I’ve never read a romance novel before so this book was a major departure for me. Lately, I’ve been branching out and reading pretty much everything anyone asks me to read. The truth is that there are literally reams of pages out there for you to peruse, and if you aspire to write, you really need to engage them. When you start picking up absolutely everything that comes across your desk, you get a better perception of what editors see, and it helps you craft your own writing that truly stands out.
Having said that, I have to say that Russian Gold is a very good book. It’s a quick and engaging read that is easy to complete in just a few sittings. It’s listed at 185 pages which is enough to draw you in and leave you wanting more.
Having never read a romance novel before, I thought this would be melodrama from beginning to end interspersed with erotica. Much to my surprise, Russian Gold is not that at all. In fact, there aren’t many love scenes at all. The sex scenes in Game of Thrones are probably more luridly described. What became clear to me while reading this book is that different genres are determined by a very small percentage of the total word count. All good books have relatable characters and a good story.
In Russian Gold, we meet Cecily who is involved with an underground MMA fighter named Pytor. Pytor works for the Russian mafia, and although he treats Cecily well and they are happy together, Cecily decides she must leave him. Under the pretext of a minor squabble, Cecily leaves town and starts a new life as a chef in another city. Pytor is left wondering what happened, and is quickly put on a course of conflict with his employers.
Cecily is an interesting character, and I have to say that I’ve met people like her. Her instincts are correct, but the actions she takes as a result of them are somewhat questionable. This is a clever dynamic to convey in the book, because Cecily hurts people close to her, but in a way that lends itself to forgiveness.
Pytor, the brutal MMA fighter, is nevertheless tender and devoted to Cecily. He’s something of an idealized figure since it’s implausible that a figure of such emotional maturity could emerge out of Pytor’s brutal background. He’s an easy character to like, and he does his best to be a devoted partner.
There is also a third party involved in the form of a famous chef who aspires to steal Cecily away from her estranged fiancee. Anyone who’d want to get between an MMA fighter with connections to the Russian mob and his girlfriend must be a little unhinged, but the famous chef has a checkered enough past to get away with it.
All in all, Russian Gold, has the right amount of drama and is told with a certain narrative flair. You’ll second guess Cecily and admire Pytor. This is the second book in a series, but I read it as a stand alone novel and never felt as if I lacked any information. I found it to be a good introduction to a new genre.
