First Chapter Review: Desperation by D.W. Carver

The author contacted me for a first chapter review of this book released in July by Front Porch Romance.

BLURB: Kate thought that once her mother died, the pain she had caused would end. Then she discovered that a letter had been sent to a prominent television presenter on her mother’s orders taunting him with the fact that Kate now held photographs which would ruin him and probably lead to his arrest. Suddenly Kate is running for her life. She seeks help from Rob, a much older man whom she has only known for a very short time.

While at his London apartment, she rescues a teenage girl, Vickie, from a street pimp and over the following days finds a bond growing between them that feels like a lot more than friendship; but with both their lives now in danger there is no time for thoughts of anything but escape and survival.

COVER: Interesting. I like that it has the people on the cover and the apartment building is in the background. If I saw this on the shelf I would at least pick it up to see what it is about.

FIRST CHAPTER: Kate is standing on the sidewalk when a man in his early forties approaches her. Saving her from being arrested as a possible prostitute by a bored cop, they enter a cafe and chat over coffee. Days later, Kate and Rob meet again in a more intimate setting, and Kate recalls the pain her mother inflicted on her as a child.

KEEP READING: Honestly, this isn't my kind of book. I thought it was some type of romantic suspense/ thriller novel based upon the synopsis, which it very likely could be, but an opening that includes a club that has discipline night, and a relationship between the two main characters that quickly moves from chatting over coffee to sharing of secrets and sexual preferences and then an encounter between the two characters that involves discipline, simply isn't for me. I need to get to know the characters a bit better and understand where they are coming from before I'll buy into that. 

Even if I could get by the content of the first chapter to continue, the book is in need of an editor. In addition, nearly every line of dialogue has some type of he said/she said tag that interrupts the natural flow of the conversation. Example:

Kate managed to keep her head still and reached for the parcel as she asked, ‘What are you talking about?’

The man said, ‘In weather like this the vice squad allow about fifteen minutes for young women who are new to this scene to generate the courage to walk into that club...'

When I checked out the author's website, I have to admit all the books sound appealing to some degree, but I feel a bit misled by the synopsis on this one, so I would be careful about how I approach other books.

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 606 KB
Print Length: 257 pages
Publisher: Front Porch Romance (15 July 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
Language: English
ASIN: B00DYLFG0G

I received a free digital version of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.