Review: Deep Tide by Laura Griffin

An undercover FBI agent and a coffee shop owner who values her independence must team up when a local barista is found dead in their coastal Texas town in this new romantic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

DEEP TIDE by Laura Griffin

Series: The Texas Murder Files #4

Publication date: April 26, 2023

Published by: Berkley

Genre: murder mystery, romance

 

SYNOPSIS

With two brothers on the police force, Leyla Breda is well aware of the rising crime in her small beach town, but she never expected it to show up on her doorstep. When Leyla finds one of her employees murdered in the alley behind her coffee shop, she's deeply shaken, and as a new law enforcement officer in town begins to circle her place of business, her instincts only sharpen.

Sean Moran is on an undercover assignment. The seaside community of Lost Beach may look like a picturesque postcard, but his team suspects it's a point of intersection for several crime syndicates that the FBI has been investigating for years. Even so, when the brash and beautiful Leyla Breda starts bossing him around, he's immediately intrigued. He knows her brothers want him to back off, but every time he sees her, he feels more of a spark.

Leyla's connections in the local community and Sean's skills allow them to go deeper into the case together than they would be able to go alone. But when a single crime spirals into something much darker, Sean's carefully planned mission takes a deadly turn.

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Praise for Deep Tide:

“Wow! Laura Griffin is quite simply one of the best romantic thriller writers out there.”-New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards 

“This page-turning romantic thriller hooked me on page one and held me to the end.  A must read.”--

"Yet another winner for Laura Griffin. Vanishing Hour has everything I love in a book--a gripping mystery, sizzling chemistry, plenty of action--and a dog!"-Melinda Leigh, #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author 

“Cold cases, romance, and several search-and-rescue missions combine in a riveting novel for fans of Paula Munier, Margaret Mizushima, and Jeffrey B. Burton.”—Library Journal on Vanishing Hour (starred review)

"I love smart, sophisticated, fast-moving romantic thrillers and Laura Griffin writes them brilliantly.  Last Seen Alone is a terrific example of her signature style: intriguing characters, sharp dialogue and a tight, well-researched plot."-New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz

“A pulse-pounding romantic thriller… off-the-charts chemistry… Griffin skillfully juggles suspense and romance right up until the adrenaline-fueled final page.”-Publishers Weekly

"Gritty, imaginative, sexy! You must read Laura Griffin."-New York Times bestselling author Cindy Gerard

"Top-notch romantic suspense! Fast pace, tight plotting, terrific mystery, sharp dialogue, fabulous characters."-New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan

"A gripping, white-knuckle read. You won't be able to put it down."-New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak

"An emotional, exciting page-turner. Griffin deftly balances the mystery and the love story."-The Washington Post

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Griffin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty books and novellas. She is a two-time RITA Award winner, as well as the recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award. Laura got her start in journalism before venturing into the world of suspense fiction. Her books have been translated into fourteen languages. Laura lives in Austin, Texas, where she is working on her next novel. 

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REVIEW

Deep Tide by Laura Griffin
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


I decided to try Deep Tide because I wanted to branch out a little and read something outside my norm. I do not typically gravitate towards murder mysteries, however, the romance element of the synopsis intrigued me. I was feeling adventurous. One FBI agent, a (seemingly) tough heroine, and overprotective/disapproving cop brothers all seemed to hint at the possibility of strong emotional conflicts. I'm a romance reader at heart, so if there is going to be romance in the story, whether it's forefront or background, I'm going to need it to be well-developed. Unfortunately, I came away from the book feeling let down in that area.

I honestly didn't understand Sean's intense draw to Leyla. The synopsis describes her as brash which is defined as: self-assertive in a rude, noisy, or overbearing way. That's pretty on point. She could be rude at times, distant with her loved ones, and DEFINITELY overbearing. She's the kind of woman who seems to push down her emotions and push those away who try to help or show concern. When she first meets Sean at her brother's wedding, she brushes him off because she perceives him to be a temporary visitor to town just looking for casual fun. Admittedly, she was justified for her concerns. His time there was just temporary until the end of his case. Only, she comes off on page somewhat cold and closed off, so I didn't get why Sean couldn't resist her. They don't spend a ton of time around each other because he is consumed with his undercover work. There aren't any heart-to-hearts or deep, getting to know one another conversations. Leyla was not feeling relatable or endearing to me, but I pushed on.

Sean Moran is in town trying to get information on Luc Gagnon, a tech mogul suspected of ties to the Saledo crime family. When one of Leyla's employees is murdered at her coffee shop, he quickly suspects that the two investigations are somehow connected. He teams up with the lead detective, Nicole Lawson to try to get to the bottom of it. Their investigation did finally pull me in a little bit as it alternated between Nicole and Sean's work tracking down leads.

I was trying to ignore my disconnect with Leyla throughout the book, but there was one point in particular that really bothered me. Not only did she keep trying to pressure information out of Sean about what he was doing there (even after learning he was FBI and on a case), she snooped in his research when he left the room and discovered the man he was investigating. She then proceeds to solicit catering work from the man's secretary KNOWING that he is a seriously dangerous man who could have played a part in the murder of her employee. When Sean is shocked and angered that she is considering taking a job at the man's house, she gets defensive and rude. She's not a trained professional and she wants to go to the man's home for the purpose of digging up information?? This did not make sense to me at all, as a sister of two cops she should know about case confidentiality and leaving the investigation to professionals. Of course, her going there and snooping led to very bad things and she never owns up to her recklessness. Never apologizes to him, and he never even holds her accountable for her immature actions. After that point, she bothered me so much in her actions and personality that I found it really hard to care about her.

I should have felt some emotion towards the romance, but I felt that that aspect was underdeveloped compared to the murder mystery plot line. Even the relationships in general were glossed over-like the fact that her brother didn't like Sean and advised her to stay away from him. He said it was partly because he was working on a dangerous case, but it was more than that. Something about Sean personally bothered her brother but he didn't elaborate. Then it was never talked about again until the end when Miranda basically shrugged and told her in a blasé way that he was over that, but not sure why. There was not much time spent on the connections and feelings of the characters which made them fall flat. Also, without going into detail, the investigation ended in a very unsatisfactory way for me. Maybe it was more realistic that way, but it was frustrating. Not every book is a big winner and that's fine. Overall, I think maybe this author's writing style didn't mesh with my reading taste because it was just okay.

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Review: The Love Scribe by Amy Meyerson

From the bestselling author of The Bookshop of Yesterdays comes a charming novel about a woman with a special gift—her stories help people fall in love.

THE LOVE SCORE

by AMY MEYERSON

Series: Standalone

Publication date: February 7, 2023

Published by: Park Row/Harper Collins

Genre: fantasy, magical realism

 

SYNOPSIS

When Alice’s best friend, Gabby, is reeling from a breakup, Alice writes her a heartfelt story to cheer her up. While reading it in a café, Gabby, as if by magic, meets the man of her dreams. Thinking the story might have some special power to it, Gabby shares it with her sister and other friends, who all find instant love. Word of mouth spreads, and Alice stumbles upon a new calling—to be a love scribe.

But not all the love stories she writes unfold as expected. And while Alice tries to harness her extraordinary gift, she is summoned to a mansion in the woods where she encounters the reclusive Madeline Alger and her mysterious library. As Alice struggles to write a story for Madeline, her most challenging assignment yet, she’s forced to confront her own guarded heart. Because maybe—just maybe—there’s a love story waiting to be written for her, too.

Emotional, deeply imaginative and brimming with valuable life lessons, The Love Scribe explores love, fate and the power of stories when we choose to believe in them.

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Praise for The Love Scribe:

"As soon as I turned the first page, I inhaled The Love Scribe in one delicious swoop. Amy Meyerson has written a clever investigation of romance that reads like a most beloved fable, and she completely charmed me with her wide-open heart. Clear-eyed and life-affirming, The Love Scribe is the perfect novel for anyone who has ever wondered if it's worth it to fall in love." —Amy Jo Burns, author of Shiner

"Readers will adore this charming and thoroughly original novel! With wisdom and whimsy, Meyerson offers a series of heartwarming vignettes which explore love, loss, grief and hope. This is a story for readers and writers alike, as it contemplates the courage and fortitude that true creative expression requires. I was utterly enchanted!" —Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Matchmaker's Gift

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amy Meyerson is the bestselling author of The Bookshop of Yesterdays and The Imperfects. Her books have been translated into eleven languages, and her short fiction has been published in numerous literary magazines. Amy teaches in the writing department at the University of Southern California, where she completed her master's degree in creative writing. Her third novel, The Love Scribe, will be published by Park Row Books in February 2023. Originally from Philadelphia, she currently lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and two children.

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REVIEW

The Love Scribe by Amy Meyerson


When I first read the synopsis for The Love Scribe, I was intrigued by the original sounding concept of a woman who could bring true love to people with her stories. This is something that I haven't come across before, so I was eager to give this one a shot. I didn't realize that there would be a magical, or sentient house involved. Coincidentally, the last book that I read just before this one also had a magical house. Reading this directly afterwards may have had a negative impact on my reaction to this story because The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone was a hard one to live up to. Maybe it had no affect at all. What I do know is that I didn't end up loving this as much as I hoped I would.

The main character, Alice is a commitment-phobe when it comes to dating, and her relationships with men are restricted to sexual only. She does everything in her power to maintain a safe distance from romantic feelings because of the loss of her father at a young age. Losing him hurt her deeply, and completely reshaped her world view. The fear of going through the heartache she and her mother experienced again as an adult actually terrifies her. So she picks men who want a simple physical release as she does, thinking she's keeping herself safe from harm.

   Now, at thirty-two, Alice still believed in love—

just for other people. Never for herself. Some people 

do not have the discipline to train to be a concert pianist. 

Others do not have the bravery to be a stunt person. 

Alice simply did not have the constitution for love.

I think the fact that she was so scared of meaningful, romantic relationships (to the point of pushing all thoughts of it out of her mind) made her sudden magical "love guru" persona less believable to me. How is it that someone so disconnected to the idea of love for herself going to aid others in their desperate search for it? It all just seemed to happen very suddenly-one minute she avoided it like the plague, the next she could read people's mistakes in love after a brief meeting/talk and write them something to bring love knocking on their door.

   Everyone thinks they’re hiding their pain, 

their insecurities, their struggles. Really, 

most people are just so focused on their own issues 

that they aren’t particularly observant of others. 

If you stop for a second and look, 

really investigate someone, 

they unfold before you like a book.

This didn't have the most realistic edge to it. Granted, this is supposed to magical realism, so there is a level of fantasy to it. But the logistics need to make sense in order for me to be swept away in the story and believe. Also, she never seemed to derive much joy from the whole process. It was pushed on her by her best friend and mother who both begged her to help people with her gift. She was conflicted from the beginning, unsure of herself, and scared to embrace the gift so many potential clients were lining up for.

I found the pace of the story to be quite slow. I had to push myself to continue reading and often would skim through some of the many sections describing all of the different clients' love stories. I know that the author probably wanted these to be deep, profound stories that encapsulated love from many different perspectives. For me, it made the story have a rambling, scattered feel about all of these people's experiences that made the story drag.

I liked her love interest, Duncan, though he did not have a very prominent place in the story. He was seen very little, and mostly discussed when Alice would try to push her attraction to him out of her mind. She didn't really know much about him because they only hung out a couple of times. He seemed like a good man, however there wasn't enough time with him on the page to really get to know who he was as a character. When the big conflict with him happened later on in the book over his perceived betrayal, I couldn't help but feel that he was being treated a little unfairly. Alice literally did the same exact thing he did to Madeline in order to try to learn her secrets. She completely cut Duncan out of her life because of his actions, but Madeline didn't mind Alice's deception, so apparently that made it acceptable? Alice was quite sneaky and broke her promises as well so you would think that would have at least entered her mind when she was refusing to speak to him.

Madeline was mysterious, as was her house out in the woods. I didn't feel that the magic of the house was adequately explained by the end. I guess we can all take what we want from it, but personally I would have liked to have seen more of a backstory regarding the existence of the house and why it did what it did at the end.

Overall, this was an okay read for me. Not absolutely horrible, but I did find myself picking the story apart in my head and I ended it feeling unsatisfied in general. I did appreciate how unique the storyline was, it just wasn't executed in a way that I loved. I thought I was going to rate this three stars, but after writing my review I realize it's more in the 2 star range. It looks like I'm in the minority though, so don't dismiss it outright based on my own subjective take.

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Review: Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy

She does everything right. So what could go wrong?

