on Tour August 17 – September 18, 2020
Strong From The Heart (Caitlin Strong #11) by Jon Land
ISBN: 9780765384706 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9780765384713 (ebook)
ASIN: B07WPNFP54 (Kindle edition)
Publisher: Forge Books
Publication Date: July 28, 2020
Caitlin Strong wages her own personal war on drugs against the true power behind the illicit opioid trade in Strong from the Heart, the blistering and relentless 11th installment in Jon Land’s award-winning series.
The drug crisis hits home for fifth-generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong when the son of her outlaw lover Cort Wesley Masters nearly dies from an opioid overdose. On top of that, she’s dealing with the inexplicable tragedy of a small Texas town where all the residents died in a single night.
When Caitlin realizes that these two pursuits are intrinsically connected, she finds herself following a trail that will take her to the truth behind the crisis that claimed 75,000 lives last year. Just in time, since the same force that has taken over the opiate trade has even more deadly intentions in mind, specifically the murder of tens of millions in pursuit of their even more nefarious goals.
The power base she’s up against—comprised of politicians and Big Pharma, along with corrupt doctors and drug distributors—has successfully beaten back all threats in the past. But they’ve never had to deal with the likes of Caitlin Strong before and have no idea what’s in store when the guns of Texas come calling.
At the root of the conspiracy lies a cabal nestled within the highest corridors of power that’s determined to destroy all threats posed to them. Caitlin and Cort Wesley may have finally met their match, finding themselves isolated and ostracized with nowhere to turn, even as they strive to remain strong from the heart.
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Since the inception of the Texas Rangers, there has been a member of the Strong family serving as a Ranger. Caitlin Strong is a fifth-generation Texas Ranger and just as fierce and awe-inspiring as her forebears. One of the many things I enjoy about reading the Caitlin Strong series is how Caitlin’s present-day adventures often mirror those of her father, grandfather, great-grandfather, or great-great-grandfather. In Strong From the Heart, Caitlin is battling enemies on several fronts, including one with a very personal link to the children she’s helping to raise with her significant other, Cort Wesley Masters. Dylan Torres, Cort Wesley’s youngest son, has recently suffered an opioid overdose and the drugs were provided to him at his boarding school. Although Caitlin and Cort Wesley have often battled against enemies that have brought the fight a bit too close to home for comfort, this one has far-reaching ties and may require all of the help they can muster. While Caitlin is trying to reign in Cort Wesley from eliminating all drug dealers from the face of Texas, she must also work to find out who caused the deaths of close to 300 residents of a border town and the subsequent murder of a survivor. Will Caitlin and Cort Wesley be able to find the answers to their family’s drug issue before it’s too late? Is it possible the deaths of the border town residents due to cyanide gas are linked to the opioid crisis and if so, how and who is responsible? If the deaths aren’t linked to the opioid crisis, then what was the reason for the deaths and who is responsible?
