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!
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