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Misery Loves Company
Filled with grief, Jules Bellano rarely leaves the house since her husband’s death while on duty as a police officer. Other than the reviews Jules writes on her blog, she has little contact with the outside world.
One day when she ventures out to the local grocery store, Jules is bumped into by a fellow customer who apologizes profusely. She recognizes him as her favorite author, Patrick Reagan. Jules gushes and thoroughly embarrasses herself before Regan graciously talks with her.
And that’s the last thing she remembers—until she wakes up in a strange room with a splitting headache. She’s been kidnapped. And what she discovers will change everything she believed about her husband’s death . . . her career . . . and her faith.
One day when she ventures out to the local grocery store, Jules is bumped into by a fellow customer who apologizes profusely. She recognizes him as her favorite author, Patrick Reagan. Jules gushes and thoroughly embarrasses herself before Regan graciously talks with her.
And that’s the last thing she remembers—until she wakes up in a strange room with a splitting headache. She’s been kidnapped. And what she discovers will change everything she believed about her husband’s death . . . her career . . . and her faith.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 22, 2013
32 people are currently reading
774 people want to read
About the author
Rene Gutteridge
44 books270 followersRene Gutteridge is the award-winning and best-selling author of more than eighteen novels, including the beloved Boo Series and Heart of the Country, her novelization release with director John Ward and Tyndale House Publishers. Her recent suspense titles include Listen, Possession and the award-winning Seven Hours project Escapement. She's been published by Bethany House, Tyndale House, WaterBrook Press, Thomas Nelson and B&H and novelized the successful motion picture The Ultimate Gift. She is teaming again with screenwriter Cheryl McKay for the romantic comedy Greetings from the Flipside from B&H and releasing her new suspense title, Misery Loves Company from Tyndale in 2013. Her romantic comedy Never the Bride won the 2010 Carol Award for Best Women’s Fiction. Her upcoming literary projects include the novelization of the motion picture Old Fashioned with Tyndale House Publishers and filmmaker Rik Swartzwelder.
Her adaptation of her novel My Life as a Doormat is in development with Kingdom Pictures and she is also a creative consultant for Boo, a film based on her best-selling novel, in development at Sodium Entertainment with Cory Edwards attached as director and Andrea Nasfell as screenwriter. She is also co-writer in a collaborative comedy project called Last Resort with screenwriters Torry Martin and Marshal Younger. Her screenplay Skid is currently in production and scheduled to begin filming in April of 2013. Find her on Facebook and Twitter or at her website, www.renegutteridge.com
Her adaptation of her novel My Life as a Doormat is in development with Kingdom Pictures and she is also a creative consultant for Boo, a film based on her best-selling novel, in development at Sodium Entertainment with Cory Edwards attached as director and Andrea Nasfell as screenwriter. She is also co-writer in a collaborative comedy project called Last Resort with screenwriters Torry Martin and Marshal Younger. Her screenplay Skid is currently in production and scheduled to begin filming in April of 2013. Find her on Facebook and Twitter or at her website, www.renegutteridge.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
April 15, 2019
I grabbed my copy expecting a fairly light read. Don’t know why I had that impression, because the subjects are pretty weighty. Loss, police issues, and partial insanity, among others! Jules, a blogger, gets kidnapped by an author. Is he good or bad, and what does he plan to do with her?
The questions of what is going on in that scrambled mind of the author and how Jules hopes to escape are the main parts of the book, though Chris back home has an interesting thread of his own.
The book surprised me in a good way and was a quick read.
The questions of what is going on in that scrambled mind of the author and how Jules hopes to escape are the main parts of the book, though Chris back home has an interesting thread of his own.
The book surprised me in a good way and was a quick read.
September 25, 2020
3.5 stars
I was surprised at how much I liked this one. I have liked quite a few of Gutteridge's previous books, but some I have really disliked. I love the premise--book blogger kidnapped by an author, think the reverse of Misery! It's an intriguing premise and a quick read overall. Recommended.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy.
I was surprised at how much I liked this one. I have liked quite a few of Gutteridge's previous books, but some I have really disliked. I love the premise--book blogger kidnapped by an author, think the reverse of Misery! It's an intriguing premise and a quick read overall. Recommended.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy.
August 20, 2016
I forced myself to continue listening to this book until about 2/3 of the way through before finally giving up on it. I just wasn't enjoying it at all so I felt that 5 1/2 hours was enough time wasted on a book that I found to be, more than anything, simply boring and annoying.
August 5, 2014
Novels earn my reader’s heart respect if they can be unique within a genre, and to top it off, be entertaining. That is what I found in this quirky “cozy mystery” from renowned author Rene Gutteridge. It tells the story of a woman named Jules whose life is something akin to that of a recluse following the tragic death of her law enforcement husband. Instead of keeping in touch with her friends and family, Jules spends her days reading and blogging about said books with an occasional routine trip to the grocery store. When a normal trip to the market leads Jules to meet her favorite author, things get sketchy when the next thing she knows, Jules wakes up in a unfamiliar surroundings with a captor. Very unusual to her routine, Jules disappearance leads her concerned father to reach out to his son-in-law’s former partner, Chris to find and return his daughter safely.
Whoever nominated this book in the 2014 INSPYs, you deserve a shout-out. That nomination ensured I actually read this – and I’ll admit that while it did sound fun, it wasn’t a book I was prioritizing – but boy, am I glad I did. Anyone going into this expecting the tradition of Dani Pettrey or Lynette Eason will be disappointed. This novel is a simpler mystery that’s more “cozy” than breath-catching. It’s not so much the adrenaline rush as it is a “need” to continue reading in order to piece together the puzzle (a mental stimulation) of why Jules in in the predicament she is – and more importantly, what point her kidnapper is trying to make. Because of this the story may read “slower” than the average mystery, but let me tell you, I was riveted. This is one of those books I didn’t want to see end and rarely, if ever, came across as ill-timed or poorly plotted.
If you like mysteries that don't use the same ideals or are comfortable being "stuck" in a formulas, check this one out. It's quite memorable and contrary to what you might think, I can assure you, the topic has nothing to do with my positive review. I promise. *wink*
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this novel in contemplation for the 2014 INSPYs.
Whoever nominated this book in the 2014 INSPYs, you deserve a shout-out. That nomination ensured I actually read this – and I’ll admit that while it did sound fun, it wasn’t a book I was prioritizing – but boy, am I glad I did. Anyone going into this expecting the tradition of Dani Pettrey or Lynette Eason will be disappointed. This novel is a simpler mystery that’s more “cozy” than breath-catching. It’s not so much the adrenaline rush as it is a “need” to continue reading in order to piece together the puzzle (a mental stimulation) of why Jules in in the predicament she is – and more importantly, what point her kidnapper is trying to make. Because of this the story may read “slower” than the average mystery, but let me tell you, I was riveted. This is one of those books I didn’t want to see end and rarely, if ever, came across as ill-timed or poorly plotted.
If you like mysteries that don't use the same ideals or are comfortable being "stuck" in a formulas, check this one out. It's quite memorable and contrary to what you might think, I can assure you, the topic has nothing to do with my positive review. I promise. *wink*
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this novel in contemplation for the 2014 INSPYs.
July 11, 2013
A genuine page turner, that’s what this book is, a genuine page turner. I read Misery Loves Company in one sitting. Page after page I turned into the early morning hours. In my opinion, a book that causes me to keep turning the pages, until there are no pages left to turn, is exceptional and quite excellent.
I found a lot of similarities between me and Jules, more than I would have ever imagined. It was as if someone had been watching me and wrote a store based on me and my life, that is how similar the character of Jules was to me and my own real life. Truly amazing!
