Review: 3  stars and recommendation for paranormal/romance genre
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 21, 2014
Emmy London has lived a solitary and lonely life. “Destination to be Determined” is the story of a point in time in Emmy’s life when she is at a true crossroads and must make some choices that she knows will greatly affect her life. Emmy works as PI, volunteers are a story time reader for children at the library, and loves her coffee. She is mired in her day-to-day life and is about to experience a unique reality check. The story opens with a prologue at Emmy’s child hood and gives us a glimpse into the paranormal, describing how Emmy is a “time-traveler” and why this comes to decide her fate as a self-sufficient outsider.The main plot/storyline requires the reader to accept a supernatural element, the ability to travel time. The story is mostly told from a third person narrative, but also incorporates the use of childhood journals to tell Emmy’s story from 1994, when she was five, and in 2004, when she was fifteen. Emmy’s special ability is depicted as a curse early on, but as an adult, she comes to see it, to use it to help solve the mystery of a classmate’s abduction/murder.  I really like getting to understand her “ability” through these journal entries. These entries start with a description her rules in life, rules that describe her encounters in these experiences and guide her future use of time-travel. I enjoy it when an author uses different POV tactics to give us the story and in this case, we find out what Emmy is really thinking and feeling and how she evolved in the 20 years that cover the storyline.The story is a quick and easy read and the plot flows smoothly. For the most part, Emmy is relatable and because of her childhood, growing up in the foster care system with no real anchor, it is natural to sympathize with her solitary nature. Well, that and the time-travel. Who wants to live with that? Emmy learned the lesson that too often there are just some things one cannot change, some things that are meant to be and her involvement really only causes her own despair as she come to understand that “…every action has a reaction. The past can’t be changed or altered with repercussions.”At the same time, into her life walks a stranger named Blaze Christensen. Blaze remains a stranger to us and we are challenged, as Emmy is, to trust this man. They quickly develop a “non-relationship” bond as Blaze injects himself into Emmy’s life. He seems to show up when she is in her most vulnerable moments and she usually takes the bait.  She does put up a fight and gives Blaze reason to be cautious with her, but living cautiously just does not seem to be his nature.  My only knock against the story is that lack of development of the character Blaze.  Because of this, I had a hard time accepting Emmy’s ever changing feelings for him. We really have no understanding into what he is thinking, where he came from, and what motivates him and his pursuit of Emmy. All we know is that he, like Emmy is a Private Investigator, and that he rides a motorcycle. For as closed off as she is, it was easy to understand her resistance but Emmy flips and flops a bit, and all too quickly. I found her reluctance was acceptable and her acceptance was rushed, perhaps to close the storyline.  Perhaps this is a set up for book 2 in the series. In which case, I am interested in seeing where things go.The story evokes emotions of letting go of guilt over things we cannot control and being open to trust. Ultimately, Emmy must learn to trust herself.  She has a unique path and some rules are meant to be broken or at the very least re-written.3  stars and recommend for readers of paranormal/romance