Tina's Reading Books

I had this book originally tagged as romance but I think it is more appropriate as a thriller/suspense romance hybrid. I think people who are looking for straight romance will be a bit disappointed with the fact the the main female & male characters don't really "meet" until about 1/2 into the book.

The book take place in three acts.

The first act is the fairly straightforward story of a decidedly working class, blue collar meat packer named Jenner Redwine who has a deadbeat boyfriend, a con artist father and a best friend with whom she goes to the local bar to let off steam on Friday nights. This first part is all set up, we get to know the plain, streetwise, Jenner and the people who surround her. She hits it big in a mega-millions lotto and we get to see how the three people closest to her react to her win as well as those in her small circle of acquaintances. We also get to see what Jenner is made of as she comes to terms with winning a humongous amount of money with no knowledge of how to manage it.

Then we are abruptly thrust into the second act. Fast forward seven years and Jenner's life has completely changed. She's moved from Chicago to Sunny Miami, has a new best friend, a shy heiress named Syd and a whole lot of cynicism. This second part is markedly different from the first part of the story. So much so that you feel like you are reading a completely different book. The first part almost read like a sober character study of a person with a very hard knock, hard scrabble life and very little joy. This second part kicks into high gear and becomes a cloak and dagger adventure with a fine thread of humor and wit underneath. Jenner and Syd are supposed to be on the maiden voyage of a very fancy cruise ship (think a modern day Titanic) for a charity cruise. Only Syd gets kidnapped before she can make the ship and her safety and well being are used to force Jenner to participate in a charade on board. The reasons for the kidnapping and forced participation are described in serpentine detail and make up a large part of this second act plot.

Finally the third act kicks in. By this time all the secrets have been revealed to all the players and everyone on ship is forced to evacuate in a very nicely written, nicely plotted set of chapters that rally do bring to mind the doomed Titanic. It is all tense action and timing. Again very different in tone and intent from the first two parts of the book.

In the end, Jenner finds love and a new purpose in life. The end scene sets up a possible sequel. Possibly the novel Ice coming out in November?

This is Linda Howard in fine form. I did like the book. I enjoyed the second and third parts better than the first, but only because I liked the lightness of spirit these parts had in comparison to what seemed a heaviness in the beginning.

I recommend.