Retribution
by Mandy Lou Dowson
There are some books that are worth more than the accepted 5 stars – this is one of those books – Many Lou Dowson has served up a story that is likely to have you gasping for air as it shakes you relentlessly by the throat because this is not a soft and gentle romance, IT IS DARK, IT IS GRITTY but by god it is FABULOUS!!!!
Told from three unique perspectives it is fascinating to get to know what makes each of these three individuals tick.
I felt for Gemma early on – seeing that she was trapped a relationship with the abusive Brycen, like many before her she realises too late that the man she gave her heart to is a man that she needs to cut loose but with a man like Brycen leaving is not an option.
Brycen is a bastard of the highest order, to the outside world he is everyone’s mate, such a great guy but behind closed doors, he is a monster with little if any redeeming qualities. His duplicitous nature suits him, he is man that it is very easy to hate.
Braxton, well he had me from his first words, he has spent years in prison for a crime he did not commit but now back on the right side of the bars, he is ready to meet out his own justice and take his retribution for the years that he has lost. Who does he blame for his incarceration – well none other than Brycen.
Oh, I was whooping with joy at this point – I couldn’t wait to see the snake get whatever Braxton has in mind for him – I’m not normally a vindictive person but I really took exception to the way he treated Gemma and the fact that he had no (and I mean absolutely none!!) remorse for the hell that he put her through.
Braxton took his task seriously and was meticulous in his execution – after all he had spent eight years plotting it out. But what he knew nothing about was Gemma.
The book involves Braxton systematically endeavouring to take everything from Brycen just like he had done to him, but even with years of hurt and pain driving him and his needs, he is unsettled by the presence of Gemma in the equation.
Gemma saw behind the darkness that Braxton wore so well and despite the air of menace that shrouded him, she saw more and because of that she managed to uncover a side of him that he thought he had left behind long ago, she brought out his compassion and with a clear head he was able to show her what it was like to be loved, to feel special and most of all to feel wanted.
The triangle between the three of them kept me completely engrossed, and the world that surrounded the story was completely intriguing, I found it almost impossible to slow myself done , desperately trying to insure that I didn’t skip any detail of the story.
There was so much going on that I was detail hunting in order to try and work out where I thought the next turn was coming from – more fool me because the author had me completely at a disadvantage – she stacked the cards and I went with the hand she dealt me and it was beguiling!
One word for this book – amazing!