So I read the first book "The Last Mrs. Parrish" years ago and I absolutely hated it, but I'd read other books by Liv Constantine that I enjoyed (The Wife Stalker), and I was hoping this one would redeem the ending of the first one a bit, so I gave it a chance.
I didn't read the prequel book "The First Shot" so when they introduced this plotline into the book with this Daisy Ann character I was a bit thrown for a loop since I had no idea who this character was. Thankfully, the book went into the backstory a bit to give us an understanding.
I felt this book, compared to the first created a lot of plotholes. At the end of the first book, Jackson terminates his parental rights and is arrested for tax evasion and his assets are taken. But then in this book, apparently being arrested for tax evasion isn't a big deal so he's able to keep his multi-million dollar mansion, yacht, luxury cars, etc. Okay. Then later, when Daphne gets framed for using drugs, he's given temporary emergency custody? I don't care how much money he bribed a judge, who would award custody to someone who voluntarily terminated their parental rights and was convicted of a crime and JUST got out of prison?
Even the characters we're supposed to root for (Daphne, Daisy Ann) were just even more unlikeable in this book. Daphne was just so stupid! "Jackson was so evil and abusive, and I ran away from him for a reason. Oh, my bratty teenage daughter wants to see him. Should I tell her the truth of who her father really is? Nah, I'll just go bring my daughters back to him, he says he's changed after all! He was a bad husband but a good dad, I doubt he'll do anything!"
And the whole thing about Amber killing her first husband (Daisy Ann's father), it was originally ruled an accident, but Daisy Ann does some digging but comes up empty. Then suddenly out of nowhere she gets a call that they randomly found footage from someone that proves it wasn't an accident? Like, yeah, okay lol.
The subplots with the diamonds, the business dealings and the endless name brand mentions, I could easily do without, those are just boring.
I was glad to see Jackson finally get punishment that he deserves, although I don't know if I could wish that type of fate on anyone, even someone as evil and sadistic as Jackson.
I also hated the ending of Amber getting bailed out by the same guy that beat Jackson up and it leaving on a cliffhanger. I hope we get a third book and hopefully Amber gets out of it, cause as awful as she is, she's such a fun villain imo. (Plus I just hate cliffhangers lol)
by rachels1231