When I was at the KenTen retreat, I picked up a book by Virginia Vaughn — Risky Return and I read it in one sitting…actually one night from 8 to midnight…had to finish it! Here’s the back cover copy:
“Stop investigating or you will die.”
A Covert Operatives story
Searching for a missing pregnant foster teen, Rebecca Mason stumbles across a human trafficking ring. Now with criminals determined to silence Rebecca, security specialist Collin Walsh appoints himself her protector. But how can the secret husband who once abandoned her to join the military regain her trust? Collin will do anything to make up for the past…but first, he must ensure they survive.
My take:
This was a fast-paced romantic suspense novel that had me from the first page when a man attacked Rebecca Mason and Collin Walsh rescued her.
Rebecca is the type of heroine I like to read about. She is out to help foster teens in her job as a social worker. In this case, when a pregnant teen disappears from the foster program, she started investigating and discovered this wasn’t the first pregnant foster teen to disappear.
When she gets too close to the ring, they try to take her out, but they didn’t reckon on Collin…who just happens to be the man she married twelve years ago because she was pregnant. And then after she miscarried, he took off and she had not heard from him since.
The dynamics of the story are well told and keep you on the edge of your seat. This is one of my favorites of Virginia’s! It’s a July release so that means it’s already at your favorite Walmart or Target! Or you can pre-order it from:
My question this week: Do you ever start reading a book like I did this one and think you’ll just read a couple of chapters and then find yourself staying up way later than you meant to so you can find out what happens next? Leave a comment and I’ll enter you in a drawing at the end of the month for a book from my library.
Comments 65
Yes, I regularly get in trouble to staying up too late reading a book. You just say “One more chapter, so I know what happens after this,” and then you just keep reading!! Oops!
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Me, too, Monique! Thanks for commenting!
Great premise!
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Thanks, Delores! So glad you stopped by!
I have done that but I do my best to avoid it now because it messes with my schedule the next day. I can’t burn the candle at both ends like I did in my 20s, 30s, and 40s. My limits are not as limitless as they once were.
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I know, Edward, but somehow I keep finding myself at midnight, saying, “just one more chapter!” lol Thanks for stopping by!
I do have a problem putting books down, especially a suspense at bedtime. Then if it is really exciting, I have a hard time turning my thoughts off and going to sleep.
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Yep, Gloria, I can identify. And sometimes it’s in writing my own books–I no longer write a suspenseful scene at night. Can’t turn it off. Thanks for stopping by.
I had such an experience with Terri Blackstock’s Restoration series. I was already familiar with her work, and liked it very much. However, the premise of the series was an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that takes out the world’s power grid; possibly for years. I was not in the mood for reading a back to the 1850s technology catastrophe. But, I plowed into the first book, and couldn’t put it down. Fortunately for me, the entire series was already out, so I ended up devouring all the books. Whew! While I wasn’t reading until midnight, it was a marathon of reading. I was not disappointed; just breathless :-).
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I like it when all the books are out, Tim! I read that series but had to wait for the next book to come out. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
YES, I have done that….can’t stop reading a good book!!!
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And I pay for it the next day, but it’s worth it, Jackie. lol Thanks for dropping by.
I used to do that, but if I do it now, I don’t function well the next day! I’m retired, so I do have a little time to read during the day.
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Retired…tried it once, Mary, and then got really serious about my writing, so I’m no longer retired. lol. Thanks for commenting!
I agree with Edward. Not a spring chicken any more.
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Joni, I know, but I still find myself reading JUST ONE MORE CHAPTER. lol Thanks for stopping by.
Yes I do. I read until my eyes can’t focus anymore! Thanks for the chance to win!
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Hi Faith! I do that sometimes, too. Thanks for commenting.
Often! especially at bedtime. Then I can’t go to sleep until I pick the book back up and finish it!
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I’ve done that as well, Joan. lol. Thanks for stopping by!
When I’m caught up in a book, it’s hard to stop for any reason!
I know, Caryl, I know. Thanks for stopping by.
Oh yes! Quite often I do that, say I’ll read 3-4 chapters and just can’t stop!
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Three or four chapters turn into nine or ten… 🙂 Thanks for stopping by Shelia!
Yes I have done that, if it is a very good book and it is hard to put down, I keep on reading until I get sleepy and I can’t keep my eyes open anymore. I love books with stories that I just can’t get enough of it until I finish it. 🙂 Risky Return sounds and looks like one of those books! I need to add it to my TBR list. Thank you so much for the chance. God Bless you.
