This was such a fantastic book. I loved this story so much. It kept me on the edge of my seat which I love. I loved the storyline. I loved the characters. There was nothing I would change, well, maybe to make it longer. But seriously... good book!

Suspense, corruption, but also humor and again, suspense. This story is very hard to put down. Mill's held my interests the entire time. It's chock full of suspense! The faith themes are that God works all things together for the good. There is a lot of good detective work and the ending was a twist.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my digital copy of this book. This review is my own, and contains my thoughts about this book. A positive review is never required.

DiAnn Mills is just a fantastic writer and I enjoyed this book so much. FBI Special Agent April Ramos is such a fun character to follow and the book was certainly a thriller.

April and Jason are the type of characters you can't help but wish were real people. They're tough yet compassionate and equally passionate about love and justice. Jason is trying to protect his daughter, what good dad doesn't do everything in his power to help his kids? And April gets stuck between believing Jason and trusting what others would have her believe.
God's plan is always good, even when we can't see the destination at the other end of the trail.
The premise was interesting and kept me engaged in the story. I loved the twists and turns and the constant confusion surrounding who was good and who might be bad.
An intense story you won't want to put down.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I really liked how unique the premise of this book was! I don't think I have read anything like it in the Christian Fiction realm and I enjoyed that! DiAnn Mills can do no wrong in my eyes, I have devoured everything she has read, reading most books more than once and this book is no exception! Flawless Romantic Suspense that keeps you turning page after page!

Burden of Proof is a very well written romantic suspense. A real page turner plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Fans of romantic suspense will not be disappointed. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Wow! This was such a great book! The characters were welldeveloped and the author did a great job of creating and showing personalities that were human and flawed. There were some twists and turns along the way, and some side storylines that played a part in the ending. Well written by the author, who I have come to expect superb writing from! Well worth the read.

I was given a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

My Review:

Genre: Suspense, romance, and Christian fiction.

My Rating: 3 and 1/2 stars.

My Recommendation: 16 up.

My favorite character/s: Jason was an excellent hero for this book. His character and need for justice were interesting and then his want to protect his daughter was sweet.

My Verse for Jason is Matthew 12:37

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (King James Version.)

It was interesting to follow April's story after she was suddenly pulled into the middle of a crime and forced to care for a little girl.

My Verse for April is Mark 9:24 
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. (King James Version.)


My Thoughts: I've enjoyed DiAnn Mills' western and I like suspense so I thought I'd try this one and I'm glad I did! It didn't end like I thought it would but it was still intriguing and fast paced without a pause in the action and suspense. Though a few things were somewhat unrealistic. I now believe I need to read more suspense books from DiAnn Mills.

Warnings: There are two murders committed though not shown on screen, a man had beat his wife before she disappeared. A man jumps from a roof in the beginning of the book.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review and an truly happy to provide it — all thoughts as my own.

Burden of Proof by DiAnn Mills was an exciting roller coaster read from the very beginning. Just my type of story! I loved all of the danger, suspense and twisted corners that the story took. I really liked both Jason and April. Both of them were strong and likable characters. I got a bit frustrated with April’s partner in the FBI and his “need to know only” behavior. Keeping your partner in the dark can lead to unnecessary danger! And that danger visited quite frequently! It kept me on the edge of my seat and my fingers quickly turning the pages! The little bit of romance between April and Jason wasn’t over-the-top or unbelievable and I found myself hoping that all would work out for them. A great book to add to your romantic/suspense shelf, I highly recommend!

FBI Negotiator April Ramos is taken hostage by Jason Snyder so he can prove that he didn't commit murder. This story has suspense, plot twists and turns and a little bit of romance.. Join April and Jason on an adventure to uncover the truth.

Reeling from a negotiation gone wrong, FBI Special Agent April Ramos is caught off guard when a frazzled young woman shoves a crying baby into her arms, then disappears. Worry for the child’s safety quickly turns to fear when a man claiming to be the girl’s father abducts them at gunpoint. April puts her hostage negotiation skills to use to learn more about who she’s dealing with: Jason Snyder, a fugitive accused of murder.

