I wanted to give this book 5 stars and I think this is one of those situations where it was me and not the book. I can't really say what bothered me, but a part of me just couldn't give it 5 stars. Maybe it was because I've read it after reading two really fantastic thrillers and this one didn't quite reach that same mark. Whatever it is, I believe those who love clean mysteries with a bit of romance will love this book. I have another one of Janice Cantore's books on my TBR and now that one has moved up higher on my priorities list because of this one ;-)

Thank you, Netgalley and the author/publisher, for the opportunity to read (listen to) and review an advanced reader's copy of this book. This in no way affects my review, all opinions are my own.

Code of Courage very well could have been ripped right from the headlines in recent years. From the very start we are drawn into the story at the scene of a mob with no love for the police. Told from a perspective of those in law enforcement, it added a very real and human element to the story. I think the author's experience working in the police force certainly was evident and made the story all that much better. While admittedly, I don't always like stories that are too close to real life happenings in the world as reading tends to be my escape, but this one was done so well that I couldn't help but enjoy the story. It kept me at the edge of my seat, with plenty of twists and surprises to keep me guessing. Two crimes were weaved together effortlessly, and made for a wonderfully layered and intriguing story! Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good romantic suspense.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All opinions are my own.

An intriguing and well thought out police procedural. Detective Danni Grace is assisting with crowd control during a violent protest. Reminiscent of today’s new reality, the police are blamed for a shooting with false media reports spurring the conflict. While trying to assist one of the officers, Danni is injured and begins to doubt her career choice and how she is to protect those that hate the police. Gabriel Fox, an investigator with the prosecutor’s office, is Danni’s ex-husband and is watching the news when he sees Danni injured. He still loves her even though they divorced. The riots have grown out of control with a local businessman and his son who may be involved in the unrest. New information about an earlier investigation may finally provide closure to an earlier case. As Danni continues to serve and protect, will Gabe be able to support her against those who would try to take her down? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Another fantastic police procedural from one of the best is completely satisfying and downright enjoyable!

Detective Danni Grace has been on the job a long time and never expected to want to do anything else. After being injured during a riot, she takes a leave and almost never comes back to the job she loved. When the riots increase with a police officer involved shooting in her hometown, Danni returns to try and save the career of her fellow officers. She is going to have to work hard to overcome the doubts she has about staying on the force she lost her passion for. She also must put aside her past and work with her ex-husband, Gabriel Fox, an investigator for the city prosecutor’s office. Together they work to preserve justice and protect those they have made an oath to serve and protect.

I always love getting a new Janice Cantore book. I know that no matter what the story is I’m going to enjoy it. Her knowledge being a 22-year veteran of the Long Beach police force shows in every book that she writes. Every character in her books is believable and engaging, which is so rare. Not only are her characters as officers written real and believable, but anyone else that shows up on the page pulls me in and makes me want to know more about their backstory and all that they are going through. Danni Grace was a great protagonist; she is strong, but also vulnerable and even though it takes a while, she is willing to accept the help she needs from Gabriel, which brings their relationship into an interesting dynamic. For being just under four hundred pages there is a lot of story here but it is told well and flows at a great pace. This is a great book for fans of Romantic suspense to pick up. If you have never read anything by Janice Cantore, I would recommend this one along with all of her books.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

This story starts and ends with so much action, and I felt like I was reading today's paper, or watching the news on TV.

Corruption all the way to the top, and these character's are caught in the injustice that is be perpetrated by the evil that seems to be in control. A hopeless situation? There are people here of great faith, and wear it on there sleeves, and we are with them as they go above and beyond. How much easier it would be to just throw in the towel.

This is a read that will have you page turning and wondering how it will all end. A suburb of Los Angeles, La Rosa, CA, and the rallying cry of "Get Rid Of The Police". Yes, we wonder how this is all going to end, and the author does a great job of bringing this read to a conclusion!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Tyndale House, and was not required to give a positive review.

** “When I say God is in control, I’m not saying he punches buttons and I go a certain way. I’m saying he has a plan, and no matter what happens, he can work out all my choices for my good. I believe and I trust.” **

Janice Cantore again delivers a great suspense thriller — one ripped from today’s headlines — with her latest novel “Code of Courage.”

When rioting in Los Angeles after a police-involved shooting rolls over to neighboring La Rosa, Detective Danni Grace finds herself right in the middle of the violent acts. After suffering an injury, she questions her future on the police force until a friend is also blamed in another shooting.

As the anti-police sentiment continues to grow, Danni must determine whom she can trust, including her former husband Gabe Fox who now works as an investigator for the city prosecutor. Together they must also figure out if a cold case Gabe is working on has anything to do with today’s protests.

What follows is a powerful — yet relative to today — plot, filled with intensity and thrills. Cantore always does an incredible job creating a story that’s both intriguing and suspenseful. Her past as a former police officer always deeply adds to her storylines.

