Book Review: Distorted by Christy Barritt

Mallory Baldwin is a survivor. A former victim of human trafficking, she’s been given a second chance, yet not a night goes by that she doesn’t remember being a slave to weapons dealer Dante Torres. Despite being afraid of the dark and wary of strangers, Mallory is trying to rebuild her life by turning her tragedy into redemption.

To former Navy SEAL Tennyson Walker, Mallory seems nothing like the shattered woman he rescued two years ago, and he can’t help but be inspired by her strength and resilience. So when a stalker suddenly makes Mallory vulnerable once again, Tennyson steps up as her bodyguard to keep her safe.

Mallory and Tennyson’s mutual attraction can’t be ignored, but neither can Mallory’s suspicion that Tennyson is keeping a terrible secret about her past. As the nightmare closes in, it’s not only Mallory and Tennyson’s love that comes under fire but their very lives as well. Will their faith sustain them? Or will the darkness win once and for all?

SERIES: Cape Thomas #3
GENRE: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
PUBLISHER: Waterfall Press
RELEASE DATE: June 20, 2017
PAGES: 338

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“The truth is all we’ve got sometimes.”

I think I can relax now that I’ve finished this latest action-packed thriller from Christy Barritt.

Maybe.

Her books should really come with a complimentary shoulder massage to ease away the edge-of-your-seat tension you’ve been braced against for the duration. Come to think of it, a manicure repair might not be a bad idea either, considering your nails will be bitten to the quick too 😉 The action rarely slows, and even when it is granted a brief reprieve the aura of danger stays electric in the air.  When you think you’ve got it figured out, Barritt skillfully throws another curve into the mix, muddying the waters just enough to cast a good dose of doubt on your theories. And then you don’t dare stop reading because what if you really have been wrong all this time? What if you’ve been right?? Yeah, I’m thinking her books need to come with a built-in day off too – to recover from the sleepless night you’ll have when ‘one more chapter’ turns into ‘can’t possibly put it down now’!

Tennyson and Mallory have a backstory together that is as layered as their characters. When they meet again in the present day, that complex history between them makes it complicated for them to act on their romantic attraction. I really appreciated the authenticity with which Barritt crafted this aspect of their story while still giving them enough chemistry and genuine friendship to keep the romance angle alive and well.  And Tennyson… #swoon. Jessica @ A Baker’s Perspective pictured Channing Tatum as Tennyson while she read Distorted. Christy Barritt said she had Chris Evans in mind. Y’all. I can honestly say I kinda have a blend of both in mind now. (Is my fan handy? Does anyone see it?)

Mallory is the kind of heroine you want your teenage daughters and nieces and granddaughters to read about. She’s been through the unimaginable, the terrifying, and it’s left scars behind. Literal scars as well as emotional ones. Yet, as she says at one point in the novel, “Through the grace of God, I’m a victor not a victim.” She has leaned in to the only One who can redeem those scars and bring true healing. Not only that, but she’s bravely invested her life post-trauma to help other women who have been through the same nightmare. She still experiences the effects of the trauma – day and night – but it’s her bravery in the face of fear that you’ll remember.

Bottom Line: Distorted is an excellent non-stop thriller, yes, but it’s so much more than that too. Mallory Baldwin IS a survivor, and Barritt weaves into the core of her fictional story a victim-turned-victor who reflects the not-so-fictional atrocities and evils of human trafficking … as well as the grace of God that heals. This latest book set in the Cape Thomas universe is not to be missed!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 5 stars / Love it!

KissingBook Level: 3 / May forget to breathe on occasion

USA Today has called Christy Barritt’s books “scary, funny, passionate, and quirky.”

Christy, a Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author, writes both mystery and romantic suspense novels that are clean with underlying messages of faith. Her books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery, have been twice nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, and have finaled for both a Carol Award and Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year.

She’s married to her prince charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious–but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover who’s known for spontaneously bursting into song, and a road trip aficionado.

Christy currently splits her time between the Virginia suburbs and Hatteras Island, North Carolina. She has more than fifty books published with over one million copies sold.

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What about you? Who do you know that has become a victor instead of a victim?