Review: Compelling Read!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 13, 2014
In Just Beneath the Surface II: Landon’s story, Author Rhonda Ramsey skillfully exposes the fact that what appears to be true may in fact be just smoke and mirrors.Landon, the character who the book is named for seems to have it all; he’s devastatingly good looking, well-educated, cultured and rich. He has high standards both for himself and for the people around him.On the other hand, Seven is just the opposite – a wild, unruly girl, the only thing she has going for her is her exotic beauty. Her unusual looks attract a lot of attention, but from the wrong kind of men. Fed up with a life that’s going nowhere fast, Seven is intrigued by Landon and more importantly, by Landon’s interest in her. Seeking redemption from her past, she makes certain choices which initially give her the things she wants. However, as time goes on, it becomes clear that what she thinks is real is merely a distortion, cloaked in secrets and lies.The author’s writing style is very compelling and this book kept me engaged from beginning to end. In Ms. Ramsey’s hands, these two characters come alive and jump off the page. I was alternately frustrated and sympathetic to the major characters and the end left me hanging, eager to read the next installment of this saga.At times, the characters seemed caught in a loop where they repeated behaviors that I expected them to have moved past. However, that’s stays true to reality; change is hard and it’s usually easier to stay in the familiar and comfortable than to risk the uncertain.All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book – my very first one from this author and certainly not the last.