Valentine / Petrilo Series
by
Reyna Hawk
Looking Through Blind Eyes and Reflection of Secrets are the first two books in the Valentine Petrilo Series. Shattered Visions Haunted Memories, the third and final book in the Valentine/Petrilo series, was released on 19 September. Read my blog post for more information about the last book in this series. The three books are now also available in one volume, Valentine Petrilo Trilogy.
Looking
Through Blind Eyes (Volume 1)
Description
Looking Through Blind
Eyes is first book of the Valentine/Petrilo series.
All Janie and Daniel
wanted was a better life and growing up in small town Louisiana did not give
them that opportunity. So the sister and brother headed to Los Angeles,
California to make the most of their lives. However, their hopes begin to
diminish when Daniel's work in organized crime lead them down dangerous and
deadly roads. After Daniel's mysterious disappearance and death, Janie plunges
headlong into grief and love for the assistant to the "boss". The
couple seems to have everything going for them except for Rico's job that takes
him away for days on end sometimes. Janie's suspicions and worries over Rico's
possible infidelity reveals information she never imagined would come to light.
Her undying love for this man leads to secrets, lies, and murder. Soon Janie
finds herself on the wrong side of the gun hanging off a cliff deep in the
woods of North Carolina.
Review
When I was
approached to read and write a review for this new author I wasn't sure what to
expect. Usually I am blessed or disappointed with new writers. This time I was
definitely blessed. Reyna Hawk has crisp clean writing skills. She develops
characters well and develops plot lines extremely well. The book is about half
the length of most novels now a days but that was not a drawback. As a matter
of fact the plot was so well developed that the only disappointment in
shortness was that the story was over and I wanted more. But she has another
installment coming later this fall, so not too long to wait.
Now for the book
review:
Daniel and Janie are
brother and sister and are facing life together and alone. Their parents died
in a house fire that appeared to be mysterious. The local townspeople are a bit
afraid of Janie because she has the ability to see visions of the future or see
into someone's soul by just touching their hands. Now it is not with everyone,
just with some. But enough so that people think she is a witch and maybe had
something to do with her parents death.
Daniel lands a new
job that is going to pay lots of money, but they have to move to California.
So, they move. Daniel sets Janie up in a new home that is modest but very
comfortable. He helps her to get a job (at a local bar even though she is not
yet 21). The owner of the bar is connected with Daniel's new boss.
Janie meets Scott, a
musical celebrity who falls for her. The problem is he is abusive. Daniel then
introduces Janie to three of his friends, his boss and two associates. Janie is
nervous around them because it appears they are not nice people. But one of
them, Rico, thinks Janie is beautiful and wants to get to know her better. But
what about Scott?
Worse than Scott is
that Rico and friends are part of the Italian Mafia from New York. This makes
things tense. If Rico wants to be with Janie then Scott might want to look
elsewhere for love so that he may maintain his health.
During this time
Daniel is murdered. He dies in a burning car. Why? It appears to be a mob hit.
Janie is left now without any family and without the one person who cares for
her. Janie finds a note from Daniel, it tells her that something might happen to
him and if it does to stay close to Rico because he is the only one that Daniel
trusts and secondarily Rico loves Janie. Really, stay close to the mob guy?
Hmmmm.
Back to Scott. Scott
eventually goes ballistic and kidnaps Janie. Enter Rico and Anthony and friends
to save the day, OK, they save Janie but it costs Scott big time. Rico takes
Janie with him back to New York and now she has to live with the mafia while
maintaining their secret about what happened to Scott.
To make things
short, good goes to bad and Janie becomes a liability. Anthony wants Rico to
end Janie's life. Can he do it? Will he do it? What will happen when he tries
to do it? Will Janie survive and bring done an Italian Mafia family?
Those are the
questions and the story does a wonderful job of making you want to know what is
going to happen. Part of the plot is predictable but then out of left field a
surprise comes along that really helps with the plot.
The ending is good
and will give you the desire to know more about what is going to come next.
I'm sure you will
enjoy this new writer and her work as much as I did.
