Title: Fury: Gannett Brothers, Saga Two
Author: Tena Louise Atkins
Publisher: Xlibris
ISBN: 9781796066012
Pages: 328
Genre: Romantic mystery
Reviewed by: Anita Lock
Pacific Book Review
Love enters the Gannett household but unexpectedly and for a high price in Fury, Tena Louise Atkins’ second book of the Gannett Brothers saga.
Zach Gannett, who has wild and glorious plans to start a horse-breeding ranch for racehorses, has his sights set on Fury, a Thoroughbred stud racehorse. The problem is the beautiful Catherine Montgomery, Fury’s owner and childhood arch nemesis, has no plans to sell him to Zach. While his arrogance precedes him as he tries a different angle by swaying her into marriage, Zach has genuine concerns for Catherine’s and Fury’s safety for fear that her ex, the notorious Claude DeMornay, will seek revenge. Wedding bells are around the bend for Matt, Zach’s brother, and his fiancée, Amy. As the day approaches, Amy reveals a premonition that saves the animals from a barn fire on the Montgomery estate. Further investigation doesn’t directly connect the incident to Claude, but there’s enough evidence to prove otherwise. Unsettled by the recent event, Zach gets himself hired as Catherine’s bodyguard. Another attempt on Catherine’s life draws the two of them together. Although Zach and Catherine become an item, there’s no guarantee they’ll see their wedding day with Claude on the loose.
Author Tena Louise Atkins spins a tale of love and romance enveloped in a terror-filled setting. Fury centers on Zach Gannett, the oldest of three brothers, and features a loving and fiercely devoted family amid a few yet highly devious and malevolent characters. The result makes for engaging reading from the beginning to the end. Atkins writing style, which offers a balance between narration and dialogue, focuses mainly on character development and relationships between cast members. While Fury, Catherine’s beloved stallion, plays a key role in bringing Zach and Catherine together, Fury’s role in the story is minor compared to the couple’s burgeoning romance. Short chapters shift between Matt and Amy’s relationship, Catherine and Amy’s friendship, and Zach and Catherine’s relationship amid the machinations of Claude, Catherine’s ex. The consistently moving text ebbs and flows between the warmth of family and friends, romantic tension, and terror set within the wild ruggedness of Wyoming.
One may think the above literary combination would create a cliché plot. Atkins deftly bypasses hackneyed elements by throwing in plenty of twists and turns, and in the least expected places.
A page-turner from beginning to end, Fury gears readers up for the next in Atkins’ inimitable Wyoming saga.
