Boston, Massachusetts and Albuquerque, New Mexico – Present Day

Desiree Jacobs is the head of HJ Securities, a highly rated international company. This petite woman often finds herself in circumstances that call on her faith in God because she acts from the heart, and often before thinking about the consequences. One example is at the very beginning of the story when she tries to break into an art gallery to see if she can breach her own company’s security. The problem is that she’s doing this on a girder between two buildings, very high up, without a net. She may have gymnastics training, but when the edges of the concrete begin to crumble, it’s her faith in God that keeps her steady. These are the types of incidents that drive the man in love with her crazy, FBI Agent Anthony Lucano.

Tony is an Italian hunk who makes Desiree melt just looking at him. He is great at his job as supervisor of a crew of FBI agents. He is also a true believer who depends on God. His faith is often tested as well, but Tony is the opposite of Desiree in that he thinks things through. At times, he must act on instinct, but he’s usually very careful in his planning before he acts. He is also a good man with old-fashioned values and morals, and believes he must protect Desiree, the woman he loves. This sometimes drives Desiree, a very independent woman and thinker, absolutely nuts. Another area that troubles Desiree in their relationship is that Tony doesn't share his inner self with her. It makes her wonder if there's a trust issue here.

RELUCTANT RUNAWAY begins with the disappearance of Karen, the niece of Desiree's partner and best friend Maxine. She’s gone, leaving her young husband and new baby, and there is no trace of her. Max desperately needs Desiree’s help, and the two fly to Albuquerque to aid in the search for Karen. Events begin to get very mysterious as more and more issues cloud her disappearance. Did Karen run away, or was she abducted? Her involvement with a religious sect is one suspicious lead.

Karen worked at a museum that houses precious Native American artifacts, several of which were discovered missing after a recent break-in. Both Karen and her young husband Brent are suspected of the theft and the murder of the guard who was killed during the robbery. With this in mind, and to offer protection, Max and the baby Adam return to Boston and safety, while Desiree stays on in Albuquerque to try to find Karen.

Meanwhile Tony is in Boston working on a case that ties in with the events Desiree is turning up. As he gets close to some answers, his squad confronts a trucker from a company under investigation, and a member of his squad is shot and killed. Tracking the killer links the FBI to a source in Albuquerque, the same lead Desiree is working on. This drives Tony crazy because he knows the woman he loves is apt to be right in the middle of any action. He petitions his boss to allow him fly to the Albuquerque office to work the case from there. He gets the okay to go, but in a limited capacity. He has to get a clear report from the psychiatrist testing him after the death of his team member before he can resume all of his duties. Oh, if his boss only knew what is in store for Tony, he would never have agreed to let him go.

I cannot give spoilers about what happens, but I will tell you readers will be reading non-stop as this couple gets into one misadventure after another, many of which are life-threatening. You can't help but be glued to the story! RELUCTANT RUNAWAY is filled with a multitude of conflicts as well as many events that will evoke your emotions, both happy and sad ones. Yet they are all expertly woven into the tale.

Throughout this novel, you will learn how much and how often this couple depend upon the Lord to help them. There is sizzling romance, but not the descriptive sensuality often found in novels. However, let me tell you...Ms. Nelson can write a kiss scene that will make you melt. She has the ability to keep readers interested through her descriptive characterization. Her words take you right into each and every scene giving you a clear visual of what is happening.

I found RELUCTANT RUNAWAY to be an incredible story of romance and adventure. I’ve not read the first novel in the series (RELUCTANT BURGLAR), but I will, and I’ll be watching for the next mysterious events in the sequel (RELUCTANT SMUGGLER) to be released in October 2007. I’ve fallen in love with Tony and Desiree and look forward to reading a lot more about them in the future.

Carol Carter