He
was taking the long road. She was taking the road to nowhere. It just so
happened that they led to the same place…
Five months ago, Camryn and Andrew, both dealing
with personal hardships, met on a Greyhound bus. They fell in love and proved
that when two people are meant to be together, fate will find a way to make it
happen.
Now, in the highly anticipated sequel to THE EDGE OF
NEVER, Camryn and Andrew are pursuing their love for music and living life to
the fullest as they always swore to do. But when tragedy befalls them, their
relationship is put to the ultimate test.
As Camryn tries to numb her pain, Andrew makes a
bold decision: To get their life back on track, they’ll set out on another
cross-country road trip. Together they find excitement, passion, adventure—and
challenges they never could have anticipated.
Sexy. Daring. Dangerous. THE EDGE OF ALWAYS takes
you on a ride you won’t forget .
THE
EDGE OF ALWAYS Excerpt
Camryn shrieks and I start laughing as we dash away
from the cows and toward the car.
“Awww, shiiiit!”
I yell when I step in a huge pile of it.
Camryn cackles with laughter and we both practically
stumble the rest of the way through the field, me trying to scrape the shit off
the bottom of my shoe while running at the same time and Camryn’s flip-flops
getting caught on the ground trying to keep up with her feet.
“I can’t believe that just happened!” Camryn laughs
as we finally make it back to the car. She arches her body over forward and
props her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.
I’m out of breath, too, but I still relentlessly
scrape the bottom of my shoe on the asphalt. “Dammit!” I say, rubbing my foot
back and forth.
Camryn jumps up on the hood of the car, letting her
legs hang over the front. “Can we finally say that we did it?” she asks with
laughter in her voice.
I stand still finally and catch my breath. I look at
her, at how beautiful and bright that smile of hers is and I say, “Yeah, babe,
I think we can safely mark it off our list.”
“Good!” she says.
Then she points behind me. “Do it on the grass,” she
says with one side of her mouth pinched into a hard line. “You’re just spreading
it around doing it like that.”
I hop over into the grass and start rubbing my foot
back and forth again. “Since when did you become an expert on shit?”
“Better watch your mouth,” she warns, getting into
the driver’s seat.
“What are you going to do?” I taunt her.
She starts the Chevelle and revs the engine a few
times pressing on the gas. There’s a cruel gleam in her eyes. She props her
left arm across the top of the open window and next thing I know she’s driving
slowly past me.
I give her the warning eye, but her grin just gets
bigger.
“I know you won’t leave me here!” I shout as she
goes past me.
Surely
she wouldn’t….
She gets farther away and at first I call her bluff
and just stand here, watching her get smaller and smaller…
Finally, I take off running after the car.
About the Author
J.A. Redmerski, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling
author of THE EDGE OF NEVER lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her three
children and a Maltese. She is a lover of television and books that push
boundaries and is a huge fan of AMC's The Walking Dead.
Not His Type (An Opposites Attract Romance) by Lisa Crane
Book Description
Brooke Valentine is working two crummy jobs to pay off her late grandfather’s medical bills and back taxes on his house. A freak accident leads to the loss of both jobs and leaves Brooke at the mercy of her new neighbor, Travis Cooper. Brooke can’t figure out why Travis is being so nice—anyone can see he’s way out of her league!
Travis Cooper sees Brooke as a little sister who needs someone to look out for her. When his friends ask what’s going on between them, he assures them—repeatedly—that Brooke Valentine is definitely not his type. But if she’s not his type, why can’t he seem to stop kissing her?
Enter Brooke’s new boss and friend, Jazz Valenzuela, with a scheme to make Travis jealous. But what will happen when Travis finds out it was all a fake?
Review
Travis doesn’t know anything about Brooke except that she sold him the lot next to her where he has just completed the construction of his house. It is due to his construction work, that Brooke is injured, and he feels responsible for her misfortune. While Brooke is in the hospital, Travis searches through her cell phone contacts to inform someone about Brooke’s accident. In this endeavor, he learns that her grandfather has passed away, her employers are only concerned about replacing her, and her mother, whose stripper stage name is “Satin,” could care less about her daughter’s well-being. Travis feels obligated to assist Brooke while she is in the hospital; he takes care of her dog, takes messages for her, and discovers that she has financial troubles, which he finds puzzling since he just paid her a significant sum of money for the ten acres of land he purchased from her.
