Reviewed by Lynn on
Jackson Stiles is a bad-ass Private Investigator because pleasing his Father and becoming a cop just wasn't his agenda. Plus he earns far more money working freelance. Emma 'Green' always seems to be in his face as he goes about his crime-solving, leading him to believe that the woman who wrote a damning article about him in The Chronicle isn't all she seems.
Emma Green is a reporter for The Chronicle and she's responsible for keeping the good folk of Redemption informed with her gossipy, factually inaccurate articles. Jackson Stiles has been a target of her observations and it was far from complementary. However, wherever he is, she's always there at the scene, so when the pair joins forces, he discovers she's not the woman he thought she was...or is she?
I particularly liked Jackson. He's a straight-talking guy but underneath his bravado is someone struggling to come to terms with his past. The result is a strained relationship with his father. 'Green' is like a breath of fresh air to Jackson, although what she believes contradicts what she writes for the local newspaper. Together they are unlikely allies, yet manage to spark off each other in a convincing way. Yet there's an element of doubt as to whether either can trust the other thus making their partnership intriguing.
I enjoyed that the author keeps you guessing about the villains, keeping the suspense running throughout the whole book. However, I struggled to keep focused on the plot which was like a running commentary. The dialogue/banter is too wordy (busy) for me and I found it distracting along with Jackson's inner thoughts. A couple of laugh-out-loud moments are there and confident more are there if only I were more attuned to the urban/streetwise way the characters spoke to each other. As a Brit, it was hard for me to follow, although I feel confident American readers will just lap it all up easily.
Overall, I liked the plot and Jackson too, who is incredibly likeable. It's just how it was all put together that didn't work for me.
***arc received courtesy of the publisher via Tasty Book Tours***
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 26 September, 2016: Finished reading
- 26 September, 2016: Reviewed