The Hit List [Paperback]

The Hit List by Anne Brooke is the story of Jamie, his sufferance caring for a sick relative, of always being the least favourite son, of not finding a woman to love, and being hung up on an incident with a male friend that happened many years ago. When said friend shows up in his life again, one just knows it's going to shake things up. If you want a light summer read that's a m/m romance without explicit sex including numerous laughs then this is good choice.

The Hit List is very much a story you have to stick with to the end. I can see where some people will love Jamie, and others feel rather antagonistic towards him; however, I feel those who have ever had to look after an ailing person, be it a friend or a relative, particularly one who doesn't make the task easy (even worse, someone who, although somewhat innocently, makes the carer feel inadequate) will have more sympathy with Jamie. Anne Brooke has done this part very well. The story is told in third person from Jamie's point of view, and naturally a lot of what he is going through with his father is downplayed. When things reach their most stressful, the reader sees Jamie fall apart rather spectacularly, though in a very believable way. One realises that Jamie's been under rather a lot more stress than he has realised, even ignored, as he doesn't want to live up to his father's view of his inadequacies. Yet falling apart is the best thing Jamie can do. It makes others see how much he's been struggling, and teaches him that his view of his family and his perfect brother are rather one-sided, and that not all is what it seems.

The question is whether one wants to read a light romance, or wants to read a light romance with hidden depths, one that's going to require an astute reader. It includes characters with all the failings that are all too human. Yes, Jamie takes time to come to terms with his sexuality; in reality, many people take years, even rile against it. Yes, Jamie dreams of killing his father and other people who have irritated him; when taken in the context of anyone saying, "I'll kill you for that," in the heat of the moment, it becomes the equivalent of wishing one had the power to strike someone dead with an evil eye.

The problem with both of these things is one really needs to read to the end of the book to understand both scenarios. One has to understand the immense strain someone can be under when caring for someone. Then there's the additional problem that even if Jamie can accept he loves another man, his life is further complicated by the fact that his father will never understand. How can he give the man he loves the life together that he would want? Surely, it's better, easier for everyone if he just ignores his feelings? In this way Jamie is actually more self-sacrificing than he first appears...and I believe ultimately adorable for it. Added to this is a great deal of humour, some of which even makes the dark moments more unsettling. By the last page, I ended up loving Jamie, and I feel it would be a sad case if others don't understand the story Anne Brooke has penned.

From the beginning you're hooked into this story. Jamie is in a difficult situation, running a successful business from home and looking after his elderly father. To distract himself he compiles a hit list of who he will bump off first. The reader then spends the next 200+ pages wondering whether and how he'll succeed. Add to this mixture doubts about the sexuality of some of the main characters and you have a plot which threatens all manner of mayhem and mischief. Read this if you want something quirky and different

I really enjoyed this story from Anne Brooke.

With quality and contemporary farce like qualities at times it would make a superb theatre play. I smiled a lot when reading at the soft humour in Anne's writing and gasped at some of the more sensitive and controversial aspects as the plot developed.

As I am usually a reader of fantasy novels I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed this book and could not put it down once I had started (which is a compliment in itself as this is a rare thing for me).