Saved by One, Shared by Two
Sylvia RyanContemporary romance
Available from Siren-Bookstrand
ISBN: 1-61034-636-X
September 2011
| Alone when the electro-magnetic pulse hit North America and knocked out everything electrical, Julia was grateful she'd been carrying her bike on the back of her car. She had a destination in mind, the National Guard post where her brother was stationed, but even on a bike, dodging the looters and the desperate was difficult and she had ended up in a ditch, injured, exhausted, starving and ready for death to end the suffering. Arden, an corn farmer, was one of the few survivors in his area. He rescued Julia, and with the help of his childhood friend, Ben, they try to find a new way of life in a world gone crazy.
An interesting premise. The story takes place in a post-apocalypse world. The setting and the reason for the disaster is really rather believable and described very well. From there, though, the story leaves a lot to be desired. Julia, a former unit supervisor at a prison, is a strong character one minute and insecure the next. She knows enough martial arts to save herself when she's attacked but an Amish farmer has to help her with firearms? She has two men who adore her but she can't make the logical leap that cultural rules and taboos no longer apply, so she doesn't have to choose between them. They are supposedly in the middle of nowhere but suddenly have neighbors when they are needed. I don't know much about the Amish culture but these men just don't seem to fit the stereotype at all. The book had a promising start but, for me, it never really followed through on that promise. It plodded along and seemed to have continued long past what should have been the climax. I like Sylvia Ryan's writing style overall so, although I wish the story had been a little tighter, I will definitely give her work another try in the future.
Overall rating:
Reviewer: Kathy F. |
