Sheriff Austin Garrett enlists the help of FBI profiler, Jo McDaniels, to help him solve a string of murders plaguing his community. Unlike most profilers Jo has an unusual gift that allows her to get to know the victims better than anyone else. She not only feels their emotions; she feels their pain. But the last time she relied on her physic ability it almost cost her career as well as her sanity. As the case progresses and the body count rises they soon realize that Jo’s sanity isn’t all that is at risk. She has become the killer’s ultimate kill.
Title: Ties That Bind
Author: Anne Patrick
Format: eBook
Genre: romantic suspense
Source: review copy
Published: May 2010 by Awe-Struck Publishing
Buy the book: FictionWise
My Thoughts
I like a good mystery and I love reading romantic suspense novels so when I read the blurb for Ties That Bind, I knew this was a book I had to read. Forensics fascinates me; I enjoy watching those types of TV shows and I enjoy reading about the subject. This novel encompasses all of these elements, which made it a enjoyable read.
The characters in Ties That Bind are intelligent and, with the exception of the villain, are likeable. The main character, Jo, has a dual Masters in criminology and Psychology, a perfect and fitting background for a FBI Criminal Profiler. Jo also possess a unique psychic gift that assists her with her investigations. This gift, along with the stress of her job, takes a lot out of her but she remains completely dedicated to her job and saving the lives of others.
The relationship that blossomed between Jo and Austin was realistic and took a slow and steady pace. Here is one of my favorite dialogues between Austin’s teenaged daughter and Jo. I get a chuckle every time I read it.
“Sorry. It’s just that Dad’s never brought home a woman before, much less cooked for one.”“Your dad doesn’t date?”
“What are you kidding? Look at the man. Of course he dates. He just hasn’t ever brought one home.”
One thing that felt a little odd was that religion wasn’t much of a factor until the end of the book, at which point it was laid on a little thick. It seemed to come out of nowhere. I think it would have flowed a little more smoothly if the religion aspect was brought into the character’s profile early on. I would have also liked to have seen a little more sizzling interaction between Austin and Jo.
All in all, Ties that Bind is a great romantic suspense read. It just dove right in to the storyline and it held my attention all the way until the end. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put my Kindle down. It had good strong characters and a plotline that twisted and turned and kept me on my toes. Just when I thought I had the villain all figured out, the author threw me a curve ball. I’m definitely going to explore other books written by this author.
Where to find Anne Patrick online
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Hey Book Vixen! you're back!! :) And with a great review. This one sounds good, I like when the relationship takes a while to develop. I like waiting for them to get together.
ReplyDeleteHi Book Vixen, it's good to have you back. Thanks for the wonderful review. I'm glad you enjoyed the Austin & Jo's story.
ReplyDeleteAnne