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bizmcm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
crystalathome's review against another edition
4.0
Slightly predictable but still a great suspense novel. Jamie is just stupid... Who takes off with a guy they just met?
I was also a tad disappointed with the ending but overall it was a good book.
I was also a tad disappointed with the ending but overall it was a good book.
heatheradoresbooks's review against another edition
a little slow, but not a bad read
novelesque_life's review against another edition
3.0
3 STARS
"Jamie Kellogg's life is at a crossroads. Stuck in a dead-end job, the divorced twenty-nine-year-old has been ruled by the voices of her judgmental mother and her perfectionist sister long enough. Now she's hearing only the sexy whispers of the thrillingly handsome stranger in her bed, the man she met in a Florida bar. His name is Brad Fisher, and he's telling her everything she's been dying to hear: She's gorgeous. She's smart. She's adventurous. Quitting her job and joining Brad on a spontaneous road trip, Jamie's ready for the ride of her life. But this trip has one destination: a run-down Ohio house on Mad River Road, where vengeance will come home at last -- and where someone will pay for the secrets and lies of the past. . . ." (From Amazon)
More of a good mystery than suspense in this novel.
"Jamie Kellogg's life is at a crossroads. Stuck in a dead-end job, the divorced twenty-nine-year-old has been ruled by the voices of her judgmental mother and her perfectionist sister long enough. Now she's hearing only the sexy whispers of the thrillingly handsome stranger in her bed, the man she met in a Florida bar. His name is Brad Fisher, and he's telling her everything she's been dying to hear: She's gorgeous. She's smart. She's adventurous. Quitting her job and joining Brad on a spontaneous road trip, Jamie's ready for the ride of her life. But this trip has one destination: a run-down Ohio house on Mad River Road, where vengeance will come home at last -- and where someone will pay for the secrets and lies of the past. . . ." (From Amazon)
More of a good mystery than suspense in this novel.
casey_zi's review against another edition
4.0
When I glanced at the cover of this dusty old paperback that I had found while cleaning, I thought it was going to be just another garbage dime-a-dozen thriller.
And maybe I haven't read that many thrillers, but I believe I was wrong. What's that age old adage about not judging a book and...(I've already lost half my readership to boredom)? Mad River Road is a story about liars, deeply troubled people trying to escape their pasts, nothing unusual there, but at its center it's about a whirlwind fantasy romance that slowly deteriorates into a dangerous abusive relationship. It's like watching a real life horror story unfold, hurtling towards the end, and as I was reading I couldn't help but wonder if the author was speaking from experience, with how authentic the portrayal of the relationship felt.
However, for the length of time that we get to spend hating the bad guy, the climax was too short, disproportionate to the length of time spent building up to it. Unsatisfying. I would've appreciated a longer epilogue, a little more time to bask in the character development we were finally given.
The characters and prose are nothing to talk about, but all in all it's absorbing reading for a couple hours. I don't regret picking it up.
And maybe I haven't read that many thrillers, but I believe I was wrong. What's that age old adage about not judging a book and...(I've already lost half my readership to boredom)? Mad River Road is a story about liars, deeply troubled people trying to escape their pasts, nothing unusual there, but at its center it's about a whirlwind fantasy romance that slowly deteriorates into a dangerous abusive relationship. It's like watching a real life horror story unfold, hurtling towards the end, and as I was reading I couldn't help but wonder if the author was speaking from experience, with how authentic the portrayal of the relationship felt.
However, for the length of time that we get to spend hating the bad guy, the climax was too short, disproportionate to the length of time spent building up to it. Unsatisfying. I would've appreciated a longer epilogue, a little more time to bask in the character development we were finally given.
The characters and prose are nothing to talk about, but all in all it's absorbing reading for a couple hours. I don't regret picking it up.
2frangipani2's review against another edition
3.0
This book had a great plot, for which it deserved 4 stars. I especially enjoyed the twist at the end, it surprised me! However, the women in this book all have some major issues. Jaime was a difficult character to watch. I not only dislike her but found it very difficult to believe that a woman could get drawn into such a situation that quickly.
I just didn't buy that someone would be okay with a man in her house when she wasn't there, and give over the keys to her car that quickly...and within 24 hours let him run her life.
The villain was interesting and very frightening.
I just didn't buy that someone would be okay with a man in her house when she wasn't there, and give over the keys to her car that quickly...and within 24 hours let him run her life.
The villain was interesting and very frightening.
lunxchloe's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
You know how there's books that are so bad that they're entertaining? This isn't one of them.
Bad, one-dimensional characters who make unreasonable choices, predictable story, I was so bored I ended up just reading every other page towards the end.
Any author that needs to insert a completely unnecessary R-word scene to somehow progress the plot goes onto my red flag list, so does Joy Fielding now.
Bad, one-dimensional characters who make unreasonable choices, predictable story, I was so bored I ended up just reading every other page towards the end.
Any author that needs to insert a completely unnecessary R-word scene to somehow progress the plot goes onto my red flag list, so does Joy Fielding now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Murder, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Rape, Domestic abuse, Violence, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting
cpriley401's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ameliediva's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
carp's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0