Review of Then Came July

[Prisallen]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Then Came July" by Cornelia Allen.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Captain Enrique (Rick) Mora is getting burned out with his job, especially after a little girl he knew was killed in a drive-by shooting. He loves the adrenalin rush associated with bringing villains to justice but is easily angered and can be reckless when going after criminals. This has caused him many injuries over the years. In addition to his rage issues, Rick has a problem with alcohol abuse and one-night sexual encounters with unknown women.

Dr. July Kozlowski is a dermatologist who volunteers occasionally in a women’s clinic. Unfortunately, abortions were performed there in the past; it continues to be a place where protesters gather. One day, someone placed a bomb in her briefcase while she was at the clinic, which exploded, killing an employee and injuring July. Rick has to question her as the potential culprit since the bomb was in her briefcase. However, he soon began to believe she might have been the target.

When he arrived to interrogate her, July became furious and defensive at being a suspect, and they immediately clashed. Rick knew her when she was a headstrong and willful child. Her behavior toward him now indicates she has not changed much. Can these two get over their initial impressions enough to work together? Was July actually the target? If so, why?

Then Came July by Cornelia Allen is a 280-page romance novel that additionally has elements of mystery and suspense. The author’s descriptive writing is easy to understand. She easily transports the reader into her narrative, making them feel as if they are there. The book jumps right into the action with the little girl being killed. Then, it immediately proceeds to July going to work and the clinic being bombed. The very intriguing plot keeps the reader thoroughly captivated until the last page.

The characters, especially July, Rick, and their families, are skillfully portrayed. July and Rick don’t hit it off at first, but the chemistry between them is difficult to ignore. Rick doesn’t like himself very much and expects to die soon. He is half Apache, suffers from PTSD, and frequently feels like he is close to losing control of himself. Those who don’t know him well think he is scary and not especially likable. However, he possesses a gentle and thoughtful side that people close to him get to see. This is especially noticed around his parents and his niece. July is also a loner, having had a turbulent childhood as an orphan and bad experiences with men as an adult. Because of this, she is frightened of being hurt again and resists depending on anyone. Cursing comes too easily, especially for a doctor, which she attributes to her background of growing up on her uncle’s farm in the mountains of New Mexico. Rick’s niece, his parents, and July’s uncle are all completely believable and endearing characters.

Although this book has a lot going for it, a couple of problems exist. I didn’t think the conversations were always believable in the first few chapters. For instance, one of the police officers said to someone he was arresting, “You could have been a man, but you chose to be a cockroach. And now, you are about to be stepped on.” However, the conversations got more realistic as the tale progressed, and I enjoyed it a lot more then. In addition to this, over ten errors were discovered, mostly having to do with punctuation mistakes. It could use another round of editing.

Because of the aforementioned reasons, Then Came July achieves a rating of three out of four stars. I enthusiastically recommend it to readers who enjoy romance novels with suspense and mystery mixed in. Profanities and some violence are encountered in the story. If these pose a problem for the reader, they might want to look elsewhere.

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Then Came July
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[Dami Bassam]

Captain Enrique Mora bas a problem with his job.The history speak about July and her different aventures.The author can write more little sentence and short text to be more clear for the lecture.

[Ikechukwu Blessing]

It's always best for one to work on their weaknesses no matter how good or skillful they are on their job.I love the various scenes and events that took place.Nice work.

[Prisallen]

It's always best for one to work on their weaknesses no matter how good or skillful they are on their job.I love the various scenes and events that took place.Nice work.

You are right! In Rick's case, he just assumed that he was going to die young and didn't see any alternative. Thanks for reading my review and commenting!

[Ellylion]

Sounds like a very intriguing read I like romance with the element of suspense and well-developed characters. Hopefully the errors will be fixed soon. Thanks for a great review!

[Prisallen]

Sounds like a very intriguing read I like romance with the element of suspense and well-developed characters. Hopefully the errors will be fixed soon. Thanks for a great review!

I have to agree with everything you have said about the book. Romance with suspense and good characters are probably my favorite books. I hope you get a chance to read the story!

[Oluwapelumi Rachael]

I like that this book is a blend of romance, thriller and suspense. I wonder how two hardheaded characters could compromise and work together.

[Paully_]

I'm a sucker for romance books. Rick and July is definitely an interesting one. I look forward to reading the book. Great review.

[Nwaka Chukwuemeka]

The book has thought me alot, it always good to people to work on their shortcomings. Great review.

[Prisallen]

I'm a sucker for romance books. Rick and July is definitely an interesting one. I look forward to reading the book. Great review.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Happy reading!

[Prisallen]

The book has thought me alot, it always good to people to work on their shortcomings. Great review.

You are right; it is always good to work on one's shortcomings. Thanks for stopping by!

[Francis Aderogbin]

Anger and negative emotions are very detrimental to someone's progress. I imagined how Rick and July would eventually work together owing to their common anger burst.

[Prisallen]

Anger and negative emotions are very detrimental to someone's progress. I imagined how Rick and July would eventually work together owing to their common anger burst.

You are right. Some people have to see something they think is worth fighting for to try to overcome those negative emotions. Thank you for reading my review!

[Jelly_J]

I like a romance novel with a bit of action as well. The fact that they are both headstrong makes me want to know how the investigation would turn out. I enjoyed reading your review. Great work.

[Prisallen]

I like that this book is a blend of romance, thriller and suspense. I wonder how two hardheaded characters could compromise and work together.

You'll have to read the book to find out. Thanks for stopping by!