Third in the thrilling If I Run series by Terri Blackstock, If I Live picks up with Casey desperately trying to keep two steps ahead of corrupt police officers, Sy Rollins and Gordon Keegan, who are determined to deliver her up as a dangerous psychopathic killer.

Dylan Roberts is a private investigator, working with police, but hired by Brent Pace’s family, who want to get the real answers for their son's murder.

Casey, by this point in the series, is implicated so convincingly in Brent’s murder, it will take a crack lawyer to get her absolved. I love how Blackstock causes Casey to choose her unconventional lawyer.

Sometimes love can creep in when two souls are apart, yet communicating closely for a length of time. There isn’t actually a great amount of time that passes in the series, but the pressure is immense. Will this pressure negatively or positively affect Casey and Dylan’s relationship?

Written in first person, the pov switches mainly between Casey and Dylan. The language is deceptively simple, belying the intense and complicated action. This is not a book I would recommend as a standalone. It needs to be read as it was written, third in a desperately exciting series. Also, probably not best read late at night.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I am under no obligation to provide a positive review and all opinions are solely my own.

I picked up If I Live, the third and final book in the If I Run series, expecting to only read a few chapters before putting it down for the night. I knew I shouldn't have started this book so close to bedtimes. Several hours passed and as I put my Kindle down all I could utter was, "Wow, now THAT is the way to end a series."

In March 2017 I read and reviewed the first book in the If I Run series. I was blown away and knew this series was going to be an incredible ride. Terri Blackstock has an amazing gift of pulling her readers in from the very beginning and If I Live is no exception. I fought to tear my eyes away from the pages, but I was instantly hooked, hungering to see how everything would turn out.

Casey Cox is on the run for her life, having been indicted for the murder of her best friend, Brent Pace, whom she found dead at the beginning of the series. Though she is innocent she continues to flee from the men who actually murdered Brent, and who now have their sights set on her. The twist is that the murderers are Louisiana detectives, making it easy for them to cover their tracks and commit the perfect murder, if they can only silence Casey for good.

Dylan Roberts is the detective that was hired by Brent's parents to find the fugitive. Dylan knows of Casey's innocence, and is working to not only keep them both safe, but to also help unveil the truth about the real killers.

You see the drama unfold through the eyes of both Casey and Dylan, and you also get to see part of the story through the eyes of the killer. Don't let the "clean and wholesome" tag fool you either. There is a lot of action and suspense, and quite a few times I was growling out loud in frustration at the direction of the story. I personally appreciated how the author included Casey's journey to discovering her faith throughout the action in the book and did not think that it took anything away from the story as a whole. I also enjoyed the little bit of a love story that was sprinkled in there as well.

If you like action-packed, page-turning goodness If I Live is the book for you! I would strongly urge you to read the first two books so that you can get a better feel for the back story, though the author does do a decent job of catching the reader up if you were to read this as a stand-alone book. If I could give more than five stars I would! The writing is exemplary and I promise if you pick up this book you will not be disappointed.

Casey Cox is indicted for murder and is on the run. For years she has been trying to prove that her father was murdered rather than committed suicide but the dirty cop that killed him is after her now and has set her up to take the wrap for her best friend's murder.

Dylan Roberts is the investigator who has been trying to bring Casey to justice until he realizes that she is the innocent in this drama. He is gathering evidence of her innocence the guilt of the dirty cops, Keegan and Rollins. He is convinced that there are others who are involved in the conspiracy and doesn't know who to trust. When his life is threatened and the body count is mounting, he has to act fast, not only to save himself, but Casey, too.

This was a wonderfully told story. It was clean with no foul language and sex scenes. There was drama, suspense and romance. There was a Christian undertone to the book, as well, as a happy ending. The story takes place mostly in Louisiana, where I grew up, so I recognized the names of locations that are mentioned. I haven't read the other books in the series but now I want to get more back story, although, you don't have to to enjoy the book.

I was given an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. This is a Christian author from a Christian publishing company. So, there are scenes between the action where the characters take time out to pray. I'm neither yes or no, so I just skip those pages.

