by Jo Robertson
We all keep secrets, right?
Some big, some small, some harmless, some devastating.
The old adage goes, two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead.
Many books, especially romances, hinge on the concept of a secret – a secret marriage, a secret baby, a past misdeed or mistake, a hidden flaw or secret heritage – the list is endless.
In THE AVENGER, my second romantic thriller in the Bigler County series, Jackson Holt is an agent for a clandestine government organization. His assignments require that he complete all kinds of activities, primarily assassinations of persons the Invictus Organization deems "bad guys." After nearly twenty years, he's jaded and troubled, a man searching for re
demption, but unsure if he'll ever obtain it.
To complicate his situation he's re-assigned to a case he didn't solve four years ago, and the job brings him in contact with the one woman he's never forgotten. They were childhood sweethearts and he betrayed her.
The problem with secrets, of course, is that they have a way of coming to the surface. The question is can Olivia forgive Jack? Can Jack be redeemed? Can he change, considering his murky past?
In a romance, I think the secret has to be something crippling; otherwise a frank conversation would clear the air, and the hero and heroine would "make up" and have their happily ever after. Don't you just hate when the solution is so simple, but the protagonists fail to use that very complicated tool – a heart-to-heart conversation?
Well, it's not that simple, is it? Layers and layers of experience and emotion lie beneath the superficial surface. Our hero and heroine have to break through often stupendous barriers to uncover what's beneath. After all, they have to work for their
satisfied ending.
What do you think, readers? Is the old adage true, that two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead? Do you enjoy stories about "secrets" and the damage they do? Are you impatient if the story seems silly or contrived?
Today I'm giving away a free download of "The Avenger," Jackson and Olivia's story. Or, if you prefer, a free print copy. Be sure to leave a comment and help me celebrate the release of my second book!
We all keep secrets, right?
Some big, some small, some harmless, some devastating.
The old adage goes, two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead.
Many books, especially romances, hinge on the concept of a secret – a secret marriage, a secret baby, a past misdeed or mistake, a hidden flaw or secret heritage – the list is endless.
In THE AVENGER, my second romantic thriller in the Bigler County series, Jackson Holt is an agent for a clandestine government organization. His assignments require that he complete all kinds of activities, primarily assassinations of persons the Invictus Organization deems "bad guys." After nearly twenty years, he's jaded and troubled, a man searching for re
demption, but unsure if he'll ever obtain it.To complicate his situation he's re-assigned to a case he didn't solve four years ago, and the job brings him in contact with the one woman he's never forgotten. They were childhood sweethearts and he betrayed her.
The problem with secrets, of course, is that they have a way of coming to the surface. The question is can Olivia forgive Jack? Can Jack be redeemed? Can he change, considering his murky past?
In a romance, I think the secret has to be something crippling; otherwise a frank conversation would clear the air, and the hero and heroine would "make up" and have their happily ever after. Don't you just hate when the solution is so simple, but the protagonists fail to use that very complicated tool – a heart-to-heart conversation?
Well, it's not that simple, is it? Layers and layers of experience and emotion lie beneath the superficial surface. Our hero and heroine have to break through often stupendous barriers to uncover what's beneath. After all, they have to work for their
satisfied ending.What do you think, readers? Is the old adage true, that two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead? Do you enjoy stories about "secrets" and the damage they do? Are you impatient if the story seems silly or contrived?
Today I'm giving away a free download of "The Avenger," Jackson and Olivia's story. Or, if you prefer, a free print copy. Be sure to leave a comment and help me celebrate the release of my second book!
