Eve Koguce

I absolutely devoured BROKEN CHANCES by author Eve Koguce, her newest work set in Dorset, England. This work of women’s fiction tells the story of Margo, a young Latvian woman who after struggling with few economic opportunities in her home country, accepts a marriage proposal from a man thirty years her senior who she believes cares for her… only to learn as soon as she follows him to England that she has made a terrible mistake.

The descriptions and setting are beautifully done, allowing the reader to capture the feel of life in the small town Margo has moved to, and also the constant sense of tension and dread that hovers over her every move. The writing is very deliberate in crafting her relationship with Michael and as we see more and more of what life is like for her, and control and emotional abuse turn to more, we see how completely Margo is trapped and how she will have to find some way to save herself. I enjoyed the female friendships, particularly Susie and Jacqueline. Women’s fiction is one of my favorite genres to read and this was a delight! 5/5 stars.… (más)

THE ACCIDENTAL COP is another outstanding novel set in Latvia by talented author Eve Koguce. This novel is set during the “savage 90’s” after the fall of the Soviet iron curtain when the country found itself in a state of great poverty and struggle. I loved reading this book both from the perspective of a thriller and also to learn from a historical perspective. Roberts Bergs is a young police officer who is studying to be a lawyer. One thing the book does an excellent job of is portraying the bleakness of the situations many Latvians, especially young people, were facing in this time period. There were few job opportunities and if you could find any job, you took it, even if you didn’t like that job. Robert lives in a dorm room with half a dozen other people, and is always hungry. There are other stories shown, including Raivo, a wealthier friend, and some of the other police officers. Robert is called upon to investigate a murder that occurs at a nightclub in the city, which is an interesting part of the novel. I liked seeing how eventually his story comes full circle over the course of the novel. I love books that cause me to think and teach me about things I never knew, and I really enjoyed this! 5/5 stars.… (más)

I really loved FINDING YOUR WAY by Latvian author Eve Koguce. I have enjoyed Eve’s fantasy books immensely, and I have to say this was my very favorite because I loved the way the author brought the love and pride she has for her country into the book. Zanda is a young Latvian girl who is a about to graduate high school and has choices ahead of her. Her father works at a wood processing plant and her mother works in childcare. Her family has grown up outside the capital city of Riga in housing that is safe but older. Her brother has moved to the UK, like many young people do for better economic opportunities. FINDING YOUR WAY explores many themes like dating people from other cultures, whether to stay somewhere that represents what is in your heart even if it might mean more financial risk, politicians and wealthy businessmen taking advantage of regular citizens (this comes into play with Viestards, a young man who lives in the country that Zanda gets to know as she spends time with her grandmother in the summers.) I just really enjoyed this novel because I love books that immerse me in another culture and make me feel like I have taken a trip to somewhere I’ve never been. The descriptions and lovely setting were so well done and I’m really excited to see there will be another book! 5/5 stars.… (más)

I am absolutely loving the NEGLECTED MERGE series! In TANGLE OF CHOICES, Doron and Tauria have now been married for seven years, and Tauria, after the events at the end of book one, has her wings. She attends flying lessons, and quietly stands up to Doron’s mother, who still doesn’t quite accept her. There is unrest in the kingdom amongst the rebels and a big part of the story focuses on what happens after the rebel begin kidnapping innocents—in short, Tauria agrees to trade herself as a hostage if the rebels will release the rest of the hostages. Doron isn’t happy, but Tauria goes with the rebels. We meet some interesting characters during her time in the rebel camp, including Grayson. Is it terrible that my favorite was Tarvos the adorable horse? 😊 But there are also terrible consequences for Tauria’s sacrifice as the rebels decide there is a price Tauria must pay… and she will continue to feel the repercussions throughout much of the book. I loved the way the writing was so rich and detailed and made me feel Tauria’s pain so intensely. Lots of wonderful horse scenes between her and Tarvos. There were some super interesting developments in the political storyline as we reached the end… and now I can’t wait to see what this means for book three!… (más)