Cheap Avenging Angel (Book) (Justin Dare, Justine Dare, Justine Davis) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of Avenging Angel

Simple
My previous experience with a Justine Dare book (High Stakes) is what drew me to this newest book. However, I was quite disappointed by the plot and the characters. The book is described as "contemporary romance," but the feeling between the two characters isn't especially strong, and the romance is minimal. There was a subplot between two divorced detectives that was actually more interesting than the main characters. The "mystery" was ... well, easy to figure out after reading the first chapter, so the book ended up being not as suspenseful as I had hoped. From reading two of Dare's books, I would say that her strength is as a mystery writer moreso than romance. I just wish the identity of the Avenger wasn't so easy to figure out, and that the two main characters - Alex and Regan - had spent more time getting to know one another. This wasn't a poorly written book, or even an uninvolving one, it was just pretty simple and made for time-wasting.

---

Not up to the usual Justine Dare standards
As a fan of Dare, I bought this book expecting a great plot with a courageous hero and heroine. I got none of those things. The relationship between the hero and heroine was poorly developed, I felt nothing for any of the characters, the plot was far from riveting and I skipped most of the book just to get to the end to find out who the Angel was. The sub plot involving Detectives Garrison and Kelso and Garrison's ex-husband was much more interesting. It was just a disappointing book.

---

The Subplot Was the Best Part
This was my first Justine Dare novel that I have read through to the end. I attempted to read "High Stakes" and just couldn't get into it. As a social worker, it was a hard to get beyond Regan, the protagonist's, self-rightiousness and sense of duty. Ms. Dare excuses Regan's lack of therapeutic rapport with the residents 3/4 of the way through by stating that Rachel's House is a labor of obligation instead of a career choice; however, I was really disappointed in the dialogue between Regan and the residents too early into the book to swallow her reasoning. Spousal abuse is a serious subject and anyone who will take on the material this novel covers deserves respect; however, it did not make for an enlightening or suspensful read.
I feel the subplot regarding Detective Lynne Garrison was more interesting. The character seemed much more empathetic toward the resident's and was fighting her own personal demons. Detective Garrison was a very well-developed character that deserved an entire novel from her perspective. With that, Ms. Dare would have had a compelling, heartfelt novel worthy of 5 stars.