Harm’s Way by Sam Cross

HARM’S WAY
Sam Cross
Whiskey Creek Press, 2010
eBook ISBN: 978-1-60313-745-4
Print ISBN: 978-1-60313-746-1
328 Pages
eBook
Thriller/Romance

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Clare Boyd is a successful businesswoman whose world is built on a foundation of glass. When her husband, whom she loved dearly, convinced her to carry an accidental pregnancy to term, Clare divorced him a week after the baby was born. A late night with the ultimate client ends with him missing and Clare outside, in a park, in the arms of a statue of an angel, with no memory of the evening. Instead of going to the police, Clare goes manic, trying to cover up her involvement. And then there are the dreams, which turn out to be a reality Clare is not prepared to face.

But face it she will, because someone is carefully pulling back the layers of Clare’s past. This is someone who’s willing to harm everyone who gets in his way—as long as it brings Clare closer to the future he envisions for her.

Harm’s Way, an appropriate title, takes us through the meltdown of a top corporate executive who is poised to take the reigns of the entire company. How can an individual like this unravel in just a few days? Sam Cross shows us, in detail.

This romantic thriller is crisp, professional and character driven. Ross is obviously at home with the genre(s), and I’m sure his fans will love Harm’s Way. For my part, I found this 328 page novel just zipped right on by, which, in my world, means the author did exactly what he’s supposed to do: he drew me in, suspended my disbelief, connected me with his protagonist and kept the tension high enough for me to keep turning those pages.

I did have a couple of concerns.

First, Cross revealed his antagonist/evil doer about half way through the book. He even took us back through scenes we had already seen through Clare’s eyes. Risky business, that. He could have lost me right there. In fact, I found myself saying “What the hell?” You see, by making the choice he did, Cross diluted a great deal of the suspense he had worked so hard to build. And I didn’t understand it. But… Harm’s Way is not a novel of suspense; it’s a thriller. So, believe me when I tell you the author’s seemingly unorthodox choice pays off: there are many more thrills to come, some plot twists you won’t expect and a pace that never lets up.

Second, there’s the questions: Would a seasoned trench fighter like Clare melt down as quickly as she did? Do her actions resonate with who she’s supposed to be? If one follows very closely, Cross answers these questions (in a way) early on in the story. Clare divorced her husband and walked away from her one week old daughter. What would make someone do that? The answer explains Clare’s behaviour throughout the book.

My problem is, I’m not sure, even with Clare’s history, that a mother would walk out on her baby and a husband she loves and who loves her. So, I didn’t quite buy the answer Cross gives the reader. What this means for me as a reviewer is that I would probably give this book a 4 out 5 rather than the perfect 5 (if I used such a scale). However, I’d rather put it this way: just because I have a few issues with Harm’s Way that diminished my enjoyment, doesn’t mean you will. Sam Cross has given his readers a terrific thriller!


Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye

A novel about Richard III in This Time

This Time
by Joan Szechtman
Basset Books LLC, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-9824493-0-1
Trade Paperback
344 pages
Historical Fiction

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Richard III is yanked into the 21st century in his dying moments and a substitute body is left in his place, so as to keep then and now balanced at an atomic level, at a static level of energy. While this is an interesting concept, I don’t believe it’s ever explained how the scientists could make such exact measurements using the equipment available to them. However, I suspended my disbelief and gave the novel a chance.

And it turns out that This Time by Joan Szechtman is an enjoyable read. Billed as historical fiction, it also gives more than a nod to the science fiction genre and the romance genre. The book deals largely with Richard’s attempts to adapt to 500 years of technical and social changes. He must learn to use a computer and drive a car. His English is also terribly out of date. And Richard, ever the man of action, also intends to carve out a place in the business world where his skills can be applied in a useful way. Intuitive thinking and the ability to solve problems quickly and with confidence helps…

He converts the project director from an enemy who puts two bullets into him to the man who allows Richard to run a risky project of his own, as well as becoming a welcome member of the corporate structure of the company itself.

His romance with the inventor of the original technology used in the time machine, who knows Richard only as the evil, deformed man portrayed in one of Shakespeare’s plays, is also complicated by the fact that the woman is Jewish and Richard is a devout Catholic who is not at all comfortable with today’s atmosphere of religious toleration. Richard sets out to solve this set of problems just as he would plan a campaign.

Richard’s emotional wounds from the recent deaths of his wife and child, and his folly of taking his men into a battle he knows they cannot win, takes a heavy toll. Did he go into battle as a form of suicide? If he can be brought forward in time, what about his wife and son?

As Richard works through all the alien ideas and possibilities now open to him, one can see the shape of a king emerge—with one exception. Richard is comfortable dealing with all kinds of people, but is especially demonstrative of emotion when it comes to his new love and her children and of his doomed wife and the son he hopes to rescue from an early death. This did not feel real to me. Everything I’ve read of the historical times of Richard III leaves me with the suspicion that overt emotion of any kind would be seen as a weakness and thus avoided. Why would Richard make such an about face in our time? Yes, I believe he would want the same results he garners within the pages of This Time, but I think he would have been more aloof and would have kept his own council.

