Sabotaged by Dani Pettrey (Review)

Sabotaged 
by Dani Pettrey
Alaskan Courage series, Book 5
Christian Fiction / Romantic Suspense
Available February 2015
Bethany House
336 pages

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About the Book

Finally Returned Home, Reef McKeena Finds His Beloved Alaska Facing Its Greatest Threat

Growing up, goody-two-shoes Kirra Jacobs and troublemaker Reef McKenna were always at odds. Now, working together as search-and-rescue for Alaska's arduous Iditarod race, a growing attraction seems to be forcing aside old arguments. Then Reef catches Kirra sneaking from camp in the middle of the night.

Kirra's uncle, a musher in the race, has disappeared. Kirra and Reef quickly track the man, but what they discover is harrowing: Frank's daughter has been kidnapped. Kirra and Reef, along with the entire McKenna family, are thrown into a race to stop a shadowy villain who is not only threatening a girl's life—but appears willing to unleash one of the largest disasters Alaska has ever seen.

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My Thoughts

After reading the first four books in Dani Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series, I was a little conflicted about the release of Sabotaged, which is the fifth and final book in the series. I mean, of course, I was excited for another Dani Pettrey novel (who wouldn't be?!) but I hate saying farewell to characters I've come to know and love (the McKennas, y'all!).

Sabotaged is a slight departure from the rest of the series. It doesn't feel quite as adventurous because much of the story takes place away from the race. And the overall pace feels much slower. However, as the story progresses and the clues begin to fit together, I felt the urgency fueling the characters' actions and got swept up in the mystery.

It was also interesting to see Reef and Kirra finally be thrown together after getting hints that there could be a romance between the two of them earlier in the series. They've known each other since Kindergarten, so a lot of the "get to know you" stuff is out of the way. In Sabotaged, we get to see them get to know each other as adults, work through baggage from past relationships, and figure out their feelings for each other. Although it happened pretty quickly, the relationship felt natural. I really enjoyed digging into Kirra's past—between a tragedy in college and family secrets, there's a lot to explore there. I wish we could have gotten in on more of Reef's past and the change that's come about.

As always, one of my favorite aspects of a family series is getting to connect with other characters/siblings from previous books. Two of the other couples played significant roles in Sabotaged, and a wonderful epilogue at the end tied the series together quite nicely.

If you've somehow missed out on this series, I highly recommend it! While each book can be read as a stand alone novel, I think you should read them in order for maximum enjoyment.  [3.5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

Dani Pettrey is a wife, home-schooling mom, and the acclaimed author of the Alaskan Courage romantic suspense series, which includes her bestselling novels Submerged, Shattered, Stranded, and Silenced, and new release, Sabotaged. Her books have been honored with the Daphne du Maurier award, two HOLT Medallions, two National Readers' Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, and Christian Retailing's Best Award, among others. 

She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves--the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of her characters' faith, and plenty of romance. She and her husband reside in Maryland, where they enjoy time with their two daughters, a son-in-law, and a super adorable grandson.

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