Three hours into a logo redesign at 2 AM, Frida curled on my lap and Diego judging me from the bookshelf, Darcy St. James decided to go undercover on a cruise ship to find her missing friend. And I just—stopped working. Set down my stylus. Something about the way Christina Moore delivered that first hint of dread made me realize I wasn't going to be multitasking anymore.
When the Mystery Hits Harder Than the Romance
Look, I picked this up expecting swoony Alaskan adventure vibes with a side of danger. What I got was a story about sex trafficking that made me pause the audiobook twice just to breathe. Dani Pettrey doesn't flinch from the darkness here—women are disappearing from cruise ships, and the "why" is genuinely horrifying. I wasn't ready. My heart. MY HEART.
The romance between Darcy and Gage is sweet, don't get me wrong. There's this slow-burn thing happening where they're clearly into each other but the mystery keeps pulling focus. Which honestly? Works for me. The chemistry is there—Gage is the adventure excursion leader with obvious protective instincts, Darcy's the stubborn reporter who won't back down. Classic setup. But Pettrey keeps threading that tension through actual stakes, not just will-they-won't-they fluff.
This is book three in the Alaskan Courage series, and you can feel the McKenna family dynamics from previous books hovering in the background. I hadn't read the earlier ones and still followed fine, but there were moments where I could tell I was missing context—inside jokes, relationship history, that kind of thing.
Christina Moore Does the Heavy Lifting
Christina Moore is one of those narrators who makes you forget you're listening to one person. Her Darcy has this determined edge, a little breathless when things get intense. Gage comes through warmer, steadier. The villain—and yeah, there's a clear villain—gets this unsettling calm that made my skin crawl in the best way.
BUT. And this is a real but. Mispronounced words scattered throughout kept yanking me out of the story. Nothing catastrophic, but enough that I noticed. When you're deep in a tense scene and suddenly a word lands wrong, it's like someone tapping you on the shoulder during a movie. Annoying. Moore's overall performance is strong enough that I forgave it, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't affect my experience.
The Faith Element (Because We Should Talk About It)
This is Christian romantic suspense, which means faith is woven into the characters' decisions and dialogue. It's not preachy—at least not to me—but it's definitely present. Characters pray, reference God's plan, lean on their faith during crisis moments. If that's your thing, you'll find it comforting. If it's not, you'll probably notice it more than I did.
Abuela would have loved this one, honestly. She was all about stories where good triumphs and faith matters. I could picture her clutching her rosary during the trafficking revelations, then sighing happily when Gage and Darcy finally have their moment.
Who Should Press Play (And Who Should Skip)
If you want romantic suspense with actual suspense—not just a mystery as backdrop for kissing—this delivers. If you're sensitive to trafficking themes, please know going in that it's central to the plot, not just mentioned. It's handled with care but it's heavy. Skip this one if you need lighter fare or if faith elements in fiction aren't for you.
Perfect for: Long drives, cleaning marathons, any activity where you want to be engaged but can handle emotional gut-punches. Not great for: Falling asleep. The tension will keep you awake.
Corazón Says Yes
I didn't ugly-cry at this one (my spreadsheet remains at 47 for the year), but I felt things. Real things. The kind of emotional investment that made me care whether Darcy found her friend, whether justice happened, whether these two people figured out their feelings in the middle of chaos. Second Wife pulled that same trick on me—making me invest in outcomes I didn't see coming. Christina Moore's voice carried me through nearly ten hours, mispronunciations and all, and I came out the other side satisfied.
Not perfect. But genuinely good. The kind of audiobook that reminds you why you listen in the first place—to feel something while your hands are busy creating something else.
