Romance, clean, contemporary; Suspense, murder, intrigue; Christian faith elements
Caroline and Brandon's developing relationship and friendship becomes complicated as Caroline's new job as legal counsel is in conflict of interest with Brandon's investment in the company. The compelling backstories of Brandon's work with children in foster care, and also Bethany's treatment by the medical group that Caroline works for made for compelling twists and turns in the plot of the story. Scientific secrets and corporate vendettas, along with an unscrupulous individual with no fear of taking lives as he sees fit made for a compelling and page turning read.
The romance between Brandon and Caroline sweetened the story as they figured out the how to make their relationship be the best it possibly could, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Their sweet, tender, and compelling romance, along with their back stories, made for a more human, and real part of this novel. Strong side characters and back story, along with the crimes committed and dilemma with the home for foster children made this a perfect read! Perfect for readers of suspense who enjoy a bit of romance in their reading. Their faith, and the faith of those at the home and elsewhere all apparent as they work through the difficulties both for the home, at work for Caroline and personally for them both.

In Lethal Intent, Caroline Bragg has just landed a job with Praecursoria, a medical research and development upstart, as their attorney. She isn’t on the job long when suspicious things start happening and people start having fatal “accidents”. Her boyfriend, Brandon Lancaster, is heavily invested in the company, so she can’t talk to him about her concerns, even if one of the foster kids in his care is involved in one of the company’s drug trials. But when she’s the one in danger, will she be able turn to him, or will she have to face it alone?

I enjoyed reading Lethal Intent. The plot is exciting and full of mystery and suspense. Caroline and Brandon are both likable characters, full of emotion and true-to-life inner conflict. It’s a book that kept me engaged and always wanting to know what would happen next.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This story is set in the world of genetics and the search for a cure of childhood cancer and the different components that surround this search.
Caroline Bragg is an attorney who works for Praecursoria a cancer research laboratory. The company is making great strides in genetics that will help in the battle against childhood cancer.
Brandon Lancaster is a former pro-footballer who opened up a foster home for siblings so that they would not have to be separated while waiting for new homes with couples that can handle siblings.
Caroline & Brandon have been friends for years but now they want to take their relationship to a romance as well. They have realized that they can't imagine being without one another. One of the little girls in the home is battling cancer and is receiving help from Praecursoria, Caroline's employer. Which could be a conflict of interest but they will do all they can to not let that get in the way of their relationship. Nor their relationship get in the way of their jobs.
Thank you, Ms. Putman for allowing me to be an early reader. I appologize that this review is a little late in posting.

Lethal Intent
by Cara C. Putman
Thomas Nelson--FICTION
Thomas Nelson
Mystery & Thrillers | Romance
Pub Date 12 Jan 2021


I am reviewing a copy of Lethal Intent through Thomas Nelson-Fiction and Netgalley:


Caroline Briggs life could not be happier with the life she has now, her life has never been better. She and Brandon Lancaster are taking their relationship to the next level, and she has a new dream job as legal counsel for Praecursoria, a research lab that is making waves with its cutting-edge genetic therapies. The company’s treatments for leukemia, even have the promise of saving critically ill leukemia patients like eleven year old Bethany, a critically ill patient a critically ill patient at Brandon’s foster home.



When Caroline’s over enthusiastic boss wants to enroll Bethany in experimental trials prematurely, Caroline objects, putting her at odds with her colleagues. They want everyone to believe that the only goal of Praecursoria is to save lives. But she fears that they have another agenda.



As laws governing foster homes start to shift, Brandon faces his own crisis. He is on the verge of loosing the group home he has worked so hard to build. When Caroline learns that Brandon is an investor in Praecursoria, she realizes she legally cannot confide in him. Will the secrets she has to keep from Brandon, place a permanent wedge between them? And will Caroline be able to save Bethany from the treatments that were designed to heal her?



If you are looking for a powerful romantic mystery, that is clean I highly recommend Lethal Intent.


I give Lethal Intent five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

“Sometimes you know something is wrong and have to chase it until you find the why.”

“So this was what Praecursoria did. Offered terrible hope to those who had none.”

“Just being the hands and feet of Jesus in a small way.”

You never know what to expect when you read an author that is new to you. But I have heard good things about Cara Putman for awhile so I finally took the plunge...and oh wow, I am glad I did! This book was so unique; it was medical thriller, it was legal thriller without the courtroom, and it was a suspenseful mystery all rolled into one. It had some romance in there but it did not induce gagging or eye rolling by yours truly so it must have been just the right amount 😁. The storyline was complex in that it dealt with medical jargon but I was only intrigued and never bored or bogged down by it all. It also dealt with aspects of the law (again, not boring), foster homes, and there were dead bodies at unexpected turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I had trouble narrowing down the suspects to just one person.

Characters and setting often make a book and Cara Putnam does a great job here. Her main characters as well as secondary characters all had distinct, fleshed out personalities. You will find yourself rooting for Caroline and Brandon (who I definitely connected to). I love a book that takes place in Virginia since that’s where I live.

Lastly, I loved the Christian elements in this book. The characters weren’t perfect but had a heart for God, serving, and striving to do what was right. Brandon’s heart for the foster children and Caroline’s empathy for others were clear in their actions and we all know that actions often speak louder than words.

As I mentioned before, this was my first Cara Putman book. But it most certainly will not be my last!

* I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and Thomas Nelson. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

This Legal/Medical drama left me on the edge of my seat. It was The Practice meets Grey’s Anatomy. It was a fast read that was packed with emotions.

Caroline Bragg has just gotten a new job as legal counsel for Praecursoria, an experimental research company. The company wishes to be the first with cutting edge, life saving technology whose clients are children with cancer. They hired Caroline to make sure everything is done legally, although...she soon discovers things may not be so legal, after all. Company employees are dying. One, she witnessed.
Her now boyfriend, Brandon, owns a group home for children in the foster care system that allows children from the same family to stay together. Brandon has heavily invested in Praecursoria, which means Caroline cannot discuss work and her concerns with him as she is very careful to avoid 'insider trading.' This creates a rift between them, as he knows she's holding back from him. As her friend told her, they should have other things to discuss other than work. Good advice!
Brandon is having his own problems with Almost Home. It's so difficult to keep up with all the regulations placed on them. One set of his house parents are considering moving as they need financial security. Brandon is determined to make this work.
The story was high action and heart thumping at times. For me, it failed to have the element of 'believeability' as I believed Caroline to be a very intelligent woman, yet knowing some solid facts, she didn't behave very smart. Her flash drive was wiped, purse stolen, emails disappeared. It seems she would have put the flash drive in a safe place, knowing the work place wasn't safe at all. She confided in two men in the work place when she should have been looking at everyone as the possible murderer.
I was given an advanced copy by the publisher, Thomas Nelson and Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

In Lethal Intent, author Cara Putman transports the reader to the suburbs of Northern Virgina for an intriguing Legal-Medical Thriller / Christian Romantic Suspense story that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.

Caroline Bragg has accepted the position of corporate in-house counsel for Praecursoria, a start-up research lab that is working on cutting-edge T-cell genetic treatment therapies for cancer (Leukemia) patients.

Brandon Lancaster is a retired NFL Defensive Linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts, who has founded Almost Home, a group foster home for at-risk, hard-to-place siblings, that keeps them together until permanent placement.

Caroline met Brandon while in her first year of law school and in his rookie season in the NFL. Their friendship has grown each year, and now Brandon wants to take their friendship to the the next level. But their relationship has some issues, especially when Brandon reveals that he is an investor in Praecursoria, and one of his foster kids, eleven year old Bethany Anderson, is a T-cell treatment trial participant being conducted by Praecursoria. Caroline has to distance herself and not discuss her job with Brandon because it could be considered insider trading, while Brandon has his own issues dealing with the new Federal Family First Law that could affect the existence of his foster group home. And if that isn't enough to put a strain on their budding relationship, Caroline is butting heads with her corporate colleagues when they want to proceed with their genetic therapies within the ethical grey area of the FDA laws, and a colleague within the corporation has their own agenda which includes a personal vendetta with a lethal intent.

