Author: Sandra Brown
Genre: Mystery, romance
Published on: August 18, 2015 by Grand Central Publishing
Crawford Hunt wants his daughter back. Following the death of his wife four years ago, he fell into a downward spiral that knocked him down to deskwork and landed his five-year-old daughter Georgia in the custody of her grandparents. But now that Crawford has cleaned up his act and met the court's requirements, the fate of his family lies with Judge Holly Spencer.
Holly, ambitious and confident, must prove herself worthy of a permanent judgeship on the cusp of an upcoming election. Every decision is high-stakes, and despite Crawford's commitment to being a better father, Holly is wary of his past. But when a masked gunman barges into the courtroom during the custody hearing, Crawford reacts instinctively to save Holly's life.
But his heroism soon takes on the taint of recklessness. With the gunman still at large, Crawford uncovers a horrifying truth, and the cloud over him grows even darker as he considers vengeance. He quickly realizes that pursuing the killer will jeopardize his chances of gaining custody of his daughter and compromise Holly, who needs protection not only from an assassin, but from Crawford himself and the forbidden attraction between them.
Friction will keep you on the edge of your seat with breathtaking plot twists and the unforgettable characters that make Sandra Brown one of the world's best-loved authors. It is an extraordinary novel about the powerful ties that bind us to the ones we love and the secrets we keep to protect them.
At the custody hearing, the second protagonist is introduced. Holly happens to be the judge handling the case. She took over the position from her old mentor. Holly wants to be elected as judge permanently. This means she’s going to be as objective and impartial as possible. No matter how much Crawford shows he loves Georgia, Holly will make her decision with the girl’s best interests in mind. Before she can do that, though, something unexpected happens. A gunman storms into the courtroom, killing someone before most people can react. Crawford instinctively saves Holly’s life and then pursues the gunman.
Crawford’s heroism draws mixed opinion. On one side, people commend Crawford for trying to stop the gunman. On the other, Crawford’s actions and careless disregard for his life cast doubt on his ability to raise Georgia. He was already doubtful Holly would decide on his favor. Now, Crawford’s pretty sure it’ll take a miracle for him to win custody. As for Holly, she’s starting to second-guess herself a little. As I mentioned, she wanted to remain impartial. The shooting may have biased her judgment somewhat.
As you learn in the synopsis, the book’s main antagonist is still out there after the shooting. Crawford is the one who first realizes it. He tells Holly, who seems to believe him. The question is, who was the bad guy after? Did he seek to kill Crawford, or Holly? The latter gets security detail from the Texas Rangers. Meanwhile, she and Crawford grow closer to each other. Crawford is a protective guy, so he makes it his mission to find the shooter and protect Holly. He still wants to win custody of Georgia, though. It doesn’t help that his in-laws are even more at odds with him. They think he’s a hothead.
Despite finding Friction enjoyable, the romance was not my favorite part. The main reason is that the choice of female love interest is very questionable. Holly is the judge presiding over the custody case. Crawford supposedly wants nothing more than to raise his little girl. Were I him, I would never pursue the judge who decides whether I get custody of my daughter or not. And the way Crawford goes about it is even more eyebrow-raising. There is no build-up of their relationship, nor indication that they had anything to do with each other before. Crawford just shows up at Holly’s house uninvited one night. They even have a tryst before they even know each other’s full names. I mean, this is a pro Texas Ranger, not Edward freaking Cullen. What Crawford was thinking, I have no idea.
There’s still a lot to like in this book. The story is suspenseful, and the subplot concerning Crawford’s mission is satisfyingly thrilling. Holly would have been a great love interest if she didn’t have such a pivotal role in Crawford’s custody hearing. Crawford is a good protagonist, though. He’s more than interesting enough to carry the story, what with the personal and professional issues he’s dealing with. Crawford’s character is also distinctive enough not to get him confused with other fictional heroes from romance and suspense novels. If you enjoy those genres, Friction will definitely be up your alley. I seriously recommend it.
As you learn in the synopsis, the book’s main antagonist is still out there after the shooting. Crawford is the one who first realizes it. He tells Holly, who seems to believe him. The question is, who was the bad guy after? Did he seek to kill Crawford, or Holly? The latter gets security detail from the Texas Rangers. Meanwhile, she and Crawford grow closer to each other. Crawford is a protective guy, so he makes it his mission to find the shooter and protect Holly. He still wants to win custody of Georgia, though. It doesn’t help that his in-laws are even more at odds with him. They think he’s a hothead.
Despite finding Friction enjoyable, the romance was not my favorite part. The main reason is that the choice of female love interest is very questionable. Holly is the judge presiding over the custody case. Crawford supposedly wants nothing more than to raise his little girl. Were I him, I would never pursue the judge who decides whether I get custody of my daughter or not. And the way Crawford goes about it is even more eyebrow-raising. There is no build-up of their relationship, nor indication that they had anything to do with each other before. Crawford just shows up at Holly’s house uninvited one night. They even have a tryst before they even know each other’s full names. I mean, this is a pro Texas Ranger, not Edward freaking Cullen. What Crawford was thinking, I have no idea.
There’s still a lot to like in this book. The story is suspenseful, and the subplot concerning Crawford’s mission is satisfyingly thrilling. Holly would have been a great love interest if she didn’t have such a pivotal role in Crawford’s custody hearing. Crawford is a good protagonist, though. He’s more than interesting enough to carry the story, what with the personal and professional issues he’s dealing with. Crawford’s character is also distinctive enough not to get him confused with other fictional heroes from romance and suspense novels. If you enjoy those genres, Friction will definitely be up your alley. I seriously recommend it.
My rating: ★★★★
4 stars - Definitely enjoyed it!
No comments:
Post a Comment