Book Review ~ Deadly Ties

I won Deadly Ties in a blog giveaway and thought I'd write a review. Order your copy here:
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601422064

Summary from back of the book:

HER ENEMY WILL STOP AT NOTHING FOR CONTROL
SHE WILL RISK EVERYTHING FOR FREEDOM

A horrific crime shatters Lisa Harper’s idyllic childhood.  Her father is dead and her desperate mother, Annie, quickly marries Dutch Hauk, an abusive monster who soon reveals his hatred for Lisa. To protect her, Annie defies her ruthless husband and forfeits custody to a trusted friend.  Enraged, Dutch vows to keep Annie and Lisa apart–and he does.  Years later, though keenly aware of Dutch’s evil intent, Lisa and her mother seize a change to be a family, safe in a home where love dwells.  But they fail to fathom how far Dutch will go to keep his vow.

Determined to control his women, Dutch proves resourceful.  His associates in crime are feared at the highest levels across the globe–and for Lisa they plan a fate worse than death.  Yet she too has formidable connections, including former Special Operations Officer Mark Taylor.  Burdened by his own traumatic past, Mark has loved Lisa from afar. Now for Lisa and her mother to survive, Mark must risk his life–and even more difficult for him, he must trust God.  All as one question haunts them.  Can Mark and Lisa untangle these deadly ties before it’s too late?

My Review:

Domestic Abuse and Human Trafficking. These are crimes that are happening in our country, in some of our own neighborhoods, and Vicki is to be admired and respected for having the courage to write about them with such realism. She does an excellent job delving into the intricacies of each. Bringing me inside the mind of the abuser, which I found quite chilling, and inside the mind of the abused, which I found to be very admirable, made me feel as if I was taking part in the story. There are some disturbing scenes depicted that I could easily visualize but I didn't feel they were gruesome.

Vicki portrays strong leading characters that struggle with doubt and all life has dealt them. The spiritual element isn't overpowering, but blends perfectly with the situations happening in the book. In the end they realize that God had been preparing them, through their trials and life experiences, "for such a time as this". (I can't remember if that exact phrase is used, but that's certainly what I concluded.)

There's a familiar cast of characters from the first book in the series, Forget Me Not, so don't forget to read that one first. It's not absolutely necessary, but you'll love the book!

Overall, I think if you like to read gripping romantic suspense then this book is for you!