Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Sometimes a brief getaway where no one knows your name can change your life.

Emily Carver is an inhibited, small town woman who, against warnings from her family, takes her first trip to Las Vegas. On her first night there, she is mugged and saved from worse trauma by Royal Wooten, an independent, assertive woman, and a virtual opposite of Emily.

With no money or identification and unwilling to go home and face her “I-told-you-so” family, Emily decides to stay in Las Vegas and rebuild her stolen finances. But what she actually rebuilds is her entire life. She even gambles on a chance for true love and discovers that sometimes in order to find yourself, you have to start from scratch.

 

Book Review

This book is quietly, beautifully, and purposefully intense. That makes it an overwhelmingly fantastic story that brings countless poignant elements to the forefront to enjoy, savor, and relish. Oh, this all gets to happen in Las Vegas! The two main women are spectacular and their trials and tribulations plus their evolving emotional growth spurts were so magnificently presented in a dynamically understated manner that simply deserves a standing ovation. I do so recommend this. Powerfully poignant!

Emily Carver, who for the balance of this review will be affectionately and deliberately called Jane Doe, is one of the main characters. This book all stems from Jane's extraordinary experience within hours of arriving in Las Vegas…a trip she won at a bingo game at her church back in Horatio, Oklahoma. Then, following Jane's initial experience in Las Vegas, she is openly, carefully, and affectionately welcomed into Royal Wooten's home as soon as she is able to do so according to some reliable, professional folks. In retrospect, I think of Jane becoming Royal's houseguest as kind of equivalent to a re-birth experience. It is really hard not be captivated and enthralled by her because she appears to be so honest and astoundingly open even if later on she feels that even though Royal provided her everything she needed to recover, Jane had returned nothing but confusion. These two first-class ladies are predominantly fabulous and really lit up my heart. Profoundly sublime!

Royal Wooten owns a rather special pawn shop in Las Vegas. Additionally she has a truly fantastic and nearly unbelievable coterie of friends. Plus she is personally at her core almost bigger than all outdoors and possibly bordering on sainthood. However, she has been really badly burned by her two recent relationships and oh my goodness Jane has a bit too much in common with these not long past liaisons. Royal accidentally learns that Jane is engaged to be married. That piece of data seems to cement into Royal's brain that Jane is straight and must be kept at arm's length at all costs. In my estimation, Royal is not only subject to having the occasional panic attack, but she is also prone to wearing blinders and being a bit locked in cement about how she assumes past experiences will be repeated letter for letter. Oh, I guess that makes Royal human, but oh such a beautiful soul and amazingly passionate. Royal also has a friend who just lights up the proceedings whenever she enters the active arena. Her name is Delilah and she is a hoot and a half, a great friend and supporter for both Royal and Jane, and a bit of a necessary rock to anchor both of them. Hail, hail the august lesbians in the Las Vegas environs! Breathtakingly bedazzling!

This book grew on me and filled me with so much love and appreciation that I want to hop on the next available flight to Vegas to find and bask in the distinctive and super subculture presented. Sensationally satisfying!

 

 

 

 

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

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 192 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-April-2011
Price	$9.99 ebook, $16.95 paperback, $19.99 bundle
Buy Link	http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/9781602822177B.html