Book Review: The Mercenary’s Daughter by Jessica Therrien & Joe Gazzam

Title: The Mercenary’s Daughter
Authors: Jessica Therrien & Joe Gazzam
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Pages: Paperback, 286
Publication date: March 31st 2020
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult
Content Screening: Violence, sexual assault references.

Recommended to: Readers who enjoy action packed stories with lots of heart.

When Special Ops recruit, Tara Kafee is dishonorably discharged, there’s only one place to go—Home.

But there’s more waiting for her there than she’s ready for.

It’s been four years since she’s been back and ten since her mother walked out on the family never to be heard of again.

She’s determined to rekindle things with her father and keep him close. That is, until he goes missing.

Soon after stumbling upon a safe room full of weapons, fake passports, and a mission’s dossier marking a target in Cuba, she reluctantly accepts the help of her angsty teenage brother. He’s the only one she can trust, so together, the two set out for Havana.

Tara is determined to get her father back, whatever it takes, but things are never easy when you’re the mercenary’s daughter.

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If you’re looking for a heartfelt family story with a ton of awesome action, this is definitely the book for you. The Mercenary’s Daughter is a combination of stubborn recklessness and just the right amount of skill and luck.

Tara is a rebellious young woman who has made her share of bad decisions. After being dishonorably discharged from the military, at no fault of her own, she lands herself back at home trying to rekindle a relationship with her father and brother. Things are tense as she acknowledges her faults and lack of communication over the last several years. Her kid brother is now a young adult and feels abandoned by not only his mother, but his sister as well.

Just as things start to settle a bit, the unthinkable happens. Their father’s coworker/girlfriend comes to break the news that their dad was killed in a car accident on a work trip. In his grief, Tara’s brother Mitch takes a sledgehammer to the new office they’d been building in the backyard. In the wreckage they find their father’s secret room. Very quickly things start to click for Tara. Her father was an asset and had been sent on a mission. After forcefully extracting more information from the girlfriend, Tara learns that her father may not be dead just captured and disavowed. Without thinking, Tara and Mitch flee from the authorities sent to debrief them.

What follows is a series of thrilling car chases, close calls, lots of illegal activity, and sibling bonding over dire circumstances. Tara and Mitch are thrown into the most stressful situations and have to rely on each other to survive. The softness of their moments really balances the excitement of what is going on around them. The stress of trying to save their dad brings them together in a very unusual way.

Of course no good soldier goes in without a little backup. Enter Andy, the only contact they know in Havana. Reluctantly at first, Andy helps Tara and Mitch navigate the city, both geographically and socially. As things get more dangerous Andy decides he’s all in, and not just because there’s a lot of chemistry between him and Tara. Together Tara, Mitch, and Andy do everything they can to find and save their father. With twists, turns, and several close calls this unlikely trio ends up bruised and broken but together.

I recommend this to readers who enjoy thrillers with estranged family dynamics and lots of heart. You won’t be disappointed.