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Saving Sam
As an experienced San Diego lifeguard, Sam Cleveland has been trained to save others. On what becomes the most treacherous beach day ever, she battles the sea as her ability as a lifeguard is tested. While she risks her life to rescue swimmers from the rough surf, her world comes crashing down when she learns that her brother Robert has been in a serious accident. She then must leave San Diego and the young woman she’s recently started dating to return to her hometown—a place that holds a horrid memory from her childhood.
Once back in Mississippi, Sam sits vigil at Robert’s bedside. Always protective when Sam was a child, Robert clings to life as investigators search for the person responsible for his accident. As she faces the possibility of losing her brother, Sam is reminded that her hometown holds an unspeakable secret that she and Robert vowed to always keep buried.
On the hunt for the man who intentionally harmed Robert is Lieutenant Annie Wright—the woman who captured Sam’s heart years ago. Now just friends, Sam and Annie work together to find the person responsible for Robert’s injuries. But as painful childhood memories resurface, so do old feelings of love. Will Sam choose to move forward with the chance at new romance in San Diego, or will she return to the comfort of familiar love with Annie in Mississippi?
Once back in Mississippi, Sam sits vigil at Robert’s bedside. Always protective when Sam was a child, Robert clings to life as investigators search for the person responsible for his accident. As she faces the possibility of losing her brother, Sam is reminded that her hometown holds an unspeakable secret that she and Robert vowed to always keep buried.
On the hunt for the man who intentionally harmed Robert is Lieutenant Annie Wright—the woman who captured Sam’s heart years ago. Now just friends, Sam and Annie work together to find the person responsible for Robert’s injuries. But as painful childhood memories resurface, so do old feelings of love. Will Sam choose to move forward with the chance at new romance in San Diego, or will she return to the comfort of familiar love with Annie in Mississippi?
- GenresLesbian
272 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2019
12 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Lynnette Beers
4 books6 followersLynnette Beers has been telling stories ever since she was a child, but it was not until adulthood that she realized she wanted to pursue a career in writing and literature. After earning degrees in English and film studies, she went on to get an MA in literature and an MFA in fiction writing. She has been a professor of creative writing and British literature for several years.
Her first novel Just Beyond the Shining River was her MFA thesis and is the product of extensive research and time spent in England. Three study abroad trips gave her the opportunity to live as a Londoner and to get an ear for British dialect and nuances. As a longstanding member of the International Virginia Woolf Society, she has presented papers at conferences in the US and the UK. Her stories and essays have appeared in a number of publications.
When not writing or grading papers, Lynnette enjoys mountain biking, hiking, and ocean swimming. She does much of her revising and editing while sitting in a shady park or on the beach. She's married and lives in a small coastal town in Southern California.
Her first novel Just Beyond the Shining River was her MFA thesis and is the product of extensive research and time spent in England. Three study abroad trips gave her the opportunity to live as a Londoner and to get an ear for British dialect and nuances. As a longstanding member of the International Virginia Woolf Society, she has presented papers at conferences in the US and the UK. Her stories and essays have appeared in a number of publications.
When not writing or grading papers, Lynnette enjoys mountain biking, hiking, and ocean swimming. She does much of her revising and editing while sitting in a shady park or on the beach. She's married and lives in a small coastal town in Southern California.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 4, 2024
3 stars
This was interesting. In the sense that everyone was deeply messed up and would benefit from therapy way more than from a relationship. Not a cheerful read. But decently written.
This was interesting. In the sense that everyone was deeply messed up and would benefit from therapy way more than from a relationship. Not a cheerful read. But decently written.
May 25, 2019
In the way that something good becomes something great, Lynnette Beers' second novel is deeply moving in a way that is even more eloquent and meaningful than her first. One finishes it with the sense that Beers has very tenderly revealed something intimate from her heart. The novel balances captivating action with questions of faith and the profoundness of love. Beers makes a connection with the reader through writing that is not only skilled but genuine.
March 16, 2020
2.75 really. I'm afraid I didn't get on with this very well. I usually love first responder stuff and with a lifeguard and a cop, I thought I had a great read ahead of me. Unfortunately, I found the writing style rather repetitive and stilted from the start. In the first two pages we get: 'monstrous waves', 'monstrous wall of water', 'each wave grew in magnitude', 'waves had magnified in size', 'a wave in the distance magnifying in size', 'with all her might she fought', 'Sam kicked with all her might'. It made me feel like I wasn't reading a polished work or the author had difficulty expressing themselves, and it stuck with me through the whole read. I found some of the flashbacks confusing as well because some seemed to jump from Sam's 8 year old POV to an omniscient narrator POV. I'd get myself settled in one headspace only to be pulled out of it.
