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Aftershock #4
Backwoods
The more you trust, the more you risk…
When plans for a wilderness retreat with her teenage daughter Brooke go awry, Abby Hammond reluctantly pairs up with Brooke's stepbrother and his dad, Nathan Strom, for the weeklong trek. The only thing Abby has in common with the bad-boy former pro athlete is that their exes cheated with each other. That…and a visceral attraction that's growing more complicated with every step through the picturesque woods.
Nathan's wild-card reputation lost him his career and his family. After years of regret, he's ready to fight for what truly matters—and that includes Abby's hard-won trust. When Brooke goes missing, Nathan knows he's her best and only hope of rescue. But the deeper into the rugged mountains they go, the more dangerous the territory will prove—for their safety and for their hearts.
When plans for a wilderness retreat with her teenage daughter Brooke go awry, Abby Hammond reluctantly pairs up with Brooke's stepbrother and his dad, Nathan Strom, for the weeklong trek. The only thing Abby has in common with the bad-boy former pro athlete is that their exes cheated with each other. That…and a visceral attraction that's growing more complicated with every step through the picturesque woods.
Nathan's wild-card reputation lost him his career and his family. After years of regret, he's ready to fight for what truly matters—and that includes Abby's hard-won trust. When Brooke goes missing, Nathan knows he's her best and only hope of rescue. But the deeper into the rugged mountains they go, the more dangerous the territory will prove—for their safety and for their hearts.
378 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 2014
23 people are currently reading
725 people want to read
About the author
Jill Sorenson
42 books458 followersJill Sorenson is the RITA-nominated author of more than a dozen novels, including the Aftershock series with HQN.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
March 19, 2014
Totally different from the other stories in the series. Definitely was not what I expected from Aftershock series. 30% suspense and 70% romance, can you believe it?
Still, JS writes a great story and dialogues so I enjoyed this nevertheless.
Hooked on this series, 4 stars.
Still, JS writes a great story and dialogues so I enjoyed this nevertheless.
Hooked on this series, 4 stars.
May 9, 2017
I've been enjoying Jill Sorenson's Aftershock series for the past three books, and while they aren't necessarily my favorite reads, they are exciting and attention-hooking, to the point that the books become un-put-down-able. Sorenson always jumps right into the action, with an earthquake burying San Diego in the first book, a plane crash and a loose killer in the second, and a kidnapping of the main characters into the harsh California badlands in the third.
Backwoods felt kind of tame and mellow in comparison. Though to be fair, we DO get a glimpse of what's to come when Abby keeps dropping news article mentions about missing young girls and a dead body or two in the area she and her daughter and company will be hiking around.
And to be totally honest, I get that you shouldn't wrap yourself in a bubble just because some bad things happen in life, but shouldn't we also be a bit more cautious if young girls keep going missing in the same area within a certain time frame. I'm no advocate of coincidences, honestly, and so that just screams SERIAL KILLER RAPIST to me. But then again, I've maybe read one two many crime thrillers, and grew up with a very paranoid mother who makes sure to lock the doors all the time and calls you regularly when you're out with friends just to make sure you're not lying in a ditch somewhere.
Anyway, logic aside, that was only one of the reasons I didn't find Backwoods as enjoyable as the other three Aftershock books. To be totally honest, our entire crew of characters is just a walking TSTL team waiting to happen, and that's only because they are letting a socially and sexually unaware eighteen year old girl lead them. I'm not saying that eighteen year old girls aren't capable of leading a group into the wilderness for a nice few days of hiking--obviously Brooke knows what she's doing and can organize a mean hiking expedition with the best of them.
But when she stopped to talk to two strangers, completely ignorant of the leering looks one of them was giving her, and then proceeded to tell said strangers where she and crew were heading... Well, girl you might as well just throw yourself into their arms and ask to be kidnapped if you're going to outline your entire trip, including bathroom breaks to people you don't know.
Once again... A lot of young women have gone missing in this area. If Abby weren't so paranoid, and if Nathan hadn't cut Brooke's conversation off, I'm not sure Brooke would have made it very far in her hiking endeavors.
Anyway...
The book actually starts off pretty slow with a lot of family drama that seriously feels like a dysfunctional family soap. Nathan's wife Lydia cheated on him with Abby's husband; Abby walked in on her husband Ray going at it with Lydia. Now their two respective kids seem to be fighting an intense case of teenage hormones for each other... and then Abby and Nathan end up getting it on. Later on, we even find out that Ray cheated on Lydia and another divorce is in the works.
Meanwhile, our group spends their time trying to keep the peace while hiking around in the wilderness--a trip that is supposed to take at least three days with no contact with the outside world. Meanwhile, a lot of young women have gone missing from this location... Have I already mentioned that?
And Brooke is all, "Stop being so paranoid, Mom. Nothing is going to happen."
Famous last words.
Backwoods had a promising premise. I just wish I could scrounge up enough care for the characters to like this book more. The rest of the book really was pretty exciting and intense. And as per Jill Sorenson standards, the story was fast-paced; I rolled through it pretty quickly.
The characters, mainly, were the most frustrating and I had trouble relating with them. In fact, I don't even think I was able to like any of the characters, which, while isn't a first for me, is not exactly a very common thing. Sometimes, there's at least one or two characters I can find some like for. Unfortunately, Backwoods is not one of those books.
So... probably if not for the fact that the book was written well and the story was not bad, I probably would have given this book a much lower rating. Call me biased--I DO like Jill Sorenson and her books, and the Aftershock series is an overall enjoyable one.
***
Booklikes-opoly
Roll #7:
This book takes place in California.
Page Count: 378
Cash Award: $3.00
Updated Bank Balance: $39.00
See Also: Freebie Roll Activities
Backwoods felt kind of tame and mellow in comparison. Though to be fair, we DO get a glimpse of what's to come when Abby keeps dropping news article mentions about missing young girls and a dead body or two in the area she and her daughter and company will be hiking around.
And to be totally honest, I get that you shouldn't wrap yourself in a bubble just because some bad things happen in life, but shouldn't we also be a bit more cautious if young girls keep going missing in the same area within a certain time frame. I'm no advocate of coincidences, honestly, and so that just screams SERIAL KILLER RAPIST to me. But then again, I've maybe read one two many crime thrillers, and grew up with a very paranoid mother who makes sure to lock the doors all the time and calls you regularly when you're out with friends just to make sure you're not lying in a ditch somewhere.
Anyway, logic aside, that was only one of the reasons I didn't find Backwoods as enjoyable as the other three Aftershock books. To be totally honest, our entire crew of characters is just a walking TSTL team waiting to happen, and that's only because they are letting a socially and sexually unaware eighteen year old girl lead them. I'm not saying that eighteen year old girls aren't capable of leading a group into the wilderness for a nice few days of hiking--obviously Brooke knows what she's doing and can organize a mean hiking expedition with the best of them.
But when she stopped to talk to two strangers, completely ignorant of the leering looks one of them was giving her, and then proceeded to tell said strangers where she and crew were heading... Well, girl you might as well just throw yourself into their arms and ask to be kidnapped if you're going to outline your entire trip, including bathroom breaks to people you don't know.
Once again... A lot of young women have gone missing in this area. If Abby weren't so paranoid, and if Nathan hadn't cut Brooke's conversation off, I'm not sure Brooke would have made it very far in her hiking endeavors.
Anyway...
The book actually starts off pretty slow with a lot of family drama that seriously feels like a dysfunctional family soap. Nathan's wife Lydia cheated on him with Abby's husband; Abby walked in on her husband Ray going at it with Lydia. Now their two respective kids seem to be fighting an intense case of teenage hormones for each other... and then Abby and Nathan end up getting it on. Later on, we even find out that Ray cheated on Lydia and another divorce is in the works.
Meanwhile, our group spends their time trying to keep the peace while hiking around in the wilderness--a trip that is supposed to take at least three days with no contact with the outside world. Meanwhile, a lot of young women have gone missing from this location... Have I already mentioned that?
And Brooke is all, "Stop being so paranoid, Mom. Nothing is going to happen."
Famous last words.
Backwoods had a promising premise. I just wish I could scrounge up enough care for the characters to like this book more. The rest of the book really was pretty exciting and intense. And as per Jill Sorenson standards, the story was fast-paced; I rolled through it pretty quickly.
The characters, mainly, were the most frustrating and I had trouble relating with them. In fact, I don't even think I was able to like any of the characters, which, while isn't a first for me, is not exactly a very common thing. Sometimes, there's at least one or two characters I can find some like for. Unfortunately, Backwoods is not one of those books.
So... probably if not for the fact that the book was written well and the story was not bad, I probably would have given this book a much lower rating. Call me biased--I DO like Jill Sorenson and her books, and the Aftershock series is an overall enjoyable one.
***
Booklikes-opoly
Roll #7:
This book takes place in California.
Page Count: 378
Cash Award: $3.00
Updated Bank Balance: $39.00
See Also: Freebie Roll Activities
May 27, 2014
My Review:
For the first half of the reading of this book, I felt like I was watching a horror movie. They are hiking in the woods and you know something bad is going to happen, but just don't know when it's going to occur. That sense of suspense was definitely there for me throughout the first half of the book and I kind of liked that. With that being said, the build-up to that something happening lasted so long...it felt a bit anti-climatic when it did happen because "the bad thing" just wasn't that momentous of an event in the book. In fact, the actual first contact happened off the page and the reader didn't find out about it until a couple of hours after it happened. After all that build-up, I just expected some heart-pounding action and suspense and danger. Don't get me wrong...there was some of that, but what was there was fairly shortly lived in the book. But that was my only real complaint about the book. The rest of it was really good.
There were two romantic stories in the book....Nathan and Abby; and Leo and Brooke. They are on a backwoods backpacking trip. The only one who's truly excited about being there is Brooke...everyone else ended up there through a bizarre set of circumstances. 18 yo Brooke and 19 yo Leo are step-siblings. Leo's in trouble with his parents and he's been forced to come because they hold the purse strings. He's also incredibly attracted to Brooke although knows that the family situation makes them a REALLY bad idea. Nathan is Leo's dad and he fills in for the other set of parents who have to cancel at the last minute. Leo and Nathan do not get along. Abby is Brooke's mom and she came along just because she knows that Brooke's father is unreliable (he's the one who cancelled last minute) and she doesn't want Brooke to end up abandoned somewhere in the forest.
It's an interesting family dynamic. Everyone here is related, but the adults don't know each other at all, even though they are all family. Immediately, there are sparks between Abby and Nathan. But the same thing that is keeping Brooke and Leo apart is holding them back too. They already have a complicated family situation (their ex's are married to each other now) and it will just mire things more for them to become involved. It's really complex, but I liked that. Their reasons for staying apart are good ones, but their circumstances make bonding between them inevitable. This is a high-stress situation where they relied upon one another for life. Before the life-threatening part occurred, they had already connected by friendship and respect. The danger aspect just made them that much closer.
And both Nathan and Abby are great characters. Nathan is a recovering alcoholic. He knows that his marriage fell apart because of his mistakes. He's also made some awful choices as Leo's father. That's one of the things that binds him and Abby. She counsels him a bit about where he's handling his son wrong and hurting both of them. Abby is a survivor from the earthquake. When it happened, Brooke was home alone and Abby was trapped in her car for 3 days. She has lingering mental/stress issues because of that. Nathan helps to see that she isn't weak because of that. I liked the two of them together. This was a great example of a good relationship making each person stronger. They were both definitely better people by knowing each other.
