Undercover Christmas escape

by Terri Reed*

Published:       November 28, 2023
Series:             U.S. Marshals Series
Pages:              224
Genre:             Contemporary Inspirational Romance, Love Inspired
Setting:            Dallas, Present Day

Kimberly's Rating (out of 5 hearts)

What happens when a U.S. Marshal and DEA agent team up to bring down a drug cartel, only to find that the Marshal's long-lost sister is connected to the bad guys?

Sera Morales is a tough U.S. Marshal who's spent several months working with DEA agent Duncan O'Brien to bring down the Dallas-based Los Campeones cartel. Their methods of operation differ: Sera is impulsive, and Duncan is more methodical, which leads to disagreements and some bickering. Underlying the tension, however, is an attraction that neither wants to address.

When the team discovers that Sera's sister is involved with the criminals, Sera wants nothing more than to find out why her sister left home as a teenager and what she's been doing for the last twenty years. Duncan aims to bring down the criminals and keep his partner safe.

Like all Love Inspired Suspense books, Reed's story combines suspense and romance, with some Christian themes woven throughout. I enjoyed the book and liked the main characters, Sera and Duncan. Because Love Inspired stories are just over 200 pages, some aspects of this book felt underdeveloped, such as Duncan's character and motivation. Unfortunately, the falling in love also gets glossed over, with the relationship between Sera and Duncan going from simple attraction to much more too quickly. I wish there could have been a better balance between the suspense and romance.
Overall, Undercover Christmas Escape is a good, easy read that entertains.

(Note: I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.)

*You can find Terri at terrireed.com