By Theresa Rizzo

Blurb

How far would you go to save the one you love?

Reporter Skylar Kendall has run from commitment all her life, pushing people away before they leave her, until her niece worms her way into Skye’s heart and settles in tight. Skye relaxes into a career she enjoys and relishes being a doting aunt.

Then her niece becomes gravely ill. Unable to bear yet another loss, Skye is determined to find a cure, but the girl’s only hope lies in the embryonic stem cell therapy Michigan Senator Edward Hastings repeatedly opposes. When Skye fails to find alternative treatment in time, she vows to end the senator’s political career.

Curious about the woman behind the scathing articles on his best friend, Mark Dutton pursues Skye. Dating Mark gives her access to Hastings’s life and secrets that would launch Skye’s career and satisfy her need for retribution… Only she hadn’t counted on falling in love.

Can she avenge the lives lost to politics at the expense of her new love and friends?

Editorial Review

“This charming novel gracefully addresses embryonic stem cell research and garnishes it with a powerful, tender romance… The author handles the complexities of science and morality with tremendous care and nuance; there are no hypocrites or villains here, only loving people doing their best in terribly difficult situations. Contemporary romance readers of all political leanings will be enthralled.” ~ Publishers Weekly

My Review

The author researched the controversy surrounding stem cell research. She presented both sides of the controversy through the characters of Skye, Mark, and Edward Hastings, a US senator. This book explores how much one will do for family, especially when the stakes are high. It is a highly emotional story.

The story and the characters were well developed and thought-provoking. In the beginning I didn’t like Skye because she seemed immature and extremely annoying at times. As I watched her grow up throughout the book, I saw her mature into a caring and warm individual. At times, I felt the story had too much going on with the death of Niki, Skye’s niece, Skye’s on-again-off-again relationship with Mark, her hatred-turned-to-friendship and respect for Edward Hastings, the accident, a troubled teen, all the privacy issues that surrounded Senator Hastings, and indiscretions by one of Mark’s key employees.  However, in the end, the author pulled it all together beautifully.

Because The Lives Between Us crosses several genres, I believe it would appeal to a wide range of readers.  I give The Lives Between Us 4 stars.

About theAuthor

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 currently lives outside of Boulder, Colorado with her husband of thirty-two years. She’s raised four wonderful children who are now scattered across the country.

Find Theresa on the web at www.theresarizzo.com,

Or connect with her on Facebook, twitter or Amazon, and Goodreads.

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This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review

Michelle Clements James ©