Just Keep Sweet
(Compound Series #3)
by Melissa Brown
Release Date: June
21, 2016
Add to Goodreads
Amazon
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.
EXCERPT
After receiving a
text the following morning from Aspen, I hauled myself to the station at the
ass crack of dawn, the adrenaline of anticipation overpowering the pull of
grogginess and the desire to stay in bed a couple more hours.
"Seriously?"
asked Megan, the receptionist, looking at me over her reading glasses. She let
out a yawn behind her hand as she waited for my response.
I froze.
"What?"
"You've never
been here this early ... like ever." She laughed, holding up the hot pink
clock from behind her desk.
"And how would
you know that?" I flirted, waving the clock away until she placed it back
behind her desk. "You've only worked here for five minutes."
Megan had moved to
Arizona a month before and was still adjusting to the area. She was originally
from Chicago and had a serious accent—like those guys in the "Da
Bears" skit on SNL.
God, I'm old.
"Big case?"
"You know
it." I winked, and she blushed. She'd had a crush on me since the first
day we met when I winked at her casually and her cheeks turned a deep red.
Since then I was guilty of manipulating that crush for my own gain.
I'm an asshole
sometimes.
Leaning in, I lowered
my voice and pretended to look down her shirt for a brief second. Her cheeks
grew darker. "Listen, um ..." I looked around the office. "The
case I'm working on is highly sensitive and the girl coming in is from the
local FLDS compound—"
Her mouth dropped
open. "Oh my God, seriously? I haven't seen one yet."
I cringed at her
phrasing, which was new for me. Just months ago, I wouldn't have flinched—hell,
I said things like it—referring to the members of the FLDS as if they were
animals at the zoo, a spectacle to be observed. Aspen changed all that. They
were people. People who needed my help.
"Yeah, well,
don't stare, okay? Just direct her to my office as quickly as you can. The
sergeant isn't exactly a fan, if you know what I mean."
"Got it."
She nodded, aiming to please me.
"Thanks." I
offered one more empty wink and strolled to my office, leaving the door open in
anticipation of Aspen's arrival. Before I had the chance to log my password
into my laptop, I heard the alluring tone of her voice.
"Detective?"
Within seconds, I'd
hopped to my feet and crossed the room, wrapping my arms around her and pulling
her tight. She tensed at my touch which, although it hurt my ego slightly,
reminded me that our relationship was supposed to be a professional one. I
released her from my grasp, stepping back and holding my hands in the air.
"Sorry, I
just—it's just so good to see you."
The corners of her lips
turned up, and her normally pale cheeks turned a deep shade of pink. "No,
no, it's all right. It's wonderful to see you, too, you have no idea ... I'm
just ... Well, I've never been one for hugs. My mother used to tease me about
it all the time."
"So in other
words, it's not me, it's you?" I asked with a nervous laugh.
"Something like
that." She smiled, showing her teeth. Something she didn't do often. They
were bright white and straight, especially for someone who couldn't possibly
have had braces growing up.
Am I really falling
over myself because of an impressive set of teeth? What the hell is wrong with
you, Cooke? Get your shit together.
For the briefest of
moments, I studied her ... this young woman standing in my office, trying to
figure out what it was that made me feel this way in her presence. I certainly
didn't the first time we met. I couldn't quite put my finger on when she
started to creep into my subconscious. Her hair was a generic shade of brown,
pulled back into a long braid that hung to her waist. She was wearing the
traditional FLDS thick cotton dress that covered every inch of her body. And
her feet were covered with worn sneakers. From a distance, there was nothing
remarkable about Aspen at all, really.
But there was more to
her, and I knew it. Her eyes were a deep aquamarine, so brilliant in color that
I would have thought they were colored contacts if I didn't know better. Her
strong eyebrows only served to pronounce those eyes further. Her skin was clear
and pale, like that of a porcelain doll and her lips were, despite never being
covered with makeup, a dusty shade of pink. They were full and plump, waiting
to be kissed. More than her beautiful face was everything that made her Aspen.
Aspen was stubborn, clever, and determined ... everything Elizabeth called me
on a daily basis. Cut from the same cloth. Perhaps that, ultimately, was the
reason I was so drawn to her. Or maybe I simply wanted to protect her.
Nope, couldn't be it.
I protected women every day on the job; it was more than that. It had to be. It
was her.
Shaking off my
mounting attraction, I got down to business. I wasn't doing either of us any
favors by acting like a stupid-ass teenager in her presence.
"Did you bring
the note? Is there anything we can use?"
Aspen reached into
her bag, nodding. "Yes, but I'm not sure. I'll leave that to the
expert."
I studied the note,
rage building in my gut with each sentence. So much condescension and
entitlement in one little piece of paper. When I reached the part about myself,
I could feel my neck grow hot. There was no way he could know of my attachment
to Aspen, but I felt as if he could read my mind. It creeped the shit out of
me.
Aspen could read my
face. "There's nothing, is there?"
I shook my head,
feeling defeated despite the anger flaring in my gut. "I've spent some
time on our database, and it looks as though a few of the prophet's customers
in the ledger have quite the record."
"Record?"
she asked, following me to my desk. I pulled a chair around for her and gestured
for her to take a seat as I finished logging into my laptop.
"Criminal record
... some were busted for drugs, one was arrested for indecent exposure."
Aspen knitted her
brow. "What is that?"
"It's when you
show your naked body to someone unsolicited and in public."
Aspen recoiled as if
she'd tasted a sour lemon. "Who would do that?"
"Who would pay
to spend time in the prophet's room of horrors? We're dealing with some
fucked-up characters, Aspen."
"Good
point."
"Sorry about the
language."
She shook her head
and grinned. "I don't even notice it anymore."
I gritted my teeth.
"That might not be such a good thing, Little House."
"Hm." She
bit her bottom lip and looked down at the floor.
"What?"
"When you first
called me that, I despised you for it. You were making fun of me and I knew it.
It was infuriating. But now ..."
I swallowed hard,
looking into her eyes, overwhelmed by their subtle intensity. "Yeah?"
"You have no
idea how nice it was to hear it again, to be here with you. I feel safe again,
even though I know I'm not." She shook her head. "Not in the
slightest."
"You will
be," I said with determination. "I'll make sure of it."
Aspen tilted her head
to the side, studying my eyes as she narrowed her own. "I believe
you."
A knock at the door
startled us both. Aspen jumped in her seat, and I clutched the arm of my chair
as I looked up, hoping I wouldn't see Sergeant Ross beneath the doorframe.
Instead, I saw another member of the FLDS, a woman I'd never seen before.
"Holly?"
Aspen said, confusion in her voice.
The young woman, not
much older than Aspen, had deep blond hair and dark eyes. Her presence was
meek, unassuming, like most of the women I'd encountered from the compound. Her
mouth was dropped open as she stared at us.
"Aspen?"
she asked, looking as confused as Aspen sounded. "What are you doing here?
Wife
Number Seven
Title: Just Keep Sweet
Author: Melissa Brown
Genre: Dark, Suspense
Series or Standalone: Series (Compound Series #3)
Rating: ★★★★★
Reviewer: Diane
Reviewer: Diane
I literally have
goose bumps right now. This is the kind of story that when I read the last page
I asked myself " What in the living Heck did I just read?" I'm beyond
shocked. Of all the books I've read in the past, I don't remember reading anything
quite like this before. This is a 5 star story.
This is not a
standalone or a romance, Mother Before Wife (The Compound Series #2) needs to
be read first. Keep Sweet picks up where MBW ended with a cliffhanger.
I will not go in to
much details about what's in the book, because I really want the readers to
experience what I just did. This story unfolds on a religious compound where
polygamist is an obligation, they have no or little notions of the outside
world. They live with their faith that as been bestowed upon them at birth.
They live according to the Prophets. But what happens when the Prophet is not
as honest as he claims he his? Abuses his power in order to profit for his
gain? Becomes the worst monster imaginable? One detective will want to uncover the
truth.
I can't seem to
wrapped my head around this story. Some questions from the previous book were
answered but more came up. When I thought one person could be trusted I was
proven wrong. It's a chilling, thrilling, captivating and highly addicting
story that would not let me go until the last page was read. I was kept on the
edge of my seat throughout the whole time that I was reading. It was a never
endless bundle of surprising twists, a web of deceit and lies. The writing, the
words, the characters and the seamless plot was just amazingly executed. This
could be potential for triggers due to some abuse. As the story unfolds, it
gets darker and darker.
This story as many
POV's from quite a few different characters that are significant to the
development of this story. They were all well placed and I never once felt
confused. All characters have distinctive characteristics that sets them apart.
Trust me you will not want to miss this superb book. This ends shockingly and
with a cliffhanger that left me speechless. To better enjoy this roller coaster
ride, read Wife Number Seven first but not a must in order to enjoy book 2-3
and 4. I strongly encourage the reading of this book. I've read all of Melissa
Browns books so far and they are all worthwhile. Prophet Takes All #4 will be
coming in the fall.
ARC provided in
exchange for an honest and spoiler free review.
GIVEAWAY
AUTHOR PROFILE
Melissa Brown was
born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. She attended the University of
Illinois and is the mother of two fantastic kids. She's an avid reader who
enjoys making handmade gifts for her family and friends, as well as baking and
painting. Melissa has an unhealthy obsession with pop culture. She speaks
fluent movie quotes from the 1980s (John Hughes = genius), reads celebrity
gossip magazines and never misses an episode of Scandal. She enjoys writing
contemporary romance, romantic suspense and young adult novels.
All of Melissa's
books are currently available exclusively through Amazon.com and are part of
the Kindle Unlimited Program.
No comments:
Post a Comment