Mine To Take (Nine Circles)

This is the first book in a brand new series by Jackie Ashenden. Based solely on the book description and genre, there were high hopes for this book. It tries to be a contemporary romance with suspense, a sexy billionaire with a tortured past, and “happily ever after” all rolled into one; unfortunately, it is not overwhelmingly successful at any of these. The basic premise of the book is great, but the pace of the plot ruins the book. The pace is not fast enough to engage readers in the story, and what should have been an average-paced mile quickly becomes an interminable marathon.

Alex is consumed with getting justice for what was done to his mother, and Honor is merely collateral damage in that quest. It is very easy to rally behind both characters, but the author only provides us with the ghosts of characters, which is not enough substance to become emotionally involved in the outcome. Hopefully, we will see more character development as the series continues. It’s hard to say how the series will progress, and if it will fully encompass more of the characters.