The action scenes and the story are so good with some excellent plot twists that I just overlook that part. An excellent author with an excellent series.

Thanks to Zondervan Fiction and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Loved this series! Action packed!
Casey is on the run from corrupt cops who have framed her for crimes--murder being the worst. She has been framed for the murder of Brent Pace, her friend. The public believes her to be guilty. She has colored her pretty blonde hair black, wears wigs, changes her makeup, but is it enough to keep anyone from recognizing her and turning her in?
Dylan Roberts, Brent's best friend, believes in her innocence and is helping her and trying to gain more evidence against Keegan (corrupt cop) while hoping and praying Casey will remain safe from him and the others who want her dead. There is so much corruption on the police force that Dylan doesn't know who to trust and who to turn over all their evidence and information to.
This is most definitely not one of those books in which you are able to determine the ending close to beginning the book. It has many twists and turns which made it difficult for me to put down. The ending was absolutely great! Terri Blackstock has such a great gift! I recommend this entire series!
I was given a free copy of this book by the publisher, Zondervan and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! Just wow! This was such an amazing series, that keeps you on the edge of your seat- this book wasn't the exception. I was hooked from page one of the first book, and it didn't let me go until the last page of this one. The characters are real, their struggles painful and heartwrenching. But the ending is awesome!! Don't miss this book- Don't miss this series! Received this book from Netgalley for our honest review.

Talk about edge of your seat nail biting. I was dying for this book to come out. Anyone who has read the first two in the series know exactly how I feel. If you haven’t read them, what are you waiting for? Nail biting romance doesn’t get any better than this. Once I started reading I couldn’t stop. I was dying to get to the next page and at the same time dreading what might happen once I get there. The timer on my kindle was torture, knowing it was only going to take me so long to read it, and yet knowing there was only so much time left before the series was over. Blackstock made me love Casey and Dylan even more than I previously did. I couldn’t wait to see if the duo was able to gather enough evidence, and also make out with their lives. I loved the bits of faith woven in, and was reminded to look for the good God is doing in my life. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrill ride that also enjoys some good romance. I received a copy of this book from Zondervan Publishers and was in no way forced to post a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

If I Live by Terri Blackstock is the third and final installment in the If I Run series. In this book, Casey is still on the run from the law after being framed for her good friend's murder. The chase is on and the suspense never stops for a minute in this book. All three of the books in this series are action packed, but the stakes are highest in this final book, and the suspense is even greater as a result. The book never stops grabbing you from page one, so I recommend that you no start reading until you have time to finish. :) Fantastic series, fantastic conclusion! Read them all-- each one is worth the read. I highly recommend the entire series! I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher. These opinions are entirely my own.

WOW! What a way to end this series. This has been one super charged thrill ride from the very beginning. Blackstock successfully kept the momentum going from book to book. This is one of the best series I have read in a long while. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley & Zondervan Fiction in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

#IfILive #TerriBlackstock #NetGalley

Oh. My Goodness. What a fabulous conclusion to the If I Run series by Terri Blackstock. Somehow the author was able to keep Casey Cox in mortal danger for the whole book, yet progress the plot, build solid three-dimensional characters, and develop a sweet and believable romance.
An awesome read and I highly recommend If I Live!

None stop nail-biting action! Don’t let your guard down because you never know what is going to happen next. It appears that Casey finally has a chance at justice, but she has to say alive long enough first. There were many times I was scared witless for Casey and Dylan. Never knowing who to trust some chances they take work out and others backfire. I was shocked at the extent of villain’s reach and how much control over others he had. Through it all though Casey learns that God is on her side and always watching out for her. She learns to find the good moments in amidst the tough ones.

Keegan, the villain of the series, is even more evil than in the previous books. As much as getting inside Keegan’s head terrified me, I loved that the story was told from his perspective as well as Casey and Dylan. I felt this allowed me to really understand the characters and what motivated them.

I have really enjoyed the way Dylan and Casey’s relationship has progressed over the course of the three books. The progression feels unique, first Dylan is hunting Casey down, then he begins to believe her story, then during the course of trying to find evidence to prove that Casey is innocent the two develop a relationship that had me cheering for them to win this battle and end up together. The few moments that had together were charming.

