Showing posts with label Darrel Nelson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Darrel Nelson. Show all posts

Thursday, March 7, 2013

The Return of Cassandra Todd by Darryl Nelson


The Return of Cassandra Todd
 The Return of Cassandra Todd by Darryl Nelson

From Goodreads.com
When the popular girl whose friends bullied him in high school suddenly reenters his life, little son in tow, Turner Caldwell must put the past behind him if they are to survive. Turner Caldwell works at a local motel as a handyman while attending college full-time. On his way to class one day, he is shocked to see Cassandra Todd and her young son in town. The sight of her brings back powerful memories of being bullied in high school—she was the popular head cheerleader and he the target of her friends’ mean-spirited pranks. When Cassandra and her son check into the motel where he works and she asks for his help in eluding her abusive husband, he finds himself entangled in a dangerous drama that will require him to forgive and draw on every skill he has if they are to survive.

About the Author
Darrel Nelson recently retired after thirty-seven years as a schoolteacher so he could devote himself to writing full-time. He now spends his time writing novels, articles, plays, and music and soaking up time with his ten grandchildren. Nelson has bachelor's degrees in English and education from the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada where he lives with his wife Marsha.

The Return of Cassandra Todd follows Nelson's highly praised debut novel Anniversary Waltz

My Take:  What an exciting book.  I had to keep reading way to late to keep turning just one more page, one more chapter to find out what happened next.  Although the subject matter of spousal abuse is not one that I like to read about this book kept me going to find out more of the story and it had me holding my breath at parts for fear that if I breathed that would somehow give away something to the bad guys.  Excellent book.  I highly recommend it. 

Monday, June 11, 2012

The Anniversary Waltz by Darrel Nelson



The Anniversary Waltz: A novel

The Anniversary Waltz by Darrel Nelson


 About the Book
 The Anniversary Waltz At their sixtieth anniversary party, Adam Carlson asks his wife, Elizabeth, for their customary waltz. After the dance they gather the family and share their story-a story of love and courage overcoming adversity and thriving in the face of overwhelming odds. It's the summer of 1946, and Adam has just returned from the war to his home in Reunion, Montana. At a town festival he meets Elizabeth Baxter, a young woman going steady with his former high school rival and now influential banker, Nathan Roberts. When Adam and Elizabeth share a waltz in a deserted pavilion one evening, their feelings begin to grow and they embark on a journey, and a dance, that will last a lifetime.



 


 About the Author
 Darrel Nelson is a graduate of the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, with bachelor's degrees in English and education. He is a schoolteacher by profession, with thirty-three years of teaching experience, and currently teaches fourth grade at Raymond Elementary School. Nelson has had an article published in Lethbridge Magazine and has written several dramatic plays, two of which won provincial recognition and were showcased at a drama festival. He won the CJOC radio songwriting contest two years running and has had one song receive international airplay. Writing has always been a passion, and over the years he has written four novels intended for the juvenile market. They are unpublished as yet, but he reads them annually to his fourth-grade students. The Anniversary Waltz is his first novel intended for the adult market.

My Take:   I really enjoyed this book.  We know that Adam and Elizabeth get together as the book starts out at their 60th wedding anniversary.  Even though we knew that they ended up together the author threw in some bumps along the way.  I thought that the relationship that Adam had with his dad was an interesting one as most people are proud that their sons go to fight for their country and are really happy when they come back alive.  I just thought that his father's reaction was different.  I thought the author did a really good job as this is his first book.  I will be looking for more books by him in the future.

I received a copy of this book for review purposes.