Reading and Reviews (Gallant and Black)
I'm an author, but I'm also a reader. From time to time, I'llshare my reviews of present and past reads. My available time to read islimited because I write, but I love to curl up with a paperback or an eBook atnight for the last hour of my day.
I tend to read what I write, but not exclusively. BesidesRomantic Suspense and mystery, I read crime and law novels, once in a while atrue story, WWII historicals, and mainstream character driven books.
Here are some of the books I've read recently or in the not-too-distant past.Maybe you'll discover a new book or author.
Desperate Alliance by Jannine GallantAstolen painting leads to a second chance at love—if they survive.
When Annalise Quintrell discovers a painting at the Philadelphia museum whereshe works—a masterpiece she authenticated—is a forgery, her career is on theline. Confident she didn’t make a mistake, Annalise is convinced someone stolethe original. But with no proof, will anyone believe her? The only way tosalvage her reputation and her future is to find the missing painting. Theproblem is, she has no one to turn to for help—except her ex-fiancé.
Rory Cavanaugh made the worst mistake of his life, not when he got caughtrobbing an art gallery, but when he withheld the truth about his past fromAnnalise. Unable to forgive his lies, she cut him out of her life—and herheart—for good. But now she desperately needs his help, and Rory will doanything to make amends for hurting her. Because convincing her to take himback seems like a fantasy.
As Rory and Annalise work together, following a trail of clues in their searchfor the lost painting, long-suppressed feelings bubble to the surface. Can sheget beyond her anger and heartache and find a way to forgive him? Or will thecriminal determined to stop them at any cost make them both pay the ultimateprice for love?
My Review:
Jannine always delivers agood story. This one felt a little different than her regular suspense plots aswe made our way through the artworld instead of the wilderness. But she navigatedthe landscape convincingly. The story was good, and her characters imperfect.And that’s a good thing. Rory has led a less than honest life, but he had hisreasons. Annalise is stubborn and unforgiving. They have depth and that added a good dimensionto the story.
SaveMe by Molly Black FBI Special Agent KatieWinter is no stranger to frigid winters, isolation, and dangerous cases. Withher sterling record of hunting down serial killers, she is a fast-rising starin the BAU, and when a woman is discovered in the middle of a frozen lake,Katie is the natural choice to partner with Canadian law enforcement to track thekiller across the brutal and unforgiving landscape.
But tensions run high between Katie and her newCanadian partner, and time is running out before the killer’s trail goes cold.The case also conjures the demons of her own past: Katie’s younger sister, vanishedyears ago on the shore of the very same lake, a case that remains unsolved.
Can Katie keep her demons at bay long enough toenter a killer’s mind and stop him before it’s too late?
Or will this diabolical monster outwit her inhis game of cat and mouse?
This story held my attentionmost of the time. The problem between Katie and her new partner, and the why ofit was so vague I had trouble understanding. The disconnected plot lines withthe partner and her sister bothered me. Small stuff like typos were alsodisconcerting. It wasn’t a bad story but could definitely have benefited from agood editor. And by the way, I'm in the minority in my opinion of this book, so if you're a Molly Black fan you won't agree. If she's new to you, I encourage you to check the page on Amazon and the reviews there.
