Something I have always enjoyed about this author's books is how they address real-life issues in the news and intertwine them with caring, compassionate characters.

This story is told from two perspectives: Carrington Reed, a hostage negotiator, and Levi Ehrlich, a local reporter. Each brings strengths, weaknesses, and even some emotional baggage to the story. Their interplay has an undertone of something more than friendship, at least from Levi's perspective and perhaps Carrington's, too.

The crux of this story is a fast-paced journey to uncover the truth about a murder, hostage situation, and family issues. In addition, with Carrington's health issues, the reader will not experience many lulls in this novel. While Levi and Carrington have personal problems to work through, their joint determination to uncover the truth forges a relationship that is hard to break.

I appreciate the scenarios in this novel that relate to what we experience in our own lives, such as unethical journalism, trauma, grief, and family drama. There is even a religious struggle for Levi. I can't imagine parents declaring their child "dead" just because they chose to believe a different way. Carrington also struggles with faith, believing that her prayers are never answered. For anyone who has dealt with faith issues, we know that prayers are not always answered how we want. We must have faith, and this is hard for Carrington.

This novel is engaging, and I, along with Carrington and Levi, looked for clues to uncover the truth of the situation. Many rushed to judgment, but the truth won out in the end. 

If you are seeking an engaging romantic suspense novel, I recommend this book (or any by this author), and we give it five paws up!

If you enjoy action-packed suspense novels with a serious mystery, you will so gobble up this book, Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills. There was a heap load of crimes from drug-running, human-trafficking, extortion and murder. And you will only think you know who all is involved and then…surprise. Grab your copy, quick.

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

I enjoyed this fast pace plot thru the eyes of a negotiator and a journalist.
It had suspense,, a bit of romance. Highly recommend this book to readers.

An intricately woven melding of crime thriller, faith examination, and romance, Lethal Standoff is an exciting and thought-provoking read.

Action-packed from beginning to end, this book takes its leads, hostage negotiator Carrington Reed and investigative reporter Levi Ehrlich, through multiple life-threatening and heartbreaking twists and turns in their shared quest to find answers after a tragic end to one of Carrington’s volatile cases. Traveling back and forth between Houston and Victoria, Carrington and Levi find themselves dealing with a traumatized bereaved family, a territorial local police, unknown murderous villains, and weighty personal problems while also navigating their growing emotional attraction with each other.

DiAnn Mills always includes current and significant societal themes in her stories and in this book, she incorporates the horror of human trafficking of undocumented immigrants, the conflict of religious conversion, and the far-reaching devastation caused by domestic violence. As I’ve come to expect from her, Ms. Mills expertly threaded all these topics into a cohesive work that compels the reader to think and feel for the characters. And she did it in a way that highlights the seriousness of the topics without getting too heavy or preachy.

This book is an engaging read that fans of well-written and well-researched stories will surely enjoy. I learned some new information (Messianic Judaism, eye melanoma, negotiation tactics, etc.) and I vibed with the unfolding sweet and wholesome romance.

There are so many things I could say about this fascinating story. Truth is a big part of this story. "....truth and love go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other. Because Jesus is both truth and love." This quote came from a wizened woman who shared her faith with the main character.

Truth is elusive in the Kendrix family. Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed is gifted in the art of negotiations. She is called to the scene of a hostage situation where 15 people are being held hostage by two brothers from the Kendrix family who want justice for their father.

Levi Ehrlich is an investigative reporter. Carrington ordinarily avoids the press, but she finds herself trusting and needing Levi's assistance. He has a conscience for truth in reporting, and someone who truly cares more about people than getting a scoop, which is how he ends up behind the police lines at this hostage negotiation. Things do not go as well as Carrington hoped. She and Levi realize there is much more to this story than appears. It is much more complex than what is seen on the surface. So they continue to work together to solve this puzzle and end up with more questions than answers.

This plotline could have been pulled from the pages of the news today, which makes it even more emotional and realistic. It was an incredible story with so many facets and interesting characters. I loved how the author built her characters up slowly by sharing their background and their pasts. This made them more real. The mystery was dynamite and shocking as more clues were revealed. Do not start this one at night because you will not be able to put it down until you have finished it completely. It is truly addictive.

