GLACIER HIGHWAY

Batt offers a Christian romantic thriller about an ex-soldier and the federal agent who rescues her from a mysterious kidnapping attempt.

Jen Stander, a military veteran who was wounded in combat in Afghanistan a year before the story begins, lives a peaceful life near Glacier National Park in Montana with her service dog, CD. But her serenity is shattered when she’s nearly abducted by two assailants while on a hike. Thanks to the intervention of CD and the courage of handsome Homeland Security agent Zack Julion, she’s unharmed, but Jen and Zack are left wondering why anyone would commit such an act. After a human trafficking victim escapes captivity in nearby Whitefish, they discover the chilling answer, which has far-reaching implications. Jen and Zack dive into the mystery, and both pray to God for guidance along the way. As they close in on the culprits, their feelings for each other grow—as does the danger that surrounds them and those close to them, and it all ends in a harrowing showdown. Batt’s work clearly affirms the importance of faith, emotional rather than physical intimacy, and patriotism. The work also effectively focuses on social justice, confronting the issue of human trafficking with conviction; it depicts the plight of its victims with realism and empathy, while also encouraging readers to consider the fact that slavery may be right in their midst. This subject matter may be difficult for some readers, but Batt offers a hopeful ending for both major and minor characters, including an emotional reunion of two long-lost loves.

A religious romance that’s full of passion and purpose.