The Family Cross by Gabrielle Ash. Urban Fantasy. Matilda Ashby is a rich girl with a business degree, a job in the family business, a remote and demanding father, and two brothers. She's a bit of a drip, really, although good at her job. So, why is someone trying to kill her? Rescued from the first attempt by a guy, Samson, she met in a coffee shop, she hires him to find out who took the contract on her and protect her from future attempts. Pitchforked into a world of shadow assassins and werewolves, she's out of her depth, but Samson knows the score. Pretty good, overall. Will definitely keep an eye out for more in this series. Received from the LibraryThing Early Reviewer Program in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Family Cross (Circle Seven #1) by Gabrielle Ash (2021)
Reviewed by: Patricia M. Muhammad
Date: August 12, 2021

*CONTAINS SPOILERS*

**I received this ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review**

The Family Cross is a contemporary romance, magical realism novel set among the wealthy in Manhattan. New York City is filled with its secrets, demons and other beings who inhabit the spaces where the average human would not know to look. One family in particular, the Ashbys, known for their fortune due their namesake's corporation, is the center of the this story. The author, Gabrielle Ash writes this modern tale with smooth transition most of the time, subtle humour, and a lot of action. What she is able to accomplish, aside from this, is to integrate the heartfelt emotions that any family would have due to the nature of their relationship and as a result of the plot. There is the need to fulfill the wishes of others due to the weighty responsibility of likely inheriting the corporation, the patriarchal discipline which overshadows his offsprings' need for love and attention, and the natural competition among employed relatives as well as others to outperform one another in their job duties. The reader will easily encounter moments in which he or she will unexpectedly laugh, especially when the main character is in the midst of supernatural or nonhuman beings. The protagonist seems to respond sometimes in this manner as a self-defense/coping mechanism, as any other normal person would when faced with demons or fairies.

There are several characters who are at the fore of the main plot:

Matilda Jane Ashby: She is the main character and the only daughter of the patriarch, Milton Hudson Ashby, Sr. She is blonde, in her 20s, has an uncanny sense of humour and though reared in a wealthy family, she is the most humane member of the Ashby clan.

Samson: He is the hitman with demon powers though he is not a demon himself. Samson, a/k/a "Carlisle Brown" becomes Matilda's bodyguard when he informs her that someone has a contract out on her life.

Milton Hudson Ashby, Jr. ("Hudson"): Hudson is the eldest of the three children of Milton Hudson Ashby, Sr. Most consider Hudson incompetent in his job though the patriarch currently has endowed him the highest ranking position among the three Ashby children. He is the firstborn and believes that he has the right to inherit the ultimate authority in running the company after their father dies. He is a womanizer and is jealous of his siblings', especially Matilda's, business acumen.

Gerard Ashby: Gerard is the middle child of the Ashby children. He is not as tall as Hudson and wears glasses. He is not very close to Matilda, but shows how much he cares about his sister when she needs it. He is also an employee of the Ashby corporation.

Milton Hudson Ashby, Sr.: He is a no-nonsense, strict businessman who seemingly puts profits above family. At one poignant moment in the story when Matilda is laying in the hospital, she confronts her father regarding this fault and blames him for their mother's suicide.

Richard Jones: Richard's primary role when he is first introduced is that of Matilda's fiancé, another cog in the Ashby conglomerate. He dates Matilda with the expectation of her accepting his marriage proposal.

Edgar Jones: Edgar has a prominent position in the Ashby Corporation. He was a major investor in the company which is how he and Richard were able to secure their employment within the company.

Ash crafts this tale by focusing on places and characters which help to interweave a detailed timeline and more than one instance of 'whodunnit' moments.

“I just found out there is an entire population of people that read minds, crawl out of the shadows, or get in fights to move up in—and I can’t believe I’m saying this—a pack.” My voice, sharp and edged in panic, sounded odd coming from my mouth. “I think I’m allowed to feel scared and somewhat bewildered.”

Samson: “The organization you left—who are they?”
“Uh, it’s a mercenary group filled with people and creatures most don’t believe in. Werewolves. Fae and their semihuman spawn…among others.”

