A Step of Faith-Richard Paul Evans

A Step of Faith


Richard Paul Evans

Simon & Schuster, May 7 2013, $19.99

ISBN: 9781451628296



Advertising executive Alan Christoffersen left Seattle when his beloved wife died and his partner Kyle Craig destroyed their business leaving the grieving widower with nothing but a need to get as far away as he can from the Pacific Northwest. His goal was to walk to Key West.



Alan awakens in a St, Louis hospital after falling unconscious on a roadside. He finds out that he has been diagnosed with a brain tumor; so heads to Los Angeles for treatment. There his father, his loyal former employee Falene, and Nicole who nursed him after a mugging in Spokane are there for him, but he drives them away as Alan reflects on his life while pondering whether he should give up as he feels like a failed Job or continue his trek until he realizes what he lost.



The fourth Walk saga (see The Walk, Miles to Go and The Road to Grace) is an entertaining entry as Alan realizes what he wrought with his caustic behavior towards those who love him. Except for a visit to a cult that slows down the pacing, for the most part this is a strong character driven tale; as each step on the journey requires faith if the protagonist is to refill his spiritual void.



Harriet Klausner

Sweet Dreams-Carla Stewart

Sweet Dreams


Carla Stewart

Faith Words, May 14 2013, $14.99

ISBN: 9781455504275



In 1962, cousins Dusty and Paisley are best friends though they live different lifestyles. Dusty is the daughter of a Texas oil millionaire who has given her roots and all the material things she desires, but she envies her BFF’s freedom as she wants to make meaningful choices. Paisley has the freedom of the road having spent her years traveling with her roaming mom; but envies her cousin-friend’s permanent home as she wants real roots.



Dusty wants to go to college, but her dad insists she go to Miss Fontaine’s Finishing School. To appease his daughter, he sends Paisley to attend too. As the buddies adapt to the school, they have each other until Jack enters their lives followed by a trauma that shakes the cousins.



Sweet Dreams is an enjoyable historical drama that brings to life Texas in the early 1960s through a diverse but solid cast. With its “grass is always greener on the other side” premise, readers will enjoy this leisurely-paced tale.



Harriet Klausner

Catch A Falling Star-Beth K Vogt

Catch A Falling Star


Beth K Vogt

Howard/Simon & Schuster, May 7 2013, $14.99

ISBN: 9781451660272



In Colorado Springs on her thirty-sixth birthday, her mom calls Dr. Kendall Haynes telling her that her younger sister is getting married and the ring bequeathed to her needs to go to her sibling since she has no intended. Upset as she wants a family, Kendall considers Dr. Heath Parker, who just returned from Africa, a perfect match,



Kendall goes to On The Border to celebrate her birthday with friends; only to learn that her buddy Rachel is also engaged. At the restaurant, Kendall notices sixteen year old Ian Walker acting strange. She goes over to his table only to realize Ian suffers from an allergic reaction to avocado. Kendall gives him an EpiPen injection while lecturing his “father” for not knowing his son’s allergies. The dad is Ian’s older brother Griffin, an air force pilot grounded to desk jockey to raise his sibling ever since their parents died. Suddenly from none, Kendall has two hunks in her life.



This is a refreshing inspirational romance as the triangle is older characters than usual with successful careers. Kendall sets the tone wondering why God’s plan seems to leave her single while everyone around her has found their soul mate. Although the storyline follows the path readers expect (even a secondary subplot plot focused on the office assistant does likewise); Catch A Falling Star is an enjoyable Christian contemporary.



Harriet Klausner

Afloat-Erin Healy

Afloat


Erin Healy

Thomas Nelson, May 7 2013, $15.99

ISBN: 9781401685522



Architect Vance Nolan designed Eagle's Talon as condos afloat on a peninsula jutting into the Rondeau River. Developer Tony Dean made Nolan’s dream reality. Now the construction is almost finished and some of the residences are occupied.



Vance senses something wrong but the usual suspects seem okay until he realizes no longer is there any bird sounds. A sinkhole has begun to form; made worse by horrific storms and subsequently flooding. The survivors huddle in one building arguing over what to do. Nolan says to wait for help to arrive while Dean says leave before it is too late. Single mom Danielle Clement wants to keep her son Simeon safe so insists they remain together.



