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Virtue Falls #2
Obsession Falls
In Christina Dodd's Obsession Falls, Taylor Summers witnesses the death threat to a young boy, and does the only thing she can do—she sacrifices herself to distract the killers. Her reward is a life in ruins, on the run in the wilderness, barely surviving a bitter winter and the even more bitter knowledge she has lost everything: her career, her reputation, her identity. She finds refuge in Virtue Falls, and there comes face to face with the knowledge that, to live her life again, she must enlist the help of the man who does not trust her to defeat the man who would destroy her.
401 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2015
246 people are currently reading
3216 people want to read
About the author
Christina Dodd
100 books5,907 followersUpcoming:
— 6/30/26 TEACH THE TORCHES TO BURN: Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #3 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
New and Now!
—MUCH ADO ABOUT MISTLETOE: Daughter of Montague Christmas novella https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— THUS WITH A KISS I DIE Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #2
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA Historical Fiction Trade Paperback Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all…
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
— WELCOME TO GOTHIC: A Gothic novella in ebook (at last!) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— WHAT DREAMS MAY COME Daughter of Montague novella 1.5 "I’m the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. No, they didn’t die in the tomb…" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— GIRL ANONYMOUS “Crackling sexual chemistry and a few love scenes guaranteed to scorch readers’ fingers as they turn the pages." — ⭐️ Booklist
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Readers become writers, and Christina has always been a reader. Ultimately she discovered she liked to read romance best because the relationship between a man and a woman is always humorous. A woman wants world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants a Craftsman router, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will make his bald spot disappear.
When Christina’s first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?
Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before she was published. Now her suspense, paranormal, historical, and mystery novels have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 15 million copies in print. Praised for her “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (Booklist), her award-winning books have landed on numerous Best of the Year lists and, much to her mother's delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where her 700 lavender plants share the yard with her husband’s various “Big Projects,” including a treehouse, zipline, and their very own Stonehenge.
Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list for humor, book news and entertainment (yes, she’s the proud author with the infamous three-armed cover) at christinadodd.com. For more information on A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA, visit daughterofmontague.com. Her legions of fans know that when they pick up a Christina Dodd book, they'll find the story, "Wildly entertaining, wickedly witty!"
Christina is married to a man with all his hair and no Corvette, but many Craftsman tools.
(Source: http://www.christinadodd.com )
— 6/30/26 TEACH THE TORCHES TO BURN: Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #3 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
New and Now!
—MUCH ADO ABOUT MISTLETOE: Daughter of Montague Christmas novella https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— THUS WITH A KISS I DIE Daughter of Montague Historical Fiction #2
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA Historical Fiction Trade Paperback Once upon a time a young couple met and fell in love. You probably know that story, and how it ended (hint: badly). Only here’s the thing: That’s not how it ended at all…
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
— WELCOME TO GOTHIC: A Gothic novella in ebook (at last!) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— WHAT DREAMS MAY COME Daughter of Montague novella 1.5 "I’m the daughter of Romeo and Juliet. Yes, that Romeo and Juliet. No, they didn’t die in the tomb…" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
— GIRL ANONYMOUS “Crackling sexual chemistry and a few love scenes guaranteed to scorch readers’ fingers as they turn the pages." — ⭐️ Booklist
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Readers become writers, and Christina has always been a reader. Ultimately she discovered she liked to read romance best because the relationship between a man and a woman is always humorous. A woman wants world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants a Craftsman router, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will make his bald spot disappear.
When Christina’s first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?
Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before she was published. Now her suspense, paranormal, historical, and mystery novels have been translated into 30 languages and sold more than 15 million copies in print. Praised for her “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (Booklist), her award-winning books have landed on numerous Best of the Year lists and, much to her mother's delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where her 700 lavender plants share the yard with her husband’s various “Big Projects,” including a treehouse, zipline, and their very own Stonehenge.
Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list for humor, book news and entertainment (yes, she’s the proud author with the infamous three-armed cover) at christinadodd.com. For more information on A DAUGHTER OF FAIR VERONA, visit daughterofmontague.com. Her legions of fans know that when they pick up a Christina Dodd book, they'll find the story, "Wildly entertaining, wickedly witty!"
Christina is married to a man with all his hair and no Corvette, but many Craftsman tools.
(Source: http://www.christinadodd.com )
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 379 reviews
November 6, 2017
Obsession Falls by Christina Dodd is a 2015 St. Martin’s Press publication.
This second book in the Virtue Fall series got off to a terrific start, but instead of sticking to that gritty, tense and adventurous tract, it veered off course, and even the romantic elements fell seriously flat.
Taylor Summers stumbles across a crime in progress and with no other options available steps up to prevent a young child from being killed.
Her choice temporarily makes her a suspect, but the problem, of course, is that the killers are hot on her trail. Changing her name, to ‘Summer’, she settles in Virtue Falls, carving out a tenuous life, creating a niche and gets to know the other residents.
But, her peace is very short lived when the child’s uncle shows up and the killers are not far behind-
I think I may be in the minority on this one. But, I thought the second half of the book was outlandish in many respects and I didn’t like the love story at all. Once or twice I got a chuckle out of Summer's rants, but other than that, I just didn't feel a connection with the characters.
I am not deterred though. I have already committed myself this series, if only to see what will happen with Kateri.
Onward and upwards-
2.5 stars
This second book in the Virtue Fall series got off to a terrific start, but instead of sticking to that gritty, tense and adventurous tract, it veered off course, and even the romantic elements fell seriously flat.
Taylor Summers stumbles across a crime in progress and with no other options available steps up to prevent a young child from being killed.
Her choice temporarily makes her a suspect, but the problem, of course, is that the killers are hot on her trail. Changing her name, to ‘Summer’, she settles in Virtue Falls, carving out a tenuous life, creating a niche and gets to know the other residents.
But, her peace is very short lived when the child’s uncle shows up and the killers are not far behind-
I think I may be in the minority on this one. But, I thought the second half of the book was outlandish in many respects and I didn’t like the love story at all. Once or twice I got a chuckle out of Summer's rants, but other than that, I just didn't feel a connection with the characters.
I am not deterred though. I have already committed myself this series, if only to see what will happen with Kateri.
Onward and upwards-
2.5 stars
February 2, 2017
The first half: WTH?
The second half: OMG!
As a fan of this series, this was definitely not what I expected from the author. Let's just say, this installment wasn't quite up to par with the others. I really thought I was going to read a ROMANTIC suspense story, but I was totally mistaken. There was almost no romance in this story! Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed with this part. I wanted more romance, not just a hint of it. Damn, it wasn't fair!
I felt ambivalent about this book. While reading this, I never once felt like putting the book away to read something else, but at some point, the characters (especially Summer) and also some of those twists and turns were somewhat off to me. Whereas the romance in this story was a letdown as I already told you, the suspense had me hooked, terrified out of my wits, and on the edge of my seat so many times. Somehow, it seemed like this book managed to entertain me and annoy me in equal measure.
And the ending... That ending! Oh my goodness! I stared at the last page with my mouth hanging open. What did I just read? Please tell me it wasn't true! To be honest, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I just...don't know...
I hated that after I finished reading this, I felt indifferent about the book. It's like I spent a lot of my time reading the whole story for nothing! I didn’t love it but didn’t hate it either, so I honestly didn’t know how to rate this one. But since I loved the way Kennedy was consumed with passion and desire for Summer, so I went with 3 stars instead of 2. I just couldn’t help it—love me some obsessive heroes!
Despite the fact that this book was well-written, it was so sad that among countless books out there, this one had nothing special that could make it stand out from the crowd. However, I will certainly continue with this series. Hopefully, the next installment will be better than this one.
***
September 19, 2015
After reading the prequel, The Listener and Virtual Falls #1 book in Christina Dodd’s Virtue Falls Series, I was interested enough to continue on with the next book. In the first two books, the author created the small, gossipy, slow-paced, friendly and isolated town named Virtue Falls, with some really interesting and quirky inhabitants.
Obsession Falls, the 2nd novel in this series isn’t actually set in the town of Virtue Falls until half-way through the book.
This story begins with interior decorator and sometime artist, Taylor Summers, who has decided to reconnect with her roots of her childhood years spent in the Idaho countryside. One her way, she stops to do some drawings of Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains, where she interrupts a boy’s murder. Shot and chased and just manages to escape into the wilderness and finds herself facing even more dangerous problems. On breaking into a closed holiday home, she discovers via the internet, that she is now being accused of kidnapping the boy she saved and is being hunted as a fugitive.
Forced to hide in the cold and cruel snowed in the mountains area, she has to use all her resources of survival that her deceased father had taught her as a child.
After witnessing a murder at a home where she was working as a waitress, she flees again and arrives at the town of Virtue Falls.
What I liked about this book:
Taylor Summers – she was brave, resourceful, quick-witted and the things she did to survive were clever and ingenious. In trouble, alone and determined to survive and get her life back!
The vivid imagery of the settings was stunning…you feel the cold, you touch the snow, and you sense the danger, fear, and loneliness of the majestic and cruel mountain in winter, the fury of the storms in Virtue Falls….so well written.
The dash of paranormal interwoven into the story added a bit of twist.
Seeing characters from previous books like Elizabeth Banner and her town sheriff husband, Garik.
The twist at the end was TOTALLY ….unexpected and unforeseen….I was like WHAT!!!!!
The ongoing suspense and mystery kept me riveted
The main villain….aka Jimmy …he was evil personified but in some way I felt sad about him…yes, what he had gone through in the past was really awful…but still doesn’t give him the right to do the things he does in the present.
This was quite a long book and I felt that it could have been shorter…there were a lot of scenes that dragged on a bit.
I would have liked more of the story to take place in Virtue Falls.
This was more of a mystery/suspense/thriller with a dash of romance, which I just didn’t get into. The one main character, Kennedy McManus…I never understood his obsession with Taylor and the insta-love he had for her.
The “three-some” aspect in this story kind of didn’t do it for me. I actually thought that Taylor would make a different decision when it came to the two men in life!!!!
Overall, this was a well-written story and it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.
I want to find out where the next book takes the series to….the ending was a totally cliffhanger.
You can read my reviews of the first two books in the series here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Obsession Falls, the 2nd novel in this series isn’t actually set in the town of Virtue Falls until half-way through the book.
This story begins with interior decorator and sometime artist, Taylor Summers, who has decided to reconnect with her roots of her childhood years spent in the Idaho countryside. One her way, she stops to do some drawings of Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains, where she interrupts a boy’s murder. Shot and chased and just manages to escape into the wilderness and finds herself facing even more dangerous problems. On breaking into a closed holiday home, she discovers via the internet, that she is now being accused of kidnapping the boy she saved and is being hunted as a fugitive.
Forced to hide in the cold and cruel snowed in the mountains area, she has to use all her resources of survival that her deceased father had taught her as a child.
Terrified, lonely, cold, hungry and determined, she spends months evading the killers who are relentless in finding her.
After witnessing a murder at a home where she was working as a waitress, she flees again and arrives at the town of Virtue Falls.
What I liked about this book:
Taylor Summers – she was brave, resourceful, quick-witted and the things she did to survive were clever and ingenious. In trouble, alone and determined to survive and get her life back!
The vivid imagery of the settings was stunning…you feel the cold, you touch the snow, and you sense the danger, fear, and loneliness of the majestic and cruel mountain in winter, the fury of the storms in Virtue Falls….so well written.
Characters – Brilliant….my favorite were definitely Kateri & Rainbow!
The dash of paranormal interwoven into the story added a bit of twist.
Seeing characters from previous books like Elizabeth Banner and her town sheriff husband, Garik.
The twist at the end was TOTALLY ….unexpected and unforeseen….I was like WHAT!!!!!
The ongoing suspense and mystery kept me riveted
The main villain….aka Jimmy …he was evil personified but in some way I felt sad about him…yes, what he had gone through in the past was really awful…but still doesn’t give him the right to do the things he does in the present.
This was quite a long book and I felt that it could have been shorter…there were a lot of scenes that dragged on a bit.
I would have liked more of the story to take place in Virtue Falls.
This was more of a mystery/suspense/thriller with a dash of romance, which I just didn’t get into. The one main character, Kennedy McManus…I never understood his obsession with Taylor and the insta-love he had for her.
The “three-some” aspect in this story kind of didn’t do it for me. I actually thought that Taylor would make a different decision when it came to the two men in life!!!!
Overall, this was a well-written story and it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.
I want to find out where the next book takes the series to….the ending was a totally cliffhanger.
You can read my reviews of the first two books in the series here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
August 13, 2016
Link to full review below!I seriously LOVE Dodd's writing! She can layer a story with such brilliance! This review was originally posted on The Book Disciple
October 3, 2015
I would have rated it more if it hadn't been labeled as romance. It is most definitely not a romance.
And even so I would have given it at least four if it wasn't for a very disturbing fact that I definitely don't like reading in something that's supposed to be romance:
SPOILER:
The heroine lusting after the psycho villain. Just a big no.
The writing, of course, was amazing because this is Christina Dodd but the story just didn't work for me.
And even so I would have given it at least four if it wasn't for a very disturbing fact that I definitely don't like reading in something that's supposed to be romance:
SPOILER:
The heroine lusting after the psycho villain. Just a big no.
The writing, of course, was amazing because this is Christina Dodd but the story just didn't work for me.
January 4, 2022
Romantic Suspense / Contemporary / Thriller
Series: The Virtue Falls Series, book 2
Can be read as a standalone
Publication Date : September 8, 2015
In the Idaho wilderness, Taylor Summers comes across a child about to be murdered. She distracts the men who want to harm him. This courageous act destroys her life and attracts the interest of two powerful men determined to find and have her...
This is the first book I've read by Christina Dodd and...wow! Wow! This story was atmospheric, edgy, twisty, with strong heroine and with lots of action and danger. It was impossible to put it down! I couldn't wait to see how it all turn out, yet, I didn't want to rush it. The villain was charismatic, but so vicious, terrifyingly capable and spooky. The ending was surprising and had me wondering... and I think author also considered different outcomes as there is an alternate ending to this story...
Alternate Ending OBSESSION FALLS
Narrator January LaVoy did fantastic job! She brought the story to life with her variety of voices and pace. Her voice is clear and enjoyable to listen to. Awesome narrator. One of my favorites.
What a shame she did not read the Cape Charade Series!!
I'd recommend OBESSION FALLS to everyone who loves suspense with strong, tough, reliable heroine, complex characters, danger, tension, obsession, jealousy, action, twists and turns!
Series: The Virtue Falls Series, book 2
Can be read as a standalone
Publication Date : September 8, 2015
In the Idaho wilderness, Taylor Summers comes across a child about to be murdered. She distracts the men who want to harm him. This courageous act destroys her life and attracts the interest of two powerful men determined to find and have her...
This is the first book I've read by Christina Dodd and...wow! Wow! This story was atmospheric, edgy, twisty, with strong heroine and with lots of action and danger. It was impossible to put it down! I couldn't wait to see how it all turn out, yet, I didn't want to rush it. The villain was charismatic, but so vicious, terrifyingly capable and spooky. The ending was surprising and had me wondering... and I think author also considered different outcomes as there is an alternate ending to this story...
Alternate Ending OBSESSION FALLS
Narrator January LaVoy did fantastic job! She brought the story to life with her variety of voices and pace. Her voice is clear and enjoyable to listen to. Awesome narrator. One of my favorites.
What a shame she did not read the Cape Charade Series!!
I'd recommend OBESSION FALLS to everyone who loves suspense with strong, tough, reliable heroine, complex characters, danger, tension, obsession, jealousy, action, twists and turns!
May 25, 2018
The 2nd in the Virtue falls series and while I enjoyed it, I did like the 1st one better. There are a few crossover characters from #1. I get a kick out of Rainbow everytime she comes into play. The h in this story was kickass bad but made some dense decisions. The H (if it is who I am assuming it is) is strong, handsome, clever, but too obsessed. Good storyline. Plenty of action and turmoil. I will continue reading the rest in my own time.
March 19, 2016
This was a pretty good read. I enjoy stories that take place in the wilderness and involve coping with the elements against the odds. Of course, there were elements in this story that stretched believability a bit. But, remember, this is pure fiction.
Taylor Summers (aka Summer Leigh) witnesses a potential murder in the making. She causes a diversion that will change her life completely. Now she's on the run and trying to survive under the worst of circumstances. Her cleverness keeps her one step ahead of the bad guys. In order to stop the murderers, she has to resort to the very thing that could get herself killed.....coming out of hiding.
As much as I liked the main character, I actually liked the character of Kateri in Virtue Falls. She worked for the Coast Guard and suffered tramatic injuries. She was the picture of strength. I'd like to see Christina Dodd pick up on her story and run with another book involving Kateri.
This was a fast read if you're looking for something to add to your book shelf. Just enough character development and just enough action. Let's see what Ms. Dodd offers next.
Taylor Summers (aka Summer Leigh) witnesses a potential murder in the making. She causes a diversion that will change her life completely. Now she's on the run and trying to survive under the worst of circumstances. Her cleverness keeps her one step ahead of the bad guys. In order to stop the murderers, she has to resort to the very thing that could get herself killed.....coming out of hiding.
As much as I liked the main character, I actually liked the character of Kateri in Virtue Falls. She worked for the Coast Guard and suffered tramatic injuries. She was the picture of strength. I'd like to see Christina Dodd pick up on her story and run with another book involving Kateri.
This was a fast read if you're looking for something to add to your book shelf. Just enough character development and just enough action. Let's see what Ms. Dodd offers next.
October 19, 2015
This is one of the best romantic-suspense books I've read this year. From the very beginning you have no idea where it is going and that makes the journey so enjoyable. It also breaks a lot of the rules that have some books in the romantic-suspense genre in a strangle hold. I like an author who takes risks and a plot that is on the edgy side. As #2 in the Virtue Falls series this book could very easily be read as a standalone, but a few characters and plot lines from Book #1 carry over here.
Taylor is on a quest to find her artistic inspiration. She has come back to her childhood home in Wildrose Valley, Idaho. As she sketches in a meadow in the Sawtooth Mountains she is witness to the attempted murder of a child. She creates a diversion and then runs for her life. When she emerges from the forest, her car blows up and everyone believes she is dead. Not only that, but they believe she was part of the kidnapping. Taylor's quest now is to stay alive and clear her name.
Taylor is on a quest to find her artistic inspiration. She has come back to her childhood home in Wildrose Valley, Idaho. As she sketches in a meadow in the Sawtooth Mountains she is witness to the attempted murder of a child. She creates a diversion and then runs for her life. When she emerges from the forest, her car blows up and everyone believes she is dead. Not only that, but they believe she was part of the kidnapping. Taylor's quest now is to stay alive and clear her name.
September 20, 2015
I really don't know what to think..when I started to read it, it was like OMG the old Christina Dodd is back!!!But then it all went somewhere... I don't know where :( I generally don't give less then 3 stars, and to think that this is on of my favorite authors it is quite difficult, but at the end this is one place where you should give your honest review or rating. Sorry but this one was not for me.
Spoiler alert! I will be very short, as this is bad rating, and I don't like to swim in the ocean of negativity. Quick marks, why it was bad, at least for me. First, it is more suspense then romance, and I love Dodd for her romance, main characters don't meet for the first half of the book. When in the beginning H, seems like typical alpha male who can make you drop your panties with one single glare, at the end of the book there is not much Heroic activities from his part, in fact he seems quite weak in my opinion. Next, WTF was this about main h, lusting in some mild manner after a bad guy?! Repeat WTF?!! I am indeed very traditional, when it comes to my romance reads, but this is Dodd we are talking her! I didn't get it, none of it, and it all just put me off.All that said, I am not giving up on Dodd, although it has been many years since her best books were released That Scandalous Evening and my all time favorite Just the Way You Are So I will wait some more years if needs to be, no problem, because I know it will be worth it.
Spoiler alert! I will be very short, as this is bad rating, and I don't like to swim in the ocean of negativity. Quick marks, why it was bad, at least for me. First, it is more suspense then romance, and I love Dodd for her romance, main characters don't meet for the first half of the book. When in the beginning H, seems like typical alpha male who can make you drop your panties with one single glare, at the end of the book there is not much Heroic activities from his part, in fact he seems quite weak in my opinion. Next, WTF was this about main h, lusting in some mild manner after a bad guy?! Repeat WTF?!! I am indeed very traditional, when it comes to my romance reads, but this is Dodd we are talking her! I didn't get it, none of it, and it all just put me off.All that said, I am not giving up on Dodd, although it has been many years since her best books were released That Scandalous Evening and my all time favorite Just the Way You Are So I will wait some more years if needs to be, no problem, because I know it will be worth it.
July 31, 2015
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads' FirstReads program.
Obsession Falls makes for an outstanding thriller! I took it with me to the gym to read on the exercise bike and time flew by (thank goodness). As soon as I got home and showered, I immediately picked up the book and finished it. As a thriller, it's great. The heroine Taylor lives through outrageous conditions to come out stronger in the end. There's even a big, scary twist at the end of the book that had me saying, "WHOA!!!!"
Unfortunately, this book is billed as a romantic suspense, and the romance is pretty weak in this novel. In fact, the hero and heroine don't meet until about halfway through. It's difficult to balance the romance and suspense in an RS, and we just don't get enough time with the two characters together for me to buy into their love for one another. It's a shame, because Taylor is a kickass heroine, and the hero, Kennedy, is an intriguing guy.
I hadn't read Virtue Fall, the first in the series, before I read Obsession Falls, but the second book easily stands alone. I did go back and read Virtue Falls afterward and I enjoyed it more than Obsession Falls, to be honest. The romance and suspense were more evenly balanced.
If you treat Obsession Falls as a straightforward thriller instead of a romantic suspense, I think you'll really enjoy the book. If the romance were more developed, I would rate this book a solid 4, but I had to mark it down to a 3. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book, though. Hopefully it will be Kateri's book!
Obsession Falls makes for an outstanding thriller! I took it with me to the gym to read on the exercise bike and time flew by (thank goodness). As soon as I got home and showered, I immediately picked up the book and finished it. As a thriller, it's great. The heroine Taylor lives through outrageous conditions to come out stronger in the end. There's even a big, scary twist at the end of the book that had me saying, "WHOA!!!!"
Unfortunately, this book is billed as a romantic suspense, and the romance is pretty weak in this novel. In fact, the hero and heroine don't meet until about halfway through. It's difficult to balance the romance and suspense in an RS, and we just don't get enough time with the two characters together for me to buy into their love for one another. It's a shame, because Taylor is a kickass heroine, and the hero, Kennedy, is an intriguing guy.
I hadn't read Virtue Fall, the first in the series, before I read Obsession Falls, but the second book easily stands alone. I did go back and read Virtue Falls afterward and I enjoyed it more than Obsession Falls, to be honest. The romance and suspense were more evenly balanced.
If you treat Obsession Falls as a straightforward thriller instead of a romantic suspense, I think you'll really enjoy the book. If the romance were more developed, I would rate this book a solid 4, but I had to mark it down to a 3. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book, though. Hopefully it will be Kateri's book!
June 19, 2016
I didn't like this book. I could not be involved in the plot (which is why I read it for so long). I not liked the characters or didn't believe in their love. Between them there was no chemistry. I don't know on what basis they confessed their love. They barely knew each other.
