In Silenced(Bethany House) Dani Pettrey returns readers to the majestic and relentless
wilderness of Alaska to accompany another McKenna sibling on an exhilarating
story abounding with suspense and romance. Lovers of the Alaskan Courage series
have been anticipating Kayden and Jake’s story since their relentless banter
charged across the page in Submerged (Book 1). Dani
has been mercilessly tantalizing readers with the chemistry between these two
characters for three books and she fully delivers with a story that is uniquely
their own while maintaining the integrity of secondary characters and series
continuity. Silenced
is the fulfillment of reader curiosity and anticipation with the bonus of
being a brilliantly engaging read.
Silenced
stars Kayden, the McKenna’s most impenetrable sibling, and her enigmatic
teammate Jake Westin Cavanaugh. Jake, a former Boston police officer fled to
Alaska to escape the trauma of losing his wife and unborn child after a case he
was working took a malevolent turn. He was the target of Kayden’s skepticism and distrust until
his past was revealed during the course of an investigation. After secluding
himself physically and emotionally, Jake has opened his heart to the cast of siblings
who have adopted them into their fold and to the one in particular who tempts
to him to love again.
Kayden
McKenna has the tendency to bite first, bark next and think after. Her
pertinacity is not without reason having suffered her own share of emotional
turmoil and shouldering the weight of her family after the sudden deaths of her
parents. Kayden is a master of emotional facade, but lately Jake has managed to
infiltrate her thoughts behind her defenses. Kayden’s time of reckoning with the scarring of her heart is
wrought with difficulty and personal awakening.
When
a dead rock climber appears on Kayden’s route, she and Jake are thrown into a
suspenseful vortex with implications that have the capacity to rattle their
budding romance to the core. Dani digresses from the traditional suspense plot
framework by disclosing to readers who the antagonist is early on. In her
capable hands, this unorthodox move is executed flawlessly and does not affect
the pacing or the continuous build of suspenseful elements.
The
romance that readers have been anticipating is wholly satisfying and
breathtaking in emotional depth and restoration as these two burdened souls
learn to trust and love wholeheartedly. Though the character arcs for Jake and
Kayden are initiated earlier in this series, Silenced stands
solid on its own merits. The reading experience is completely immersive as Dani
uses the natural brilliance of Alaska as a backdrop to a sinister visit from
Jake’s past. Readers will be riveted to the page and unwilling to return
to everyday life until the last word has been reluctantly read.
Lydia Mazzei is a Canadian high school teacher by day and a blogger by night. She has been a lifestyle blogger since 2007 and began her book blog The Overweight Bookshelf in 2009 to share her favorite past-time with fellow book addicts. As the name of her book blog indicates, Lydia has a voracious appetite for books that has resulted in bookshelves so heavy, they just might crash through the floor supports. Lydia also serves on the Advisory Board of the Inspy Awards.