CHILDREN OF REDEMPTION (Children of Vice #3) by J J McAVOY

”Welcome back to Chicago…the forecast is as it has always been….windy with a chance of murder.’

Wow! Just when you think you’ve got these Callahan’s pegged, that crazy evil genius J J McAvoy goes and throws a curve ball and turns your thoughts upside down, inside out and sideways! Boy, can this lady tell one hell of a story! Her characters are unapologetic in what they do and she spares no part of the reader’s hearts as she takes us on a chaotic and gut churning ride.

‘We’d caused so much pain, had hurt so many people, and had destroyed so many families…but if we stopped we’d die because they would come for us. How could they not?
When we were strong, they came for us. If we were weak, they’d come even more. So we had to commit. We had to walk this hell.’

For all intents and purposes, Children of Redemption is Wyatt’s story, but it’s more than that, as we witness Helen and Ethan, and in fact a few of the other family members come into their own following some tragic and unexpected events that would begin to shape the Callahan’s of the future.

Out of all the siblings, Wyatt Callahan appeared to be the most put together, the one least likely to have a hand in running the family business. Deciding the Mafia/Mob lifestyle and its consequences wasn’t the way he wanted to live his life, Wyatt left Chicago early on to become a Doctor in Boston. However, events from the previous book, Children of Ambition, would see Wyatt return to the fold to assist the family and also reunite him with his step cousin and best friend Helen Callahan.

Wyatt is a changed man (and what a man!!), stepping up to be the man his Mum and Dad had trained him to be and Wyatt was a revelation, so very different from the Wyatt we’ve come to know, yet the man we had always sort of executed him to be. Ruthless and loyal to a fault. After all, he is a Callahan!

‘He was rough, he was passionate, sweet and sinful all at once…and I craved every part of him.’

Helen, Wyatt’s brainiac step cousin was always his best friend. The girl he turned to for advice, the woman he would turn to as his listening ear, and then, the woman he would soon realise he loved beyond reproach, and we all know that when a Callahan falls in love, it’s intense, it’s possessive, it’s passionate and it’s forever!

“You don’t pick who you love. You just love.” That’s why love was so maddening…once you fell, there was no right or wrong. You just had to surrender to it.

Along with the murder, mayhem and madness, there is a forbidden love aspect of Children of Redemption that seared its way into our hearts. This was a love story that was years in the making and we cheered for this couple throughout.

Now, we don’t want to spoil any part of the story for you and if you’re a fan of this series you know how J J McAvoy can toy with our emotions and mess with our hearts, and this instalment is no different. Oh boy, did she have us on the edge of seat and gasping incredulity as the story hit breakneck speed around the 70% mark. Wow! Talk about taunting your readers!

‘She’s dangerous. I smiled to myself.’

We did find the first part of the story to take a while to settle into, however after the slow build up the chaos that eschewed had us gripping onto our Kindles for dear life and enjoying the crazy ride…..And that ending………WOW! Talk about a heart stopper! We sure hope J J McAvoy’s fingers are madly typing away at the final book because we need it now! Hmmmm that’s if our hearts can take more!

“Why…..do……they..always….gotta…..gotta ruin my day?”