As Jason spins a tall tale about being framed for the killing of his business partner, April must sort through his claims to find the truth. A truth that becomes all the more evident after April overhears a conversation between Jason and the local sheriff and realizes something more sinister may be happening in their small town of Sweet Briar, Texas. But aligning herself with a known fugitive to uncover the burden of proof could cost April her job . . . or worse, her life and the lives of other innocent people.

An edge of your seat story that kept me up late reading. April is caught in the middle of a baby kidnapping. Then she gets kidnapped herself. Her faith and Jason's faith is tested all along the way. She doesn't know who to believe. Jason or the law authorities that say he is a murderer. Then to top it all off, she is starting to have feelings for Jason. I really enjoy reading Ms Mills books and this was no exception. I recommend book to anyone who loves suspense with a little romance thrown in.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

"Burden of Proof " by DiAnn Mills was read through netgalley.. It is a fiction, fast paced thriller book. April Ramos is an FBI agent who is caught in several difficult situations : an infant who was abducted in front of her eyes, Jason Snyder accused of murder, and keeping a man from suicide after job challenges. She is drawn into the case of Jason Snyder being accused of murder when his daughter is kidnapped in front of her. She is immediately helping Jason deal with his accusations. Jason holds her hostage against her will . He also gets his parents involved in helping protect his child after she is rescued by April. April guides Jason in this constant action and accusations. What will become of Jason and April. ? Who is at fault for the murder? How do Jason and April deal with the constant accusations and trials in the book? How will the many puzzles be solved? The book is hard to put down. It challenges the reader to move forward to see what will happen to Jason, April and the other people i the book. This book was given to me for review purposes only. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read and review this interesting book.

Who doesn't love a good book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This book does just that there are so many twist and turns you never know what's going to happen next. In fact at one point in the book something intense was happening and my houses fire alarms went off needless to stay I jumped. I really liked how no matter what the characters faced it was always coming back to rely on God and his will in there lives. I really liked how the book kept you guessing from the beginning to the end. This book is a clean read and will keep you on the edge of your seat from page one till the last page. You really can't go wrong with this amazing read.

Burden of Proof by Diann Mills is a phenomenal read. This thriller grips you right away and doesn’t let you go. April is a fbi hostage negotiator who is thrust into unfamiliar territory when she is kidnapped herself. Can she trust Jason and his story? Or should she trust fellow law enforcement instead? I loved this book so much and I think you will too. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I've read and enjoyed many of Diann Mills's romantic suspense novels, but Burden of Proof is not my favourite. The writing wasn't as smooth as I expected, but that wasn't my main issue.

My biggest problem was I had trouble relating to the main characters. I think this was because we were first introduced to Jason Snyder as he kidnapped FBI negotiator April Ramos. This leaves reader-me with a problem: is Jason a good guy or an evildoer? He's trying to persuade us he's a good guy, but good guys don't evade arrest. Good guys don't kidnap and threaten FBI agents. And good guys are also known for lying, so his protests didn't convince me.

It also seemed odd that April seemed to trust Jason almost right away. I didn't buy it. Then there are hints she's attracted to him—not unusual given this is romantic suspense, but it still left me wondering if Agent April was thinking with her FBI agent brain, or was she suffering from a touch of Stockholm Syndrome?

The result is I spent too much of the first half of the novel second-guessing was-he-or-wasn't-he to actually get into the story and enjoy it. The character dynamics were clearer in the second half, but it was too late for me. I already hadn't connected with Jason, and had my doubts about April.

As for the actual evildoer ... it was all a bit obvious. There was no mystery, not enough suspense, and one of the minor characters nicely summed up my problems with the romance plot in one line:
No relationship lasts when it begins with danger and supercharged emotions.

All in all, I was underwhelmed by Burden of Proof.

