Excellent read! Very fitting for our times. An airborne virus is released in a plane full of passengers. The virus isn't known and the health community scrambles to find a solution for this deadly virus. Not a pandemic like we're facing but eerily similar.

Airborne by DiAnn Mills feels more like real life as it describes an influenza virus attack on an airplane and the resulting quarantine of all the passengers. I was leary about reading a book like this during a pandemic, but instead of it inducing fear, it helped reassure me that God is in control. FBI agent Heather Lawrence is on this flight and trying to put behind a painful separation from her husband scientist Chad Lawrence. When Chad becomes the chief suspect because of its virus research, Heather seeks to discover the truth and find out who is behind the attack. Time is running out both for a cure and catching a killer. Mills will have you reading this one setting.

In Airborne, author DiAnn Mills transports the reader to Houston and New York City for an intriguing Romantic Suspense story that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.

While on a transatlantic flight from Houston to Frankfurt, Germany, someone releases an airborne virus on board the plane. Houston FBI Agent Heather Lawrence is a passenger on the flight, and she immediately goes into action to figure out what is going on as passengers start exhibiting symptoms of a medical infection. The plane is diverted to JFK International Airport in Queens, New York, with passengers affected transported to Jamaica Hospital in Queens, while the remaining passengers who did not exhibit health issues were held in quarantine on Adams Island in Jamaica Bay. Heather utilizes her role as a behavioral analyst to assist the various state and federal agencies to find the person who released the virus during the flight, but there's just one problem, Heather's estranged husband, Dr. Chad Lawrence, a prominent scientist who studies viruses, has become a person of interest in the case. Can Heather help find the source of the virus among the quarantined passengers before the virus spreads? Can Heather help Chad clear his name and fight for their marriage, or will he fall prey to a setup that will wreck his promising career, and send him to federal prison?

Author DiAnn Mills weaves a fast-paced and suspenseful tale written in the third person narrative that follows FBI Agent Heather Lawrence and her husband Dr. Chad Lawrence on their investigative mission to find the source of the virus, and bring them to justice before the virus becomes airborne and spreads to other areas.

I loved reading this action-packed story. Heather and Chad kept me intrigued as their individual investigative techniques slowly revealed the source of the virus. The reader will be easily drawn into this well written story with its richly descriptive plot that will keep them guessing as secrets, possible motives, and clues are uncovered during the investigation. Halfway through the story I thought I knew who the source of the virus was, but the author does a wonderful job of providing a growing list of suspects to divert you, but by the last few chapters I knew my initial suspect was right, and it felt like I was part of the investigation. I was also intrigued by Heather and Chad's estranged marriage, and how the reason for the estrangement was slowly revealed, but I have to admit that I did not like Chad at all!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how eerie this story is considering what our world has been going through with the Covid-19 pandemic. While the story was written long before this pandemic, it does make you wonder what if ... hmmm ...

Airborne has enough drama, tension, action, dark secrets, and unexpected twists and turns that will take the reader on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2020/09/airborne-by-diann-mills-vbt-book-review.html

"Hold on to a glimpse of tomorrow, no matter how thin or fragile."

Airborne by DiAnn Mills is a chilling adventure into the world of a deadly virus unleashed on a plane full of innocent people traveling from the United States to Germany. When symptoms erupt a few hours into the transatlantic flight, chaos, confusion, and fear ensue.

FBI Agent Heather Lawrence is on that fateful flight, taking the vacation meant for her and her estranged husband, Chad. While Heather is one of the fortunate few who is seemingly immune to the virus, she is not completely free from danger. Who would do such a dastardly deed and why? Heather embarks on a journey that turns out to be a bit more thrilling than a European vacation. Quarantined in a facility on an island in Jamaica Bay near New York, Heather and the other survivors are frustrated and scared and mourning the loss of family and newfound friends from the flight. Back in Houston, Texas, Heather’s husband, Chad, is facing his own frustration as he is a prime suspect for developing the deadly virus. Is he as innocent as he claims? Will Heather and Chad follow through with their divorce since Chad refuses to share Heather’s belief in God because it does not align with his beliefs as a scientist? Will the mastermind behind the virus strike again? So many questions, and watching the answers unfold across the chapters is pure entertainment.

