I've been wanting to read a book by this author for some time, and, after reading Abduction, I wish I'd done so sooner. I read it cover to cover in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm giving it 4.5 stars.

Our heroine, Jillian (Jill) West, lost both her parents at the tender age of 13 and moved in with her grandmother to a small town on the Gulf Coast, Hope, where she soon spots and tries to befriend Hayden, the 15-year-old, reputed bad boy son of a criminal. Almost immediately after rebuffing her innocent offer of friendship, Jill walks away saddened, and is abducted by a stranger. Hayden, feeling guilty about the way he treated her, tries to catch up with her and apologize, and he witnesses her abduction. He then steals a bicycle, follows and eventually rescues her--but her abductor was never caught and within a very short time, another little girl is found dead on the beach, Christy, her neck broken. The abductor/murderer has never been caught and punished, but Hayden's image in town is forever changed. He's no longer viewed as the town troublemaker, he's now the town hero for rescuing Jill.

By the time Hayden is 21, and Jill 19, they have moved from being best friends and are now in love, but Hayden has never overcome the stigma of his childhood, his father's bad reputation, and his unwillingness to feel good about himself. Because he feels that he's just not good enough for Jill, he joins the navy, eventually becoming a Navy SEAL, and breaking Jill's heart when he leaves. Jill also was forever changed by her abduction and feels that she too has a mission to fulfill. She wants to join the FBI and help find, track down and save other abductees--sadly, sometimes she doesn't find them in time.

Ten years later, Hayden has left the SEALs and is now Hope's town sheriff. Jill is also back in Hope, and emotionally exhausted and drained from her work at the FBI. She's supposedly on vacation, but she still wants to catch the man who abducted her years ago and who, she believes, killed Christy, the girl found on the beach, and now she has the skills and credentials to do so by returning and reopening this cold case.

Hayden has never found anyone to replace Jill, nor she him. Hayden's love for Jill kept him sane through all the horrors of war he saw as a SEAL, and when he sees her again, he knows that fate has brought them together, and that they were meant to be together forever. He's never stopped loving her, nor she him, but Hayden is extremely overprotective of her, and Jill is more than a little bit wary of being hurt by him again.

Someone else notices these two are back together again--Jill's abductor, who has never left town and who has been hiding in plain sight for years. No sooner does Jill visit Christy's grave, when an attempt is made to run her over, and so begins the abductor's desire to avenge himself on the one girl who got away from him, and he's not going to stop until he succeeds in killing her.

Will Jill manage to catch the boogeyman from her past, or will he succeed in killing her first. Will Jill ever willingly open herself to Hayden's advances, knowing how deeply he hurt her in the past. Will she finally comes to terms with her own guilt over Christy's death, since she feels that the murder would not have happened if Hayden had not rescued her and she'd been the dead victim? Will there be more attempts on Jill's life. Will she and Hayden finally solve the mystery and find the culprit? What will happen when yet another local girl is abducted? There are lots of questions and unresolved issues throughout this well-crafted, well-paced and well-written romantic suspense novel, and to find out the answers, you'll just have to read it and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this novel.

Abduction is a tight suspense thriller with romance and a mysterious stalker, where Jill and Hayden just want to start over again, but so does the abductor.

The suspense part of Abduction was really well done, because little by little, we learned about how Jill was abducted as a child, and Hayden saved her… This has been haunting both of them ever since, Jill so much so that she started working for the FBI finding missing children. Hayden had been seen as the main thug in Hope until he saved Jill that day, and it changed his life. But he still let her go once they were adults, as he didn’t think he was good enough for her.

I think it was the second chance at romance that didn’t work as well for me as it could have in Abduction, as I found the interactions between Jill and Hayden to be both a bit repetitive and a little stilted. As the story unfolded, I got more used to that, though, and really enjoyed the mystery and the hunt – as Jill was both the prey and the hunter. And it was very tense in many ways, both because of the cold case that suddenly became hot, and the chemistry and unfinished business between Hayden and Jill.

Abduction also made me very curious about this universe, as there are more books set in it. And I would like to get to know both these FBI agents and their mates a bit better in the future. Written in past tense, third person point of view and with a good deal of dialogues, the flow was good, and the story quite fast paced. I was on the edge of my seat towards the end, needing to know how things would be figured out.