In addition to Jules, I also felt a deep compassion for Patrick. Patrick and Jules are two people I did not want to depart from or say “Goodbye” to when the last page was reached.
Within these pages are people who may not have truly known God and the peace that He gives. However, they learn to give in and cry out to God. By doing so they see His grace, power, and peace envelope them and their situation.
It has been such a long time since I have read fiction. I usually gravitate towards the non-fiction titles. However, this time I am so happy that I made the choice to step into the fictitious world which Rene Gutteridge has made with Misery Loves Company. Thank you Rene! Thank you for letting me get to know Jules and Patrick, in experiencing their lives from a distance.
I highly recommend Misery Loves Company!
Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.
I found a lot of similarities between me and Jules, more than I would have ever imagined. It was as if someone had been watching me and wrote a store based on me and my life, that is how similar the character of Jules was to me and my own real life. Truly amazing!
In addition to Jules, I also felt a deep compassion for Patrick. Patrick and Jules are two people I did not want to depart from or say “Goodbye” to when the last page was reached.
Within these pages are people who may not have truly known God and the peace that He gives. However, they learn to give in and cry out to God. By doing so they see His grace, power, and peace envelope them and their situation.
It has been such a long time since I have read fiction. I usually gravitate towards the non-fiction titles. However, this time I am so happy that I made the choice to step into the fictitious world which Rene Gutteridge has made with Misery Loves Company. Thank you Rene! Thank you for letting me get to know Jules and Patrick, in experiencing their lives from a distance.
I highly recommend Misery Loves Company!
Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.
October 31, 2014
The story as a whole was good. I really enjoyed how the book shifted to right after the kidnapping so that the reader was on the same footing as the characters in trying to figure out what had happened. I liked the fact that the bad guy wasn't a homicidal maniac. Sometimes those are fun books, but the characters in them are often so unrealistic it's difficult to feel invested in the story. This book wasn't about what new tortures the bad guy could think up, but rather what was going on in his marginally-sane mind. The main woman character seemed realistic as well, balancing trying to do and say what she thinks her kidnapper wants and erupting in frustration. She was braver than I in some of her outbursts.
I've never read a Christian suspense/mystery book and wasn't expecting it. I felt most of the Christian aspects were forced. Some seemed natural, like a widow wondering if her husband would still be alive if she had prayed for him. Almost every other time when religion was brought in, it seemed out of place in that the conversations and the religious doubts the characters had are nothing like those of real nonbelievers. This issue even extended to word choice: I have never in my life heard a nonbeliever refer to God as "the Creator" or "the One".
The book lost some of its appeal at the end. Suddenly, events become stereotypical and unrealistic, with near deaths every other page. Characters who have been severely wounded are running around like they only sprained a wrist. What was a long dangerous road to navigate while in perfect health is suddenly no problem for someone gravely wounded and repeatedly almost passing out.
Finally, unrelated to the content of the book at all, I really loved the cover. Truly a piece of art!
I've never read a Christian suspense/mystery book and wasn't expecting it. I felt most of the Christian aspects were forced. Some seemed natural, like a widow wondering if her husband would still be alive if she had prayed for him. Almost every other time when religion was brought in, it seemed out of place in that the conversations and the religious doubts the characters had are nothing like those of real nonbelievers. This issue even extended to word choice: I have never in my life heard a nonbeliever refer to God as "the Creator" or "the One".
The book lost some of its appeal at the end. Suddenly, events become stereotypical and unrealistic, with near deaths every other page. Characters who have been severely wounded are running around like they only sprained a wrist. What was a long dangerous road to navigate while in perfect health is suddenly no problem for someone gravely wounded and repeatedly almost passing out.
Finally, unrelated to the content of the book at all, I really loved the cover. Truly a piece of art!
October 5, 2014
Should be titled "A beginners guide to Stockholm syndrome"
I couldn't help but roll my eyes through 90% of this book.
Well written in some parts but melodramatic and boring in others.
In the end I didn't care about the characters and the actual ending was everything you were expecting. I was never really shocked about any of the 'twists' and am glad to have finished it.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes through 90% of this book.
Well written in some parts but melodramatic and boring in others.
In the end I didn't care about the characters and the actual ending was everything you were expecting. I was never really shocked about any of the 'twists' and am glad to have finished it.
June 7, 2019
***One of my favorite reads of 2019***
January 6, 2015
Review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1NI4J2R...
Misery Loves Company was a very good read. Different from what I expected going in, but still great. I loved how Jules, the main character, was a blogger and reviewed books monthly on her blog.
Patrick was an interesting character. It was a little hard to understand him and his reasoning for doing some of the things he did completely, but I guess that's what made him such an intriguing character.
There was a sliver of romance in Misery Loves Company, not much - which I really liked for a change.
While I wasn't surprised by a lot of things in Misery Loves Company, there was one thing in the story I didn't expect at all!
Overall, Misery Loves Company was a interesting book that held my attention. I recommend it to fans of suspense/mystery novels.
*I received a complimentary eBook copy of this book from NetGalley for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
Misery Loves Company was a very good read. Different from what I expected going in, but still great. I loved how Jules, the main character, was a blogger and reviewed books monthly on her blog.
Patrick was an interesting character. It was a little hard to understand him and his reasoning for doing some of the things he did completely, but I guess that's what made him such an intriguing character.
There was a sliver of romance in Misery Loves Company, not much - which I really liked for a change.
While I wasn't surprised by a lot of things in Misery Loves Company, there was one thing in the story I didn't expect at all!
Overall, Misery Loves Company was a interesting book that held my attention. I recommend it to fans of suspense/mystery novels.
*I received a complimentary eBook copy of this book from NetGalley for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
June 27, 2018
I was a couple of chapters into this book when something made me check the publisher. Tyndale House. As a former bookstore manager, I am quite familiar with them, but I generally don't read anything they publish because I am not at all religious. So I will just say that if you like fiction that is Christianity-oriented, you will probably like this book. I didn't.
November 7, 2018
Suspenseful, creepy, and page turning. From the start I was drawn into this suspenseful story. Just the creepiness of Jules’ abductor for most of the story kept me on my toes. What did he want from her? Would he kill her? Full review is at my website.
I received this book complimentary in a giveaway. I was not required to give a review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are my own.
I received this book complimentary in a giveaway. I was not required to give a review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are my own.
August 8, 2013
Juliet Belleno has rarely left her home since her police officer husband was murdered in the line of duty a couple years ago. She spends most of her time on her blog and Facebook page. When she runs into her favorite author at the grocery store, she's thrilled to be able to talk to him. And that's the last thing that she remembers until she wakes up in a strange room. Why is she here? The bigger question is where is she? And why does the man who is holding her insist that she has something to learn? Sergent Chris Downey is determined to find her. After all he promised his best friend and her late husband he'd look after Jules. But as the clues to her whereabouts lead to seemingly dead end after dead end, Chris uncovers some information about Jason's death that has him more determined to find Jules. But the clock is ticking. For all involved.
It's been a while since I read a book written by Rene Gutteridge. I'd forgotten how suspenseful her books are. This one literally kept me guessing throughout. I wasn't sure how Jules's kidnapping would connect with Chris's investigation and I sure didn't see the way that they connect coming! Juliet had to learn some painful lessons including how to fully trust God. I won't giveaway the reasons she was kidnapped or who kidnapped her, but trust me when I say this is a book worth reading!
I received this the Kindle edition of this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Recommended to fans of suspense, mysteries, thrillers, Colleen Coble, Steven James, DiAnn Mills
I also read this as part of the Tyndale Summer Reading Program.
Rating - 4.5 stars. Which I'll round up to 5 stars.
