This was a fast-paced, heart-pounding ride that blends action, suspense, and emotional stakes. The tension is high as Cole and Lisa Shipley flee to protect their daughter, uncovering shocking truths along the way. The “family first” theme drives every decision, but Jade can be a frustrating character at times, making choices that put herself and her family at risk. With relentless pursuit, unexpected twists, and a compelling character in Burns, this popcorn crime thriller delivers. Bonus points for the Austin, TX🤘🏾 connections! A must-read for fans of fugitives-on-the-run thrillers.

So much running...

I started this one with high hopes. The opening scenes hit hard and the pace is breakneck, which I appreciate in a thriller. Zunker knows how to keep you flipping pages, even when you're rolling your eyes at some of the choices these characters make.

Jade is a typical frustrating teenager, making wild decisions that put everyone at risk.
For someone who's been living undercover for 13 years, Lisa's naivete is maddening. Like every other reviewer there was a point I almost DNF'd.

Cole...simultaneously so smart but also.. why the F do you "care so much about his girls" but keeps leaving them in places where they have to flee for safety. I got a lotta problems with Cole.

The MOST frustrating plot point is dragging out the book with "we'll tell you a thing that's very simple to tell you MUCH later, which is going to frustrating and you'll rebel against it and put us all in danger because you don't know how bad things are.

The plot starts strong but devolves into increasingly convenient turns that strain credibility. By the end, we're deep in fantasy land with an FBI agent suddenly becoming their biggest ally and all their crimes conveniently forgotten. They broke HELLA LAWS and should have been arrested.

The whole powerful-family-conspiracy reveal was predictable, and the neat bow they put on everything felt cheap. A private plane to sail off into the sunset with new names AND a famous back surgeon? UGH.

The saving grace was the pacing. It moves so fast you almost don't have time to question the ridiculous plot points. It's like Zunker knows if he keeps you running, you won't stop to think about how none of this makes sense.

It's fine enough for what it is - a quick, stressful read that'll keep you entertained if you don't think too hard about it. This is pure popcorn thriller territory.

3/5 stars - Would've rated lower if it wasn't such a page-turner.

This thriller was gripping, exciting, and kept me engaged the entire time! There was so much action involved and the audio had me hooked. I loved the characters in the story. As a parent, I found Cole and Lisa to be very relatable and I could understand the reason for their actions. However, I wish the “stalky guy” had more depth to his character. I would have loved a POV from him or even some dialogue during his chase.Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this read and I recommend it to anyone looking for a light thriller with great action.

Title releases February 11, 2025.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for an ALC of this novel in exchange for my honest review!

Thirteen years after fleeing with their foster daughter following her birth mother’s mysterious death, Cole and Lisa Shipley—now wanted for murder—are found!

This was such an easy read to follow. The first few chapters switch between the four main characters’ POVs, making it clear who was who and what was what.

The pacing was fast, lots of chapter endings were cliffhangers, and the whole story was wildly entertaining! It also had heart—I genuinely cared about this family and found myself rooting for them every time things went wrong.

I’m not usually a fan of male narrators, mostly because of the high-pitched voices they use for women, but this narrator didn’t do that, which made the experience so much better for me. Great job.

The ending wrapped up neatly, which I appreciate. While there weren’t any major twists, this was still a thoroughly enjoyable cat-and-mouse thriller!

Thanks to Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review

From the first chapter to the last, I was hooked on Not Our Daughter. There was so much action in this book, and I was not expecting that. I loved it.

Cole and Lisa are fostering a baby to adopt her. The courts had other plans and granted custody to the baby’s mom, who is a recovering drug addict. On the day the courts made that decision, she shows up bloody at Cole and Lisa’s home. She tells them her baby is in danger and asks Cole and Lisa to protect her, and then she dies. Cole and Lisa go on the run, and then the story jumps ahead 13 years.

Cole and Lisa raise Jade as their own, and she has no idea that they are not her biological parents. Jade is considered a missing person, and Cole was framed as the murderer, and the case was never closed.

