Not Them is book 3 in the Firebrook Valley series and follows youngest Holliston child, Brady, as he embarks on an adventure to find Thomas Steele, the man who may have the answers to the questions about the thirty year family feud with the Burkes.
About Not Them
Brady Holliston is the youngest child of Gabe and Beth. He has always been the peacekeeper in the family, but they also believe he needs to be protected. When his parents got divorced, he was the one who kept the family together. He is always in the background doing important things that others do not see. He portrays himself as fun loving, go with the flow, no ulterior motives, but people underestimate him.
Elise is the youngest child and only daughter to Thomas Steele. When she was young, her mother and father got divorced. But the way she describes it, her mother divorced all of them. Her father built the company that she and her brother, Keaton, work for. Her father built a fortress for both the business and their home. She has spent her entire life behind secured fences and walls. While she is very smart, she is also a bit awkward in social settings because of the way she was raised.
At the end of Not Him, Brady sets out on the adventure, and challenge, of a lifetime. He is on a mission to find Thomas Steele. Well, the right Thomas Steele as there are quite a few of them in existence.
Brady believes that he will find Thomas by hope and luck. He does not have a plan, but he knows he will find him. His family requires that he check in with them and give them updates regularly and they are questioning their choice to let Brady be the lead on this mission.
When Brady arrives in Nevada, looking for the next on the list Thomas Steele, he has no idea what he is in for. Little old ladies at the senior center. Helping at a local mechanic shop. Meeting the woman who makes him whole.
Elise does not trust anyone. This is due to the way she was raised. So when Brady starts asking about a parcel of land and Thomas Steele, she comes up with a plan on the fly to determine his risk factor. He only knows her first name. But he enjoys spending time with her. She is on a mission to protect her father and their business at all costs.
Elise sets up a test for Brady that, if he really is who he says he is, he should never be able to pass. But he does. When she finds out how he managed to bypass the security, she is stunned. Never in her life did she expect to meet her security idol, let alone find out she is there to protect him and help him get his answers.
When Brady passes the second test that Elise sets up for him, she decides it is time to tell him who she really is and take him to meet her father. But will it be a welcome visit?
When Brady is called back home, after his confrontation with Thomas Steele, Elise goes with him. Even though there is a rift between these two, they band together to weather a family emergency. Watching Elise play with the children and keep them occupied while their parents are helping in the emergency, tells him a lot. But will he ever be able to fully trust her again after she lied to him by omission?
When things calm down in Firebrook Valley, Drew, Bella, Evan, Nora, Brady and Elise all visit Evie on the mountain. They need answers. But will they get them? What will it take to end this family feud that has gone on for over 30 years? And who is haunting the Hollistons for unknown reasons, which also haunts the Burkes and Steeles by extension?
Impressions
Wow, where do I begin with my feelings on this book? Brady has always been underestimated. By his family. By the town. By everyone. But Elise is starting to see him as more than a fun time, peacekeeper, young at heart. He is such a caring person and people take him for granted. He is always lending a hand without being asked, and he does not want anything in return. But what they do not see is that he carries everything on his shoulders. He thinks if he could have done something different, the family emergency would not have happened. If he had been a better child, his mother never would have left.
Elise has lived a life in isolation. She is trying to take time for herself outside of the compound, but her brother is constantly tracking her. So when she meets Brady, she gets a glimpse of real life. She does not know how to have fun, but the games at the senior center are teaching her how to relax and have some fun. She is learning to talk to people. When she lets loose on their trip to Lake Tahoe, it was such a joy to see. She has never been allowed to do that in her life and Brady encourages her.
These two are so good for each other. They balance each other. One knows how to have fun and let loose. How to be with people. The other knows security and how to read situations. This family feud is going to intensify by pairing them together, but it is time for a shake up.
Availability
Not Them is currently available to read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited and for purchase in eBook and Paperback formats on Amazon.
Series Listing
- Not You (Firebrook Valley Book 1)
- Not Him (Firebrook Valley Book 2)
- Not Them (Firebrook Valley Book 3)
- Not Us (Firebrook Valley Book 4)
About Ruth Cardello
Ruth Cardello hit the New York Times and USA Today Bestsellers Lists for the first time back in 2012. Millions of sales are evidence that her that her books are akin to potato chips, addictive from the first one. She has created a multi-series billionaire world with a combination of escapism and realism that has gained her a faithful following of readers.
Ruth Cardello was born the youngest of 11 children in a small city in northern Rhode Island. She spent her young adult years moving as far away as she could from her large extended family. She lived in Boston, Paris, Orlando, New York–then came full circle and moved back to New England. She now happily lives one town over from the one she was born in. For her, family trumped the warmer weather and international scene.
She was an educator for 20 years, the last 11 as a kindergarten teacher. When her school district began cutting jobs, Ruth turned a serious eye toward her second love- writing and has never been happier. When she’s not writing, you can find her chasing her children around her small farm or connecting with her readers online.
