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Amethyst of Youth is the first of a five book series centred around two crime families. I loved writing this first book. Focusing on the youngest member of one of the families enabled me to write this first book as a warm up to the remaining four books. Although this book is a sweet romance, the four remaining books to come do increase in sauciness while a bit of a 'whodunnit' continues as an underlying storyline. For the most part though, this is a lovely romance that I really loved writing.
Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite
Amethyst of Youth by Ann M Pratley combines elements of suspense and romance to create a family story that will entertain readers enormously. Charlotte Stonewarden lost her mom when she was just nine years now. Now she is eighteen and is being introduced to a strange tradition her ex-military father started. In her family, when they turn eighteen, they are on their own, free to go and come as they wish and to do whatever pleases them. At nineteen, they are absorbed into the shady family business, a business that doesn’t distinguish the line between theft and philanthropy. The only problem is that Charlie doesn’t want to be part of the family business, especially now that her heart is drawn irresistibly to a guy for whom she may just be ready to risk everything. With pressure from both sides, what path will she take as the days pass?
I enjoyed the fact that the story starts with action and a dramatic incident involving Charlie and her elder brother, Max. I also loved the fact that the conflict is introduced right off the bat and readers get a glimpse of the dynamics of the Stonewarden family and the nature of their business. The tension mounts faster than I expected, and the reader’s attention is arrested as the plot becomes complex with the strong conflict. Charlie is a well-developed character, as well as Ash, and readers will enjoy the link between these two and their compelling personalities. The writing is great and it features passages that will lead readers into the inner conflict of the heart of the protagonist, her thoughts, and how she evolves throughout the story. Amethyst of Youth is a well-crafted story that explores a family’s dynamics, loyalty, and the eccentricities of a family tradition, and how one member decides to live her life on her own terms.
