Thank you for this audiobook!

It didn’t take me too many days to complete it but I did struggle somewhat, and I'm not sure whether it was due to the story or the narrator but o don’t think it was too much of the narration as much as the monologues being or trying to be somewhat bilingual . I dont like writing reviews like this, but honestly, the narration felt kind of flat. Not too sure sure if that impacted my mood of the story or if the story itself was just not that good. Because of this, I am not sure if I’ll continue with the series.

This was a really enjoyable read.

The plot was great, but while this is the first book in a series, you will be meeting characters who were in some of the authors previous books. That doesn't take anything away from this story, however.

My small issue with the book was the love scenes. Now, typically I have no problem with them; however, historically the Intrigue novels have been sweet romances, and over the last few years that has been changing to include more adult content (not all the books, but it is something I am noticing more). I'm a little disappointed that Intrigue is moving this way, as it was great having a suspense line with Harlequin that wasn't faith-based but sweet romance readers could enjoy.

This is not anything on the author or the book! Just a thought about that.

I thought the audiobook narration was well done and made for an enjoyable listen.

A fast-paced mystery thriller that keeps you hooked from start to finish! This quick listen is packed with tension, humor, and clever twists. Tech expert Sophia and her brother team up with the police to track down their kidnapped parents—cue high-stakes drama and sibling banter. The audiobook narration is a standout, adding a fun, lively touch that makes it even more entertaining. Highly recommend doing the audiobook for the full experience!

: Cliffside Kidnapping
Series: Crooked Pass Security Book #1
Author: Caridad Pineiro
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Melissa Blake
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Audiobook Pub Date schedule for July 1, 2025
Rating 3 Stars
Pages: 224
Tech expert Sophie Whitaker and her brother Robbie arrive in Colorado to help the police and CBI Agent Ryder Hunt rescue their kidnapped parents.
Their parents are being held captive as their captors want access to their tech knowledge and infiltrate the police and CBI computers to destroy evidence. Agent Hunt tended to be overprotective. Yes! There is definitely chemistry between Sophie and Ryder Hunt, They grow close a but they cannot afford the distraction of falling in love.

This is book 1 in the series and Book #2 [book: Defended by the Bodyguard] will be out in July

Want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this audiobook.
Audiobook Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 1, 2025.

Thank you for the audiobook! It took me several days to complete it. I struggled a bit, and I'm uncertain whether it was due to the story or the narrator. I dislike writing reviews like this, but to be honest, the narration felt rather monotonous. I'm not sure if that impacted my enjoyment of the story or if the story itself was the issue. Because of this, and the low rating I've given, I've decided not to leave reviews elsewhere.

This book was okay. Worth a read if you love a very fast-paced suspense thriller (I am a little hesitant to say thriller, more suspense)!
You know me, I love a quick book, but the timeline for this book was FAST!
Family dynamics are interwoven throughout the book. I can see the setup for another book.
Sophie and Robbie work with CBI Agent Ryder to try to find their kidnapped parents.
This is a dual POV.
The book has police procedural drama, romance, chaos, and some action.
I felt like the characters were somewhat developed, but I needed a bit more development. There wasn't much growth in the characters.
The plot was decently structured. There were places in the story that felt disorganized, but it would typically recover quickly. The pace was extremely fast.
I didn't love the ending, but again, I see where this is being set up as a series, so I understand the rationale for ending the way it did.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
Happy Reading!

Cliffside Kidnapping by Caridad Pineiro
Crooked Pass Security series #1. Spin off from South Beach Security series. Romantic suspense. Can be read as a stand-alone but does include secondary characters from prior series.
White Hat hackers Sophie Whitaker and her brother travel to Colorado to try to track and find whoever kidnapped their parents. Also on the case is local CBI Agent Ryder Hunt. When Sophie gets an email from a hacker asking to meet her alone, Ryder has to protect and follow her. They have already experienced attempts on their lives. It’s not the time to be independent.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by Marisa Blake who does an excellent job with the performance, and the occasional Spanish passages. Emotions were clear and the suspense from the various scenes had me listening intently. I did listen to this at an increased speed to more closely match my reading along with a paperback copy.

Mercedes and Robert are a force unto themselves. They don’t sit around and wait for rescue.
Impressive.
Looking forward to the next book in this Colorado offshoot.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Harlequin Audio. I also purchased a paperback and audiobook copy to keep.

A quick read with all the intrigue.
The story moved quickly, I was pleased that the parents were able to get away.

I immediately felt lost upon starting this. Too many characters at once and you feel like you are missing a lot of backstory. Turns out this series is spun off of another.

It never recovered for me- I continually felt like there were too many characters and too much I didn't know. I never connected with the story.

Marisa Blake narrates the audiobook.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was just not for me, I was so bored and just didn’t care about the characters or the storyline sadly. It was a short read which I felt like it started out right in the action but then I just couldn’t really get into it. The narrator for the audio book was very good which is what let me get through what I could but I found myself not really paying attention or caring if I found out what happened. Really was not any suspense. There was a side story of romance but I didn’t find that to be too interesting either.

Cliffside Kinapping moves quickly, delivering an engrossing, tension-filled storyline and a rapid-fire romance. The author does a great job of creating atmosphere, and I truly felt like I was in the Colorado hills. The story was fine for its Harlequin Intrigue category. I can't legitimately effuse over it, particularly as I found a few oddities that had me shaking my head, so I won't be sharing this review beyond NetGalley.

I unfortunately couldn't get into this story. It wasn't really as captivating as I feel like a thriller should be and that made it pretty uninteresting. Additionally, I couldn't stand the narrator, and I was not able to get through this book

A fast paced suspense that hits the ground running from the very first page. I enjoyed the family dynamic woven throughout the story. I'm excited to see what comes next in the series! I enjoyed the way the narrator brought the story to life.

I received an audio ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

Sophie Whitaker (of South Beach Security introduced in Lost in Little Havana) is a white hat hacker, like her NSA parents. But when her parents are kidnapped, she and her hacker brother may be the only ones who can save them with the help of CBI agent Ryder Hunt.

The book drops the listener right in the middle of the action and does not let up throughout. Sophie's mom is Cuban and some Spanish is sprinkled throughout. The hacking details sounded impressive and believable though a small complaint I have is the use of the word "smartphone"; at this point, they're just phones.

Readers who want more background on the characters should start with the South Beach Security series, but it's not vital to follow the story. There aren't a lot of twists as it's mostly a straightforward story with little frills in line with the Harlequin Intrigue line.

The narrator did a good job keeping me immersed in the story. Overall, I found it a quick, satisfactory listen.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy.

First person narration

Narrator sounds like Miley Cyrus with over emphasis on the Spanish words

Quick read, decent story but the timeline feels incredibly rushed. The entire thing takes place over like 3 days and A LOT happens in those 3 days.

Cliffside Kidnapping by Caridad Piñeiro, narrated by Marisa Blake. This is a Christian, mystery, Romantic suspense. Sophia and Robbie Whitaker meet and work with CBI Agent Ryder to find their parents who have been kidnapped while trying to help them with a case. I did find myself not listening at times but overall a good book. Releases July 1, 2025. Thank you to #NetGalley and #Marketing Audio for this Arc. This is my honest review.

You are dropped right into the action with this thriller book. I would have loved a bit more of a lead up/backstory with the characters. Since I was listening to this via audiobook I just felt like I had missed the beginning, but there just wasn't one.

I also believe this is in third POV, as that was how it was narrated and that is not my favorite to read or to listen too.

The storyline itself is good and keeps you engaged with what is happening when the FMC goes to Colorado to find her parents who have disappeared when they went out there to work on a case.

I received an advance review copy audio version. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio, for the opportunity to listen to this book. Marisa Blake did an amazing job narrating this audiobook

I liked Cliffside Kidnapping but it was not my favorite. The narrator was good and so was the story but it was a little flat for me. If there are is a series I would listen to the others.

Cliffside Kidnapping had an intriguing premise, and there were definitely moments where I found myself caught up in the suspense. Caridad Piñeiro sets the scene well, and I appreciated the emotional undertones woven throughout the storyline. The pacing was solid for the most part, and the narrator did a good job conveying the urgency and tension.

That said, the plot felt a little formulaic at times, and I had trouble connecting deeply with the characters. I wanted more nuance, especially in the relationship dynamics, and found myself predicting a few of the key twists early on. The audiobook was enjoyable enough to finish, but I didn’t walk away feeling particularly moved or surprised.

Overall, it was a decent listen, nothing groundbreaking, but still a solid choice if you're in the mood for a light romantic suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen early.

Unfortunately I will be DNFing this at 26%. We are dropped immediately into the action, with no lead up to learn characters, relationships or roles. All romantic relationships are either in place or are instalust so there's no tension or investment in the connections. While some readers will enjoy immediately starting the plot I felt that just trying to remember all the characters and their roles and connections was keeping me from enjoying and focusing on the suspense plot itself.