Cole and Lisa are discovered, and then the chase begins. Local cops and the FBI are chasing after them across multiple states. There was never a dull moment. This book surprised me with how much action there is, and I loved it. This is one I recommend to everyone.

Non stop action. Cole and Lisa are warned by their foster baby's mother to run. She dies on their doorstep just as she delivers the message. With little more than the clothes on their backs, they run. They are successful in hiding for thirteen years. When Cole discovers they may have been found, they family begins to run for their lives. But there is another player involved in working to track them down,  he wants them dead. Pulse pounding action from the beginning to the end.

The narrator, James Anderson Foster was great.

The story starts off with a real bang. Running for 13 years after having abducted a little girl, the family is finally caught up with by the FBI but also someone else who has a stack in their deaths.

The book was faced paced and had you on the edge of your seat the whole time. It had some good twists and had you believing the worst.
This is for fans of domestic thrillers and I look forward to reading more by this author.
The narration was well done, clear, and kept me focused on the story.

Unbeknowest to Cole and Lisa's daughter Jade who was being fostered and pending adoption when her young mother was killed on their Austin, Texas doorsteps. Her final words were to take the baby and protect her. She was the next to die. Cole and Lisa Shipley have been evading the FBI for the last 13 years. With thier lives turned upside down, Cole and Lisa along with Jade have been on the run for the last 13 years. They only show up on the FBI's radar when an off shore account has that are in the Shipley's name has had a huge withdrawal. Cole and Lisa must now go on the run again and tell Jade the whole truth before they get caught. This was a fast paced cat and mouse book where the FBI was always one step behind the Shipley's. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing Audio for letting me listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook.

Wow- this fast paced thriller will get anyone out of a reading slump! I couldn’t stop listening to find out what happens next. The characters were well developed and the web of connections was just enough to not be too confusing. I loved the take down of the politician. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

3.5/5Thrilling. You wanted to know what really happened.
But at the same time felt you knew the truth. I feel like the resolution was a bit too cut and dry for me to make it feel believable.

What an amazing action-packed story!! I devoured this one in a day. It totally sucks you on from page one! I wanted to shake their daughter at some points, but I truly was rooting for this family the whole book! What a ride, highly recommend!

This popcorn thriller was an engaging and entertaining read, despite the occasional suspension of disbelief required.

For me this was just okay in the sense that everything was highly predictable, nothing truly shocking occurred. It was definitely action packed and non stop from start to finish but I like to be shocked when I read thrillers and this one did not do that unfortunately. It is in no way a bad book, but it was just missing that for me.

This audiobook definitely had me on the edge of my seat! I love a good game of cat and mouse. There was never a dull moment. There aren’t a lot of big twists, but there is still a lot of fast paced action. I found myself unable to put the book down!

I also really enjoyed the family aspect of this book and how it examined the lengths a parent would go to, to protect their child! I found myself very invested in this family right from the start! They were easy to root for!

Overall, a great chrome thriller with a satisfying ending! I really enjoyed the narration and thought the narrator did a great job bringing the story to life! I would definitely recommend listening to the audiobook if you decide to check this book out! I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Cole and Lisa were fostering a baby when the mother comes to their front door and bleeds to death. Before she dies, her last words are warning Cole and Lisa to take the baby because “he’s coming for her.” Cole, Lisa, and the baby then go into hiding. Thirteen years later, after settling down, Cole is framed for a murder and they have to all go on the run again. They are both evading the FBI and running for their lives from the real murderer.

This book was action-packed and fast-paced from the start. I loved the story here and really enjoyed the characters. This is a very close-knit family that deeply cares for one another. I didn’t find myself bored at all while listening to this. The ending was satisfying and this book was well worth the read. There were maybe a few plot holes, but I didn’t mind.

The narrator, James Anderson Foster, was fantastic as well and helped keep the story engaging.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook.

TW: blood, kidnapping, gun violence, injury, grief, stalking, death of parent