The Natchez Trace National Parkway stretches 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. It’s the perfect road for a relaxed pleasure drive. Unfortunately for park ranger Luke Fereday, lately it’s being used to move drugs. Sent to Natchez to infiltrate the organization at the center of the drug ring, Luke arrives too late to a stakeout and discovers the body of his friend, park ranger John Danvers.
John’s daughter Brooke is determined to investigate her father’s murder, but things are more complicated than they first appear, and Brooke soon finds herself the target of a killer who will do anything to silence her. Luke will have his hands full keeping her safe. But who’s going to keep him safe when he realizes he’s falling — hard –for the daughter of the man he failed to save?
Winner of an Inspirational Readers Choice Award, Patricia Bradley lives in North Mississippi and is a former abstinence educator and co-author of RISE To Your Dreams, an abstinence curriculum.
But her heart is tuned to suspense. Patricia’s romantic suspense books include the Logan Point series set in Mississippi and two sweet romances for Harlequin Heartwarming, Matthew’s Choice and The Christmas Campaign that are available on Amazon.
Her workshops on writing include two online courses with American Christian Fiction Writers and workshops at the Mid-South Christian Writer’s Conference in Collierville, TN. When she has time, she likes to throw mud on a wheel and see what happens.
My Impressions:
I am so excited to be getting in on the ground floor of a new romantic suspense series by Patricia Bradley. While many people wait for all the books in a series to be released before reading, I don’t mind the anticipation of subsequent books. Although after reading Standoff, book 1 in the Natchez Trace Park Rangers series, the wait may drive me just a bit crazy 😉 . This romantic suspense novel starts off running with lots of twists and fast-paced action. It is definitely a recommended read for fans of this genre.
I have to say that the setting of the novel is what drew me to it. I lived in Mississippi for college, grad school, and my first real job. I traveled part of the Trace regularly. I liked that I could visualize some of the settings within the novel. The city of Natchez is also featured, and while I am unfamiliar with that town, the book makes me want to go explore the next time I visit family in Mississippi. Standoff focuses on undercover ranger, Luke Fereday, and newly trained law enforcement officer, Brooke Danvers. I honestly didn’t know that the ranger service had so many facets. The book was a great look at the many jobs that rangers hold. Luke and Brooke were friends as high schoolers, and they have some romantic history that is still simmering. As they investigate Brooke’s dad’s murder, as well as other murders, drug trafficking, break-ins, and explosions (I did say the book was action-packed!), their feelings develop, though both resist. Family relationships, especially the bond between a child and his/her father, are explored in the book.
At the end of the novel Brooke and Luke’s case is wrapped up, but their future is before them. While this story may be finished, I hope I get a glimpse of them in book two!
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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