Book Review: Uneven Exchange by S.K. Derban

"Thus says the Lord to you; 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.'" 2 Chronicles 20:15


PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION

This is a great summer read!!
Grab some ice tea and curl up for some
action & suspense!

Like fire and ice, Alexandra Callet’s life runs hot and cold. At the age of thirty-three, Alexandra owns a stunning home and a successful interior design company. But she is in love with her business partner, Jake Taylor, and he doesn’t even seem to realize she’s a woman. She should be on top of the world, but instead she feels dragged down by the void in her heart. Hoping for answers, she decides a trip to Mexico might soothe her soul.

Jake Taylor only pretends to be a confirmed bachelor. Jake has been entranced by Alexandra’s determination and exotic beauty since the moment they met, but she has no idea how he feels. He considers confessing his love, but fears jeopardizing their friendship and business. He’s caught in a web of pretending he doesn’t care, and doesn’t see a way out of it. Alexandra is recruited for a dangerous mission. Following her trip to Mexico, her resemblance to a member of an assassin’s family leads Alexandra to be recruited by the DEA. Her training leaves her distracted, and her business begins to suffer. Jake notices her sudden change, and feels her slipping both personally and professionally beyond his reach. Should he finally take the chance…before it’s too late? After all, he has nothing to lose. However, when Alexandra returns to Mexico for her mission, things go terribly wrong. Will she be able find the strength to fight and escape the peaceful haven that has now become her prison? Or will Jake lose Alexandra forever....

My Personal Review

Uneven Exchange by S.K. Derban is the perfect combination of intrigue, suspense and romance...a perfect read for a weekend get-away!

This book captures the reader's attention from the first chapter and spins a tale of love, strength and perseverance from that point forward. The main character, Alexandra Callet is an independent business woman who, due to her resemblance to an assassin's sister, is asked by the Drug Enforcement Agency to help with a case. As the story unfolds, additional vibrant characters emerge to sufficiently entertain and engage the reader. The training that Alexandra goes through to go undercover is actually very informative, as I had no idea of the involvement behind the scenes of such an assignment. While I am sure this only touched the surface of what it would really be like to take on such work, there is enough detail to seem realistic and hold your attention.  

What I like most about this book is the continual line-up of interesting and unique characters with enough development of each one to feel a level of connection that goes beyond the surface. That is difficult to pull off in a short novel like this, but Derban does it. The sense of "what will happen next" is a dominating feeling throughout the read and therefore another excellent job by the author.

Finally, while this is not officially labeled a "Christian" genre book, the author has definitely utilized her platform to point to Christ through some of the thoughts and actions of the main characters. There are several times in the book where they pray, read the Bible and reference their reliance on Christ for strength and wisdom. It's not overbearing...just a hint of grace and wisdom poking through...I loved that.

Uneven Exchange by S.K. Derban is a wonderful book to throw in your suitcase and read on a weekend get-away or.....simply step outside into the shade of your own backyard and travel with the crew to Mexico! You will definitely enjoy this read!!