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Sand
Dallas is a Special Forces Lieutenant who is driven by his promise to protect the Colonel’s daughter Abby from an opium drug lord. He is torn between duty and his love for her and when he discovers that the drug lord's charming—murderous son has befriended Abby, there's no limit to how far he is willing to go to protect her.
300 pages, Paperback
First published February 23, 2011
14 people are currently reading
289 people want to read
About the author
Lili Tufel
4 books130 followersLili Tufel is the acclaimed author of best-selling action adventure novel, SAND. Lili comes from a long line of artists and authors including great-great-great-grandfather, Juan Jose Botero, author of the Hispanic literary classic, Lejos del Nido. Lili Tufel lives in Miami, FL with her husband, three children, and their dog, Luna.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 25, 2012
I loved this book. Full of patriotism, honor, mystery, suspense and love. I loved it from the first page to the last this is a author who is going somewhere and I can't wait to read more of her writings.
Dallas is a Special Forces Lieutenant who is driven by his promise to protect the Colonel’s daughter Abby from an opium drug lord. He is torn between duty and his love for her and when he discovers that the drug lord's charming—murderous son has befriended Abby, there's no limit to how far he is willing to go to protect her.
Dallas is a Special Forces Lieutenant who is driven by his promise to protect the Colonel’s daughter Abby from an opium drug lord. He is torn between duty and his love for her and when he discovers that the drug lord's charming—murderous son has befriended Abby, there's no limit to how far he is willing to go to protect her.
August 10, 2011
Sand by Lili Tufel takes you on a wild ride into the lives of men in Special Forces and the women they love.
I was a bit dubious at first about a woman writing about combat. Ms Tufle doesn’t have the dark heart required of a soldier in the fog of kill or die combat, but she puts readers in a place where their own imaginations can take over. Something more writers should do.
The story of Cpt. Javi Santos and Jasmine, and Lt. Brian Star(Dallas) and Abby is beautifully done. It is filled with thrilling drama and action as terrorist invades their lives at every turn.
I did enjoy Sand by Lili Tufel and thing many other readers will as well!
I was a bit dubious at first about a woman writing about combat. Ms Tufle doesn’t have the dark heart required of a soldier in the fog of kill or die combat, but she puts readers in a place where their own imaginations can take over. Something more writers should do.
The story of Cpt. Javi Santos and Jasmine, and Lt. Brian Star(Dallas) and Abby is beautifully done. It is filled with thrilling drama and action as terrorist invades their lives at every turn.
I did enjoy Sand by Lili Tufel and thing many other readers will as well!
June 3, 2011
If you read any review for Sand you will see how nobody could put it down until they were done. I found this to be completely true! Lili has a way of making the characters come to life and have their own personalities. When the settings changed, it happened quite naturally. Never once was I confused & that is a very important thing for me as a reader.
Lili is very gifted. I found myself waking up and wanting to read Sand even when I was done. I was invested in the characters and their lives. Dallas and Abby are written in a way that made me believe that they were real.The ending was a surprise that I didn't see coming either. This book, to me, is a must read.
Here is what Lili says about Sand in her own words:
Dallas is a Special Forces Lieutenant who is driven by his promise to protect the Colonel’s daughter Abby from an opium drug lord. He is torn between duty and his love for her and when he discovers that the drug lord's charming—murderous son has befriended Abby, there's no limit to how far he is willing to go to protect her.
Lili Tufel has a promising career ahead of her. Sand is a wonderful book for a debuting author. I encourage anybody who wants an action adventure novel to read to pick up Sand ASAP! Bravo Lili! I'm giving Sand a solid A+.
Lili is very gifted. I found myself waking up and wanting to read Sand even when I was done. I was invested in the characters and their lives. Dallas and Abby are written in a way that made me believe that they were real.The ending was a surprise that I didn't see coming either. This book, to me, is a must read.
Here is what Lili says about Sand in her own words:
Dallas is a Special Forces Lieutenant who is driven by his promise to protect the Colonel’s daughter Abby from an opium drug lord. He is torn between duty and his love for her and when he discovers that the drug lord's charming—murderous son has befriended Abby, there's no limit to how far he is willing to go to protect her.
Lili Tufel has a promising career ahead of her. Sand is a wonderful book for a debuting author. I encourage anybody who wants an action adventure novel to read to pick up Sand ASAP! Bravo Lili! I'm giving Sand a solid A+.
May 13, 2011
It's been a while since I've read an action adventure novel, and it was especially enjoyable to fall into a story like SAND, which from beginning to end moves along at a steady clip.
Lili Tufel is a talented author who has clearly done a thorough job of researching her story, assuring that changing scenes and foreign settings are well described and believable, effectively drawing readers into the rhelms of non-stop action.
The main characters are engaging and likable from their first appearance, and readers will find themselves rooting for the dual heroes throughout. There are some true surprises here, several plot points that when cracked wide open, reveal character nuances both startling and unexpected.
There are very few quiet moments in SAND, as this is a book where the plot moves quickly and a reader needs to keep on their toes. Not all characters are who they seem, and motivations are not always what we might surmise at first glance.
Lili Tufel is a talented author who has clearly done a thorough job of researching her story, assuring that changing scenes and foreign settings are well described and believable, effectively drawing readers into the rhelms of non-stop action.
The main characters are engaging and likable from their first appearance, and readers will find themselves rooting for the dual heroes throughout. There are some true surprises here, several plot points that when cracked wide open, reveal character nuances both startling and unexpected.
There are very few quiet moments in SAND, as this is a book where the plot moves quickly and a reader needs to keep on their toes. Not all characters are who they seem, and motivations are not always what we might surmise at first glance.
June 30, 2011
I received Sand by participating in the Blog Tour de Troops (best blog tour I've ever seen, btw). I was excited to start reading it simply because I adore books whose main characters are Navy Seals, Green Berets, or any other type of Special Forces.
Sand did not disappoint.
After reading the book description, I was under the impression that I would be reading about Dallas and Abby and a little murderous villain thrown in. So it was unexpected to get Jasmine, Samantha, and Javi. They were a great addition to the story.
Lili wrote characters that were relatable and most of all, loveable. She accomplished her goal, which was to capture the raw emotions that are felt by military families. The action in the "sand" only made this book even more incredible.
It was definitely well researched (military jargon can be difficult to understand at times) and to me, it showed the credibility of the author. I was very pleased with this book.
Sand did not disappoint.
After reading the book description, I was under the impression that I would be reading about Dallas and Abby and a little murderous villain thrown in. So it was unexpected to get Jasmine, Samantha, and Javi. They were a great addition to the story.
Lili wrote characters that were relatable and most of all, loveable. She accomplished her goal, which was to capture the raw emotions that are felt by military families. The action in the "sand" only made this book even more incredible.
It was definitely well researched (military jargon can be difficult to understand at times) and to me, it showed the credibility of the author. I was very pleased with this book.
April 4, 2015
Book didn't start out that well but I think it got a little better towards the end. A lot of the dialogue didn't seem real to me and it jumped very quickly between events and people's perspectives making it hard to follow.
I liked the idea and most of the plot although not all. Seemed a littke like a whole bunch of ideas were thrown into the melting pot and the book didn't really know where it was going but I made it to the end and had started to get to know the characters I cared a littke for them. some more of their thoughts and feelings being shown in a more believable way woukd have helped me care sooner though. Haven't decided if I'll read more by this author or not.
I liked the idea and most of the plot although not all. Seemed a littke like a whole bunch of ideas were thrown into the melting pot and the book didn't really know where it was going but I made it to the end and had started to get to know the characters I cared a littke for them. some more of their thoughts and feelings being shown in a more believable way woukd have helped me care sooner though. Haven't decided if I'll read more by this author or not.
