My Review: Firewall

 

Firewall, DiAnn Mills newest book, is the first in the FBI: Houston series.  It is a great book, full of edge-of-your-seat suspense and a mystery that keeps you guessing! 

 

Description:

In a matter of minutes, Taryn Young's happily ever after turn into her waking nightmare.

After a whirlwind romance, software developer Taryn Young is en route to a dream honeymoon when a bomb decimates the airport terminal, killing dozens.  Injured, she awakens in the hospital to discover her husband is missing, and they're both considered prime suspects in the attack.  Further, the FBI is convinced her husband isn't who he appears to be.

Agent Grayson Hall's first priority is to catch those responsible for the bombing.  Despite the evidence point to Taryn's guilt, Grayson's gut tells him she's innocent . . . and in danger.  With a possible mole in the FBI office, Grayson and Taryn fight to stay ahead of her pursuers, especially when they learn what the bombers are really after: Taryn's latest high-security software project.  In the wrong hands, it could leave the US vulnerable to massive attacks.

With national security on the line, Taryn and Grayson must unravel the plot and find the architect before their firewall is breached.

 

About the author:

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author whose novels have won Christy Awards and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, and Carol Award contests.  When she's not writing, DiAnn is busy teaching and doing research through the FBI Citizens Academy.  She and her husband live in Houston, Texas.  Visit her online at www.diannmills.com

(Book description and author bio copied from back cover.  Cover photo from Deeper Shopping.  All rights reserved.)

 

My Review: 4.5 stars

Another excellent book from DiAnn Mills!

I’ve loved all of DiAnn Mills books and this one is no exception. Firewall is the first book in the FBI: Houston series and I can’t wait to read the others (though, I know I have to)! With her trademark suspense and romance, DiAnn weaves a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
This book is filled with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. I was constantly finding suspects and eliminating them, trying to guess “whodunnit.” DiAnn manages to keep the story one step ahead, which I appreciated. If it’s too obvious, then there’s not much to hold my attention and this book definitely did that! I didn’t want to put it down!
I immensely enjoyed Taryn’s character. She is strong, determined, and willing to do whatever it takes to find out the who and why of the attack. She is a very believable character, with many of her actions and reactions realistic and completely fitting of the scenario. I liked seeing her come to faith and learn to trust God. Though it starts as a last resort, she continues to cling to God and finds what her friend had told her about Him to be true. Taryn is the kind of person I think a lot of people hope they will be, should they ever face a crisis like this. She gets knocked down, but quickly gets back up and keeps fighting. She refuses to give up, even with the odds continually stacked against her.
Grayson was a great hero! He is also strong and determined, which has him knocking heads with Taryn a time or two. He is also kind while working a job that would make many hard and walled off. I liked his personality and his faith. He stands strong for what he believes and doesn’t back down from what he knows is right.
Though I loved both of them, Joe may have been my favorite. He’s a great secondary character, well rounded and the book wouldn’t have been the same without him. He is a little gruff, but sweet too, and just as stubborn as Grayson. He is also the voice of reason when Grayson gets too caught up on one particular aspect. I loved his relationship with Taryn, how he kept her grounded and lifted her up when she would have given in.
My only complaint about Firewall is that I couldn’t get as attached to the characters as I usually do. With most of DiAnn’s books, I almost miss the characters when I’m through, but these didn’t tug my heart as much. I think most of it was that I was so focused on the case and where the story was going to lead, the characters became second to that. This book is definitely more suspense than romance, which is not at all a bad thing, I just wish DiAnn had focused on the characters a little more and maybe made the story a little less complex.
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy mysteries and suspense!
I received an Advanced Reading Copy from the author for my honest review, which I have given. I was not required to write a positive review and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.



Thank you for stopping by!  I really and truly value the time you chose to spend reading my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my review and will come by again sometime!  Have a wonderful day! :)

 
If you are interested in reading other reviews, or perhaps purchasing a copy of the book, here are a few links to help you out. 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Christian Book