It's been a while since I read a book written by Rene Gutteridge. I'd forgotten how suspenseful her books are. This one literally kept me guessing throughout. I wasn't sure how Jules's kidnapping would connect with Chris's investigation and I sure didn't see the way that they connect coming! Juliet had to learn some painful lessons including how to fully trust God. I won't giveaway the reasons she was kidnapped or who kidnapped her, but trust me when I say this is a book worth reading!
I received this the Kindle edition of this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Recommended to fans of suspense, mysteries, thrillers, Colleen Coble, Steven James, DiAnn Mills
I also read this as part of the Tyndale Summer Reading Program.
Rating - 4.5 stars. Which I'll round up to 5 stars.
August 27, 2013
Misery Loves Company is a suspenseful novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page. Jules is a young widow who mostly keeps to herself since the death of her husband, Jason. Chris a police officer who used to be Jason’s partner until he was found murdered. Patrick Reagan is a famous writer whose novels are on the best seller’s list. Jules is the type of person that follows a strict routine: she rises at the same time everyday, shops at the same store at a specific time each week, and she writes a blog daily. After she reviews Patrick Reagan’s latest novel on her blog, she goes missing and her alcoholic father demands that Chris and the police department find her. As Chris searches for Jules, he stumbles upon the last case that Jason was solving and he finds a link between Jason’s murder and his last case. As Chris looks for Jules and tries to find out who murdered Jason, Jules is having an unforgettable time with her captor, who claims that he kidnapped her not to harm her, but to teach her a lesson she needs to learn. Then, when Chris finally figures out the chilling truth behind Jason’s murder, the location of where Jules has been taken, and how Patrick Reagan fits into the whole situation, mayhem results threatening the lives of Jules, Patrick, and Chris. I really loved reading this book. There was just the right amount of mystery to keep you interested in reading and the characters just leapt off the page. After reading this book, I look forward to reading other books written by this author.
March 1, 2014
This was the first novel I’ve read by Rene Gutteridge, and I’m hooked. The story gripped me without release, often keeping me up well into the night, until I reached the very satisfying end.
Jules Belleno, a talented writer who appears to have little drive for anything but blogging, eating, and sleeping, experiences a terrifying adventure that rocks her to her core, and in doing so, awakens the part of her she’s suppressed for way too long. Captured by an author she once greatly admired, she’s forced to find inner strength and a reason to go on. Held hostage in a secret, remote cabin barricaded in by trees and brutal cold, her fear of death stirs within her a desire to live.
This novel is one of the most captivating, disturbing, hope-infusing stories I’ve read. Ever. There were times my fingertips literally grew sweaty, my stomach churned, and my pulse raced as I wondered if this poor, broken girl would survive. As to Patrick Reagan, the literary genius turned kidnapper, I held as much fear of him and empathy for him as Jules did. Was he crazy? If not crazy yet, would he become it before the novels end? And yet, having experienced with him the death of his wife, could I blame him if he did lose his sanity?
In Misery Loves Company, Ms. Gutteridge masterfully created a villain I couldn’t hate and a “victim” I admired. Needless to say, I am now a committed Gutteridge fan!
Jules Belleno, a talented writer who appears to have little drive for anything but blogging, eating, and sleeping, experiences a terrifying adventure that rocks her to her core, and in doing so, awakens the part of her she’s suppressed for way too long. Captured by an author she once greatly admired, she’s forced to find inner strength and a reason to go on. Held hostage in a secret, remote cabin barricaded in by trees and brutal cold, her fear of death stirs within her a desire to live.
This novel is one of the most captivating, disturbing, hope-infusing stories I’ve read. Ever. There were times my fingertips literally grew sweaty, my stomach churned, and my pulse raced as I wondered if this poor, broken girl would survive. As to Patrick Reagan, the literary genius turned kidnapper, I held as much fear of him and empathy for him as Jules did. Was he crazy? If not crazy yet, would he become it before the novels end? And yet, having experienced with him the death of his wife, could I blame him if he did lose his sanity?
In Misery Loves Company, Ms. Gutteridge masterfully created a villain I couldn’t hate and a “victim” I admired. Needless to say, I am now a committed Gutteridge fan!
March 12, 2014
For some reason, I seem to be attracted to Ms. Gutteridge's books that deal with writing. The first novel I read by her was Ghost Writer which was about an author receiving anonymous pages by someone writing in great detail about his life. I love those things that have some insight into the writing world and putting twists on them is great fun.
Misery Loves Company is Misery (by Stephen King) in reverse and I wonder if the title is a play on that book's title!
You should stop reading now as this review might contain spoilers.
A book reviewer suddenly pops up missing. Involved in her disappearance is a well-known author. Just why he's taken her becomes the real crux of the mystery. Does he have information on why her police husband was killed in the line of duty?
I really did like this book but some things kept me from loving it. The villain was just never consistent vacillating between fatherly and mentally ill. It really felt like he was more misguided than evil especially when his goal for taking her seems to be to pass the baton of his writing career to another and he was never punished for his crimes at the end of the book. I didn't feel like the suspense element was fully realized.
An engaging tale with an intriguing plot concept but not as scary as I prefer. I think readers who enjoy a gentler suspense read will find the novel enjoyable.
Misery Loves Company is Misery (by Stephen King) in reverse and I wonder if the title is a play on that book's title!
You should stop reading now as this review might contain spoilers.
A book reviewer suddenly pops up missing. Involved in her disappearance is a well-known author. Just why he's taken her becomes the real crux of the mystery. Does he have information on why her police husband was killed in the line of duty?
I really did like this book but some things kept me from loving it. The villain was just never consistent vacillating between fatherly and mentally ill. It really felt like he was more misguided than evil especially when his goal for taking her seems to be to pass the baton of his writing career to another and he was never punished for his crimes at the end of the book. I didn't feel like the suspense element was fully realized.
An engaging tale with an intriguing plot concept but not as scary as I prefer. I think readers who enjoy a gentler suspense read will find the novel enjoyable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2013
Misery Loves Company
By Rene Gutteridge
If you liked Stephen King’s movie/book Misery, then I think you’ll like this. It has some similarities (thriller, danger, writers, etc.) Quite a page-turner.
It may seem strange to comment on the appearance and feel of this book, but its uniqueness deserves a mention. The large font is easy to read, I like the picture at the beginning of each chapter, and the cover is interesting and has a smooth texture.
Don’t let the fact that it’s a faith-based book fool you into thinking it’s a light, feel-good book. It’s not. It’s a wonderfully fast-paced suspense story that deals with corruption, kidnapping, and murder (among other things.) There isn’t any foul language etc., but I feel the targeted reader base is the more mature reader.
Cover: Like it
Title: Love it
Publisher: Tyndale Publishers
Pages: 338
Pace: Steady
First Line: In the early morning hours, with the stars dotted across a fading black sky, the air was still and thick and shadowless.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a Review Copy free from the Tyndale blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The options I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
By Rene Gutteridge
If you liked Stephen King’s movie/book Misery, then I think you’ll like this. It has some similarities (thriller, danger, writers, etc.) Quite a page-turner.
It may seem strange to comment on the appearance and feel of this book, but its uniqueness deserves a mention. The large font is easy to read, I like the picture at the beginning of each chapter, and the cover is interesting and has a smooth texture.
Don’t let the fact that it’s a faith-based book fool you into thinking it’s a light, feel-good book. It’s not. It’s a wonderfully fast-paced suspense story that deals with corruption, kidnapping, and murder (among other things.) There isn’t any foul language etc., but I feel the targeted reader base is the more mature reader.