Abduction was a fast paced thriller that was quick and easy to read. Even so, the story and characters were well developed. I enjoyed having FBI profiler Samantha Dark and her partner, Blake Gamble, from the Killer Instinct Series turn up in this book. The storyline had a second chance romance between the main characters, Jillian West and Hayden Black, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I thought that the book had a great balance of suspense and romance, and I look forward to the next connected book. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

As a young girl Jillian was kidnapped and saved by the towns trouble maker Hayden. After that he was seen in a good light and eventually became a Sheriff of the town. Thing is the kidnapper was never caught. Now Jillian is back in town and is looking to open up her case and find her kidnapper when a child goes missing. Now its a race against the clock to save the teen.

I loved this book. There was so much going on hardly any down time before something happened. I loved that there was that not only does the readers get the pov of both main characters but the kidnappers pov as well. I also loved the connection between the characters and seeing everything came out in the end. I loved that I managed to be surprised in the ending, I wasn't expecting that person! Overall a really great book it kept me hooked till the end.

As teenagers, Hayden and Jillian are bonded together after he rescues her from a kidnapper. They stick together and fall in love, but as often happens with young love, it didn’t end well. They’ve both never quite recovered.

Now ten years later, Jillian is an FBI agent needing some time off to recharge after a case gone bad. She goes home recuperate, and doesn’t expect to find Hayden back, too, seeing as he’s supposed to be away serving as a Navy SEAL. But her intel is a little outdated, and Jillian’s faced with the man who broke her heart.

Hayden let Jillian go ten years back, but he won’t make the same mistake twice. She may not be ready to let him back in yet, but the sparks are still there and they now have a common goal: solve the cold case murder of Christy Anderson, a teenager taken and killed immediately after Jillian’s rescue.

I loved that Jillian was a smart, well-trained woman able to defend herself, but smart enough to know when to take help when needed. I hate it when a character goes off half-cocked, recklessly charging toward avoidable danger. Not the case with Jillian.

I’m always a sucker for a second chance romance. Hayden and Jillian never got over their first love, and so I wanted to see them happy and together. Hayden was determined and Jillian was understandably cautious, but didn’t push him away. They didn’t hold back their thoughts or feelings about the past, working things out while trying to stay one step ahead of a killer. This became trickier as the threats became more and more dangerous! This wacko just didn’t quit!

I love Cynthia Eden’s writing! She kept me on the edge of my seat for much of the story with action, thrills, and twists! I had to read Abduction straight through!

After meeting Samantha Dark, Jillian’s FBI profiler friend, I’m looking forward to her books in this series!

Review of Abduction by Cynthia Eden. I absolutely loved the relationship between Julie and Hayden. The prologue was scenes from when they were kids and I loved their connection that they developed from a young age. Jill’s was abducted as a child and Hayden came to her rescue. She's always had to live with the fact that a girl was abducted and killed after she was able to escape. They never found the killer. She became an FBI agent who tries to find missing kids. Hayden went into the service and became a Seal. There was a lot of angst over him leaving but I will let you experience that and not spoil it for you. He is out of the service and now the sheriff in their hometown. Hayden is one of my favorite fiction heroes. Every woman wants her man to protect her and Hayden was the perfect man for the job. He understood what made her tick. Their connection is one of my favorites for book couples. I was thrilled that the author showed both sides of the scene when he took her the violets.

Jill has returned to her hometown for a much needed break. She also decided to review the cold case of the girl that was killed. Jill was strong but not stupid. So many times authors take it too far and the woman is just stupid and stubborn. Jill calls in a friend and co-worker, Samantha to help profile the killer. The author teases you with just enough mystery about Samantha that you want to know her story. I was relieved we got closure on the killer. I was starting to think it might blend over into a series.

I enjoyed this book so much that I've already downloaded another book by Cynthia Eden. I think it's going to be the next book with Samantha, the profiler.

Intense doesn't even begin to describe Abduction, every moment of it taking the tension higher both on the suspense and action side as well as on the new chance on a love and future together Hayden Black and Jillian West have always secretly hoped for.
The author draws a detailed, in-depth pictures of the two main characters, Hayden and Jillian, both charismatic, likable, and relatable. Jillian, the FBI agent, has come to her childhood hometown to rest after her career as finding missing children has taken the toll and left her feeling empty and numb. The ones that she wasn't able to save hunt her mind and her sleep, forcing her to take a step away and find focus again.
Hayden used to be the cast away bad boy of his hometown until he saved a young Jillian from a kidnapper at the age of 15. From that day on Hayden has loved her and done his best to protect her. Through the heartbreaking break up to let her go chase after her dreams, through his SEAL career, to this day as she comes back home and finds him there as the sheriff of the town she has been his everything.
I absolutely loved the tension, the connection, the attraction, the fierceness of the passion between Hayden and Jillian. The tenderness and adoration made me smile, and the need to protect each other and take care of each other was endearing. I loved how they didn't dwell on the past mistakes, but were able to learn from it and fight their way through it.
The suspense is filled with constant danger, as the past abductions collide with the new crimes happening in the small coastal town of Hope. Jillian's own experience with the kidnapper and Hayden's brave act of rescuing her years ago play a center role in the current events, all twisting together like it just happened yesterday.
The seamless flow of the story, the engaging, lovable characters, the alluring romance, the forever friends, that small town feeling, and the danger lurking around, never giving a moment's rest, the pressure building, and the new victims fighting for their lives are all elements that made this addictive story impossible to put down. What a thrill-ride, can't wait for more in the series!
~ Five Spoons!

Quick Note: This is listed as book 1, but there's a prequel called The Gathering Dusk, and there seem to be more books in this series, both from Harlequin, and self-published, so I'm not entirely sure of the order. I mention that because the prequel and the second? third? book have the same heroine/hero. My guess is the prequel is introducing us to the cast. I just bought it and I'll update this after I read it.

Cynthia Eden, Mistress of Suspense is back with her latest series, the Killer Instinct series. This book begins with Jillian West being abducted. She's thirteen and the man who takes her doesn't plan on letting her live. But a boy standing at the edge of the pier, a boy she'd just spoken to, saw everything. And he isn't letting her get away, even if it means chasing down a serial killer.

Hayden Black fell in love with Jill that first day they met. Saving her from a killer did more than change him from bad boy to hometown hero, it saved him. But he never felt good enough for her. So when he knew she wanted to go into the FBI, the only way to make that happen was to let her go. But he didn't realize he'd broken her heart. Joining the Navy was his way to improving himself. He needed to make himself into someone she could be proud of.

When Jill came back to Hope, FL, she didn't expect to see Hayden. She knew exactly where his SEAL team was. So running into him on the beach where they first met was completely unexpected. Turns out she was right about where his team was, but she didn't know he'd left the Navy and was now the sheriff.

But the man who'd abducted her took someone else. Jill and Hayden couldn't let that go, nor could they ignore the idea that she might be the ultimate target. But can they deal with this new development in the case as well as their feelings for each other? The past is rising up again, in more ways than one, and the two of them need to put it behind them or move on. But with a break in an old case, can they do that?

This book reminds me of Ms. Eden's LOST series, and I love that series, so this is a good thing! I think that she writes incredible serial killers. I know that might not sound like the best compliment, but seriously, nothing is worse than reading a Romantic Suspense where you know who the bad guy is within the first few chapters. Ms. Eden's bad guys are never cardboard characters, and they're always someone you don't see coming. At least not right away.

I liked how Hayden didn't beat around the bush. He saw Jill again, and went for it. He didn't try to play it cool, or to hide his feelings. And even though Jill was standoffish at first, I liked how she realized that holding Hayden at arm's length wasn't possible, and their history needed to stay in the past.

This book is an excellent way to start a new series, and I can't wait to dive into the prequel. With suspense, action, and romance, Abduction holds other Romantic Suspense books to a new standard.

