Nikan Rebuilt by Scarlett ColeMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Scarlett Cole, every time you do this to me!
For those who've not read the previous books in this series, Preload is a metal band formed by guys who grew up in a Canadian children's home. Because it's Scarlett Cole each of the guys has had a dreadful childhood, abuse of all kinds, witnesses to terrible acts etc and Nikan is no exception.
The child of a mixed marriage between a First Nation man and a white woman he has always felt alienated and troubled by his heritage. His mother was brutally murdered, and Nikan badly wounded, by a jealous neighbour who couldn't bear the thought of her with another man. Nikan is in love with Jenny, another child from the foster home/ childcare system, who he met when they were young teenagers but he threw it all away when he slept with another woman on the band's first tour.
Eight years later Jenny has returned to Toronto to act as temporary manager of the children's home that Nikan and his fellow band members last lived in while the current manager recovers from breaking her leg. She too has had a deeply traumatic childhood and has never forgotten Nikan.
At first I had my doubts about this book, Nikan was soooo needy and so insistent that Jenny had to move on and forgive him for his infidelity, I just wanted to shake him and shout that it's not so simple. But as always Scarlett Cole draws me in and as Nik starts to understand how his past has influenced his present and how there are parallels between his relationship with the band and Jenny's relationship with him he became a more sympathetic character in my eyes.
As the book drew to its explosive conclusion in true Scarlett fashion I was on the edge of my seat as the tension mounted. Once again, Scarlett packs more plot, more angst, more life into just 260 pages than some authors can manage with twice that much. I loved it!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
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