Cover: Like it
Title: Love it
Publisher: Tyndale Publishers
Pages: 338
Pace: Steady
First Line: In the early morning hours, with the stars dotted across a fading black sky, the air was still and thick and shadowless.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a Review Copy free from the Tyndale blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The options I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
July 30, 2013
Rene Gutteridge isn't an author that I have read many books by, but I have been impressed by the ones that I have read, and this one may be her best yet.
I don't normally read Stephen King books, and in fact have only read one in my life (I was on vacation and bored and the vacation house had books). That book was Misery. In it, a woman kidnaps her favorite author and puts him through a pretty bad time. This book sounds like the opposite of that book, for in this book, a woman is kidnapped by her favorite author. But there the similarities end.
Among other differences in the two books, in this one, the whole story does not involve just the author and the kidnapped woman. There are people looking for her, and they are also trying to solve her husband's murder.
I did read this book in one sitting and had a hard time putting it down. It was very suspenseful, yet had a great Christian element to it. The plot was different enough from the Stephen King book to be original and was a real page turner. It was a book I was sad to see end, but I had that great feeling after reading a good book, that it was worth my time. Rene has outdone herself with this new novel. Great job.
I don't normally read Stephen King books, and in fact have only read one in my life (I was on vacation and bored and the vacation house had books). That book was Misery. In it, a woman kidnaps her favorite author and puts him through a pretty bad time. This book sounds like the opposite of that book, for in this book, a woman is kidnapped by her favorite author. But there the similarities end.
Among other differences in the two books, in this one, the whole story does not involve just the author and the kidnapped woman. There are people looking for her, and they are also trying to solve her husband's murder.
I did read this book in one sitting and had a hard time putting it down. It was very suspenseful, yet had a great Christian element to it. The plot was different enough from the Stephen King book to be original and was a real page turner. It was a book I was sad to see end, but I had that great feeling after reading a good book, that it was worth my time. Rene has outdone herself with this new novel. Great job.
November 21, 2014
Juliet Belleno is a young widow of a police officer who was killed on duty. Grief stricken, she becomes a reclusive blogger making little contact with the outside world after her husband's death. After a trip to the store, she awakens in a strange room. She discovers her abductor is her favorite author whose mental state is anything but stable! He begins a slow process of revelations about her husband's death that begin to change her perception of all she thought to be true.
The book was slow to interest me but once I got into it, it was very interesting. We had a good Book Club discussion about it.
Although the consensus of the group was that it was a good book, several members of our club mentioned that it was not really inspirational. I thought the discussion questions were much more inspirational and thought-provoking than the book.
The book was slow to interest me but once I got into it, it was very interesting. We had a good Book Club discussion about it.
Although the consensus of the group was that it was a good book, several members of our club mentioned that it was not really inspirational. I thought the discussion questions were much more inspirational and thought-provoking than the book.
October 4, 2015
This was a very odd book - I thought it was going to be a total Stephen King Misery knockoff and nearly stopped after chapter 5, but decided to give it a bit more time. I'm glad I did, as I enjoyed the story overall, but the ending was just too dramatic AND rather unsatisfying.
The faith element in the story is shallow and frankly rather clunky.
The faith element in the story is shallow and frankly rather clunky.
September 13, 2016
This is the first book I've read by Rene Gutteridge. I enjoyed the mystery in the book and had fun trying to guess the outcome. Early on I thought I had it all figured out only to discover I was wrong about most of it. The only negative about the book would be that while the story seemed to move along at a steady pace, the ending seemed too rushed to me. All in all, I really liked the book and recommend it to fans of mystery/suspense.
March 17, 2015
A very interesting story about a writer who gets kidnapped by her own favorite author...who claims his terrible action is for her own good. Will Jules figure out the reason for her kidnapping before her captor goes totally insane? A fun read and probably worth 3 1/2 stars, if I could give that.
September 11, 2013
AWESOME !!
October 28, 2020
Okay, this book was not what I thought it was, but a really interesting story!
Imagine on the day you write a negative review of your favorite author, you find yourself kidnapped by the very author!
