Colleen has come out of an abusive marriage, and is now happily married to Patrick. She has also been able to help Patrick with his business.
Overall this was a good book, but the ending felt a bit rushed!

AT RISK - S.G. Redling

SUSPENSEFUL - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - After surviving an abusive marriage, Colleen is now married to Patrick, a calm businessman who is trying to build his freight business from the bottom up. But there are some difficulties with his partner and Colleen's past.

Writing - 4 stars - Although there wasn't a lot of action at first, there was a strong sense of suspense that caught my attention right away. The reader (and Colleen) didn't really know what the problem was, but there was certainly something there that was unknown and felt dangerous. It built slowly but inexorably. Then when the action started, it was exciting and surprising.

Characters - 4 stars - Colleen is clearly a victim--the type of woman who is always underestimated and patronized. However, we know that she survived a violently physically abusive first marriage, so she's a fighter. Now she's in a relationship with her opposite--a kind and gentle man, but one who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, unlike Colleen's wealthy background. Patrick is steady and calm, which is exactly what Colleen wants. But now that the business is growing, the cracks in his composure are starting to show. He's still a somewhat shadowy figure, but we sense his goodness through Colleen's eyes. Heath is the ultimate villain--strong, wealthy, powerful, and evil.

Title - 4 stars - This is such a good title since it, on the surface, refers to the at-risk children in the home that Patrick and John support. But then we start to wonder if someone else is at risk in this story.

Cover - 4 stars - The cover only shows feet and shadows, which is a good indicator of what to expect in this suspenseful book.

Overall - 4 stars - Some might think that there wasn't a lot going on in this book, but the underlying feeling of danger really kept things moving forward. The problems weren't really obvious, but there was a sense of dread that added to the suspense. When things came to a head, the action was explosive and the twists were surprising but inevitable.

This was a fast paced, interesting read. I thought Colleen was too spineless at times but it made the story more interesting I guess. I totally did not predict the ending. Overall a very good read.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy of At Risk by S. G. Redling. Colleen grew up wealthy and privileged in Kentucky. She escaped her first marriage to a man perfect for her on paper, but who abused her. She is now married to Patrick who grew up poor and in foster care. Patrick and his best friend John (who also grew up in foster care) have founded a shipping company and also run a home for at-risk kids. The description of the book states that one of the girls from this home goes missing and "Colleen is plunged into a nightmare of uncertainty..." However, this disappearance doesn't happen until about 80% into the book and then everything goes crazy.

The first part of the book is quite slow and just has a lot of squabbling and drama mostly over the different types of childhoods that Colleen and Patrick had. Once the girl disappears, the pace picks up and a lot happens, but it doesn't really fit the story that had been developed. It was an exciting ending, but too over-the-top and crazy, and a bit abrupt.

This is my first S.G Redling novel, and I am sure it won't be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed the fast paced story line. The story definitely kept the pages turning and turning until late into the night!

I am late in reading and reviewing this novel. I must admit that I did try and read it some time ago, but I just couldn't get in to it and decided to leave it for the time being. Perhaps I had too much on my mind! Anyway, I did finally read this novel with no problem and quite enjoyed it.

I won't leave a review for this one. I didn't finish it. Thank you for the chance to read it though

Full review coming soon! Couldn't put it down! Thanks NG for my copy.

This thriller was ok. It was not a very long storyline and seemed to me quite disjointed at parts as though there were sections of the book missing. It could have been so much better if the writer had given the story more depth and slowed the pace down.

I really enjoyed this book! I saw S.G. read at a Noir at the Bar several years ago and was impressed but this is the first of her novels I've read. Fast-paced and really well-drawn characters. No spoilers but the ending left me a little breathless (a good thing). Good stuff and I look forward to reading more by S.G. Redling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book from this author that I have read and now I want to seek out their other work.

I was pleasantly surprised by the ending of this book, as I am hardly ever surprised or completely satisfied by most book endings. This ending left the door open for another book in the future about these characters. A truly fast paced and enjoyable read!

In the beginning, this book moved rather slowly, and I wasn't sure it was going to be for me, but I kept reading, and I'm glad that I did. When this book took off, it never slowed down again and the end is astonishing, try as you might, you won't see what happens coming.

This book rather lulls you into a false sense of security before delivering one punishing blow after another, so if you like suspense, you should definitely check this one out.

There were a few things that annoyed me during the course of reading this book, though. The main character is so devoted that she is blind, and then all of a sudden wakes up as if someone uploaded some new info into her brain. She also allows herself to be treated poorly, which, doesn't seem to mesh with her personality type.

Still, this was a good book with a lot of intense moments and one that I feel good about recommending.

This review is based on a complementary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.