Bound by Guilt [Paperback]

When C.J. Darlington made her debut with "Thicker Than Blood," I was really excited. I thought she did a great job with it, and my wife did too. Talking with an author like Susanne Lakin, you might have your doubts. But when it came time for me to use my own brain, I ignored every negative word Susanne had to say, because she was just wrong. And I agree with what authors like Francine Rivers, Jerry Jenkins and Bodie Thoene had to say. They believe in the talent that was put on paper, and I do too! This girl has what it takes to write a great book, and then back it up with a 2nd one, and you don't want to miss "Bound by Guilt," so don't!

Meet a life where a last name like Gold doesn't exactly glitter as such. That would be young Roxi. Simply to be accepted, that's all she wants, and the things she does are not the right way to get attention. She steals rare books with a young man named Diego, and a woman named Irene, and they go to great lengths to get what they want!

Abby Dawson is a cop with a rough edge to her at times. She does her job well, but she doesn't like it. Around the same time her brother is gunned down, she happens to get suspended without pay from her job for showing that rough edge to the Mayor's wife. But needless to say, somebody is going to pay for what happened to her brother. He had his dreams, and just like that, they are gone and done with.

The paths of Roxi and Abby will eventually cross. What will happen?

You can see the work that Darlington puts into her books. She is no slouch. She might be a newer author, but handles the task at hand like a true master! I don't care what some people might say, because I really enjoy getting lost in what this new, young talent has to offer. It is more than good enough for me. And being a man who was born and raised in Pennsylvania, I might live in New York now, but I'm sticking with my people! C.J. Darlington is definitely one of my people. And she's done more to earn my respect with just two books than some authors do in a lifetime. Way to go!!

This story kept me captivated till the very end. There are many layers to the story and it's very well paced. Granted some of the characters weren't as fully vibrant as they could have been, but she twisted a good tale around them. Abby, the police woman, is strong, harsh and bold. I liked her but Jan was my favorite character and the most three dimensional in the book. I anticipated learning that Jan was controlling with selfish motives, but it never came about. She is loving and forgiving, a reflection of the nature of Jesus, even after all the damage in her life.

Okay, now about that "Christian" aspect of this book... The preaching was noticeably toned down from the first book. Which is a plus! There was less jibber-jabber about religiosity and more heartfelt actions that reflect the values of the bible. Which is what I'd rather read than preachy fiction. And the author didn't make us to go to church in this book to see God in the story. (Thank you!) The ending was touching and satisfying even though there was some over-explaining in the end. Some things can be left unsaid and our imaginations can make the connection to faith principles.

RATING:
Regardless of the negative points... This story touched me. I loved Roxi's ending, I was nearly in tears. When emotion is evoked from a story, you know the author succeeded. I'd rate it at a 3: A good read, no regrets. It's worth the time to read especially compared to the first book. The cover is pretty and I like the combination of antique books and the ranch (again).

RECOMMENDATIONS:
I'd recommend this book to Christians who love a good mystery. I think this book would be appropriate for teens and adults alike.

As I read through this book, clutching the pages in suspense at times, I was enthralled with Bound By Guilt. Even though I haven't read the first book in the series, I was able to jump right into the story, though enough history is given of Thicker Than Blood that I now want to dive straight into that book. The opening scene, with Roxi and Diego, sucked me right into this story and didn't let me go until I had read the last word on the epilogue page. What a story this book told!

Bound By Guilt is filled with a host of believable, three-dimensional characters. Sixteen year old Roxi was my favorite person to read about, but Deigo, Christy, Abby, and Jan were just as endearing. Even though Diego had made a huge mistake in his life, he realized his wrong and wanted to face up to the consequences of his actions. I really came to like this older-brother figure of Roxi's. Christy and Abby were perfect together--they were more alike than they realized. Survivors of similar evils. I really enjoyed watching their friendship bloom. And Jan. Wow. She was just one amazing lady. The way she cared for Roxi and loved her in a way that no one ever had, was touching. I always looked forward to scenes between these two, knowing they would be powerful.

This story was refreshingly unique. With the whole plot revolving around The Great Gatsby book, Roxi's life as an accomplice to a mother and son business of stealing rare books, and then her struggle to survive on her own, isn't a normal plot. It was amazing! Just when I thought Roxi's trouble would be over, something is thrown into her plans and she finds herself worse-off than before.

Gifted with a wonderful, engaging writing voice, CJs skill with words is amazing. Reading this book was so easy and I quickly found myself getting lost in the story almost the instant I began reading. She made the scenes come alive. There were times that I looked up from Bound By Guilt and was surprised not to be in the middle of a used bookstore, holding an antique copy of The Great Gatsby, or a R. R. Tolkien book. A very neat, and unique, experience that doesn't happen often.

There were some points in this book that I really wished I had read Thicker Than Blood first and had been able to connect with the characters there first before reading Bound By Guilt. This was probably my only negative thought as I read through this book--everything else was amazing and wonderful! The message this book gives, about being weighed down with guilt and the story of one very lonely girl just yearning to feel loved, was powerful. There are many teenagers out there in the world today that are in her same plight. It makes me pray that each of these teens will find a "Jan" in their life to show them how much they are loved by their Heavenly Father. Bound By Guilt is packed with adventure, suspense, mystery, and a powerful message that you are not soon to forget!

I reviewed this book for Tyndale House Publishing. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.