Scan barcode
A review by fleurette
Saving Max by Antoinette van Heugten
4.0
I have very mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I read it very quickly and easily. I really couldn't pull myself away from it once I started it. On the other hand, there are many things that usually annoy me in my books and this one was no exception.
It's always easier for me to say what I don't like than what I like. Therefore, let's start with good things. Although the beginning is rather slow and not much happens, you read this story really fast. The chapters are short, there are no long descriptions, and even the first ten chapters, though introductory, are not very boring.
The plot is also remarkably interesting. It is a combination of a legal and psychological thriller. Of course, many things can be predicted from the very beginning but still some elements surprised me. All the time I wanted to know what would happen next.
Now let's get to what I had a problem with. Danielle very often behaves really stupidly. First of all, she lies to her lawyer. At some point, she justifies it by not wanting to go to jail for these acts. But who would report her to the police? Her own lawyer and the detective they hired?! There is such a thing as a legal professional privilege! Danielle as an excellent lawyer herself should know this and be honest with her own lawyer. Hiding things from him, hoping he won't find out, doesn't help her case.
Danielle also does a lot of other annoying things. Breaking parole rules comes a little too easily to her. She runs away from her lawyer and detective who are there to help her. Without a second thought, she goes headfirst into dangerous situations. For such an intelligent woman, she does really stupid things. And you can't justify all that with the fact that she is desperate.
There are also at least two moments when her personality is inconsistent. That is, when she finds out about her son's diagnosis and during a meeting with doctors to discuss it. I was convinced that it would turn out that she was given some medicine without her knowing about it. But it turns out that it was her own reaction. Her behaviour at these moments does not match her character.
And finally, we have this bizarre romance. This is completely unreliable. I mean, I don't mind Danielle and Tony meet in such circumstances and are interested in each other. But love?! They know each other for a few days, during which they mainly work to get her and her son out of prison. And then she disappears for a few days. When was this feeling supposed to develop between them?! This is really one of the weak points of this book, straight from the category romance.
Despite some issues I mentioned above, I really like this book. I would definitely recommend it.
It's always easier for me to say what I don't like than what I like. Therefore, let's start with good things. Although the beginning is rather slow and not much happens, you read this story really fast. The chapters are short, there are no long descriptions, and even the first ten chapters, though introductory, are not very boring.
The plot is also remarkably interesting. It is a combination of a legal and psychological thriller. Of course, many things can be predicted from the very beginning but still some elements surprised me. All the time I wanted to know what would happen next.
Now let's get to what I had a problem with. Danielle very often behaves really stupidly. First of all, she lies to her lawyer. At some point, she justifies it by not wanting to go to jail for these acts. But who would report her to the police? Her own lawyer and the detective they hired?! There is such a thing as a legal professional privilege! Danielle as an excellent lawyer herself should know this and be honest with her own lawyer. Hiding things from him, hoping he won't find out, doesn't help her case.
Danielle also does a lot of other annoying things. Breaking parole rules comes a little too easily to her. She runs away from her lawyer and detective who are there to help her. Without a second thought, she goes headfirst into dangerous situations. For such an intelligent woman, she does really stupid things. And you can't justify all that with the fact that she is desperate.
There are also at least two moments when her personality is inconsistent. That is, when she finds out about her son's diagnosis and during a meeting with doctors to discuss it. I was convinced that it would turn out that she was given some medicine without her knowing about it. But it turns out that it was her own reaction. Her behaviour at these moments does not match her character.
And finally, we have this bizarre romance. This is completely unreliable. I mean, I don't mind Danielle and Tony meet in such circumstances and are interested in each other. But love?! They know each other for a few days, during which they mainly work to get her and her son out of prison. And then she disappears for a few days. When was this feeling supposed to develop between them?! This is really one of the weak points of this book, straight from the category romance.
Despite some issues I mentioned above, I really like this book. I would definitely recommend it.