Recent Read

As I said, I've been a reading machine while I was off so I thought I'd some reviews now that I have access to a computer again and I'm feeling more like doing them.  First up....

Tank by M. Malone

Genre: Contemporary

Steam Level: The kettle is boiling on this one

Why this one: It was (and still is) free

Outline: Money changes everything...

Years ago, Tank Marshall swore off fighting. He exercises iron control to keep his anger in check. But his mother was just diagnosed with cancer and the deadbeat dad he hasn’t seen in years is back offering an inheritance and a chance at redemption.

There’s only one person that keeps him anchored in the midst of the chaos. One person untouched by violence and money and lies. Emma Shaw.

But the one thing that Tank hasn’t learned yet is that when billions are at stake, there’s no such thing as innocent. Money. Changes. Everything.

My Thoughts:  One of the things I see some authors, or maybe it’s not them, but maybe it’s the publishers – but no matter –do is offer the first book in a new series up for free or priced very low.  I think this is a brilliant idea, specially if it’s free.   If this book hadn’t been free I might not have perked up and noticed it.  As it is I’ve already purchased the next book and plan to get the whole series.  Win/Win for both the author and me.

I enjoyed this one quite a bit.  At the beginning of the book Tank Marshall is one troubled dude.  His mother’s cancer has come back, he has a father who abandoned them when he and his brother Finn were just children and now wants back in their lives again.  Tank is very bitter and wants nothing to do  with him.  He’s pretty rough around the edges but that just made him more appealing to me.  But his father is now very very wealthy and offering to pay Tank and Finn for just visiting.  If it was left up to Tank he would tell his father to pound salt, but he has the expense of his mother’s cancer to consider.  An expensive surgery could save her life.

He’s also developed a crush on the receptionist of his father’s attorney, one Emma Shaw.  Tank’s unusual method of dealing with stress is to beat people up.  Bad people that is.  It’s rather an unusual way of handling it, but kind of cute in a “Girl, you are sick” kind of way.  And it is only guys who deserved to get their lights punched out.

He finally gets a chance to connect with Emma who has enough struggles of her own.  Her parents are both dead and it’s just her and her sister.  Money is therefore an issue.  Things are strained between Emma and her sister, she’s dating a real douche bag who keeps hitting on Emma.  She knows and is actually quite fond of Tank’s father.  And when he offers her a deal she can’t resist……

 Therefore we have two people who aren’t in the best place finding and bonding with each other.

Tank is so smitten with Emma and will do pretty much anything she asks.  There is this hilarious ‘cat’ scene that I won’t say anymore on so as not to spoil anything because hey, no sense not getting this book at the mighty fine price of $0.00.

There is conflict towards the end of the story that could have devolved into an annoying Big Misunderstanding, but the author didn’t go there.  Both Tank and Emma were well written

One thing I should note that the book is written in first person, present tense with alternating chapters from Tank and Emma’s POV.  In the past that would have meant I would have passed on this book but thank goodness I outgrew that bias. It would have limited my reading world causing me to miss some really good books including this one.

As mentioned, this is the just the first in a series.  It seems that Papa Marshall was a bunny kind of guy and Tank and Finn have other brothers they never knew about.

This book gets a thumbs up and I’ll read more by M. Malone from me.  I can certainly see me rereading this one again.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

 

'til later