In addition to main characters, a few new ones were introduced, I wasn’t sure what to think about the “Google search” lawyer but I ended up really liking his part in the story. He surprised me (in a good way). This book kept the same feel as the previous two and flowed wonderfully, I never felt like I missed something. I am satisfied with the conclusion of this book and the series.

It was a struggle to make myself put this book down one I started it; as much as I wanted to savour it I devoured it over the course of two evenings. This is a series that MUST be read in order. This is the only way that the reader will fully understand what is going on, why Casey is a wanted fugitive, how Casey and Dylan connect and just what lengths the villain will go to get their way.

WOW! Fantastic finish to a fantastic series. Blackstock once again gives an excellent story. Suspense, romance, and okay, I’ll say it, Happy Endings!

By the third book in the series you can’t help but love Casey and Dylan. You want them to win.

I would recommend this story to my friends and family that enjoy good suspense. I do recommend you read all the books in the series, in order. You would probably enjoy it only reading book three, but to totally appreciate it, you want to read it as a set.

Disclaimer: I did receive a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.com, I was not required to give a review and the opinions here are my own.

Loved It!!!! I really don’t want to see the series end. Casey Cox is still on the run after being indicted for murder. The hunt that began with her bloody footprints escalates, and she’s running out of places to hide. Her face is all over the news, and her disguises are no longer enough. Dylan Roberts, the investigator who once hunted her, is now her only hope. Terrifying attempts on Dylan’s life could force Casey out of hiding. Ms. Blackstock has really shown herself as a master of suspense with this series.
As I continued to read the series, I found that I really did like the characters or Casey and Dylan. And I really appreciated that Casey was troubled by the fact that she had to create a false identity. It was a good way to pull into the book Christian principles. Even though I didn’t want the series to end, I also was glad it did so I would not have to wait for another cliffhanger to be resolved. The ladies in my book club refused to read the second until the third came out because they couldn’t stand having to wait for the resolution to the story.
I was provided a copy of this book (much to my book clubs annoyance) for providing this review. The comments are my own.

Casey Cox is still on the run, changing names and hairstyles every few days to stay off the radar and escape the law. She is grateful for the limited connection with private investigator Dylan Roberts, who believes that she is innocent and is determined to discover the conspiracy behind the murder of Casey’s friend Brent. Only the other cops on the case are dirty and now it appears that the District Attorney may also be involved. As Dylan and Casey race against the clock to gather evidence, the enemy starts to close in fast, creating a deadly game that may cost them everything.

I have been eagerly anticipating this novel since I read the second book last year and after receiving it, I read the entire story in one sitting. This series is phenomenal! I was hooked yet again from page one and could not put the book down. The twists and turns were surprising and created an explosive finish to an exciting series. I definitely recommend that you read the series in order although that should be no difficulty as the first two books are equally thrilling. I am also impressed with the author’s ability to seamlessly weave in a Christian message and theme throughout the chaos of the action. I most highly recommend this book and this whole series!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/Zondervan Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Perfect ending to one of the best Christian suspense series ever written!

Terri Blackstock is a master at keeping you on the edge of your seat, and turning the pages as fast as you can. While a lot of series feature different main characters in each book, all three books in this series focus on the same two people.

Casey Cox is still on the run after being set up for the murder of one of her closest friends. Casey has finally learned to trust Dylan Roberts, a military veteran that was hired to find her. Casey knows Dylan may be the only person that can help her expose the truth. Casey and Dylan work together to find the evidence needed to prove Casey's innocence. Dylan and Casey know it will take a miracle to find someone to believe them, especially when they are working against law enforcement. Their faith in each other is the one thing that keeps them both fighting for the truth. Will they be able to hold onto that faith until justice is served?

You will definitely want to read this series in order, as it is a continuing story from the beginning. I very much appreciated the spiritual aspect throughout this entire series. Dylan knowing that faith was all he had left, and Casey learning that she must find faith to keep going. The ending could not have been more perfect for both Casey and Dylan. A truly beautiful example of John 8:32.

