It starts out with Bristol and her dog Toby looking for a bomb. There was a bomb threat at a dam and she works for Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency and was called in to search for the bomb. Bristol finds out that her ex-boyfriend is in charge of dam safety and has to go in looking for the bomb together. Remington tells her that he got a phone call about the bomb threat and he has been evacuating the dam.

Bristol doesn’t work for the bomb squad so she can’t actually disarm the bomb once it’s found she just finds it and then lets the bomb squad do there thing, but she could if she needs to because she use to work for the bomb squad. She can’t believe that Remington is in charge of such a crucial thing because all she remembers of him is how reckless he use to be and how unreliable he was when they dated.

Then a bomb at another dam goes off and she is called over there because there are casualties and they need her and the dog. They also get another call from the bomber about how there are other bombs that will be going off as the person is going to free the Mississippi river from it’s cage.

Now, it’s a race against time to try and find the other bombs and she is going to have to rely on Remington’s help, but she doesn’t trust him and can’t think of him as anything but irresponsible. They have to try and put away their difference and work together to find the bombs and who is behind things.

I really enjoyed this it was really fast paced and it was more focused on the suspense than the romance and that was fine. I knew it would be because this is a love inspired novel which is harlequin’s Christian romance line. It’s not real preachy (but there are some God moments it is Christian fiction after all) or anything just more focused on the suspense.

I liked Bristol, there is a reason she left the bomb squad and she has had to deal with some past issues that has turned her from any sort of faith. She joined PK9 security and detection because she wanted to work with a dog and on the regular bomb squad they didn’t do that. Phoenix contacted her and it wasn’t a hard choice for her. I love the PK9 squad because they are all women and very cool. Remington is a great guy, he made some mistakes in his past and even his own father won’t talk to him because of the things he has done. Rem has changed though, he is a Christian now and takes life a lot more serious and is trying to make up for his mistakes. He relies a lot on his faith to see him through thing and wants to prove that he is different to Bristol, but might not go about it the right way.

I thought it was a great suspense novel with a touch of romance and I would recommend it to anyone who likes romantic suspense that is light on romance.

Officer Bristol Bachmann and her canine partner Toby arrived at the Minnesota Falls Visiting Center but unlike the people who are currently rushing from the facility, Bristol and Toby are among the agents responding to an anonymous tip that bombs have been placed not at one of the dams but at both of the dams. The damage that would be done and possible loss of life are what the agents are hoping to prevent. 
As all of the agents and the Canine teams from the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency gathered, someone said the supervisor of the dam would be joining them, Then Bristol heard his voice. Remington Jones. The man she attended the academy with and later dated then broke up with.  They had not seen one another since they broke up six years before. She would have been fine not ever seeing him again. But here they are working together for the safety of the people that visit and live nearby.
Remington Jones saw her. He could not believe they were about to work together again. He is the Supervisor of the dam and thought he was doing a good job but today is a day that everyone dreads. A bomb threat. So Remington has to put aside his emotions and focus on the job at hand. Maybe after the job is done Bristol would be open to talking. But that would take divine intervention. 
Thank you Jerusha Agen for allowing me to be part of your launch team, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from you.

Water is rising and so is the danger...

If a person is going to try out a new-to-them author and a new line of romantic suspense novels, Danger Rising is the way to go! Seriously, every bit of Jerusha Agen's latest from Love Inspired Suspense is tense and really keeps you glued to the page!

Love Inspired Suspense has been known for quite a few years now for their well written 220ish page romantic suspense titles. But, they have now delved into full-length novels. Danger Rising is one of, if not the, first 300+ page offerings. I've been a fan of the shorter ones for several years so I was pretty excited to hear about this book from Jerusha Agen.

Between you and me, though, what really caught my attention was the K-9 bomb-sniffer on the cover. I love K-9 stories whether they are therapy dogs or law enforcement, hey I even love romantic suspense with a good pet dog.

As to how I liked the story and the new-to-me author? Well, both were not bad at all. In fact, Jerusha Agen had me so into the lives of her characters that I had a love/hate with Bristol, though I sincerely liked Remington 'Rem'. If an author can elicit that much emotion out of me I'd say they were pretty good. Danger Rising was a great read and it kept me on the edge of my seat wondering if the bomber would succeed...

