The Lives Between Us- Theresa Rizzo

Synopsis
How far would you go to save the one you love?

Reporter Skylar Kendall has run from commitment all her life, pushing people away before they leave her, until her niece worms her way into Skye’s heart and settles in tight. Skye relaxes into a career she enjoys and relishes being a doting aunt.

Then her niece becomes gravely ill. Unable to bear yet another loss, Skye is determined to find a cure, but the girl’s only hope lies in the embryonic stem cell therapy Michigan Senator Edward Hastings repeatedly opposes. When Skye fails to find alternative treatment in time, she vows to end the senator’s political career.

Curious about the woman behind the scathing articles on his best friend, Mark Dutton pursues Skye. Dating Mark gives her access to Hastings’s life and secrets that would launch Skye's career and satisfy her need for retribution… Only she hadn’t counted on falling in love.

Can she avenge the lives lost to politics at the expense of her new love and friends?


My Review
4* read
The author got in touch with me and asked whether I would like to read a copy of her book. I had it downloaded on Net Galley and put it to the top of my tbr pile.

I was quickly drawn into the book. I loved the scenes between Sky and her niece Nicky who had a heart problem. She took supplies in for a pyjama party to give her sister and her husband a night off. Conventional medicine is not helping and the only thing that may help- stem cell therapy is opposed by the senator.

She tries to get him to rethink his policies and then vows to ruin him. She is devastated that he stands in the way of the medical research that could help so many people.

As the book evolves you realise that everyone has their own standpoint on something like stem cell research and what constitutes illegal practice- and that personal circumstance may force you to face up to your personal beliefs. 

The characters are all tied together either by work or personal friendships and I loved seeing behind the scenes on the ski trip and the blooming relationship between Sky and Mark. They are both shaken by past experiences and afraid to fully commit, drawing back when they are ready to take their relationship to a new level. Can they ever learn to trust each other fully and is one of them hiding more than they should?

It makes you think about the home life behind public office. A Senator (or one of our politicians) is elected to serve the public- but they also have a private family life and they may be a totally different person at home. Can you form an opinion solely on their public persona?

I loved every page and will be keen to read more by Theresa.