Samson ran a hand over his face and wiped away errant droplets. “You either pissed someone off or you have something they want.”
I bit my lip. I didn’t remember making anyone angry. Actually, as someone often accused of being a people pleaser, the implication made me irrationally upset.

Circle Seven is the name of my old employer. They operate on secrecy and private funding. Their benefactors are one-percenters. Government officials and their black budgets. Financiers. People with cash to dump toward an institution they might need one day. An institution that, in the minds of most people on the planet, can’t exist simply because it operates using people that shouldn’t exist. Makes hiding in plain sight easy, and the ones that were lucky enough to be passed over for recruitment don’t dare say anything out of fear they’ll be killed.

“You order a hit for your sister, and now that I’m right here in front of you…you’re throwing books at me?”

“I act better than you because I am better than you. You’ve done nothing to deserve anything you have, and when you don’t get what you want, you have your siblings murdered.”

I’d never known what it meant to have a home. I never imagined kissing this horribly broken man would show me everything I’d lacked with astounding clarity, and unlike an astronomer searching the night sky for answers, I’d found them. A home didn’t always come with walls, a last name, or even blood.

The story begins when Matilda is at a coffee shop. She purchases a scone and coffee for the man behind her. He is rude about her gesture. He is unkempt and appears a bit burly. Matilda has to convince him to accept her gesture as this was a habit of hers and nothing to imply anything about his socioeconomic status. The man finally acquiesces. He warns her that she is being followed. The same man that followed her earlier that day is found dead outside of her condo building. This begins the harrowing tale, an endless nightmare in which she finds herself sneaking in and out of her apartment, in the unlikely company of the coffee shop man, Samson, and eventually in the company of werewolves and fairies. The officer who responds to the scene, Farrell, returns to Matilda's apartment at night. This, after her brother Gerard offered to take his sister to his home since seeing the corpse frightened her. She regrets not accepting her brother's offer. "Officer Farrell" has the ability to appear through solid surfaces through using shadows. He attempts to consumer Matilda. Her life continues to be in danger. At another point she encounters Samson. He takes her to a safe house. He explains to her that someone has a "hit" on her head for one million dollars. Though Matilda is an heiress, an apt businesswoman and attractive, she does not consider herself worthy to be subject of a kill contract. Along their journey, Samson provides a few reasons why she has a contract out on her. Either she has 1) angered someone, 2) she has something that someone else wants and/or 3) she has at some point become an inconvenience.

As she mulls over the options, she does not believe the scenarios apply to her. Matilda often refers to herself as a doormat. She is not the wealthiest of the Ashby clan and is unlikely to inherit more than anyone else. Still, Samson decides to take her to "The Den" a nondescript place where non-humans hang out for safety. A place where some of these creatures accept the terms of their contract with a "man" called Frank. Only the reader will learn as the story progresses that Frank is not human being at all, but a demon. The man who followed Matilda at the coffee shop who was found dead that day was not human either—and neither was Officer Farrell. She is being chased and hunted by shapeshifters and faes (fairies). This is an interesting aspect of the author's writing as fairies have often been used as magical creatures to the delight of children in the mix of a fantasy world. They are in some respects weak in comparison to other magical beings and have a more amenable disposition. The author uses faes in The Family Cross in a wholly different context. They are evil creatures. They are inclined to deceive. Faes are highly intelligent and as Samson would describe it, can easily find loopholes in their kill contracts. They are also difficult to control.

