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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
I just wanna complain... just a little bit. Because this book had good bones, it really did. But there was no flesh to it! No meaty bits that make the story whole. I know I can't expect a whole heck of a lot from a novella (this book was right around 200 pages) but I've read a great number of novellas that can do it right and unfortunately, this book didn't.
First of all, a lot of the hype around the book was about the stalker and stalkee having a pen pal relationship, and while that's absolutely true, we don't get to see it! Literally, he sends her so many letters and she replies to them all and they go on FOR MONTHS and we get to read 2 of them. Just freaking 2.
Then, the reveal of who the stalker actual was could be seen from a mile away. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be a big reveal to begin with? If so, good on the author because it definitely wasn't. And then when the FMC does find out that her stalker is the same guy she's already dating, she gets pissed off (understandable) but gives herself this whole pep talk about it and decides she's not pissed off at all. That its actually a good thing. Great. But then literally the very next scene, just a few freaking seconds after she decides she's not mad, she bitches him out for it and then runs from him! Pick a freaking lane, lady!
Let's also talk about some of the background/side characters. Namely, just one... her best friend, Jenna. Now I wanna preface this particular section of my rant by stating that I love a good stalker romance. The darker the better. But I still need it to be in the realm of possibility. The FMC and her best friend basically killed that for me.
The FMC was running from a very abusive relationship (both physically and mentally). She talks about how she left him after he hit her in front of her whole family while at a dinner. She ran and the only person she told where she was going was her bestie, Jenna. Where the hell were her parents or siblings, etc? Whatever.
So we have the best friend, who knows about everything the FMC has been through and knows she ran. Okay. But when the FMC starts getting these secret letters from her stalker, Jenna basically says "oh thats great! You deserve to get back out there! I wouldn't even worry about it, he brought you flowers, he's clearly nice." Excuse me, what?! Even in dark stalker romance world, that's not the appropriate response!! And then when the FMC starts dating Alex (who is her stalker but she doesn't know that at this point) she tells Jenna she feels guilty about dating him because she also has feelings for the stalker. And Jenna says "oh just date them both, its fine!" Wtf?!
Let's fast forward to the confrontation with her abusive ex. So he shows up to her work, while she's working, and there's a bunch of patrons around, and he starts threatening her! He's literally yelling and threatening her and no one steps in. Then he literally reaching across the counter and punches her in the face and screams "look what you made me fucking do" and still NO ONE STEPS IN!!!! Then here comes her bestie from the back room, sees the FMC on the floor with a bloody nose and her abusive ex looking down on her from the other side of the counter... and what does she do? She says "go away" to the ex, and then leads FMC to a back room. THATS IT!! No cussing out the ex, no "I'm calling the cops", no even telling the FMC that she should call the cops. Just tells her "oh ill finish your shift, you go home and rest".
Literally the stalker was the best part of this book and even he wasn't great.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ummm, hotness overload!! I accidentally found this book and I'm so happy that I did because I loved it!! Alex is everything! He's sweet and swoony but has a dark and twisty side!! From the minute he sees Abby, he's going to do whatever he has to do to protect her and give her happiness. And Abby? She's understandably weary of strangers but I love how she finds her strength and takes her life back! I loved this so much, I need the paperback!
dark
emotional
sad
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes