Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Dr. Alastair Burrows decides to take a stand after years of escalating abuse by his husband, Cedric Perkins, when he stops Alastair from visiting his brother Grayson after a serious car accident. A few weeks later, Alastair finally escapes his guards, sues for divorce, and begins to openly question Cedric and the pharmaceutical company he runs. As a medical researcher working for Biomedical Inc., Alastair witnessed plenty of dubious practices but had no say. Now he takes a new job with EDT, a company fighting for ethical drug testing, planning to expose Biomedical.

Reinaldo Valverde, intent on stopping drug trafficking, suspects Biomedical is in league with Colombian drug lords. Unable to infiltrate Biomedical, he goes undercover at EDT, hoping to find some leads in their database. Reinaldo meets Alastair and discovers the handsome doctor is also after Biomedical. Reinaldo keeps quiet about his mission, but as Alastair gets closer to the truth, Reinaldo gets closer to Alastair. When they discover Biomedical’s illegal research labs, EDT sends both men on a recognizance mission to Colombia and Brazil.

Lies are revealed, disaster strikes, and they are stranded in the Amazon jungle, facing a fight for survival they cannot afford to lose.

 

Book Review

Although we normally think of women as being victims of spousal abuse, it happens to men too; anyone can be abused. Dr. Alastair Burrows, in 'Fighting for Survival' by Serena Yates, has lived with the shame and humiliation his husband has inflicted upon him for years; always hoping that this time will be the last, believing the promise that it won't happen again. The longer the mistreatment goes on, the more embarrassed he becomes and the harder it is to talk about it. Alastair feels weak and ineffective because he can't stand up to his manipulative, self-centered husband. When Alastair's brother, Grayson, is in a serious car accident and Cedric refuses to let him go visit, that's the last straw. Alastair rebels and walks out. Cedric, however, has no intention of letting him go and will resort to any means necessary to make sure if he can't have him, no one else will either.

Alastair has definite trust issues because of the abuse he suffered. He wants to believe that he's loveable and worthy of respect, but his recent trauma is making it difficult to trust not only other people, but himself as well. Experience has taught him that he can't trust his feelings, so his slant on things is skewed. He's capable of love and loyalty, which is exactly what his husband uses to dominate him with for so long. He counts on Alastair's guilt to keep him in line. Breaking away from Cedric takes an enormous amount of bravery; reclaiming his self-esteem is a monumental task, but one Alastair is determined to complete. Although wary, Alastair can't resist Reinaldo's charm and the more he learns about him, the harder it is to do so. Alastair soon comes to see that Reinaldo is nothing like Cedric. He's considerate, kind, nurturing, and attentive. Alastair hasn't felt appreciated for a long time and it feels wonderful. Mostly, with Reinaldo, he feels completely safe.

Reinaldo is a great friend and business partner with the co-owner of his security business, Luiz. They've been friends for a long while and have built up a reputable, albeit secretive, business and have been successful in taking down some of the world's top drug lords. Reinaldo never would have dreamed that fate would drop Dr. Alastair Burrows in his lap, the very man who could help him immensely in his latest assignment which just happens to be the company that Alastair's husband owns. When he meets Alastair, Reinaldo has a hard time keeping his mind on business and off Alastair. When they go out in the field to discover as much as they can about the dealings of Cedric's company, adversity gives them the opportunity to get to know each other quickly. Reinaldo is impressed by Alastair's intellect and problem solving skills and respects Alastair's strength and determination. Reinaldo is surprised that someone who has a desk job can adapt so well in the jungle. I love the way Reinaldo is so patient, being considerate of Alastair's situation and not trying to seduce him since he knows that Alastair isn't ready for such a big step. This gives them the time they need to move things along at a reasonable pace.

Serena has created a fast-paced story with lots of action and adventure, while managing a steamy, yet respectfully well-paced romance as well. I love the way she changes the plot's direction, surprising me by having a totally different outcome from the one I assumed. I commend her for taking on the serious theme of domestic violence and the process of recovery, while also managing to have a passionate, realistic love affair on top of it. If you want to read a book that's well-written, has great characters, suspense, intrigue, and mystery, then you will enjoy this book. Thank you, Serena, for an extremely satisfying read.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 210 pages/69764 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	17-January-2014
Price	$6.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback, $14.99 bundle
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/fighting-for-survival-by-serena-yates-4219-b