And I wonder this as an author who has written her share of questionable action sequences and characters making bad choices. I try to make it believable, but maybe I'm kidding myself.

Yes! I think this happens in action movies too. The pace is so fast you don't have time to ponder the details or worry about inconsistencies.

It's an exciting story and the writing is engaging. I'm just wondering if the heroine (and story) are dumb on purpose. I feel like there's a secret sauce in here somewhere.

Maybe a clever twist is coming, but it's taking many dumb steps to get there. Is this a formula readers like? The character who makes bad choices and everyone is out to get her? Is it a "don't go in the basement!" thing?

I didn't finish the book - The Crash. The heroine is 8 mo. pregnant and driving in a snowstorm, takes a backwoods shortcut, crashes, and has no cell service. She gets rescued by a weirdo who locks her in his basement.