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.

Lethal Standoff
by Diann Mills
Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Justice can be elusive. Family secrets can be deadly. The stakes are high, and the clock is ticking in a volatile criminal case filled with unanswered questions. And Carrington Reed is running short on time to piece together clues that will solve the puzzle.
I RECOMMEND this book to readers who enjoy Christian fiction.
"God does hear. He cares. The one thing I feel in my bones is His love.”

DiAnn Mills has written a spellbinding novel that kept me captive into the late night hours. The story begins with a volatile hostage situation with the heroine, Carrington negotiating for the release of undocumented immigrants. While the hero, Levi is covering the story for his publisher.

I loved that the story is in first person with both the main characters. As a reader, I really enjoy knowing what is going on in their minds. I found both their backstories intriguing. The author put the two through the proverbial wringer and had me flying through the pages. There were so many plots and twists. My mind was blown when the bad guy was revealed. This book hit my romantic suspense sweet spot. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend to all my suspense reader friends.

Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills is full of family drama. When two brothers hold multiple illegal immigrants hostage, demanding the murder of their father be solved before they'll discuss the hostages release, Border Patrol calls in private Hostage Negotiator Carrington Reed. Carrington is great at what she does because she doesn't stop with the end of the standoff, she invests in the people impacted by the crimes.
Levi Ehrlich is a reporter who works hard to uncover and report the truth, regardless of his publisher's promptings. He often finds himself where Carrington is shining her skills and he is intrigued. When he finds himself right in the middle of the danger with Carrington's most recent case he must make choice that could impact his career.
I like the story line of this tale. I like the characters and their influences on others. I am not a fan of first person fiction especially when it changes to various character's perspectives. I find it to be hard to find my rhythm in reading first person narratives. There were a few things I questioned along the way. But all in all I'm thankful for Mills sharing her talents and storytelling expertise by giving us this interesting Texas based saga. Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale Fiction for the opportunity to review this book!

Once again DiAnn Mills has produced another nail-biter with her newest stand-alone book, Lethal Standoff. It releases on September 3, 2024.

Ms. Mills has written both the main characters in first person. This brings a totally different tone to the book as the reader gets more perspective on what the characters are thinking. I am still getting used to first person, and in this book I loved it.

The story is about a hostage negotiator, Carrington Reed, and a journalist, Levi Ehrlich. When their story begins, Carrington has been called out to a hostage situation and Levi shows up as well to get the story. They have met before so Levi showing up wasn't a surprise.

There are a lot of things going on in this book. Both characters have some personal issues to deal with and need to get beyond them to figure out the issues at hand. I thoroughly enjoyed both characters.

This is a story with suspense, danger, love, hate, faith, and unbelief. The reader is taken on a wild ride with twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. In the end, they receive a beautiful conclusion.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read Christian romantic suspense.

On a 5-Star Scale -5 Stars!

I would like to thank Net Galley, for my ARC copy of Lethal Standoff. I received my copy for free with no expectation of a positive or negative review. The opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR. Part 255.

I enjoyed this DiAnn Mills title very much. Mystery, action, believable characters. Good pacing, too.

Nothing is really as it seems in this excellent story from Diann Mills. Carrington and Levi make a great team professionally and personally as they dive in deep to find out what is really happening. Definitely one of my favorites from Diann Mills.

I received an advanced reader copy from Tyndale House Publishers and Netgalley. Opinions are my own.

Diann Mills has written another winner. I loved this fast paced page turner. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

"God does hear. He cares. The one thing I feel in my bones is His love.”

DiAnn Mills has written a spellbinding novel that kept me captive into the late night hours. The story begins with a volatile hostage situation with the heroine, Carrington negotiating for the release of undocumented immigrants. While the hero, Levi is covering the story for his publisher.

I loved that the story is in first person with both the main characters. As a reader, I really enjoy knowing what is going on in their minds. I found both their backstories intriguing. The author put the two through the proverbial wringer and had me flying through the pages. There were so many plots and twists. My mind was blown when the bad guy was revealed. This book hit my romantic suspense sweet spot. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend to all my suspense reader friends.
I got an advanced reader copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel. The views expressed in this review are my own.

