"Emotionally charged romantic suspense...Sharon Cullen is one to watch"
Love on the Edge, Book 2 Hope Stewart has wrecked her car after veering off a
mountain road during a severe winter storm. She's five
months pregnant and has apparently traveled hundreds of
miles to flee her home without a coat or
identification. "Go to Callahan" are the words that echo
in her head, but Hope cannot remember the man who uttered
them. She sustained a bump on the head from the accident,
leaving her with a temporary loss of memory; yet the fear
of an unknown danger remains. Something terrible has
happened, and Callahan is the only one who can help -- if
only she can remember... John Callahan has spent the last few years living in the
solitude of the Tennessee Mountains. Four years ago,
Peruvian terrorists held him captive. They tortured and
humiliated him for three months -- a pawn in a game of
political ambition and greed. An empty shell has replaced
the man who used to be John Callahan. Haunted by the
nightmares of his past, John decided to leave it all
behind, and was prepared to follow through with his plans
when Hope literally came crashing into his life. When John learns the person responsible for his capture in
Peru has escaped prison, he is immediately suspicious of
Hope's sudden arrival. He is certain the two unlikely
events aren't a coincidence, but with Hope's amnesia he has
difficulty connecting the dots. Despite his reluctance,
John finds himself drawn to Hope as her vulnerability
forces him to focus on something other than his own
personal demons. Hope is in awe of John's strength and
goodness, and when her memory returns they discover that
the situation is far worse than they could have imagined,
in fact it's deadly. With Hope, John has found a reason to
live and now he must use all of his skills as a former task
force operative to keep her safe...else he may have to
witness the death of the woman he loves -- again. REDEMPTION was an unexpected and most pleasant surprise.
The pregnant heroine and tormented hero make for a perfect
combination in this unique romantic suspense. The implied
violence of John's captivity effectively conveys the
horrors of his ordeal without graphic details and his
subsequent PTSD comes across as heartbreaking and genuine.
Hope is plucky, but not annoyingly so; she pushes John to
face his repressed emotions and fears when he attempts to
avoid and withdraw, yet it's her tenderness that ultimately
pulls him out of his dark place. With a heat level that
hovers somewhere around "low to medium," Cullen relies on
her characters and the formation of their relationship to
drive the story. The dramatic confrontation with the
killer/terrorist was a tad weak, but for me the strength of
REDEMPTION lies in the display of vulnerability in the
hero. He is badly broken and when he finally allows
himself to express his pain, we see him start to heal.
John is not the chest-beating, butt-kicking, impossibly
gorgeous warrior type bellowing "Mine!" He's simply an
honorable man who rescues a woman in need. And she returns
the favor. Very nicely done, Ms. Cullen!
Reviewed by Sonya Harrison
Posted April 8, 2009
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Running for her life…to a man who’d given up on it. “Go to Callahan.” Pregnant, alone—and with no memory of who she is—these words are the only thing Hope can hang onto as she drives through a blizzard, searching for the reclusive Callahan. And when she finds him, she’s not sure which of them is more in need of help and healing. Haunted by the brutal murder of the woman he loved, the last thing John Callahan needs on his hands is an injured pregnant woman. But with the storm bearing down, he has no choice. Opening his home to her, though, turns out to be far from simple. Her unconditional acceptance of him, scars and all, opens windows to his soul he thought were forever sealed. Then he discovers Hope’s true identity, and realizes his past—and a powerful enemy—has come back to haunt them both. Even as he races against time to save her, John has to wonder… Is Hope his redemption? Or his downfall? Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Length: Category Warning: This story contains deep emotion, edge of your seat suspense, political intrigue, violence and a romance that will take your breath away
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