God is there even when we think we can’t feel Him or hear Him - Layla

This statement is one she is sure to repeatedly remember as you follow her through this incredible book! Layla is an accomplished analyst for the CIA, specializing in the Middle East since among her vast skills, she fluently speaks several of the necessary languages for that area of the world. A required assignment with the DEA sends her whole world and the rest of her team into chaos.

The author has once again done a fabulous job of creating multiple stories in one, causing the non-stop action to keep you guessing who or what is behind it all. I will admit, the end result is not what I expected. Murder, a mole in the CIA or is it the DEA, safe houses that aren’t safe, etc. - the suspense won’t let you put the book down! This story can stand alone, but reading Capital Intrigue Book 1 first, gives you even more insight into who Layla is. You don’t want to miss this series!

This ARC was received through Baker Publishing Group, Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley. The impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.

Stupendous story. There are several stories being told but the people are interwoven into the life of Layla who not only has a target on her back by the cartel but is also being framed by someone at the CIA where she works. She ends up being protected by a man who broke her heart five years prior. They still have feelings for one another and only by bringing their past out can determine a future together. A lot of investigative work and not knowing who to trust. There are surprises in store. This book will hold your attention and keep you wanting more. I received a copy through Netgalley and this review is voluntary.

BACKLASH....Rachel.Dylan..
CIA Layla and her friend DEA Cassie had.an intruder in her.home noticing the Mejia tattoos.on him. Seeing them in Honduras an op they just did. There was casualties one of which was the cartels little brother, were they behind these attaches. Layla has felt like she was being followed for several weeks. Then a bomb at the restaurant where her friends gather on Saturday's, injuring Viv and Layla. PI Hunter and his friend Elijah with Alexandra police, he came telling Hunter about Layla being in the hospital and to go see her.
While Layla still in hospital her boss telling her she is on leave while being the subject of an IG investigation. Her mentor telling her it could damage her career and to fight it, hard. Layla had a team, of the four of them on the last op, did she really know them.
Intrigue and action to the last page. Showing that loyalty is not always a given or sure thing, when money and power come into play. Another good plot and characters of Hunter and Layla in this story.
Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion by Net Galley and. Bethany House.

Oh my! Rachel Dylan's Backlash packs a punch and will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat. In this second book of the Capital Intrigue series, Layla finds trouble aimed her way from every direction. This fast paced story will indeed intrigue and keep you guessing until the end. One of my favorite things about this story is the obvious knowledge that Ms. Dylan brings from the world of initialed US agencies. I find that world fascinating and she does such a great job writing about them. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Layla, Zane Carter, Cass, John Diaz are back from an op, when they start to be targeted. The question is who, and how’d they get found out. Hunter McCoy is brought in to do inside investigations on a possible mole in one of the agencies, DEA and CIA. Izzy Cole, Aiden, and Jay have a side plot in this story, that continues the thread started with Sargeant Tybee in the first book. Brett King (Layla boss), Scarlett, Mason, Piper, Viv, Bailey, Nick, Bryce and Frank are a few others mentioned, along with some detectives, some with more story plot than others. This is a story that will grab you fast and not let go and is set in the Alexandria area. Another well crafted story that has you guessing who the perpetrator is, and doesn’t let up until near the end of the book.
A complimentary copy was provided by Bethany House. A review was not required and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

“God hasn’t left you, Hunter. God’s there even when we think we can’t feel Him or hear Him. Sometimes it may just be a whisper in the wind or a beautiful sunrise, and that’s all it takes to remind me that the Lord is so much bigger than us. Than this earth. Than our lives. He is everything and everywhere while at the same time He cares about each of us.” (Page 85)

I could not put down this faith-based romantic thriller. With three friends being accused of three very different crimes, the CIA and the DEA are on high alert as they seek to find the villains who are out to discredit three strong patriots in the employee of the US government. It will take the work of all the friends to find the guilty parties. And as they seek their answers we also get a glimpse at the romantic lives of this group.