Carrington is a hostage negotiator and Levi is a journalist. After working a tragic case that doesn’t make sense, they begin to work together to investigate what is really going on. Immediately trouble begins for them.

This is a great book- very typical of DiAnn Mills. This is a unique spin to your typical romantic suspense book. The story held my interest and gave me plenty of intriguing twists. Just when I thought I had it figured out a new twist was thrown in. The romance was great. It did not seem instalovey because the backstory had the characters already knowing each other.

The faith content of this book was also intriguing. I found the fact the Levi was a Messianic Jew an interesting take on faith. I love that Carrington was able to see his witness and become interested.

I think that Mrs. Mills tackled many hard issues in this book from human smuggling to interesting health issues.

There is quite a bit of violence in this book, so if that bothers you then I do not recommend reading this book. If you want a book that will take you on a wild ride then would be a great book for you.

“The thing is, God can’t be explained. He must be experienced.”

I was completely blown away by DiAnn Mills’ exploration into why people explode into violent actions and if they are wired from birth with a propensity to commit unthinkable crimes.

Mills’ main characters, a hostage negotiator, Carrington Reed, and a journalist, Levi Ehrlich, play off each other extremely well, allowing readers greater insights into their characters. It doesn’t take long for readers to see that the negotiator and journalistic careers lent themselves to distrust. It’s the breaking down of this wall that keeps readers interested in these two characters, hoping that they’ll eventually find comfort in each other.

Mills’ examination of what happens when we allow fear and anger to take root and grow, is stellar. She shows that everyone at the scene, from the hostages to the media, has allowed their various stages of stress to cause them to seize desperate measures. There’s a warning in that for us.

I appreciated a reminder that we learn so much about ourselves and humanity by reaching out to others in times of need. Mills points out that we can do an effective job of helping others tear down “walls of sin’s devastation” and help them find hope if we are fully restored to God. What a beautiful thought that we can be restored when we reach out to help another.

My highlighter was busy and I was continually in awe of how Mills expresses herself.
“Kaleidoscope of considerations bannering across my mind” - just one of the many I noted!

I appreciated learning about the differences between Orthodox and Messianic Judaism, the fine line between revenge and justice, and between pain and purpose.

I really hope this new-to-me author, DiAnn Mills, hasn’t finished with the Outlier and her sidekick as I’m eager for more!

I was gifted this copy by Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I can't recommend this Romantic thriller by Diane Mills strongly enough! This gripping and emotional story of hostage negotiator Carrington Reed and journalist Levi Ehrlich. She has once again written believable and flawed characters. Levi has struggled with past addiction and his religious family dynamics. Carrington is still battling with her childhood trauma and her vision problems. Together they find themselves at a hostage negotiation scene. Afterwards they join forces to help heal the damaged family.. All of a sudden they are in the middle of an investigation involving human trafficking and drug running. As the story unfolds Carrington and Levi find they are attracted to each other. Together they face the danger while trying to unravel the web of secrets. The quote in the book, Pain is a beautiful thing if we allow it to transform and restore us into the people God intended, explained exactly what the book was about. NetGalley and Tyndale House publishers provided a complimentary copy of Lethal Intent for my honest review.

Another great book by Diann Mills with a lot of twists and turns and surprises. A negotiator and a journalist team up to solve a crime and fall in love. It was interesting to read about Messianic Jews also. This book also had a very satisfying end. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

Kept me Guessing!

DiAnn Mills newest release, Lethal Standoff, is another keep you up at night kind of book. The characters are a unique combination of interesting backstories and occupations. It’s not just the suspense of the standoff that keeps you reading but also the need to know why it happened in the first place. The plot is masterful weaving of multiple threads that come together at just the right time to reveal the whole story. Great summer read, or anytime for that matter! I look forward to her next release.

Exciting and thrilling read! Refreshing to find a clean romance thriller. It reinforces forgiveness as they uncover secrets and mysterious circumstances.