Liz Johnson’s The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn ~ Reviewed

The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn
By: Liz Johnson
Published by Steeple Hill
ISBN-13:978-0-373-44348-2

Back Cover:

KIDNAPPED—FOR HER PROTECTION

Myles Parsons is just another inmate in Kenzie Thorn’s GED course. . .until his abduction plan succeeds. Terrified, Kenzie doesn’t want to believe his explanation. That he’s Myles Borden, FBI agent—placed undercover because someone wants her dead.

Now that Myles has got her out of harm’s way, his plans start to fall apart. He attempts to take Kenzie to a safe house—but the stubborn woman won’t go! He struggles to protect her even as she takes care of him. He tries to keep his distance. . .and finds himself falling in love.



Review:

“I’m an FBI agent. I was assigned to protect you inside the prison.”

But having been forced at knifepoint to drive into the wilderness, Kenzie Thorn isn’t sure she believes anything Myles Parsons has to say—and as a reader, neither was I.

I worried as I started reading that this book would fall into a predictable pattern: larger-than-life-FBI agent—timid, defenseless heroine—unstoppable, vengeance driven villain. Fortunately, Ms. Johnson quickly dispelled those fears. As the hero, Myles definitely had his flaws, and Kenzie proved anything but defenseless. And the villain? Well, let’s just say there’s a nice little twist at the end that I won’t give away here.

Skillfully weaving tension and humor, Liz Johnson had me daydreaming about Special Agent heroes who sleep in their cars to protect their client’s reputation, and who tell the truth no matter the cost. This was fun read with believable conflict. Overall, The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn is an entertaining book I am glad to recommend.

Reviewed by: Elizabeth Ludwig

Bonus Review:

The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn adheres to the suspenseful romane genre -- boy meets girl, sparks fly, hearts burst, some big miscommunication or issue rips the couple apart then comes the longed for happily ever after conclusion. Add the elements of faith or inspiration and you’ve got a Christian romance.

I have to admit that romance isn’t my favorite. I tend to lean a little more toward realism and the issues that wreck budding fictionalized romances often make me crabby. Really. And, no matter how nice it is to hope for, real men rarely speak romance. Romantic suspense is a much better fit for me. That said Liz Johnson has created the classic, must-have romance characters and scenarios but added a few fresh elements that made Kidnapping an enjoyable read. A nice twist or two ramped up the suspense and the ending was very satisfying. Her storyline is creative, her writing is solid and the faith elements are strong.

Those of you who love romance should look further into this novel. Chickens need to be aware of a little intensity and some blood. Non-romance fans may decide to investigate further into it after checking out the story premise.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer