investigations I thought were a little fishy. And even when I finally thought I had everything figured out, I was floored by the direction the story went. I promise, I don’t think that every Harlequin book should be turned into a movie, but I’m going to say, yes, if I truly read a book and watched the movie (which I don’t), this one would make a great movie.

If you like secret children, second chances, and witness protection tropes this romantic suspense is a must read. Readers of Always Look Twice by Elizabeth Goddard, Targeted by Lynette Eason, Lynn H Blackburn, and Natalie Walters, or Deena Alexander’s other books will enjoy this immensely. A truly exciting book that you won’t be able to put down.

Would you risk everything to save a stranger?

Thank you to Harlequin for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.