Anyway, these are just my opinions. This Time by Joan Szechtman is probably closer in content to the movie Kate and Leopold than Michael Crichton’s Timeline, but comparison between the three stories seems to indicate that This Time presents a more believable scenario than either of the mentioned stories. History Buffs and Romantics should find the book most enjoyable.


Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye 2010

Once Upon A Moscow Night by Judith McGuinness

Once Upon a Moscow Night
by Judith McGuiness
iUniverse
2008
ISBN: 978-0-595-49240-4
243 pages
Trade Paperback
Romance

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Kate Barnes spent her isolated childhood developing a love for all things Russian. Time has now painted her as an unusual beauty, one that catches the eye of every man on the hunt. So, while Kate is living her dream of holidaying in Moscow and bumps into the eminent Viktor Cherkasov, there’s no reason for her to feel any different about him than she has the men who have come before him. But Kate does. Can her love conquer a large age difference, cultural barriers and a venomous son determined to keep Kate and Victor forever apart? And can it do so in just ten days?

Once Upon a Moscow Night is a novel meant for the true romantic. Its pace is leisurely: you get to visit all the places Kate does, you’re exposed to the thoughts and feelings of each player in the story and you’re ever so gently pulled down into the romance until you have no choice but to see it through to the end. And, of course, the denouément includes perfect solutions to all problems, followed by the same gentle, even graceful, glide to the finish.

These are all good things. Or they could be. Judith McGuinness puts sentences together very well, and she cares deeply for her characters. I think, however, she should care as much for her readers. You see, Once Upon a Moscow Night is a story completely told by the blurb on the back cover. There are no surprises. One reads the book only to participate in a “knight on a white horse” love affair set in an exotic place. There’s nothing else. Deep character development isn’t possible, because there’s no real conflict. Never, in the 243 pages of this book did I feel convinced the romance was truly in danger. The hurdles felt exactly as they were: contrivances.

If the author was doing her job, story movement, the ever-changing and unique actions of the characters would have defined specific feelings, morals, traits, etc., for us. Instead, the reader is too often fed repetitious actions, words and thoughts of both Victor and Kate. In my opinion, we’re told of the romance more often than we’re shown.

Let me put it this way: Once Upon a Moscow Night is the perfect, undemanding romance to transport you away from a dreary and boring afternoon. It’s not a novel of substance.


Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye 2009

Night Angel by Renee Reeves

Night Angel
by Renee Reeves
Black Velvet Seductions
2009
ISBN: 978-0-9802246-3-4
246 pages
Print/eBook
Contemporary Erotic Romance

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Morgan Fletcher is living in peaceful seclusion in Montana, doing her best to overcome the physical and mental damage left by years of abuse at the hands of her late husband. The last thing she wants is another man, especially one with as much potential for danger as her neighbour, rancher Nick Evanoff. Why is he so dangerous? Tall, heavily muscled and handsome enough to devour, Nick makes Morgan want to reach past her terror and try for a normal relationship. She knows all men are alike; he knows his past will prove it.

Night Angel by Renee Reeves is a  modern and intense romance. Yet, when I finished the story, I felt as though I had been reading one of the better, old-time Harlequins. Let me put it this way: while there is something refreshing and very entertaining about Night Angel, the novel also feels comfortable, even familiar. As it is my job to define such things, let’s give it a whirl.

The characters are vivid; they walk right off the page and into your mind. No paper cut-outs here. The relationship between Morgan and Nick feels real, including the intimately described and often touching sex scenes. It’s also unusual for a romance to provide a damaged heroine or to deal openly with abuse. Hmm… doesn’t sound like a Harlequin at all, does it?

But, there’s more. Reeves has penned a tale where both characters act in ways that ensure they will end up together, mainly their valiant struggles to overcome personal demons while helping the other to do the same. Real life just isn’t that clean. This is where my mention of the formula romance comes in. Yes, the two lovers experience definite ups and downs, but it’s the expected coming together and pulling apart until love conquers all formula of romance, not the messy, imperfect love typical of real life.

The thing is, Reeves writes so well, involves you so deeply, the fairy tale ending is not just acceptable, readers would be crushed if it wasn’t provided. This is why Night Angel falls into the category of romance, rather than garnering the more general label of fiction.

In the end, I would have to say that what Renee Reeves has given the reader in Night Angel is a rich example of what a genre novel can be. This is an achievement deserving of compliment.


Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye 2009

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander
By Diana Gabaldon
ISBN: 0-7704-2879-7
Seal Books, 1991
850 pages
Mass market paperback
Historical adventure/Romance

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It’s 1945, and the war is over. Field nurse Claire Randall is holidaying in the Scottish Highlands while reconnecting with her scholarly husband, Frank. She’s an amateur botanist, and as Claire is searching for a particular flower alongside an ancient stone circle, she stumbles upon a gateway to the past. Ripped from her own time, the bewildered English woman is mistaken for a Sassenach, or Outlander, by a raiding border clan.

