Book Review: Jennifer by Dee Henderson

Hey, ya'll.  So I know it's been a really long time since I blogged about anything, much less read a book, then took the time to tell you about it.  Recently, though, I was given the opportunity to read and review Jennifer by Dee Henderson.  I have been a fan of Ms. Henderson's for a very long time.  I read every single book in her O'Malley series and loved every one.  If you aren't familiar with the O'Malley books, let me tell  you quickly what they're about, since that factors into this review.  The O'Malley family is made up of seven people who are actually not related at all.  They were all either abandoned or orphaned as children and were placed in the same orphanage.  There, they bonded and formed their own family, and chose the last name "O'Malley."  When each one turned 18, they legally changed their last name.  Even though they aren't related by blood, they are as close as any true siblings.
All of the O'Malley's have interesting, exciting careers.  Kate is a hostage negotiator, Marcus is a US Marshall, Lisa is a forensic pathologist, Jack is a firefighter, Rachel is a trauma counselor and Stephen is a paramedic.  Each one has a book dedicated to a part of their life, where of course they encounter some dangerous situation and fall in love along the way.  (I know, it sounds horribly cliché, but the books are pretty great.)  Jennifer is the youngest O'Malley, and she is a pediatrician in Texas, while most of the other family members live in Chicago.  We met her briefly in The Negotiator (Kate's book) and a few times throughout the rest of the series. 
*Spoiler Alert*
Jennifer tells her family in The Negotiator that she has cancer, that she has become a Christian, and also that she is engaged to be married.  She dies before the series ends, in The Rescuer (Stephen's story)  I think, so there is not a book about her in the series.
*End Spoiler*
The last book in the series was published in 2003, and it hinted that there may some day be another book to tell Jennifer's story too.  Now, ten years later, it has arrived!  I was excited to read it.  There is another prequel to the O'Malley series called Danger in the Shadows and it is just as great as all the others, so I had high hopes for Jennifer.  I was hoping to get a little more insight into the O'Malley family, see their interactions with Jennifer, and maybe even get a little, "Where are they now?" info.  I was sadly disappointed.  First of all, the book is very short.  Novella length I suppose.  All of the O'Malley books were full of action and adventure.  They had danger and romance and an exciting climax.  Jennifer had none of these things.  It was a very dry story, that really gave no information that you didn't already know if you had read the O'Malley series.
Bottom line about this book, if  you haven't read the O'Malley series, you could start with Jennifer.  If you have read them, don't waste your time on this book, unless  you just want to have the complete series.  While I don't recommend Jennifer, I do recommend that you read the O'Malley series.  It stands out as one of my favorite series of all times.  My favorites are The Truth Seeker (Lisa's story) and The Protector (Jack's story) but every one of them is good and worth reading.  Ms. Henderson has long been a favorite author of mine and I recommend any of her other books. 
I was supplied a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for this review.  All opinions are my own.
Happy Reading!
Lyndsie