Robert is the prequel of Tracie Podgers Fallen Angels series, and luckily for me it can be read as a standalone as I haven't read any of the other books. I also hold my hand up to not reading the synopsis for this before accepting to review it either, I liked the look of the cover and went by that. Luckily for me, that led to me finding an absolutely fabulous book! Being the prequel to a series called Fallen Angel, I assumed these books were going to be about, well, angels that had fallen! I have read a few paranormal type books lately that include such characters, but this was so far from what I imagined!
Right from the first few pages, I was sucked in and hooked on Roberts story. A tale of a little boy growing up with far from the easiest of lives, suffering at the hands of terrible people, going through things no-one should ever have to go through in an entire lifetime, never mind in the first few years of life. Roberts early years were so powerful and emotionally written my heart broke for the young boy. As he grew and got older, I adored Robert, loved the way he worked hard to get him and his friend Travis through life, and where it got them in the end.
Eventually ending up in a Mafia family, some of the things Robert and Travis had to do should probably have made me feel differently about them, but the character progression and back stories for both of them never once made me feel like it flawed them, it just made them stronger and more likeable to me!
As well as Robert and Travis, the book is also peppered with many other characters, all of them again so well written, from Roberts cold, evil aunt who I hated the second she appeared on my pages, to the sweet and caring Evelyn, and her father, Joe, who took the boys in as family. I loved all of them, even the ones you love to hate, because they were all so perfectly written.
Robert is the first book of Tracie Podgers I have read, and it wont be the last as I shall be devouring the Fallen Angels series the first chance I get!