Obsession is a must-read for suspense fans. Emma Winters is a park ranger who is doing a historical project involving an archeological dig. But someone doesn’t want her uncovering long-buried secrets in the state park. She finds herself in the cross-hairs of a stalker as she searches for the truth. Old mysteries resurface and Sam Ryker steps in to help keep Emma safe. He and Emma have a sorted past, but of course, old feelings reignite! 

I love stories with lots of plot twists and red herrings. Patricia Bradley does a great job of casting shade on several characters. It took me a while to pin down the real culprit – so many people had motive. The setting for the story is unique. There aren’t many stories set in Natchez Trace, let alone characters that are park rangers. This is book two in the series, but you could definitely pick this novel up as a stand-alone. 

The story is fast-paced and a fantastic suspense novel. Be sure to check it out! 

Overall Rating: 
5 stars (I loved it, couldn’t put it down)

Suspense Rating: 
5 stars (Non-stop edge-of-your-seat suspense from start to finish)

I received an ebook review copy of this book through Revell and NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the second book of the Natchez Trace Park Rangers. Emma is working an archeological project off the Trace that involves locating the graves of slaves from long long ago. She wants to make sure each one is accounted for and recognized. Imagine her surprise when having returned one evening to pick up a file, she hears a backhoe running and then is shot at! Investigating is district ranger Sam Ryker. Sam and Emma were engaged ten year earlier, but things ended after the death of a young woman and the disappearance of Emma's twin brother, Ryan. Many believed Ryan was responsible for her death, but Emma never doubted his innocence.
Then, Emma is shot at once again. Sam is determined to keep her safe and doesn't want her at the site along. Then, they are shot at with Sam being the intended target this time.
Who was on that backhoe digging a hole, what did they take from that hole, and why? Does this have anything to do with Ryan? Who can be trusted?
This one kept me guessing until the end. Great story!
I was given an advanced copy by the publisher, Revell and Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

Great romantic suspense! Sam Ryker is back in town, and despite the history between them, I found myself rooting for Emma Winters and Sam Ryker from the start. Trying to figure out who Emma's stalker was kept me guessing and turning pages (and ignoring my chores!). Who is digging up a body on National Park land late at night? Who is shooting at Emma? Just when I thought I'd figured it out, I'd begin to suspect someone else. There's plenty of danger and suspects as they try to solve a 10-year-old murder. Check out Obsession by Patricia Bradley! I really enjoy this series.

Obsession is the second book in the Natchez Trace Park Rangers series by Patricia Bradley. While it can be read as a stand-alone book, I HIGHLY recommend reading the first book, Standoff, before beginning this one. Brooke, the main character in Standoff, makes several appearances in this book, just as Emma (main character for Obsession) made several appearances in Standoff. Obsession is the second book that I have read by Bradley; I look forward to reading more books by this author. 

This book caught my attention from the beginning. It is fast-paced, intense, with quite a bit going on. Emma has shots fired at her when she goes back to work after hours, to pick up a file that she had left behind. She heard some heavy machinery that should not have been running at that time of night. The events lead to her trying to figure out what is going on in the slave cemetery.  

Sam arrives at the scene and is scared to death that something had happened to Emma. They had not seen each other in years, but the thought of her getting hurt was more than he could imagine. He ends up snapping at Emma for being at work after dark by herself. Emma and Sam are both fiercely independent individuals and they go head-to-head several times in the story. Emma seems to be very naive about the danger she is in, and her independent nature gets her into trouble.  

I loved this book. The characters are well developed, the plot is intriguing, with several twists and turns, and the book ends well. Not everything is as it seems, making it hard to predict what will happen next. I enjoyed the theme of forgiveness that was woven into the story as well. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves suspense books with light romance. Fans of Irene Hannon, Dee Henderson, Lynette Easton, and Cara Putnam will enjoy this author as well. 

Thank you to Revell and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to give a positive review but was happy to do so. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What is it like to be the obsession of an unknown stalker? What if he’s killed before and you’re next? Obsession is book two in Patricia Bradley’s Natchez Trace Park Rangers series and it will take you on a roller coaster ride of suspense as historian Emma Winters finds herself on the receiving end of dangerous attention from a mystery admirer. Working alongside her ex-fiancé, Sam Ryker, they must stay one step ahead of her stalker while also trying to solve the ten-year mystery of her missing brother. Is the danger closer than they realize?
The characters were great. Emma is driven and I loved her dedication to solving the mysteries of the past – some more personal than she could ever have imagined. Sam was a true hero. Regardless of their past, he’s determined the protect Emma, no matter the personal cost. 
Bradley does a great job interweaving the mysteries of the past and the present. The scenes jump off the page and the story keeps you guessing right up to the end. There is a strong message of forgiveness throughout the book as the characters learn they must move on from the past if they are to build solid relationships in the future. 
I loved the book. I’m a history fan so I love it when an author brings in an archaeological dig and then to add a present-day mystery into the mix was great! It had a bit of everything – missing person, stalker, murder(s), mysteries past and present. You can’t go wrong with this romantic suspense novel. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Obsession
by Patricia Bradley
Revell
 You Like Them
Christian | Mystery & Thrillers | Romance
Pub Date 02 Feb 2021   |   Archive Date 12 Mar 2021

