Active Defense

Author: Lynette Eason
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Series: Danger Never Sleeps #3
Release Date: January 5, 2021

As a former field surgeon in Afghanistan, Heather Fontaine is used to life-or-death situations. She just didn't expect them to follow her home. When she returns from a party to find that someone has broken into her house--and threatened her friends--she assumes it is the stalker who has been following her and creeping her out. She hopes to find safety and peace of mind by leaving the city and hiding out in a small town. But trouble has followed her even there.

Luckily, a stalker isn't the only one watching Heather. Travis Walker has been secretly watching out for her for weeks. As owner of his own security agency, it's what he does. Together, Travis and Heather must figure out who wants her dead--and why--before it's too late.

Bestselling and award-winning author Lynette Eason will have you looking over your shoulder as you dive into this fast-paced, suspense-filled story about losing control and finding something even better.

---

Reviewer: Rebecca Maney

" . . . I think I might have something of a stalker."

When former field surgeon Heather Fontaine realizes that someone is stalking her, she determines to take matters into her own hands. Her independent nature prevented Heather from asking for help, even though her close circle of friends would risk their lives to protect her. When matters escalate, she goes on the run, only to realize that the person or persons intent on harming her have no intention of giving up. Who would have a motive to harm her? Was it because of a life that she couldn't save, or perhaps revenge over a life that she did?

Travis Walker is not about to let Heather go off the grid for very long. Relying on his training and the resources of his friends, Travis finds Heather in a precarious situation. Someone has just run her car off the side of a mountain and Travis must find a way to remove her from the scene as quickly as possible. Finding refuge in an abandoned cabin gives them temporary respite from the elements, but their safety is short-lived. Their attempts at being good Samaritans end up leading them directly into the bulls-eye, where an offense must rapidly become an "active defense."

Readers will certainly enjoy this author's signature blend of fast- paced suspense and slowly melding romance . . . it's a story that begins quickly and skids to an end with the most fascinating, and quite unexpected, twists and turns!

---

---

Reviewer: Laura Thomas

This book begins with high stakes action as former field surgeon, Heather Fontaine, witnesses a devastating explosion in Afghanistan. Back in the States hoping for some time to rest and recover with her close circle of friends, she soon discovers she has a dangerous stalker to escape.

Security agent, Travis Walker, is not going to allow anyone to put her life at risk—especially when he realizes they are more than just friends.

A thrilling story of faith, forgiveness, empathy, and excitement, this is a fantastic page-turner for all lovers of Christian romantic suspense. Although this is the third book in the Danger Never Sleeps series, it can absolutely be read as an outstanding stand-alone.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell through Interviews & Reviews. All opinions in this review are my own.

---

---

Reviewer: Lori Parrish

I was excited when I saw this book. I just knew I had to have it! And wow what a story! One that will keep your attention all the way through the book. Ms. Eason is that good. 

Her characters are wonderful with an excellent plot and lots of mystery included. I think the one character who stood out to me was Ryker. I'm not sure why, but I think that even with his deal in life he was still an amazing kid. 

Heather is okay too. After reading about her past I could understand why. I almost cried when she was telling Travis about her childhood. Even after all of that, I still thought she turned out to be a good person.

I really liked the moral of the story overall. The author deserves five stars for a well-written story. One I enjoyed to the fullest. 

I received a copy from Revell Publishers through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

---

---

Reviewer: June McCrary Jacobs

An emotional Christian romantic suspense novel written by Lynette Eason . . .
 
This third book in the Danger Never Sleeps series is a contemporary story that begins in September in Kabul, Afghanistan. Army physician, Dr. Heather Fontaine, is sandboarding with some friends during a brief respite from their work at the FOB tent hospital set up for American soldiers and Afghani civilians.
 
On their return trip to the hospital, things take a turn for the worse. From that moment on, this book is filled with non-stop suspense, adventure, and mystery. I read and enjoyed Book 2 in this series, Acceptable Risk, and the author's descriptive action writing is top-notch in this installment, too.
 
The setting of the story switches to Greenville, South Carolina, in January. An exhausted, traumatized Heather Fontaine is attending a party to welcome home a nurse who served with Heather in Kabul. Heather is not looking forward to the party for several reasons, one of which is that she has recently been followed by a stranger, a man in a plaid flannel shirt and baseball cap, whom she calls her stalker. When Heather sees the man as she is exiting her car at her friend's address, the entire group of friends and acquaintances becomes involved in her drama. Naturally, they want to help Heather even though she is reluctant to involve them in what she feels is potentially a dangerous situation.
 
