ARC Review: Broslin Bride by Dana Marton

BROSLIN BRIDE is the fifth entry in Dana Marton’s popular Broslin Creek romantic suspense series, but it can be read as a standalone and/or introduction to the series, since characters from previous instalments only make brief, spoiler-free cameos. The full-length novels in the series lean toward the darker end of the RS spectrum, so the lighter, humorous tone of this novella was a refreshing change of pace thatwas executed with the same skill as Ms. Marton’s darker work. It’s no secret that novellas are often the bane of my reading existence, but—whilst it suffers from the usual lightning-speed relationship development pitfall of the format—BROSLIN BRIDE read more like a short novel than a typical novella and delivered a layered storyline with a fast-moving plot and solid characters.

We first meet heroine Luanne Mayfair as she stands contemplating the damage to her car that indicates she may have run her boss over during a night out she can’t remember clearly. Said boss was a dodgy lecher who constantly harassed the maids at his motel and who won’t be sorely missed, but as the sole guardian of her twin four-year-old sisters, Luanne needs to get away with murder whilst former high-school flame and current Broslin PD detective Chase Merritt investigates. But did she really do it… and if not, who’s framing her for murder? What follows is a fast-moving plot full of misdirection and a somewhat-implausible twist that had me raising a skeptical eyebrow but that I could roll with because it was such a fun ride.

I really liked and had great respect for Luanne. She quit her studies and moved back home to raise her baby twin sisters after their father split and her mum died of breast cancer, and she works multiple cleaning jobs to make ends meet as well she can. Despite being perpetually broke and exhausted from working, she does an excellent job ensuring the twins have the best life possible, and her willingness to do anything—even (seemingly) lie to the police—to keep the twins is commendable. She’s an incredibly strong character who’s held her own and kept her family together—her biggest motivation as a character—in the face of adversity, and she’s so warm and loving you can’t help but want to be friends with her. Even with her incredible naïveté, which is endearing rather than annoying. And, oh, Chase… be still, my heart! Romantic suspense tends to be dominated by an overabundance of alpha maleness, but I prefer my heroes to be less testosterone-laden. Chase is the rock-solid, all-around good guy with a badge you want to take home to meet your mum, and the little things he does for Luanne beyond protecting her are incredibly endearing. Case in point: constantly over-ordering food whenever they’re together to ensure she eats a decent meal and has leftovers for the twins. Their past history—whilst clearly taking the place of the traditional meet-cute and serving as the standard novella trick to pave the way to a somewhat-believable accelerated HEA—is also equal parts hilarious and cute and fits perfectly with the humorous-but-intense tone of the novel: underwhelmed by her first sexual experience, Luanne inadvertently ruins teenage Chase’s reputation and spends the next decade avoiding him. With the murder investigation, Chase finally has the opportunity to redeem himself and convince Luanne to give him a second chance—forever. Whilst we get some delicious sexytimes, it’s in this area where the shortcomings of the novella format are most evident: with a strong focus on the plot, Ms. Marton relies on that past history as the source of the chemistry between Luanne and Chase rather than building it up and developing it as the story progresses.

BROSLIN BRIDE is an extremely fun, quick read that’s a great addition to the Broslin Creek series and serves a good launching pad for new readers to get into the series. Looking forward to the next book!

**ARC provided by Author**

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ARC Review: Deathblow by Dana Marton

Dana Marton’s Broslin Creek novels have been a bit hit-or-miss for me. While I haven’t actively disliked any of them, there have been instances where I’ve been underwhelmed. But with DEATHBLOW Ms. Marton knocks it out of the park, delivering an intense character-driven story rich in emotions and thrills that had me reaching for the tissues—a rarity! Though it’s the fourth book in the series, DEATHBLOW can be read as a standalone: readers will have a better sense of the nature of the small Pennsylvania town of Broslin from having read the previous three novels, but Ms. Marton provides enough context for both the town and returning characters so new readers will not feel lost. DEATHBLOW is not for the faint of heart: in addition to the adrenaline-filled suspense plots, it packs an emotional punch with its heroine and her young son trying to escape an abusive relationship. Anyone for whom domestic violence is a trigger should avoid this book.

Ms. Marton certainly knows how capture the reader’s attention and get the adrenaline pumping: the book opens with hero Joe Kessler—former Broslin football star & town ladies man and current police officer working a dangerous undercover gang case (among other things)—handcuffed in the back of a squad car that has just been pushed off a bridge into the Schuylkill River. She follows that pulse-pounding escape from certain death by introducing heroine Wendy Belle—small-time model and mother to two-year-old Justin—being accosted by the abusive father of her child, Keith Kline, and trying to get him to sign over custody without inciting his temper… all before the end of the first chapter. Wendy’s best friend Sophie (from a previous Broslin Creek novel) convinces her to escape to Broslin and puts Joe on her protective detail… without being aware of their hot single night of passion three months prior. With Joe acting as Wendy’s protector, working the undercover gang case in Philadelphia, trying to find a dirty Philadelphia cop, and working a town homicide—and Keith’s manipulative and violent shenanigans—there is never a lack of action or danger. But where the story really shines is in its protagonists and the developing relationship between them.

On the surface, Joe is the quintessential jock: a small-town football hero with an overinflated ego, his own female fan club, and entirely too many notches on his bedpost. But he’s really a committed cop who feels for the victims and bears the guilt of those he’s unable to save. He’s solid, loyal, incredibly likeable, and fantastic with Justin… and not simply to get into Wendy’s pants again. Even if he undeniably wants to—in fact, he hasn’t wanted another woman since his earth-shattering night with Wendy three months ago, and the attraction between them leaps off the page. His attempts to resist his attraction to her and keep centred on protecting her and Justin are noble (but futile!), and his understanding and patience with her skittishness are incredibly touching. I seriously wanted to give him several hugs… and slap him upside the head for his ridiculously male (albeit understandable) reaction to one tiny little bombshell. I found Wendy to be a three-dimensional, realistic character as well, and thought that Ms. Marton did an excellent job portraying the different facets of an abused woman: the self-esteem issues (despite being physically attractive) brought on by the constant belittling, the belief that the abuse is deserved, the denial and defence of the abuser, the slow process of throwing off the yoke of that overbearing control and learning to believe in oneself again. Watching Wendy reassert her independence, take control of her life, and learn to trust in love again was incredibly rewarding, and I loved how Joe was there to help her without pressure at each step. Despite the scorching attraction between them, the romance is a slow burn—which makes it poignant and realistic—and Joe and Wendy face some wrenching situations that had me reaching for the tissues.

DEATHBLOW is my favourite entry in the Broslin Creek series so far, and I hope future instalments continue in this vein, with the pulse-pounding suspense being perfectly balanced by a rich, endearing, and at times humorous romance.

**ARC provided by Author**

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Interview with Author Dana Marton and Giveaway

Meet Dana Marton, author of Deathwatch.

Dana Marton writes fast-paced action-adventure romances that take her readers all over the globe. She is a Rita Award finalist and the winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence. She loves writing stories of intrigue, filled with dangerous plots that try her tough-as-nails heroes and the special women they fall in love with. Her books have been published in seven languages in eleven countries around the world.

Places to find Dana:

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