Author: Eleanor Roth

ISBN: 1-932695-15-X

“Danger alerts those who are connected…”

That’s what Zeke tells Margaret when they meet for the first time. What makes this statement so unusual is that Zeke’s speaking to Margaret telepathically—she hears him in her head.

Margaret can’t make sense of it though. Who is Zeke, why is he in her head, who’s in danger, and how is she connected to this voice in her head? To the delight of the reader, neither Margaret nor the reader will learn the answer to those questions until the end of the story. Ms. Roth does a great job of exposing just enough information to keep you intrigued, but not so much that you solve the mystery before you really want to. You’ll only think you’ve solved it.

Rainbow Dust is a paranormal romance, but Eleanor Roth’s work isn’t your typical romance by any means. In fact, there’s little romance—at least not for Margaret, the main character. However, it is a story of love. First, there’s Margaret’s love story. Before Margaret can find romantic love, she must learn to love herself. Second, there’s Zeke’s love story, which he shares with Margaret for his own reasons.

Along the way, the author introduces a number of paranormal topics like automatic writing, telepathy, and even the possibility of communicating with the dead. With only 225 pages, they don’t intrude into Margaret and Zeke’s story, which is a good thing. Too much time spent on trying to explain Margaret’s experience would only distract the reader. Ms. Roth seems to add just the right amount of explanation without really forcing the reader to drag any of them along.

Involving the paranormal was probably a bit of a leap for Ms. Roth. She could’ve found a more acceptable way to expose Margaret and Zeke’s stories. However, Rainbow Dust is about possibilities, and the possibilities never lose their way in this story. You never feel cheated or embarrassed by the experience. You’re just intrigued—I was intrigued enough to read the book in one sitting.

The above review was contributed by: Susan Sales Harkins:  Software consultant and the author of several articles and books on database technologies. She and her husband, William, collaborate on children's non-fiction. Click Here to read more of Susan’s Reviews