Even after Brooke is released from the hospital, her troubles continue. She comes home to no electricity, a mother who is only interested in what money Brooke can provide, and a lousy fast food job where the manager lets her keep her job only so that he can sexually harasses her. As a reader, I just found my jaw hanging open for the first quarter of the book because it just seemed hard to believe that someone could have such ongoing bad luck. Furthermore, most of the secondary characters, such as Brooke’s mother were presented as selfish, shallow stock characters who were motivated only by their own self-interests with little regard for anyone else’s feelings. Sure, I can expect this from one or two characters, but from practically all of them? Initially, Travis and Brooke are the only ones depicted with any sort of moral conscience and decency.
I almost stopped reading by this point because the plot and characterization seemed too unrealistic, but the prospect of Brooke and Travis’s burgeoning relationship kept my interest.
Brooke is a strong, independent woman who is used to being self-sufficient and is, therefore, reluctant to accept Travis’s help. She has trouble believing someone who barely knows her would be so willing to help, and she is suspicious of his motives:
“In Brooke’s experience nearly everyone had an angle, a ‘what’s in it for me’ attitude; and far too often …she had been the one on the losing end of those types of situations.”
She is also certain that Travis’s offer to help is not because he’s interested in her. She quickly surmises that he is a man “who could walk into a room and have just about any woman of his choosing.” She sees herself as short, plain, chubby, and unsuccessful compared to the type of women she assumes Travis would date. She isn’t the type of woman who is overly concerned with her appearance and she tends to wear bargain clothes that are too baggy for her that she gets from thrift shops. She is self-conscious about her appearance and the clothes allow her to keep others from taking notice.
Brooke’s low self-esteem causes her to continuously question his interest in her as anything other than platonic.
I like that Brooke doesn’t play the victim; circumstances knock her down, but she pops right back up and keeps going. She refuses to passively sit by, pitying herself, and allowing Travis to take care of her. Even though she is still in pain from her injury, she goes out and finds a job at Babycakes, a bakery owned by Jazz and her husband Riley and begins working immediately so that she won’t have to rely upon anyone else.
Travis is a Marine who, after serving three tours of duty overseas, decides to start his own security firm working from his home beside of Brooke. The picture of the combat boots on the book’s cover obviously symbolize Travis’s role in the book. Initially, I thought it was a poor cover choice since the plot focuses less on Travis’s background and profession and more on his learning to embrace his growing feelings for Brooke, who supposedly is so not his type. After closer examination, though, I think the combat boots symbolize Travis’s character. He is a man who is used to being in charge, in taking care of others, and in living his life with integrity and honesty. Of course, he isn’t going to ignore his neighbor and her troubles, even though his friends wonder why he is so determined to have a presence in Brooke’s life.
Ironically, even though Travis values, honesty, throughout most of the book, he refuses to be honest with himself. He genuinely likes Brooke, especially after he realizes that she is a compassionate, giving person, who has sacrificed her immediate future to pay off substantial debts left by her deceased grandfather and to continue financially helping a mother who has never been there for her emotionally or otherwise. He eases into a friendship with Brooke by teasingly calling her “Bunny girl” and “Cupcake,” and he always finds ways to be around her.
He tells Brooke that all he wants is her friendship, nothing else. He also tells her employers, Jazz and Riley,
“She’s kind of like a little sister now, I feel like I should take care of her. She doesn’t have any real family.”
Yet, Travis’s actions betray his words. He flirts with Brooke and even shocks himself by initiating a kiss:
“And what a kiss! Travis hadn’t intended to kiss Brooke – ever! But as soon as his lips met hers, he felt a bone-melting heat flood through him.”
And as we discover, one kiss just isn’t enough.
Their attraction to each other is obvious, yet the central conflict is that both continue to refuse to acknowledge their mutual attraction. Brooke “knew without a doubt, that she would be hurt. How could she not be when she was falling in love with the man?” And as Travis’s friend, Will, reminds him, “Your type is tall…Your type is thin and sexy and gorgeous! Your type is blonde or redhead. Your type is definitely not short, plain, and plump!”
Once Brooke confides to Jazz about her feelings for Travis, Jazz sets a deceptive plan into motion to get Travis to really take notice of Brooke to take their relationship to a romantic level. The climax reaches its peak when Travis discovers the truth, and both he and Brooke are forced to decide what kind of relationship they really have and whether they want to move towards a future together.
The theme of the book centers on looking beyond the obvious and superficial aspects of a person; indeed, the book clearly shows that physical appearance does not always make one desirable. Furthermore, we shouldn’t let our expectations dictate how we feel about others.
This was an okay read; the plot isn’t unusual, and the outcome is predictable, which I expected going into the book, and that is fine. Overlooking the exaggeration of characters and some of the unrealistic aspects of the book that I mentioned earlier, I found Brooke and Travis’s relationship to be incredibly sweet, just like those cupcakes with the chocolate icing and orange liqueur that Travis cannot resist. It’s a “feel good” story that will leave you with a smile.
Rating:
Music to Complement the Book
James Taylor "You've Got a Friend"
Faith Hill "This Kiss"
REO Speedwagon "Can't Fight This Feeling" (lyrics)
Recipes
Here is a recipe for Orange Liqueur Cupcakes similar to the ones described in the book; yes those that set off the sparks between Travis and Brooke!
Six brave Americans heard
their calling after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Evie, Lexie, and the
Four Fellas courageously volunteered to become super-human hybrid warriors, to
aid the United States against her war on terror. Little did they know,
sometimes the terror comes from within. The Pride will take you on a cross
country journey full of action, suspense, and even a little romance, as Evie,
Lexie, and their brood take on an enemy that none of them could have seen
coming.
Review
Let me start this review by stating that I chose not to
finish this book; therefore, my review is premature and should not necessarily
deter others from giving this book a chance.
I downloaded this book, excited about the premise. Following
the September 11th terrorist attacks, the military takes a select group of
soldiers from various branches of the military and each undergoes a
transformation that combines lion and human DNA to create "super
soldiers" known as The Pride. Two
of the central characters, Lexie and Evie, are females, and the point of view
switches between them (as far as I read).
In many of the military suspense novels I have read, the protogonists
are male, so I was looking forward to the story told from a female perspective.
For me, a good story will grab the reader's attention and
pull them into the fictitious world created. The book begins with Lexie describing
how she feels upon waking from her transformation and providing background
information to set up the plot. I found the exposition behind the story's
permise to be lacking. Why choose to use
lion DNA? How did scientists and doctors
know this would work? What are the
benefits, the risks for everyone involved?
I just learn that it happened. Lexie says, "I stared at myself in
the mirror, hardly recognizing the face staring back at me. My hair was
luminescent and golden, my skin flawless and glowing, and my eyes the color of
emeralds. I guess the combination of lion and human DNA makes for a nice
package."
I use that quote to
lead me into the second issue I have with book, the portrayal of Lexie. She is self-absorbed about her physical
appearance and constantly stares at herself in the mirror. As a woman, I
understand the desire to feel attractive, and there is nothing wrong with being
feminine. However, the way she thinks just doesn't mesh with the idea of a
warrior. For example, on the group's
first mission, they are doing reconnaissance, and Lexie complains about her
situation: "I hated reconnaissance missions with a passion. I'm more the
maini, pedi, shoe shopping type of a gal."
Several paragraphs later, she goes on to say, "Anything was better than
laying in pine needles and mud. I'd never get the dirt out of my hair. I didn't know why we were here, and I didn't
care....Besides recon isn't my role in the pride. I seduce the prey and the
others flock in for the kill."
Okaaayy, I'm left wondering how in the world did she make it as a marine
with that mindset?
Lexie does make a good point, though...she and I both are
unclear about the purpose of the mission and why they are there. The pride
members don't seem to have a concrete
plan for completing this mission. Again, I may be premature in saying this
because I didn't read far enough, but as a reader I wanted more information and
details by this point.
My final issue with the story that stopped my reading
progression is that the author told me what was going on rather than showing
me. In an online article called "Showing Versus Telling," Pamela Rice
Hahn explains the difference between the two:
"Showing in a story merely means that you're allowing the reader to
participate in the events rather than just rattling off what happened. When the
reader participates, it creates involvement-he or she can see the events
unfolding, and then is left wondering what is going to happen next." Hahn then provides a great example of
narrative that tells and is then revised to show. I'll include the link for the
article at the end.
I am not one to give up on books very easily, and I try to
read the entire book before forming an opinion. However, as I get older, I
value my time more, and there are so many other books out there waiting to be
experienced.
Other readers' expectations may differ from mine, and they
may find the book enjoyable and satisfying. The plot certainly provides a
creative angle on fighting the war on terrorism, so try it to see if it appeals
to you.
“Frisco’s Kid” Being a Navy SEAL is more than a career to Alan “Frisco”
Francisco-it is his whole world. So when a bullet wound threatens his future in
the Navy, he is determined to achieve a full recovery…all on his own. But his
lovely neighbor Mia Summerton has other plans for him. She can’t mend his
wounded body, but can she heal his heart?
“Everyday Average Jones” All her life Melody Evans has wanted to
marry a plain average man who doesn't take risks. But when the foreign embassy
is taken over by terrorists and she’s rescued by a daring Navy SEAL, Melody
blames the extreme circumstances for their ensuing passion. When it comes to
ordinary, Harlan “Cowboy” Jones is anything but, and their encounter leaves
Melody with a little more than just memories…
Tall, Dark, and
Fearless by Suzanne Brockmann comprises two stories about Navy Seals who
are part of the elite Alpha Ten squad.
The first part of this book: "Frisco's Kid" centers on Lt.
Alan "Frisco" Francisco who was injured in an operation five years
ago and has been in intense physical therapy to recover from a knee injury that
has left him disabled. Readers follow
him as he mourns the loss of being an active duty Navy Seal who has been
dedicated to saving and protecting others.
The central conflict is whether Frisco can accept the fact that he can
no longer serve in the field but still serve in other capacities.
Frisco is angry and bitter after he is released from the VA
hospital and returns to his apartment to wallow in his despair. He is forced to
walk with a cane and endures constant pain as he continually pushes himself to
try to regain his former mobility. He
withdraws from his world feeling that he is just an “empty shell” of the man he
used to be. However the unexpected entrance of his neighbor Mia and his
five-year-old niece, Natasha, who is forced upon him while his sister is in
drug rehab. Mia initially wants nothing
to do with Frisco because of his cynical attitude towards life in general. He
feels frustrated that he is forced to ask for help and has to rely on others to
assist in taking care of his niece. Frisco and Mia’s relationship starts out
rocky but as they gradually get to know each other, Mia finds herself drawn to
this man who carries so much emotional baggage:
"He was
everything she didn’t need. His wounds so deep and so catastrophic. She could
handle his physical limitation… It was his emotional baggage-the bitterness and
anger he carried with him-that had the bulk and the weight to engulf her and
drag her down too." (pg 209)
The plot is further complicated by a villain who kidnaps Mia
and Natasha forcing Frisco to call upon his former teammates for help. A powerful story that reinforces the concept
that you are only helpless if you refuse to ask for help.
The second story in this book is called "Everyday, Average
Jones" and focuses on Lt. Harlan "Cowboy" Jones who is part of a
rescue mission that brings home three hostages who have been help captive by
terrorists in a foreign country. Cowboy takes responsibility for assisting one
of the hostages, Melody Evans in returning to the U.S. As they work together to
escape, Melody grows to trust and depend upon Cowboy to keep her safe. The attraction between them intensifies, and
once the rescue mission is complete, Cowboy and Melody spend six passion filled
days together before Melody returns home, and Cowboy is sent on another mission.
Melody enjoys their time together but considers this to be just a fling, and
she has no plans to continue seeing Cowboy ever again. She tells her sister,
Brittany, "What I felt for him wasn't love. It was hero worship."
Jump ahead seven months later and we find that Melody has become
pregnant with Cowboy's child. She plans to keep the child but does not tell
Cowboy about the pregnancy. She's up to being a single mother. However, over
these past seven months Cowboy realizes he doesn't want to let Melody go. When
the team is sent to Virginia for a training assignment, Cowboy decides to look
Melody up. Eventually Cowboy discovers
that he is going to become a dad and the central conflict resolves around
whether he and Melody should marry for the sake of the child. Melody believes
that passion and lust are not enough to make a marriage work, while Cowboy
believes that a child needs a father in his or her life. The story line isn't original, but what makes
the read enjoyable are the ways Cowboy tries to convince Melody to give him a
chance. He takes a rather unconventional approach to try to woo Melody.
