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.
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.
Blank Space, After 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.
ohh... my home town, they sound great and it would be fab to revisit the places mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThanks for such a lovely review, Claire x
ReplyDelete