I picked this from a book club because the synopsis sounded interesting, and I’m so thrilled I took the chance! Definitely one of the most intriguing books I have read in awhile.

The Premise

Patrick “Trick” is a firefighter with a lucky streak from everything to his zero-fatality streak to his lottery winnings — the latter of which has been a contentious issue between him and his wife Eve. When Eve files for divorce, Trick is shocked to learn of the reasons she is claiming — that he abused her and their two girls. Particularly amid the wave of “Me Too” revelations that have shown the disgraceful acts of supposedly well-respected men, his innocence seems to be impossible to prove. Even worse, the allegations mean that he has very limited access to his daughters.

Zamira is assigned Trick’s case as a court-ordered client to oversee his interaction with his daughters. Despite her initial hesitation as she is appalled at his heinous supposed crimes, she soon realises that they are not only false, but that in reality Trick is quite the opposite — a loving, caring father; a first responder and hero; and most importantly: a man worth loving. However, Zamira’s Muslim faith keeps her desire in check, and she fights the attraction that threatens everything she holds dear: her career, her family’s honour in their community, and her modesty as a Muslim woman.

Pros

This was such an intricately woven story with so much depth of character to explore. The unraveling of the plot was a joy to read, particularly the moments where we learn of Muslim culture by the way the author shows — rather than just tells — Zamira’s thoughts and actions as she interacts with the two conflicting facets of her life: a promised hand to a man she loathes that will lift her family out of disgrace, and an undeniable attraction to a man not of her culture who has a lot of baggage.

I liked the way Eve’s deplorable actions are shown in retrospect as well as in the present day, building up the character of a narcissistic femme fatale. I also liked the range of Trick’s interactions with his family and coworkers, and the sense of brotherhood and camaraderie among fellow firefighters. The author’s descriptions were precise and took me right there to feel the heat of every scene, and the judgemental eyes under which Trick constantly squirmed as he kept digging himself into a deeper hole.

In general there were a lot of small elements that made the novel seem very visceral, very real — and I lived for these. There were moments when I literally could not put the book down because I was hanging on by a thread at the indignation or shock I felt while reading. So, so, well done!

Cons

I really loved this novel, but my overall takeaway — and the only thing holding me back from the full 5 stars — was that I really wanted even more of Zamira. I could see this being told entirely or almost entirely from her perspective, as she uncovers the truth about Trick and then has to grapple with her feelings. Trick also seemed far too gullible and easy to manipulate, and played right into Eve’s games. The flashbacks to past moments in their marriage annoyed me rather than made me feel sorry for him. All of that to say — more of Zamira! Zamira! Zamira! I loved every moment of her, she was just perfectly written and gave this entire novel so much heart.

Conclusion

This is a great novel with many teaching moments that are beautifully unrolled for the reader without slapping you in the face. The “femme fatale” aspect was a respectful nod to Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl” and it gave the novel a delicious undercurrent of a thrill. But its shining grace was the character of Zamira, who I really could not get enough of. This is a novel that will stay with me for quite some time, and I look forward to re-reading it and going through the entire gamut of emotions all over again.

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