DiAnn Mills has the Christian Romantic Suspense genre down, no doubt about that. Airborne is a race against the clock to find an antiviral and an eventual vaccine and to find the evil person behind it all. A few suspects pop up as Heather conducts her own undercover search while in quarantine, even as Chad struggles to keep his temper under control, convince the FBI of his innocence, and restore his career. The entire story is well researched and well developed, with a strong Christian theme throughout and a specific emphasis on the effects of bullying during childhood and subsequent mental illness.

Mills expertly captures the grief and isolation and fear during quarantine and the irritation among all parties involved as the culprit continues to elude detection. The details of Heather’s quarantine are interesting yet mundane, but several exciting events catch the reader off guard and send the story into overdrive. For authors, achieving a balance between the everyday life and highly dramatic moments can be tricky, but Mills has the talent for it and for keeping the reader engaged all the way through to the last page. What a thrill ride!

Airborne is a timely novel during 2020 as our world struggles with an all-too-real viral outbreak. In Airborne, the virus may or may not be contagious, but woe to anyone who breathes it in and cannot fight it, and woe to the world if the evil mastermind is not caught in time.

I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.

Wow this book hooked me from the first page and I couldn't put it down.
I loved these characters and the way they interacted with either.
I would recommend this book to anyone.

Right out of the gate we’re given the mystery of figuring out how an airborne virus made its way onto an airplane 30,000 feet in the air. Author DiAnn Mills definitely gained my attention, as well as many other readers, with her timely latest read, Airborne. I enjoyed Mills’ story from the start as it was simply a good read to the finish. The story offers us honest characters with three leads that work together to weave the story of who and why. Even with well-written stories, there are sometimes road bumps. I felt that the reading began to drag during the back-half of the book resulting in me losing some interest, but I stuck with it as I wanted to understand the why.

I received a copy of Airborne by DiAnn Mills via the Publisher and Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for an honest review. Please read my full review here: http://bit.ly/RAPTReviewAirborne.

Sure, it’s a clean read, and I do appreciate that, but I just can’t get to the five stars so many others can. Feel free to read my reasoning below. I know it seems like I’m writing spoilers, but I’m really not.

Mills doesn’t waste any time getting into it. We immediately find out a virus has been unleashed on passengers of an airborne flight. Considering our current Covid situation, I was intrigued by this premise and wanted to give this book a chance, even though I’m fairly picky about my Christian authors (due to hokey-ness or preachy-ness).

And here is Mills’ first major mistake: the FBI’s first major suspect in this act of bioterrorism. The main character, FBI agent Heather Lawrence, is on the plane. By herself- because her husband has been begging her for a divorce. Her husband also happens to work for the CDC researching and studying viruses and is passionate about helping people and finding cures. Which this all apparently makes the perfect storm. Clearly he MUST have released the virus to kill his wife so he can finally be free from her. And even though there is no other evidence linking him to the crime, and even though his life work is stopping viruses, it makes perfect sense that he has turned so evil that he is willing to kill hundreds of people (no, not the thousands that Covid has, just hundreds because we’re going BIG on this story) just to kill his wife who won’t sign divorce papers. I mean if that’s not 0 to 100 in 2.5 seconds I don’t know what is.

And not only does the FBI strongly believe they have the culprit, and all the media, and every person who watched the news, but his own Christian wife who knows him better than anyone is wondering if he did it too. People fall out of love (unfortunately) all the time. But they either divorce or one of them kills the other in a far more normal and accessible way- not releasing a never before seen virus on an international plane with the potential for a global pandemic. Someone doesn’t ‘just become’ that evil.

And then! We are told Heather has a secret! Suspense! What could it be?! Well, all we have to do is read one more page to find out what it is! She’s pregnant! Exit suspense. And then she tells everyone. I guess she doesn’t need it to be a secret anymore. And also her evil terrorist husband doesn’t even care.

And then! Her husband claims innocence and seeks to clear his name. He uncovers way more convincing and practical evidence on another suspect than what they have on him, gives it to the FBI and they say, ‘That’s pretty far-fetched, man. We’re going to need more evidence than that that will stand up in court. Why don’t you let the professionals do their job?’

And then! Heather decides she was wrong about him and decides he could not have been so evil and actually maybe they should get back together. Oh, shoot, he hates God, though. Never mind, not an option.

And then! In the middle of all this terrible chaos, Heather has the NERVE to eat ice cream. And I quote:

<i> “Had she lost her mind? People were dying. A virus had the potential to kill people around the world. And she was hungry? Embarrassing. Shameful. And true.” </i>

And then! Heather is talking to her husband and lists off the three suspects who have died over the course of the investigation. Then says, ‘And a woman was murdered here but no one is investigating.’ Suspense! Just kidding. That’s the first and last time we hear of this murdered woman. She matters for nothing. Move along. No one wants to hear about an unidentified woman being murdered.

Let’s also mention Mills’ sentence structure. Way too many sentences structured like this one. Can’t stand these. Don’t have a subject. Or her sentences just don’t make sense, several times I had to reread things to understand. And so much of her dialogue was stilted. Vocabulary that was unnatural in normal conversations. People jumping from one topic to something completely different in content or tone one sentence later. Back and forth.

Sooo.... I’m landing on 2 stars, because clearly some people love this book, and if you’re one of them, more power to ya. I’m not going to say ‘no one read this.’ *shrugs*

But in the words of Randy Jackson, “It’s a no for me dawg.”

I used to read a lot of DiAnn's books but I started to not really enjoy her style so I stopped. But when I saw this book come out I had to read it because of everything going on in our world today and how close to home it hit.

It really is a good idea but I still struggle with DiAnn's writing style. I can't even pinpoint why. I know many people love her. It think she doesn't get into the characters mind enough. There were things the characters did that I didn't see any motivation for in their thoughts or feelings. I guess it seemed superficial.

Even though the story was interesting, I wasn't really surprised buy who released the virus, I got that almost immediately, yet I did read until the end, but I think if it wasn't for living through our pandemic I might not have finished this one.


A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

While we are in the midst of a Coronavirus outbreak, this book was a read I was intrigued by. On board an airplane when people start becoming sick, ok.. Now, they are dying too! She recognizes what is going on and immediately joins in helping the crew where she can with advise and safety protocols. A lot of action from start to finish, suspense and yes... I was certainly quickly turning the pages to see how this was going to end. Definitely one for my favorites list. I requested a copy and was gifted one through NetGalley, no review was required. My opinion and review is voluntary.

I’m amazed at how many books are being released this year are about a virus or substance outbreak. The timing of these books is crazy. Who knew? It was eerie knowing all these authors had ideas about this topic way before anyone knew what 2020 would bring. Given our current situation it makes reading these books fascinating to see how a slightly different scenario would play out. Some of the situation mirrors what we have experienced this year, some not so much. Intriguing all the same.

Unlike other books I have read by this author where he spiritual side of things were lighthearted but given the life and death situation these characters find themselves in, I understand the topic of faith can come on strong. There is a scientist atheist Dr. Chad Lawrence exploring faith from all angles, its relevant for many people but number one priority for Heather and her husband Chad.

FBI agent Heather Lawrence is on the flight that has the outbreak. They go through protocol in dealing with people that have contracted the virus. The powers that be are determining where they should land? Then what should they do? As they are trying to determine who did this. Heather cannot believe the situation she finds herself in. If only she had done, had known etc…. The list was long.

