The CONduct Series
by
Jennifer Lane
Titles: With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior, On Best Behavior
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Adult Contemporary
Series Bundle release date: August 19, 2014
CONduct #1
Synopsis:
In a world gripped by organized crime, family dysfunction, and dim hopes of redemption, can true love persevere? For Sophie Taylor, a beautiful psychologist who lost everything when she violated an ethical boundary, and Grant Madsen, a handsome naval officer who sacrificed everything to protect a loved one, finding that love may carry an unbearable cost.
Starting their lives over in Chicago, both are fighting influences from their family and running as fast as they can to escape the past. When their paths cross outside the parole officer's door, the attraction is instantaneous. But a hidden connection may not only shatter their fledgling love, but prove deadly to them both.
(This review was originally posted by me in September 2013)
4.0 - 4.5 Stars
An entertaining, engaging read!
I've been eyeing this series for a while now. I was intrigued with the summary, and was curious to find out how a relationship between two convicts who meet outside their parole officer's door would fare. Well, I'm glad to say that With Good Behavior was absolutely entertaining for me!
Meet Sophie Taylor and Grant Madsen. Both are good people who made seriously bad decisions that landed them each in prison. Each served their time and now must try to move on with their lives. They meet while meeting with their parole officer, and the story really picks up from there!
With a cast of rich, likable, and well-developed characters, With Good Behavior is way more than a story of organized crime. Grant is charming, honorable, protective, and was raised to be a good man. However, unfortunate circumstances and influences keep him tied to the mafia family that he wants nothing to do with. Through flashbacks, Jennifer Lane does a fantastic job at setting up the back story. It is tragic and abusive. She explores various types of dysfunctional family relationships. For instance, she fleshes out the relationships between father-son, father-daughter and brother-brother all while creating a plot that is thoroughly emotional and engaging. You'll root for Sophie and Grant right from the beginning, both individually and as a couple.
One of the things I really enjoyed was the setting of Chicago! Ms. Lane paints an enticing picture of The Windy City from the beautiful buildings to even the Cubs/Sox rivalry. Who knew taking an architectural cruise down the river would be so exciting! I truly appreciated all these details.
This is my first time reading anything from Jennifer Lane. For the most part, I found With Good Behavior to be a solid 4 stars. I found her writing to flow smoothly, and she knows how to keep the plot moving, even splashing humor here and there. Really, I couldn't tear myself away from the story. It was quite a page-turner for me! I think that earns an extra half star. I'm really glad I took the time to read book 1 of the Conduct series.
New Reviews:
CONduct #2
Synopsis:
Grant Madsen’s got issues. He’s still battling his Mafia family and doing everything possible to keep his loved ones safe. With the cruising season coming to an end, he has to find another job soon or he’ll rejoin his father in prison. And he’s trying to convince his rebellious teenage nephew to stay away from their criminal relatives (you can imagine how that’s going). But worst of all, Grant’s parole officer has mandated that he attend therapy.
The only saving grace is that they’re couples sessions with his girlfriend, Sophie Taylor, a fellow parolee who’s struggling with a few issues of her own. Sophie desperately hopes her past with Grant’s brother won’t destroy her future with him. There’s a sleazy professor at work who revels in sexually harassing women in the psychology department. And her father still hates Grant.
Their psychologist has his work cut out for him.
When Grant’s ruthless father hints at a plot to get out of prison, Grant must use everything he’s learned in therapy and beyond to try to stop him. It’s a race against time -- and a race to rescue Sophie from the Mafia’s clutches once again. But this time McSailor and Bonnie refuse to play victims. This time the cuffs are coming off.
Four Stars
My book journey
takes me to Chicago again for more of my favorite ex-cons, Grant and Sophie!
While the first book showed where the romance began for these two, Bad Behavior centers on our lovable couple working on their issues. Through couples
counseling, the emotions fly high as old scars resurface. It’s a good thing that their psychologist is
so patient and caring. I gotta love Dr. Hunter Hayes as he helps them tackle
their demons head on. Grant, especially,
had a huge mountain to climb, since being the son of an abusive Mafioso boss
left such deep scars.
Although the
therapy sessions are good portion of this book, I think one of the highlights is
the relationship Grant has with his teenage nephew. Ben is at an impressionable
age, and Grant wants so much for him to not be pulled into the mafia life. He’s
confused and hurting after all that went down with his father, Logan. The
decisions Ben makes all add to the tension. Really, he has become one of my
favorites in this series.
