The 5th book in the Max Revere series can be read as a stand-alone or as part of the series. This is my favorite of the books so far.
Max is searching for answers to her own past and to find out about her mother’s disappearance. This book takes you on a suspenseful and emotional journey as Max starts to piece what happened together . The twists and turns keep you guessing until the very end. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC for this book. It is a must read.

A great story. Abandoned by Allison Brennan, book five in the Max Revere series. Even though I haven't read the other books in this series I still enjoyed it. It should be in order as a series but this book would be read as a standalone. Likable characters and a suspense storyline that pulled me in from the first chapter. I look forward to going back to read the past books in this series and more by this author.

This thriller was fast paced and well written! I devoured it in one sitting, as the twists kept coming and I couldn't put it down!

Thanks to Minotaur books, Alison Brennan and Netgalley for this ARC. I love Maxine Revere ! This books was a definite favorite of mine. we have an in-depth look and an explanation of Max’s mother, and I loved every twist and turn of Martha’s life. As in all books, I’d like a happy ending, but sometimes it’s just not to be, only because the storyline wouldn’t call for one, such as this. With Max and Ryan getting together, I can see another book in the works 😊 this was a definite 5 Star for me !

This book is out now so go get it! Abandoned by Allison Brennan is part of a series but I haven’t read any of the previous novels. Typically, you can just jump into a novel in the middle of a series and the author will give a bit of background info so the reader isn’t lost. This is book #5 in the Max Revere series. When I read the plot, it sounded like something I could sink my teeth into and enjoy!



Synopsis:

Investigative reporter Max Revere has cracked many cases, but the one investigation she’s never attempted is the mystery from her own past. Her mother abandoned her when she was nine, sending her periodic postcards, but never returning to reclaim her daughter. Seven years after the postcards stop coming, Martha Revere is declared legally dead, with no sign of what may have happened to her. Until now.

With a single clue―that her mother’s car disappeared sixteen years ago in a small town on the Chesapeake Bay―Max drops everything to finally seek the truth. As Max investigates, and her mother’s story unfolds, she realizes that Martha teamed up with a con man. They traveled the world living off Martha’s trust and money they conned from others.

Though no one claims to know anything about Martha or her disappearance, Max suspects more than one person is lying. When she learns the FBI has an active investigation into the con man, Max knows she’s on the right path. But as Max digs into the dark secrets of this idyllic community, the only thing she might find is the same violent end as her mother.



A good family suspense is always riveting! Have you read any books from this series? They are rated highly and since I liked Sue Grafton’s series, I am hopeful that I will love Allison’s books too.

Allison Brennan is one of the best writers out there and this book proves it. It's a taut and thrilling rollercoaster of a ride that has you gripping the safety bar as you are whipped here there and everywhere as you race to read as fast as you can so you can find out what happens Definitely should be a must pick up. Happy reading!

This book really was a game changer for Max. Max discovered more about her mother and what happened to her. Some of it bad, some of it very good. It seemed like by going through this Max could look back on her childhood in a different way and finally realize her mother leaving her was a good thing.

Max also discovered how much David means to her. I think she knew this before hand, but there is knowing and there is KNOWING.

Oddly enough Max's romantic life seems a bit more settled and with an unlikely candidate. I wasn't sure about this guy at the start, but by the end realized he is perfect for Max. Much like her he is upfront to a fault.

Big changes are ahead for Max and I think most of them are going to be good for her. She has things to anchor her while still searching for the truth about lost souls.

Max’s quest to answer the questions surrounding her mother’s disappearance is resolved in this emotional and richly detailed investigation. Surprises abound and emotions are rolling in this fifth story regarding Max and her job as a cold case investigator. Many sweet and funny moments, as well as many bittersweet and sad moments. Twists that kept me captivated and conversations that stole my heart. I love the new additions to her life and can’t wait to see how things work back in New York!

Max is a strong and charasmatic individual who lives life to the fullest. Her family life is full of tension and secrets, but has been mentioned in the previous four books. AB solves the question of why Max’s mother disappeared. In between putting together clues and coming to terms with her background and memories, Max meets quite a few people who make an impact on her. It was great seeing these happy moments and emotions as the last two books had her personal life facing some struggles. Some of her characters from Lucy Kincaid’s series had a role in this story and I was so happy b/c I love those three families and their friends! Dillon Kincaid keeps inching his way to being one of the best characters ever and I am not mad about it!

This could be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading the series in order. Once I realized this was a series, I went and started with book one and man, I am loving this series and author!

Thank you Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the chance to read this book and share my opinion!

Abandoned by Allison Brennan
Max Revere #5

Max sounded familiar to me though I didn’t remember having read all of the books in the series. I looked back and found I had read one of them when it came out and had enjoyed it and have to say I enjoyed this one, too. Max Revere is a strong female lead with trust and commitment issues after being abandoned by her mother at the age of nine. She has finally decides to use her investigative skills to find out what happened to Martha, her mother, who was declared dead years ago. Was she murdered? Has she assumed another name and moved away? What happened to her? If she is dead then why and who killed her?

