Dani Fenton’s life was on the right course. In her younger years, she strayed and got into trouble. But she was able to right the ship. And she helped inspire those around her to get their lives together. Dani runs a business and she employs many young men that other companies wouldn’t hire. And she helps negotiate deals between rival gangs as a side gig. Dani is smart, confident, charismatic, and in control. She has a loyal group of “soldiers” who will help her no matter what.
But there is one thing that threatens Dani and that is Dani herself. Actually, it’s Dani when Susanna, an old flame, reenters the picture. For some reason, Dani can’t control herself or stop herself when it comes to Susanna. Will she throw everything away to be with Susanna?
This is Veronica Fearon’s debut novel and she doesn’t pull any punches. It takes place in present day London and Fearon shows the gritty side of the city and of love. Right from the start, the reader is thrown into a world that many won’t have first-hand experience with. Gangs in London are frightening. There’s always a sense when reading that something can go very wrong with just one misstep.
Dani is an original character. She’s able to teach and control her soldiers by showing them respect and teaching them respect. Dani really understands the young men she interacts with and she knows how to handle them.
But Dani isn’t a perfect character. Her big flaw is her obsession with Susanna. At first I thought Dani would be able to control her obsession, but I soon learned just how far Dani is willing to go. You’ll have to read the book to find out.
While I love flawed characters, Dani’s actions made me uncomfortable on many occasions. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy the story. I did, even though it made me uncomfortable. And it made me think.
This isn’t your typical lesbian romance story. If a reader is looking for a carefree novel about two women who love each other, I wouldn’t suggest this one. But if a reader likes character driven stories about love, including the destructive side of love, this might be perfect for you.
I will warn you, there is some violence that might be upsetting. However, the violence is part of the story and part of Dani’s world. It took me some time to adjust to the slang used in conversations. Once I grew accustomed to it, I stopped noticing it and it became natural.
Overall, this is a powerful debut novel and a great start to the series.
