Let me say first that I have an extreme prejudice when an otherwise well-written book has short chapter flashes into the mind of the antagonist. I know the guy is evil because the protag is fighting against him/her. Why use that kind of crutch, or trick? It does not make the book more interesting, nor does it add to the suspense. All it does is bring the story flow to a screeching halt and the reader is jerked from a delicious contemplation of exactly who the protag is: 1. afraid of; or 2. holds in contempt.
From one who has read thousands of books, both tremendously excellent and exciting, or yawningly boring, I have found this one both. We get caught up with Paige and her "problem" which is never explained fully in the first half of the book. We just find out that this person she held in bitter contempt was some official in the high ups of the state who was running for a high up office (I think it was President). She was having a lovely tension-filled relationship with the local high school football coach. That's all in the first three or four chapters.
Then the thing becomes all convoluted with the coach (madly in love with her) becomes suspicious and starts digging into her secret; the antagonist isn't satisfied with her head-in-the-sand place in the far reaches of rural America but has to send a lackey to ferret out her whereabouts then send a taunting "present" to help the library where she works.
So good so far... but, we have these grinding halts when we are suddenly jerked from the story line into the "evil mind". And that part does not work with the story. It is a gimmick which is not needed to make the story more interesting or tension-filled.
There hasn't been a true genius that can make Suspense meld satisfyingly with Romance, unless you count "American Dreamer" which was a movie, not a book. That kind of Meld must either start out with the couple already in love and the Suspense revolves around what's happening to them, or the Suspense/Mystery is well-developed first then the Romance is developed as in Robert Ludlem's Bourne series which were quite satisfyingly thick and took several novels to completely bear fruit. The movie was horrendous which bears proof once again that the books are always better than the movies. If the Romance starts out first, then it must be well-developed before the Suspense begins. Otherwise, you have a convoluted myriad of facts and happenings that get confusing to the reader. DiAnn Mills does an okay job with the Romance and Suspense mix, but not as satisfying as one would wish.
If you read this book and skip over those short chapter storyline breakstops in which you do not find anything of value to the story, or for that matter anything clever about the character development of the antagonist, you will find this an enjoyable read.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Award-winning author, DiAnn Mills, launched her career in 1998 with the publication of her first book. Currently she has over forty books in print and has sold more than a million copies.DiAnn believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” DiAnn Mills is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels.
Six of her anthologies have appeared on the CBA Best Seller List. Three of her books have won the distinction of Best Historical of the Year by Heartsong Presents. Five of her books have won placements through American Christian Fiction Writer’s Book of the Year Awards 2003 – 2007, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005 and 2007. She was a Christy Awards finalist in 2008.
DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope and Love, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also a mentor for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writer’s Guild.
She lives in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn and her husband have four adult sons and are active members of Metropolitan Baptist Church.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Paige Rogers survived every CIA operative’s worst nightmare.A covert mission gone terribly wrong.
A betrayal by the one man she thought she could trust.
Forced to disappear to protect the lives of her loved ones, Paige has spent the last several years building a quiet life as a small-town librarian. But the day a stranger comes to town and starts asking questions, Paige knows her careful existence has been shattered.
He is coming after her again. And this time, he intends to silence her for good...
Paige Rogers is a former CIA agent who lost all she treasured seven years ago when her entire team was killed in a covert mission. She blames their leader—Daniel Keary—whom Paige believes betrayed them. Disillusioned and afraid for her life, she disappeared and started a new life as a librarian in small town Split Creek, Oklahoma.
But her growing relationship with high school football coach Miles Laird and the political ambitions of her former boss threaten to unmask her. When Keary announces his candidacy for governor of her state, he comes after Paige to ensure that she won't ruin his bid for office by revealing his past misdeeds. He threatens everything she holds dear, and Paige must choose between the life of hiding that has become her refuge . . . or risking everything in one last, desperate attempt to right old wrongs.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Breach Of Trust, go HERE
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