Natalie Walters Welcomes Readers Back To Small-Town Walton, GA In Her Newest Release, Silent Shadows, A Romantic Suspense Novel That You Will Not Be Able To Put Down!

Once again, Walters introduces dynamic characters with a suspense-ridden plot and sparking new romance. Capturing the hearts of her readers, she brings alive a vibrant community of relatable characters, southern charm and a thread of hope as she unfolds this newest story in her Harbored Secrets series.

When I come across books I love, it is hard for me not to sing their praises. Books that capture my attention, heart and soul are ones to be cherished. Natalie Walters’ Harbored Secrets series are those type of books.

This was perhaps my favorite book of the three. Walters is a master of mixing romance, suspense and faith. None of those three things are ever lacking in her stories. She weaves a riveting plot that keeps readers excitedly turning the pages, while tugging on their heartstrings with a community of characters that are strong, resilient and lovable. Fictional Walton, GA embodies true small town spirit with a southern style flair, drawing readers in and captivating their hearts. The suspense to this story kept my on my toes, with intermittent intense action and a surprising twist near the end.

Pecca and Colton’s stories are captivating and tender. I truly admired each of their characters - Pecca for her grit and faith, Colton for his charming, heroic nature. Their struggles and past choices are ones that are easy to identify with, and readers will find they can relate to these characters on a personal level. As a reader and a mom, I appreciated Pecca’s love for her son and how she owned her past and the choices she made at a young age. Watching these two independent people overcome their struggles and open their hearts to God’s future for them was truly heartwarming. I thoroughly enjoyed their banter, blossoming romance and seeing how God used their circumstances to bring them together. I love that Walters is able to create a steamy, fun romance while still maintaining healthy boundaries and offer “clean” reading.

Lastly, the beautiful message of hope that Walters has subtly woven into the story line of Silent Shadows is one that readers will find encouraging and inspiring. As a result, I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy romantic suspense, Christian fiction and contemporary fiction. The book is appropriate for mature teen readers 16+

Silent Shadows is the third book in the Harbored Secrets series. While the books do have a few character crossovers, each of the three books can be read as complete stories in and of themselves. Silent Shadows is a thrilling tale about mistakes, gangs, wounded military heroes, and, of course, delicious romance.

Pecca would do anything to protect her son. Maceo has already faced so many challenges in his life, so she is determined to protect him from the gang violence of his father’s world. Pecca thought she was pretty safe in the small town of Walton, working as a nurse in the Home for Heroes, but when a serious of threats continue to target her and Maceo, she will need to rely on her newest patient, Colton, an Army Captain suffering from a muscle disorder, to keep them safe. But their physically safety might come at the risk of Pecca’s heart and dreams of the future.

There are some wonderful elements to this book. I particularly enjoyed young Maceo who dreams of being like the other kids and being able to play football, despite his prosthetic leg. He idolises Colton, who does such a wonderful job of encouraging Maceo and helping him to see himself for his full worth and not the bits he lacks. This book has a wonderful family vibe, from little kids football games, and after school play dates and all the troubles of kids in school.

I also really enjoyed the romance between Colton and Pecca. While they have a rough start, literally, that doesn’t last long and the attraction is mutual and strong. As they work together, both on Colton’s medical therapy and in trying to protect Pecca and Maceo from the looming threats, Colton and Pecca have some time to really get to know each other. I love that they talk about their dreams and the things they regret. It’s not all chemistry and kisses, though there is some of that, but also a few heart-to-hearts, which gives their relationship depth.

The war heroes of Ward D are hilarious and such a heartwarming addition to the book with their teasing, arguing over the best arm of the military and their support of Pecca and Colton’s relationship. Overall, there is such a welcoming and heartwarming hometown vibe to this book, which offsets the thrills and intrigue perfectly.

Looking for a thrilling, romantic read? Try Silent Shadows. You won’t be disappointed.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Silent Shadows is the third and final installment in Natalie Walters' Harbored Secrets series and I can guarantee it will keep readers everywhere on the edge of their seats. This author may still be a relatively new voice to the Christian suspense genre, but she has quickly become one of my new favorites, and I expect to see many great things from her in the future.

