Beholden

by Fox Brison

This isn’t a story about what happens when stars collide, but rather the tale of what happens when two cars collide.
How far would you go to secure your dream job?
Architect Adele Jackson doesn’t suffer fools gladly; in fact, hardened by the cards a cruel fate dealt her, she doesn’t suffer anyone gladly. Whilst at what she thinks is a lunch to celebrate her promotion, her boss deals a blow not only to her career aspirations, but also her pride. She has two choices - resign and see her nemesis promoted ahead of her, or stay and fight for what she believes is rightfully hers.
How far would you go to save someone you love?
Joanne Cassidy’s life is finally on the up; not only is her dream of a nursing career well on its way to becoming a reality, her mother, Mary, has just celebrated her twenty eighth day sober. However, Mary doesn’t make it to twenty nine, and Joanne is left to pick up the pieces – just like she has done every day since her father walked out on them when she was only five years old.
One fateful night Joanne and Adele’s worlds collide, and a deal is brokered, one that has the capacity to either make or break them - and their dreams.

Genres: Lesbian, Lesbian Romance, LGBT, Enemies To Lovers, Romance

232 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 4, 2017

About the author

Fox was raised in the north-east of England, in the historic town of Berwick-upon-Tweed. She attended Durham University, where she gained a Ba (hons) in Education. Fox then moved to Cambridge after University to begin her teaching career, and taught mathematics and science for eight years. She truly loved it, but also knew her passion lay elsewhere. Since her memories first began to form, all she could remember was having her nose stuck in a book; when she was young and her friends were collecting Star Wars figures and Barbie dolls, Fox was starting to build her Agatha Christie collection; she used to play book seller with her great-grandma, another bibliophile; whilst grocery shopping with her mother, Fox would read one penguin abridged classic walking the aisles, then buy a different one to take home! Her love of reading paved the way for a love of writing, although it took a long time to actually give it a proper go.
You can follow Fox's trials and tribulations on her website http://www.foxbrison.com/ or on her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FoxBrisonAut...

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fauxmance haven't worked for me lately but this one worked and then some. This book was hilarious, heart-warming and moving. Good banter and great chemistry between Adele and Joanne. The characters were very well fleshed out and easy to connect with. The book felt like it was loosely inspired by beauty and the beast because of the deal between the MCs and Adele views about herself. It was an incredible read and I look forward to reading more by Fox Brison.

[Kurt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, yeah, I had been going through Amazon freebies and becoming disheartened until I found this book and was immediately immersed in the story. There is much to find here and Ms Brison has created quite a nice piece of work set in Scotland. I love the differences from American English and enjoyed selecting a word I had never seen before and looking it up.

So. Flawed characters with their ultimate redemption which is one of my favorite tropes of any fiction. Add to this a fluid writing styles that flows so well and we have a winner. I don't want to spoil any part of the story which means I can't make too many comments. The author packs in a growing relationship, corporate meddling, a sick mother, a talented architect hidden from the world inside her own insulated, self-absorbed cocoon, a working class poor woman studying to be a nurse but held back by her sick mother. Throw in a stalker, a crazy ex and strong writing and you have a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon.

[Corrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, first off this story needs two things. It needs a better cover other than this horrible eyesore. It looks like someone was trying to do photoshop using their toes whilst suspended upside down from the ceiling… blindfolded. Second, it needs a run through spellcheck and a good editor.

The writing was good, the author clearly has talent. The story was funny, the characters were interesting, both women had a difficult past for different reasons, there was a nice storyline. But halfway down the book we lose the plot a bit and we lock into this holding pattern. It was so bad that even at the 96% mark of the book Adele and Joanne were still doing the things they were already doing at the 45% mark. It was beyond frustrating and here is where a good editor would have put her foot down and taken her red pen to hand.

When the sexytimes finally arrived they were hot but all too brief and then we went back to the same holding pattern. The balance between the grief we were put through as a reader and the pay-off was uneven and it irked me. It didn’t give me that fulfilled feeling that I normally get when I say ‘the end’ to book club buddie D. who was still snickering, not because of the story but because of my frustrated comments peppering the narrative.

I hope Fox Brison keeps writing and keeps honing her craft because I like her style.

f/f explicit
Themes: control, I like the Scottish flavor this story has, you can look but you can’t touch… on second thought… you can’t look either, I need a wig now… pulled all my hair out in frustration, or just give me one of Adele’s scarfs.
3.4 stars

[Arn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The banter is great but besides that the book stagnates and keeps mulling over the same issues again and again. And then there're the issues with parents which are mentioned a lot but never resolved and secondary characters are flat and the villains cartoonish. I'd give it 4 stars if it was some 50-100 pages shorter because the writing technically is good and the main characters were both enjoyable to read about. A good editor could've done wonders with this story.

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

Overall I enjoyed the book. The banter between the two mains were pretty funny and biting when they were alone and at the drop of hat sweet and loving when someone was to walk in. The transformation of Adele was a little too fast for me but then again maybe she just needed someone to bring it out in her. The dialogue terms threw me off a bit because it takes place in Scotland...i think. It was like American english for some interactions then Scotland slang and I was lost. Regardless, I enjoy Brison's books and it was a free read on kindleUnlimited.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

You never know what you’re going to get with books on kindle unlimited. I almost stopped reading this story because one of the main characters is SUCH an ass (guess I should say arse since the book is set in Scotland). But I decided to keep reading for a bit and am so glad I did. The reader learns more and more about Adele (the ass) and it becomes clear why she behaves as she does. Both of the main characters are endearing and it’s just a sweet love story with several angst provoking bumps along the way.

I also loved this book because it’s freaking hilarious. I’m talking about laugh out loud funny at times.

Overall it was a great read AND it was free. You just can’t beat that deal.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot. The characters were well developed and there were interesting secondary characters. There was witty dialogue and at times I laughed out loud. The writing was quite good and I was absolutely delighted to get this gem for free on Kindle unlimited!!

[Kexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for these - lovely story, well written - twist and turn - superb.Her fifth 5* in a row from me! It appears she can do no wrong (& I've brought every one!) What's next? Excellent still on 2nd read.

[Calliope · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This book was just okay. The pace started off slow but was predictable. This was the first book I've read from this author. I liked her writing style, so I'd read from her again.

[Starsandsun18 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the Ice Queen characters Adele is at the bottom of my list. Yes, I know Ice Queens are written to be cold and mean but often times they are likable but with her it’s just No. Or maybe I just couldn’t connect with the story. :(
This type of plot is usually the one I enjoy. Relationship of convenience, Ice queens, etc.
Joanne - She’s been taking good care of her alcoholic selfish mother. She often times says things she doesn’t mean but I know she’s a good daughter. She’ll do anything for her Mom. She’s also got charisma which Adele lacks big time.


Overall - it’s still a good read especially if you like this kind of storyline.


3.75

[Paulina · Rating 4 out of 5]

.

I actually enjoyed this book. There were a few moments at the beginning where the plot was a little hard to believe but the humour and great characters made it easier to move on. The book could use a little editing and the ending felt a little bit off but if you are looking for some light reading with a sweet romance and some light angst on the side this book is definitely good for that. And the fact that it's set in Edinburgh gave it a special place in my heart. Definitely a case of don't judge a book by its cover though.

[mili · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10

tbh i was scared the story was going to be as bad as the cover

no as much as i want to i will not talk about the cover thats been done in 2 mins even if it couldve been done slightly better in only 1

i liked the firdt third of the story but as it went i started to realize that its going a bit too fast and that i actually do not feel any chemistry between the mcs nor do i really care for them

i noticed someone saying in the review how theres a bunch of spelling errors in the book - but ive only seen one typo in it tbh

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

This was a good story overall and I would recommend it. I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them as well.

[Rae Storey · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a childhood accident left her scarred, Adele Jackson has spent most of her life building walls and is desperate to maintain a stranglehold on her life.

Responsible for an alcoholic mother, Joanne Cassidy spends her days working a dead end factory job, and evenings pursuing a degree in nursing.

I'm a sucker for the fauxmance trope. I enjoy the slow burn that comes along with this theme, the two main characters’ individual growth throughout and the anticipation of them recognizing and acknowledging they are no longer faking. This particular relationship commenced under pretty dark circumstances - Adele blackmailing Joanne into being her pretend girlfriend so she could win a promotion at work - and it had “this is not going to end well" written all over it. So of course there's LOADS of angst.

Told in first person point of view, Beholden switches between Adele and Joanne. I really enjoy this technique because I love living inside the character’s head, but I'm not limited to a single character. Fox Brison does a good job of describing what the first person character is experiencing that I never felt I was missing anything, which is a risk when reading a story told in first person.

