Betrayals [Paperback]

Janet Quinn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 8, 2008

Logan Lambert's world shatters when an earthquake destroys his newly constructed building. In the aftermath of the quake, he soon realizes that his reputation as a builder has also been damaged, and possibly beyond repair. But to make matters even worse, his also learns of the betrayal of his most-trusted friends, which shakes him to the very core of his being. Kayla Hampton, a blind CPA, is drawn into Logan's chaotic new world when her father asks her to investigate Lambert for signs of fraud. Not only does she find herself falling in love with the discredited yet determined builder, taking risks to help him repair his reputation, but chancing to step outside her safe and orderly existence. Together, Logan and Kayla are plunged into a dangerous world of shoddy construction, gambling, murder and betrayal. And to clear Logan's good name, they must locate the man responsible for the mayhem. But will they expose the real culprit in time to save themselves? And if they do, will their love be strong enough to put their worlds back together?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"5 HEARTS!...Janet Quinn gives us as many twists and turns to this story as only a great storyteller can. Just when we think we've got it figured out and they're going to find the real villain another facet comes into play and we're left guessing...The characters are all well done...The dialogue is realistic and helps the plot along very well...Blended in with the suspense there's humor, romance, tidbits of information and all the good things that make a story worth reading. Ms. Quinn has done an excellent job building this storyline and bringing it to a dramatic conclusion."--Dee Dailey, The Romance Studio

"5 CUPS!...This is an exhilarating story that is chocked full of action, danger, and romance. Ms. Quinn had done an outstanding job creating her characters. Kayla is blind, but is filled with strength and determination that you cannot help but admire. From the first page you are held captive and not let go to the last. In this rousing tale, there is never a dull moment and adding the provocative love scenes as the icing and you have one extraordinary read."--Wateena, Coffee Time Romance

"5 ANGELS!...[a]very well done suspense story. From the beginning the reader is able to follow the plots, plans, and thoughts of the bad guy, but does not know who it is...Throughout the story...questions...swirl around the main characters while Ms. Quinn slowly and meticulously doles out the clues to solve the mystery. I did not figure it out completely until the end of the book! I hope Ms. Quinn will write more stories like this.."--Stephanie B., Fallen Angel Reviews --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 262 pages
• Publisher: Amber Quill Press, LLC (August 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602729239
• ISBN-13: 978-1602729230
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,383,635 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable romantic suspense, June 12, 2009

By 

B. D. Whitney "BookWenches" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Betrayals (Paperback)

When a mild earthquake causes a building currently under construction to disintegrate, it is apparent that something is wrong. Add to that the fact that a security guard is killed in the accident, and not only do you have a case of shoddy construction to deal with but you have criminal negligence as well. Not only do the building's investors stand to lose a lot of money, but the owner of the construction company may face financial ruin, loss of his business, and prison time as well.

Kayla Hampton is a CPA who has been hired to look into who might be responsible for the building not being constructed to code. She knows that she will have to sift through a mountain of information in order to discover the truth, although currently all signs point squarely at the owner of the construction company - Logan Lambert. She might be blind, but she is tough and capable, and after her initial meeting with Logan, she has a feeling that he might not be as culpable as her client believes him to be. Logan Lambert knows that he has a lot to lose, and he is determined to cooperate with Kayla's investigation. Someone within his company has substituted substandard materials, pocketing the profits and setting him up to be the fall guy in the investigation, and he is determined to find out who this is and to regain his reputation. Almost worse than financial ruin is the knowledge that he has been betrayed by a person or persons that he believed to be friends he could trust.

As Logan and Kayla work together to find out the truth behind the disaster, the person responsible is scrambling to cover his tracks and to ensure that Logan takes the blame. Although the initial crime is fraud, it becomes apparent that the culprit is willing to result to both kidnapping and murder to protect himself and retrieve incriminating evidence. Kayla and Logan must work to stay alive and to stay a step ahead of a criminal who seems to know Logan almost as well as he knows himself. To further complicate issues, they are beginning to develop feelings for each other. But will these feelings survive after investigation is over? Also, they might be working together to the same end, but how much do they really trust each other, anyway?

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Janet Quinn's Betrayals is a fast-paced blend of romance, action, and suspense that should appeal to lovers of thrillers and love stories alike. This is a smooth-flowing and pleasurable read that is exciting enough to keep the reader turning the pages, wondering what situation the heroes would find themselves into next. The characters are appealing enough to make you care about them, and enough time is spent with the villain to develop him into a hateful character but not to give his identity away. In Logan and Kayla, Ms. Quinn has given us a couple of strong and interesting individuals who have just enough flaws to make them sympathetic. Logan is attractively strong and take-charge, but he is also somewhat stubborn. He is haunted by the fact that he has been betrayed by a friend but absolutely refuses to consider that two such close friends may be involved. When it comes to stubbornness, however, he and Kayla are equally matched. Kayla may be blind, but she is not "the poor little blind girl." She has a backbone of steel and is almost too fiercely independent. I found it fascinating how Kayla described her blindness as being a world entirely of color, because I had never imagined blindness to be anything other than complete blackness. This was definitely food for thought and an interesting detailed touch.

The suspense in Betrayals teases the reader a bit, hinting strongly at who the culprit in the crime might be but never actually revealing the truth until the end. As I read this novel, there were several instances where I was absolutely convinced that I knew the answer to whodunit. I was wrong, but I was not at all disappointed to be wrong. My only complaint is that the reveal scene felt just a little too "Scooby Doo," as in "I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids." However, I did appreciate the recap of the crime, and it did tie the mystery up pretty cleanly.

In all, I feel that Betrayals is well-executed and entertaining. It provides a pretty decent romance with a interesting mystery, which in my opinion makes for an enjoyable reading experience.