Readers first met Pecca in the earlier books in the series, and I was really looking forward to reading her story. Pecca has not had the easiest life, but she's determined to do whatever it takes to keep her son Maceo safe. Walton was at first a place to getaway, but it's truly come come to feel like home for Pecca, and she's come to love her friends in this small town, and her work as nurse for habitats for heroes.

After her past mistakes with Maceo's father, Pecca's been weary of trusting her heart to anyone else, but that changes when she meets her new patient, Captain Colton Crawford. Colton's struggling with a muscle disorder that caused mandatory discharge from his military position, and he certainly wasn't planning on Pecca. Colton and Pecca soon can't deny the feelings that are beginning to develop between them, but sinister forces are at play in the background that will threaten everything they've come to care about. Colton and Pecca will have to learn to rely completely on Him and His never ending grace in order to find a way out of the twisted web of deep secrets that are about to be revealed.

Natalie Walters truly excels at writing damaged heroes who come to learn the importance of faith in moving on from their struggles, and it's now a toss up for me as to whether Charlie, Ryan or Colton is my favorite from this series. Each story was unique in its own way, and yet each still has a strong faith element, a focus on the small town of Walton, and a spine tingling mystery that keeps readers guessing from start to finish. I really enjoyed how this installment features characters introduced in the previous books, as I always enjoy getting an extra peak into previous character's lives.

You can honestly tell from all the detail throughout this one that Natalie Walters is truly passionate about military life, and this definitely shines through in the Habitat for Heroes setting in this one. You can tell as a reader that it's been well researched, and that everything you're reading about seems truly realistic and authentic.

I'm honestly sad that this is the last title in the Harbored Secrets series as I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters. I would have loved to have seen Claudia get her own story, but maybe we will be lucky enough to see that happen in a spin off series someday. Regardless of what Natalie Walters plans to deliver to her readers next, I can guarantee I will be waiting anxiously for the chance to read it.

Final Rating: 4/5


Thanks so much to NetGalley and Revell for allowing me to advance read this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this novel from the publisher (Revell). I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Silent Shadows is a well-written faith-based romantic suspense that should be enjoyed by all who follow this genre of fiction.

A series of twists make it unclear who is the villain and who is the victim. Pecca Gallegos, her family, and friends from Walton GA, along with her new client, Colton Crawford, will spend weeks working toward understanding the danger facing the community. It may be just a bunch of misdirected kids, but that seems too simple a solution. And the most likely answer does not fit the evidence that has been found. Making the solution more complex is that a good number of the players are disabled veterans who have served their country and now needed healing themselves.

The book is the conclusion of a series of three books begun a little less than a year ago - but I had no idea of this until I read the “Acknowledgments” found at the end of the book. This, of course, means that Silent Shadows can be read as a standalone story without having read the two previous books in the series. There were times that the romance slowed down the suspense, but not by much and this reader stilled greatly enjoyed the book.

This book will easily find a home in the church or public library.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Loved this book!!! The struggles of single parenthood and disabilities, a budding romance, and small town gossip all twisted with some humor and suspense make this book one that you want to keep reading. I want another series to spin off!! I *need* to know more about Pecca and Colton and their ranch! Please write more on them!! Xoxo

Silent Shadows is a fantastic romantic suspense. I loved the fast paced plot and well developed characters. Natalie Walters has written a real page turner. Suspense fans will not want to miss this book. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Silent Shadows by Natalie Walters is a spellbinding romantic suspense. I turned the pages in anticipation of what would happen next. The characters are so likable and endearing. The story line is original, with a hero who is a war vet with a diagnosis of PMD. (I had never heard of before.) There is action with twists and a sweet and swoony romance which did my romantic heart good.This is the third book in the series, but could easily be read as a stand alone. I loved this book and I really do hope there will be a book about Claudia.
*I was given a copy of this book by Revell Publishing and this is my honest opinion.

