Review by a9436 -- Heartaches 3 by H.M. Irwing

[a9436]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Heartaches 3" by H.M. Irwing.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Will a couple with a troubled past finally get their happy ending? The answer is offered in Heartaches 3, which concludes the story of Anna Walter-Simmons and Rafe Brown, two victims of assault and abuse, whose experiences were addressed in the preceding two novels by H. M. Irwing.

In this final instalment, readers join Anna as she finds an unexpected way to exert power over a branch of her lover‘s family, which had previously organised a violent attack against her. They then follow Rafe as he strives to banish his own demons, by taking down a criminal ringleader under whose thumb he suffered as a soldier. The relationship between Anna and her brother is explored alongside that of Rafe and his notorious half-siblings, whilst four possible weddings of very different characters meet with obstacles in their paths. Crimes of unspeakable magnitudes, loyal friendships, prejudices, and self-realisation all play a role in the main characters' search for inner peace and happiness, whilst supporting characters serve to add yet more twists and turns to what is a darker story than I would have expected to find in a romance novel.

Having not read the first two books of the Heartaches series, I was a little sceptical as to whether I would be able to adequately follow the plot or truly emphasise with the characters. I am pleased to say that the protagonists were well introduced over the first few pages, and although Anna and Rafe's past traumas were not repeated in a high level of detail, enough was hinted at for me to understand their confusion and ultimate choices in Heartaches 3. On the other hand, not all of the supporting cast members were developed to a level of understanding for a new reader, and I found myself asking who exactly Suzie, Pat, and Dan were in relation to Anna; their backstories struck me as intriguing, but I could not relate to their relationships giving the absence of character development which I hope was present in Irwing's preceding books. Indeed, despite me being able to follow the storyline, this rather short third novel seemed more like a space for the tying up of loose ends, as opposed to a book which could both stand on its own and as part of the series. Whilst I did enjoy the unusual mix of fast-paced crime and romance, some elements appeared to be slightly rushed overall; I found myself playing a guessing game, using my imagination to flesh out both the plotlines and the character‘s narratives.

With regards to the writing, there were some minor grammatical errors, and the extremely descriptive style used was a little distracting to me at times, especially in the more crime-related sections. The language contains both profanities and portrayals of sex and violence, but these were always relevant to the situations at hand and did not appear to be included for reasons of sensationalism. However, given these elements, I would not recommend the book to younger readers, but believe it would appeal to older teenagers and adults who like, or are curious to explore, the fusion of crime and romance.

Overall, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Its positive factor is an intriguing, flowing, cross-genre plot, which captivated me to the point of reading the novel in one sitting. However, the errors and concluding style, unforgiving to those who have not read its preceding novels, prevent me from giving Heartaches 3 a higher rating.

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Heartaches 3
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[Fozia-Bajwa]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Heartaches 3" by H.M. Irwing.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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In this final installment, readers join Anna as she finds an unexpected way to exert power over a branch of her lover‘s family, which had previously organized a violent attack against her.

*****
Heartaches 3
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like a9436's review? Post a comment saying so!

really it is an unexpected scene and ultimately is an extreme use of emotions toward her alienators.

[Ayat paarsa]

Yes, it's confusing to take a serial wise book. You mentioned in your review that it was not bothering. Thanks for this information. I liked the review.

[Kelyn]

I generally don't start series' at the end. You have made it clear that it's a very complex storyline so I would probably have to hunt down the first two before reading this one. It does sound like an interesting read. If only I didn't already have so many romance novels on my shelves waiting to be read!! Ah well, what's one more? Thanks for the great review!