Bound By Guilt by C.J. Darlington

At A Glance:

Can Stand Alone- Yes

Romance- No
Suspense/Thriller- Sort Of
Christian- Yes
Violence- Sort Of
Hook or Twist- Yes

The Story: Roxi Gold is a troubled teenager who’s willing to do just about anything to stay in a family rather than go back to being passed around from foster home to foster home, or the state home. That anything includes stealing rare and valuable books from unsuspecting independent book stores- but it doesn’t include murder.

Abby Dawson is a cop whose rough past leaves her unable to maintain professionalism when provoked. When she’s suspended for being overly aggressive with the mayor’s wife, her life begins down a path she never expected it to take.

My Review: First of all, I have to say that when I started reading Bound By Guilt by C.J. Darlington, it was the middle of the night, and I was really tired. The first time that I read Roxi Gold’s name, my mind flipped it into “Goldie Rox” (as in Goldie Locks). I think I prefer that, actually.

As for the writing and the story itself, I think they’re both excellent. I really enjoyed Darlington’s first novel, Thicker Than Blood, but there were some issues in that book that prevented me from including it on this site. Bound by Guilt is CJ Darlington’s second novel, and every, every, issue that I had with Thicker than Blood has been fixed in Bound by Guilt. The characters in Bound by Guilt are so beautifully fleshed out and real that I feel as though I really know some of them. The best of these is Roxi, who is so emotionally wounded that you just wish you could grab her and wrap her in a big hug. And despite all of her pain, she hasn’t built up many walls or hardened herself in any way. Instead, when she finds an abused and abandoned dog, she does everything she can to care for it and keep it fed and out of harms way, despite the fact that she can’t do the same for herself.

Darlington is especially gifted at writing bad guy characters. The “bad guys” are probably even better written than Roxi is, and very possibly have actual psychological issues. While this novel is not a thriller and is technically not suspense either, there are elements of both. There are definitely some very exciting parts, and where the tension isn’t high, the character development will keep you reading way past your bed time.

Something that you may find intriguing about Bound by Guilt is how important certain rare books are in the story. C.J. Darlington has dealt in antiquarian books for over a decade, and many (if not all) of the anecdotes in Bound by Guilt are true- at least as relates to rare books, rare book dealers, and rare book scouts. Who knew those quiet book sellers could be so cut throat?

C.J. Darlington’s Bound by Guilt is definitely Christian fiction, but it isn’t preachy and “religion” doesn’t get in the way of story. Her characters simply live out their lives the way real people do- the Christians live their beliefs, and so do the non-Christians. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to Christians or non-Christians. Only the most easily offended of either group should stay away.

Click Here To Purchase Bound By Guilt by CJ Darlington

Other People’s Reviews:

(Note, these are excerpts from other reviews, not full reviews.)

“BOUND BY GUILT doesn’t match the writing skill or reading quality of C.J.’s first novel. Instead, this offering exceeds the first at multiple points. In her new book, C.J.’s strength in creating believable characters shines, as does her plotting ability.”

“Bound by Guilt kept me flipping pages long past my usual bedtime. …My only beef with C. J. is that she killed off one of my favorite characters! Overall, I give Bound by Guilt two enthusiastic thumbs up!”

“The opening scene, with Roxi and Diego, sucked me right into this story and didn’t let me go until I had read the last word on the epilogue page. What a story this book told!”

“Deeply engaging, Bound by Guilt is crafted with a wealth of emotional tension. I found myself reaching for the tissues several times as I read through its pages.”

“Her vivid descriptions and settings put us in the moment of each situation.”

“Bound by Guilt mesmerized me from page one.”

“Bound By Guilt is an action-packed page turner that will keep you riveted to the end…”

And my favorite: “I read it in one sitting. I didn’t take a break, go somewhere else, use the bathroom, none of it.” See more reviews here.