“Code of Courage” also contains several great themes, like showing loving-kindness and being a peacemaker; the power of prayer; God is not the author of confusion, and can fix any situation (“Problems of life. You might not be able to fix any of it, but God can fix all of it”); ugliness will always be a part of a broken world; God doesn’t abandon His children; and everything happens for a reason.

Fans of authors like Robert Whitlow, Cara Putman and Colleen Coble will love “Code of Courage.”

Five stars out of five.

Tyndale House Publishers provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Janice Cantore has written a book that encompasses a dilemma that is facing many communities today, the relationship between the police and the public. I have read all of the authors books and I will say that she is one of my favorite authors. I highly recommend all of her books.

In Code of Courage, Detective Danni Grace questions her passion for the job when she is injured during a protest. She is put on a leave of absence to recover from her injury. A call to the police results in a protester being shot and an officer accused. Danni is called into investigate and is paired with, Gabriel Fox, her ex-husband and an Investigator with the prosecutor's office. As the investigation proceeds, a cold case surfaces and Danni and Gabe believe there maybe a connection to their current case.

The author writes a great mystery, but my favorite part about her books is the development of her characters, how they feel, the interaction between them and how faith helps them. The author brings the story to a satisfying conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC. The review is my own.

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book's storyline could have been snatched from today's headlines with citywide chaos, lack of good leadership where good leadership is needed and hatred of authority. It is a story of power, greed, setups and power struggles. Detective Dani Grace loves her job, but due to recent discord in the city the police force are at risk. Her ex-husband, Gabe, is now an investigator with the prosecutor's office, but he is running into walls everywhere he turns trying to do the right thing. Someone either has an agenda or a secret, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to keep it buried.

Janice Cantore is a retired police officer and as such she has a real world view about how investigations are conducted and true insight into a day in the life of a police officer. This experience makes her an excellent writer for police procedurals. She is a great storyteller, and she will pull you into the story and the lives of the characters. This was an adrenaline filled rush with no end in sight, but somehow in Cantore's brilliant writing, she ties everything up with a tidy, neat bow. However, you will be shocked at the layers of deceit involved. I love everything she writes and this one did not disappoint. If you like a suspense/mystery, you will enjoy it. It is also very clean with an inspirational message as well.

CODE OF COURAGE by JANICE CANTORE is an exciting romantic thriller which takes place in La Rosa, a town that has been taken over by rioters. Both the mayor and the city prosecutor have sided with the rioters against the police, who are finding it nearly impossible to do their job.
Detective Danni Grace is ready to give up her badge after being hit by a lump of concrete thrown by a rioter - who gets away with his crime.
When Thomas Johnston is shot, the police are blamed even though there is strong evidence that they,are not responsile for his death.
Danni’s ex husband Gabriel Fox is asked by a colleague to look into a cold case which seems to tie in with what is going on. Gabe is an ex cop who works as an investigator with the prosecutor’s office. There is definitely a cover up going on in the city and he is also unable to do his job properly.
I like the way the author analyses Danni and Gabe’s emotions and shows how they each come to realise that there are no coincidences with God. The Christian message flows beautifully through the story and the scriptures she uses are just right.
I guarantee you will not be able to put this book down! It is a thrilling and inspirational read and one I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys romantic suspense.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

I was in my "happy place" while reading this book! I realized how happy I was to be reading a book I adored, with just the right character, situations, etc. Having such an awesome police father was inspiring, showing his daughter how to go the extra mile. Having the characters gain insights were positive examples for us all. The idea of doing without police was relevant, and showed how that would make violence worse. When this author writes a book, I want to read it!

Code of Courage is the first book that I've read of Janice Cantore's, but I plan on it not being the last. It grabbed my interest from the first line and held on until the end. Ms. Cantore's writing style is easy to read. There was NO having to go back and reread something in order to make sense of it, which allows the reader to stay immersed in the story.
The characters, Danni and Gabriel, are easy to like and are believable. Part of the plot is exactly what is going on in our streets. I found the other part of it to be quite possible. If you like action, suspense, and mystery with a clean romance, you've found the perfect book. I highly recommend Code of Courage to readers of clean romantic suspense and to readers of Christian romantic suspense.
I received a complimentary copy through NetGalley and am sharing my opinion of this very well-written book.

"Code of Courage" was another great mystery by Janice Cantore. This book dealt with so many real life issues going on in our world today. I felt like Janice Cantore really did well addressing those issues. Her research and life experiences really showed in this novel. I found myself really engaged with this books at times, and then at other times, frustrated because of the opponents! I enjoyed the underlying romantic tension throughout the book. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy good, clean mysteries.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

For this being my first Christian Mystery, I rated it 4.5
I feel there was a specific narrative for this book.. but I still enjoyed the book! I will note that at some points, it felt slow; I will say the romance between the two main characters felt rushed at the end. It’s safe to say this won’t be my last book.

Code of Courage by Janice Cantore is a phenomenal read. Just wow. The storyline could be taken from the headlines of the last several years. The riots, protests and trying to defund the police. Cantore with her first hand knowledge of police work wrote a story that humanizes the story.

