Book Review: Blue Horizon by J.L. Hammer

Back in March, I was so excited for several things: my birthday, spring break, and the SoCal RWA! Unfortunately for me I got only 2 out of the 3, but thanks to my trusty best friend, DG, he brought the SoCal RWA to me. :D Loves you, DG! 

Part of a secret government project, Elena Davidson's life is in serious jeopardy when she is kidnapped by terrorists. Safeguarding 'Blue Horizon' isn't just a mission to Elena. She knows that if its purpose is revealed and if it falls into the wrong hands, it could be dangerous for the entire world.

Beckham Connors has a simple mission: the retrieval of Elena Davidson, no matter what the cost. He has orders to rescue Elena from her captors and to send her home to America, or if necessary--kill her. Whatever happens, she cannot be left alive on Iranian soil.

Forced into a whirlwind adventure, she can depend on no one. Elena must decide if she can trust the ruggedly handsome Beckham--or if he poses a greater danger than the terrorists.

This book was part Jason Bourne, Mission Impossible with a bit of romance, along with a teeny tiny bit of torture and we're not talking about the good kind. J.L. Hammers, descriptions are vivid and emotionally driven. I felt like I could relate to Elena, who I might add, has the same names as 2 of my favorite heroines from 2 other series. Can you guess? :)

The hero of this story is Beckham Connors, who is for lack of a better word, a retriever. Someone who gets into a hostile territory undetected and retrieves the person or peoples being held hostage. Should he fail to retrieve them from the territory, his instructions are to kill them. As cold and heartless as that is, it's how Beckham sees his job. His current assignment is to retrieve Dr. Nigel Berry and Elena Davidson from Iranian soil. From Beckham, we switch over to Elena's POV. She recounts how the kidnapping happened and her subsequent experiences while being held hostage. I gotta be honest, I cringed and felt physically ill. The words were vivid enough to paint a pretty detailed picture; it was like I was watching it unfold like a movie in my head. Elena finds solace from her hellish situation in her memories of her mom, dad, and brother. I will admit that I was tearing up a little.

Beckham reaches Elena and sneaks her out of the kidnapper's hideout. This is just the start of their dramatic courtship and fight for survival. What I liked most about Elena's character is her strength. After her awful experience at the hands of her kidnappers, she still finds enough strength to survive the trek home, though there were instances when I thought she would break down and cry. Look at me! I'm talking like she's a real person! I could not stop reading this book, despite the fact that I had a paper due and a test first thing Monday morning. I highly recommend anyone who's looking for a good read. I give this book a rating of.....(drumroll)....

4 stars!!!!

J.L. Hammer is the author of the romantic suspense novels Blue Horizon and Outmaneuvered. Currently she is working on book one of a series. J.L. is a member of the International Thriller Writers and Romance Writers of America. A native Californian, she enjoys small-town life with her husband and two children. Visit her website at www.JL-Hammer.com.