While this is the third book in the “If I Run” series by Terri Blackstock, it is the first book that I have read both in the series and by Ms. Blackstock. I found it very easy to pick up mid-series and to be able to keep up with the action. I consider it an easy book to read stand-alone; however, I personally want to go back and read the prior two books so I can see how the characters grew to the point they are in this story.

Casey is on the run, accused of a crime that she didn’t commit. Dylan has become a friend instead of an individual looking for her (he was hired by the murder victim’s family to find her.) By working together (though they are apart), they start to uncover the individuals responsible for not only this crime but many others.


As a Christian, I am always a little sensitive to Christian-based books which come across either too preachy or which barely give a nod to Christian core beliefs. I found that this book walks a good balance between the two extremes. It is a good story with lots of action and suspense but it gives a picture of someone coming to terms with Christianity and beginning to understand the breadth and depth of the love of a Savior.

I will certainly be reading more books by Ms. Blackstock in the future. I’m thrilled to have found another Christian fiction author whose work I can enjoy and admire.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

This is a very satisfying ending to a favorite series. My attention was grabbed from the first page. It has fast-paced suspense, likeable characters, and many twists and turns. I loved it!

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series and have been anticipating reading the conclusion to the series for a while. I loved how this series concluded! I had a difficult time putting this book down - It was fast pasted and held my attention throughout. I would recommend this book and suggest reading the entire series in order.
I enjoyed the style of writing - the first person point of view. It was a unique perspective into the thoughts of the characters and I felt like I was able to connect with the characters in a great way.

Casey had to sort out who she could trust - not only in learning that she could trust Dylan but also in learning to trust God and her new found faith. It was a unique perspective watching Casey and Dylan working together while at a distance but also building a lasting relationship through this as well. Through this, Dylan is able to reconnect with God.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley.
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

In the book If I Live, author Terri Blackstock concludes the intriguing story of Casey who is on the run for the murder of her friend Brent that she did not commit. But the detectives investigating the murder are dirty and were involved in her father’s death years earlier? Brent’s family has hired private detective Dylan Roberts. But Dylan believes that Casey is innocent and has fallen in love with her. Who can they trust? Which police are part of the corruption? Can they trust Chief Gates?
I would highly recommend this fast pace, edge of your seat conclusion to the series for any reader. It was a great ride! I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One of the best conclusions to a series I have read in a long time! Blackstock does not disappoint!

Casey Cox is still running for her life and trying to prove she is not a murderer. She has been indicted for murder, but has information that proves she isn’t a killer, if she can only find someone to believe her. Her face is all over the news and even with changing her appearance she still fears being recognized. Dylan Roberts may have been tasked with finding Casey and bringing her to justice, but after discovering all the information Casey has to prove her case, he is now the only one to help her. The more they work together the closer they become and Casey’s enemies use that to lure her out by putting Dylan’s life in danger. Neither of them want to put the other in danger, but is it worth staying safe if it means the real killer goes free?

Terri Blackstock is one of the premier Christian fictions writers for a reason. With her latest installment in the If I Run series, she shows what it takes to write a story readers will want to not just read but devour. This series is by far her best yet and the conclusion will make readers ecstatic. Both Casey and Dylan are characters that are flawed and trying to figure things out as they go. They don’t have it all together and make it easy for readers to picture themselves in their shoes. I was surprised halfway through the book at the direction the story was going. I didn’t see it being able to stay worthwhile if it continued along this course. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised with how well Blackstock worked things out to bring the story to an entirely new level of suspense.

These days it is hard to find writers that are able to bring things to a new level. When you discover a writer with the caliber of Blackstock, you want to hang on tightly and remember her. The only negative aspect of the book is how sad I am that this is the last in the series. I’m not saying this because the story wasn’t wrapped up but because I would love to see more with these characters and more by Blackstock. I’ve learned a lot from reading books written by Terri Blackstock, not just how well written novels actually look, but also from the stories themselves. Research is key to making key points believable and it is obvious an immense amount of research went into making these novels what they are. While this is the last book in the series, I recommend reading the series in order for the story to be at its fullest. I highly recommend If I Live to fans of Blackstock new and old that want an incredible read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.