Eighteen-year-old Leigh arrives at a Tel Aviv hospital, seeking information about her probable father, Dr. Sloan, who had a cardiac arrest right after they met for the first time. As she stands next to her father's bed and watches him, her past, present and future collide. Despite the advice of those around her, Leigh decides to face the challenges of the legal system in Israel. She obtains a court order for a paternity test and confronts Sloan. During her quest to find the truth about her biological father, Leigh is exposed to violent religious intolerance, faces life in a country where church and state are not separate, and meets the man who may be her first true love. Will she change her view of the world she thought she knew? Will she forgive her mother? Will a gunshot change her attitude towards her probable father? And, what will she say to Steve, the only father she ever really had?
Paperback: 332 pages
Publisher: Mountain Abor Press; 1st edition (April 22, 2019)
ISBN-10: 163183522X
ISBN-13: 978-1631835223
Bloody Coffee by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre is available in print and as an ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, and the publisher's website.
*****The 5 Star Review by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto !*****
Bloody Coffee is a fast-paced, character-driven novel, set in war torn Tel Aviv with a storyline and characters you can’t help but love! Leigh is a character I related to from the very first chapter of Bloody Coffee. I admire anyone who seeks answers and is brave enough to leave their comfort zone to find those answers. Leigh is just 18 and yet she set out alone to an unfamiliar country. She focused on her goal and didn’t let fear stand in her way. Michelle Dim-St. Pierre has written her main character with such depth that readers will be sure to fall in love with her. She’s strong yet unsure of herself - confused and searching. She’s perfectly imperfect and very approachable. I was cheering for her through each twist and turn in this suspenseful story of trust, doubt, and romance. Even protests, rockets, and death wouldn’t be enough to deter Leigh from finding her biological father.
Leigh’s character may have initially drawn me into the story, but the storyline of Bloody Coffee is interesting and unexpected. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another plot twist came into play and had me questioning how things were going to end. A combination of my love and admiration for the characters in the book as well as my inquisitive nature kept me glued to my seat wanting more. This was a fast read because I didn’t want to put the book down until I had all the answers I was searching for. Michelle Dim-St. ‘s use of sensual details and dramatic scenes drew me in as a reader and made me feel as if I were involved in Leigh’s journey. I felt what she felt, and had the same desire for answers and closure. The suspense kept me engaged throughout the book. When friendships fell apart and people started dying I thought for sure Leigh was going to give up and she forged forward even more intent on answers.
A favorite scene for me was at a low point for Leigh – she was questioning if she had made the right decision. Her maturity and ultimately her tenacity and decision to push forward is admirable.
(pg 168)
My mind was busy churning over her past and my present.
I traveled back to the pages of my mother’s journal, thinking how her affair with Sloan actually tore us apart. I believe that sharing her secrets created nothing but distance between us. My relationship with her seemed insignificant in comparison with the one she had with Sloan. I felt as if I’d entered a competition that I could never win. I sensed that he didn’t have enough love for the both of us, that I would always be on the outside looking in. I didn’t want to get hurt any more than what I already had, so I took the easy road, rejecting him. I didn’t need him anyway. Suddenly, the realization hit me – it had been a mistake to come looking for him.
Will I ever be able to put this dismantled gigantic puzzle together or will I live the truth of having no place among them, forever an outsider?
There wasn’t any point in Bloody Coffee where I felt the pace slowed. The author used just the right amount of detail to keep things interesting without being either boring or tedious. Dim-St. Pierre brought to life the sights and sounds of Tel Aviv during a tumultuous time. This is a fast-paced story and even the secondary characters are relatable and intriguing. The relationships and alliances were lifelike and fluid throughout. Leigh’s introspective scenes felt very real; her authenticity was a breath of fresh air. When I was wondering how much more she could bear, Leigh was asking herself “is this confrontation necessary right now?” and it was easy to experience the frustrations in her quest for truth. As Leigh navigated the relationships in her life (old and new), she was cautious while still being open to the endless possibilities – she’s an incredibly believable main character. This is a beautiful story with a flawed and very human main character I couldn’t help but love.
Praise:
“Michelle Dim-St.-Pierre is proving to be a major talent in epic romantic drama!”
~Grady Harp, Amazon Top 50 Hall of Fame Reviewer
“A thrilling and emotional psychological mystery-thriller.”
~Detroit Free Press
“This book grabbed me at page one and wouldn’t let me go!”
~Pamela Gossiaux, award-winning author and journalist.
About the Author:
Michelle Dim-St. Pierre was born in Tel-Aviv, Israel, where she spent more than half of her life before relocating to the United States.She lived through four wars and served in the Israel Defense Forces for two years. Unlike her first year of service in an armored division in the Golan Heights, she served her second year serving in the medical corps where she interacted directly with the injured soldiers of the Peace of Galilee war and their families. This interaction, along with the exposure to the hospital atmosphere, fascinated Michelle and further touched her heart. She went on to get a BS degree in Nursing in Tel-Aviv, and practiced internationally for 32 years in various positions in the surgical field and quickly advanced into health care administration. During her career she worked in the Operating Room, Recovery Room, and CCU—along with many other duties.
Writing was Michelle’s outlet at first, but it soon became her passion. Now, she is a full-time writer. Her international background, along with her military and nursing experience is always at the tip of her pen. Her first novel, Pinnacle Lust, started the Pinnacle trilogy and won the Beach Book Festival in the Romance category, as well as received several honorable mentions in other book contests. It was published to rave reviews.
Michelle is a world traveler who enjoys cooking epicurean food and creating original recipes. She currently splits her time between Florida and Georgia, where she is at work on her next two books.
Find Michelle Online:
Website: www.MichelleDimStPierre.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDimStPierre/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pinnaclelust
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Michelle_DimStPierre
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-dim-st-pierre-1b9691106
----------Upcoming Blog Tour Dates
May 24th @ Author Anthony Avina
Fellow author Anthony Avina gives a raving review after reading Michelle Dim-St. Pierre’s thrilling mystery Bloody Coffee – readers won’t want to miss the opportunity to hear Anthony’s insight into this must read novel!
https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/
May 27th @ Beverley A. Baird
Michelle Dim-St. Pierre has done it again with another best seller – this time it’s a mystery/thriller called Bloody Coffee and Beverley A. Baird can’t wait to tell readers all about it in her review! This is a complex and suspenseful mystery readers will be excited to get their hands on!
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/
May 28th @ Deal Sharing Aunt
Vicki, the Deal Sharing Aunt, shares her thoughts after reading the latest novel by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre. Readers won’t want to miss the opportunity to learn more about Bloody Coffee!
http://dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/
May 29th @ Margo Dill
Editor and Author Margo Dill couldn’t wait to read Bloody Coffee by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre. Stop by her blog today and read her review about this thrilling new release!
https://margoldill.com/
May 30th @ Sreevarsha Sreejith
Bloody Coffee by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre travels all the way to France today as Sreevarsha Sreejith reviews this mystery and shares her thoughts with readers at her book blog!
https://sreejithsreevarsha.wordpress.com/
June 3rd @ World of My Imagination
Nicole Pyles couldn’t put down this 5 star read – let’s hear her review of Bloody Coffee by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre. Readers will delight as they put this mystery/thriller on their TBRPile!
https://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/
June 5th @ Bring on Lemons with Tara Forst
Wisconsin business woman and mother, Tara Forst is a friend of WOW! and is excited to talk about her thoughts after reading Bloody Coffee by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre. Don’t miss this review and giveaway!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
June 6th @ Cassandra’s Writing World
Stop by Cassandra’s Writing World to hear more about Michelle Dim-St. Pierre and her latest best seller Bloody Coffee as Cassandra shares her review with readers!
http://cassandra-mywritingworld.blogspot.com/
June 7th @ Choices with Madeline Sharples
The author spotlight at Choices today is Michelle Dim-St. Pierre with her latest bestselling thriller Bloody Coffee – readers won’t want to miss an opportunity to learn more about this fabulous novel!
http://madelinesharples.com/
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1 comments:
Thank you, Crystal, for such a detailed and comprehensive review of Bloody Coffee. Your review was very well crafted and articulated the heart of the story perfectly. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. I'm currently working on the final book in the trilogy and hope that you will stay tuned for the finale.
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