GOOD GIRL COMPLEX by ELLE KENNEDY

Series: Avalon Bay #1

Publication date: February 1, 2022

Published by: St. Martin's Press

Genre: new adult college romance

 

SYNOPSIS

Mackenzie “Mac” Cabot is a people pleaser. Her demanding parents. Her prep school friends. Her long-time boyfriend. It’s exhausting, really, always following the rules. Unlike most twenty-year-olds, all she really wants to do is focus on growing her internet business, but first she must get a college degree at her parents’ insistence. That means moving to the beachside town of Avalon Bay, a community made up of locals and the wealthy students of Garnet College.

Mac’s had plenty of practice suppressing her wilder impulses, but when she meets local bad boy Cooper Hartley, that ability is suddenly tested. Cooper is rough around the edges. Raw. Candid. A threat to her ordered existence. Their friendship soon becomes the realest thing in her life.

Despite his disdain for the trust-fund kids he sees coming and going from his town, Cooper soon realizes Mac isn’t just another rich clone and falls for her. Hard. But as Mac finally starts feeling accepted by Cooper and his friends, the secret he’s been keeping from her threatens the only place she’s ever felt at home.

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Praise for Good Girl Complex:

"With plenty of steam alongside the youthful romance, this winsome story about following one’s heart will especially appeal to hopeless romantics." ―Publishers Weekly 

“Elle Kennedy’s ability to build a college town universe that is delicious, complicated and drama-filled, is unparalleled. Cooper and Mack were fire and ice. The push and pull, banter and high stakes made it impossible to put the book down. I read it in one sitting, and you will, too.” ―LJ Shen, USA Today and WSJ bestselling author

“A deliciously sexy story with a wallop of emotions that sneaks up on you.” ―Vi Keeland, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Elle Kennedy delivers another sexy and addictive read, and my latest personal favorite from her! Love Cooper. Love Mackenzie. Love the twins!” ―Tijan, New York Times bestselling author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle currently writes for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

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REVIEW

Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy
My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Title: Good Girl Complex
Series: n/a, unannounced
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release date: February 1, 2022
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: new adult college

When this book landed on my kindle, it was (in my mind) most likely going to be a guaranteed five star read. Elle Kennedy is a master at light-hearted new adult books. She has lots of experience under her belt at writing characters that you should probably hate on paper but still end up loving with every fiber of your being. She's a master at flirty banter that flies back and forth so fast, your laughter can barely keep up. Her groups of characters are detailed from book one in a series, making you root for each individual secondary character to have their own HEA. That's the magic of Elle Kennedy. On top of that? One of my favorite tropes in books just happens to be revenge. Which is very strongly in the forefront of this particular book. So why, oh why, did this book fall short? The details surrounding the revenge plot soured everything for me in the first half. So much so, that I even wondered if I was going to have to DNF. Thankfully, the book did improve in the second half so that wasn't necessary. But my feelings were a far cry from love. They landed right underneath the borderline of like.

This story has a rich girl/poor guy theme that could have worked if not for the over-exaggerated characterization of the "clones" vs. the townies. On one hand, there were the "townie" locals who basically put up with constant abuse from the spoiled, entitled, kids who attend Garnet College. The "clones" or rich kids are portrayed as trust fund babies with more money than human decency. They are all one, snobby unit that think and act alike-as if the townies who serve them are dirt beneath their feet.

I'm not particularly fond of painting one group as a mustache twirling, caricature to be hated and scorned. The hero's prejudice towards the rich kids (as well as all of his friends) led to the revenge plot that sets out to intentionally and maliciously humiliate Mackenzie. A girl whom they know did nothing to deserve it and would simply be a pawn played with in their game. His female friends were actually gathered around gleefully rubbing their hands together and joking about humiliating her publicly and "dumping pig's blood" on her Carrie style. In real life, every single wealthy person who comes to a coastal town to attend college would not behave in the same exact abusive way. And yet, this is used as a plot device to explain away Coop and his friends' abhorrent behavior.

All it took for Coop's guilty conscience to kick in was one night getting to know Mac. He started to see her as an individual, a human being. Not an inanimate object to be used and abused. Unfortunately, having an inside perspective of his true intent to harm her soured the first half for me completely. The flirting that went on between the two of them should have been fun and entertaining, but that underbelly of dishonesty was very apparent in every exchange. Her ignorance of the truth only served to make matters worse.