This book has less suspense
than the first book, but the suspense that goes down pretty much unfolds
spectacularly!
CONduct #3
Synopsis:
Planning a wedding is never easy—especially when the Russian Mafia wants you dead.
On Best Behavior—the third and final book in The Conduct Series—finds our favorite couple moving forward, despite the odds. Following a pardon by the Governor of Illinois, ex-cons Sophie Taylor and Grant Madsen are finally free to pursue their love and the life that lies ahead for them. Grant now fights the forces that have hurt his loved ones by working undercover for the FBI, and he has infiltrated the Russian Mafia in Chicago. Sophie dives into swimming with Grant’s nephew, Ben, and into her career as a psychology professor. Thankfully, now it’s Ben’s turn to heal through therapy sessions with Dr. Hunter Hayes.
With so many things going right for Grant and Sophie, it's too bad the Russians aren’t their only threat. When Grant’s father, Enzo Barberi, discovers his own son thwarted his plan to break out of prison, his overdeveloped sense of vengeance flares to life. As Sophie scrambles to save her fiancé, it's impossible to say who will kill Grant first—the Russians or his Italian family. Can love triumph over evil? Are hard work and a pledge to be on best behavior ever enough?
Once again, author Jennifer Lane brings a harrowing tale of romantic suspense with a psychological twist, and it's sure to leave readers breathless.
Four Stars
After having
read book 2, I couldn’t resist diving deep into the final book of this series
to see how it all concludes for Grant and Sophie! Grant takes on the Russian mafia as he goes
undercover with the FBI. Oh boy!
First, I want to
mention that Grant’s undercover name made me giggle every time it came up,
LOL! This installment very much
showcases Grant and Sophie happy together and hard at work moving on living
life after getting out of prison. All the happiness could be thwarted though if
the Russians have any say in the matter. While Grant works hard to gain the
trust of the Russian mafia, his nephew, Ben, finds a friend in Sophie, and they
bond over their love for the sport of swimming. I loved this part of the story.
Ben is such a great character. I’ve enjoyed his character growth throughout the
entire series. This time he’s the one on Dr. Hunter Hayes’ couch. As for Grant
and Sophie, let’s just say that being forced to be apart can make for nice,
steamy encounters!
I love that
Jennifer Lane can write really awesome antagonists. Mullens was quite a sleezy
character! By the third book I know that she deliciously builds up the
suspense. Once it all starts rolling, Ms. Lane has a way of always surprising
you with great twists. I was expecting that this time, and she did not
disappoint in the least. I’m so sad to have reached the end of this series as I
have thoroughly enjoyed this ride. Thank you, Jennifer Lane, for introducing me
to Grant and Sophie!
About Jennifer Lane
Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she witnesses tremendous growth in her psychotherapy clients, and by night she wrangles misbehaving fictional characters as she writes sports romance and romantic suspense with a psychological twist. She can’t decide which is more fun.
A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen wove some of her own experiences into Streamline — a military mystery about swimmers. Dani at Refracted Light Reviews called Streamline “an emotionally complex story about the ones we love, the ones we hurt, the mistakes that break the human heart, and the love that puts the pieces back together.” But you don’t have to take her word for it. Readers can dip their toes into Jen’s world of swimming romance by sampling her free New Adult novella Swim Recruit HERE.
College volleyball romance Blocked is Jen’s newest release, launching 10-21-14. Peek inside big-time college sports and even bigger national politics when the offspring of two presidential candidates find out whether opposites really do attract, or their match is blocked from the start.
Stories of redemption interest Jen the most, especially the healing power of love. She is also the author of The Conduct Series, a romantic suspense trilogy that includes With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior, and On Best Behavior. “In a story of betrayal, responsibility, treachery, and honor, Lane does an excellent job portraying the intricate intersection of two lives connected by love…and lies,” said reviewer Susan Swiderski.
Ultimately, whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry. In her spare time she enjoys exercising, attending book club, hanging out with her plus-size, “I’m not fat, I’m big-boned” Izzie cat, and visiting her sisters and their families in Chicago and Hilton Head.
http://www.jenniferlanebooks.com/
