Defending the Child by Sharon Dunn

Defending the Child
by Sharon Dunn

ISBN-13: 9781335980397
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: January 21, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After Marielle Coleman’s foster son witnesses his mother’s murder, he becomes a killer’s next target. Escaping into a raging Montana snowstorm, Marielle and her little boy hide at a remote camp—and unexpectedly reunite with her ex-fiancé, Graham Flynn, a DEA agent. Now Graham and Marielle must put aside their distrust to save the child from dangerous pursuers.


My Review:
Defending the Child is a romantic suspense. Marielle and Graham were engaged ten years ago but broke up when Graham chose a job that Marielle didn't like. He just happened to be at the camp they met at when she fled an attacker during a heavy snowstorm. The bad guy walked into the camp through the deep snow, but somehow they can't get out even with a snowmobile. The bad guy followed their footprints in the snow to find them, again and again. Graham never thought to use this to set an ambush for the bad guy. Graham was so obvious when he tried attacking the bad guy that he was the one who got surprise-attacked.

All of the good guys seemed inept. For example, the good guys kept leaving their keys in their car ignition so the bad guys could easily hop in and drive off. Though Graham is a DEA agent, he seemed unable to shoot anyone, didn't think to pack some spare bullets for his several guns, and was super-easy to disarm (thus arming the bad guys). At the end, Marielle's hands were loosely tied with a bungee cord but she couldn't get free. And the cops looking for her nearly missed finding her because they glanced inside the building, didn't see her, and didn't bother to search any further. And so on.

At least Marielle and Graham will probably be happy in their marriage. Graham fell in love with the boy, decided he'd like to be a father after all, and Marielle fell in love with the way he bonded with the boy. She had confidence throughout that Graham could handle the bad guys so followed his directions, and he never thought twice about her driving during some tough situations. He gave her his extra gun so she could defend herself. She admired his courage in going after the bad guys to protect her, risking his safety for hers. Anyway, they're a good fit, they just needed to see that by spending time together again.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I couldn't get past how unrealistic the whole thing was, but it was suspenseful.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.