Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Because of You by Hélene Fermont. It's contemporary and women's fiction.
Hélene Fermont writes character-driven psychological crime fiction with a Scandi Noir flavour. Known for her explosive, pacy narrative and storylines, she has published three novels – Because of You, We Never Said Goodbye and His Guilty Secret – and two short story collections – The Love of Her Life and Who’s Sorry Now? Her fourth novel is due for release in the summer of 2019. After 20 years in London, Hélene recently returned to her native Sweden where she finds the unspoiled scenery and tranquillity a therapeutic boost for creativity.
Enjoying a successful career as a Psychologist, when she’s not working her ‘day job’, Hélene spends her time writing, with friends and family, or playing with her beloved cat, Teddy. All three novels can be purchased via her website helenefermont.com/books/
Follow @helenefermont on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Pinterest,
Buy Because of You
About the book
How desperate are you to get the one you love?
When Hannah and Ben meet at a friend's party, he knows she's The One. But Hannah's in an intense relationship with Mark and planning to return to her native Sweden to embark on a teaching career.
Desperate to make Ben fall in love with her, rich spoilt heiress Vanessa sets in motion a devious string of events that ultimately changes the course of four people's lives indefinitely.
Hannah is the love of Ben's life, yet Vanessa will stop at nothing to claim the man she is convinced is her destiny.
Because of You is a dark, morally complex and cross-generational story of enduring love, fate and destiny.
Before Hannah meets Ben she has a rather tumultuous relationship with Mark. In fact Mark takes up over half of the book.
Let me just say this; Ben, Mark and Linus aren't exactly excellent examples of male behaviour, yes even Ben now and again. Hannah is inexperienced, which is probably why she has no idea why their behaviour isn't always that of a gentleman.
Mark's actions and behaviour aren't romantic. He has no idea what consent means, he stalks, intimidates and emotionally blackmails Hannah. Unfortunately his behaviour is perceived as that of an enthusiastic and love-struck man. It's not. Nothing he does can be excused or waved away.
There is some semblance of acknowledgement by Hannah about his behaviour as time goes on, however her decisions are fuelled more by the anti-Semitism that comes her way. The story shows us her journey from a young girl to a woman of experience and strength. The people who have helped to nurture and define her, and the people who tried to keep her from evolving.
One could think that the author believes the harassment and behaviour tropes of the men in this story are romantic, hence expected to titillate and give readers a warm fuzzy feeling. 'Aww, he is just being a manly man and the silly woman doesn't know what's good for her'. Instead it's a way of shoving the inequality and abusive nature of the relationship right into the spotlight.
It's contemporary and women's fiction. For me it didn't fall into the category of Scandi Noir. It also doesn't fit into romance, however it is a contemporary read about abuse, anti-Semitism, consent, manipulation, chauvinism, privilege and jealousy. That paints a pretty bleak picture I suppose, but the story also features strong family bonds, friendships, coming of age and discovery of self. It levels out the more darker aspects of the story.
I hope readers, especially younger ones, take something away from this read. The ability to recognise abuse, coercion and oppression when they experience it, and that it has nothing to do with love or romance and everything to do with control.
Buy Because of You at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Fridhem Publishing; pub date 15 Oct. 2018. Buy at Amazon com.
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