Susan Sleeman is one of my favorite romantic suspense authors. Her plots are always high-action and the romance happily-ever-after. So when the opportunity to be on the launch team for her latest full-length novel came up, I gladly jumped at the chance.

Seconds to Live follows U.S. Marshal Taylor Mills as she attempts to keep her witnesses safe after the Witness Protection database is hacked. FBI Agent Sean Nichols and his RED Team lead the investigation to capture Phantom, who they believe is the hacker behind the database theft.

Sean and Taylor have never met, but worked together on a previous RED Team case. Since then, they developed a deep friendship online. When the hacker case brings them together, their friendship is tested as they must work together in person.

Life, death, and trust. Will Taylor and Sean find Phantom before someone dies because of the hack? Or will a lack of trust and a case of betrayal derail everything?

Seconds to Live did not disappoint. Fast pacing, intrigue, and relational drama kept drawing me into the story. The characters were unique and conclusion hard to guess. The ending did feel a bit rushed, especially since I was enjoying the story and didn’t want it to end. The good thing is that Seconds to Live is only the first book in this series, so there are more stories to come!

Susan is a master at creating a team dynamic in her books. It’s one of my favorite parts of her writing. This series is no different. Sean’s team is an eclectic collection of computer nerds and law enforcement. In a strange way, Sean seems the most ‘normal’ of the group, but he’s ultra-serious and trying to prove himself as the leader.

The RED Team returns in Book Two of Susan’s Homeland Heroes series when Minutes to Die comes out this summer. Needless to say, I can’t wait!

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I received this book free from the author and Bethany House Publishers in order to provide an honest review. 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.”