A huge minus for the epilogue. Far more I liked the alternative version.
The first book in the series was much better. At least well-known heroes appeared; good to know what's going on with them.
A huge minus for the epilogue. Far more I liked the alternative version.
The first book in the series was much better. At least well-known heroes appeared; good to know what's going on with them.
September 30, 2015
1-1/2 stars. This book was disturbing. Creepy, squicky, implausible, and off-putting. And Kennedy is an asshat.
December 23, 2017
For those who have read my prior reviews or follow me, you may be surprised that I’m rating this book a two star. Alas, you can’t knock ‘em out of the park every time.
Turns out this story was feeling a bit familiar to me at the start. Going further in, I realized I had read this book before -before Goodreads, before keeping track of books read/want to read, and before my retirement where I am now catching up on my reading like nobody’s business! So...I continued to read on.
I liked the heroine Summer from the start - she was smart and strong and worldly. She was a survivor and quite cunning at that. The situation that propelled her ultimate survival was her being caught witness in the wrong place at the wrong time. And so we read on of her strength, wilderness survival skills and information gathering (trust no one) to make contact with the one man who might help her and also to evade the one man who may hurt/deceive her, yet throughout the story, there is a sexual attraction with both of them and they with her.
There is a lot going on this book.
There is literally game playing between the two rivals with Summer being the pawn, the prize or she is also a third rival to this game? May the best man/woman win and we discover this escapade actually IS based on a game that was created by Kennedy. A game of strategy and defeat that they continue to play that goes back to Jimmy and Kennedy’s younger days. To me, this is a little far fetched but is creative thinking/writing. We all know there are unstable people in this world (confusing fantasy with reality) and the author takes us on this real world gaming adventure into “Empire of Fire” with individuals strategizing and wanting to win the game amidst others who by chance, end up dead, injured, or impacted by their destruction.
These two gentlemen are both smart and well off, Kennedy runs himself and his organization professionally and quietly, Jimmy is totally opposite, running drugs and prostitution rings while at university and landing in prison and running illegal operations out of there. Jimmy, continuing a bad guy life under the guise of a new name and a forced facial operation to disguise his former self, is a very evil and cunning man to the core. Yet, Summer has more than a flicker of attraction to this guy. If I was Summer, I wouldn’t bother “picking” either of them for a relationship - they were both losers in one capacity or another. Good grief. After what those two put her through physically and mentally, she’d be better off running off with one of the construction guys. My personal opinion. 😬
I did not like the Kennedy character and his brusqueness and coolness. We are supposed to feel his upstanding aloofness and detachment for others other than his close workers and family. Yet, what was obsessive and creepy was his man handling of and latching on to and staring at Summer and saying I love you; I think about you all the time was irritating. Who does that? He doesn’t even know her! But...also the fact that she was flirting and kissing Jimmy and feeling sexual desires with him was not only confusing to her but to me, the reader. This was not the same Summer who we met at the beginning of the book who was running for her life til she connected and got involved with both of these men. One by chance and one by purpose.
I personally did not like the ending and was disappointed with the book’s turn of events. And while the last page ended the book with a bang and a big question mark it did not come totally as a surprise.
I’ve got another Christina Dodd book in my reading que titled “Because I’m Watching” and hope that one will fare a better read and review.
Turns out this story was feeling a bit familiar to me at the start. Going further in, I realized I had read this book before -before Goodreads, before keeping track of books read/want to read, and before my retirement where I am now catching up on my reading like nobody’s business! So...I continued to read on.
I liked the heroine Summer from the start - she was smart and strong and worldly. She was a survivor and quite cunning at that. The situation that propelled her ultimate survival was her being caught witness in the wrong place at the wrong time. And so we read on of her strength, wilderness survival skills and information gathering (trust no one) to make contact with the one man who might help her and also to evade the one man who may hurt/deceive her, yet throughout the story, there is a sexual attraction with both of them and they with her.
There is a lot going on this book.
