Some borders aren\u2019t meant to be crossed.<\/em><\/p>\nOne of life\u2019s stereotypical tropes, at least in America, is the concept of coming from the \u201cwrong side of the tracks.\u201d Sultry is the Night uses this metaphor quite literally. In its unnamed city, railroad tracks distinctly divide \u201cthe good life\u201d on one side from the poverty, addiction, and desperation one finds on the other.<\/p>\n
Mario knows both sides. He once lived a life of privilege on the tony side. Until that is, his father abandoned him and his mother when Mario was ten, forcing mother and son to live in a small, dingy apartment across the railroad. Now, his father\u2019s abandonment and his mother\u2019s recent long and painful death have left Mario with a gigantic chip on his shoulder.<\/p>\n
Enter Tess, formal name Teresa Winston. She represents the elegance and sophistication Mario left behind years ago. She\u2019s charming in a quirky way, and she seems to be as smitten with Mario as Mario is with her. But she\u2019s hiding a dark secret. And while Tess intrigues and inspires, she also triggers Mario\u2019s barely-hidden resentments.<\/p>\n
Sultry is the Night is a dark story, as the author warns in the book\u2019s front matter. Some of its scenes take place in places with ominous undertones. While powerful, its themes of rejection, passion, and potential redemption may be triggering for some readers. The sexual encounters between Tess and Mario are explicit yet are neither pornographic nor gratuitous.<\/p>\n
Mario may be an angry young man, but he has goals now that he has been freed from caring for his mother. Yet the reader gets the sense that he believes he is unworthy of success or happiness. And then there\u2019s that ever-present anger. While one can empathize with Mario, there is the ever-looming specter that his inner rage will overcome his sound judgment and sabotage his success.<\/p>\n
Tess is a woman of secrets and surprises, and not all of them are pleasant. Hard necessities have forced her to make choices she is neither happy about nor comfortable with, yet she feels she has no other options. She may appear brighter and happier than Mario from the outside, but inside is another story.<\/p>\n
Many readers will enjoy Sultry is the Night, but others may find the darkness and steaminess off-putting. If the dark side of life is not your cup of tea, this is a book you should skip. But if you are game, you will find the book entertaining.<\/p>\n\n
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![\"Barbara](\"https:\/\/www.whisperingstories.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/tuxpi.com_.1733844146.jpg\")
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I grew up Italian in the Niagara Region and attended Notre Dame High School, and then Brock University. In 1999, I moved to Ottawa to pursue work and have worked for two major Ottawa area magazines. Being the shy kid in school, I created stories in my head, and when my Grade 9 English teacher awarded one of my short stories an A +, I knew that I would one day write a novel.<\/p>\n
My work appears in various anthologies including Steering 23 Publications, Storytime for Grownups, and Beyond the Levee. In October of 2022, \u201cRevived\u201d was chosen as \u201cHorror Book of the Year\u201d by the \u201cFeed My Reads\u201d community.<\/p>\n
When I\u2019m not writing, I\u2019m experimenting in the kitchen, reading, watching 1980s movies, or engaging with my peers on Twitter. I believe in magic. Books are magic. Love is the most remarkable magic.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nAuthor Links:<\/h3>\n
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\nThe above links are affiliate links. I receive a very small percentage from each item you purchase via these links, which is at no extra cost to you. If you are thinking about purchasing the book, please think about using one of the links. All money received goes back into the blog and helps to keep it running. Thank you.<\/p>\n
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