THE LIVES BETWEEN US by Theresa Rizzo – NEW RELEASE TODAY – BOOK REVIEW

Cover image obtained from http://www.theresarizzo.com

THE LIVES BETWEEN US

Author: Theresa Rizzo

Type of Book: eBook

Length: 411 pages

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Drama, Romance

Release Date: July 1, 2015

Publisher: Rizzo Publishing

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This book will surprise you with it’s in depth probing of a hot button political and moral issue while drawing you in with well written characters and a heart wrenching story that feels genuine. This book is exquisitely written by an author who obviously researches her topics with precision and an eye for detail. The complexities of the debate for and against the use of stem cells for research are presented in such a manner that readers need not have any foreknowledge on the subject to still come away from this book with the feeling of having learned something while still enjoying the journey of the characters involved.

Skylar Kendall is a fledgling reporter for the “Detroit Chronicle.” Having lost both her parents at a young age, she was raised by her older sister, Faith.

Faith and her husband Peter have a nine year old daughter named Niki.

Niki is a great kid and Skye is close to her niece. Despite the fact that Niki is loved and cherished by both her parents and her doting Aunt, she has a major problem. Niki has Class Four heart failure. She could be saved if she was able to receive life-saving stem cell therapy or if a donor heart could be found for her.

Despite all her family members being tested for compatibility, none of them are a match for Niki’s stem cells and searches of the world’s database also come up empty.

Skye is determined to find the stem cells that Niki needs but keeps coming up empty. “The real kicker, that pisses me off more than anything is every blessed time I search stem cells, Senator Hastings name comes up – and he’s definitely not a fan.”

Senator Edward Hastings is the “…famous Michigan Senator they’re saying is the next JFK.”

When Niki dies suddenly, Skye is overcome with grief which manifests itself in anger at the Senator that she believes is directly responsible for causing Niki’s death due to his legislation and dislike of stem cell research. Skye vows to end his political career.

Mark Dutton is best friends with the Senator and has never met Skye. A chance meeting has the two of them crossing paths and a mutual attraction is born.

Curious about the woman behind the scathing articles on his best friend, Mark pursues Skye.

Dating Mark offers her access to Senator Hastings’s life and secrets that could launch Skye’s journalistic career and at the same time satisfy her need for revenge for Niki’s untimely death.

However, Skye hadn’t planned on falling in love.

Can she avenge Niki’s death and the many other lives lost to politics at the expense of her new love?

You will need to read THE LIVES BETWEEN US to find out.

This book could have been taken straight out of today’s news headlines. This is a topic that is very much on the minds of people in our current society.

The issue of Stem Cell Therapy and Stem Cell Research not only has medical applications, but also has ethical and moral questions that go along with it and as such can be a very volatile topic.

No matter what your politics, no matter what your religious beliefs, you will find this book an absolutely riveting read.

Theresa Rizzo has done an amazing job of navigating this highly emotional issue and creating a book that will keep you reading long into the night.

I also feel like I need to mention that although stem cell research is at the heart of this book, there is much more to THE LIVES BETWEEN US than just that topic. Theresa Rizzo has created characters that are relatable and well developed. She has a gift for description that draws readers into her world. For example, when Skye has her first date with Mark, she tells him that she is not a people person. When he asks why, her response is: “I just don’t like them on the whole. I mean, people are always complaining about something. Very few people are happy with their lives, and I hate the games people play. You know, for one lame reason or another they don’t say what they mean.” If a reader cannot relate to that statement, then they haven’t lived. There are many other examples in this book, but suffice it to say that the characters in this book feel so real that you almost feel like you could find them in the phone book and contact them in the real world. The ability to create such realistic characters is a gift that many writers do not possess.

I give THE LIVES BETWEEN US a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was the first book I have read by this author, but it will definitely NOT be the last. I plan to read her other titles as soon as possible.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Theresa Rizzo is an award-winning author who writes emotional stories that explore the complexity of relationships and families through real-life trials. Born and raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, she now lives outside of Boulder, Colorado with her husband of thirty years. Learn more about Theresa at http://www.theresarizzo.com. Follow Theresa on Twitter (@Theresa_rizzo)