Hometown Vendetta ~ Review

Hometown Vendetta
Luke Steele #1
By Traci Hunter Abrahamson

Luke Steele left Pine Falls, Virginia, and its memories behind when he joined the Marines. He never planned to return, ever, but when a domestic terrorist attack is linked to his hometown, everything changed. Luke's past and present are about to meet, and he's caught in the middle.

Amberlyn McDowell is one of several FBI Special Agents seeking to stop a domestic terrorist group before they strike again. When Luke Stelle, military aide to the president, identifies a ring on one of the suspected bombers, he is pulled into the investigation. Luke's upcoming high school reunion is the perfect cover story, allowing Amberlyn to pose as Luke's girlfriend. 

With the former champion football team about to be honored, Luke would rather be anywhere but Pine Falls. His high school tormentors are all on the suspect list, and helping Amberlyn get an "in" with them is not going to be pleasant. And the banes of his high school existence aren't about to let him forget the hierarchy established all those years ago.

Hometown Vendetta is the first book in the Luke Steele series. It is an excellent read, high in intensity, and definitely builds until the climax. Different issues are touched on, including bullying, grief, loss, and betrayal. I really liked Luke's character and watched how Amberlyn's interactions with Luke changed as she got to know and understand him. I look forward to additional books featuring these characters. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Marine Captain Luke Steele and FBI Special Agent Amberlyn McDowell must work together to unravel a deadly conspiracy before times runs out while also navigating their undercover fake relationship that is becoming all too real.

When a terrorist attack grips the nation, Luke Steele, a military aide to the president of the United States, is reassigned to track down the suspect because the alleged bomber was spotted wearing a state championship ring from Luke’s hometown. Luke has desperately tried to forget his high school years, but he can’t run from them now. Instead, he must face his most formidable assignment yet: leave his post by the president’s side, return to Pine Falls, Virginia, and face every demon from his childhood—including every person and every thought that told him he wasn’t worth anything.

FBI Special Agent Amberlyn Reiner has spent years tracking domestic terrorism. When she catches a break that could pinpoint the key player in the antigovernment group responsible for dozens of needless deaths, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get the information she seeks—even if it means going undercover as Luke Steele’s plus-one at his high school reunion. Though Amberlyn found Luke arrogant and aloof during their time together at Quantico, it doesn’t take long for her to discover that there’s much more to him than she realized. But even as the line between fact and fiction in their relationship blurs, the countdown to danger accelerates. Time is running out, and with the threat of another terrorist attack looming, the stakes are higher than ever.