Title: The Return of Cassandra Todd
Author: Darrel Nelson
Publisher: Realms
Published: February 5, 2013
Pages: 304
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Turner Caldwell works at a local motel as a handyman while attending college full-time. Everything is going well for him until he’s on his way to class one day and he sees Cassandra Todd and her young son in town. The shock of seeing her again brings back powerful memories of being bullied in high school by her friends. She was the popular head cheerleader and he was the subject of her friends’ cruel pranks.
Cassandra Todd is on the run. She fled her Las Vegas home and her abusive husband to try and live a normal healthy life on her own – without fear. She comes back to her hometown just to conclude some business until she can run again, this time far away. The only problem is her husband is going to find her again. She has no choice but to ask the nice handyman for help her and her son survive.
Turner doesn’t want to help, not really. However, he can’t resist her and her son’s pleas for help. So as he helps her elude her husband, he becomes entangled in in a dangerous drama that will require him to forgive his past and use every last skill he has if they want to survive.
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This book was one that I was a bit surprised about. I don’t know why but I expected a completely different book, but what I got was better than I thought it was going to be. The storyline was the perfect amount of complex and drew me in completely. I got ripped into this story and its jaws never once unclenched until I turned the last page. I was pleasantly surprised with this one and I’m glad I had a chance to experience this adventurous story.
This story also had pretty multi-faceted characters that made it very believable, at least for the “good guys” anyway. The “bad guys” were typical for a suspense novel. They were hard headed, determined, and had no character outside of their goal of killing the main character. Even though I prefer a bit more in my antagonists, they served their purpose and helped propel the story along at a very quick pace, so I can’t complain too much.
This story does have a bit of a romance that develops from the remains of a thriller. However, the romance can feel forced at times and at other times I felt that they were actually falling in love. The author really kicked up the romance at the end of the book and addressed a very important thing about suspense. He addressed the concern that the romance started only because of the fact that they were running for their lives, which greatly enhanced an otherwise mediocre romance.
This book surprised me with how much I enjoyed it and how good it actually was. From the on-point feminine perspective to the open ending, this book constantly surprised me and captured my attention. I have to give Darrel Nelson credit for creating a book both men and women can enjoy. He has made it onto my “authors to watch” list and I definitely will be keeping my eye out for more from him.
Overall, I enjoyed this book more than expected. This book is perfect for fans of suspense, thrillers or romance. It’s a read that will suck you in and never let you go. It’s best left to the adults because some scenes can be intense and/or frightening. I give this book a four and a half out of five.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*
Danyelle's Reviews 