On the Line

Rating:
Summary: Slow beginning, strong ending, great storyline
Review: "On the Line" is the story of Cassius "Cash" Rivers, a fireman with the Chicago Fire Department. With several public relations problems, the firemen need a new union representative, the department needs to improve their image, and the mayor needs to make the citizens have faith in his administration. Of course others also want to run for offices and there is a fair amount of corruption within the ranks. Cash Rivers becomes the much-needed hero on the department but his problems are just starting. Moving up the political ladder from obscurity to being in the public eye he attracts his share of well wishers as well as those who would wish him ill or use him to serve their own purposes.

The book starts out as a rather slow read. It picks up steam around the middle and by the end it is hard to put down as you are drawn into the morass of plot twists and turns and wondering what will happen next. A recommended read that most readers would enjoy if they can persevere through the first third of the book. The reward of a good story justifies the perseverance.

Rating:
Summary: Slow beginning, strong ending, great storyline
Review: "On the Line" is the story of Cassius "Cash" Rivers, a fireman with the Chicago Fire Department. With several public relations problems, the firemen need a new union representative, the department needs to improve their image, and the mayor needs to make the citizens have faith in his administration. Of course others also want to run for offices and there is a fair amount of corruption within the ranks. Cash Rivers becomes the much-needed hero on the department but his problems are just starting. Moving up the political ladder from obscurity to being in the public eye he attracts his share of well wishers as well as those who would wish him ill or use him to serve their own purposes.

The book starts out as a rather slow read. It picks up steam around the middle and by the end it is hard to put down as you are drawn into the morass of plot twists and turns and wondering what will happen next. A recommended read that most readers would enjoy if they can persevere through the first third of the book. The reward of a good story justifies the perseverance.

Rating:
Summary: On the Line by Denise I. O'Neal
Review: Denise captured my attention for good one third of the way through this book. That's the point when I was drawn in by her characters as well as the story that surrounded them. The main character(s) stay true to their personalities all the way to the end.
The story line builds and caught me off guard near the end. Just when I thought I had things figured out...I had forgotten a point or two that had been put right out there for me.
I sincerely enjoyed reading this book and I look to Denise to write more!

Rating:
Summary: The price of ambition
Review: Mix a troubled marriage, politics and racism and you've got a novel full of intrigue, romance, and suspense on your hands. Denise I. O'Neal weaves a wonderful web with the physical dangers of firefighting, the demands of a political position, and the terror of raw racism into a novel that is hard to put down.

Captain Cassius Rivers, a Chicago firefighter has become bored with his job and wants to run for the position of president of the powerful firefighters union. His wife, understandably nervous for his safety, is against the idea. She'd rather Cassius be content with where he is so they can get started on a family. Cassius sees the need for so much change and he knows he can't do as it a fire captain. He must be head of the union. Meanwhile, powerful people in city government are not happy to see a black man preparing to upset the status quo and so they take matters into their own hands. Cassius' marriage is breaking up and his life is threatened yet he can't quit now. He has to see this situation through to the end. Will it be worth the price he must pay?

ON THE LINE is a book that explores discord in marriage as well as American politics in a way that is both entertaining and informative.

Reviewed by alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers