The Devil You Know by Jo Goodman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Title: The Devil You Know
Author: Jo Goodman
Series: McKenna Brothers #2
Pages: 416
Publisher: Berkley
Date: May 3, 2016
Summary:
WHAT HE DOESN’T KNOW . . .
After a horse drags him through the countryside, Israel McKenna awakes bruised and battered in a field in Pancake Valley, Colorado. He can recall where he came from and where he was going, but the memory of how he came to be on the Pancake homestead eludes him. He’s certain he did something wrong to deserve such a harsh punishment—and so is the beautiful woman who reluctantly comes to his aid.
. . . COULD HURT HER.
Wilhelmina “Willa” Pancake must focus on running her family’s ranch. With Israel’s hazy memory, she is unsure if she can trust him, let alone handle the budding attraction between them. And as men fight to steal her land and the truth about Israel’s past rides toward them, love is a risk she cannot easily take.
Review:
This is my first book by Jo Goodman, but it won’t be my last. Although the main plot and subplots are serious, there are some laugh-out-loud parts as well. And I love that about a book.
The first character introduced is Annalea Pancake. It was a few pages before I realized she was not going to be the female lead. She is only ten years old. Well, almost. She will be ten in eight days as she is quick to tell Israel. Anyway, she is a wonderful character. She says whatever is in her head and there are some strange things there.
Her sister Willa, however, is not so quick to trust people. She does not keep her opinion to herself, but she does not let anyone in either. Given that Israel has amnesia and can’t be honest even if he wanted to be, there were bound to be problems.
I thought the book was a little long. It didn’t really drag, but I kept wanted something to happen. Then all of a sudden it did. There was a “yeah, I saw that coming” bit. Then there was a “wow, I didn’t see that coming at all” twist. And finally, a “Holy Cow! I wasn’t expecting that!” Yeah, when this book got going, it really got going.
I did not realize that this was the second in a series. There was nothing on Goodreads about it (a correction I have made) and even the author site does not list the connection between the two books. However, book one, A Gun for Hire, is definitely part of the same world. It’s okay to read The Devil You Know as a stand alone. I did, but I wish I had read the other one first.
Of course, now I have it to look forward to.
As I said to start with, this will not be my only Jo Goodman book.
This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Elaine Reads . . . constantly! 