Jared BelaForte spent his life protecting the people he loves and the place he calls home working for a government appointed task force called The Greater Wilmington First Response Team or GWRT. A group comprised of his friend and half brother, Dylan Spencer. His father’s old partner with the Wilmington PD, Alex Kelley and his cousin Jules Devereaux. Rounding out the team was Shay McElroy, a profiler who also happened to be the love of his life.
Everything seemed perfect in his life, he had love, friends and family surrounding him and his team was on the verge of putting an end to the reign of a known trafficker who dealt in drugs and women. But in one moment, the man Jared had spent years trying to put away interrupted that life.
Sergei Dolenov is that man. He deals in drugs and dolls, a family business you might say. He had been able to stay under the radar in the sleepy port of North Carolina that he called home these days. But when the Governor put together a task force to disrupt his business, he took on a new target. Jared BelaForte.
After two years of torture and pain, Jared believed he would die in Dolenov’s “care”. But just when all hope is lost, an opportunity to escape presents itself. Two years to the day, Dylan got the phone call. Jared was in the local ER, and he was alive. Jared also learns that there was one other person that was left behind when he went missing, his little girl Sera, now just 17 months old. She was the glue that held Shay together when all seemed lost to her.
Can he pick up the pieces before the man responsible returns to finish the job he started?
The Story Behind This Book
I never intended to publish this book, but a good friend armed with a the only the first 15 chapters set the ball in motion when she shared those chapters to a colleague who happened to be a magazine editor. After that, calls started coming in about possibly publishing the novel. The funny thing was, when I got the first call I thought it was a mistake, until the publishing rep told me exactly how they'd come by the manuscript.
Praise and Reviews
There was a likable set of secondary characters that enhanced this story filled with love, hope, tears, laughter, and a little bit of mystery and excitement along with a HEA.
Kristi Loucks was a new author for me and I look forward to reading more from her. 4 out of 5 rating.
Jared and Sara are in love but their team of agents don't realize they are a couple. Just when they are about to announce it, Jared is kidnapped. Soon afterwards, Sara discovers she is pregnant with his child. For 2 years, his brother, his girl, and his team wonder where he is. They keep the hope that he is alive. What they don't realize is the hell he is going through being tortured beyond what any man could bear. But this man has a woman he loves more than life itself to come back to. His captors make one mistake then. They let him know he has a daughter. All bets are off then.
I started tearing up again just writing that synopsis. This is one of the most emotional reads I have ever read. The description of his torture is next excessively graphic, but enough to make you pause and reconsider continuing for a spell. I found that this book took me a long time to read because I had to stop often to compose myself. I am a very emotional reader when it is a good book because the author has now brought me into her world. Kristi Loucks did that and more.
Ms. Loucks character development is amazing. I generally call well developed characters as being full of depth. These go to depths rarely seen in most books presented to me. You don't just know these characters. You become these characters. Her writing is so artfully presented that you feel the pain, joy, and fear almost as much as the characters do. I was bawling before the end of chapter 3 and had to stop reading for the rest of the day. She packs so much in just a few words.
You will read of torture scenes as Jared bares his soul to the shrink and those closest to him. You will read of the pain of being alone not knowing what day it is and how long it has been since you last ate. You will read of the agony of those left behind trying to continue on with only hope that he is alive.
A truly amazing and emotional book. You cannot and will not read this one in a day. It will take you many along with dozens of boxes of tissue. Ms. Loucks is a genius with words and emotions. I have yet to see one other than Danielle Steele who has made me feel so much with just words.
You have to check this book out. Trust me!
Note: This book was given as part of a book tour with no expectation of a positive
For more reviews, go to http://www.amazon.com/A-Life-Interrupted-ebook/dp/B008KYRP1A