Undercover Escape ~ Reader Friday

Patricia Bradley Reader Friday 36 Comments

Undercover Escape by Valerie Hansen is this week’s Reader Friday. Here are the first few lines: Rain pelted the van’s windshield. Professional dog trainer Hannah Lassiter shivered. Her stomach knotted.”

But first the photo and verse. Friday night I looked outside and saw a crescent moon with Venus below it, and I believe the smallest star above the moon is Saturn. I was not at home and planned to bring my “good” camera the next night. I went ahead and snapped the shot with my phone. Good thing, because clouds rolled in Saturday and I didn’t even see the moon.

I really don’t understand how anyone can look at the night sky and not believe in God. It was so beautiful that night. I immediately thought of the verse in Romans 15.

And now onto Undercover Escape by Valerie Hansen. Here’s the cover and back copy:
Undercover Escape by Valerie Hansen A prison break gone wrong…

and a fugitive out for revenge.

Going undercover as a convicted killer is state trooper Rafe McDowell’s best shot at shutting down a human trafficking ring. But when a surprise jailbreak ruins his plans and puts the prison’s dog trainer, Hannah Lassiter, in danger, he must take her, her grandmother and their dog on the run from the mastermind behind the ring. With his fugitive target now after them, maintaining his cover is the only way to catch the criminal. But as the escalating attacks turn deadly, can he convince Hannah to trust him in order to keep them all alive?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

My take:

Oh, my goodness, I could not put this book down. Valerie Hansen created the best characters in Hannah and Rafe and Hanna’s grandmother, Lucy for Undercover Escape! (Lucy almost stole the show. lol) And I don’t want to forget Thor, Hannah’s rescue dog!

The story opens with Hannah taking Thor to the prison, where she hopes to rehab prisoners using dogs she rescues from the animal shelter. She started this program a year ago in addition to her dog training business. Problems come up when one of the prisoners threatens to kill her grandmother if she doesn’t help him escape.

Gaven Arthur-slash-Rafe McDowell is a state trooper who has been working undercover in the prison, hoping to get close to this same prisoner to discover where his partner’s daughter is being held in a human trafficking ring. The escape doesn’t go off quite like expected and Rafe escapes with them. Unfortunately, the prisoner gets away without Rafe getting the information he needs.

When they go to rescue the grandmother, Lucy is dispatching the criminals who try to take her hostage. Turns out she’s a former CIA operative. Retired–or so she says. What follows is an exciting and terrifying but sometimes funny journey. It ticks all the boxes for me–romance–it was fun watching Rafe and Hannah fall for each other, great characters in Hannah and Rafe, Lucy, a wonderful and surprising grandmother, and a great dog in Thor.

You can find buy links for Undercover Escape here.

What are you reading this week? Leave your first line in the comments, or just say Hi and I’ll enter you in a drawing for a book from my library.

 

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Comments 36

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  2. Tim Johnson

    That’s a very interesting photo, Pat. Sometimes those “grab” shots pay off. I agree that it’s hard to not believe in a God who created all we see in the night sky. Even more so when one sees the photos taken with today’s telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope.

    I love Valerie Hansen’s books, and this is one I have yet to read. Thank you for highlighting it for us.

    I am currently reading “Crossfire” by Susan May Warren. It’s part of her Montana Rescue series that I’m trying to catch up on. The first line is “The smell of his mother’s flapjacks only meant trouble.” Now with a line like that, and knowing Susie’s flare for Christian suspense, you know it’s going to get exciting.

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  3. Priscilla Bettis

    Beautiful sky photo! God’s handiwork is amazing. Undercover Escape sounds exciting. I’m reading Sketches from a Sunlit Heaven by Sarah Law. It’s about a group of nuns in 19th-century France. I know nothing about 19th-century France or convents, so it’s proving to be a real history lesson for me. It’s also rather dense … taking me a long time to read it (but I’m loving it). The first line: “My mother bore me on the order of a priest.”

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  4. jenningsask

    Rising From the Ashes by Rebecca Hartt. I can’t believe I’m back in the Sandbox Lieutenant Commander James Monteague, aka Monty, marveled as he led his squad up the steep mountain pass. Book 4 of the Acts of Valor series. This was a new author for me. Loved the photo and scripture.

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  6. kel50

    I feel the same way about looking at the ocean (which I didn’t see until I was old enough to vote). How can you look at the ocean and not believe in God!

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  7. Paula Shreckhise

    I love that photo. Romans is my favorite Bible book.
    My first line is from When Stars Light the Sky by Elizabeth Camden:
    “America was supposed to be a land of opportunity but it seemed more like a land of hunger and confusion to Inga.”

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  8. Gail Hollingsworth

    LeEtta Miller tried to roll her eyes as quietly as she could while Mammi Iola rambled on like a swoony teenager. A Stolen Kiss by Mandy Steele.
    God’s creation is truly amazing. He’s the best architect!

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  9. Carolyn Frazier

    I have this book but haven’t read it yet. It just moved up on my TBR pile, after some ARCs I need to read. I am currently reading Christmas Cold Case by Maggie K. Black.

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  10. Gloria Anderson

    Lovely photo.
    August
    It had been a while since they’d all been in one car together.
    A is for Amish by Shelley Shepard Gray

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  14. Barbara Diggs

    Wow! You got a good shot of the sky and stars! Yay, Pat! The Scripture is perfect with it.

    I loved your review of Undercover Escape. You already have me hooked. My TBR pile is taller than a pyramid!

    “Are you certain you know what you are about with this venture?” This is the first line of A Thieving at Carlton House by Erica Vetsch

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  15. Edward Arrington

    A beautiful picture. Thanks for sharing.

    First line of Lost Down Deep by Sara Davison ;
    The house should have been completely quiet.

    I am proofreading a book that will not be released for several months, so I can’t share from it. I plan to start reading the book by Sara Davison tomorrow. When I proofread, I always have another book to read when I need a break from work.

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  16. Dottie

    Patricia, you are so right, I love the verse Romans 15:13! To be filled with joy and peace and abound in hope, how awesome is that, we serve such a great God!
    I also love your moon photo and Venus, your phone takes great night photos. I hope you’ll get to take some tonight of this Wolf Moon, it’s beautiful and so bright, especially with snow on the ground.
    I’ll be adding Undercover Escape to my new TBR list for 2025, it sounds really good. I’m currently reading Dangerous Storm by Roxanne Rustard. Did you review it recently? Starts out “ If she’d known about Jason’s pets, Claire might have thought twice about leaving New York without a big stack of books on pet care. “ It’s been really good and can tell it’s going to get suspenseful.

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