Review: Fantastic Book!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 21, 2012
This story grabbed me right from the beginning with the hostage crisis and rescue scenes, but even after they were safely out of harms way, the author somehow managed to keep me in suspense right up until to the very end of the story. Even though things were quite tense after the rescue, it was fun to watch how Steven and Karen's love for one another build into a full blown, tender love story.It also lets you see what makes a person do and act in certain ways. For example;Steven Colter never knew anything about his parents. He grew up in an over populated orphanage until the age of 16, when he then snuck off and joined the army. When his time was up he began his life as a Mercenary. His own life meant nothing to him, because he never had anyone in his life who really cared. That is until he runs into Karen, a woman he had just rescued. For some reason he found himself so drawn to her and even though he thought she was way out of his league, he couldn't resist her. He feels he has nothing to offer her and besides, she deserves a better man who can love her the way she should be loved and cared for.So after Karen is safely on her way back home to the U.S to live at her sister house, he tries everything in his power to try to forget her and move on, but he knows deep in his heart that he'll never be able forget her.Then a month or so later, he suddenly finds himself facing the good possibility of own death. Just before he loses consciousness he hands over a piece of paper with all the information on how to contact Karen to the nurse by his side. He tells the trauma nurse to contact Karen and send her all of his things, if he should happen to die. But the nurse doesn't wait to see if he makes it through surgery, she sends for Karen right away. Karen doesn't hesitate for one minute when she gets the call, even though her sister is dead set against her going. She hops the first plane out that night.Karen was raised by a very cold hearted Aunt who never married or had kids of her own, and she really didn't like playing nurse mate or mother to these two young girls, after their parents had died in a tragic accident. So Karen ends up marrying a man much older man in order to get away. The marriage doesn't last very long though. It was sort of a sham anyway, her husband treated her more like a father/daughter thing. So when he was ready to move on again a few years later, Karen stays behind and files for divorce.She doesn't dated at all, her work and her friends always seemed to keep her more than satisfied. Then Steven comes along and frees her from 5 days of hell as a hostage. He's not really her type, but there is just something about him that draws her to him.Then there's Linda, a zany British friend of Karen's. They have worked together for years and have been close friends. When they are rescued, Linda helps Karen get through the whole ordeal of getting back to normal again. She's also a life saver towards the end of the story. She takes Karen in when she has no where else to go. Linda was such a hoot in this story, she was also very warm and witty. IMO- I think everyone needs to have a friend like her in their lives.I know there was at least one other reviewer that was upset about a brief slave joke in this story, and I have to say that it was a little upsetting to me too at first, but it was only a brief snipe and then the story moved on quickly, so I let it go. It really wasn't that big of a deal, it was one line in the story and it was just a very brief statement at that. It was only meant as nothing more than a slight joke in passing. Although I am a white woman, I have many, many close black friends who didn't give this anymore thought then I did, when I mentioned this part of the book to them, just to see if they thought it was as offensive as some of you  might have.Would I recommend this book? Yes!!!!! It has all the elements anyone could ask for in reading a great story.