Thanks to Tyndale House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

Burden of Proof was a very interesting twist for this genre. The FBI agent helping a fugitive is not a plot you see much (I honestly can't think of any).

Sometimes the complexity of these stories makes my head spin. As good authors do, Mills had me second guessing who was a good guy and who was bad. I NEVER saw the identity of the killer coming or the reason. So sad.

I appreciate the fact that character is the main focus for the romance, not physical attraction. Attraction is well and good but not the basis of a relationship.

Jason and his dad cracked me up with their similar personalities.

Another unique element was the struggle for truth. By that I mean how characters were lulled into turning a blind eye to evil as long as they were unaffected. Evil was allowed to run rampant because of fear of reprisal and so the crimes continued until someone spoke up. A sobering thought.

“April hugged Isabella close to her. In her catharsis, she realized Jason trusted her. “Your daddy is a brave man,” she whispered. “I’m ready to help him find the proof of his innocence.”

First – flying squirrels do exist in Texas and feral hogs are numero uno bad.
Second – this is a livewire authoritative a story.
Third – you’ll walk away with more than you realize if you read this book.
Burden of Proof is an unpredictable, livewire story written with commanding prose. From the first few sentences to the very, very last words this story took me on a moving journey that deals with a murder and a couple of kidnappings. The story revolves around Jason and April. Jason’s daughter has been kidnapped and FBI Agent, April finds herself caught up in the middle of Jason’s problems. The story becomes complicated right from the start and it evolves into a love story.

“How spiritual.” Those who professed to be Christian while living hypocritical lives cemented her dissatisfaction with faith. “Looks like a solid front to the citizens.”

Mills weaves a story that makes you believe miracles can happen in real life. Character dialogue carries this story with resounding authenticity. Yes – life can be weird. Yes – life can take you down unexpected paths. Yes – life can bring people your world that can literally change the course you are on. Sadly, corruption does exist. What makes Burden of Proof so believable is that it’s a story written so real that it could be a true-life account of all the characters.

“Dad’s words resounded in his head. “A wild hog is the fourth most intelligent animal in the world.”

Yes – wild hogs are bad and intelligent. Yes –flying squirrels do exist in East Texas. I did have to look up the flying squirrel reference and see indeed these mammals are distributed in east Texas. Just wish I’d seen one or two during my time there.

In closing with the book Mills offers great discussion questions. But the most important takeaway from reading Burden of Proof comes in the author’s note. Mills states it eloquently, “Life is unpredictable. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow and we don’t know what sorts of mountains and valleys we’ll experience along our journeys. The age-old question of why do bad things happen to good people can become our mantra. Or we can choose to ignore our bruises and travel the road of good and prioritize truth and justice above all things.”

Words for us to live by… Thank you, Diann for that beautiful reminder.

I found this book held my interest from page one until the end. The intertwining mystery of characters of who did what, to whom, when and why, kept the story moving. And the underlying need of the main characters, Jason and April, to trust one another, cleverly leads towards romance. Well written.

Burden of Proof by Diann Mills

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Diann Mills hands her readers a complex new story that will not allow you know all the answers until the very last pages.

