4 Star Review: Still Air (Portland, ME, #4) by Freya Barker

Tuesday 29 November 2016
Still Air (Portland, ME, #4)Still Air by Freya Barker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This has been such a memorable series and I’m sorry to see it come to an end.

Whilst the stories in the series are graphic reminders of the brutalities of everyday life for some women, and children, they go some way to offer hope and a future without pain and suffering. All of the women we have met so far have an emotional tale to tell but Pam has always been there to help them to safety and to turn their lives around, but who can help Pam when the tables are turned and she is the one suffering in silence; Dino, that’s who.


I’ve had a soft spot for Dino throughout this series. His quiet strength towards the women taken into his kitchen at The Skipper has been endearing. Now he’s the one experiencing problems in his home life as his ex-wife, and drug addict, starts to turn things upside down for him and his children and he knows that there is only one person who can help him when his son gets in with a gang and finds himself in a dangerous situation.

Pam and Dino have always had a rambunctious relationship but as we read their story it’s clearly a love/hate relationship but it’s not until they turn to each other for support that their eyes are opened towards their true feelings for one another.

Whilst this series has been a solid 5 stars for me, I didn’t feel the same connection with this story. Whilst I love Dino and Pam, their relationship didn’t pull me in as hard as the others. It’s something that I can’t put my finger on but for some reason but Pam didn’t seem right for Dino, despite the support they afforded each other. Whilst I did love the way Pam openly took Dino’s children into her heart, her bond with Dino felt distant in some way. Even their sexual encounters felt a little uncomfortable in a way that felt more like a brother/sister hooking up!

As always though, the author has written this story from her heart and you can feel the depth of emotion as the pages turn. Pam’s story was heart-wrenching and Dino’s problems with his children all too familiar. I will certainly treasure this series and the overall feeling of hopefulness it portrayed.

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