Can Caroline and Brandon's relationship endure through the issues connected to the research lab? Can Caroline ensure that the research lab stays within the ethical and legal process? Or will the lab colleague's vendetta destroy everyone and everything that gets in their way?

Author Cara Putman weaves a fast-paced and suspenseful medical/legal thriller written in the third person narrative that follows Caroline and Brandon's relationship, as Caroline deals with ethical and legal issues at Praecursoria, while Brandon deals with the federal law changes that affects his foster group home. Add in the comprehensive and intriguing medical and legal plot, and you have a jaw-dropping tale that takes the reader behind the scenes of the cut-throat and competitive scientific research world.

I loved reading this action-packed story. The reader will be easily drawn into this well written story with its richly descriptive plot that will keep them guessing as secrets, betrayals, deceit, motives, revenge, and clues are uncovered, while unexpected twists and turns, and a surprising conclusion will leave the reader simply stunned.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I enjoyed reading how Caroline and Brandon were able to maintain their friendship as their budding romantic relationship dealt with the issues surrounding the research lab and the foster group home. Their level of commitment to each other comes shining through as they learned to work together to build on their relationship, even when daunting issues threatened to destroy it.

Lethal Intent has enough drama, tension, action, dark secrets, a touch of romance, 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 by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest book review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2021/02/lethal-intent-by-cara-putman-vbt-book.html

I've enjoyed several of Ms. Putman's books previously, so I was delighted to read this one as well. I enjoy her writing because she portrays difficult emotions well without being sappy or maudlin. In this novel, she wrote about difficult histories causing challenges in the present day, along with serious medical and legal issues needing resolution. I used to work for a medical device R&D company and am fairly familiar with the grueling FDA approval process, including some of the legal issues that arise.

The book has a fairly intense storyline involving cutting edge medical/legal issues and tugs some real heartstrings regarding children who need families. Ms. Putman did a great job weaving four difficult story elements together into one cohesive story. I liked the growing friendship-turned-romance between the two main characters as they both grew to love and trust each other. Overall, a pleasant read.

I gratefully received a free ARC from the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

I love Cara Putman’s skillful combination of the law, suspense, romance, and faith. I actually prefer her succinct explanations of the legal process which tells me just enough for me to understand without making me feel as though I’ve been through a university class on law. Vivid description, excellent dialogue, natural friendships, and true-to-life frailties combined with realistic action and danger made Lethal Intent a true page turner.

Caroline Bragg’s longtime close friendship with Brandon Lancaster has just begun to look as though it might develop into more when she accepts a new job as the lawyer for a pharmaceutical research firm. On her very first day on the job she discovers one indirect connection of Brandon to her firm through a child from his foster care facility who is a candidate for experimental treatment. Later she also discovers that Brandon has invested in the firm and she fears their relationship may create a conflict of interest. Aside from that more than one death connected to the firm and several things that do not add up puzzles Caroline and she is determined to get to the bottom of it.

Lethal Intent is another fully absorbing novel from Putman that keeps this author on my must read list. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it and all her previous novels to readers who enjoy legal suspense novels.

Lethal Intent is a hard-to-put-down legal/medical thriller by a favorite author of mine, Cara Putman. I've enjoyed a number of her other books was so looking forward to reading this one. I was not disappointed. Twists to the plot, vibrant, passionate characters with challenging hurdles to overcome, an intriguing insight into medical research and clinical trials, a sweet romance that helps to keep an emotional component to the tension-filled suspense--Lethal Intent has it all. I enjoyed reading about the foster care ministry and the need for wrap-around help for foster parents. That need is valid, as I've seen it in real life as a faith-based organization in my community does this for foster parents. The author has expertly crafted a suspense story that readers who love intrigue, mixed with a bit of romance, will not want to miss. I can't wait to read more from Cara Putman. I read a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.