I enjoyed the book. I enjoyed the backwoods setting. (I want those hot springs!) I enjoyed both romantic story lines. I'm hoping that we get to see more of Brooke and Leo after a few years pass. Their story is most definitely not done. As well as Wyatt...I would love to see what Jill Sorenson does with him in the future...she's incredible with wounded scarred characters and that kid most definitely has issues, but you could see his good heart in this one. Definite future hero material.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
For the first half of the reading of this book, I felt like I was watching a horror movie. They are hiking in the woods and you know something bad is going to happen, but just don't know when it's going to occur. That sense of suspense was definitely there for me throughout the first half of the book and I kind of liked that. With that being said, the build-up to that something happening lasted so long...it felt a bit anti-climatic when it did happen because "the bad thing" just wasn't that momentous of an event in the book. In fact, the actual first contact happened off the page and the reader didn't find out about it until a couple of hours after it happened. After all that build-up, I just expected some heart-pounding action and suspense and danger. Don't get me wrong...there was some of that, but what was there was fairly shortly lived in the book. But that was my only real complaint about the book. The rest of it was really good.
There were two romantic stories in the book....Nathan and Abby; and Leo and Brooke. They are on a backwoods backpacking trip. The only one who's truly excited about being there is Brooke...everyone else ended up there through a bizarre set of circumstances. 18 yo Brooke and 19 yo Leo are step-siblings. Leo's in trouble with his parents and he's been forced to come because they hold the purse strings. He's also incredibly attracted to Brooke although knows that the family situation makes them a REALLY bad idea. Nathan is Leo's dad and he fills in for the other set of parents who have to cancel at the last minute. Leo and Nathan do not get along. Abby is Brooke's mom and she came along just because she knows that Brooke's father is unreliable (he's the one who cancelled last minute) and she doesn't want Brooke to end up abandoned somewhere in the forest.
It's an interesting family dynamic. Everyone here is related, but the adults don't know each other at all, even though they are all family. Immediately, there are sparks between Abby and Nathan. But the same thing that is keeping Brooke and Leo apart is holding them back too. They already have a complicated family situation (their ex's are married to each other now) and it will just mire things more for them to become involved. It's really complex, but I liked that. Their reasons for staying apart are good ones, but their circumstances make bonding between them inevitable. This is a high-stress situation where they relied upon one another for life. Before the life-threatening part occurred, they had already connected by friendship and respect. The danger aspect just made them that much closer.
And both Nathan and Abby are great characters. Nathan is a recovering alcoholic. He knows that his marriage fell apart because of his mistakes. He's also made some awful choices as Leo's father. That's one of the things that binds him and Abby. She counsels him a bit about where he's handling his son wrong and hurting both of them. Abby is a survivor from the earthquake. When it happened, Brooke was home alone and Abby was trapped in her car for 3 days. She has lingering mental/stress issues because of that. Nathan helps to see that she isn't weak because of that. I liked the two of them together. This was a great example of a good relationship making each person stronger. They were both definitely better people by knowing each other.
I enjoyed the book. I enjoyed the backwoods setting. (I want those hot springs!) I enjoyed both romantic story lines. I'm hoping that we get to see more of Brooke and Leo after a few years pass. Their story is most definitely not done. As well as Wyatt...I would love to see what Jill Sorenson does with him in the future...she's incredible with wounded scarred characters and that kid most definitely has issues, but you could see his good heart in this one. Definite future hero material.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
May 29, 2014
This was a character driven story about 4 people who end up on a journey of self discovery during a backpacking trip. There was also some suspense of murders that had happened over the years in the woods where they are camping and they unsuspectingly are right in the middle of his hunting ground and he’s watching them.
The characters are a mother and daughter and a father and son. There is a bit of a twist as the two adults had been married to people that had an affair with the other and were now married - which made their collage age kids step siblings.
Both Abby Hammond and Nathan Strom were still trying to put the pieces of their lives back together. Nathan had the most demons as he had been an absentee father and husband for most of his marriage due to being a professional baseball player who when his career ended he spiraled into alcoholism and alienated his family even more. He has been sober for 3 years now but his son has never forgiven him and makes it very hard for Nathan to try and repair the damage. Abby on the outside is a pretty put together woman but on the inside she still suffers anxiety from the earthquake and the blow to her esteem by her husband’s betrayal. She never let that get in the way of her relationship with her daughter though.
These four people go through a lot of emotions out on the trails. Abby and Nathan are attracted to each other but both leery about getting involved but they have some great one on one talks that start the healing process for them both and they form a bond. The kids have been best friends for years with the son doing his best to keep it that way for fear of ruining something good. Their story doesn’t end on happy note so hopefully they will get their own book in the future.
This was more of a love story than the intense action suspense that we got in the first book but the author still keeps your attention throughout with the pain of these 4 people.
The characters are a mother and daughter and a father and son. There is a bit of a twist as the two adults had been married to people that had an affair with the other and were now married - which made their collage age kids step siblings.
Both Abby Hammond and Nathan Strom were still trying to put the pieces of their lives back together. Nathan had the most demons as he had been an absentee father and husband for most of his marriage due to being a professional baseball player who when his career ended he spiraled into alcoholism and alienated his family even more. He has been sober for 3 years now but his son has never forgiven him and makes it very hard for Nathan to try and repair the damage. Abby on the outside is a pretty put together woman but on the inside she still suffers anxiety from the earthquake and the blow to her esteem by her husband’s betrayal. She never let that get in the way of her relationship with her daughter though.
These four people go through a lot of emotions out on the trails. Abby and Nathan are attracted to each other but both leery about getting involved but they have some great one on one talks that start the healing process for them both and they form a bond. The kids have been best friends for years with the son doing his best to keep it that way for fear of ruining something good. Their story doesn’t end on happy note so hopefully they will get their own book in the future.
This was more of a love story than the intense action suspense that we got in the first book but the author still keeps your attention throughout with the pain of these 4 people.
June 17, 2014
The guy on the cover is great, but it was pointed out by his son in the beginning of this book that he was in need of a manscape... Sooo, where's the hair? Minor details bother me, sorry.
Abby goes backpacking with her college bound daughter, her daughter's step-brother & the step-brother's dad. Girls have gone missing & Abby is a little afraid... Most of this story is about Abby & Nathan really liking each other, but skimming away because of their children & the need to repair the damaged relationship between Nathan & his son Leo.
Brooke gets kidnapped, everyone needs to save her & get out of the woods alive... Not as intense as it could have been... Then off to more relationship fixing.
This was a much better story than the first, but it reads like a psychologist trying to write a romance novel/mystery. The story seems on the verge of being a haunting poignant novel, but the author backs of as soon as it gets near that line... It could have been way better, but skirts the touchy subjects. It's always it "almost" happened but didn't.
This is a great book for the reader who is looking for an intense fast paced romantic suspense without having to deal with the emotional trauma of the experience. It is non-graphic in nature & a safe read for those who do not want to be surprised by intense violence.
Abby goes backpacking with her college bound daughter, her daughter's step-brother & the step-brother's dad. Girls have gone missing & Abby is a little afraid... Most of this story is about Abby & Nathan really liking each other, but skimming away because of their children & the need to repair the damaged relationship between Nathan & his son Leo.
Brooke gets kidnapped, everyone needs to save her & get out of the woods alive... Not as intense as it could have been... Then off to more relationship fixing.
This was a much better story than the first, but it reads like a psychologist trying to write a romance novel/mystery. The story seems on the verge of being a haunting poignant novel, but the author backs of as soon as it gets near that line... It could have been way better, but skirts the touchy subjects. It's always it "almost" happened but didn't.
This is a great book for the reader who is looking for an intense fast paced romantic suspense without having to deal with the emotional trauma of the experience. It is non-graphic in nature & a safe read for those who do not want to be surprised by intense violence.
May 28, 2017
You can find this review in English below
Dnf @ 86%
Esta reseña es una de esas que se escriben solas.
Durante toda la historia había algo que no cuadraba, no encajaba, pero me gusta esta serie y quería ser justa. No ha podido ser. Pero lo he intentado, eso seguro.
Tenemos 6 personajes principales (los malos, Nathan, Abby, Brooke y Leo) y todos, absolutamente todos son TSTL. ¿Ves? Fácil…
Poco les pasa para lo que les podría haber pasado. Son tontos hasta los malos. Y poco originales, en fin, lo de siempre, asesinos y violadores de rubias jóvenes y guapas. Esperaba algo más, la verdad.
La premisa es difícil de tragar. Pero bueno, venga, vamos a ver por dónde salen. Y lo peor es que los personajes son interesantes y reales en sus sentimientos y emociones, pasamos un buen tiempo en sus cabezas viendo qué piensan, sienten y quieren. Y es complicado. Son divorciados, un ex alcohólico, otra con serios problemas de confianza y dos adolescente con las hormonas desatadas. Pero en cuanto el suspense entra en juego, todo se viene abajo.
Los malos son planos y sin caracterización. No se sostiene que hayan podido estar tanto tiempo a sus anchas. La autora ha decidido convertir a algunos protagonistas en (mi querido y adorado) McGyver y a los malos les ha hecho una lobotomía. Ha sido insultante. Tan insultante como el hecho de que varias muertes y desapariciones en la zona no hayan sido resueltas ni relacionadas entre sí por la poli pero la protagonista, Abby, lo hace en 5 min y desde su móvil. Pobre polis….
Otra vez nos encontramos con sexo inverosímil, en el peor momento y casi incómodo de leer: Venga hombre…. Increíble. No me lo podía tomar en serio. Y la última gota que colma el vaso es cuando cierta persona va sola a una cabaña para… para hacer el tonto, oiga, porque si
Así que no, si la autora priva a sus personajes de sentido común, la historia ya no tiene ningún sentido (valga la redundancia) para mí.
Una pena porque esta serie me estaba gustando.
***
Dnf @ 86%
This review is one of those that is written by itself.
Throughout the story there was something that did not fit, did not sound right, but I like this series and wanted to be fair. It has been impossible. But I've tried, that's for sure.
There are 6 main characters (the bad guys, Nathan, Abby, Brooke and Leo) and all, absolutely all of them are TSTL. See? Easy…
Even the bad guys are fools. Add to that the unoriginal suspense plot (your usual sickos wanting to rape and kill young, pretty and blond women) and little else. I really was expecting something more.
Plus, the premise is difficult to swallow. But hey, come on, let's see where this goes. Best of all is that the characters are interesting and real in their feelings and emotions, we spend a good time in their heads seeing what they think, feel and want. And it's complicated. They are divorced, an ex-alcoholic, another one with serious self-confidence problems and two teenagers with out-of-control hormones. But as soon as the suspense comes into play, it all comes crashing down.
The bad guys are flat and lack characterization. It is a miracle that they have been able to spend so much time without being arrested or killed. The author has decided to turn the heroine into (my beloved) McGyver and the bad guys have been lobotomized. It has been insulting. As insulting as the fact that several deaths and disappearances of women in the area have not been resolved or related to each other by the cops but the heroine, Abby, does it in 5 min and only with her smartphone. Poor cops...
Again we find unbelievable sex, at the worst time possible and almost uncomfortable to read: Come on... Give me a break...
I could not take it seriously. And the last straw was when a certain girl goes alone to a cabin to... to play the fool, because if you have been just You definitively should have known better.
