Review: Evans' best yet!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 10, 2013
Marianne Evans has done it yet again. This author consistently delivers poignant storylines that grip the heart, and captivating characters so real you wish they'd walk off the page and into your life. She is second to none when it comes to making a setting or situation incredibly realistic through the use of outstanding descriptive skills. I'm a speedy reader as a rule, but I always spend an inordinate amount of time between the covers of her books--and that doesn't mean I'm not turning pages as fast as I can. But I keep stopping to jot down some beautiful turn of phrase that gave me spine tingles. Consider this line: "Something about a tough-guy cop turning timid stroked a gentle fingertip against her soul." Could there even be a better way to say that?Both hero and heroine in this story have heavy crosses to bear, with life situations that would crush a lot of people. When the story begins, Jennifer Foster has almost reached that point. She fits two physically demanding jobs in between frantic situational clean-up behind a bi-polar mother and -- perhaps most exhausting of all -- dealing with the emotional frustration that goes along with that never-ending task. Ryan Douglas walks into her life and refuses to walk back out, no matter how hard she tries to push him away. She's every bit as attracted to the handsome police officer as he obviously is to her, but she's not about to drag any man into the chaos of her life -- especially a man like Ryan. His gentle persistence is enough to melt any heart. This guy is not only easy on the eye, he's also brave, sweet, sensitive, generous and giving. Simply put, he's the ultimate hero, and yet his own life is no bed of roses. His faith is his strength, and he's determined to share that blessing with Jenny, even if she never accepts the heart he's so ready to give.This may well be my favorite Evans masterpiece to date. Jennifer and Ryan certainly give the series a running start. And yet, I have no doubt this author will find a way to make book two every bit as compelling. She always delivers excellence...and never more so than in SEARCH AND RESCUE (Sal's Place, #1). Way to make an impression, Marianne Evans!