Review: Exceeding Expectations by Lisa April Smith

Title: Exceeding Expectations Author: Lisa April Smith Publication Date: December 1, 2011
Synopsis:
It’s 1961 and Palm Beach socialite, irresistible rascal and devoted father Jack Morgan encounters genuine danger while staging his suicide to shield his beloved daughters from disgrace. Next, meet his daughter Charlotte (Charlie), an over-indulged 23 year-old struggling to cope with the traumatizing loss of her beloved father, her sister’s resulting mental breakdown and the discovery that she’s suddenly penniless. Fortunately Raul, an admiring young attorney, appears to offer assistance. As terrified as she is about daily survival, Charlie soon realizes that she has to learn what drove her father to kill himself. With Raul’s much needed ego-bolstering, the drive of necessity and unforeseen determination, Charlie finds a practical use for her annoyingly lean 5’ 11” frame. In time, this career finances her hard-wrought independence, her sister’s costly treatment and an emotional eye-opening journey to Paris.

Jumping back in time to romantic pre-WWII Paris readers meet young Alan Fitzpatrick – aka Jack Morgan – lack-luster artist, expert lover, irresistible rascal, and the bewitching girl who will become the mother of his children. Not even Charlie’s relentless detective work will uncover all Jack’s secrets, but in a fireworks of surprise endings, she discovers all that she needs to know and more: disturbing truths about her father, hew own unique talent, crimes great and small and a diabolical villain.
~My Thoughts~

Exceeding Expectations is told in alternating view points, Jack's and Charlotte's. While all of Charlotte's chapters happen in the present, all but one of Jack's take place in the past. The book starts out with Jack's "death", although we aren't told exactly why he is on the run. From there we meet Charlotte, having just learned the news that her stepmother will only be supporting her and her sister, Amelia, who has been living in a hospital after having a mental breakdown, for a few more months.
Charlotte is desperate to find work and a way to support herself and her sister. She is also desperate to learn why her father felt he needed to kill himself in order to protect the family. Charlotte is a mostly likable character: smart, funny and a little of a disaster when it comes to her feelings. Although she has a few flaws, and who doesn't, I think they were mostly attributed to the time period in which she lived, the 1960's. Times were much different then, and things like racism and sexism were still a common thing. 
Not having anyone else to turn to, Charlotte reluctantly accepts the help of a young attorney, Raul, in finding out about her father's past. Of course, a little romance starts to blossom between the two. But Raul is from Cuba and it is highly unacceptable for Charlotte to date, never mind marry, Raul. Naturally, their romance is a rather rocky one and this results in some serious page turning. 
Aside from Charlotte's life, we also learn about Jack's. His is one full of secrets and to put it lightly, quite a few woman. He is quite the ladies man, and even though you would think this would make him less of a likable character, it actually didn't. His story was perhaps my favorite of the book. I couldn't wait for more of his past to come up so I could learn more. He loved his children dearly and made many unfortunate sacrifices for them, including walking away from them forever to keep them safe. 
The only issue I had while reading this story was all the sexual encounters. While I don't mind a little sex in books, I prefer the quick "then they had sex" way of telling you what happened. Exceeding Expectations is a little more graphic and you are well aware of who is doing what. However, this is just my personal taste and shouldn't deter you from giving this a read, especially if you don't mind juicier details. I just thought I would give you a heads up. 
Overall, this was a sensational read. The author keeps this story going at a perfect pace, giving us just enough of one story before switching to the other. There is a little bit of everything you could possible want in this story: mystery, romance, intrigue and a whole lot more. This kept me flying through the pages and desperate to pick up each story where it left of. I'm looking forward to picking up the sequel and reading it as soon as possible. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who loves a good read!
Stop by tomorrow for an interview Lisa April Smith!
About the author:

Author Lisa April Smith lives with her husband, He-Who-Wishes-to-Remain-Anonymous, in Eternal Playland, Florida, a delightful spot just off I-95. Ms. Smith describes Eternal Playland as "a little piece of level heaven with occasional dampness, where the bugs are plentiful but respectful, and even the smallest strip mall contains at least one pizza place and a nail salon." 
Before discovering a passion for writing, Ms. Smith sold plumbing and heating, antiques, taught ballroom dancing, tutored, modeled, designed software and managed projects for IBM. She returned to college multiple times to study anthropology, sociology and computer science, in which she holds degrees, as well as psychology, archaeology  literature, history and art. Combine those widely diverse interests with a love of travel and a gift for writing page-turners and it’s easy to understand one reviewer’s unbridled praise for Exceeding Expectations, “She (Ms. Smith) has a brilliance for conveying characters, and the intellectual capacity to place them in historical settings that sparkle with glamorous detail . . . that make it fun to read . . . ” 

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*I received this book for free in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own