So no, if the author deprives her characters of common sense, the story no longer makes any sense for me.
A pity because I loved this series.
Dnf @ 86%
Esta reseña es una de esas que se escriben solas.
Durante toda la historia había algo que no cuadraba, no encajaba, pero me gusta esta serie y quería ser justa. No ha podido ser. Pero lo he intentado, eso seguro.
Tenemos 6 personajes principales (los malos, Nathan, Abby, Brooke y Leo) y todos, absolutamente todos son TSTL. ¿Ves? Fácil…
Poco les pasa para lo que les podría haber pasado. Son tontos hasta los malos. Y poco originales, en fin, lo de siempre, asesinos y violadores de rubias jóvenes y guapas. Esperaba algo más, la verdad.
La premisa es difícil de tragar. Pero bueno, venga, vamos a ver por dónde salen. Y lo peor es que los personajes son interesantes y reales en sus sentimientos y emociones, pasamos un buen tiempo en sus cabezas viendo qué piensan, sienten y quieren. Y es complicado. Son divorciados, un ex alcohólico, otra con serios problemas de confianza y dos adolescente con las hormonas desatadas. Pero en cuanto el suspense entra en juego, todo se viene abajo.
Los malos son planos y sin caracterización. No se sostiene que hayan podido estar tanto tiempo a sus anchas. La autora ha decidido convertir a algunos protagonistas en (mi querido y adorado) McGyver y a los malos les ha hecho una lobotomía. Ha sido insultante. Tan insultante como el hecho de que varias muertes y desapariciones en la zona no hayan sido resueltas ni relacionadas entre sí por la poli pero la protagonista, Abby, lo hace en 5 min y desde su móvil. Pobre polis….
Otra vez nos encontramos con sexo inverosímil, en el peor momento y casi incómodo de leer: Venga hombre…. Increíble. No me lo podía tomar en serio. Y la última gota que colma el vaso es cuando cierta persona va sola a una cabaña para… para hacer el tonto, oiga, porque si
Así que no, si la autora priva a sus personajes de sentido común, la historia ya no tiene ningún sentido (valga la redundancia) para mí.
Una pena porque esta serie me estaba gustando.
***
Dnf @ 86%
This review is one of those that is written by itself.
Throughout the story there was something that did not fit, did not sound right, but I like this series and wanted to be fair. It has been impossible. But I've tried, that's for sure.
There are 6 main characters (the bad guys, Nathan, Abby, Brooke and Leo) and all, absolutely all of them are TSTL. See? Easy…
Even the bad guys are fools. Add to that the unoriginal suspense plot (your usual sickos wanting to rape and kill young, pretty and blond women) and little else. I really was expecting something more.
Plus, the premise is difficult to swallow. But hey, come on, let's see where this goes. Best of all is that the characters are interesting and real in their feelings and emotions, we spend a good time in their heads seeing what they think, feel and want. And it's complicated. They are divorced, an ex-alcoholic, another one with serious self-confidence problems and two teenagers with out-of-control hormones. But as soon as the suspense comes into play, it all comes crashing down.
The bad guys are flat and lack characterization. It is a miracle that they have been able to spend so much time without being arrested or killed. The author has decided to turn the heroine into (my beloved) McGyver and the bad guys have been lobotomized. It has been insulting. As insulting as the fact that several deaths and disappearances of women in the area have not been resolved or related to each other by the cops but the heroine, Abby, does it in 5 min and only with her smartphone. Poor cops...
Again we find unbelievable sex, at the worst time possible and almost uncomfortable to read: Come on... Give me a break...
I could not take it seriously. And the last straw was when a certain girl goes alone to a cabin to... to play the fool, because if you have been just You definitively should have known better.
So no, if the author deprives her characters of common sense, the story no longer makes any sense for me.
A pity because I loved this series.
December 29, 2014
Backwoods (Aftershock 4):
Backwoods is set a year after Island Peril, and it opens with Abby driving her daughter Brooke to a cabin in the woods, where Brooke’s father Ray, his wife Lydia and her son, Leo are supposed to join them for the week. Abby’s ex is chronically unreliable, and self-centered, so rather than risk her daughter ending up alone in the High Sierras if he cancels their family vacation at the last minute again, she risks an uncomfortable week with her ex to make sure her daughter doesn't end up alone.
Nathan Strom is a former major league baseball player who lost his career and marriage to injury and alcohol abuse. He is sober and working on rebuilding his life and reputation. He knows he was an absent husband and father and is looking to make amends and build a relationship with his son. When Ray and Lydia cancel, Nathan jumps at opportunity to spend time with his estranged son, Leo even if Leo doesn't really want him there.
Nathan, Abby, Leo and Brooke try to make the best of things, despite their disappointment and frustration with Lydia and Ray. Trying to make the best of awkward circumstances and unable to say no to the irrepressible Brooke they agree to spend several nights of hiking in the backwoods.
Nathan, Abby, Leo and Brooke are bringing with them a mess of insecurity and emotional uncertainty into the woods with them that would have made for a perilous camping trip without being stalked and hunted in the woods. But threatened, stalked & hunted they are. Sorenson did a great job building suspense, paranoia and a creeping sense of danger. The action scenes where they are fighting for their lives were incredibly pulse-pounding and lived up the action/survival plots in the previous Aftershock novels.
The novel at its core revolves around parenting and what it means to be a family. Nathan and Leo are trying to learn how to talk to each other again, while Abby and Brooke are negotiating parental anxiety and independence in they try to transition into adults parent-child relationship. And they are all wrestling with the impact of Ray and Lydia’s absent or inconsistent parenting and the permanency of relationships in blended families. Additionally Brooke and Leo are also trying to define what they are to each other, and what kind of feelings they can or do have for each other, while trying to sort out what it means to be an adult. So while Nathan and Abby are clearly attracted to each other, they are often more concerned with how their behavior will affect their children.
As a child of divorce, a lot of the conflict and tensions in the Hammond-Dwyer-Strom family really rung true.
Where the novel fell short for me was establishing an emotional connection to the characters. While I stressed for them when their lives were endangered, I struggled to connect to the emotional lives. The 3rd person narrator was too insightful, knowing and rational about the character’s history and motivations, in contrast to the confusion the characters were experiencing about their feelings, reactions and emotions. It distanced me from the characters as they tried to sort out their feelings for each other when they were no longer fighting for their lives.
I am also lukewarm on the ending, I think Sorenson was building toward a good resolution but it still felt a bit abrupt as it still seemed to be too many obstacles left for Abby and Nathan to resolve, particularly in terms of their kid’s relationships to each other for me to believe in their HFN might turn into a HEA. I suspect that their kids will eventually have their own book but I was surprised not to see more resolution here.
I still really liked the book, particularly because it was so ambitious and delivered such great action.
A digital copy of Backwoods was provided by the author for review purposes.
Backwoods is set a year after Island Peril, and it opens with Abby driving her daughter Brooke to a cabin in the woods, where Brooke’s father Ray, his wife Lydia and her son, Leo are supposed to join them for the week. Abby’s ex is chronically unreliable, and self-centered, so rather than risk her daughter ending up alone in the High Sierras if he cancels their family vacation at the last minute again, she risks an uncomfortable week with her ex to make sure her daughter doesn't end up alone.
Nathan Strom is a former major league baseball player who lost his career and marriage to injury and alcohol abuse. He is sober and working on rebuilding his life and reputation. He knows he was an absent husband and father and is looking to make amends and build a relationship with his son. When Ray and Lydia cancel, Nathan jumps at opportunity to spend time with his estranged son, Leo even if Leo doesn't really want him there.
Nathan, Abby, Leo and Brooke try to make the best of things, despite their disappointment and frustration with Lydia and Ray. Trying to make the best of awkward circumstances and unable to say no to the irrepressible Brooke they agree to spend several nights of hiking in the backwoods.
Nathan, Abby, Leo and Brooke are bringing with them a mess of insecurity and emotional uncertainty into the woods with them that would have made for a perilous camping trip without being stalked and hunted in the woods. But threatened, stalked & hunted they are. Sorenson did a great job building suspense, paranoia and a creeping sense of danger. The action scenes where they are fighting for their lives were incredibly pulse-pounding and lived up the action/survival plots in the previous Aftershock novels.
The novel at its core revolves around parenting and what it means to be a family. Nathan and Leo are trying to learn how to talk to each other again, while Abby and Brooke are negotiating parental anxiety and independence in they try to transition into adults parent-child relationship. And they are all wrestling with the impact of Ray and Lydia’s absent or inconsistent parenting and the permanency of relationships in blended families. Additionally Brooke and Leo are also trying to define what they are to each other, and what kind of feelings they can or do have for each other, while trying to sort out what it means to be an adult. So while Nathan and Abby are clearly attracted to each other, they are often more concerned with how their behavior will affect their children.
As a child of divorce, a lot of the conflict and tensions in the Hammond-Dwyer-Strom family really rung true.
Where the novel fell short for me was establishing an emotional connection to the characters. While I stressed for them when their lives were endangered, I struggled to connect to the emotional lives. The 3rd person narrator was too insightful, knowing and rational about the character’s history and motivations, in contrast to the confusion the characters were experiencing about their feelings, reactions and emotions. It distanced me from the characters as they tried to sort out their feelings for each other when they were no longer fighting for their lives.
I am also lukewarm on the ending, I think Sorenson was building toward a good resolution but it still felt a bit abrupt as it still seemed to be too many obstacles left for Abby and Nathan to resolve, particularly in terms of their kid’s relationships to each other for me to believe in their HFN might turn into a HEA. I suspect that their kids will eventually have their own book but I was surprised not to see more resolution here.
I still really liked the book, particularly because it was so ambitious and delivered such great action.
A digital copy of Backwoods was provided by the author for review purposes.
May 30, 2014
Originally reviewed for Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy
Looking for an emotional and psychological ride? Want a book that makes you ask when does trust begin? Or better yet, how does trust begin? Jill Sorenson offers us just that in Backwoods.
Abby Hammond married young and became a mother soon after. Making her husband and daughter her entire world. When she walked in on said hubby, doing a client (who didn't need implants, btw), Abby was devastated. But she started to grow up.. when a serious earthquake kept her from her young daughter for three days (not knowing if she was dead or alive), Abby began to have some serious control issues. When a kayaking trip with her sister and daughter turns into a run in with Drug Smugglers (Island Peril), Abby tips completely over the edge. Obsessive compulsive here we come. But...those are Abby's issues, she manages to remain a fantastic mother, even managing to let go when it was time to go to college. But one thing experience has taught her (after one too many broken promises) .. don't trust the ex to keep his word. So when a fun filled family vacation is planned (The ex, the stepmom, the daughter and the Stepbrother) Abby invites herself along. A good thing because, you guessed it, no dad.
Nathan Strom also married young and had a son young. But he focused on his career as a baseball player and pretty much left his young wife and son alone. Making sporiatic attempts at fatherhood and never really connecting. When an injury stymied his career, Nathan turned to painkillers and alcohol, slowly disintegrating. A YouTube video, gone viral caused him to lose all custody and any chance if a relationship with his son. Now he has an adult son, who is troubled and starting to completely slip away and Nathan has no clue how to help him. So when the ex invites him along on this family trip, Nathan jumps on it. Only to find out that he has been set up.. Both his ex and her jerkwad of a husband fail to show up. Who did show up is the sexy mother of his son's stepsister. Yeah, this trip has complication written all over it.