Caroline feels like her life is coming together with a new relationship and a new job. Right when things seem to be going well, some red flags start coming up as she tries to navigate her new job. At the same time, Brandon is trying to find the best way to deal with changes that might affect his group home for kids in the foster system. It is even more complicated when he must watch one of the kids struggle in the hospital with a life-threatening disease.

The story continues deeper when problems begin to arise with the clinical trials. The book explores questions of ethics with insider trading as well as medical trials. It also explores some of the weight of those who foster and how we can all come along to help give some support to those who foster. Both characters have to learn how to release some of their past burdens and learn to trust someone else before they can have a lasting relationship.

Cara Putman takes the reader along Caroline and Brandon’s journey as if we are right in the room. She explains all the medical jargon by making it easy to read and understand. Once again, she writes a novel with intrigue and mystery. It was a quick read since it was fast paced and never a dull moment. I enjoy her books and her newest book was no different!

I would really recommend reading this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not required to leave a positive review.

Intense is the word I think I'd use to describe this story.
Packed with mystery, suspense and a little bit of romance, this book is really informative I learned a lot about the legal side of things in trying to keep a company standing and the scientific aspect of things too.
Walking with Caroline on her journey to find answers to her questions, this story is filled with twists and turns that keep you turning the pages wanting to know what happens next.I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Celebrate Lit for a blog tour. All opinions expressed are solely mine

I really enjoyed this suspense in this book surrounding the medical aspects of what was going on. Whenever that was the central story I was highly engaged. I had my suspicions what who was behind what was going on but Cara did a great job of planting doubt and making other characters seems like possibilities.

I felt like the romance part was forced or didn’t flow as well with the story. I can’t really put my finger on it but it wasn’t an interesting part of the story for me, not sure why exactly.

I did love what Brandon was working on with foster kids and his mission for that and coming against legislation that was making it difficult.

Overall, an interesting read, not my favorite but still good.

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

This book is a religious romantic suspense and legal thriller. The beginning of this book was slow but the story got better as you continue to read. Honestly, I do not read books that deal with major illnesses in children but I had no idea that this book dealt with childhood cancers and research. I did continue to read the book anyway. I really liked Brandon more than Caroline and I loved the fact that he was into foster care and ran a foster home.

THOUGHTS
The first half of Lethal Intent had me nearly going crazy with wanting to throw the book out my window. Why?

Because this dear book was dull, boring, and very tortuous for the first 118 pages, there was way too much information, the details often went over my head because I haven’t researched or know anything about the cancers they discussed or the things they were doing to help the patients. Which for a thriller is not a good sign.

I won’t even start on the fact that one single mention of the Covid-19 pandemic being in the past nearly earned this book a one way ticket to the burn pit, nope, not going into that …

Now, after all that you may wonder that I gave 4 stars and that I finished the book since I was so against it … the reasons are many, really …

1. Cara Putman is a spectacular author whose romantic suspense novels are some of my favorite.
2. I read another of her books and didn’t like the beginning but loved the ending.
3. I wasn’t ready for a highly looked forward to book to not be what I wanted.
4. I don’t like giving up.
5. I loved the cover …
6. Foster kids.

I am a sucker for foster kids in stories, and man, oh, man! I loved seeing Brandon with his kids! I just loved the glimpses into that side of the story, I had to hold out to see what happened with his kids.

Am I glad I did? Yes!
Do I recommend Lethal Intent? Yes!
Am I missing something … ? Yes …

Past the 118th (or some page about there) I fell in love with the story, I can’t say I connected with Caroline as I found her very naive but I understood her more and didn’t dislike her.

The ending?! Well, I found it nearly made up for the bad beginning but not quite, so, this is a good book. Had the first half been anywhere near as good as the ending it would have been a wonderful book, alas it was not quite so.

