4 out of 4 stars
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The Choice: the unexpected heroes is a masterpiece of suspense and intrigue. The story begins with Admiral Joseph Parker visiting General Robert Taylor at Begert Air Force Base in Sacramento. They will combine efforts to piece together events that led to the failed assassination attempt on the President there. Brad Channing, a former Navy SEAL, was one of the ten casualties that had helped to derail that attack. Sarah O’Brien, the love of Brad’s life, was also killed that day.
Soon, the admiral and general uncover evidence that implicates government officials in some of the highest offices of the United States. They learn that the final goal of these attacks is a one-world government. To further complicate matters, there is someone on base watching and reporting their every move. But, who is this mole reporting to? Who is “The Lion,” the mastermind? Parker advises what they do know about the Lion. “He controls by fear. He lives off hate, the anger of people pitted against one another because of race, religion, inequities, or whatever. He creates the divisions through distortions, and then moves in and takes control.” As body bags mount and trust plummets, will they be able to intervene in time?
I liked that the author included a Foreward, which provided an excellent summary of the first book in this trilogy. Therefore, the reader can move seamlessly into this second installment and not feel lost in the story. And while there is a final book in this series, this story was easily able to stand on its own. The ending certainly hints at another book but does not leave the reader with several loose plots.
Also, I loved the timeless theme of good vs. evil. Hope, amidst catastrophe and fear, dominated the tone of this book. Plano did an outstanding job of developing her characters, even secondary ones. While I enjoyed getting to know both the admiral and general, I especially loved becoming familiar with Donna Tucker (Sarah’s best friend who came to the base to see where her friend perished) and Jim Anderson (Begert’s PR department’s leader and liaison to Donna). I could easily relate to Donna and imagine her determination to serve the memory of her departed best friend. Additionally, the novel’s plot was intriguing and frighteningly realistic.
Since I am unaware of any errors in this book, I will say that it was exceptionally well-edited. (The capitalization in the title is per the author's preference). There was some profanity, but it was not consistently a part of this story. I appreciated that romance bloomed in the midst of this riveting plot and that the author kept the few sex scenes relatively sedate. While there was mention of numerous murders, these references were also tastefully written and were not at all explicit. As I could not find anything to dislike about this novel, it is with great pleasure that I award The Choice: the unexpected heroes by Gwen M. Plano 4 out of 4 stars.
This story will undoubtedly appeal to readers fond of thrillers, suspense, romance, and the age-old battle between good and evil. Those who are sensitive to any profanity or references to violence will likely prefer to choose a different book. I list this masterpiece among my favorite novels and eagerly await Plano’s final book in this captivating series!
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The Choice, the unexpected heroes
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