The Work Boyfriend by Deanna McFadden

In The Work Boyfriend, things seem to be going in the right direction for Kelly. She has a great job and a steady long term boyfriend. To everyone else, her life is nearly perfect. So, why can't she stop thinking about Garrett, her friend at work. During the chaotic holiday season, she wonders if she's made the right decisions and "finds herself questioning what she really wants from her life . . . and who she wants in it."

I really enjoyed this book. From the cover and title, I expected a much more "chick-lit" type of story. Not that that's a bad thing. I'm just glad it delved deeper into Kelly's inner-most feelings and dealt with her family issues.

I loved that the book had some Canadian references that were familiar to me. Even though I myself am not familiar with Toronto, I'm sure many readers will be and will get a kick out of reading a story set in their "backyard".

The book had an overall sadness to it with Kelly wondering about her life, the decisions she made, and what's going to happen in her future. I don't know exactly why but these types of books really appeal to me. Even though I present a somewhat "Pollyanna" or upbeat view to others, on the inside I lean towards pessimism and sadness. It's something I know and these types of stories make me feel at home.

I really liked Kelly as the main character. I think a lot of people (me included) wonder if the decisions they'd made are the right ones. They wonder if "the one" is really "the right one". Maybe it happens at the beginning of a relationship or maybe the middle or perhaps nearer the end. Maybe there's someone else involved (as in Kelly's case) or not. Maybe it's a case of cold feet, relationship ennui, or something else entirely. Regardless of the circumstance, I think a lot of people can relate to this. All of this makes the story current and relevant.

Highly recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit the Amazon.ca.

I'd like to thank the author for this review copy.

The Work Boyfriend by Deanna McFadden, Farringdon Road Books, ©2014. ISBN 9780993991509(eBook),193p.

The Banks of Certain Rivers by Jon Harrison

In The Banks of Certain Rivers, Neil Kazenzakis is struggling to put his life back together after a tragic accident has left his wife in a permanent state of comatose. Besides teaching and coaching, he's been raising his now teenage son on his own, while trying to keep a romantic relationship with his mother-in-law's private nurse a secret from everyone. Things are running smoothly, until a series of misfortunes threatens to derail his progress and set him back. First, a video surfaces showing Neil in a scuffle with one of the students, then he starts receiving harassing phone calls and emails. If that wasn't bad enough, his son finds about his affair and doesn't take it well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The story was interesting, current and relevant. It's hard to believe that this is Harrison's debut novel. It was really well done. While I liked the whole story, I was especially touched by the ending. By then, I had connected with all of the characters and really wanted to see how things worked out for them.

Neil was a sympathetic and likeable character. He's far from perfect, but his particular transgressions made him all the more human to me. I really wanted things to turn out for him. I really liked Christopher, too, who was a pretty good kid when it came right down to it. Lauren rubbed me the wrong way in the beginning. Her first "romantic encounter" with Neil in the book felt a little gratuitous. However, as the story went on, she grew on me and by the end, I liked her as much as I liked Neil.

I loved the series of emails Neil sent to his wife, even though he knew she couldn't read them. It was therapeutic for him and a wonderful way for the author to add details to the story. I was a little sad that they ended a bit abruptly and that the author didn't make use of them throughout the whole story.

I don't want to give too much away about the video, but I will say it was really scary how quickly things got out of hand with it. Neil was lucky to have good people on his side.

New word:
détente (page 233): easing of hostility

I really liked the title and the cover of this book. It would definitely draw me in and make me want to pick up the book (if it were in a bookstore) or investigate it further (online). However, I'm not sure what it had to do with the overall story. If there was a reference or explanation somewhere in the story, I'm sorry I missed it.

There were a few bumps in the story, but those were relatively minor and didn't at all detract from my enjoyment of the story. Highly recommended. I'd definitely read another book by this author.

For more information about this book, please visit, The Banks of Certain Rivers website.

I received this electronic copy for review.

The Banks of Certain Rivers by Jon Harrison, ©2013. ASIN B00BXKY6VA(eBook), 319p.

Motion to Kill by Joel Goldman

In Motion to Kill, Lou Mason is a lawyer who's been with the Sullivan & Christenson just a short time, when one of the partner's, Sullivan, is found dead. When another partner turns up dead and a criminal investigation into the firm's transactions is uncovered, Mason is left wondering what he's got himself into with this new job. As he starts digging around, he uncovers a lot more than he bargained for including corruption, a sexual scandal and organized crime to go along the two murders. What's this lawyer to do, but dig deeper and uncover the truth about why the partners are being investigated and picked off one by one.

I really enjoyed this book. The story was suspenseful and exciting, especially the action scenes. They were intense. The story wasn't really straightforward; there were lots of different angles and motives to consider. However, it was still pretty easy to follow. The author moved the story along at a really good clip and with so much going on, it certainly wasn't ever dull or boring. The whole thing was very well written.

The characters were all pretty good; I especially liked Lou Mason. He didn't have to dig around to uncover what was going on, but did so anyway, even when his life was in danger. He was pretty tenacious in his investigation, too. I liked that. I especially liked the way he interacted with Sheriff Kelly Holt, whom I also liked a lot. Wilson "Blues" Bluestone, piano player and ex-cop, was another favourite. Besides his interaction with Mason, which was terrific, I loved his general style and his thoughts about music.

The ending was full of surprises and wonderfully written. It was perfectly timed and wrapped up the story nicely. It was a great way to end the story and leave just a little bit open with Mason to appear in the next instalment of the series.

Favourite quotes: Because I have an inner geek, I couldn't resist the following:

The glistening effect was a mixture of a Madonna-halo and a Star Trek transporter.

Another favourite quote of mine involves Jerry Springer and the type of guests he had on his show. It appears on page 298. However, I can't include it her because it gives away a plot point. I'll just say it's vintage Jerry and priceless.

New word:
pogroms (page 165): massacre of a particular ethnic group, particular that of Jews in Russia or eastern Europe.

I also read No Way Out by this author and really enjoyed it. I'd definitely recommend it.

Highly recommended. I'll be keeping my eye out for more of Goldman's books.

This book was originally published in 2002. Since then Goldman has "updated the book but kept the story intact."

For more information about this book, please visit Joel Goldman'swebsite.

For more information about the author and his other books, please visit Joel Goldman's website.

Thanks to the author for this review copy.

Motion to Kill by Joel Goldman, ©2002. ISBN 0786014474(eBook), 301p.