Critical Alliance - (Rocky Mountain Courage) by Elizabeth Goddard (Paperback)

Cybercrime is an ever-increasing occurrence in our world today and author Elizabeth Goddard gives us a scary and compelling peek in this book. Former hacker Mackenzie Hanson thinks that she's left her criminal past behind until she finds herself a target of someone who's after her and her family. After saving her life, Alex Knight becomes her bodyguard and joins her in a perilous race to identify the hacker who's determined to destroy her family's tech company. Will Mackenzie succeed in finding the identity of this very talented hacker? Is it just one person or a group masquerading as one? Mackenzie may be a master in this game, but can she outwit more than one person? This is the third book in the Rocky Mountain Courage series and Goddard gives readers an exciting and satisfying conclusion. Well-developed characters, a thrilling plot, the beauty of Montana, and the addition of faith and prayer make this an enjoyable and compelling read. We're also treated to the return of two couples from the previous books. Jack and Terra are happily engaged, as are Erin and Nathan. Does this mean that romance may be in the cards for Mackenzie and Alex? If you're looking for non-stop action and a story that leaves you guessing, search no more! Critical Alliance is intriguing romantic suspense! I received a copy from the author and publisher. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

Goddard closes out her Rocky Mountain Courage series with a winner. A storyline that could be drawn from current headlines- A flawed but likeable heroine- A troubled hero. What more can be asked for in a romantic suspense! As per usual, Goddard throws a number of twists and turns into the story to keep the reader guessing and on their toes. Alex and Mackenzie must overcome the remnants from her dark past to save her family and her current life. Alex struggles with trusting MacKenzie-has she truly left her past behind her? Through it all, Goddard weaves in the thread of underlying faith and redemption that characterize her stories. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a clean, exciting, suspense filled romance. You will not be disappointed! With highly personable characters, vivid descriptions of the beautiful Montana mountains and a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, Goddard has created a book that will draw the reader in from page 1. **I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

Critical Alliance by Elizabeth Goddard is the third book in her Rocky Mountain Courage series. Mackenzie Hanson heads to Montana to help protect her father’s tech company from a cyber-attack. She joins forces with Alex Knight when her life is threatened. Together they race to find the answers to many questions before someone silences Mackenzie for good. This was a very fast-paced book with twists and turns in every chapter. I couldn’t put it down! The suspense kept you turning the pages to find out what surprise was next. I received this book from the author for my honest review.

This story captivated me right from the start. Cybersecurity was way beyond my feeble little mind but it was so interesting to read. I appreciated all the research this author put into the novel to make it realistic and believable. Who could be behind the cyberattack of Mackenzie’s father’s tech company? Alex Knight is back home and is drawn into the fray to help Mackenzie especially after deaths begin to occur. This was a whodunnit that never gave a clue up to the last minute. If the culprit is too easy to guess, the story doesn’t hold my attention and I lose interest. Not with this one, however! And will there be a love story between Mackenzie and Alex? They were so busy hunting out the attacker there was little time for romance but I’d say yes! And I love how the book’s title was brought out to fit the story perfectly. This is a book that I will be thinking about for a long time to come. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise.

Friends ~ Family ~ Faith Critical Alliance the third and final book in the Rocky Mountain Courage series by Elizabeth Goddard hits the ground running and continues to build the suspense keystroke after keystroke until the very end. Can something Mackenzie did in her youth turn out to be used for good or will it cause further heartache and damage? We are led on a path of many twists and turns, ups and downs as a cyber attack creates havoc and the person responsible for the attack needs to be stopped or not. Makenzie needs to put her skills to use as well as rely on a group of friends, some of which are newly formed friendships and members of her family who she has not seen in a long time. Can they stop the attacks or not is the question? Can Mackenzie put her trust in those who want to help work together? Can they stop the cyber attacks in time? Can relationships which once thought to be fractured begin to heal? Be prepared to put the Do Not Disturb sign up as once you start this book you will not want to put it down! I received a copy of this book from the author Elizabeth Goddard. The opinion in this review is mine and mine alone.