Now it’s 1743. And Claire is not only in danger of losing her life–she may also lose her heart. Jamie Fraser is a dashing warrior who shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes torn between fidelity to Frank and her desire for the gallant young Scot. Two loves, two different times. Who and when will Claire choose?

Outlander was recommended to me by a good friend. As it is an 850 page romance, the book is not one I would otherwise have read. But there’s a reason Diana Gabaldon’s 1991 historical romance is still kept in stock at bookstores like Chapters and Amazon: Outlander is much more than a romance. This novel is a time travel, historical adventure so full of sizzling romance and interesting characters it’s almost impossible to put down.

The book has been criticized for its length (repetitive and some scenes aren’t necessary) and for its sex scenes (erotic rather than traditional romance). My own dislike is that Gabaldon’s writing is more formal than one would expect from a mainstream or genre novel; her style is almost literary.

Such criticisms aside, Outlander provides tremendous entertainment for your money, and the romance between Jamie and Claire is one I’ll never forget. In fact, I can’t remember reading any other book where I wanted to be two characters at the same time. Gabaldon drew me so deeply into her fictional world I put aside my reviewer’s hat and gave her a couple of days of my life (and there’s the justification for both the detail in and the length of the story). Well done!

There are six books in the Outlander series, with a seventh coming out September 22, 2009. I’m looking forward to reading them all.


Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye 2009

Twins of Darkness by Lisa Lane

The Darkness and the Night 3: Twins of Darkness
by Lisa Lane
A Ravenous Romance™ Breathless™ Original Publication
Published: 2009-06-04
ISBN:  978-1-60777-145-6
eBook
217 pages
Erotic, paranormal (vampire) romance

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Karen is finding that being a mother, lover and a vampire is no walk in the park under moonlight. Her children, the fraternal twins Anna and Andy, must be protected from her terrifying past and constantly watched for signs of vampirism. Hard to do when you’re forced to sleep all day. Anna, although seemingly human, has the ability, like her mother, to travel the Astral. But she’s so much more than her mother knows. Her brother, Andy, appears to be a normal human boy, but as he reaches for manhood he, too, comes into his own.

With the help of her blood donor and lover, Jason, Karen does her best to offer the twins a “normal” suburban life. Despite this, the children fully exploit Anna’s abilities and become more and more aware of their family’s past.

Prepare yourself for a wild ride outside our reality, past our sexual mores, through love and sacrifice and, finally, back to the dreaded vampire commune featured in Lane’s previous novel in this series.

Twins of Darkness is the third book in the series The Darkness and the Night by Lisa Lane. Not having read the first two installments it took me about 40 pages to get into the novel. When I picked up the book again, I read it through in one sitting. This is an event. I have a disability which severely limits my attention span.

What’s so different about Twins of Darkness? Well… The author’s style makes for effortless reading; Lane’s novel is interesting, variable and complicated without the heaviness often associated with stories of substance, and she balances her many characters and plot lines like a master. Also, this is not your typical vampire story, and although there was enough sex to make my  temperature rise, the story is not just a vehicle for eroticism.

Yes, as another reviewer pointed out (in detail), there are editing and/or grammatical issues. But, and this is an important one, I was so drawn in by the story that I missed all but a few glaring spelling mistakes during my initial read. When an author can pull off such a feat, who gives a damn!

I would caution this author to make sure editing of her next book is stringent, but to otherwise keep doing what she’s doing. She has a definite voice and a wonderful imagination. Twins of Darkness stands out from the crowd.

Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye 2009

The Enemy Stalks

The Enemy Stalks
#1 of the Hawkman series
by Betty Sullivan La Pierre
SynergEbooks, 2003
ISBN: 1591092043
174 pages
Romance/Suspense

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Tom Casey, also known as “Hawkman,” has relocated to the small community of Copco Lake. Jennifer Morgan, a freelance writer, saves Casey when he is badly wounded in a gun battle with an unknown assailant. Both widowers, the pair find themselves attracted to each other. But Hawkman is actually a retired spy, living under an assumed name. When it becomes apparent that someone from his former life is out to get him, he reveals his past to Jennifer, making her realize that her quiet world is actually full of danger.

The Enemy Stalks is a combination of romance and suspense. Featuring an unknown but persistent enemy, the story centres on the struggle of two people trying to rebuild their shattered lives. It’s a fast moving tale that is also enjoyable to read. One can tell the author tries to balance the two genres to create something interesting for the reader. But I’m not convinced she succeeds.

I’m used to reading suspense authors like Robert B. Parker (the Spenser novels) and John Sanford (the Prey novels). Betty Sullivan La Pierre doesn’t bring the depth of character or atmosphere to her story that these other novelists manage. The substance just isn’t there. And the same can be said of the romance. Her depiction is sound, but, by today’s standards, her character’s love relationship is quite tame. I even found the portrayal of the villain unconvincing.

This bothers me, as La Pierre’s writing is technically sound. How shall I put this? The Enemy Stalks was an enjoyable lunch that somehow left me wanting more than I received. I understand other books in the series have been well received. Perhaps the author solved these problems in her later novels. I hope so, as I believe La Pierre has real talent.


Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye 2009