MY REVIEW
Source: paperback copy from author in exchange for an honest review
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository
Run or Die! She knew too much, and she’d seen too much. And the police refused to help. Knowing that she was to be the next scheduled death, Kelly Campbell hid under head to toe black leather and a tinted motorcycle helmet and ran for her life.
When the weather turned cold, she turned south. She ended up in North Carolina, home to one of the most famed and eligible NFL football stars in the whole league; only she didn’t know that. She thought he was a businessman. Not being a huge fan, all she knew was that he was incredibly attractive, kind, generous, and that she was safe with him. Or was she?
His brand of fame proved to be all but deadly, but his fame wasn't nearly as lethal as his attraction. He kept her safe and protected. All except her heart. (book cover)
Believe it or not, this was actually my first LDS adult fiction romance novel and the cleanest one of the kind I recall ever reading (the kiss didn't come soon enough)! But then again, an LDS novel should have a modest content. Moreover, this was a cute blooming love affair story amidst a spur-of-the-moment-run-for-your-life-and-hide-because-a-crooked-doctor-is-out-to-kill-you kind of situation. Plus throw in a saintly, hunky NFL football star and you've got yourself a promising exciting read. True, it had a very thrilling storyline. I found myself in dramatic voice when I was telling my co-workers about the book (I was about a third of the book then). But the story telling was too matter of fact and lacked the descriptive depth in fire, intensity, and passion that the premise deserved. Also, I just didn't get Kelly, the protagonist. She was educated (a 23yo registered nurse), a great handyman by just reading a how-to book (she was single handedly restoring an old farm house), a great cook and gardener/canner, drop dead gorgeous, virtuous, and religious; but she cared too much about her hair (by the way, so did said doctor-gonna-kill) ..a quality that didn't make sense for a supposedly smart young woman or at least it didn't make sense to me!
Hunky NFL football player, Robby, however was more genuine. His actions were in alignment with his values and with what Kelly was feeding him. For example, when Kelly mentioned that she loathed football players, Robby told her he was in the business of acquisition instead (okay, this one was a gray area in the value of honesty so may not be a great example of good value)! Or when Kelly couldn't provide any ID so he hired a private investigator to look into the matter. Yet he acted in a careful matter and was able to put two-and-two together and allowed Kelly to be in his safe hands throughout the figuring out process. Furthermore, he was uncompromising even in an environment that bask in worldly sentiments (namely the ogling women). He exemplified integrity and so he becomes so admirable and dashing. However, going back to the gray area, I was still bewildered about why he did not tell Kelly earlier that he was an NFL (regardless that Kelly dislike football players) but I shall overlook that minor flaw. Anyway, he was the character that propped up this book for me or I would not have liked this read much.
An overall good book and an appealing plot.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW AND BIO
When and why did you begin writing? I began writing in 2009. For some reason, I just felt like I wanted to put my thoughts down. At first I had no intention at all of becoming a published author.
Which writer would you consider a mentor? Marcia Lynn McClure, but not because of her content or style, but because of her business model. She's a bit of a rebel.
Which if any of the characters is a lot like you and why? Kelly is very much like me. She is a bit timid in some ways, but absolutely intrepid in others. She'll give anything a go and just figure it out. So will I.
What was the hardest part about writing this book? Finishing. Writing a book is always a huge project.
What is your favorite chapter or part and why? That is so hard to answer without giving the book away, but I really like the part where Kelly can give back to Robby. That's such a womanly need to take care of our families. And I also love the part where she discovers what she didn't clue in to all along. The big duh! Love that!
What has been the best part about writing this book? Having people tell me they love it!
What would you like your readers to grasp from this book? To try. Just step out and give life a whirl. At whatever is important to them. And that our Heavenly Father knows each of us individually and has a plan for us. That good will come from even bad things if we hang in there.
Do you have a specific writing style? Of course. Not sure how to describe it. A little humor, a little intensity, a little humanness, and a touch or more of physical attraction for spice.
Describe your writing environment? You're gonna laugh. I do. I write best in a lawn chair with a good storm brewing. Storms are so evocative to me.
Jaclyn M. Hawkes grew up in Utah with 6 sisters, 4brothers and any number of pets. (It was never boring!) She received a Bachelor’s degree, had a career, and traveled extensively before settling down to her life’s work of being the mother of four magnificent and sometimes challenging children. She loves shellfish, the outdoors, the youth, and hearing her children laugh. She and her fine husband, their family, and their sometimes very large pets, now live in a mountain valley in northern Utah, where it smells like heaven and kids still move sprinkler pipe.
BOOK GIVEAWAY
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