The blurb for this one sounds exciting and certainly caught my interest. Full disclosure - I read the first book in this series and had less than stellar feelings about it. Nevertheless, I gave this second book a try, and quickly found that my initial reactions hadn't changed. At its core, this could be a truly gripping story, but it just goes way too far, and too many things border on the ridiculous. And I still don't understand the way characters are introduced. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a result of Kellen's coma or the fact that she's former military, but giving what is essentially a list of vital statistics with each new character only served to be an irritation. Then we have dialogue that seems like so much filler rather than leading to anything important, abrupt point of view changes, and a rather disappointing reveal of Kellen's memories, especially after so much build up. This book has received some rave reviews, and I realize that I'm in the minority here, but it is what it is. Whether it's the over the top story or the writing style, this series is clearly not for me.

Riveting, fast-moving action, on-the-edge of your pants excitement and, when an independent child is involved, hilariously funny! Book provided by NetGalley.

<strong>What Doesn't Kill Her</strong> is the second full-length novel in Christina Dodd's <strong><em>Cape Charade</em></strong> series which features Kellen Adams, a young woman who suffers from a year-long gap in her memory. It's a novel that doesn't stand at all well on its own since it's necessary to have read <a href="https://allaboutromance.com/book-review/dead-girl-running-by-christina-dodd/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dead Girl Running</strong></a> in order to understand the full scope of what Kellen has endured, and so, this review does contain some spoilers for events in the first book, so beware of this if you choose to read further.

Not just anyone could manage to make a go of the hand life has dealt Kellen Adams. Not only has she fled an abusive husband and survived a near-fatal gunshot wound to the head, but Kellen has recently discovered she's the mother of a seven-year-old daughter. It seems that the year she's unable to remember as a direct result of the gunshot wound has robbed her of the memories surrounding her pregnancy and the child’s subsequent birth. At the end of <strong>Dead Girl Running</strong>, Kellen learns of her daughter's existence and begins trying to be a mother to her. She's also working hard to rekindle the romantic relationship she shared with Max years before. Obviously, none of this will be easy for Kellen, and I was eager to see how things would play out in this second installment.

Motherhood doesn't come easy to Kellen. No matter how hard she tries, she seems unable to make a firm connection with seven-year-old Rae. Things aren't going all that well with Max either. Kellen chalks her difficulties up to her not knowing how to deal with the quiet life she's been living since she learned of Rae's existence. She's used to being busy saving lives the way she did as a member of the armed forces, so time spent helping Rae with her homework just isn't cutting it.

In an attempt to get her mind off her family problems, Kellen accepts a job transporting a valuable artefact to the museum where it will be exhibited. She's not expecting it to be particularly dangerous, but of course, she's wrong. It seems that someone is very interested in this particular item, and this person is willing to do whatever they have to do in order to take possession of it. To make matters worse, Rae has hidden herself in the back of Kellen's van, and Kellen doesn't realize this until it's too late to do anything about it. Now, Kellen must fight not only to keep herself and the artefact out of the enemy's hands, but also to keep Rae from becoming a pawn in a game far deadlier than anything Kellen has ever faced.

I'm most familiar with Ms. Dodd's historical romances, so I honestly wasn't sure what I'd think of her romantic suspense titles. I picked up <strong>Dead Girl Running</strong> toward the end of 2018 and was instantly hooked into the story. <strong>What Doesn't Kill Her</strong> is a perfect follow-up to its prequel. In fact, I really hated to put this book down in order to deal with things in my non-reading life.

I think it's important for potential readers to know that the romance isn't the central focus of the novel. Kellen and Max do work on their relationship over the course of the story, but the relationship between Kellen and Rae definitely takes center stage here. I didn't mind this, since I loved watching Kellen begin to bond with her daughter, but I know some readers might be a bit put off by the lack of romance.

Kellen is the perfect mix of badass and vulnerability and is one of the best heroines I've come across in the past few years. It's obvious life has put her through the wringer, but it's equally obvious she'll come out on top. She's determined not to let the negative things she's experienced turn her into a person dominated by fear, and I applauded her strong will and resilient spirit. She doesn't always make the best choices when it comes to interacting with the people in her life, but she learns from her mistakes and does her best not to repeat them, so it's easy to forgive her for her shortcomings.

The plot is wonderfully twisty, and I had no idea how things would turn out. Unfortunately, I still don't know since the book ends on an enormous cliffhanger, and book three won't be out for quite some time, so I'm doing my best to be patient.

<strong>What Doesn't Kill Her</strong> is a fantastic addition to the <strong><em>Cape Charade</em></strong> series. It's the perfect book for fans of high-stakes suspense and irrepressible heroines, so what are you waiting for? Go out and get a copy of this just as soon as you can.
<h3><strong>Buy it at: <a href="https://amzn.to/2S5nPcN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a>/<a href="https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/what-doesnt-kill-her/id1369525322?mt=11&amp;at=1010lmPQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Books</a>/<a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/8039827/type/dlg/fragment/%2F/https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-doesnt-kill-her-christina-dodd/1129074079?ean=9781488096501" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barnes &amp; Noble</a>/<a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/link?id=b95pXvP*dp4&amp;offerid=635768.100219781488096501&amp;type=2&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kobo.com%2Fus%2Fen%2Febook%2Fwhat-doesn-t-kill-her-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kobo</a></strong></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Visit our <a href="https://amzn.to/2SeEiZg">Amazon Storefront</a></strong></h3>

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Kellen and Max one of the more unusual couples I've read about. These two have a very twisted history, which was covered in the first book in the series, and is continued in this one. I completely understand Kellen's feelings and responses and why Max must be totally frustrated, no one is happy, well, maybe Rae. Kellen was shot in the head and in a coma for a year. When she woke up she was missing 14 months of her life. The last thing she remembers is being on the run and she takes off again and spends years in the Army. Seven years later she meets Max again and he has an unbelievable tale of Kellen giving birth to Rae, their daughter, during her coma and just disappearing.

Now that Max has found her, he isn't going to let her go again. To Kellen, he's a stranger and being a mother? No way. She hasn't got a maternal bone in her body and she is trying, but it's frustrating to everyone. It is definitely not the joyous reunion Max wanted, but Kellen isn't the same woman he knew before. To give things a little distance, Kellen takes a security job guarding an artifact in transit to be authenticated. Besides the priceless artifact being a lure for baddies, someone is after Kellen too. Rae stows away in the transport van and Kellen is faced with baddies willing to kill for the artifact and keeping her daughter safe. Quite the wonderful bonding adventure for Kellen and Rae, NOT! As the whole of Kellen's life proves: What doesn't kill her . . . makes her stronger.

This is one exciting and tense book. Christina Dodd has out done herself again!She writes the most amazing books. If you haven't read any of her books you are really missing out and should get busy and read them, you will love them! Thank you Christina for such a great book!

I’m going to be in the minority on this one because I didn’t find this to be an action packed thriller. In fact, I found it to be odd in its delivery of dialogue.
I’ve never read a book where character introductions were made using capital bold letters to catalogue them. In fact, there were too many character introductions making this a character driven story.

The concept and premise of being in a coma for thirteen months causing the loss of memory was great. However, I struggled with the dialogue and the delivery of information. With the entire premise resting upon these forgotten memories it was anticlimactic when the memories surfaced.

The transitions were confusing switching from Max to Kellen. I’d finish one chapter then begin the next thinking it’s the same character but it wasn’t.

Usually I like when impressionable kids are included in a story because they add some much needed comic relief, but this kid rubbed me the wrong way.

This was my first book by Christina Dodd and I realize her writing style doesn’t fit my criteria for a page-turning story. I kept getting hung up on the minute details of nonsensical dialogue. There was a lot of pointless drivel. Rae’s constant ramblings were repetitive nonsense. I get that she’s seven years old and quite talkative, but it was beyond annoying.

Essentially Max and Kellen had an unconventional beginning but after eight years they got a second chance to reconcile the relationship. While they were reuniting Kellen was being pursued by a man who wanted her dead.

When Captain Kellen Adams learned in the end of Dead Girl Running that she had a seven-year-old daughter she didn't know about, she knew that her life was going to change. In the beginning of What Doesn't Kill Her , Kellen is trying to learn how to have a civilian life with a man she isn't sure still loves her, that man's mother (who really doesn't love her) and a daughter. It isn't working well and Kellen is feeling lost. So when she gets offered a simple security job to help drive a potentially priceless artifact from the airport to a reclusive authenticator, she jumps on it. Warning bells go off (and then explosions go off) and Kellen finds herself in the wilderness with an artifact, a stowaway daughter, and a bunch of bad guys trying to kill her. While most people would call that impossible, to Kellen Adams "impossible" just means "harder to do".

Kellen is a great heroine. She has overcome the trauma and torture of her past to become a fast-acting, fast-thinking Army veteran on par with J.D. Robb's Eve Dallas. But, like Eve, while Kellen is confident the Army has trained her for handling life-and-death situations, she has no idea how to handle a seven-year-old daughter and all the complications that come with a new civilian family life. She doesn't instantly fall in love with daughter Rae and while Rae's father Max doesn't understand that, the reader certainly can. Rae may be a happy and intelligent child, but insta-bonding with a strange kid is not realistic- in fiction or reality. Having to keep Rae alive through a mountain journey teaches both mother and daughter important lessons, and the ties that develop during the trip make a much better foundation for a relationship than Max had hoped for. As Kellen and Max begin to think that at least some of the trouble had less to do with a priceless artifact and more to do with someone wanting Kellen dead, the two of them do some much needed bonding of their own. By the end of the book, I was convinced that the little family had a great start to a long and happy, trouble free life. Except of course, Kellen never does anything the easy way. Be ready for a bit of a cliffhanger ending that Dodd will have to solve in the next book!

The double plot of people after the artifact and people after Kellen blended well- Dodd is a master of her craft and knows how to keep readers engaged with drama and suspense. People who have read Dead Girl Running will be happy to see some cameos from those characters and be proud of Kellen as she continues to battle the past and the present. People new to the series will get good backgrounds and explanations and not feel lost dropping in to the second book in a series. And all of us will probably secretly (or not so secretly) wish we were bad-ass enough to take Kellen's life motto as our own:

What doesn't kill her . . . had better start running!

Book two in the Cape Charade series, this will stand alone. I loved the characters. Rae steals the show as she and her mother, Kellen bond in a very different way. This is a seat of your pants thriller with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. There are secrets and more secrets as each scene plays out. Kellan's past is one of those secrets and it is impacting her future. I loved all of the action and the suspense mixed with just the right amount of romance. It was nice to find out who the bad guy was and why he wanted Kellan dead but the rest of the ending sure left other things up in the air.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Kellan wakes from a coma a year later not knowing she has a lover and a 7 year old daughter -
I was given this book from NetGalley for an honest review -
This book continues from a previous book but still can be read alone
The excitement begins when she is sent on a mission and her daughter sneaks along in the van.
Be prepared for lots of action and thrills.

"What Doesn't Kill Her" continues Kellen Adams's story from the first book in the Cape Charade series. I would strongly recommend reading the first before launching into this one, but this second book does recap the first pretty well. Kellen is now living with her (maybe) boyfriend and their daughter that she never knew she had, as she was born while she was in a yearlong coma and did not have memories around the event due to the gunshot that put her in the coma.

She is not sure how to bond with her daughter- or if she can- or how to navigate this new world. So when she gets the opportunity to take a security job from Nils Brooks- who is still a jerk but not a complete bad guy- she is happy to take it and get her mind straight. However, the straightforward security job is anything but, and Kellen finds herself running for her life, while protecting an ancient artifact as well as something even more precious.

As the story evolves, it takes several twists and turns. A lot of the story is about Kellen adjusting to the future and life that she still isn't sure she can/should have. Another big piece is full-on thriller and mystery that brings us back to the style of the first book which really drew us through the story and kept us on the edge of our seats. The first half was pulse-pounding and absolutely engaging. The last third was something different and really slowed to the point where I wasn't sure I was going to finish it- until the pace picks back up for the ending.

Overall, it was an engaging and interesting romantic suspense that continues with characters we have grown to know and love. I do wish the thriller-esque pace had kept up throughout the book without the lull in the middle, but it's still a solid sequel. I am very interested to see how the story will continue. While the major plots are wrapped up in this book, there are still some storylines left to follow throughout the series, and which make me want the next book asap!

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown of motherhood, especially when it is the head of Kellen Adams. Especially a crown of unknown motherhood. Huh. Lots of men don’t know they are fathers, but a mother not knowing she is a mother? C’mon.
Well maybe when motherhood comes about during the year Kellen was in a coma due to a bullet in the brain, already pregnant by the love of her life, Max Di Luca.
Maybe when motherhood is totally unknown as Kellen awakes in her hospital bed, alone for the first time in a year due to a distraction down the hall. She awakes missing more than a year of her life including the months before she is shot. Her memories start back at about the time of the death of her abusive husband. No lover, no baby.
She flees the hospital in terror thinking she has been committed to an asylum. Kellen reinvents herself as her beloved dead cousin. Kellen emerges seven years later as Captain Kellen Adams on medical discharge from the US Army.
Kellen is discovered by the Di Luca family and is finally introduced to her enchanting daughter, Rae. This all happens in the first book of the series, the outstanding Dead Girl Running (DGR) and is also explained in the marvelous What Doesn’t Kill Her (WDKH)
Kellen moves into the family winery desperately hoping to connect with her daughter any maybe reconnect with Max.
For so many reasons Kellen finds herself failing at both, unable to bond with the delightful Rae, however I don’t think Kellen’s new found role as a mother is what inspired the title What Doesn’t Kill Her.
In some ways though, Rae is more patient, smarter, and wiser than the adults; but only in some ways. Rae’s patience is beginning to run out, so she devises a plan to where her mom will be forced to spend some quality bonding time with her. Time yes, quality, not so much.
Kellen has devised ways to avoid Rae, sometimes by crawling into the bushes. But everyone knows about this tactic.
Later when if becomes time to make plans for an event at the winery, Kellen crawls into the bushes to avoid her responsibilities, but in one of the funniest scenes I’ve read in a long time, everyone involved takes their turn to crawl into the bushes with her for consultation.
A talent Ms Dodd has in abundance, writing dialogue equally and wonderfully well whether it is a heartbreaking scène, to one that is laugh out loud funny.
Kellen finally decides she needs time away, so when government agent, Nils Brooks asks for her help, she consents to carry a priceless artifact into the mountains to consult with an expert who is also a recluse. Best laid plans and all that, and Kellen finds herself on the run protecting priceless artifacts.
As Kellen runs she finds herself wondering about the true target.
Ms Dodd has written an amazing number of books, but a few years back she switched into a grittier, more hardcore romantic suspense. A very successful switch first made with the Virtue Falls series, and now with the Cape Charade series, with WDKH being the second. Don’t miss the first book, DGR
There were a few scenes that rang false. If I was the victim of domestic abuse who came out the tunnel a very strong woman, would I take yelling from another man? No matter the grounds? Would I chose to leave men alive able to give out extremely critical information?
This was very much a character driven book. Talk about bonding! I was even glad to see Nils again, even though he seems much jerkier.
Again the wild Pacific Northwest and the Olympia Peninsula are characters in their own right; wild and beautiful, like nowhere else on earth.
I reread the book last night. I love/hate this cliff hanging ending probably more than any book I’ve read in a long time. Tears were shed, for the second time. Yeah, Ms Dodd can invoke some hardcore emotion.
Many thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange of a fair and honest review.

Suspenseful yet sweet at the same time as Kellen learns to bond with her daughter through extraordinary circumstances. Great strong female lead character.

I am liking the characters more and more. The first book was a tad confusing for a time but this one explained much more. The daughter was an awesome character. I happen we hear more from her as she grows up.

This is the second book in a trilogy featuring characters who have won, lost, and won again. Kellen has had a traumatic past that continues in this book when several people are trying to kill her. She fears getting too close to anyone because they always seem to wind up dead. This makes it hard to bond with the child, Rae, she had several years ago when she was in a coma. Rae and Kellan get closer in the harrowing tale but there's still more to come. Waiting impatiently for the next book in the series!

This can be read as a standalone but I would recommend that the first one should be read as it helps to set the stage. Having said that I thought maybe I missed a book in between because I was a little lost, There seemed to have been a gap between the end of the first book and the start of this one and I needed to be caught up.

It was a good story, I enjoyed how we were able to gleam a little more about Kellen and Max. Their daughter is precious and I felt so sad that she tried so hard to connect with her mom, you could feel the pain ( from both of them).

On a lighthearted note, I loved the scene in the vineyard when they were all preparing ( dont want to give too much a way) it added a lighthearted feeling that we needed and I was quite a happy reader until the final scenes. The fight / showdown seemed a little improbable and lasted a bit too long.

I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley, Christina Dodd and Harlequin Publishing for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Kellen Adams suffers from a yearlong gap in her memory from a bullet she took to the brain. But she’s finding out the truth and what she missed and what she learns is changing the way she lives and loves. She takes a job and finds herself in the wilderness, on the run totally unprepared and must protect what she has with her with her life. If she loses this battle, she may just lose herself.

I read the first book in this series and enjoyed it, but it wasn’t one of my favorites. But this one I loved and I felt closer to the characters and understood more about Kellen. I loved the short chapters in this novel that went back and forth between Kellen and Max and what they were feeling at the time. I loved meeting Rae and I loved her personality and how mature she comes off throughout the novel. I loved how everything comes about in this novel and how it bonds the whole family together in a way that Kellen didn’t even know it could be bonded. I loved so much about this novel, but I don’t want to give anything away, so I will just say that I hated the ending and only because I want to know what is going to happen next and can’t handle the wait for the next book! I do love a good cliffhanger ending, but this one is so intense!

Out January 29th!

Kellen is trying to adapt to her life now that her memory is coming back and she is reunited with her 7 year old daughter and her father Max. ARC from Net Gallery.

A suspenseful romance that picks up a couple months after Dead Girl Running. Kellen is still trying to adjust to her civilian life and her new roles as Max Di Luca's former lover and mother of his child Rae. While the civilian life is getting easier, the confusing tangle of emotions she has when it comes to Max and Rae leave her feeling out of sorts. It doesn't get any easier especially when her new job has her running and trying to figure out who is trying to kill her and why. Christina Dodd has done a wonderful job weaving in creative elements of surprise, suspense and romance. I had to jog my memory as I had read Dead Girl Running a year ago, but it was worth the time to read both books together. The continuation doesn't disappoint and leaves you intrigued for the next book. Dodd sets up the scenario and dialog in a way that drags you in and makes you want to never put the book down until you're done. I always hope for a little bit more about Max and now I want to know more about Rae. I know Kellen is the star but as they become more prominent members in the series, I hope to get more insight into their lives. Pick up the book, You won't be disappointed, although I do believe you should read Dead Girl Running first if you haven't.

I was grabbed by What Doesn’t Kill Her from the firs paragraphs! They offer you a mystery from the onset that makes you want to read how the information will play out and what affect it will have on both the plot and on the characters. And, whoa boy, I was totally grasped by the story and could not put it down! The ending is a killer and will leave you definitely wanting more.

Kellen Adams has a lot of secrets. She has been living under an assumed identity for years. She started using it to escape from the vengeful family of her deceased husband, who tried to kill her, but only succeeded in killing himself and her cousin.
Kellen Adams also has a year long gap in her memory. She has a child she doesn’t remember giving birth to. Now assassins are after Kellen and she has no idea why

I had some trouble getting into this book. Every time a new character is introduced their is a list of their physical description and characteristics. I found this to be distracting. The book is also a bit convoluted which is probably why I had trouble following it at first. Once I got into the book it held my interest. It is worth reading, but the above reasons are why I only give it 3*. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.