Hometown Vendetta by Traci Hunter Abramson

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Book Review of Hometown Vendetta by Traci Hunter Abramson

It’s been a while since I’ve read a more action-packed, FBI/CIA thriller book. I should read more of them because I quite enjoy them. However, I read this book around the beginning of January, and, if you remember, there were two different attacks on January 1, 2025. A Tesla Cybertruck exploded in Las Vegas and a man drove a rented pickup truck into a crowded street in New Orleans. Yeah. Kind of bad timing to read a book about a domestic terrorist attack on a FEMA building in Kansas City. A little too close to home. However, it’s a good story and I enjoyed reading Hometown Vendetta by Traci Hunter Abramson.

Blurb:

When a terrorist attack grips the nation, Luke Steele, a military aide to the president of the United States, is reassigned to track down the suspect because the alleged bomber was spotted wearing a state championship ring from Luke’s hometown. Luke has desperately tried to forget his high school years, but he can’t run from them now. Instead, he must face his most formidable assignment yet: leave his post by the president’s side, return to Pine Falls, Virginia, and face every demon from his childhood—including every person and every thought that told him he wasn’t worth anything.

FBI Special Agent Amberlyn Reiner has spent years tracking domestic terrorism. When she catches a break that could pinpoint the key player in the antigovernment group responsible for dozens of needless deaths, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get the information she seeks—even if it means going undercover as Luke Steele’s plus-one at his high school reunion. Though Amberlyn found Luke arrogant and aloof during their time together at Quantico, it doesn’t take long for her to discover that there’s much more to him than she realized. But even as the line between fact and fiction in their relationship blurs, the countdown to danger accelerates. Time is running out, and with the threat of another terrorist attack looming, the stakes are higher than ever.

My Book Review:

Besides feeling a little too real, I enjoyed reading Hometown Vendetta. I especially liked the characters. Amberlyn has a close connection to a victim of the terrorist attack so is very motivated to find the culprits. She had actually been investigating the group alleged to have committed the attack before it happened, so she knows quite a bit about them. I liked Amberlyn as a character. She is a strong female character, but she doesn’t have superhuman strength and is not without flaws. Consequently, she comes across as smart, caring, intuitive, and relatable. I liked her character a lot.

Luke is a military aide to the president of the United States. He, coincidentally, also has a connection to the terrorist attack. They find a piece of evidence that ties the alleged perpetrators to his hometown. Luke is a good guy. He’s down-to-earth, a hard worker, humble, and a gentleman. However, he’s also smart and good at his job. I liked Luke as a character and found him relatable and easy to like.

The relationship between Luke and Amberlyn starts out kind of rocky, to say the least. However, the longer they work together the easier the relationship becomes. I like their relationship with their banter, and I like how their strengths at work compliment each other. Consequently, they’re able to pull out the best in each other, which helps them in solving the case.

Hometown Vendetta is well written. I found it engaging, exciting, and full of action. Abramson does a great job setting the scene and sucking the reader into her world. I liked how the evidence came to light. It seemed real and authentic. There are some crazy twists and turns, and just when you think you have it figured out, you realize you don’t. It’s a wild ride!

If you enjoy books filled with action, adventure, mystery, romantic tension, and all the inner workings of FBI investigations, this book is for you! I thoroughly enjoyed it! Reading Hometown Vendetta made me very thankful for all those who protect us and keep us safe from attacks like this. It also made me more aware of those who were injured or who lost family members or friends in the attacks on New Year’s Day this year. My thoughts and prayers are with them and their family members.