Wednesday, 22 October 2014

*REVIEW* Return on Investment by Aleksandr Voinov



5 huge stars!!! I ADORED this book!

Return on Investment is, according to Aleks himself, a book that doesn’t fit into any category – there’s not enough action and violence to be a thriller, and not enough romance to be a full-on romance novel. And yet, that is what I loved most about it. Its originality, its honesty, its own incredible personality. I’m so tired of books that have been pre-made and shaped in a mould that you can predict every single plot twist and ‘drama’ resolution. But, alas, that’s what publishers want, and I’d like to say a huge THANK YOU to Aleks who took the gamble to self-publish this book and bring it into our lives.

Return on Investment feels personal. I could see Aleks in every scene of the book – probably because I was aware of his financial editing background, but more so because every word felt undistorted by the publishing mould. There are a few not politically correct references and quite a few scenes that would make romance readers cringe due to the lack of melodrama, heartfelt declarations of love or regard for personal safety. It all made it real.

I must admit I know next to nothing about finance and just thinking about it makes me yawn. Despite that, I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a book so much. I can safely say it’s one of my favourite of Voinov’s now! What I liked about the ‘finance talk’ was that it wasn’t simplified, or at least that’s the impression I got. There was a lot I didn't understand, but at the same time I walked away from this book knowing a lot more about that world than before I started. Too many authors over-simplify the terminology of the subject matter of their books, over-explaining everything as if talking to a child and I dislike that immensely.  Rest assured, that if you, just like me, don’t know anything about Wall Street or London’s City or anything to do with finance, hedge funds, restructuring and hostile take-overs, you’ll still get the story and you’ll still love every bit of this amazing book, putting everything else in your life on hold until you’re done reading.

Now, for the romance. How can people say that there isn’t enough romance? Martin and Francis’ love story is epic! It might be unconventional, it might be tough and long time in the making, but it’s still one of the most touching love stories I’ve read.

I love Francis from the very first time he appeared on page. His integrity shone through his arrogance and I knew he’d do the right thing in the end.

And Martin was absolutely adorable! I enjoyed reading about his personal and professional growth so much, and his dedication to Francis – because let’s face it, the guy had it bad from page one – was beautiful and touching.

I’ll stop rambling now, and I’ll urge you to read this book – it’s a must-read for every Voinov fan. His writing is phenomenal and I’ll never get tired of reading his books, however unconventional or ‘out-of-the-box’ they might be in the future.

Oh, and I’ll leave you with my absolute favourite quote from the book:


“I understand how not even a priest can resist you when you want him” ~Martin to Francis.

You can buy the book exclusively on Amazon.

About the author

EPIC Award winner and Lambda Award finalist Aleksandr Voinov is an emigrant German author living near London, where he works as a financial editor. His genres range from science fiction and fantasy to thriller, historical, contemporary, thriller, and erotica. His books were/are published by Random House Germany, Samhain Publishing, Riptide Publishing and others.

If he isn't writing, he studies sports massage, explores historical sites, and meets other writers. He single-handedly sustains three London bookstores with his ever-changing research projects. His current interests include special forces operations during World War II, the history of chess, european magical traditions, and how to destroy the world and plunge it into a nuclear winter without having the benefit of nuclear weapons.

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