Kindle Edition Amazon Idelle Kursman Amazon Idelle Kursman Category:  Women Publisher: MBK Publishing ISBN-10:  0996592237 Type: Fiction Pages: 319 Copyright: May 9, 2020 ISBN-13: 9780996592246 Price: $2.99 (eBook) After many tumultuous years, Christine is finally satisfied with her life. But the man responsible for her difficult past reenters her life. Will Christine be up to the challenge? The past is over and forgotten. Or is it? Christine Goldberg has finally achieved a good life after years of upheaval. She has a loving husband, great kids, and a steady job at a Boston modeling agency. Though still struggling to overcome her parents’ disappointment and her own feelings of failure, she tries to focus on all she has now. But Christine’s comfortable life is about to unravel as Ryan Monti, an ex-boyfriend she hasn’t seen in years, reenters her life in an unexpected way. Ryan, now an A-list Hollywood actor, is a self-centered playboy who treats women as nothing more than arm candy. He’s committed to one thing: finding the career-defining role that will win him an Oscar. That is, until a shady blackmailer threatens to expose his past. When the blackmailer's machinations bring them together, Christine and Ryan will be forced to reckon with their history. Will either be able to rise to the challenge? “Kursman takes us on a fascinating journey through seedy, greedy Hollywood to get to the expected Revelations in a book readers are not likely to forget.”  --Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning writer of fiction and poetry    It has been awhile since I read a book I "just couldn't put down", but I found one in The Book of Revelations by Idelle Kursman. This can easily be read as a stand alone, but will be greater appreciated if the reader first reads True Mercy. This is a continuation of the bittersweet tale of three key characters. Christine had been blessed. Having birthed illegitimate twins, she had some financial support from her parents and low paying jobs, when the twins were very young children, a very good man married her and was such a great husband and father. She now enjoyed success in a job she enjoyed. Life was good, she could deal with any problem, or could she? The character are very endearing and seem so real. The scenes are portrayed well and easily visualized. This poignant tale is very emotionally captivating. It has several great morals in this story. --LAWonder10       Excerpt As Christine entered the office, Linda came rushing over to her, her eyes dancing, her cheeks pink, and her smile wide. “Christine, you’ll never guess,” she whispered loudly while hurrying over to her. “A big actor in Hollywood made an appointment to see you! Ryan Monti! Can you believe it? First thing this morning! Oh my, I can’t… he’s a little late,” she said, glancing at the clock, “but that’s OK. You’re just a few minutes late too. No problem.” She waved her hand. “You go into your office and get ready. Sophie has an early meeting today. After she’s done, she’s coming over here to greet him.” Her hand went to her chest and then both her hands fluttered to her cheeks. “Oh my! This is so exciting! Wait until my family hears about this! After he meets with you, I’m hoping to get a picture with him!” As she rambled on, Christine stood there woodenly. When Linda finally finished gushing, she mindlessly headed to her own office, where her assistant was too excited to notice her expressionless face.

Donovan's Literary Services
In The Book of Revelations, Christine Goldberg has struggled for a large part of her life to get to the successful point she enjoys today, with a family, a good job, and security. All this is threatened by the emergence of an ex-boyfriend who is in search of the apex role in his acting career, the only thing that thus far has remained elusive to him.

Ryan Monti is fixated on his goal, shallow, self-centered, and a part of her past that Christine didn't want exposed. He's also successful. His success hasn't led to contentment, but to an obsession which has led him to being considered
one of Hollywood's shining stars.

When blackmail enters the picture to complicate Ryan's life, his uncertain relationship with girlfriend Megan, and his reconnection with Christine, it throws them both together despite their feelings about the past, and everything begins to change.

Idelle Kursman builds a fine story where the past intersects with the present in two very different lives and personas. She paints a fine portrait of Christine, who faces life with the professional demeanor of a businesswoman with more savvy and independence than her younger self; and Ryan, whose personality hasn't veered much from his obsessions and uncertainties even as he's cultivated uncommon success in his life.

Ryan's feelings about reporters mirrors his casual use-them-and-drop-them attitude about everything in his life, from his girlfriends to his colleagues: "Ryan had no real relationships with other journalists or anyone else in the media. He considered them a nuisance and always tried to avoid them by wearing a hat, sunglasses, and nondescript clothing in public."

At first, it's hard to see the connections between these two disparate individuals aside from their early encounter. The surprise lies in their evolution and shared revelation over a closely-held secret that holds the power to change Ryan's life like nothing else. Ryan grows and changes throughout the story, finally developing into the man he should have been all along.

The Book of Revelations explores different kinds of revelations, confrontations, and changes. It considers how one door opens as another is still closing, and explores changed concepts of family connections, trust, and truth.

Readers interested in a chronicle of lies, truths, and revised lives will find The Book of Revelations an emotional ride into the choices and consequences of two disparate individuals who find their lives coming full circle in unexpected ways. It's highly recommended reading for those who like to see their characters evolve later in life, and for readers who know that no story is set in stone until the end of life.



Amy's Bookshelf Reviews
Read review at http://writeramyshannon.wixsite.com/bookshelfreviews/post/the-book-of-revelations-by-idelle-kursman?postId=5eb864b086cbc50017fa8130

Sandra's Book Reviews
Ryan is a celebrity actor, one of Hollywood’s best and brightest. His life is full of one-night stands and his only goal is to win an Oscar for one of his movies. One day, he receives a blackmail letter about his…son? What?

Christine is happily married with kids. Her world crashes around her when she realizes her husband may be dying.

Well-written, insightful, and evocative. The many intricacies in this captivating story include mysteries, memories, and blackmail. It is indeed called the book of revelations as truths finally come out for everyone. A well worth and captivating read!