One of the great joys of reading brilliant books by outstanding authors is seeing the author grow and develop. Cari Hunter has always written superb books, from Snowbound onwards they have captured the imagination and shown both strong writing skills, ingenious plots and empathetic understanding of human nature.

Unbreakable takes her writing to a whole new level. Previous works have been action adventures and cop dramas. This new novel skilfully manages to merge the two from three different women’s perspectives without falling into any sense of confusion, repeating timelines or throwing the reader off with the different voices. The three main characters are diverse, interesting, intense and disarming. It's impossible not to like them, will them to a safe conclusion and a HEA that seems impossible from the first chapter until the dramatic finale.

The pace of the action is breathless at times. I literally sat up all night and read it in one sitting… page turner doesn’t even come close. Every tiny detail is meticulously worked out and I can't think of a single loose end – something I hate – despite an incredibly complicated multi-layered and multi-crime plot. There are some stunning twists and turns that take us on a fast tracked dog-legged journey across the country, back in time and encompass special ops, medical and police action.

I rarely give 5 stars, but this one is an absolute slam dunk – or maybe a perfectly dunked choccy biccy as Cari is more likely to say.

This was a story that gripped my attention from the very first chapter and didn't let up until the very end. I can honestly say that this is one of the best books I have read in a long time. The main characters were very well written and super comp!ex. Elin who is a Security expert and owns her on company seriously had me on the edge of my seat with all the horrible things that happened to her throughout this tale, and Grace who's a doctor was lonely and depressed, and just wanted to be left alone after the passing of her wife. When these two meet for the first-time it's not an ideal pairing. As the story unfolds you find out what has happened in Elin's life to make her kidnap Grace at gunpoint and make her suffer through 5 days of horrifying and dangerous events. The supporting characters were great as well and took this story to a whole other level. I can say without a doubt that I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family, and I'm really looking forward to what this author writes next.

This is the first time I’ve given a book five stars and now that I think of it I should have rated every book written by Ms Hunter five stars.
Dr. Grace Kendal was just ending her shift working when she was kidnapped by a woman she’s never met. She lives by herself and has been working for a number of years helping people who find themselves needing a doctor and the EMT’s. She loves her job, has no enemies and has no time for having a relationship. The relationship she did have was perfect, that’s until the untimely death of her wife. Now all she does is work trying to stay ahead of the heartbreak.
Elin Breckenridges is having a great time showing her young daughter all the site’s offered in London. She has been in the armed forces but had to leave when she was seriously injured. Now she owns a security business that has made her a very wealthy woman. She has yet to meet a woman she would share her daughter with. But all the fun ends when her baby is kidnapped. By who she doesn’t know but when they stole her baby she was told not to contact the police and then just for fun the kidnapper beats her so bad she can hardly move, but she must. First thing is to find someone to help her with her medical injuries. Dr. Kendal just happens to be the one she forces in this.
Detective Sergeant Safia Faris from the first time she was ordered to work the case. She’s good at her job and along with the help of her co-worked, who she’s been working with for a few years now. Also able to help her is her live-in partner who luckily works in the lab working for the police.
Now the chase is on. Easily the best book I’ve read for a couple of years. Fast paced, believable characters make this a winner. First time I read a book in the early hours of the morning I was unable to sleep until the end. This is the kind of book that I'll read again in a few years. Simply a great read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

Wow! This was one of my favorite reads so far this month. From the get go this book had me hooked and I ended up ignoring my “to-dos” and I “just had to” sit through till the end. The blurb was perfect - this is a fast paced thriller of a book. Reader beware - there is blood - but really its handled so well it just adds to the pace and the frenetic energy of the book.

I really liked how the two main MCs were brought together and how the relationship evolves. With all the stuff that get’s thrown at them - it does get heavy but this is where Cari Hunter does something quite remarkable and introduces a parallel track and it is perfect. The story line of Safia and Kami brings a normalcy that is juxtaposed to the chase that is happening on the other track. This prevented the reader from becoming numb to the crazy and slowed things down just a smidge so that you can take the time to absorb what is happening. The parallel story line also adds some much needed levity. I especially enjoyed the exchanges between the chief and Safi or Safi and Suds- it had me chuckling throughout and I looked forward to those interactions. Also shout out to Cari Hunter for bringing characters of different ethnicities in her books and it wasn’t just lip service. There were some really good cultural call outs and loads of kudos to Cari for doing the research and getting it right!

This was my first time reading anything by Cari Hunter and I was completely blown away. It really was a well written story - It felt like something I would watch on PBS and I do love the police thrillers from the UK. Also as a former resident of the UK - I absolutely enjoyed the references to “Hula Hoops” and “Digestive” biscuits which are still a favorite of mine and yes dunking it in a “cuppa” is absolutely the right way to go :-)

Was there anything I didn’t like? Well there was the one thread with Lowry - I really didn’t get his motivation so that felt a like a little plot hole that never got filled in. Other than that this was such a great read - I’d highly recommend it. 4.90 stars (just because of the Lowry thing). Enjoy!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for sending an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unbreakable by Cari Hunter

Action-packed, intense, suspense-filled story that kept my interest from beginning to end – I could not put it down once I started reading. Highly recommend!

What I liked:
* Reading a new-to-me author’s book that I truly enjoyed
* That the main characters were mature and easy to relate to – I could see myself in their shoes
* Grace: physician, trauma specialist, excellent at her job, caring, professional, compassionate, admirable, someone that I really liked.
* Elin: security specialist, business owner, single parent, military veteran, intelligent, skilled, lethal, injured, admired her and what she was willing to do.
* Amelia: four-years-old, adopted daughter of Elin, added a lot to the story in more ways than one
* Safi & Suds: police team dealing with a murder and kidnapping, great team interaction and dialogue, liked them and felt they were professional and capable
* The relationship between Safi and her wife, Kami
* The police procedural aspects of the story
* The way the medical situations were handled – believable and real
* That the bad guy(s) were exposed and dealt with
* That there were no loose ends at the end of the book
* All of it except…

What I didn’t like:
* Exactly who and what I was meant not to like
* The violence that some experienced in the story even though that violence was real and also necessary to make the book all that it is.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Cari Hunter does it again! I don’t think Hunter has ever written a book I didn’t like so there are no surprises here really.

This book is rather different from your standard lesfic, as is also the standard for Hunter if you ask me. From the first page you are sucked into the story and don’t even want to put it down to have a toilet break or grab yourself some drinks and snacks (which you will be craving thanks to the writer). I was warned about this before I started reading this one, so I made myself comfortable and let myself be sucked in to a wonderful telling of what could best be described as a British detective.

Written in third person POV from three perspectives: Elin - our “bad” woman, Grace - the abducted doctor and Safia - the detective sergeant working the case, you get a full picture of what is going on. For a story that basically takes place over a long weekend you’d think you’d get bored and it gets old pretty soon, but in true Cari Hunter fashion it never does. I believe this is aided by the three different perspectives. Hunter knows exactly where to put in some lighter more humorous moments to give us readers a break, and to suck us right back into the nitty gritty of the story.

If you are looking for a cookie cutter romance, you are searching in the wrong place. There is an established couple in the book and they are super cute, and there is some more connecting going on, but no romance. This book is more about connecting and fighting for what you think is the right thing to do. I absolutely loved it.

For any one looking for a great crime drama, look no further. Cari Hunter’s Dark Peak series is one of my all time favourites and for anyone who loved those books - you’ll enjoy this as well. If you are new to this author, you will not be disappointed. I think this is one of the best books I’ve read this year.

I don’t know if I could find fault here if I tried. You had high action from start to finish with raw emotions throughout. Not very steep on the romance, but it didn’t take away from the story at all. The high action troupe is on of my favorites, so this was a perfect Saturday morning read for me.

Another good read by Cari Hunter. You don't come across many good British authors that pull off a good storyline, with twists and turns, You get to a point in the storyline and you think you know who's who and what's what, but then she surprises you with a new twist and turn. This book certainly keeps you on your toe, it has quite a bit of angst in it, but certainly will keep you entertained on a cold night. One of the reasons why I seem to go back to her books is because of the setting of some of the storylines, Saddleworth moors, I love the descriptions she gives of these areas. Makes you feel like the moors are a dark place in her description, but a on summer day they are quite a beautiful place to see.

This is certainly another good book by Cari Hunter.. get reading!

5 Stars.

I was so impatient to read this book that I couldn’t wait for the audiobook, even though I know I will love Nicola Victoria Vincent’s narration and voices for all the characters. It will be in my ears as soon as it’s available.

No one would ever expect Elin Breckenridge to kidnap a doctor. Under the threat of a gun, Dr Grace Kendal agrees to help out as Elin tries to race against time. Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Safia Faris is charged with solving a murder turned kidnapping turned even worse.

This new novel is everything I’ve come to expect from Cari Hunter. It’s captivating, it’s well-written, it’s smart, it’s funny when the reader needs to breathe a little, and the characters are ordinary people entangled in extraordinary circumstances, wonderfully human and flawed and endearing and I love them.

Hunter writes of connection rather than lust. Unbreakable isn’t a romance novel, don’t expect detailed steamy sex scenes. The focus of the story is elsewhere, but it doesn’t mean nothing’s happening in the heart department.

Telling the story from the POV of the three main characters is genius. Focusing on Elin and Grace would have been harrowing and getting to see the outside gives perspective, as well as lighter moments. Safia’s relationship with her girlfriend Kami is very sweet, and I also enjoyed her friendship with her colleague Suds a lot. Of course, it reminded me of Sanne and Nelson in the Dark Peak trilogy, and I couldn’t be happier about that.

I don’t want to say too much about Grace and Elin, about why Elin is acting the way she is, Grace’s reactions, the way their relationship evolves. The story takes place over a pretty short period, and it could be boring since the characters spend quite a lot of time waiting but on the contrary, it’s thrilling. The pacing is perfect and even the quiet moments are meaningful.

Hunter excels at police procedurals, gloomy weather, and human relationships, and this book has it all. If you loved the Dark Peak series, you’ll love this too. If you’ve never read a book by Cari Hunter, this one is a good place to start.

ARC provided to Rainbow Literary Society for an honest review.

Wow, Ms Hunter sure knows how to write a thriller. Do not start this unless you have a few hours to spend with Grace and Elin and their mad journey to escape danger. The books starts with a gun in Grace’s back and a badly injured Elin. The narrative is wound around their slow change from captor and captive to allies working together. There are no spoilers here, but I will say that the change is credible and the way the characters react to their different situations feels “real”.

I do enjoy books by this author as they do not fit the lesfic formulaic girl meets girl, girl loses girl, girl finds girl again and always have some angst and some danger. And there is an abundance of both in this book. There is love, moral dilemmas and a brilliant ancillary character in Sergeant Safia Faris and her funny sidekick Suds. They add greatly to the story and to the tension and I would love to read more about them in another book and another investigation. Safia is brave and her wife is also well written and a “real” character.

The ending is fitting and leaves you feeling satisfied and with no loose ends.

Recommended if you want something exciting and tense to curl up with on a chilly evening. You won’t be disappointed.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review

My kindle reading streak is going on like two years. I’ve been reading every day for almost two years. I’m stating this because this book is one of the like 5 I can think of that really pulled me in from the jump. It usually takes me 30 or so pages to really sus a book out. But this one? The first 2-3 pages and I knew I was totally in.

This book was well written, I enjoyed the plot, the character development was on point. I honestly had a really good time reading this. I would recommend to everyone.

Unbreakable - one of the best books I’ve ever read in this genre. An absolute thrill ride from start to finish.

Grace is a trauma doctor at the end of her shift, looking forward to a hot bath and soft bed when she is kidnapped at gunpoint by a severely injured woman needing help. Elin is a desperate woman willing to do anything to stay alive for a very good reason. The two connect and soon they are both in a life-or-death race. Safia, a police detective investigating a homicide in Hampstead Heath soon gets more than she bargained for.

The plot is complex, suspenseful, and well-paced and you are immediately thrown right into the action. Never boring but the story doesn’t feel rushed either. This fine balance is quite an achievement. As always in Cari’s books, descriptions of scenes are excellent, and it makes the story easy to visualise. Some scenes are difficult to read and feel like a punch in the guts, it literally took my breath away. That is what makes this story so moving and powerful.

Medical scenes in novels can be a challenge. I personally love them but it would be easy to lose some readers in technical jargon. These scenes in unbreakable are perfect, realistic, and just technical enough to hold your attention and keep you at the edge of your seat.

All the characters are well formed and realistic. Grace is instantly endearing, and I loved how you could feel her coming back to life while risking her life to save another.