“Silent Shadows”, by Natalie Walters (Revell), features a wounded hero with an unusual condition who doesn’t get a miracle cure; he gets a little better and learns to adapt, adjust to his disorder and to look beyond his physical limitations.
Colton’s anger with his condition is believable and the moody, gruff, and yet so very protective, kind and generous hero, is well written.
It’s a story about second chances, with a message of hope, about how new dreams can rise from the ashes of old ones.
I found the suspense plot convoluted and unrealistic sometimes and the story could have been shorter as it dragged a bit and made me lose interest. The dilemma about the health professional/patient relationship was handled in a simplistic way.

I don't want to spoil anything, but what a meet-cute! Every time it came up throughout the story, I chuckled all over again! So many of the side-characters popped off the page with this one! Particularly the men from D-Wing. You can tell that Natalie Walters is a military wife. Her love and compassion for soldiers (active, retired, and injured) is written into those characters. It was great to see characters from previous books and catch up on their lives as well. One thing I appreciated with this story was that there wasn't a miraculous healing in the end. And yet there was still a great deal of hope. What an encouragement that is!

Natalie Walters brings the inner turmoil of a retired Army soldier to life in her current novel, Silent Shadows. Being an Army wife for twenty-two years, I'm sure Walters has dealt with a lot of PTSD with soldiers her husband encounters. It was nice to see Walters bring Colton's issues to life. It wasn't the typical PTSD of having nightmares and mood changes. It was something different. Something I had never heard of before. I enjoyed how Walters allowed Pecca to use her skills to help him overcome his issues even though there is a long road ahead for both of them. The writing is excellent. Walters gives the fans of romantic suspense just what they desire. The romance is more than the suspense in the novel. I don't think the suspense was that important to the storyline as the develop of learning to move forward from the characters' individual pasts. Overall, Silent Shadows is enjoyable way to spend a day. I can't wait to see what Walters comes up with next.

I received a complimentary copy of Silent Shadows by Natalie Walters from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

“Silent Shadows” by Natalie Walters is the third and final book in the Trilogy, but this book could be read on its own. For some reason, I had a little bit harder time getting into this book compared to the other two. But once I got about half way through, I was hooked. There was a huge twist I never saw coming!

This book follows Pecca Gallegos, who has moved to a new town to protect her son and herself. Colton Crawford is one of Pecca’s patients and soon becomes Pecca’s protector. There are strange circumstances happening to Pecca, and together, Pecca and Colton try to figure out what is going on.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good, clean, romantic suspense. I received from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Have absolutely loved this series, this book is my fave of the 3 and it’s definitely an attention grabber and page turner....this book has it all, mystery, romance and intrigue....would highly recommend this book to readers that like to be pulled in from page 1....fantastic read and highly recommend this series, will definitely be looking for more books from this author in the future!!!!

Silent Shadows is the third and final book in Natalie Walters' Harbored Secrets series. This story can certainly be read on it's own, but it's a great series, so I would certainly recommend reading all in order. This is the second book in the series that I had personally read, and I absolutely loved it.

Christian romantic suspense is my absolute favorite genre and I must say that while this is only Natalie Walter's third book and first series, this book has certainly cemented her place in my must read list. She created a great mystery that had me engaged from the very start. There were many twists and turns that kept me guessing every step of the way. Now, I will say that I had figured out a few of the bigger, and what should have been more unexpected twists before they were ultimately revealed... but again I read a LOT of this genre and have learned to pick up some of those more subtle clues earlier on. Still, that didn't keep me from enjoying it any less.

The romance in the story was great too. I love a fantastic meet cute and this one certainly had a great one. The chemistry is hard to ignore from the initial meeting, and I truly couldn't help but fall in love with Pecca, Colton and Maceo and wanted them to end up together in the end. Being the end of the series, I must say it came to a rather satisfying conclusion as well.

While I wouldn't say the Christian content in this story was overwhelming, it was certainly an important part of the story. I enjoyed the message that regardless of how off course our own personal plans end up, God always brings us right where He intends us to be.

Overall, this was a fantastic read. I am sad to see this series end, but I look forward to seeing what will come next from Natalie Walters!

** I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

Silent Shadows
This books has become my new favorite of the Harbored Secrets series! I absolutely loved every page! Natalie Walters has crafted balanced characters that will completely hook you from the first chapters. Colton is a perfect fit for this story. He shows his kindness and gentle manner with his actions and he totally won me over! Pecca is funny and full of life and it was the perfect combination when these two were together. There was plenty of romance in this book and I loved that! Yes, there was a suspense element that kept me guessing, however I felt like this story was driven by the characters and the romance and it absolutely works for this particular book!
I loved the relationship between Colton and Maceo. It was a huge part of this story and added depth and layers to Colton’s character in a very organic way. There is just something about a man who’s great with kids right? Swoon! The side characters in Silent Shadows were my favorite! The D-Wing crew were absolutely hilarious and added the perfect amount of humor!
The mystery element is woven into this story really well. It builds as the story progresses and then really ramps up at the end to be an edge of your seat, intense situation.
I loved the mentions of past characters and the sense of small town community that is present in this book. It’s kind of hard to say goodbye to this little fictional world that Natalie Walters has crafted. I’m anxiously anticipating what will come next from this author!

Wow, this book had me from the first page! I had a hard time putting it down and finished it in 2 days. The characters were believable and it was the perfect combination of intrigue, danger, and love story. One of my all time favorite!!

Perfect ending to the Harbored Secrets series! I love the setting of the Home for Heroes and the cause. The crusty old war veterans were amusing as all as right on target. I love the realistic camaraderie between the old soldiers, Colton and the staff. The mystery is well planned with a few twists to keep readers interested. Highly recommended!

Oh,
My.
Goodness!

I've never read a Natalie Walters book before and you can be assured that not only will I recommend this book to my Christian Fiction patrons, but I will go and read her back catalog!

This story was riveting and I could envision something like this *actually* happening. Great characters and to be honest, I didn't want the book to end!

“It hasn’t been easy, but if I keep my focus on God’s goodness, it reminds me that no matter how difficult the journey, God’s plans will lead me to where I need to be – I just have to trust him.”

In the perfect ending to her Harbored Secrets series, author Natalie Walters weaves a tale of unpredictable suspense and a delightful romance that will keep readers highly invested in the storyline until the very last page. Despite the recent crime wave in the small town of Walton, Georgia, readers will wish that they could be a part of this close-knit community that protects its own and welcomes strangers as friends.

In Silent Shadows, Pecca Gallegos finds refuge in Walton, Georgia with her young son after trying to escape her past. While working as a nurse, sparks begin to fly between Pecca and her patient, Captain Colton Crawford. When Pecca suddenly finds herself in extreme danger, can Colton and Pecca discover who is after her before it is too late?

Natalie Walters continues to create wonderful heroes that her readers will fall in love with, which makes it difficult to pick a favorite hero from this series. Deputy Charlie Lynch, Deputy (now Agent) Ryan Frost, and Captain Colton Crawford…you cannot go wrong with any of these three extraordinary heroes.

Natalie Walters addresses Colton’s feelings of inadequacy and his struggle to find purpose in his life, due to his movement disorder, in a realistic and authentic manner. She shares the message of God’s faithfulness and goodness, and his never-ending grace.

Even though this is the conclusion of the Harbored Secrets trilogy, I would love to read a novella about Pecca’s sister Claudia someday. Her backstory and profession would definitely make for a wonderful romantic suspense novella.

Silent Shadows is highly recommended for fans of romantic suspense, and readers who enjoy novels by authors such as Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn, Dani Pettrey, Irene Hannon, and Rachel Dylan.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

“Isn’t that the best part of grace? It doesn’t have to be earned.”

I have enjoyed each book of this series. This last one was also well done. Although, I thought the instant physical attraction between the two main characters and all the continued references to said attraction was overdone and off putting to me.