Theresa Rizzo

This novel evoked so many emotions, I felt wrung out when I was finished. It was like watching a train, knowing it was going to leave the tracks, and there is nothing you can do but watch it happen.

The story opens introducing us to Catherine Boyd, an extremely happy young woman on her graduation day from Stanford. Her graduation is not the only thing bringing her joy, she will be reunited with her son, Andrew, called Drew. He has been living with her parents in Chicago, so Catherine could show more concentrate on her studies full time. She has seen Drew as much as she possibly could, and they spoke by phone almost daily. Now he would be joining her in California, where she has a growing clientele for her handmade jewelry, sold in a friend's boutique . But her life is about to jump the track. Catherine's parents have decided that Drew would be better staying with them in Chicago. They can provide him with the best of everything. Catherine had signed a custody agreement , letting her parents be guardians for Drew till she was graduated and on her own. The confrontation with her Mom and Dad and further consultation with an attorney shows that the papers were never drawn up as temporary. The only solution was to move to her parents home, which was unthinkable , or find her estranged husband ( they were never divorced) and try to prove she can provide a good home for Drew.

Thomas Boyd and Catherine fell in love and married very young. Her parents disapproved, but agreed to help. After a tragic accident, Thomas was falsely accused of a crime, and pushed out of Catherine's life. They agreed to each finish school and restart their life together then. Somehow the time never came.
Thomas had graduated from the University of Michigan, and was now an up and coming financial analyst. The first time they met to discuss what to do, Catherine had an immediate reaction. "Just being with Thomas bombarded her with confusing feelings of warmth, security , happiness , misery and betrayal, all dusted with with this crackling electric attraction".

This is an amazing novel that has everything. It is an emotional roller coaster ride, and you can't put it down! So many lies, unexpected suspense and love, all in the name of a sweet little boy. I highly recommend this novel, I finished it in a day. In my opinion, this novel deserves five very bright stars! show less

A tale of betrayal and deception and of a young mother's determination to recover what belongs to her.

Forced to leave her baby and tricked into relinquishing her parental rights, four years later Catherine Boyd is back and she'll do anything to regain custody of her son--even reconcile with the husband falsely accused of killing their son's twin.

All in the name of love for a little boy, generations of pain and tragedy are exposed in a courtroom drama

Received in ebook format from show more www.netgalley.com.

Catherine attempts to get her 4 year old son back from her parents after she passes her degree with honours, only to find her parents unwilling to give him back. Instead they use him as a pawn to get Catherine back home to Chicago from California and back under their thumb

Instead she takes her lawyers’ advice and meets up with her estranged husband Thomas to present a united front to get their son back. They have not really talked since Thomas was acquitted of killing their other son, Drew's twin, who had died of cot death.

The rest of the book is the legalities of going to court to get their child back. During this time they have to not only work out how to be a married couple but also parents, something Thomas in particular struggles with as the last time he saw his son he was three months old.

The court scenes are strong and bring out so many secrets on all sides, finally reflecting the true nature of the relationships between parents and children of each generation. There are secrets between husband and wife and parents and children, some devastating as they come out in court.

I felt we got some understanding of why Eric was the way he was, but felt Sarah as the mother was a little underdeveloped as a character - just why had she felt so disconnected from her children? Why had she given up her job as a promising mathematician? Was it simply to have the children she was expected to have, even in the 1980s?

This is certainly a very strong start from a debut author and well worth the read! show less

Are you ready to read an emotionally charged story that will simply leave you breathless? Well then, Just Destiny is the book for you.

For two years, twenty-eight year old Detroit newspaper journalist Jenny Harrison had a wonderful marriage to Gabe, a forty-three year old general surgeon with two college-aged children. Adding to her happiness is the excitement of learning that she is newly pregnant, even though they had originally made the decision not to have children. While on an show more anniversary weekend getaway, a tragic accident takes the life of Gabe, and a sudden miscarriage turns her world completely upside down. Jenny's life falls apart with the sudden death of Gabe and their unborn baby. Jenny agrees to donate Gabe's organs, and creates an ethical controversy when she requests that Gabe's sperm be recovered and stored at a sperm bank so that she can still have a baby as a loving legacy to her husband. But someone stands in her way ... Gabe's elderly uncle George threatens to sue Jenny if she willfully pursues the artificial sperm insemination.

Steve Grant, an ex-professional baseball player turned attorney, is Jenny and Gabe's next door neighbor and best friend. Steve is a loyal friend who lends his total support to Jenny after Gabe's death. He does not agree with the decision that Jenny has made, but he stands by her during the emotional and controversial legal battle, because deep down he has stronger feelings for Jenny than just friendship, even though he is engaged to another woman. When Steve reveals his true feelings to Jenny, will their friendship turn into something more because it is just destiny?

Oh My Goodness! Author Theresa Rizzo sure does know how to weave an emotionally powerful story that pulls at the heartstrings and stirs the soul! Written in the third person narrative and set in Detroit, Michigan, the readers are easily drawn into Jenny and Steve's story. This is a beautifully written storyline that captivates the reader's attention, it is full of angst, suspense, and enough twists and turns that keeps them guessing. I loved following Jenny and Steve as their relationship gradually changed and developed. You can feel the palpable connection and the angst and guilt that they have because of Gabe's death, it leaves the reader hoping that somehow they'll both find their way to each other.

With a strong cast of characters who are realistic and easy to relate to; dramatic dialogue and interactions; and a stunning storyline that mixes romance, heartache, dark secrets from the past, and titillating courtroom drama; Just Destiny is one hell of a compelling story that will leave the reader emotionally spent.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2014/04/just-destiny-by-theresa-rizzo-... show less

The author was kind enough to send me an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of Skylar Kendall, a reporter who is dealing with the loss of her young niece, a personal vendetta against Senator Hastings, whose views she believes caused her niece's death and a new love with Mark Dutton, the Senator's best friend. Besides Skylar, the novel also addresses the lives of Senator Hastings and his family, Skylar's sister and brother in law and Mark. There show more is a lot going on in this book - romance, drama, politics. It is a lot to follow at times and the book may have been better if it was either a romance novel or more focused on the political aspect, with the romantic parts as a small side story.

While the story kept me interested and was enjoyable, I did not enjoy the flowery language used to describe the relationships of Skylar and Mark and the Hastings. It was a little too Harlequin romance for my taste. However, I did learn a lot about stem cell research - the author is clearly passionate about the topic and did a lot of research.

In conclusion, I would recommend this book to the reader who enjoys romance novels, but wants a book little more substance. show less