By: Seraphina Quin
Who are we?
Readers!
What do we want?
Books!
When do we want them?
NOW!!!
If the italics above were your responses to our questions, then congratulations! You have passed our test. Welcome, welcome, seasoned reader.
There never seems to be enough books to satiate a reader’s hunger. New releases are on our calendars every year, and to help the audience keep track of what’s trending and cool, publishing companies use “seasonal marketing.” Apart from arranging the books on your shelf by genre, color, or author, you can add one more section – season!
With Spring on the horizon – there is one book in particular you need to keep an eye out for.
We are talking about The Reluctant Courier by Pam Stevens.
And no – we won’t be very reluctant to give you details. But relax! We assure there won’t be any spoilers. How ever can we take away the joy of reading through the amazing book The Reluctant Courier is from you? There is suspense, mystery, political intrigue, romance, and action!
Get your Spring reading list ready for one more worthy addition.
It Is a Relatively Short Read – A Plus in the Readers’ Universe
A short book is in no way a bad book. In fact, some readers prefer a quick read. In the timeline of a seasoned reader, there is a decline in dedicated readership, particularly around the mid-twenties. What happens here?
Well… the short answer is: life.
When you step into the corporate world and begin the nine-to-five grind, you may not have the time to read like before – at least not until you retire. Even for expert readers (advanced readers who read multiple books at a time without jumbling the plots or getting confused by them), the perils of adult life can be jarringly controlling and demanding.
Most contemporary writers, you will notice, did not fail to address this steadily growing concern. Writers age – so do readers; the author-reader connection is long-lasting. So, there came a time (and it is still happening) when it became cool to write shorter chapters and less lengthy novels. The reasons were that shorter chapters are read more easily, and, ultimately, the reader reaches the end of the book, not even knowing how they got there.
The Reluctant Courier does the same.
Pam Stevens’ masterclass-of-a-book in the mystery-suspense-romance trifecta is a short read. But it doesn’t fall short of keeping its readers entertained – as you will soon learn. It keeps us twisting and turning, wanting more with the flip of each page! By the time you reach the end, you might even consider reading it again from the beginning.
Mystery, Suspense, Romance – It’s a Multitude of Genres!
The Reluctant Courier is written with multiple genres in focus, and the story unfolds paying attention to each. It is like multiple stories are being told through just one – this genre-orama is rarely touched upon by writers today. It welcomes a wider audience. Pam Stevens, on the other hand, embraces it unafraid.
Creative writing is all about finding new ways to interest readers and keeping them hooked, offering something not previously offered. Pam doesn’t play it safe with her central character, the rodeo-contestant-turned-courier – Sandra. The whirlwind romance between Sandra and Congressman Hoyt goes side by side with some action, mystery, and, importantly, comedy! As previously mentioned, this type of strategic writing brings readers of multiple genres under one roof – it’s a conference of sorts. Also, it is perfect for fostering long-term readership. Reading can be like music; if you listen to a song too many times, it becomes bland in your ears.
But a multitude of genres in one packet, something like The Reluctant Courier, can never disappoint you. Thank you, Pam!
Every Character Contributes to the Reading Experience
You will be rooting for the dynamic duo. It’s good to root for the dynamic duo.
Dynamic duos ROCK.
But wait a second.
It’s not just the dynamic duo that makes a book – unless you’re reading something off the table of Dr. Seuss.
The book has other characters – not just Sandra and Steven. While the plot revolves around the two, the author does a great job with the secondary characters as well and they adequately contribute to the story.
Barbara, for example. We love how Pam explores the multidimensional nature of women through Barbara in The Reluctant Courier. Barb is too trusting, but at the same time, this inclination does not let her let her guard down. Women don’t need to stick to one role or personality – and this adds to the readers’ experience.
Then we have Joey, who is not the central male, and so we discover other aspects of what it is like to make choices as a man.
You have the stories of more than one great character in this book. And each is putting in the work.
The Writing Style Complements the Narrative
Masterful writing and an easy-to-finish story don’t go hand in hand. You need space to expand with words, characters, arcs, and plot development. All this requires – you guessed it – words! And pages.
But The Reluctant Courier does us one (no wait, two, three, maybe four) better.
The book is phenomenal! The dialogue, choice of words, the balance of seriousness and comic relief, and the proportionate use of cliffhangers and other literary devices found in Steven’s writing enhance the flow of the story. From a critic’s point of view, The Reluctant Courier is not being given enough credit. As a writer, you don’t really need to mold your writing to the genre – it comes naturally. But to do so is a testament to one’s literary prowess. No writer molds their writing style to fit genres. But Pam creates her own genre, adding multiple elements to her concoction, and she creates a writing style that complements the story.
You will find yourself also reading the book for sentence structures and stylistic choices apart from seeing Sandra (protagonist) to the end of her mission.
And finally –
There Is Sequel Potential
From the many frustrations readers voice about series and sequels, one stands alone. Too many books spoil the broth.
But this isn’t necessarily the case with classics like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, et cetera. A sequel is essential to continue stories and explore characters. It’s just like school – if you want to become president one day, then you probably shouldn’t stop at first grade.
And characters to root for (Sandra, Hoyt – we’re thinking Soyt, maybe even Handra) deserve to be explored with sequels. If you are a fan of sequels and series and do not mind coming back to a franchise you thought you were done with (in case a sequel isn’t actively indicated or the book didn’t end on a cliffhanger), then we will tell you this one thing – The Reluctant Courier has sequel potential.
It is too early to say if it is a sure thing (since the author hasn’t made an official comment) – but when you’re done reading the book, you’ll know there is room for more and will want it.
Should You Add The Reluctant Courier to Your Spring Leading List?
A big yes.
TRC is an interesting mix of genres, great characters, and an unputdownable plot. So much goodness in just one book.
But this is where it gets interesting – the writing!
With her carefully curated selection of words and sentence structures, not only will this book test your loyalty to your reading, but it will also help you pick up writing! What is the next step for readers? Having ventured through many worlds and lived many lives, we all know what is coming. After reading so many stories, we ultimately want to write our own.
A grandmother, successful businesswoman, and now writer, Pam Stevens is not retiring. She has made her debut with The Reluctant Courier – available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and other leading publishing platforms.
Go ahead! Don’t be reluctant. Grab your copy now!
Published by: Khy Talara
