Backlash - (Capital Intrigue) by Rachel Dylan (Paperback)

"I can't help but think trouble followed us home from Honduras." Trouble did follow CIA analyst Layla Karam home from Honduras. . . . .her team members are being strategically stalked and in one case, murdered. Ironically, her trip to South America was a DEA mission that Layla had been pulled into, "on loan" from one department to another, so to speak. Evidently a high ranking cartel member had been taken out and the team's identity severely compromised; the obvious question being "how"? Adding to Layla's personal stress, an internal intelligence investigation pops up. Layla's supervisors suggest that she get legal representation and seek the assistance of an investigator, but she is hardly prepared to come face to face with Hunter McCoy; the man who had previously decimated her heart and shattered her dreams. Layla never thought Hunter's actions or explanations made sense back then, so it looks like they will have the opportunity for closure, no matter how fortunate or unfortunate the timing might be. This romantic suspense actually offers two story lines, which some may consider rather distracting; nonetheless, the author confidently weaves in and out of case details bringing a myriad of possibilities to the forefront . . . . who to believe, who to question, what are the facts, what do they mean? An added bonus is great inspirational messaging, an example being "I thought I could make it on my own, but all of that showed me how much I need the Lord in my life". Enjoy this captivating addition to the "Capital Intrigue" series! I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher, the opinions stated above are entirely my own.

If you're looking for a book full of suspense, action, mystery, and a second-chance romance, Backlash is what you need. Rachel Dylan has done an incredible job of writing a story that quickly grabbed my interest, had likable characters, a very sweet romance, a faith sustained and one resurrected, and a plot filled with twists and turns that rocketed through to the end. Some of those twists I did not see coming, but I found them to be believable. There's a great HEA too. I definitely plan to read more in this series and more of Rachel Dylan's other works. I highly recommend this to readers of romantic suspense, to Christian fiction readers, and to readers of clean/whole romance. I bet you'll love it as much as I do! I received a complimentary copy. I chose to write a review and share my opinion of this incredible romantic suspense book.

This is my first book from Rachel Dylan and I’m hooked! I couldn’t put this book down! I’m definitely going to be following her and reading her previous books! It’s always great to discover a new author you love and discover you have yet to read more of her books without waiting for a new one to be published! This series involves four good friends: Layla, Vivian, Bailey and Izzy. This is Layla’s stories, although we also get a glimpse of part of Izzie’s story too. I love it when the heroine has good female friends she can always count witn. And this is the case with this group, Izzy being the last addition. Layla, Vivian and Bailey have been good friends since College days at Georgetown University. Layla Kara mis a CIA Analyst, passionate for her work, although she has been asked of late to work on the field, which is of course, to say the least, threading dangerous waters. Layla’s recent mission was in Honduras, where she was sent with three other operatives by the DEA to bring down a cartel. They didn’t get the ringleader, but they did confiscate drugs, cash and traffickers. But the operation didn’t get to the root of the cartel. When she returns, things start to happen… One of the ops from the mission gets the visit from a mysterious intruder who has cartel symbols as tatoo… Then a bomb explodes in the restaurant where she usually meets her friends, and a couple who were seated in their favorite table dies from the impact. Then another op member of the tea mis murdered at his home… Someone is definitely after them, and she becomes an important target. Not only that, but shortly after that, the CIA opens up an international investigation against her. Providentially, Hunter McCoy, her exboyfriend who broke her heart, and now a Private Investigator, is around town and rushes to the hospital when he learns of Layla’s accident. Even though Layla is hesitant to let him into her life again, he’s determined to make things right to her this time, as he has never forgotten her in all these years. He gets the opportunity to help Layla out when, other than find out who is trying to destroy her career, they both discover there is a mole inside the DEA who has sold out the team’s identity to the cartel. But who can they trust? Is the traitor amongst the people Layla trusts? And the ultimate question: can Layla trust Hunter, not only with her life, but also her heart? I don’t want to spoil the story for you. You’ll have to ride this journey with Hunter and Layla -and Izzy has her own part too- to find out how they fare nad survive. This was a thrilling story from page one until the end. I literally couldn’t put the book down and kept reading late at night! The plot is non stop action and intrigue, almost breathless. But what I loved more was the depth of the characters, and how they grow through out the story, personally, and in Hunter’s case, strengthening their fragile faith, especially Hunter’s. They have very interesting and enlightening dialogues. I loved the different angles of faith in the Lord each character went through, and how they, together, supporting each other through their fears and struggles, end up bettering each other! The anguish of being a revenge target felt so real and I found myself almost praying for Layla’s life! It’s a thriller through and through, yet it has more substance and inspiration than normal thrillers do! I loved this! Knowing that God never abandons us and only He can bring good out of grief and evil. This is not an easy conviction in this shattered world, so I love when the characters get to this point, even if sometimes through the hard way. I definitely recommend this story! You won’t be able to put it down, that’s for sure! I want to read more of Rachel Dylan's stories! I received a complimentary copy from the Publisher but wasn’t required to post a positive review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

God is there even when we think we can’t feel Him or hear Him - Layla This statement is one she is sure to repeatedly remember as you follow her through this incredible book! Layla is an accomplished analyst for the CIA, specializing in the Middle East since among her vast skills, she fluently speaks several of the necessary languages for that area of the world. A required assignment with the DEA sends her whole world and the rest of her team into chaos. The author has once again done a fabulous job of creating multiple stories in one, causing the non-stop action to keep you guessing who or what is behind it all. I will admit, the end result is not what I expected. Murder, a mole in the CIA or is it the DEA, safe houses that aren’t safe, etc. - the suspense won’t let you put the book down! This story can stand alone, but reading Capital Intrigue Book 1 first, gives you even more insight into who Layla is. You don’t want to miss this series! This ARC was received through Baker Publishing Group, Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley. The impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.

What an adrenaline-filled, intensely engaging thrill ride! Rachel Dylan is a master at weaving romantic suspense tales with non-stop action, relatable and lovable characters, and a complex plot with quite a few surprises. Backlash is book 2 in Capital Intrigue series and it can be read as a stand-alone but reading the series in order will help keep the relatively large crew of main characters straight and help in understanding a subplot that is a continuation from the first book. The main plot deals with Layla, who is a tough CIA operative, and Hunter, her ex-boyfriend who is now a private investigator that contracts with the DEA. Layla's one joint mission with DEA makes her and her team a target and Hunter is brought in to help out the team. Layla and Hunter have a convoluted history that prevents Layla from trusting Hunter, but escalating threats draw them together as they figure out how to merge their past, present, and future. The subplot deals with Izzy, one of Layla's friends and an NCIS agent (introduced in the first book), who is confronted by her past when a murder investigation lands on her doorstep. These two plots run parallel and don't actually intersect except for the women's friendship but they come nicely together to form a cohesive storyline. The book has it all - the nail-biting suspense, the heart-stopping romance, tough issues like corruption within government agencies and surviving abuse, and uplifting themes like forgiveness and depending on God's bigger plan. If you enjoy romantic suspense, you will absolutely adore this book. I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.