June 15, 2012
The story of Cpt. Javi Santos and Jasmine, and Lt. Brian Star(Dallas) and Abby is beautifully done. It is filled with thrilling drama and action as terrorist invades their lives at every turn.This brings to life a story I'm sure is played in many Military families.She has done her research quite well.I was pleased very much with this book! I'm hoping there will be a sequel as I was left wanting more!I will recommend this book!
March 3, 2012
Tremendous - review to follow. Kudos, Ms. Tufel. What attention to detail!
June 13, 2011
Written in a clear, concise, lean-and-mean style with engaging characters and non-stop action. Very enjoyable read. I'll be watching Lili Tufel.
December 10, 2011
I love this book so much I took it to print.. awesome action adventure...we need more of these...
November 14, 2011
I discovered this book on Amazon where it got great reviews, checked it out on Goodreads where again there are some really nice reviews. I decided to give this book a try based on the reviews, the blurb and the fact that this book was priced at a measly .99 on Amazon.
I started this book while I was waiting at the Dr’s office one day and I can say that the beginning of Sand (I didn’t get the significance of the title for the longest time) truly has a great hook.
I love me some military men and special forces team-mates Javi and Dallas get into trouble right out of the gate. They are on a rescue mission that goes FUBAR, get captured, tortured and then they escape. I was hooked and captivated and had high hopes for what I thought would be a terrific story.
There’s a lot of action in Sand, but unfortunately for me...maybe too much. I didn’t feel invested in the relationships between Brian “Dallas” Star and the Colonel’s daughter Abigail. All of a sudden, they were just madly in love with each other. The relationship between Javi and Jasmine was a little slower to develop and Jamsine’s eight year old daughter Samantha was cute.
Like I said there was a lot of action, but no real build up or tension and I never felt scared, nervous or worried for the characters and then 2-3 pages later it seemed the conflict was resolved and on to the next adventure.
The ending totally befuddled me and I can honestly say when I finished this book, I was scratching my head and saying WTF kind of ending is this? I tried to scroll past the end of the book, checked the percentage to see if I had somehow missed something? More head scratching ensued. This book just ended almost like it was the end of a chapter. I’ve never read another book with an ending like it. I thought ohhhhh there must be another book and it continues on but I checked the author‘s website and see she has another book, but I wasn't sure if it's a continuation or not? I was totally dissatisfied with how Sand ended and can honestly say I didn’t get it.
The beginning definitely gets a 5 and the ending gets a 1. Overall I give it 2.5
I started this book while I was waiting at the Dr’s office one day and I can say that the beginning of Sand (I didn’t get the significance of the title for the longest time) truly has a great hook.
I love me some military men and special forces team-mates Javi and Dallas get into trouble right out of the gate. They are on a rescue mission that goes FUBAR, get captured, tortured and then they escape. I was hooked and captivated and had high hopes for what I thought would be a terrific story.
There’s a lot of action in Sand, but unfortunately for me...maybe too much. I didn’t feel invested in the relationships between Brian “Dallas” Star and the Colonel’s daughter Abigail. All of a sudden, they were just madly in love with each other. The relationship between Javi and Jasmine was a little slower to develop and Jamsine’s eight year old daughter Samantha was cute.
Like I said there was a lot of action, but no real build up or tension and I never felt scared, nervous or worried for the characters and then 2-3 pages later it seemed the conflict was resolved and on to the next adventure.
The ending totally befuddled me and I can honestly say when I finished this book, I was scratching my head and saying WTF kind of ending is this? I tried to scroll past the end of the book, checked the percentage to see if I had somehow missed something? More head scratching ensued. This book just ended almost like it was the end of a chapter. I’ve never read another book with an ending like it. I thought ohhhhh there must be another book and it continues on but I checked the author‘s website and see she has another book, but I wasn't sure if it's a continuation or not? I was totally dissatisfied with how Sand ended and can honestly say I didn’t get it.
