Spotlight: Unknown by Vanessa Hall

Title: Unknown

Author: Vanessa Hall

Release Date: August 13th, 2021

Christian | Fiction | Contemporary | Suspense | Romance

Purchase Link: Amazon

Blurb: He knew there was a cost. He just didn’t know how great it’d be.

Gabriel Kelly returned to Russia for one reason—to bury his parents. After ten years in the United States, he hadn’t expected to return to his childhood home in the face of tragedy. However, after short days in Moscow, he begins to consider if the same call that cost his parents’ lives is now upon him.

Sofia Rykova’s dreams finally came true when she became a principal soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet. One night, though, an old crush walks back into her life, making her wonder if there is more to life than ballet. Gabe Kelly is just as she remembered, just as she longed for—yet religion stands between them.

Unknown to Gabe and Sofia, danger lurks closer than either would have guessed. The deaths of Gabe’s parents grow more suspicious by the day, and Gabe and Sofia are drawn into the midst of a plot neither can escape. Will obedience to God’s call—in spite of their fears and desires—result in a price too steep to bear?

Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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My Thoughts

Unknown was a beautiful, high-stakes romantic suspense focused on the cost of discipleship...and the awesomeness of God's grace! Hall deftly wrote a story that caters to everyone - romance lovers, suspense cravers, and avid readers of Christian fiction - with a universal message of faith and redemption! Her writing was on point and every element of her debut novel was perfectly balanced to draw you in and keep you engaged in her fast-paced and poignant story!

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A Word From the Author

When I first wrote Unknown, it was my first foray into romantic suspense. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, but I had so much fun with that first draft. And despite well-meaning attempts for this to be standalone, it quickly spawned into a series.

When I began considering self-publishing, Unknown somehow presented itself as the logical choice (despite the fact I had other books that were much better written than this horrible first draft.) However, when I came back to Unknown to whip it into shape for publication, I saw so much potential in spite of its many initial flaws.

The setting of modern-day Russia was very intriguing to me, and the characters – the son of missionaries and a principal ballerina at the Bolshoi – held a lot I could explore. But most of all, I loved exploring this theme of sacrifice and obedience. Unknown is a story about loss and pain and betrayal, but it’s also a story about God’s faithfulness and grace in the face of all the trials of life. We ought to be willing to lay down our lives for the Lord, and losing our lives for His sake isn’t easy—but it’s what we’re called to every day, for Christ laid down His life for us.

Such a command is daunting, and in our own strength, we could never accomplish what God has called us to. Yet God’s grace alone sustains us and enables us to serve Him. And in the end, that’s so much of what this book is about—the complete sufficiency of God’s grace in the face of an unknown future.

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Meet the Author

Vanessa Hall is an author, musician, and homeschool graduate. Most days, she is reading, writing, or practicing the violin—or trying to find time for all three pursuits. Currently, she is working toward gaining a degree in instrumental music education. Unknown is her debut novel. Above all, she is a sinner saved and held fast by the abounding grace of Jesus Christ.

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Do you read suspense? How do you feel most suspense novels handle faith with tough subjects like death, deception, and violence? How can you apply a biblical worldview to suspense and intrigue? What are your thoughts on sacrifice and how it's handled in fiction?

Yours in spirit and script,

Grace

Romans 1:16