Title: Truth and Humility
Series: Captive book 1
Author: J. A. Dennam
Book 1 of J. A. Dennam’s Captive series
For over a century, two families have fought, shot, kidnapped, hung, burned, stolen from and accused one another. Danny Bennett knows that most of what keeps her family feuding with the Cahill clan is baseless accusations from both parties, but that doesn’t keep her from taking sides. After all, when her fun-loving brother, Derek – the person she idolizes the most – has been accused of murder, her loyalties lay solidly with him. But her loyalty to her chosen future burns just as strong. In a desperate quest to fund her college education, Danny applies for a dangerous job and soon lands herself in the bowels of the enemy camp. Accustomed to living on the edge, Danny welcomes a good challenge…until she realizes she has unwittingly fallen prey to her brother’s accuser.
Driven by hatred, Austin Cahill knows exactly what to do with the Bennett girl who saunters onto his jobsite under false pretenses: use her as a weapon against her brother, the man he holds responsible for his fiancé’s fatal drowning. Derek Bennett must pay for his crimes, but Austin must coax a confession out of him first. His plan to “own” Derek’s beloved baby sister should break the man, but he soon discovers a much bigger obstacle…his burgeoning desire for Danny. When Derek comes for her, will Austin be prepared to let her go in exchange for the truth? Will his quest for vengeance destroy the woman he’s grown to care for? Or will it be the truth…that brings them all down?
Before this book, J. A. Dennam was a new-to-me author that I discovered on Facebook and I was eager to read because Truth and Humility falls into one of my favorite genres – romantic suspense. When I saw that the 3rd book in her Captive Series was due to release on July 8th I thought that I needed to get caught up! and WOW!! Just WOW! This read definitely had romance and suspense and so much more!!
The back-story was covered and filled in without weighing the story down or making you feel like there was too much. We get glimpses of Danny’s best friend and the brother that she is closest to. We see the crew that works for and is loyal to Austin and we feel the love that he had for the fiancée that was taken from him and that he still morns. A diverse wonderful cast of supporting characters that I can see will fill in and make a great book 2, 2.5 and 3!
I loved the alternating points of view. It’s becoming important to me in the books I read. I want to know what both main characters are thinking not just a woman’s POV and wondering what the man thinks or feels. I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue, the snarky bullets flying back-and-forth as well as the sweet and smoldering chemistry that the author made me feel coming from the pages. The suspense had me on the edge of my seat and turning pages faster and faster while a surprise twist brought me to tears and broke my heart!
I agreed with another review I read that stated that the Cahill-Bennett feud was very Shakespearean/Romeo and Juliet-ish and for me this added great angst and depth to the book. I will leave this a vague review because I do not want to give any of the plot twists away (and believe me there are a few twists I did NOT see coming!) just know that I highly suggest this book and the series and I am on pins and needles waiting to read more from this author!
Grade A
