The Sacred Blood by Micheal Byrnes. © 2009 HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 9780061781988. eBook. Suspense/Thriller. 279 pages. $10.19 US [ Purchase ] Source: Books on Board purchase.

Synopsis: When American geneticist Charlotte Hennesey examined what she believed were the bones of Jesus, the Vatican tried to stop word of her discovery from spreading. Now, her proof has vanished.

But the bones were just the beginning. In her tests, Charlotte discovers that the DNA extracted from the bones contains miraculous powers. Dying from cancer, the determined scientist uses herself as a human guinea pig to astonishing results. When she injects herself with this miracle DNA, the bone cancer that is slowly killing her doesn’t just go into remission, it vanishes completely. It seems the DNA has the ability to repair damaged genes, to heal the sick, to cure incurable diseases. And much to her surprise, Charlotte discovers that now she possesses these very powers. Read the rest of this entry »

Taking Chase by Lauren Dane (Chase Brothers #2) © 2006 Samhain Publishing. ISBN 9781599983011. eBook. Romantic Suspense. 245 pages. $5.50 US [ Purchase ] Source: My Bookstore and More Purchase

Synopsis: Cassie Gambol is on the run. In what seems like another lifetime, her ex-husband nearly ended her life and effectively ended her successful career as a vascular surgeon. But even though the justice system found him guilty of attempted murder, he fled while awaiting sentencing and Carly Sunderland became Cassie Gambol.

Shane Chase, a man who’s held himself away from commitment since his fiancée dumped him several years before, knows the beautiful newcomer is hiding something. He’s wildly attracted to her strength and her underlying vulnerability as well.

And now, Cassie’s ex is back and he wants her dead.

Review: This review was a bit hard to write.  The book has so much to recommend it and yet…and yet….

Let me start with the good stuff.  If an author wants to tackle domestic abuse then this is the way to do it.  The author obviously did her homework well.  She gave us a heroine who most people would not think of as a possible victim of domestic abuse. She is a well to do surgeon with money that her father had left her, and her ex-husband was a doctor too.  This makes the good point that domestic abuse is not about class, religion or race, it’s about sick people doing sick things.  Read the rest of this entry »