Member Reviews
Single mother finds her son and herself caught up in the middle of a violent case involving her ex. Falling for one of the Rangers tasked with protecting them wasn't part of the plan. Leaning on her faith might be the only thing that keeps her going. Who is responsible for all of the attacks? Will they solve the case before anyone else gets hurt? Why are they targeted?
I received a copy of this book from the author. Review voluntarily given
Danger from the start!
This story starts out with intense danger, drama, and suspense and it continues almost until the last page! Lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing who all the bad guys really are.
Sam and Mari’s life becomes so intwined as the plot unfolds, and together with little Theo, they must constantly watch over their shoulder. Their circumstances draw them closer to God and each other. Theirs is a sweet and clean romance, although they face many challenges along the way. I enjoyed the story very much.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGallery and these are my voluntary and honest opinions. I was not required to leave a positive review.
There’s something about the way danger presses in when a child’s safety is at stake that hits deep, leaving an undeniable impact. In Texas Kidnapping Target, the stakes are sky-high, but it’s not just the twists and turns that keep readers hooked. The story’s heart lies in the relentless courage of a mother, fiercely fighting tooth and nail for her child, and the quiet strength of a lawman who steps into the chaos to protect them both. The tension, sharp and palpable, envelops the reader like an unyielding current, pulling them deeper into the story.
The ranch is more than just a setting—it serves as a silent witness to Mari’s unyielding resolve, the place where she’ll defend what’s hers with every ounce of strength. Her love for Theo is fierce and unwavering, never flinching in the face of fear or danger. It’s raw, visceral, and deeply moving, illustrating the profound lengths a mother will go to in order to keep her child safe.
Texas Kidnapping Target is a gripping tale of danger, determination, and love against impossible odds. The suspense pulses with urgency, and the heartfelt moments shine through, creating a thrilling ride from start to finish. While the romance offers moments of connection, a deeper, more consistent integration of faith could have further elevated the emotional and spiritual depth of the story.
I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review nor paid to do so. This is my honest and unbiased review. My thoughts and opinions expressed in this book review are my own. My review focuses on the writing and story’s content, ensuring transparency and reliability.
I have always loved the Love Inspired books. This was a page turner and I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend this book.
Texas Kidnapping Target
Laura Scott
December 24, 2024
A simple country ranch is where single mother, Mari Lynch lives with her son, Theo. In the middle of the night she hears his cry, picks up the shotgun she keeps in the closet and runs in his room. Standing over the young boy is a man with a mask over his face. When the child refuses to follow the bad guy he runs to jump out of the window he had broken to enter into the room. His mother, too fearful to shoot at the abductor, picked up Theo and ran to her room to call the sheriff.
The two had lived in her childhood home on the ranch ever since she left her ex,Roy, and returned to her father’s home with the baby. Since then, she taught school until losing her father. She ran the ranch and worked as a sub in the school system when she could. For almost 5 years the two had been safe here in the house.
Texas Kidnapping Target will be published on December 24, 2024 by Love Inspired of Harlequin Digital Publishing. I was able to read Ms. Scott’s latest novel via NetGalley. This first in the Texas Justice series is a pleasant yet suspenseful adventure. It is the story of Mari’s challenge against her ex’s revenge and his tribe of men he connected with in prison. It’s a short, excellent read for a weekend. Do Enjoy!
This was an engaging story. In it, Mari and her son, Theo, are in danger, and Texas Ranger Sam steps in to protect them. However, as he spends more time with Mari and Theo, he begins to develop feelings for them. Despite this, he must maintain professionalism and, above all, uncover who is after them and why.
The story blends suspense and romance well, though for me, the suspense element took center stage, with the romance being a bit more subdued than I expected. While the romance is present, it felt somewhat rushed—strong emotions between the characters are evident, but it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how those feelings developed so quickly. Perhaps it was simply that they were naturally drawn to each other. As a romance reader, I tend to prioritize the romantic aspect, so my rating reflects my thoughts on the romance first and the suspense second. The suspense earns a 5 from me, but the romance is closer to a 3—it just wasn’t as believable as I hoped. Averaging the two, I give it a 4-star rating, which is still a great score. Laura has written many books, and if you're after a suspense-filled story, this one delivers! Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the advance copy. This review reflects my personal opinion.
