No Way Out

Rating:
Summary: Liked it even if...
Review: I'll begin by saying that like many of the other reviewers I found part of the story very hard to believe. However, I did enjoy the book.
The parts I had the hardest time with were with Julia Talbot (2nd grade teacher and highly educated) she is a favored teacher among her students. However, she is over emotional when it comes to one child in particular Brian (the mayor's son). I understand a caring teacher that wasn't the problem. The problem was that she was overly involved with this child before his problems ever surfaced. He wasn't from a broken home or anything so her attachment to him seemed odd. He seemed more like he should have been her child rather than the Mayor and his wife. Perhaps that is what I was supposed to take from the story I don't know.
Then add in that we are told several times that she was educated very well and yet she is so naive. The boy is having problems so she automatically assumes he's being abused. This aspect of the story was way overblown. I don't want to give away the story so I won't add much about what the storyline is about simply that his family is going through some things and the boy doesn't understand. I do understand that she would be concerned she's his teacher and she notices changes.
However, she's a teacher! She had to have more than one child in her class and this boy is the only one she's worried about. She starts asking questions, etc about what is going on at home. (Secrets of course) I believe she tells the Mayor's brother Connor Stratford later in the story she is a psychologist and yet she is very high strung about one boy. She's investigating what is going on with his family because she's worried about him. At no time did I ever feel that she was thinking as an educator or even a psychologist would. Had I not known otherwise I would have thought she was his mother/aunt/sister because of the concern she showed over him.

Now my next issue is Connor Stratford the attractive corporate mogul brother of the Mayor Steven Stratford. He swoops into town to keep the problems the parents are hiding from the boy and Julia (even though they really are none of her business) under the rug via seducing her. She falls right in after a little banter. This woman who is highly educated and is supposedly looking after the best interest of the child is allowing him to sidetrack her at every chance he has. The reason I even mention it is that she is so set on finding out who is "Abusing" Brian. I found Julia very annoying and that she was jumping the gun about Brian.

Now for the reason I gave the book 5 stars. The story is the story within about Mayor Steven Stratford, his wife Nancy, Brian and their family legacy of politics that Steven/Connor's father wants to lead Steven into. The underlying story is what takes the book on and allows it to fly out of the dull over dramatic effects of Julia searching for who's hurting Brian. Brian's having trouble because tensions at home have him misunderstanding what is going on. The problems are those caused by his father. Steven's demons are coming back to haunt him and that's where the story is. This part of the story was what I loved. Steven is a weak charcter who has made a lot of mistakes that are about more than money. Even though I didn't like him I could understand him better than Julia.

Julia and Connor have great passion together in the bedroom, but the rest of their story doesn't really come together for me until later. Which is why I ended up really liking the book. The ending was a bit Mary Poppins with some erotic moments thrown in.

Overall though the best advice I can give in relation to this book is to suspend your beliefs of what you'd do in that situation and try to hold out for the juicy part of the story when the secrets begin emerging.

What the book gives you is an intricate story(once you get past Julia's obsession/mothering over Brian since he's not her kid). There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing who did what and when.

I still give it 5 stars because it kept me entertained whether I was screaming at Julia or wondering what would happen next:)

Rating:
Summary: Liked it even if...
Review: I'll begin by saying that like many of the other reviewers I found part of the story very hard to believe. However, I did enjoy the book.
The parts I had the hardest time with were with Julia Talbot (2nd grade teacher and highly educated) she is a favored teacher among her students. However, she is over emotional when it comes to one child in particular Brian (the mayor's son). I understand a caring teacher that wasn't the problem. The problem was that she was overly involved with this child before his problems ever surfaced. He wasn't from a broken home or anything so her attachment to him seemed odd. He seemed more like he should have been her child rather than the Mayor and his wife. Perhaps that is what I was supposed to take from the story I don't know.
Then add in that we are told several times that she was educated very well and yet she is so naive. The boy is having problems so she automatically assumes he's being abused. This aspect of the story was way overblown. I don't want to give away the story so I won't add much about what the storyline is about simply that his family is going through some things and the boy doesn't understand. I do understand that she would be concerned she's his teacher and she notices changes.
However, she's a teacher! She had to have more than one child in her class and this boy is the only one she's worried about. She starts asking questions, etc about what is going on at home. (Secrets of course) I believe she tells the Mayor's brother Connor Stratford later in the story she is a psychologist and yet she is very high strung about one boy. She's investigating what is going on with his family because she's worried about him. At no time did I ever feel that she was thinking as an educator or even a psychologist would. Had I not known otherwise I would have thought she was his mother/aunt/sister because of the concern she showed over him.

