hm hm *clears throat* , i hope you are all ready for this review, because it’s going to be burning hot and flammable. i’m not here to talk about a book i love, for once, i’m here to talk about a book i hated. yes, you heard me, i hate this book. it even crossed the limit of “doesn’t like” , at this point, i just hate it, and i’m going to explain why right now. get some popcorns, some tea or whatever, and let’s go because it’s going to be long.

The characters are the same as all of Cole’s characters, except that this time, 2 of the characters are gay. I don’t know what relevance this had on the story and it really felt like Cole added this detail to try and reinvent her stories and appeal to a new audience. The fact that there are gay characters made no difference to the plot or storyline for me. If you like Martina Cole and have been waiting for this book you will love it but take a breath every once in a while as it is hard going in places with the realism There's even a false statement made early on in the book where it sounds as if Sharon only discovered her dead husband's "secret" after he was dead. But, reading on, it turns out she knew well before but decided to live with it, presumably to continue enjoying the life of a mob wife in East London, with all the trappings.As anyone who has ever read a Martina Cole book will know, there is always a lot of swearing and Get Even is no exception, but in Martina’s defence it is in keeping with her characters and the plot, but after a while it becomes very repetitive. The plot follows the usual formula family, loyalty, treachery and secrets, while I’m sure this formula works for Martina, and continues to help her sale books, I feel I am re-reading one of her older books. Whilst this may suit loyal fans, personally I would like to see Martina up her game and provide her readers with something new and fresh. At Holly Brookes Children's Home, the two girls unite in the face of horrific abuse and form an unbreakable bond of loyalty.

And yet as the author is so so good at doing it shows friendship and how it can get people through any situation and it shows sacrifice and love If you are looking for a read that doesn’t tax the brain, with a half decent plot line you may enjoy Get Even, but personally I think there are much better authors out there in this genre, Kimberley Chambers is one who springs to mind. Sharon Conway and Lenny Scott are childhood sweethearts. Everyone says they are too young, but nothing can keep them apart. Lenny Scott is a handsome man, big strong and an up and coming face in the underworld. Sharon is everything Lenny could ever want, after meeting at school they are inseparable and when Sharon finds out she is having a baby, they can bring their plans forward to be a real family. Sharon does not question Lenny's business dealings and it is not long before his reputation as a hard man destined for the top means they are living the good life with their sons.

Her early books were fantastic, gritty and thrilling. Always waiting for October for her new release.