I love a good mystery, especially when there is intrigue, romance, and faith all rolled into the story.

This one covers a more sensitive subject, child abduction and other crimes against children. As the story dives deeper into the dark belly of crime, it brings to life how much that I don't know or am aware of in our own world. This may be a fictional story, but it could be true, which is very sad. Crimes against children should never happen. So grab hold of your children and keep them safe.

I came to admire Risa for many reasons. She is analytical, cares about her family, and believes in what she is doing for her career. So when her brother is killed by mistake, it sends her into a tailspin. She does not handle the grief very well and begins to doubt her faith in God. I appreciated her struggles and coming to terms with the situation. Everyone handles grief differently, and she is no different. I appreciated the chapter with a counselor. It just reinforces that it is okay to ask for help when you need it.

I enjoyed the romance between Risa and Gage. They both repress their feelings for one another until finally giving in and admitting they love one another. This brings out the protector in Gage, perhaps more so due to his feelings for Risa. This is a good and a bad thing! They are both FBI, and you will discover in various situations that Risa has no problems taking care of herself. 

Watching the mystery come together confirmed some of my suspicions but blew me away in other respects because there were several aspects that I didn't consider in trying to solve the crime. I had a feeling that several paths were going to merge, but the "how" was unknown until it happened. The story is complex, and I admire the author for handling all of the pieces in the right way.

This is another winner in my book, and we give this book 5 paws up.

These FBI Special Agents work diligently to bring justice to the world where crimes are committed against children. Amid trying to do her job, juggle her dysfunctional family, grow her faith, and find a love life Risa Jacobs experiences a tragic loss. When her estranged brother surfaces with a changed life she's ready to unite him with her parents. But as Fate would have it that moment never comes.
Risa loses herself in a career change only to have her past and present collide. Enter Gage Patterson, former partner, and self-appointed bodyguard. As Gage continues to pursue leads on his cases and help his grieving friend when they discover the two are more intertwined than they ever could have dreamed.
DiAnn Mills brings together people and careers in unexpected ways as we navigate the pages of Facing the Enemy. She takes us on an adventure that stretches the state of Texas and beyond.
I always struggle with first person narratives in fictional settings. It takes me three quarters of the way through the book before my mind settles into the rhythm of what I'm reading. I had the same struggle with this story as it goes back and forth between Risa's and Gage's viewpoints.
I enjoyed the story line. I'm anxious for where things go from here.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tyndale House for the opportunity to read this novel. All opinions are my own.

FBI Special Agent Risa Jacobs has worked for five years in the unit devoted to violent crimes against children. She has never felt like she had a target on her back until now, when a long-awaited reunion with her brother Trenton ends tragically. Overcome with guilt and grief, Risa takes leave from the FBI and picks back up with her former career as an English teacher. When one of her students turns in a paper that mirrors what happened to her brother, complete with inside details that were never made public, Risa is so disturbed she reaches out to her former FBI partner Gage to look into it further.

“Facing the Enemy” is the kind of story that draws you in from the very first few pages! Dripping with suspense, you could feel the tension as Risa tried desperately to come to terms with what happened to her brother. I love a strong female character who is also vulnerable; in my mind, that makes her even stronger! I don’t read many romantic suspense stories but the relationship between Risa and Gage added a fun element to this story as well. This was the first book I read by this author but it won’t be the last.

Thank you to Netgalley, Tyndall House Publishers and Partner in Crime Tours for my spot on this tour and the ARC! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly!

When Risa's brother is killed right before her eyes she's traumatized. The driver of the hit-and-run was not found. When Risa receives a threat to quit her job or her family will suffer the consequences Risa is determined to do all in her power to find the killer and put him/her behind bars. Risa quits her FBI job to pursue her investigation but only her boss knows about the threat. Her partner Gage is confused by Risa's quitting and is insisting on keeping in touch with her. He knows Risa has not just left her brother's death unsolved.

