Sandy M’s review of The Gelidus Factor by Patricia S. Otto
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Cerridwen Press 7 Feb 08
I’ve been getting a little jaded when it comes to ebooks. Most I read just aren’t high quality writing, compelling storylines, intriguing characters. But when I find a little jewel every now and again, my faith is restored. This ebook is one of those — very nicely written, a unique paranormal element, characters I loved, a mystery that kept me interested and turning pages, humor that made the read fun, and dialogue that said exactly what it should have at just the right moment.
This story had to be well thought out before pen was put to paper. It’s one of those cosmic stories full of karma where things are related no matter how menial or far-fetched it seems. Although it doesn’t get overly complicated, even with just a few players you have to pay attention once the action begins.
Roz’s meditations have turned into a form of time travel, but she never leaves her time; she goes into a trance-like state during her meditation and she’s in another time and place with one common denominator — an antique bed she found in the attic of the new home she and son moved into in trying to start a new life after the death of her husband a couple of years earlier. At first she isn’t able to control the events, she’s sent wherever her mind or whatever power is giving her the gift decides to send her. We never learn exactly what it is that causes her traveling. Later, however, she is able to control her destination to a certain point, which is what gets her in trouble in more ways than one.
Mac is also starting a new life after the death of his family in a car accident. He’s picked himself up after binging on a number of excesses for a year or two, knows his wife would be disappointed in him, so he goes back to teaching. In his sixth grade class is Roz’s son, Walter. I also liked how the story even used Walter as a connection to Roz’s meditation.
When Mac and Roz meet, this is when the story begins to come together in a beautiful weaving of connected incidents over the course of time to bring them into each other’s lives and get closure on a tragic story handed down through ownership of the antique bed. Even when Mac wants Roz to find out about a mysterious man who was present when his wife and son died and that act drives a wedge between them, the story never slows down or gets tripped up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. No gratuitous sex to get through. In fact, no sex until the very end when the story is wrapped up and Mac and Roz can truly come together and enjoy their relationship. Mystery and suspense coupled with sorrow and romance is the perfect combination.
Grade: A-
Summary:
Ever since a freak accident took his wife and son, middle-school history teacher Mac McLeod has sunk into an abyss of booze and unanswered questions. Miserable and desperate, he vows to turn his life around. When he meets Roz Liddy, he is instantly attracted to her and hopes that, maybe, he can finally move on with his life.
Roz is hiding a secret. Since moving to her new house, her normally soothing meditations have become psychic voyages into history. At first, she must prove to herself she isn’t crazy. Then she has to convince Mac. When her abilities are discovered by the Gelidus Society-a group of men dedicated to verifying history and solving cold cases-Roz realizes her gift may be important to humanity. On top of that, she may be the one person who can tell Mac what happened to his family. One thing is clear, her psychic abilities will put their new love and their lives in jeopardy.
Read an excerpt.