Admittedly my review may be biased because I have been a huge fan on Cantore and have read all her books. And my father and father in law were both police officers. So yes, I wanted to shout, FINALLY someone tells their story.

Cantore does not preach at us regarding religion or the role of police officers. Instead she creates an enthralling story of a police officer trying to decide does she still want to do the job with all of the political mess and public outcry. At the same time she is grappling with her faith and why she stepped away from God when her father died. Her ex husband is trying to understand if God exists.

In addition to all of that, Cantore creates a suspenseful mystery that kept me glued to the pages and a sprinkle of romance to lighten some of the tougher subjects. I finished the book in less than 24 hours.

My only concern is that not enough people will read this book.

Sexual content - 1 kissing
Violence 2.5 - riots, shootings, arson, murder

I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

Oh. Wow.
This book just got twistier and twistier! Talk about a bizarre string of events and a cold case file seemingly unrelated come together and pull the reader along until the very last clue falls into place.
I loved this book, simply because I couldn’t figure out what was going on.
The opening scene introduces us to a riot taking place in front of one of the precincts of La Rosa, CA. Police officers are holding the line, but some get injured, like 15 year veteran, Danni Grace. It’s intense and the crowd is incensed, but no one really knows why. And this is the thread that carries readers along – people are upset, the mayor is determined to get rid of the police force, and nobody knows why.
Danni takes a leave of absence when there’s a police-involved shooting, and calls to disband the police force grow louder. Her ex-husband, an investigator for the Prosecutor’s office, is relegated to working on cold cases when he gets too close to the truth concerning the on-going, or lack of, police investigation.
This story has everything a fantastic police procedural requires. A variety of characters – are any of them truly trustworthy? Vivid setting descriptions, action scenes, suspenseful scenes, a trail of clues that don’t make sense. And TWISTS galore!
If you want an exciting, page-turning, intriguing summer read, pick up a copy of Code of Courage by Janice Cantore. You won’t be disappointed.
I received a copy from the publisher through Net Galley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Janice Cantore has really lifted her level with her last couple of releases! I’ve always liked her writing, but her last two have just found another level!

They’re edgier, grittier and more suspenseful. And deal with meaningful real life issues. This one deals with police officers who are finding themselves on the receiving end of protests and struggling with how they can possibly do their job properly with the limitations the protestors have caused to be placed on them.

It very well-written and definitely keeps you turning pages & addresses a relatable, current issue in a sensitive and authentic way.

If romantic suspense is your thing, then I definitely recommend! Especially if you enjoy it a little on the grittier side.

Thank you so much to @tyndalehouse and @netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own honest opinion.

4.5 stars

This book reads a bit like “Blue Bloods” one of my favorite shows. I admire the author for introducing the controversial topic of “defunding the police”. I thoroughly enjoyed this Christian suspense story and was at times frustrated at how cops are viewed as the bad guys, when most are just trying to do their job and keep people safe. There were multiple revelations and events that took me by surprise and kept me engaged till the end. Surprisingly, this was my first by Janice Cantore, but it will definitely not be my last. Highly recommend!

* I received an e-ARC copy from Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

'Why should she continue to put her life on the line for such an ungrateful public?'

I have enjoyed every book by Janice Cantore I've read. She knows her stuff. As a retired police officer, she writes very convincingly of police and crime matters. This time around, she deals with a city that has leadership that decides the police are no longer necessary. Rioting and property damage are the normal happenings and the police are suspended or relieved of their duties when trying to solve crimes.

Police officer Danni Grace and investigator Gabriel Fox, once man and wife, are trying to do their jobs in spite of this upheaval in the community and the subsequent directives from the mayor and city prosecutor's office for the police to virtually stand down. These folks think citizens should just watch out for crime and most of these citizens are rioters and protestors. It was a bit scary reading of what was happening here in this city.

Then a cold case comes to light that has Gabe wondering if this could be related. He and Danni didn't make a go of their marriage, but both are now having second thoughts. She has always depended on her faith and he has never depended on faith. But things are ramping up and about to change for both of them.

I'll be honest: I didn't know how Cantore was going to bring this book to a satisfying conclusion given her subject matter. I was captivated throughout the reading and eager to see the ending, just to see how this would all play out. But Cantore did a masterful job! She continued to layer the story nearly each chapter and I was completely hooked. This was a totally satisfying read. Well done!

My thanks to Tyndale House for a copy of this book via the Net Galley platform. The opinion in this review is expressly my own.

Action packed police drama that reflects today's headlines. Danni, a police detective for 15 years has a hard time realizing the defund the police movement has infiltrated her town. Her ex husband while working as an investigator for the DA's office is increasingly upset with his boss letting offenders released without action. With the DA and the mayor both trying to disband the police, a murder case and cold case may prove to help all concerned. Recommended!

Wow! Great read! I feel like this is such an accurate description of what is going on in the world today! Then there is the mystery of what happened in the alley also. Such a great book!