Sundown

Author: Susan May Warren
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Series: Sky King Ranch #3
Release Date: November 1, 2022

He doesn't trust her . . . but he can't let her go it alone

Former Delta Operative Colt Kingston knows when someone is lying. He may not know the truth, but he sure doesn't trust Tae, the mysterious woman his family rescued from an Alaskan blizzard. Behind those beautiful blue eyes, Colt can tell there is a troubled--and smart--woman.

A few of her stories prove true--they found the crashed plane and the dead body inside. Still, her tale of survival seems too incredible to believe . . . until the thugs she claims to be hunting her across Alaska show up and threaten Sky King Ranch. Now Tae must disappear, along with her secrets.

Colt will have to track her down and earn her trust before it's too late. It'll take the entire family to save the world from disaster.

The epic conclusion to Susan May Warren's Sky King Ranch trilogy.

---

Reviewer: Nikita Wells

"The fact is, if you try to depend on yourself and all your amazing talents and abilities to fight this war, you will run dry. The more you try to control, the more you find slipping out of your hands. You must trust in God, in his victory. And in his goodness, even in the face of defeat. Without him, we would be helpless."

Talk about a bombshell quote. I keep finding many great quotes and life lessons in the books I've been reading lately. And this book is one of those.

This is my first read of Susan's, and I have heard so much about her books from other reviewers and the blogger community. Sundown is the third in the Sky King Ranch series that focuses on three unique brothers and their family ranch. It starts with a tranquil mountain scene but quickly brings the expected fast-paced action and suspense you expect to get from this favorite genre of mine. 

Colt Kingston is tough but not as unstoppable as he'd like to appear to others. And Tae (Taylor) has some secrets that some would kill to keep silenced. The romance between these two was realistic, and the family banter was pretty funny.

I struggled to connect to the characters, but maybe that's just me. Or it might be because I picked up this book at the end of the series. Not one of my best ideas. So I'd say this series is best read in order. Starting at the end threw me for a loop.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Baker Books through Interviews and Reviews. A positive review was not required of me, and the thoughts above are my own.

---

---

Reviewer: Rebecca Maney

" . . I want to be there when you see that I'm telling the truth".

The truth being that Tae had been kidnapped off a cruise ship by her supposed boyfriend, who was in actuality a Russian spy trying to take her to a secret lab back in Russia, and that she had survived their private plane crash over Alaska, nearly freezing to death before. . . . and on and on it went, but "What if her story was true?" Colt Kingston wasn't sure that she trusted him either, because his gut instinct was practically screaming out loud that she was leaving out something really big. . . . . except as they slide off an icy cliff together, and she says "please don't die", Colt couldn't help but smile. . . . there's that sweet Tae that he does know.

Then, she goes and delivers the bombshell . . . "I think someone is trying to poison the world, and . . . . . only I can stop them". Who in the world was this woman?

The story that ensues is epic, bringing all three Kingston brothers back together again towards a common goal . . . yes, you are reading this correctly . . . to save the world. And in the process, if Colt and Tae can find their way towards something they never expected to find, like "Where you are, I am. Haven't you figured that out yet?" . . . then there's an happily-ever-after tucked away in this amped up amazing race.

"Flo, we are sitting here and watching our first of many sundowns."

---

---

Reviewer: Amy Smelser

I have really enjoyed this series about triplet brothers, their father, and their loves and all that entails. This is Colt's story. He is the reckless one. The one that runs to danger, not from it, as he has consistently shown us throughout this series.

This is also Taylor's story. In the previous books, she was rescued after a plane crash and pretended she could not speak. However, Colt has seen through her, and the danger she was keeping secret and hiding from has come to the Sky King Ranch's doorstep. This is out of her hands now as she finds out, especially now that governments are involved as this has reached global proportions. She might need to literally help save the world.

Government conspiracies, infectious diseases, familial bonds, romantic love, this book had all of that and was an edge-of-your-seat thriller. I warn you, though, once you start this story, you might forget about real life for a while. I did. 

I received a copy of this novel from Revell Publishing through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to give a positive review, and all views and opinions were my own.

---

---

Reviewer: Marie Edwards

This is the conclusion to the Sky King Ranch series and stands out from the previous two books for a few reasons.  
 
As Tae is introduced in the first book – Sunrise, and she meets Colt in Sunburst, it is best to read all of the books to get the complete story that leads to this book. These are not standalone reads. 
 
This series is also connected to Warren’s Global Search and Rescue (GLOBAL SAR). Readers should familiarize themselves with that series before this one since some characters are mentioned or make actual appearances. 
 
Some readers might find keeping all the characters together a bit overwhelming. I find books like this would greatly benefit from a “who’s who” at the beginning of the book. It also makes me curious why some authors do, and some don’t. 
 
This cover is perhaps my favorite of the three Sky King Ranch books. The vivid colors, landscape, and the rose gold foil title stand out and literally scream, “Pick me up and read me.”  
 
The main plot centers around the use of a virus as a bioweapon. After remaining silent upon being found in book #1 and finding a temporary refuge with the Kingston family, Tae has finally spoken. And there’s a reason she’s been silent. She confides about her connection to a Russian who is planning a bio-attack. She had her notes about a vaccine but lost them when the plane wreckage she survived ended up going over the cliff’s edge. She has to start over. She tells Dodge, Echo, and Colt – only she can stop a global contagion from happening. She and someone else, that is. 
 
While she’s trying to help re-develop the vaccine, the Russians are getting closer to putting their plan into motion, and preventing it means figuring out how and where. I had to admit, the author came up with an interesting yet dastardly plan for the distribution of the virus.  
 
Warren also throws in some family drama. Only Dodge seems to “dodge” that bullet. Noemi is dealing with a family crisis – particularly a “ghost” in her family. Definitely an interesting surprise. Her husband, Ranger, comes to terms with his eye condition (the same one his dad has) and gears up for one last assignment.  
 
Tae, spending time with Colt, wants to love him. His current “lifestyle” makes that impossible due to her father’s death. He likes seeking danger, and she doesn’t want to lose him. He’s also ignoring a potential health issue that will cause a few scares down the road. For most of the book, they play the “will they, won’t they” chair dance.  
 
Overall, I enjoyed the book. Warren knows how to hook readers with an exciting beginning, give readers a romance, put the characters in peril, and keep everyone reading until the end with non-stop action that doesn’t linger in one place for very long.  
 
This is about a 2-3 day read, but I didn’t want to put it down at times. Had it not been for “life issues,” I wouldn’t have. This is categorized as Contemporary Romance, but I found it more on the suspense side of the romance genre.  
 
As this is a Christian-themed publisher, strong elements will be presented of the Christian faith in the characters’ lives. Fans of Susan May Warren’s fiction series will enjoy this one.

Thank you to Revell for providing a complimentary review copy through Interviews & Reviews. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own. 

---

---

Reviewer: Connie Porter Saunders

This is the final book in the Sky King Ranch series, and it's a thrilling conclusion. Colt Kingston is the primary focus in Sundown, but we also see his brothers Dodge and Ranger in action again. There's just something special about these Kingston triplets and their dad Barry. Is it their bravery? Their willingness to serve and protect their country? Or the faith in God that helps them survive and thrive? Yep, these Kingston men are truly amazing!

Sundown is filled with non-ending action and intense danger as Colt and Tae Price work feverishly to find a bioweapon before catastrophic destruction can occur. They also find themselves fighting the undeniable chemistry between them. No surprise since this is a Susan May Warren book---there has to be some clean but sizzling romance mixed in with the suspense! 

Looking for a character-driven story with a strong faith message woven throughout the plot? This is definitely the book for you! Sundown is an engaging contemporary romance that keeps you turning the pages until you reach its satisfying end!

I received a review copy courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

---

---

Reviewer: Paula Shreckhise

*Bravery is not the absence of fear. It is doing what you must despite the fear.*

Susan May Warren delivers again with another story packed with action, danger, and romance. I appreciate the way she infuses faith into the story and presents a clear gospel message.

Although some scenes were a bit over-the-top, and I could not quite believe that some of her characters could get into so much trouble, it made for some exciting reading. I may be a bit nit-picky, but I found the man bun a little outdated, and how could the good guys beat up the bad guys wearing flip-flops? And I take issue with Navy fighter jets being in WWII when they weren’t used until the Korean conflict. But it was just an air show.

The heroes are tough military types, and the heroines are just as tough. And it was good to see the brothers together with their lady loves. 

*With every sundown came a new morning. Redemption. Hope.*

Since this is book 3, you would benefit from reading the first two books before you tackle this one. If you like former military types and romance fraught with angst, this series is for you.

I won a copy of this book from Library Thing. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

---

---

Reviewer: Mindy Houng

"Bravery isn't the absence of fear. It's doing what you must do, despite the fear."

Wow, the conclusion of the Sky King Ranch is a doozy. Overflowing with adrenaline, unbelievable action, heart-pounding plot twists, incredible faith lessons, and tender romance, Colt and Tae's story will enchant you from the first page. From the frozen beauty of Alaska to the warm humidity of Florida, you'll feel like you're right there with them as the characters work against the clock to find and neutralize a bioweapon.

I loved Tae's logical, scientific mind which complemented Colt's impulsive, creative spirit. Their shared goal to make a difference in the world by saving lives bound them together despite their differences. Ranger and Noemi had voices in this story as well; their life together as a married couple facing so many challenges was a tear-jerker but also a heart-warmer. Seeing the Caleb Group again and references to some of the Montana Marshalls was so much fun. Jones, Inc. group had a big presence in the story and I'm hoping to see more of the guys from the group in future Susan May Warren's books. The beauty of redemption and forgiveness is displayed in full color as the Kingston triplets finally all come home.

You can't go wrong with a Susan May Warren novel. She consistently delivers mind-blowing romantic suspense filled with memorable and lovable characters. I can't wait for her next series!

I received the book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

---

---

Reviewer: Kristina Hall

Characters: Colt and Tae were both well-developed, interesting characters with plenty of flaws to make them realistic. I also enjoyed seeing Ranger and Noemi, the main characters of Sunburst (the second book in this series) again.

Language: Clean.

Moral/theme: Sundown featured themes of surrender, redemption, and family.

Plot: Sundown, even though it was labeled "contemporary romance," had a ton of action, high stakes, and suspense in addition to the romance. It was definitely a fast, exciting read.

Random comments: After hearing about viruses and vaccines for way too many years, I probably should've been frustrated by all the mention of smallpox and its corresponding vaccine in this novel. But I guess I was already engrossed in the story.

Romance: Clean. Just kissing.

Writing: I love Susan May Warren's writing. She gives each character a human voice, and her style is so smooth and clear.

Overall: Sundown was an exciting read that I'd recommend to those who love Christian fiction, contemporary romance, and action/adventure stories.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Revell through Interviews & Reviews. My opinions are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

---