An interesting plot premise can't save this tale of an American pilot MIA in Vietnam and the girl who spent 20 years refusing to believe he was dead.
There are great gaping holes in the backstory, an over-reliance on coincidence that sets the entire tale in motion, and unresolved plot noodles lying around all over the place. The characterization of the mostly-absent Jay and his mysterious frenemy, Welles Blackburn, are the weakest elements. Both are deceitful liars, and the forceful Welles comes perilously close to being a sexual predator.
In addition, Riker has made the odd choice of adding a personality quirk to the heroine that is, one supposes, intended to be endearing, but which mostly comes off annoying. A chicklit heroine can be drawn as endearingly clumsy and scatterbrained, but those qualities are seldom part of the makeup of a driven woman who is also a successful entrepreneur.
There are great gaping holes in the backstory, an over-reliance on coincidence that sets the entire tale in motion, and unresolved plot noodles lying around all over the place. The characterization of the mostly-absent Jay and his mysterious frenemy, Welles Blackburn, are the weakest elements. Both are deceitful liars, and the forceful Welles comes perilously close to being a sexual predator.
In addition, Riker has made the odd choice of adding a personality quirk to the heroine that is, one supposes, intended to be endearing, but which mostly comes off annoying. A chicklit heroine can be drawn as endearingly clumsy and scatterbrained, but those qualities are seldom part of the makeup of a driven woman who is also a successful entrepreneur.
