Search Results for: the designated survivor

The Designated Survivor by JC Gatalin

SURVIVOR
The Designated Survivor by JC Gatalin
Publisher: Blurb, Inc.
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Short Story (98 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

An Unreasonable Hitchhiker.
An Unstable Widower.
An Unpredictable Journey.

Having just escaped from inmate work detail, Tess is on the run and has one goal: get her daughter back. So, hitching a ride to Sarasota, where her daughter is staying, seemed like a good idea at first. That is until she realized her Good Samaritan is clearly suffering from the recent loss of his wife.

This buy cialis is probably the reason why many people have made this selection in recent years include; On Your Own Time When you take your driver ed online, you’re ready to take everything he your own pace. Today, shilajit anti online prescription for viagra aging pills for men is a commonly associated condition, which generally presents with debilitating and unrelenting exhaustion. Shortage of blood presented due to promotion of phoshodiesterase-5 enzyme is the main reason that is viagra online overnight the insufficient supply of blood to the penile region. This thing will have bad impact on males mind. levitra sales uk robertrobb.com As the miles go by and they get closer to Sarasota, she comes to suspect that this crazy widower may in fact be a murderer and they’re transporting a body in the trunk of his car. With the police hot on their trail, Tess isn’t about to let a little murder stand between her and her daughter — no matter how many bodies start piling up.

It isn’t easy to reason with someone who is emotionally unstable. Injecting logic into a completely illogical belief system is even more difficult while you’re on the run and have no time to spare.

The pacing of this novella is fantastic. No sooner was I introduced to Tess and Wesley than their adventure begins in earnest. The tension rapidly escalates from that point on until the very last scene, and I was so invested in what was happening with these characters that I read the whole book in one sitting.

Numerous plot holes and connections between characters that were never fully explained lead to me give this tale a 3 star rating. A few issues with the plot were briefly brought up again later on, but given how much time had been spent on them earlier I would have liked to see more time spent discussing why these explanations are the right ones.

Small details in the descriptive paragraphs pulled me back into the action. This isn’t a typical road trip by any stretch of the imagination, but the author’s descriptions of what it feels like to carpool with someone you don’t know very well or stop at a gas station for a quick snack and stretch were right on point.

I did notice inconsistent characterization of someone who plays an important role in the plot. Their behavior shifts so much from one scene to the next that I briefly wondered if this was another clue about what was really happening with them. It would have been helpful to have confirmation of this if it is truly what the author is intending to do.

There are quite a few personality similarities between Wesley and Tess that aren’t necessarily apparent immediately. Discovering what they are is one of the best parts of reading this story because of how slowly everything is revealed. Despite the short length of this novella, the beginning in particular felt like the introduction to a full length novel. It took the time to set up everything the reader needs to know about Tess and Wesley in order to jump into what happens to them next.

The Designated Survivor kept me hooked until the final sentence. This fast-paced mystery is a good choice for anyone interested in a plot-centered story.

America’s Hero by Regan Taylor – Spotlight and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Regan Taylor will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC or a copy of the book to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

After her F/A-18 crashes Marine Corps Major Cassie Winter embarks on a daring rescue saving both her life and that of her RIO. In the aftermath she returns to her ship and hottie actor, Austin Quinn learns of her story. Quinn is determined to tell Cassie’s story with a slight twist — he will be the hero instead of Cassie. When he arrives on her ship she wants nothing to do with him, but once she is ordered to take him on a flight something strange happens and they find themselves back in time. As they move forward to their own time and beyond the couple finds more than just adventure. He plays America’s Hero, but she IS America’s Hero.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Over the whop-whop of the rotors, the CH-46 rescue helicopter reported in to the aircraft carrier George Washington’s air controller. “Calvary 1 approaching LZ.”

“Copy your traffic, Calvary 1,” the controller responded, calm and in control. The voice of assurance coming over the air was heard clearly as the CH-46 approached what was designated as the landing zone, a place that was as safe as could be—given the circumstances.

Pilot Dawg Jameson scanned the area where the F/A-18 Hornet they were searching for had been downed two days earlier. If its pilot and weapons systems officer were alive, at a minimum, they’d be badly injured. He spotted a moving cloud of dust and identified three battered trucks, loaded with men who appeared to be carrying guns. The cloud moved toward the barely visible, scattered debris. No doubt they were also headed for the crash site. Most definitely not to effect a rescue but to take prisoners—if the crew were still alive.

“Calvary 1, Base, looks like company en route, counting three trucks filled with tangos. Request fast mover cover ASAP,” Dawg radioed in.

“Base copies, fast movers en route.”

“You see anything?” Dawg asked his co-pilot and crew.

“Nothing yet, Captain,” the co-pilot’s voice crackled over the headset.

Hovering over the crash site of the downed F/A-18 the crew of the CH-46 scanned the area. Major Cass Winter, aka, Snow White, had been shot down with Weapons System Officer Keith McDonald two days before and all the wingman could provide was a general location with two chutes deployed.

One of the embedded reporters on a passing helicopter sent out to check for survivors reported seeing what appeared to be one of the jet’s external tanks. Now, with tangos approaching from the east, the 46 either had to find the crewmen in the next few minutes or get out of Dodge fast. The thwuck of two COBRA attack helicopters initially sent as cover could be heard approaching, buying the rescue crew a few more precious minutes.

“Where the hell are those fast movers?” Jameson yelled as he set down the 46.

“There! I see something in that clump of whatever the heck that stuff is over there!” Lance Corporal Adamson called out.

About the Author: Regan Taylor is originally Seaford, New York and now bucolic Marin County California. Published in both fiction and non-fiction she enjoys quiet days writing, reading with one of her cats on her lap and crocheting. She volunteers with Friends of Ferals in Marin County and considers the feral she cares for, OC, as one of her own. Her past careers include legal secretary, therapist and police dispatcher.

Goodreads | Twitter | Amazon Author Page

Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway