Night Fall (2020)

About the Book

Book: Night Fall

Series: A Nighthawk Security Novel, #1

Author: Susan Sleeman

Release Date: November 4, 2020

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Suspense, Mystery

She faces dangerous situations all the time…
Olympic downhill skier, Harper Young, knows what it’s like to look danger in the face. After all, she does it every time she races down a ski slope. She’s fine with that danger and even excels under the pressure, winning Olympic gold. And as a governor’s daughter, she’s familiar with receiving threats from the general public. But when a stalker turns his sights on Harper, she possesses zero skills to protect herself.

But she has no idea what lurks in the shadows… Former Navy SEAL and ATF Agent, Aiden Byrd of Nighthawk Security is well versed in protection skills and knows the dangers she faces. Problem is, there’s an instant attraction between Aiden and Harper, and Aiden has to fight hard to remain professional. As the stalker grows bolder and tries to end Harper’s life, Aiden’s only hope in keeping her safe is to deny his feelings. Something that borders on impossible.

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My Thoughts

WHOA! This story is fantastic!!! I’ve never read a novel by Susan Sleeman before; that is changing immediately. I enjoyed so much about Night Fall I don’t adequately know where to begin. First, the suspense is intense. I think around the 50-60% mark I looked at my husband and said, “I have no idea who the bad guy is!” I hate suspense/mystery novels that are easy to figure out. That is not the case with Night Fall. I was edge-of-my-seat the entire time and genuinely kept guessing right up to near the end. Second, the cast of characters is really awesome. I love each Byrd brother and cannot wait to read their subsequent story lines as they release. The best part of this family is how loyal they are to one another. Some of us in real life could only be so lucky to have a family like the Byrd’s. Finally, I really loved the chemistry between Aiden and Harper. It’s electric the entire time, and I found that this crazy electrical force between them really added to the intensity of the novel. I’ve seen some reviewers say they don’t like that it is instantaneous attraction, but I never have issue with that. When you know, you know. Some people are just magnetically drawn to one another and that is the case between Aiden and Harper. Personally, I feel Sleeman did an excellent job pacing their romance.

Of the many topics discussed in this awesome story what stood out to me the most is Aiden’s restraint. My nickname from my family and friends is the “Italian Tornado.” I am a passionate woman. Sometimes that passion is outstanding. It’s what makes me (hopefully) a good teacher, a good mom and wife, and a good follower of Jesus Christ. However, my passion can often get the better of me. I truly could never be in law enforcement because I would be the “shoot first, ask questions later” kind of cop. I don’t mean to be like this, and I am totally working on it every day, but that is who I am. It’s kind of like my brain short circuits a bit and my actions take over. Aiden’s job is insanely intense and his focus is noticeably superior. What I like about him the most is that he stops and considers outcomes BEFORE he reacts. There’s this one moment in the story where Harper’s life is on the line (It’s on the line the entire time so I don’t consider this a spoiler. LOL!). He mentions to himself how he just wants to storm the front and get her to safety BUT he doesn’t do that. Instead, he stops, weighs the outcomes of all his options, forms a workable plan, and then kicks butt. The writing in this novel is so good I could feel his restraint and I thought to myself, “Man, I need to be more like Aiden. Life would work out so much better if I followed his tactics.” How cool is that?! I learned emotional and mental control strategies from a fictional character. LOL! But seriously, it’s a really exciting moment in the plot, and also an excellent teachable moment for the reader.

If you can’t tell by now, I HIGHLY recommend Night Fall. This book is so much fun, it’s so engaging, and it’s the best kind of literary escape. If you are a fan of well-written Christian Suspense and Romance stories then Night Fall is definitely the book for you!

I purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on November 4, 2020, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.