This author makes you care about the FBI Agent and her Dr. husband, plus all the people on the flight. Both main characters are in a fight for their lives as they seek answers that will lead to the person behind this virus, an antidote that will stop the out-break, and in the middle of it all hang on to their marriage. The author has created a fast moving, complex plot, woven through like-able main characters that is insightful. I enjoyed this suspenseful read with lots of ups, downs, and everything in-between. It is a thought-provoking story with some ethical issues I had not thought of before, mixed in a wonderful nail-biting story that has surprises and a splash of romance. Something to take you away from what’s going on today.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

This was a great book to read during a pandemic..... not really? I’m already paranoid and this book managed to feed my over active imagination. Great book! Written excellently!

3,5 stars

Airborne
DiAnn Mills
Tyndale House Publishers, September 2020
ISBN 978-1496427144
Hardcover

From the publisher—

Heather Lawrence’s long-awaited vacation to Salzburg wasn’t supposed to go like this. Mere hours into the transatlantic flight, the Houston FBI agent is awakened when passengers begin exhibiting horrific symptoms of an unknown infection. As the virus quickly spreads and dozens of passengers fall ill, Heather fears she’s witnessing an epidemic similar to ones her estranged husband studies for a living—but this airborne contagion may have been deliberately released.

While Heather remains quarantined with other survivors, she works with her FBI colleagues to identify the person behind this attack. The prime suspect? Dr. Chad Lawrence, an expert in his field . . . and Heather’s husband. The Lawrences’ marriage has been on the rocks since Chad announced his career took precedence over his wife and future family and moved out.

As more victims fall prey days after the initial outbreak, time’s running out to hunt down the killer, one who may be closer to the victims than anyone ever expected.

A year ago, I believed a pandemic could happen but I don’t think I really believed that it would…and, now, here we are, smack in the middle of one with no real knowledge of what life will look like a year from now or two or ten. Ms. Mills wrote this book before COVID-19 became public knowledge but that doesn’t really matter. Airborne is an intense, frightening look into how the onset of a rapidly fatal virus can wreak havoc naturally but even more so if it’s inflicted upon humanity by a madman.

The story here is very different from our current circumstances in that it mostly revolves around the search for the possible perpetrator, the tunnel vision regarding Chad and the relationship between Heather and Chad. Themes of Christianity and atheism come into play regarding the gulf that can be created in a marriage by such a dichotomy but that aspect of the story is not obtrusive and blends well with the chase to find the truth.

Fairly early on, it becomes apparent that this is, indeed, the evil act of a sociopath but there are a number of potential suspects that keep the exploration of the possibilities moving and, while I figured it out almost right away, I still enjoyed the investigation as well as the interactions of the characters (although I didn’t care much for Chad at times). I do think there are a few plot holes and the quarantine restrictions seem a bit lax knowing what that means today but, all in all, this was a good way to while away a few hours.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, September 2020.

FBI Special Agent Heather Lawrence’s marriage is on the rocks. She is not quite ready to admit it, to herself or to those around her. Deciding to take a vacation to the Salzburg Music Festival and to visit the community in which it is held - giving her time to sort out her life - she boards the plane that will take from Houston to Frankfurt Germany. But two hours into the flight she is required to shift from vacationer to FBI agent when people throughout the flight begin to get sick - headaches, fevers, vomiting, bleeding noses, all contribute to what quickly becomes a crisis.

Working with the FBI, FAA, CDC, and her husband on the ground, Heather will need to narrow down the source of the illness that attacks more than half of those onboard the flight.

DiAnn Mills has written another great faith-based thriller that holds the reader’s attention from page 1 to page 385. As Heather involves herself in the lives of those in isolation after the plane lands in New York City, brushing shoulders with the four or five potential suspects. As a trained FBI Agent and a Behavior Analyst, she is in a unique position to watch and observes the suspects - she is also in a unique position to put life on the line.