When a mysterious young
woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her
sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful, yet self-effacing,
Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events
draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store
owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her
plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins
to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and
becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.
But as Kate begins to fall
in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her…a
past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the
sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo’s empathic and stubborn support, Katie
eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and
one of riskier rewards…and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe
haven.
Nicholas Sparks is a bestselling romance author with a
dedicated following. Safe Haven is
not his latest publication as it was released in 2010, but it has had a
resurgence of interest since the book was made into a movie this year.
After
suffering years of physical and emotional abuse from her husband, Katie Feldman
has managed to escape the marriage with the hope of starting a new life. After
bouncing from state to state, she decides to stay awhile along the coast of
North Carolina in Southport.
However, Katie is all too aware her stay may only be
temporary as she must hide from her unstable police detective husband. Kevin.
Although she lives in constant fear of being found, Katie manages to find a job
as a waitress and she finds a place to call her own, a small cottage nestled in
a secluded part of the town where she can maintain her privacy and heal from
her physical and emotional scars.
Katie isn’t looking to make friends or to become a part of
the community. Her goal in Southport is to remain as inconspicuous as possible
and save money in case she needs to run again. Her isolation is short-lived
when Jo moves in next door and slowly eases her way into Katie’s life. Through
her caring and supportive nature, she coaxes Katie into revealing bits about
her past.
Another Southport resident, Alex, also seems determined to
become a part of Katie’s life. Alex is a widower with two small children who
owns a country store on the outskirts of town. He cannot help but notice the
lovely Katie whenever she stops by the store to shop. Alex is curious about Katie’s
skittish nature and evasiveness when he tries to engage her in conversation. He
senses Katie wants to be friendly but is too scared to do so. During one of her
visits, Katie intervenes when Alex’s son becomes endangered. Her involvement
during this crisis causes Alex and his children to reach out to Katie, to
encourage her to become a part of their lives.
This is a big step for Alex, since he is only now beginning
to consider getting involved with another woman since his wife died. But Alex
sees something in Katie, and although he knows she has secrets, he still wants
to take a chance with her to see where the relationship will take them.
The pacing of the novel is slow in order to show the
development of Katie’s relationship with Alex and his children. As they get to
know each other, their mutual attraction grows, and Alex’s children are
accepting of Katie, and she comes to care for both them. Yet, Katie is still afraid to become too
involved with this family because of the dangers from her past. Early in the
relationship, she tells Alex,“…I
do want to see you and it scares me because I know deep in my heart that you
deserve someone better. You deserve someone you can count on. Someone your kids
can count on. Like I said, there are things you don’t know about me.” Katie doesn't think Alex will want to
continue their relationship once he knows the truth, but she believes that Alex
deserves to know about her past. The flashbacks to significant episodes in
Katie’s marriage describe a vibrant woman who eventually crumbles under the
control of a selfish husband who uses criticism and violence to keep his wife
submissive. Although, she has been traumatized from the marriage, Katie is a
survivor, a strong character who refuses to succumb to a life of pain and loneliness.
To Katie’s surprise, Alex is understanding and even
accepting of her situation and vows to keep her secrets in order to keep her
safe. Alex is an admirable man who isn't afraid to put his heart out there for
the woman he has grown to love. He is open and honest about his feelings for
Katie, which is refreshing for me as a reader of romance.
As predicted, Kevin
eventually tracks Katie to Southport, and even as he searches for her specific
location, he remains in a perpetual state of drunkenness. His extreme mood
swings leave readers wondering whether he will kidnap Katie and bring her home
or kill her since she has betrayed him by leaving and being with another man.
Throughout, the novel, we get Kevin's point of view about his marriage to Katie
whose birth name is really Erin until she obtains her new identity. Although at times Kevin becomes mournful and
cries about losing Erin, it is hard to feel much sympathy for a man who is
bullies and physically assaults a woman without accepting responsibility for
his actions.
Kevin's arrival
in town builds towards a suspenseful and dramatic climax that
impacts the future of Katie and Alex. Just when you
think you have the ending figured out Sparks throws you for a loop with
neighbor Jo’s role in the story. The ending leaves you reaching for the
Kleenex, yet feeling optimistic about rare second chances we may be fortunate
to be given in our lifetime.
