Barbara L. (Barbllm) reviewed Explosive Secrets (Texas K-9 Unit, Bk 4) (Love Inspired Suspense, No 335) (Larger Print) on + 241 more book reviews
Its time for another riveting inspirational romance or romantic suspense novel which, as most readers know, 99% of the time features a cover with people running. Here, its one man running with his K-9 dog, and its presumably the assured hero, Jackson Worth, who trains a bomb-sniffing dog named Titan, a black Labrador retriever. This is also one of a series of books set in Sagebrush, Texas, where an organized crime ring has been operating for some time.
Nicolette (Nicki) Johnson is in trouble. She has been abandoned by her jerk of an ex-boyfriend after she revealed she was carrying his baby, shes about to be fired from her job for not showing up (due to morning sickness), shes behind on her rent, and now she has been implicated as a member of the crime ring by her now-deceased cousin, Arianna Munson. She is also receiving threatening phone calls and bomb threats, which put her under the careful watch of Jackson and Titan.
Jackson is a man of integrity and wants to protect Nicki and her unborn baby. Under the dubious orders of his chief, Jackson hires Nicki to be a cook at the ranch he owns and lives in with his uncle, a retired police officer. However, my suspension of disbelief only goes so far. I cannot imagine any police chief in any town, no matter how small, suggesting this as a means to protect a potential witness. It serves the plot, because Jackson and Nicki grow closer to each other as the bomb threats become real (Nickis apartment is partially destroyed by a small homemade bomb).
Nicki does get a bit of slut shaming from her boss at the Truck Stop Diner, Lou, when he fires her. However, Nicki is a bit too naïve for her own good. Her ex-boyfriend saddled her with a lot of debt after he ran up her credit cards without her knowledge as well as impregnating and abandoning her. She was bullied and verbally abused by her shady cousin, Arianna, and apparently never told any adults about this while growing up. Its easy to see why Jackson would want to help her, but at some point she really needs to get her head screwed on straight and stop being so gullible. Nickis being related to a criminal would be enough for a subplot, but the author just piles on the additional angst for no apparent reason.
Also, at one point Jackson tries to reach Nicki but her cell phone battery has died, and she never thought to recharge it. Come on. You need a cell phone to call for help because of the threats youve been receiving and you simply state, it never rang? In an age where everyone has a cell phone to their ear 24/7, this type of behavior is ridiculous. In another instance, Jackson is searching for a person near the woods and Harold, his uncle, has been ordered to wait with Nicki in the car. Nicki impulsively jumps out to get a better vantage point to help Jackson search. Again, come on. One minute she is a frightened mouse and the next she is a cat ready to pounce.
Valerie Hansen is a favorite author of mine, and I really like most of her books. The minor characters are familiar to others whove read books in this miniseries (Texas K-9 Unit). I wanted to like this book, but the romance felt forced, and the heroines continual angst over her situation was irritating.
Nicolette (Nicki) Johnson is in trouble. She has been abandoned by her jerk of an ex-boyfriend after she revealed she was carrying his baby, shes about to be fired from her job for not showing up (due to morning sickness), shes behind on her rent, and now she has been implicated as a member of the crime ring by her now-deceased cousin, Arianna Munson. She is also receiving threatening phone calls and bomb threats, which put her under the careful watch of Jackson and Titan.
Jackson is a man of integrity and wants to protect Nicki and her unborn baby. Under the dubious orders of his chief, Jackson hires Nicki to be a cook at the ranch he owns and lives in with his uncle, a retired police officer. However, my suspension of disbelief only goes so far. I cannot imagine any police chief in any town, no matter how small, suggesting this as a means to protect a potential witness. It serves the plot, because Jackson and Nicki grow closer to each other as the bomb threats become real (Nickis apartment is partially destroyed by a small homemade bomb).
Nicki does get a bit of slut shaming from her boss at the Truck Stop Diner, Lou, when he fires her. However, Nicki is a bit too naïve for her own good. Her ex-boyfriend saddled her with a lot of debt after he ran up her credit cards without her knowledge as well as impregnating and abandoning her. She was bullied and verbally abused by her shady cousin, Arianna, and apparently never told any adults about this while growing up. Its easy to see why Jackson would want to help her, but at some point she really needs to get her head screwed on straight and stop being so gullible. Nickis being related to a criminal would be enough for a subplot, but the author just piles on the additional angst for no apparent reason.
Also, at one point Jackson tries to reach Nicki but her cell phone battery has died, and she never thought to recharge it. Come on. You need a cell phone to call for help because of the threats youve been receiving and you simply state, it never rang? In an age where everyone has a cell phone to their ear 24/7, this type of behavior is ridiculous. In another instance, Jackson is searching for a person near the woods and Harold, his uncle, has been ordered to wait with Nicki in the car. Nicki impulsively jumps out to get a better vantage point to help Jackson search. Again, come on. One minute she is a frightened mouse and the next she is a cat ready to pounce.
Valerie Hansen is a favorite author of mine, and I really like most of her books. The minor characters are familiar to others whove read books in this miniseries (Texas K-9 Unit). I wanted to like this book, but the romance felt forced, and the heroines continual angst over her situation was irritating.