With clues brought in by a private investigator, her personal journals, postcards sent by her mother and time off from work Rex settles into the task she has set for herself. As in the other book I read in this series - Rex questions many people, follows where the clues lead, suspects various possible outcomes and then toward the end things get stirred up big time as a the threads of the mystery are unraveled to a dark gritty dirty core that leaves some dead, some injured, some with new family members and many with new truths to deal with. And, guess what? There is a new man for Rex to enjoy that (hopefully) will be a better match for her than the ones she has left behind.

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes
Would I have wanted to have Rex’s life? Nope…no way…no how!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan/SMP/Minotaur for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Cold case investigative reporter Maxine Revere was nine years old when her mother Martha left her in the care of her grandmother and left town with her boyfriend. Twenty-two years later, Max puts her job on hold to use her resources to investigate her own case and find out what really happened to her presumed-dead mother.

I have enjoyed all of the prior books in this series and wasn't sure I'd like this one as well since Max isn't doing a show but instead investigating a case for her own knowledge. However, I really enjoyed it and Max still has plenty of investigating to do to try to better understand her mother and find out if she really was murdered. Most of the book is from Max's point of view, but there are some scenes taking place in the past from the point of view of Martha. Flashbacks like this can sometimes be distracting, but seeing the past through Martha's eyes were insightful and made the book more interesting.

Max is a strong character used to taking care of herself and this book makes it clear she had to learn to do so at a young age and makes her even more likable. She never gives up when helping others and this time, she was able to help herself, too, in getting more information about her complicated mother. The book is fast-paced and I was surprised by the unexpected developments in Max's personal life that come about during the investigation. I look forward to seeing how things progress in future books. On a side note, I don't read the author's Lucy Kincaid series, but those who do will be happy with the cameos that PI Sean Rogan and Forensic Psychiatrist Dillon Kincaid play in the book.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars
After reading Shattered by Allison Brennan last year I was an instant fan, so I was excited to see another book in her Max Revere series!
Abandoned had me glued to my kindle, I swear I was shocked that I finished the book in one day! The moment I was done I wanted more! Max is an amazing character; she is such a strong woman!! We need more strong bad ass woman in books today! Max is determined to find out the truth about her mother…..but she finds out more than she could ever expect!!!
Abandoned by Allison Brennan is a must read! It has it all mystery, suspense and a dash of romance! I can’t wait for more in the Max Revere series!!!

Max is an investigative reporter and she is on the biggest case of her life….finding out what happened to her mother, Martha Revere. Max’s mother left her with her grandmother when she was just a small girl. Max received several postcards from her through out her life. Then the postcards just stopped. Max wants to know why!

Max is a no nonsense, get the job done, lady! When she sets her mind to something she is going to see it through. Martha Revere is the complete opposite of her daughter. She is a fly by night, could care less kind of person. Martha is a con artist…a rich con artist. She is living off her trust fun money and traveling the world. And where this lands her? Try art theft!

I love this tangled web of deceit created by Martha. She is no dummy. She cons a con and that is hard to do. This puts her in hot water. Max is slowly unraveling Martha’s exploits. This puts Max in more danger than she cares to admit! Plus, it leads her to find out something she never expected.

This is a lightening fast read with great characters and a great mystery. Allison Brennan has written tons of books. I cannot believe I have missed her! How?!? She is now on my list!

I received this novel from Minotaur Books via Netgalley for a honest review.

4.5 Stars

As an investigative reporter for Maximum Exposure it’s Maxine’s job and passion to investigate cold cases and get answers. Not only for justice, but for the family left behind without closure. But this case is personal. Maxine’s mother, Martha, disappeared sixteen years ago and was finally declared dead, but they never found out what happened to her.

After getting to know Max through the previous books it’s apparent her mother’s abandonment and then disappearance has cast a shadow over her life. We get glimpses of Martha Revere in the past and let me tell you she was a piece of work! Self-absorbed without a care for anyone else, least of all her daughter. She dumped Max off with her mother (Max’s grandmother) when Max was just nine and never looked back. My heart hurt for Max.

After so many years of not knowing what exactly happened she gets a break in the case when Sean Rogan finds a clue leading back to the seaside town of Cape Haven. Could Martha Revere have spent her last days there? And if so what was she doing there that led to her death? Max is determined to find out exactly what happened. Not surprisingly, Max’s digging around and asking questions ruffles a few feathers, but even more than that, it puts her in danger. Abandoned had me on a knife edge with all the tension swirling, and things got very desperate by the end!

I’ve become very fond of Maxine through this series. Yes, she can be hyper-focused on her mission to the point of stepping on toes or just bulldozing right over whoever gets in her way, but she does it out of the sincere belief that she’s doing what’s right. She’s honest and doesn’t play games, and I was glad that after Nick’s behavior in the last few books it seems Max might’ve finally found someone worthy of her. I really love how far she’s has come as a person, and I’m interested to see how some of the new developments in Abandoned will affect Max’s life in the future.