The rest of the book takes readers on a roundabout journey filled with many ups and downs to discover who the stalker is and why he is after Heather. When peripheral characters begin getting hurt and murdered, Heather's past trust issues take the forefront and make it difficult for the physician to allow others to help her solve this mystery.
 
The addition of seventeen-year-old Ryker Donahue to this story was significant and meaningful, in my opinion. He shared a similar upbringing to Heather's, and I feel they were each instrumental in helping the other person heal. The themes of this story are  loyalty, trust, healing, and personal growth. The blossoming romance between Heather and a man who gives her abundant assistance and emotional support in this story is realistic and sweet.
 
References to the Christian faith are not only in the form of prayers sent up in times of crisis but include discussions between the characters of their faith journey and beliefs. I felt this aspect of the novel was well-written and believable. The book is completely clean in language and content.
  
I highly recommend this book for fans of Christian fiction, Christian romantic suspense, and Christian romance.
 
This book was provided courtesy of Revell Publishing through Interviews & Reviews.

---

---

Reviewer: Debbie Smith

Though I haven’t read the two previous books in this series, it was easy to step into this story. And it started just right: with a bang! Literally. Like a horse at the starting line, I was off and running and making more and more time to read.

The story opens with a brief experience in Iraq and quickly moves from there to Trauma Surgeon, Heather Fontaine’s home town. It seems she has exchanged one set of concerns for another. At home, she is sure someone is stalking her.

I had no trouble picking up on who the characters were and appreciated their comradery. The story had a little romance, and it was full of twists and turns that kept me guessing.

The plot was woven into an interesting story that made me wish I’d started with book one of this series. As you might guess, I would highly suggest you start your Danger Never Sleeps series with book one, Collateral Damage.

Revell provided a complimentary copy of this book through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

---

---

Reviewer: Paula Shreckhise

I am a longtime fan of Lynette Eason. Her stories keep getting better and better. Active Defense is the third in the series Danger Never Sleeps. I am so glad there will be a fourth book.

This was thrilling, non-stop action and had twists and turns that I was not expecting. Good writing keeps you on your toes, and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. I could not believe who the bad guy was!

The heroine, Heather, is flawed and haunted by her time as a doctor in a war zone. She also has trust issues from her harsh upbringing. Travis is one of her friends who comes to her aid in trying to figure out who is following her and wants to do her harm. Travis is a staunch Christian and a solid, good guy. The secondary characters filled out the story in a credible way. I liked the makeup of the ensemble of friends and enjoyed seeing how they were there for each other. A nice touch was showing the empathy between Heather and troubled teen Ryker and how Travis helped him.

Through the excitement, the characters’ faith was evident. A theme was: With God, anything is possible to overcome.

Revell provided a complimentary copy of this book through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

---

---

Reviewer: Monica Huyser

Active Defense by Lynette Eason is full of the fast-paced suspense and action, along with a dash of romance, that the author is known for.

Trauma Surgeon Heather Fontaine is home from Iraq and enjoying a party with her friends when she sees and senses that she has a stalker. She goes home and continues to see evidence of that, so she decides to disappear to protect her friends. However, Travis keeps tabs on her and wants to help her out, so he tracks her down only to find out that there is more going on than just a stalker.

I have enjoyed each of the Danger Never Sleeps series books, and this third book in the series is as suspenseful as any of them. In Active Defense, the reader finds themselves back with the same bunch of friends from the first two books. I have enjoyed all of the characters in this whole series. The plot in Active Defense has a few twists and turns that I didn't expect. It all seemed realistic. I also liked how the relationship developed slowly between Heather and Travis. 

The covers for this series show the heroines off and give me even more connection as a reader. They help me better visualize the character, but the reader catches a bit of what they have seen in the background. The suspense, the characters, the subtle spiritual lessons, and this book's plot all wove together to make a fascinating suspense novel. I am already looking forward to the next one in the series, and a preview for it is in the back of Active Defense.

I received this book courtesy of Baker Publishing Group, Revell Division, through Interviews & Reviews. All opinions in this review are my own.

---