Oh my word y'all! Kidnapping stories always get to me. Especially where babies and children are concerned. Facing The Enemy was exciting, scary, and heart-turning. Because the subject was one that is hard to read the suspense and danger that Risa and Gage faced made it even more stressful. Gage and Risa's relationship was complicated to say the least. As two FBI agents, and partners it was hard for them to acknowledge their attraction for each other. But as tension mounted they found themselves turning to each other for strength, which only intensified their feelings for each other. With excitement and danger sprinkled throughout Facing The Enemy was a fast-paced read and held the reader's attention to the conclusion. If you are a fan of suspense I definitely recommend that you read this book.

Facing the Enemy is another fast-paced romantic suspense from DiAnn Mills. I especially enjoyed the heroine. She is brave and daring and does what she feels necessary in the pursuit of justice for her brother. The hero is her calming balm and her voice of reason. They really complement each other very well. The storyline is original, and the action kept me turning the pages. If you are a romantic suspense fan, then you will really enjoy this novel. I know I did.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. This is my honest opinion.

**4.5 Stars, Rounded Up**

Every time I read a DiAnn Mills book, I am reminded why I enjoy her work. For me, she stands alone in the romantic suspense genre for her storytelling. Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills is filled with characters, each one serving a specific purpose in moving the tale forward. The number of characters might could have been confusing, but Mills makes them easy to differentiate between. Before you can forget an identity, Mills offers a gentle reminder. I cannot express how strongly I loved this book! It kept me company on a flight, and I loved Risa and Gage from the very beginning.

Risa and Gage both have hard pasts. As partners at the FBI, they spoke little of their histories, understanding that doing so would be like walking through mine fields of pain. They grew to care deeply for each other, yet the word “love” was never spoken. A relationship could risk both of their careers…and then Risa leaves the FBI after the death of her brother. A death that should’ve been hers, as Trenton pushed Risa out of the way. Suddenly, Gage and Risa’s lives no longer intersect, and the absences makes their hearts grow fonder. Their independent investigations push them together, and love and justice become the qualities that matter most.

Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills needs every paragraph on its 350+ pages. The story has numerous twists and turns that kept me biting my fingernails until I reached the end. Mills expertly intertwines crime and mystery with her evident adoration of creative writing. I thoroughly enjoyed that Risa’s second career as a creative writing professor, as the anecdotes reminded me of my own creative writing course I took at my university. Though I must say, I would’ve much rather had Risa as my instructor!

What is beautiful about Facing the Enemy is its character arcs. Gage and Risa have individual hills and valleys unending. Risa goes from an all-time high to an all-time low. Gage, too, goes through his own tribulations. But they survive. They learn from their faults and their challenges. The characters make mistakes. They turn from their values, but ultimately, Gage and Risa come back to the truth…and eventually, each other.

Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills is one of her best books that I have read. Hands down.

Phew! Facing the Enemy will have readers scrambling right along with Risa and Gage to solve a case involving multiple murders, attacks on FBI agents, baby abductions, gang activity, creative writing assignments, and fraudulent adoption agencies. Every lead drives these two agents to another obstacle. People are in danger, and it appears that Risa is in their sights. Gage and Risa are doggedly chasing leads to get to the bottom of this horrible case.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it to lovers of suspense with a little bit of romance thrown in. I appreciated the depth of the characters in this book. Gage and Risa each have trauma and issues to work through during the book, and they both struggled in their relationship with God as they worked through these horrible situations. It is an encouraging book in that way - to seek professional help as you work through heavy issues.

I requested and received a copy of this book for review. The options expressed here are wholly my own.

Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills is a brilliantly written novel. Ms Mills has always been one of my favorite writers, but this novel stands out even in her work. It is exceptionally written, full of suspense and twists and turns. Readers of romantic suspense will love this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills. The letter Carson sent Risa was chilling and had a spin that I haven’t seen in other Christian romantic suspense stories. Kudos to Mills for delivering an authentic, twisty plot! And boy, was Carson in a world of trouble when Risa caught up to him.

The emotion, the pain, and the hurt from losing her younger brother came through the pages. The author made a bold move by having Risa blame God for her brother’s death. Although it’s a tragic trap many people fall into, I appreciated the level of character development that went into coloring her emotions. When Risa came to her senses and acknowledged that God is a source of life and healing, I was almost instantly drawn to tears. Such a beautiful message was given, showing that Mills’ characters come to life during the intensity of her stories.

A few minor things could use a different perspective, such as when Carson and Gage chatted about how “kids” went to college; it’s a place for all walks of life and all ages. Also, when Gage called Carson an underage runaway. He’s met the age of majority.

Gage’s “Christmas” and mood twist came out of nowhere—in a good way. There were bread crumbs, but I was pleasantly surprised by the wrench tossed when we found out why he never got into the holiday spirit.

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

The sudden death of her previously estranged brother leaves FBI Special Agent Risa Jacobs reeling and questioning her responsibility in the tragedy as well as her faith. Her partner, Gage Patterson, doesn’t understand when she resigns from the FBI to go back to teaching creative writing at a college, but he vows to keep working her brother’s case. But when a student turns in a writing assignment that is a spot-on eyewitness account of her brother’s murder, Risa finally has a lead to pursue and won’t be staying away from the FBI long.

This is the third DiAnn Mills book I’ve read, and though I did liked the first one, I’m starting to notice a trend in which I don’t get along well with her writing style. I often found myself confused and unable to grasp the meaning in the author’s choice of words. Dialog felt unnatural or stilted, especially during interviews with people involved in the investigations, and characters’ words didn’t always quite line up with each other’s. And sometimes, it seems like there’s subject-verb confusion that should have easily been caught by an editor. It’s a little difficult to explain, but I’ll share one quote that I think is a good example of what I mean. Said by a character: “Running didn’t keep them safe. But fear took over. Still am.” I promise, I’m not leaving anything out that would explain what the “Still am” refers to, or if I did, it’s because what it refers to is so separate from the rest of this quote that I didn’t realize that’s what it was supposed to connect with. And maybe plenty of people will read that line and just keep going, because the intent is clear enough (still am…running, I guess?). But for me, I can’t help but stop short and think, “Huh? Still am what? Huh?” And that takes me right out of the story. And since this is just one example of a lot of different lines that made me scratch my head, hopefully that gives a good enough understanding of why I struggled to get into this story.

The message in the book is good, though, and the main reason I gave it two stars is for the conversation with the psychologist, who I felt asked some good questions and really got to the heart of Risa’s grief, doubt, and self-blame. I wish it could have come a little earlier in the book to spare us some of the angst, but it was still appreciated. The relationship between the two MCs, on the other hand, also confused me. They’ve been partners for five years and are both already in love with each other (secretly) at the start of the story, yet sometimes it seems like they really have a lot to get to know about each other still. The writing assignment angle, which is what really caught my attention in the synopsis and made me want to try another DiAnn Mills book, hoping it would be more like the first one I read than the second, was a pretty big let-down for me. I also struggled with consistency issues in various places. I really dislike giving this low of a rating to any book, and I’ve found myself questioning my own ability to read and comprehend what I’m reading correctly, since I’ve so far been in the vast minority with my thoughts of this book and the previous one I didn’t care for. Please check out other reviews for different opinions, as most of them are positive so far, if you’re interested in the synopsis and/or genre.

This is a read that will blow your mind, non-stop action, and you will find yourself ducking!

This book begin with a hit and run, why? Someone wants FBI Officers dead? Why? We are on a journey for answers, but they do come and are full of surprises.

This read did not disappoint, and sadly evil at times looks like it is winning, you wonder if and whom will survive to the end. When I finished I still had some of the same wonders, but on an international scale. I loved that Diann Mills highlighted this, it is a fictional read that read like the truth!

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

Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills features two mysteries that come around and tie together into one eye opening ending. Mills does a wonderful job at diving into a story that uses a writing assignment and missing babies and ties them together. The writing assignment was my favorite part. As a budding author, it felt unique and different. The plot did capture my attention and did not let go. As for the budding romance between Gage and Rise, it seemed a little over the top. Yes, the heroine and the hero have a past, but personally, I wanted a little deeper of a relationship before they dove into their budding feelings. Mills did a wonderful job at crafting a world that keeps the readers actively involved in the plot. The element of the missing babies tugged at my heartstrings. I could not imagine how awful it would feel to have your baby stolen from you when the baby was under three months old. Overall, Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills has some unique, yet original plot ideas; however, the romance was not what I expected. More backstory that leads to the growing romance.

I received a complimentary copy of Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

I enjoyed the standalone aspect of this book. It was filled with twists and turns that keep you engaged in the book. The plot was interesting and the characters relatable and likeable. I enjoyed that she broached the aspect of dealing with grief and using appropriate therapy. It felt very relevant to the story.

Add to that the honest struggle to maintain faith in God through journeys of deep grief and learning to give and receive forgiveness under the most excruciating circumstances. Set within a heart-wrenching investigation to stop the buying and selling of newborns, Facing the Enemy is a heart stopping read

This novel is crafted with many stops and starts, twists and turns. Halfway through, I thought the crime was solved and all was good. But then I realized I had quite a bit of reading to do. What else could there be? I asked. Then the author delivers “the rest of the story.” So many times we think a situation is so simple only to discover how intricate it really is. I usually don’t like to read stories about anything to do with crime against children. But this book deals with that very thing in good taste and is not cringe worthy. The story, though, intricate, is easy to follow. The characters are very identifiable. “Facing the Enemy” brings to light how easily crimes can be hidden and ignored.

Facing the Enemy
DiAnn Mills
Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
Tyndale
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is the newest standalone novel by Mills. It was written in first person and I don’t prefer this.
It was suspenseful. I’m glad it wasn’t too gruesome,
I recommend this book to people who prefer clean law enforcement novels.
5 stars

I enjoyed the standalone aspect of this book. It was filled with twists and turns that keep you engaged in the book. The plot was interesting and the characters relatable and likeable. I enjoyed that she broached the aspect of dealing with grief and using appropriate therapy. It felt very relevant to the story.
My only complaint is that it is written in first person and switched point of view between the two main characters. At times, I found this confusing, as I forgot whose POV I was in. This is partly personal preference, as I enjoy 1 POV and "learning the story" along with one main character.
I do recommend this book if you enjoy law enforcement novels, that are clean.

Suspense-filled, action-packed, richly detailed in FBI procedure, and yet romantic—how can one book pack so much while ratchetting tension with every page? Add to that the honest struggle to maintain faith in God through journeys of deep grief and learning to give and receive forgiveness under the most excruciating circumstances. Set within a heart-wrenching investigation to stop the buying and selling of newborns, Facing the Enemy is a heart stopping read. It should come with this warning: Don’t begin reading at bedtime. You’ll be up all night!

I loved this book! The story flowed smoothly, and the characters were well-developed. The love story between Risa and Gage unfolded perfectly. DiAnn Mills spins masterful stories and knows how to keep just the right amount of suspense. I highly recommend this book.

Another great read from DiAnn Mills. Loved the characters and the mystery. This book grips you from the start and I had a hard time putting it down. I would recommend this book to romantic suspense readers.

I have enjoyed all the novels I have read by DIANN MILLS and FACING THE ENEMY is no exception. This brilliant romantic thriller is also inspirational as the author deals with such topics as unconditional love, forgiveness, courage, and the importance of never separating oneself from God, who is the “only source of life and healing.” I particularly like the way we are given insight into the characters’ emotions as they battle with grief, guilt and sometimes confusion, as is the case with Carson Lowell, one of Risa’s most talented students.
On the dark side there is murder, human trafficking and the abduction and selling of babies, with crooked lawyers and adoption agencies taking advantage of the most vulnerable.
Risa Jacobs and Gage Patterson are special agents and partners in the Houston FBI but when Risa’s brother Trenton is killed in a hit and run, after pushing her to safety, she feels guilty and leaves the FBI and works as an English professor, pulling away from Gage and her parents to keep them safe…….
There is a great deal more to the story but I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this reiew are completely my own.