Seek and Hide by Amanda Stevens

MY REVIEW

The story grips you from the first sentence. That is very rare. Then the tension slacks off a bit and you wonder where you are and what's going on. I think there is just a tad too much backstory, but then this is what a lot of writers do. They try to prolong the mystery in order to keep a reader turning pages, when all they need do is raise questions and answer questions that lead to more questions. THAT is the sign of a well designed, well told story.

However, there are great characters that are very well developed. It doesn't take too long to get the feel for each one and their personality. Although one policeman turns out to be really evil, which is part of the storyline.

A really disappointing romance is underway when the tale opens, only you don't find it until well into the book. You basically start in the middle of it. While that could work, it really doesn't work well here. There is absolutely zero reason for the "hero" to love his broken girl. I do mean zero. Then about 3/4s of the way in, you "get it". However, the big question is: Is it really true love?

All that said, I really did like the story. The flow is good, the transitions from head to head are well done (that is very rare these days, too). And above all the characters don't jump out of their skin and do something out of character. For me that is crucial for a story to work well. The collage of characters work well, too. They abrade each other to fine points, but the abrasion only works to make one character grow. I guess we'll have to wait for Book 2 to see if the stubbornness of two characters will wear away enough for their souls to stretch.

It is very much a page turner, and a read that will keep you up at night. A word to the wise, don't start this book at 10:00 PM thinking you'll just read til you get sleepy. You won't. Then when you finish the book, you realize there is much more to the story. It really leaves you hanging with a LOT of holes left empty and gaping.



ABOUT THE BOOK

 Six years ago, the government took control of the church. Only re-translated Bibles are legal, and a specialized agency called the Constabulary enforces this and other regulations. Marcus Brenner, a new Christian, will do anything to protect his church family from imprisonment—including risk his own freedom to gain the trust of a government agent.

Aubrey Weston recanted her faith when the Constabulary threatened her baby. Now released, she just wants to provide for her son and avoid government notice. But she’s targeted again, and this time, her baby is taken into custody. If only she’d never denied Him, maybe God would hear her pleas for help.

When Aubrey and Marcus's lives collide, they are forced to confront the lies they believe about themselves. And God is about to grab hold of Marcus’s life in a way he’d never expect, turning a loner into a leader.