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The book builds up so well that you know all hell is going to break loose at the end. The apocalypse in the Essex countryside is guaranteed but boy does it still hit hard when it does happen. This was the first book I had read by this author and I enjoyed it. The story begins in 1975 when Kenny Bond finds himself in prison for killing a police officer. He has a wife, Sharon, and two children Donny and Sherry. It starts with him sharing some stories of prison life, sharing a cell with a gypsy, Tamplin, who he found out was a robber of pensioners, and he took matters into his own hands and saw him right for that one day. Finally Kenny gets parole and is released, and the book goes on to document the years as their family grows.
As Terry Keane went to sleep that night, he was positive that he'd endured the worst of the festive season. Unfortunately for him, the nightmare had only just begun. Then to put not one but two families into one story was always going to be very interesting to say the least but wow did she pull it off. I'm worried about going into the storyline to much as I fear I will end up giving to much away, but I want to scream and shout about this book, I want you to read it and enjoy it as much as I have, so I'm not saying any more about it other than, Go and treat yourself. Buy the bloody book. Over the years we see Jessica and Eddie have twins of their own Frankie and Joey. We see them not only as young children but later on as teenagers too. The main characters of the story are Jessica and Eddie and we see what it is really like for a woman being married to a man so high up in the underworld. We also see and learn a lot about Jessica's parents Joyce and Stanley, her brother Raymond as well as he twins Frankie and Joey. Yes they are evil little brats and I’m used to KC psychopathic characters but at the same time some of their exploits made even me feel a bit uncomfortable and apprehensive.Then along comes a family that stand and face the Bond family head on, will Kenny do what’s required to protect his family at all costs? When I got over the beautiful cover sleeve and then removed it, and ogled at the more gorgeous gold cover, I eventually settled down to read. On the other side are the O'Haras. The Mitchells' biggest rivals are a travelling family who live in nearby Stratford. They compete with the Mitchells for pub protection and the two families hate each other.
With her mother dead and father in prison, Frankie Mitchell goes to live with her fiancé Jed O’Hara. When her daughter is born, her fiancé’s mother becomes domineering and overbearing. Meanwhile, Frankie ignores the rumors that her beloved fiancé is cheating on her. Wedding's, Death, funerals, Births, Sex, Drugs.......... this book has it all, and mixed together makes a whole bit pot of Butler madness.This is a British thriller/drama/tragedy with several love stories. Had I known beforehand how it ended, I would have never start reading it. I’m glad I did though. It’s not for the faint hearted, that’s for sure. Meet the Bond family with Kenny as the head of the tribe as he is released from prison,we meet his children, their children, in laws, out laws, past and present lovers, cousins, friends and a whole host of others (inc plenty of notrights!) ,there are a lot of people to get to know ( some I liked, some I really didn't ) and place who is with who and why, how and when but that is the same for any new 'family' series and a few seconds here and there to put them together every so often had it straight in my mind, it is told in the past from the 70's onwards as it charts their stories and lives and dramas Kenny is released and the story unfolds in a rollercoaster of violence, secrets, lies and crime and of course good old fashioned FAMILY VALUES. I should warn those of a nervous disposition there is a very upsetting scene involving a child, but those use to the authors work know she keeps her books ‘real’ and that includes subjects that are often difficult to read about.Kimberly Chambers is one of those rare authors who has a gift for creating colourful characters, that are larger than life, you feel you know them inside out, and despite their flaws a small part of you can’t help but fall in love with everyone of the Bonds, even the ‘not rights’. it’s a testament to the authors writing that she can make you laugh and cry at their antics, love and hate them, all in the space of a few minutes! If you loved the Mitchell’s and the butlers, wait til you meet the bonds. I seriously can’t wait to see what they bring us next.
The Mitchell's....notorious East End gangster family are at war and have a long standing FEUD with the O'Hara's a typical travellers family. The Butlers are crazy, I mean crazy and as I've said previously they really have no redeeming qualities but I love the way the author tells their story. This must be made into a tv series one day. Kimberly offers us up a good old fashioned geezer then reminds us “men are like dogs, if they ain’t trained they’ll shit all over the carpet” The accident relating to child abuse and rape crushed me. It was horrific to read and yet the author handled the incident perfectly.Billie Jo is the adored only child of wealthy villain, Terry, and Michelle, the drunken wife he hates. Knowing how much Billie Jo dreads her parents’ fights, Terry imagines that she’ll understand when he tells her he is going to leave Michelle to marry his pregnant secretary. Where do I start, fans of Kimberley Chambers will love this and I firmly believe this could be her best book yet. You do need to read the first 3 in this series in my opinion to fully experience this story..
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