Mac had her issues as well. She was dating a complete douchebag and seemed to have not the first clue about his true character. He's a serial cheater and a hateful snob of the worst kind, yet we are led to believe that she has never had even the slightest clue about any of it? They grew up together and she still thinks of him as a "nice" guy who is compatible with her in all the right ways? There is a difference between explaining away uncomfortable truths and being totally clueless. It just wasn't realistic that she could be utterly duped into thinking she's with a prince of a guy. She knows there is a culture of cheating and looking the other way in her social group...but trusts HIM irrevocably and absolutely. Mac (rightfully so) judges those around her who allow their boyfriends to cheat on them in order to get an engagement ring on their fingers. This ends up being hypocritical because she was emotionally cheating on her own boyfriend while spending time with Cooper. She knows she's physically attracted to Cooper and developing feelings. Yet she continues to play with fire and push the boundaries of what's acceptable. Mac knows what she feels isn't just platonic or else she wouldn't lie to her boyfriend about her activities.

I didn't care for Mac's total subservience to her parents' wishes. It didn't add up to me that she is a strong-willed person who likes to argue and speak her mind with Coop, and at the same time she's willing to marry the man of her parents' choosing simply because of his good social standing. It would be one thing if she felt financially trapped by them and feared being cut off of their support. That wasn't the case. She created her own websites in high school and became a financially independent millionaire. I just didn't get why she would let them manipulate her life to suit them when it clearly made her unhappy. She was going to a college that she didn't even want to go to and dating a guy that was nothing more than comfortable just to make two people happy who only cared about themselves. At any time she could have spoken up and told them her true feelings because she had a nice, cushy nest egg to protect her. I get that she was scared to break status quo, but her personality was a bit inconsistent for all of this to be plausible.

All of that being said, the second half did get better. The revenge scheme fizzled fast, and true feelings developed. Cooper's friends and twin brother accepted her into the fold as part of the group and everything was moving along well. Then came the "moment of truth." With a romantic relationship built on deception, you can expect a big bomb to have to eventually drop. Only the "moment of truth"
was covered up with more lies by the entire group which only added to the betrayal. When THAT bomb dropped...boy was it a doozy. She moved out, and moved into the home of her newfound friends who were part of the scheme all along? She hated him, but ran to them for shelter. Hmm. Now that was yet another thing that didn't add up for me. How was she so easily able to let their part in everything go? I couldn't see it.

Unfortunately, the deception running through the book was too pervasive. Cooper and his group of friends' prejudice ran deep and it was not a good look. The plot was not cohesive enough, and if there were to be a full series with the secondary characters here, I wouldn't be excited because I can't say that I loved any of them. I will say, this was a very fast read just like all of Elle Kennedy's past books despite all of my issues. I think that's why I was able to power through quickly and finish it all. If Cooper hadn't seen the error of his ways so quickly, I doubt I would have had the ability to continue. And there was groveling-necessary groveling. I wish I could have felt that old Elle Kennedy magic that I've gotten used to, but for me, this was for the most part, a loss.

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Review: Notorious by Minerva Spencer

Can a willful wallflower and a headstrong hedonist find common ground in their distaste for convention and forge a lasting—and loving—union?

NOTORIOUS by MINERVA SPENCER

Series: Rebels of the Ton #1

Publication date: November 24, 2020

Published by: Kensington

Genre: historical romance

 

SYNOPSIS

The cure for a willful wife...

Drusilla Clare is full of opinions about why a woman shouldn't marry. But that doesn't stop the rush of desire she feels each time her best friend's brother, notorious rake Gabriel Marlington, crosses her path. So imagine her dismay when she finds herself in the clutches of a scoundrel, only to be rescued by Gabriel himself. And when Gabriel's heartless—and heart-pounding—proposal comes, it's enough to make Dru's formidable resolve crumble...

...is a smitten husband.

She's sharp-tongued, exasperating—and due to one careless moment—about to become his wife. Still, something about Drusilla has Gabriel intrigued. First there's the delicious flush of her skin every time she delivers a barb—and then the surprisingly sensual feel of her in his arms. Gabriel even finds himself challenged by her unusual philosophies. And when he discovers a clandestine rival for Dru's affection, his temperature flares even hotter. But the real threat to their happiness is one neither of the newlyweds sees coming. If they're to save their future—and their very lives—they'll need to trust in each other and their growing love. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Before I began writing I spent time as a dock worker, a reader for the blind, a criminal prosecutor, and I taught American History on the college level for five years. My last job was running an 8-bedroom bed and breakfast, a subject I will never write about...