Like, wow, that had my attention!
I listened to the audio version of this book and I was completely pulled into the story. Without trying to give too much away, I really enjoyed how the author led me to think one thing and then in the end she pulled a twist that I did not see coming. I liked the originality of this story and took a look into the work of writing, publishing, grief and corruption. A very interesting combination!
Very unique story and I love that in the suspense genre!
Imagine on the day you write a negative review of your favorite author, you find yourself kidnapped by the very author!
Like, wow, that had my attention!
I listened to the audio version of this book and I was completely pulled into the story. Without trying to give too much away, I really enjoyed how the author led me to think one thing and then in the end she pulled a twist that I did not see coming. I liked the originality of this story and took a look into the work of writing, publishing, grief and corruption. A very interesting combination!
Very unique story and I love that in the suspense genre!
July 19, 2021
“Don’t tell me it’s terrifying, terrify me.”
Just like Juliet in this book, I wanted to tell Rene this line. I expected a suspenseful turn of events, a brutal antagonist, and a bloody red plot but Rene just dropped all of it. The intro started right, going straight into actions but the next chapters and events just felt jejune, boring, and so predictable. The ending of the story is like all other stories of an abducted woman being rescued by superhero police and they ended up together, tell me that's not cliché!
Just like Juliet in this book, I wanted to tell Rene this line. I expected a suspenseful turn of events, a brutal antagonist, and a bloody red plot but Rene just dropped all of it. The intro started right, going straight into actions but the next chapters and events just felt jejune, boring, and so predictable. The ending of the story is like all other stories of an abducted woman being rescued by superhero police and they ended up together, tell me that's not cliché!
August 27, 2018
What a page turner! I kept saying "last chapter" on a Saturday night and couldn't help but continue when I realized I couldn't sleep until I got answers. The characters got my empathy and I love how the title really fits the story.
If only people could have someone who's exactly in the same shoes as them, who'd really understand their grief as much as the other and both could teach and learn from each other. Maybe then it wouldn't be so hard to grive alone.
If only people could have someone who's exactly in the same shoes as them, who'd really understand their grief as much as the other and both could teach and learn from each other. Maybe then it wouldn't be so hard to grive alone.
November 28, 2020
This is a different kind of suspense story. I have had this book on my bookshelf for quite a while and just didn’t have much desire to read it. And even when I picked it up to read I didn’t want to start it. But knowing I needed to read and clear it off my TBR list I started it and Wow! I could hardly put it down from wondering what in the world was going on and what was going to happen. So many twists involved in this kidnapping. Not at all what I expected. I simply loved this book.
March 19, 2020
I enjoyed this book because it was a different kind of plot than the usual mysteries and thrillers. The characters were well-developed. There were some typos, misspellings, and punctuation errors; otherwise, I would have given it more stars.
I would like to read more books by Ms. Gutteridge. I hope she will get a professional editor for her future books.
I would like to read more books by Ms. Gutteridge. I hope she will get a professional editor for her future books.
May 21, 2024
I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had read it but I listened to the audio book. It was too many corny jokes and too much whiny drama for my taste. Story was okay for the most part and well written so you could picture what was happening. I did finish it despite falling asleep listening to it several time.
September 12, 2017
Enjoyable
This isn't the first novel I have read by this author and indeed it won't be the last. Highly recommended. It flows so seamlessly and smoothly. It made me sigh when I'd finished reading it. A big fat sigh of contentment!
This isn't the first novel I have read by this author and indeed it won't be the last. Highly recommended. It flows so seamlessly and smoothly. It made me sigh when I'd finished reading it. A big fat sigh of contentment!
July 22, 2022
I loved this book!! This was probably the most unique story that had me entrenched from the beginning! I’ve read this author’s other books that were full of comedy, but I really enjoyed this more serious book as well!
She is a wonderful author!
She is a wonderful author!
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