Ignore the family dynamics for a moment, they will be hiking into an area where several young women have disappeared ( over several years ) and only obsessive compulsive Abby seems to see a connection. Unable to convince the Others not to go on the hike, the "family" sets off.
Back to family dynamics and there are plenty..Nathan and Abby sizzle but try to ignore it. Could things get any more tangled? Brooke and Leo (the kids) steam but there are issues there as well. Nathan is really trying to connect with Leo, Brooke is a typical self absorbed pretty eighteen year old girl and Abby is just trying to stay clean... and away from Nathan. But when Brooke goes missing, the emotional chess board gets tipped and it's game on..
Brilliant! Ms. Sorensen ties this all together in a realistic manner. Yet offers enough twists and turns to keep a reader on the edge of her seat. A totally enjoyable read.
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Backwoods, provided by netgalley.
Looking for an emotional and psychological ride? Want a book that makes you ask when does trust begin? Or better yet, how does trust begin? Jill Sorenson offers us just that in Backwoods.
Abby Hammond married young and became a mother soon after. Making her husband and daughter her entire world. When she walked in on said hubby, doing a client (who didn't need implants, btw), Abby was devastated. But she started to grow up.. when a serious earthquake kept her from her young daughter for three days (not knowing if she was dead or alive), Abby began to have some serious control issues. When a kayaking trip with her sister and daughter turns into a run in with Drug Smugglers (Island Peril), Abby tips completely over the edge. Obsessive compulsive here we come. But...those are Abby's issues, she manages to remain a fantastic mother, even managing to let go when it was time to go to college. But one thing experience has taught her (after one too many broken promises) .. don't trust the ex to keep his word. So when a fun filled family vacation is planned (The ex, the stepmom, the daughter and the Stepbrother) Abby invites herself along. A good thing because, you guessed it, no dad.
Nathan Strom also married young and had a son young. But he focused on his career as a baseball player and pretty much left his young wife and son alone. Making sporiatic attempts at fatherhood and never really connecting. When an injury stymied his career, Nathan turned to painkillers and alcohol, slowly disintegrating. A YouTube video, gone viral caused him to lose all custody and any chance if a relationship with his son. Now he has an adult son, who is troubled and starting to completely slip away and Nathan has no clue how to help him. So when the ex invites him along on this family trip, Nathan jumps on it. Only to find out that he has been set up.. Both his ex and her jerkwad of a husband fail to show up. Who did show up is the sexy mother of his son's stepsister. Yeah, this trip has complication written all over it.
Ignore the family dynamics for a moment, they will be hiking into an area where several young women have disappeared ( over several years ) and only obsessive compulsive Abby seems to see a connection. Unable to convince the Others not to go on the hike, the "family" sets off.
Back to family dynamics and there are plenty..Nathan and Abby sizzle but try to ignore it. Could things get any more tangled? Brooke and Leo (the kids) steam but there are issues there as well. Nathan is really trying to connect with Leo, Brooke is a typical self absorbed pretty eighteen year old girl and Abby is just trying to stay clean... and away from Nathan. But when Brooke goes missing, the emotional chess board gets tipped and it's game on..
Brilliant! Ms. Sorensen ties this all together in a realistic manner. Yet offers enough twists and turns to keep a reader on the edge of her seat. A totally enjoyable read.
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Backwoods, provided by netgalley.
September 9, 2014
My favorite book of the series! This adventure romance was full of suspense, danger, and a great love story. I loved the characters, thought the setting was very fitting, and was riveted by the storyline.
Abby Hammond agrees to go on a camping trip with her daughter Brooke and ex husband even though camping is not her bailiwick. When they arrive, they find that her ex and his new wife have bailed out on the trip, but the new wife's son, Leo, is there with his dad, Nathan Strom. There is lots of tension due to the strained relationship between Nathan, a former alcoholic, and Leo, who hasn't forgiven him for not being there for him in the past. As the four try to make the best of the situation and enjoy the trip to the best of their abilities, they run across a couple of sketchy characters. Soon, Brooke has disappeared, as have other females before her in the same locale. What follows is a harrowing ride as her mother and the Strom males try to find and rescue Brooke.
Aside from being a great suspense, their is a strong romance between Abby and Nathan in the book. I loved the interaction and chemistry between them. There is also some romance brewing between Brooke and Leo. I thought this was a great book, and I thoroughly enjoyed every second spent reading it!
Abby Hammond agrees to go on a camping trip with her daughter Brooke and ex husband even though camping is not her bailiwick. When they arrive, they find that her ex and his new wife have bailed out on the trip, but the new wife's son, Leo, is there with his dad, Nathan Strom. There is lots of tension due to the strained relationship between Nathan, a former alcoholic, and Leo, who hasn't forgiven him for not being there for him in the past. As the four try to make the best of the situation and enjoy the trip to the best of their abilities, they run across a couple of sketchy characters. Soon, Brooke has disappeared, as have other females before her in the same locale. What follows is a harrowing ride as her mother and the Strom males try to find and rescue Brooke.
Aside from being a great suspense, their is a strong romance between Abby and Nathan in the book. I loved the interaction and chemistry between them. There is also some romance brewing between Brooke and Leo. I thought this was a great book, and I thoroughly enjoyed every second spent reading it!
October 15, 2014
This book was ultimately just okay. The relationship between the two main characters just bewildered me. They had very little time on page together, almost no dialogue interaction that wasn't about their exes or their kids, there was no sexual tension or tenderness or working together or anything and suddenly they are in love? It was a weird non relationship, all smoke and mirrors. I felt absolutely nothing between them. Even when they were rescuing her daughter they disagreed on how to do it and fought each other and ended up doing their bits to effect the rescue separately. Then they decided to have sex after the kids got away back at the same camp the bad guy and snatched the girl from, when they knew they bad guys were out there and figured well it's raining so surely the psychopath won't come after us in the rain.
I actually liked the relationship between his son and her daughter much better. There was genuine feeling there.
Generally I like JS much better than this. Oh well, this one just wasn't for me.
I actually liked the relationship between his son and her daughter much better. There was genuine feeling there.
Generally I like JS much better than this. Oh well, this one just wasn't for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2015
This was good, but not as good as book one. Some things bothered me. The reference to the earth quake was talked about or thought about over and over again. It was annoying. Seriously it felt like it was a filler or something. Also the Brook and Leo thing was just left dangling. Does that mean there will be a book about them later? Or was that another filler? The ending could use an epilogue because I want to know what happened next. But maybe it will come up in the next book. Like with Ella and Paul.
August 4, 2014
Thanks netgalley for a free read in exchange for a review. I loved it, I thought the plot was going to be a simple one from how it started it but this book was anything but simple. It kept me engrossed through out the book, and I didn't want to put it down. Which anything that sucks me in definitely gets five stars for a rating, and the chemistry between the characters was great. I had hoped for a bit more on Leo and Brooke, but since this is a series hopefully they will show up again, maybe with their own book.....
July 4, 2014
Sorenson excels at building complicated relationships. There are exes, steps, cheaters, scorned lovers, and alcoholics in this book. And that's apart from the action sections, which is some Hills Have Eyes type shit.
August 10, 2022
Brooke was frustrating to no end.
Book ended without much satisfaction of a wrapped up story - feels like something is missing, and not necessarily in a good cliff-hanger way.
Book ended without much satisfaction of a wrapped up story - feels like something is missing, and not necessarily in a good cliff-hanger way.
November 4, 2023
This is a well-written series; start with #1 book. But this story is a big miss for me. It features dysfunctional, scorned exes from 2 families with 2 rebellious, naive, teenagers. The plot points are very obvious, from the beginning, which removes the suspense. Obnoxious daughter Brooke is dismissive of mother Abby's anxieties and very real concerns about hiking into an area where young girls keep going missing. So of course, they let her plan & lead their hike. Son Leo and father Nathan are locked into antagonism and conflict. Nathan 'instantly' has the hots for Abby; no real foundation for this. Then there is the ridiculous setup at the nudists and hot springs. Amazing that the stupid bad guys haven't been caught.
March 28, 2025
Exciting-didn’t like as much of earthquake people.
June 9, 2014
Really 4.5 Stars
Reviewed at http://www.scorching-book-reviews.com...
FTC : I requested this from NetGalley as I have with all of this series.
This book was unexpected. Unlike the rest of the series (which I would have tagged Suspense with a romantic sub-thread) this was Romantic Suspense. It has fantastic characters, fantastic dialogue and very tense suspense plot, just like the rest of the series, but that is where the similarities end. It didn’t feel like an Aftershock book but that isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy it. With more characters, there is more switching POV’s, which can be a little dizzying although the actual switching does flow very well, and there is also a NA romance thread. I need to clarify that, although the characters Brooke and Leo are technically Step-brother and Step-sister, there is no blood relationship. They have different parents but, as some reviewers have found this relationship questionable, I thought I should point it out as they have been Step-siblings for 7 years.
Although the main relationship mentioned in the blurb is the one between Nathan and Abby, I didn’t notice any extra time given to their relationship. In fact, there is time given to all four relationships (The hero-heroine romances and the parent-child relationships), this book probably felt more romantic as half of the relationships in it are romances.
I liked the Nathan and Abby relationship. Both have been burned by love and are have put any future love interests on hold. The main priority for the both of them is to work on the relationship they have with their child and they struggle with keeping this a priority throughout the book. I loved the way they helped each other develop as a parent; Abby tried to help Nathan with his relationship with Leo and Nathan tried to limit Abby’s protective over-mothering of Brooke. I also enjoyed the openness they had with all of the other characters in the book. Whether it is professing their attraction to each-other or Nathan disclosing facts about his past relationship with his father to Leo, both of them seem to have no time for half-truths or confusion and I love characters like this. When their relationship evolves into a more sexual one, it seems to take on a new depth and I enjoyed it even more. The sex scenes were on-page and hot as hell by the way :D
Brooke and Leo were a different kettle of fish as, like true teenagers, their entire relationship was built on half-truths and misunderstandings. Both wanted each other, both didn’t know what to do with those feelings and neither had bothered to ask the other how they other felt about this. They were defined, before they ever had romantic feelings about each other, as Step-Siblings and it was a relationship Leo struggled with especially. This was made harder for him by Brooke.Brooke was constantly flaunting her sexuality at Leo, making him uncomfortable and I’m not sure she quite understood what she was doing. Another reason I loved the character of Abby was that she took the time to explain to her that what she was doing was wrong and harassment (if only this was a conversation more parents had). I did respect the fact that Brooke took onboard what was said to her and thought about her actions. It was a sweet relationship but I can understand people’s objections to it, especially when Brooke was constantly trying to flirt with Leo whilst referring to him as “step-brother” minutes later. I was hooked by their story, wanting to know just what the heck was going to go on between them (if anything!).
My favourite plot is the fraught relationship between Leo and Nathan. Nathan has been an absentee dad with alcohol abuse issues but, now clean and sober, he craves a relationship with Leo. He has no idea what is expected of him and his frustrations made my heart bleed. Having no positive Father role models, he has no idea what to say or how to act. He also has to learn the hard lesson that being a sperm donor does not give you parental rights, that being an actual parent gives you the right to respect and a voice of opinion. Abby facilitates this relationship by being the voice of an experienced parent but it is Nathan himself that puts the time and effort into the relationship and I hoped Leo could stop being angry with him.
