The Reluctant

Title: The Reluctant

Author: C.S. Splitter

Publisher: Published April 2011 by C.S. Splitter

Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Format: Ebook

ISBN: 0011269340

Tom Crayder is living the American Dream. He has a wife he loves, a house to call a home and his very own plane to go with his fulfilled dream of being a pilot. But like many know, the American dream isn't always as carefree as some might like to believe.

Tom's consulting business is failing, he's behind on the loan payments to his plane and his wife works too much. And, he's bored. Turns out that the great life he has isn't very exciting.

How to spice things up???

He starts taking some jobs from a local crime boss, delivering people and cash to various locations and, because that just isn't fun enough, he starts flirting with a woman at the shooting range.

Tom finds himself caught up in a web of people and situations that turn his excitement into danger. How will he get himself out of the mess he's in, and…does he even want to?

This book is a bit of a departure from my usual paranormal genre but I enjoyed it anyway. The plot was easy to get into and easy to follow, and it took twists and turns that I didn't always see coming. Some of the things that happened to Crayder had me turning the pages to see what he would do to get out of his situation.

Tom Crayder is a guy's guy, a married man with a bachelor's heart. Even though I knew that a man wrote this book before I started reading it would have been obvious the minute I picked it up. In many ways I found it interesting because I really felt like me (the reader – and yes a girl) got a clear glimpse into a man's head. He thought about food and women a lot. Big surprise there. He also thought about adventure and fun. Yet, Tom was also someone who thought about his friends and right and wrong. He had a conscious in him even when he was doing things that weren't – shall we say – legal. I will say that his estimation of right and wrong sometimes went into the gray area and sometimes he was lead astray by his man parts…but I found that all to be in line with who Tom was. Hey, don't hate the player – hate the game.

The characterization in the novel was solid as was the writing. I didn't once get tripped up over a mistake or an awkward sentence and the book flowed well. This book set up Crayder and a cast of characters very well for the next book, which I will definitely read.

I will mention that I thought for being such an ordinary guy, Tom seemed to have quite a knack for getting himself out of sticky (and dangerous) situations. And sometimes his "I'm so cool because I'm a pilot" attitude made me roll my eyes.

My favorite part of the book was the ending and the Chihuahua. Want to know all about the little smiling dog with the underbite? Read the book, but beware not all doggies in this book are nice (my least favorite part of the book).

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes some suspense, good writing and to definitely all men everywhere.

You done good, Splitter, and I salute you.

So there you have it, my opinion.

This review is written by Cambria Hebert