Synopsis:~

It’s the intel every agent fears–terrorists have been smuggled into the country, intent on unleashing the most deadly attack since 9/11. With the threat imminent, FBI Agent Kiley Dawson and ICE Agent Evan Bowers are charged with taking down this terrorist cell. The only problem is Kiley blames Evan for the death of her former partner, and she can barely be in a room with him. But with millions of lives on the line, she has no choice.

If it wasn’t for a bad call Evan made, Kiley’s former partner would still be alive, and Evan has to live with that guilt for the rest of his life. When he starts falling for her, the agent’s death seems an impossible obstacle–but it’s also the last thing he needs to think about. As the terrorist plot targets Kiley’s family, the two are pushed to the breaking point in a race to save countless lives.

Necee’s take:~

“Lives depend on you thinking with your head, not your heart.”

In this second book of the Homeland Heroes series, Sleeman delves into the fight against terrorism on U.S. soil. As an FBI agent on the elite RED team, Kiley is used to being more involved in cyber crime. However, the death of her CI brings her into the position of team leader in a race against an imminent terrorist threat. Sleeman did an amazing procedural into the dynamics of agencies working together to stop a catastrophic event. As Evan ends up working with the team from his position as an ICE agent, I found he really made the story come to life. I loved his heart for justice, Kiley, and how he tried to help the team. Kiley was very hard on him and the team as she struggled with her position as team leader. Stepping into that position in a high stress investigation, as well as grieving her CI loss, would definitely impact how she handled everything. While I enjoyed the race against time and the romantic element between Kiley and Evan, I struggled with liking Kiley’s character. Her bossiness was a little over the top and her unforgiveness took a while to grasp with Evan. Overall, the story was a good read on how a team has to work together in the behind the scenes world of antiterrorism. The romance was a slow build, but really dealt with how much unforgiveness and bitterness can impact relationships, personal and as a team. Though I struggled with the slow build up of the story, I was absolutely riveted by the ending and found the resolution of the story exceeded my expectations. 

“They climbed the exterior stairway. Step by step. Silent. Efficient. Lethal.”

If you’re looking for a truly behind the scenes look into an imminent threat and how agencies work together, I think you’ll love this book. The romance is light, but had a wonderful thread of forgiveness. Sleeman really helped my understanding of the psychology behind why people become terrorists. There were some really interesting areas of FBI, counterterrorism, and ICE work that caught my attention.

“Behavioral analysts have learned that terrorists always have a grievance, and it’s often based on actual pain or injustice.”

I’m looking forward to the underlying thread that impacts the whole team being resolved in the final book of this series, Hours to Live.

I received an advanced reader copy through NetGalley by the publisher.  All opinions in this review are my own and given honestly.

Susan Sleeman is the bestselling author of more than 35 romantic suspense novels with more than 1 million books sold. She has won several awards, including the ACFW Carol Award for Suspense for Fatal Mistake, and the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Thread of Suspicion. In addition to writing, Susan also hosts www.thesuspensezone.com. She has lived in nine states but now calls Portland, Oregon, home. To learn more about Susan, visit her website at www.susansleeman.com

Relz Reviewz Extras
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Buy at Amazon: Minutes to Die or Koorong