The suspense plot was as creepy as I have become to expect from Jill Sorenson. It was there to fuel all of the relationships and it was fantastic. The ending of that plot was pretty unexpected and I can’t help but hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of a particular person.
Overall, this is a very different story to the rest of the Aftershock books and, unlike them, I think it could be read as a standalone. With complicated family relationships, complicated young love and a refreshingly uncomplicated romance, this could be one that checks many boxes for many romance readers. The incredibly creepy suspense plot helped keep my interest too :)
Reviewed at http://www.scorching-book-reviews.com...
FTC : I requested this from NetGalley as I have with all of this series.
This book was unexpected. Unlike the rest of the series (which I would have tagged Suspense with a romantic sub-thread) this was Romantic Suspense. It has fantastic characters, fantastic dialogue and very tense suspense plot, just like the rest of the series, but that is where the similarities end. It didn’t feel like an Aftershock book but that isn’t to say that I didn’t enjoy it. With more characters, there is more switching POV’s, which can be a little dizzying although the actual switching does flow very well, and there is also a NA romance thread. I need to clarify that, although the characters Brooke and Leo are technically Step-brother and Step-sister, there is no blood relationship. They have different parents but, as some reviewers have found this relationship questionable, I thought I should point it out as they have been Step-siblings for 7 years.
Although the main relationship mentioned in the blurb is the one between Nathan and Abby, I didn’t notice any extra time given to their relationship. In fact, there is time given to all four relationships (The hero-heroine romances and the parent-child relationships), this book probably felt more romantic as half of the relationships in it are romances.
I liked the Nathan and Abby relationship. Both have been burned by love and are have put any future love interests on hold. The main priority for the both of them is to work on the relationship they have with their child and they struggle with keeping this a priority throughout the book. I loved the way they helped each other develop as a parent; Abby tried to help Nathan with his relationship with Leo and Nathan tried to limit Abby’s protective over-mothering of Brooke. I also enjoyed the openness they had with all of the other characters in the book. Whether it is professing their attraction to each-other or Nathan disclosing facts about his past relationship with his father to Leo, both of them seem to have no time for half-truths or confusion and I love characters like this. When their relationship evolves into a more sexual one, it seems to take on a new depth and I enjoyed it even more. The sex scenes were on-page and hot as hell by the way :D
Brooke and Leo were a different kettle of fish as, like true teenagers, their entire relationship was built on half-truths and misunderstandings. Both wanted each other, both didn’t know what to do with those feelings and neither had bothered to ask the other how they other felt about this. They were defined, before they ever had romantic feelings about each other, as Step-Siblings and it was a relationship Leo struggled with especially. This was made harder for him by Brooke.Brooke was constantly flaunting her sexuality at Leo, making him uncomfortable and I’m not sure she quite understood what she was doing. Another reason I loved the character of Abby was that she took the time to explain to her that what she was doing was wrong and harassment (if only this was a conversation more parents had). I did respect the fact that Brooke took onboard what was said to her and thought about her actions. It was a sweet relationship but I can understand people’s objections to it, especially when Brooke was constantly trying to flirt with Leo whilst referring to him as “step-brother” minutes later. I was hooked by their story, wanting to know just what the heck was going to go on between them (if anything!).
My favourite plot is the fraught relationship between Leo and Nathan. Nathan has been an absentee dad with alcohol abuse issues but, now clean and sober, he craves a relationship with Leo. He has no idea what is expected of him and his frustrations made my heart bleed. Having no positive Father role models, he has no idea what to say or how to act. He also has to learn the hard lesson that being a sperm donor does not give you parental rights, that being an actual parent gives you the right to respect and a voice of opinion. Abby facilitates this relationship by being the voice of an experienced parent but it is Nathan himself that puts the time and effort into the relationship and I hoped Leo could stop being angry with him.
The suspense plot was as creepy as I have become to expect from Jill Sorenson. It was there to fuel all of the relationships and it was fantastic. The ending of that plot was pretty unexpected and I can’t help but hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of a particular person.
Overall, this is a very different story to the rest of the Aftershock books and, unlike them, I think it could be read as a standalone. With complicated family relationships, complicated young love and a refreshingly uncomplicated romance, this could be one that checks many boxes for many romance readers. The incredibly creepy suspense plot helped keep my interest too :)
April 18, 2015
***4.5 Stars***
I requested to review this book awhile back and I regret not reading it sooner. The storyline was intriguing as were the characters. I loved that not only the two main characters had a POV but also the daughter and son. It was kind of bizarre that the two parents were attracted but that wasn’t it their ex’s had actually had an affair with each other. Then on top of that their children were attracted to each other. So Abby is not an outdoor person especially when the house amenities are not readily available but she wanted to make sure that her daughter didn’t end up in the wilderness on her own since her father was known to break plans at the last minute and that’s how the story starts.
Abby Hammond is now a single mother that lived for her ex-husband. She married when she was very young and had her beautiful daughter Brooke. Abby ended up going to college to be a nurse and worked with her husband and no matter what she did to be close to him he ended up cheating on her. Now she was on her way to be out in the wilderness because her daughter planned the whole agenda and she didn’t know if her father would be breaking his word.
Nathan Strom is the person that had the most demons in this story along with his son Leo. Nathan was a great baseball player but that all went out the door when he injured himself. He was young and married the woman he loved but she didn’t like traveling with the team. When his wife told him that she had found someone else he ended up going downhill from there. He started mixing pain pills with alcohol and ended up going to rehab thanks to someone that was paying it forward. Now he wants to reconnect with his son but it’s not going to be easy he is going to have a tough time getting Leo to talk to him.
Right before they leave on their hiking and camping voyage she ends up reading about young women that have been lost in the wilderness and never found again. When she starts reading it seems that there is a pattern and she starts to get paranoid but ends up dropping it. Nathan is trying to get close to his son but it seems that he at times says the wrong thing and Leo ends up storming off. Abby tries to give him some advice and little by little it seems that it’s working. Brooke likes Leo and he likes her but her father had warned him off of his daughter and if he ever touched her he would regret it. Leo is a little like his father and his vice is pot just like Nathan’s was booze. They also have a very short temper. Brooke is able to talk to Leo and mess around with him but they have never gone any further than a kiss because he starts pulling back, maybe she just needs to follow her mom’s advice and stay away from him.
Backwoods is the fourth installment in the Aftershock series and I know that I am going to have to go back and read the other books. This was a great read that sucked me in from the moment that I started reading and I couldn’t put it down. The pace of this story was perfect. This was a story that held lots of suspense and had a little bit of romance. Abby and Nathan had this instant attraction and it was building and building. I can’t wait to see if the author will be doing a book for Leo and Brooke, would love it know if they end up together.
Received ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an Honest Review
I requested to review this book awhile back and I regret not reading it sooner. The storyline was intriguing as were the characters. I loved that not only the two main characters had a POV but also the daughter and son. It was kind of bizarre that the two parents were attracted but that wasn’t it their ex’s had actually had an affair with each other. Then on top of that their children were attracted to each other. So Abby is not an outdoor person especially when the house amenities are not readily available but she wanted to make sure that her daughter didn’t end up in the wilderness on her own since her father was known to break plans at the last minute and that’s how the story starts.
Abby Hammond is now a single mother that lived for her ex-husband. She married when she was very young and had her beautiful daughter Brooke. Abby ended up going to college to be a nurse and worked with her husband and no matter what she did to be close to him he ended up cheating on her. Now she was on her way to be out in the wilderness because her daughter planned the whole agenda and she didn’t know if her father would be breaking his word.
Nathan Strom is the person that had the most demons in this story along with his son Leo. Nathan was a great baseball player but that all went out the door when he injured himself. He was young and married the woman he loved but she didn’t like traveling with the team. When his wife told him that she had found someone else he ended up going downhill from there. He started mixing pain pills with alcohol and ended up going to rehab thanks to someone that was paying it forward. Now he wants to reconnect with his son but it’s not going to be easy he is going to have a tough time getting Leo to talk to him.
Right before they leave on their hiking and camping voyage she ends up reading about young women that have been lost in the wilderness and never found again. When she starts reading it seems that there is a pattern and she starts to get paranoid but ends up dropping it. Nathan is trying to get close to his son but it seems that he at times says the wrong thing and Leo ends up storming off. Abby tries to give him some advice and little by little it seems that it’s working. Brooke likes Leo and he likes her but her father had warned him off of his daughter and if he ever touched her he would regret it. Leo is a little like his father and his vice is pot just like Nathan’s was booze. They also have a very short temper. Brooke is able to talk to Leo and mess around with him but they have never gone any further than a kiss because he starts pulling back, maybe she just needs to follow her mom’s advice and stay away from him.
Backwoods is the fourth installment in the Aftershock series and I know that I am going to have to go back and read the other books. This was a great read that sucked me in from the moment that I started reading and I couldn’t put it down. The pace of this story was perfect. This was a story that held lots of suspense and had a little bit of romance. Abby and Nathan had this instant attraction and it was building and building. I can’t wait to see if the author will be doing a book for Leo and Brooke, would love it know if they end up together.
Received ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an Honest Review
July 16, 2014
Overall Rating: 4 Rockin’ ★★★★
Abby is a woman that has survived divorce from an unfaithful husband and is trying to keep her relationship with her daughter strong despite her ex-husband being a jerk. When an outing is scheduled with his new family, she is concerned that he will suddenly not show and Brooke will be left without adult supervision. Brooke is a wonderful daughter and Abby is extremely proud of her daughter. When they arrive at the starting point for the camping trip, they are confronted with the news that Brooke’s dad will be a no show and only his step-son and his father will be going.
Nathan Strom wanted to be a part of his son’s life and had been denied that because of his alcohol abuse. He was a recovering alcoholic and now wants to have a relationship with his son. His son however wants nothing to do with Nathan and lives with his mother and her new husband, Abby’s ex. Nathan is being given the opportunity to go on this camping trip with his son Leo because his ex-wife had an accident and was not able to hike. This will give him a chance to build a bond with his son. When he arrives and finds Abby, Brooke and Leo it’s decided that they will do the camping/hiking trip together. What can go wrong? It is only a few days in the woods, hiking trails and camping out at night. Especially when Abby and Nathan both are attracted to one another will they be able to keep each other at a safe distance?
When doing research on the area, Abby found several articles about missing young women. All of the women had been lost in the area around the lake that they would be hiking for the next few days. The missing women are all young, blond and literally could describe her daughter. Abby has an uneasy feeling about this trip and it doesn’t improve when they run into two men the first day on the trail they are hiking. Things take on a sinister feel when they return to their gear and find that someone has gone through it and taken money and their phone. When Brooke comes up missing the next day and they find signs of a struggle the horror of their situation is brought home. They have no way to contact anyone for help, they have no way to defend themselves and the other missing women have never been found.
Will Abby, Nathan and Leo be able to rescue Brooke? Can they get away from the man hunting them and get to safety? ~TSRBR
Hero –Nathan Strom: 4 stars
Heroine –Abby: 4 stars
Steam: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Cliffhanger: No
Would I recommend this book: Yes! This is an interesting look at an extended family and the problems that have to be dealt with between the members. It is also a story about second chances and how love can come from unexpected places to surprise the heart. If you want a read that has suspense, mystery, love and lots of nail biting drama this is the book to read!