One disclaimer for
my church readers. There is a bit of steamy sex in the book, not bad, not over
the top too much. But it is there. If you know my drill, just skip those few
paragraphs and it won't distract from the overall story. Remember this is a
crime family and their morals are not necessarily the same as yours :)
Enjoy! (By William D. Curnutt)
Reflection
of Secrets (Volume 2)
Description
Janie had high hopes
of getting her life on the right path and freedom from the Petrilo Crime
Family, but more tragedies and startling revelations send her plans right out
the window. Janie's past trouble and sadness lurk back from the shadows. The
beautiful life Janie has come to love takes a turn leading her right back to
where she started in the clutches of the Petrilos. Will Janie survive another go
around with the organized crime family?
Review
In Book two of her
trilogy we join Janie, her brother Daniel, and her new best friend, Malachi
Wolfe and Janie tries to get her life under control. Janie has given birth to
Daniella and is trying to start her new life living under Malachi's roof.
Malachi does his
best to bring comfort and care to Janie, without asking for anything in return.
He loves Daniella as though she were his own daughter. He provides, protects
and brings a sense of healing and safety to the lives of mother and daughter.
But brother Daniel
is not too sure that he wants Janie living with Malachi. They have a falling
out because of this, but Daniel upon further investigation decides that Malachi
is OK and actually finds himself liking this man.
Malachi's family
comes more into play in this 2nd novel. They come around he and Janie and
Daniella and really start to bond with them. Janie is finding healing. But she
doesn't want her daughter to forget her father, so each evening she shows her a
picture of Rico and tells her that he is her daddy.
Things are going
well and we start to learn more about Malachi. It turns out that he has a
special gift, much like Janie does. He is a gifted `holy man' of the Cherokee
people. He brings insights and healing to others, and when she is ready he will
bring healing to Janie from her emotional pain.
Eventually Janie
settles into a good life, a safe life, a protected life. The FBI wants her to
testify against the Petrilo mob family, but she doesn't have to. Anthony gets
sentenced to 25 years in prison and it appears that things are going to be good
for Janie and her baby and they don't need to worry.
But then tragedy
hits again, someone kidnaps her daughter, neither she nor Malachi saw this
coming and they are distraught. Months go by and the FBI is unable to find
Daniella. They don't believe the Mob has taken her, so who has?
Janie and Malachi
come to terms with the loss, they come to terms with their relationship and
they get married. Janie gets pregnant and even though her daughter is missing
she and Malachi are moving on.
Then an accident
happens, Malachi falls off the roof and is injured. He is rushed to the
hospital. While there Janie's water breaks and she gives birth to their child .
. . or she at least is in the process of
giving birth. Everything goes black and then . . .
Well, let's just say
the story takes a very interesting turn at this point. The last third of the
book focuses on how our minds can play tricks on us, or at least it appears
that is happening.
Reyna Hawk brings a
twist to the story that you won't see coming. She brings a surprise that you
might not like, or you just might think is cool. I know I was caught off guard
and wasn't sure I liked this new twist. But the more I read the more I was
caught up in what was happening.
Janie's mind is
playing tricks and you won't know where it is going to head and how it is going
to end.
The best part, in
true Trilogy fashion you are left hanging, wanting to know how things are going
to turn out. I haven't been this interested in the next volume of a series
since reading the Lord of the Rings
trilogy.
Reyna's writing
continues to be refreshing, well balanced, engaging and well frankly, just so
down to earth that I feel like these folks have become some of my best friends
and I just want the best for them. I am so drawn to these characters that I am
left speechless wanting to know what is going to happen.
Enjoy! (By William D. Curnutt)
About the Author
Reyna Hawk is a 44 year old mother of one son and grandmother to one
beautiful 3 year old little girl. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio Reyna has
always loved writing and story-telling. Her passion for telling stories began
at a very young age when she was making up stories to tell her school friends.
Reyna has an Associate of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural
Anthropology.
For a further insights, read the interviews with the author (links
below).
Links