Thank you Tyndale House Publishers through Interviews and Reviews for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Once again this author did a superb job with action, suspense, mystery, a little bit of romance and keeping my attention from start to finish. Amazing characters, couldn't figure out "who dun it" and loved the ending.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and did not have to write a review. All opinions are solely mine.

** “We all do what seems impossible for those we love.” **

DiAnn Mills delivers an incredible thriller with “Lethal Standoff.”

When hostage negotiator Carrington Reed is called into a case involving two brothers holding undocumented immigrants captive, her skills are put to the test. Reuniting with her journalist acquaintance Levi Ehrlich, the two work closely together to look into the hostage situation and the many tragedies that follow.

But as their lives both seem to come more and more into danger, can they find the truth … as well as deny or give into their budding feelings for each other?

Mills does an incredible job of creating a heart-thumping, action-packed plot filled with twists and turns, leaving the reader guessing until the very end. She creates very flawed and relatable characters, as both Carrington and Levi must overcome horrible disappointments in their lives.

She also fills “Lethal Standoff” with several great themes, like God’s ways are vast and real (“All I know with certainty is God is real, and His ways are beyond our understanding”); developing a faith takes time; standing up for what’s right; the power of regret; truth and love go hand in hand; and “many tragedies are impossible to understand.”

Fans of authors like Lynette Eason, Irene Hannon and Janice Cantore will love “Lethal Standoff,” which is due out Sept. 3.

Five stars out of five.

Tyndale Fiction provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Lethal Standoff is another extremely clever and taut romantic suspense from DiAnn Mills. I particularly enjoyed the main characters being a little different. Neither are law enforcement. Carrington is a self-employed negotiator and Levi a journalist. However, their careers soon find them in a world of trouble and risking their lives to free a number of undocumented migrants held at gunpoint.

After that, they race again the clock and a calculating killer to uncover why the migrants were taken in the first place. But finding the answer might just get them killed.

So much to applaud here. First of all the gentler nature of these characters to a typical romantic suspense provided a breath of fresh air. Carrington is all about resolution and Levi about truth. The two together make an intriguing team, one that avid readers of this genre will enjoy very much.

I can’t imagine the research this book took either, and I applaud the author for the details invited in making the story leap from the pages. While I don’t always love stories written in first person, but in this instance, the writing style pulled me closer to the main characters and I felt like I walked into situations with them, and almost, almost caught myself dodging a bullet.

This story is definitely recommended for anyone who enjoys cleverly plotted and well written romantic suspense stories. I received a copy of Lethal Standoff via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

A hostage negotiator battling her own demons partners with a reporter with a strong code of ethics delve into the background details after a hostage situation goes sideways. Told from two different perspectives the author created an unexpected story line with some very unexpected twists. The story kept me reading to the end - but the characters seemed very flat and it was difficult for me to relate to them in a way that pulled me in. It was also confusing at times to keep the two voices straight as I was reading - partly because there didn't seem a great deal of difference between the characters. it was helpful that the negotiator had a side story - but that side story could have been more fully developed. I am a big fan of this author - but this particular book wasn't in my opinion up to her usual standards.

Readers who like suspense novels will enjoy this fast paced story. Set through the eyes of a negotiator and journalist, readers will learn about the skills required for their jobs. Family drama, secrets and evil desires throughout the story. Interesting to learn about the Messianic Jewish faith. Highly recommended!

This was a fun book. And I enjoyed reading it for the most part. I liked the negotiator aspect (although this plays a larger part of the story in the beginning of the book and seems to drop off at the end) and journalist. There are many twists and turns and it was hard to force who the villain was.

SPOILER
I do not enjoy when Christian books have a villain who is a respected, strong Christian. I find this undercuts what faith says about the transformative aspect of God. I do understand that the author is trying to keep up the suspense and not have us (the reader) predict the ending. But it just feels a little icky.
END of SPOILER

I do enjoy the writing style of this book. I really enjoyed the viewpoint of the Messianic Jews. I enjoy how clean the romance is.

Wow! DiAnn Mills has once again surprised me with an amazing story full of twists and turns. I finished this story quickly because I could not wait to find out the true story behind the mystery.

Lethal Standoff is a story that explores what it means to truly find justice. At what points family secrets become harmful to those around us and how much they damage a community. It's the story of two individuals who must learn to trust each other in order to get to the bottom of things. And they must learn to lean on God to provide for them both to solve the aches deepest in their hearts.

Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed is called to a scene with a man holding 15 illegal immigrants hostage with his brother. Reporter Levi Ehrlich is sent to cover the story. Because Carrington has seen Levi provide fair reporting on her negotiotions in the past, she allows him access on her side of the barricade. Together they seek answers to why Will Kendrix has taken so many hostage and what his true motives are. Together they seek answers and justice. And their journey will take you through twists and turns to an ending that you likely won't see coming.

I really enjoy DiAnn Mills books and this one wasn’t any different. This book seemed a little different than her other books but I enjoyed that. I kept guessing the whole way through wondering what was really happening. I did figure it out but it was near the end of the book. I highly recommend this book.

I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.

I received a copy of this book.
Good book and wonderful characters.
Full of action and plot twists.
Looking forward to reading more books by this author.

My goodness, where to begin? This story had a LOT going on! As the story begins, Carrington is working as a hostage negotiator trying to negotiate with two brothers who have taken a group immigrants hostage. Levi is a reporter there to cover the story. When the situation wraps up, they both find themselves unable to walk away from the case. What follows is a captivating suspense read that with so many twists and turns--- several that I did not see coming! I don't want to give anything away, but this was definitely one that kept me on the edge of my seat!

The book was written in first person, which I feel like I don't personally see a lot of in romantic suspense... but I really enjoyed getting into the characters heads more because of that. Both of these characters had complicated histories, and I enjoyed getting to know them and especially seeing Carrington's faith journey throughout the story. With such hard topics in the story, that faith thread helped to keep it from being too much... and it truly was all blended beautifully.

If you're a fan of Christian romantic suspense, you absolutely won't want to miss this one.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All opinions are my own.

Lethal Standoff finds professional negotiator Carrington Reed, and journalist Levi Ehrlich working toward a common goal of figuring out why the Kendrix brothers took a number of undocumented immigrants hostage; and why, when the negotiations seemed to be going well, the elder brother shot the younger and later took his own life. Carrington and Levi work together to unravel the family's secrets, while each is dealing with a personal crisis as well.

I enjoyed the growing relationship between Carrington and Levi, and their conversations with various characters. However, having read a lot of mysteries, suspense, and police procedural novels, the actions of the Border Patrol and particularly the police department, sometimes seemed a little off. In addition, there was little to no groundwork laid for the revelation of the 'boss man' and that was bothersome. Usually when the culprit comes out of the blue, one can look back to various points in the novel and see how the guilty party was giving away little hints. There was virtually none of that here. The unapologetic faith of Levi and clean language throughout the book were appreciated.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a great Christian suspense read, and it quickly became a page turner for me.

We are given a hostage negotiator, Carrington Reed, and an Investigative Reporter Levi Ehrlich, and pair of brothers, Kendrick, that are holding people hostage, but there are a lot more characters to add to the mix.

A read that is filled with emotions, and faith, and just when you think things are wrapped up, oh no, and most I never saw coming. This one will hold you spell bound, and looking for answers, and yes, they do come, but surprise!

I have enjoyed many books by this author, and this one sure did not disappoint!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Tyndale House, and was not required to give a positive review.

Lethal Standoff starts off with a bang and keeps going all the way to the end. There are a lot of characters to keep straight and some of the acronyms were confusing in the beginning. All the twists and possible suspects kept me guessing almost until the big reveal. Christian faith is a big part of the story line, but it is well done and not pushy or preachy. It was interesting to learn about Messianic Jews’ worship. The romance is light but has a satisfying conclusion in the final chapters. I really enjoyed this memorable story and it will stay with me for awhile.

I felt that this book dragged a little though there were parts that were a bit more engrossing to me.. Christian elements were meaningful and impacted the lives of the characters. Good clean romance.

Ms. Mills has written a page turner. The intensity and mystery of why two brothers have kidnapped several people are kept until the very end and is very surprising. The budding romance between Carrington and journalist, Levi is sweet and found this reader rooting for them. This is the first book in almost thirty years that I have read from Ms. Mills and now am looking forward to her future books and going back and read previous titles. Highly recommended to fans of romantic suspense novels.

I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley and the publisher, Tyndale Fiction, in exchange for an honest review.