Review of LIFE, LIBERTY AND PURSUIT by Susan Kaye Quinn

Susan's new release now available in paperback and ebook was the lucky winner of my "I want to buy your book" contest. Or maybe I was the lucky winner, because I got the opportunity to read this fun and charming romance, a new title by a new small press, Omnific Publishing.

 Here's what I liked about Life, Liberty and Pursuit by Susan Kaye Quinn:

* The two main characters-- David and Eliza-- are extremely likable and realistic. I found myself thinking about them at odd times during the day like they were real people. Always a good sign meaning the characters have gotten inside one's skin.

* David has a Polish heritage, speaks with a slight accent, and sometimes uses Polish words in his speech. A nice touch.

* Never having read a book set on a cruise ship that didn't involve shipwreck or disaster (or even been on a cruise ship), I really enjoyed the "where they met" setting.

* The romance is sweet, passionate, and believable. Romance isn't my usual genre, unless it's combined with humor as in chick lit or mystery as in cozy mysteries or classic lit as in Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights or anything Jane Austen. But this one was fun to read and seemed more grounded in reality than many of the romance novels I've tried and set aside.

* It's not YA, since the protagonists are past high school, although still young. It's an example of the New Adult genre that hasn't quite taken hold but needs to. Those of you in support of the New Adult genre should buy this book.

* The first half was my favorite. I didn't want to put it down. David and Eliza enchanted me from the moment they first appeared.

* Without being explicit, there is passion. Without being prudish, there is restraint.

* The alternate POV's work very well for this story. Allowing the reader to see the anguish and attraction from both sides of the fence actually becomes a thematic element showing how confusion and mixed signals can threaten a beginning relationship.

* The ending is a pleasant surprise. David and Eliza resolve the distance, education and career obstacles in a realistic, satisfying way.

Overall a fun quick read and a delightfully charming romance. It brought back a lot of memories of my own first love(s), and the agonizing ups and downs that go along with falling quickly, deeply in love. Well done, Susan Kaye Quinn!