Review: Tempered Justice by Helene J. Smith

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book! It's a novel set in the 1930's and 40's of two lovers, Dan and Steffi, who meet each other again after 20 years, coincidentally in a bar. They realize they are still very much in love... but they are both married, and Dan has three children. Their love is so intense that Dan leaves his wife, Amy, and their children, and Steffi sneaks around on her husband, Jack. Dan moves out to Steffi's town and they rent an apartment together. Meanwhile, Amy has become completely depressed and useless, leaving her three young children to take care of the family farm and try to support themselves. Meanwhile, Steffi gets pregnant by Dan, and Jack, knowing he is not able to have children, finally catches on to the situation. Believe it or not, this is only the first half of the story!

So much more happens after the pregnancy including several deaths and marriages. I will not say who any of these happen to, but you will certainly be surprised by all of the events that take place. Not only is this story about the affair, but it focuses a great deal on the families and the aftermath, and has several subplots, both romantic and suspenseful. This book has A LOT!

I really enjoyed this story and felt drawn into the events. My one complaint is that SO MUCH happens that some of it begins to seem a bit unrealistic. Aside from that, though, this book was a pleasure to read. It had drama, romance, and suspense. I'd recommend this book to people who love all of those elements in a novel. Overall, this book captured my attention and sucked me into the story.

My Rating: 4/5

P.S. I listed this in the Goodreads swap if you think you'd like to read it.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member.