Samson enlists the help of Cliff who provides Matilda some insight as to her new friend's abilities. Matilda finds this world that is hidden in plain sight and Samson to be mysterious. She promises to pay her new bodyguard one million dollars, the equivalent of her kill contract if he can end the madness. In between their travels for help and his suggestion that she continues about her days as usual, meaning that Matilda must return to work, Samson becomes a presumably temporal fixture in Matilda's condo. As Matilda is to maintain appearances of normalcy, she decides to accept Richard's request for a date at a fancy restaurant. He intends to share with her something important. Matilda rightfully expects a proposal. She does not love Richard. The heiress merely tolerated him for her father's sake. What she begins to realize is that she has a surprising inclination to this being, this impromptu bodyguard with magical powers who also annoys her frequently. Richard first discloses his promotion, then when he proposes to Matilda, she declines. Samson is in the restaurant as her protection, watching in the distance. Matilda disregards Samson's instructions about not leaving his sight or going anywhere alone. The waiter asks for Matilda to follow her as she has an important phone call. She is in the midst of an emotional and embarrassing situation and only seeks to get away from Richard. The waiter leads her to the alley. He is not human. He is a Fae who shapeshifts and seeks to devour her whole. She barely escapes with Samson's assistance to a closed restaurant nearby. Here, Samson uses his powers to instruct the Fae to kill himself. Samson's use of certain powers causes him to lie in a semi-conscious state as Cliff would explain it. With Cliff's help, they are able to her condo. This will not be the last time that he and Matilda return to her home covered in blood. Nor would it be the last time Samson uses this particular power. He trusts Matilda enough to watch over him while he undergoes this state once more. Samson explains to Matilda that the smell of the fae from before is how she is able to detect these creatures who shapeshift in human form. Matilda's thoughts race. She still has to maintain appearances. On more than one occasion, they visit the Den. Another pivotal event happens. A major board meeting in which the Ashby patriarch calls forth all three children to attend.

It is here that Milton Ashby, Sr. outlines his plans for the Ashby Corporation and his children's future. Matilda smells the awful fae smell. There is another creature present within the board meeting, one who was sent to fulfill the contract out on her. The author takes the reader through several twists and turns. At one point, Matilda believes that Gerard may be the fae in disguise, but after their father's announcement, she dismisses this notion. Gerard is named as the primary inheritor of the Ashby shares upon the patriarch's death, which seems to be soon since his cancer has advanced.

Milton Ashby, Sr. plans to make the announcement at an exclusive club where the wealthy and elite congregate and make major deals. He questions Matilda about her refusing Richard's proposal and his presumption that she is dating Samson. Samson, who now will not leave her side and has now been introduced to the patriarch.

Samson and Matilda grow closer together. She questions him more about his childhood. He discloses more to her about how the kill contracts operate. Samson was a hired hitman of a "man" named Frank. Frank is a demon. Frank also has children. Frank is a incubus that according to Samson tries to engage in coitus with many women to see if any of his children survive, could have some of his powers. He uses his ability to possess women in order to facilitate his goal. It is a sort of esoteric rape. Some of Frank's offspring do survive, and although Frank is their biological father, his offspring are not demons but do possess extraordinary powers. At some point, Samson reveals that Frank is his father. Matilda feels betrayed. She erroneously has a fleeting assumption that Samson was part of the plot to kill her (the "hit"), but he wasn't.

The day of the big announcement arrives. Milton, Sr. sends Matilda to find Gerard. She, with Samson at her side, goes to the only place she knows within the Ashby building where people go for solace. She confronts him. Gerard admits he never wished to inherit the company. These three are not alone. Hudson enters the suite and instigates a physical confrontation with Gerard, nearly killing him. He yells out something that will help Matilda and Samson locate him after he attempts to hide himself from the authorities. Gerard lies unconscious, covered in blood from their eldest brother's strike. Another "person" enters. He seeks to consume Gerard and Matilda. Samson is able to protect Matilda by killing Edgar Jones, who is really Rolof, the major Fae trained by Frank. Hudson wishes for them all to be dead and tries to lock them away in the suite. While Gerard lays on the floor, Hudson's phone rings from his pants pocket.

*MAJOR SPOILER*

The author reveals that it was Matilda's elder sibling, Hudson who bought the kill contract on her from the investor. Richard, the guy whom she never was fond of, became part of the scheme. He only wanted to marry Matilda for what she was to potentially inherit from her father. Though she and Gerard never wanted to run the company, Matilda was the patriarch's initial choice, the rightful heir of the majority of shares. Her elder sibling, Hudson had the contract out on her for several months which caused her initial confusion since her father changed his mind and named Gerard instead. The kill contracts are executed by unnatural beings to this world, Faes, werewolves, demons and the like. In order to become near their target, they possess, devour and shapeshift into the humans that are a part of the target's lives. It was not Gerard or Hudson that Matilda smelled at the board meeting, it was Edgar, Richard's father. Samson and Matilda work together to hunt down Hudson after he escapes and some time after she recuperates from her major shoulder injury.

