Book Title:  Belinda (The Raymond Hatcher Stories/Book Three) by Mark Zvonkovic
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+),  276 pages
Genre: Literary / Legal Thriller 
Publisher:  Dos Perro Press 
Release date:  June 2022
Content Rating:  PG13+M because it involves mature themes, occasional mild profanities, non-explicit sex scenes and mild violence.

Set in the conference rooms of a white-shoe Houston law firm and the stunning coastline of Baja California, Belinda is the story of a woman’s bravery and resourcefulness at the end of her brilliant career. Her decision to fight her firm’s men in suits who demand her retirement is called into question when a man once her lover appears after a long unexplained absence.

Against a backdrop of romance and legal drama, the novel explores questions about love, the law, and the anxious precipice of life change. Is it ever too late to be swept away by romance? Can true justice ever be attained when the law’s practitioners are corrupt? And when your work is what defines you, what’s left after retirement?

​During a week of surprises and abstruse events, Belinda sees the once presumed greatness of her life flicker as she forces the moment for her decision to a crisis. 

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My Review

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy from iRead Book Tours. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Belinda is the third book in the Raymond Hatcher series and my favorite so far. All three books are standalone.

Belinda is a lawyer at the end of her career, but she has no idea what she’ll do once she retires. She hears from Jay Jackson out of the blue after his silence for two years. He had left after the murder of Raymond Hatcher. What Belinda doesn’t know is that Jay was a spy like Raymond, who was his mentor. She decides to give him a second chance.

There are many other characters in this story, mostly lawyers working on a big deal. The different egos of the lawyers were interesting and probably realistic.

The narrator did well with pace and timing. She also performed the voices effectively, so I always knew who was talking.

The pace of the story is okay until the end when things heat up. It seems that Jay may never be able to retire as a spy. I liked the ending, but I hope there will be one more book to tie up an important loose end.

About the Author

Mark Zvonkovic is a writer who lives in Rosarito Beach, Baja California Mexico with his wife Nancy and their two dogs. Finn and Cooper. He has written three novels, and he also writes book reviews and essays that appear in online publications. Before retiring to Mexico, Mark practiced law for thirty-five years at three multinational law firms in Houston, Texas and New York City. He attended college at Southern Methodist University and Boston University, and his law degree is from SMU School of Law. Mark grew up as an oil company brat and lived in Latin America, Texas and New York.

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ bookbub ~ goodreads

Giveaway

Win signed set of The Raymond Hatcher Stories (one winner / USA only) (ends Oct 28)

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