In Too Deep

This was an excellent romantic suspense thriller. The heroine, Sabrina, is a forensic computer specialist who is highly intelligent, but socially awkward. The hero, Adam, is a police detective who is both a member of the police dive team and a specialist in white collar crime. At the start of the story, they have known each other through work for two years, and have an unacknowledged attraction to each other, that does not bloom until thrown together on this case, which deals with an accountant who died when her car (and her laptop) ended up in the river not long after she tried unsuccessfully to set up a meeting with Adam. There appear to be connections to a human trafficking ring, and the investigation leads back ultimately to both show more their families.

I really enjoyed this. The suspense was taut, and the budding relationship, though chaste, was believable. It was obviously the second book of a series, and I have not read the first book, but I did not feel lost. There is Christian content, which is deftly handled for the most part. Overall, a very engrossing story, and I will be seeking out book 1, and waiting for book 3.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. show less

A forensic dive team in North Carolina is the focus of Lynn H Blackburn’s series, Dive Team Investigations. In book one, we met the team members and focused on Ryan and Leigh’s story. Book two, In Too Deep, tells the chilling tale of Adam and Sabrina. While I believe the book could stand on its own, I started out feeling that the team members were already my friends, not people I had just met.

What’s to love about this book? Blackburn strikes a good balance between great romantic suspense and relationship-driven narrative. What I loved most is that Sabrina is intelligent beyond belief, yet that character trait is countered by an unusual lack of common social skills. In other words, a great, but lovable, flawed protagonist.

Heavy show more topics are handled within these pages. My antennae went up. We’re talking about sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Where is the author taking me? Guilt, awareness, action? For me, I choose awareness.

I loved that prayers are a part of everyday needs in the novel, and some are spoken aloud. They’re not preachy, but natural, clear, and honest.

Points to Blackburn for exhibiting a sense of humor at a few critical points. Some thoughts just made me laugh. Try “baby cops.” Another was a paragraph listing Sabrina’s many injuries, followed by the statement she had never looked more beautiful. That just tickled my funny bone.

Thought-provoking quotes:
“You love the victims and the victimizers. We don’t understand that, Lord.”(How true!)
and
“...it’s not about how big our faith is. What matters is how big our God is.”~Sabrina

I highly recommend this series, and can’t wait for Gabe and Anissa’s story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are solely my own, and no positive review was required. show less

In Too Deep takes the reader back to the town of Carrington and its dedicated law enforcement officers, especially those involved in the dive team investigations. This series just keeps getting better — the cases are puzzling, the danger imminent, and the romance sweet. The second book in Dive Team Investigations focuses on geeky computer whiz Dr. Sabrina Fleming and handsome Adam Campbell, a white collar specialist. Together they make a good team, professionally and personally. If you are a fan of romantic suspense, you need to check this one out. Recommended!

The Dive Team Investigations series features an ensemble cast of professionals who work together on tough cases. Sabrina and Adam’s story is told in In Too Deep, but the show more reader will love how they interact with characters found in book one. I loved the developing romance between the two main characters — it was realistically portrayed with missteps, misunderstandings, and doubts that were very believable. Both Sabrina and Adam have some baggage that could cause some rough patches, but I loved how they accepted each other based on their own attitudes and actions. They are also both Christians who rely on God in both good and bad circumstances. Trust in His goodness is a part of both of their lives. This was actually very refreshing, as many books I read have characters with more doubts than faith. I loved that they both were quick to go to God for all their problems. Human labor trafficking is the center of the police investigation, and Blackburn did a great job in making this reader aware of the insidious evil all around us. And because this book is suspense there is plenty of action with enough twists to keep the reader guessing.

Although it can be read as a standalone novel, In Too Deep is a great continuation of Blackburn’s series. I am eagerly anticipating more danger and romance to come! If you Santa put a gift card in your stocking, consider diving in to these great books!

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

This is one very intense book that kept me guessing throughout the story. The author delivers a story rich in a mystery that will put people in danger. I love how the author incorporates computer technology into the story with details that remind me of shows on television.

