itle: Targeted
Author: Lynette Eason, Lynn H Blackburn, Natalie Walters

Pg: 361

Genre: Christian Suspense

Rating: 4.5 stars overall rating

Publisher: Revell

I loved this novella collection though I have to say that my favorite one was On the Run by Lynette. Even though you can read this novella as standalone I’d recommend reading the blue justice series by Lynette Eason or at least Vow of Justice. And Lynn Blackburn’s Defend and Protect series. And Natalie Walters Harbored Secrets series for background and to not be spoiled.



Title: On the Run

Author: Lynette Eason

Ch: 20

Rating: 5 stars

I’ve wanted Daria’s story since I first meet her in Vow of Justice book four in the Blue Justice series. I loved Daria and I also loved that she was a capable FBI in her own right. And Ryker while he wants to keep her safe and protect her, he also trusts her ability. He follows her lead. Quite frankly I think they make a great team. I also loved seeing Linc and Allie again as well as other characters from Lynette’s other series. Even though I would have loved a full-length novel I did love this novella. I also loved that this one was mostly suspense with only a hint of romance.





Title: Deadly Objective

Author: Lynn H Blackburn

Ch: 18 plus epilogue

Rating: 4 stars

While Deadly Objective isn’t my favorite of Lynn’s books it was an enjoyable read. I generally don’t like books suspense included that focus on either the president or vice presidents’ kids. However, with this one I loved Mason. He was easily my favorite character from this one. Liam has been the only secret service agent that can work with him as they all think he’s a brat. I think he’s just a sixteen-year-old kid who’s whole has changed. Emily is his physical therapist and she’s the one adult who gets him. This is the least suspenseful one of one Lynn’s books but still good. Though it was easy to figure out who was behind everything. But I only figured it out because of Mason.



Title: Caught in the Crosshairs

Author: Natalie Walters

Ch: 17 plus epilogue

Rating: 4 stars

I enjoyed Caught in the Crosshairs as I’ve been wanting for Claudia’s story since Silent Shadows and I enjoyed this slight spy Novella. Loved the suspense and the movie references. And I love that Walter’s always manages to work movie references into her books.

This book is by three of my favorite authors. In On the Run by Lynette Eason a FBI Agent, Daria, is shot and on the run. ER Dr. Ryker won't let her leave the hospital without him. The chase is on. Daria doesn't know who she can trust. A fast-paced book real worth the read.

Deadly Objective by Lynn H Blackburn has a physical therapist, Emily Dixon and Secret Service Agent, Liam Harper working the Vice President's son. At the beginning of the book someone is trying to kill the boy. As they go into hiding, they are still found, and more attempts are made. Another faced-paced book and worth the read.

Caught in the Crosshairs by Natalie Walters has a CIA operative and an Army PSYOPS officer trying to find out who killed a Saudi prince and why. Now someone wants them dead also and will go to any lengths to see that it gets done. This was also a fast-paced book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I was given this book by Revell Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

In the process of finishing the last story in this terrific collection of novellas. The strong women lead characters are terrific and I like the fact that the stories are different, yet have the same elements of suspense and mystery.

My thoughts: TARGETED is a collection of three novellas by three very talented authors. My favorite story was the middle one by Blackburn, but all three were good, kept me guessing, and held my interest. Blackburn's story had a special zing that I loved and I fell in love with the main characters. It also was just plain FUN. If you like romantic suspense or know someone who does TARGETED will make an excellent gift for yourself or someone on your list. Full of action, suspense, and romance. Recommended, I was given a copy free and all opinions are my own.

Targeted
Three Romantic Suspense Novellas
by Lynette Eason; Lynn H. Blackburn; Natalie Walters
Pub Date 01 Nov 2022
Revell
Christian


I am reviewing a copy of Targeted through Revell and Netgalley:


This book includes three romantic suspense Novella's, the first is On the Run, where we meet It Specialist Daria Nevsky who is a highly skilled FBI Agent with the ability to hack any computer. She must go on the run to find out who wants her dead and Dr Ryker Donahue refuses to let her do it alone.


In the second novella Deadly Objective we meet In Deadly Objective, physical therapist Emily Dixon and Secret Service Agent Liam Harper are committed to keeping their relationship professional. After the vice president's son enters the crosshairs of a killer, some lines will have to be crossed in order to keep him safe.


And in Caught in the Crosshairs there is no love lost between former Army PSYOPS officer Ari Blackman and CIA officer Claudia Gallegos after Claudia is implicated in the murder of a Saudi prince. But to prevent a coup that would put America at risk, they'll have to learn to trust each other before it's too late.


I give Targeted five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This collection of novellas from three exceptional romantic suspense authors will provide fans of this genre with a thrilling escape into the fictional world.

