I'll Never Let You Go by Mary Burton

Cover Image from Penguin UK

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Title: I'll Never Let You Go by Mary Burton

Received: Purchased (secondhand bookstore)

Rating: 💖💖💖💖

Summary from Penguin UK: 

He promised to kill her. One night four years ago, Leah Carson's husband almost succeeded. Phillip stabbed her twenty-three times before fleeing. The police are sure he's dead. But fear won't let Leah believe it.

It starts with little things. Missing keys. A flat tire. Mysterious flowers. All easily explained away if the pattern wasn't so terrifyingly familiar. Leah has a new veterinary practice and a new life with no ties to her nightmare. But Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent Alex Morgan suspects something. And when another woman's body is found, stabbed twenty-three times, Leah knows her past has found her.

As Leah and Alex untangle the horrifying truth, he watches her, ready for the perfect moment. Until death--that was the vow they made. And a killer always keeps his word . . .

This is the first book that I've read by Mary Burton. I really enjoyed it and thought the pacing was fantastic. I was compelled to keep turning the pages and thought it worked well as a thriller. What kept it from being a five star rating for me was the romance in the story. Or maybe what I think of as the lack of romance. I honestly think I would have enjoyed the story just as much without the romantic component. I just didn't buy the romance between Leah and Alex. Not that it was a "bad" romance, but I just felt like there wasn't much romantic development between the two.  They went on one short, unsuccessful date, then the rest of their "relationship" really revolved around the case. It just didn't work for me, but it didn't subtract from the storyline. It was just unnecessary. The story was strong enough as a thriller, and I didn't see the ending coming, which is the best kind! I look forward to reading more by Mary Burton. 

Click the Image below to check out this book on Amazon: 

Happy Reading!! 

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine

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Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine

Released:  2017
Received: Audible-My Own Purchase
Rating: 💖💖💖💖

Summary (from author's website): 

Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom. Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.

Things I Loved: 

1. The sample on Audible is amazing. I literally held my breath listening to it.  It made me click "buy" in about 5 seconds. 

2. The Audible narrator, Emily Sutton-Smith, did an excellent job. 

3. The pacing was fast and had me sitting in the car to listen long after I had pulled in the driveway.  Here lately I just can't seem to push past "slow burn" books. I need a book that jumps into the action fast, and this book does that immediately. 

4. The heroine, Gwen, is a strong, capable women who will do ANYTHING to protect her children.  

5. There is enough of a creepy factor to be suspenseful, but it is was not enough to keep me up at night (for me, this is a "love"- for you, it may be in the "didn't love" category!)

Things I Didn't Love: 

1. I figured out the "twist" before it happened, but I still enjoyed how the story played out.  

Take or Leave it Points:

1. Be warned-- this book ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, although there is a satisfying ending.  The cliffhanger leads into the next book in the series.  

2. If you like series, great! There is already a second book in the series out and one more on the way. 

Check out Stillhouse Lake HERE