Facing the Enemy

FBI agent Risa Jacobs is used to being the one on the hunt, going after the bad guys. But things take an unexpected turn when her brother Trenton is killed by a hit-and-run driver, only moments after their first meeting in years. Trenton had broken the shackles of his drug addiction, and they'd had dinner to celebrate. Risa was looking forward to renewing her relationship with him, to seeing healing in her family. In a heartbeat, those hopes were smashed. When Risa finds a note saying she was the intended target, she wants to resign from the FBI. Her boss convinces her she needs to go after the killer and works out a way she can do that while appearing to leave the job she loves.

In Risa's absence, Agent Gage Patterson teams up with another partner to continue working a child kidnapping case. He misses Risa, though, on both a professional and a personal level. She does her best to keep him at a distance, wanting to protect those close to her from her brother's killer. But in her new role as a college professor, Risa gets a short story from a student that appears eerily similar to her brother's murder, and Gage's investigation into the kidnapping ring appears to involve the student's father. They combine forces and work together to try to solve both crimes without either of them getting killed in the process.

DiAnn Mills absolutely has a gift for crafting taut, compelling stories that hook you and don't let go. In Facing the Enemy, things start off with a bang when Trenton is killed, and then it's really off to the races. I don't think there was a slow spot in this book. With each new event, each new unveiling, the tension ratcheted up another notch. There were times I found myself literally holding my breath, waiting to see how a scenario would play out!

The tension wasn't just on the criminal investigation front, either. Risa and Gage clearly have feelings for each other, but they're both hesitant to let those feelings get in the way of doing their jobs. Risa proves she's able to take care of herself just fine, but Gage cares deeply for her, and seeing her in danger brings out his protective instincts. He is obviously willing to put himself in harm's way for her, even as she insists she can handle things. Their interactions are realistic, and I was cheering for them!

The child kidnapping case was of particular interest to me. Adoptive parents are learning that their babies weren't adopted legally, but were stolen from their biological parents. I was adopted as an infant. My parents never kept that from me, and they loved me as much as any birth parents could have. (For the record, I've met both of my birth parents, with siblings on both sides. They're all fantastic and I vote to keep them!) I cannot imagine the shock and horror they would have felt to be told that I wasn't really theirs after all. Man. I really wanted to see Gage drop the doomhammer of justice on the nasty people who'd do such a terrible thing to people, who'd take advantage of a couple's deep desire to have children for the benefit of filthy lucre. (Small spoiler: Gage drops the doomhammer.)

Romance, conflict, good guys, bad guys, action, tension, this book has it ALL. And it's clean to boot! If you're looking for a wild ride of a story that will make you gasp, bite your nails, and cheer, Facing the Enemy is for you. Just be prepared to lose a lot of sleep, because she'll definitely keep you up past your bedtime.

Five big ol' Texas-sized stars from me!