Elin is an enigma at first, but the reader soon gets to know more about her. A strong, capable woman who is hurt, desperate and scared. Together, the bond that Grace and Elin form is almost palpable. Their bravery and determination make you root for them, shriek and will not allow you to put the book down.

The addition of a third main character is genius. It gives the reader insight into the police investigation and brings some much-needed humour and a bit of romance into a very dramatic story. While there is attraction and certainly some small romantic moments in this book, this is not a romance novel. I for one am happy about that. Lesbians do have stories other than romance and sex.

Other interesting characters in the book include Safia’s love interest and her partner. Both extremely well written and instantly likeable. Equally, the villains in this book, loathsome as they may be, get back stories and the reader gets some insight into why things happened the way they did.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone, not only readers who enjoy this specific genre. Beautifully written, exhilarating and moving throughout! This is my favourite book of the year and another award winner for Ms. Hunter.

Unbreakable is a mystery , suspense and quite the page turner. It had strong incredible lead female characters who were relatable and likeable. I thoroughly enjoyed it and definitely recommend.
4.5 Stars



Thank you Bold Strokes and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review..

I believe this is the first book I have read from this author but I can say it won't be the last. Right from the start this book puts us in the middle of the action and doesn't stop till the end. I loved the writing style of this author, she does a wonderful job of keeping us involved with what is always going on, lots of dialog and detail of the action.

Right from the start I fell in love with Grace and Elin-the circumstances for both of them just pulled at your heart. I know when Elin forces Grace to help her, at first you are hesitant to feel for Elin, but when Grace found out why Elin was in the situation she was you just wanted to cheer both of them on. The author gave such in-depth understanding of both characters (both having deep issues), and you just wanted them to come out ok in the end.

The action was non-stop, the book is definitely a page turner and I stayed up well into the late night reading it all in one sitting. There where a few twist along the way that you just didn't see coming, so the author really kept the story going with turns all along. You also had kind of two stories going on, one from the point of view of Elin/Grace and one from the point of view of the police on their trail, and both intertwined seamlessly. And the end, LOVED IT for all involved.

I will definitely be looking for more from this author, not much into the crime drama genre and not sure if this is what the author writes most about, but this book sold me on getting more into that genre from this author.

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, but would have written the same opinion if I had come across this author on my own.

To see my Amazon review, it is under CC-Exciting from the start

Undeniably and unequivocally excellent. It really is a great book. The police procedures seem spot on (it matches what I’ve seen on the telly, so I’m assuming it’s realistic) and are very entertaining. Excellent banter between the two police officers. So clever and unusual to have the police/forensic couple as well as the two leading women. Multicultural and full of, I must look up a recipe for that dish, references. Then there’s the actual story which has a great plot and needs a screenplay. Actual no a series, it would make a great police drama series. One of the best books I’ve read all year.

Hunter does it again, what a thrilling ride! I’m a fan of the dark peak series and this book is matching that series. New books by Hunter are on my automatic read list and it is not strange why as I’m a huge fan of British and Scandinavian detectives/thrillers. The gloomy atmosphere and no BS attitude never fail to disappoint me and Hunter knows exactly how to capture this while also delivering an excellent plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. And not to forget, all the British expressions, can’t help it, I’m a sucker for those.

This book is slightly different from a standard detective as only one of the POVs shows the side of the police investigation and this POV (from detective Safia), while important, is not the main focus of the book. The biggest part of the book is composed of the POVs from doctor Grace and her kidnapper Elin. After having read and watched a lot of detectives I did notice some points in the beginning of the police investigation that normally should and would have been picked up earlier, but the book was just exhilarating to read so I didn’t mind.

This book is to be read because of the mystery, which is something that fans of Hunter will know, but there generally is also a bit of romance in there which was also the case in this book. The romance isn’t the focus of the book (that would be quite odd under the circumstances), but I found it believable and it made me connect even more to the characters. All characters have different personalities, but at the same time they share a type of selflessness, which makes it impossible not to like them.
And there is even something for foodies to enjoy as the lovely descriptions of the Pakistani and Bengali dishes that Safia and her girlfriend Kamila regularly enjoy, made me crave food. I like to try out new things and cuisines, but some of these dishes I had never heard of and would love to try some, if I only could remember the names of all these dishes…..

Other reviews warned not to start this book when you don’t have time to finish it, which was sound advice, because wow, I was hooked immediately and the title is so fitting! If you like Hunter’s books, you will like this for sure, I definitely recommend this to all who like detectives/thrillers.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Now this is one great psychological thriller! Of course, I expect exciting stories from Cari Hunter, but I think Unbreakable may be one of her best yet.

This tale is definitely full of intrigue and action. A doctor (Grace Kendal) is kidnapped at the very beginning of the book by a mysterious and obviously badly injured woman (Elin Breckenridge). Grace is compelled to help Elin, but by doing so, she becomes a part of a dangerous nightmare with Elin. We not only see the story through Grace and Elin’s eyes, but also through the eyes of Detective Sergeant Safir Faris. In fact Safir, her girlfriend Kami, and her work partner Suds are very important secondary characters. Through Safir we get to see the police investigation of the crimes as they are occurring. This actually works out really well, and gives the reader a more complete view of what is happening.

I was captivated by this novel from the very first page, and could not put it down until the very end. There is constant, sometimes heart-stopping action and intrigue in these pages, and even a bit of romance to add to the emotional drama. This book has a special place in my favorite books list, and I highly recommend it to all mystery and intrigue lovers.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Rainbow Reflections: https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/

An edge of your seat thriller with some good twist and turns leading up to a very satisfying conclusion. The main characters are all likeable and the writing is superb. Cari Hunter rarely disappoints with her books, but for me Unbreakable is one of her best. This is a really good thriller and while it does have a romantic involvement,this is more of a sidenote. As it should be. The plot is very well done and you can feel the tension and insecurity of both women due to the situation they are in. Easily a 5 star read if you are into thrillers and like representation of the lesbian community.

***An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a hones review***

4 Stars
This was a real page turner thriller. It grabbed me in the first chapter and never let up.
The 2 main characters are rich and very likeable. Their predicament is unusual.
Elin is a wealthy single mother of 4 yr old Amelia. Amelia gets kidnapped and the thrilling race begins to get her back. Grace is an emergency doctor that joins the race to find Amelia and help badly injured Elin.
There are many medical issues that were described in accurate detail. And the action scenes were very scary. I was never sure how they would turn out. The author did a great job keeping me guessing. Many twists and turns. Everything was written very well.
As intense and non stop the story was you do get some warm comic relief from the 2 detectives, Safia and Suds. Their relationship was funny and warm. They were great partners. You will like them a lot.
My only disappointment was the lack of romance between the 2 main characters. You feel they are getting close but nothing really happens. I suppose that was more realistic since their time together was pretty intense. But I still missed it.
And then the last chapter is basically an epilogue and everything becomes "happily ever after" stuff. I wanted more romance between the 2 mains.
There was a very nice relationship between Safia, the detective, and her wife Kami. They were very sweet. Here there was romance.
If you like exciting action thrillers with a lot of twist and turns and a lot of medical issues, this story is for you.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so pleased to learn that Cari Hunter is releasing a new book this year and it comes out on the day of my birthday no less! I couldn't wait to get my hands on it and I'm so grateful to Bold Stokes Books for the eARC! I started it as soon as I was approved for it on Netgalley, and even though I tried to make it last, I just couldn't stop reading. Hunter never disappoints. Her books have pretty much all been 5-star reads for me, and that includes Unbreakable.

In Hunter's new romantic thriller, Elin's 4-year-old has been kidnapped and she's on the clock to gather and deliver the ransom money. When the drop-off goes to shit and she's injured, Elin sees no other option but to, in turn, kidnap Grace, a HEMS doctor, to keep her alive and to help her get her daughter back.

In parallel to their story line, we follow the investigation lead by Detective Sergent Safia Faris. What appears like an easy murder case at first quickly spiral into a complicated chase. With her job on the line, Safia hopes she can find Elin and Grace before it's too late.

Hunter writes amazing, strong female leads who are flawed and who show just the right amount of vulnerability. They all feel like real people I'd love to befriend and hang out with.

Unbreakable is a real page-turner. The story is broken into perfect-length chapters that switch between 3 POVs (Elin, Grace and Safia) and the pacing is just right. I read this books over the course of two nights and I found myself saying "Oh, just one more chapter" more than once 🥲

I highly recommend you pick this one up if it's on your radar (or not). You won't be disappointed! As a birthday gift to myself, I already pre-ordered the paperback! This one is definitely going to the books I want to reread pile!