BLOOD OF MY BROTHER

Author: James LePore

Genre: Suspense, Standalone

Published: 2010

Personal Rating: 3/5 (just okay)

Yearly Count: 113

From the back cover:

When Jay Cassio's best friend is murdered in a job clearly done by professionals, the walls that he has built to protect himself from the world of others begin to shatter.  Dan Del Colliano had been his confidante and protector since the men were children on the savage streets of Newark, New Jersey.  When Dan supports and revives Jay after Jay's parents die in a plane crash, their bond deepens to something beyond brotherhood, beyond blood.  Now Jay, a successful lawyer, must find out why Dan died and find a way to seek justice for his murder.


 Isabel Perez has lived a life both tainted and charmed since she was a teenager in Mexico.  She holds powerful sway over men and has even more powerful alliances with people no one should ever try to cross.  She desperately wants her freedom from the chains these people have placed on her.  When Jay catapults into her world, their connection is electric, their alliance is lethal, and their future is anything but certain.

I really enjoyed this story's beginning.  The setting and how Jay experienced his childhood helped me to invest in his life as an adult.  The ending which consisted of the most action was very good, as well.  A little suspension of disbelief was called for, but none-the-less, I wanted to know what was going to happen next.  Now, the middle - it wasn't for me.  I just didn't care for all of the goings on, and it dragged because of that.  Overall, it ended up being just okay; however, I know others will like it more than I did.

My thanks go to James LePore for sending me this ARC.  It was just published on December 28, 2010.