Connie’s review of Payback
by Jasmine Cresswell
Romantic Suspense published 1 Nov 07 by MIRA
This is the end of the Raven trilogy and even after I wasn’t impressed with Suspect, I couldn’t wait to read this book. I was really looking forward to Ron getting his ‘payback’.
For twenty-five years, multimillionaire businessman Ron Raven played the loving husband and father — to two very different households. But when Ron disappears, his deception is revealed. Now, it’s time for… PAYBACK.
The police assume bigamist and wealthy businessman Ron Raven paid the price of his crimes with his life—a conclusion his “second” family, the Fairfaxes, accept. So when restaurateur Luke Savarini outrageously claims to have seen his former investor—in the flesh!—Kate Farifax is furious.
When her anger cools, evidence leaves Kate facing the possibility that her father is still alive. With Luke’s help, Kate is willing to risk everything to find Ron Raven, if it means bringing him to justice, once and for all.
Luke doesn’t know if he should tell anyone what he thinks he saw. Ron is the man who financed his first restaurant but it is very clear to Luke, the man in question, noticed him and ran. Things are complicated because Luke had a past relationship with Kate, Ron’s daughter by his ‘second wife’ Avery. It even though it ended painfully seven months ago, Luke still cares for Kate and her mother. The last thing he wants to do is bring them more pain.
After contacting the police leads him no where, Luke decides Avery has been lied to enough by Ron and calls her to meet with him. He tells her the information he has gathered and leaves the next step up to her. Kate doesn’t fully believe the claims that her father is still alive but agrees to help and the hunt is on for Ron.
Most of the open threads in the series are tied up but this is really Kate and Luke’s story. Payback is the strongest romance of the the three novels and surprisingly realistic for a second chance love story. I enjoyed the trilogy and this might have been my favorite but I wanted to see Ron really pay. The title is misleading because after reading Missing, Suspect and Payback, Ron Raven fades into the woodwork without getting anything that is coming to him after ruining so many lives.
My grade and recommendation is for Kate and Luke’s story and because I enjoyed spending more time with Avery and Ellie but if you are planning to read Payback for the ‘suspense‘ – don’t.
Grade: B-
