Cheri Rosenberg reviewsAbove All, Honor by Radclyffe
Finding Hope by Andrew Barriger
The Island of Mending Hearts by Tim Ashley
Cheri is a writer, mother, and a regular reviewer for IGW. She accepts books for review. If you are a publisher or writer, please contact her, here.
 Above All, Honor by Radclyffe Boldstrokes Books ISBN 1-933110-04-X Being given an assignment that United States Secret Service Agent Cameron Roberts felt was beneath her she retorts to her superior officer, “I’m an investigator, not a goddamned baby-sitter.” She is after all, a senior agent with ten years of impeccable service and should have a say what her next job should be. Once the headstrong woman is resigned to the fact that she has no choice but to be the next Agent in Charge of protecting the safety of an equally strong-willed woman, who happens to be the daughter of the President of the United States, Commander Cameron Roberts is willing to put her life on the line for those in her care and lets nothing stand in her way in Above All, Honor by Radclyffe. Cameron Roberts thinks she’s getting an easy job until she meets the stunning, willful, elusive, caged bird, Blair Allison Powell. Cameron’s predecessor tells her that, “She’s an angry animal in a cage, and you’re the new zookeeper.” He also informs Cam that the “high-profile subject” has a “problematic lifestyle.” Blair’s mission is to elude those who are hired to protect her in order to maintain some sense of freedom. Cameron’s mission is to protect her while maintaining her privacy—if possible. The USSS Agent in charge before Cam steps in and gives the President’s daughter an apropos code name: Egret. According to the New Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an Egret is “any of various herons that bear long plumes during the breeding season.” Blair barhops from one seedy place to another and most of the time she goes unnoticed. Who would expect the respectable first daughter to be frequenting bohemian gay bars? When on official White House business, Blair is quite the fancy diplomat. She rightfully yearns for a private life, which is virtually impossible, and until Cam Roberts comes along, nobody has any sympathy for her. She is not only trying to escape her life in a birdcage, but she has some painful memories of the past that have her haunted as well. Cam demands respect from those under her command and she gets it. She’s shrewd, smart, has integrity, and strong work ethics—all of which result in glowing performance records. She has sharp gut instincts, amazing self-control, and is an expert at undercover work. Cam does not tolerate homophobia on her team. More to her credit, she has no qualms accepting the resignation of any officer who has a problem with the fact that Blair is gay. Cameron Roberts is an admirable hero worth emulating. Radclyffe’s reference to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” did not escape notice when Cam’s report from her last assignment held all of her merits and facts without any of the story behind it. They noted the fact that her female partner was killed in action during the last sting, but it was not up for discussion that the partner had also been Cam’s lover. Even though there were rumors that Cam was gay, they didn’t ask and she didn’t tell. Cam works hard to ignore Blair’s advances. While Blair tries hard not to allow Cam to get under her skin. Is it possible for Cam and Blair to find love? According to Radclyffe, the essence of the entire Honor series is “the conflict between private and public lives, the balance between duty and love, and the incredible power of passion between strong-willed but sensitive people.” Above All, Honor is the first in the series of Honor books. After reading Above All, Honor, there is no doubt in my mind that I must read all of the sequels: Honor Bound, Love and Honor, and Honor Guards. I found Above All, Honor to be extremely fast reading, exciting, titillating, and realistic—especially the technically correct medical scene that one would expect from a surgeon. She equally and adeptly captures the essence of the secret service/police drama in her finely researched work. Radclyffe is a very talented, prolific, award-winning author who creates a believable and interesting story that will make you happy to become a “part of the team.” One of the things I like best about Radclyffe’s writing is that even though she creates sexual tension and longing between the two main characters, at least she gives us tidbits—juicy ones I might add—along the way to quench our desire. The build-up is beautifully done and quite delightfully explicit, as is the climatic ending. A truly satisfying experience for all. I couldn’t praise or rave about Above All, Honor any more than I am. It is a five plus star action/adventure/love story that will leave you breathless and hungry for more. |
