Review: Wow!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 26, 2012
This review was originally written for the paperback edition and posted on Feb 28 2010. Reposting now after buying and rereading the Kindle edition.I've enjoyed the Brandy Alexander series from the first one (No Such Thing As a Secret), but even then I had no idea just how good a storyteller Ms. Fredman could be. "Secret" was funny, clever, and full of good dialog and great characters. The mystery was great, and the continuing threads enticing enough to make you want to pick up the second of the series. With each book Ms. Fredman has settled into her craft, and her writing has become more and more polished. In No Such Thing As a Free Ride the author skillfully blends humor, romance, and mystery, for one of the most enjoyable reads I've had in a long time.Brandy is more than just a zany character getting into scrapes and being saved by one or the other hunky men in her life. In fact, Brandy grows throughout this series, becoming more mature and learning from her mistakes. This simple fact makes this series unique among the humorous romantic mysteries out there. But that's not the only thing that sets the Brandy Alexander series apart. Ms. Fredman has managed to write characters who are both larger than life and real at the same time. Through the four books so far, we've watched each major character make mistakes, do what is right, sacrifice, love, suffer, and grow. I can't imagine anyone reading these books and not taking these characters to heart. And Ms. Fredman doesn't try to wrap everything up in a neat package. Real life is messy, and so is Brandy's.In this book, the mystery plot revolves around a very true and disturbing phenomenon: homeless teens and their lives on the streets. Again, the author doesn't sugar coat the truth. The details on homeless teens and the mystery plot line are very satisfying, making a great backdrop for the continuing struggles in Brandy's personal life.While the author gives some background to help make this book stand alone, this book will be more fully enjoyed if the reader is invested in the characters. I highly recommend starting with No Such Thing As a Secret and finishing with No Such Thing As a Free Ride. You will not be disappointed. I rarely give five star reviews, but I think this book is worth every star and more.