With Good Behavior (Conduct, #1)

by Jennifer Lane

[Cocktails and Books]

Grant Marsden and Sophie Taylor meet, briefly, outside their parole officers office soon after their releases from prison. Grant had just spent the past two years in Gurnee State Prison for aggravated robbery while Sophie spent a year in a woman's prison for accessory charges. Neither of them know how link their lives are.

From their brief meeting outside their PO's office, both Grant and Sophie are drawn to each other. But it's not until Grant offers Sophie a supportive hug and helps her find a job that they really take the time to talk to one another. Agreeing not to talk about what landed them in jail or who they were in the past, they set out to get to know one another.

Grant is the youngest son to Mafia Godfather, Vincenzo (Enzo) Barberi. The man was an abusive drunk who terrorize Grant, his older brother Logan and their mother. While their mother was able to get them to the safety of her brother, Joe Marsden, it wasn't soon enough. Logan ran back to the only family he's ever know...that of his uncle Angelo, Enzo's younger brother. While Joe did what he could to save Grant from the Barberi influences, Logan embraces the "families" line of work. Unfortunately, Logan embraced it a little too well and that ultimately led him to the doorstep of new psychologist, Dr. Sophie Taylor.

Sophie crossed a professional line when comforting her client, Logan, turned into a sexual relationship. She knew it was wrong, but she was confident she could help Logan deal with the abuse he suffered at the hands of his abusive father and the guilt he felt when he couldn't protect his little brother. She thought Logan cared for her too, but when she's arrested by the police, he leaves her high and dry to take the blame.

As Sophie and Grant's romance heats up, their tie to Logan Barberi rears it's ugly head and both of their pasts start to catch up with them. With Grant's family after both of them, can they manage to outrun the mafia while staying out of prison?

This book is an emotional roller coaster. I swear, if there was a real Grant Marsden I would have to run up to the poor man and give him a huge, comforting embrace. Grant was one of the most emotionally gut-wrenching heroes I have ever read. The trauma this poor man has suffered at the hands of not only his father, but also his brother, is horrifying. He's a sweet, lovable man that breaks your heart every time he has to relive one of those awful moments with his family. Thankful he's met Sophie, who's more than capable of dealing with Grant and his issues.

Sophie was groomed to work with her father in his construction business. So when she choose to study psychology instead, her domineering father casts her out on her own. After her conviction, she's convinced her father hates her, not only for falling into trouble because of Logan Barberi, but because she caused the death of her mother. The woman was very good at covering up her lack of self-esteem. She took fault and blame for everything that went wrong and didn't trust her judgement in men. But McSailor (Grant's nickname) changed all that and showed Sophie that good men protect those that they love.

This book will rip your heart out for our hero and heroine while providing an excellent intrigue storyline with Grant's mafia family and what they're involved in. Have a tissue handy....you're going to need it!