Review: New series by Ranae Rose with twists and turns that take it right to my Best of 2014 list
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 1, 2014
There is something exciting about the start of a new series with new possibilities and twists and turns that you never see happening.  And when you mix that with an author’s voice that just feels right and real then you have a hit on your hands.  That is where this book starts and by the end of the book you will be begging for the next installment.Our main characters are so well fleshed out that you really get a sense of their motives, hidden fears and go on the journey with them.  Alicia Dalton is a woman that has moved to Riley County North Carolina for a new start and moves in next to an officer that would make any woman not only drool but have a secret crush on.  Liam Alexander is everything that we all imagine about brave men in uniform including Southern charm and irresistible.Admittedly I was unsure about the escapee convicts but these guys are drawn so brilliantly that as a reader you just want them to either get caught or end up back in prison.  The back story for these two brothers is very well depicted and gave them a true menace as they attempted to allude capture once they had gone on the lamb.The secondary characters of Sasha, Kerry, Henry and Grey are great counter points to our main characters and I can’t wait to see what Ms. Rose has in store for each of these characters in future books.  The interactions especially between Sasha, Kerry and Alicia had me in stitches a number of times because I can so imagine being in a room with people I know exactly like these two woman.  I’d love to know if they were modeled after anyone in particular and if so they would definitely be woman that I would enjoy having with me when I go out for a drink or two.The supernatural element was a nice little twist in this book and kept me on the edge of my seat wondering if Alicia was “seeing” something or if it was a trick her girlfriends were pranking her with.  The surprise was fully played out in the final 1/4 of the book and not going to spoil it here but loved the way Ms. Rose tied it all together at the end.The fact that this is a new series makes this a prime time to pick up Ms. Rose’s work and see if you find her as amazing and wonderful of a voice as I do.  I have a feeling that you will enjoy this book as much as I have.Final Thoughts, this book is a brilliant start to a new series and I can’t wait to hear that book 2 is not only in the works but will be available for review and purchase.  In other words, Ms. Rose has a hit on her hands with this outstanding book and it will be going into the Best of 2014 list for this blog.  Kudos to Ms. Rose for a marvelous book and let me know as soon as book 2 is available, PLEASE!A copy of Officer Next Door was provided to me by the author and nothing else was exchanged for my honest review.