Where there’s smoke, there’s fire…

There’s nothing more terrifying than a trail of smoke over a summer-dry national forest—at least, that’s what Forest Service law enforcement officer Maya Thompson thinks when she and her boyfriend, sheriff’s deputy Josh Colten, spot the first signs of a fire over the Colorado mountains.

But when she learns that a teen girl has been kidnapped and taken deep into the wilderness, a new fear grips her: If she and her K-9 partner, Juniper, can’t reach them fast enough, the fire might not just destroy her beloved forest—it might be the end to an innocent girl’s life.

An innocent girl who is tied to Maya in ways she never could have imagined. And in ways that will upend everything she’s always believed about her family…and the dark past that haunts her.

Titles in the National Forest K-9 series include:  Chasing Justice ~ Hunting the Truth ~ Killer Secrets ~ Buried Lies ~ Deadly Revenge ~ Blood Tracker ~

This story may contain language, violence, and/or sexual situations intended for an adult 18+ audience.

Title:  Deadly Revenge
Series:  National Forest K-9 #5
Author:  Kathleen Donnelly
Published: July 28, 2026
Publisher:  Harlequin / Carina Press
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Deadly Revenge is the fifth title in the National Forest K-9 series, and I strongly suggest reading it in order, if at all possible, because Maya and Josh’s (and Juniper’s) story builds over several books.  Each novel stands on its own in terms of the current situation, but the couple and amazing search-and-rescue dogs have a long, ongoing relationship in the previous novels that still needs to develop.  (this isn’t the end)  And I know that’s not always possible, because I need to catch up on two stories, but if you can, I’d recommend reading in order.

A truly evil person from Maya’s past has re-emerged to deal out their style of vengeance when a kidnapped teenage girl is taken deep into an area where a raging forest fire threatens not only the forest and the wildlife, but Hope’s life as well.  The race to find and rescue her is intense, and a connection that Maya never expected turns the rescue more personal than she could have imagined.

This story is intense, well-written (I’ve yet to read a story from Kathleen Donnelly that hasn’t pulled me in from the first page), emotional, and dangerous, with twists and turns the reader and the characters won’t see coming.  I always love revisiting one of my favorite pups, Juniper, and seeing how Maya and Josh’s relationship develops.  Add to that a deeply tension-filled romantic suspense story that kept me flipping pages and on edge throughout.  If that sounds like your kind of Romantic Suspense, then you’d enjoy Deadly Revenge.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. I chose to leave a review sharing my personal opinion of this book.*

**If you enjoy this author’s work, please visit our Kathleen Donnelly page for a list of other titles I’ve read and enjoyed, along with a link to her official website.**

This title is available on Amazon