***ARC courtesy of Harlequin Intrigue

Harlequin Intrigue books are great because they deliver a full, well-developed story in a quick easy-to-read package. Cynthia Eden’s work is exquisitely suited to the format, and with ABDUCTION, she delivers a gripping, fast-paced story that neatly ties together the prequel of her new Killer Instinct romantic suspense series and the upcoming first full-length novel in the series-- and gives us a sexy, pulse-pounding ride while at it. I love Ms. Eden’s work and consider her one of the best voices in dark romantic suspense-- if there is one foible in her work, it’s the tendency toward overly drawn-out hero/heroine angst; the category length nicely curtails this to provide a compelling emotional hook for Hayden and Jill’s relationship without being excessive.

Overall, ABDUCTION is another great addition to Ms. Eden’s already-excellent body of RS work, sure to satisfy those readers looking for a sexy, white-knuckle ride that can be digested in a single afternoon.

**ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley

Reunited best friends and former lovers take on the cold case that neither of them could ever forget, and take us along for a suspense filled ride! Great characters made for an easy quick read as we tried to figure out who was behind it all. The added position of having the bad guy give his point of view periodically throughout the book gave it a nice touch!

FBI Special Agent Jillian West has never been able to forget the crime that occurred in the town she lived in as a teen ... or the victim that could have, and almost was, her. She's returned to the Florida town to take another look at the case now that she has some crime solving skills under her belt. Imagine her surprise when she runs into her former friend and lover who has also returned to town.

Former Navy SEAL Hayden Black has never been able to forget Jill, and is happy to see her again. He settles in to help her take a look at the old case, and vows to keep her safe when things start happening to her. Will their reawakened desire for each other lead to a second chance at forever?

Full review will be published online in mid to late February.

ABDUCTION is a quick, easy read; but exciting and fast-paced. Sheriff Hayden Black saves Jillian West from a kidnapper, and then they part ways. Hayden has a trouble past, and being Sheriff is a soothing respite from his years as a SEAL and an FBI agent. When Jill returns and a killer threaten not only his town, but Jill herself; their lives are drawn together once again.

ABDUCTION is also a classic Cynthia Eden Romantic Suspense novel, and another story that will keep the reader turning pages and rereading key passages. The story doesn't end with the last word written. Eden has the reader wondering what really happens in the mind of a serial killer, and about the people who hunt them down. For a Harlequin Intrigue book, there is quite a bit of storyline involved, and a plot that packs a punch.

**4.5 Stars**

ABDUCTION is a second-chance romance filled with suspense and pent-up desire. Hayden and Jillian had a whirlwind of a romance that sparked in their teens but the flame was put out too soon. Now, years later, Jillian is back to find some answers into her own cold case and, unexpectedly, the reason for the premature end of hers and Hayden’s relationship.

Eden is fantastic at romantic suspense. I love her twisting stories and cast of could-be suspects. This story had the wonderful addition of a love that ended too soon and the tumultuous feelings still attached to each character. The sexual tension and cloud of emotion hung over them, building along with the suspense in perfect sync. The story kept me glued to the pages and searching for answers at every turn. Eden crafted each character with the right amount of vulnerability and strength–to both be strong in their own ways, but in need of someone to share that with. Sexy and bold, ABDUCTION had the pull of an unputdownable story with its rising suspense and angst-filled romance. I can’t wait for more in the Killer Instinct series and world!

Wonderful series by Cynthia Eden. The series hooked me from the start. The only thing that I do not like is that the first three books jump from ebook, HQ Intrigue, and Mass Market format. This makes it hard for customers to keep up with.the series. Some of my customers do not have internet access or computers or kindles for the first book in the series. Some of my customers no not want to read the thinner Intrigue books so they do not know about the series until the third book and by then the second one is no longer available in the stores. I have heard complaints about this for years. My bookstore has been open for 41 years

What I love about Harlequin Romance Intrigue books are they are quick, easy to put down and a fast read. What I forgot about Cynthia Eden novel is no matter who she writes for you can't put her books down. From first to last word she will have reads hooked turning pages and rereading wondering did that really just happen. The story doesn't end with the last word she has the reader wondering what really happens in the mind of a serial killer and about the people who truly hunt him every day.
This book isn't the first or the last I will read by this amazing New York Best Seller.

I couldn't put this book down every word pulled me into a world of killers, best friends, romance and who will be alive at the end of the book.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy