In Times of Trouble

by Brenda Cheers

Carly is on the run and needs to leave Queensland to save her life. With the help of sex-worker Conor, she changes identity and flees. Conor also finds himself having to make an urgent getaway after discovering that he and Carly share a common enemy. Their escape takes them on separate, frightening journeys of danger and self-discovery. It's only after they decide to work together they find they have a chance of survival.

286 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 2013

About the author

Brenda Cheers is a novelist and short-story writer who lives in Brisbane, Australia. "Requiem for Titus" is her eighth published novel.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fast paced, entertaining and educational story of a woman fleeing from an obsessive- possessive partner. Any person wanting to disappear should be taking notes. It is a page turner with its fast action. I do feel the story would benefit from another layer of character development.

Transition to a couple of back-story flashes felt awkward and the one about the protagonist’s mom was unnecessary to the plot, but brief enough to overlook. The dialogue is excellent. Kudos Brenda Cheers, I look forward to reading more of your work. If you are an avid reader looking for a quick escape I recommend this book.

[Abby Vandiver · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars.

Carly is on the run. Her life is in danger, and she must learn to trust people in order to survive.

Cheers writes this story without keeping the reader on the edge of their seats, but does keep the reader turning the page. I found the story well-written and interesting. Although, there is danger from those that surround her, and Carly learns to protect herself by taking tae kwon do lessons, there's no tension in the story nor an opportunity for her to use her newly acquired skills. Still this did not make the story any less enjoyable, as it is more character-driven than based on action. I really enjoyed the story and Carly's escapades as she tried to find a new life, safe from the wrong decisions of her past. Getting out of trouble seemed too easy, as someone or something always presented itself at the opportune time to save Carly, but she did have troubles which kept the story moving forward. A few twists and turns made this a good book. I'd recommend it and look forward to reading other books by Cheers.

[C.D. Loza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book. It was a light read with a steady pace that made the story flow quite nicely. I guess, it was a good read for the summer. The reader is pulled in initially in the first few chapters as Carly sheds her identity and carve a new one--why is she doing this? what's the motivation? It's enough to pull me in to keep reading. There's also a sexy banter between Carly and Conor that keeps their chemistry alive. I won't spoil anything here when it comes to its plot. What I find could be improved is the details of telling the story, to draw the reader deeper into the world and atmosphere. The irony I find is that despite mysteries and questions that need to be answered, the way the story is told does not give the reader an immediate sense of danger. It could use a little more of that.

[Kalita · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the characters in this story and had enough interest in what happened to them to keep me reading until the end. It is a quick, light read, involving the story of a young woman, Carly who is trying to break free of a relationship with a wealthy, but controlling man who seems determined to track her down and force her to return to him.

Carly herself seems to have no shortage of cash and uses it to buy her way out of trouble at almost every turn. After a while, this became fairly predictable, and made the danger she was purportedly in, seem neither immediate or imminent.

We never actually meet this nasty bad man, except in flashback. He sends two of his henchmen to do his dirty work. Monkey and China, we are told are not known for their intellect, but honestly, if they were my henchmen, I wouldn't send them to pick up my dry cleaning! Both times that the heroine is captured by them she manages to trick, or buy her way out of their clutches. Yet, when her friend Conor is captured, they manage to kneecap him, break his ribs and ruin his manly good looks!

I was really hoping that Mr Mean, Frank Rossi or the bad cop Nate Carter would make on screen appearances, rather than just being told how nasty and bad they were almost constantly.

It all just struck me as being way too easy for Carly to wriggle out of trouble and left me flat on that score. Maybe I'm a bit spoiled by the Jack Reacher novels I love! Would have loved to see Conor get a chance to play the hero, rather than the quirky sidekick to Carly's well moneyed maiden in a spot of bother.

Brenda Cheers can write, and her prose is enjoyable. There were several glaring grammatical and spelling errors, however, which threw me out of the story.

If you're looking for a quick read for a day at the beach, this one might suffice.

[Paulette Hampton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Initially, Cheers drew me in with Carly's desperate need to escape and her befriending someone the likes of Connor to help her accomplish her goal. The tension I experienced during the first chapters of the book faded as she settled in a new location and her fears took a back seat for a while. I was unable to feel the urgency again even when things took an unexpected turn.

I think for those looking for a quick read while soaking up the sun, this may be right up their alley.

It will be interesting to see more of this author's work as she progresses.

[Emily Chapman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book unfortunately wasn't my favourite but had more potential then I initially thought. The story line was intriguing and interesting yet I found the writing style quick and not detailed enough. The story also constantly changed what person it was talking in (e.g. I walked down to Jorja walked down)In conclusion this novel would have been more successful if it had been longer and more detailed but it would make a great quick but serious read as it is interesting and short.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

'In Times of Trouble' was a good read. The storyline was enjoyable. I liked the thrilling aspect to it. Carly is one of those characters that you want to see come out on top. As the story played out, there was an array of personalities that worked well with aiding Carly while she was on the run. I thought they were a great addition to the overall story. The descriptive scenery was good. A good add to your tbr list.