Dangerous Alliance by Jennieke Cohen is a beautifully written Romance/Mystery novel about a young girl named Victoria Aston. Vicky goes through her young life hopeful of everyone and everything around her. She’s the definition of young and free, as she walks through life with little to no weight on her shoulders. She has parents who couldn’t love her or each other more. She has her sister Althea, happily married and living in London. She has the estate she lives in that fills her with joy more so than her family does. She has everything a young girl in the 1800s could want, except a husband. So when things go downhill, and her life turns strange, she learns that she may now need that last item on the list; a marriage.
Now that the recap is over, I’m just going to be honest. This book was one of those books that you just insanely miss when the read is over. The characters, the plot, the love interests- this book is a drug and I’m honestly okay with being addicted! It’s got everything you need in a good read. First of all, I love the attention to familial detail. You’ve got Vicky, her sister, her parents, and an intriguingly different plot in all of them that ends up being Victoria’s responsibility. I mean, how beautifully planned.
Along with Vicky and her love life being the remedy to her family’s newfound sickness, these love interests are insane! They make you jump from person to person, wondering who’s really being honest. The entire time, you’re not completely sure if the good guy is good, and if the bad guy is bad, and that’s just an amazing trait for a romance- mystery novel. The suspense is unbearable, but an amazing way to keep readers on their toes.
But I do have to say, my overall favorite quirk about this book is its constant references to one of my favorite authors, Jane Austen. Its why I wanted to read/review this book in the first place. Not only is it talked about, but Austen’s wisdom is also mentioned at the perfect times. Vicky is trying to find someone suitable for marriage, which is something she’s never done before, so she turns to Jane for advice. Within books like Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and more, she makes decisions and acts accordingly to fit situations carved in through Austen’s writing. She soon understands that her circumstances, and even the men she likes, won’t be tied up and explained perfectly to her desires- but no matter, the comparisons are a fun read, especially if you’re an Austen fan.
Overall, this book exceeded every expectation that I had – and if you read it it’ll definitely exceed yours. It’s a must-read of the century, and I believe that wholeheartedly.
Rating: 9/10
Dangerous Alliance will be released on December 3, 2019. You can pre-order it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.