The book will find a welcome place on the reading lists of Christians who enjoy suspense and thrillers. It also has a welcome place on the shelves of public and church libraries.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

AIRBORNE by Diann Mills is a Christian romantic suspense/mystery written before the current pandemic, this book is another type of viral nightmare that kept me turning the pages.

Houston FBI agent Heather Lawrence is on a flight alone to a vacation previously planned for herself and her husband to attend the famous Salzburg Music Festival in Germany. Not even over the Atlantic yet, several passengers begin exhibiting horrific viral symptoms of an unknown origin. As Heather helps the flight attendants where she can, she fears she is witnessing a viral epidemic similar to the type her estranged husband studies for a living. As she works to help other passengers, she prays for not only her own safety but that of her unborn child.

Dr. Chad Lawrence is separated from his wife of eight years. When he returned from his last trip with Doctors Without Borders, he announced that his career took precedence over his wife and any future together and that their marriage was over. He moved out and was planning to move to Atlanta for a job with the CDC, but that is now on hold as he is the prime suspect of the FBI in the viral attack on Heather’s plane.

The plane is rerouted to NYC for hospitalization of the sick passengers and all of those not showing symptoms are isolated on an island off the coast. Heather is tasked with discovering who on the plane released the virus and if her estranged husband is involved.

I enjoyed this book’s compelling main characters and the intense study of their relationship. At first, Chad really rubbed me the wrong way until I learned the reason for his actions with Heather. The questioning of beliefs and actions by both Heather and Chad in their relationship felt realistic and had me vested in the resolution. The underlying conflict between Heather’s religious beliefs and her husband’s atheism is woven throughout the story as well as other secondary character’s religious beliefs. The suspense/mystery plot is well paced and builds to a climax that was not a surprise, but was still satisfying.

I enjoyed this story’s main characters and plot and I would recommend it for readers of Christian fiction.

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Review: Airborne By DiAnn Mills

Nadene September 7, 2020 Reviews 0 Comments

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you purchase the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

Review: Airborne by DiAnn MillsAirborne by DiAnn Mills
Published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. on April 28, 2020
Genres: Second Chance Romance, Suspense
Pages: 385
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Netgalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon|Buy on Barnes & Noble
Goodreads
four-stars
Heather Lawrence's long-awaited vacation to Salzburg wasn't supposed to go like this. Mere hours into the transatlantic flight, the Houston FBI agent is awakened when passengers begin exhibiting horrific symptoms of an unknown infection. As the virus quickly spreads and dozens of passengers fall ill, Heather fears she's witnessing an epidemic similar to ones her estranged husband studies for a living--but this airborne contagion may have been deliberately released.
While Heather remains quarantined with other survivors, she works with her FBI colleagues to identify the person behind this attack. The prime suspect? Dr. Chad Lawrence, an expert in his field . . . and Heather's husband. The Lawrences' marriage has been on the rocks since Chad announced his career took precedence over his wife and future family and moved out.
As more victims fall prey days after the initial outbreak, time's running out to hunt down the killer, one who may be closer to the victims than anyone ever expected.




I decided to read Airborne by DiAnn Mills because the premise intrigued given all that is taking place in our world. You may be wondering why would one want to read a book such as this during this time. Well, I am a sucker for these types of stories and I just could not resist. Ironically, this book was written prior to the start of COVID-19. However, the events which unfolded were a far cry from what we are facing at the present.

The story introduces FBI agent and Behavioural Analyst Heather Lawrence, who is heading to Salzburg, Germany for vacation. She needed the time away to evaluate her life and prepare herself to once again live as a single woman. In the middle of the flight some passengers fell ill, with a few succumbing to the illness. Somehow Heather was among those who were immune. The plane had to be redirected to New York where the sick passengers were transported to the hospital and those not displaying any symptoms were quarantined on Adams Island. The question was where did the virus originate and who was behind it. Heather’s ex-husband, Chad, headed the suspect list because of his work with viruses and his to end his marriage. Was he guilty or is someone trying to frame him?

The characters were persons one could relate to. Heather and Chad are experience marital problems. Heather is a Christian while husband is an atheist. This was a huge issue and the primary reason for the breakdown of their marriage. The author portrayed their struggles with communication, doubts, unbelief and trust quite eloquently. I enjoyed the character growth, especially as it relates to Chad. The reader also gets the religious views of a few of the secondary characters along with that of the protagonists. This was well done and did not have a preachy tone.

Now among these characters lay the villain behind the releasing of the virus. Each one was a suspect, as they all had motive and opportunity. I had a fair idea who may have been behind the mess, but it was not until near the end that the author confirmed my theory.

The author utilised the first and third person POVs to narrate the story. The author used the third person for the main characters while she applied the first person POV to the antagonist. The story does not provide much of the first person POV, but when it does it’s clear, this person is not only deadly but thinks highly of himself.

The pacing was slow and steady and not what one would expect with a suspense novel, but it worked well for this story. One thing for sure, I couldn’t wait to find to what was going to happen next.

Conclusion/Recommendation
I had a wonderful time with this book and would be reading more from this author. Airborne will appeal to readers who enjoy inspirational suspense novels.

Whether it was a coincidence or not that this book was released right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, the timing couldn't have been better. The story deals with a lethal virus that is released on an airplane and the search for the person or persons behind it's release. It is a page-turner that will keep you reading straight through. While the story was made more interesting by everything that is going on in the world in real life right now, this would have been a great book even if it hadn't had the background of a read pandemic.

Buckle up and enjoy the ride!



My two favorite things about Airborne was DiAnn proving that you can have a clean read that is also highly entertaining as well as how weirdly educational this was about a truly relevant subject matter in these confusing times. I am so used to having to turn to Amish romances to find a clean romance, so I was thrilled to find this book (and bonus it’s a thrilling read as well). Airborne proved that you do not have to be filled with obscenities to deliver the same punch of excitement. I could also tell how much research was done on the progression of viruses and was as much entertained as I was educated. Airborne came at the perfect time.



The story line was action-packed! When the foundation of the story is laid at the same time as the hook, you know you are in for a wild ride. After the plane landed I wasn’t sure how DiAnn could keep up that pace, but she did not disappoint. She continually hit the reader with new developments and always kept me guessing glued to the edge of my seat.



I love when storylines make you think and this one definitely did. The plot point that stuck with me was addressing how God can ordain suffering and death. It was beautifully addressed and handled in a way that will leave a lasting impact in my life. The next time I am struggling with that thought string I will think of this book as a wonderful example.



The only thing for me that kept this from being a five star read was the turbulent start. It started with such a bang, that it was a bit of a whiplash that characters were dying before I was able to form a connection to them. I was not expecting things to start escalating so quickly and wished I was warmed up a little more with small interactions and introductions before the plane took off and all hell broke loose.



Overall, outstanding read that I would recommend to all audiences. All science nerds out there, romance fanatics, suspense lovers, or really anyone living in the world of this current virus would find this book interesting and entertaining.

I know novels are written long before publication. What amazing insight Mills had into a possible deadly virus being discovered and used. The nightmare she has created in her novel is one we know now as very much a real possibility.

While the topic of the novel is a deadly virus having been released in an airplane, there is little suspense until the very end. Much of the plot centers on how the FBI works to uncover the person responsible. An FBI agent, Heather, was on the plane and the FBI is overly focused on her estranged husband. He is an accomplished researcher on viruses and cures and had been recently pushing for a divorce. Heather's feelings toward her husband and his own attempts to thwart the FBI's odd concentration on proving his guilt occupy much of the novel.

I liked the timely topic. The agony of deaths caused by the virus was developed well and brought to mind the current worldwide virus situation. A clear spiritual message was included as Heather's husband is faced with the reality of the God Heather believes in.

