Brooke Bergren
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I loved everything about this book. From page one, I was drawn into the story and the characters. I thought the story took of pretty quickly, the chapters were short enough to read "just one more" before I had to do adult things. The characters were well rounded and developed, the flaws were realistic, the personalities addictive.
Cathy Geha
The Unwilling by John Hart Multilayered magnificent look at a fractured family dealing with multiple issues. This book took me back to memories of high school when we sent cookies and letters to soldiers in Vietnam, letters I received thanking me, news clips, and the remembered dread of “what if someone I know is drafted?” It is not just the memories evoked that drew me…no…but those were as real to me as the characters described in this book. What I liked: * Jason: a complex man, war veteran, brother, son, and over time I grew to admire, root for, and wish him future success – would love to have a crystal ball to see how he was a decade later. * Gibby: graduating from high school, interested in Beck, conflicted about his future, beginning to assert himself – on the brink of becoming a man to be reckoned with. * Robert: the twin that was lost to war and a big part of the story though never seen in the flesh. * Chance: a good friend of Gibby’s through good times and bad. I wouldn’t mind seeing him in a story of his own a few years down the road. * Becky: smart, attractive, empathetic, strong and a perfect first love for Gibby * The darker side of the story and the impact of X on so many * Watching the growth of various characters as the story progressed. It wasn’t just the younger generation that grew and changed. * The conflict within Detective William French and how he grappled with it. * Ken Burklow: French’s homicide detective partner, Korean war veteran, good friend to both French and his sons. * The way some of the bad guys were outsmarted. * The revelations that Gibby and his father made related to Jason. * The closeness I felt between the brothers. * The high dive aspect of the book that ties in well with the cover – loved how the decisions were made to or not to dive. * The real feel of the story…or at least most of it. * The excellent writing, plotting and overall story. * All of it really except… What I didn’t like: * Knowing that there are sadists, sadistic mercenaries, and psychopaths that exist in this world just like the ones in this book * Gabrielle: wife of detective French and mother to Robert, Jason, and Gibby. I had moments I wanted to smack her, sit her down and give her a talking to, or…something worse. * A few of the homicide detectives… Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would I read more by this author? Definitely Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars
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Kelsey Bickmore
This book deals with so many serious topics and does a wonderful job with them! There is the French family who lost one son to the Vietnam war and another son to the after effects of that war with drugs and prison time. It starts out with Jason being released from prison and going back to his hometown and reconnecting with the one brother that remained at home (Gibby) smothered by his mother trying to protect the one "good" son that she has left. Unfortunately, secret plans abound and an awful murder is committed to further those plans. That bit was fairly graphic (the description of the murder) and there are several other parts as well. It made for much confusion among the cops trying to solve the case, including Jason and Gibby's father and sent them down the wrong path. This is definitely a thrilling book and I liked it and how it ended where you find out the truth of several things, like Jason's role in the war and how it shaped him. Well written!
1 person found this review helpful