Still reeling from her broken engagement with Aaron Farsee, Grace Meredes is content to live quietly and hide from the paparazzi. She’s abruptly yanked back into her father’s world when she receives a text from a blackmailer. Her family could be ruined unless she meets the blackmailer in Willowdale. The media reported that Grace dumped her fiancé because she didn’t want to deal with his war … wounds and PTSD, so no one will believe that he was the one who cancelled the wedding. Unwilling to expose her private life again, Grace contrives a cover story for her visit to Willowdale, along with a fake name, to keep her dad’s nosy senatorial staff at bay.
When Aaron sees Grace standing at the counter of his auto shop, he dreads the drama that will surely follow. She claims she’s in town to help with the winter festival, but he has trouble believing her. Despite his skepticism he agrees to help her, since the proceeds benefit the veterans hospital. But he is determined not to do anything that might help her father.
When someone leaves a threatening message along with a knife in Grace’s cabin, Aaron’s protective instincts kick in. But he can’t save her from a danger she won’t admit is real. The double threat of the blackmailer and her father’s buried secrets soon leave Grace without anyone to trust but the man who broke her heart.
more
Storm of Ambition by Lily Black is a fantastic tale of secrets and blackmail, combined with how parents’ actions affect their children.
Will Grace chose to protect her father or love Aaron? And will Aaron forgive Grace for her perceived past transactions?
Grace
Grace’s father is a senator, and her life has been to serve his campaigns first. She is an accountant and former dancer, but mostly she is known for being Senator Mercedes’ daughter. Grace has had one love in her life, and Aaron called off the engagement without giving her a reason, which she could’ve handled if it hadn’t been for her father’s campaign and the media who blamed Grace for braking up with Aaron because of his possible disability.
Grace has always stood up for her father, even when she didn’t agree with his decisions. She never asked him questions about his choices, and he indeed never offered them up. So, when Grace is blackmailed, she decides to handle this mess herself and figure out what her father really did. Also, hopefully, she can fix the lousy PR with her and Aaron at the same time.
What I like about Grace is that she is strong and holds up well to the verbal attacks. She has this steadfast, regalness about her. Yet, Grace’s trust is tested by people that she just met, and Aaron. I wanted a happy ending for Grace from the beginning of the book. She is a relatable character with a perfect combination of strengths and weaknesses. I just wish her dad stayed on the pedestal she put him on.
Aaron
Aaron is a West Point graduate, who was wounded in combat. His family has been friends with Grace’s family for a long time, so they grew up together. He loves Grace but decides that if his leg has to be amputated, then he doesn’t want to brought out and showed off for her father’s political gain. So, breaking it off with Grace is the best possible thing.
Aaron has made it through his rehab and is doing better now. He is working as a mechanic, which is easy for an engineer. He dates a bit but no one seriously. Aaron didn’t pay attention to what the media was saying about Grace after their breakup, Aaron just didn’t want to deal with that whole mess anymore. He doesn’t agree with the Senator’s politics and doesn’t want anything to do with him, therefore no Grace either.
I like Aaron, and he felt real to me. His panic attacks seem realistic, and his goodness shone through. Aaron’s relationship with Sgt. Roberts is wonderfully sweet, even though I am sure they wouldn’t like that description. Aaron is a good guy, and you can tell that he and Grace still love each other, but communication is hard at times.
The Mystery
The mystery is who is the blackmailer, and what do they have on Grace and her father? I biggest question, though, was why? Why now? Why Grace and not her father directly? This person couldn’t have known that Grace would handle it on herself. Who could do these things to Grace and Deborah? So many questions.
I love a good mystery, and this one kept me guessing. I did figure out the culprit a few chapters before it was revealed. However, I had the motive wrong. And the reasons why I so did not see coming.
Five Stars
Romantic Suspense is one of my (many) favorite genres. The story moved fast, kept the clues and red herrings coming, build the characters, along with their relationships up, and is just an enjoyable read. Therefore, Storm of Ambition by Lily Black is getting five stars from me. I recommend this book to all you romantic suspense readers out there.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Storm of Ambition by Lily Black.
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove.
Until the next time,
~Jen
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
This is the first I have read from this author and I can safely say it won’t be the last. It kept me engaged from beginning to end. First was Aaron, who had an uphill battle with me even though as a military hero he should have been my catnip. I don’t much like anyone who can break another person’s heart “for their own good”, which meant that I was giving his character a hard side-eye for a lot of the book. I loved Grace. She’s so strong and working hard to carve out her independence from her father’s political influence. Despite growing up in that political sphere she’s maintained such optimism and almost a naiveté. The mystery and suspense kept me guessing for a lot of the story. I had picked out the villain by about the half-way point, but I was desperate to find out the whys and hows. I’m not sure I completely believed in the connection between our hero and heroine and I thought forgiveness was a little too easily given, but I adore a second chance and this was a well-written one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Hidden Gems Books.
Grace Meredes and Aaron Farsee became engaged prior to his overseas deployment. When he returned, due to his injuries, he broke off their engagement. The public, believing that she had broken up with an injured war veteran, turned against her. Due to a blackmail threat against her and her father, she has tracked Aaron to Willowdale. When someone leaves a violent threat I her cabin, Aaron steps in to offer her protection. A festival is being held in town and Grace is caught between the festival, the blackmailer and someone who may want to kill her. I thought Aaron was very selfish not to realize that she would shoulder the blame for the break up and her desire to not involve the police when she was threatened didn’t seem quite believable. Otherwise a pleasant second chance at love story. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
Aaron and Grace were set to get married before he met with an accident while on military tour. Faced with the possibility of losing a leg he called off his engagement to Grace and as a result she faced the brunt of humiliation saying that she called off their wedding to an injured military man. It has been almost two years and now she is being blackmailed to come back to town and face the blackmailer. Strange coincidences have been occurring and with each one the danger escalates. When Aaron finally finds out what is going on, will he be able to keep her safe and out of harm way? This romantic suspense will have you guessing and on edge from start to the very last page. I voluntarily agreed to receive an ARC of this book for an honest review.
This was a nice read from a new author for me. I just felt the issues were resolved a little too quickly for me. I could understand Aarons’s decisions, even if I didn’t I agree with how he went about it. I think Grace should have made him work a little harder for forgiveness. If she hadn’t shown up in Willowdale, he wouldn’t have done anything for her at all. But maybe I’m the cynic because almost dying does change a person’s perspectives.
In STORM OF AMBITION by Lily Black it seems at first that Grace and Aaron’s romance should be on a straight path to a happily ever after. But Aaron is in Good Hope Veterans Hospital after being seriously wounded in action and Grace is the daughter of a senator with his eyes on the White House—and there are sinister plots at work behind the scenes that successfully tear them apart.
Twenty-one months later, Grace finds herself the victim of a blackmailer that could ruin her and her father’s reputations. But instead of caving to the blackmailer’s demands or going to the police, she chooses to keep the evidence to herself and sets out to take down the blackmailer. It so happens her search takes her to Willowdale where Aaron now works as a mechanic, near to the VA hospital where he previously was a patient . . . In STORM OF AMBITION a dangerous game of blackmail and political ambition entwines with issues of veterans care to culminate in a bittersweet ending that is both inevitable and surprising. Bravo to Lily Black on another wonderful addition to the saga of Willowdale!