From the first chapter, the cryptic, enigmatic undertones of this story captivated me! Elizabeth Goddard never disappoints with her romantic suspense stories and this third, final installment of the Rocky Mountain Courage series is no exception! From the beginning, Goddard created a pace for this novel that flowed smoothly throughout the story with crucial moments of danger, action and riveting suspense that kept me turning the pages as quickly as I could. I loved the mystery she created with a focus on cybercrime and the hidden threat that it posed to her main character, MacKenzie Hanson and her family’s company. I haven’t read many romantic suspense novels with this theme and found Critical Alliance to be exciting, dramatic and even eerie at times! As expected, Goddard created a tense fear of the technological unknown in this novel and delivered it in a manner that was easy to understand and yet, felt very sophisticated and advanced. Having a reformed cyber-criminal as a heroine was a unique twist that added layers of intrigue! For me, all the points for this story go to the plot, the suspense and the creativity in creating such a unique story line. The characters were likable, skilled and intelligent. The romance in this novel displayed a clear attraction with a bit of hesitation and tension which I enjoyed. There were also some mild faith-based elements, as each character sought God’s help and wisdom in different situations. The climatic ending was fantastic with a surprise revelation that left me stunned. For those who have read this series, there is a subtle background mystery happening and Critical Alliance neatly tied up the ends of that mystery as well, another fun surprise! This story was clean, without profanity or gruesome details and a very entertaining read! Though part of a series, this novel reads easily as a standalone and was extremely exciting. I recommend reading all three books in this series though to fully immerse yourself if the wonderful suspense Elizabeth Goddard had masterfully created in the Rocky Mountain Courage series! *I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

I love a book that starts out with danger and never lets up. The author is very gifted in writing stories that keep you guessing and has you on pins and needles as the journey becomes more intense. When a book is about cybersecurity I know that I will not be able to put the book down. The details are chilling as the author surpasses my expectations with her ability to deliver a book worthy of a movie. Mackenzie is one of those characters that just jumps off the page. Her intelligence is impressive and will be an asset as she tries to figure out what is going on with her family’s company. Her past seems to follow her when some of her family still holds a grudge against her. How sad that they could not swallow their pride and forgive her. When someone gets a message to her that screams of eminent danger she needs to act fast. Who is shooting at her and why? Alex is back home in the beautiful state of Montana. The mountains are beautiful and there is a calmness that surrounds him. He is there to relax but a situation arises that has his full attention. Mackenzie needs his help and he will have to decide if he can trust her enough to keep her safe. Danger , secrets, and unexplained deaths keep these two on high alert and gives us a journey into a dark world where greed and power come out to cause destruction. Is Alex prepared to put his life on the line to protect Mackenzie? I loved the technology that the author uses throughout the story. It is evident that she did extensive research in this area to make the story so realistic. I was beginning to have my doubts about a certain person, yet I wasn’t totally convinced that they were a threat to Mackenzie. Oh how the twists are plenty as drones start popping up in the sky. I could see how drones would be valuable for some but to others it could be a way to spy or be intimidating. It reminds me of the saying, “big brother is watching.” Oh my was I getting more intrigued as the author draws me into a explosive espionage scheme complete with technology that uses drones and threatens people so they can get the information they needed. Mackenzie is using everything she knows to stop the secret technology from controlling the world. It was very scary to think that this very thing could happen in real life. Cybersecurity is very much needed to take down the threat and Mackenzie may be the only one who can stop it. Get ready to fasten your seatbelt everyone as we take off on a mission that will take smart hackers, quick thinking and God to stop a threat that could damage more than just a company. I received a copy of this book from the author. The review is my own opinion.

This was my favorite book in the Rocky Mountain Courage series. Alex Knight must protect Mackenzie Hanson who is trying to protect her sister Nora from a criminal they cannot see. A cyber criminal from Mackenzie's past is trying to destroy her and her family and will not stop until he has succeeded. This story is action packed with espionage, murder, drones, hacking into all kinds of systems to cause havoc among the characters. Very fast paced.

I did not see that coming! What a great page turner! I have loved the whole Rocky Mountain Courage series by Elizabeth Goddard, and was so excited for Critical Alliance to come out. I loved the beautiful Montana setting for this 'what if" story of cybersecurity, hacking crimes and revenge. I enjoyed the main characters: Mackenzie Hanson and her special skills as a professor of cybersecurity in Michigan, who was warned out of the blue by an old friend to head back to defend her family's tech business in Montana. And Diplomatic Security Services special agent Alex Knight who is back home in Montana for some time off after a recent mission ended badly. I enjoyed seeing all the characters from the previous books in Critical Alliance too. Favorite quotes: "He was the exact right person at the exact wrong time." "Why was it sometimes easier to forgive others than it was to forgive oneself." "Life has a way of coming up on us fast until we look back and realize we failed to treasure every moment." "I told you I would come back when you least expected it. It was worth the wait to see the surprise in your eyes." I highly recommend Critical Alliance. I really enjoy romantic suspense especially when I am kept guessing until the very end! Bravo Elizabeth Goddard! Thank you to the author, publisher, and net galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