Christian/mystery& thriller/ is one of my favorite genre's.  So when I saw that Patricia Bradley had a new one to review I was excited.  This is definitely a good book, I fell in love with the characters and it is an easy read.  However, this did not turn out to be the book I thought it would be.  Thanks to Revell and Netgalley for the ARC. 

4 star

This was my first time reading Bradley's work and I instantly liked Emma. She just wants to do her job well when she finds a lost kitten and is fired upon. Thankfully, her and the kitten are not injured, but this begins in a somewhat page turner story that is clean and intriguing.

I had no idea who the culprit was, I suspected the wrong person and there were at least two more who were suspicious to me. The bad guy was spying on Emma throughout the story, which gave clues and made things interesting.

Sam is a great guy, but he's keeping a small secret from Emma that is bound to ruin the renewed friendship between them as he protects her constantly. Every time he wants to reveal this secret there's always a delay or interruption. When the secret is finally revealed, it's not Sam who says it and I didn't think it was cool for this person to speak up.

There are two obsessions in this story; Emma's stalker and Emma finding out what happened to her brother. It was so uncool how the previous sheriff covered up the entire case to save his own career. I also thought the bad guy was out of his element to show up shooting extra people when Emma and Sam continue to investigate. Nothing graphic happens, but several people are shot in this story.

There are great characters in this story, loved Suzy the kitten, and it was wonderful how Sam insists on being involved in his nephew's life, I just didn't fall in love with the story like I hoped to. I did enjoy it, definitely kept my interest!

I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review, the thoughts and comments are my own. Thanks to Revell for fixing the copy I received when I discovered some pages were missing.

This exciting new release captured my attention from the first chapter! Since reading Standoff, book one in this series, I had eagerly been anticipating this second novel. I was delighted to find Obsession reads easily as a standalone novel and kept me entranced from beginning to end! I enjoyed reading about the different roles of the park ranger service as well as learning more about the historical aspects of the Natchez Trace and its surrounding area.

The suspense builds quickly throughout this story and carries well to the climax. I found the characters to be relatable and likable. It was inspiring to see Bradley’s characters change and grow. The romance in the book has sparks right from the start and I really enjoyed witnessing it deepen. I think the chemistry between Sam and Emma was the perfect combination of tension and attraction. The faith elements to this story were well placed and off-set the dark secrets and mysterious storyline, which was my attraction to this particular story!

In the beginning, many characters and names were introduced so I had some trouble sorting everyone out in my mind, but as the story and suspense built, so did my confidence in the characters and people that were named. Bradley kept me guessing as her plot thickened and despite the fact that I felt Emma took her situation entirely too lightly, I found the book to be fast-paced, engaging and interesting. Overall, this was a great read and I enjoyed it more than the first book in the series! I believe readers who enjoy series by Lynn H. Blackburn, Irene Hannon, Dani Pettrey or Elizabeth Goddard will enjoy this novel. This story is clean and appropriate for ages 16+.

*I voluntarily received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Revell at Baker Publishing Group via NetGalley. All thoughts below are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Obsession by Patricia Bradley

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

________________________________________________________________________________
Story Notes

Patricia Bradley continues her excellent series based in Natchez Mississippi along the Trace Parkway and National Park that will have you chilled with its happenings and holding your breath to see what happens next.

I love good thrillers that also have good main characters. They challenge your mind to bend in different ways to try to figure out the reasoning and mindset of the culprits. This story has plenty of creepiness and excellent story-telling included in its pages. I've been waiting to find out what all happened between Emma and Sam as they have been good minor characters in the previous books. Their argument and separation from years before centered around her brother's disappearance and each feels both guilt and anger at what happened......or what they thought happened. I'm not going to spoil the story by telling but I will say that it will keep you guessing to the end. I loved the quiet way that friendship and then romance grew back between Emma and Sam. They are really hurting over the past and have many things they need to work through before they can have a good chance at a relationship. They each challenge the other to take a good look at their life and find ways to make it better. Their sometimes snarky conversations are fun too and make the book more realistic. The "bad guy" was also very well done, with lots of misdirection included to keep the answer safe until the perfect moment. I really liked the look inside their mind and their thought processes. They were really out there but it was really surprising how good they were at hiding it all. I will certainly be recommending this story to others in the very great hope they will enjoy this suspenseful read as much as I did. I also look forward to adding it to my shelves soon and reading the next in the series that will hopefully be coming out soon. 

I received this temporary complimentary E-Book from Revell Publishing via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

I like how the author kicks starts this novel with action that gets the heart pumping and the pages turning as she introduces main characters Emma Winters and Sam Ryker. The author expertly sets up the storyline with numerous possible suspects keeping the reader guessing who dun it til the very end. I enjoyed the sweet little kitty Emma finds at the visitors’ center. Where did it come from? She wonders. I thought the cat sweet and was glad it had a calming effect on Emma. This book is filled with twists, turns, faith, love, mystery, and a stalker it’s a fun adventure.

One thing about this author’s romantic suspense books is how she allows the reader into the head of the killer. She does not go too far that it gets creepy and you have to stop reading but just enough to create a nail-biting suspenseful page turner you cannot put down. Here is a peek at the killer, “Adrenaline pumped through his body as he jogged through the woods, dodging low-handing limbs. His truck was half a mile away, parked at an abandoned old barn…He heard sirens and looked over his shoulder to make sure no one chased him. He was good, but then a thin limb slapped him and anger spewed out of him….”He hated Sam Ryker. The ranger had forced him to kill.”

Themes of forgiveness, second chances and dysfunctional family dynamics come into play in a natural not preachy way. This book would work well for your next book club pick. There is so much to discuss.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

I have read all of Patricia Bradley's books, and she can always be counted on for an intriguing mystery, multiple possibilities for the culprit, a few well-placed red herrings, and a touch of romance that doesn't overtake the story. Obsession, book two in Bradley's Natchez Trace Park Rangers series continues in that vein, and is a wonderfully entertaining, engaging read. 

Park Ranger Emma Winters never anticipated being shot at as she returned to her office for a forgotten file. Nor did she anticipate having her former fiance become her self-appointed body guard. Emma and Sam both struggle with forgiveness, Emma with forgiving herself, Sam with forgiving his father. Both learn the importance of the role of forgiveness in being able to move on. They also learn a lot about making assumptions concerning other's personal motivations, and the heartache those assumptions can bring.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Obsession from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

I loved this twisty novel that is tucked inside a National Park with links to yesterday and tendrils in today. A well-written, well-plotted novel filled with characters I enjoyed, the right level of romance, and a page-turning mystery. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Page turning romantic suspense. Great story about ten year old murders and some current ones. Exciting and clever. So happy I caught one of the clues and figured out the correct killer. Lots of issues surrounding the murders. Family problems also. I look forward to reading the next one in this series.

Emma is not happy at the idea of having to work with Sam again after having broken up with him years earlier - but when she is shot at one dark night as she prepares to leave work, it's a relief to have him turn up as part of the team trying to solve the mystery. Sam knows that there can be nothing between them now, but as he is forced to spend time with Emma to keep her safe from a stalker who seems obsessed with her, it becomes impossible to deny the attraction between them. Will they work out in time who Emma's stalker is? And can they really develop a future together at last?

I must preface this review by saying that I don't like getting into the head of 'bad guys' like Emma's stalker - I find it a horrible idea that anyone could think and feel the way they are (presumably quite reasonably) portrayed as doing. I realise that it can be a good way of telling a story, but it's not one I particularly like. This reduces the rating I give but may not bother others at all. Other than that, this is a well-written, clean and engrossing suspense story, with limited or no graphic violence. The mystery is well done, with potential suspects all over the place - I guessed fairly early who the bad guy probably was but wasn't quite sure until nearly the end. All in all, a good read but not my favourite.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

Obsession is a faith-based novel focusing on the lives of two US Forest Rangers serving the National Park Service near Mount Locus MS along the Natchez Trace (or Parkway). Emma Winters was assigned to the “interpretive” side of the National Park Service - focusing on visitor and historical experiences. Sam Ryker was a part of the “law enforcement” service of the National Park Service. The story has its roots in the disappearance of Emma’s twin brother ten years earlier, an event which has affected Emma’s emotional and relational life ever since.

Though its roots go back ten years, the story opens with Emma returning to the Mount Locus visitor center late one night to retrieve a file she needed to complete a report. There she discovers intruders that begin taking pot shots at her. She calls 911, who sends Sam Ryker to check out the scene.

The plot traces the discovery of who and why was involved in taking those shots and discovering the history of Emma’s brother. In the course of the book, the author explores the cost of keeping guilt and shame hidden and of not offering forgiveness for wrongs done in the distant past.

Though this writer is not familiar with the area, the description makes it a part of a bucket list to visit for both its scenery and its history. The book is intense and involved as it explores the region and the backgrounds of the story’s characters. I give the book 5-stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

"Obsession" is a Christian romantic suspense. This is the second book in a series, but it works as a standalone novel. Emma accidentally uncovered new evidence in an old case where her missing twin brother was accused of murder. She and Sam worked together to discover the true murderer since it may be connected to the person who kept shooting at them and leaving Emma creepy messages. Since we know more than the main characters, the reader has a better chance of guessing whodunit before Emma and Sam, but I must admit that I wasn't absolutely certain until nearly the end.

The suspense came from the physical danger as well as uncertainty about their childhood friends, who were suspects. The main characters were complex, likable, and reacted in realistic ways to events. They asked good questions as they investigated. Emma was generally sensible and resourceful, even though she didn't like needing help. Emma tended to cut and run whenever there was tension in a relationship, but she did still care for Sam, so they needed to work through this and some past issues. Both Emma and Sam needed to forgive people in their lives. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this novel to suspense and mystery fans.

Wow I cannot believe how amazing this book is! It hooked me from the first page and wouldn't let go. 
I loved these characters, how well the story flowed, and how well it all ended. 
I highly recommend this book.

Obsession is another great suspenseful read in the Natchez Trace Park Ranger series, set in Natchez, Mississippi. I was pulled into the story in the beginning scene and entertained to the end. Emma Winters is a ranger at a historical visitors center right off the Trace where she is working a archeological project involving slave cabins and graves. She returned to the site one night having forgotten a file and surprised someone running a backhoe when no one should be there using it. Warning shots were fired at her. Someone was digging a grave size hole near the cabins and graves. Newly returned Law enforcement district ranger Sam Ryker is called in to investigate along with the County Sheriff Nate Rawlings and his department. Ten years ago, Emma and Sam were engaged before tragedy broke them up. Her twin brother Ryan disappeared the same night he was accused of killing a girl he dated. Sam, Emma, and Nate work to unravel the present day mystery and see if/how it might tie in with the old mystery. On top of all that's going on, someone begins stalking Emma. Sam is working to keep her safe but things ramp up as they get shot at again. It is a complicated mystery involving small town politics and old friends. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on and who I thought might be the stalker and who was the shooter--were they the same? Who was digging at the site?
Sam and Emma are both carrying around emotional baggage, not only from their history but family issues as well. The story deals with the importance of forgiveness and moving forward. There is a faith thread woven through the story showing how it can change people for the good. This is an action packed mystery with suspense, danger, a psychological element, and love. I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who love romantic suspense with a spiritual touch.
I received a complimentary ARC from Revell Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

Emma Winters and her family are grieving the disappearance of her twin brother. Sam Ryker is grieving the disappearance of his best friend, Ryan, and the loss of the love of his life, Ryan's twin sister, Emma. 
Emma works for the Natchez Trace Rangers and is a embarking on a historical landmark project at the Trace when she suddenly has to dodge bullets heading her direction. As frustrated as Sam is with Emma over her decision to run 10 years ago his heart nearly stops when he hears she's been shot at. Of all the Rangers who have to be on duty Sam Ryker is not the one Emma is hoping to see. But when he arrives she finds herself in his arms, clinging to him for dear life. Sam deems himself Emma's body guard. Emma decides it's easier to go with the flow than buck Sam at every turn. 
This story takes so many twists and turns every character is a suspect. Bradley does a great job of keeping the reader engaged and guessing. She kept me enthralled right to the end where I felt like the story needed a little more punch. All in all it was a great story and worth the read. I'm enjoying this series and looking forward to the  next book.
Thank you NetGalley and Revell for the opportunity to review this great author's book.

Obsession was written by Patricia Bradley and is book two in the Natchez Trace Park Rangers series. It is not necessary to read book one in order to read this book.

Summary: When historian Emma Winters returns to work late one night to retrieve a file, she ends up dodging bullets.

It seems someone is stalking her too.

Will she be able to work with her ex-fiance Sam Ryker to find who is responsible before things become deadly?

My Thoughts: This book was just OK for me. There was plenty of action, and the author did a good job trying to misdirect the reader so they couldn’t figure out who did what.

I just found it super hard to buy the fact that every eligible male seemed to have a thing for Emma. She is described as a normal person (not extremely beautiful or anything), and yet every guy wants to date her. I understand the author wrote it that way to cover-up who the stalker was, but it was just a little too much.

Overall though, it’s not a bad book. It’s an easy read, has interesting characters, and a good mystery. It just wasn’t my favorite.

I would like to thank Revell for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.