(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

I was intrigued by the description of this book, as it sounded suspenseful and exciting. However, the story line isn't what this book is about. The book's purpose appears to be solely to proselytize about Christianity, which wasn't mentioned in the book description at all. While the sprinkling of religious comments begins at the beginning of the book, it just becomes worse as the book progresses, pushing story development to the side in order to do so. I gave up on the book when it began making comments that implied only Christians can have honesty and integrity.

Rising Danger by Jerusha Agen lives up to its title. Tension is high from start to finish. Bristol Bachmann works for an elite organization called Phoenix that handles a variety of K-9 teams. Toby is Bristol’s black lab that excels in bomb detection. Several local dams are being threatened by an extreme environmental group. Bristol and Toby are charged with searching for explosives, along with the help of Remington Jones, who heads up security for the dams. But Bristol and Rem share a tumultuous past and must put old feelings aside to make sure the city is safe from flooding if terrorists unleash the bombs.

I enjoyed this story. I haven’t read too many K-9 stories (although I know there are plenty out there) but this was quite intriguing. I love the various dogs that Phoenix employs. Some are search and rescue and others are guard dogs, and they all work together to solve crimes. But Toby saves the day repeatedly by alerting on explosive devices. I also like the romance angle in the story. It definitely had that “second chance” trope feel, with Bristol still harboring a lot of anger towards Rem for his past mistakes. But can she forgive him and see that he’s changed for the better?

This story moved at a fast pace, had plenty of danger, with likable characters that made me root for them to find love. All in all this is an enjoyable novel that would be a great addition to anyone’s summer beach day!

Overall Rating:
5 stars (I loved it, couldn’t put it down)

Suspense Rating:
5 stars (Non-stop edge-of-your-seat suspense from start to finish)

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

There's so much to like about Jerusha Agen's debut! I'm always a fan of second chance romances, and Rising Danger definitely checked that trope's box for me. There's lots of tension and chemistry between Bristol and Remington from the moment they "arrive" on the page. And what's not to love about Toby, her K-9 partner? I haven't read a lot of romantic suspense involving K-9 teams, but I will definitely be reading more after this one. Now I understand why readers enjoy seeing animals featured in books.
I thought the author did a wonderful job with the novel's pacing. Bristol's all-female force was very cool as well. The environmental terrorism premise is quite intriguing, and fans of Christian fiction will appreciate the inspirational message woven throughout the story. This is a strong debut and I look forward to reading more from Love Inspired's new trade length line.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

Christian based
Action
Suspense
Mystery
Romance
K9 dogs
Compelling characters
Rising Danger was intriguing, interesting and suspenseful.
I have not read anything written by this author before. I look forward to reading more from her.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

Rising Danger is written by Jerusha Agen. This is part of the Love Inspired Trade Publications. I have never read this author before - and I will be looking for other books by her. I have always been a huge fan of the Love Inspired Suspense series, and I am a bigger fan of the Love Inspired Trade Suspense. I loved getting to know the characters more and having my adrenaline pumping longer.

In this book, Bristol Bachmann and her K-9 partner, Toby are helping assist in locating bombs in busy Twin Cities. Someone has target the damns. Bristol is new to the Phoenix K-9 agency and is trying to prove her worth. Phoenix K-9 is a search, rescue and security business that is run by all women. I absolutely loved this about this book. Bristol and her partner are having to depend on the dam's manager, Remington. Remington is Bristol's ex boyfriend. He had betrayed her trust when they broke up. Remington is thrilled to see Bristol again. Bristol, not so much.

This book will start off with a bang (literally). The action will continue throughout the whole book. The environmental terrorist sets their sites on Bristol and Toby. Remington, has changed his entire life around and is a man of God - and tries to get Bristol to see that God is always in control. Remington knows that he made mistakes and let people down, especially Bristol. However, Bristol is mad at God. She feels that God allowed members of her family to perish in Hurricane Katrina. The author has done a wonderful job in weaving in biblical truth. God is a God of second chances - and will always welcome us back into his fold no matter how many times we walk away. Remington shows her that God is indeed on their side - and they will have to rely on him while the danger is closing in.

This book has well written characters, a suspenseful storyline.I liked the premise of the book. Environmental Terrorist planting bombs that trained K-9's can find. I did not want this story to end. I want to see the stories of the whole Phoenix K9 agency. I love stories about strong women. I absolutely love the expanded story through Love Inspired.

I received a copy of this book through JustRead Publicity Tours, all thoughts are my own.

Bristol and her bomb-sniffing dog, Toby, must stop an environmental terrorist from blowing up several Minneapolis dams in Rising Danger. She must also grapple with working with her ex-boyfriend, Rem. Memories of her own losses during Hurricane Katrina complicate her hunt for the killer.

Hunting for the bombs and survivors with Bristol and Toby was great fun. I really liked Toby. Bristol, however, spent at least a third of the book preaching the gospel to everyone she met. Plus, Bristol’s two emotions are worried and loudly upset. It is zero to fifty in 10 seconds for her. For me, it was exhausting. Thank goodness I don’t have all that going in my head every day.

I think this book would be better for new or evangelical Christians. Between the constant “God is good” message and Bristol’s grating personality, Rising Danger was clearly not for me. However, you might like it. 3 stars.

Thanks to Harlequin Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 Stars

I’ve not had the pleasure of reading a book written by Jerusha Agen before the release of Rising Danger, and now that I have, this author has shot to the top of my must-read romantic suspense authors.

As Bristol and her ex of six years race around Minneapolis to stop a bomber from destroying the dams of the city, they must also face their shortcomings—in both life and in their past relationship. Remington is a great hero. He’s made some bad choices, but God has gotten ahold of his heart and changed him into a better man. Bristol struggles anger and unforgiveness (to both Remington and God) over her past.

Agen weaves a strong faith thread, integral to the plot, amidst the danger, action, and romance. And with the introduction of the Phoenix K9 team, she’s set this book up as the beginning of a fantastic series (at least that’s my hope because I want to read the stories of all these women).

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

An environmental terrorist bent on freeing the rivers at all costs is on the loose, planting bombs within prominent dams in the Minneapolis area. It's up to Bristol and her bomb sniffing K-9, along with former flame Remington Jones, to stop the bomber before it's too late.

Bristol is part of an elite group of female K9 handlers called in to assist the police. She is cool and collected, says things a they are, I loved her relationship with her dog Toby. Remington has come a long way from his former hard partying ways, and I admired the hardworking and dedicated man he has become, as well as his strong faith. The backstory is used effectively and helps to add depth to the story.

I loved how this book introduces Phoenix and her team, seeming to open the door for more books in the series following some of the other women and their dogs. And Bristol's grandmother is just adorable!

This is a suspenseful adventure, well researched, with strong characters and an engaging plot. I loved learning about the dogs, their abilities, and was intrigued by their handlers. An engaging read, that pulled me in, I can tell that the author put in a lot of research to bring this story to life. Great characters, strong faith, a tension fraught plot, an excellent read for fans of K9 suspense!