The book read like a movie that might appear in Hallmark’s Movies and Mysteries channel - except it dealt with three relationships rather than focusing on a single couple. Nonetheless, it was a satisfying and fun read.
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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.

In this second book in the Capital Intrigue series, Rachel Dylan takes her readers back to DC. This time Layla Karam is under attack and under investigation. Then her former love steps back into her life adding a layer of complication she really doesn't need -- though it forces her to fully confront the pain of his earlier betrayal. They have to work together to figure out who is causing the attacks and who is behind the investigation. Add in subplots from other characters' perspectives, and it's a book that will remind readers of Dani Pettrey's writing. A strong installment that will please readers of romantic suspense.

CIA analyst Layla Karam loves her job as an analyst. She finds connections and solves puzzles using her unique skill sets of languages and cultural knowledge. But someone wants her to get field experience—which means leaving the safety of her desk. It also means learning how to fight and shoot—skills Layla never thought she’d need in an analyst’s position.

She joins a joint operation with the DEA against a dangerous drug cartel, and the mission goes off without a hitch. But then someone starts threatening the lives of each team member. A bombing, a break-in, danger lurks everywhere. The CIA doesn’t seem to think the action against the cartel and the events back in D.C. have anything to do with each other.

Layla gets sidelined when her boss tells her someone has initiated an internal investigation against her. Her friends at the DEA bring in a private investigator to help solve the messes. Only Layla doesn’t want help from the last man she could trust with her life—Hunter McCoy—the man who broke her heart.

Hunter McCoy knows he broke Layla’s trust, but he wants to save her career—if she’ll let him. As a well-connected PI, his unique credentials allow him to be read in on everything. And because he doesn’t work for an agency, he can negotiate the alphabet soup and help untangle the web pulling Layla down.

If the two of them make it out alive.

Why I Love this Book

Book Two of Rachel Dylan’s Capitol Intrigues series keeps the reader turning pages from scene to scene. In addition, Dylan addresses issues readers may have experienced—competition at work, personal integrity, sexual assault, and betrayal by a loved one with wisdom and compassion. On a side note, the book includes non-graphic scenes and descriptions of physical and sexual assault, so beware of triggers. Dylan’s characters work through their trauma with a healthy combination of professional help and a personal relationship with God. I also love how Dylan based the main character, Layla, on her own life experiences as a half-Lebanese U.S. citizen. Bravo to Bethany House for including own-voices authors and heroines.

This was my first book by Rachel Dylan. I really enjoyed it! I know that this is book 2 in this series and I read it as a stand-alone. I didn’t feel like I was missing too much since there was a good bit of detail to fill me in. But I do want to go back and read the first book to help better understand it. I really liked all of the details that were in this book. You can tell that the author really knows her stuff! I enjoyed trying to get to the bottom of the investigations in this one.



I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

This tale of intrigue and deception is gripping.
There's a lot going on, perhaps too much. Layla face threads from a drug cartel and might loose her job as a CIA analyst. Her team members of the DEA op are in danger and her friend Izzy from NCIS is suddenly a murder suspect. As if all this wasn't enough, Layla has to work with PI Hunter who once broke her heart.

The love story is clear from the beginning. The various intriguers are not.

Dylan certainly knows what she's doing with a series like this!
It's been such an exciting series so far and I'm loving it!
I love learning about the many different agencies that protects our country. I never knew there were so many!
I'm like another reader tho. I would have loved some more insight on the three friends ' friendship. I would have liked to have seen how they met ect.
I did love Layla and Hunter. I feel like I've l known them for a long time. Have you ever met someone and few like you've known them for a long time? That's the way I felt with these two characters.
I also loved the supporting characters like Izzy. I was so happy to see her back but my heart went out to her too.
I can honestly say that I loved the fast action from the beginning to end. Dylan even had a few surprises along the way with whodunit. Another honesty, I looooove those kinds of guessing games because it makes the book that much more fun and interesting to read!
Dylan has a knack for keeping her readers like me eagerly turning the pages to see what happens next. I thoroughly enjoyed this novei! I love good solid writing like this book seems to have so I'm giving it 5 stars!
Five stars for the wonderful characters and an awesome plot of course!
I'm already looking forward to reading the next book in this series! She doesn't disappoint either!
Here's a favorite quote from the book. Hunter tells Layla this and what he said couldn't be more tried than life itself! " I really do believe that God gave us a chance at second love. Not everyone gets a chance at love with the person who means the most to them in the world. So so true!
One more favorite is that God has a plan for each and every one of us. In all honesty I love this reminder because sometimes I forget to look outside the big box. I think we all do.
The author has done an excellent job of weaving faith filled reminders throughout the book from time to time. She reminds us that God always has our backs. Even if we do get mad at Him when things don't go our way. Or when certain things in life are out of our control. Just like Hunter and Layla. My two favorite characters. I will always think about them even after the book is finished.
I highly recommend! This is an excellent read!
My thanks to Netgalley/Bethany House for a ecopy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own!

Layla desperately wants to serve her country but she is finding that increasingly hard to do. She's accused of consorting with one enemy while another is trying to kill her. It becomes difficult to know who to trust and the only person she's sure of is her ex-boyfriend. Things are not all as they seem.

I enjoyed the characters but would have liked more development on the three friends' relationship. The action really takes center stage in this book so it keeps things moving. There were three different story lines which made the details of each a little thinner than I'd prefer.

It's always interesting to learn more about how things work in the alphabet soup agencies that protect our country. This is the second book in the Capital Intrigue series but it can easily be read as a standalone. I'd recommend it. Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

First of all, let me say kudos to Rachel Dylan for writing a book brimming with characters and suspense! With all that went on during the book, it could have been easy to lose the reader, but Rachel painted the pictures of the story so well with her words that I had no trouble following the different storylines that occurred.

The main characters are Layla and Hunter. They were college sweethearts until Hunter cheated on her. Layla never wanted to deal with seeing him again, but they were brought together because of a case that Layla is involved in. Hunter really isn’t as evil as everyone thought he was...you’ll find out why when you read the book! These two have lived a lot in the years that they were apart. Layla found strong ground with her faith and Hunter lost his. Will Layla be able to convince him to turn back to God and face the past?

The secondary main couple is Izzy and Aiden, which we were introduced in the first book of this series. I really liked seeing their relationship develop more. Izzy is still trying to work through trauma she experienced in the past when her world is torn apart by murder accusations. Will she crack under the pressure of it all? Will Aiden stand beside her through it all?

There are also undercurrents with Zane and Cass which would make for a fantastic future book because I really was drawn to them through the book! Zane seems like an awesome catch.

Finally, in the author’s note, I was surprised to see the similarities between Layla and the author! To be honest, I LOVED learning that. It made the whole story seem that much more real. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes Christian suspense! There were a lot of inspirational moments in the book that made me stop and think of how I could be more true to my faith as well. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the author. All opinions in this review are my own.

What a great legal thriller! I like legal thrillers in general, but sometimes find them hard to follow. Given Rachel Dylan's personal history, she not only nailed the legal aspect, but it made sense. With so many twisting plots and curves the book throws at you, everything stays relatively easy to keep up with. I read this book first but can be read as a standalone.

When CIA Agent Layla Karam and her team become a target, she comes face to face with Hunter McCoy, in charge of keeping Layla safe from the cartel that is taking out her team. On top of dealing with her ex-boyfriend and their history, she's being investigated by the CIA. For treason. Hunter and Layla must work together and put their past behind them if they're going to make it out unscathed.

If you want legal drama, action, nail-biting suspense, and to be kept up at night, this is the story from you! Loved that we got to see the minor characters' perspectives as well. Now I'll be backtracking to read the first book in this series!

I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Bethany House via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own :)

CIA analyst Layla Karam is thrust into a dangerous DEA field operation against a cartel that puts a target on her back. Though Layla never wanted to be a field agent, Langley had other ideas. After one of her team members is murdered because of fallout from the op, Layla is left scrambling to find safety.

At the same time, the CIA opens up an internal investigation against her. Out of options, Layla turns to ex-boyfriend and private investigator Hunter McCoy for help finding out who might want to ruin her career.

Layla and Hunter soon discover a mole inside the DEA has sold out the team's identity to the cartel. She must clear her name with the Agency and protect herself and her teammates from cartel retaliation. With threats on all sides, Layla must put her trust in Hunter--the man who broke her heart--and hope they both come out of it alive.

Layla never wanted to be a field agent for the CIA. They had other ideas. They put her in the field and now there is a price on her head.

This is a great edge of your seat book. I didn't want to put it down. I recommend this book to all mystery/thriller fans.

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

Best quote of the book: "You have the perfect motive for murder"!
Loved Layla and Hunter's story of heartbreak & forgiveness while trying to solve unfathomable charges against Layla at the same time dodging bullets and fleeing from drug cartel hitmen. The author's signature storytelling with twists and turns and unexpected events leaves me continually guessing until the very end. This story has plenty of intrigue as the characters from the CIA and DEA, as well as local law enforcement, kept me turning pages late into the night!

Layla's faith was a beacon of light to Hunter who had stalled in his faith. I loved seeing the continuation and development of the main and secondary characters from End Game. I am always one who loves a great epilogue, and Backlash has one! I also really enjoy the author's notes at the end. This one was fun to see some of the author's similarities to Layla.

If you love page-turning suspense, check out this awesome series! What a great story!

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

I loved everything about this book and the characters. She is one of my favorite authors. I will definitely recommend it to everyone at the library.

"I can't help but think trouble followed us home from Honduras."

This quote by minor character DEA Agent Cass proves to be true at many levels in the second book in the Capital Intrigue series by Rachel Dylan. What resulted from several days in Central America certainly caused "Backlash." But this title was multi-layered and involved much more than this one incident.

Layla is the main character who is a CIA analyst on loan to the DEA for certain situations. Few of her friends know that she is actually not a paper pusher. But agency ties can be cutthroat and soon Layla does not know who to trust. She definitely did not want it to be her former fiancee Hunter McCoy who cheated her. (As you can guess, their relationship is a key part of this story). Layla does continue to rely on her law school friends, Viv and Bailey, And she also looks to her mentor, Scarlett for assistance. But most of the book involves Layla determining who to trust.

The formerly mentioned Cass and her partner Zane also occupy a few chapters. One other sideline story involves NCIS Agent Izzy Cole. Her friendship has continued with the law school friends. I liked the fact that Dylan includes multiple storylines as I think that reads true to life. None of us are in a vacuum where we only have one relationship or one key issue. The extra characters add credibility and interest even as the author does primarily focus on Layla.

Overall I really liked this book. I did figure out certain parts of the story but that did not take away from my enjoyment of Backlash. I will definitely read book three in the series where Viv finally takes center stage. A big thank you to the author, to Bethany House Publishers and to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book before it was released. This review was voluntary, and all opinions are my own including the fact that I highly recommend this series!

Rachel Dylan drew me into this story from the first page and kept me there until the final page.
This was very well written, and I felt like I was right there in the story. My heart would race right along side the characters.
I would highly recommend this book.

What a ride! Backlash by Rachel Dylan is the second book in the Capital Intrigue series. This book features Layla who is a CIA analyst and sometimes operative and her romantic interest Luke. He is her former boyfriend and he is tasked with being her lawyer and private investigator. This book has so many things going on that you have to pay attention. I really didn't know who for sure the bad guy was until the end. If you like page turning action with some romance, then you will love this book.