Doing the wrong thing for the right reason is something all of us have probably done at one time or another. Not that the ends justifies the means but we are fallible humans who are willing to do whatever it takes to keep our loved ones safe. Diann Mills taps into that with her latest story about a man who is desperately seeking to clear his name and find his best friend’s killer. The book begins with Houston based, FBI Special Agent April Ramos, a negotiator and investigator into law enforcement abuse of power. She has just had a suicide negotiation go terribly wrong and only wants to go home and sleep off her guilt. When she stops for breakfast, she is surprised by a young woman who thrusts a baby into her arms and dashes off. Not sure of the situation, April is about to contact local CPS when a man claiming to be the baby’s father comes up to her. Not trusting what the man says, April is further taken aback when he shows her his concealed gun. The man says his name is Jason Snyder and his daughter, Isabella, was kidnapped by a man who is trying to charge him with murder. Trying to absorb all he says into her already exhausted brain, April determines to get the upper hand as soon as possible. But Jason does not make it easy, apparently knowing all the tricks she would try before they happen. He takes her to a motel to let them all rest but they are tracked by Sheriff Willis Lennox, the man who has put out the arrest warrant out for Jason. Barely escaping arrest, Jason takes off, leaving April with instructions to take Isabella to his parents’ house in Sweet Briar, Texas. Still wary of following a supposed murderer’s instructions, April makes her way to the Snyder home and meets Ted and Vicki, who are overjoyed that Isabella has been returned. Hearing of how Isabella was taken gives more support to Jason’s claims and April begins to wonder if he is right in saying he is being set up. Calling in her partner, Simon Neilson for help, April finds herself draw to this family who has lost so much in the past two years. Determined to uncover the truth no matter what it is, April will soon realize she has jumped into a case that is incredibly complex and far reaching. Jason is at his wits end as he tries to reason out why he has been chosen as the scapegoat for his best friend’s death. Having been right beside Russell when he was shot, Jason did everything he could to save his friends life, to no avail. And when Sheriff Willis seeks to have him put away for the crime, Jason determines to fight back and discover the culprit himself. Kidnapping a FBI agent probably wasn’t his best move but he was left with little choice. Now if he can just convince her he is telling the truth, they might be able to solve this crime together. But with a vengeful Sheriff with deep pockets on their trail, April and Jason will be hard pressed to stay one step ahead. And when all the evidence comes to light, the one responsible will be someone that no one would have suspected. Diann Mills is a wonderful story teller with the ability to infuse heart into her stories of violent crime. While she always likes to include a romance if possible, its is also good to see how she includes the families of those involved which makes the story more realistic. I enjoyed reading of the stubborn bravery of the Snyder family and their unrelenting pursuit of justice. I could just see my parents reacting the same as Ted and Vicki, giving me another connection point with the story. And the “bad guys” were some of the best, with enough arrogance and lack of remorse to make you really hope they got caught. However, there were parts of the story that I didn’t care for, which is my reason for giving only four stars. First, was the continual “bad luck” that seemed to follow Jason Snyder and April Ramos. I know it adds to the angst and identifying with the characters but after a while it just became annoying to read of another instance of harm with no culprit caught. My other issue with the story was the ending. Ms. Mills spent the whole of the book focusing attention on the corrupt sheriff and building it up like he would finally get his due and be the culprit. Then she changed it to someone else with little warning that did not give me any satisfaction as a reader. It would have been better if there had been a few clues as to whom it was beforehand as it really didn’t seem to fit the ending scenario. The last 5 chapters seemed unusually rushed, as if she was in a crunch over a deadline and just shot off a few lines to close it out to make a publisher happy. This is not the type of excellent writing I have come to expect from Diann Mills and I hope it will not be included in any future stories. I will still recommend this book to others as I feel like the book as a whole was really well done. Her characters were very relatable and I felt like I walked alongside them in this case. I’m curious to see where Ms. Mills will go next and whether this will be the beginning of another series or if this will remain a standalone story.

I received this book free of charge from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Burden of Proof
by DiAnn Mills
Tyndale House Publishers
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Christian , Romance
Pub Date 09 Oct 2018
I am reviewing a copy of Burden of Proof through Tyndale House Publishers and Netgalley:


While still reeling from a negotiation going wrong. FBI Special Agent April Ramos is completely taken aback when a frazzled young woman ends up shoving a crying baby into her arms and disappears.


When the girl's Father abducts Agent Ramos, April puts her hostage negotiation skills to work to learn know about this man Jason Snyder, who claims to being framed for killing his business partner, and was being framed by the county sheriff.


Soon April starts to believe maybe this is more than a tall tale though that perhaps Jason was being framed.


What was happening in the small town of Sweet Briar Texas?


I give Burden of Proof five out five stars!


Happy Reading!