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow! This book is a complete page turner! Jerusha Agen is a new author to me. Her story kept me engaged from page one, where the action immediately starts as mysterious terrorist calling himself Libertas, makes it known that a bomb has been set in one of the dams in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Take about tension and suspense!
This is an Inspirational Romantic Suspense Novel and I loved the natural way in which the author weaves important themes, like trusting God amidst unexpected tragedy, learning to trust others in spite of their being imperfect and flawed, forgiveness and giving the opportunity of a second chance, and more...
Bristol Bachmann has been working for some months for the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency, along with her explosive detection dog and partner Toby. As a police bomb technician, plus Toby’s bomb detection abilities, she knows she can detect and dismantle even dangerous explosives. But this sense of control changes drastically when the bomber targets the dams on the Mississippi River, and a tragedy occurs. Bristol has endured her own tragedy when she was young, and she wants to ensure that will never happen again, not only to her, but to others, if she can prevent it. But when things spiral out of control, her worst weakness -fear- comes back unexpectedly, and she battles to stomp it with bravery and courage. But is it too much to admit that she’s not as fearless as she pretends to be?
To make mattters worse, Remington Jones reappears in her life, after years of ending their relationship due to his failure to become a responsible and honest man when they studied at the Academy. Now, he’s head of Security of the Twin Cities dams, and they have to work along together to unmask the bomber that threatens to keep doing more damage, and who has targeted Bristol as the enemy. How can Bristol trust him after he betrayed her trust those years ago? Rem insists he is a changed man, but his outgoing and charming personality makes her doubt that he can be serious things and responsible in a more permanent way. If only her heart agreed on this, that’s what makes Rem more dangerous than ever. And Rem has never forgotten Bristol, and he really is repented about his earlier shallow actions, and has turned his life to Jesus and become a better, even if still flawed, man. How can she prove Bristol that his change is for good? That he can be reliable and that she can trust him, not only with her safety, but with her heart too? And most of all, can they save the cities from another tragedy?
This was a wonderful story! It was thrilling, a cat after mouse story full of suspense as they follow the clues that the bomber unconsciously gives, and as more danger and threats shower them everywhere they go. But at the same time, it was inspiring as it transpires this faith inspired message about giving up the control of your life and others, to the Only One who really has the complete control: God. About giving up your fears to him and trust Him to bring good even out of evil and unexpected tragedies. It was beautiful to see the gradual change in Bristol, not only to trust God, but to forgive and trust Rem, and give him a second chance to prove that he’s a reliable man.
The romance was sweet and clean, and even if it was not the main focus of the story, which I liked, it was so much worth it! I loved the way it all ended!
All in all it’s a complete page turner that will inspire you and encourage you to overcome your fears and trust them to He who has the real control, and who will never forsake you and always have your back, even through pain and uncertainty.
I highly recommend it! A must read that will keep you at the edge of your seat!
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Rising Danger by Jerusha Agen is a full-length Love Inspired romantic suspense novel. With tension sparking the romance and the threat of bombs detonating at every turn, it is everything a usual Love Inspired story contains, plus more. I especially love that it is a K-9 story. Toby is so adorable!

The suspense is high throughout the entire story, not just with the bomb threats, but the fact that the bomber wants to take out the dams in/around Minneapolis, which adds a flash flood danger that really hikes up the action. The only part about this story that I didn’t care for is how much they show of the rescue of a child whose mother died beside her. It didn’t seem necessary to go that far and I found it unusual for a Love Inspired story.

Admittedly, Bristol’s anger could get irritating at times, but Rem, her ex and the dam’s head of security, made up for it with his charm. My favorite part is the back and forth of the climax. The suspense there is excellent!

If you enjoy romantic suspense with a bomb-detecting K-9, try Rising Danger. I hope you’ll enjoy it, too!

—
I received a complimentary copy of this book from JustRead Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.

Hold on to your seats, because Rising Danger is going to take you for a ride that you don’t want to end!

This suspenseful tale is full of twists and turns as Bristol and Remington try to stop a terrorist from blowing up dams along the Mississippi River. Bristol’s K-9 sidekick, Toby, is her highly trained, bomb sniffing dog and he calmly steals the show on more than one occasion.

Both Bristol and Remington have a need to be in control, although at varying degrees. Bristol has zero faith in God as she believes he allowed her father and sister to perish in Hurricane Katrina. Remington’s failures at the policy academy and subsequent rejection from his father have him wanting to prove his worth to Bristol as they try to take down this terrorist together.

While this definitely fits the bill for romantic suspense, I enjoyed the romantic elements more. The majority of the suspense occurred in the last few chapters, but once I got there, I loved it just as much! I was so proud of Remington for his approach to Bristol in regards to their relationship. No spoilers here, but those portions alone were some of the most well-written in the entire book.

There were several secondary characters, most of them members of the Phoenix K-9 squad that I believe will be featured in future stories. These ladies and their doggies have many more adventures and bad guys to hunt down, I know!

