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Reviews

​5 STARS
​"Great Mediterranean food descriptions, you can taste the spices; experience cultural flavors, feel the emotional connection of the families; and a strong characters making powerful passionate choices. From the beginning of the story, the reader is immersed in atmosphere; deep aromas, clear visuals and visceral action. You care about Frankie and Petra and how life experience both attract and repel them from each other and other relationships.

If you are looking for a well designed mystery within a wealth of sexual tension and release, this s an entertaining story with several surprises. I strongly recommend this writer's work." --T-Valada-Viars


More Reviews on
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Excerpt

An excerpt from
Frankie & Petra © 2014 by EA Kafkalas. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles or reviews. 


Chapter One

     Petra knew she shouldn’t spend the extra money on a Starbucks latte to jump-start her morning, but ever since Beth left—taking the coffee machine and her heart—she found herself on line with the rest of the City. At this rate she knew she’d be late. However, the coffee at the station had the consistency of the mud pies she and her siblings made in their youth—so she waited. A businessman texting furiously on his BlackBerry caught up in his narcissistic existence held little interest for her. The impeccably dressed Rubenesque woman in front of him with a mane of curls tamed into a neat ponytail was the focus of this morning’s people-watching. A lavender backpack and red converse high tops offset the professional dark suit. Petra wondered if the bag held shoes to go with the suit, or if the woman had a job where the juxtaposition of the two would make her more intriguing.
     Renee, the barista, who was as dark as the coffee she served, smiled at Petra and called out the order before she even arrived at the counter. Petra enjoyed the familiar comfort of going somewhere they knew you. She pulled some crisp bills out of her wallet, paid, and deposited the change in the tip bin.
      Renee smiled warmly. “Good morning, Sunshine. Ya have lovely day, now.” 
     If anyone else had called her that Petra would have laid them out, but Renee’s alto timbre and Jamaican accent always made Petra smile. “You, too.”
      “Ya know I will now dat I’s seen you.”
      This is what a year-and-a-half dry spell did to Petra—made harmless flirting and caffeine the highlight of her day. Feeling the people behind her grow impatient, Petra moved to the other counter to wait for her order.
      She surveyed the room—hazard of the trade—but went no further when she saw ‘Red Converse’ sitting at a table. Petra felt something stir. From the front the woman was breathtaking. Petra surmised, from the olive skin tone and raven black hair, that the woman was Mediterranean. Converse was grading papers and sipping her drink. Petra deduced she was a teacher—mid-twenties. She watched as the woman took a bite of her muffin. There was no ring on her finger, so most likely single.
      “Venti Skim Latte with an extra shot!”
      Petra took her drink and reached for a sleeve to tuck the steaming cup into before taking a sip. When she turned she noticed the teacher breathing heavily, the olive glow fading from her skin. The teacher searched desperately through her backpack—beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
     Oh shit! Petra set her cup down on the young woman’s table. “You’re having an allergic reaction, aren’t you?”
     Yellow-green eyes wide with panic looked into hers and she nodded her head.
      “Let me help. You have an EpiPen, right?” Petra reached for the bag and dumped it on the table. She located the case, snapped it open, and administered the shot. Then she took the woman’s hands in hers and squeezed them to calm her. Petra tried to ignore the feelings the close contact stirred in her.
      The woman starred at Petra. And Petra knew in that instant she wanted to look into those eyes forever. What the fuck?
      “Thank you,” the teacher breathed.
      “We should probably get you to the hospital to follow up?”
     “No!” Her tone softened as she explained, “I have class in an hour. I’ll be fine. Really.”
     Reluctantly Petra agreed. She took the muffin to Renee.
     “Ya’ think she’ll sue?” Renee was already swiping a Starbucks card through the system.
     Petra looked at the teacher stuffing items back into her bag. She didn’t look like the type to make a federal case. Petra knelt to retrieve a fallen bottle of aspirin. “I’m Petra, by the way.”
     “Cool name. I’m Frankie.”
      “Pleasure.”
      “I can assure you, the pleasure is all mine.” Frankie grasped her hand tightly. “Can I buy you a drink to say thank you?”
      Petra noticed the flawless skin, the dimples forming around Frankie’s cheeks. She’s stunning and young, perhaps younger than Petra originally thought. How young she couldn’t be sure, but certainly considerably younger than a seasoned detective. “There’s no need for that. I have one here.”
      “Oh, perhaps—“
      “It’s all in a days work,” Petra said. Which was not entirely true, but Petra couldn’t help but be glad she had helped this particular young woman.
      Frankie’s eyes lingered on Petra and Petra felt her looking was like touching. The hint of desire in Frankie’s eyes was palpable. She was going to have to have her prescription checked.
      “So you make a habit of saving damsels in distress?”
       “Only on Tuesdays,” she said.
       “Lucky for me it’s Tuesday, then.”
       No need to make an eye doctor appointment, Frankie’s eyes were definitely taking inventory of Petra’s physique. And she’s flirting with me.
      “So what do super heroes like to eat?” Frankie asked.
      Petra’s hip buzzed. She snapped her phone open and skimmed the text from her partner. He was running late, so she should get to the office first. “I’m needed at the office, if you’ll excuse me.”
      “No, seriously, we have to figure out a time to go out. How about tonight? Are you free?”
      “Really, it’s not necessary—”
      “Hey, any time I’m spared a ride in an ambulance is cause for celebration in my book. So please, help me celebrate.”
      Frankie’s eyes twinkled and Petra’s resolve was weakening. She hadn’t tingled with anticipation in a long time. What could the harm be in seeing what this was? “Sanctuary. One drink. Tonight at seven.”
      “And dinner.”
      Petra enjoyed the decisiveness in Frankie’s tone. “We’ll see.” Before Frankie could respond, Petra wished her a nice day and left.
      Frankie liked the look of Petra from behind almost as much as she liked the view from the front. She allowed herself the luxury of imaging losing herself in those ultramarine eyes. Petra looked like she stepped out of a Tamara de Lempicka painting, with her high cheek bones and sharp angles. Frankie wondered what she did in that tailored navy suit and crisp white blouse—all mysteries to be resolved at dinner tonight. She checked her watch—another hour before her first class.
       Taking a sip of her coffee she realized her breathing had returned to normal; the swelling in her throat was subsiding. Her heart still pounded, but she suspected it had more to do with the woman who just helped her than the shock.
      “Terribly sorry,” the barista said. She slid a Starbucks card across the table. “I don’t know what happened, but I do hope ya come back for coffee.”
      Normally Frankie would have never set foot in a Starbucks again. But, if she hadn’t this morning, she might not have met Petra. Her Nana would say--everything happens for a reason.
      Frankie took a moment, letting the amount on the card register. “I doubt you did it on purpose.” She managed a smile at the woman and pocketed the card. If she did decide not to return, she knew exactly who she’d give it to.
      “Again, I’m so sorry. If there’s anything I can do to make it up to ya’ do not hesitate to ask.”
      “You can tell me what you know about my knight in shining armor,” Frankie said. She watched as Renee’s Mars Black eyes lit up.
      “I know she’s consistent—never changes her coffee order. She’s a very generous tipper. The rest I think you already know for yourself.”
     “The rest?”
      Renee grinned, “She’s smokin’ hot.”
     Indeed she is.

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