 November 2005
In the Name of Love
by Sammie Ward
Emotions of betrayal, a love gone awry, and all the ingredients needed to make wrongs right is packed into author Sammie Ward’s latest novel, IN THE NAME OF LOVE. How much we are willing to do in the name of love is anybody’s guess, but when drama is linked to human emotion heart and mind often clash without stability to overrule foolish intent. The genesis of this story involves Derrick Rawlings’ decision to move back home to take over the family business after his father falls ill. Shari Thomas is a respected and talented doctor on a collision course to rectify circumstances involving Derrick that caused him to leave in the first place. Derrick happened upon his college sweetheart and his best friend sharing a kiss, which he concluded wasn’t in his best interests, so he fled to Europe to escape the negative drama and flak from his friends. Now almost six years later they are destined to meet again, but under what set of circumstances? There are all types of adjectives to describe innuendo and good intent when fate intervenes forcing one to go alternative routes. Such is the case here where secrets are allowed to lie dormant without rectification, which is one of the definitive entities of this tale.
Developing a compelling and moving story is a challenge for any writer trying to hold an audience. This author has done a credible job for the right amount of stability to allow the setting to mesh with good characters and not have the story bog down too much because of predictability and overbearing morass. I love how she developed her characters and were able to use the right amount of metaphor for decent dialogue. Imagine the scene after Derrick and finds Shari more alluring and attractive than before, despite hostile overtones, as each is blaming the other for the breakup. Unbeknownst to Derrick, the kiss was staged to sabotage the relationship, and made for him to be a pawn in a selfish game played by some people he trusted. The real trick here is for the author to weave the story where conflict asserts itself to give not only contrast, but also a certain level of balance for a solid ending. Can Derrick and Shari rekindle the love they once shared?
Despite the fact that vestiges of the story were predictable, Ms Ward gave us enough reason for it to be salvaged. Like the previous books that the author has written, this one can certainly be placed with them for legitimacy. Not to harp on the small things that cropped up in the story, I for one would have welcomed more confrontation to enhance the possibility of a back-story. Nonetheless, I will add my name to others who have given this author carte blanche to be considered among her peers as a writer with more to say where talent is much more than an afterthought to good drama. If you buy this book, you won’t be disappointed!
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