Title: Thieves and Passions
Author: L. Eugene Hopkins
Publisher: 1st Book Library
ISBN: 978-1410717368
Pages: 396
Genre: Literature; Fiction
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza
Hollywood Book Reviews
One of the most powerful forces and emotions in the Universe that a human being (or any living being) can experience is that of love. Love is the driving force behind passion, romance, friendship, family, and so much more. The desire to find love and hold onto it becomes a lifelong goal for many people in the world, and while love can lead to some of the best moments in one’s life; the wrong kind of love can lead to more chaotic situations than one may have thought possible. As Erich Fromm once said, “Immature love says: ‘I love you because I need you.’ Mature love says ‘I need you because I love you.”
In author L. Eugene Hopkins’s Thieves and Passions, the author explores the inspiration and destruction that love can cause in people. As three friends experience love amongst themselves and with others, each deal with the repercussions of the life of crime they have chosen for themselves. As love turns to passion, that passion fuels each of the friends to seek connection and come to terms with trauma of their pasts. As the threat of prison, FBI investigations, and trauma threaten to overwhelm them, the trio must determine how far they are willing to go to protect both their money and their love for one another.
The author did an incredible job of crafting a narrative which is rich with character development and filled with passion and heat. The diverse cast of characters and intimate backstories of these characters are both heartbreaking and engaging to read. The emotional connections readers will develop for these characters are quite complex, as they straddle the lines between criminal and tragic figures. Tara in particular, was quite an emotional character to be invested in, as her childhood tragedies and struggles into adulthood played a significant role in her evolution as a character.
This is the perfect read for those who are seeking a suspense thriller meets contemporary romance read. As a fan of those genres, I was instantly drawn into the narrative. I loved the author’s use of multiple POV’s in the narrative, as the reader is able to see from both the criminals and law enforcement officer’s perspectives. The way the author is able to delve into these protagonists’ lives, as well over the course of time and as the crimes escalate, as does the investigations, the impact on these characters emotional and mental state is felt through each and every page.
Captivating, emotional, and heartfelt, author L. Eugene Hopkins’s Thieves and Passions” is a must-read contemporary novel. The author does an incredible job of world-building and layering the narrative with rich character development that keeps the reader invested in the story from page 1.