Chaos (Constellation #2)

5-star review – Serendipitous

What’s your definition of a great read? How about a book whose characters draw you in so strongly that you’re thinking of them days after you’ve turned the last page and you want to know more about them?

That’s exactly how I felt after reading Jennifer Locklear’s “Constellation,” the first book in her series of the same title. It was as if I knew Jack Evans and Kathleen Brighton and had walked the intimate, often difficult, yet lovingly erotic path to their relationship right along with them. I loved their story and read Jennifer’s words as if I was living in the world she wrote about, with Jack and Kathleen and the other characters that make up the story.

Now, Jennifer has written the second book in the series, “Chaos.” More than just a continuation, “Chaos” tells us Jack and Kathleen’s story from Jack’s point of view, and fills in some of the mysterious blanks that were left at the end of “Constellation.”

It’s very fulfilling to see things through Jack’s eyes. Early on in “Chaos,” we learn about the disintegration of Jack’s marriage to Allison. He’s devoted to their daughter Heide but his relationship with his wife has been fractured beyond repair, in spite of his efforts. Jack is cautious about his growing attraction to Kathleen, but he wants her – more than any other woman he’s ever known. And when they finally come together, it’s explosive.

But like many explosions, there’s collateral damage. Kathleen and Jack have to work their way back from it, and to each other.

I love how Jennifer handles these delicate situations. She writes beautifully nuanced scenes where the desire is there, but so is caution and concern. Jennifer traces the arc of Jack’s and Kathleen’s relationship with a skilled and delicate paintbrush. I loved reading Jack’s thoughts in “Chaos.” He’s honest with himself about how much he physically desires Kathleen, but he knows he wants it to be much more than that and his quiet struggle to balance his desire with his need to be cautious can be heartbreaking.

I really enjoy a well-written romance with mature elements – not just the sex (though that’s lovely in this series too) but how adult situations are drawn in a believable and compelling way. That’s definitely part of Jennifer Locklear’s talents as a writer.