Against All Odds

Suspense and romance

I love that this book spotlighted something I had never thought of before - the Hostage Rescue Team division of the FBI. The HRT is responsible for rescuing people that have been kidnapped or taken hostage - or in this case - been threatened.

Monica is in danger through no fault of her own, but her estranged dad deals with terrorists and they don't like him. Since he doesn't take threats to himself seriously they decide to threaten his daughter. By pulling some strings he gets the HRT involved to proactively protect his daughter, but what if she doesn't love that idea? Well, she doesn't but finally relents. Even with her cooperation can Evan and his partner actually protect Monica?

This is a great start to a new series that even Dee Henderson compares to Dee Henderson!

7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

Highly Recommended

I loved this book and would recommend it to just about everyone- of all ages and experiences. I thought it had a lot to offer, wand while I'm not usually into the religiously-themed novels, they can be moving if done right, in a way that makes you feel something trully significant through the characters, and this one does that.

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

One of the best romantic suspenses I've ever read

I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. For some reason, I feel that romantic suspense in Christian fiction, while enjoyable, is usually pretty weak compared with general fiction. I think the reason lies with the stories tending to focus more on the relationship and then throw in a kidnapping or two. Also the romance part is usually very rushed and not really convincing. This book however went off in a totally different direction.

This story was jam packed with suspense. In fact, I felt that this was a big highlight of the book, the fact that it focused more on the suspense than the romance. There were some really tense situations throughout the book and times where I wanted to flip to the end to find out if these people made it out alive. This book however expertly blends the two together but gives an added kick to the suspense level which is greatly appreciated. The romance bit though is done very well and was realistic. I thought the chemistry between Coop and Monica was great and it made their relationship seem genuine. While the book focuses on Middle Eastern terrorists, there is nothing here that could be considered prejudiced or stereotyping. I really felt that I was reading something straight out of the news. The details were very realistic and the story dares to show the fear and terror that comes from being held as a hostage.

There's a endorsement on the cover from Dee Henderson, who is the all time leader in Christian romantic suspense, that says this book is better than hers. I totally agree with her. I really think this is probably THE best Christian romantic suspense book I have ever read and I am going to be looking forward to reading more books from this series.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

A great mix of fatih, fact, fiction and the FBI

Fans of Dee Henderson's Uncommon Heroes and/or O'Malley series will love "Against All Odds", book # 1 of the Heroes of Quantico Series by Irene Hannon. Fast paced, romantic suspense, centered around the FBI, with a plot that hits close to home with a terrorist twist. Highly recommended reading. I've already read book #2 - An Eye for an Eye and I am anxiously awaiting the relese of book #3 "In Harms Way" in February.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Great start of a new series by Irene Hannon.

I absolutely loved this story. Coop (FBI agent) and his partner are assigned to protect Monica, the daughter of a diplomat in this thriller by Irene Hannon. This first book of the new Quantico series deals with danger from terrorists, a young woman's refusal to accept help from her estranged father and romance.

If you liked Dee Henderson's O'Malley series, you'll like this story.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Compelling Plot

Do you know of anyone who has trouble relating to a family member? Most of us have or have had problems in this area. Monica, one of the characters in this tale, won't even take her father's phone calls! Communication and the lack of it is one of the themes in this suspense-driven novel. As Monica says, "As important as it is for people to talk the walk, it's just as important to learn to listen with the heart as well as the ears." Sometimes people communicate by doing, rather than by talking.

Another theme is forgiveness, and the damage involved when a person refuses to forgive. Another character states, "Forgiveness is hard, honey. But it's what God calls us to. Besides, as some wise person once said, holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. It hurts you a lot more than it hurts them."

I can't say much about the compelling plot because I don't want to ruin it for you. Romance, terrorism, Middle East, Afghanistan, FBI, kidnapping, hostage rescue team, diplomat, murder, relationships, women in distress, safe house, and bombs are all included in this Christian Fiction. This will keep any reader's attention.

I do not agree with the theology that has one person asking God for forgiveness for someone else. Other than that, it is an exciting book to read.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Highly recommend!

Intriguing story line and characters. Very well written and tough to put down! A suspenseful romance without the gratuitous language so it is enjoyable to read!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Page turner from start to finish

Aside from this being a romantic-suspense novel it also tackles relationships and how our past affects our present and possibly our future and even our faith in God. The hero and heroine in the story have had strained relationships with their fathers that affected them in more ways than one and I loved that the author used this as a jumping point for them to understand each other.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

LOVED this!

This was a great story! As a military brat, I can relate to these characters and loved the fact that religion was presented in a positive light. I will be buying the other two in the series!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great read

This is how books should be written. I couldn't put it down. Best of all it told a story without explicit sex and vulgar language. Will look for more books by Irene Hannon!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Do not miss this book!

This was a great book! I was initially hesitant but at the time it was a free NookBook. I enjoy David Baldacci books so I thought - "sure why not?" Boy am I glad I did! The suspense tied in with faith in God was amazing. I'm delighted I've found an author who can write to keep me on the edge of my seat but keep in mind the importance of God in any relationship and profession. I have since bought the other books and can't wait to dig into them. You won't put this down!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I loved this book!

Against All Odds is full of suspense and action with a good love story thrown in to make it even better. I could not put it down. As soon as I finished it I began to look for more Irene Hannon books. If you like Dee Henderson's books, you will enjoy the Heroes of Quantico series by Hannon. The characters do turn to God for help and comfort, but the storyline is never "preachy" or too religious.

I haven't had a lot of luck with the free books for my Nook, but this one is an exception. In fact, it caused me to purchase another Hannon book, "In Harm's Way." I loved it, too.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

3star read This light Christian Contemporary Romantic Suspense

3star read

This light Christian Contemporary Romantic Suspense novel wasn’t bad but could have been better. My feeling is more disappointed that it wasn’t better. I did have some issues with it – let’s get those out of the way.

Mainly it seemed as if the God/Faith mantra was a little much. Originally it was implied that this would have a place in the story but as a secondary storyline it had too much prominence. That one of the central characters was very religious made this aspect important – but as it bled into other aspects of the story it was a bit much. Secondly the romance portion was going steady – then switched gears – then wrapped up. I felt it was a little disjointed. What there was of the romance was good but it should have been more consistent. Finally the typesetting was off so that some sentences were duplicated or partially duplicated.

The good things included the characters although not deeply drawn were likable, the overall plot & storyline were good but not necessarily strong. The complexity of Monica’s character made her interesting but made Evan’s character seem dull in contrast – however it also portrays some real couples.

Awesome Mystery & Suspense

I love this book & series. Definitely a winner if you like mystery, suspense, intrigue & romance. Another great author.

Great read...

I love these books,always exciting and fast paced!

Great book

Once i started reading, i could not put it down!

Really enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and thought they were very believable. The suspense was good. I even bought the rest of the series before I finished this one and I enjoyed them all.

First read from Ms. Hannon for me...

and I was not disappointed. In fact, I read the next 2 books in the series. I really loved the suspense, romance and above all the faith in God. I like that she explored emerging faith as well as strong established faith in the characters. I also enjoyed learning about the HRT unit - what an incredible bunch of guys! They have the same skills as mercenaries but work within the law (my description, not hers). And not to spoil anything for the reader, but not everything ends in a fairytale way.

Highly Recommended

This book was far superior to my expectations. The suspense was great. I am not one who cares about rereading books, but this is one that I will probably reread.

Highly recommend

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. And . . . it was decent!!