Review: The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood

Title: The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Romance
Length: 446 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

A provocative love story between a tough Kansas woman on a crooked path to redemption and the unlikeliest of champions, from the New York Times bestselling author of All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

Zee is nobody’s fairy tale princess. Almost six-foot, with a redhead’s temper and a shattered hip, she has a long list of worries: never-ending bills, her beautiful, gullible sister, her five-year-old nephew, her housebound mother, and her drug-dealing boss.

Zee may not be a princess, but Gentry is an actual knight, complete with sword, armor, and code of honor. Two years ago the voices he hears called him to be Zee’s champion. He’s barely spoken to her since, but he has kept watch, ready to come to her aid.

When an abduction tears Zee’s family apart, she turns to the last person she ever imagined–Gentry–and sets in motion a chain of events that will not only change both of their lives, but bind them to one another forever.

Review:

The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood is a dark and gritty novel with a tender, heartwarming romance.

Zhorzha “Zee” Trego is a tough as nails young woman who has lived a hard life. She is the unofficial head of her family as she financially supports her obese hoarder mother, Dot,  her older sister, LaReigne and her five year old nephew Marcus. Zee will do anything (and I do mean anything) to provide for and protect her family. Her world is turned upside down when LaReigne is kidnapped during a prison riot. Convinced her sister is being held against her will by the two prison escapees, Zee takes matters into her own hands in order to bring her sister home safe and sound.  With an unlikely protector by her side, Zee recklessly  sets out on a dangerous journey to save LaReigne, but will her plan succeed?

Zee is a survivor who will do anything to keep her family afloat. Her relationship with her mother is complex and mostly antagonistic.  She, LaReigne and Marcus moved in together after her sister’s divorce and she absolutely adores her nephew.  Zee is pragmatic about keeping a roof over their head and food on their table and she is willing to cross the line when it comes to her family.

While in physical therapy following a motorcycle accident, Zee caught the eye of Gentry Frank. Gentry is on the autism spectrum, speaks in Middle English and believes he is a knight. Proclaiming himself Zee’s protector, he keeps watch over her from a distance. In the aftermath of LaReigne’s kidnapping, Gentry steps in and offers Zee his assistance after she loses her job, apartment and car all at the same time. His interest in Zee is initially not romantic but as they spend time together, their odd relationship gradually turns into a touching romance.

Worried about her sister’s safety, Zee makes an impetuous decision to find LaReigne and bring her home. Although uneasy about bringing Gentry into what could be a dangerous situation, she reluctantly agrees to his request to accompany her. Will their plan to locate LaReigne succeed? Or is their quest doomed to end in failure?

The Reckless Oath We Made is a poignant and thought-provoking novel with an unusual storyline and endearing characters.  Zee is a surprisingly sympathetic character who has a big heart but is also deeply flawed. Gentry is an absolutely delightful young man with a generous and chivalrous spirit. Although initially a little slow moving, it does not take long to get caught up in this clever story.  Readers will be on the edge of the seats as Bryn Greenwood brings this marvelously unconventional novel to a realistic and uplifting conclusion.