When investigator Gabriel Chavez had his cover blown by an aggressive reporter, the silver lining was being able to rejoin the dive team. The downside? Dive team captain Anissa Bell–a woman who both fascinates and frustrates him.Anissa grew up as a missionary kid on the Micronesian island of Yap and always planned to return after college. But she remained stateside, determined to solve the case … solve the case that haunts her–the murder of her best friend and the disappearance of a three-year-old child.
When Anissa’s fractured past collides with Gabe’s investigation into the tragic shooting death of a teenage boy in Lake Porter, they’ll have to put their complicated history with each other aside in order to uncover the identity of a killer. What they’ll discover is that revenge has no statute of limitations.
Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn closes out her nail-biting Dive Team Investigations series with a story that will have you wondering how long you can hold your breath.
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Having just listened to In Too Deep, the second book in the Dive Team Investigations series by Lynn Blackburn, I was eager to read One Final Breath. Several investigations converge and the past histories of some of the characters are revealed layer by layer. And yet the author keeps the reader’s interest high with unexpected twists and turns and lots of action-packed scenes and of course, a sweet romance. I loved that the main characters from the three books are such good friends. They know each other well and have each others’ backs. Their faith in God during difficult times is an inspiration. From the beginning to the climactic ending One Final Breath is a fascinating book. Readers who love romantic suspense will not want to miss this book or the whole series for that matter.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Netgalley and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
I love this novel and series! Finishing it is a mixed blessing – I couldn’t wait to see what would happen but didn’t want it to end! The main characters and their friends are strong Christians who are unashamed of their faith that influences their lives. The complex plot was impossible to for me to untangle, and spiritual lessons are priceless.
The dive team is at Leigh and Ryan’s home on Lake Porter. Adam joins them with Sabrina, his fiancée. Anissa, Ryan, Adam, and Gabe are on the dive team through the sheriff’s office. Anissa and Gabe get along like oil and water; she has few close friends. Gabe understands a bit of her heart, especially since she killed a suspect several months ago to save Sabrina. She has secrets in her past that she guards carefully, convinced that most will reject her if they know.
A thunderstorm rolls in as they hear a gunshot and screams. The dive team goes out in the boat to find who is calling for help. Anissa jumps into the water even as more gunshots are heard; she grabs the boy whose head a teen girl is trying to keep above water. Jeremy, the boy, has been shot, and they give him CPR until EMT’s arrive. Gabe might have to take himself off the case even though he is next in the rotation; he and the sister of Brooke, the teen girl, is Paisley, a reporter he had an unpleasant encounter with that forever changed his career. Paisley wants him on the case because he is so good at his job.
Gabe and Anissa are forging a peaceful working relationship and begin fighting an attraction to each other. Brooke attempts suicide. Brooke’s loss of her best friend Jeremy brings memories of a long-ago event for which Anissa has felt responsible, she could be a good friend to Brooke.
Someone is gunning for Anissa; Gabe is injured yet determined to protect her. The six friends work together to find who the bad guy is and why. Despite knowing Gabe will back away from her when he learns about the death of her best friend and disappearance of the three-year-old she should have been babysitting. It is necessary to reveal all, however, as the killer has resurfaced after all these years.
I love how well these friends work together! Sabrina, a professor of cybersecurity and computer forensics, is one of my favorite characters, as is Anissa. Sabrina’s investigation, intuition, and tenacious searching is invaluable. Anissa is a hard-working, faith-filled young woman who I so want to see have a chance at a better future than she has imagined! Whether or not she has met her match in Gabe remains to be seen; he is her protector and worthy investigative partner. The prayers and kindness of those in the community, especially Mr. Cook, are a balm to Anissa’s wounded soul.
One Final Breath is even better than the first two novels in this series. It is very complex, showing even the thoughts of the unnamed bad guy as his frustration rises at his best efforts at killing Anissa fail. Anissa struggles with her finding true calling and the spiritual lessons necessary for her to learn to go forward. I highly recommend One Final Breath, and the other novels in this series, to those who appreciate in-depth Christian thrillers where relationships with the Lord are demonstrated well, suspense is plentiful, and humor is woven throughout grave situations faced.
From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
I’ve been #teamgabe since book one in the Dive Team Investigations (which can be read standalone, but why would you when you could read all 3?). And One Final Breath did not disappoint in that area.
Gabe has a backstory that melted my heart but Anissa’s….wow. She’s fierce and vulnerable, independent and in need of love, and all the cool quirks you like to read about a character.
One Final Breath wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine with hearts and swoony sighs, though there were those. There were a few mystery threads woven in the suspense that had me hooked and turning the pages for me. When it all finally came together, it left me with a happy sigh of justice.
Oh and that epilogue….BEST EVER!
All in all, One Final Breath filled my expectations and left me assured that they will all live happily ever after.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. This review was not required nor influenced.
“I’m just trying, always, to make up for my messes. Trying to do enough to be worth the sacrifice they made.”
If the truth were known, both investigator Gabe Chavez and dive team captain Anissa Bell had been living their entire adult life trying to compensate for the misinterpreted mistakes of their youth. As different as they were on the outside, the two had a lot in common on the inside; they were both terribly afraid of moving beyond the annoyance/fascination friendship that they had tentatively formed. It would take a trio of unsolved crimes to break through those kind of defenses and even then, there were no guarantees.
When a young woman nearly drowns on Lake Porter while holding a near lifeless friend in her arms, investigators quickly hit a dead end on what appears to have been a random shooting. However, more and more “random” occurrences emerge on their radar, especially after Anissa is convinced that a teenager they see in the hospital following the shooting, is someone she knows. And that’s before danger comes knocking on her front door; literally.
What a superb balance of character and story! The author has given her characters plenty of space to breathe while strategically positioning the unknowns in carefully guarded locations. The romance is tender and sweet, allowing the suspense to hover in the background . . . . until it doesn’t. Will Anissa be forced to take “one final breath”?
I received a copy of this story from the publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
Wow! What an amazing ending to a finominal series. I have loved every book in this series so far and I have looked forward to Gabe and Anissa’s story for so long. I couldn’t wait to dig in and I was not disappointed!
I love that we got to see the characters I fell in love with in the previous books again. It felt like a beautiful reunion.
This story gripped me from page one and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. There were so many twists and turns that I never saw coming.
I cannot recommend this book and series enough. They can be read as stand alone novels, but they are so amazing, you’ll want to read them all.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of the book mentioned above in the hope that I would review it on my blog. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
Since book one in Lynn H. Blackburn’s Dive Team Investigations series, I’ve been rooting for Gabe’s story. Y’all, it’s here and it does not disappoint.
Three investigations converge in One Final Breath. And readers finally get to discover what the contention between Gabe and Anissa is all about. If the twists and turns that leave you guessing or the building romance aren’t enough for you, the entire dive team returns. Leah, Ryan, Sabrina, and Adam all step in when needed (including a touch of matchmaking from the ladies and ribbing from the guys. Let’s face it, Gabe deserves a little payback).
Blackburn excels at putting the reader into the investigation—from underwater to feet to the pavement—we’re kept in the dark right along with the team until their big break in the case…or is it?
After two books, this team is like family and book three is much like a reunion with people you haven’t seen for a while. You don’t want to miss the Dive Team finale. If you haven’t read any of these books yet, now’s the time to savor them all together. Plus, now you won’t have to wait to find out more about Gabe.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Since book one in the Dive Team Investigations series released, I have been dying to read Gabe’s story. And now I can finally say I have!
Maybe it’s due to the extreme anticipation for this book, but it ended up being a bit of a let-down for me. I was expecting to learn more of Gabe’s backstory and learn about what makes him tick as a character. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. While this is a sound story, the plot focuses so much on the current mystery and issues, that we don’t ever really understand the characters’ past that defines them. We definitely heard a lot of drama about Anissa’s past and how it defined her, yet Gabe remained a very one-dimensional character, although we all know that, based on the previous two books in the series, he could be so much more. So in that regard, I was pretty disappointed.
The story nonetheless is quite captivating and interesting, although there were parts that dragged on and lost my interest. I expected quite a bit more suspense from this suspense novel. Yes, the climax was very intense but was abruptly cut off by the end of the chapter, then the reader suddenly finds themselves in the epilogue, weeks down the road. That was the most disappointing aspect of this book. I would have much rather seen (or rather, read) the action play out than hear it second hand as the characters rehash it in their heads in the epilogue.
All in all, while I enjoyed finally reading these characters’ story, I feel that so many aspects of this book could have been written and edited more thoroughly. However, I loved the other books in this series and am excited to read what Blackburn writes next!
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
One Final Breath is the third installment in Lynn H. Blackburn’s Dive Team Investigations series. One Final Breath functions as a stand-alone novel as sufficient backstory is given. However, I think I would have been more connected to Anissa and Gabe if I had read the other books. As it was, neither the mystery nor romance captured my attention until the middle of the story.
One Final Breath’s strength lies in its well-crafted crime/mystery component. The criminal wasn’t easily predictable and I didn’t know the who or why until the story revealed the character and motive. Even once the bad guy was revealed, the suspense built and it was a unique climax. At that point, I was definitely not wanting to put the book down. Getting a peek into the criminal’s mind was a bit creepy.
I recommend One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn to readers of romantic suspense who have followed this series from the beginning and are already interested with these characters. Three stars.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
One Final Breath completes the Dive Team Investigations series by Ms. Blackburn with a bang! The book will leave you guessing what and who until the end. The book can be read as a stand-alone, but you will get to revisit with all of the other characters in the previous two books. This book focuses on Gabriel and Anissa (who are in the previous books as secondary characters). Anissa has secrets from her past that she doesn’t share openly with others, but are what drives her as a dive investigator. If you enjoy romantic suspense books, you will love this latest addition! Another aspect to this book is the theme of forgiveness and grace. Not only must we forgive others, but ourselves. This book had surprising twists and turns! I highly recommend this book. I recommend you have plenty of time set aside to read this, because you will not want to put it down!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, this is my own opinion.
Ms. Blackburn never ceases to amaze me with her perfect blend of romance and suspense. This is another winner in this third installment of the Dive Team Investigations.
ONE FINAL BREATH. Lynnn..Blackburn
Once again we have the dive team, and their adventure. We have Inspector Gabe and the team captain Anissa, working on a shooting case. Which leads then into the cold case she had been working on for some time.
The shooting occurred at a camp for special kids, was it this or Anissa they were after. As for the friction of those two trying to be friends, was a good theme woven into this mystery. This was the third book and very well done, to keep one interest to the end. ARC Given by Net Galley and Revell for my honest opinion and voluntary review
This is the third book in this series that I have read and it sure didn’t disappoint! The characters that I have learned to care about are back, and have moved further in their lives, and contribute to this story.
This is Gabe’s and Annisa’s story, and with this book, what appeared as animosity, well, it looks like they care a bit more about each other than they want to admit, but they both carry scars and baggage!
As with the other books in the Dive Team Investigations, you will be gripping your seat or holding your breath, you won’t see a lot that happens coming, and that is a good thing!
Another great book by this author, and yes, it can be read alone, but you won’t want to miss the others.
I received this book through LibraryThing and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.
One Final Breath by Lynn H. Blackburn is the third book in her Dive Team Investigations series. Dive Team Captain Anissa Bell and Investigator Gabe Chavez are working together to solve a murder when Anissa’s past catches up with them. As Anissa And Gabe’s feelings for each other deepen, Anissa works to make amends for her past. This is a story of learning to forgive. Not just others but yourself as well. Our past helps shape who we are but we must learn to not let it rule us. This was an explosive story. I was hooked from page one all the way to the end. The characters were warm and supportive but most of all they were “real” people with flaws just as all of us are. We all must learn that God can use us anywhere we are placed. A great suspense story!
I received this book from LibraryThing in exchange for my honest review.
The final book in The Dive Team series. The perfect harmony of romance and suspense. This is about dive team investigator Gabe’s story. I’ve been waiting for his since book one and I’m so not disappointed. Grab all three books because you need to learn the history of the team players to totally get why they seem like family. Let me point out that each book is a story of their own and you do not have to read them in order to understand what is going on.
“She glared at him for a moment. Oh, he made her so mad sometimes. But then he smiled. And that smile . . . That smile was the thing dreams were made of.”
With the perfect blend of romance and suspense, award winning author Lynn H. Blackburn’s highly anticipated conclusion to her popular Dive Team Investigations series will leave readers cherishing the story long after the final page. One Final Breath is an unforgettable tale of forgiveness and grace, the power of friendship, and discovering true love. Ever since I read Beneath the Surface (book one in the series), I have been eagerly waiting for my favorite dive team member, handsome and charismatic Investigator Gabe Chavez, to get his own story. One Final Breath has been my most anticipated book of the year, and it will be on my list of top 10 books of 2019. Gabe and Anissa’s story was definitely worth the wait.
One Final Breath can be read as a stand-alone novel, but to fully appreciate the deep friendship between the dive team members and their heartwarming relationships with their significant others, it is highly recommended to read the entire series. You won’t be disappointed!
In the stunning conclusion to the Dive Team Investigations series, Investigator Gabe Chavez is determined to uncover the mystery behind the seemingly random homicide of a teenage boy. As the investigation begins, dive team captain Anissa Bell discovers a link to her past and suddenly her life is in extreme danger as she becomes the killer’s next target. As Anissa and Gabe’s relationship quickly heats up after years of animosity toward each other, Anissa’s past and present collide, leaving them in the fight for their lives.
One Final Breath is highly recommended for readers of romantic suspense, especially those who enjoy books by authors such as Dani Pettrey, Lynette Eason, Rachel Dylan, Natalie Walters, and Elizabeth Goddard. It is bittersweet to say goodbye to this incredible series and cast of characters, but I will treasure the opportunity to revisit old friends in the future as One Final Breath will enjoy a permanent spot on my keeper shelf.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.
“She’d been pushing him away since . . . well . . . since that first dive. She’d never met anyone like him. She knew his type. So confident. So sure. So . . . dangerous to her heart.”
‘You need to get it in your head that someone is trying to kill you and they don’t seem likely to stop trying anytime soon.’
Lynn Blackburn finishes off her Dive Team Investigations series with Gabe and Anissa’s story and she definitely saved the best for last! I was captivated from the very beginning and could barely stand to put the book down when life intruded. I was completely surprised by the culprit, too. Blackburn weaves this story so seamlessly and the reader is swept away with each word! She blends the intrigue, danger and romance effortlessly to make for a wonderful read! I thoroughly enjoyed every moment! Highly recommended.
*My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Every book in this “Dive Team Investigations” series has been entertaining and suspenseful, but this one is now my favorite. I’ve been waiting for Gabe and Anissa’s story, and it was well worth the wait. This book was riveting. There was never a time during the course of the story that you could take a breath and feel that Anissa was safe. I’m not sure which chapter had the most tension—the first chapter or the last one. I loved the complexity of this storyline and the way that all the seemingly random pieces came together at the end. I’ve appreciated the way that each character’s faith in God influenced their actions, and the faith thread in this book fit very naturally into the storyline.
This book is a clean and has no steamy scenes. It’s a pleasure to read a great story that has no need of swearing or gratuitous scenes to make it a great book. One more note: You do not need to have read all the other books in the series to appreciate this one. But I predict that after you read it, you’ll want to read them all.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
this is a revitting story I could not stop reading . Gabe and Anissa work for the police dept. she is head of the dive team. someone is shot and the team hear the shot , and go to help. is someone after the young people or is something else going on. a lot of the young people at the camp near the lake are getting sick, what is going on? this is well written if you like suspense and romance you will want to read the book. I was given a copy by netgalley but this is an honest review.