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Risky Return is one of those you won’t be able to put down, Alicia! Thanks for stopping by.
Oh, yes, this sounds familiar! I could certainly read a lot more if I didn’t have anything else to do!
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I have no concept of not having something else to do, Janice. lol. That’s why I read just before I go to sleep. Thanks for commenting.
OFTEN! I find it difficult to put a book down when I’m caught up in the plot. Just one more chapter…
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I know, Maureen! Reading is so addictive. lol Thanks for stopping by!
Been there and done that! Thanks for a chance to win!
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You’re welcome, Vickie! So glad you stopped by.
I have never head of Virginia before but I love love inspired books. They are hard to come by second hand so if I find them I snap them up. It seems like a great story and I can’t wait to read it. Thank you for this opportunity. I also liked to stay up and read at night. I always got in trouble for it. Now that I am an adult work gets in the way now because if I stay up reading I don’t want to get up for work. But they are worth the sacrifice.
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Jill, it is a great story to keep me up late. lol. And yes, I do pay for it. Thanks for commenting.
I am always losing track of time while reading. You get so involved with the book that everything else comes in third and fourth place.
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Me, too, Michelle! When I’m reading, a bomb could go off beside me and I’d never know it. lol Thanks for stopping by.
I have a large print copy of this very book on my shelf. 🙂 I’ve read a couple of LIS books by Virginia and enjoyed them, so I know Risky Return is going to be just as good!!
Funny thing, I just literally read a book on about 12 hours myself! I don’t usually have the time to do that, but I found I had an entire day (minus meal making) to sit and read. And read I did!! It helped that the book was super good & engaging!! I didn’t want to put it down . In case you’re wondering which one it was “Yours Truly, Thomas” by Rachel Fordham. I love the very rare occasion when I get to do nothing but keep my nose in a book 🙂 Trixi
Well for Pete’s sake I did it again…forgot to put my name in the box!! The Anonymous is me, Trixi 😀
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I’ll have to look that one up, Trixi! thanks for stopping by and commenting. And I’d figured out it was you before you clarified it. lol
Now that’s scary that you know who the “anonymous” is. …lol! I guess I’ve done it more times than I thought I had. 🙂
If you like historical fiction, you would probably enjoy Rachel Fordham’s book. The heroine (Penny) works in the dead letter office in Washington, D.C. Have you ever heard of it? I didn’t until this, very interesting history!
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I have heard of the dead letter office, probably from TV. I guessed it was you, Trixi, from the writing. 😉
OH yes, it happens quite often!
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MS Barb, I think it’s about to happen to me again tonight…I’m reading Jamie Jo Wright’s Gossamer Pond story.
I love books that scream “finish me”!
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This one does, Debra! Thanks for stopping by.
Absolutely! My daughter convinced me to ‘just try’ the first book in a series once even though I don’t usually care that genre. 2 o’clock the next morning I was ready to start the second one.
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Been there, done that, Polly! Don’t you love it when a book sucks you in! Thanks for stopping by.
For sure! I have a bookmark that says “I read past my bedtime”. It’s definitely true of me!
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I’d love to have a bookmark like that, Melissa! Or even a t-shirt! Thanks for stopping by.
I do quite often.
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I do almost every night, Lisa. lol. Last night I was reading Chrisy Barritt’s new book On The Lookout and I looked up and it was 12:30. I hated to put it down.
I love LI Suspense! I havent read anything by Virginia yet but I can’t wait to read this one! Thanks for the giveaway and your review!
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It’s really good, Joy! Thanks for stopping by.
Some books you can’t just start and put down…and the more complex the better.
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Absolutely, Gail. Sometimes when I’m trying to explain my storyline it sounds like a 500-piece puzzle.
I have read this book and could NOT put it down until I finished it! deep breath! 🙂
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Wasn’t it good, MS Barb! Thanks for weighing in!
It happens to me all the time!
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Amelia, I know, and don’t we hate ourselves the next morning when the alarm goes off! lol But we found out what happens next!
One of the books I started reading not knowing what to expect was “The Negotiator: By Dee Henderson. I stayed up after midnight to finish that book!
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That was a really good book, Rachel! I love Dee Henderson’s books. 🙂
More people need to be aware of human trafficking and there needs to be Christian ministries to help these victims.
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I so agree, Vivian! Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
If my husband wasn’t there to have me turn out the light…I’d get no sleep at all!! 🙂
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I only have my cat who meows for me to turn out the light! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Connie.