Concrete Savior by Yvonne Navarro
Pocket (May 2011)
Mass Market: $7.99; ebook: $7.99
ISBN: 9781439191989
Favorite Lines: “They had it all wrong. The real Concrete Savior is you.” (p. 343)
THEY SAY NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED. BRYNNA MALAK IS LIVING PROOF .
A fallen angel in human form, Brynna is trying to earn another chance at heaven. So far, her road to redemption is littered with casualties, especially since Lucifer’s minions are intent on dragging her back to hell. And being mortal only got more complicated since Brynna became involved with Detective Eran Redmond.
Still, Brynna’s relationship issues—like the fact that one glimpse of her can drive men crazy with desire—may have to wait. A mysterious “hero” is saving Chicago’s citizens from certain death, with strange and sinister consequences. Brynna knows too much about demonkind to believe in coincidences. Some dark force is at work here, and Brynna may be the only one who can stop it. . . .
Book two in Yvonne Navarro’s Dark Redemption series, Concrete Savior, picks up a few months after the events in Highborn. Brynna is still determined to earn forgiveness for the crimes she committed after she fell from heaven. In book one she learned the best intentions don’t always equal a happy ending, but it hasn’t stopped her from trying to be good.
This go around there is even more action and plot lines to follow than in Highborn. However, the story is told in third person from various points of view and I felt like I was being dragged in several directions. As soon as I’d start to follow one I’d get pulled in another direction. While I read the story I didn’t feel a lot of character growth, but when I thought about it later I realized a few things and appreciated the way in which it was dealt.
Eran has feelings for Brynna that she is trying to ignore, Eran meets the brother he never knew he had, and some man is saving people who turn around and murder others.The story showed the possible hardship a relationship between Eran and Brynna might encounter, and shows the growth Brynna has made as a character. She is more “human” in this book. The change is stark because we have another character to compare and highlight the difference.
If I had to summarize the book in one word I’d have to say it’s complex. There are so many things happening that at times it’s confusing. The relationships are multi-faceted and everything is connected in a strange way. Don’t read Concrete Savior if you can’t focus. It’s not the type of book easily read when trying to balance family life, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself taking longer than normal to read it.
I never got happy feelings while reading this book, but I was satisfied with the last portion of the book and it involves feathers.
Scooper Speaks 