Wednesday 10 October 2018

The Dangerous Friends Trilogy by Jennifer Young

Today Claire Lyons reviews The Dangerous Friends Series by Jennifer Young. The author has very kindly offered ebooks of all 3 books of the trilogy as a giveaway to one very lucky winner. To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page.

Good luck!




 When Bronte O'Hara finds an injured man in her kitchen in the run-up to an international political summit in Edinburgh, a world she thought she'd left behind catches up with her. But once the man has made his escape, the police seem less interested in finding out where he went and how he came to be there than they are in Bronte's past - more specifically, her ex-boyfriend, Eden Mayhew. Eden's an anarchist, up to his neck in any trouble around - and he's missing. The police are keen to find him, certain that he'll come back. Who can she trust - and what has Eden's disappearance got to do with the handsome stranger?

There are currently three books set in modern day Edinburgh, following the lives of Bronte O’Hara and Marcus Fleming… and it’s complicated!

Bronte is a wonderful character, and I immediately liked her – I suspect she’s a bit like my younger self. Working in a large bank doesn’t sit very well with her values or her private life – to add to her woes she comes home to find a man unconscious on her kitchen floor… and so begins a rip roaring tale of deceit, passion, environmental activism, spies and even romance! It’s a very compelling and fast paced story with twists and turns at every corner. I was a little daunted at reading all three, but once I started I just had to know what happened next and read them all back to back.

Each book would stand alone, but I recommend reading them together if possible as the love story needs the slow build of understanding and affection, of two people learning to accept their differences and making sense of their inexplicable need to save each other. To get the deeper emotions and to see more clearly why they behave the way they do in the later books, it would help to have started at the beginning. It also makes finally meeting some of the family members a real treat as you will have heard about them in snippets in the earlier books.


The supporting cast of characters are just as well defined and polished as Bronte and Marcus – they each play an important role in the first and subsequent books (even the dead have an influence). I enjoyed the intensity of the story and the modern topics that Jennifer tackles with sensitivity and care. Despite being challenging subject matter the books aren’t overly graphic or gratuitous and I liked being allowed to imagine my own scenes in addition to what we are told, rather than being spoon fed every word. Jennifer manages to contain issues within the stories without making sweeping judgements or giving ‘lectures’ to the reader, there is a healthy dialogue throughout all the books highlighting different ideas and opinions which allows the reader to come to their own conclusions.


One aspect I particularly enjoyed was having an independent and flawed female lead, there is a good mix of both men and women being ‘saved’ in various ways and there are several strong female characters which made a refreshing change.  Although not a coming of age book, I did recognise the changes that Bronte goes through as an undercurrent to the stories, as she battles with a complicated series of events in her life and has to decide what she wants, and then fight for that. Getting to know her is a pleasant thread throughout the stories and I really hope there are more to come!

This series would suit people who like a crime novel, and edgy romance rather than sex scenes. The writing is crisp and fresh, and the Scottish setting is very evocative. They tackle modern policing methods, activism, international politics, the slave trade, environmental issues and the aftermath of violence.

About the Author: Jennifer Young is an Edinburgh-based author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Her books are rich in a sense of place -- visit Majorca for a romantic adventure, Italy for some new adult romance, or Edinburgh for dark deeds and romance in Scotland's capital. 

Her Dangerous Friends series focuses on the adventures of former political activist Bronte and her policeman boyfriend, their romance at odds with their very different outlooks on life.

You can follow Jennifer on Facebook  or Twitter, or via her website and blog

Blank SpaceAfter Eden and Storm Child are all available from Amazon and on Kindle Unlimited.


About the Reviewer:
Claire has run Mrs Average Evaluates for five years now, and still writes a regular book review in a local magazine. Her passion is to share great writing and encourage wide reading for learning, pleasure and escapism. She also runs her own business, has four young children and a dog to keep her busy. You are most welcome to join her friendly FB Group, and she’s always on the lookout for Guest Posts on the website.

2 comments:

  1. ohh... my home town, they sound great and it would be fab to revisit the places mentioned.

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  2. Thanks for such a lovely review, Claire x

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