Brilliant Political Thriller

If you want to read a page-turner with authentic twists, this multi-layered thriller will not waste your time.

The Power Couple is Brian Unsworth, the husband, who is a decoder for the NSA and Rebecca Unsworth, the wife, a devoted, FBI agent who knows all the angles. They have two children, Kira, a student at Tufts, beautiful and adventurous and Tony, a rather awkward, younger brother. The setting is Barcelona, Spain where the family is vacationing to celebrate Brian (Bri) and Rebecca (Becks) 20th anniversary. We are introduced to Kira when she is planning to upend her curfew and meet a handsome Frenchman later in the evening.

When Kira does not return that evening, their lives become a parent’s worst nightmare. Where is she? Is she ill? Was she kidnapped? Narrated from different points of view, the story evolves into an exciting chronicle of this family’s history, their marriage, and the strengths and weaknesses of each character, including the children.

The plot moves, transporting me into the workings of the FBI, the National Security Agency and the private agonies of their marriage. The children play a big role, their personalities are keys to the interchanging plot. The four of them seemed to work hard, Kira, trying to return to her family and Tony, his guilt in leaving his sister. It was unusual for an author to depict how hard Bri and Becks (silly nicknames), work to sustain their marriage through the years.

Sometimes the plot is held up by the detailed backstories of the parents, but it does indicate that this family is complicated. The only weakness was the first few scenes when Kira is so enthralled with Jacques that she agrees to meet him later. In much later scenes, we discover Kira is not naïve and is as smart as her mother. Berenson quickly changed Kira from a silly teenager to a creative, brilliant young woman.

This book is spot on for the big or small screen series.

My gratitude to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

Exciting Premise

The Power Couple is a suspenseful thriller about the kidnapped teen of an FBI agent.

I went in blind, and I think this is the way to go, so I am not going to include a plot summary.

The narrative is split between “The Power Couple,” Brian and Rebecca, with another view shared from their 19-year-old daughter’s perspective. I didn’t love the characters. I was rooting for one, felt nothing for another, and despised the other.One character was so revolting that they actually made their chapters hard to read because I just wanted to strangle them.

This is a gripping read filled with intrigue, espionage, and suspense. Berenson adds a different angle to a familiar trope. The title reflects the power dynamic between Brian and Rebecca. Both characters had me questioning who was going to have the final say in their relationship. There are some flaws that I am not going to get into, but overall I found The Power Couple worth reading.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Dark. Sinister. Deceiving. Rebecca is an FBI agent who is married to her job. She also has a husband, Brian, and two children. Their marriage has had rough patches, but when their daughter is s arched while on vacation in Spain, it will take both of them to get her back. This Novel reminded me of the movie with Liam Neeson at first. The story switches back and forth between revealing the couple’s back story and current day. I liked Kira’s resourcefulness. Toward the end I was even surprised at the turn of events. Cold blooded and ruthless. If you like intrigue, high stakes games, and the world of deception, this is the book for you.

This book was just okay for me. It was a fast paced domestic thriller with a touch of espionage mixed in. There was a lot of focus on their marriage along with many secrets. I personally just had a hard time connecting with the characters and just couldn’t root for either of them.

Rebecca Unsworth works for the FBI and her husband, Brian, is a coder for the NSA. After the couple plans a European getaway in honor of their 20-year anniversary, their teenage daughter comes up missing in Barcelona. Rebecca’s first thought is that the kidnapping must have something to do with her job. But how? And why?

I have to admit that when I first began reading this novel, I wasn’t too crazy about it. Most of the characters aren’t particularly likeable or relatable. I continued reading for the story and boy am I glad I did!

The Power Couple is an exciting, global espionage thriller with a mind-blowing conclusion! I especially liked the chapters that focused on the backstories of individual chapters, leading up to their present situation. It was interesting to get into each of their heads and see the situation from their perspectives.

I also enjoyed the government intelligence aspect of the story and found it to be enlightening.

The Power Couple is more than just an espionage story. It is mainly about marriage and relationships. Readers may walk away wondering how well they honestly know their loved ones.

Thank-you very much to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for sharing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Power Couple by Alex Berenson
Published: February 9, 2021
Simon & Schuster
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Alex Berenson is a former New York Times reporter and now a gifted author. He has published over 15 works, and his storytelling only gets better.

“Fire. The Daenerys Targaryen of kidnapped American chicks. Of course, it hadn’t ended so great for Daenerys.”

Becks and Bri have lived a relatively charmed life together. She works for the FBI, and he works for the NSA, they have two children about to be grown and out of the house, and they decide to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in a big way: a family trip to Spain. They have overcome so many struggles in their 20 years together, so they decide to take this trip and spare no expense. But neither was prepared for their world to come crashing down when their 19-year-old daughter Kira is taken. Now, they have to figure out how to find their girl in a foreign country, with zero leads. Soon, secrets will be spilled.

This is the first novel by Alex Berenson I’ve read. And the man knows how to build a story. I enjoyed how this unfolded. Berenson has an extreme gift for telling a story. He weaves the backstory and the current plot so effortlessly together, and he keeps you engaged the entire time.

I enjoyed the espionage angle of this novel. I learned some things about how the NSA operates and about the limitations of the FBI. And also about the reaches of greed.

The main characters, Becks and Bri, are written so vastly different. Becks is the perpetual good girl. She has done everything right, or as close to right as possible. She is a rising star in the FBI, often sacrificing her home life to pursue a case.

Brian is a lazy narcissist. He feels entitled to great things but doesn’t want to do the work to earn them. When a deal falls into his lap, after a series of bad decisions, Brian decided to betray his wife, family, himself, and his country.

The twists in this book are insane. I did not see the slap coming. The story was built in such a powerful way, and just when you think you have a hold on where the story is going- wham! Something you did not expect.

Berenson has a gift for writing his characters in such a detailed manner that when they dive into their backstory, you find yourself feeling almost betrayed. As though a friend has revealed their darkest secret.

I very much enjoyed this novel. It is fast-paced, deep, and twisted. The storyline is unique, and the characters have all the qualities you want from an intense story. I recommend this one!!

I really loved this book!! It had so many twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next!! This was my first book by this Author, and it won’t be the last!! Quick read!! Highly recommended!! You won’t be disappointed!!

This novel by Alex Berenson is a twisty domestic thriller with a twist of espionage! Rebecca and Brian go on a 20th wedding anniversary trip to put the thrill back into their marriage and celebrate all they have survived as a couple. The take their two teenage children on this European getaway. They are having a great time when Kira, their daughter, disappears during a night out at the club. She's been TAKEN- every parents' worst nightmare.
The plot pivots between the present and the two parents willing to do anything to find their daughter and the past that shows the hard cracks in their less than perfect marriage.
I don't want to give too much away or spoil but there are secrets in every marriage and this one is no different even as the clock ticks on finding Kira. Rebecca is an FBI agent with a high power career and Brian works for the NSA so they have power between them. Is this a heart-stopping thriller? No. Is it interesting and kept me reading? Yes. It's not my favorite book of the year but a good character-driven novel.

What a great read! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and, once started, found it hard to put down, Full of surprises with great character development and a very intriguing plot. Through the voices of Rebecca and Brian Unsworth the author does an excellent job of detailing the changes that take place in a marriage as the partners mature.

Rebecca Unsworth is a high achieving Type A personality who loves her job as an FBI agent. Driven to succeed, she runs the Russian desk in the CounterIntelligence Division. Her husband, Brian, is a coder for NSA. Not as driven as Rebecca, he was satisfied with taking a back seat to her ambition and being the househusband in the early years of their marriage. As the years pass, they settle into a routine with kids, jobs, and ordinary life—until all that changes one night when their daughter doesn’t come home.

Rebecca and Brian and their two children, Kira ans Tony, seem like the perfect family. Rebecca works for the FBI and Brian has a great job as a coder. For their 20th anniversary, the decide to take the kids and go on a European vacation. Everything is going well until Kira does not return home one night.