Each book of the Max Revere series tackles and solves a mystery, but I can’t really recommend this as a standalone. Max’s personal life and history are built upon with each new installment and that’s a huge part of what makes the series so addictive. It is a series that I love and whole-heartedly recommend!

A copy was kindly provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This review is also posted at The Readers Den.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book.
The best so far in the Max Revere series. It solves the mystery of Max's mother which has been a theme running through all of the previous books. The plot really is quite complicated but the author guides it through many twists and turns and the reader is never lost. Max has a new love interest and this time it works as he is an integral part of the plot rather than just someone thrown in for the sake of providing a love interest. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 because I really liked this book.

Thank you Net-Galley, St. Martin's Press and Author for an advanced readers copy of this story. This is book 5 in the Max Revere series but can be read as a standalone. I have not read the others in the series yet but plan to.

I loved this book and read it pretty fast. It took me less than 3 hours total reading time to read this story over a couple of days. I didn't want to put it down but sometimes in life we have to do what we don't want to. I loved Max she is a strong character and in this story she is wanting to find out the truth about her mother. In the process she finds out more about herself and finds someone she didn't know existed. This story had it all suspense, mystery, and a little romance mixed in.

I was rooting for a different outcome with one of the characters. I wanted more of him and kinda thought that maybe he would be a good fit for Max but the author told the story differently. Still loved the book though.

Abandoned by Allison Brennan was a read that held my attention with every twist and turn the book took. The mystery and the suspense were well written and I felt I had to find out what would happen. Books that are suspenseful and have interesting characters are almost always favorites of mine to read. This is the fifth book in the series, and I have read one previously and found the book and the main character fascinating.

Max Revere had a childhood unlike many. She was abandoned by her mother at her grandmother’s house. She was brought up with wealth and privilege but always thought her mother would come back for her. Max’s obsession (well and it is the way she makes a living) with cold cases has finally brought her to finding out what happened to her mother. She goes on vacation to the small town on the Chesapeake Bay where her mother’s car was left and she disappeared.

The story takes many twists and turns, some anticipated and some not. I liked how the story unfolded and the addition of the hot FBI guy (drool) for Max. I think this is a new series for me to follow as Max continues on her journey. Abandoned by Allison Brennan was a good read!

Abandoned, the 5th book in the Max Revere series, is a very good mystery which stands quite well on its own. I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but that didn't get in the way at all of thoroughly enjoying this book. I look forward on catching up on the others in the series.

Max Revere, 32, is an investigative reporter, with her own TV show, who focuses on cold cases, but this cold case is strictly personal - she wants to know what happened to the mother, Martha, who abandoned her at age 9, and never returned for her. Martha periodically sent her daughter postcards, and withdrew monthly from her trust fund but both the postcards and withdrawals stopped 16 years ago. Seven years later, Martha was declared dead. Max has been able to trace her mother's tracks up to the point where the withdrawals stopped and has taken a leave of absence from her job to find out what really happened to her mother.

One clue leads Max to return to the small town where the traceable trail ends - her mother's car was found on a dusty road nearby. The sheriff is willing to help her, and some of the townspeople are friendly, but she also has alot of doors slammed in her face and several people are determined to make her leave town. The FBI is also involved as they are investigating the man that Martha ran with for several years.

Max is a very strong, no-nonsense woman - I loved her character! Other characters are equally richly drawn. This story has it all - mystery, suspense, twists and turns throughout, and a bit of romance thrown in as well.

A very good read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press - Minotaur Books for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

A journalist, Max Revere seeking the answers about what truly happened to the mother that abandoned her finds danger, more questions and mysterious answers as this complicated, riveting and intense novel plays out. Coupled with Max’s relentless search for clues to her mother’s disappearance is the story enfolding of her mother’s actions and motives and of the crimes she committed. Past and present collide in a thrilling battle for survival.

I really enjoy the character Maxine Revere. She is a strong, independent woman; but in this book, we see her vulnerability. It's amazing she turned out so well with such a despicable Mother. At least her Mother had the sense to leave Max with her grandparents where she had a strong, stable life from age 10 on - - much different from the first 10 years of her life with her Mother.

I suppose I can understand why Max wants to know what happened to her Mother - much like adopted children who go searching for their biological parents. What is she hoping to learn? What answers will she find? The story keeps the reader intrigued to learn answers along with Max.

Readers of previous Max Revere books will love this one; and those for which this is their first exposure to Max will find the book stands alone on it's own.

Abandoned is the latest book in the Max Revere series by Allison Brennan. Abandoned is very much a stand alone story. I have only read one previous Max novel and really enjoyed this one. Easy to follow with likable main characters with some edge of the seat moments. I was given an early copy to review.