Alive at 5
Linda Bond, 2014
CreateSpace
298 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781500408190
Summary
TV news reporter Samantha Steele is one panic attack away from losing her job. Future on the line, she sets up an easy feature story—following her mentor on an exhilarating adventure vacation. When her mentor dies while skydiving, Samantha suspects he was murdered, and her investigative instincts lead her to gorgeous thrill-seeker Zack Hunter.
Zack is an undercover police officer investigating his uncle’s death through the same adventure vacation. Zack doesn't want Samantha investigating alongside him. The emotionally wounded loner is afraid of being responsible for a partner again, especially a journalist whose goal is to splash evidence all over the evening news. But the striking reporter’s persistence is quite a turn-on, and Zack’s overpowering desire makes it harder for him to push her away.
When the killer turns his attention to Zack, Samantha could be the only one who can save him, forcing the anxiety-riddled correspondent to finally face her greatest fear. (From the publisher.)
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Author Bio
• Birth—December 29. 1966
• Where—San Francisco, California, USA
• Raised—Greenville, South Carolina
• Education—B.A., University of Georgia
• Currently—lives in Lutz, Florida
Author Linda Bond was born in San Francisco, California but spent most of her life in the south, attending middle and high school in Greenville, South Carolina and college at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.
She’s worked as a television news reporter and anchor in Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa Florida. For the past fifteen years, she’s been a health reporter in Tampa, sharing important information with viewers on the latest medical breakthroughs and writing emotional, human-interest stories on those who have the courage and spirit to fight for their lives.
She writes every day, under deadline, but has always loved losing herself in a good fiction story. Her love for writing fiction actually started in high school, but a thriving, busy professional life, along with five kids kept her busy for many years.
Entangled Publishing has released her debut romantic adventure, Alive at 5, on July 2014.
She has received numerous writing awards in Romance Writer’s of America chapter contests for Alive at 5 and her other manuscripts Cuba Undercover and Glory, Glory the Majorettes are 40.
She has also won 12 Emmy awards, numerous Society of Professional Journalist, and Associated Press awards, as well as a Florida Bar award and Edward R. Murrow award.
This former baton-twirling beauty queen from the Deep South, now lives in Tampa Florida with her husband, adopted son from Cuba, two daughters and one stubborn Bulldog named Sanford. (From the author.)
Visit the author's website.
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Book Reviews
Alive at 5 is a thrilling, can't-get-enough story that kept me glued to my Kindle screen on holiday. (Five stars.)
Bookalot
Fast Paced and Kept Me Guessing!” (Five stars.)
Rochelle Weber – Editor, Romance Writer’s Newsletter
Alive at 5 grabbed me on the first page and held my attention all the way through. I truly did not know who did it or why until Sam and Zack figured it out, and regular readers know how rarely that happens.
Em & M Books
I highly recommend this one to any romantic suspense fans. The writing was a bit edgy and enhanced the feel of the story—you could actually feel yourself in the news story that was being investigated. All in all a great read!
Ramblings from This Chick
Samantha and Zach have an incredible chemistry. The mystery part of the story was fantastic. Truth was I had absolutely no idea who it was until the big reveal. None.
She Hearts Books
A must read. Perfect for the beach. Was hooked after the first chapter. Looking forward to more great reads by Linda Bond! (Five stars.)
Susan H. - Amazon customer review
There are actually points in the book where it’s so realistic that you can picture yourself doing or feeling what the characters are doing or feeling. (Five stars.)
Becky S. Andrade - Amazon customer review:
Discussion Questions
1. Samantha Steele is a TV reporter suffering panic attacks and freezing up whenever she has to go live on TV. When a friend, whose adventure vacation she is covering as an easy assignment, dies, she has to put her emotions aside and try to report his death live on the news. How do you feel about that emotional and professional conflict? What would you have done?
2. At first, Samantha sees Zack Hunter as a cocky, thrill-seeking playboy, exactly the kind of man she promised herself she’d stay away from. What changes her mind about Zack?
3. Both main characters are running from themselves and their own personal issues. Samantha is trying to survive by holding on tight and controlling everything around her. Zack is trying to expel his guilt by chasing death and doing high-risk, life endangering adventures. Which are you more like? The control freak or the reckless adventurer? And why?
4. The theme of this book is “you have to face your fears to move on and grow both in life and in love.” Share one example of how you had to do that in your life.
5. Do you read for the happy ending of a romance novel, whether it’s romantic suspense like Alive at 5 or a young adult novel or a novel with paranormal elements like Twilight? Why or why not?
(Questions courtesy of the author.)