CIA analyst Layla Karam is thrust into a dangerous DEA field operation against a cartel that puts a target on her back. Though Layla never wanted to be a field agent, Langley had other ideas. After one of her team members is murdered because of fallout from the op, Layla is left scrambling to find safety.At the same time, the CIA opens up an internal investigation against her. Out of options, … Layla turns to ex-boyfriend and private investigator Hunter McCoy for help finding out who might want to ruin her career.Layla and Hunter soon discover a mole inside the DEA has sold out the team’s identity to the cartel. She must clear her name with the Agency and protect herself and her teammates from cartel retaliation. With threats on all sides, Layla must put her trust in Hunter–the man who broke her heart–and hope they both come out of it alive. For those who are content sensitive: this book contains non-graphic scenes and descriptions of physical and sexual assault.
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This is another wonderful suspense from this author! It is fast paced and has several storylines going on at once. Layla and Hunter are the main characters in this one. The characters are well developed, but for me it was the storyline that kept me glued to the pages and my mind actively engaged.
It does touch on some difficult subjects, but I felt it was very well done in that respect. The faith and hope in this book is a strong theme and very well woven into the storyline.
I loved the plot…and might have made a bit of a gasp ( Hubby does not read so getting excited about books looks weird to him…lol) when the mole who was revealed was the one I suspected. A reader isn’t always right about those things ya know!
Tremendous suspense read with wonderful characters, engaging and compelling plot, and just a well done storyline. This author is a must read for me!
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Special Agent Layla Karam is a rising star in the CIA, she is an analyst and very good at what she does. So good that the CIA starts training her for the field despite the fact that she has made it clear that she does not want to be in the field.
After a joint operation with the DEA her team becomes a target with one agent dead, another being stalked, another put in a safe house, another being looked at as a traitor of the country and Layla is being framed for murder of the man who assaulted her many years ago when she was under his command as a cop.
Layla ends up turning to her ex fiance, Hunter McCoy,he is a PI and an attorney. He is also one of the few people who knows her true position in the CIA and who had been read into the operation with the DEA and knew about the horrific assault she suffered years back by her sergeant and did what he could to help her through that.
When Hunter was notified about the bombing at the restaurant and that Layla had been there when it happened he went, he went right over to the hospital to see her.
Hunter knew she was not going to want to see him, he could not blame her considering how bad things went between the two of them. She did not kick him out, and once they started talking about what was happening he resolved right then that he would talk to her bosses and request to be read in on the situation so he could help clear Layla and find out who was doing this to her team.
They both still cared for one another and still had the chemistry but did they have the strength to put their faith in God about their relationship?
Thank you Rachel Dylan for allowing me to be part of your street team. This was a beautiful story that kept me hooked from the start.
This is the second book in Rachel Dylan’s Capital Intrigue series, and it’s filled with just as much intense action as the first! In Backlash, we meet the same core group of friends – Layla, Viv, Bailey, and Izzy. This story focuses on Layla, a CIA analyst whose bosses want her to get out in the field – a decision that has had dangerous consequences.
This book features several subplots and secondary characters that help keep up the fast pace of the story. Layla and her DEA teammates are facing several different threats that keep them constantly looking over their shoulders. I really enjoyed Layla and Hunter’s second chance at love and watching their friendship be restored. Some of my favorite parts were the threads of Izzy’s story continued from the last book, and I hope a future book will focus on her! This gripping suspense series is a must read for fans of Lynette Eason, Lisa Harris, and Dani Pettrey.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This is my first book from Rachel Dylan and I’m hooked! I couldn’t put this book down!
I’m definitely going to be following her and reading her previous books! It’s always great to discover a new author you love and discover you have yet to read more of her books without waiting for a new one to be published!
This series involves four good friends: Layla, Vivian, Bailey and Izzy. This is Layla’s stories, although we also get a glimpse of part of Izzie’s story too. I love it when the heroine has good female friends she can always count witn. And this is the case with this group, Izzy being the last addition. Layla, Vivian and Bailey have been good friends since College days at Georgetown University.