I like historical fiction because I enjoy escaping into the past when I relax. And I write romance because I love a happy ending and everything that happens along the way.

I came to writing late in life and I feel like I have to write fast to catch up! I work every day looking out over the Sangre de Cristo mountains and my free range birds and dogs!

When I'm not writing I'm playing with my animals, knitting, DIYing, crocheting, sewing, or watching old movies.

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REVIEW

Notorious by Minerva Spencer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Notorious was my first read by Minerva Spencer. It started out with real promise, but I soon realized that there were big character and plot issues that I couldn't get over. In the beginning chapters I was really enjoying the banter between the two characters and how the heroine's secret, unrequited love was hidden behind her animosity. She is an outspoken feminist who isn't ashamed of her belief system, but sadly, deep down, she has poor self-esteem that causes her to act irrationally. The hero initially seemed like the unattainable "golden boy" rake who valiantly saves the reputation of his sister's best friend and falls for her after marriage. Unfortunately, Gabriel would be a tough pill to swallow even as I neared the end of the book. All of the initial excitement I felt drained slowly away until I struggled to find genuine romance to savor between these two characters.

Eva marries Gabriel with mixed feelings. Although she's been secretly crushing over the man for some time, marriage was not something she ever dreamed of. She can't help but feel nervous and scared that she'll be spending a lifetime with someone who could never love her while she secretly pines away for them. It's worse than never having them, right? I did like that idea. But Eva's secret feelings and her poor opinion of herself led her to be waspish and secretive more than I would have liked. Lack of honesty and communication was the main barrier in their union, making them their own worst enemies. I'm not really a fan of drama/conflict caused by non-communication, so this was a problem for me.

Gabriel was even worse when it came to communication which is really saying something. The hero had a huge secret that he was keeping from his wife. This is not by any means something that should be brushed aside when it's discovered, but that's exactly what happened by both main characters (to my disgust.) Without giving away any spoilers, I'll just say that his behavior in hiding it showed that he didn't see her as his equal. The fact that the heroine is supposed to be a "feminist" and doesn't bat an eye over his demands and edicts when the truth is revealed shows how weak she truly is. I honestly could not understand her meek compliance in the situation she found herself in. Don't even get me started about his TWO former mistresses that are shoved in her face that she is just supposed to accept will remain in his life when in fact, he forbade her from seeing her own male FRIEND. Rules for thee, and not for me?

I gave this 2.5 stars because I really did enjoy a portion of the beginning of the book, so for that alone I couldn't quite dismiss the story. I did like the author's writing style which was simple and easy to engage with. However, I did feel a little lost about the hero's history which apparently began in her Outcast series. Towards the end of the book, the reader is given a detailed explanation, but typically this is something that we're given as an introduction. It shouldn't be assumed that we've all read the other series that the hero's family is featured in-I'm sure there were other people out there who were reading Ms. Spencer for the first time and needed that essential information to get a clearer picture of the hero. I ended the book with a fairly poor opinion of both the hero and heroine, so I'm sad to say that this romance wasn't very successful for me. Perhaps others will feel differently-I urge you to give it a chance if the synopsis sounds like something you would truly enjoy.

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Review: Bred by Ginger Scott

A coming-of-age romance inspired by Great Expectations

BRED by GINGER SCOTT

Publication date: May 10, 2019

Series: Standalone

Genre: mature YA 

 

Synopsis:

My life was irrevocably changed the moment I stepped foot inside Elena Alderman’s grand front doors. A lifeless tomb on the edge of Chicago’s Southside, the Alderman home sat in one of the city’s oldest and wealthiest neighborhoods, and Elena Alderman was the queen.

She was also mad.

Not the kind of madness that’s readily apparent. No, her psychopathy was far more surgical—more…insidious. She was surrounded by beautiful things—most notably her grand piano and her adopted son, Henry.

I fell in love with both.

My gift blossomed when my fingers touched her black and white keys. But my life began when I became haunted by the boy. Henry Alderman was a handsome blend of arrogance and seduction, and as we grew up together, I found it more and more impossible to separate him from my thoughts. I envied his life. I imagined how my name—Lily—would look with his. I became his closest friend…and more. I gave him my kiss, locked away his secrets, and loved him even when it was hard to.

