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A review by onebookmore
From Fame to Ruin by Jina S. Bazzar
4.0
From Fame to Ruin is a standalone romantic thriller with a gripping story and a unique second-chance romance. The story follows Carol and Ricardo, a couple who had a whirlwind romance that ended disastrously. Years later, Carol seeks out Ricardo for help after her son is kidnapped and held for ransom. Will old feelings resurface as this couple works to find Carol’s son? Will they find her son and who kidnapped him?
Carol and Ricardo are well-developed characters, and since the story is told in dual timelines from both Carol and Ricardo’s perspectives, you really get to understand their points of view when it comes to what happened in their past and what is bringing them together in the present. The dual timelines also reveal a lot about their families, friends, careers, and the pressures put upon them by all of these things over the course of many years. Neither has had an easy life, and though they are from very different worlds, they definitely connect on a deep level.
Though Ricardo still feels the sharp sting of betrayal, he doesn’t hesitate to help the woman who broke his heart. You can tell both have been hurt and are wary of love, but their bond is still strong, and their chemistry is palpable. Both have complicated and layered stories, and their relationship is filled with obstacles, including lies, miscommunication, secrets, and more. It’s interesting to see how they handle their feelings for each other in the midst of the chaos and danger that they face.
I love the chapters that show how Carol and Ricardo met and how special their time was when they were together. These chapters, which have a more romantic and optimistic tone, contrast greatly with the chapters that take place in the present. These are suspenseful and intense as Carol and Ricardo must work together to rescue Carol’s young son who has been kidnapped and held for ransom. It’s unclear who took her son, but there are many possibilities, including scorned exes, rivals, and people with insurmountable power. I like that the story keeps you guessing for a while before revealing the villain.
I also enjoyed many of the secondary characters and how they influenced, both positively and negatively, Carol and Ricardo’s lives. Carol’s friends are fantastic and supportive, and I love the found family they create. They are more of a family than Carol’s family, and she is so lucky to have such great people in her life. Ricardo’s brother and parents are also interesting characters, as are Carol’s daughter and Ricardo’s friends.
I enjoyed this story and think readers of romantic suspense with a second-chance romance will enjoy it too. There are some graphic parts, so I would check the trigger warning. Scenes that include violence, death, overdosing, and more might prove triggering for some readers. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Carol and Ricardo are well-developed characters, and since the story is told in dual timelines from both Carol and Ricardo’s perspectives, you really get to understand their points of view when it comes to what happened in their past and what is bringing them together in the present. The dual timelines also reveal a lot about their families, friends, careers, and the pressures put upon them by all of these things over the course of many years. Neither has had an easy life, and though they are from very different worlds, they definitely connect on a deep level.
Though Ricardo still feels the sharp sting of betrayal, he doesn’t hesitate to help the woman who broke his heart. You can tell both have been hurt and are wary of love, but their bond is still strong, and their chemistry is palpable. Both have complicated and layered stories, and their relationship is filled with obstacles, including lies, miscommunication, secrets, and more. It’s interesting to see how they handle their feelings for each other in the midst of the chaos and danger that they face.
I love the chapters that show how Carol and Ricardo met and how special their time was when they were together. These chapters, which have a more romantic and optimistic tone, contrast greatly with the chapters that take place in the present. These are suspenseful and intense as Carol and Ricardo must work together to rescue Carol’s young son who has been kidnapped and held for ransom. It’s unclear who took her son, but there are many possibilities, including scorned exes, rivals, and people with insurmountable power. I like that the story keeps you guessing for a while before revealing the villain.
I also enjoyed many of the secondary characters and how they influenced, both positively and negatively, Carol and Ricardo’s lives. Carol’s friends are fantastic and supportive, and I love the found family they create. They are more of a family than Carol’s family, and she is so lucky to have such great people in her life. Ricardo’s brother and parents are also interesting characters, as are Carol’s daughter and Ricardo’s friends.
I enjoyed this story and think readers of romantic suspense with a second-chance romance will enjoy it too. There are some graphic parts, so I would check the trigger warning. Scenes that include violence, death, overdosing, and more might prove triggering for some readers. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.