EVERY WAKING MOMENT

Author: Brenda Novak ISBN: 0373770456 7/2005 SUSPENSE Publisher: HQN

Emma Wright has finally escaped the dangerous man who's controlled her every move for the past six years. Taking her five-year-old son, she has fled across the country -- seeking freedom, safety, and a fresh start. But Max's father isn't giving up so easily. Preston Holman understands the lengths a parent will go for his child. He's given up everything to pursue the man he believes killed his son. When Preston meets Emma, he wants nothing to do with her or the boy who reminds him so much of his own child. Yet he can't abandon them -- and as he's drawn into the danger that surrounds them, Preston begins to wonder if he's finally found something to live for beyond revenge.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Although EVERY WAKING MOMENT is touching at times and often exciting, I couldn't muster much enthusiasm for this romantic suspense.

Neither of the lead characters is particularly likeable, the romance is without sparks and the suspense angle is uneven.

Emma Wright and Preston Holman are no more than stock characters in this story of a woman running from an abusive relationship toward freedom and a tormented, bent-on-revenge man, who is unable to let go of a painful past. For all their emotional baggage and evident problems, I never got a real feel for what made this pair tick.

The supposed romance wasn't particularly intense, either. I didn't feel much chemistry between the pair—aside from maybe a watered down lust. Furthermore, I have to question how a woman, just escaping an obsessive, abusive boyfriend, can become interested in another man so quickly. Emma's involvement with a troubled Preston didn't quite ring true.

In all fairness, the first half of EVERY WAKING MOMENT was much more exciting than the last half as Ms. Novak concentrated more on Emma's escape. The nifty cat-and-mouse aspect kept this story moving quickly with all the narrow escapes from Emma's determined boyfriend, Manuel. The second half, however, becomes bogged down with more focus on the tepid romance and a bit too much detail with health problems.

All in all, even with some exciting scenes and some heartwarming moments, I couldn't rise above an indifferent attitude toward EVERY WAKING MOMENT.

Debbie Jett