Intent

Raylene works in her aunt’s diner, where she bemoans the fact that nothing ever happens to her. She thought she'd be out of town and doing something with her life besides waiting tables but knows that if something is going to change, then it will be up to her. The return of her former crush, Billy, gives her the strength and courage she needs to move forward. Unfortunately, intrigue, secrets, and murder throw her into a deadly whirlpool threatening not only own future, but her life. 

“Intent” is a clean read that deals with the emotional growth of a troubled character. It also functions as a lesson in how faith can become stronger through difficult situations. The story starts out slowly, with a long information dump about Raylene. There is a great deal of telling as opposed to showing. Most of the characters need to be fleshed out - they suffer from two-dimensional construction and clichéd POVs. Raylene initially should appeal to the reader, but longer association could wear on one - especially with her "woe is me" attitude. Her returned flame doesn’t inspire any warm feelings either with his somewhat practiced lines about how he cares about her. Overall, the plot line had potential, but needed more action and polish. Inspirational readers should enjoy the fact that Raylene derives strength from her faith even when her world is falling apart.

Morgan Stamm