3.75 out of 5. Stefan and Marcelle's story continues and life many others who have sought world acclaim in sports, Marcelle is "hoisted on the point of her own pitard" with performance drugs, hooked on her deep-seeded need to always be at the front of the pack, always to win. Add in the fact that she is devastated by her sense of betrayal over her relationship with Stefan and you have a potent mix for disaster. This is a book that is filled with love and loss, the ups and downs between two very intense people, both of whom don't really know how to compromise. Both want everything their own way and the push-pull between them is poised to wear them out, to destroy what could be a very deep and fulfilling relationship in spite of the great differences in what they do with their lives. The background characters are very important in this story, all of whom give added dimension to the context and continue as the backdrop against which Stefan and Marcelle's story plays out. Again, I register my objection to anything other than a stand-alone novel. If it's good, and I think this and the other novels in this series are, the readers will want to read the other books. Cliff-hanger endings are a waste, IMHO.