"In this suspenseful debut with a firecracker romance, Michelle Gilliam introduces a sassy, naïve heroine who leads with her heart—but who just might manage to save them all."- Coleen Turner, A Literary Vacation
“Rummaging through this book was like walking through the closets of my mind.” -Maggie
Michelle Gilliam’s debut novel, Roman Rescue is a witty and heart-pounding teen novel that will appeal to fans of books by Jenna Evans Welch and Robyn Schneider novels such as Love & Gelato and The story of Everything and classics like Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice.
College freshman, Maggie Delaney was supposed to be in Columbia, SC, not Rome, Italy, but that was before she found out her brother is having a baby with an Italian girl– one who wants nothing to do with him. Her mom is newly married and trying to fix all the years of pain from addiction. But it's Sergeant Luke Seager that throws Maggie into chaos when his good guy antics aren't fooling Maggie. Something isn’t quite right with this bad boy, his situation, or his past. He is driven, sarcastic, and sexy. So, how on earth will Maggie stay away from him?
Taking stereotypes and giving them a 3-D look changes the experience of reading. Dive into this book where every character is real and everyone has a story. It starts out with a tension filled romance and just when other books drag, this one slips into another gear as mystery unfolds around them. This inspirational romance will change how you look at self-defense mechanisms and their obstacles to love. Descriptive prose makes it read like a movie, set in Rome? Sounds wonderful.
“Maggie and Kayla are two teens who have both suffered but have different views on life because of it.”
"A great romantic love story teenagers will love long after the book is read."
Roman Rescue is a refreshing contemporary twist on the classic coming-of-age romance—a heart-wrenching novel about how difficult it is to trust after betrayal and to believe again after Fear has become your friend. Enjoy how new beginnings are formed from choices after tragedy.
"Supernatural Romance with grit and teeth."
What I love most are novels that make you feel emotions across the spectrum: laugh, cry, surprise you, thrill you and inspire you... Roman Rescue does all of those things flawlessly! The protagonist, Maggie, has a great sense of humor and I absolutely loved the dialogue between characters, especially Maggie and Luke. It was very honest but fun and smart at the same time, often making me laugh out loud. The author delves deep into several characters so that you get to know them well and find yourself cheering for them...though you often are not sure who to cheer for, thanks to the twists and turns. The pacing will keep you turning pages, along with the vivid descriptions of Italy that make you feel like booking a trip there immediately. Everyone can relate in some way to Maggie due to the woven story line involving her estranged mother, her ex-boyfriend, a potential budding romance, and a hero brother that she is trying to save for once. I love the coming-of-age aspects of the plot, as Maggie is figuring out who she is and why she's made the choices that she has in the past as well as where she wants to go in the future. This book will immerse you in an adventure, keep you guessing, make you fall in love, and feel like you've made new friends. I look forward to more novels by Michelle Gilliam!
This book was suggested to me by my sister and I am so thrilled she got me to read it.
I found myself connecting to the characters and becoming emotionally invested in them. The main character is flawed and real, struggling with her insecurities, failures, hopes and dreams. I was rooting for her but not in an unrealistic way. She was young, naive, wise and mature all at the same time. It is truly masterful writing to bring a character of this depth to life.
The story was full of twists and turns with just the right amount of restraint to be able to relish the action and adventure. I loved how the characters were not typical cliches and the plot was not overdone.
The scenes were alive and I felt transported to each of the cities in the book. The sights, sounds, the smells were very descriptive and not too verbose. (Like some other authors that take two pages to describe a room)
I also loved the Maggie's backstory and how the author revealed it throughout the story. It felt effortless as the story was told.
