In Harm's Way [Paperback]

When Rachel Sutton pulls a battered Raggedy Ann doll from a snowdrift, she never expected to be assailed by a feeling of overwhelming terror. Not one to believe in psychics, but unable to ignore the fear that overcomes her every time she touches the doll, Rachel takes a leap of faith and delivers the toy to the local FBI office. At her wit's end, and even though she's convinced she'll be mocked and dismissed as a crazy, Rachel's sure that entrusting the doll to the FBI will allow her to move on with her life. Nick Bradley, a veteran agent, has met his share of whacky tipsters, but Rachel's levelheadedness and apparently genuine terror raise enough questions in his mind that he's unable to simply dispose of the filthy toy and write off Rachel's reaction as some sort of bizarre coincidence. When the doll turns out to be the only clue in a kidnapping case gone cold, and it's revealed that Rachel has an unexpected tie to the missing child, suddenly Nick's intriguing tipster is the target of unwanted media attention. As the news story spreads, Rachel becomes the only threat to a kidnapper desperate to cover her tracks, and Nick must work overtime to protect Rachel, the investigation's best lead and the only woman who's ever invaded his heart.

I was so happy to finally read Nick's story. The glimpses of his character in the first two books of the series marked him as an intriguing guy, and I had great fun watching Hannon turn the tables on him as he enters the spotlight and becomes the hero falling hard for a woman at the center of an investigation. Hannon writes the male point of view extremely well, and Nick is her best hero yet - a dreamy combination of toughness and sensitivity. The faith element was also well-integrated into the storyline. I loved the fact that Rachel wasn't a stranger to the idea of God, she just didn't see the need to cultivate a relationship with Him. Also, it was nice to see a female lead exploring faith - more often than not in CBA fiction it is the hero who learns faith in a story, so I really appreciated how Hannon shook up this formula with this novel. Also, Rachel's reaction to the doll and how others respond to it added a unique element to the storyline.

Hannon concludes her Heroes of Quantico series with a well-plotted thriller and a spectacular romance, earning In Harm's Way the top spot in my favorites ranking of the trilogy. Every aspect of this story clicked, working together on all levels from pacing, plotting and characterization to deliver one engaging, un-put-downable read. While I couldn't help but favorably compare the first two Quantico books to Dee Henderson's O'Malley series, which has long been a "gold standard" in romantic suspense in my view, this book blew past the competition. Hannon is clearly on track to lay claim to the title of "Queen of Romantic Suspense" in the CBA market. In Harm's Way is the perfect blend of suspense, balanced with just the right touch of romance between two leads that have so much chemistry the sparks practically fly from the page. Masterfully plotted and crackling with romantic tension, In Harm's Way delivers the goods - I can not WAIT for Hannon's next book!

Rachel Sutton is a music teacher who leads a very quiet life. Not really by choice, she has no family. Growing up in foster care has made her appreciate her cozy and permanent home though. Her quiet life is turned upside down one morning when she finds a Raggedy Ann doll under a snow drift. Picking it up will change her entire life.

Nick Bradley is a Special Agent with the FBI. In his years of work he has seen many unusual things. But when Rachel Sutton arrives at his office claiming she has a "reaction" when she picks up the doll he's thinking she's just another nut. As he talks with her though he realizes she is very perceptive, intelligent and attractive. So what could her reaction mean?

This is the third and final installment in the Heroes of Quantico Series. I really liked all the stories but I have to say this one was my favorite. I think it was because there was lots of interplay between Nick, Mark, Emily, Coop and Monica. Those were thoroughly enjoyable moments for me in the story. I also really liked the characters of Nick and Rachel. I enjoyed watching how open and honest Nick was about his faith and how honest Rachel was in saying she had none. The author did a great job in pointing out how one person can make a huge difference in someones life and not even realize it. This was a very engaging story from the beginning right up to it's outstanding conclusion and loaded with lots of twist and turns. I only regret that we must leave these "very real" characters with the close of this book. I felt very endeared to these Heroes of Quantico. Great job Irene!

In Harm's Way was my first time sampling Irene Hannon's Romantic Suspense...and...I'm happy to say that I absolutely loved it! I thought the entire book was fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat, what's gonna happen next entertainment. I grumbled and groaned every time I had put it down! Yes, it's that good...at least in my opinion.

As I always say, it's more difficult for me to review suspense/mystery books as I don't want to give away any surprises/twists--trust me, this book has plenty. =) If you haven't read it yet, and you enjoy a good mystery, you are in for a treat!


Rachel and Nick will quickly make a place for themselves deep in your heart. I really enjoyed getting to know them, and watching them discover one another's secrets. Rachel loves music and art; while Nick's job allows him to be somewhat more adventurous. Nick lives his life with Christ at the center, but Rachel isn't sure what she believes as far as religion goes. When they realize they had similar childhoods, their blossoming relationship moves to an even deeper level. Prepare yourself for lots of twists and turns, all of which will eventually lead you to a very exciting ending!

If you're interested in finding out more about Irene Hannon, or her books, be sure to visit her website. Don't forget to check out the first two books in her Heroes of Quantico series:


Against All Odds
An Eye for an Eye

Available April 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

*** Thank you to Donna @ Revell Publishing for providing my review copy. ***

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