Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Spike: The Search for Redemption by A.A. Freda is the sequel to the author's well received first novel, Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody. The story follows Anthony, a Vietnam vet and NYU law student, and Angel, a musical student at Julliard. They meet when Anthony saves Angel from being arrested – or worse – at a war demonstration and the relationship almost immediately takes off. Anthony is accustomed to being the center of attention but finds he only has eyes for Angel, whom he finds intelligent and intriguing. As the relationship progresses, Anthony finds demons from the past and the ties that bind him to his family and country of birth becoming tighter. When he's accused of murder himself, Anthony must do everything he can to salvage his own life so that he can share it with Angel...if only she'll just hang on.

Spike: The Search for Redemption is a witty and fun story that was easy to dive into, even without having read its predecessor, Goodbye, Rudy Kazoody. A.A. Freda writes with a strong, dialogue driven narrative that helps to genuinely flesh out the characters and breathe life into their stories. Honestly, every time I read a line spoken by Anthony, there was a solid New York accent ringing in my head. That's how good Freda is with dialogue. It just jumps off the page. This is a really well written book with enough twists, turns, and suspense to make it worth the loss of a weekend. I'd recommend this book to all those who enjoy a unique and authentic story line with a side of love and a generous helping of surprises.