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Casey Hammond could never have predicted the circumstances in which she would soon find herself when she encounters two young children, lost and bewildered, at the airport after seeing off her brother and his new wife. Ten-year-old Cortney and his six-year-old sister Chenin, disguised as a boy to aid in their escape from their Soviet controlled country, timidly approach Casey for assistance in traveling to their uncle’s address in a neighboring town. Concerned for their welfare, she insists on driving them to their relative’s home and, in doing so, becomes the target of the nadarb, a secret police organization of the Soviet government.
The nadarb has been pressuring Cortney and Chenin’s father, a scientist who has discovered a valuable formula in the development of atomic fuels, to reveal his research. Fearing for his children’s safety, he has sent them to America to live with his brother. Casey’s search to help them locate their uncle leads her to become a hostage. As she awaits her fate, a mysterious man helps her to escape, and a new pursuit begins. She soon discovers that her rescuer is Keir Jairon, the young and handsome son of the children’s uncle. Together, she and Keir transport the children to meet his parents, and their connection intensifies with the passing days.
In her book, Callick provides readers a unique combination of suspense entwined with a charming love story. The plot moves steadily with the characters in constant movement, which adds a sense of adventure and enhances the thrill of uncovering their fate. The scenery, from mountain terrains to ocean vistas, complements the pace at which the story unfolds. The romantic encounters of Casey and Keir are most enticing, but it is the importance of family that effortlessly steers the novel to its delightful conclusion.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review