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The Right Connection
When Taylor Wilson is offered the mission to save the children, she’s keen to say yes - until she finds it means she has to connect telepathically with a man. At first, Roden is everything she feared but as she comes to learn of his honour, Taylor loses her heart too. Can she and Roden make the connection and the relationship work?
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First published April 30, 2012
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About the author
Nicole Murphy
42 books32 followersNicole has been telling stories for as long as she can remember and been writing them down since primary school.
Her two main occupations thus far in her life – teaching and journalism – have taught her a great deal about writing. As a teacher, having to explain the nuances of story to young children helped to hone the information in her mind. As a journalist, Nicole has won awards for her writing (in particular a series of articles on mental illness) and has interviewed people such as Gary McDonald, Noeline Brown and Roy Billing. She quit journalism in 2008 to focus on her fiction writing.
Nicole has had more than a dozen short stories published, the most recent in the Scary Kisses, a paranormal romance anthology from Ticonderoga Publishing. She has worked in the speculative fiction industry as an editor and edited The Outcast for CSFG Publishing (including the Aurealis Award nominated horror short “Woman Train”) and Issue 25 of Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, both published in 2006.
Nicole is also active in fandom. She has been on the organising committee for the first five Conflux conventions, including chairing Conflux 4 in 2007 and programming Conflux 5 in 2008. She was involved with the organising committee for Aussiecon 4, the 2010 Worldcon in Melbourne (quitting when she got the deal for her urban fantasty trilogy The Dream of Asarlai) and is a long-time member of the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild (CSFG).
She is a member of the Fantasy Writers on Retreat writing group, which includes Trudi Canavan, Russell Kirkpatrick, Matthew Farrer, Cat Sparks, Donna Hanson and Kylie Seluka.
Nicole lives in Queanbeyan with her husband Tim, a computer programmer who happens to be one of the top croquet players in Australia and has just captained NSW to victory in the interstate cup.
Her two main occupations thus far in her life – teaching and journalism – have taught her a great deal about writing. As a teacher, having to explain the nuances of story to young children helped to hone the information in her mind. As a journalist, Nicole has won awards for her writing (in particular a series of articles on mental illness) and has interviewed people such as Gary McDonald, Noeline Brown and Roy Billing. She quit journalism in 2008 to focus on her fiction writing.
Nicole has had more than a dozen short stories published, the most recent in the Scary Kisses, a paranormal romance anthology from Ticonderoga Publishing. She has worked in the speculative fiction industry as an editor and edited The Outcast for CSFG Publishing (including the Aurealis Award nominated horror short “Woman Train”) and Issue 25 of Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, both published in 2006.
Nicole is also active in fandom. She has been on the organising committee for the first five Conflux conventions, including chairing Conflux 4 in 2007 and programming Conflux 5 in 2008. She was involved with the organising committee for Aussiecon 4, the 2010 Worldcon in Melbourne (quitting when she got the deal for her urban fantasty trilogy The Dream of Asarlai) and is a long-time member of the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild (CSFG).
She is a member of the Fantasy Writers on Retreat writing group, which includes Trudi Canavan, Russell Kirkpatrick, Matthew Farrer, Cat Sparks, Donna Hanson and Kylie Seluka.
Nicole lives in Queanbeyan with her husband Tim, a computer programmer who happens to be one of the top croquet players in Australia and has just captained NSW to victory in the interstate cup.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 19, 2012
“The Right Connection” is a fantasy-romance about Taylor, a soldier determined to save missing children from the clutches of the enemy. In order for the mission to be a success, she must develop a psychic connection with fighter Roden. However, Taylor’s last such connection with a male fighter ended in her sexual assault, a terrible history which she must overcome for the wellbeing of the children.
As you might imagine, given this is a romance story, a connection develops between Taylor and Roden on a deeper level than that required for the mission, but there are a number of twists and turns along the way, and this connection in itself becomes an issue with which Taylor must contend.
I really didn’t know what to expect from “The Right Connection”, mostly because I’m more familiar with contemporary urban fantasy stories than those set in an invented or altered world. Often I find these sort of fantasies can be draining, particularly if the world building comes to dominate the story and detract from the plot and characters, which are what I’m really interested in. This was not the case with “The Right Connection”. Murphy successfully and seamlessly wove her world building into the plot without seeming pretentious and without becoming confusing. It was also not excessive, rather assumed the reader had the imagination to fill in the gaps. I really appreciated this.
The characterisation was good. I found Taylor to be an accessible and relatable character. She wasn’t boring either, but had a developed sense of independence and strength, combined with a desire for self improvement, which was quite refreshing. I didn’t particularly like Roden. His arrogance irritated me, though I realise this is a trait desired and enjoyed by many romance readers as part of the character’s development. Certainly, his vulnerability was also captured and developed nicely as the story progressed. Murphy’s snappy sense of humour is definitely catching, and comes through in both the hero and heroine’s characterisations as endearing and appealing.
The sexual assault story was particularly interesting. This is one of those times when fantasy is used to deal with a difficult subject, and in this case it was done really well. Interestingly, Taylor explains that, despite having overcome the physical trauma of the incident and having had sex since, she continues to be burdened with an emotional trauma which affects her on a much deeper level. She comes to realise that her ability to trust another man psychologically, or psychically, is the real problem that she must deal with. I think, in this respect, “The Right Connection” has made a very perceptive discussion of a very complex issue. Also, in this respect, I think that Roden was a good character, since it is his understanding of Taylor that allows her to eventually trust him.
Ok, now in order to discuss the point at which Murphy really won me over, I’m going to have to put a SPOILER ALERT!!!!
Now, I really like romance stories. I really do, but there is a common gender power imbalance that is depicted all too often in romance, in which, one way or another, masculine power wins out. I’m not saying this happens every time, but it is a definite theme, and one that annoys me. This is quite different in “The Right Connection”, as I said, there are hints of it in Roden’s arrogance, but this doesn’t play out to the end. Quite the opposite is actually the case. Equally, Taylor is probably just as arrogant in her own right anyway – I just liked it more from her, heh. As the story ends, however, there is an important plot turn, which really affects the gendered themes and my ultimate reading.
“The Right Connection” is a fun read that deals with some heavy issues along the way. I was completely invested in the love story, enjoyed the plot, and ended the story in happy-tears. Always a good thing from a tragic romantic.
As you might imagine, given this is a romance story, a connection develops between Taylor and Roden on a deeper level than that required for the mission, but there are a number of twists and turns along the way, and this connection in itself becomes an issue with which Taylor must contend.
I really didn’t know what to expect from “The Right Connection”, mostly because I’m more familiar with contemporary urban fantasy stories than those set in an invented or altered world. Often I find these sort of fantasies can be draining, particularly if the world building comes to dominate the story and detract from the plot and characters, which are what I’m really interested in. This was not the case with “The Right Connection”. Murphy successfully and seamlessly wove her world building into the plot without seeming pretentious and without becoming confusing. It was also not excessive, rather assumed the reader had the imagination to fill in the gaps. I really appreciated this.
The characterisation was good. I found Taylor to be an accessible and relatable character. She wasn’t boring either, but had a developed sense of independence and strength, combined with a desire for self improvement, which was quite refreshing. I didn’t particularly like Roden. His arrogance irritated me, though I realise this is a trait desired and enjoyed by many romance readers as part of the character’s development. Certainly, his vulnerability was also captured and developed nicely as the story progressed. Murphy’s snappy sense of humour is definitely catching, and comes through in both the hero and heroine’s characterisations as endearing and appealing.
The sexual assault story was particularly interesting. This is one of those times when fantasy is used to deal with a difficult subject, and in this case it was done really well. Interestingly, Taylor explains that, despite having overcome the physical trauma of the incident and having had sex since, she continues to be burdened with an emotional trauma which affects her on a much deeper level. She comes to realise that her ability to trust another man psychologically, or psychically, is the real problem that she must deal with. I think, in this respect, “The Right Connection” has made a very perceptive discussion of a very complex issue. Also, in this respect, I think that Roden was a good character, since it is his understanding of Taylor that allows her to eventually trust him.
Ok, now in order to discuss the point at which Murphy really won me over, I’m going to have to put a SPOILER ALERT!!!!
Now, I really like romance stories. I really do, but there is a common gender power imbalance that is depicted all too often in romance, in which, one way or another, masculine power wins out. I’m not saying this happens every time, but it is a definite theme, and one that annoys me. This is quite different in “The Right Connection”, as I said, there are hints of it in Roden’s arrogance, but this doesn’t play out to the end. Quite the opposite is actually the case. Equally, Taylor is probably just as arrogant in her own right anyway – I just liked it more from her, heh. As the story ends, however, there is an important plot turn, which really affects the gendered themes and my ultimate reading.
“The Right Connection” is a fun read that deals with some heavy issues along the way. I was completely invested in the love story, enjoyed the plot, and ended the story in happy-tears. Always a good thing from a tragic romantic.
Displaying 1 of 1 review