Would I read other books by this author: Yes! I love this author and have enjoyed many of her books already. The way she develops her story makes the reader want to read more by her. This is a hit for Ms. Sorenson.
***Received an ARC of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review***
Backwoods
Jill Sorenson
Abby is a woman that has survived divorce from an unfaithful husband and is trying to keep her relationship with her daughter strong despite her ex-husband being a jerk. When an outing is scheduled with his new family, she is concerned that he will suddenly not show and Brooke will be left without adult supervision. Brooke is a wonderful daughter and Abby is extremely proud of her daughter. When they arrive at the starting point for the camping trip, they are confronted with the news that Brooke’s dad will be a no show and only his step-son and his father will be going.
Nathan Strom wanted to be a part of his son’s life and had been denied that because of his alcohol abuse. He was a recovering alcoholic and now wants to have a relationship with his son. His son however wants nothing to do with Nathan and lives with his mother and her new husband, Abby’s ex. Nathan is being given the opportunity to go on this camping trip with his son Leo because his ex-wife had an accident and was not able to hike. This will give him a chance to build a bond with his son. When he arrives and finds Abby, Brooke and Leo it’s decided that they will do the camping/hiking trip together. What can go wrong? It is only a few days in the woods, hiking trails and camping out at night. Especially when Abby and Nathan both are attracted to one another will they be able to keep each other at a safe distance?
When doing research on the area, Abby found several articles about missing young women. All of the women had been lost in the area around the lake that they would be hiking for the next few days. The missing women are all young, blond and literally could describe her daughter. Abby has an uneasy feeling about this trip and it doesn’t improve when they run into two men the first day on the trail they are hiking. Things take on a sinister feel when they return to their gear and find that someone has gone through it and taken money and their phone. When Brooke comes up missing the next day and they find signs of a struggle the horror of their situation is brought home. They have no way to contact anyone for help, they have no way to defend themselves and the other missing women have never been found.
Will Abby, Nathan and Leo be able to rescue Brooke? Can they get away from the man hunting them and get to safety? ~TSRBR
Hero –Nathan Strom: 4 stars
Heroine –Abby: 4 stars
Steam: 4 stars
Plot: 4 stars
Cliffhanger: No
Would I recommend this book: Yes! This is an interesting look at an extended family and the problems that have to be dealt with between the members. It is also a story about second chances and how love can come from unexpected places to surprise the heart. If you want a read that has suspense, mystery, love and lots of nail biting drama this is the book to read!
Would I read other books by this author: Yes! I love this author and have enjoyed many of her books already. The way she develops her story makes the reader want to read more by her. This is a hit for Ms. Sorenson.
***Received an ARC of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review***
Backwoods
Jill Sorenson
May 26, 2014
Abby is fairly certain her ex-husband is going to back out on a family vacation with their daughter Brooke, so when she ends up taking his place on a hiking trip with Brooke's stepbrother and his father, Nathan Strom, she decides to make the best of it. Theirs a unique sort-of family thing going on here, not of blood but of bonds of marriage and ex-spouses.
I thought it was a different and interesting family dynamic. That's what makes this book a bit different than others in the series-- the inner-workings of these family relationships take center stage and it's all good.
There's sparks from the start between Abby and Nathan and it isn't long before Brooke is playing matchmaker. There's some pretty serious sexual tension between then, and most of the time they can't act upon it because they aren't alone. But I loved the dialogue between these two and how especially how Abby tried to help Nathan understand Leo. And I liked that Abby wanted him physically just as much as he wanted her.
Leo and Brooke are fighting some feelings between them. She's young, trusting and crushing hard on Leo, and he's trying to do the right thing. He's struggling with keeping their relationship more brother-sister rather than giving into his feelings and potentially destroying their relationship. But they are young and hormonal and things don't always go as planned. And then there's Leo's anger. He's got some unresolved issues with his dad, Nathan that generate a lot of tension.
But all of the family drama has to go on the back burner when their hiking trip takes a dangerous turn and they become involved with two potential serial killers stalking them in the backwoods. There's lots of action here as they elude and then have to escape their captors.
I love Jill Sorenson's characters. Her heroes are not just hot, they have a maturity to them that I adore. They are sexy and flawed, and most of the time they are still struggling with whatever is holding them back. But they also have a sense of honor that shines through, too. I felt like we got a double-dose of that with Leo and Nathan, and personally, I'd love to know what might happen in the future between Leo and Brooke. I liked the relationship between Abby and Brooke, too. The entire family dynamic between these characters really held my interest. And there's plenty of suspense too. Jill Sorenson knows how to write great action sequences and Backwoods had me on the edge of my seat.
Another great addition to the Aftershock series. Recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin HQN to the opportunity to read and review.
I thought it was a different and interesting family dynamic. That's what makes this book a bit different than others in the series-- the inner-workings of these family relationships take center stage and it's all good.
There's sparks from the start between Abby and Nathan and it isn't long before Brooke is playing matchmaker. There's some pretty serious sexual tension between then, and most of the time they can't act upon it because they aren't alone. But I loved the dialogue between these two and how especially how Abby tried to help Nathan understand Leo. And I liked that Abby wanted him physically just as much as he wanted her.
Leo and Brooke are fighting some feelings between them. She's young, trusting and crushing hard on Leo, and he's trying to do the right thing. He's struggling with keeping their relationship more brother-sister rather than giving into his feelings and potentially destroying their relationship. But they are young and hormonal and things don't always go as planned. And then there's Leo's anger. He's got some unresolved issues with his dad, Nathan that generate a lot of tension.
But all of the family drama has to go on the back burner when their hiking trip takes a dangerous turn and they become involved with two potential serial killers stalking them in the backwoods. There's lots of action here as they elude and then have to escape their captors.
I love Jill Sorenson's characters. Her heroes are not just hot, they have a maturity to them that I adore. They are sexy and flawed, and most of the time they are still struggling with whatever is holding them back. But they also have a sense of honor that shines through, too. I felt like we got a double-dose of that with Leo and Nathan, and personally, I'd love to know what might happen in the future between Leo and Brooke. I liked the relationship between Abby and Brooke, too. The entire family dynamic between these characters really held my interest. And there's plenty of suspense too. Jill Sorenson knows how to write great action sequences and Backwoods had me on the edge of my seat.
Another great addition to the Aftershock series. Recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin HQN to the opportunity to read and review.
January 19, 2015
Abby Hammond is always picking up the pieces from her negligent ex, and now she finds herself on a camping trip with her teenage daughter, Brooke. Abby doesn’t do roughing it, but she will do whatever possible to make her daughter happy. Soon, Nathan Strom shows up with his son, Brooke’s stepbrother, and the fireworks begin to ignite.
Nathan Strom is trying to right the many wrongs of his life. The main one on his radar is growing closer to his hard-headed teenage son, Leo. He joins the camping expedition to begin the process, but soon finds that his growing attraction to the woman, whose ex cheated with his then wife, may just be the cherry on top of his new start on correcting his mistakes of the past. As the four embark on a trek through the wilderness, learning about life and letting go of some pain, Brooke is taken, and Nathan must step up to be the hero.
Backwoods was a thrilling endeavor that showed some complexities of the characters as they made realizations about one another and learned to look past mistakes from their past. I was rooting for Nathan from the beginning, because he was a man who set aside that all-important pride to get back what was so much more important in life in Backwoods. I also enjoyed the fact that Jill Sorenson didn’t attempt to ram a cheater down the readers’ throats as someone that changed their spots because, in the end, that character stayed true to their selfish selves in Backwoods.
The chemistry between Nathan and Abby was combustible, and I completely agreed with Brooke in what they should do. However, I’m glad that they weren’t looking to make it all about someone else, but reacted more to what was best for themselves in their situation in Backwoods.
Abby showed that she was the complete package parent in Backwoods, willing to do whatever she could to see a positive outcome. However, she did have me teetering on the edge of my seat when she started to go the route of “child first” before endeavoring on seeking her own happiness in Backwoods.
Backwoods showed the flaws in the main characters as the author delved into their personas, making them more identifiable to the readers. Nathan and Abby weren’t larger-than-life characters, but every day run-of-the-mill people who made mistakes and were looking to right the wrongs of their pasts as they set aside their pride and selfish desires by placing others before them in Backwoods. I Joyfully Recommend Backwoods because a second chance at happiness was found amongst the rubble of destroyed relationships brought about by other forces, and I just completely loved Nathan Strom!
Reviewed by Vanessa for Joyfully Reviewed
Nathan Strom is trying to right the many wrongs of his life. The main one on his radar is growing closer to his hard-headed teenage son, Leo. He joins the camping expedition to begin the process, but soon finds that his growing attraction to the woman, whose ex cheated with his then wife, may just be the cherry on top of his new start on correcting his mistakes of the past. As the four embark on a trek through the wilderness, learning about life and letting go of some pain, Brooke is taken, and Nathan must step up to be the hero.
Backwoods was a thrilling endeavor that showed some complexities of the characters as they made realizations about one another and learned to look past mistakes from their past. I was rooting for Nathan from the beginning, because he was a man who set aside that all-important pride to get back what was so much more important in life in Backwoods. I also enjoyed the fact that Jill Sorenson didn’t attempt to ram a cheater down the readers’ throats as someone that changed their spots because, in the end, that character stayed true to their selfish selves in Backwoods.
The chemistry between Nathan and Abby was combustible, and I completely agreed with Brooke in what they should do. However, I’m glad that they weren’t looking to make it all about someone else, but reacted more to what was best for themselves in their situation in Backwoods.
Abby showed that she was the complete package parent in Backwoods, willing to do whatever she could to see a positive outcome. However, she did have me teetering on the edge of my seat when she started to go the route of “child first” before endeavoring on seeking her own happiness in Backwoods.
Backwoods showed the flaws in the main characters as the author delved into their personas, making them more identifiable to the readers. Nathan and Abby weren’t larger-than-life characters, but every day run-of-the-mill people who made mistakes and were looking to right the wrongs of their pasts as they set aside their pride and selfish desires by placing others before them in Backwoods. I Joyfully Recommend Backwoods because a second chance at happiness was found amongst the rubble of destroyed relationships brought about by other forces, and I just completely loved Nathan Strom!
Reviewed by Vanessa for Joyfully Reviewed
May 27, 2014
When I started this book, I got snuggled in for a nice, calm romance. Maybe even two romances, if you count what's going on between the college kids. A little older-child-matchmaking-single-mom, some angst from the ex-husband, and some character growth and emotional issues to overcome. But then pieces started falling into place for this heroine and we get indications that things are going to get heavy and a bit creepy. I don't really read a lot of romantic suspense, but a book like this could make me a convert. It was well written with a solid plot. We get just enough idea of what's going on that the twists are not too shocking, but still on the creepy, not-sure-if-I-can-go-to-sleep-now scale. Each of the characters had their weak points and throughout the course of the story, they were able to overcome and prove their strength. The romance was sweet and angsty, but the bulk of the story was an adventure.
I was pulled into this story for the fast pace and compelling storyline. Things were happening and it felt like a good dramatic movie. The romantic emotions were there, but they didn't take over the story. They were a more muted background thread that wove through everything. The main characters were attracted to each other, but they derived comfort from each other when the danger amped up, instead of trying to squeeze in some sexytimes.
There were mentions of rapes, torture, and murder, so it could be disturbing to some. The situations were handled in a slightly farther-off way, so it wasn't a lot of overt, on-screen violence. But there were threats and kidnapping and lots of close calls. It was creepy enough to leave me slightly squicked and freaked out, but disengaged enough that I still wanted to keep reading and see what happened next.
I thought Jill Sorensen handled the emotional connections well and let each character grow in natural, compassionate ways. There were one or two instances where I cringed at phrases like “because he was a man”, but most of the time no one was pigeonholed and everyone was treated well by the other main characters.
I'm not sure that I'll read this one again, but I will definitely look for more book by Jill Sorenson. Her style was action-packed and engaging and when you're looking for a solid adventure with a happy ending, this book is a good choice.
*I received a complementary ARC of this book through netgalley in exchange for my honest review
**This review is archived on my blog: The Theory of Lieto Fine
I was pulled into this story for the fast pace and compelling storyline. Things were happening and it felt like a good dramatic movie. The romantic emotions were there, but they didn't take over the story. They were a more muted background thread that wove through everything. The main characters were attracted to each other, but they derived comfort from each other when the danger amped up, instead of trying to squeeze in some sexytimes.
There were mentions of rapes, torture, and murder, so it could be disturbing to some. The situations were handled in a slightly farther-off way, so it wasn't a lot of overt, on-screen violence. But there were threats and kidnapping and lots of close calls. It was creepy enough to leave me slightly squicked and freaked out, but disengaged enough that I still wanted to keep reading and see what happened next.
I thought Jill Sorensen handled the emotional connections well and let each character grow in natural, compassionate ways. There were one or two instances where I cringed at phrases like “because he was a man”, but most of the time no one was pigeonholed and everyone was treated well by the other main characters.
I'm not sure that I'll read this one again, but I will definitely look for more book by Jill Sorenson. Her style was action-packed and engaging and when you're looking for a solid adventure with a happy ending, this book is a good choice.
*I received a complementary ARC of this book through netgalley in exchange for my honest review
**This review is archived on my blog: The Theory of Lieto Fine
June 30, 2014
Book Review- Backwoods by Jill Sorenson
After Ella, Abby and Brooke survived their last vacation where Abby’s ex backed out on, Abby decided to accompany Brooke on this hiking trip. Brooke’s dad always seems to back out at the last minute and Abby doesn’t want Brooke hiking by herself.
When they arrive at the cabin, Abby meets Ray’s stepson Leo. Brooke is excited to see him and jumps on his motorcycle for a ride the minute she gets there. Abby is uncomfortable being a fifth wheel but she wants Brooke to be safe.
She is surprised when a strange man knocks on the door of the cabin. Nathan Strom is Leo’s father and Lydia’s ex-husband. He is joining the hiking trip to work on his relationship with Leo. He also informs Abby that Ray and Lydia have to cancel yet again.
Leo is furious to find his father there when he gets back from his ride and Brooke is hurt when she finds hers isn’t coming at all. Abby is determined to make Brooke happy and wants the trip to be good for her. So she agrees to hike where Brooke wants.
The trip turns crazy when Nathan and Abby have an instant attraction. Then they meet some creepy hunters on their hike to the lake. When Brooke disappears, Abby is beside herself with panic. She, Nathan and Leo race against time to find and save her.
I read another one in this series and found I loved the characters. This book continues the story focusing on Abby this time. Ella and Paul make appearances in this book so the reader can keep the group together. This story was creepy. The group of hikers is being stalked as they make their way on the trail. Abby had a reason to be leery.
The chemistry between Abby and Nathan was fun to read as they fought their attraction. The complications it would cause held them back for awhile. I liked how Nathan instantly saw how special Abby was. You go girl!
The relationship between Leo and Brooke is also complicated. Leo fights his attraction, but Brooke loves flirting with him. As you read, you know something will eventually happen between them. I am getting into the series and I hope the author keeps it going. I give it a 4 out 5.
After Ella, Abby and Brooke survived their last vacation where Abby’s ex backed out on, Abby decided to accompany Brooke on this hiking trip. Brooke’s dad always seems to back out at the last minute and Abby doesn’t want Brooke hiking by herself.
When they arrive at the cabin, Abby meets Ray’s stepson Leo. Brooke is excited to see him and jumps on his motorcycle for a ride the minute she gets there. Abby is uncomfortable being a fifth wheel but she wants Brooke to be safe.
She is surprised when a strange man knocks on the door of the cabin. Nathan Strom is Leo’s father and Lydia’s ex-husband. He is joining the hiking trip to work on his relationship with Leo. He also informs Abby that Ray and Lydia have to cancel yet again.
Leo is furious to find his father there when he gets back from his ride and Brooke is hurt when she finds hers isn’t coming at all. Abby is determined to make Brooke happy and wants the trip to be good for her. So she agrees to hike where Brooke wants.
The trip turns crazy when Nathan and Abby have an instant attraction. Then they meet some creepy hunters on their hike to the lake. When Brooke disappears, Abby is beside herself with panic. She, Nathan and Leo race against time to find and save her.
I read another one in this series and found I loved the characters. This book continues the story focusing on Abby this time. Ella and Paul make appearances in this book so the reader can keep the group together. This story was creepy. The group of hikers is being stalked as they make their way on the trail. Abby had a reason to be leery.
The chemistry between Abby and Nathan was fun to read as they fought their attraction. The complications it would cause held them back for awhile. I liked how Nathan instantly saw how special Abby was. You go girl!
The relationship between Leo and Brooke is also complicated. Leo fights his attraction, but Brooke loves flirting with him. As you read, you know something will eventually happen between them. I am getting into the series and I hope the author keeps it going. I give it a 4 out 5.
March 5, 2015
Jill Sorenson is an auto read for me. I love how intricate and at the same time concise her books are. Backwoods is no exception. Backwoods is a romantic suspense story with lots of action and characters that actually makes me think about going hiking. The story weaves various story lines with lots of drama, caring and sexy times. The story deals with Abby and her college age daughter, Brooke. They were to go on a hiking trip with Brooke's dad (Abby's ex) and Brooke's step brother, Leo (also college age), from her dad's second marriage. Brooke's dad who seems to not put any effort in spending time with Brooke does not show up but Leo's dad, Nathan, does. Nathan loves his son but spent too much time working and drinking while Leo was growing up. To say that Leo and Nathan have issues is an understatement. As the four end up on this hiking trip, there is a suspense element that brings in kidnapping, fighting, escaping, and the aftermath all of that entails. The suspense part of this story really cements this for me as a page turner.
It was nice to see a story develop from two adults (Abby and Nathan) who were "grown ups" but still had issues to work out within themselves and with their loved ones. It was gratifying to see their faults and fears and to see that they mess up sometimes more than their kids.
However, reading the simmering attraction between these two was very hot.
As I read the story, I kept wanting to turn the page (as in swiping my kindle) to see what was going to happen next. There was great development between all the characters and their subsets (i.e., Abby and Brooke, Abby and Nathan, Brooke and Leo, Leo and Nathan, even Leo and Abby, Nathan and Brooke). I did not feel cheated about learning and coming to care about all these characters. As with other works by Jill Sorenson, I want a continuation of the secondary characters. Even with this, I felt Backwoods was a complete and engaging book that I would recommend and will be re-reading a few times more.
It was nice to see a story develop from two adults (Abby and Nathan) who were "grown ups" but still had issues to work out within themselves and with their loved ones. It was gratifying to see their faults and fears and to see that they mess up sometimes more than their kids.
However, reading the simmering attraction between these two was very hot.
As I read the story, I kept wanting to turn the page (as in swiping my kindle) to see what was going to happen next. There was great development between all the characters and their subsets (i.e., Abby and Brooke, Abby and Nathan, Brooke and Leo, Leo and Nathan, even Leo and Abby, Nathan and Brooke). I did not feel cheated about learning and coming to care about all these characters. As with other works by Jill Sorenson, I want a continuation of the secondary characters. Even with this, I felt Backwoods was a complete and engaging book that I would recommend and will be re-reading a few times more.
June 25, 2014
I was provided this book by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The characters and storyline was fantastic. This is definitely a romantic suspense novel, with more than two point of views but the dialogue was not confusing and I thought it flowed very well. I loved the suspense and romance, parts of the story were a little creepy and unexpected. It definitely kept me turning the pages, I couldn't put it down.
The development of the relationship between Abby and Nathan is wonderful. Bot of them have been hurt before badly by their exes, which happen to be married to each other. While neither are looking for love, they both feel a connection to one another. Nathan is trying to reconnect with his son, Leo and Abby is trying g to reign in her over protective attitude with her daughter Brooke. They help each other become breed parents. I loved how they were open and honest with each other, that were always truthful with their feelings. As their relationship turned toward a sexual one it helped make it more than just sex.
Brooke and Leo were a different story, they had all kinds of misunderstandings. They seemed to struggle with being honest with each other. Brooke was always flirting with Leo and he acted like it made him uncomfortable. Now I know they are step siblings, but there is no blood relation between them. It's kind of a difficult thing to wrap your mind around. I'm not sure what is going to happen with them, but I'm definitely intrigued and hoping they get of book of their own.
While they are camping Brooke is kidnapped and the other three go looking for her. As they work together they form a deep bond. Nathan and Leo seem to be able to work through some of the things they have been disagreeing about and Abby realizes that she is capable of doing whatever it takes to get through scary and tough situations. This is truly a great book.
The characters and storyline was fantastic. This is definitely a romantic suspense novel, with more than two point of views but the dialogue was not confusing and I thought it flowed very well. I loved the suspense and romance, parts of the story were a little creepy and unexpected. It definitely kept me turning the pages, I couldn't put it down.
The development of the relationship between Abby and Nathan is wonderful. Bot of them have been hurt before badly by their exes, which happen to be married to each other. While neither are looking for love, they both feel a connection to one another. Nathan is trying to reconnect with his son, Leo and Abby is trying g to reign in her over protective attitude with her daughter Brooke. They help each other become breed parents. I loved how they were open and honest with each other, that were always truthful with their feelings. As their relationship turned toward a sexual one it helped make it more than just sex.
Brooke and Leo were a different story, they had all kinds of misunderstandings. They seemed to struggle with being honest with each other. Brooke was always flirting with Leo and he acted like it made him uncomfortable. Now I know they are step siblings, but there is no blood relation between them. It's kind of a difficult thing to wrap your mind around. I'm not sure what is going to happen with them, but I'm definitely intrigued and hoping they get of book of their own.
While they are camping Brooke is kidnapped and the other three go looking for her. As they work together they form a deep bond. Nathan and Leo seem to be able to work through some of the things they have been disagreeing about and Abby realizes that she is capable of doing whatever it takes to get through scary and tough situations. This is truly a great book.
August 17, 2014
Complex characters and relationships make for good dramatic tension
The story is about a hiking trip undertaken by four people. The age forty or so hero was a former baseball star who became a drunk after his arm was injured. At the time of this story he had been clean and sober for years but his drunken behavior had destroyed his relationship with his now ex-wife and son. The thirty-seven yo heroine, who married young, lost much of her confidence when she found her husband having sex with another woman. Then she was hospitalized after being injured in an earthquake during which time she had no knowledge of what had become of her daughter. This left her with a legacy of severe anxiety problems.
This pair have come together on this trip because the boy’s mother and the girl’s father are now married but bailed on the family hiking trip and the hero and heroine, who have never met, have replaced them. The college age children on this trip have their own set of parental and other issues and there is a lot of tension among all four characters. There is also tension between these four and the couple who bailed, that is, the exs. We then add in that several young women have gone missing locally in recent years and the four hikers are possibly being stalked by some Deliverance backwoods types.
I loved the depth of these characters. It is more to the level of women’s fiction rather than just romance. The complexity not only makes them more real, a little different, and more interesting, it also creates for good action, dialogue, character development and lots of dramatic tension which keeps you turning pages. I also appreciated the fact that there is not a lot of excessive ruminating thoughts or backstory, both of which slow you down.
The bad guys were not as well done as the other six characters and I didn’t like the speed with which the hero and heroine’s relationship developed. Still I’d give it a definite thumbs up.
The story is about a hiking trip undertaken by four people. The age forty or so hero was a former baseball star who became a drunk after his arm was injured. At the time of this story he had been clean and sober for years but his drunken behavior had destroyed his relationship with his now ex-wife and son. The thirty-seven yo heroine, who married young, lost much of her confidence when she found her husband having sex with another woman. Then she was hospitalized after being injured in an earthquake during which time she had no knowledge of what had become of her daughter. This left her with a legacy of severe anxiety problems.
This pair have come together on this trip because the boy’s mother and the girl’s father are now married but bailed on the family hiking trip and the hero and heroine, who have never met, have replaced them. The college age children on this trip have their own set of parental and other issues and there is a lot of tension among all four characters. There is also tension between these four and the couple who bailed, that is, the exs. We then add in that several young women have gone missing locally in recent years and the four hikers are possibly being stalked by some Deliverance backwoods types.
I loved the depth of these characters. It is more to the level of women’s fiction rather than just romance. The complexity not only makes them more real, a little different, and more interesting, it also creates for good action, dialogue, character development and lots of dramatic tension which keeps you turning pages. I also appreciated the fact that there is not a lot of excessive ruminating thoughts or backstory, both of which slow you down.
The bad guys were not as well done as the other six characters and I didn’t like the speed with which the hero and heroine’s relationship developed. Still I’d give it a definite thumbs up.
June 21, 2014
Brief Synopsis-
Abby goes camping with daughter Brooke along with her ex-husband's wife's son LEo and ex-husband Nathan. Women have been disappearing and Abby's fears come true when Brooke gets taken. Abby must work with Nathan and Leo to get her back.
The Good-
Oh wow. I have read Jill Sorenson's books before, and she never disappoints. I was hooked from the very start on this story. It had a nice suspenseful buildup,and Abby and Nathan had great chemistry. More importantly, both were pretty likable, which does not always happen. Also, although Abby did not show the best judgement by tracking the kidnappers herself rather than going for the police, her actions were relatable, that of a mama bear protecting her cub. Likewise, Nathan and Leo going along to try to keep Abby safe was understandable.
The Bad-
Brooke's character really annoyed me. For a supposedly mature, responsible young woman, her actions were those of a silly, reckless, little girl throwing herself at a bad boy and thoughtlessly exposing herself to danger time and time again. I am trying to attribute it a little bit to her age, but still. Knowing that kidnappings and murders have occured in the vicinity where you are camping should be enough to show extra caution. Instead, she dismisses Abby's fears, goes off by herself in the middle of the night without letting anyone know which leaves her vulnerable to be taken, then only leaves a message when she gets a text she think is from her father and finds herself in danger again. And speaking of the latter, her choice on dealing with the danger was really creepy and unnecessary and could have ended really really badly.
Summary-
Despite Brooke, I really liked the story and will continue reading books by Sorenson. It was a riveting read!
Abby goes camping with daughter Brooke along with her ex-husband's wife's son LEo and ex-husband Nathan. Women have been disappearing and Abby's fears come true when Brooke gets taken. Abby must work with Nathan and Leo to get her back.
The Good-
Oh wow. I have read Jill Sorenson's books before, and she never disappoints. I was hooked from the very start on this story. It had a nice suspenseful buildup,and Abby and Nathan had great chemistry. More importantly, both were pretty likable, which does not always happen. Also, although Abby did not show the best judgement by tracking the kidnappers herself rather than going for the police, her actions were relatable, that of a mama bear protecting her cub. Likewise, Nathan and Leo going along to try to keep Abby safe was understandable.
The Bad-
Brooke's character really annoyed me. For a supposedly mature, responsible young woman, her actions were those of a silly, reckless, little girl throwing herself at a bad boy and thoughtlessly exposing herself to danger time and time again. I am trying to attribute it a little bit to her age, but still. Knowing that kidnappings and murders have occured in the vicinity where you are camping should be enough to show extra caution. Instead, she dismisses Abby's fears, goes off by herself in the middle of the night without letting anyone know which leaves her vulnerable to be taken, then only leaves a message when she gets a text she think is from her father and finds herself in danger again. And speaking of the latter, her choice on dealing with the danger was really creepy and unnecessary and could have ended really really badly.
Summary-
Despite Brooke, I really liked the story and will continue reading books by Sorenson. It was a riveting read!
May 26, 2014
3.5 Stars...
*****MILD SPOILERS******
So, I've been really digging this series and look forward to a new release each time I see the pre-order button on Amazon and this one I kinda had reservations on because we met Abby and Brooke in the novella, Island Peril, and I really couldn't identify with Abby. She has panic attacks, almost smothers her daughter with her attention, and is a fatalist. She's always looking for something bad to happen. I know it all comes from her earthquake ordeal, which is understandable, but I really can't stand people like that. So, needless to say I wasn't as excited about this book as the previous ones. It's really just about crazy family relationship issues along with some questionable actions and hiking for about the first half then they're running to save Brooke from crazed mountain men then more fucked up family relationships. As a person who has step siblings on both my mother and father's side I have never looked at my stepbrothers with any sort of interest. That's just gross. Especially if you've been related for seven years! I found that whole sub-story very disturbing. And for Abby and Nathan acting like it's all perfectly fine for siblings (even if they are step-siblings) to sleep together? Nope. And add in the fact that Brooke is trying to hook up Abby and Nathan all the while her dad is already married to Leo's mom. Is she trying to see how many ways she can be related? What if Abby and Nathan had a baby? What would that make Brooke and Leo? Weird! All that aside I liked the actual rescue part. All that action had my blood pumping. Would I recommend this? I still don't know the answer to that.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
*****MILD SPOILERS******
So, I've been really digging this series and look forward to a new release each time I see the pre-order button on Amazon and this one I kinda had reservations on because we met Abby and Brooke in the novella, Island Peril, and I really couldn't identify with Abby. She has panic attacks, almost smothers her daughter with her attention, and is a fatalist. She's always looking for something bad to happen. I know it all comes from her earthquake ordeal, which is understandable, but I really can't stand people like that. So, needless to say I wasn't as excited about this book as the previous ones. It's really just about crazy family relationship issues along with some questionable actions and hiking for about the first half then they're running to save Brooke from crazed mountain men then more fucked up family relationships. As a person who has step siblings on both my mother and father's side I have never looked at my stepbrothers with any sort of interest. That's just gross. Especially if you've been related for seven years! I found that whole sub-story very disturbing. And for Abby and Nathan acting like it's all perfectly fine for siblings (even if they are step-siblings) to sleep together? Nope. And add in the fact that Brooke is trying to hook up Abby and Nathan all the while her dad is already married to Leo's mom. Is she trying to see how many ways she can be related? What if Abby and Nathan had a baby? What would that make Brooke and Leo? Weird! All that aside I liked the actual rescue part. All that action had my blood pumping. Would I recommend this? I still don't know the answer to that.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
June 12, 2014
B- at AAR, so 3.5 stars here Do you like action adventure romance? If so, you really should be reading Jill Sorenson if you aren't already. She writes fantastic, hot action romance and does it very well. I loved Aftershock, and while Backwoods isn't the best of her books, it's still a cut above.
Though technically part of the series that started with Aftershock, this book can be read on its own. And what is Backwoods, exactly? Well, it's pretty much a lovely romance that takes place on The Camping Trip From Hell. Abby Hammond is definitely not an intrepid outdoor explorer but she decides to tag along on a wilderness camping trip with her daughter Brooke because deep in her heart of hearts, she knows her ex-husband's tendencies. And one of those tendencies is to be a total workaholic who cancels on events, leaving their daughter Brooke stranded.
Abby doesn't want Brooke to be out in the wilderness all by herself, so she goes along. Predictably, the ex-husband cancels and Abby and Brooke find themselves on a camping trip with Brooke's stepbrother Leo. Oh, and since the ex-husband and his new wife canceled, the stepbrother's father Nathan is now coming along on the trip as well. This all sounds more confusing than it is; somehow Sorenson manages to make this tangle of people feel like they fit together on the trip.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookRev...
Though technically part of the series that started with Aftershock, this book can be read on its own. And what is Backwoods, exactly? Well, it's pretty much a lovely romance that takes place on The Camping Trip From Hell. Abby Hammond is definitely not an intrepid outdoor explorer but she decides to tag along on a wilderness camping trip with her daughter Brooke because deep in her heart of hearts, she knows her ex-husband's tendencies. And one of those tendencies is to be a total workaholic who cancels on events, leaving their daughter Brooke stranded.
Abby doesn't want Brooke to be out in the wilderness all by herself, so she goes along. Predictably, the ex-husband cancels and Abby and Brooke find themselves on a camping trip with Brooke's stepbrother Leo. Oh, and since the ex-husband and his new wife canceled, the stepbrother's father Nathan is now coming along on the trip as well. This all sounds more confusing than it is; somehow Sorenson manages to make this tangle of people feel like they fit together on the trip.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookRev...
August 24, 2016
The other reviews of this book have been very interesting to read while thinking about my own feelings. There was definitely more romance and less suspense in this novel than in most of her others (maybe except Crash Into Me). I am in the camp that expected more danger, but I'm not disappointed that there wasn't. The romance was solid and (as I said in my review of Island Peril), one of the things I love about Sorenson's books is the messy family relationships. Backwoods has messy family complications in droves!
As usual, Sorenson has great characterization and a really strong setting.
I also enjoyed the confusion of the teen subplot. Teen/young love is incredibly complicated and Sorenson doesn't shy away from that. And, unlike some of the other reviewers, I like the ambiguity of the ending. Nathan and Abby created a relationship in trying circumstances and I'm glad the ending allows them some time to get to know each other (no immediate, "let's get married!")
As for the ending, I thought the final ruse to Brooke in danger was a bit suspicious. I don't really know why Brooke fell for it (I don't think this is a spoiler--I thought it was pretty obvious when reading what was going to happen).
I got the book from NetGalley. Sorenson and I interact on Twitter and have exchanged a few emails.
As usual, Sorenson has great characterization and a really strong setting.
I also enjoyed the confusion of the teen subplot. Teen/young love is incredibly complicated and Sorenson doesn't shy away from that. And, unlike some of the other reviewers, I like the ambiguity of the ending. Nathan and Abby created a relationship in trying circumstances and I'm glad the ending allows them some time to get to know each other (no immediate, "let's get married!")
As for the ending, I thought the final ruse to Brooke in danger was a bit suspicious. I don't really know why Brooke fell for it (I don't think this is a spoiler--I thought it was pretty obvious when reading what was going to happen).
I got the book from NetGalley. Sorenson and I interact on Twitter and have exchanged a few emails.
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