I recommend you read this book when you will hopefully not be interrupted. It is quite hard to put down. I had previously read the first two books so felt quite at home back in Montana with those characters. Alex Knight is back for a visit after a difficult mission overseas that went wrong. While there he reconnects with a woman, Mackenzie, who he had spent a day with three years earlier in Washington, D.C. He felt drawn to her then and soon finds himself protecting her. Mackenzie is back in Montana after receiving a warning there was a threat to her family's business that soon turns violent. There is plenty of cybersecurity and computer jargon that was completely over my head but it didn't bog down the story. There is plenty of action and a bit of romance. Sometimes I can figure out the identity of the "villain" but this time I was as surprised as Mackenzie. If you enjoy reading suspense, Critical Alliance is an excellent choice. I received a complimentary copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Critical Alliance is book 3 in Elizabeth Goddard's Rocky Mountain Courage series, and it finishes out the series nicely. Although we get to hang out some with the characters from other books, this book mainly features Mackenzie, a former cybercriminal who is trying to help her sister save their family's company, and Alex, a special agent who is in Montana with family after a difficult mission. They have great interaction...even if they aren't quite as open with each other at the beginning....until there's no choice but to work together closely and honestly. Critical Alliance is a fast-paced, page-turning Christain romantic suspense. There's danger, intrigue, cyber criminals, interesting characters, and an intriguing storyline. It's scary to think some of the cyber crimes mentioned could actually happen. I highly recommend this book and the whole series. Many thanks to Revell and NetGalley for advance copies of this book (both ebook and trade size paperback). My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

This is one of Elizabeth Goddard's best books. She showed how cyberhacks can occur. It really made me think about how safe we are in this world. I love the characters of Mackenzie and Alex. There are twist and turns throughout the book. I thought I knew how it was going to end, but I was totally surprised. This is a must read for all. I received this book as an ARC with no promise of a positive review.

3.5 stars "You're vulnerable to deadly attacks. They're taking the stronghold!" A cryptic message preceding an unforeseen accident . . . or had it been? Mackenzie Hanson didn't know what to think, but one thing was certain . .. . she needed to go home, back to Montana where it all began. Her family was in trouble, whether they knew it or not and she could help them, whether they wanted it or not. Diplomatic Security Services special agent Alex Knight is also back in Montana, and like seeing a specter, Alex spots the beautiful woman he spent a day with in Washington, D. C. some years earlier, hiking along a trail above the Rocky Mountain Courage Memorial where he and his friends were inspecting some damage. "What was she doing here?" The answer to that question is complicated, and soon Mackenzie and Alex reunite in order to track down a lethal cybersecurity criminal from Mackenzie's past who seems to have nine lives and dangerous access to the inner workings of the drone manufacturing company that Mackenzie's father built from the ground up. Will Mackenzie's background be a liability or an asset . . . or both. Lurking in the back of their minds is another relentless unknown; can they work together safely . . . legally, professionally, and personally? "Looked like she would have to become a cybercriminal - again - to fix this." This story took off both quickly and efficiently, with plenty of entertaining moments and high-octane action . . . . . complicated in some ways, but simple enough to understand in others. One thing remained certain, Mackenzie and Alex had formed a "critical alliance" of their own making, and thank goodness! They were going to need it. A very enjoyable book! I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I also purchased a copy. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.

