Review: Overdrive by Taylor S. Newport

About the Book

ISBN-139798295815508

Publisher: Taylor S Newport

Publication Date: 07/02/2026

Pages: 386

Synopsis (from the author’s website)

Tyler Reid needs a break, but trouble finds him first. A call from London pulls him into a missing-person case linked to a powerful surveillance project that’s suddenly worth killing for. The deeper he digs, the more bodies he finds—and the more obvious it becomes that someone wants the entire system for themselves.

Alexandra “Alex” Romanova is looking for an escape from Veritek and the weight waiting for her back home. A trip with Tyler should’ve been the break they both needed. But when the case escalates and puts her company in the crosshairs, she goes with him—trying to keep him grounded even as the danger forces him to speed up.

The investigation spirals into a breakneck pursuit, ambushes snapping at their heels as their unknown enemy stays one move ahead. Someone is erasing anyone tied to the project, leaving bodies instead of answers. With the elusive threat closing fast, Tyler and Alex are fighting to get ahead long enough to expose who’s hunting them.

My Thoughts

The latest novel in the Dauntless Defenders series is intense suspense at its best, with multiple layers, dynamic characters and one of the most engaging and entertaining reads that I have ever experienced. In order to fully understand the relationships between the characters as well as how individual each mission they embark on is, I strongly recommend that book lovers read the series in order. That being said, this book was one of the best of the series, with Tyler and Alexandra pitted against evil incarnate while they try desperately to safeguard a twelve-year-old innocent girl named Mackenzie. The danger is escalated because the team has to follow clues to find out why Mackenzie is being targeted and the best way to keep her safe from an unknown assailant. The plot is fast-paced at a breakneck speed from the beginning to the end. The twists come along fast and furiously, becoming a fun guessing game about motives and who can be trusted in this high stakes cat and mouse game. The stakes seem to be world domination and wealth, but that isn’t all. There is so much going on that my head was spinning and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. With characters that came alive, changes in Tyler that I had never expected and the constant faith shown by Alex, this novel has everything I love about Christian fiction: a believable story, relatable characters and a satisfying conclusion after a lot of hair-raising escapes from what appears to be certain death.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I also purchased my own copy of the book as I am collecting the series. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Rated PG for Intense Suspense and Child in Danger

About the Author

Taylor S Newport is an up and coming Christian author. Four years of research has brought her to release her first high-octane novel to the world in 2024. That year, she placed as a Finalist in the ACFW Genesis Contest. Currently, she resides in the beautiful state of Texas with her family probably writing her next novel. Visit her on Instagram, Facebook, and her website at https://www.taylorsnewport.com/

Purchase Links

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Author’s Shop

The Dauntless Defenders Series

Review: Severed Ties by Taylor S. Newport

About the Book

ISBN-13:9798349665509

Publisher:Taylor S Newport

Publication date:01/22/2026

Pages:522

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble)

The silence following Tyler Reid’s last mission has him eager for the next job. So when a woman from his past shows up on his doorstep with a new task-extracting a kidnapped Indian doctor from rival mercenaries-he’s ready to move. It’s dangerous. It’s fast-moving. It’s exactly what he wants. The only problem is Alexandra Romanova is going too-the one person who sees the cracks in his armor he’s trying to hide.

Alexandra “Alex” Romanova has returned to Russia, but she’s not ready to step into her father’s legacy. So she seizes the chance to delay that future. Especially when she learns who’s missing-and who’s going after him. But working alongside Tyler again tests more than her training. He’s different. More guarded. And something in him is unraveling.

From Libya to India to Morocco, the team races to find the missing doctor while avoiding the trap the enemy has set. But every step closer to the truth puts more pressure on the cracks already forming. And as the mission begins to spiral, Alex realizes the real danger may not be the enemies chasing them-but the severed ties Tyler leaves behind when he decides the mission is over.

My Thoughts

Aussie mercenary Tyler Reid returns in what may be his most dangerous assignment. Hired by Alexandra Romanova, Tyler has to free a captive doctor from another mercenary group, one which just happens to be led by Tyler’s arch-nemesis. The dynamics between the characters was nothing short of amazing and I learned a lot about Tyler’s past and his reluctance to be called a hero when all he really wants to do is die. Alex is determined to get under the hard shell he has erected all around him and succeeds at times, giving me a look at what makes Tyler tick and why he is such a daredevil. The action was non-stop in this fast-paced military thriller, with exotic settings and untrustworthy allies. This novel had a dual storyline featuring Kenna and Ben who were working in D.C. and the stories dovetailed perfectly together when Alex calls on the two of them to help out with their mission that takes a turn for the worse when a planned extraction goes very wrong. With gun battles and hand-to-hand combat described in fascinating detail and Tyler and Alex at the center of all of the action, this book is not to be missed. It can be read and enjoyed as a standalone, but I highly recommend that readers enjoy the first two books in the series before getting into the intricacies of the cat and mouse game that Tyler and Alex play with each other as well as with their adversaries. This is a suspense thriller with a strong foundation of faith exhibited by Alex who is not ashamed of sharing what and why she believes. Gripping suspense and the engrossing story along with the crisp writing and twists make this novel an absolute five plus stars for me and one of my favorite books of the year.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Christian fiction, clean read with intense suspense, Rated PG

About the Author

Taylor S Newport is an up and coming Christian author. Four years of research has brought her to release her first high-octane novel to the world. In 2024, she placed as a Finalist in the ACFW Genesis Contest. Currently, she resides in the beautiful state of Texas with her family probably writing her next novel. Find out more at Taylor S. Newport

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Walmart

Taylor’s Website

Dauntless Defenders Series-Other Books