Spoiler alert:
While this story was about Kira's kidnapping, it was really about the unraveling of a marriage. You get an inside look at how Brian and Rebecca met and fell in love, as well as what caused their marriage to fail. Neither one of them are very likable, but the story is fascinating. I definitely didn't see the end coming.

This book was very enjoyable and I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

The Power Couple by Alex Berenson is a superb read with well-defined characters and plotline. Definitely a page turner and well worth a read!

I didn't get very far into this before setting it aside. It just didn't command my attention.

(My reviews are short by design)

Parts of this novel are extremely fraught with tension. Other parts go back over the Rebecca and Brian meeting and raising of children while Rebecca got her law degree and then became an FBI agent while Brian was the primary caregiver who lived where Rebecca’s career took her.

When their nineteen-year-old daughter is kidnapped in Spain, Rebecca thinks it might have something to do with her job as a counterintelligence agent. Or it could be that she was kidnapped for a ransom or to be sold into human slavery. Whatever the reason, Rebecca uses all of her skills to track her daughter down.

There were some major plot twists that I didn’t see coming, which is always fun. The characters are fully drawn, although this book does not make being married with kids and a successful career—things that are things that many of us dream about—seem all that enviable.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this suspense novel, which RELEASES FEBRUARY 9, 2021.

This was a page turner. Told through 3 different characters; The daughter, the father, and the mother. Very well written, believable, smart. One of those books you force yourself to put down or else you'll finish too soon and you want it to last as long as possible.

However, there were a few times it did get long in the tooth with descriptions about the past, though, in essence, you need that information to understand the dynamic between the lead characters.

5 Stars.

Very fast-paced and edge-of-your seat action. Berenson takes a break from his John Wells thrillers to write “Power Couple.”

The book is a good examination of what people will do to save the ones they love. Rebecca and Brian Unsworth’’ daughter is kidnapped in Spain while on a family vacation. Kira turns out to be smart and resourceful and no victim. The ending will surprise you!

I wanted to like this book because I love Berenson’s John Wells series but this stand-alone just wasn’t up to his usual great storytelling.

I try not to read too much about books, even too much of their descriptions, before I read them. I like to be surprised, and I'm glad I did that for this book because I really didn't see where it was going when it started. The author did a great job managing timelines and character voices as they switched throughout the book.

A great choice for anyone who likes a twisty thriller!

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review -
You will want to grab this book - it is a thriller -
Rebecca and Brian both have government jobs, two children and a nice home. Rebecca spends hours investigating in the early years while Brian raises the children. And when Brian develops an app that gives them two million - life seems great - until -
they take a vacation for their 20 year anniversary - and they daughter is gone -
What happened? Was she abducted? Is it a result of one of their jobs? Will they find her? Will their marriage survive
And - a stunning conclusion

Oo y’all I knew I was going to like this story as soon as I looked at the cover! And let me tell you it was worth staying up super late for! :) honestly I would recommend this thriller to anyone!

Fast paced thriller. It is fast paced from beginning to the end. I enjoyed this book and will definitely look for more by author.

3.5 stars

A gripping thriller with an interesting structure and at least one good twist.

Rebecca and Brian Unsworth are celebrating their 20th anniversary with a family trip to Europe. When their 19 year old daughter, Kira, goes missing in Barcelona they have to decide if it’s a random abduction or if it’s connected to them specifically: Rebecca works for the FBI in Russian counterintelligence and Brian is part of an elite hacker team in the NSA.

The novel moves between the past, viewing Rebecca and Brian’s marriage and careers from both their perspectives, and the present, flipping between the couple's desperate search and Kira’s story.

As is a must with these types of thrillers, the plot rattles along, weaving in red herrings, spy and police craft, and throwing in a criminal mastermind who seems to make no mistakes. I appreciated that Kira had agency, drawing from both her mother and father, but I wish the author had come up with something more original than the old twisted ankle trope to ratchet up the tension.

There is one pretty big clunk when the plot shifts gears, but I was ok with that as it kept things moving and the resolution is satisfying if a little too Hollywood.

If thrillers are your genre, then I’d recommend The Power Couple. It doesn’t bring in anything original, but it does provide a decent escape from pandemic woes for a few hours.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the digital review copy.