Beautiful Bad by author Annie Ward is a suspense story with twists and three of the characters have hidden motives for their own personal reasons. Maddie is a travel writer and has been in Europe as she researches for her articles and features. She has a best friend Joanna, who is working with relief efforts in the war-torn Balkans to send supplies to women and children. During one of Maddie's visits to Jo, she meets Ian who is a bodyguard serving in different war zones as protection for contractors or business interests in those areas. They are attracted to each other and romance blossoms. Jo's attitude toward Maddie changes and there is a fierce tension between the friends. Maddie comes back to the US and Ian proposes marriage to her while they are visiting her parent's farm in Kansas. They have a beautiful son they both adore, Charlie. As time progresses, the stresses of Ian's job, the weeks away from home, and the contact he has with an ex-girlfriend take a toll on the marriage. During a camping trip, Maddie is injured severely during a fall. Was it accidental or was it an act of violence against Maddie by Ian?
The story is good, and there is an element of suspense, but the way the segments of the story are divided up in the timeline can be a distraction rather than a pattern for interest. (Spoiler Alert) I think the revel of Ian's thoughts in the final chapters after he has been killed, is written out of sequence, maybe, I don't know but something about that explanation seemed a bit out of character for the self-absorbed and challenging Ian we have been reading about previously in the book.
Maddie, Jo, and Ian are all flawed people with trust issues and their one agendas.
Publication Date March 19, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
___________________________________
Art Images or Photographs by Diane Lochala-All Rights Reserved
"Look at Me!"
Comments
Post a Comment
You may leave a comment: