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Skin Deep by Jamie Cortland is billed as a romantic suspense novel-but it has much more in substance than the name alludes too.
Written under one of her pseudonyms, Weslynn McAllister has written a book that incorporates how a smart and talented woman could be taken in by a good-looking and very unbalanced alcoholic.
Evelyn Valentino, still half-way in love with her super star ex-husband gets caught up in a marriage with a man she believes, at first, is a dream.
Only Evelyn doesn't see James McMann for what he is-a schizophrenic with bipolar tendencies who is also an alcoholic.
Her four-year-old daughter nicknames him "Mr. Stranger Danger" at the very first encounter in the holding area of a local breakfast diner. Evelyn's mother begs her not to go through with the impending marriage. Her father, a psychiatrist, doesn't know exactly what it is he doesn't like about the good-looking James, he just knows there is a huge problem.
Within weeks of the ceremony Evelyn realizes the depths of her mistake. She sends her daughter to stay with her ex-husband (who is also still in love with Evelyn).
After nearly beating her to death-James becomes a monster in her nightmares-one that she can only awake from by his death.
Skin Deep humanizes the victims of mental illness-from the patient himself to his friends and family.
Cortland/McAllister has written a well-formed story of suspense. It had me rapt from chapter one, page one with the introduction of Evelyn, Chrissie-her daughter and a seemingly harmless nightmare after a new divorce-through the different experiences of her abusive second marriage and her finding her way back to the true "man of her dreams".
SKIN DEEP is a good read for all those who like a little suspenseful romance.
Carine Nadel is on The Reader's Advisory Panel of Woman's Day magazine and has had numerous articles and recipes published both on various websites and print publications. To read more of her work, log onto: http://www.Carine-whatscooking.blogspot.com
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