The Strength of Friendship

Grace by Susan Bennett

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review.

Summary: Four women are about to start a mob war – and nails WILL be broken.

Some epiphanies look like diamonds.  Isabella Albrici's diamond shaped epiphany begins when her womanising husband, Domenic, frames her and her best friend Teresa for his diamond smuggling operation to save himself from jail. Prime targets for the prison’s resident psychopath, they’ll be lucky to survive jail, even luckier to survive if they get out – thanks to Domenic, ‘the family’ thinks Isabella is an FBI informant.  The big house ain't no fun house, but for Isabella and Teresa, it’s the safest house there is – until the evidence keeping them there suddenly goes missing.

Ladies, you are free to go.
Ah, if it’s all the same to you, maybe we’ll just stay where we are.No chance. Close the door on your way out.
Ah shit. Thanks very much.

Some epiphanies are shaped like diamonds – others, like bullets. Sometimes grace is received; sometimes grace has to be earned.  For years, these mob wives have lived off the wages of sin, now the path to redemption is clear: they gotta whack their old men.

Welcome to the inaugural general meeting of the first chapter of the New Jersey Mob Suffragette’s Whack Club.

Salut.

Review: A tale of enduring friendship and sweet, sweet revenge.

This was a novel of friendship between four women more than anything else. Sure, there was some whacking, but it was secondary to their growing friendship. Three of the women have been traumatized and one has a mysterious past. The prison part of this novel was the strongest part of this novel and I would have easily read a whole novel about Isabella, Teresa, and their lives in prison. They get out of course. I found it a bit hard to believe how readily Irish wants to help Isabella, but perhaps I'm just a tad cynical and too much of a Jersey girl. 

I am glad Irish was able to help them so much although she probably shouldn't have been encouraging their plan so much. Teaching them to shot is useful and a skill I think everyone should know, but giving guns to traumatized people isn't always the best idea. Despite all that, Irish did make a pretty decent therapist and was able to help the women to attempt to get past their traumas and to focus on the future. The whacking was enjoyable. The rash of sex seemed a bit out of place, but I'm glad the women were able to have some fun.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those who enjoy friendship stories or fans of anything related to the Mafia or lovers of New Jersey (go Jersey!).