A POUND OF FLESH – A POUND OF FLESH BOOK ONE by SOPHIE JACKSON

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Reviewed by Jenny & Gitte

✯✯✯✯ Stars

 “She’s my Peaches.”

There’s no doubt about it, Sophie Jackson created a beautiful romantic story with the romance between Kat and Carter jumping right off the pages and into our hearts. Her writing flowed splendidly and she had us hanging on every written word. We felt the emotion between Carter and Kat and Carter especially burrowed his way right in there!

“I was meant to be in your arms, Carter.”

This story between the man whose loyalty had cost him dearly and a woman with a desire to pay back and make a difference was beautifully brought to life with both Kat and Carter feeling as though they needed to pay their ‘pound of flesh’ for redemption.

Wesley Carter (Carter), Prisoner number: 081056, is doing time in Arthur Kill Prison for a variety of offences when he meets Katherine (Kat) Lane, a tutor employed by the prison. On first meeting Carter makes quite the impression for all the wrong reasons, yet stirs something in Kat that makes her want to help him. She feels a connection to him in some way, as does Carter towards Kat.  This isn’t insta love as there is a friendship that develops so beautifully throughout the first part of the book with their pasts and present being intrinsically tied together in some ways.

“I need you.”
“Peaches…You have me. You always have.”

Carter bears the stigma of being a menace to society, a no hoper without a future. He’s a menacing, good looking and somewhat vulnerable man whose intelligence and love of English Literature provides the bond of friendship between Kat and Carter. Kat feels the need to do something with her life after losing her father and making a promise to him to ‘make a difference.’

When placed at a crossroad in his life, this author remained true to Carter, making us believe he acted certain ways because that’s who he was. It would have been so easy for her to steer Carter off course, but Sophie Jackson never did and there were times this hard yet sensitive man brought us to our knees.  The inner peace he finds in Kat stole our hearts.

“I’m not a good person, Kat.”
“Bullshit. Don’t’ ever tell me you’re not good.”

The ‘forbidden relationship’ between these two was something we really did experience at first, as the Ex Con and the teacher to whom fraternising beyond course work could be the end of Kat’s career and perhaps eventuate in Carter returning to prison. However, this aspect, the hiding, the caution of exposing their relationship etc seemed to peter off part way and despite Kat talking about the damage their relationship could do, we ceased to ‘feel’ this aspect of the story as Kat and Carter paraded their relationship for all to see.

“Peaches, I don’t want it. Jesus Christ. I fucking need it.”

There was plenty of angst build up as we turned the pages with dread in our hearts and tension  in our stomachs but what eventuated was like a firecracker. The fuse was lit, it sizzled and tormented, we waited for that big bang but instead it fizzled out.

Despite the angst side of the story not coming to fruition, it was the romantic telling of this story that held us captive. The reading of literature and poetry woven throughout was mesmerising as were the many memorable moments in this story of fate, hope, redemption and second chances. A Pound of Flesh is a book we’d definitely recommend.

‘Carter knew he had to show her everything that lay underneath. It was daunting and scary, but he would do it for her. He had to.’

 **Reviewed from an ARC Copy provided by Gallery Books with thanks**

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 A POUND OF FLESH SERIES by SOPHIE JACKSON

A POUND OF FLESH BOOK ONE
Standalone Read
Amazon us || Amazon uk

LOVE AND ALWAYS – BOOK #1.5
This Novella will carry on Carter & Kat’s story
Releasing 3rd August 2015
Amazon us || Amazon uk

AN OUNCE OF HOPE – BOOK TWO
This book will feature a different character from book one
Releasing 5th January 2016
Amazon us || Amazon uk