Running Blind (Heroes for Hire, #3) by Shirlee McCoy

Running Blind (Heroes for Hire, #3) Reviews

• 
  Susan Snodgrass

  Shirlee McCoy writes the BEST suspense novels! With a great spiritual theme included. I discovered her earlier this year and I'm on a mission to read all her books. Highly recommended.
  
• 
  Audrey Bodine

  To be honest, I didn’t expect to like this book. It wasn’t because of the author, but because of the Love Inspired books that I’ve read, I haven’t *truly* enjoyed that many.
  Shirlee McCoy drastically surprised me.
  
  The main “issue” I have with mass market books is that the romance often feels predictable, rushed, or awkward. That wasn’t the case here. Running Blind introduced two characters both struggling with something, whose progression over a short time span seemed reasonable and entirely lovable.
  
  I loved Nikolai and Jenna. Their chemistry was hilarious, sweet, and sincere. In and of themselves, both main characters were great leads. Strong, independent, but searching for something. The kind you root for and champion with as they realize their own faults and move forward.
  The plot itself was played out nicely over the course of the book, and I even wished at one point while I was reading that it was longer so that I could spend more time in their world.
  
  All in all, McCoy crafted a tale I would—and most likely will—read again. After I finish the rest of her books, of course.
• 
  Sarah

  Actual rating is 3.5, but I bumped it cause Nikolai…
  Thoughts and Plot
  
  Jenna Dougherty woke up in complete darkness, bound and gagged after a Mission Trip to Mexico with her best friend goes horribly wrong. Upon her rescuer arriving she realizes that the head injury she suffered during the attack has left her temporarily blind. She can’t search for her friend. She has to rely on her rescuer…
  
  Nikolai was just doing a job for a friend. It was supposed to be simple. Find his sister and make sure she was alright. Only he finds her severely beaten, tied and gagged in the basement of a Mexican drug cartel’s hide out. Getting people out is what he does best, but the danger just keeps coming and Nikolai is less and less willing to let Jenna out of his sight, and it’s no longer just because she’s his friend’s kid sister….
  Okay, first off. The characters make the story. Jenna and Nikolai are the ENTIRE reason I kept reading and liked this book so much. The action was there, but it wasn’t as exciting when I could tell who the bad guy was and how everything did and was going to go down before it even happened. It was like I had already read the book, minus the main characters…like the old joke about a dog running away in Saskatchewan…100% not a surprise.
  Also, Jenna is really naïve and overly trusting of people whose first impressions give her the creeps. Like, come on Jenna! But I guess that was part of her charm. And Nikolai…just yes. I want a Nikolai for myself.
  
  In Conclusion
  
  All in all, it was a good book. I really enjoyed the main characters. Everything else was completely predictable. But even that could not ruin this ridiculously lovely romance.
  
  Would I recommend it to others? If I thought it was in their wheel house, oh yes.
  
• 
  Deb Whitney

  Being a Christian doesn't save us from going through trials, as Jenna well knows. She is finally in remission from a two year battle with leukemia and determined to live life to the fullest. Who would think a medical mission trip would nearly cost her her life? Both Jenna and Nikolai were mentioned in the previous Hero's for Hire books, this is their story. Both of them have painful pasts. Can they overcome previous hurts and allow true healing to happen?
  I enjoy books that allow both the hero and the heroine to be strong and independent. Jenna is no fading flower, even after suffering from leukemia. Nikolai is man enough to value her independence even when he would like nothing more than to protect her.
  
  Beautiful story! Highly recommend!
• 
  Myra Blake

  For a short book I thought the story was very good. It was interesting and suspenseful. I enjoyed it because of the intrique; it was not immediately apparent who was perpetrating the attempts on Jenna's (protagonist) life or why. I also enjoyed how the author addressed Jenna's relationship fears. Good, light Christian intrigue/romance read.
• 
  Judine Brey

  I like the concept of Jenna's kidnapping and Nikolai's rescue, but I thought it would have been more interesting if Jenna's blindness had lasted a bit longer in the plot.
• 
  Lori

  Nothing original. Got bored.
• 
  Sheila

  This was such a good book. I loved the chemistry between Nikolai and Jenna.
• 
  Judy

  Running Blind by Shirlee McCoy ISBN:978-0-373-44416-8 Third book in Heroes for Hire.
  
  Out of all the books so far this was the most intense. Jenna Dougherty,her brother Kane's story was in Running Scared, has survived her battle with leukemia. It has been two years and so she has traveled with her friend to Mexico on a medical mission to help others. Men break into their motel room and take Magdalena and when Jenna tries to fight them, they take her as well. She is held captive in a dark place when someone comes to rescue her. She refuses to leave until they find her friend in the darkness, only it's not dark...she's blind and Magdalena is not there.
  
  Nikolai Jansen, Morgan Alexandria's lost brother from Running for Cover has been found. He is out of the marines and now works for Kane Dougherty. Kane asked him to check on his sister in Mexico. Nikolai finds her in a compound of the Mexican Panthers, a dangerous group. Nik is able to get her out and heads towards the border. They are chased and shot at even at the border, but they make it to safely with the help of the border patrol agents.
  
  Jenna tries to leave the hospital even before her sight is completely recovered, she wants to find her friend. Then the news comes that not only is Magdalena murdered but they finds drugs in her suitcase. Jenna knows her friend would never do that, she was a Godly woman and a stickler for all rules.
  
  Nikolai agrees to help Jenna prove that her friend was not a drug smuggler. While in Houston there are more attempts to kill Jenna as well, and she is suspected of being a smuggler as well, why else is she a target?
  Jenna is finding herself attracted to Nikolai but reminds herself of her last love, when she needed Ryan the most during her illness he wasn't there. She won't depend on another man, although Nikolai is not giving her a choice.
• 
  Michelle

  Heroes for Hire
  Book 3
  
  Place: Mexico - Houston, TX. - Washington
  
  Hero: Nikolai Jansen (natural brother of Morgan Alexandria-Sharo, from book 1, "Running for Cover"). He's ex-military, retired after being injured in the line of duty. Now, he works for Kane Dougherty as a Private Investigator. His latest case was a favor to find his sister, who's disappeared while on a mission trip in Mexico.
  
  Heroine: Jenna Dougherty (sister of Kane Dougherty - from Book 2 "Running Scared"). She's survived cancer two years ago and is now trying to take back her Independence. But a kidnapping in Mexico causes her family to worry about her all over again. After suffering a brief blindness due to a head injury, Jenna's trying to recover while running away from some unknown person who wants to kill her while she's attending her friend's funeral (the one who didn't survive the kidnapping) in Houston. But Nikolai Jansen is by her side and won't leave her alone. He aims to protect her, but can he protect her heart from falling in love with him?
  
  The suspense: I think it's one of those stories that keeps a person going until the end. You think you know, but are you sure? I can't say since I took a peak (and always regret doing so!) There's plenty of action in this book, and Nikolai gets plenty of opportunities to save Jenna.
  
  The Romance: It was sweet. I thought the chemistry these two had was very, very good. I enjoyed watching their attraction slowly build up, and of course the ending was pretty sweet too!
  
  A lovely story!
• 
  Natasha Hagen

  Jenna has had to face some hard times in her life, but yet she still tries to stay strong and trust in God's power. She battled leukemia and won that fight. Once she got her life back in order she went to Mexico with her friend Magdalena.They both worked in the medical field and this would be Jenna's first time accompanying her to Mexico. Jenna was having a great time till a few armed men broke into their hotel room and kidnapped them both.
  
  When Jenna woke she was being dragged out of a hostage situation by Nick Jansen. He was hired by her brother to find her and bring her back to safety. Once safely back in the States she discovers that her friend has been executed by the Mexican Panthers.
  
  The police seems to be taking there time finding her killer, but Jenna is adamant to find Magdalena's killer. She hires Nick to find her killer and prove her innocence. Nick then becomes a constant in her life and her happens to save her life more than once.
  
  This is an action packed story and a great read.
  
  
• 
  Akari Yuuya

  No offense to anyone who might not agree with me. I am left with questions after I read this book. Yes, I was captivated by the sypnosis when I first saw it. But my demands aren't met by the first chapter. I was expecting a start with Jenna and Magadalena maneuvering their way in Mexico. I think it should start with the two of them having expectations for the trip then bam they were suddenly kidnapped. Second, I was expecting a good action scene when they discovered about John. But that didn't happen so I was sad.
  But nonetheless, I like the story, in fact I think Jenna and Nick's personalities are well designed. Despite my rantings earlier, I have nothing against Shirlee McCoy since I haven't read her other stories. I was just saddened by the events that should have appeared but was left out.
  
• 
  Cathy

  Uninspired book from the Love Inspired series.
  A young woman is kidnapped along with her BFF, a doctor, in Mexico. She is rescued by an agent sent by her brother but her friend is later found dead.
  Convinced that her friend is not the drug-trafficing baddie everyone now believes (including her widower and the DEA), she sets out to find the truth with the help of her rescuer.
  Naturally she falls for the rescuer, survives at least 5 attempts at silencing her, helps to unmask the real culprit, yada yada yada.
  I finished this 7 hours ago and already have forgotten the heroine's name. Can you tell it wasn't very compelling?
• 
  Beth

  This was the third book of the Heroes for Hire series. Book one was Morgan's story; she had been adopted from another country as a child and was still looking for her brother and sister. Book two had recurring characters but not Morgan and no mention of her search. However, in book three, also with recurring characters, Morgan's brother has been found but there is no mention of how or when. I found this very confusing. Morgan and Nikolai are still looking for their sister, but there does not seem to be another book in the Heroes for Hire series, unless it is still coming. These books were published in 2010, and I am finally getting around to reading them.
  
  
• 
  Mara

  This is number 2 in the The Heroes for Hire series, I read this one first not realzing that the first book was in my shelf too! LOL So many to read!
  
  I truly enjoyed the journey of Jenna and Nick, from Jenna's rescue in Mexico to proving her best friend Magdelana was NOT a drug runner. I have to admit that I knew who was behind her death and the attempts on Jenna long before the end of the book but I still enjoyed the journey. It is a pretty fast read and did not need to have read book 1 first. Thank you Mrs. McCoy!
• 
  Katie

  Wow, Running Blind started fast and never slowed!! But even with all the action, there was plenty of time to get to know and love the characters, and watch their growing attraction for each other. Which, by the way, I loved Nikolai's approach to it -- stop trying to pretend it's just there and get it out in the open. :-)
  
  I really enjoyed Shirlee's writing, and the way she handled the romance. It wasn't overdone, just the right amount mixed in with the suspense and action. I will definitely be getting my hands on the rest of the Heroes for Hire series!
• 
  Suzanne

  Jenna and Nikolai have both been "broken by love" and neither are ready or willing to try again. But fate, and God, have other plans for them. Jenna's brother has asked Nikolai to go to Mexico looking for his sister. Nikolai finds her bound and gagged and blinded. She's unwilling to leave with him without her friend, Magdalena. But with the kidnappers walking in on them at any moment, Nikolai is determined to rescue Jenna despite her protests. When they get back across the border, the adventurous drama really begins.
• 
  Literary

  Not having read many Steeple Hill Love Inspired books I was a bit skeptic about their suspense line however this book was very good. You are thrown right into the action on the first page first paragraph. A really good story that kept me hooked. There was a love connection between the hero and heroine as could be expected but it played a minor role and didn't not dominate the story. The christian references were kept minimal as well and were injected tastefully also.
• 
  Allison Kohn

  Taking a mission trip to Mexico should have ended with a feeling of satisfaction for two young women - one a doctor and the other physical therapist - but it didn't. Even after the rescue, someone was trying to kill her. But who? that is the mystery in this fast paced suspense story of two strong people thrown together in a fight for life and truth.
• 
  Marsha

  This story was a predictable thriller/love story. However, still it was an enjoyable, light read. There is lots of action as our main character Jenna's life gets threatened several times after she survives a kidnapping in Mexico, where her good friend is killed. Who did it? Why? And will she fall in love with her protector?
• 
  Jan

  It was a fast paced, quick read. Though the story line was a bit "typical", i thoroughly enjoyed it. The main character was a victim, but she refused to be a victim. She was true to herself and loyal to those she cared for most deeply.
  
  a great summer read!