A gripping tale of romantic suspense and page-turning action (Sharpe & Donovan)

I have read the entire series and have loved each book. The Author has developed and spotlighted each character with each book not trying to give too much information in just one book. Honestly I can't wait for the next installment of this series.

Several mysteries, unexplained events happening on both sides of the Atlantic, for several of the many characters of the story.
It took me till about the third of the story, to really figure out what, who, and where was going on. But that's on me, I believe this series is something that should be read in order.
There are about dozen main players to follow. No one trusts no one fully, they all are keeping secrets from each other, even the ones engaged to be married.
It is not easy to follow the story, the point of view changes constantly, and to keep everything in line takes an effort.
I had a hard time connecting with the characters, mainly, I believe, because they seemed so emotionless. When I don't get the emotional connection with the people I am reading about, it feels like the story is just going through the motions. Even Emma's kidnapping, and the escape felt flat. I'm sure that's just me, and sometimes you just can't connect with the author's style of writing. I know there are lots of fans of the series, who will enjoy this new adventure. But even though lots of mystery and suspense was involved in the tale, it didn't stand out, or have the intensity I crave in a suspense novel.
~ Three Spoons

Keeper’s Reach
Carla Neggers
Mira, Aug 25 2015, $24.95
ISBN 9780778317524

FBI agent Emma Sharpe is excited over a weekend retreat at the Sisters of the Joyful Heart in Heron’s Cove, Maine; as this was home when she was a nun. However, instead of staying at her former abode, Emma decides to remain at the Rock Point home of her fiancé FBI agent Colin Donovan.

When Emma fails to arrive at his home and does not respond to his increasingly frantic calls, Colin fears the worst. At the same time Emma’s disappearance frightens Colin; his brother Mike’s former military comrades in arms come to Maine to recruit him to join their Cooper Global Security company. Among them, Mike’s former lover Naomi “magnet for trouble” MacBride explains she just arrived from England where she tracked the same art thief Emma pursued. The siblings agree that all this coincidence adds up to Emma in trouble.

The fifth Sharpe and Donovan FBI romantic suspense (see Harbor Island and Heron's Cove) is an exciting action-packed thriller as the Donovan siblings and friends search for the missing loved one and those who dare abducted her. Carla Neggers authors an awesome search, rescue and destroy storyline enhanced by a kick butt second chance romance.

Harriet Klausner

ARC provided by the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I always look forward to reading a Carla Neggers book. They are full of the essence of the rugged northeast and Keeper's Reach is no different. The strong, silent Maine man is in full view in this book. Pragmatic is the word I use to describe the heroes of these books. Very deep and often very private, they keep their secrets close and their feelings closer.

Mike is a veteran and when he returned home he became a guide in the Maine wilderness. A solidary life for a very solidary man. His solidary life is interrupted first by all the preparations for the wedding of Emma and Colin and then by the appearance of onetime friends from his military days, who are now private security contractors. Included in this group is Naomi, with whom Mike had a weekend fling years ago. Just what these old friends are doing in his hometown has Mike's spidy senses all atingle, well, others areas of his awesome body too. Rekindled romance, art thieves, danger to Emma and international intrigue. Great ingredients for a very good book.

Carla Neggers brings readers the latest book in the Sharpe & Donovan romantic suspense series, Keeper's Reach. This series, set in Maine has intrigue, suspense, fast action, a cast of lovable, if eccentric, characters and a good dose of romance. Readers looking for an author who writes with great attention to detail and intelligence will love this one. Keeper's Reach is the fifth book in the series and features not only the upcoming wedding of Emma and Colin, but also the back story of Colin's brother, Mike. A very good addition to the series!

What I liked:

I have only read one of the other books in this series, the first one, Saint's Gate. I really enjoyed that one for several reasons. Keeper's Reach is the fifth book and I still like the same things about it that I did in the beginning. Setting, characters, plotting.

Carla Neggers does such a good job with the setting for this series. Readers who don't live in New England get a taste of what Maine living can be like. In this particular series Heron's Cove, is on the ocean. Fishing villages abound and the setting takes on the characteristics of a good character. It enhances the story to a large degree. Neggers is able to draw the reader in with her descriptions of this beautiful place and make readers want to return to it time and again.

The characters have always been full of mystery and intrigue. Emma is an FBI agent and so is Colin. How difficult a relationship would that be? Exactly, there are a lot of levels to both these characters and Neggers does a fantastic job of bringing them out in each book. The secondary characters are just as multi-dimensional as the leads. In Keeper's Reach, readers get to know more about Mike, Colin's brother. Neggers is able to bring the past of a secondary character to the forefront of the story and join it with the lead characters disappearance and make it all make sense. Excellent characterizations!

The plot of every book in this series has been exceptional and Keeper's Reach is no different. Because of the occupation of the lead characters you can expect a lot of fast action, and situations with serious consequences, but in this book, the action gets a little too close for comfort, when Emma disappears. I like all that intrigue and covert operations, it gives each book that spine tingling feeling. But there is always a degree of romance as well. Emma and Colin's upcoming wedding allows the reader to focus not only on the mystery but the personal aspect of the characters relationships with each other.

Bottom Line:

I liked this one, it was just as good as the first one. I learned a lot more about Mike and what he had gone through in his life and his relationship with Naomi was interesting. Colin and Emma were amazing as usual and their upcoming wedding gave me something to look forward to, if they could get through the mess. It was a good book and I hope there will be many more like it.

Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan have some downtime after solving their last case—a case that Emma’s family has been trying to solve for several years. Right now Emma is looking forward to having time to planher and Colin’s wedding and to spend more time with Colin’s family. Colin has meetings at the FBI office to get through before he can join Emma, which proves to be hazardous to Emma’s well-being. But for these two FBI agents, it seems that even solved cases are never over, and that is exactly what is happening now and it is on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Colin’s oldest brother, Mike, has been invited to a meeting with several of his past military contacts, some of which he worked with a lot and some that he only worked with when the mission needed it, and a woman that he loved and lost because of their work. It seems one of his buddies is putting together a new security company, and he is looking at possibly hiring-on some of the old crew. Somehow, this meeting becomes embroiled with Colin and Emma’s last case and then Emma is placed into danger before Colin and Emma even get a handle on what is happening. Now, the FBI office that Colin and Emma are part of is involved, which ramps-up the danger and suspense. Before it’s all over, more than one couple will be risking their futures to find and stop a person who believes they are better than everyone else.

Just when Emma and Colin think they might have a small bit of down time, they are thrown into a matter that is full of danger, suspense, and it brings in aspects from their last case in Keeper’s Reach. While I have been learning about Emma and Colin as their romance has progressed, I have also been seeing parts and pieces of their family and friends. This time it was Colin’s oldest brother, Mike, who was the lead, and I learned more about him and his past as I watched him grab the second chance at love that was presented to him. I really loved how while Emma and Colin were not exactly part of this matter. They were thrown in by a serious left curve and had to double time it to figure out what was going on, who were the people involved, and how they could help Mike shut it down fast. I am quickly learning that you really don’t want to play hardball with either the Donovan’s or the Sharpe’s because you will lose every time. I really enjoyed trying to follow all the clues and even what turned out to be red herrings and trying to figure out who was the bad guy before it was revealed to me. I will admit that in this case, I was not even close when I found out who was behind it all. Once again, Ms. Neggers has provided a suspense that keeps you guessing until the very last second. Keeper’s Reach keeps you intrigued from the first page until the last with great suspense and the right touches of danger and passion. I can’t wait until the next chapter in the Sharpe & Donovan world.

This book was reviewed by Jo for Joyfully Reviewed (JR), and was provided by the publisher/author at no cost to JR for the purpose of being reviewed.

The Sharpe and Donovan series is very good reading. I enjoy the stories very much. There are 4 Donovan brothers, and in this story we meet and learn more about the oldest brother Mike. Colin and Emma Sharpe are still chasing the art thief. There is peril for Emma. And one man in Mike's old Special Services unit in the military, is trying to recruit people to form a Global Protection company. There are several different little stories going on through the book to keep your interest. Once again, I was unable to see who the bad buy was until the very end. This is a good series so please read it in order if you are able.

The 4th book in the series is another great Sharpe & Donovan novel with the usual interesting well developed characters. The story line is fast moving with lots of twist and turns while traveling from England too Maine too Ireland. The conclusion is unexpected but the clues are there. I would recommend this series too anyone who enjoys well written mysteries. Enjoy reading

Emma and Colin are pulled into helping Colin's brother Mike investigate something going on with Mike's old military friends as they gather for a weekend get together in Rock Point, Maine where the Donovan brothers grew up. Mike lives on the rugged Maine coast where he is a wilderness guide. Mike is suspicious when one of his old friends, who is now a security specialist, calls everyone to meet to hear a proposal about working with his company. The group includes an FBI agent on leave, a civil intelligence agent, Naomi, and others from a mission that they were on together in Afghanistan, a mission that Mike would like to forget. Naomi and Mike have a history that was never settled and is still standing between them. It seems that no one trusts the other but someone in the group is not a good guy. Things really hit close to home right away when Emma is abducted.

This is another great page turner in the Sharpe and Donovan series by Carla Neggers.