“Notice”–Review

I didn’t notice her before…but now I do.

T-minus fourteen days…

Violet Simmons has worked for Maxwell Subsidiaries for six years. Six years of making coffee not only for all the sexist jerks in the office, but also for Grayson Maxwell, the owner, who has never once looked in her direction since she’s been there. That is, until Violet one day steps into his office and slaps him with a two-week notice. That ought to show the arrogant Grayson Maxwell for never acknowledging and appreciating her hard work. Right?

Maxwell has always been an attention-to-detail type of man, thanks to his previously being a military sniper. He knew how to focus on a target. So how could he never have noticed Violet for six years? But he suddenly noticed her when she announced her resignation. Now he can’t stop thinking about her. She’s beautiful, mysterious, and sexy, and he’s going to do everything in his power to convince her to stay. The only way he’s going to do that is to learn everything about her. And that he does by accessing her work computer and emails, sitting in his car outside her apartment building, rifling through her organized possessions in her apartment while she sleeps, and listening to the sounds of her breathing as he lies under her bed. But he cares for her, after all. He means well because “Violet is mine; she just doesn’t know it yet.”

Downright creepy, I know. As it is, Violet had to conceal as much of her life as possible to keep her psychotic ex-boyfriend—a guy who abused her, drugged her, and pimped her out for money—from finding her, and now her soon-to-be former boss is a stalker? A lot of scenes had me thinking that Grayson was just too much, especially with his constantly thinking below the belt. One of his perks is his attention on his targets and when to take action. But the obsessive stalking? Scary. But that’s what makes for a good story. I liked this book. K. Webster writes great, dark fiction. Violet’s backstory caught my attention, as well as her struggle to survive every day with fear that she’d never be safe again. I actually would have liked more of her backstory in the book. A prequel, perhaps? If not, it’s still okay. Notice is a dark stalker romance that also contains themes of trauma, workplace harassment, and sexual violence. It may not be for the sensitive reader, but give it a try if it catches your interest. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

About the author: K Webster is a USA Today Bestselling author. Her titles have claimed many bestseller tags in numerous categories, are translated in multiple languages, and have been adapted into audiobooks. She lives in “Tornado Alley” with her husband, two children, and her baby dog named Blue. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and researching aliens. For more info, click here.

“The New Husband”–Review

Good afternoon, bloggers! I hope your reading is serving you well. Here’s a description of my latest read, which I highly recommend:

What makes Simon Fitch so perfect?

He knows all her favorite foods, music, and movies.

Her son adores him.

He was there when she needed him most?

He anticipates her every need.

He would never betray her like her first husband.

The perfect husband. He checks all the boxes. The question is, why?

Almost two years after her husband’s betrayal and mysterious disappearance, Nina is starting over with Simon Fitch. Simon has been her hero in her devastating times. A great provider, a father figure to her son and daughter, a supportive partner, he’s everything Nina hoped for. Despite it all, she still can’t shake the betrayal of her first husband, Glen. What, exactly, happened to him?

While the family is getting their lives back together, Nina’s daughter, Maggie, can’t help feeling suspicious. Simon is too good to be true. Something’s not right with him. She can’t stand the sight of him, as well. She’s not buying his sweet, caring side. Even though she can’t prove his true colors to her mom, she’s determined to get him out of the picture. At the same time, she truly believes her father is alive. But how can she prove it? Simon is too good and intends to keep Nina wrapped around his finger.

This story provided great suspense. It really wasn’t what I expected, to be honest, and I’m glad. This is one of those stories about the reality of obsession, control, and the consequences of ignoring the warning signs. I was less than halfway toward the end of the book and I actually stood up until 4:30 a.m. to finish it. I was dying to know how it was going to go down. Great work to the author. Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

*I received this early copy, in exchange for an honest review. The New Husband will be available on April 14, 2020.

About the author: D.J. Palmer is the author of numerous critically acclaimed suspense novels. A former e-commerce entrepreneur, D.J. Palmer now resides in New Hampshire and is currently at work on a new book. He also is the author of Saving Meghan. For more info, click here. You can also find him on Twitter.

“An Anonymous Girl”–Review

Question #1: Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?

Question #2: Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about?

Question #3: Should a punishment always fit the crime?

When she comes across an opportunity for a paid study on ethics and morality by the mysterious Dr. Shields, Jessica Farris jumps at the chance. Not only do the questions arouse her curiosity, she knows she could use the extra money. As the questions become intense and personal, however, Jessica asks herself if she ought to continue or just take her pay and never look back.

But Dr. Shields isn’t done with her.

Even though extra pay is offered, Jessica starts to feel there is more to the outside assignments she is given. She was supposed to get paid only for the surveys, after all. So what is the reason for Dr. Shields’s assignments?

As her paranoia grows–especially after revealing her most personal stories–Jessica can no longer trust what’s going on around her, especially Dr. Shields’s obsession and her manipulative experiments.

I finished reading this book yesterday and I think it’s worth the read. In fact, I actually liked it better than the authors’ previous novel. The suspense was great and the supposed flawless Dr. Shields made me want to know more of how it all was going to go down. So, dear readers, what would you do in that situation? For a substantial amount of money, would you be willing to be tested on ethics and morality? Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

*I received this early copy in a giveaway. An Anonymous Girl will be available on January 8, 2019.

About the authors: Sarah Pakkanen is the internationally and USA Today bestselling author of eight previous solo novels and the coauthor of the New York Times bestseller The Wife Between Us. A former investigative journalist and award-winning feature writer, she has published work in The Washington Post, USA Today, and many others. She is the mother of three sons and lives just outside Washington, D.C. For more info, click here.

Greer Hendricks is the coauthor of the New York Times bestseller The Wife Between Us. Prior to becoming a novelist, she spent two decades as an editor at Simon & Schuster. She obtained her master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University, and her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Allure, and Publishers Weekly.She lives in Manhattan with her husband and two children. For more info, click here.

“Pretty Stolen Dolls”–Review

Good evening, all! I believe I finally got out of my reading slump, since I finished reading the first book in the Pretty Little Dolls series.

When the main character, Jade, was 14 years old, she and her younger sister, Macy, were abducted by Benny, a doll vendor who knew how to charm the two sisters. After four years in captivity and enduring unspeakable torment, Jade escapes. Fast forward to the present, Jade is a police officer, working homicide and missing person cases. Although the trauma remains after eight years, a guilt-ridden Jade is determined to find the sister she’d left behind during her escape. She knows Benny is still out there, doing whatever it takes to bring Jade, his “dirty little doll,” back home.

I couldn’t get enough of this book. Now I’m looking forward to reading the next installment. Each chapter was creepy and violent. Just the idea of Benny’s abducting girls and making them his own, personal doll collection is disturbing. This book is for mature readers, containing violence, language, and sexuality. I’m not sure it can be recommended for the faint-hearted, but it’s up to you.

Feel free to post your comments. Happy reading!

About the authors: Click here for info on K. Webster and Ker Dukey.