Book Review: Not This Time by Vicki Hinze #christianbook

Not This Time: A Novel by Vicki Hinze
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not This Time: A Novel (Crossroads Crisis Center) is the third book in the Crisis Crossroads Center series. I read the first one Forget Me Not: A Novel (Crossroads Crisis Center) , but I did not read the second one, Deadly Ties: A Novel (Crossroads Crisis Center) .

In Not This Time, Sara and Beth are the two main characters. They have built a multimillion dollar company and are successful in their own right. When an act of terrorism occurs at a local wedding, the questions start. Who is behind this act and why? Who can they trust and who is the traitor? Beth is sure it has something to do with Sara's husband Robert but then he is kidnapped and presumably murdered, so she has no idea who to trust.  Even Sara, her best friend, is lying to her!  Beth puts everything she has into finding the truth about the attack and about Sara.  The more she finds out, the more danger surrounds Beth, Sara and the other residents of Seagrove Village.

My Review:
The author, Vicki Hinze, does a wonderful job of weaving the story. As you progress through the book, the author lures you into a false sense of "I have this all figured out" when BOOM! another twist comes. Your are kept guessing until the end chapters. 

I also thought the author did a great job of developing the characters, particularly Sara and Beth. The NINA team fit their roles so well as did the "good guys." How she managed to seamlessly weave in romances, I do not know but she did and did it well!  I found myself with emotional connections to the characters even though the were fictional.


It's been a while since I read the first book and I did feel like I was missing some of the nuances. There were some refreshers in there but not enough to make me remember the characters and players in this series. Even though this works as a standalone book, having read the first one, I knew I was missing some important tie-ins from the second book. For that reason, I would recommend reading this series from start to finish. I'm tempted to go back and read the first and second books.


While this is a Christian thriller, it's not slap you in the face religion. The characters faith, or lack, is subtly woven in throughout the story. Reliance on God is evident and comforting. I really love how this author was able to make the story exciting and fluid without having to remove the presence of God in the character's lives.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to more from this author. Thank you to Waterbrook Multnomah for allowing me to review this book as part of the blogging for books program.

If you want a sneak peek, go here to read the first chapter!

Love and Blessings Always!

Margaret

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

View all my reviews

Blog Tour: Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze

I'm a little late with this tour but I still wanted to share with you guys this wonderful book.  Also be on the lookout for a giveaway!

SUMMARY OF THE BOOK:

THEIR ELUSIVE ENEMIES TOOK EVERYTHING.  NOW THEY WANT MORE.

Crossroads Crisis Center owner Benjamin Brandt was a content man—in his faith, his work, and his family.  Then in a flash, everything he loved was snatched away.  His wife and son were murdered, and grief-stricken Ben lost faith.  Determination to find their killers keeps him going, but after three years of dead ends and torment, his hope is dying too.  Why had he survived?  He’d failed to protect his family.

Now, a mysterious woman appears at Crossroads seeking answers and help—a victim who eerily resembles Ben’s deceased wife, Susan.  A woman robbed of her identity, her life, of everything except her faith—and Susan’s necklace.

The connections between the two women mount, exceeding coincidence, and to keep the truth hidden, someone is willing to kill.  Finding out who and why turns Ben and the mystery woman’s situation from dangerous to deadly.  Their only hope for survival is to work together, trust each other, and face whatever they discover head on, no matter how painful. But will that be enough to save their lives and heal their tattered hearts?

About the Author: 

Vicki Hinze is an award-winning author of twenty-three novels, three nonfiction books, and hundreds of articles. Selected for Who’s Who in America in 2004 as a writer and educator, Hinze is active in Romance Writers of America and serves as a Vice President on the International Thriller Writers Board of Directors. Vicki lives in Florida with her artist husband, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel. Visit www.vickihinze.com

to learn more about Vicki’s books, blogs, and writing programs.

Forget Me Not: A Novel by Vicki Hinze



I really enjoyed this Christian thriller.  It's a new genre for me and I think I will be reading more!  The author does a fantastic job of building suspense, there are great twists in the plot and it really captivated me.  I thought the ending was great.  I have read so many books that were predictable in the last few months that this was a welcome change.  Highly recommended for readers who love Christian fiction/thrillers.  I would love to see this as a movie!


Thank you to WaterBrook Multnomah for providing this book for review!