Review: Blood Ties: The Bonds Are Permanent (The Magnolia Series Book 1) by Ashley Fontainne, Lillian Hansen

Title: Blood Ties: The Bonds Are Permanent
Author: Ashley Fontainne and Lillian Hansen
Published: June 1, 2015
Publisher: RMSW Press
Pages: 444
Genre: Thriller/suspense
Review: ARC provided by author

Blood Ties

LiAnn Tuck and her daughter, Karina Summers, are settling into their new life, enjoying the small farming community of Sheridan, Arkansas. The slower pace, compared to the craziness of Los Angeles, is a welcome distraction for them both. Taking care of her aging parents and their small farm is just what LiAnn needs to forget her twenty-five year career as a detective. And Karina's new love interest brings back the smile she lost from years of undercover work and her cheating ex-boyfriend.

The Bonds

Their idyllic lifestyle changes the minute a family friend, Cecil Pickard, pays a visit. He lives at The Magnolia, an independent living facility in Hot Springs, and believes someone is stealing from him. LiAnn and Karina offer to investigate and suddenly find themselves inside a living nightmare.
Are Permanent

Theft isn't the only criminal activity taking place inside the historic, stately walls of The Magnolia. Organized crime has infiltrated Hot Springs, and what they're after is not only money, but life itself. As LiAnn and Karina dig deeper, they might just be digging their own graves.

I received this ARC to give an honest review. 

I have read two of this authors work and I have loved her writing style, but with this book it just felt a bit flat for me. Don't get me wrong I thought the book was very good but it just didn't hold my interest as much as her other work. 

The main two characters LiAnn and Karina are mother and daughter they have lived in California and both have pretty good jobs, and love lives that went down the drain. When they move to Arkansas to take care of LiAnn's parents they think everything is going to change for them both. New life in a new place, all that changes when Cecil who lives in an independent living facility believes something fishy is going on. Upon further investigation LiAnna and Karina have proof but will it cost them their lives in the end? What the heck does the mafia have a part in all this as it is in the middle of no where. 

Now it makes for a good story and one that will have you going oh so that is the bad guy and this is why he is doing it.

I really did enjoy Karina she is a very strong character that is very likable no matter what is going on around her. I really liked how she was able to take care of herself when she was in a bad situation she didn't wait for help.

What got me in the story was the fact that LiAnn and Karina's past kept coming into play and I felt left out as to knowing what was going on. Who was this important woman who died in a car accident? Why is their testimony needed again in a special case? You see when these things are brought up in a book I like to know the background even if it is just a chapter of words, this is just me and probably not everyone else. 

 I have to say I will read more and hopefully learn more of LiAnn and especially Karina. I am sure these two can find themselves in more trouble as time goes on. 

There is a bit of romance but it doesn't take away from the suspense or finding out who is behind the crimes of senior citizens. 

Ashley Fontainne 

I have always been an avid reader of the classics: Beowulf, The Iliad, and anything written by the master, William Shakespeare. In the past few years, I became a huge fan of James Patterson, Stephen King and Robin Cook.
However....
My favorite book of all was, and always will be, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. The revenge on all those who hurt and betrayed Edmond Dantes and the incredible roller coaster ride his journey takes you on has always intrigued me. My love for this book is what sparked my desire to write my debut novel in my Eviscerating the Snake series, "Accountable to None." With a modern setting to the tale, I wanted to delve into just what lengths a person was willing to go to as they attempted to seek justice on their own for heinous acts perpetrated on them. The second novel in the series, "Zero Balance" (still in draft!) will focus on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end?
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