Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.
When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review:
When Love Never Ends is the love story of Sam and Sara, once separated, then reunited, then lost to each other again … unless Sam can find a way to change their destiny. As with many young couples, Sam and Sara meet at a dance, start dating, and soon fall in love. Sam is a college man; Sara only a junior in high school-but for Sam, the age difference doesn’t matter. Sara is the girl of his dreams. He wants to be with her, and she with him, and they look forward to a future together. Plans for that happy future, however, are squashed when Sara’s bigoted father, Ralph Henderson, finds out about Sam’s mixed Japanese-Caucasian heritage. Henderson refuses to allow his daughter to date a “breed,” and devises a cruel scheme to separate them for good. Years later, Sara seeks legal help, and the lawyer she contacts is Sam, now a partner in a prestigious law firm. Though she’s in a difficult personal situation, Sara’s feelings for Sam are easily rekindled, as are his feelings for her. Just when it looks like they will be able to have a future together after all, catastrophe occurs.
After months of crippling grief and depression, Sam develops an interest in his friend’s pet project dealing with time travel. Though Sam once scoffed at the idea, the improbable now seems his only hope: to travel back in time and change the order of events-to change their destiny. When Love Never Ends is a rich saga of a love that endures beyond all bounds. J. Alec Keaton’s evocative images, true-to-life characters, and clever plot twists are exactly on point. He deftly maneuvers the complex concept of time travel in a manner that is both satisfying and convincing. As his main character comes to realize, “Time goes on forever, and life is just a fleeting moment.”
* courtesy of Amazon.com
Featured Review: A Book & A Dish
AVOCADO BREAD
(A J. Alec Keaton Favorite)
3 eggs 1 cup Imperial margarine (microwave to soften) ½ cup of nuts (optional) 1 cup diced avocado 2 cups flour 1 ½ cups of sugar ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda ¼ cup allspice
Soften margarine and mix with sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, beat well. Add dry ingredients, nuts and avocado. Spray 3 loaf pans with PAM and pour mixture evenly. Bake at 350 in oven for 45 minutes. (the time may vary slightly depending on the exact temperature of your oven)
Double recipe to make 5 loaves.
Review
Sam never uttered the words “I love you” to any woman with whom he had a sexual relationship. He had said those three words only to Sara, who was the love of his life. Threatened and intimidated by her father, Sam had walked away from her a long time ago. That happened in 1966 and now, thirteen years later, he was still in love with her. Sam tried not to think of her, but in the deepest reaches of his heart, he could never forget her. A man never forgets his first love. Sam’s ultimate desire was to correct the one mistake he’d made long ago. His friend, Dr. Jeremiah Ebenezer Pike, always talked about the possibility of time travel. If it was possible to travel back in time, then I’d correct the mistake I made in leaving Sara, Sam thought.
It was only since the loss of his wife four years ago that Ebb had been obsessed with the concept of time travel. On a Wednesday, Sam met Ebb for dinner. “Ebb, tell me more about your project of time travel.”
Sara’s father was a bit of a bigot. When he found out that Sam was part Japanese he forbid Sam to see Sara. With there being a 5 year age difference he threatened Sam with statutory rape, along with threats regarding Sam’s parents as well as Sara herself if he didn’t break it off with her immediately without allowing her to know that her father had intervened. Sam had always wanted to be an attorney and this dream would be destroyed if he went to jail. He also worried about what would happen to his parents if his dad lost his job and how Sara would thrive with her father controlling her every move. He had no choice but to break it off, hurting both of them more than either could imagine.
Sam saw his dream and became a graduate of Harvard University. He met Elliot Benson who was the controlling partner in an exclusive law firm that represented some of the more wealthy clients in Seattle. Benson took an immediate liking to Sam and offered him a position within the firm. Sam was impressed but had committed to work for Senator Kennedy in Washington for four or five years. After completing this he would return to Seattle and if Benson still wanted him he was his.
After returning to Seattle, Sam’s life was still incomplete. The missing element was Sara so when she walked into his office one day asking if he would represent her in her divorce against an abusive husband, Sam felt the missing pieces of his life coming back together. Until……
This book is so beautifully filled with love and commitment. It also holds hate and disappointments. But then it holds the possibility of everything being corrected and happiness falling upon everyone within Sam and Sara’s lives. This was a truly enjoyable book with a surprise around every corner.
– Review byMartha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds
“When Love Never Ends” is a wonderful portrayal of young first love. In the summer of 1965, Sara Henderson, a junior in high school, attends a college dance with her best friend Becky.and her sister Rose. At the dance, she meets her “Prince Charming”, Sam Stephens, a senior and a quarterback.at the college. For Sara, Sam is all that a girl could ever want in a man, handsome, tall, charismatic, and intelligent. Sam and Sara date throughout the summer and fall madly in love.
Sara’s father, Ralph Henderson, upon meeting Sam immediately dislikes Sam, because he looked a half breed. He had his buddy, Detective Frank Sorenson to investigate Sam. Ralph and Frank are members of the Mountaineer Club, consisting of men with similar racist & bigoted views. Upon learning that Sam is half Japanese and half Caucasian, they derive a scheme so Sam would never see his daughter Sara again.
Years later, Sam graduates from Harvard Law School and becomes successful lawyer/partner with the top law firm in Seattle but he never stopped loving Sara, One day, she walks into his office seeking his council and the love that they had for each other is rekindled, but tragedy does not elude them.
The author, J.Alec Keaton, superbly writes about young love and what their life could have been if we could travel back in time and change the course of action in our lives. He reminds us that wrong decisions we make today can adversely affect our future. It is book of fantasy of “What ifs”.
“When Love Never Ends” is a very touching love story which combines some sad, hurtful events with racial overtones that tug your heart. Keaton portrays the intense power of first (and forbidden) young love with skill and sensitivity, but also with some intense and tantalizing erotica that makes the pages turn fast and furious.
A story of love and caring. Sam is able to travel back in time with the help of his friend Ebb and right the wrongs of the past so that he might live a happier life. He also changes the past for Ebb so that they both share happiness in their future.
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