Top positive review
4.0 out of 5 starsA mystery in a man's pov - a touch of romance
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2017
I wondered why Jackson Stiles—the main character of this novel—had to be part of the title. And then once I began reading, it started to make a lot of sense. Let’s just say the protagonist is one of the most interesting, realistic, and entertaining I’ve ever read.
Jackson Stiles made this story with his humanly-flawed yet endearingly masculine perspective. The narrative was refreshingly unique; just be prepared to be in a man’s head who drinks too much, carries a cigarette around to quell his desire to smoke, and has a cynical and sarcastic outlook on life.
Road to Redemption is a story of mystery and intrigue with a subplot of an enemies to lovers romance that burns slowly and realistically. Jackson is a PI and basically a bounty hunter who brings in criminals with warrants. When he brings in a wanted teenager, and he finds the kid was murdered in an alley that same night, he believes the police were in on a collusion, and the conspiracy consumes him until more and more clues start to turn up.
Mystery has to be something you enjoy to like this story. It is heavily based on the secrets of why the kid was murdered and who was involved. I’ll admit, I’m not much one for mysteries; my patience level is nonexistent and I need to know answers right away. And maybe if I were, this story would have blown me away.
The romance kept me invested. I loved the interactions between Green and Stiles. They didn’t have a conventional relationship, but an indifferent and snarky attitude toward each other in the beginning. This book stood out to me because of the perspective switch and gender role reversal. The romance is told is a man’s pov and the woman is obviously into him. It was so entertaining seeing a man process her interest, and be sometimes oblivious to it other times.
J.R Richardson did the best male-only perspective I’ve ever read. I don’t read mystery, but I went out on a limb with this one. I can say it kept my interest with its unique protagonist that others would not have.
I did wish I could see a stronger development in the romance. But that’s coming from me who can rarely stay interested if there isn’t romance of some kind. It was entertaining but light. And I was hoping for a stronger connection and a grittier affair.
Jackson Stiles made Road to Redemption. He’s a character who stands out in the sea of forgotten ones. A very well-written mystery with a decent amount of romance that I'd recommend.
