Title: Determined
Author: Marsha R. West
Genre: Later in Life Romantic Suspense
Book Blurb:
Divorced, fifty-seven-year-old real estate developer Hollister Grant (Holly) and her sisters Lee, an interior designer, and Kay, an artist, are determined to use the trust fund their parents set up for them to build a tiny home project for people who’ve recently been homeless, honoring an aunt who found herself in that situation.
Barrett Armstrong, president of a nearby homeowner association doesn’t want “those people” living across from his fifty + neighborhood, and he will do anything to prevent the land’s development. Anything. Even murder.
Dan Morgan, Holly’s long-time friend and lawyer, wants to continue to work with Holly on this project which he believes in as he serves on the board of the Homeless Coalition, but he realizes his feelings for the woman are moving past friendship. Dan fears because of her past experiences as an abused spouse she isn’t ready for a change in their relationship. And she might not ever be. Should he remain silent to maintain their friendship or risk everything for the chance of real love? When danger strikes, will he be able to keep her safe?
Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/UB40vwfuAHc
My Review:
Holly and her sisters are determined to get their housing for the homeless project off the ground, but someone vows to stop it at all costs. Can she succeed without harm coming to her? She leans on her friend Dan for support but is she ready to take their relationship to the next level? Determined is a poignant romantic suspense with themes relevant today, later in life characters, and a second chance romance vibes.
I can always count on Marsha R. West to write a deeply emotional story dealing with situations that are prevalent today. She’s not afraid to write about serious topics such as the homeless, abuse, family, and politics. I applaud Holly’s mission to build houses for the homeless.
The characters are what make Determined so captivating. There’s Holly, a real estate developer. She wants to help those less fortunate. She’s also a victim of domestic abuse (from her ex-husband). She’s unsure about relationships but trusts Dan. Her character development over the course of the novel touched me deeply.
Then there’s Dan, a friend to Holly who realizes he’s in love with her. He’s conflicted because he doesn’t know if Holly is ready to trust herself in a relationship. He’s also a lawyer and wants to help Holly with her houses for the homeless project. He’s a hero worthy of Holly. His character development is emotional too. I connected with him right away.
The plot moves at an excellent pace with plenty of suspense to keep a reader turning the pages. There are a few plot twists I didn’t see coming. All in all, an exceptional book.
My Rating: 5 stars
Buy it Now:
Universal Link https://books2read.com/u/bxAVzD
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/determined-a-second-chance-romantic-suspense-by-marsha-r-west
Author Biography:
I’m a retired elementary school principal, a former school board member, and theatre arts teacher, and write Romance, Suspense, and Second Chances. Experience Required. I live in Texas with my supportive lawyer husband and Charley, a deaf, Chihuahua/Jack Russell Terrier. Our two daughters presented us with three delightful grandchildren all who live nearby.
The theme of my eight books is always second chances. I even named my four-part series The Second Chances Series. I believe in Happily Ever Afters. My husband picked up a plaque for me on one of our several trips to Maine that states my philosophy exactly. Everything will be all right in the end. If it’s not all right, it’s not the end. The Heroines and Heroes in my books range in age from 40 to late 50s and their parents and children often playing supporting roles.
I am a member of North Texas Romance Writers, Texas Authors Institute, and the WORD BY WORD Blog. I send out a monthly newsletter and give away an e-book to some lucky commenter. I enjoy making presentations to groups, and several times, I’ve taught a Silver Frogs class on Indie Publishing for Texas Christian University. My books can be found on AMAZON, B & N, KOBO, and iTunes. Print books are also at Books2Read and Amazon.
I’ve contributed to ROMANCE & MYSTERY AUTHORS ON WRITING, edited by JQ. Rose. Also, in 2018, I had a short story, “The Colonel & Her Major” published in my writing chapter’s anthology, LONE STAR LOVE. In 2024, my short story, “Survival” was published in the 9th anthology “Short Stories by Texas Authors.”
Social Media Links:
Blurbs for each of my books with links can be found on my website www.marsharwest.com where you can also sign up for my NEWSLETTER https://bit.ly/47tZzoX
Contact me at marsha@marsharwest.com , and follow me on… https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn
https://www.twitter.com/Marsharwest @Marsharwest
Word By Word Blog at www.sisterhoodofsuspense.sordpress.com/blog/
Amazon Author page https://amzn.to/456bBUy
Reviewed by: Nancy