Desperate Choices [Paperback]

Jeanette Cooper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 27, 2007

Young and unsuspecting, Rochelle Rathbone flirts with danger when she becomes involved with Tobias Chandler, Miami drug czar, and sets the stage for horrors she never knew existed until after their marriage. Guarded around the clock in his Miami mansion, she becomes a virtual prisoner. A desire for freedom grows into an obsession, and Rochelle's need to escape triggers the most desperate goal of her life despite Tobias's dangerous threat to kill her if she tries to leave him. Freedom is worth the risk, and she devises a successful plan of escape. With three thousand miles separating Rochelle from her tormentor, life is never sweeter than when she falls in love with handsome, debonair Michael Matheson. Nothing but the fear of Tobias coming after her can disrupt her wonderful happiness more than when she opens her door to see Tobias standing there like some evil prodigy out of hell. Desperate Choices is an emotion packed drama filled with a young woman's powerful need to be completely free of an intolerable relationship with a man she despises. With the deadly threat of his retaliation hanging over her head and marring the near perfect paradise found with Michael, Rochelle knows there are only two things that will stop Tobias's domination and pursuit of her-her death or his.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: E-BookTime, LLC (June 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1598246690
• ISBN-13: 978-1598246698
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,229,304 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Following early retirement from teaching elementary school, Jeanette became a serious writer of fiction. From early on in life she loved books like friends and companions. Reading was a joy that offered a journey to places around the world and into the rich drama of characters' lives. Reading the works of other writers gave her a love of words and a hunger for writing. "Wall of Color", inspired by a biracial student, was her first published book, which was followed by "Conquered Heart" and ten others.

Jeanette writes mystery, suspense, romance, drama, and thrillers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping Suspense, Sensuous Romance, and the Presence of Danger, August 28, 2007

By 

Geraldine Floyd - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Desperate Choices (Paperback)

Young, beautiful, impressionable and brought up in a solid family setting, Rochelle Rathbone is unaware of the evils lying beyond the borders of her parents' protective nurturing. When she becomes involved with Tobias Chandler, Miami drug affiliate to the Columbian Cartel, a man old enough to be her father, she becomes blinded by big spending, posh nightspots and an entertaining party life that Tobias presents to her.

Not until Rochelle becomes Mrs. Tobias Chandler does she realize her husband is a hardened and calloused monster intent on controlling her and everyone around him. With a criminal mind, and always alert to possible legal sanctions, he will stop at nothing--not even murder--to protect him from prosecution. Rochelle becomes his pawn--subjected to mental, physical and sexual abuse, held as a virtual prisoner, and guarded around the clock in a Miami mansion with six-foot walls surrounding it.

The author's insightful treatment of the subject of spousal abuse is a wake up call for mothers whose young daughters are unwittingly putting themselves in harm's way because of enticements that make them feel grown-up and glamorous. "Desperate Choices" will sicken you with its violence, but it will give you an awareness of the need to guard your young daughters against predators like Tobias Chandler who is ready to compromise their childish innocence.

In Cooper's suspenseful tale is a story of a young woman's heroic strength during her escape from a violent man and a dangerous situation, despite his abusive death threats if she attempts to leave him.

Central to the storyline is the development of a beautiful love story between Rochelle and Michael Matheson, whom Rochelle meets after escaping from Tobias. Contrasted against the spousal abuse, a budding romance permits Rochelle the opportunity to experience real love instead of the superficial relationship that scars and distorts her concept of normal love.

Michael Matheson, a desirably handsome man of many talents, lives through his own personal trials, which cause him to give up his flourishing architectural firm in San Francisco to take over the management of his father's bank in Montana. Carved from his father's strong teachings, Michael's personality is built upon a steadfast, responsible nature; yet, even when things seem far less than perfect in his life, he is able to display a lightness of manner and easy-going persona, which endears most of his friends and associates to him.

The first few pages of "Desperate Choices" grabbed my interest and drew me into the suspenseful plot immediately. With continual action in a series of dramatic events with dynamic characters, I was hooked on this thrilling story and eagerly kept reading to discover the resolution.

"Desperate Choices" is a wonderful read that will put you in the seat of its main character, Rochelle Rathbone, and leave you vicariously experiencing her pain, fear, and romantic passions when she falls in love with Michael. The inequities she suffers from a vicious and vengeful man drew strong sympathy. Then I rejoiced when she fell in love with a decent man who had her best interest at heart. Her constant fear of death by Tobias tensed me for the unexpected and dramatic resolution. I didn't want the book to end. I'd love to read a sequel that follows the wonderful love story of Rochelle and Michael.

A thrilling plot filled with mystery and suspense and a breathtaking love story makes "Desperate Choices" a great novel.

Reviewed by Jeri Floyd

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Books, October 31, 2010

By 

Victor I. Pirie "Free Living" (North Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Desperate Choices (Kindle Edition)

What a thrilling plot and exciting characters! Jeanette Cooper fashions a tale in "Desperate Choices" that makes you live through every gut-wrenching phase of Rochelle Rathbone Chandler's mental, physical, and emotional victimization, which leads her to make decisions that will impact her life. But despite the hell she goes through, there is a tender, romantic journey in her future filled with the discovery of love. This is one great novel!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gripping and Exciting Novel, July 10, 2008

By 

Joyce Bowling - See all my reviews

This review is from: Desperate Choices (Paperback)

What can I say....what a plot, great characters, I found myself devouring the pages of this well written novel from the first page.
What an emotional, thrilling, and suspensful action packed book!!! The characters within Desperate choices are realistic characters who have fallen victims of circumstances that lead to desperate choices, but also a beautiful and tender romantic journey of two people discovering that life does exist after their terrible ordeals and situations that seem impossible to escape. The character Rochelle is forced to make decisions that will empact the rest of her life. Forced by the pain and mental torment that her power hungry husband inflicts upon her...but her choice for freedom is dangerous...but also leads to the best thing that ever happened to her, Michael. Through much heartache, failures, triumphs, and sheer guts Rochelle is able to find what she searched for many years for. I'll not reveal anymore of the plot so the reader will be as captivated as I was with the entire book, especially the final chapters as the characters become so real within the mind and heart of the reader that they to will hang on every word captivated and anxiously awaiting to see what the next page will reveal in Rochelle's life! A powerful, captivating, and exciting novel written with heart, soul, and drama that is gripping, suspensful, and realistic! A book worth reading and will make one stop and value their own freedom, family, and simplistic life while also reminding them that some people really do live their life in fear and torment much as the characters within the covers of this action packed novel! A must read, don't miss it! Desperate Choices is a gripping, exciting, and action packed novel!