Broken Faith

Rating:
Summary: Great in parts, not so in others
Review: "Broken Faith" by Lois Cloarec Hart is an odd duck. At times, it shines. In others, it's incredibly predictable. In short, Marika "Rika" Havers is a successful immigration lawyer with an incredible job, but pathetic track record of relationships, and an unhealthy penchant for choosing sick chicks. Rhiannon "Rhia" Davies is a lonely, socially inept outcast, counting her pennies until she can get the hell out of dodge. Through a series of events, Rika attempts to bring Rhia out of her shell and into her totally screwed up life. Mixed in with the elemental drama of lesbian relationships is an international human smuggling ring with ties to the Chinese Triad. While the "Rhia" and "Rika" monikers were a bit much to get used to (I started getting confused about which one was which!), the Triad and smuggling ring subplot was really "out there" and didn't fit with the tone of the book's relationship focus. While understanding the need for something or someone to be the "bad guy," since this is a mystery, I think the author could have eliminated the smuggling ring, focused on the relationship more, and had a much more satisfying book. The supporting cast of characters were great! From the understanding Episcopal priest, David, to the best friend, Lee, and her girlfriend, Dana, you get a warm feeling of people who truly care about these two. Get ready to snuggle in with this one, as it weighs in at 437 pages!

Rating:
Summary: Great in parts, not so in others
Review: "Broken Faith" by Lois Cloarec Hart is an odd duck. At times, it shines. In others, it's incredibly predictable. In short, Marika "Rika" Havers is a successful immigration lawyer with an incredible job, but pathetic track record of relationships, and an unhealthy penchant for choosing sick chicks. Rhiannon "Rhia" Davies is a lonely, socially inept outcast, counting her pennies until she can get the hell out of dodge. Through a series of events, Rika attempts to bring Rhia out of her shell and into her totally screwed up life. Mixed in with the elemental drama of lesbian relationships is an international human smuggling ring with ties to the Chinese Triad. While the "Rhia" and "Rika" monikers were a bit much to get used to (I started getting confused about which one was which!), the Triad and smuggling ring subplot was really "out there" and didn't fit with the tone of the book's relationship focus. While understanding the need for something or someone to be the "bad guy," since this is a mystery, I think the author could have eliminated the smuggling ring, focused on the relationship more, and had a much more satisfying book. The supporting cast of characters were great! From the understanding Episcopal priest, David, to the best friend, Lee, and her girlfriend, Dana, you get a warm feeling of people who truly care about these two. Get ready to snuggle in with this one, as it weighs in at 437 pages!

Rating:
Summary: An Exhilarating Story Deftly Told
Review: In a spin-off book from her debut novel, COMING HOME, this author pens the story of Marika Havers, a cynical immigration attorney living in Calgary, Canada. Marika is in a world of hurt. No relationship has ever lasted-except for an occasional loveless liaison with a woman named Cass, who uses Marika cruelly.

Rhiannon "Rhi" Davies lives a hardscrabble existence in a shabby part of town. She rents a room from her mean-spirited aunt who took Rhi in at age ten when the girl's parents died. For years, Rhi has dreamed of escape from the critical, loveless aunt. Since getting a paralegal certificate, she's saved every penny she can, planning and scheming to get out of her situation. Rhi enters Marika's work life by taking a temporary paralegal job when the regular employee goes on maternity leave. Marika and Rhi have almost nothing in common-except for their lack of faith in themselves or that they are worthy of love.

When Rhi is attacked and badly injured by a crazed man in the office, Marika is shocked into compassion. She takes Rhi into her home and cares for the convalescing young woman, and against all odds, the two women are drawn to one another.

This might be a typical romance except for two things. First of all, the writing is exquisite. Every scene, every character, every detail is described with loving care. The secondary characters, especially the kindly priest, the mean aunt, and several helpful friends, are well-drawn. Secondly, the story doesn't end with the two women gaining rapport and falling in love. Instead, Marika's past comes back to haunt them, dragging them into danger and near death. The story ends up being more than a typical romance and is, in fact, a cross-genre thriller.

Told with a deft touch by a talented writer, BROKEN FAITH is an exhilarating story that gains power the further the reader gets into it. There are so many twists and turns along the way, most of them unexpected, and the suspense grows gradually as the reader becomes aware of the breadth of the plot. Simply put, this is a terrific book, and I recommend it highly.

-...

Rating:
Summary: An Exhilarating Story Deftly Told
Review: In a spin-off book from her debut novel, COMING HOME, this author pens the story of Marika Havers, a cynical immigration attorney living in Calgary, Canada. Marika is in a world of hurt. No relationship has ever lasted-except for an occasional loveless liaison with a woman named Cass, who uses Marika cruelly.

Rhiannon "Rhi" Davies lives a hardscrabble existence in a shabby part of town. She rents a room from her mean-spirited aunt who took Rhi in at age ten when the girl's parents died. For years, Rhi has dreamed of escape from the critical, loveless aunt. Since getting a paralegal certificate, she's saved every penny she can, planning and scheming to get out of her situation. Rhi enters Marika's work life by taking a temporary paralegal job when the regular employee goes on maternity leave. Marika and Rhi have almost nothing in common-except for their lack of faith in themselves or that they are worthy of love.

When Rhi is attacked and badly injured by a crazed man in the office, Marika is shocked into compassion. She takes Rhi into her home and cares for the convalescing young woman, and against all odds, the two women are drawn to one another.

This might be a typical romance except for two things. First of all, the writing is exquisite. Every scene, every character, every detail is described with loving care. The secondary characters, especially the kindly priest, the mean aunt, and several helpful friends, are well-drawn. Secondly, the story doesn't end with the two women gaining rapport and falling in love. Instead, Marika's past comes back to haunt them, dragging them into danger and near death. The story ends up being more than a typical romance and is, in fact, a cross-genre thriller.

Told with a deft touch by a talented writer, BROKEN FAITH is an exhilarating story that gains power the further the reader gets into it. There are so many twists and turns along the way, most of them unexpected, and the suspense grows gradually as the reader becomes aware of the breadth of the plot. Simply put, this is a terrific book, and I recommend it highly.

-...

Rating:
Summary: Terrific Book!
Review: This is one of the best books I've read in a long time, regardless that it's a lesbian novel. One of the nice things is that it's longer, so the characters and the story have a real chance to develop. Don't let the length put you off though. Because the story is so interesting, the pages fly by. You meet Marika and Rhiannon, two women from very different positions in life who share a common trait. Because of the psychological wounds they suffered growing up, neither one of them believes that they are capable of finding or being loved. Another nice trait in this book is that, for those of you who've read a lot of recent lesbian literature, these characters are not Xena makeovers. No, tall dark blue-eyed beauty with a short blonde sidekick. One is tall and the other shorter and that's about the end of the simularities. As these two are drawn together through their work lives first, you will get to meet a rich assortment of supporting characters, including David, the Episcopal priest who is willing to accept that what Jesus taught about love and what the church says may not be the same thing, and Lee, the female private investigator, who will do anything to keep her family and friends safe. And yes, there are bad guys in this story, but they make the story richer. Events unfold as Rhi and Rika meet, slowly form a friendship, and are drawn into a sinister situation, while they realize slowly that they're becoming more than friends. The question that hangs over the book as events develop is if these two women, who have been so damaged by others, can let their defenses down enough to see the love that is available to each one. This is a great book. You'll like it.