The author writes Matilda's transformation very suddenly. She is the one who stands up to her father while lying severely wounded in the hospital bed. Neither Gerard or Hudson, her two older and wealthier siblings have ever done this. When Matilda and Samson find Hudson hiding in one of the offices, it is she who deals the fatal blow by stabbing him with the Dartmouth letter opener. Matilda, the one who always worked to keep the peace and not have any unnecessary confrontation defends herself, Samson and those whom she love against the very threat she had not know loomed over her so closely. The additional irony the author subtley provides is that during Hudson's "confession" he whines about how their father would not allow him to attend another IVY League university after he flunked out of Dartmouth. The letter opener that Matilda stabs Hudson in the neck with is Dartmouth branded. For all that Milton, Sr. and Hudson worked for in fortune and prestige, both are left utterly embarrassed. Hudson is justifiably dead. Milton, Sr. will likely never have the heir to the fortune he desired. Matilda is free thanks to Samson protection and help. They accept that they have feelings for one another. She confronts Samson as to why she never informed him more about his background (his powers related to the esoteric). He assumed that she would not accept him. Matilda informs him that she does not care what he is, she just wanted for him to be honest with her. Samson finds his home with Matilda. The heiress, the young woman who wears expensive Jimmy Choos and Louiboittons who had an expensive condo, shares in a company; a person by her resume and accomplishments, never feeling that she had a home. The author surmises what both Samson and Matilda had in common, revealed through their otherworldly experiences together as:

"I’d never known what it meant to have a home. I never imagined kissing this horribly broken man would show me everything I’d lacked with astounding clarity, and unlike an astronomer searching the night sky for answers, I’d found them. A home didn’t always come with walls, a last name, or even blood."

Of all the things she had, she finally had what mattered most, and it was with Samson. There was one more thing Samson swore he had to do, then he would be home with Matilda forever. Kill Frank.

The Family Cross is filled with emotional conflict, violence, action and a lot of heart. Some scenes are graphic and many will tug at the reader's heartstring. Ash was able to pen an unlikely anti-hero as worthy of sympathy, even love—as long as he received it from the right person, and he did. The contract killer wayfarer found his home, and it was with Matilda all along. ( )

A good debut novel and interesting take on the Urban Fantasy genre.

Tilly (Matilda) is one of three children all heir to the Ashbury fortune, her father runs the company and she has lived her whole life in his shadow, working hard as a dutiful accountant, dating the other director's somewhat bland son, and ensuring the family's name is never besmirched in look, word or deed. However she's had very little affection from all the effort, the eldest son Hudson, getting all the plaudits for his eventual takeover, despite his complete inability at any business task. Gerauld the middle son, facing a similar problem is more rebellious but only to the point of not endangering his inheritance. The story opens with Tilly contemplating her beautiful flat and her beautiful shoes on an ordinary work day, buying a coffee forward for the jerk in the queue behind her because she can. The scruffy and unkempt jerk is uncommunicative, but just as she's leaving warns her to take a cab as she's being followed - something that seems incredibly unlikely. That evening she's due for another date with the boring director's son at a work-do but as she leaves the building there's a police scene happening and a remarkably toothy individual appears to have been murdered just outside her front door. She can't get the scene out of her mind and eventually leaves the party somewhat abruptly. But returning home she discovers the sanctuary of her apartment has been violated by a very freaky police officer who seems to melt from the shadows, and the jerk from the coffee shop is there too. He seems less of a jerk when he throws the assaulting officer off her balcony and flees with her to a place of safety, a very grimy bar called the Den.

There are two approaches in Urban fantasy, most assume the character's knowledge of the fae from the start, but a few like this one have a totally naive lead and I think I prefer it. What's particularly well don is that Tilly isn't too accepting of suddenly finding a whole other world around her. Even by the end of the book she doesn't know a great deal more than she did at the beginning. Having always accepted god and satan she is open enough that when confronted with the evidence she must consider other beings might exist (a somewhat controversial view). The pacing is well done the plotting equally careful with a few red-herrings but a believable motive for the eventual culprit. The attraction levels between an accountant and someone who saves her life are carefully balanced and Tilly remains an independent and strong women throughout.

I enjoyed this. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series when it's eventually written. ( )