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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
This was an intense read that had me hooked from the very first pages.
I didn't have any issues with the author's almost constant back and forth from the past to the present. In fact, I was impressed with how well it was handled and it did not detract from the flow of the book.
Lee is a dictatorial murderous "charmer" who slowly takes over control of Catherine's life and it's difficult to watch her loose her friends and sanity. The author didn't shy away from very harsh scenes of domestic and sexual abuse but I didn't find it any darker then Karen Rose, Kate Brady or Allison Brennan's RS'.
There is a slow building romance in the present that I felt was a much needed balance to the horrible life Catherine had with Lee.
As Cathy in the present, she's struggling to move on but painfully stuck and watching her "handle" the stress through obsessive compulsive behavior was excruciating.
I only had a few issues with this book and it would be Catherine's so-called friends. How do women take the word of a boyfriend over their best friend crying for help? With friends like Catherine's who needs psychos.
Bottom line, this isn't an easy read but if you're a fan of dark romantic suspense then this won't be too overwhelming.There is an HEA and the bad guy gets his due, but not nearly as painfully as I would've liked!
I didn't have any issues with the author's almost constant back and forth from the past to the present. In fact, I was impressed with how well it was handled and it did not detract from the flow of the book.
Lee is a dictatorial murderous "charmer" who slowly takes over control of Catherine's life and it's difficult to watch her loose her friends and sanity. The author didn't shy away from very harsh scenes of domestic and sexual abuse but I didn't find it any darker then Karen Rose, Kate Brady or Allison Brennan's RS'.
There is a slow building romance in the present that I felt was a much needed balance to the horrible life Catherine had with Lee.
As Cathy in the present, she's struggling to move on but painfully stuck and watching her "handle" the stress through obsessive compulsive behavior was excruciating.
I only had a few issues with this book and it would be Catherine's so-called friends. How do women take the word of a boyfriend over their best friend crying for help? With friends like Catherine's who needs psychos.
Bottom line, this isn't an easy read but if you're a fan of dark romantic suspense then this won't be too overwhelming.There is an HEA and the bad guy gets his due, but not nearly as painfully as I would've liked!
This book was crazy! Made my palms sweat. Very intense.
Holy crap was that a good book. It was very impressive to me how the author seamlessly switched between the present and the past to slowly unveil the mystery behind why Cathy had such bad OCD. The storyline was great and it was a very different perspective into an abusive relationship. You watched them meet and grow as a couple. There were signs that were kind of creepy but then one day it was just too late. Anyways it was a really fun and slightly creepy read. She had me wanting to go check all my windows and doors and fix my curtains because I could literally feel her panic. And damn that ending was crazy. it kept me up for a while because I couldn't stop thinking about it and how freaking creepy it was. I would totally recommend this to anyone who loves a good psychological thriller.
It's a bit disturbing that this book falls under the category of 'romance.' Other than that, I have nothing negative to say.
The author either experienced what it's like to be in such a treacherous relationship or she did her research. The story truly captures what it's like to be a survivor with PTSD from a violent relationship. I couldn't stop thinking about the story even after I finished the book.
Made me want to drink a lot of tea.
The author either experienced what it's like to be in such a treacherous relationship or she did her research. The story truly captures what it's like to be a survivor with PTSD from a violent relationship. I couldn't stop thinking about the story even after I finished the book.
Made me want to drink a lot of tea.
Crazy, freaking scary, nuts-o, lunatic, he was. Ask me in broad daylight if I'm spooked by the book and I'll probably say, "Nah...." Come back after dark with that same question and the reminders of what a whack job Lee really was will come rushing back and I can guarantee you my answer will be different.
Definitely a story that will keep you on your toes.
Definitely a story that will keep you on your toes.
I couldn’t put this book down! I normally do t like books that skip back and forth between different timelines, but this one was easy to follow. Every time I’d tell myself “just one more chapter” some kind of cliffhanger would happen and I would have to read even more!
I really enjoyed reading this. I thought the description of what it was like to be in an abusive relationship was really thought out and portrayed really well. But seeing also the seriousness of the subject matter, I thought a couple things seemed unrealistic. Other than that, I loved reading this, I put off chores so many times and especially today I just gave in and finished the last 40%
Spoiler
I thought it was a good part of the story, but realistically speaking, how often would a psychologist move into the flat directly upstairs from someone who had been in the way she had been? The chances of that actually happening are SEVERELY unlikely. It was a good ending, I enjoyed it, but I kept thinking how unrealistic it was, it was nagging at me for whatever reason. Stuart was a great character, I loved him, I thought he was good for her none the less.
I really enjoyed reading this. I thought the description of what it was like to be in an abusive relationship was really thought out and portrayed really well. But seeing also the seriousness of the subject matter, I thought a couple things seemed unrealistic. Other than that, I loved reading this, I put off chores so many times and especially today I just gave in and finished the last 40%
Spoiler
I thought it was a good part of the story, but realistically speaking, how often would a psychologist move into the flat directly upstairs from someone who had been in the way she had been? The chances of that actually happening are SEVERELY unlikely. It was a good ending, I enjoyed it, but I kept thinking how unrealistic it was, it was nagging at me for whatever reason. Stuart was a great character, I loved him, I thought he was good for her none the less.
This is a book about the darkest and most horrific side of domestic violence. If you have been a victim of domestic violence, and if reading about it still triggers bad stuff for you in some way, you may want to read this carefully if at all. This is Haynes's debut novel; she took the NANOWRIMO challenge a few years ago, and this book is the result. The book is proof that you can do something quickly and still do it well.
When we meet Cathy Bailey for the first time, she is mentally mummified by the OCD rituals she must undertake in order to feel safe in her environment. As the book unfolds, alternating between 2003/2004 and 2007/2008, the reasons for Cathy's OCD behavior reveal themselves in stark and memorable ways. Her OCD experiences are so realistically cataloged here that I couldn't help but wonder whether the author has experienced it in some way, so realistic and heartbreaking is it. There is the constant checking of the locks, the rotations of the doorknob six times in each direction, the careful examination of the silverware drawers to ensure that every item is in its exact place. It's time consuming and mentally exhausting for a youthful Cathy who, prior to being shrouded in her OCD behavior was a party girl of the first order. It was during that bar-hopping period of her life that she met good-looking mysterious Lee Brightman, an undercover cop who rapidly became a big hit with Cathy's girlfriends just as Cathy was becoming his obsession.
You feel a sense of foreboding horror as the story unfolds. You see Cathy forced to retreat into the darkest corner of her world as her friends refuse to believe that the enigmatic and charming Lee would ever do anything to hurt her. She is entirely on her own with nowhere to turn and her life ever more endangered.
Jump ahead to 2007 and the new good-looking guy who has moved into the flat above Cathy's. He is Stuart Richardson, a clinical psychologist, and he quietly notices Cathy's OCD rituals immediately. More importantly, he notices Cathy for the capable, talented, impressive young woman she is, and it is that side of her that draws him to her and enables the two of them to gradually and carefully connect.
This is indeed a suspenseful story that slowly reveals itself and peels back layers of darkness that will sicken you and cause you to wonder how people can be so cankered. You'll also celebrate the strength within us all to rise above adversity and push back the darkness.
If you dislike profanity or scenes that describe rape and sexual activities in sometimes rather public places, you should leave this book unread. The F-bomb falls frequently here, and the author doesn't flinch in her descriptions of the abusive scenes. Yet Haynes does find a remarkable balance between fear and bravery, darkness and light.
When we meet Cathy Bailey for the first time, she is mentally mummified by the OCD rituals she must undertake in order to feel safe in her environment. As the book unfolds, alternating between 2003/2004 and 2007/2008, the reasons for Cathy's OCD behavior reveal themselves in stark and memorable ways. Her OCD experiences are so realistically cataloged here that I couldn't help but wonder whether the author has experienced it in some way, so realistic and heartbreaking is it. There is the constant checking of the locks, the rotations of the doorknob six times in each direction, the careful examination of the silverware drawers to ensure that every item is in its exact place. It's time consuming and mentally exhausting for a youthful Cathy who, prior to being shrouded in her OCD behavior was a party girl of the first order. It was during that bar-hopping period of her life that she met good-looking mysterious Lee Brightman, an undercover cop who rapidly became a big hit with Cathy's girlfriends just as Cathy was becoming his obsession.
You feel a sense of foreboding horror as the story unfolds. You see Cathy forced to retreat into the darkest corner of her world as her friends refuse to believe that the enigmatic and charming Lee would ever do anything to hurt her. She is entirely on her own with nowhere to turn and her life ever more endangered.
Jump ahead to 2007 and the new good-looking guy who has moved into the flat above Cathy's. He is Stuart Richardson, a clinical psychologist, and he quietly notices Cathy's OCD rituals immediately. More importantly, he notices Cathy for the capable, talented, impressive young woman she is, and it is that side of her that draws him to her and enables the two of them to gradually and carefully connect.
This is indeed a suspenseful story that slowly reveals itself and peels back layers of darkness that will sicken you and cause you to wonder how people can be so cankered. You'll also celebrate the strength within us all to rise above adversity and push back the darkness.
If you dislike profanity or scenes that describe rape and sexual activities in sometimes rather public places, you should leave this book unread. The F-bomb falls frequently here, and the author doesn't flinch in her descriptions of the abusive scenes. Yet Haynes does find a remarkable balance between fear and bravery, darkness and light.