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No One to Trust: Hidden Identity, Book 1

Review

No One to Trust: Hidden Identity, Book 1

Despite a whirlwind romance and marriage only a year ago, Summer Abernathy thought she knew her husband. But then he goes missing, and three men break into her home, demanding a laptop that Summer knows nothing about. They inform her that her husband “Kyle” is really a man named David Hackett, and threaten to kill them both if she doesn’t find the laptop and turn it over within a few hours. In a matter of moments, Summer’s world is turned upside down as she has to deal with not only the possibility of death, but also the fact that her whole marriage seems to have been based on a lie.

As Summer begins the search for the mysterious laptop, and then her husband, she finds herself immersed in a world of Mafia-related crime, where she discovers more buried secrets, hidden agendas and shocking revelations. When she finally does locate her husband, Summer is torn between her love for him and an overwhelming desire to kill him herself for his lies and for putting her through this ordeal.

"Eason does a great job with the “bad guys,” essentially creating what seems like an authentic glimpse into the world of organized crime. She adds a level of creepiness with the crime leader’s obsession with snakes, producing many shudder-worthy moments."

In between dodging bad guys, bombs and bullets, David (aka Kyle) spends his time with Summer trying to explain himself to her and expressing his genuine love for her --- not to mention conveying his deepest regret for not coming clean a long time ago. But Summer isn’t hearing it. She is angry and hurt, and isn’t sure she can trust anyone at the moment, let alone the husband who has fed her lies from the moment they met.

Who is David? And can Summer get past her broken heart to give him another chance? That is, if they get out of this mess alive.

NO ONE TO TRUST is a little different from Lynette Eason’s usual romantic suspense novels in that the two main characters are married. That said, there is plenty of tension to go around, both in the emotional and physical senses. A family court lawyer, Summer is a strong and independent character, and is likable enough. Her reaction to her lying husband, as well as the feelings she’s struggling with over his betrayal, are believable. David’s actions are also credible, as he tries to regain his wife’s trust. He goes above and beyond to protect Summer as they try to outrun the bad guys, which demonstrates his devotion to her. He is more than understanding of her despondency, even though it’s killing him that she resists his attempts to just draw her into his arms. His sensitivity to her pain is admirable.

Eason does a great job with the “bad guys,” essentially creating what seems like an authentic glimpse into the world of organized crime. She adds a level of creepiness with the crime leader’s obsession with snakes, producing many shudder-worthy moments. While some aspects may be a little over the top, it certainly makes for thrill-saturated fiction. The plot contains a series of twists, turns and explosive suspense, and the result is a little like a cross between “Mission: Impossible” and “The Fugitive.” 

A couple of subplots involve a bit of emotional drama between Summer and her younger sister, as well as a case Summer is working on, each of these intertwining nicely within the main storyline.

While not preachy in any way, this is a Christian fiction novel and a religious element is included, as David is a born-again believer --- who has made some seriously bad decisions along the way --- and Summer struggles with her faith. Eason is the author of the Women of Justice and Deadly Reunion series. Fans of romantic suspense will likely enjoy NO ONE TO TRUST, the intense and fast-paced first novel in the Hidden Identity series.

Reviewed by Lynda Lee Schab on March 24, 2014

No One to Trust: Hidden Identity, Book 1
by Lynette Eason