White Knight in Blue rescues The Harbour Rest Home!
Celia Summers, intrepid mother of two, is too cuddly for sweatpants, she suspects. But then, her class at The Harbour Rest Home are similarly clad. Celia loves her work as an art therapist. She’s proud that she gives her elderly independents something to look forward to, even if her partner is dismissive of her efforts.
Martin has other things on his mind – telling complicated lies to Celia so he sell his mum’s house from underneath her to pay off his debts.
Unaware and trusting, Celia fights to secure gallery space for her geriatric charges’ artwork, and to keep The Harbour from being closed.
She’s even ready to abseil from a church steeple to bring attention to the plight of her old people, no matter that she might fall and end up splattered all over the flagstones. When she does fall, however, it’s much more painfully. Will PC Alex Burrows, the man who’s stolen her heart, be her white-knight-in-blue and ride to her rescue?
A Little Bit of Madness by Sheryl Browne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is the perfect example of not judging a book based on the first few chapters. I will be completely honest. As I read the first couple chapters, I was bored and truly did not know why I agreed to review the book. But I had agreed to review the book, so I kept going.
Enter Policeman Alex. I was hooked! Yes, he was the turning point for me. I absolutely loved this character, and the way he interacted with Celia was pure magic. I had no use for Martin. I knew what kind of guy he was from the beginning–a jerk. I was intrigued to keep reading and discover if the book ended the way I felt it should–it did. I’m not saying any more on that topic.
You may be wondering what I did not like. Well, there was a lot of profanity which is an easy turn-off for me. But let me say something here. Sheryl Browne is one of very few authors who is so fun to read that I can more easily excuse the language issue. While I don’t agree with the morality espoused in the book, I am glad that we never get an intimate glimpse into the bedrooms of the characters.
While this is a zany romance at times, it also takes a couple turns that you may not see coming–I sure didn’t. I think this author could easily write a nice mystery as well as a steamy romance, and I can assure you I would read it. If you are looking for a fun read that will let you escape reality for a while, this is the book for you! Now if only I could find someone as wonderful as Alex!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR (IN HER OWN WORDS)
I’m a member of the Crime Writers’ Association, the Romantic Novelists’ Association and I have several books published, along with two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies where I completed my MA in Creative Writing, finally. It took me some while. Please see Erica Jong quote. Undertaking my MA was something I’d put off due to life commitments, as we sometimes have to. When I managed to make the time, I had to summon up a huge amount of courage to walk through those university doors. What if I failed? Where was my confidence? Well, the road to publication being paved with rejection letters, as it sometimes is, my confidence wasn’t much in evidence.
The MA course didn’t offer any magical solutions to my writing dilemmas but it did expand my knowledge and confirm my belief that, no matter how bumpy the road, I needed to continue to write. To quote the title of one of the university anthologies, “I am a writer, therefore I am”. I wouldn’t know how to be any other way. I’ve also recently completed a forensics course which I undertook as necessary fuel for my thriller writing. I’m relieved to say I passed that with flying colours and found it totally inspiring, which brings me to a question I’m often asked: What gives you inspiration for your books?
The short answer is people, and the whole gamut of emotion that comes with them. I’ve always been fascinated by what shapes people and whatever genre I write in I like to strip away the layers and, hopefully, share with readers a little of what lies beneath the surface. A writer’s mind thrives on exploration. Every scenario, every place, every face tells a story. I see people as not all good or all bad, more opposite sides of the same spectrum with some crossover in between. I can’t resist exploring what might push someone over the line. I hope you will continue to join me on my journey.
