What Happened in Granite Creek by Robyn Bradley

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Well!  I had to eat my words—again!  I have been known to say that I don’t like novels written in the present tense.  When I started to read this, I thought, oh no…

BUT, within a few pages, I was drawn into this novel, and my apprehension and misgivings about the present tense vanished into thin air. 

Koty is forced by her husband, Wayne, to ‘babysit’ an amputee Iraqi war veteran, Jamie—her husband’s idea of patriotism and the dues that should be paid to those that fight for their country.  Koty’s marriage to Wayne was a default due to an unexpected teen pregnancy.  Three children later, she finds herself unhappily married to a drunkard and control-freak.

Her ‘duty’ towards the quadruple amputee is met by resentment on both sides.  Koty is tired at being ordered around by her sometimes violent husband, and Jamie, quite naturally, is finding it hard to come to terms with his situation, while only a young man.  Koty’s only option is make the best of the situation and, in a battle of wills, aims to fight through his barrier of bitterness and sense of hopelessness.  But they are both victims of losses of different kinds, and this common bond leads them down an unexpected path.

I very much enjoyed the development of Koty and Jamie’s relationship.  It was charged, poignant—Jamie is superbly portrayed—but then Bradley drops an almighty, jaw-dropping bombshell.  The story takes a different turn and what started off as a good page-turner becomes an engrossing, compelling, and powerful story of intrigue and what parents will do to protect their children.

The writing was superb, each character was utterly believable, the tension was honed to perfection, and a whole gamut of emotions exudes from the pages.

And the absolute icing on the cake was the simply perfect editing of this book.  I’m getting so tired of saying ‘good book, shame about the editing’, that this was an added bonus to my excellent reading experience.  I found only a few very, very minor errors which was so very refreshing.  Every author (and editor) should read this book and learn!

Outstanding, Robyn Bradley—I have ensured I have your other full-length novel (Forgotten April) on my Kindle.


I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.