I reviewed this novel on 09/05/20 in a previous blog, now defunct.
Shattered Illusion,
A dying mother's last wish, a mafia king's shattered facade, and the children whose lives will intertwine...
Refusing to die the way her father did, Janis Woodsman has only a few months left to live. Her choice has caused a rift in her marriage. A rift that fear widens and only the love of God can seal. Thaddeus, her husband, is not the only one upset about her unwillingness to fight, but her seven sons too. Alone in her choice she prays that the Lord will do what she seems to be unable to: make her family understand, or at the very least grant them all peace....and give her sons wives.
It should have been a simple party to bring the mafia lords and their political allies together, but Father Popov discovers his daughter, Olga, has seen the dark side of their beloved father. Not only her, but the other six Mafia kings' daughters know too, one of them far too much. Before he and the other kings can do anything about it, his daughter and the other six princesses disappear without a trace. However, their footprints lead to the snows of Halden, Idaho, in the mountains.
But will they be safe there?
***THIS BOOK IS THE PREQUEL TO 7 MAFIA BRIDES FOR 7 BROTHERS SERIES. IT ENDS ON A CLIFF-HANGER AND LEADS DIRECTLY INTO THE NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES ***
READ THE ENTIRE 7 MAFIA BRIDES FOR 7 BROTHERS SERIES
Axel's Sunshine by Parker J. ColeBenjamin's Blessing by Melinda Viergever Inman
Colby's Sapphire by Joanna Emerson
David's Dare by Suprina Frazier
Edgar's Embrace by Darliss Batchelor
Fred's Fire by Allyson Carter
Gabriel's Wings by Lynnette Roman
Perspective by Peter:
This will be the second romance novel I have read! I have gone against my own dislike of romance as a genre to read one of them! What drew me to read this? Well, first off, this series' authors are some I know from reading their novels and others I know by their writing reputation.
Secondly, I loved the movie 7 Brides for 7 Brothers (made in 1954) that this series is based on that I watched as a teenager. I love musicals so this was right up my alley!
I have stated in many of my reviews that I don't like romance as a genre and don't read in it but I do like romance when it is a subplot or story arc where it does not take over but acts as a supporting role.
One other reason I don't read romance is that nearly 100% of it is written by women, not surprising. However, it is very much from the female perspective of romance. I am very much inclined to understand the male perspective of everything so that has formed my perspective on romance as a genre. The male authors (all of them Christians) I have read, who have included romance in their novels as a subplot, has impressed me with depicting the male perspective. I have even stated that I would read a romance novel by them if they branched out into this genre. By male perspective, I mean that it comes across in their writing what we males experience when we are attracted to the opposite gender and/or fall in love with them. For me, so much romance is written by women to appease their need to have romance the way they want it or to escape from the reality they are in or as a statement against how society sees romance and love in today's world.
Now in reading this first novel in this series, I can see that Parker J. Cole and Lynette Roman (twin sisters) have presented a balanced and Biblical view of romance and love. Some might see this as being idealistic and unrealistic seeing this is not evident in marriage today, even some Christian marriages, but I would be the first to say this if that was my impression from this novel.
I applaud both of them for showing how marriage can be from a biblical perspective. I remember when I was engaged (34 years ago), that my Pastor said that marriage is like a triangle. The base is the Christain couple holding hands together, not looking at each other but forward towards Christ, the focal point in front of them. Each side of the triangle is them looking towards Him and everything we do and say is based on Him and His love for us.
I can see this in this novel. Thaddeus and Janis have a relationship that is alive and based on God and His love for them. In the examples of the rift, Janis' terminal cancer, how this affected them and the attitude of their sons towards all this, they remained steadfast in their faith and put God first. He is the Rock upon which they stand.
Even the examples of physical love between Thaddeus and Janis, while not graphic in this novel, shows that despite Thaddeus being a tall, muscular man, even at his advancing age, he was tender, thoughtful, gentle and his lovemaking was an expression of his love for his wife and not based on lust, physical release, or self-gratification with the other as a means for this. And that same from Janis towards Thaddeus.
Cole and Roman have set the stage for what the remainder of this series will be like. Despite being a short read (74 pages), they pack a lot in this space. There is a good balance between the Mafia world of Father Popov and the other mafia kingdoms and that of the manipulation and greed of the mayor, Alexis. Now this novel is not long enough to establish the characters of the 7 daughters of the 7 Mafia kings/fathers and those of the 7 Woodsman brothers, but these will be developed in their individual novellas. And this is where the strength of this series lies.
Interesting the three types of fathers and husbands depicted here. The corruptness, the deceit, manipulation of mafia king Popov, who is out for power, greed, wealth, and sees both material and people to be owned and used for his benefit, with that of Thaddeus who exists to express the love of God towards his wife, sons and community. Contrasted here on a third level is the behaviour and attitude of the Bennett family who have based their life focus on race and superiority and see everyone who is not of their colouring as inferior and to be ridiculed and exist to show how superior their "race" is. Their whole premise is based on hate towards those who are not of the same color and expressed in physical violence and all other destructive attitudes, even towards each other. I am impressed by all this as it shows this is not just a total romance novel, there are other issues involved here.
The cliff hanger ending makes you go straight into the next novel, Axel's Sunshine, book 1. I have and Cole takes this series off to a very nice and absorbing level.
I am hooked now on this series. I can see it is not going to be a sweet, mushy, over the top, unrealistic and entertaining read-only. It looks like it will be more. Parker believes God inspired these authors to write this series, so His message of agape love, godly marriage and relationships and other Christian messages and topics will be the foundation on which this series is made.
These authors have more than just romance to write. They are committed to the message of the Gospel and to what God has laid on their heart to write. I am in for a treat with this series.
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