Governor (Governor Trilogy 1)

The Governor Trilogy, Book 1. Politics has never been so hot, steamy, or controversial! I had to think for days about how to review this book. I could never do it justice by trying to summarize it. There are book blurbs on all retailers’ websites. Several chapters of the book are available for free through a link on her Tymber Dalton (one of Ms. Richardson’s pen names) website. So, I’m just going to tell you how I feel about this book and why it’s so important to me. This is the first book in The Governor Trilogy. On the surface, it may seem like another political romance story. But it’s so much more. This book focuses on Owen Taylor, who he is, where he comes from, and how he got where he is. It’s also the story of how Owen meets Carter Wilson and Susannah Evans, the two people who turn his world upside down and change his life on every possible level. To say I was blown away by the power of this story would be an understatement of MASSIVE proportions. The emotions Lesli Richardson evoked made me truly hate some of the characters. I was in anguish over Owen’s suffering. I felt joy, utter hopelessness, love, fear, pain, and hope. Yet the story wouldn’t exist without the presence of Carter and Susa. It’s Owen’s personal story, history, who and what he is, and why he’s the way he is, that are the heart of this book. But the soul? It takes Carter and Susa with Owen to complete the soul of this book. I honestly don’t have the words to adequately express exactly what this book made me feel. These three are the most fascinating characters I have ever encountered in any book. That’s no exaggeration! I’ve never read a book that pulled me in as quickly and deeply as this one did. I was so invested in these characters that I still think of them as real people I’d love to know. I can’t overstate just how captivating this book is. Another remarkable aspect of this book is the way it’s written. It’s incredibly rare for a book to be written from a first-person point of view. What’s even rarer is for such a book to be as riveting and compelling as this one. But Lesli Richardson has done all that and more. The overwhelming emotions, multifaceted relationships, incredible detail, and utter fascination of Machiavellian politics make this one of the most powerful books I’ve ever read. Ms. Richardson’s written some of the most remarkable books I’ve ever read or reviewed (under all four of her pen names). But this is, without doubt, the best book she’s ever written. I wish there was some special rating I could give this. No mere five-star rating system can do this book justice. Congratulations, Ms. Richardson! I adored this book! A final note. This is an ADULT book. It contains explicit language and BDSM sexual scenes. If you don't enjoy this genre, this may not be the book for you. There are book synopses and reviews available on Goodreads and all booksellers' websites. Use these resources. DON'T LEAVE A NEGATIVE REVIEW WHEN YOU KNOW YOU WON'T ENJOY THE BOOK. It's not fair to the author. She works hard to provide a quality work product. If you know you'll object to a book's subject matter before you buy it, you're doing yourself and the author an extreme disservice. Thanks for reading my review and happy reading!