If you are a fan of suspense pick yourself up a copy and you’ll find the ending to be spectacular and you’re likely to like the first half more than I did. 😉

I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary e/copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/01/30/lethal-intent-by-cara-putnam/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from Publicity team. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

<strong>Lethal Intent</strong> has so many aspects to enjoy.  The main character, Caroline, is an attorney. She has a new job with a leading edge medical startup.  I thought both legal and medical work would be interesting and they were.  All the uncertainty in her childhood has left her a bit insecure but she does have a really supportive and knowledgeable group of friends from college.  Her new job is challenging, mostly because the executives at the company aren't being open with her.

Brandon is a retired football star.  He lived in the foster system, and was separated from his brother. So he is running group homes with an eye towards taking sibling groups so he can keep them together. He isn't too knowledgeable about the financing but he has good help, at least. He is completely dedicated to the children and spends a lot of time with them.

We get both Caroline and Brandon's point of view, but mostly Caroline.  They are good people, who do the right things and care about others.  They both have some friends and are not alone, in spite of their issues from the past.  Somehow while I felt for the kids in the story, most of the adults, including Caroline and Brandon felt a little flat. Some of their reactions didn't seem realistic.

The mystery was suspenseful but I would have been a lot more worried about things which happened than Caroline.  She was in mortal danger, more than once, but didn't seem terrified. It was good she kept a cool head in some circumstances but that doesn't mean it's smart going right into the lion's den.

The ending had me less than satisfied.  All of sudden, the executives just listen to everything Caroline suggests and work with her.  We don't get resolutions about Bethany or Trevor, two storylines which I connected to emotionally.

Lethal Intent is a very good legal thriller. Carolyn is an attorney who has just accepted a position with a start up company that is developing cutting edge CAR T-cell therapies. When people associated with the company begin to die, Caroline begins to think it’s more than coincidence.

Overall I thought this a good read. I thought the suspense and thriller side to be really good, but the romance side was not as good. I know it wasn’t intended to be a romance novel, but the writer put it in the story so I expected more depth. I found the medical aspect to the story very interesting.

This is a clean read with no profanity or sex scenes. There is some no graphic violence. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good legal thriller.

A bit disappointing:
Whilst interesting, I though this book lacked finesse or polish. It felt a bit stilted and choppy which meant I wasn't able to just relax into the story. The point of view also switched quite frequently without delineation so it took me a bit to figure out what was going on at times.
Caroline was conflicted yet tenacious although I found myself getting frustrated with her at times. I liked how committed Brandon was to his foster organization and how he fought to make it work. It took me a bit to connect with the story and the characters. I would have liked to have developed a closer emotional connection to them and see Caroline and Brandon talk about their emotions and feelings more.
This was a heartfelt medical thriller with a small side of sweet romance. I thought the intrigue regarding the medical research was interesting yet not fully captivating. Also some things didn't quite line up with reality such as being able to talk whilst on a ventilator and her friends being recognized by the building manager when they'd never been there before. The ending felt abrupt and not fully resolved and the book could have benefited from an epilogue. This book was listed as a standalone but fits into the "Hidden Justice" series world. I don't know if the author expects you to read upcoming books to find out how things ultimately work out?
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

What historical fiction does to illustrate history, Ms. Putman has done with medical and legalese. The author’s level of research is intense, providing authenticity in the story.
What courage Caroline possessed! To stand for what’s right in the face of such opposition speaks of character and integrity. Personable and compassionate.
Brandon has a heart as big and generous as his former NFL stature. Ms. Putman’s knowledge of the foster care system is as thorough as her knowledge of corporate law and medical research. He approached the legal challenges his foster care group home with persistence and aplomb, even grace. His devotion and attention to Bethany.
Ms. Putman tells a chilling story, medical researchers [SPOILER.] A page turner, I read with anticipation, trying to discover who was behind the hidden—and malevolent agenda.

ROBIN’S FEATHERS
ALL | THE | FEATHERS!

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

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