Lynn H. Blackburn’s awesome new addition to her Defend and Protect series: “Malicious Intent” (a Revell Reads review)

#sponsor #partner

About this time last year, I had the extreme pleasure of reading Lynn H. Blackburn’s fantastic Unknown Threat, the first in her Defend and Protect series, courtesy of Revell Reads. And I’ve just finished her incredible book #2 in the series, Malicious Intent, also courtesy of Revell Reads! I just can’t recommend this series to you highly enough. Let me tell you a bit more.

About Malicious Intent

Once upon a time, Ivy thought she would grow up and marry her childhood love, Gil. That was before events transpired that separated them, and, Ivy imagined, would keep them apart forever. How could Gil and his family ever forgive?

Since then, Ivy completed her university and even doctoral studies, and founded a company devoted to the creation of exceptional prosthetic devices, especially for those who’ve lost a limb. Hedera, Inc., is finally poised to begin clinical trials on a prosthetic that seems incredibly likely to change the world for amputees.

That is all before a series of events that might get Ivy killed…and delay the trials, perhaps forever. Counterfeit money. Criminal trespass. A forced interrogation. And worse.

But these have a most unexpected consequence: they bring Ivy face to face again with Gil. Now Secret Service Agent Gilbert Dixon. And Ivy can tell he is both as shocked to see her as she is to see him; and, more, that all those years of distance haven’t lessened the connection their hearts once built.

The question is, can Ivy survive long enough to see if more than just a past love is possible?

My thoughts

I LOVE Lynn H. Blackburn’s writing! She is masterful at creating suspenseful and captivating storylines. Her characters are genuinely interesting people who’ve devoted years, talent, and amazing skill sets to rising to places of excellence in their fields. And, they are deeply connected to their friends and those they love. All of these make Blackburn’s newest, Malicious Intent, a fabulous read filled with characters I truly rooted for and a book I couldn’t put down.

Ivy and Gil are both SO appealing. And their sweet relationship, which was devastated by life events neither caused, was such a loss. It was a fun ride to watch them come face-to-face with “the one that got away”–for once, an equal loss on both sides.

Gil’s fellow agents (and committed friends) in both the Secret Service and the FBI exemplify what the highest and best candidates can bring to those professions. (Yes, I realize that they’re imagined characters in a book. They were still AWESOME.)

And then, there’s the story! Who on earth would want to stop someone from bringing amazing prosthetics to market? Ivy doesn’t know. Neither does Gil, nor do his fellow agents. But the clock is ticking. And they might not survive discovering the answer.

I would say that Malicious Intent is one of my favorite suspense reads of the year. I do love a fantastic police procedural (although really, this would be more of a Secret Service procedural). Malicious Intent definitely qualifies as a fantastic example. Excellent characters (who also, I forgot to mention, love God), a sweet love story, and a well-paced story that is filled with unexpected danger. You will love Lynn H. Blackburn’s newest. Don’t miss it!

Enjoy! –Wren

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Revell Reads. Here, I’ve expressed my own opinions honestly.