Review: Engaging, with believable conflict
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 4, 2012
Bringing down Sam is about a former model who seeks revenge for all womankind against the prodigal son of the "Man who owns half of Pennsylvania." Sounds a bit far fetched, right? I certainly thought so until I started reading. I loved Sam and Eve. LOVED them. So much.Brief synopsis - Eve is a former child model who has left the spotlight far behind. After one of her friends is hurt by a man who follows the advice in a book written by Sam, Eve and her friends decide to exact a little revenge. Eve plans to make Sam fall for her, then dump him. Things don't go as planned.Eve - She never wanted to be in the spotlight again after being dragged through the mud by her father's actions. She has become a teacher,and if she isn't thrilled with her life, at least she has what she has based on her own talents, not her looks. She is a bit of a smart mouth, and it sets her teeth on edge when she has to pretend to be a bimbo. She's lovely, and smart, with a big heart.She is loyal to her friends, and ultimately, to Sam and herself.Sam - oh, Sam...Hot, confident, secure in himself, a self made man after growing up in the lap of luxury. What's not to love? After he writes a tongue-in-cheek book titled 101 Ways to Avoid Commitment, he's getting way more attention than he would like, and it seems not everyone realizes the book was written as a joke. Especially persons of the female variety. He gets immediately that something is off about bimbo Eve, and is startlingly attracted to the person he sees beneath the ditzy mask. He can't quite figure out her game plan.What worked for me - Sam. Eve. Their friends. Sam. The way the conflicts played out. I despise contrived conflict. Although Sam and Eve had things to work out, the straightforward, honest approach was so refreshing! I had a few times where I cringed, thinking, "Oh, no, here it comes, the inevitable misunderstanding," but no...they worked out their problems like adults. I loved that. And passion...whoa! I never doubted their attraction to one another. Great love scenes, believable build up...Trademark Leslie Kelly.What didn't work for me - I can't think of a thing. I really enjoyed this book, beginning to end.Final thoughts - money and time well spent. Sam and Eve are both smart, the conflicts played out beautifully, the love scenes are so hot...Win, win, win.I love the way Leslie Kelly writes. Her characters are always multidimensional, flawed and human. She doesn't waste words, so one isn't sifting through endless, pointless prose. Her stories are tight and well paced. If you are into romantic suspense, you should check out her titles published under Leslie Parrish. While they are darker in tone than her Leslie Kelly titles, the realness of the characters is a constant.In the author's note at the end of Bringing Down Sam, Ms. Kelly mentions that Jake, Sam's half brother, and Leanne, one of Eve's friends, will be starring in their own book sometime next year. Can't wait!