🚧🚓🏚️ “Safe House Exposed” (Border Patrol Series #4) (2022) 🏚️🚓🚧 – Book Review
MY REVIEW
Series: Border Patrol (Book #4)
Paperback: 224 Pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense (February 22, 2022)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1335554890
ISBN-13: 978-1335554895
⬅️ Click Photo for Purchase Information
“Witness protection should have kept them safe.
Instead, it left them completely exposed…
Canadian border patrol officer Emma James has only one concern after putting a crime boss behind bars: keeping her daughter safe. But witness protection has a leak, and Emma's enemies know exactly where to find her. Now on the run with no safe haven, trusting her estranged former brother-in-law, police constable Mason James, to shield them is her only hope…”
Thank you in advance to the author, Darlene L. Turner, for providing a complimentary review copy through her Border Patrol Review/Launch Team. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own.
I cannot believe this particular series is over. Really, I can’t. And, I honestly cannot believe I have been part of the author’s review/launch team (Border Patrol) since book #2. It doesn’t seem like it was THAT long ago to be honest.
I’ve enjoyed each book in the series since her debut with Border Breach. My copy of the book has its own unique story.
In 2020, I participated in a social blitz for Border Breach through JustRead Publicity Tours. I had, initially, wanted to review it. I didn’t get picked. That happens for various reasons (nothing bad or nefarious – sometimes TOO much interest).
I still wanted a copy of the book. But, I always kept putting off getting it. That too happens for various reasons.
As result of the “blitz” hosting contest, I ended up winning the “host” prize, which turned out to be a gift card from the author (Darlene L. Turner). I still didn’t get the book. I don’t know whether this is beginning to be a tragic anecdote or a funny one.
After getting accepted to her newly formed “Border Patrol” December 2020, I finally purchased Border Breach in March 2021, almost a YEAR after it came out.
The rest? Well ...
That’s why I’m here and having read the newest and last book in the BORDER PATROL SERIES – Safe House Exposed.
The progression of the covers is interesting. All of them can be viewed at the bottom of the blog.
To be honest, Border Breach was definitely an oddity in the entire series.
Usually, the couple on the cover are “absolutely stunning”. The couple on that cover? Average. Not that that’s a bad thing. Very realistic (do we all remember the famed “Fabio” covers of steamy romance?). But, I was surprised. Almost as if it was a “one-off” deal (I’m assuming it was since the author ended up with a FULL contract for the remainder of the series and the new one). I say this also because for the remainder of the series, it relies on landscapes as opposed to people.
The second book? Abducted in Alaska? That cover even makes my mom shudder. She knows the picture by the title of the book. It is absolutely stunning, terrifying, suspenseful. Lethal Cover-Up continues that intensity. I don’t know which of the two really send the shivers up the spine. I’ll go with Abducted in Alaska.
This one? While not as dramatic as Abducted in Alaska and Lethal Cover-Up, it still has a certain haunting quality to it. Can I say those birds are down-right creepy? Ugh! This could evoke memories of a Hitchcock movie.
Moving on from the covers …
Character wise? None of the characters from the first three books “appear” in this book nor are they referenced either:
Border Breach – Kaylin Poirier and Hudson Steeves
Abducted in Alaska – Hannah Morgan and Layke Jackson (last mention of Kaylin and Hudson)
Lethal Cover-Up – Madison Steele and Tucker Reed (there is no mention of Kaylin, Hudson, Hannah, or Tucker)
Unlike some “series”, the first two should likely be read together, but Lethal Cover-Up and Safe House Exposed don’t really need to be read together.
This time around we have Mason James and his widowed sister-in-law Emma James. Add in adorable 4-year old Sierra (Emma and Brady’s daughter; Seth’s “Tiddlywinks”), it gets cute at times. There are questionable characters as well: Mason’s partner Darlene (I had to laugh on this one because of the author’s name being Darlene), Mason and Brady’s father Seth (yes, there were times I didn’t trust him). And, some of the other constables assigned to Emma’s protection I found shifty.
The bad guys seem obvious, until they’re not. I won’t even suggest who I thought it was. I’m usually wrong when I do think I have an idea.
Speaking of Brady – there is a recurring mention, and slight theme of domestic violence (towards Emma), as well a child molestation for two characters (referred and “delicately” mentioned). Readers should take care when reading the book if they are disturbed by the mention of it.