The dialog between characters is conversational, realistic and clean. But instead of taking the time to describe the beautiful sounds of the Scottish accent, the author instead demonstrated it through occasionally spelling words phonetically.

I will say that Beholden needs more editing to help smooth out the reading experience. There are a few spelling issues, but editing is more than that. Every sentence should be evaluated to ensure that it is well crafted, and fits into the story as a whole. For instance, I love a good figure of speech as much as the next person, but this story was loaded with metaphors and smilies to the point that I would find myself rolling my eyes. I realize the author was attempting to paint images, but she was heavy handed with this particular method.

I also felt like some elements were just chucked in there with no true, rooted meaning. Like Joanne going to evening school. While it was obvious that Joanne was attending because wanted a better life, it was a piece of her life that was most often forgotten about during the telling of story and only popped back up when it served the author's purpose (to demonstrate that the instructor was a cad). Or Adele's need for total control even in the bedroom (which had never been mentioned, but I suppose I should have assumed) and then bloop...she could suddenly (I would say with about 7% of the book left) change.

[Zingari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to wonder if this book isn't loosely Beauty and the Beast, and perhaps it has been confirmed or already theorized.

Here are my reasons why:
1) Made a deal to save her mother (Beauty made one to save her father)
2) The deal involves Joanne becoming Adele's girlfriend (Beauty becomes the prisoner instead)
3) Adele refers to herself as monster (The Beast)
4) Adele tries to hide her scars (Beast tries to hide his identity)
5) Crazy stalker who doesn't like the word "no" (Gaston)
6) Stalker framing mother (Gaston framing Beauty's father)


Perhaps missing more clues, but on the other hand this has probably been said before, so all of this is possibly redundant. Also, I may be completely off.

Moving on, this was actually a good read. I was definitely frustrated at some points, but it was worth it. The ending I felt could have been better (a rushed reconciliation formed into action and that was the end (can't explain without spoiling)), but all in all I enjoyed it.

*Excuse any mistakes, I'm fatigued.*

[Jessica Roberson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly good read

I've never read this author before, but was perusing the Kindle unlimited list for something new. I gave this book a shot and couldn't put it down. I enjoyed the humor, the play on words and references to pop culture the author used. I was impressed with the way the author portrayed the main characters falling in love, and with the dramatic and suspenseful twists and turns to the storyline. I was also impressed with the depth if the authors vocabulary, but disappointed in a few misspellings not picked up with proper editing. All in all, I liked the story much more than I anticipated and will check out other works by Fox Brison.

[Ros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely absorbing, could not put it down. This book was funny, sad, suprising, but most of all very entertaining. Loved both Jo and Adele's stories and although very different people ultimately its their differences which make them so right for each other. When you fall in love for and I mean really fall in love for the first time it changes you completely and I think thats what happens to Adele when she meets Jo, she realises she does have alot of love to give which helps her to open up and see herself in a new light. Wonderful book, would highly recommend.

[Woody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plausible and well thought out Fake Relationship story. Adele Jackson needs a date so she can get a New York promotion. I thought Adele had the right balance of ice queen. Joanne lives with an alcoholic mum, she is studying to get qualifications to become a nurse. The characters of Adele and Joanne ere well developed and likable. The story had real depth and was well written and showed the struggles both women were facing. Lovely to read a book set in Edinburgh. I read this witty, sometimes sad, book in one sitting. Completely captivating story. I recommend this book.

[Karen Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great characters

This book had a storyline that i think would never happen in real life, but the characters were so well thought out and i had such sympathy and delight reading about them. It's been awhile since i gave a book 5 stars.

[Lam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 3.5 from me.

Interesting story with a familiar trope. It was heartwarming, funny at times and engaging. Couldn't ask for more out a Kindle Unlimited book.

I often regret reading some KU books, but definitely enjoyed this one.

[Heather Henkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

I really enjoyed reading this story. I loved how Adele could put her foot in her mouth without trying. I definitely recommend.

[Frances Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I gave it five stars because I read it in one setting great book love to characters love story with a little mystery. Great combination recommend this book

[Anthony Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong good characters. It caked weight at the ending but had already earned it.

[Jo Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Time Read

This was an enjoyable first time read for me by this author. It is quite a long read and well written. I did find a couple of little niggles though; the use of some Scottish speech may be a little difficult for some people to understand and the plot line reminded me of a combination of Rox James Hurt and many other angst faux romance books. It’s still worth a read though