Targeted in the Desert (Desert Justice, 6)

Death Valley is not the type of place that holds any travel appeal to me, unless it is through the pages of a book, and that is one of several reasons that the Desert Justice Love Inspired Suspense series has intrigued me since the first book. Envisioning the terrain and trying to fathom how anyone can survive in such sweltering temperatures adds to the respect I have for the characters, and is a nice counterpart to a Midwest winter! As sad as I am that Dana Mentink brings the series to a close with book six, “Targeted in the Desert,” this rounds out the happily-ever-afters for the beloved members of the Duke family with a satisfying conclusion. With that in mind, the Desert Justice series can be read as standalones, but for the best experience and to avoid any relationship spoilers, I recommend reading them in chronological order. “Targeted in the Desert” provides readers with the full story of Jude Duke, acting chief and sheriff of Furnace Falls, as it dovetails with that of his ex-girlfriend, Felicia Tennison. When Felicia becomes unwittingly involved in a legal dispute regarding family she didn’t know she had, Jude is thrust back into her life to provide protection, but that only complicates matters. Now she is in danger of losing her heart, again, in addition to her life. And the struggle is not one-sided; Jude finds himself having to confront his worst fear while figuring out his identity and what, as well as who, make him Jude Duke. On one level or another, this issue affects each of us in some way, and ultimately what it signifies is our status as children of God, worthy and redeemed in His sight once we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Additionally, similar themes of striving, trauma, and indecisiveness undergird the narrative and demonstrate that everyone has trials of their own to overcome. One extraneous detail that I found interesting was the legally blind lawyer and the explanation of some of his accommodations, including a feature on his glasses that enabled an automated voice to read documents aloud. Mentink utilizes legal circumstances commonly witnessed today, albeit with more sinister implications for the sake of fiction, and carefully negotiates the effects of former and present trauma. In spite of all that she has been through, Felicia comes to the sudden realization that “She’d learned more about her inner strength and God’s love lying in a hospital bed than she’d known in her previous twenty-seven years of life.” So often, that seems to be the way of it, as we grow in our faith and strength far more in hardship than we do in times of ease. Furthermore, we have a tendency to lose our courage when we try to look too far ahead instead of doing what we know is right and trusting God for the rest. Felicia experiences peace when she recognizes that “She didn’t have to figure it all out, only to take the next right...

I thoroughly enjoyed the Desert Justice series and wish it hadn’t come to an end. Each book could be read as a stand alone but as a series, it’s even more enjoyable. Dana saved the best for last. Targeted in the Desert kept me up late, I didn’t want to put it down. Action, drama, humor and relatable characters. Five stars!

Targeted in the desert Loved the mystery and suspense of the book. Felicia finds out she has a sister she didn’t know about. Someone is after Felicia and her sister. Who is it? Judd who is Felicia ex boyfriend ends up being the one to help her. Will they be able to rekindle their romance? Read and see. I loved the dog in the book, he was so protective. I enjoyed reading this book. I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author. This book review is my own opinion.