Friday, October 4, 2013

Carrots by Colleen Helme



Blurb: 
Shelby Nichols is an average woman who is married to the only guy she ever fell for. Her life is organized and predictable, revolving around her husband and two children. All that changes the day she stops at the grocery store for some carrots. As the cashier rings up her purchases, a gunman is busy robbing the bank inside the store. When a customer grabs the robber's mask, he is shot and everyone runs for cover. Everyone except Shelby, who finds herself face to face with the killer. The next thing she knows, she's lying on the floor with a bullet wound to her head. Luckily, the bullet only grazes her scalp, and she doesn't suspect any lasting affects until later, when she suddenly 'hears' what people are thinking. With this uncanny ability, her life takes on a whole new dimension. Her kids think she's bossy and too old to understand them, but that's nothing compared to her husband. He says he loves her, but what is it about the redhead at work that he doesn't want her to know? As if that isn't enough, the gunman knows she can identify him, and he's out to silence her forever. In her fight to stay alive, she is saved from certain death by a handsome hit-man with ties to organized crime. This pulls Shelby even deeper into danger, where knowing someone's thoughts can not only hurt her feelings, but get her killed.





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Thoughts of the Reviewer.....

It all began because she had to buy Carrots! If Shelby did not stop to buy carrots in the supermarket, she would not have been a victim of a shop robbery and had a head injury but luckily it was not fatal and the bullet had just grazed her scalp. After she regains her consciousness she finds that she can hear people! So what is so great about it? She can hear those things which are not spoken yet. In other words, she can hear the thoughts of people. What I would not give to have this giftJ

But is this gift a boon or a curse? Her husband Chris certainly feel uncomfortable around her, feeling that the privacy of his mind was being invaded. Though he tried to be as understanding as possible ( and he is quite a cute character), the distance between them started increasing specially when Shelby got a job without telling him.

But what would the poor gal do? Chris’s co-worker Kate is after him. When Shelby could hear her thoughts, she decides not to take it meekly. Little did she know that Kate was connected to a man from the underworld whom she called Uncle Joey. Uncle Joey takes matters in his own hand and ‘picks’ up Shelby to warn her. Shelby thinks her life is in danger and makes it known that she can read minds. Uncle Joey takes it as an opportunity to read the minds of his opponents.

On the other hand Detective Harris from the police force, who had investigated the shop robbery, gets to know about Shelby’s gift and he too wants her on their side to solve some crimes. (Not to forget that her hubby, Chris is also standing in the line as her list of potential client.)

Now Shelby is in a dilemma. On one hand she is asked to work for Uncle Joey and on the other hand she feels it is her duty to help the police. Even Chris wants her in his law office to help him around. So Shelby the housewife suddenly makes a niche for herself in her life and basks in the feeling of  importance.

But after a few forced robberies by Uncle Joey and being in  the middle of a bomb blast, she decides she had enough. But then getting out of the clutches of Uncle Joey was very tough. He had eyes everywhere and also enemies. But even Uncle Joey had not counted on one enemy to show their true colors. And when the person does it, even Shelby is shocked.


Would Shelby be able to come out of the situation unscathed or would she lose all, her husband, her kids or even her life? Or would fate intervene and she would get her old life back?

And then there is Ramos... scary yet cute.... :) shshshhs........

Rating…. 








Reasoning….

The story is funny And I really mean this. I had been reading this book while waiting for my daughter to come out of her guitar class. And I saw passerby’s giving me some funny looks. I then realized I was laughing sporadically even without realizing it.

The story is webbed intricately and I liked the fast pace of the story. I wanted to reach the end. In fact when I could not read this book I had put it up in audio mode and heard it while driving. The characters are beautifully etched and what I loved about Shelby’s character is that she is not without faults. Greed plays a role when she wants to buy a car or her admiration for the dimples of the Detective while she hated the way how Kate was flirting with her husband.

Not for a moment, did I want to keep this book aside. A very interesting and fast paced read. 

About the Author

 A long career as a wife and mother while juggling several part-time jobs gave Colleen the ambition to dream of being a published author, where she could put her imagination to good use. Now instead of making up stories to tell her children, she writes books they love to read. Hopefully you will too. She is the author of three romantic fantasy novels, Songbird, Flame of Destiny and The Relic. Her Shelby Nichols Adventures include Carrots, Fast Money, Lie or Die, Secrets That Kill, and Trapped By Revenge coming soon!