Forged by Sara Davison

About the Book

Book: Forged

Author: Sara Davison

Genre: Action/Suspense

Release date: October 5, 2022

The one missing person he can’t find

is the one who matters the most.

Private Investigator Jax Rodriguez has been searching for his brother, Diego, for twenty years. When he stumbles upon another lead, he makes an agonizing decision—he will follow this last trail until it grows cold, and then he will marry the woman he loves and abandon his quest once and for all.

Artist Mikayla Grant is terrified of losing another person close to her, but she has to let Jax go after his brother. Given the secrecy surrounding Diego’s disappearance, clearly Jax is heading into danger. When all contact with him is abruptly cut off, can Mikayla trust that God’s promise to never leave or forsake Jax will be enough to bring him safely home, or does she need to take matters into her own hands?

As Jax attempts to survive the dangerous streets of Caracus, Venezuela and then face the myriad of unknown threats in the El Yunque Rainforest in Puerto Rico, he is not the only one following his brother’s trail.

A ruthless drug lord bent on revenge is using all his resources to hunt them down. If they can’t stay one step ahead of their pursuer, then, like his brother, he and Mikayla could disappear and never be heard from again.

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About the Author

Sara Davison is the author of four romantic suspense series—The Seven Trilogy, The Night Guardians, The Rose Tattoo Trilogy, and two sparrows for a penny, as well as the standalone, The Watcher. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, she is a Word, Cascade, and two-time Carol Award winner. She currently resides in Ontario with her husband, Michael, and their three mostly grown kids. Like every good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason. Get to know Sara better at www.saradavison.org and @sarajdavison.

My Review

This book is fast-paced and action-packed! Forged is the fourth book in Sara Davison’s series. I enjoyed the book very much, but I wish I’d read the others first, to understand the relationships better. The first chapter seemed a little slow, as the characters and relationships were introduced, but once the action started, it didn’t let up.

If you like thrillers with good vs. evil, drug cartels, violence, danger, and travel in international settings, you will love Forged. It’s intense! The story features characters of diverse ethnicities, and the book was set in Canada, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico. The author is either familiar with those settings or did a great deal of research. Her descriptions of the food, the cities, and especially the jungle were fascinating and beautifully written. I felt as if I could see, touch and taste everything the characters did.

The main character, Jax, is especially well-drawn. He wants to propose to his girlfriend (heroine) and establish a life together in Canada, but he also feels driven to track down his long-lost brother, even knowing that Diego is probably already dead – a victim of substance abuse and dangerous living in South America or Puerto Rico. He wants to find his brother, but he’s angry with him for disappearing so many years ago. This conflict is portrayed well. Once he embarks on the mission, he’s determined to see it through, but he’s not bullheaded. He’s realistic.

A plethora of red herrings and plot twists kept me turning the pages. I thought I knew the answers halfway through the book, but I was completely wrong!

Almost all the characters are committed Christians. Forgiveness and trust are the main themes in the story. Jax and the other characters were in uncertain and dangerous situations for most of the book, but Ms. Davison balanced the tension, fear, and faith well, in a natural way. The ending was satisfying without being too predictable. I do highly recommend this book to readers of Christian romantic suspense and thrillers, and I would suggest reading the other three books first. I intend to go read those now. This was my first book by Sara Davison, and I’m glad to see she has quite a few others for me to enjoy!

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More from Sara

It’s never easy writing a book during a global pandemic. Writing one that is set in three different countries when traveling is either prohibited or, at best, extremely complicated, is an even greater challenge. Thankfully, the digital world is still very much accessible.

Through the wonders of modern technology, while writing Forged I was able to travel virtually to two places I had never been—Caracas, Venezuela and the El Yunque Rainforest in Puerto Rico. I did a search for “driving down the street in Caracas” and suddenly found myself behind the wheel of a car, experiencing the sights and sounds of that city. The only things missing were the feel of the warm breezes against my skin and the smells of the food trucks lining the sidewalk. Which was unfortunate, since the research I did on Venezuelan food definitely had my mouth watering.

Next, I looked up “hiking in the El Yunque rainforest” and was able to share the experience of that lush, beautiful place with people who actually had their boots on the ground there. I could hear the singing of the tree frogs, or coqui, the soundtrack of Puerto Rican-Canadian private investigator Jax Rodriguez’s flight through the forest with a drug dealer in hot pursuit. I was treated to the sight and sound of La Mina Falls as well as the countless plants and trees growing there.

Virtual traveling might never offer the full experience that going somewhere in person can, but in times like these, I am thankful for those who have gone somewhere I would love to see and who were willing to offer me a glimpse into their experiences from the safety and comfort of my home.

Although, smelling one of the more than fifty kinds of orchids in the Puerto Rican rainforest or trying the cachapa Jax bought—pork, spices, and cheese wrapped in a corn pancake—from a street vendor in Caracas are now both high on my bucket list of things to do in person. Hopefully someday. Until then, I will continue to explore the planet through the eyes of others and at least attempt to capture the experience in my stories as effectively as they did through the lens of a camera.