I'm not remotely religious so this was never going to be a total win for me. But I read a bit of everything and if it sounds good I'm willing to give it a shot. That being said I do usually find Christian fiction a little preachy - it's just so wholesome - but then it's also precisely what you would expect a Christian book to be - so I shouldn't rate it down but I kind of do. So Lisa Harris - it's not you, it's me.

This was an enjoyable read. It was nice to see the story line wrap up. I liked Olivia and Ivan (her brother) and Michael. All the previous characters make an appearance and help Michael sort things out. The relationship between Michael and Olivia is pretty instalove - a lot of telling me how much they liked each other when they'd barely spoken two words. But what romance isn't these days. There wasn't a whole lot of detective work, this book focused more on the suspense and action aspects of the plot. Overall, quick easy read. 3.5 stars. ( )

Hidden Agenda is most definitely a thrill ride from beginning to end. I loved the first two books in the Southern Crimes series and this third and final installment did not disappoint. I could not put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen with Michael and Olivia. I really appreciated how their faith in God kept them going in the midst of many horrifying situations. If you are looking for a romantic suspense novel that forces the reader to constantly question who can be trusted, what secrets are going to be revealed, etc. then Hidden Agenda is the book for you!

If you have not read the first two in the series yet, I would definitely recommend you start with those first since this book does provide updates on characters from the first two books. This story picks up right where Fatal Exchange left off.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. ( )

RTC ( )

Hidden Agenda by Lisa Harris
4 stars (a bit more than 4, but not 4.5 so naturally rounded to 4)

Spoiler for the first one, but NOT major.

Michael Hunt, thought to have died in a fiery car crash eight months ago, is being beaten in the opening scene, as he has finally been uncovered as a cop by the drug cartel he had so successfully infiltrated. Olivia Hamilton is the daughter of a business man but has come to the island to see if the anonymous texts she has received alleging that her distant father is actually high up in an infamous drug cartel. When her deaf younger brother, Ivan, witnesses a murder, she is caught in a dilemma involving the fate of Michael Hunt, who is awaiting the return of the infamous Valez.

This is the third installment of the Southern Crimes Fiction, and I was hooked from the first line. This is absolutely a thriller from the start (and of course is a romantic thriller, but that's not from the start), nothing dragged for me, etc. Once again, just the stipulation that if you don't like anything remotely Christian, this isn't for you, but this is no cozy mystery, either. ( )

A Thrilling, Chilling, Maze of a Read...

A very satisfying romantic suspense by Lisa Harris, Hidden Agenda zigged and zagged as Olivia, Ivan, and Michael rush headlong to escape the cartel. Indeed, it is hard to run in a straight line when the enemy can be anyone around you. Harris does a wonderful job of setting up a dangerous situation and then throwing the reader into doubt about just who the enemy is. I kept guessing and re-guessing!

This book is also about learning to trust when the going gets tough. NOT only does Olivia have to decide to trust Michael or not, but she must choose whether she can trust God, as well."Michael," says Olivia, "What do you do when something horrible happens, when fear takes hold so hard you can hardly breathe?" "All I know to do is to dig deeper until you remember that God knows exactly what's happening at this very moment. He cares, and no matter what happens, He will never leave you..." Trust. Will we trust or will we freeze when the hard times come? That said, in a sinful world, trusting God does not guarantee safety. Who makes it out of this terror alive, and who becomes collateral damage? A thrilling, chilling read!!

I gratefully received this book from the author for an honest review. ( )