Mari Lynch's four-year-old son narrowly escapes kidnapping. In desperation, she reaches out to her best friend, Texas Ranger Sam Hayward, for assistance. Sam, who was also the best friend of Mari's late husband, has been a longtime confidant. During the investigation, Sam discovers a dead body on Mari's property, prompting him to move her to his home for increased safety. It appears that someone is determined to abduct her adopted son. A truly captivating tale.
This is a fast-paced romantic suspense. Something is constantly happening to cause our main characters to be in danger. A few twists and turns and surprises to keep one guessing. A light, quick read despite all the gunplay. Sweet, capable and relatable characters. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.
I was immediately drawn to the cover of Texas Kidnapping Target. To protect Mari and her son Theo, Ranger Sam Hayward defies his own rules by becoming emotionally invested. I love their meet cute, if you can call meeting a guy with the business end of a rifle cute lol.
I couldn’t handle the isolation of living alone on a ranch, so I admire Mari’s strength in raising her family and escaping an abusive marriage. Theo is a little cute pie with the “two” reference in the story, what a cute touch.
This book has it all: romantic suspense, cop procedural, political thrillers, cowboys, single moms, love after divorce, inspirational romance, and a cute kid, so if that’s your thing, check out “Texas Kidnapping Target.” I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. All words are my own.
Texas Kidnapping Target is a well written romantic suspense. A real edge of your seat plot. Couldn’t put this book down. I recommend it. I received an advance ebook from Netgalley and the publisher. This is my unbiased review.
Someone broke into Mari's house and tried to kidnap her son. Enter Texas Ranger Sam. He was there shortly after the break in to tell Mari that her ex-husband had escaped from jail. That is just the first chapter. The book just kept getting better. Sam will do everything in his power to keep Mari and her son safe. There are several attempts on her life. I recommend this book to all mystery lovers.
I received this book from Love Inspired Suspense via Net/Galley for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.
These suspense stories get me every time, especially when a child is involved. I definitely didn't know who was involved until the end of the story. I enjoyed the characters of Sam, Mari and Theo and especially liked how hard Mari fought for Theo.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own
This is a fast-paced book filled with suspense, intrigue, murder and a huge conspiracy. I liked how the author kept me guessing about the perpetrator until close to the end of the story.
The characters are relatable and easy to like! I liked Mari and Sam a lot! They work well together as a team, and they have each other's back. Theo is adorable! It's sad that he has to deal with unpleasant circumstances, but his mom takes great care of him.
Books like these always remind me to be thankful for those who work in law enforcement. Their commitment to keep people safe is commendable.
I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from Harlequin via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Book 1 in this new series is fast-paced and suspenseful! Maribelle Lynch, a single mom, is trying to eek out a living on her family farm. When a kidnapping attempt on her son brings the Texas Rangers to her doorstep she is puzzled - until she learns her ex-husband has escaped jail. Suddenly everything is turned upside down and she and her son become targets in a high-stakes conspiracy. Sam Howard, Texas Ranger, is with Mari and her son when the bullets fly, and he finds himself embroiled in her protection detail as well as trying to figure out who is after her and why. Can the Rangers keep Mari and her son safe and figure out who is behind the plot before its too late?
Laura Scott has written another fantastic book filled with suspense that kept me engaged as I tried to figure out who was behind all the danger the characters were dealing with. I highly recommend this book.
This book is from the Harlequin Love inspired suspense series and is scheduled to be released December 24, 2024. I was given a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All words are my own.
Actual rating is more like 2.5 stars? It was good, but...it had some hang ups for me.
Mari lives on her ranch with her little boy, Theo, after leaving her now ex-husband who was then charged and convicted of murder. Her ex manages to escape prison which brings the Texas Rangers to her door to inform her of his escape, just in time to look for a man who attempted to kidnap her son. To complicate things, while looking around the ranch area, they find a body.
