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A review by shari_russell
The Fake Date by L.H. Stacey
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? No
4.0
28 year old reporter Ella Hope was attacked violently and left for dead in the cold muddy fields of the North Yorkshire Moors. She was there for 10 hours before she was finally found. Her first thought was that someone would pay for hurting her so badly. She spent 6 weeks in the hospital and then 7 months rehabilitating at her parents house. She is home all these months later dealing with the aftermath of the violent attack. She has a new neighbor Will Taylor who just happens to be the editor for the Star, a rival newspaper of the Chronicle, where she works. However, Will does not let her know at first that he is a reporter because Ella expresses a strong dislike for reporters after her ordeal with them in her highly publicized case. The chemistry between Ella and Will is apparent when they first meet. Their banter is easy going and comfortable with comedic moments thrown in. As Will and Ella get to know each other, Ella is challenged with the fear and insecurity that she was left with from the brutal attack. She is a fighter though and her strong determination to survive is what kept her alive that night. She had been convinced that her attacker was Rick Greaves, the man she had a date with that same night. He had 2 previous wives that both died within a year of marrying him. Ella had foolishly gone undercover alone to get the scoop on Rick. However, Ella starts to doubt that it was Rick and is afraid her killer is still out there. As Will becomes more and more drawn to Ella, he makes it his mission to figure out who did this.
The Fake Date Is a page-turning psychological thriller with a side of romantic suspense.
The descriptive detail in the opening chapter where Ella has been left for dead is poignant and heart wrenching. You feel her deep pain and emotion as she struggles to deal with possibly dying there terrified and alone. The reader is pulled in to the story quickly and becomes invested in wanting Ella to be found alive and rescued.
The writer has created atmospheric scenes through vivid descriptions of the surroundings. The story is set in Yorkshire around the beauty of the moors surrounded by heather and hedgerows. Ella’s cottage is charming with blossoming trees and a garden of roses, peonies, geraniums and lilacs at the start of Summer.
I loved the rich and strongly developed characters. They were complex and real with fun and dynamic personalities that you are drawn to immediately. The chemistry between them is undeniable, especially with Ella and Will. The strong friendships between Ella and Sarah, who’ve known each other since preschool and even Will with his assistant Josh are written so that you are immersed in the beauty of developing bonds.
Between chapters there are first person accounts from an unknown person that has killed at least 3 times before and is very disappointed that Ella is still alive. This person is a very angry and seemingly unhinged character. These bits of narrative keep the story fast paced and suspenseful by giving the reader tense filled moments that keep them engaged in getting the questions to the mystery answered.
The writing was so descriptive that the characters and storyline seemed to come to life through vivid imagery and addictive narratives. The writer was able to capture the reader’s attention from the first page and hold onto it to the end. This is why I was able to read the book in a day and could barely put it down.
I did guess the murderer before they were revealed but I probably suspected every other person before finally figuring it out. Even then, additional surprises and twists were there that kept me hooked until the very last page.
What I liked best about this book were the moments that focused on the developing interactions between Ella and Will. There was humor and playful sarcasm in their conversations, and some funny moments when Will made Ella laugh with some of his crazy antics. It was refreshing to watch Will so mesmerized by Ella and Ella starting to trust Will and give in to her growing attraction. Since I tend to stick with Thriller and Suspense novels, it’s been a long time since I read a romance novel. The great thing about this book is the infusion of the suspense thriller and romance genres. I didn’t know going in that I was reading a romance book, and it ended up being a nice change of pace and something different than what I have been reading.
This was the first book that I’ve read from L.H. Stacey. Based on my enjoyment of this one, I look forward to reading more from her. I loved reading something that was a change of pace to what I’m used to and expect. It was a refreshing surprise. I am rating The Fake Date a solid 4 stars. If you are a reader that likes the idea of a thriller and romance together, I highly recommend this. I feel that the romance added a layer to the story that made it even more interesting. It definitely kept my full attention all the way through.
The Fake Date Is a page-turning psychological thriller with a side of romantic suspense.
The descriptive detail in the opening chapter where Ella has been left for dead is poignant and heart wrenching. You feel her deep pain and emotion as she struggles to deal with possibly dying there terrified and alone. The reader is pulled in to the story quickly and becomes invested in wanting Ella to be found alive and rescued.
The writer has created atmospheric scenes through vivid descriptions of the surroundings. The story is set in Yorkshire around the beauty of the moors surrounded by heather and hedgerows. Ella’s cottage is charming with blossoming trees and a garden of roses, peonies, geraniums and lilacs at the start of Summer.
I loved the rich and strongly developed characters. They were complex and real with fun and dynamic personalities that you are drawn to immediately. The chemistry between them is undeniable, especially with Ella and Will. The strong friendships between Ella and Sarah, who’ve known each other since preschool and even Will with his assistant Josh are written so that you are immersed in the beauty of developing bonds.
Between chapters there are first person accounts from an unknown person that has killed at least 3 times before and is very disappointed that Ella is still alive. This person is a very angry and seemingly unhinged character. These bits of narrative keep the story fast paced and suspenseful by giving the reader tense filled moments that keep them engaged in getting the questions to the mystery answered.
The writing was so descriptive that the characters and storyline seemed to come to life through vivid imagery and addictive narratives. The writer was able to capture the reader’s attention from the first page and hold onto it to the end. This is why I was able to read the book in a day and could barely put it down.
I did guess the murderer before they were revealed but I probably suspected every other person before finally figuring it out. Even then, additional surprises and twists were there that kept me hooked until the very last page.
What I liked best about this book were the moments that focused on the developing interactions between Ella and Will. There was humor and playful sarcasm in their conversations, and some funny moments when Will made Ella laugh with some of his crazy antics. It was refreshing to watch Will so mesmerized by Ella and Ella starting to trust Will and give in to her growing attraction. Since I tend to stick with Thriller and Suspense novels, it’s been a long time since I read a romance novel. The great thing about this book is the infusion of the suspense thriller and romance genres. I didn’t know going in that I was reading a romance book, and it ended up being a nice change of pace and something different than what I have been reading.
This was the first book that I’ve read from L.H. Stacey. Based on my enjoyment of this one, I look forward to reading more from her. I loved reading something that was a change of pace to what I’m used to and expect. It was a refreshing surprise. I am rating The Fake Date a solid 4 stars. If you are a reader that likes the idea of a thriller and romance together, I highly recommend this. I feel that the romance added a layer to the story that made it even more interesting. It definitely kept my full attention all the way through.