Review: Quick paced but engaging
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 27, 2014
I found this book to be quick paced but engaging. The writing is clear and concise. Author Mike Wells manages to put a lot of story into a short novella without making you feel as if depth is lacking. Elaine’s father was a hard working man who wanted to give her the world but he was by no means perfect. This tale is always at its darkest when expressing the actions which her father thought were necessary. This was a poor man who wanted to give his daughter an expensive education and basically did this by whatever means necessary. One frustrating aspect of the story is Elaine’s naivete, especially as it relates to her father’s actions. When the story begins and starts to develop the reader almost expects the main character to be a streetwise, no nonsense girl. But, she remains innocent and nave into her college years. This characteristic results in her ending up in a compromising position. And this is where her life begins to unravel. Ultimately, this story is about a young girl who is taken advantage of, has a tragic loss, and then perseveres.When Elaine reaches adulthood and heads off to college the reader becomes more in tune with her personality through a series of fumbling sexual encounters. We have our first laugh out loud moment when she shares her experience with her roommate. After college Elaine is selected to become a Secret Service agent and we follow her on her difficult journey through their rigorous academy. There is a hint that we may now see some action when she has to take a martial arts exam however the action in that scenario is anti-climactic. I would say that my one complaint about the story is the lack of action. I can say from personal experience that the life of a law enforcement officer is much more mundane in real life then portrayed in the movies or on TV. But, since this novella is a fictionalized version of what law enforcement officers do I was hoping for some edge of your seat thrills. Her first assignment goes horribly wrong and she is transferred to Bulgaria where things heat up. It’s on this assignment that she really gets to do her job and show off her talents. This is also where she meets a fellow Secret Service Agent named Nick who she proceeds to fall madly in love with.I did enjoy this story overall. Elaine is a smart girl who you come to care about. Her journey is easy to relate to and you want to know what will happen to her in the future.