Just Keep Sweet by Melissa Brown Review
4.5 Smooches
Synopsis
Obstacles.
So many obstacles. Nothing but obstacles.
Months ago, I agreed to help Aspen Black take down the Prophet of the FLDS—to prevent her daughter from being married at an early age, and to save innocent lives from systemic abuse on the compound.
The obstacles in this case are mounting, as are my feelings for Aspen. The tension between us is palpable and I know there’s more to our connection than the increasingly difficult case at hand. But, she’s not only married to the Prophet’s brother, she’s equally devoted to her faith. Two obstacles that just may be insurmountable.
But, no matter what happens, I will close this case.
Even if it kills me.
Review
“Just keep sweet. Never let him see you sweat. We’ll win this . . .”
First off let’s be clear that Just Keep Sweet is the follow-up to Mother Before Wife by Melissa Brown and you do need to read that book first. I would not recommend reading this book as a standalone. Just Keep Sweet is a romantic suspense heavy on the suspense. I literally was on the edge of my seat as I was flipping pages not only figuring out where Aspen would end up but how everything would all play out.
“Nothing about you is silly to me,” I said with confidence. “Not one thing. You’re the most incredible woman I’ve met. It doesn’t matter to me where you come from or who you’ve been with. None of it matters. I just want you.”
I don’t want to delve into too many spoilers here so let’s not focus on the plot too much here. Know that this picks up right where the last book left off and while much is resolved not everything is. There is still more to come and trust me you will never guess where the story is going next. Just Keep Sweet is a love triangle that isn’t and I know that is confusing but it’s also true. Aspen is married and she loves her husband, Paul, and loves being in a plural marriage. She isn’t looking for a quick out but she is desperately seeking help from the sexy detective Johnathan Cooke. While accusations into his brother has left her relationship with her husband strained she is forced to seek help and comfort from the defective. Her husband isn’t making her feel safe and Johnathan is. But really the romantic aspect is a very very tiny portion of this book. The main focus of the book is saving her daughter from marrying the prophet when she turns twelve and taking the man down.
‘It was time to make Clarence Black pay. I just had to figure out how.’
The storyline is like no other I have ever read and the series as a whole has quickly become a personal favorite of mine. I love Melissa’s writing and her complex characters make me just constantly want more from her. I love that in her books you get one main focus POV with extras thrown in . The last book was mainly Aspen with others and this time you get Johnathan and Paul! If you have not started this series yet then I urge you to try it and if you have then I am sure you are already hooked.
~miranda
