"Fast-paced paranormal romantic suspense thriller"

Thirty-six years old Philadelphia TV six o'clock newscaster Deborah Stark has never and will never allow her feelings especially that second hand emotion of love to get in the way of her career ambitions. Her latest lover Marcus Bocelli is perhaps more of a hunk than any of them and she admits she wants him as never before, but he remains like those before him, a temporary itch "scratcher".

Deborah returns to her Hadley, New Jersey home when her aunt calls to tell her that her mother died. Marcus arrives shortly after allegedly to offer her solace. She appreciates the gesture but fears falling in love with him so she dives into a story that should dampen her lust. She has found that the company that owns her Philadelphia television station is corrupt and seemingly breaking the law; she plans to prove this and air her findings. However, Marcus has kept some secrets from his beloved that he knows he must share with her if he wants anything permanent with his reluctant disbelieving beloved. The least is his ability to change physical shapes while the most is the agenda that sent him following her to Hadley.

COLLIDING FORCES is a fast-paced romantic suspense thriller that contains some supernatural elements, but for the most part those paranormal skills take a back seat to the love story between two reluctant warriors and to the corruption investigation. The story line is action- packed, but driven by doubting D. who questions the motives of the man she is falling in love with from the moment they connected at the wedding of the stars of SHIFTING LOVE (Marcus was a secondary character). Fans of supernatural romantic suspense will appreciate Constance O'Day-Flannery's fine tale.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted September 15, 2005

Summary

Deborah Stark is a newscaster with ambition to spare and a take-no-prisoners attitude when it comes to love. Her latest whirlwind affair with the darkly sexy Marcus ends with D. never expecting to see him again. Then her mother dies right before Thanksgiving and Marcus shows up on the doorstep of D.'s childhood home in New Jersey--and the ice around her heart cracks a little.

But for D., work comes first. She's deep into a story about corruption throughout the highest levels of the company that owns her Philadelphia television station, and not even the hint of true love can distract her. Marcus has secrets--about the mysterious Foundation he works for, about his ability to shape-shift--secrets D. isn't ready to hear. But when D. realizes that Marcus is too aware of what she's investigating to be an innocent bystander, she knows she must accept his truths. For only with Marcus's help will D. survive long enough to expose corruption . . . and claim love.