Sundown
by Susan May Warren
This action packed Christian romance centers around triplets Dodge, Colt, and Ranger. Each of these men served their country in a different branch of the military; they continue to find themselves involved in rescue operations. Sundown is the third book in the Sky King Ranch series and it focuses on Colt, a daredevil since childhood. There are also women in the book who play an important role in each man’s story. For Colt, it is the beautiful, intelligent Dr. Taylor (Tae) Price whose research is sought after by the Russian mafia to provide a bioweapon for terrorism.
The characters go through a lot physically, mentally, and spiritually as they face off with deadly terrorists, the hauntings of their own backgrounds, and relationship struggles. All of their issues eventually lead them back to the role of God in their lives.
I like Sundown and recommend it; but because each book introduces a different brother, there are a lot of characters and backstories to catch up with if you start with this third book. Author Susan May Warren does a good job of inserting information from previous books, but the initial chapters were a struggle for me. My advice is to read all three books in sequence: Sunrise, Sunburst, and Sundown.
My other issue is that Tae’s research deals with recreating a lost strain of smallpox that could destroy the world and then devising a vaccine for it. The whole process was rushed through so that this untested vaccine could be “approved” by the FDA. As has been shown in recent years, the untested vaccine could be as deadly or more so than the disease. Without the history of the last few years, I could have more easily accepted the premises as fiction and just enjoyed the story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Romance, Christian, Fiction, Suspense
Notes: As this is #3 in the character rich Sky King Ranch series, I suggest you not read this as a standalone.
Publication: November 1, 2022—Revell (Baker Publishing)
Memorable Lines:
“You’ve always belonged here. But until you forgive yourself, you’re going to keep running, going to keep believing that you’re trouble. Until you let God tell you how much he loves you, how much he has done for you, you’ll believe you’re not worth saving.”
“In the Bible, God is repeatedly with his people when they’re fighting evil. I think there is such a thing as a righteous battle, and when we are on the side of saving lives…well, God is about life and truth, so I think that puts us on his side.”
“I used to think that way. That if God didn’t answer me, or not in the way I wanted, that he didn’t care or even like me. But that’s not true. I’ve started to see God at work all over my life. Now and in the past. He wasn’t ignoring me. I just didn’t see his work until I wanted to.”
education pathways 
Nice review, Linda. I wasn’t aware of this Christian Fiction author. Sometimes it is better to start at the beginning of the series, even when the author incorporates elements of the previous books for clarity.
That whole vaccine thing sounds like a lot. Maybe its elimination would have been better.?
Thanks for the thorough review. 😊
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I was warned that I should start at the beginning, but I am working hard to catch up on ARC’s so I ignored the warnings. The vaccine is really the central plot element so it would not be possible to just drop that thread. I did like the Christian emphasis.
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Oh wow! Romance, Christian, Fiction and suspense! This sounds like an interesting story. Being that this is fiction, I think the recreation of the smallpox strain interesting. Thank you for another great review Linda!
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Thanks, Diane. I will be looking for more books by this author.
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I loved this series! I have loved everything I have read by Susan May Warren. She knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat, but also always has a strong faith thread in the story. I agree about the smallpox story line – it was hard to take given the last few years.
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Yes, it was not about our recent lockdowns, but there were enough similarities that I was not comfortable with it. From the writing and Christian perspective, I really liked it.
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Interesting! I have read Susan May Warren in the past and have enjoyed her. Thanks for your review.
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Good to hear that. I do plan on reading more of her work–but start at the beginning of a series. (Lesson learned–again 🤣)
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Those books sound wonderful! Did you know that there used to be a TV series called Sky King? I watched it as a child along with Fury; about a smart black horse.
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Yes, I remember both Sky King and Fury. They were a staple in our household. That was in the day when you could turn on the TV and know you were watching something without a rating because it didn’t need one!
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I don’t think I have read any books by Susan May Warren, but know a lot of people enjoy her books. I don’t understand why they would want to recreate a strain of small pox that has been eradicated in the first place. If you just go with it, it sounds like an interesting book and series. Nice review, Linda.
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There was a complicated reason given.
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