Saturday, September 26, 2009

"The Sister Pact", by Cami Checkett: Book Review & Giveaway

Back Cover Blurb for The Sister Pact:

Savanna Compton is devastated when her sister and best friend, Allison, falls into a coma after a tragic accident. Or was it an accident? Even with a charming and handsome detective at her side, it seems Savannah may never discover the truth. But if she doesn’t her family could be in even more danger. And Savannah’s past holds its own secrets that could change everything.

Now she must prove her innocence to the one person who is beginning to matter most. Join Savannah as she struggles to summon hope and rely on faith even in the darkest of circumstances, and learn how the bond between sisters can overcome anything.

Okay, the first thing I realized when I began reading The Sister Pact is that I watch entirely too much Law & Order. (I’m speaking of the “original series” here.) As soon as the handsome, hunky, and entirely WOWSOME police detective, Noah Shumway, stepped onto the scene, I couldn’t stop my subconscious mind from asking: Is this what Lenny Brisco would do? Nahhh, just can’t see it! How about Detective Green? Well…maybe, but it’d be a stretch for me to buy. What about going back all the way to the “early days” of Detective Mike Logan? Ah, now there we have a possibility! Mike was undoubtedly impulsive and hot headed enough to potentially allow himself to get emotionally caught up with a suspect. Not that I’m advising you to picture Detective Shumway as a Mike Logan. Noah is older and much hunkier and built like a ROCK. Which I mean in the very best of romantic ways. And he doesn’t particularly have a challenge with his temper (except perhaps towards the end, when he is justifiably motivated by extreme circumstances). Nor is he particularly impulsive…except for falling head-over-heels in love with the beautiful Savannah Compton, his prime suspect in a possible murder attempt against her sister.

The Sister Pact is billed as a “romantic mystery”, but there is little mystery in it, since we know who the perpetrator is and how and why the crime was committed from the very first pages. “Romantic suspense” would be a more accurate description, with heavy on the “romance” theme. The “suspense” part does kick into high gear during the last 70 pages of the book. And once the action starts, it comes on slam-bang non-stop. Well done, Cami!

On second thought, I might be wrong about the mystery angle. Just not the way the book billing suggests. The mysteries that are teased out through the course of the book are more of a personal nature. What experiences in Savannah’s and Noah’s pasts have made them afraid to trust each other with their hearts, or even to trust in their own basic self-worth? I liked the way the characters were revealed to the reader a layer at a time, rather than splashing their entire life histories upfront. These were the mysteries that kept me reading, wanting to find out who these people really were, why they had become who they had become, and whether each could overcome the hurts of their pasts to find love in one another’s arms.

If you’re looking for a well told story about fierce family loyalty (the “sister pact” made as children between Savannah and her sister drives Savannah to uncover the truth behind her sister’s “accident”), as well as a satisfying romance (and don’t forget that slam-bang action ending!), then check out The Sister Pact by Cami Checketts.

The Sister Pact is available at Amazon.com, Deseret.com or CedarFort.com

Also, check out Cami's website and blogs: Cami's Books and Fitness for Mom.

You can win a copy of The Sister Pact by doing one or more of the following. Each one will count as one entry in the drawing, for a potential total of 3 entries per person!

(1) Leave a comment on this review, then email me at jdipastena@yahoo.com WITH YOUR NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS, telling me you left a comment.

(2) If you're a Law & Order original series fan, send me the name of your favorite (regular) character to jdipastena@yahoo.com, and please include your NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS.

(3) Subscribe to JDP NEWS posts by clicking on the "SUBSCRIBE TO POSTS" box in my left hand side bar (right under my list of "FOLLOWERS") OR become a Goodreads follower of me (Joyce DiPastena) on Goodreads.com, then send me an email at jdipastena@yahoo.com (WITH YOUR NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS) telling me which you have done: subscribed to my blog or become a Goodreads follower. (If you're already a subscriber or Goodreads follower, email me to let me know that, too, and I'll count that as an entry.)

Deadline for this giveaway is midnight PST, Sunday, October 4. Good luck to one and all!

24 comments:

Miss Mae said...

A romantic mystery, or romantic suspense. Now that's my kind of book! This sounds incredibly intriguing. :)

Larry Hammersley said...

Hi again, Joyce: I enjoyed the review of Sister Pact. Especially interesting is the characters questioning their self-worth and the romantic angle to that. I favor those kinds of stories as I attempt to cast my own heros as they fall for the heroine. Larry

Sandie Mixa said...

This books sounds like one I would really like to read!
Sandie

Nichole Giles said...

Great review. Sounds like a fun book. I adore the hunky law-enforcement types. Hey, maybe that's why I married one? Yep, probably.

Nichole

traveler said...

Thanks for your review. A favorite of mine is this type of story with characters that have strength, conviction, determination and a novel with depth.

Heather Justesen said...

It sounds really good. I know I've been reading a lot of reviews lately and would love to win a copy!

Elizabeth Morgan said...

That sounds amazing coming from a family with lots of sister to have a person to lean on.

Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen said...

I enjoyed your review, Joyce. Just the right amount of fun mixed with info on the book. Thanks! Oh, and I'd LOVE to win a copy. :)

Cindy R. Williams said...

Sounds like a great book, suspensful and a romantic interest as well. Thanks.

Peggy Urry said...

Wow! Joyce you are amazing - writing, marketing, and doing book reviews! It sounds like an intriguing read.

Rachelle Christensen said...

Great review and I love Law and Order, it's been quite a while since I've been able to watch it though. :)

Joyce DiPastena said...

I'm not responding to every email entry like I usually try to do, but trust me, I'm keeping track so no one falls through the cracks! :-)

Joan Sowards said...

Sounds like a great book. Great review.

Vicki said...

Greta review, so now I have to read the book!

DanielleThorne said...

Great title, book cover and interview. I look forward to hearing more about this book and author. Thanks Joyce!

Becki said...

Oh, this book sounds SOOOOOOO good!!!! Definitely one that I would enjoy.

Cami Checketts said...

Thanks for the fun review, Joyce! I really appreciate you and hope all is going well with your writing. Can't wait to read the sequel to Illuminations of the Heart,
Cami

Mindy said...

I love the premise of the book. A well written romantic suspense/mystery is always a welcome read for me.
P.S., I'm a Law and Order fan too since it first came out ;)

Joyce DiPastena said...

I love Lenny Briscoe, too. I think my favorite ADA (other than Jack McCoy) has been Abby, though I quite like Connie, too. (Not quite as much as Abby, though.) But I admit, sometimes I feel nostalgic for the "old days" with Mike Logan and Ben Stone. (Anyone even remember ADA Ben Stone?) I was sad when Mike Logan left the Criminal Intent spinoff.

Unknown said...

Cami's book sounds like a great read. I'd love to win this one. Email winging.

Lisa And Randy said...

Joyce,
I really enjoyed your review of The Sister Pact. I really enjoy Romantic Mysteries and suspense. Definitely a book to curl up with, and forget the world. I would love to win, so I can enjoy reading.
Thanks for the review and contest.

Anonymous said...

this sounds like an awesome book ty for posting the review and for hosting a cool give away i love law and order


blogger wont lemme sign in but i usually post under the name SiNn


mortalsinn@yahoo . com

CherylS22 said...

I enjoyed reading your review of "Sister Pact". I especially liked your comparison to the Law & Order series. Thanks!

Kari Pike said...

Love this review Joyce! You've got my attention! I would love to read this book!