This novella show cased all the strengths of each writer which was easy to compare with these back-to-back novellas. From Lynette Eason's talent to throw her readers into one dangerous and action-packed situation to the next, with the focus more on the suspense than the romance, to Lynn H Blackburn's way to balance the romance and suspense element and Natalie Walter's talent with fun banter between the characters while they are solving crimes.

It is difficult to select a favourite, because each book has its own strengths (and some weaknesses). I enjoyed all three novellas a lot.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Targeted is a romantic suspense lover’s dream. Three tightly written stories from some of the best in the business, all in one book. Best of all, all three authors pull characters from the wider world of successfully established series. I love a good addition, don’t you?

ON THE RUN, BY LYNETTE EASON

Any fans of the Blue Justice series here? My husband gifted me several titles in the collection and knew within minutes the Christmas tree would be coming down late that year. Daria Nevsky is a young character in one of those stories, but steps into the spotlight here. When someone tries to ill her, the FBI IT Specialist has to go on the run while she figures out who wants her in their line of fire. After patching her up after the initial attack, can Dr Ryker Donahue let her go?

DEADLY OBJECTIVE, BY LYNN BLACKBURN

In this story, we revisit characters from Blackburn’s highly popular Defend and Protect series. Physical therapist Emily Dixon, the brother of Secret Service Agent Gil Dixon, works with Secret Service Agent Liam Harper to protect the Vice President’s son when he seems to become someone’s target.

CAUGHT IN THE CROSSHAIRS, BY NATALIE WALTERS

Former Army PSYOPS officer Ari Blackman is thrown together with CIA colleague, officer Claudia Gallegos, the relative of a character from the Hidden Secrets series. In this startling story, Claudia is implicated in the death of a Saudi Arabian Prince on US soil. And boom…

All the books are high octane, whether it’s hand to hand combat, dodging bullets in a campground or a deadly swim in the Potomac. All three authors know how to keep the pages turning. The love stories develop naturally and the suspense thread don’t feel rushed. A perfect gift for anyone who loves pulse pounding romantic suspense.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley, the gushing review is all my own.

Targeted is a book containing several romantic suspense novellas!

The first is entitled, On the Run, by Lynette Eason. After Daria Nevsky is attacked by an unknown assailant, she soon finds herself on the run. When Daria winds up in a hospital several states away, Daria strangely knows the doctor who performs surgery on her. Hold tight as you see Daria and this doctor find themselves in some very dangerous situations!

The next tale is Deadly Objective, by Lynn Blackburn. Emily Dixon has been treating the Vice President’s teenage son, Mason, several times a week. Each time she sees Liam Harper, Mason’s personal Secret Service agent. Their relationship had been slowly morphing from professional to something more; however, her whole world dramatically changes when the vice president’s home is attacked!

Caught in the Crossing Hairs, by Natalie Waters, brings this book to a close. When Claudia Gallegos pulls up outside the home of Prince Mohamed of the Saudi royal family, she has no idea what she will find inside. When Claudia is charged for the deaths of the people she finds, she has no idea how she will avoid paying the price for someone else’s evil deeds. Ari Blackman, a fellow CIA coworker, is brought in to determine her guilt or innocence. After Claudia is persued by someone who seems to be up to no good, you know this tale will be full of a lot of action. Claudia and Ari will find themselves in some tight situations by the final page of this tale!

Bite sized suspense stories that lack nothing....except that I wished they were longer because I loved them so much! All three of these authors know how to write the kind of stories that keep me turning pages way past my bedtime. The “targeted” theme plays out very well in each one of these novellas.

In “On the Run” by Lynette Eason we have IT Specialist Daria and Dr. Ryker running from unknown killers with a death wish. Her late father was part of the mafia and would stop at nothing to kill those who got in his way. Could it be that even after his death, Daria is a target? My heart was pounding so much throughout this story. Daria and Ryker couldn't escape from the enemy who cut them off at every turn....what a thrill-ride! You'll have to read this to find out how it plays out.

In “Deadly Objective” by Lynn Blackburn, physical therapist Emily and Secret Service Agent Liam must keep the Vice Presidents son safe. Putting their own lives at risk and trying to stay one step ahead of the killers who seemed to target Mason. Another fantastic story that keep me on my toes!

In “Caught in the Crosshairs” by Natalie Walters, Army PSYOPS officer Ari and CIA Officer Claudia must investigate the murder of a Saudi prince; all while being targeted by the murderers. Can they solve the case in time to also thwart a threat to America? I loved the depth of this one & how it kept me on the edge of my seat!

All of these stories are awesome! I loved that they had depth in spite of their short length, a fascinating storyline, a subtle faith theme and characters that I connected with. If you are a fan of inspirational suspense or any of these authors, then I highly recommend this book!

*I received a complimentary copy from Revell via Netgalley and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions are mine. *

Targeted
Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn, and Natalie Walters
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Targeted is made up of a trio of novellas involving high stakes and romantic suspense. Strong female characters including an FBI agent, a physical therapist and a CIA agent each find themselves in the midst of a sinister and life threatening plot. Can they and the men who care for them stay ahead of the killers and bring them to justice?

We were excited to see this title in our advanced reader copies. It is always fun to read shorter stories by multiple authors in one book. These novellas were fast-paced suspense stories with lots of action. They were easy reads with familiar characters from prior full-length novels, taking supporting cast and completing their individual stories. While these authors were familiar to us, new readers may feel a bit of a disconnect as there are many references to former novels potentially missing out on the richness between the connections.

We received an advanced copy from the publisher. This is our honest review.

When I noticed this collection was going to be released, I knew that I HAD to read it. After all, these novellas were written by three of my favorite romantic suspense authors. The romances did not feel rushed - they were paced well. And the suspense portions were unpredictable.

What I liked the best was the fact that all three novellas are connected to other books by these authors. Reading this collection was like reuniting with familiar friends. If you have not read the previous books, you can definitely still follow along. But when you know the backstory, I do think it makes the plots come alive. My short reviews of each story do not contain spoilers, but they will tell you where to start if you also like knowing where the character(s) appeared first.

"In the Run" by Lynette Eason starts out this book. Daria is not completely surprised when someone is trying to kill her. After all, her late father was a mob boss. But since nothing has happened for years, she is not sure what is happening. And can she really let the friendly doctor put himself in danger on her behalf?
To fully appreciate this Eason novella, first read her books, "Vow of Justice" (Daria's story) as well as "Active Defense," Rhyker's story. Daria also makes an appearance in several other of the "Danger Never Sleeps" books as well.

In Deadly Objective, Lynn H. Blackburn has one of the secret service agents, Liam Harper, protecting the Vice President's son. Emily Dixon happens to be that son's physical therapist. She certainly did not plan on getting caught up into trouble. While this book is suspenseful, there are also some funny moments. I can't help but wonder if the author is similar in personality to the main character's aversion to roughing it.
To fully appreciate this Blackburn novella, first read her "Defend and Protect" series. Emily's brother, Gil, is featured in the book, Malicious Intent, and she is a part of that book. Liam has been a part of the secret service group in other books.

In Caught in the Crosshairs by Natalie Walters, Claudia Gallegos simply answered a cry for help. Little did she know that was going to result in plenty of trouble for her. The former Army PSYOPS officer, Ari Blackman, is willing to help her. Can they figure out what is happening in time?
Two previous Walters' books are connected to this novella. "Silent Shadows" includes Claudia who plays a supporting role to her sister, Pecca. Ari Blackman plays a minor role in the book, "Lights Out" which is a part of her current "The Snap Agency series."

I did get read a review copy of this book thanks to NetGalley (and the publisher.) All opinions are my own. As I mentioned at the start of this review, I definitely wanted to read this book!

This is 3 short books by 3 amazing authors. You will recognize past characters from each of these authors series. Love them all. Great as a stand-alone for each short story but better when read with the others in order.

Targeted is a novella collection from 3 of my favorite romantic suspense authors. It was fun revisiting some of their series through the stories of secondary characters now transformed as mains. I have read all the books that these characters played a role in, but knowledge of their history isn’t a must. In fact, the stories would be a great introduction to those authors you may not have read before. All 3 novellas are quick reads full of octane-laden action, but each has a unique storyline that will keep you turning the pages. As in most novellas the plot is quick to build and fast on resolution. Characters may not have been as developed as in full length novels, but I found each of them appealing in their own ways. And if you are a fan of romance, then you will love this collection. There is definite sizzle between the couples! Faith is an important element as well — natural, yet not preachy.

At this busy time of the year, I appreciate being able to escape into a book, yet not be so committed that I neglect holiday chores that really do need to be accomplished. You can read each in a 2-3 day span. Or if you are a binger, 1 a day is definitely doable. 😉

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

An excellent collection of three inspiring romantic suspense novellas. All of them were excellently paced with the romance and suspense. They weren’t too fast to be unbelievable but they weren’t too slow where you lose interest. For the novella by Lynette Eason, it was nice to see characters who I came to know in other books of hers, although it was written in such a way that the reader wouldn’t have to read the other books to follow the story. For the other two, they made me want to read more by the authors who I haven’t really read before. As these are novellas, they are fairly quick reads but long enough that they don’t feel rushed.

I really enjoyed all three stories! They were well-written with great characters, and just great stories. I would love to read all 3 sets of characters as series; I need more of them!! Great collection!

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

This is a great and captivating novella collection. All three of these stories were suspenseful and exciting and I greatly enjoyed them all!

Three short stories by three different authors: Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn and Natalie Walters.
While I have enjoyed reading books by all three authors, these novellas fell short for me.
On The Run, IT Specialist, Daria is fantastic at hacking computers. Someone wants her dead. Who? It is related to her dead father who was a big time criminal. She ends up in the ER from a stab wound where she meets the handsome Dr. Ryker Donahue. I just found the story unbelievable that he would just leave his responsibilities at work to go with Daria on this wild ride. There was also too much about his thoughts regarding Daria. I just don't feel men really think like that.
In Deadly Objective, Emily is a physical therapist who is currently doing P.T. with the vice president's teen son. That is the Vice President of the United States of America! Wow, huh? His son is a spoiled brat, but does a turn-around before the story is over.
Liam Harper is the brat's Secret Service Agent.
Someone is threatening the teenager and Emily and Liam are determined to keep him safe. But, what about their growing attraction for each other???
Again, too much sap for me from the man (Liam).
Caught in the Crosshairs: CIA Officer, Claudia gets an unexpected phone call urging her to come to the home of a Saudi prince. I thought it unbelievable that she would break protocol to go there without notifying anyone. She arrived to find him murdered. Now, someone wants her dead.
Ari is a former PSYOPS officer saves her life and together, they work to stay alive and solve the mystery while becoming attracted to each other. Too much 'man sap' to be believable for me.
I was given a free advanced ecopy by the publisher, Revell through Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

On the Run: I’ve read many of Eason’s books and they are smart, engaging and thrilling. This short novella stems from the Danger Never Sleeps series where Daria is the IT genius behind the stories. She’s on the run from some of her father’s goons when handsome doctor Ryker decides to help. He respects her opinions and is proud of her take charge personality. The two have quite the adventure while they bond. It can be read without the series but it’s an exciting set and shouldn’t be missed. I received an early copy and wrote my review voluntarily.

Anthologies are always a great opportunity to discover new authors and stories and TARGETED is an excellent example of this. This a collection of three romantic suspense novellas by Lynette Eason, Lynn Blackburn, and Natalie Walters. While I haven't read books by any of these authors previously, I certainly have added to my TBR list after reading these novellas!

ON THE RUN by Lynette Eason: In this novel, we have a twist on the usual! This time around, we have female FBI agent, Daria, doing the protecting and keeping Ryker and others safe. I really liked this twist! ON THE RUN is action packed from the start, which really drew me into the story. The romance between Daria and Ryker is a whirlwind. They know of each other due to tangential connections but have never met. The story is told from alternating points of view, which gives the reader insight into what is happening with both characters, rather than all from Daria's pov. For a short novella, I felt like I really got to know Daria and Ryker as characters. Conversational writing and tone result in a quick and fun read. My only real struggle with reading this novel is there are a lot of other characters thrown into the story who are connected to Daria and/or Ryker, but who I have no context or knowledge base. I'm guessing they are introduced in other novels by Ms. Eason. Which means more books added to my TBR!

DEADLY OBJECTIVE by Lynn Blackburn: In the case for not having to pick a favorite, this novella wins the top trophy from me. There's just something about the flirting and work-place romance between Emily and Liam that I adored. Like the other novellas, DEADLY OBJECTIVE shows excellent character development in a short amount of time. Emily begins the story adamantly not interested in dating anyone who puts his life on the line for a living. And I feel this! I also don't know that I'd want to be in a relationship with someone when I'd have to spend a lot of time wondering if they were injured or even coming home. But luckily Liam manages to turn around those feelings! 😉 He even manages to convince Emily that she might enjoy camping. That takes some true convincing if you ask me! The suspense and general threats to the characters is palpable when reading. The bonus epilogue cleans up the ending of this novella very nicely.

CAUGHT IN THE CORSSHAIRS by Natalie Walters: Hints of humor and lots of nerdy pop culture references hooked me for this novella. Plus, a James Bond comparison for agent Ari Blackman!
"I'm pretty sure that wasn't a ticked-off squirrel chucking acorns at us." [Claudia]
"Not unless your squirrels are trained by Rambo." [Ari]
I chuckled my way through this novella. Ms. Walters wrote some great banter! Most of the action is at the front of this novella; the remainder is political intrigue, spying, and mystery solving. Having both Claudia and Ari as agents is an excellent twist, as they are both capable of doing any rescuing needed. Like ON THE RUN, there are some other characters and backstory introduced which could have used more clarification, but are probably in other stories written by Ms. Walters.

These stories balance one another with strong female lead characters, exceptional character development, and plenty of action to keep my interest! Pick this up if you are interested in some fast reads and discovering three excellent and new (to me at least!) authors.

Enjoyable collection of three novellas from three of my favorite romantic suspense authors. Enjoyed learning more about certain characters. And the bite sized nature works well with the pace of my life right now.