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.

Texas Ranger, Sam Hayward, is tasked with keeping a rancher and her son safe when things start happening on the ranch.

This story was really good and a great read for folks who enjoy mystery, suspense, ranch settings and Texas Rangers.

I received an advanced reader’s copy from Harlequin and Netgalley. Opinions are my own.