It didn't help that not a lot happened for the first 100 pages and when we finally got to the meat of the investigation around Sam's brother's 'accident' nothing much important happened again for ages until near the end they literally stumbled upon the perpetrator. Sorry for spoiling, but it really annoyed me and I felt like I had been cheated. In fact some bits were so superficial and read like filler that I found myself skimming through parts.
There was very little tension in a story that was crying out for suspense. The plot was pretty obvious - sometimes not revealing something is revealing in itself. I didn't find it twisty at all. I didn't feel connected with the characters either, but that might have been the writing style. Although I got the impression the characters were either oblivious to what was going on around them (Sam and her mother), vapid (Kim) - in fact it felt like Kim was invented just so Sam could say she had an almost girlfriend and use her as a convenient excuse to put Annie off or to throw in a bit of sexy-time writing. I did like Annie as a character, but she's pretty much the only one, although I found her girlfriend (Marsha - who is never there) another literary cop out. She could have been used to create all sorts of tension between Sam and Annie but it was never really exploited.
Everything felt like it sort of fizzled out to me. I had an issue with Robert's end. He should have had an autopsy in Mississippi because his was a delayed death (allegedly as a result of violent criminal injury incurred earlier - the length of time between injury and death does not matter). People assuming his heart 'just stopped' doesn't really fly.
So overall I was disappointed in the read. Others might find it right up their alley, but I think this one just wasn't for me.
It didn't help that not a lot happened for the first 100 pages and when we finally got to the meat of the investigation around Sam's brother's 'accident' nothing much important happened again for ages until near the end they literally stumbled upon the perpetrator. Sorry for spoiling, but it really annoyed me and I felt like I had been cheated. In fact some bits were so superficial and read like filler that I found myself skimming through parts.
There was very little tension in a story that was crying out for suspense. The plot was pretty obvious - sometimes not revealing something is revealing in itself. I didn't find it twisty at all. I didn't feel connected with the characters either, but that might have been the writing style. Although I got the impression the characters were either oblivious to what was going on around them (Sam and her mother), vapid (Kim) - in fact it felt like Kim was invented just so Sam could say she had an almost girlfriend and use her as a convenient excuse to put Annie off or to throw in a bit of sexy-time writing. I did like Annie as a character, but she's pretty much the only one, although I found her girlfriend (Marsha - who is never there) another literary cop out. She could have been used to create all sorts of tension between Sam and Annie but it was never really exploited.
Everything felt like it sort of fizzled out to me. I had an issue with Robert's end. He should have had an autopsy in Mississippi because his was a delayed death (allegedly as a result of violent criminal injury incurred earlier - the length of time between injury and death does not matter). People assuming his heart 'just stopped' doesn't really fly.
So overall I was disappointed in the read. Others might find it right up their alley, but I think this one just wasn't for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2019
How does our past rule out future?
Many never think why we do things the way we do. This novel explores how our past controls is in our future. A mystery and love story combined. We get to follow Sam's journey to finally defeat demons of her past to have control of her future. Warning this book may have triggers for assault survivors.
Many never think why we do things the way we do. This novel explores how our past controls is in our future. A mystery and love story combined. We get to follow Sam's journey to finally defeat demons of her past to have control of her future. Warning this book may have triggers for assault survivors.
August 28, 2022
Of the three books written by this author this was my least favorite. The story itself is interesting (might make a good screen play,) and kept me turning the page, but the characters weren’t as developed, nor was the dialogue as realistic as in the other two books.
However, I am looking forward to the authors next release.
However, I am looking forward to the authors next release.
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June 7, 2019A real page-turner of a mystery/romance with a super surprise (more than one!) ending. This one's got depth, too. Everyone's got a secret: go find out!
Dolores Maggiore, author of Death and Love at the Old Summer Camp, Love and Lechery at Albert Academy, and Paris for Two: Til Death Do We Part.
Dolores Maggiore, author of Death and Love at the Old Summer Camp, Love and Lechery at Albert Academy, and Paris for Two: Til Death Do We Part.
June 21, 2020
I loved this book!!! It’s the perfect summer beach read, but you won’t be able to put it down so put on lots of sunscreen!!! Beers creates characters that you feel like you know and a plot that is unpredictable and oh-so-very captivating. I would love for her to write a sequel!!!!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews