Readers Favorite Five Star Review
Reviewed by Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite
In Redemption by Stephanie Baldi, Carrie is the victim. Her life had never been easy, starting with having a mother who abuses her and then takes away her baby boy. Next, Carrie believes that if she leaves home with Travis, all of her problems will disappear but she learns quickly that she is not much better off than being at home with her mother. Carrie steals and kills to survive life with Travis and, after years of misery, finally has the opportunity to start again. She is happy at last living with her Aunt May in a small Pennsylvania town with her new friends until the past comes back to threaten her. Enter Nick; he is both the good guy and the bad guy rolled into one. What follows will keep you reading late into the night or forgetting about your chores because you cannot put the book down without knowing what happens next.
If you like a suspenseful story that starts on page one and never ends, then you must read Redemption by Stephanie Baldi. This is a really good story that has all the elements needed to be suspenseful, romantic, mysterious and exciting with nail-biting action throughout. Stephanie Baldi has created characters that are both easy to love and hate. Carrie quickly became my friend, although I did not like Travis at all and saw Nick as both someone I really wanted to meet and, at other times, someone I really wanted to stay far away from. I highly recommend you put Redemption on the very top of your reading list – I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
Talk about a page turner! The suspense of what would happen next as this well-written first novel of Stephanie Baldi unfolded kept me mesmerized.
Her intricate plot made me pay close attention to the relationships of the characters. I feel like I really know these people. Her sense of timing is just the right pace to keep you on the edge of your seat!
I am eager for the next book.I would shop this book for a television series.
Sue Medeiros
I loved this book! I became emotionally involved with the characters. The author kept coming up with interesting plot twists that were totally unexpected. Definitely not your ordinary suspense novel. Quite the page turner. I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended!!
Marianne Johnson
Starting at a run-down trailer park in Arizona and moving to sweltering Melbourne, Florida, and on to the small town of Laurel, Pennsylvania. Finally ending the journey in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Stephanie takes her readers on a journey not soon forgotten.
Each destination brings the leading character, Carrie Overton, and the reader, on a trek into the dangerous world of murder, deceit, and discovery.
The main protagonist, Carrie, takes the reader on a harrowing journey. It may be argued here that many of this novel’s characters are sorely in need of redemption. One may also note that very thing could be said of each of us.
Yes, indeed, In Redemption, the author introduces us to a motley crew of characters. Authentic people, each with their own agenda. True, you might not want to 'hang' with some of these folks, but you will believe they are real. And you will care about what happens to them.
This crew of characters, if not all likable sorts, all have one thing in common: They are without exception: unforgettable.
We meet Helen, a fallen woman, addicted to cocaine, Nick a former NYPD detective turned professional hit man and Ricardo, the ruthless drug lord he works for.
We meet a kid, named Will, who is seeking to escape his abusive father. Last, but hardly least, Carrie Overton, the main protagonist. A woman who from childhood has been put down and abused. Yet within her small body, beats the heart of someone who will not be conquered. A driven woman, strong, with undeniable true grit.
An unlikely heroine, Carrie is best defined by one phrase: She is not a quitter. Who would not admire such a woman?
So, do yourself a favor, take the trip with Carrie Overton. You won’t be sorry. One bit of advice, clear your calendar when you pick up Redemption. It will keep you on the edge of your seat. Put the phone off the hook. Whoever interrupts your reading will likely regret it.
Claudia Rowe Kennedy
Author of A Time to Sow and A Time to Reap
Redemption is a fun read with a great cast of very interesting characters. I found myself glued to the book wondering how Nick (the Hero of the story) would deal with the powerful client Ricardo. Would Carrie escape the trap(s) set by Travis? What will happen to Ricardo's beautiful daughter Carmella? Does she really love Nick? What will happen between Nick and Carrie (ah, that is the best part!)
The story moves from the opening scene in Florida to a run-down trailer park in Arizona, to the tranquility and "safety" of a small town in the Northeast, and finishing up in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The author does a great job of describing both the characters and the places. You really get to know them and how they feel.
Each chapter is from a specific characters point-of-view. One of the things I really appreciated as I read this book was the name of the particular character being listed at the beginning of each chapter.
Peter K. Johnson
Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite FIVE STARS!!!!
Reckoning is the third book in the Sicario Files Trilogy by Stephanie Baldi and a spellbinding conclusion to the series. It reads well as a standalone story for those who haven’t read the first books in the trilogy, thanks to the author’s ability to weave backstories into the narrative without distracting readers. Miguel Medina is determined to get his revenge for the tragic night in which Carmela Santiago was killed in Tahoe. He still bears the scar of that night on his face. The man he plans to bring down is none other than Nicholas D'Angelo, a hitman with impressive skills. Miguel’s plan is sophisticated - he is not only going to kill Nick but take Natalia, Carmela’s daughter. But can he bring his plan to completion given the high stakes? A fast-paced, engaging thriller filled with action. This is one of those stories that I would love to watch on the screen. The author creates two strong characters, hitmen with rich backgrounds, and writes strong motivations into them. These characters are pitted against each other and as the reader follows them from one page to the next, they are anxious to discover what happens next. The suspense is impeccably written, the internal dialogues and the streams of consciousness adding depth to plot and fleshing out the characters. Reckoning is a gorgeous treat for fans of crime thrillers; the narrative is never lacking in realism and the characters are humanly and genuinely flawed. Stephanie Baldi deftly handles conflict and explores themes of family, love, revenge, violence, and parenting in a context that is sophisticated. Reckoning is a pageturner