DRAMA, THRILLER

Callie grew up in a small town, spending time with her best friend, Andy. When he moves away, she grabs the attention of Devin, the handsome relative to her nemesis, Bridget. Devin rapes her and in self defense, she kills him. After she marries Andy, she is being harasser by a young man who turns out to be the baby she lost years before.

FAIR

FIRST PERSON

Authors Writing Style: GOOD

Characterization: FAIR

Commerciality: GOOD

Franchise Potential: FAIR

Pace: GOOD

Premise: GOOD

Structure: GOOD

Theme: GOOD

Yes, the book profile accurately reflects the book.

This is a wholesome story surrounding a young girl coming of age in a small town. She has a loving family, a great best friend and all the usual childhood dramas. The story begins as endearing and nostalgic.

The story takes a dramatic turn when Cassie is raped by Devin. It is a defining point in the story but it isn't dealt with properly. Cassie never really deals with the trauma, becoming more focused on the resulting pregnancy which seems wholly unrealistic. She names the baby after her rapist. The idea that the child will be a bad seed is also unfair. He is pinned as the bad guy simply because of the nature of his birth. His life and experiences are never explored and his story given any meaning. While everyone deals with trauma in different ways, it is important to give the proper gravity it deserves.

THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS

The hook is that Cassie believes she lost her baby when he was taken to from her to be raised by her enemy. He comes back to seek revenge because he was raised knowing she was the reason for his father's death.

This could have a large fanbase if the story focused on adult Cassie after her assault and her child coming to exact revenge. It would be an interesting dynamic for her harasser to be the son she believes died. As is, the story is too wholesome for mainstream audiences.

This doesn't not have awards potential as is. There is little character depth. The dialogue is very outmoded and overly sweet until Cassie's assault. There is little understanding of the depth of Cassie's feelings during some major events in her life.

LOW BUDGET

VIRGIN RIVER, SWEET MAGNOLIA'S

The story is original because Cassie believes she lost her baby. When the man that is stalking her is killed, she learns that he was her child that was taken while she was in a coma. The story has many unique twists at the end, but the majority of the story, showing Cassie growing up is not unique.

The lead characters do not stand out. It is a small town story with the predictable characters. None of the characters are explored in depth.

This is not a rare gem but has a unique twist that could be developed deeper. Devin Jr's character needs more exploration to understand his motives and actions. It would beneficial to see Cassie dealing with the lies she was told about his death, the deception of her family and being confronting with her living son.

Film: Indie, Streaming TV Series: Limited Run / Mini-Series

CONSIDER

This is a consider because the last third of the book has some great twists, however predictable they are. More sophisticated storytelling could aid in revealing the twist in a more explosive fashion. The beginning of the book is sweet and happy but mundane. It should be shortened with greater time given to Cassie as an adult and the revelation that her son is alive. The issue of rape and giving birth to a child of rape should be explored with the proper significance.