Things I liked:
It a super quick Christian suspense fluff read.
The religious part of the story at no point feels preachy towards the reader. It's just a person with faith leading by example and thereby helping another person renew his faith a little. Nice.
The story manages to suck you in pretty quick.
The person doing all the shooting isn’t someone you can pick out because no one actually knows who the heck it is until maybe the last 20 pages of the book and then everything wraps up in a whirlwind.
Things that I couldn’t ignore:
2.5-3 days romance? They kiss after not even knowing each other for 24 hours (and being in danger at two separate times) and then they can’t stop thinking about the fact they kissed…
Cops actively leaving an area with an active shooter in it WHO IS AIMING AT THE COPS. They already got Mari and Theo to safety, but the other two cops abandon their only cover (their dead SUV) to run away from someone shooting at them. Where I live the cops would call in every available cop, sheriff, you name it, and they’d make a point of dealing with whoever is shooting at police. Are things that different in Texas?
The amount of times Mari tries “not to think about their kiss.”
The amount of times Sam feels sorry for the situation Mari and Theo are in. It got to be something you could expect every couple of chapters.
Actively assuming things and not communicating to even think of clarifying the perceived issue. For example, Mari thinking Sam is pulling away after their kiss because he regretted kissing her, basically.
The love declaration after only knowing each other for..3 days? Wow. No. Nope. No thank you!
And then in maybe 5 days he’s asking her to marry him??? No! My brain cannot accept the idea that people, religious people to boot, only need 5 days to be like "yup, let's get married!" You don't even know if you actually like each other yet!
Anyhow, if you can ignore new insta-love romance that results in the acceptance of a marriage proposal after only 4 days of knowing each other, this is a pretty good, yet quick, little suspense Christian romance.
This is a short Christian-themed suspense story of an FMC who was married to an abusive jerk. They had a son and when he is arrested and goes to jail, he ends up escaping and attempting to kidnap the 4 yr old. When a dead body is found on her range and people start to shoot at her, cue MMC to the rescue to protect FMC and her son.
I confess that I didn’t pay much attention to the fact that it was a religious read and that’s my fault because I don’t care for those. This one wasn’t as bad as most since it only has FMC & her son praying a time or two. Overall this was a skim read for me as it unfortunately didn’t capture my attention as much as I wanted it to.
Texas Kidnapping Target by Laura Scott is fast-paced and easy to read. A plot that easy to follow with a few twists.
Releases Dec. 24th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
"Texas Kidnapping Target" is a Christian romantic suspense. Mari married a man who turned out to be abusive and then was imprisoned for murder. She divorced him, but now he has escaped and is trying to kidnap their son from her house. Though why a man on the run would want a 4-year-old boy is a mystery to her and the Texas Rangers trying to capture him. Sam's tasked with protecting her and doing computer research while his teammates do the legwork. As people keep shooting at Mari and leaving dead bodies behind, it's clear that something more complex is going on.
The main characters were likable and usually reacted realistically to events. Though, author, Mari didn't need to collect the eggs three times a day in winter as the coup temperature was probably cooler than her refrigerator and hens typically lay fewer eggs in winter. Basically, some of the ranch scenes weren't realistic and mainly seemed an excuse for Mari to feel like she couldn't leave. Also, Mari ought to be wary of quick romances after the complete surprise that her first husband turned out to be. Instead, she agreed to marry Sam after only knowing him for about a week. This didn't seem consistent.
Mari and Sam prayed occasionally for help. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this mildly complex suspense to fans of the Love Inspired Suspense format.
Mari's ex-husband is in jail, or she thought he was. Until the night an intruder enters their house to abduct her son. When a Texas Ranger shows up to tell her he's escaped, she realizes he's coming back for them. The rangers start piecing together the details of the escape and the attempts on her and her son's lives, while the protector relationship begins to turn into something more.
If you enjoy fast paced suspense with elements of faith, this one could be for you.
*A big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.