Review – Against All Odds

Diplomat David Callahan is used to terrorist threats to kill people if their demands are not met. He is not used to terrorists threatening his estranged daughter’s life. And that is exactly what happens as Against All Odds by Irene Hannon opens. If Callahan does not convince the fledgling Afghani government to release terrorists they are holding, his daughter will be killed.

Callahan does not take this threat idly but asks for the best of the best to protect his daughter so he goes to the highest level to place the request. The White House. Orders come down through channels to FBI Hostage Rescue Team members Evan Cooper and Mark Sanders who are ordered to keep Monica Callahan safe.

Trouble is, Monica doesn’t believe the threat and isn’t gung ho about being protected. Coop and Mark have more trouble convincing her to let them do their job then they’d have risking their lives to rescue a hostage. And then there’s Coop’s interest in Monica. He’s drawn to her like no other woman he’s ever met. Not a good mix in his mind. He has to be on the top of his game if he’s to keep Monica safe from a foe with plans that stretch the HRT’s skills.

Against All Odds is Irene Hannon’s twenty seventh book, but her first romantic suspense title in print. When I first got the book, I noticed on the cover an endorsement from Dee Henderson, a well-respected romantic suspense author. As a writer, I said to myself, this was either a good thing or a bad thing for Hannon. Good, in that the endorsement likely encouraged readers who are hungry for a new Henderson novel to pick up the book. Bad, if Hannon didn’t deliver the goods when the reader sat down to read.

I am happy to report, it is a win win situation for Hannon as she delivers big time in this novel. The intercontinental suspense plot combines flawlessly with a fantastic romance that sizzles. The realism in her FBI details adds authenticity to the novel and allows the book to branch out to a male audience and women who would not pick up a romantic suspense title. The characters are all well developed and the interplay between partners is wonderful.

The story holds a theme of forgiveness, which is naturally woven into the book. Though there is a theology issue in a prayer that I don’t agree with, this doesn’t stop me from enjoying the book and recommending it to others. So if you’re looking for a great romantic suspense read, pick up Against All Odds. I promise you will be delighted that you did and will be eagerly awaiting the September release of Eye For An Eye