Review: "Side by Side" by Jenni L. Walsh

Side by Side is the sequel to Becoming Bonnie and what a sequel it is!! Continuing Bonnie Parker’s story, Side by Side combines an intriguing mix of fact and fiction to bring to life her story and how her life took the turns it did. It highlights her life as a young woman who cares deeply for family and : and the extent she will go to protect them. It attempts to explain her thought processes as she struggles with the mayhem that she is entangled in and why she can’t leave Clyde although she knows where it will lead them.

Bonnie is telling the story in the first person. This brings her story alive and allows you to walk beside her and to understand why she makes the decisions that she does. You feel her emotional highs and lows as she struggles with her love of Clyde and how it clashes with her upbringing. She tries to rationalize the destruction that they create and only wants to realize their dream of life on a farm where they are left alone.

This novel can be read and enjoyed by teens to adults. The language is mild and the adult situations are handled tastefully. Although this book is the sequel to Becoming Bonnie, it can be read as a standalone. The author fills in the background information so that you understand what is going on and why. I highly recommend not only this book but Becoming Bonnie for a glimpse into what Bonnie’s life may have been like.

I received and reviewed this book for NetGalley.