
Just imagine, for a second, how useful it would be if we were able to get “mulligans” in real life. What if something went horribly wrong and we were able to pop back in time to have another go at getting it right this time? How useful would that be? This is exactly the premise that forms the basis of Tess Manchester’s debut novel, Pivot Point: True Time Book 1. U.S. Marshall Blake Parsons is noted for two things – her fiery temper and her uncanny ability to capture the bad guy and bring him in. Her temper has got her into more than her share of trouble with her bosses in the past, but with a record like hers, laxity was always going to be the byword. She was driven and successful, but when chasing a fugitive leads her to a small rural community in Tennessee and she meets the lovely Doctor Naomi, her outlook and her priorities change. The attraction is instant, but it must all wait for Blake Parsons to capture the man on the run, who she chases relentlessly.
For a debut novel, I found Pivot Point: True Time Book 1 to be a more than respectable effort. Tess Manchester’s two main characters are strong, independent women, in Blake and Naomi, who the author manages to show they are more than just bluster and anger, on Blake’s part and brains and beauty on Naomi’s part. She does well to show the vulnerability that lurks underneath Blake’s bluster and anger. I did enjoy the idea of going back and getting a “do-over” when things didn’t quite go as planned. The story flowed seamlessly and the action was fast and furious, with little held back in the way of realism. The possibility that this story is just the beginning of a series featuring this premise and/or these characters is intriguing and I look forward to what Manchester has to offer us next. As a thriller, with a time-twist, this debut was successful and I am certain the author will grow into her skin, as a writer, the more she gives us. This is a successful start to her literary career.
