Aperture

by Steffanie Blais

Not all love stories come in a perfect, tidy package with a pristine bow on top. Some are born from places so black that only the love itself escapes the darkness unscathed. This is our story.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Mystery

252 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2023

About the author

Steffanie Blais crafts captivating romantic suspense you can’t put down. Heavily influenced by her father, who was a small-town sheriff for three decades, Steffanie comes by her love of mystery and suspense honestly. When she's not weaving stories with surprising turns, she works as a Registered Dietitian. In rare moments of downtime, Steffanie enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, binge-reading romance and thrillers, or baking while listening to '80s music. For all the latest news, releases, and behind-the-scenes action, subscribe to Steffanie Blais’ newsletter today!

Reviews

[Nichole Pollock · Rating 4 out of 5]

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD
4/5 ⭐️
2/5 🥵

Okay, In the beginning this book was really pissing me off - about 30ish%. It is told in multiple POVs but didn’t state whos POV it was being told in at the beginning of the chapter. Multiple chapters took me 2-3 paragraphs to realize who was talking, once established I had to reread those paragraphs to fully comprehend lol. BUT! I soon realized why it was written this way and I began enjoying it. The story was great. The writing was great. Just when I thought I had the story figured out, another turn! This book kept you on your toes. Absolute great debut for this author. I can’t wait to read more!

[Kim Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a fantastic thriller! Written extremely well! So well, that for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out who the killer was! It had me guessing at every turn and just when I thought “ yep I knew it, that’s the killer”, I was totally blown away! It wasn’t even on my radar! Mysterious, suspenseful and full of angst! So many twists and turns! Spicy and intense! Aperture was an incredible read! Steffanie Blais is definitely on my radar for future books!!

[Rin Sher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome debut from Steffanie!
From the moment I started reading it, I had to know how it was going to end, while at the same time, I didn't WANT it to end.
It's the type of story that will have you guessing which way it's going to go!
Can't wait to read more from her!

[Samara · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of those books that trick you. It starts out decent, but quickly goes so wrong. The characters are underdeveloped. There really isn't any build up of the relationships, which makes them all feel incredibly forced. The characters seemed like they belonged in high-school instead of the adults they were. There are times you have absolutely no idea whose POV you're reading from. I understand one of them is kept a secret, but it simply could have said "killer" or nothing for just that person. There is never an excuse to not say which POV you're reading from. The "mystery" was anticlimactic with zero shock factor. The why wasn't really answered. It actually makes no sense. It was just a very unexciting book.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book didn’t really move me one way or the other. The plot was okay. Somewhat different. Overall, the voice of the main female character (Millie) sounded like a teenager with her love, sex and life insecurities. It wasn’t a voice that belongs to an adult. I think the book could have been improved with a more mature main character.

[Meghan K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read This

Couldn’t put it down. I loved this book. I can’t wait for more ! This book was recommended to me in the peloton mom book group and I am so happy I read it.

[Jess | bookrealmliving | · Rating 5 out of 5]

i stayed up too late last night reading this and i may have ignored all my responsibilities this morning so i could finish! every time i think i had all the answers I DIDNT! i absolutely adore Steffanie and her writing! this book literally had it all! Banter, romance, swoony feelings, spice, suspense, mystery... etc!!!!! i mainly read romance and fantasy but i love to have a little suspense! this was the perfect amount for me! enough to keep me on the edge of my seat but not enough to give me nightmares haha! but this did make me think i may need to get a dog?

[ChristiLovesBooks_smut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aperture by Stephanie Blais @author_steffanieblais is a new to me author & I received this as an #arcbook. Millie is a photographer & does a photo shoot with a family that has Theo in it (he’s an uncle). They run into each other at the local farmers market & sets up a date. She meets Wyatt at the photography store where he needed help picking out a camera. Millie & Wyatt meet the next day for her to help him with his camera. She is telling him about her parents that passed away & he thinks to himself he knows everything about her but it’s cute how her face tells a story. Wyatt & Millie go out to dinner & he tells her he is a detective. Theo shows up at the same restaurant & stops to say hi to Millie & tells Wyatt it’s been a long time. She likes both Theo & Wyatt & doesn’t know how to proceed. She decides to ask Wyatt if he’s interested since Theo has already said he is. Wyatt tells her he is interested but the timing is bad. They have sex that night & when she wakes up he isn’t there. Someone breaks into Millie’s house & he was trying to unlock her laptop & when he hears her come home, he sneaks out. He thinks to himself he can come & go as she pleases since her alarm isn’t connected to the windows - just the door. She has dinner in with Theo & tells him she wants to take it slow. He agrees. She gets home & finds that someone broke in & left a picture of Theo & Wyatt. She calls both. There is a character in the book who is stalking Millie. She & Theo date for a few weeks, then have sex. Millie thinks about Wyatt the entire time. She decides to break it off with Theo. Wyatt takes Millie target shooting, then takes her to a club where she sees Theo basically having sex on the dance floor. They leave to a back room, Wyatt takes Millie home. Millie is so upset with both Theo (even though she planned on breaking up with him) & with Wyatt for showing her this. Millie breaks up with Theo. But Millie has questions about Theo so she goes to visit Theo’s sister & his sister shows Millie a picture that shows Theo holding a red scarf. The signature weapon for the serial killer Wyatt is investigating. Millie calls Wyatt & leaves a message for him. She gets home & her dog isn’t responding, then she is attacked & kidnapped. She wakes up & sees Wyatt is next to her & he’s not awake. Then her BFF’s ex named Johnny shows up with Theo, telling her that someone is going to die & it’s Millie’s choice who is going to die. Theo tells him that he can kill him, to leave Millie alone. Then Johnny talks about how he framed Theo through the years. Johnny kills Theo when he takes the bullet meant for Millie. Millie kills Johnny with a knife the way Wyatt had shown her. Millie finds out she is pregnant & it’s Theo’s baby after the kidnapping. Wyatt tells her he isn’t going anywhere & he loves her & the baby. They live happily ever after! 💜 This was a trippy but fantastic book!

[Alex McGuire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - Aperture is a fantastic debut novel from Steffanie Blais. It has a thrilling concept at its core and you quickly discover it is creatively written. Thriller and romance intertwine to create a story that unfolds beautifully intense. The character development is wonderfully detailed and the suspense is balanced with a bit of humor. Blais has a written voice worthy of recognition. Fans of romance and thrillers, there is something for you in this book. And if you are new to these genres, let this book be your first. I will be (not so) patiently waiting for other books by Steffanie Blais.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an excellent debut! I love both romance and suspense/thrillers, so if I can find a book that manages to combine them both, it’s the chef’s kiss! Aperture has everything I look for in a book: wonderful characters, intriguing plot, great twists, and a bit of spice! Millie was sweet and relatable, and I really would have been happy if she ended up with either Theo or Wyatt - they’re polar opposites, but both so lovable! Plus, Millie is an animal lover, and any book that features a fur baby gets bonus points from me! I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Steffanie in the future!

[zen_s · Rating 2 out of 5]

the plot was okay i guess but the multiple povs does get a little confusing because you don't know who is who.

additionally, even when the culprit was revealed, i still don't really get it to be honest. to me is like, does the culprit have something against the main characters? because while he was spouting about his "story", it doesn't seem like the characters did anything bad or mean to him. so, the motive just feels a little insubstantial.

[Kate Schaeffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely phenomenal case of “who done it”. I found myself looking for clues and trying to figure out what was happening! I read it in a day because I was so incredibly invested in the story! The switch of POVs kept you constantly guessing! Bravo!!! I will continue to follow Steffanie and read everything she writes!!!

[Em Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fabulous debut for Author, Steffanie Blais. A “can’t put it down” read. I finished it in one day and it kept me guessing the entire time.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh! This book was so good. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I could not put it down.

[Winter Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aperture

By: Steffanie Blais
Narrated by: Allie Martina, Oliver Highpoint, JD Tomlinson

Stunning!!! Tense, Engrossing and WOW, Yes!

Overall: 5 of 5 stars Performance: 5 of 5 stars Story: 5 of 5 stars
Reviewed: 05-08-24

