Carter Reed - Review

Carter Reed

By: Tijan

Published: September 28, 2013

302 pages

Source: Personal Kindle Library

(Goodreads / Amazon)
 
Summary:

Emma decided to skip the gym and went home early. It was the last easy decision she made because she found her roommate being raped by the boyfriend. She had two choices. Call the cops and be killed by his family’s mafia connections or kill him first and hope to survive. There was no choice to her. She killed him first and went to the one person who could protect her. Carter Reed. He’s a weapon for the rivaling mafia family, but he’s also Emma’s secret. Not only was he best friends with her brother, but she’s the reason he became that weapon in the first place.

MY REVIEW:
I can't believe I'm about to discuss this, however briefly, on here (because I've chosen not to get involved in all the opinions about it) but this book was annoyingly similar to Fifty Shades of Grey in a few ways that I must get off my chest first.  The overbearing, over protective, extremely wealthy, control freak with body guards who watch every move of Emma was a bit too similar to Christian Grey, for my taste anyway.  End of similarities.

What this book has that is different is that Emma is an adult, who comes home from work to witness her roommate being brutally raped and beaten by none other than Jeremy Dunvan, the son of a well known mobster.  To protect her friend she shoots him, execution style.  Shoot first, ask questions later.  Only, she knows she can't call the cops because most of them are in some way involved with the mob.  So she does the only thing she knows to do, she runs.  She quickly realizes she needs the help of an old childhood friend. Carter Reed.  She and Carter have a connection because of their childhood and she remembers that her brothers last words to her before his own death was to ONLY trust Carter. The problem is that Carter now is not the same boy she knew.  He is a known killer, though never caught or convicted of any crimes. He is also involved in the mob.  But she takes a leap of faith and goes to him for help.  And he is more than willing to protect her, since he's been doing it her whole life anyway.

I've read a few books recently with a mafia theme (Elite by Rachel Van Dyken comes to mind as a favorite) and I've enjoyed it in the story line so far.  But I'm struggling with how to rate this one.  There were parts I enjoyed, but there were parts that annoyed me.  Overall, it was a good read.  You can't deny Carter's dark, sexy side that pulls you in either.

Favorite Quotes:
I wanted his touch, but I feared his touch at the same time.

One look and I was pulled to him.  I would always be pulled to him.

"I would declare war for you."

"Friends can be the best family sometimes."

I had grown addicted to this beautiful man.  He was mine.  I would always love this man.

Every person gives you an image of what they want you to see.

Final Rating: 3.5 stars.