Now my next issue is Connor Stratford the attractive corporate mogul brother of the Mayor Steven Stratford. He swoops into town to keep the problems the parents are hiding from the boy and Julia (even though they really are none of her business) under the rug via seducing her. She falls right in after a little banter. This woman who is highly educated and is supposedly looking after the best interest of the child is allowing him to sidetrack her at every chance he has. The reason I even mention it is that she is so set on finding out who is "Abusing" Brian. I found Julia very annoying and that she was jumping the gun about Brian.

Now for the reason I gave the book 5 stars. The story is the story within about Mayor Steven Stratford, his wife Nancy, Brian and their family legacy of politics that Steven/Connor's father wants to lead Steven into. The underlying story is what takes the book on and allows it to fly out of the dull over dramatic effects of Julia searching for who's hurting Brian. Brian's having trouble because tensions at home have him misunderstanding what is going on. The problems are those caused by his father. Steven's demons are coming back to haunt him and that's where the story is. This part of the story was what I loved. Steven is a weak charcter who has made a lot of mistakes that are about more than money. Even though I didn't like him I could understand him better than Julia.

Julia and Connor have great passion together in the bedroom, but the rest of their story doesn't really come together for me until later. Which is why I ended up really liking the book. The ending was a bit Mary Poppins with some erotic moments thrown in.

Overall though the best advice I can give in relation to this book is to suspend your beliefs of what you'd do in that situation and try to hold out for the juicy part of the story when the secrets begin emerging.

What the book gives you is an intricate story(once you get past Julia's obsession/mothering over Brian since he's not her kid). There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing who did what and when.

I still give it 5 stars because it kept me entertained whether I was screaming at Julia or wondering what would happen next:)

Rating:
Summary: omantic suspense at its'best
Review: In Leaf Brook, New York, second grade teacher Julia Talbot worries about the change in behavior of her favorite student, Brian Stratford. Trained as a child psychologist, Julia easily recognizes the pattern of depression from the little boy who used to ooze life especially that from
a fastball and a curveball. The concerned teacher meets with Brian's supportive parents, the Mayor and his wife, but they shock her by basically blowing her away.

Brian's Uncle Connor realizes that his brother's run for senate is hampered by secrets that will destroy his sibling, but is more anxious about the impact on his beloved nephew. Connor, a successful venture capitalist, leaves Manhattan to help Brian cope and to deter Julia from interfering with his family. However, love blossoms between Connor and Julia, but the different ways they try to assist Brian leaves a permanent relationship seem impossible. Worse yet the youngster is now missing.

Andrea Kane is known for her strong suspense tales (historical and recently contemporary) and her current novel, NO WAY OUT, attains the quality expected by her fans. The story line is cleverly devised because the characters including the potential villains (several are possible as normally found in a mystery rather than romantic suspense) come across as genuine individuals. The squabbling lead couple provides the love and romance, but what makes this modern day tale so outstanding is the secondary cast who plays key roles propelling the plot to its superb climax.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Superb Romantic Suspense
Review: In Ms. Kane's latest, the suspense just gets better and better as the plot thickens, and there are more sinister characters than previously thought possible.

Mystery and evil are prevalent forces, even in the town of Leaf Brook, New York, a suburb of New York City. Second-grade teacher Julia Talbot is very observant when it comes to children, and she senses a change in Brian Stratford, Mayor Stephen Stratford's son. Brian's withdrawal could possibly mean that things at home aren't as they should be, but Connor Stratford, Brian's uncle, refuses to confide in Julia, even as their attraction mounts.

But, when Brian's favorite baseball cap goes missing, and his missed schooldays turns into an indefinite school vacation, Julia becomes really concerned. Though she has continued seeing Connor, she becomes heartbroken when she discovers that he may have been using her so that she won't pry into the indomitable Stratford family saga.

Using her magic wand of creativity, Ms. Kane carefully combines the undercurrents running throughout this novel. Just how is Stephen's gambling problem related to Phillip Walker's bid to rent and police the city's municipal parking lots? Will Stephen be able to keep alive his hardnosed father's dream for him and run for State Senate, at the very least? And will the threats against Stephen's family become reality?

Along with the undercurrents is a very classy romance between Connor, the jaded venture capitalist, and Julia, the idealistic elementary school teacher. The attraction is superb, with just the amount of tension to keep the reader's interest. One of her best yet, Ms. Kane's latest is sure to keep the reader hooked.

