We come unbidden into this life, and if we are lucky we find a purpose beyond starvation, misery, and early death which, lest we forget, is the common lot. I grew up and I found my purpose and it was to become a physician. My intent wasn't to save the world as much as to heal myself. Few doctors will admit this, certainly not young ones, but subconsciously, in entering the profession, we must believe that ministering to others will heal our woundedness. And it can. but it can also deepen the wound.”
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My college counselor and good friend, Saul, published his FIRST NOVEL last month. We kept in touch even after I went to college, and I knew he had been working on this project for a few years now. He's read a LOT of my writing (seriously, he's one of the most trusted editors I've ever had,) but apart from the "PLEASE FINISH YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT" emails, I haven't read any of his writing. I was so excited when this book was published, I got the Kindle version the day it went on sale on Amazon. Turns out, I loved the book so much I also got the hardcover. I need to get it signed the next time Saul and I get lunch, because I'm pretty sure this one is gonna make him rich and famous." Save Me From Dangerous Men was a page-turning thriller I couldn’t put down until the very end. The protagonist, Nikki, is a bookstore owner by day and a private investigator by night. On the side, she helps abused women out of their relationships by teaching their husbands/boyfriends a lesson — beating them up and making sure they won’t lay another finger on a woman again. She’s tough, but far from heartless, and cares deeply about her family, friends and the women she saves. As the novel progresses, we learn more and more about Nikki and her past: the murder of her parents, her early life in foster care and how her brother became addicted to drugs. We see her struggle to love, as her relationship with a “normal” man named Ethan moves along. At the same time, Nikki becomes entangled in a job with a start-up tech company Care-4. She is hired by the CEO of the company to follow a woman, Karen, who is suspected to be stealing company secrets. As Nikki trails Karen, she learns that the problem is much bigger than one employee. It seems that Karen is also being followed by other people, and rumors of global terrorism are mentioned. The story takes a much darker turn from here, as Nikki attempts to unravel a mystery and avenge a woman who she failed to protect. Lelchuk does a fantastic job creating his female lead; Nikki is fiercely loyal and has a deep sense of personal responsibility. She has a dark past, but now wants to find love, just like everyone else. She is a book-nerd at heart but can beat up bad guys to near-death. I fell in love with her from the start. One of my favorite parts of the book was the setting in the heart of Silicon Valley. A Bay Area native myself, I loved the descriptions of the eclectic Berkeley streets contrasted with the ghettos of Oakland and hectic start-up life in Mountain View. Lelchuk describes these places with extreme attention to detail and deep understanding. I’m very much looking forward to Nikki’s next adventure! That was what a best friend did: hold up a mirror and show you your heart.” Kristin Hannah has to be one of my favorite authors. It's clear how much research she does before writing her novels because they really transport you back in space and time. Even more important, her characters are POWERFUL, fully dimensional and relatable. It's especially so in this novel, which tells the story of two best friends growing up together over the span of three decades. This book resonated particularly strongly with me because it's a story of friendship and the choices you make as you start to lead an adult life. In the novel, one of the main characters chooses a family, while the other chooses her career. Much of the story is about how you can choose just one -- career or family -- and how each girl regrets her decision. Watching my friends get return offers from their summer internship companies as I fly across the country for medical school interviews makes me realize how many difficult decisions we will have to make in the coming years. At the beginning of the story, Kate Mullarkey is a shy, awkward middle school girl with a loving family. She is lonely and uncool, and her helicopter mother never leaves her alone. Her closest friends have moved forward to boys and parties, leaving Kate behind. Tully Hart was abandoned by her mother "Cloud" as a small child, and has been raised by her grandma. At age 14, Cloud comes back to retrieve Tully and take her to live on Firefly Lane, across the street from Kate. Kate and Tully's world come together just when they needed each other the most. From the moment they promised to be friends, they are part of each other's lives. The reader follows them throughout the 70's, 80's, 90's and 2000's. Together, they deal with boy drama, college sororities, finding a career, the passing of family members, and everything in between. The plot of the story is nothing special, but during the last quarter of the book, I simply could not put it down (I almost missed my stop on the train.) |
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