There were a few aspects of the novel that puzzled me. Some of the dialogue didn't make sense to me, like it needed one more editing. Heather discovers a murder victim while in quarantine, at the close of a chapter. Then the murder is not mentioned for several chapters and appears not to have been investigated at all. And the conditions in the quarantine seemed way too lax for a deadly virus. Doctors and others who came in to work with the quarantined wore only masks and gloves. And the quarantined people moved freely among each other, even as successive people became ill.

Even though I had issues with some details of the plot, this is a very timely novel containing a number of relationship issues and a good spiritual message.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Sitting in the midst of an actual pandemic, anxiety flaring, and utterly over social distancing (but doing it anyway for health reasons), my initial reaction to a book ABOUT a deadly virus was a hearty no thank you. However, I’m a fan of DiAnn Mills’ thrillers, and with the realization that Airborne must have been contrived and written long before we found ourselves where we are piqued my curiosity. How would she imagine it? How would she find a way out of it?

My admiration for her deft plotting and well-developed characters won the internal battle, and I’m glad I read it.

The story unfolds via the points-of-view of both Heather and her husband Chad, who is under suspicion and desperate to clear his name. Initially, Chad isn’t particularly likable – where Heather is heroic and brave, Chad appears selfish and suspicious. However, one thing I love about the author is her character development, and it shines in this novel. Both the primary and secondary characters are interesting and fleshed out, and there are multiple characters who could be the antagonist, which keeps things interesting.

The chapters relating to the virus, the search for the source and the cure, and the interactions on the island and between Chad and the FBI or his lab assistant are fast paced. It’s also evident that Mills did her research here regarding viruses, the CDC, and the FBI. However, I did feel that there were moments that the internal dialogue about the couple’s relationship and/or faith issues slowed down the plot just a bit.

While the story is billed as a romance and a thriller, I think “romance” is the wrong term. As the quarantine keeps the couple separated for much of the plot, the story is more about their relationship, so I’d consider it more of a family issues tale.

Interspersed throughout is a third POV, and the only told in the first person – that of the person who spread the virus, who calls his/herself “The Shield”. The antagonist’s comments only further threw me off his/her identity – and even when I thought I knew who it *should* be, their personality didn’t parse with Shields, so I was kept guessing.
This is very much a character-driven story; the details of the virus itself is secondary. The relationships that develop between the passengers of the plane both on the plane and in quarantine are moving and relatable. The focus isn’t as much on the science and the how as it is to the why.

Overall, this was an excellent whodunnit of a thriller that kept the pages turning! I’m giving Airborne four stars.

Talk about a timely book release. Though written before Covid-19 was ever on our radar, the theme of this book really hits home with the current world events. In Airborne, we meet FBI agent Heather Lawrence as she is boarding a plane to Salzburg, alone on a trip that she'd planned to take with her now estranged husband, virologist Dr. Chad Lawrence. Hours into the flight, passengers start coming down with a mysterious and deadly virus...and it seems it wasn't released by accident.

Right from the start, this story had me in it's grasps. Sure, the world events as they are might have contributed a bit... but more than that it was the captivating writing. Have you ever watched the movie Final Destination (or any of it's sequels)? I know an odd reference for a Christian book review, but the most fitting one I can find. In these films, attention is paid to the every day ordinary occurrences in a way that has you on the edge of your seat, knowing something big is just about to happen. I could not help but feel that the opening of Airborne had this exact same feel. I found myself paying attention to these little detail in wait to see how it was going to play out. That fantastic suspense writing held me right through the very end. While I suspected quite early on who the bad guy would ultimately be, there were many twists and turns that I admit I certainly did not see coming. I truly could not put this one down.

Reading during our very own pandemic, I think that certainly brought about a realness to this story that perhaps would not have been there had I not had this Covid-19 experience to draw on. We have seen firsthand what the idea of a pandemic will do to people and how they react, and it's quite astonishing how true to life the book plays out...

Overall, this was a fantastic and timely read that fans of romantic suspense are most certainly going to want to check out. It's definitely one NOT to miss.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.