The Good Kind of Bad by Rita Brassington had been demanding my attention for a few months before I finally got round to reading it. A book which could be described as psychological thriller with an element of crime mixed in, it drew me in from the start. I found myself frantically tapping away at my kindle to turn the pages as I was so desperate to find out what would happen next. Consuming well over 50% of the book in one sitting, it’s safe to say that I thought this was a very good book.
Deciding that a steady and stable life in the UK with her fiance, Will, was not something she wanted our main character, whose first name we never learn, leaves him stranded at the alter and runs off to Chicago. Whilst there she meets Joe Petrozzi, a man who seems to be the polar opposite of Will, and marries him after a very short engagement - three weeks to be precise. Knowing very little about Joe before marrying him, like the fact he has a drinking problem and has had several run-ins with the police, it’s clearly a massive risk. I would personally describe it as pretty stupid, but uncertainty and excitement is exactly what this protagonist craves. However, was marrying Joe too big a risk and will she live to regret it?
I have to say that Rita wastes absolutely no time in throwing the reader straight into the action of the book and from the very start I found that it was consistently fast-paced. Despite the fact that there was so much going on throughout, with twist after twist being thrown in my direction, I never once felt confused or lost track of what was happening. This clearly demonstrates Rita’s skill as an author, one who can successfully blend many different storylines and character’s lives together.
The Good Kind of Bad is an incredibly emotive book that left me feeling the panic and tension that our main character felt as both her physical and mental strength were tested in a way I did not expect and on more than one occasion. To be truthful there were several times when I found myself visibly wincing at what was unfolding throughout the novel but I have to say that I think this was all well thought-through by Rita and done with exactly the right intention.
Before getting started on The Good Kind of Bad which is Rita’s debut novel I had very little idea of what to expect as the blurb definitely gave nothing away but overall I was quite impressed. The premise was completely different from any other books I’ve read before so in that respect was completely unique and definitely stood out from the rest. If Rita ever writes a second novel I wouldn’t hesitate to pick it up!
I would like to end this review by saying a massive thank you to Rita who very kindly sent me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.