Rachel Dylan – Diversity Between the Pages

Book Review: Power Play

Published on May 29, 2021April 25, 2021 by NicoleLeave a comment

Happy Saturday, friends! Today I am thrilled to share my thoughts about Power Play by Rachel Dylan, who is one of my favorite romantic suspense authors. Power Play is the third and final book in Rachel Dylan’s Capital Intrigue series. This fabulous book releases in just three days, on Tuesday June 1st.

In Power Play, Rachel Dylan gives us another wonderful hero and heroine to root for. Readers will be introduced to the tall, dark and handsome Latino hero, Supervisory Special Agent of Diplomatic Security Service, Jacob Cruz. I sure do love it when Rachel Dylan includes tall, dark, and handsome heroes in her romantic suspense novels! Power Play will definitely be on my list of top 10 books of 2021.

Have you read any books by Rachel Dylan yet?

ABOUT THE BOOK

Trapped in a dangerous game, can she counter the enemy’s deadly power play?

When Vivian Steele, an attorney at the State Department, witnesses two ambassadors collapse as if poisoned at a diplomatic dinner in Washington, DC, she is recruited to be a member of a joint FBI task force assigned to investigate. But she soon finds her by-the-book ways clashing with a special agent in the Diplomatic Security Service, Jacob Cruz. A former Navy SEAL and in charge of the event’s security, Jacob takes the attack personally and is driven to act quickly, unhampered by rules and regulations.

As Viv starts to work her diplomatic sources, her past as a State Department lawyer comes back to haunt her, and secrets held tightly by the government thrust her into a web of danger. Afraid, she turns to the one man bent on protecting others. But can she accept Jacob’s reckless ways as exactly what she needs to stay alive and to discover the truth behind the attacks?

AMAZON | GOODREADS

MY THOUGHTS

“Love could make you do crazy things. Even become a traitor to your country.”

Power Play, the third installment in author Rachel Dylan’s Capital Intrigue series, is a captivating tale of deception, friendship, and romance. Rachel Dylan is one of my favorite romantic suspense authors because of her wonderful characters who feel like old friends, her intense action-filled storylines, and the perfect balance of romance and suspense in her novels. She continues to incorporate well-written diverse characters into her storylines, such as Power Play’s Latino hero Jacob Cruz, who the readers will easily fall in love with.

In Power Play, State Department Attorney Vivian Steele is suddenly thrust into a world of danger and subterfuge after two ambassadors appear to have been targeted at a diplomatic dinner she is attending. Being partnered with Supervisory Special Agent Jacob Cruz on a task force to investigate places her life on the line in a fascinating and thrilling conclusion to the Capital Intrigue series.

The romance in this novel develops realistically at a slower pace as Jacob dislikes Vivian from the beginning, mainly due to her job as an attorney. However, once they realize their feelings for each other, get ready for sparks to fly between the two!

Rachel Dylan intricately weaves beautiful messages of faith into the storyline. This novel can be read as a standalone, but fans of the Capital Intrigue series will enjoy cameo appearances from characters featured in books one and two. There are also new supporting characters introduced in this book as part of the special joint task force, but it is done in such a way that there is no confusion over these additional characters.

Power Play is highly recommended for readers of romantic suspense, especially those who enjoy books by authors such as Lynn H. Blackburn, Irene Hannon, Dani Pettrey, and Lynette Eason. Power Play will definitely be one of my top reads of 2021.

I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM BETHANY HOUSE AND WAS NOT REQUIRED TO WRITE A POSITIVE REVIEW. ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE MINE.

ADDITIONAL QUOTES:

“For the first time in a long time, she had hope that love wasn’t just something out of fairy tales, but something she could have with Jacob.”
“That’s where our faith has to come in. It’s one of the only things that has gotten me through the dark times – knowing that our God is greater than all of these dark things we’re dealing with. It’s a source of comfort and strength for me.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Dylan (www.racheldylan.com) is an award-winning and bestselling author of legal thrillers and romantic suspense. Rachel has practiced law for over a decade, including being a litigator at one of the nation’s top law firms. Her Atlanta Justice series has won the Holt Medallion, the Maggie Award, and the FHL Reader’s Choice Award. Rachel lives in Michigan with her husband and five furkids–two dogs and three cats.

Book Review: Backlash

Published on October 5, 2020August 22, 2020 by NicoleLeave a comment

Happy Monday, friends! Today I am thrilled to share my thoughts about Backlash by Rachel Dylan, who is one of my favorite romantic suspense authors. Backlash is the second book in Rachel Dylan’s Capital Intrigue series and releases tomorrow October 6th.

First of all, look at that gorgeous cover! This is my favorite cover of Rachel Dylan’s and it depicts CIA anaylst Layla Karam, the half Lebanese heroine, exactly as I imagined her. Rachel Dylan created a perfectly blend of romance and suspense and gives us another wonderful hero and heroine to root for. Backlash will definitely be on my list of top 10 books of 2020.

Have you read any books by Rachel Dylan yet?

ABOUT THE BOOK

With a target on her back, she’s determined to find answers.
But can she escape the deadly backlash?

CIA analyst Layla Karam is thrust into a dangerous DEA field operation against a cartel, and after one of her team members is murdered because of fallout from the op, Layla is left scrambling to find safety.

At the same time, the CIA opens an internal investigation against her. Out of options, Layla turns to ex-boyfriend and private investigator Hunter McCoy for help finding out who might want to ruin her career.

Layla and Hunter soon discover that a mole inside the DEA has sold out

the team’s identity to the cartel. She needs to clear her name with the Agency in order to protect herself and her teammates from cartel retaliation. With threats on all sides, Layla must put her trust in Hunter–the man who broke her heart–and hope they both come out of it alive.

For those who are content sensitive: this book contains non-graphic scenes and descriptions of physical and sexual assault.

AMAZON | GOODREADS

MY THOUGHTS

“You have the perfect motive for murder.”

With intense action and incredible plot twists, Backlash is a fascinating tale of deception, friendship, and discovering a second chance at romance. In the second installment of author Rachel Dylan’s Capital Intrigue series, she once again delivers a perfect blend of romance and suspense to keep my romance-loving heart happy, and of course, another fabulous hero in Hunter McCoy.

After a devastating end to their relationship five years earlier, CIA Analyst Layla Karam must work together with her ex-boyfriend, private investigator Hunter McCoy, to discover who is targeting her team members and seeking retaliation. The friendship between Layla, Bailey, and Vivian…three women who became friends at Georgetown Law and found careers in different government agencies… and their new friend NCIS agent Izzy Cole is heartwarming. In their stressful and dangerous lines of work, they are blessed with each other’s friendship, trust, and support.

In one of the novel’s secondary storylines, Rachel Dylan portrays difficult topics that are extremely relevant in today’s society, including physical and sexual assault, in an appropriate manner, while opening up a dialogue for people to have needed conversations regarding these serious issues. Through the various characters’ struggles and pain throughout the novel, Rachel Dylan intricately weaves beautiful messages of faith into the storyline, which gives readers hope for the future.

Backlash is highly recommended for readers of romantic suspense, especially those who enjoy books by authors such as Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn, Irene Hannon, and Dani Pettrey. Backlash will definitely be one of my top reads of the year. I can’t wait to see what Rachel Dylan has in store for readers in Power Play, book three in the Capital Intrigue series, which releases in May 2021.

I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM BETHANY HOUSE AND WAS NOT REQUIRED TO WRITE A POSITIVE REVIEW. ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE MINE.

ADDITIONAL QUOTES:

“You had my heart all those years, Layla, and you still have it completely.”

“God’s there even when we think we can’t feel Him or hear Him. Sometimes it may just be a whisper in the wind or a beautiful sunrise, and that’s all it takes to remind me that the Lord is so much bigger than us. Than this earth. Than our lives. He is everything and everywhere while at the same time He cares about each of us.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Throwback Thursday: Breach of Trust

Published on June 4, 2020May 29, 2020 by NicoleLeave a comment

Happy Thursday! Today I am featuring a book written by another one of my favorite romantic suspense authors, Rachel Dylan. I’m throwing it back to February 2019 with Breach of Trust, the third book in Rachel Dylan’s Atlanta Justice series, which can easily be read as a standalone novel.

In Breach of Trust, attorney Mia Shaw discovers her colleague murdered and vows to find justice for him. Technology expert and former ATF agent Noah Ramirez’s friend is charged with the murder, but things aren’t always what they seem.

Readers will fall in love with tall, dark, and handsome Noah Ramirez and his huge heart. He is such a swoon-worthy character and will definitely be one to add to the readers’ collection of favorite book boyfriends. I just love collecting book boyfriends!

Have you read any books by Rachel Dylan yet?

ABOUT THE BOOK

When an Open-and-Shut Murder Case Gets Complicated, Can She Overcome Her Need for Justice?

Corporate litigator Mia Shaw suffers the shock of her life when she finds her colleague and friend brutally murdered. Grief-stricken and furious, Mia vows that she will do anything to make the killer pay.

The man accused of the murder is a friend of security tech guru Noah Ramirez, but the evidence just doesn’t add up. To save his former ATF partner, Noah needs to convince Mia that the real killer is still on the loose.

Mia soon has more to worry about than the criminal prosecution. She is tasked with taking over her friend’s last case and learns he was hiding dark secrets about his client. She thinks she may have stumbled upon corporate espionage that has turned deadly, but she has no idea of the danger involved. Her only ally is Noah, despite their difference of opinion about the killer’s identity. Can Noah win Mia over to his side and protect her from ever-growing threats?

AMAZON | GOODREADS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR