Review: Fiercely Emma by J. Bengtsson

FIERCELY EMMA

J. Bengtsson
Series: Cake #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Released: July 11, 2017
Source: Audible Audiobook
Rating: 4.25 stars

Emma, older sister of renowned rock star Jake McKallister, has crafted a quiet existence for herself. Fiercely independent, scorned at work, and indifferent to relationships, she’s spent the past decade trying to move on from the crime that shook her family to the core. Living by a promise she made to herself as a distraught sixteen-year-old, Emma has sworn off marriage and children… until a chance encounter with a scruffy hitchhiker throws her orderly world into chaos.

A wild child raised in mayhem by a teenage mother, fearless Finn Perry cruises through life as the perennial nice guy. Now a struggling actor, he supports himself by performing daredevil stunts. At a crossroads in his life, one thing has always remained constant in his world: Finn’s desire to start the family he never had. The mystery woman who rescues him from the side of the road sure seems like the perfect person for the job.

I am so hooked on this series. I love stories that can provide drama without devolving into melodrama. Stories that have characters who are complex and flawed and never feel like cookie-cutter tropes. And Bengtsson delivers all of that and more. Here the story turns to Jake McKallister’s older sister Emma. When the family fell apart, it was sixteen-year-old Emma who stepped up and kept things running. Not only the basics – making sure her younger siblings were fed, getting them to school – but also becoming the emotional support they desperately needed. After seeing what her mother went through during that period, Emma was determined to live her life free of attachments, negating any chance of feeling such heartache and loss.

Finn could not have been more opposite. This was a guy who was full of optimism and was determined to make the best of any given situation. That’s saying a lot considering his inauspicious beginning in life: born to a fifteen-year-old mother and raised in the most lackadaisical way. Finn was the opposite of Emma’s uptight demeanor and that, combined with his humor (I laughed out loud so many times at Finn’s quick comebacks), was chinking away at the walls she’d built.

One of the things I love about this series is how Bengtsson continues to address the trauma Jake went through, from the viewpoint of each sibling. Because, obviously, it impacted the whole family in a major way and had lasting effects on who they were and how they interacted. Here there are flashbacks interspersed throughout the story which show how Emma was affected and what life was like immediately after Jake returned home. Those scenes were the ones that hurt my heart and brought me to tears. Watching this family that I have come to love struggle and hurt and try to bring Jake back into their fold, and seeing Jake at some of his lowest points… it was devastating.

But overall this was Emma and Finn’s story and I enjoyed these two so much. Emma knew that by closing herself off from potential pain, she had also closed herself off to love and connection and real happiness. The way she opened up with Finn, allowing herself to be spontaneous and take chances, was so fun to watch. And that ending put the biggest smile on my face.

I listened to the audio version and, once again, Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber’s narration was like listening in technicolor. They don’t just read dialogue, they make these characters feel like living, breathing people. I highly recommend the audio versions of this series, but no matter which format you prefer, I can’t recommend this series highly enough. You need the McKallister clan in your life!


LISTEN TO A SAMPLE HERE:


YOU CAN FIND FIERCELY EMMA HERE:


20 comments

  1. OMG.. after reading your review of the second book in the series I finally bought Cake and started reading. Well.. I finished in a day and looooved it!! And this one sounds really good too. I can't wait to read it :D

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    1. OMG! I am so excited to hear that, Maureen!! :) The second book is Kyle's story and I really enjoyed that one. And Emma's story is excellent, too. I'm on #5 now and don't want the series to end!

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  2. Finn sounds like a great character; I love how he's so optimistic and funny despite his difficult childhood.

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  3. I have to start reading this series soon. This family sounds like one that I really want to get to know. I am so glad that you enjoyed this one!

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    1. I definitely recommend it, Carole. And the audio versions are excellent!

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  4. This was one of my favorite in the series. I love how it's drawing you in like it did for me. It was such a good series!

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    1. I was hesitant about Emma but it ended up being one of my favorites, too.

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  5. I'm with you, I really appreciate it when there's valid conflict and not melodrama. Sounds like a great opposites attract romance. I really need to get to this series soon!

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    1. Yes! Conflict is understandable and (in fiction, especially) unavoidable. But too much drama is always a turn-off to me. Luckily, this series strikes the perfect balance.

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  6. Treading the line between drama and melodrama is a skill. Glad you found a new series to sink your teeth into. So this is a sibling series? I love those.

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    1. This is the same series I've been bingeing that last several weeks. And yes, each book focuses on a different sibling. I'm on #5 now and so invested in this family. :)

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  7. Providing drama without melodrama!!! I so love that tagline Tanya! And yes we cas see you really love that series!

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    1. I'm now down to the novella that covers the family quarantining... so sad for it all to end!

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  8. You sold me on this series with "drama without devolving into melodrama." That sounds perfect! You really have me wanting to meet the entire family now. :)

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    1. I hope you'll love the series if you give it a try, Suzanne. I've grown to love this family so much. :)

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  9. Glad you're still enjoying the series!

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  10. I met this author in San Francisco, at a book signing, years ago and she was the nicest person ever! There were so many authors to read before the signing and now I'm seriously regretting her books not being one of them ack. This series sounds amazing!
    Jen @ Star-Crossed Book Blog

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    1. That's happened to me, too, Jen. I'll read the book after the fact and then kick myself for not being able to discuss it with the author at the time! I sure do recommend the Cake series, though. It's become one of my favorites!

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