Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Cassidy “Cazz” Warner, a smart, sporty, reticent newcomer to the senior class at Claiborne High, unwittingly attracts the attention of its most popular girl: Sarah Perkins, a bright, athletic, charismatic beauty. Just as the two begin to understand how extraordinary their friendship is, another cross-country move wrests Cazz away.

Ten years later, Cazz unexpectedly runs into Sarah during a fraud investigation at Sarah’s charitable foundation. The women are inexorably drawn to each other, but Cazz’s investigation into the foundation's finances limits her ability to be entirely honest with Sarah.

Already wary of Cazz for not keeping in touch after Claiborne, Sarah demands the truth. Will Cazz own up to her feelings for Sarah? Or is she too late? And will Cazz’s investigation bring a killer to justice, or will she sacrifice herself to protect Sarah from a man desperate to conceal his crimes?

 

Book Review

Oh, wondrous delight! Bold Strokes Books has another new author whose first novel reads as if a veteran's masterful hand were actually at the helm. Tautness, tension, vulnerability, innocence, mystery, and intrigue. My cup runneth over! After a prologue, I was re-introduced to the main gal who is just the most delightful 'military brat' I have ever encountered and finds herself bursting with overwhelming sexual awakenings from a rather unexpected source. Additionally, since she hardly ever gets to spend an entire school year in one location, she has acquired a voracious reading skill and study technique that puts her neck and neck in the 'top smarty-pants award' category. Oh my dear, neck and neck with Sarah, front runner for the Homecoming Queen who is just the person that has sent roaring waves of powerful newly awakened sensual sensations much to the amazement of the 'military brat', new girl Cassidy. This book is a top of the line winner that grabbed me, held me, and more than entertained me from start to finish!

We first meet Cassidy Warner, Cazz for short...just like 'Jazz'...having done a stint as a SEC examiner. She is sent to LA to participate in a civilian-investigation program, because of her expertise in uncovering fraud and embezzlement. She is being partnered with the Commercial Crimes Division of the LAPD under the aegis of a two-year pilot civilian-investigation program. That is the current day scenario presented to us in the prologue. Pretty good stuff. However, then we get the juicy and wondrous senior year shenanigans as part of a flashback to give us the necessary data on how Cazz and Sarah Perkins become competitors and good friends. For Cazz, Sarah blossoms into the intensely overwhelming love of her life with which she hasn't a clue how to successfully deal. Then there are all the other high school senior year complications. This background interlude is simply priceless and more than adequately provides all the interesting foundation data about Cazz and Sarah.

Sarah is the daughter of a very successful man who uses fund-raisers among other things to finance the good works sponsored by her dad's foundation. Sarah adores her father and has her eye on following in his footsteps. Of course, she could possibly be empress of the world giving the way she has charted her high school accomplishments. Yet, she does this with exactly the same aplomb her father utilizes to win over and convince rich personages to invest in his foundation. They are a totally astounding father/daughter team, even when Sarah is still a high school senior. Sarah seems flawless and she continually confounds Cazz with her unaware yet spectacular sexual attraction and as a solid friend who tries to help the 'new girl' realize she is a total knockout in her own right.
 
Prologues and flashbacks can be tricky functions to meld together and keep the reader in balance plus comfortably aware of just enough to support that balance. Heather Blackmore skillfully and intriguingly manages this, making this first book of hers even more astonishing. I bow to and applaud her remarkable success. I totally recommend this book; it is capable of being enjoyed on many levels, from different angles, and in its totality. Please do not miss this thoroughly satisfying book!

 

 

 

 

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, 68000 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-December-2013
Price	$9.99 ebook, $16.95 paperback
Buy Link	http://amzn.to/2b6kq3M