Afloat is an exciting thriller that grips the audience once the key cast each provides their opening perspective as the trapped people struggle to survive against nature and each other. Although the rotating viewpoint slows down the pace, readers will enjoy Erin Healy’s enjoyable disaster tale that would make an engaging Irwin Allen-type movie.



Harriet Klausner

Confession-Richard Freis

Confession


Richard Freis

Sartoris Literary Group, May 7 2013, $19.95

www.sartorisliterary.com

ISBN: 9780988947412



As successful attorney George Burden reaches his double-5 birthday, he seems to have the perfect life with a wonderful caring family especially his adoring wife Julia and is a highly regarded member of upper class society in Jackson, Mississippi. However, George feels differently as he knows everything came too easily.



George does the unthinkable by leaving his safe zone to begin an affair with Becca Talbot, divorced mother of a five year old son who is also younger than his youngest child. When George falls in love with his paramour, he decides to obtain a divorce to marry his beloved. He is stunned when Becca refuses his proposal. Raging George goes berserk when he sees his Becca with a man her age and will do anything to make her his wife.



Taking place in under 100 hours, Confession is a taut psychological suspense starring a fascinating violent protagonist who tells his Confession by letter to a priest. Ironically as he confesses his sins (and readers learn his history from his perspective) George has everything except spiritual connections. Richard Freis provides a strong character-driven thriller; as George has achieved the four lower steps of Maslow’s Hierarchy, but fails at Self-Actualization and Self-Transcendence leading to his placing his (and his family) Physiological, Safety, Belongingness and Love, and Esteem at risk.



Harriet Klausner

Seduction-M.J. Rose

Seduction


M.J. Rose

Atria, May 7 2013, $24.00

ISBN: 9781451621501



Emotional fragile, mythologist Jac L’Etoile was fourteen when she met fellow teen patient Theo Gaspard at the Blixter Rath Clinic and though neither knew the other’s surname they were attracted to one another. Now a grieving widower, he explains he read her book and found an intriguing 1855 letter that discusses Druid activity. Theo invites her to join him on Isle of Jersey to find a Hugo missing journal describing his contacts with the Shadow of the Sepulcher; his conversations with Jesus and other notables having been published.



Fascinated by Hugo’s efforts to contact his deceased teenage daughter and seeing Theo for the first time in years at his home front, Jac decides to go over the warnings of her therapist. On Jersey, the intrepid but troubled pair begins to unravel the mystery of Victor Hugo and the Shadow of the Sepulcher, but will either mentally survive solving this paranormal case.



The second Jac L’Etoile mythological thriller (see The Book of Lost Fragrances) is an exhilarating tale that rotates between the mid-nineteenth century and the present. Fast-paced in both eras, danger mounts then and now as evil stalks the past and the contemporary human seekers.



Harriet Klausner

Indivisible? The Story of the Second American Civil War-Paul Martin Midden

Indivisible? The Story of the Second American Civil War


Paul Martin Midden

Wittmann Blair Publishing, May 7, 2013, $18.99

ISBN: 9780985922320



In 1861 Abraham Bellamy dedicated his life to the Confederate cause. In 1865 after his side lost, a despondent Abraham proved his dedication by suicide.



In the present, Abraham’s descendent Abner Bellamy believes the federal government is a sham tramping on the rights of the states. His mission is to resurrect his ancestor’s dream of for the people being not one size fits all but 50 diverse ways and has begun to find powerful supporters who agree with his assertion the government is too powerful. Though their motives differ from Abner as avarice is their driver, wealthy George and David Blinder join the cause. Fundamentalist Daniel Keenan also enlists as he knows the atheist DC government has destroyed religious and family values. Other also throw their lot in with the Sovereign Citizens group whose mission is de-evolution or if need be revolution.



CIA agent Max Grabel and contract workers (and lovers) Marie LeBrun and Samantha Stranger uncover a viable conspiracy to overthrow the United States government and return it to pre-Civil War states domination. Evidence implies this threat unlike previous ones has money, arms, and a wide range of influence. They must identify the diverse cabal of enemies of the USA before it is too late for the Union.



This is an exciting thriller that extrapolates the rage many have against the federal government turning into action to tear down DC. Although a sequel is set up that will disappoint fans wanting a final confrontation, readers will enjoy this fast-paced tale while trying to identify who’s who.



Harriet Klausner