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, then you know I enjoy re-reading books. Yes, I often re-read books when I should be reading new books. So of course, I spent the past eight days re-reading the entire Caitlin Strong series in preparation for reading the newest addition, Strong From the Heart I know, I know, I’ve told you that I love this series. You probably thought I was exaggerating. I wasn’t. I read the newest addition in one day even though I was dealing with a severe migraine AND back spasms. Let me tell you when you can’t comfortably sit upright or even recline, your pain medication isn’t working, and you can’t turn on a light or even have any music playing in the background but you continue to read, then you must enjoy the book you’re reading, right?! I recently described Caitlin Strong as a combination of Wonder Woman, Annie Oakley, and the Lone Ranger. She’s someone that is always out seeking the truth and fighting for justice no matter what. Caitlin isn’t exactly a social advocate, but she does constantly get into “good trouble” by fighting for what’s right. She’s willing to stand up for the underdog even against seemingly insurmountable odds and she isn’t afraid to go up against anyone, including the federal government when necessary. Case in point, she begins in Strong From the Heart by thwarting ICE agents from “taking several school children into custody” by putting them into “protective custody” as “material witnesses” for the Texas Rangers. She stands up against Homeland Security on a regular basis and has even stood up against US Senators. Strong From the Heart brings back a number of cast regulars, including Captain D.W. Tepper – Caitlin’s Texas Ranger boss, Colonel Guillermo Paz – a former Venezuelan Colonel/assassin/current guardian anger, Cort Wesley Masters – Caitlin’s significant other/former mob enforcer/retired military, Dylan Torres – Cort Wesley’s eldest son and current student at Brown University, Luke Torres – Cort Wesley’s youngest son and current boarding student at the Village School in Houston, Jones/Smith – former Homeland Security agent, Dr. Whatley – Rangers’ pathologist, Nola Delgado – Caitlin’s half-sister/assassin/pseudo-pharmaceutical representative, William Ray Strong – Caitlin’s great-grandfather and a Texas Ranger, and Pancho Villa (yes, that Pancho Villa). As always with a Caitlin Strong story, there are bad guys and worse guys. One of the bad guys in this story is an “enforcer” that seems to enjoy killing for the sake of killing and suffers from “congenital insensitivity to pain” or an inability to feel physical pain. (You can tell that’s not going to end well.) The worse guys, in my estimation, are the ones that have hired the enforcer and are willing to do whatever it takes to protect themselves and their goals, which is ultimately making money and gaining more power. This story has a lot going on, as with all of the Caitlin Strong stories, including family angst and drama, government intrigue, behind-the-scenes power-brokering, prescription pain addiction, legal and illegal drug dealing (on a massive scale), mass murder, intrigue, and more. Yes, I could give you specifics, but if I did you wouldn’t want or need to read the book and you really need to read this book! Seriously, if you’re into suspense, thrillers, or books filled with twisted action and believable (and unbelievable but in a good way) characters, then you’ll want to read this book. For those of you that are just as addicted to Caitlin’s exploits as I am, you’ll definitely want to grab a copy of Strong From the Heart if you haven’t already purchased a copy. For those of you that haven’t already started the Caitlin Strong series, spend your staycation by starting with book one in this series, Strong Enough to Die, and read all the way through to Strong From the Heart. Trust me after the first book, you’ll be just as hooked as I am. The books are well-written, the stories well researched, the characters realistic, and the action based on real-life scenarios. I look forward to reading more about Caitlin and her exploits accompanied by her band of misfits in the future (okay, they’re more like a dysfunctional family than misfits, but you get the point). I really don’t want this series to end and am hoping that there were be a few more additions to the Caitlin Strong series before it eventually ends. So, while I wait for the next Caitlin Strong book, I’ll probably spend some time re-reading a few books in this series to tide me over.
Happy Reading, y’all!
Author Bio:
Jon Land is the USA Today bestselling author of fifty-two books, including eleven featuring Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong. The critically acclaimed series has won more than a dozen awards, including the 2019 International Book Award for Best Thriller for Strong as Steel. He also writes the CAPITAL CRIMES series and received the 2019 Rhode Island Authors Legacy Award for his lifetime of literary achievements. A graduate of Brown University, Land lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
Catch Up With Jon Land On:
JonLandBooks.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Twitter, & Facebook!
Tour Participants:
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This is a Rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Jon Land. There will be five (5) winners of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card each. The giveaway begins on August 17, 2020, and runs through September 20, 2020. Void where prohibited.
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Author: thebookdivasreads
I'm a reader, an avid reader, or perhaps a rabid reader (at least according to my family). I enjoy reading from a variety of different genres but particularly enjoy fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, ChickLit, romance and classics. I also enjoy reading about numerous non-fiction subjects including aromatherapy, comparative religions, herbalism, naturopathic medicine, and tea.
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The Book Diva's Reads 
I too am a big fan of this series and can't wait to start turning the pages of this book.
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What a wonderful review! It's one thing for a great reviewer to give praise to one book, but the very notion that someone as well-read as you would re-read my books is truly humbling. You and I are probably the only ones in that club! Please stay safe and well and I can't thank you enough for such wonderful coverage of Caitlin's latest adventure.
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