Book Review

BRED by Aria Adams

3 ½ stars

This book is touted as ‘A Dark Mafia’ romance. You don’t really get much of a glimpse into their ‘mafia’ world, other than I suppose what Caden does to earn money, and even that is quite brief. There’s just a tad more toward the end of the book when dealing with his ‘aunt’, but again, not really much.

There is also just a hint at what Khloe has suffered through since the age of seven, and you do get a little more near the end of the book. The story opens with Khloe trying to find her 14-year-old sister, Latifah, in a seedy alleyway, where she’s been offered by her father. Again, you don’t get much detail.

This story had good bones, and I feel the author could have had a really good novel on her hands, but being just a short story, I didn’t get a feel for the characters. There was so much potential when Caden gets Chloe to agree to an agreement between the two about carrying a baby, and he has to put her in her place. But then for love to be mentioned in what feels like a few minutes of knowing each other, I’m afraid that had me shaking my head. Caden may have felt ‘responsible’ about Khloe because of the agreement, but being a dominant, which is what he’s portrayed to be, that doesn’t sit right with me.

I’m pretty sure I would have downloaded this book when it was offered for free. I can’t honestly remember because it’s been on my Kindle for God only know how long. But with it being just 78 pages, I think AUD $4.10 is a bit much. It’s a pity the author didn’t put more time into this story.

What was written, I feel, was pretty good. Because of it only being 78 pages, I read this story in one sitting.