Rating:
Summary: Same Old Story Line, One of Kane's Worse
Review: Julia Talbot is a child psycholoist and second grade teacher who is very attuned to her students. She senses something is bothering her favorite student and friend, Brian Stratford. His father is mayor of the town and is running for the State Senate. The Stratfords are millionaires and exude a great deal of power. Julia and Brian's uncle, Connor, meet and sparks fly. There is political intrigue, family problems, but nothing even remotely dealing with child abuse which this book's back page leads you to believe. Same old stuff. I've read all of Andrea Kane's books and especially loved her historicals. This is not one of her best.

Rating:
Summary: POLITICS AND POWER
Review: Julia Talbot is a well respected teacher in the fictitious Westchester County, New York town of Leaf Brook. She just happens to have Mayor Stratford's 7-year-old son Brian as her pupil and she just happens to be especially fond of Brian.

Mayor Stratford is not without his share of challenges. A compulsive gambler with a cruel, highly powerful father and a loving younger brother named Connor who bails him out of every jam he has ever been in, the mayor is indeed an appealing and believable character. Shady business dealings and questionable characters all are a part of this story; the mayor's own weaknesses or "hubris" come to the forefront nicely.

Julia Talbot is really the star of this story. When Brian is kidnapped and the mayor is blackmailed, Connor Stratford begins dating her ostensibly to keep her from prying into the Stratfords' lives. Her interest in Brian does put her in a political high risk category.

Villians change faces and players assume different positions in this highly compelling story. The characters are all richly drawn and are quite credible, even the ending which makes for a "sweet" story indeed.

Rating:
Summary: POLITICS AND POWER
Review: Julia Talbot is a well respected teacher in the fictitious Westchester County, New York town of Leaf Brook. She just happens to have Mayor Stratford's 7-year-old son Brian as her pupil and she just happens to be especially fond of Brian.

Mayor Stratford is not without his share of challenges. A compulsive gambler with a cruel, highly powerful father and a loving younger brother named Connor who bails him out of every jam he has ever been in, the mayor is indeed an appealing and believable character. Shady business dealings and questionable characters all are a part of this story; the mayor's own weaknesses or "hubris" come to the forefront nicely.

Julia Talbot is really the star of this story. When Brian is kidnapped and the mayor is blackmailed, Connor Stratford begins dating her ostensibly to keep her from prying into the Stratfords' lives. Her interest in Brian does put her in a political high risk category.

Villians change faces and players assume different positions in this highly compelling story. The characters are all richly drawn and are quite credible, even the ending which makes for a "sweet" story indeed.

Rating:
Summary: major unrealistic
Review: The heroine of this book is a teacher who attends the little league games of one of her students and makes it clear to everyone that she "loves" him. If you're a parent or teacher you realize right off how unprofessional and unrealistic this is. Then we have reporters who follow a state senate candidate to his child's games to ask grilling questions. Come now, most state senate candidates have to resort to courting the press, not the other way around. The book wasn't worth finishing.

Rating:
Summary: Run For Your Life
Review: This has to be the most intense, suspenseful book I've read yet!!!I just love this book so much. I just couldn't put it down I couldn't even sleep!! Now I have to read her new one No way out.

Rating:
Summary: Politics, Gambling, Romance and More
Review: This is a story with a little suspense, a little romance, and a little politics that takes place over approximately two weeks. The story revolves around second grade teacher and child psychologist Julia Talbot and her favorite pupil, Brian. She helps him with baseball and even attends his games. Brian is the son of Stephen Stratford who is a senatorial candidate. Brian starts to become withdrawn. Julia is afraid that his father's demanding political life is taking its toll on Brian and she is not about to let that happen. Brian's Uncle Connor is close to his nephew and knows the real problems that are facing his brother. One night Connor gets a disturbing call from Brian's mother that she needs his help. Stephen has become involved in gambling and blackmail and now his family is being threatened. Connor comes to the rescue to keep things quiet from the press but when Brian goes away for a few days, Julia wont let it drop. Connor tries to reassure Julia that everything is fine and ends up distracting her with his charm. Julia keeps searching for answers and finds out too much. Will she be able to help Brian before it's too late?
The intensity of the romance was a little fast but had to be to go with the storyline. The suspense was good and the supporting cast of characters were great. I liked that the ending wasn't quite the standard formula. The epilogue was a little too saccharine sweet for me but most readers like fairytale endings.