JuliaReview
Review By: Grant Leishman, READERSFAVORITE.COM
Review Rating: 5 Stars
Julia by Timothy Freriks is a corporate espionage/murder thriller centered around New York’s fashion scene. When Julia’s father, an enthusiastic but ultimately unsuccessful inventor, commits suicide after his first only successful design of a “man bag” was stolen by the CEO of Ralstons, George Ralston, Julia commits to one day getting even and ruining Ralston and his company. As she grows older, Julia’s burgeoning fashion design career begins to take off and with the help of her high school bestie, Shelley, Julia Couture begins to make a splash in the New York fashion scene. Julia wants to expand but she will need a distributor and although some of the biggest fashion names in the industry appear interested, it seems that Ralstons is willing to offer her any sort of deal. There’s no way Julia will ever work with the man she blames for her father’s death unless it is to destroy his business empire, somehow. When Julia meets Peter Ralston, the “good brother”, the sparks between the pair fly instantly and the attraction is undeniable… but he’s a Ralston! People are mysteriously disappearing and dying in the fashion industry and Julia and Peter are sure George Ralston is somehow in the middle of the mayhem. So begins a dangerous battle that will put both of their lives in extreme peril as they seek to destroy the megalomanic at the head of the Ralston fashion company.
Julia is an exceptionally well-crafted and meticulously laid out story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they consider first one option to solve the problem and then another. Author Timothy Freriks has managed to seamlessly weave a sweet and beautiful romance into a story full of twists, turns, and horrific violence. Action-packed and impossible to put down, this is a story you will read in just one sitting; at no point are you left wondering what will happen next because you absolutely must keep reading to the end, as I did. I loved the character of Julia, a self-driven young woman, socially awkward but full of determination and proudly independent, as she focused on succeeding in an impossibly difficult industry, always driven by that fierce desire to destroy the evil George Ralston. The romantic interplay between Julia and Peter beautifully softened the otherwise cruel and harsh realities of a narrative that involves the mob, some incredibly shady characters, and a hopelessly corrupt Mexican police force. I particularly appreciated the number of varied points of perspective the author was able to incorporate into the narrative, which made for interesting arcs driven by vastly different characters. This is a fantastic read that all lovers of crime fiction and mystery with a touch of romance will enjoy immensely. I am impressed by this author’s style and plot construction and will be motivated to seek more of his offerings in the future. This is a story I can highly recommend.
Reviewed By Bernadette Diane Anderson for Readers’ Favorite
Enjoy every detail in this engaging book, Julia, by author Timothy Freriks, as he takes us into the world of fashion. The steps CEO George Ralston will take to maintain his selfish lifestyle know no boundaries; anything goes and killing to get his way is not unusual! Having gotten his own way so far by whatever means possible and subsequently making a mess of things, he is on the hunt for a new idea. Enter the enterprising new hit designer Julia Cohen, whose family has already had dealings with the Ralston Corporation. Undeterred and greedy to keep his status as a prestigious CEO of an important part of the fashion industry, he develops his latest plans to keep his empire intact. Prior to a meeting between George Ralston, Julia Cohen, and his talent-finder, Kim Soranno, his kinder, more understanding younger brother Peter Ralston runs into Julia at the building’s entrance and has an instant attraction to her. Now their lives and futures would be intimately intertwined, but how will things turn out? Good, disastrous, dangerous, loving? I know you’re going to be on the edge of your seat as you travel through this enthralling story!
Brilliantly written, you are captivated and entertained in the very different worlds of fashion and criminals. Both are very cutthroat and know how to get what they want to the detriment of all others in their path. In his book Julia, Timothy Freriks takes great care in his writing to ensure you get the full flavor of how these two worlds meet and deal with things when money, power, and a comfortable lifestyle are at stake. The descriptions of events are done so well that you can get a real sense of how the characters feel, their thought patterns, fears, concerns, and then the anger and disgust at their treatment. You certainly feel a strong urge to have the bad guys dealt with properly and get their just deserts! An underlying love story makes this crime thriller a riveting book for lovers of romance and fans of crime, thrillers, and suspense. Timothy Freriks is an author whose name I will be looking out for in the future.