Review: Shameless by Lex Martin
Shameless is a spin-off standalone novel of author Lex Martin's Dearest series--which is comprised of Dearest Clementine, Finding Dandelion, and Kissing Madeline--and is my first foray into all thing Lex Martin, although I actually have the first two novels in her original series waiting ever so patiently for me on my Kindle app, having gotten one when it was free and the other when it was on sale for 99 cents. After having read this latest release, however, I would be remiss if I wait much longer to read her earlier work. Since I have no previous knowledge of the book wherein the male lead character here was first mentioned but I was able to fully enjoy the story here nonetheless, I think it's safe to say that this can, indeed, be read as a standalone, although based on rave reviews for Finding Dandelion, as well as the book that came before and the one that came after it, I highly doubt that you'd have anything to lose if you do check it out.
Twenty-six-year-old tattoo artist Brady Shepherd's life is upended after he and his parents learn of the deaths of his younger brother Cal and his sister-in-law Melissa. He heads to Texas to handle Cal's affairs and to take his niece Isabella back to Boston with him. There he meets twenty-three-year-old Katherine Duran, Melissa's close friend and currently the one watching over Izzy and the taking care of the farm Cal and Melissa own. What was supposed to be a quick trip begins to turn out to be an extended stay for Brady, learning more about what exactly it was that led Cal to create a life and family on the other side of the country. In the process, Brady finds himself falling in love with his little niece and with the woman who not only shares his loss and grief, but his love for Izzy. Brady has too much going on back in Boston and the last thing he needs is a new responsibility. Will Katherine be a burden or someone to help alleviate it?
It's easy to see why Lex Martin has the following that she does. Her writing evokes a range of emotions from her readers, creating a story that captures one's attention while giving us characters that make it all to easy to become invested in them as they hit highs and lows on their way to a happily-ever-after. Brady's and Katherine's paths intersect at a time in their lives when they're both experiencing a joint loss while trying to focus on the most innocent victim of that same loss, finding a similar purpose. You wouldn't think that a book this long would be fast-paced, but you become so engrossed with everything that's happening that you don't realize how much time has passed and that you've already reached the sigh-worthy end. I pre-ordered this book even with an advanced copy already in my possession and I'm certainly glad I did. Shameless happens to be one of those books you won't regret one-clicking. Five stars. ♥
Release Date: 26 April 2016
Date Read: 26 April 2016
Learn more about Lex Martin.
Comments
Post a Comment