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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I would call this a mystery if it wasn't incredibly obvious who the stalker. I don't mind smut, but when it pulls down the plot, then it should be toned back a bit.
I liked the beginning, and somehow guessing most of the story beats, but it got old fast. Kinda got hard to listen through.
I liked the beginning, and somehow guessing most of the story beats, but it got old fast. Kinda got hard to listen through.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
Minor: Emotional abuse, Blood, Alcohol
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
At first this was a lot of fun and very sexy, but our lead character's genre blindness and refusal to recognize what was right in front of her got very annoying after a while, the whodunnit was obvious about 1/3 of the way in, and the ending went on for way too long. Pity too, because Gwen is an A+ love interest to fantasize about.
I toyed with the idea to read this book for a long time. Stalkers is not something I like reading about. It unnerves me and literally makes my skin crawl. (especially if it's sexual in nature)
But I have to say it was fairly easy to read. (still unnerving and creepy, but bearable)
The stalkers identity was predictable, but it was still interesting to see how it plays out.
Both characters being already in love with each other made it easier to focus on the plot outside of the romance, but I would have loved to see them actually fall in love. There was very little time spent together.
One thing I found very weird was
But I have to say it was fairly easy to read. (still unnerving and creepy, but bearable
Spoiler
I think, for me the stalker being a woman and not out for anything sexual made it easier to read.The stalkers identity was predictable, but it was still interesting to see how it plays out.
Both characters being already in love with each other made it easier to focus on the plot outside of the romance, but I would have loved to see them actually fall in love. There was very little time spent together.
One thing I found very weird was
Spoiler
Gwen got stalked for 12 years. 12 years where somebody was watching her almost every move. And despite that she is an exhibitionist?? If she gets off on being watched/listened to/almost found out after having somebody watch her obsessively... it doesn't sit right with me. Don't get me wrong it was very hot, but not while actively being creepily watched.
Stars: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Quinn Riley
Series: MY Boss’s Stalker Book 1
Steam Level: Steamy
CW: stalking, violence, blood
I read this for the I Heart Sapphic 2025 Reading Challenge for the prompt Coming Out.
Yay a new series to start by Adrian J. Smith to read! I am slowly but surely making my way through her backlist.
Quick Thoughts:
- The whole book is from Zoe’s POV
- With the subheading “Spoiler It’s Not Me” I thought it would be a lighter book but it’s not. So very not
- I wanted to wring the neck of that detective they talked to. What a supreme jerk
- Loved that Gwen doesn’t have an ounce of shame about what revs up her engine
- Even I, the most oblivious person ever, would not have missed Gwen’s blatant flirting. Come on Zoe, get it together
- The reveal of the stalker wasn’t a surprise but how it was done and the reasoning for everything was. Everything slotted into place very creepily
- No third act breakup!
- That company needs to go under and all its executives ruined. They were class A jerks
- That being said, I appreciated that the HR complaint was taken seriously though that was greatly tempered by the feeling that it was only because it was filed against Gwen
- I LOVED that the big event with the stalker wasn’t the end of the book. There was a lot of story afterwards and there was no glossing over the trauma that whole thing had on both of their lives
- The reason I didn’t give this four stars is that in the beginning there were bits that were repetitive, like Zoe having worked for Gwen for three years and that she has a crush on her. It got to the point where I began to wonder if maybe there were two different beginnings and the author forgot to edit out some of the lines
- Quinn Riley is amazing
Overall I did enjoy this book but didn’t love it. I think I was thrown by the fact it was very serious when I wasn’t expecting it and it felt like a step back, execution wise, from the “When the Past Finds You” series. I’m still excited to see how the rest of this series stacks up against it though.
Oh wow.
Not the first book I read from this author, age gap romance are my shit and boss-employee is a trope that i really enjoy so I dived into it. I started it yesterday and finished it today just because I had to go sleep last night and be a funcional human today. I wouldn't stop otherwise.
The extra thing to this one is what makes the difference. The stalker. Honestly I kinda realized who was from the firsts chapters cause something is clearly off, but you stay there, waiting for it to drop anyway.
The way Chloe discovered the secret crush Zoe has in her is what put everything in motion and it's a good start. You clearly see how Zoe is conflicted in Chloe's behavior changing suddenly, not understanding why.
The stalker situation is amazingly written. The little details, from the clues you see from Zoe point of view to the respond from everyone else. That feeling that stays with you from the moment you know about the stalker and see the line, the kind of feeling that says: this is going to blow fucking spectacularly. At some point I stopped breathing cause I didn't know how was going to end.
Zoe and Chloe relationship is confusing at first. You see everything from Zoe perspective and you can't grab Chloe's mind, what's going on? And then the pieces come together and all make sense.
PD: Chloe's boss is an asshole.
Not the first book I read from this author, age gap romance are my shit and boss-employee is a trope that i really enjoy so I dived into it. I started it yesterday and finished it today just because I had to go sleep last night and be a funcional human today. I wouldn't stop otherwise.
The extra thing to this one is what makes the difference. The stalker. Honestly I kinda realized who was from the firsts chapters cause something is clearly off, but you stay there, waiting for it to drop anyway.
The way Chloe discovered the secret crush Zoe has in her is what put everything in motion and it's a good start. You clearly see how Zoe is conflicted in Chloe's behavior changing suddenly, not understanding why.
The stalker situation is amazingly written. The little details, from the clues you see from Zoe point of view to the respond from everyone else. That feeling that stays with you from the moment you know about the stalker and see the line, the kind of feeling that says: this is going to blow fucking spectacularly. At some point I stopped breathing cause I didn't know how was going to end.
Zoe and Chloe relationship is confusing at first. You see everything from Zoe perspective and you can't grab Chloe's mind, what's going on? And then the pieces come together and all make sense.
PD: Chloe's boss is an asshole.
dark
emotional
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes