Lion & Lamb (PB) (2015)

'Lion & Lamb' combines gritty, urban crime writing and striking prose to create a unique and contemporary twist on a doomed romance.

Framed by an eerie children's tale, 'Lion' quickly establishes Jarren Daye's whirlwind descent from promising Journalism student at New York's Columbia University to underground boxer hell-bent on revenge.

And, of course, the girl worth every drop of sweat and blood it takes him to get there.

Daye's innocence is established early; his tempestuous relationship with fellow student Lana Shannon drives the angst-filled first act, 'Lamb.'

Spurned by Lana's wild nature, Daye seeks to emulate best friend Sam Dalton's success in the city's underground by venting his frustrations at notorious biker boss Dwayne 'Diamond' Douglas' boxing gym.

Enamored with the appeal of a life without rules, Jarren assumes the best way to win Lana's affections is to become the 'bad boy;' she is, after all, attracted to the dangerous sort...if only he can make an impression on Sam's new boss...

Examining the concept of duality, 'Lion & Lamb' divides itself effectively into two co-existing genres; part school-boy love story, part hard-boiled crime fiction.

To balance the whimsical musings of an overly-eager romantic with the despair surrounding the loss of innocence, author Brody McVittie dodges conventional plot development, allowing character progression to take center stage.

By the time the reader realizes the horrific events that shape the latter half of the novel, the ethereal romance has resonated far too strongly to deny the lasting impact the prose holds, as the children's tale from the novel's prologue proves itself once again.