Millie, Theo, Wyatt … three lives intertwining … love, betrayal, conflicting stories, and a past that neither man will be open, or honest, about ... Then there are the odd occurrences, the vague feelings of being stalked, and the serial killer on the loose … Powerful, tense and engrossing, “Aperture” is in a word, AMAZING! The writing is beautifully clear, mesmerizingly drawing you in, capturing you, engulfing you in the world of these beautifully defined, interesting, HUMANLY flawed characters. You find yourself caring about them, caring deeply about what happens to them as you wonder WHO … they … really … are. You know each man is hiding things, you wonder; are THEY really the bad guy, as you try to piece together the clues, masterfully dropped like breadcrumbs by the author… Loosing sleep, foregoing chores, telling your husband “lets get dinner delivered tonight”, because you just can’t bear to stop listening … Because you HAVE to know… At least that was MY experience as I listened to this tense, engrossing MASTERPIECE, of a romantic suspense, mystery, thriller! Speaking of listening, the narration was akin to an out of body experience for me as it took me fully into Millie’s world! I laughed with her, and yes I cried with her! I felt her emotions. There was one chapter where I was so immersed in what Millie was feeling that I was fighting for breath! My husband actually broke “through” to ask if I was okay. I say broke “through” because he had to try and get my attention several times before I surfaced and became aware of him! I won’t say which chapter, I don’t want to be a spoiler, but I’m sure you’ll KNOW when you get there! And it wasn’t just that chapter. I felt every emotion, every spurt of anger, every bit of frustration, EVERYTHING felt by every character in this beautifully balanced, multi-narrator presentation, and only narration of THIS caliber can do THAT to a listener. I had no doubt that I was experiencing this mind blowing story exactly as the author intended, It really is stupendous! Five stunning stars!

[Memorymaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a rollercoaster of a ride! Love triangle, mysterious backstories and a serial killer on the loose? This one will give you whiplash (in a good way!) with the twists and turns it takes. It kept me guessing until the end and honestly that is hard to do to me because I tend to figure out the twists early. I do wish the MFC was a little more mature and a little less flaky - but I guess that plays into the whole love triangle aspect. However, I love how the author makes both MMCs so endearing in very different ways, while still making you question their motives and intentions. Very well written and this author is becoming one of my faves!

One disclaimer - I actually listend to an audiobook of this that was gifted to me by the author. My review reflects my views on the content of the book itself, not the narration. I was not a fan of a couple of the narrators, and really had to dissociate from the voices sometimes to appreciate the story. I will likely go back and read a print copy of this instead of an audiobook.

[ERICA LANGENFELD · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was like one of those movies where you just want to scream, “no! It can’t be over! You didn’t tell me why!”

One thing I thought I didn’t like but actually did was the fact that it’s written in different POV, but you don’t know who it is. It’s intentional so you can hear the murderer’s thoughts without knowing who it is. Honestly, I was a little disappointed with who it ended up being and the lack of depth to that particular character’s story. I had why too many questions why and not in a good way. Millie is a likeable enough MFC, but with the timeline given, she definitely moved a little fast with our MMC’s. I don’t know how I feel about the ending—-the twists were things I saw coming & I’m not really sure how I felt about them.

All in all, l think this book wasn’t for me. However, the author’s writing is engaging and she does well to build her character’s world. I will read more from this author.

[Kirsten | Bookish.kir · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Love Triangle
- Murder Mystery
- Romantic Suspense

I am really struggling with how to rate this one. In the beginning I was confused as to why the POV’s kept changing without acknowledging whose POV was whose, but once I caught on to why the author wrote it that way, I did enjoy how it added to the mystery.

Now the reason why I am struggling to rate is because I really liked the idea behind the story, but I just don’t like the way it ended. I found the twists to be a bit predictable and I don’t know how I felt about them. I had figured out who was behind everything, but even after finishing the book I still don’t quite understand why and was left with even more questions.

This is the author’s debut novel and overall this particular book might now be for me, but I did really like her writing style. It kept me hook and I was flying through the pages. I will more than likely read more by her in the future.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥

[Mary (Marysnoveljourney) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨multiple POV
✨thriller/suspense
✨love triangle

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥🔥🔥

Steffanie Blais has done it again!!!! Oh my gosh this book is so freaking good!!! I listened to this with audible, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. It took me less than a day to devour!

This story follows Millie, Wyatt, Theo and an unknown person. Right from the prologue this book hooks you in and has the reader intrigued. I’m not about giving spoilers in reviews so obviously I can’t say much but holy cow I truly had no idea who to trust (other than Millie and sweet Milo of course). Love triangles usually aren’t my ideal trope, but Steffanie is a “one click” author for me so I gave it a try. I can say without a doubt this book ends perfectly and was so great!!! I highly recommend this book, especially in the audible form.

Thank you to Steffanie Blais for the ALC of this wonderful read!