But we were just a game. Elena Alderman made the rules. And when she decided to change them, she broke everything.

Almost.

Purchase here: Amazon 

About Ginger Scott

Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling, Goodreads Choice Award and Rita award-nominated author of several young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, This Is Falling, Wild Reckless, The Hard Count, Cry Baby and Bred.

A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher, point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for a hella long time. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.

When she's not writing, the odds are high that she's somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork 'em, Devils). 

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REVIEW

Bred by Ginger Scott
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

    Henry has been bred to win…with room for very little else.

It really guts me to say that I didn't care for this book like I'd anticipated, but I always strive to write an honest review and unfortunately that's how I feel. A modern YA reimagining of the classic Dickens novel, Great Expectations sounded so fresh and exciting. And of course, I'm a big fan of Ginger Scott's writing, so chances were good that this would be a big hit for me. Keep in mind most of my problems were subjective, so you may have a completely different experience. I'm going to skip the plot summary and just explain my personal difficulties with the story.

The love interest Henry Alderman is a troubled kid who lives in a toxic environment. Naturally that has molded him into the kind of person his mentally unstable, manipulative adoptive mother has strived for. Yes, she actually aims to have a cold, calculating son to take over her business when the time comes. She controls every aspect of his life, and removes his personal choices and freedom in pursuit of her end goal. So while I didn't care for Henry's attitude and behavior towards the heroine, I withheld my judgement for the majority of the book as I waited for his character to show signs of growth from his starting point. But I think this was where it went wrong for me. While I understood how he came to be this way since we first met him at the end of junior high school, he stayed consistently subservient to Elena, and remorseless about the often cruel things he did.

    [...] Henry is nothing like me. He’s broken in a different way, and he doesn’t feel things like pressure or guilt. That much I know. He barely feels at all.

The romance is very slow burn. If you're looking for that type of romance, this could very well be the perfect read for you. The first 70% or so of the book is Lily and Henry growing up together, their school interactions, and in my opinion a pretty unhealthy friendship. Henry goes beyond insensitive and often humiliates or hurts her, but she continues to make excuses for him and forgive despite his lack of compassion.

    He isn’t sorry. He’s never really sorry about anything. That’s the man he’s becoming, and I hate that I still like him so much.

There were a couple points where she distanced herself from him out of hurt and realizing that he couldn't return her romantic feelings, but as soon as he crooked his finger at her, she would be drawn back in. There was a lot of back and forth between them. He'd soften a little, she'd get her hopes up for more, and then eventual disappointment. One or the other would get pushed away, only for the cycle to begin again. So when she finally did break his resistance and they started their romantic relationship so far into the book, I wasn't rooting for them. I actually felt as if she was being foolish and setting herself up for heartbreak. Even with almost only 10% of the story left, Henry was writing himself notes to remind himself to stay faithful to her while they were separated. That didn't really inspire confidence in his ability to now make mature, empathetic choices.

Henry failed to fight for Lily when it came to Elena. For their right to be together. There was no sacrifice on his part which is what someone does if they are truly in love. His obedience to Elena was only changed when outside forces intervened, and that was pretty disappointing. That would have raised my opinion of him greatly if he had refused to allow her abuse to continue, because really, he didn't even want any part of the company she planned to pass down to him. So what exactly did he have to lose?

Lily for the most part was a likable character, though she often made immature choices and let her emotions get the better of her. The influence of Elena and the privileged attitudes she was immersed in had a negative effect on her at times. This, along with other things I mentioned align with things that were inspired by the original characters they were modeled after, but in this modern setting I guess it didn't translate well for me personally. Henry is like the spoiled and cold Estella, Elena is the eccentric, insane Mrs. Havisham, and Lily is the enamored Pip who strives hard to improve himself. One thing I will say is that I didn't see the twist coming at the end, and it made me hate Elena even more which I didn't think was possible. Just when you thought she couldn't sink any lower, she proved you wrong.

To sum things up, I think fans of the original classic will find more to enjoy here, or people who are looking for an angsty slow-burn teen romance. It wasn't the perfect fit for me, but I remain a loyal Ginger Scott fan and look forward to what she has to offer next.

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