Dani Pettrey, author of the Alaskan Courage Series presents the final book in the series and the final McKenna sibling to find love. And it was definitely Reef's time!
If you've been following the series you will probably agree that it was time for "bad boy" Reef to settle down. If you're new to the series, you might find a hard time understanding the full extent of the love story. However the plot of the story could probably stand alone, the cast of characters might feel overwhelming. So, I recommend reading more than one. If you are just starting out with the Alaskan Courage and you don't want to read all four previous stories, try starting with Shattered. It is book 2 but it introduces the kind of person that Reef is ... was. Love can change any heart.
Here is the Publisher's blurb:
Growing up, goody-two-shoes Kirra Jacobs and troublemaker Reef McKenna were always at odds. Now paired together on Yancey’s search-and-rescue canine unit, they begin to put aside old arguments as they come to see each other in a different light.Then a call comes in from the Iditarod that will push them to their limits. Kirra’s uncle, a musher in the race, has disappeared. Kirra and Reef quickly track the man, but what they discover is harrowing. Frank’s daughter has been kidnapped. In order to save her, the man must use his knowledge as a mechanical engineer to do the kidnapper’s bidding or she will die.Kirra and Reef, along with the entire McKenna family, are thrown into a race to stop a shadowy villain who is not only threatening a girl’s life, but appears willing to unleash one of the largest disasters Alaska has ever seen.
My thoughts on this book are quick and painless today. I really enjoyed the story. The plot was fantastic and exciting. I enjoyed the ticking time bomb of the race ending equaling disaster. Then as each hour and day passed the suspense was ramped up further. The setting of the Iditarod was unique and fun. I have never read a story from that perspective. Overall I am filled praise for the final chapter of this family saga. A great read.
My only concerns are few and perhaps a little petty. I found a lot of repetition in the wording. I assumed it was because the couple drives, flies and traverses over alot of ground in the short time of the story which made for a lot of "he held the door for her" kind of repetitive statements. Also the massive amount of travel made it hard to keep the setting straight and where each of the characters actually was.
As for the romance of the book, I really enjoyed the story of Reef and Kirra. It was nice to see Reef mature into a strong and capable partner for Kirra. He lost his 'black sheep' persona and was able to present himself as a great hero. Sometimes the slow brewing of a love story from characters who have know each other for a very long time is a deeper, more mature form of love story. I really liked it.
However my best point for Pettrey's story was the handling of the sensitive topic imbedded into the plot. I do not want to add a spoiler here, so you won't know what I truly mean unless you read the story, but Pettrey does an amazing job. Sometimes, as a writer you want to portray the deep anguish a characters feels without softening them into a wad of saggy Kleenex. Again ... kudos to you Dani! I think you truly succeeded at making Kirra strong and vulnerable at the same time.
I have read all five of the Alaskan Courage series and have reviewed them on this blog as well. If you are interested in checking them out, here are the links to my reviews. Submerged. Shattered. Stranded. Silenced.
So, if you like adventure and fast paced suspense you will enjoy this story. If you like sweet romance with a strong faith element, then you will like Sabotaged. If you're still on the fence, visit Dani Pettrey's website for some fun facts and interesting info on all the books. Or read a beginning chapter excerpt.
Thanks to Bethany House and Dani Petrrey for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I am not required to rate it positively.
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