[Deana Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ I didn’t hate this book but I didn’t love love it either. For it being the authors debut novel, I enjoyed the writing style and it was a really quick read. I would probably pick up another book from this author. It’s labeled as a small town suspense romance. I enjoyed the mystery POVs as I felt it added to the mystery of the plot. I do feel like the FMC was written more on the juvenile side and not adult side, and I felt like her relationships progressed fairly quickly. I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending, as it was predictable for me but I didn’t really understand his motive at all. I feel like yeh could have been fleshed out more and woven more into how it related to the MCs. I also could have lived without the epilogue, but that’s just me 🤷🏻‍♀️😅 Overall it wasn’t a bad book at all.

[Bianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 🌟 rounded up

This was my first read by this author. While I had a hard time putting it down to find out what would happen, the writing was lacking, and it did have a pretty predictable plot twist. I did enjoy the intentional lack of labeling which POV we were getting a new chapter from as it helped add a layer of suspense trying to figure whose perspective we were getting those more questionable plot points from. I think the biggest sore spot for me was Millie- girl, get it together. Without trying to say too much and provide any spoilers, the back and forth was slightly annoying and made her appear to be a pretty weak and naive FMC. But with that being said, again it was a book that was hard to put down, and the thrill and suspense does keep your attention throughout.

[Mellissia Slawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a can’t put down page turner from the first chapter until the final epilogue!!

Aperture was my first Romance genre novel. Long time Thriller genre reader, but when I read the books premise I was intrigued despite the Romance genre affiliation.

I have to say the Romance aspect of the novel made me blush quite a few times. But once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. The world Steffanie Blais has created was so immersive I had to know who the killer was and who Millie would end up with in the end.

I bought my husband and my mom a copy. Needless to say they both can’t put it down either.

I highly recommend this book for both Romance and Thriller genre readers!!!

[Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this romantic/thriller type book. I'm a sucker for anything with this type of vibe, so of course I ate this up.

The only issue I had was some of the spice with audio really made me squirm, but past that, it wasn't enought that I HAD to put it down, ya know?

Without giving too much away- Millie is, but isn't, the typical girl in books. I was actually quite the fan of her and the two guys. They didnt really give me the ick like most do in books.

That, and the author did a great job at making you second guess who actually is the person in the end! I thought I had it nailed, then the author really threw me off guard. The ending really shocked me.

[Kat Valentine · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a debut novel this was overall a pretty good read.

The multiple POVS was initially hard to follow when they were switching and who it was switching to, and while a reason was revealed for this it still felt a little clunky/frustrating to get through.
The writing style was engaging and well done and the plot flowed pretty well though some of the twists felt obvious - though maybe not to someone that doesn't read as much as me.

Something felt off with the ending. There was still a bit of a question of "but WHY" and then a weird sort of happily ever after after all the trauma and drama.

[Brittany Secor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am utterly shell-shocked. My jaw was on the floor, I cried, I laughed, and I panicked. All in one book?!

That’s how you know that a fabulous author wrote the book. Being able to display all of these emotions out of a reader is absolutely beautiful.

The entire book I thought I was able to predict what was going to happen, but I was ABSOLUTELY wrong in every sense. The epilogue? Threw me for an even bigger loop. I am so happy I was offered the opportunity to listen to this book on Audible!🖤 10/10 recommend

[L.J. Held · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no way I would've been able to tell this was the author's first book. The writing flowed well and seemed to be seasoned. I was immediately drawn into the story as it unfolded. I don't want to give any of the thriller aspects away, but this is quickly becoming my preferred genre (Romantic Suspense) I will be recommending this book to everyone. I would not hesitate to pick up the next book by this author.

[Jamice Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a crazy ride. For the first part I honestly thought, I was going to give up because I would get confused as to who was speaking. As I continued to read though, I understood why it was written like that so if you are confused, keep reading it will clear up. The ending was really crazy and even though I had read the ending way ahead, I can't handle thriller anxiety LOL, I still couldn't predict the twists. Overall, it was a good read.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read!! This book kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Aperture is the perfect romantic thriller. There were so many twists and turns. This was my first book by Stefanie Blais and it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed her writing style. The narrators did a phenomenal job with this audio! This book had such a great plot. If you’re looking for a romantic thriller, I highly recommend you pick this one up

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fantastic book to read! I enjoyed the suspense and romance woven together seamlessly into the story. Millie was a strong and well developed character who I really enjoyed in this book. Wyatt and Theo were such a fun duo to get to know. This book had me on my toes until the very end! I can't wait to read more books by Steffanie.