Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Spicy and Inspiring


First thoughts:
From the first page I read I was hooked; I couldn’t put it down, my thoughts and mind only on what was going to come next. The words twisted back and forth as I tried to figure out the mystery, to solve the big conflict and though at times I thought I had it solved I was proved wrong. It wasn’t really till the end where I finally figured it out but by then I was already through most of the book and put through so many trap doors it isn’t even funny. The pace of the book is one I would consider fast, there weren’t many slow moments it seemed like there was always something new introduced and thrown our way. The description in this book was the key, I felt that the author described the setting really well, New York is definitely a unique and powerful city and I believed that the author was able to grasp onto it and add into both character and description that is believable. I also felt that it was just the right amount, I didn’t think the author described too much or too little. One of my favorite descriptions in this book was Shawn’s condo. The condo itself in my opinion really described the whole character of Shawn, just by the description alone I could tell exactly what Shawn’s personality was going to be, something that may appear to be nothing on the surface but something as beautiful as the sun in the inside. I thought this book almost had a vantage feel; like every place they went to had a spark of old history in it but glossed over with a more modern paintbrush. As for the characters themselves I would say that they were as lively as you and me. I felt that he really accomplished the task of creating characters like you and me. I felt more connected with the characters because they were put in situations that were very much believable and realistic. Also the characters did transform in this book some; though not every character changed they did add key points to the story to help better the other more prominent characters. I thought that the biggest transformation had to be of Shawn; he was such a deep and unreachable character for most of the book but then Kristina brought to the surface a part of him that he hadn’t been privy to sharing at any earlier moment; not even to the reader. The plot itself was planned perfectly, there were moments in rich the conflict almost got the best of the characters but in the end overcame them and by the time the climax arrived everything after that was only tying up loose ends. This definitely was fast paced and to the point where by the last page I was both shocked and surprised to find the book at the end. The romance in this book was definitely high notch, though the story didn’t necessarily resolve around love it did have a sub-story of it and helped draw in more conflict and action. There were scenes in which the intensity of the romance was high but was executed greatly. I thought the author did a good job on transitioning the characters in the scenes in which the love between them was at the fullest and though there were small amounts of adult material it was done with class. Also this book did have limited curse words but I found them to be more a part of the character than the author. Without the curse words I believed the characters themselves to be lacking. Some things I really enjoyed about this book were the scenery and overall execution of the story. Even though this is by no means the most creative work of art I did believe it to be eye-opening and touching. To learn about something that most people keep hidden in the darkest corner of their homes was amazing, it’s not a topic that is widely talked or written about. Some possible flaws I found were some grammar and misspellings in the book itself like spelling “Dinner” “Diner” but it was too often enough to distract me from the story itself and therefore had no problem overlooking it. I also believed that the end was perhaps too rushed, I thought that it could have blossomed more; perhaps see Shawn and Kristina travel some or have a more drawn out conclusion. But in the end I loved every second of this book; it’s a book that can be read fast (I read it in a day) and it can also be a stepping tool on learning not only about an important issue but also about something that hits close to homes to the people around you.
Goodreads Summary:
New York City socialite Kristina Sutherland, the daughter of legendary Lawson Sutherland, a top executive with Lyon International discovers she’s pregnant, but doesn’t remember having sex for a long time. While contemplating an abortion she bumps into and confides in Shawn Davis, the head of security at Lyon International and asks him to take her to an abortion clinic out of the city for consultation, making him promise to keep any details in confidence. While she realizes she needs him as a bodyguard to keep the press away and guard her privacy she also knows he has a loyalty conflict due to his position in the corporation. Shawn provides security to the company elite and their families. Desperate, she knows no one else to turn to that she trusts.
Shawn is the secret grandson of Brent Lyon, the chairman of the board of Lyon International. After Brent asks Shawn to come to his office they talk about their past and how Brent regrets his earlier decisions. Brent had disowned his daughter, Shawn’s mother when she ran off with a want-to-be rock star. She had raised Shawn on her own until she died a few years earlier. Brent had invited Shawn back into his life only after her death, and only to a small degree which had to remain a secret to avoid scandals which could ruin the corporation.
Last thoughts:
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a more realistic story and also to those of you who are suckers for romance. I wouldn’t however recommend this to anyone who is sensitive to romance (there are some use of language and scenes close to sex) and also this is definitely not for anyone who by any means is uncomfortable about rape and a story of true woes. This definitely tackles a serious issue and is a great mystery at the same time. This really reminded me of a great old detective story, I felt that it touched base with some of the old detective techniques and helped bring the old back. It was an enjoyable read it is easy to fall in love with the storyline from the very first sentence. This was the first book I read by the author and cannot wait to read any other works by him. This is definitely an author to keep a look out for because he’s easy on the words and his style is both stunning and captivating.

4 comments:

  1. I am a sucker for a good romance. Loved your review, I love a book that captures you on page one :)

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  2. Wow, nice review. The book is in the list to buy and read!

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  3. Way to go, Sir John! As if we expected anything but the best! Can't wait to read it.

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