Unbreakable Hostage for the Holidays

I cannot believe it's December 24th already! Where has the time gone?

It's crazy to think we're at the end of 2015, isn't it?! Time goes by WAY too quickly!

Since the holidays are officially upon us, I thought it might be a good idea to look at my books as gifts for the readers on your list...or even yourself! ;)

This week, we'll look at my suspense novel, Unbreakable Hostage.

Unbreakable Hostage isn't a "who dunnit" type of suspense novel. Instead, it puts you right in the middle of the action. You wonder what is going to happen next, and if any of us are going to make it out alive.

Lareina Oliveira is a small, gorgeous, tenacious Hispanic woman. She is as smart as she is beautiful. She's an educator, but she finds her students' apathy depressing. So she decides to pursue her doctorate in math so that she can teach at the university level. In her class, she meets Tony Covelli, a rather awkward and somewhat creepy man. He clearly has an interest in her. Though she gently rejects him time and again, he clearly doesn't get the hint. In an act of desperation, he kidnaps her.

In Unbreakable Hostage, we are able to experience this story from Lareina's perspective, Tony's perspective, Lareina's roommate's and family's perspective, and Marc's, the missing persons detective assigned to her case.

This story will certainly keep you guessing as to what is going to happen next. Unbreakable Hostage is a dark and intense story sure to sweep up anyone who dares to open it and turn the page.

    Get your copy here

5 Stars

"I read this awhile ago and it sit fondly in my kindle awaiting my turn to read it one more time. It is a suspense story about a heroine who stays alive through wit, math and out smarting her kidnapper...as she sends clues and ends up saving herself and taking the books to a happy ending. I have read nearly all of Lauren's books and I always look forward to more books in the future. I highly recommend Lauren's book...it is a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout your read." - L. Boritz

Lareina Oliveira; she wants to share her passion for math. So it is back to school for Lareina… a tough Ph.D. program. A classmate is captivated by Lareina’s beauty and intelligence, and despite her repeated refusals to his attentions, he kidnaps her! Only her determination and wits can save her…

Character of the Week: Marc from Unbreakable Hostage

Marcus Raymer is a cop whose past is as mysterious as he is.

Born and raised in London, England, Marcus came from a fairly prestigious family. His father worked in Parliament. His mother came from a very influential family, thus she did not work.

Marcus certainly lived a life of luxury. His parents drove spectacular cars. Their home was quite remarkable. His friends and classmates also came from London's most elite families.

Life was good for the Raymer family. Things always have a dreadful way of changing, though.


Marcus had an older sister, Marci. When Marci was sixteen, she met a man named James. James was 22 at the time. They began dating.

Marcus and Marci's parents were not happy about this arrangement at all. They greatly disliked James. The age difference was bothersome enough, but James pulled her away from them. He was very controlling and manipulative. The family had great concerns for Marci.

They attempted to talk to her. Explanations of their concerns only solidified Marci's beliefs that she and James were akin to Romeo and Juliette. Discussions became arguments, conversations became confrontations. The tension escalated greatly.

Finally one day, when the family awoke, they found a note in the kitchen from Marci. She had run off to be with James. That was the last anyone had ever seen or heard from her.

Marci's absence took a tremendous toll on Marcus. Her loss ate away at him. He could never truly relax as he worried about her day in and day out. He became incredibly introverted and quiet. He began losing friends as he totally withdrew from those around him. His parents worried about him because the change was so drastic, but no matter what they did, Marcus remained a loner.

Losing Marci caused Marc to want to become a constable. He felt that by helping others, he was hopefully helping her. That his police work would lead him to her. Again his parents worried: he had never been exposed to some of life's greatest difficulties. Could he truly fare with some of the worst people and places that London had to offer? As well, they hoped he'd change his mind. Police work was not something that people like them would do. Prominent and influential families had a higher status and thus a higher calling. Police work was...well, beneath them.

Much to their dismay, Marc was accepted and became a constable.


Marcus did well as a constable. He was able to diffuse many situations with his calm, quiet, rational personality. His large, muscular built instilled both confidence and fear. He liked police work. It suited him well, and he did very well.

His parents still worried about him, though it seemed their focus was more on status than it was on his well being. He, though, became more focused on their well being.


Some of his father's constituents were becoming displeased with his work in Parliament. Things seemed to be getting tense. Marcus expressed his concern on more than one occasion. His father chalked it up to politics, plain and simple. He was not worried at all.


Unfortunately, Marcus' hunch was correct. One hot summer night, the Raymer home was set on fire, and Marcus lost both of his parents that night.

Marcus was once again devastated. Already a loner, he just lost the two people he had. He could no longer take the loneliness or pain. London was chock full of memories - memories that he didn't want to have.

He took everything he had and moved to the States. He needed a complete change of scenery, so he moved to southern California. A new place, a new climate, and a new life.

California was a beautiful new change. It helped him to escape his past of pain. But he could not escape from his own isolation. His introversion kept him alone, still.

In America, he became a missing persons detective. His drive to find his sister stayed with him on an entirely new continent. Again, Marcus succeeded. He was an excellent detective and one of the highest rescue rates.

One particular day, he received a phone call from a young woman who was absolutely distraught over the disappearance of her roommate. Though she hadn't been missing for twenty four hours yet, he knew that something was amiss. Thus, he took on the case of Lareina Oliveira.


Lareina's case was unlike any other he had taken on. Her captor was like so many others: obsessed, controlling, and unpredictable. She, though, was like no captive he had ever seen. She was smart and quick witted - she sent messages to her roommate Sandy to help lead the police to her. She was strong and determined to survive. Her resiliency was uncanny. She was also amazingly beautiful.

Marcus focused on her wits more than her beauty. It seemed as though time after time, though they were so close to finding her, they missed her. He could not sleep knowing she was being held hostage somewhere. He worked tirelessly to find her. He drove his chief, and the chief of Fresno crazy with his demands and attempts to save her. He continued to believe in her while they had both given up on her and the case.


It was his persistence that eventually brought her salvation. Finally coming upon her and Tony, Marcus fought valiantly to save her. After an incredible battle, Lareina had finally been rescued.

The sight of her tore Marcus apart. She was a small, beautiful woman who had been severely abused. Her faces was battered and swollen. She had innumerable woulds on her arms, hands, and legs. She should have died due to the extensive nature of her injuries. It was a horrible sight. As carefully as he could, he got her in the car, and drove her to the hospital.

He visited her in the hospital during her recovery. There was such a connection, and he had such admiration for her. He needed that moment for himself as much as for her. During his visit, Lareina said she wanted to thank him for rescuing her. Though he told her she didn't need to, when the time came, he was more than happy to spend the time with her.

There was something between them. A mutual concern and respect for each other. An undeniable spark. Indeed, theirs was an amazing bond. From rescue to romance, they were destined for each other. In finding Lareina, Marc also found himself. Marc rescued Lareina from Tony. Lareina rescued Marc from his isolation.
                                                 


Favorite quote from Marc: "Do you think I'd drive all the way up here for a joke, Dominick?! Jesus, get real."

Happy reading!
http://www.amazon.com/Unbreakable-Hostage-Lauren-Shiro/dp/0615902456/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1433098115&sr=8-14&keywords=lauren+shiro

Character of the Week: Lareina from Unbreakable Hostage

Smart and sexy, Lareina Oliveira  is a rare gem.

She was born in Puerto Rico. Growing up, she and her family didn't have much. Her parents, Consuelo and Jose, wanted more for Lareina and her brother. They wanted to see their children succeed in life. So, the family packed what few items they had, and they came to the States.

At twelve, Lareina had to adjust to an entirely new culture and language. It was a difficult adjustment at times. Very few of her classmates had any interest in befriending her. She was the new girl, the foreign girl, the poor girl. Her parents worked tirelessly for her to have a better life. Lareina quickly learned to appreciate all that she had, and all that her parents worked for. At a young age, she carefully tended to all of her belongings. Her clothes - any of her property - was kept very clean, very well organized, and remained in perfect condition. That is a trait that stayed with her throughout her life.

Seeing her parents' sacrifices, Lareina also focused on school work. She knew she needed to make the best of her education, and she did. She was a smart girl, so school work was not difficult for her. Math, though, came especially easy.

Her studies paid off. She graduated at the top of her class. Lareina decided that she wanted to give back. She thought that if she became a teacher, she could do some good in the world, and that would be a way to honor her parents' sacrifice.


College - both undergrad and graduate - was a breeze for the young Latina. She studied diligently, but she also had a social life. She had quite a few friends, and she dated occasionally. One of her friends was a gal named Sandy. Sandy was from San Diego, and she was also an education major. The two hit it off, and they eventually became roommates. She and Sandy both landed  jobs at the same school, before they even graduated. They were definitely two peas in a pod - two peas wanting to make a difference in the lives of children. Lareina was so excited to share her love of math, and to help her students learn and grow.

Like all teachers, she had her good students, and her not-so-good students. Lareina did everything imaginable to help reach her less-than-stellar students. Sometimes her hard work paid off. Other times, not so much. The longer she taught, the harder it became to reach her students. Lareina eventually felt defeated. It seemed that nothing worked. Her students didn't care, and she was unable to ignite a passion within them. She gave up. She waived her white flag, and decided to return to school to get her doctorate. She was going to be a professor, where she could work with students who had the drive and enthusiasm that she had.

In her first class, she encounters a man named Tony Covelli. He is awkward, and Lareina felt very uncomfortable around him. Time after time, he tries to strike up conversation with her. It's strained at best. He asks her out on dates countless times. The more she rejects him, the more assertive he becomes. Lareina becomes increasingly concerned as his behavior worsens.

At the end of the semester, after countless rejections, Tony cannot hold out any longer. He had to have her. So, he kidnapped her.

Her kidnapping was a long and torturous event. Tony brought her up to an old cabin hidden deep within the woods near the Merced River. At times, he was abusive and controlling. He raped her, he cut her with knives, he smashed her hands under the leg of a rocking chair he sat in. He was a brute. There were, however, other times where he was tender and gentle. He would talk to her, feed her, and try to take care of her. His words and actions were unpredictable. Despite his monstrous behavior, he also showed Lareina that he was just a very sad, sick, and hurt human being. There were times where Lareina couldn't help but feel sorry for him, or connect with him in some way. The Stockholm Syndrome was prominent in her experience.


For all of the abuse she endures, Lareina remains strong and stoic. She knows that only her wits and determination are what will save her. She is resourceful, using anything and everything to help herself, and help lead her friends, family, and police to her. Though she sometimes feels hopeless, her determination and will to live keep her going. She has an inner strength that not even she is aware of. She is an incredibly strong and resilient woman.

Tony was able to elude the police for days. For about two weeks, they hide in the cabin, living in fear and squalor. A case against Tony's brother brings the police right to them. Lareina watches as Marc, a missing persons detective fights with Tony in order to save Lareina. Weak, and severely injured, Lareina also fights for her freedom.

Once she is free, she rides home in Marc's car. For the first time, she looks at herself in the mirror on the car visor. She sees all of her bruises, wounds, and scars. The woman who loved to keep herself pristine was anything but. It was more painful to see what she truly looked like than to endure all that Tony had done to her.

In a perfect, fairy tale ending, Lareina and Marc find hope, freedom, and love with each other. As Marc said to himself. "I might have rescued her, but she rescued my heart." Theirs is the ending we all hope and wish for.

Lareina is a very strong woman. She has inner strength, physical strength, a mental strength like no other. She is quick witted, clever, smart, resourceful - she's unlike anyone you have ever met before. A perfect combination of brains and beauty, Lareina Oliveira is the kind of heroine we all need today.

Favorite quote from Lareina: "I wanted to show them how much I appreciated what they had done for us. So, I studied hard and I always worked. It was all for them – for their sacrifice. My first obligation is to my family, not to just any man. The right man would understand; they always told me that and I fully believe it.

     “Besides, I was raised to be a good Catholic. My parents instilled morals into my brother and I. Between my family and my beliefs, I was simply living my life the best way I knew how.”

Happy reading!
http://www.amazon.com/Unbreakable-Hostage-Lauren-Shiro/dp/0615902456/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1428701439&sr=8-13&keywords=lauren+shiro