DIRECT BOOK REVIEWS
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VENGEFULLY YOURS
Author: J. Rose Black
Reviewer: Florence Osmund
The Hook
Intrigue, temptation, politics, and romance swirl through VENGEFULLY YOURS for an engaging collection of attention-grabbing short stories.
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Plot Summaries
Six short stories are uniquely different in setting, characters, and plot, but similar in theme—revenge.
Angel of La Seine Private Investigator Dashiel Clark agrees to do work for a corrupt club owner, but when the two meet to discuss details, a sultry lounge singer distracts them from the business at hand.
In the Dead of the Night Ryder Burich spends years and plenty of his own money to protect a woman from harm and keep her from finding out a dark secret.
Behind the 8 Ball Former Navy SEAL Mac Cormac must face his past when Aurelie, a bygone lover, comes to him in desperate need of a favor.
Stark Homecoming A high school reunion brings Stellan Stark face to face with a former love interest when he has to choose between following government orders or facing the consequences of defying them.
The Nightmare Maxen Brigh faces physical danger, a dubious past, and many regrets while helping investigative journalist Aveline Watson find her father’s murderer.
A Fool to Hold You Joe Casey charms his way into a mayoral re-election party in an attempt to seek revenge on the man who he claims had ruined his career.
Assessment
Black’s stories are creative, impactful, and thought provoking. Each is laced with enough romance, suspense, and intrigue to keep readers engaged. The author is masterful in immediately creating a mood and atmosphere conducive to the storyline, allowing the reader to become completely immersed in the story.
Infiltrating each story is an interesting cast of well-drawn characters—many with nefarious pasts, some with lust in their hearts, and others with secrets they dare to tell. Each one boils down to the protagonist wanting something—perhaps a single thing, perhaps multiple things, and some not knowing exactly what they want. Black’s writing style is well-paced and fluid. Her vivid portrayal of the characters, places, actions, and settings make it easy to visualize each scene.
These stories are not easy reads—most of them jump back and forth in time, interrupting the flow of the narrative. Some end abruptly, and/or have an unresolved ending. This will annoy or confuse some readers and leave them wanting more but will please others who prefer to imagine and interpret the story themselves.
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Rating
On a scale of 1 to 5, VENGEFULLY YOURS is rated 4.0 by Direct Book Reviews.
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