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My favorite NYPD Police officer Tony Cavalucci is back in this third installment of the Midtown Blue Series: and the big guy is better than ever.
Tony and his finance Michele are ready to marry, but Tony’s totally dysfunctional (and they truly are) family are vying against them. The family doesn’t understand the outward changes in Tony’s life – his change of churches, his new love, his abstaining from alcohol – is from and inward change or that his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ has really made him into a new man. Not only do they not understand, but it seems like they are threatened by it. Instead of encouraging this new life where he is happier, they chip away at it and make snide remarks and mistakes on things like Michele’s name misspelled on an engagement cake. But Michele, her son and Tony are making strides to develop a healthy Christ led family. It’s a hard task coming from so much flotsam as Tony does.
Tony’s changed life is also affecting his work. He sees human frailty in the perps, homeless and victims he contends with every day. One time he would write a certain segment of the public off as being trash, but now, he sees the world through God touched eyes and nothing is the same. He understands that people are ruled by sin when they don’t know the Lord.
This is not to say Tony is perfect, he is after all still human, and as long as we all wear that free will shroud, we will sin. (I love it when I consider the characters the same as myself…real….) With the help and example of his Christian friend Joe, Tony is growing everyday into the man Christ died for him to be. It is a fascinating read into the life of a new Christian who is a Police Officer.
I had troubles with the first two books in the series. They seemed to be choppy and I felt set up for many events that never happened. Yet, Tony was an interesting enough character I was compelled to finish the books. Skells is different. The authors have obviously been studying and honing their craft, I love this book. The romance is heart warming when they struggle with the all too real temptation of sex to remain pure until their wedding. And Tony’s relationship with her son is a testament to the power of a fathers love – even if he’s not your biological father. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in this book. It’s a police story, romance, suspense, drama, and a little humor all in one.
Skells wins this Reviewers Choice Award.
Reviewed by Linda Mae Baldwin
for The Road to Romance
July 16, 2006
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