Mystery and romance is a deadly combination and these books have both. I enjoyed all the three books due to their themes and amazing visual details. I would like to share my thoughts about them with you. Please click on the links to view the book descriptions.
Genuine Deceit – My Review:
I was lured by the name of this book, wondering how deceit could be genuine! I was not disappointed. All speculations about who deceived whom and why would fail and you have to wait till the end to know the truth. ‘Genuine Deceit’ deals with a multi-dimensional plot with its tentacles connected with the past of Reagan’s parents and complicated relationships.
Shocked by the murder of her grandmother, Reagan arrives in her childhood home and gets sucked in by the vortex of inexplicable discoveries. As she is trying to find a foothold, she sinks deeper into the whirlpool of mysteries. Her friends try to help her but it is hard to believe whom to trust. The story gets murkier with each chapter, each development entangles it more than expectations. It moves at a good pace but it could’ve been breathtaking if a few superfluous chapters were edited.
Characterisation has not received much attention, as the story is packed with events. However, Aiden emerges to be a perfect protagonist who could absorb emotions, support Reagan in all the situations yet give her the freedom to make her own decisions. Fiona’s character development is slow but stunning. Secondary characters sound nondescript.
Too much has been compressed into this book and the baggage of back stories is so massive that you would wonder – what else? It finishes in a filmy style with amazing visual details, transporting you to the scene of crime. Such an outstanding plot doesn’t need profane language – (F and S words) could have been avoided. If you like mysteries, this is a must read!
Things He Hadn’t Told Her – My Review:
Things He Hadn’t Told Her by Vicky Whedbee captures your attention from page one, as it begins with a nerve-wracking incident of two teenagers pledging to be “blood brothers” when Chad saves the life of Cole. It introduces you to loving relationships within affectionate families, awesome friendships, beautiful description of a fairy tale romance and wedding. It has an amazing flow, realistic characters but their story is predictable. It makes you wonder how long should you hold your true feelings; it tugs at your heart and makes you think about the depth of love. Riding on the rollercoaster of emotions, Chad holds his secret in his journal, which plays a significant role in the book.
Vicky possesses an eye for detail; the way she talks about her characters and their dressing style adds another dimension to the visual effects of their appearance. She has a knack of carrying on the conversation for a long time and hold the interest of the reader. Written in a light-hearted style, a mixture of humor and realism makes it pure fun at places: “Cole was preoccupied with picking up more than two grains of rice at a time with his chopsticks.”
However, the book gets melancholy toward the ending and drags on for a long time. I wish Maggie had picked up the vibes, I wish she could have been more perceptive. On the whole it is an interesting book. Highly recommended.
Between the Vines – My Review:
Between the Vines recline entangled relationships, which need to be understood. Elena and Aaron’s attraction to each other is not new yet they try to dismiss it for their own reasons. Both have their doubts, Heather, the jealous hen tries to cash on their weaknesses and a superb story with an eternal triangle unfolds. Written in a breezy style, this novella banks on edgy relationships that cry for attention.
Who could define relationships better than Staci? She has crafted three couples, so different from each other. If the unconditional love of Larissa for Jace would melt your heart, you would like to shoot Heather for her selfish overtures to win Aaron and poke Elena for building tall walls around her to keep Aaron out intentionally. This may be a quick read but provide the lovers with some food for thought. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you. Happy reading!
Balroop Singh.
Emotional Shadows 