Deadly Ties by Vicki Hinze ~ review

Product Description


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 chance 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 take on this book:

Lisa Harper has lived separately from her mother Annie for years. Not because they wanted to, they had no choice. Annie signed custody of Lisa over to someone else to protect her from Dutch Hauk, Annie's controlling abusive second husband.
Lisa has worked hard to become a doctor because the plan has been that as soon as Lisa is able to support Annie she will leave Dutch. Just as that plan is about to come to fruition Dutch sets something in motion that just might keep them apart forever.

Mark Taylor, a former special operations spy with the group "Shadow Watchers", is now the chief of security at the Crossroads Crisis Center.He has done everything in his power to keep Lisa and her mother Annie safe, and somewhere along the way he started falling in love with Lisa. Because of his past he has always dreamed of being loved and wanted, not just needed. When he and his friends from the Shadow Watchers realize that Nina an organization they were working to bring down is involved in Dutch's plans, they plan on doing everything in their power to keep Lisa safe, while bringing down Nina. Can it be done?

This book started out a bit slow for me, but one it got going it was a real thrill ride that had me on the edge of my seat on several occasions. The main characters in this story carry burdens from their past, but that doesn't stop them from having hope and faith in God. Lisa was an amazingly strong character, determined to take care of her mother. Mark carried blame for the death of his mother and his friend in Iraq, things that were out of his control, but he still felt responsible. The love story that unfolds between the two is touching and they fit so well together.The banter that went on between  Mark's friends from the Shadow Watchers was often very funny, but also gave us a true look at the close bond between them.

While this story is the second story in the Crossroads Crisis Center series it can easily be read as a stand alone work. If your a fan of christian suspense that draws you in with a great plot and characters that will keep you riveted  to the story then you definitely should pick up this book!

rating 5/5

Reviewed for Readersfavorite.com