Adam and his team are called upon to investigate a crime that leaves the team grappling for answers. Who is the mysterious woman found and what message will be discovered on her? Adam will have to call upon his friend Sabrina to help his team out. Sabrina is very intelligent and highly trained in computers. I couldn't get enough of her expertise and how accurate the author is in Sabrina's knowledge.

Sabrina is getting closer to the truth and someone out there needs to show more stop her. When her life is in danger, Trent steps up his protection of her. This book is one of the author's best at keeping the story interesting and action packed. Just when I thought I had figured out a part of the story, the author throws a curve that I never expected. I loved the part when Sabrina visits the victims home. I loved following her around the room as she took in every detail.

The story moves at a face pace and is filled with surprises and secrets from the past. Sabrina has not had the best relationship with her parents, especially her mother. As you delve further into the story it becomes clear that there is a much deeper secret to what the team and Sabrina is investigating. I was shocked at how sinister people can be and dysfunctional a family can become to gain power, control and cause destruction. Get ready for a powerful story that takes readers in to the depths of darkness.

I received a copy of this book from The Early Reviewers Program of Librarything. The review is my own opinion. show less

I remember being wowed by the first book in the series Beneath the Surface. This second book In Too Deep gets a double wow. Lynn H Blackburn spins an incredible and fast-paced romantic suspense complete with non-stop action, an intricately and tightly woven plot with gasp-worthy twists, a thought-provoking look at modern-day slavery, and wonderfully memorable characters. If you enjoy contemporary inspirational romantic suspense, this book is a must read!

In this book, we get better acquainted with Sabrina, the brainy, dedicated, and somewhat socially awkward professor of tech and cyber security and Adam, our diver team homicide investigator who comes from money and privilege. If you read the first book, you would already know that there show more is definite attraction brewing between these two but their story can definitely be read as a stand-alone. Adam is incredibly sweet but so insecure and hesitant because he’s never been wanted for who he is, only for his family’s name and money. Sabrina and Adam are thrown together again as Sabrina’s life becomes threatened and a homicide investigation spins out of control. Such nail-biting suspense!!

I can’t wait for Gabe’s story next. Hopefully it will be Gabe and Anissa....?

I was given a copy of this book from the author and Baker Publishing Group and was under no obligation to to post a review. All comments and opinions are solely my own. show less

One of the greatest book discoveries for me in 2020 was the Dive Team investigations series by Lynn Blackburn. I found them thanks to other book reviewers on Instagram and I am so glad I gave them a chance. How did I miss these when they released? They are the epitome of everything I love about the genre of romantic suspense. All of them are full of swoonworthy heroes who repeatedly save the day, but not because the heroines are weak and need rescuing. It is quite the opposite actually. All of the women are smart and independent, but find themselves in some pretty precarious situations. I like that each of the three couples relationships develop throughout the book. Instant relationships would just not be believable given the characters show more backgrounds and nail-biting situations going on in each story. It's not surprising that my favorite part of the series by far was the page-turning suspense! Each book hooked me from the beginning and I found myself totally surprised at the end! I really don't think I could pick a favorite hero, heroine, or book in the series. I loved them all!
The blessing in disguise with finding this series late was I got to binge read the entire series so there was no waiting in between!

Note: The novella, Unseen Enemy, is available to the author's newsletter subscribers and is a connector between this series and the first book in her new series which releases this spring. Can't wait! show less

Normally, I dislike when characters think they're not good enough for the person they're in love with, but in this case the author makes it such a part of the characterization that it didn't feel like a plot point used just to increase the page count. The author also doesn't let it drag on and on as some romance writers do.

This book started a bit slowly for me, and it took a little while to get into the meat of the story. I had to trust what I know of the author to know that all would make sense in time. It was nice to revisit the Dive Team characters and get to know them a bit better. I would say this book focuses a bit more on the personal histories of Sabrina Fleming and Adam Campbell.