Courageous and impetuous, Jessica Lawerence finds
danger in her quest to save women from white slavery.
Salem, Oregon 1886
No one would have
ever guessed the little spitfire could create so much havoc in Roc Newman's
life. He would never forget that first bizarre meeting with the pernicious but
lovely Jessica Lawrence. That night set the tone for their tumultuous and
stormy ride through life.
She had shown her
true colors; the wildfire that possessed her soul, the passionate spirit, and
the will to triumph even when the battle seemed lost.
When the moon
appeared as a silver slipper in the sky...
He waited for
her, primed yet not prepared, forewarned through the political grapevine that
Jessica Lawrence stalked him.
Jessica Lawrence
was a five foot four inch pest. In the midst of it all, no matter how
precarious the situation, she seemed to remain, completely, almost unerringly,
on his trail--until now. At the window, Roc scrutinized the black form below,
fighting the overwhelming urge to give her a shock she would remember forever.
She seemed hell
bent on suicide. Consequently, he followed the young lady one day, dodging her
path, keeping in the shadows. He had seen her enter an office mysteriously from
a side door and discovered it housed a private investigator. The sign, etched
in his mind, Jess Law, PI, alias Jessica Lawrence. It hadn't fooled him for a
second, just gave him pause, and the fury seizing him rocked his usually placid
facade.
He gambled on her
naiveté. Perhaps because he had thought her harmless, a mere girl in a man's
world, inadequate. Perhaps it had even been the notion she would eventually
become distracted and quit. Whatever the reason, he had made a Herculean
mistake, and now he pondered her next move. Dressed to blend with the night,
she was out there, an apparition of darkness, wrapped in ghostly shadows.
He moved through
the house, turning off lights, banking the fires, before settling in a shadowed
corner of his study where he could watch Jess. Purposely, he waited until well
after midnight to lower the lights. Roc was tense, ready for the intrusion of
his privacy. He was peering through the lace curtains, wondering at the girl
whose appearance would have shocked most men. A long rope looped over her shoulder,
the lone woman strode surefooted across the gardens.
The sky was
clear, except for a ribbon of low clouds and a sliver of moon. The house, a
bastion against the silent assault about to come. A soft wind blew through the
open window from the south; it cleared his head as he watched the approach.
Jess Law shrugged
the rope from her shoulder. Silhouetted against the sky, he watched the cord
snake upward, grappling hook deftly clenching the chimney. He stood in awe of
the mastery. Jess Law pulled on the rope, tightened it, and with a proficiency
contradicting her sex, ascended. The lady moved cautiously, and when she
reached her goal, she smiled. Her even white teeth glowed against the blackness
of her face.
With lithe
movements, she swiftly opened the attic window. One jean-clad leg moved through
the opening. She balanced precariously, for a moment, as if she were a bird
ready to fly. Then her foot rested on the hard wood. The rest of her followed
quickly, dropping to the floor; silent, ready to spring.
He felt the
tension, knew she listened for the sound of footsteps. She was inside. He
watched the window, imagining each moment, each breath, sensing the emotions
that must surely riffle her body. Roc listened for the soft whisper of her
steps as she descended and thought he could almost hear the wild racing of her
heart. Only a moment passed before the sounds became audible. Once on the first
floor, she made her way through the house. Her fingers rested on the tumbler of
his safe and turned. He heard the click, saw the handle as she pushed down. The
door swung open.
Then, without
warning, he gripped her mouth. She wrenched away, turning quickly, groping for
the documents, even while she tried to avoid him. Her actions, quick and agile,
proved adept, throwing him off balance, but he would not relent and managed to
grip her arm. No matter how swiftly she countered his moves, he still held
mastery. He turned her, prepared to hog tie her if necessary. She allowed him,
relaxed then surprised him, maneuvering expertly.
Jess swiftly
shoved her elbow into his chest, and he gasped for air. With a skill he didn't
suspect she possessed, Jess Law threw him to the floor, and Roc bellowed,
landing at her feet. The force of her action amazed him. For a second time, the
breath rushed from his lungs, and Roc found himself on the cold floor. Papers,
pens, and books clogged the air and littered the Persian rug then a sudden
crash reverberated in the once cozy room. His shirt dampened as cold seeped
through to his skin. She hadn't just thrown him upon the floor in his private
sanctuary. No. She had humiliated him, threatened life and limb, and sent a
pitcher of ice water on top of him. If he still held a breath of air in his
body, he would have retaliated, a throw for a throw.
He inhaled
swiftly, contemplating revenge, thoroughly irritated. He'd held his own in
every fight, every barroom brawl he'd ever participated, and now, in the middle
of his study, he had been deflated by a plague upon the female persuasion.
Studying the ceiling
from this new vantage point, heaving, feeling the stab of mortification against
his gender, he looked into the leering countenance of what was rapidly becoming
the bane of his existence. Then she spoke, surprising him, since he had
expected her to run. Her voice, soft and feminine, one that pinned him to the
floor with its arrogance. "To the victor belongs the spoils. Would you
like a repeat performance?"
REVIEW:
Are you ready for
adventure, love, time travel and more? This novel has it all and will NOT let
you down. Christine Young's "Straight to Heaven" is about Alexandra McMurdie, a girl from our modern 21st Century, who
stumbles into a time-traveling vortex as she's running for her life. It is
there, in the 1800s, where Alexandra doesn't expect to find someone like James Lawrence.
All I can really and
truthfully say about this novel was that I loved it. Every minute of it; every
raced heartbeat as Alexandra and James connected, discovered, fought for
themselves - for love. I'm a huge fan of time-traveling with a pinch of love
and adventure, and Ms. Young delivers. I enjoyed the dialogue between Alex
and James throughout the novel SO much. James Lawrence was probably
by far, one of my favorite characters in the entire novel of "Straight
to Heaven." Ms. Young offers a developed world, well-rounded and
developed characters - with an exciting and fantastically romantic plot.
This story grabbed my
attention from the moment I started to read the novel, and held my attention to
the very last page (and even so, left me wanting only to read more about James
and Alex.) I was so sad to have the novel end, leaving behind such
fantastically creative characters.
"Straight to
Heaven" offers a new look to the Western States after the Civil War
with the twist of time.
If this novel doesn't
send you "Straight to Heaven" - I'm not sure what will.
I HIGHLY
recommend this wonderfully romantic novel to anyone who enjoys danger,
adventure, and of course - a bit of Time Travel ;)
Well done, Ms.
Young!
Running from
demons, Alexandra McMurdie stumbles into Forbidden Ground where up is down and elements of nature
are contested. Though a strong independent woman in the
twenty-first century' she is unprepared for life in the 1800s. Her first sight
of the formidable James Lawrence makes her heart skip a beat, giving her cause
to reconsider her desperate need to find a way home.
Born with a silver spoon, James’
life was torn apart during the War Between the States. Moving west he vows to
put the life he once knew in the past. When he discovers a half-frozen woman
near Gold Hill, his heart begins to thaw. His love for Alexandra and his need
to keep her from a man who has pursued her through time might cost him his life
as well as hers.
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