 Finding Hope by Andrew Barriger Two Brothers' Press ISBN: 1-59457-678-5 Trade Paper 324 pages, $17.99 Andrew Barriger has done it again in the latest installment of the Tom and Taylor series, Finding Hope. He has brought us back to Pine Creek. The action takes place five years after the life-altering event when Taylor met Tom at the bakery, for another fine adventure. The two men are more committed to each other than ever, and they are the proud fathers of their three adoptive children, and their ward, Wayne, who is both a son and younger brother to them. The two dads are not without a support system, with Tom’s mom, Donna, Wayne, Taylor’s best friend, Gen, and other assorted friends who are more like family—Tom and Taylor have plenty of help with child rearing. Like a neo-Rockwell, Barriger paints a portrait of the perfect American family—even if there are two fathers, rather than a mother and a father. Two years after Finding Peace, Taylor’s law practice is booming. He has passed the Mayor’s torch to Gen in order to have more time for his family. Everything is comfy-cozy at the McEwan-Connolly household until Tom wants to add more tumult to the mix when the opportunity to expand the business, presents itself. All hell breaks loose when Stuart DiNardo, a local real estate developer, wants to usurp Gen from her position as Mayor in order to expedite his own business. What would have been a quiet summer for Tom and Taylor turns into chaos. Will they be able to beat DiNardo and keep him from ruining their quaint hometown? Will Gen remain Mayor and stop the money-grubbing monster from overbuilding Pine Creek for his own profit? How will Tom and Taylor manage their increasingly hectic lives? Find out the answers to these questions and more when you read Finding Hope. Once again, Barriger delights his readers with crisp, clear, and catchy dialogue. He captures his audience with humor, drama, and romance as he weaves an endearing tale with twists and turns, and plenty of surprises. While it is not essential to read Finding Faith and Finding Peace before embarking on Finding Hope, I highly recommend it for full enjoyment. Finding Hope is a winner as it continues to follow the lives of favorite characters Tom, Taylor, Wayne, Eric, and Gen, on their journey through life. Barriger says it best when he writes, “When peace becomes elusive, hope remains…” in describing his latest novel. |
 The Island of Mending Hearts by Tim Ashley 300 pages GMP (May 15, 2004) ISBN: 1902852478 The Island of Mending Hearts is about one man’s struggle to come to terms with loss and deceit. Tim Ashley takes the reader on the psychological adventure of a suicidal man who goes from seemingly interminable depression and despair to renewed hope, self-discovery, and acceptance. Michael Stuart, an English cardiologist, books the final trip of his life, a Caribbean cruise. He plans to “end it all” and give himself a “burial at sea” by flinging himself overboard. The first night aboard the ship, Michael is once again in a drunken stupor as he attempts to write suicide notes to his loving sister and abominable father. For some reason he postpones his plans to jump ship, and by the time the cruise ship docks in Key West the next morning, he disembarks in search of breakfast. Instead of ending up as fish food at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, Michael lands himself in the company of a beautiful and openly gay man, Alex, who is a waiter at the restaurant. Alex decides to “save” the distraught yet intriguing, “straight” man after Michael literally has a nervous breakdown right in front of him. There may be more than the altruistic feelings of a Good Samaritan at play for Alex, who cares for the tourist. All thoughts of suicide that Michael harbors are put on hold as he meets some interesting, unconventional, and caring people—including Penny, the colorful, local lesbian and landlady of Penny’s Paradise Guest House. Penny puts Michael up at her Inn after Alex persuades Michael not to reboard the ship. When Michael tells Penny that he’s a heart specialist she says, “Well, you’re in the right town. Half the people here are recovering from broken hearts.” Through Alex and Penny, Michael meets a whole cast of characters who befriend him. Interesting Key West history is shared from the point of view of the characters. One character, Karl, made an excellent observation, “We used to fear segregation. Now we crave it. Gay men are like Jews—and I should know. Put us in a ghetto and we hate it. Don’t put us in one, we’ll create it.” This statement made an impression on me. History has proven these very words to ring true through generations and across populations, where differences of race, religion, and sexual orientation segregate us. Karl’s character states that Key West is populated with social outcasts, the idle rich, and socially elite. Tim Ashley gets into the psychology of what makes these gay men and women tick, like a road map or recipe with plausible explanations and candor. The Island of Mending Hearts reads like the enthralling folk tales of the colorful lives of the inhabitants and visitors of exotic Key West, affectionately known as “anything goes-ville.” The unfolding story is riveting and has the reader rapidly turning the pages to uncover Michael’s past, and the secret that brought him on the final cruise of his life. How did he become so isolated, desperate, and alone? The author adds numerous surprises that keeps the reader engrossed and guessing. Using first person narration, Ashley adeptly and intimately captures his character’s feelings; the reader then understands, identifies, and cares for Michael. Ashley’s insightfully correct characterizations--humor in the face of adversity and intriguing surprises--all add to the enjoyment of reading his fiction. The Island of Mending Hearts is a beautiful story about people being there for each other when their own families disappoint them, abandon them, or worse. This delightful, delicious novel is filled with rich metaphors—perfect analogies that add depth and piques the senses. Tim Ashley is on his way to becoming a bestselling novelist with his first venture, The Island of Mending Hearts. His truly remarkable book and memorable characters are surely to be the first of many since he recently completed a second novel, Henry, and is working on his third. You simply must read The Island of Mending Hearts. It is a five + star book and you wouldn’t want to miss it. |