Layla Kara mis a CIA Analyst, passionate for her work, although she has been asked of late to work on the field, which is of course, to say the least, threading dangerous waters. Layla’s recent mission was in Honduras, where she was sent with three other operatives by the DEA to bring down a cartel. They didn’t get the ringleader, but they did confiscate drugs, cash and traffickers. But the operation didn’t get to the root of the cartel.
When she returns, things start to happen… One of the ops from the mission gets the visit from a mysterious intruder who has cartel symbols as tatoo… Then a bomb explodes in the restaurant where she usually meets her friends, and a couple who were seated in their favorite table dies from the impact. Then another op member of the tea mis murdered at his home… Someone is definitely after them, and she becomes an important target. Not only that, but shortly after that, the CIA opens up an international investigation against her. Providentially, Hunter McCoy, her exboyfriend who broke her heart, and now a Private Investigator, is around town and rushes to the hospital when he learns of Layla’s accident. Even though Layla is hesitant to let him into her life again, he’s determined to make things right to her this time, as he has never forgotten her in all these years. He gets the opportunity to help Layla out when, other than find out who is trying to destroy her career, they both discover there is a mole inside the DEA who has sold out the team’s identity to the cartel. But who can they trust? Is the traitor amongst the people Layla trusts? And the ultimate question: can Layla trust Hunter, not only with her life, but also her heart?
I don’t want to spoil the story for you. You’ll have to ride this journey with Hunter and Layla -and Izzy has her own part too- to find out how they fare nad survive. This was a thrilling story from page one until the end. I literally couldn’t put the book down and kept reading late at night! The plot is non stop action and intrigue, almost breathless. But what I loved more was the depth of the characters, and how they grow through out the story, personally, and in Hunter’s case, strengthening their fragile faith, especially Hunter’s. They have very interesting and enlightening dialogues. I loved the different angles of faith in the Lord each character went through, and how they, together, supporting each other through their fears and struggles, end up bettering each other!
The anguish of being a revenge target felt so real and I found myself almost praying for Layla’s life! It’s a thriller through and through, yet it has more substance and inspiration than normal thrillers do! I loved this! Knowing that God never abandons us and only He can bring good out of grief and evil. This is not an easy conviction in this shattered world, so I love when the characters get to this point, even if sometimes through the hard way.
I definitely recommend this story! You won’t be able to put it down, that’s for sure! I want to read more of Rachel Dylan’s stories!
Rachel Dylan has done it again with book 2 in her Capital Intrigue series. Layla, a CIA analyst and her ex boyfriend must race to find a mole in the agency and to clear her name. Faith, strong characters, suspense and romance make this pageturner a great read
I absolutely loved this book! The central characters work at the DEA and CIA. Layla is an analyst who’s talked into becoming a field agent in Honduras. Ever since the team returned, someone is out to kill her, it seems like. On top of that, there’s $500,000 missing from the field op and there’s a suspected mole in the department. Plenty of mystery and intrigue to keep the pages turning. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves romantic suspense.
Page-turning, stay-up-till-you-finish-it story
Another great read from Rachel Dylan!
Layla Karam works for the CIA, and has just returned from a joint operation in South America with the DEA. Now she needs to find out why the CIA has opened an investigation on her. And why someone appears to want her dead. Are old friends new enemies? Or are Layla’s new DEA friends in league with the old enemies? When her Private Investigator former boyfriend Hunter wants to help, she wonders which of those categories he falls into.
This story has plots, sub-plots, and backstories that will keep you guessing until the last page. All of them taking place in the CIA, DEA world of Washington DC.
Thank you Bethany House for the chance to review this book. All opinions are my own.
A fast paced legal thriller! This book is full of twists & turns, suspense, and romance that keep you engaged from beginning to end.
We explore numerous worlds of government such as the CIA. DEA, and NCIS as well as the police force and private sector. Ms. Dylan does a wonderful job weaving all those agencies together making the story more interesting. Even with many moving parts, the story flows easily.
While full of a lot of strong characters, I loved Layla because of her strength and integrity. Although a highly touted agent, she is humble and sticks to her morals. I also like how she was not afraid to admit if she made a mistake as well.
This book tackles numerous tough topics such as sexual
assault and abuse. It is handled very tastefully and shows just how serious it is as well as the ramifications for victims. I applaud her for taking this on and doing it so eloquently.
This book is a must read and gives high expectations for the rest of the series!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Bethany House through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are completely my own.
This story has a lot of intrigue and just enough romance. I did not want to put this book down. I loved the twists and turns. This has great characters. I loved each of the different storylines. We get to know a lot about a bunch of characters. I enjoy reading about women who want to work as analysts and spies and more while I am such a homebody. This is so well written. I can’t wait to read the next story. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
Rachel Dylan has written an awesome book with this one. I love books where the characters can unhesitatingly talk about their faith in God and how He is guiding their paths daily. I love picking up nuggets such as this one: “I believe God is there even when we can’t see Him or feel Him. Sometimes it may just be a whisper in the wind or a beautiful sunrise, and that’s all it takes to remind me that the Lord is so much bigger than all of us. Than the earth. Than our lives.” He is everything and everywhere. The characters in this book are well rounded and the book is well written and knowledgeable of the CIA and the DEA. I loved Layla and Hunter, then there is Zane and Cass and Aiden and Izzy. They are all in trouble and there is lots of suspense and danger in all their lives. It will keep you turning pages to find out who the bad guys are. Lots of surprises and twists. You will want to read book number one in this series first. Thank you to the author and publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Get ready for a fast-paced read filled with romance, shocking surprises, deception… and betrayal.
I happily recommend this book to fans of romantic suspense novels with a very strong Christian worldview! Layla shares her faith across the pages of this story, showing that one should always hope in the Lord, no matter the trials they’re facing.
Backlash is available now! Visit Baker Book House or Christian Book to purchase your copy! Don’t forget to pick up a copy of End Game, too, while you’re there! It’s not necessary to read End Game for Layla’s story, but it is in order to appreciate Izzy’s story to the fullest. So, read both books! You’ll be glad you did!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Rachel Dylan and Bethany House Publishers. A positive review was not required. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
This was a very intense, heart thumping story. DEA, CIA, Cartel, and moles. Someone within the “good guys” is playing dirty. Making it hard for agents to trust anyone. Sure kept me guessing right up to the last chapter. And romance, wow! Couples learning more about each other making for satisfying love stories. I was glued to my seat as I was reading about car chases with bullets flying, safe houses (or were they?) and a female agent able to shoot out a tire in a car on their tail. Lots of action, friendships and love. Great story!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the author but was not required to write a review.
Backlash is intense. Someone is out to get CIA analyst Layla Karam. It could be a drug cartel from her recent field operation. Or maybe someone in the CIA is framing her. After several attempts on her life, Layla seeks help from her ex-boyfriend and private investigator Hunter McCoy. They try to sort through the puzzle pieces to get the full picture of who wants Layla and several others from their team dead. Of course, romance and danger always seem to go hand in hand!
I loved End Game, and somehow Backlash is even better! Rachel Dylan brought more action, more danger, and all the plot twists I could handle. While the story is action-packed, there’s plenty of time to get to know the characters. Even on Layla’s team, readers get to find out about Zane and Cass, two other agents with the DEA that are also being targeted. They have some romance sparking. Also Izzy faces off with her past in this story, and I’m glad we see more of her in this novel. You don’t have to read End Games to pick up Backlash, but it does explain some of the back story for Izzy.
I highly recommend Backlash – It kept me flipping pages to the very end.
Overall: 5 stars (I loved it, couldn’t put it down)
Suspense: 5 stars (Non-stop edge-of-your-seat suspense from start to finish)
I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This is Rachel Dylan’s best book by far. Not only did I not want to put it down, I didn’t put it down until I finished it. The plot is intense and well thought out. It moves quickly to keep you guessing. The characters and their individual stories are well developed, and I love that we have characters from the first book in the series who we get to learn more about. The action starts on the first page and doesn’t let up until the end. I couldn’t figure out for sure who the villain was until it was revealed and that is one of my top criteria for making a suspense novel worth reading. This was an excellent read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I just love this author and the way she writes. I’m so glad to be a part of her Backlash team. I read this book in two evenings. Couldn’t put it down. If I didn’t have to get up for work the next morning would have stayed up late to read it. The characters in this book are all strong characters and their stories all intertwine. I love how they are from different agencies, yet all come together to support and help each other. HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING THIS BOOK AND THIS SERIES.
I received an advance book and I am voluntarily leaving my review.
This was my first book by Rachel Dylan. I really enjoyed it! I know that this is book 2 in this series and I read it as a stand-alone. I didn’t feel like I was missing too much since there was a good bit of detail to fill me in. But I do want to go back and read the first book to help better understand it. I really liked all of the details that were in this book. You can tell that the author really knows her stuff! I enjoyed trying to get to the bottom of the investigations in this one.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Layla, Zane Carter, Cass, John Diaz are back from an op, when they start to be targeted. The question is who, and how’d they get found out. Hunter McCoy is brought in to do inside investigations on a possible mole in one of the agencies, DEA and CIA. Izzy Cole, Aiden, and Jay have a side plot in this story, that continues the thread started with Sargeant Tybee in the first book. Brett King (Layla boss), Scarlett, Mason, Piper, Viv, Bailey, Nick, Bryce and Frank are a few others mentioned, along with some detectives, some with more story plot than others. This is a story that will grab you fast and not let go and is set in the Alexandria area. Another well crafted story that has you guessing who the perpetrator is, and doesn’t let up until near the end of the book.
A complimentary copy was provided by Bethany House. A review was not required and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I love this authors books she always knocks in out of the park. With this new series I was so excited for book two and Im glad I got the chance to read it. It was amazing it was action packed for sure. There seem to be a lot of moving parts to this book which makes it seem like a lot is going on at first but in the end the puzzle pieces fall into place and it all makes sense in the end. I liked that the author kept it a clean read and that literally keeps you guess up until the end. I can’t wait to see where the author takes the team next. I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion.
Backlash was such a great story! It was hard to know who to trust in this tale of intrigue. I really enjoyed the multiple stories going on throughout the novel. Of course, Layla and Hunter’s backstory of love and betrayal was captivating. I enjoyed watching them work together even as the events from the past that broke them up were constantly on their minds.
The story line that followed Zane and Cass was also related to the accusations and danger that Layla found herself embroiled in and added even more trouble for the team members.
And finally, it was great to see Izzy, a side character from book one. She had some serious troubles to face in Backlash, as well. She was such an interesting character with a lot of trauma to overcome from the past as well as new problems that arose in this story.
I really enjoyed this novel and all of the twists and turns it took. Backlash raised the question of who could be trusted within the various government agencies and how easy it could be to make enemies without realizing it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
First of all, let me say kudos to Rachel Dylan for writing a book brimming with characters and suspense! With all that went on during the book, it could have been easy to lose the reader, but Rachel painted the pictures of the story so well with her words that I had no trouble following the different storylines that occurred.
The main characters are Layla and Hunter. They were college sweethearts until Hunter cheated on her. Layla never wanted to deal with seeing him again, but they were brought together because of a case that Layla is involved in. Hunter really isn’t as evil as everyone thought he was…you’ll find out why when you read the book! These two have lived a lot in the years that they were apart. Layla found strong ground with her faith and Hunter lost his. Will Layla be able to convince him to turn back to God and face the past?
The secondary main couple is Izzy and Aiden, which we were introduced in the first book of this series. I really liked seeing their relationship develop more. Izzy is still trying to work through trauma she experienced in the past when her world is torn apart by murder accusations. Will she crack under the pressure of it all? Will Aiden stand beside her through it all?
There are also undercurrents with Zane and Cass which would make for a fantastic future book because I really was drawn to them through the book! Zane seems like an awesome catch.
Finally, in the author’s note, I was surprised to see the similarities between Layla and the author! To be honest, I LOVED learning that. It made the whole story seem that much more real. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes Christian suspense! There were a lot of inspirational moments in the book that made me stop and think of how I could be more true to my faith as well. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the author. All opinions in this review are my own.