I am feeling conflicted about this book. It was nice. I didn’t hate it or even dislike it. I thought that the story outline was good but nothing out of the box. That ok because the same story plot in different hands can become a story that lives outside its limitations and shines. Not here. There was no huge flaws that presented themselves. So why didn’t I give it a higher rating. I think that it all comes down to simple feeling. I felt flat after reading it. No highs, no lows, nothing. I didn’t really care what happened to the characters. And that is because I didn’t believe in them.

 

Chase Anderson is a war photographer. But you never really believe that. He seems too shallow and glossy to be an adrenaline junkie who thrives in being where the action is. He has a movie star scar from the Middle East, a place “he almost didn’t come back from”. Nope. I don’t buy it. Its as though his job was picked out of a bowl with job titles in it and photographer popped up. No realistic background, no interesting character flaws, none of the idiosyncrasies that goes hand in hand with a driven character. He might as well be dishing out ice cream. (For a believable photographer, go read Sarah Black’s Sockeye Love. Now there’s a photographer to believe in.)

 

Same goes for Eric Zimmerman who has been in love with Chase Anderson since they were in college and is a hotshot software somethingorother. You know, those nebulous software genius’ who have some general job in software somewhere. They are legion in today’s stories. Again, nuh uh. Don’t think so. Then there is the mean guy partner who doesn’t want a child, a dead sister you don’t get a feeling for and an adorable baby in the NICU. So the few characters here that revolve around the main characters are just as vague and indeterminate as Chase and Eric. Bland backs up bland.

 

My recommendation is to skip this. Pickup Sockeye Love by Sarah Black or A LIe I Can Live With by Eden Winters. A Lie I Can LIve With gives you a real, wonderful, schlubby tech guy-a software guy who is a gamer and believable and a lovely story.

 

OK not so conflicted after all.