Review: Love Makes People Do Puzzling Things
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 19, 2014
The Root of All Evil by Sonya C. Dodd is a romantic thriller about a twenty-something woman, Lily Sutherland, the relationship troubles with her artist boyfriend Daniel, and her efforts to reunite with her estranged brother Simon.The first half of the story covers Lily’s tribulations with her live-in boyfriend and the typical family stresses of disapproving parents. A shocking plane crash kills her folks and forces a bereft Lily to cope with estate matters. Her long-lost older brother must fly in from Mexico to sign papers, and Lily hopes this is a chance to reconnect with him. But something does not sit right when she finally meets Simon. It may have been ten years since they last saw each other, but something is fishy. In fact, Lily is convinced this doppelgänger is not her brother at all.The Root of All Evil has several satisfying elements; the best is my annoyance at Lily’s reactions to her cheating boyfriend. Love makes people do puzzling things, and the lack of Lily’s outrage at Daniel made for a fascinating contrast with an otherwise strong and outspoken woman. Not to give a spoiler here, but the resolution to the relationship conflicts had me guessing, and surprised me at the end.The second half of the story told Simon’s side and explained much about his separation from the family. His slide into the seedy life, the tangle with a drug lord to get Simon’s considerable inheritance, and his fight to get his life back is admirable.The story was an enjoyable diversion, although at times filled with too much narrative backstory and could do with more dialogue and action. The Root of All Evil is a recommended read for romantic thriller fans.