The beginning definitely gets a 5 and the ending gets a 1. Overall I give it 2.5
May 26, 2011
I had the pleasure of reading this book, and I enjoyed it. At first I worried that all the military wording was going to confuse me, but it was worded quite nicely. And nothing about it was confusing, the story definitely took me along for the ride, and I was completely engrossed by the relationships going on, each character had a special quality that made the story that more captivating. I think the author did a great job at conveying a sense of military pride as well as really putting you into the shoes of the characters, Without giving much away, I will say this story had a lot of action, great humor and was well written. If I would have had more time, I am quite confident that this would have been read in one day, it was a great read, and I give the author credit for her smooth transition from one situation to the other, at no time was I lost or confused on what was happening. And being a military wife at one time, I think she did a great job with the story!
I think my favorite part of the story was the moment when you can see the relationships building between Javi and Jasmine and Dallas and Abby, Jasmine is such a sweet woman, who is dealing with her own loss, raising a child and helping out the wounded soldiers. The part where Javi gives her the flowers made me smile, it was cute and I liked how he wasn’t afraid to go after her. This book really had a way to make you feel the romance between the characters, the men had feelings and really cared for the women, it was sweet. And Abby is a daughter missing her father, and there is something so sweet and perfect about her, you totally understand why any man would fall head over heels for her.
Another great thing about this book is the plot, it really takes you on a wild ride, and has so many touching moments that you can only finish this book feeling quite pleased. What a great story from a great author, I am a fan!
I think my favorite part of the story was the moment when you can see the relationships building between Javi and Jasmine and Dallas and Abby, Jasmine is such a sweet woman, who is dealing with her own loss, raising a child and helping out the wounded soldiers. The part where Javi gives her the flowers made me smile, it was cute and I liked how he wasn’t afraid to go after her. This book really had a way to make you feel the romance between the characters, the men had feelings and really cared for the women, it was sweet. And Abby is a daughter missing her father, and there is something so sweet and perfect about her, you totally understand why any man would fall head over heels for her.
Another great thing about this book is the plot, it really takes you on a wild ride, and has so many touching moments that you can only finish this book feeling quite pleased. What a great story from a great author, I am a fan!
December 29, 2011
I was very excited to finally dive into Sand by Lili Tufel. I'd heard a lot of good things about it. From the opening page, I was sucked into the story. I can't hardly resist men in uniform. Following a pair of soldiers into the heat of battle was thrilling and the action was exciting enough and believable.
Once we brought the story back to the home front things started to unravel a bit for me. Abby and Jasmine weren't fleshed out enough, and it seemed as if the action happened with little preparation and very little explanation.
My biggest issue was the baseball references that were incorrect. You don't steal first base and little league games at Samantha's age doesn't allow stealing of bases. I'm a big sports fan so those little details bothered me more than I'm sure it might others.
As for the rest of the story, I kept turning the pages to find out what would happen next. I cared enough about the characters that I wanted to know what would happen to them. However, after the wedding it seemed as if the flow of the book changed and it felt as if I was reading a different story. Brian's character changed and I felt the relationship between Javi, Brian and the colonel seemed to overshadow the plot.
It was a fun read. I'm curious about the sequel after the questions that were left hanging at the end, I'm hoping that the second book will help tie up all the loose ends.
Once we brought the story back to the home front things started to unravel a bit for me. Abby and Jasmine weren't fleshed out enough, and it seemed as if the action happened with little preparation and very little explanation.
My biggest issue was the baseball references that were incorrect. You don't steal first base and little league games at Samantha's age doesn't allow stealing of bases. I'm a big sports fan so those little details bothered me more than I'm sure it might others.
As for the rest of the story, I kept turning the pages to find out what would happen next. I cared enough about the characters that I wanted to know what would happen to them. However, after the wedding it seemed as if the flow of the book changed and it felt as if I was reading a different story. Brian's character changed and I felt the relationship between Javi, Brian and the colonel seemed to overshadow the plot.
It was a fun read. I'm curious about the sequel after the questions that were left hanging at the end, I'm hoping that the second book will help tie up all the loose ends.
January 18, 2015
This book was ok. I really wanted to like it. The premise and plot were interesting to start. But as you trudge on, it's weird how everyone ends up related or falling into this "family". It also drags on and on as if only to fill space. You think it's over and here's a happy ending, but there's more and it just starts to get boring.
The romance was weak. Not steamy, just sappy. I enjoy an Alpha type man, take charge and protective, but the men in this book were sappy and it ruined the whole take charge effect for me.
I really think that there are lots of parts that could be cut from this book to make it good. What starts out as a good plot quickly falters and falls flat. It was ok, but if you're looking for a good read, I wouldn't recommend this. I got it when it was free and there's no way I think it's worth $5.99
The romance was weak. Not steamy, just sappy. I enjoy an Alpha type man, take charge and protective, but the men in this book were sappy and it ruined the whole take charge effect for me.
I really think that there are lots of parts that could be cut from this book to make it good. What starts out as a good plot quickly falters and falls flat. It was ok, but if you're looking for a good read, I wouldn't recommend this. I got it when it was free and there's no way I think it's worth $5.99
July 8, 2011
While overall I liked this novel, I need to admit that I struggled with it as well. I am not really into military stories, and while I knew that this story dealt with the military, I guess I didn’t realize how much the story would rely on military expeditions and the like. While Tufel has created a non-stop, action packed novel that many will love, the action, for me, was too fast paced and I struggled to keep up. I need some down time to process events and I felt that the story moved just a little too quickly from one event to the next, and with the vast amount of characters introduced within the story, I felt overwhelmed at times...
To read my full review (8/14):
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
To read my full review (8/14):
http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...
May 22, 2011
This was a great book. From beginning to end. I could not put it down! The relationships between the main characters intermingled in such a way as you were compelled to find out what happened to them in the end. The switching and changing between settings was handled in a clear and concise manner and never at any point were you confused as to what was going on. And there was a shock ending that was a total surprise! All in all a great book, well done Lili, please let's have more!
March 17, 2015
I found this story to be too episodic and disjointed. I did read it through to the end in one sitting, if I had stopped, I'd probably be required to back up and take another run at it.
What other reviewers are calling a plot twist at the end, I call a disappointment. It is unfair to readers to imply two novels in the last three paragraphs of the book.
I think I got this book a while ago as a "deal", I wouldn't recommend spending any money on it...
What other reviewers are calling a plot twist at the end, I call a disappointment. It is unfair to readers to imply two novels in the last three paragraphs of the book.
I think I got this book a while ago as a "deal", I wouldn't recommend spending any money on it...
February 28, 2012
3 and 1/2 stars
Dallas, Javi and the Colonel are military men captured by enemy forces. Dallas and Javi manage to escape while the Colonel is held hostage. The Colonel has entrusted Javi and Dallas to protect his daughter who holds the key to important military information.
To read the rest of this review please go to my blog at: http://abshepherdsreinventedreader.bl...
Dallas, Javi and the Colonel are military men captured by enemy forces. Dallas and Javi manage to escape while the Colonel is held hostage. The Colonel has entrusted Javi and Dallas to protect his daughter who holds the key to important military information.
To read the rest of this review please go to my blog at: http://abshepherdsreinventedreader.bl...
March 8, 2015
Action novel featuring the US military's continuing battle against the axis of evil (Arabs) with a strong romantic thread
June 29, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. Full of twists and surprises
Want to read
January 21, 2012Free.
August 4, 2013
I wasn't really that fussed on this book. I could not get into it, it was poorly written which is really disppointing as it seemed very interesting. I'm glad I did not pay for it.
Read
August 4, 2013horrible
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews