A Christian romantic suspense for dog lovers... Driving Force by Lynette Eason & Kate Angelo (Review) #suspensebooks #romanticsuspense #militarysuspense

Driving Force
(Elite Guardians Collection #1)
By Lynette Eason & Kate Angelo
Christian Romantic Suspense
Paperback & ebook, 366 Pages
March 22, 2022 by Sunrise Publishing

Summary

He’s the last client she wants to protect…

Elite Guardians bodyguard/former sniper CHRISTINA SHERMAN has protected uncooperative clients before—but this time, well her client is bossy, headstrong and occasionally eats off the floor. Yes, he’s a highly trained military working dog, but certainly her skills could be put to better use, right?

Not according to former Special Forces Air Commando GREY PARKER. He needs her help to protect his dog while he undergoes an experimental surgery that could restore his ability to walk. He just needs someone to keep his canine partner safe. Most of all, Grey wants back on his feet so he can track down a deranged scientist known as The Scavenger who unleashed a nerve agent that left Grey sidelined in a wheelchair.

When an attempt is made on Grey’s life, and dead bodies begin piling up—with evidence the same toxin is responsible—suddenly Christina is tasked with keeping both dog and soldier alive…and with them, the secrets that could stop a terrorist attack.

But this time, even Christina might be in over her head.

Dive into the exciting ignition to the Elite Guardians Collection.

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My Review

DRIVING FORCE is a great read for those who enjoy romantic suspense with a military and national security aspect. The suspense and tension build throughout the story to a climatic ending, which made for an entertaining read. The best part was the hero and his dog. They made this book. Recommended to those who like endearing characters, a strong faith element, sweet romance, and suspense.

I couldn’t help completely falling in love with the hero and his dog as well as their protector. Grey and Boss were definitely my favorites though and were the reason this story won me over. I liked that all the characters were fairly complex and likable. The story moved at a good pace and had enough action, suspense and romantic chemistry to keep me engaged. There was also a faith element weaved throughout the story that I didn’t feel was pushy or unrealistic. I thought the story was well balanced between all the aspects. The romance didn’t overtake the suspense and vice versa. I will say that the romance had some really great chemistry and was my second favorite thing in this story after Grey and his dog.

I did also have a few issues with the story. The heroine, Christina, makes some pretty big mistakes for her background and that didn't feel consistent with her character. There could have still been mistakes, but I felt that particularly the last one was a bit of a plot point forced into the story instead of something that fit in naturally. There were also other things that didn't work for me as far as logically and tactically for this type of suspense where there is a group of characters in security detail, bodyguards, military and police. I just had to suspend belief a lot or pretend that characters with these backgrounds would do things so differently (and kind of wrong). I've read some really good suspense and this had the potential to be good, but fell flat in that area. The ending also really dragged and there were things included that were unnecessary.

In the end, was it what I wished for? Definitely huge points for dog lovers here. Boss literally took the show along with his handler and partner, Grey. Christina was also a good character. The suspense and a few other things could have used more development, but it all worked out in the end. An overall enjoyable read!

Content: Some violence, but clean.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through JustRead Tours, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Have you read the original series this is a spin-off of? Will you be reading this one or have you already?

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