Told from both Mason and Emma’s POV, this gets off to a startling and creepy start. From there, Mason is tasked with protecting Emma and Sierra. Of course, that is complicated as Emma wonders why he’s been absent since Brady’s death, but his father has told him to stay away.
Sierra is speech delayed due to her father’s death, yet being around Mason is healing for her and helps her come out of her shell more. Still, Seth doesn’t want his son too close to Emma and Sierra.
Emma and Mason carrying their own guilt for Brady’s death. For Emma, it was an argument they had before he left the house. For Mason, it is a conversation he had while Brady was driving.
There is VERY little time to explore this part of the story as Mason has to get Emma and Sierra into a new place for their safety, especially when Molotov Cocktails get thrown in. Someone has obviously found them.
Mason’s partner is always there with the save – eventually becoming a “person of interest”. Of course, there are other constables that become persons of interest.
Tampered medicine, car bombings, cars crashing into homes, attempted kidnappings, squabbling family members (Luthor family), questionable suicide, homicides, and a fractured family – this was the COMPLETE package!
It was HARD to keep up with the story – I felt the more I read, the more behind I got. And, after I did read it – I needed time to relax. That was a roller coaster of action and emotion right in a small package.
Throughout the story, one theme is clear – those who know Mason constantly want him to come back to God, but there is a reason he’s leery – the murder of his mother.
As she always does, the author weaves a complicated tale of mystery, danger, and suspense together with a sprinkle of romance. She kept me guessing where the leak was coming from (Canada or New York) until the “reveal”.
Books like this are usually a 1-2 day read. Sadly, I did have other things come up in the middle of reading this. It was definitely a shame to have to put it down as often as I did. As a final book of a “series”, this didn’t disappoint – exciting, intense, dramatic. I didn’t know who to trust outside of Mason, Emma, and Sierra. The shorter chapters and fast paced action made it difficult to even take notes. I absolutely enjoyed the wild and unpredictable writing.
Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense tend more towards Christian/faith-themed lines distributed by Harlequin Books. This does have more of that element to it as does all of Turner’s previous books in the series. As always, these types of books have very (or as happy as they can) endings. They’re mostly predictable reads, but entertaining.
I am VERY excited to see the next series from Turner – Canadian Protectors. Definitely can’t wait to read the books in this series.
Turner’s fans, those who’ve read the previous three books along with fans of Elizabeth Goddard and Patricia Bradley will want to check this author out. Darlene L. Turner has definitely become a “MUST READ” author as soon as one of her books is announced.
RATING:
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)
Other books in the series:
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense (April 7, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1335402772
ISBN-13: 978-1335402776
⬅️ Click Photo for Purchase Information
“When drugs are smuggled across the border
it’s their duty to stop the culprits…at any cost.
Forming a joint task force, Canada border officer Kaylin Poirier and police constable Hudson Steeves have one objective: take down a drug-smuggling ring trying to sell a new lethal product. But when the smugglers come after Kaylin and Hudson, this mission becomes more than just a job. Can they live long enough to solve the case?”
Series: Border Patrol (Book #2)
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense (March 9, 2021)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1335405119
ISBN-13: 978-1335405111
Click Picture for Pre-Purchase Information ➡️
“Protecting a child…
could cost them their lives.
Saving a boy who has escaped his captors puts Canadian border patrol officer Hannah Morgan right into the path of a ruthless child-smuggling ring. Now with help from police constable Layke Jackson, she must keep the child safe. But can they rescue the other abducted children and bring down the gang…all while protecting a little boy and keeping themselves alive?”
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense (March 9, 2021)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1335554475
ISBN-13: 978-1335554475
⬅️Click Photo for Purchase Information️
“Some secrets are dangerous…
But uncovering the truth could be deadly.
Border patrol officer Madison Steele knows her sister Leah’s fatal car crash was no accident. Someone’s willing to kill to cover up a pharmaceutical company’s deadly crime of distributing tainted drugs. Now they are after Madison to tie off loose ends. But with her high school sweetheart, Canadian police constable Tucker Reed, at her side, can Madison expose the company’s deadly plan before she becomes the next victim?”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.
You can follow her on the following social media accounts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darlenelturnerauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlenel.turner/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/darlenelturner/
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