This is a Romance Suspense. I have to say I found this book just ok. I found the suspense parts much better then the romance parts. I also did not find the suspense parts very suspenseful. The characters was just ok. This book did not make me want to keep reading, and at times I had to make myself pick this book up. I did enjoy the ending a lot. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Love Inspired Suspense) or author (Jerusha Agen) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Great story by a new-to-me author. I love stories about K9s and their handlers so this book was right up my alley. Combining romance and suspense, it kept me engaged right until the end.

Wow! The suspense was so intense that it had me on the edge of my chair. This was a clean second chance Christian romance full of danger, intrigue, and action. I loved how the heroine was part of an all-female team known as the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection (PK-9). The women were confident, courageous, and unfailing in their mission to find the bomber.
Bristol Bachmann and her K-9 Toby were new to the PK-9 team, but the other women had her back. She was surprised and amazed at how supportive they were as they searched for the bomber. Discovering her ex-boyfriend Remington “Rem” Jones was the dams’ supervisor worried her since he had been immature and unpredictable when she knew him six years ago. Rem thought he would never see Bristol again, but he was hoping she would see he had changed for the better. He knew his actions and the choices he made earlier in life would always haunt him.
I really liked Rem’s sincerity and good humor from the beginning. He owned his faults and worked to change himself for the better after finding God. Bristol was unforgiving and not willing to risk her heart getting broken again by Rem. I must admit to getting a little upset by the middle of the book with her unforgiving and doubtfulness. I was glad to see her attitude change at the end. She finally opened her heart and found peace within herself. I enjoyed watching her character grow throughout the book. This was a new author for me, and I really enjoyed reading this book. I hope to see the women from the PK-9 team in future books.
I received an ARC and am willingly leaving a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Title: Rising Danger
Author: Jerusha Agen
Genre: Mystery/thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5

Someone’s planting explosives on dams in the Twin Cities, and Bristol Bachmann and her bomb-sniffing dog must move quickly to find them before everything ends up underwater. That means relying on the dams’ supervisor—an ex-boyfriend Bristol never thought she’d see again. Hopefully Remington Jones has grown up from the rakish charmer she knew in her academy days. Because lives now depend entirely on them…

It’s an environmental terrorist who wants the dams gone, and his bid to set the waters free has lethal consequences. When he sees Bristol and her K-9 working to stop him, he sets his sights on them. Can they evade him in a lethal game of cat and mouse and protect the cities from devastating destruction before the clock runs out?

This is definitely a story of redemption and hope. Bristol and Remington were different people when they knew each other before, so there are some surprises as they get to know each other all over again. The dogs, or course, are my favorite part. I’m fascinated by working dogs like this, and I enjoyed this read.

Jerusha Agen has a B.A. in English and a background in screenwriting. Rising Danger is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Love Inspired in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 5/23.)

If you like gripping romantic suspense and K-9 stories, then I highly recommend Rising Danger. Remington and Bristol have a history with a bad ending. Fast forward a few years, Remington has become a Christian and is a changed man, but Bristol is determined to keep her walls up to defend against his charm. Toby is Bristol's K-9 partner, and they work for a private organization.. Both human main characters are likable, and Toby is all kisses and tail wags unless he's working.
The plot is fast paced and kept my interest throughout the book. I especially enjoyed a section of dialogue between Cora and Remington that took a huge weight off of Remington.
Jerusha Agen is a new to me author, and I'm delighted to have found her. I enjoy Ms. Agen's writing style. It is easy to follow. I would love to read more of this author's work since I have so enjoyed this well-written book.

Rising Danger by Jerusha Agen
I chose this book because in the past I’ve been a fan of Harlequin and their Love Inspired Series. I was not disappointed in reacquainting myself with this genre.
I found the plot intriguing. The idea that our infrastructure is vulnerable to attacks and behind the scenes there may be heroes, humans and canines working to keep us safe may give readers comfort. Rising Danger has strong, flawed characters at the center of the mystery. Who can’t identify with mistakes in our past that live on in people’s memories and change the way our lives unfold for ourselves and those around us?
Bristol Bachman is introduced to us as she and her black lab, Toby are thrown into the chaos of a bomb at Minnesota Falls. The first chapter throws us right into the depths and keeps us mired in the mystery for the entire length of the book. Spiritual moments and some romance make this book a winner.