Critical Alliance is a powerfully suspenseful conclusion to the Rocky Mountain Courage series with a skillfully woven, fast-paced, action-packed plot and relatable, engaging characters. This book kept me completely immersed for its entirety and kept me guessing til the end. The story centers around MacKenzie Hanson, professor of cybersecurity, and Alex Knight, Diplomatic Security Services special agent, and their quest to stop a revenge-driven cybercriminal who has targeted Mackenzie, her family, and her family’s business. Ms. Goddard’s detailing of cybertechnology and cybercrime is amazing showing evidence of extensive research. A gentle faith thread and a bit of romance add interest and inspiration to the narrative. I loved this emotionally rich, unputdownable read and highly recommend it and the series. Note: Each book in the series can easily be read as a standalone, but you will want to read all three since they are so good! I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow! This was a complete page turner that kept me at the edge of my seat from page one! I was really looking forward to Alex Knight’s story and Elizabeth Goddard delivered another winner in the last installment of the Rocky Mountain Series! Alex Knight is taking a much-needed break and reprieve from his work after a failed mission as a Diplomatic Security Services special agent. Plus, he wants to investigate the vandalism that has been done for the second time to his father’s memorial on the Rocky Mountain. That’s where he meets Mackenzie, a woman he met a few years ago, and hasn’t forgotten ever since. Biking near her family’s property, he discovers a drone that is watching Mackenzie, and later when he finds her, a shooter attacks them unexpectedly, and they can barely escape. Who is behind these spying and attacks? Mackenzie works as a professor of cybersecurity at Michigan University. She has a shady past as a cybercriminal which she wants to leave sealed in the past. But when her former teenage partner in crime contacts her and delivers a cryptic message about her deceased dad’s tech company -Hanstech- being under cyber-attack, she heads to Montana to protect and hopefully save her dad’s company. But who is behind these attacks, and why would they want her dead? And why is her sister acting so strange as if she’s been threatened? Can she mend her family relations? This book had me captivated and guessing the whole time! The suspense was ongoing and the story had unexpected twists that kept me engaged until the last page! The villain was unexpected. The characters were very relatable. Even if this book can be perfectly read as a standalone, I liked that I already knew most of the characters! Mackenzie and Alex were great characters. Mackenzie was a woman whose dark past and mistakes still burdened her. She had started a new leaf many years ago, and yet she still felt the regret of her cybercrimes, and to having fallen short of her family’s expectations. Now she wants to make up for it. She’s strong and determined, and Alex’s charm and confidence sways her more than she wants. There’s a good chemistry between them and I liked the romance between them, sweet but with lots of spark. I also liked that it’s not the main focus of the story. Alex was a great hero. He had his own mistakes, he wasn’t perfect and that made him more relatable. He was loyal to the core and he conquered me with his protectiveness of Mackenzie. He was on a break, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t available to help a friend in need, more like the woman he’s so attracted to and wants to reconnect. He was also a loyal friend too. I liked the bond between him and Terra, Erin, Jack and Nathan. They were a strong team. The vandalizing of his father’s memorial added to the mystery. All in all, this was an amazing thriller that kept me glued to the pages. There was also an inspiring message about forgiveness and redemption that enlightened me. God always has our back and he can bring good out of the bad, if we trust Him to guide us. I highly recommend this story to Romantic Suspense Lovers! The Rocky Mountain Courage Series is not one to be missed! I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher but wasn’t required to post a positive review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

As I was checking to see if I had read the previous books of this series, I noticed that I had read books 1 and 3. Somehow I missed the second book, however, it read well for me regardless. This book is about Mackenzie, who was previously a hacker who has now returned to help her family as they are experiencing problems from a hacker. She finds herself in danger as she works to help her sister Nora. She and Alex team up in the search for the cyber hacker who is causing her family lots of trouble. Attraction is brewing between the two. The characters were very interesting and enjoyable as they searched for answers. Although I am not too knowledgeable regarding this type of crime, the suspense kept me reading till the very end. I had no idea who the culprit was. The book definitely kept my attention with its well paced action. I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

You’re vulnerable to deadly attacks. I’ll come for you when you least expect it. It is comments like this that grab your attention and will not let go. Prepare yourself for an incredible ride in this third book in the Rocky Mountain Courage series. The action takes you to the cyber world, and sets you on the edge of your seat, wondering if you will ever use any electronics again! Mackenzie is very familiar with this world, having spent years as a cyber security expert. This threat, however, is much too close to home. Alex is a special agent in the Diplomatic Security Service - in other words, he protects. But will he manage to protect Mackenzie and those important to her through various and numerous attacks? This early copy was received through Revell, Baker Publishing Group and Librarything. These comments and impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

Another edge of your seat thrill ride in the Rocky Mountain Courage series. This book can be read as a stand-alone. If you are looking for nonstop action and are curious about cybercrime then this should definitely be on your must read books. It is fascinating what all takes place in the cyber world and I admire that the author tackles the overwhelming subject and does it well. I love that Ms Goddard shows faith and hope as the light in the middle of the darkness that lightens the heaviness of the story line. It’s amazing that this goes on around us and most are oblivious to it. You will be sucked into the characters fast paced adventure and be surprised at the outcome. This will definitely keep your heart pounding and quickly turning pages for the outcome. I received a complimentary copy from the author. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.

This is the third book in this series, and we do get, actually surprising, answers to some lingering questions from the beginning of this series! This is Mackenzie and Alex's story, but it goes deeper, and your mind will be all over the place, and switching back again. As the bodies fall, the need for answers, and whom can they trust? This is deep in artificial intelligence, we are dealing with cybersecurity and we need answers before it is to late! We are given some sweet romance, along with a roller coast ride for answers! Yes, you will be page turning for answers! I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

The hunt is on for a cybercriminal and DSS agent Alex is on the case, along with cyber expert and hacker extraordinaire Mackenzie. The romance is simmering under the surface as the two race to stop a cyber thief before he steals secrets that could upset the balance of power of the world. The plot was fast-paced and the action non-stop. The characters were so realistic that I found myself talking to them. This is one of the best books I have ever read and definitely the best book of the series!