There is literally game playing between the two rivals with Summer being the pawn, the prize or she is also a third rival to this game? May the best man/woman win and we discover this escapade actually IS based on a game that was created by Kennedy. A game of strategy and defeat that they continue to play that goes back to Jimmy and Kennedy’s younger days. To me, this is a little far fetched but is creative thinking/writing. We all know there are unstable people in this world (confusing fantasy with reality) and the author takes us on this real world gaming adventure into “Empire of Fire” with individuals strategizing and wanting to win the game amidst others who by chance, end up dead, injured, or impacted by their destruction.
These two gentlemen are both smart and well off, Kennedy runs himself and his organization professionally and quietly, Jimmy is totally opposite, running drugs and prostitution rings while at university and landing in prison and running illegal operations out of there. Jimmy, continuing a bad guy life under the guise of a new name and a forced facial operation to disguise his former self, is a very evil and cunning man to the core. Yet, Summer has more than a flicker of attraction to this guy. If I was Summer, I wouldn’t bother “picking” either of them for a relationship - they were both losers in one capacity or another. Good grief. After what those two put her through physically and mentally, she’d be better off running off with one of the construction guys. My personal opinion. 😬
I did not like the Kennedy character and his brusqueness and coolness. We are supposed to feel his upstanding aloofness and detachment for others other than his close workers and family. Yet, what was obsessive and creepy was his man handling of and latching on to and staring at Summer and saying I love you; I think about you all the time was irritating. Who does that? He doesn’t even know her! But...also the fact that she was flirting and kissing Jimmy and feeling sexual desires with him was not only confusing to her but to me, the reader. This was not the same Summer who we met at the beginning of the book who was running for her life til she connected and got involved with both of these men. One by chance and one by purpose.
I personally did not like the ending and was disappointed with the book’s turn of events. And while the last page ended the book with a bang and a big question mark it did not come totally as a surprise.
I’ve got another Christina Dodd book in my reading que titled “Because I’m Watching” and hope that one will fare a better read and review.
July 13, 2016
5 stars for the first half of the story and one or 2 for the last half. I love woman in peril and survival stories. I loved the survival element and how the heroine, Summer, was so tough and wily at surviving. Other than her first dopey plan to save the boy she was smart. But the plan was reasonable considering what she had to work with. Everything was great right up until she got to Virtue Falls.
The Virtue Falls part went really wonky. The other characters were okay. I liked Kateri and the sheriff. I was disappointed in Kennedy. His character was very inconsistent and I never really warmed up to him. Was he supposed to be cold and analytical? Impulsive and passionate? Somewhere on the Aspergers spectrum? Insecure and frankly a bit stupid? Well he came across as all of those things.
The ending had me with my WTF? face on. I don't like my heroines to be so wishy washy especially out of the blue at the end.
A final quibble, it sucked that she had to cut her finger off but the author made too big of a deal of it afterwards. Most people don't immediately notice when a person is missing the tip of a baby finger. And also they don't assume that it was a great sacrifice involving just the situation those two people are talking about.
The Virtue Falls part went really wonky. The other characters were okay. I liked Kateri and the sheriff. I was disappointed in Kennedy. His character was very inconsistent and I never really warmed up to him. Was he supposed to be cold and analytical? Impulsive and passionate? Somewhere on the Aspergers spectrum? Insecure and frankly a bit stupid? Well he came across as all of those things.
The ending had me with my WTF? face on. I don't like my heroines to be so wishy washy especially out of the blue at the end.
A final quibble, it sucked that she had to cut her finger off but the author made too big of a deal of it afterwards. Most people don't immediately notice when a person is missing the tip of a baby finger. And also they don't assume that it was a great sacrifice involving just the situation those two people are talking about.
December 17, 2015
Review to come/Notes to self (some sort of spoilers, so...):
2.5 Stars rounded up, but maybe I should have rounded down?
I liked that the female characters were "kick ass", independent and self sufficient. I had major problems with the female lead lusting after the bad guy even after he shot a guy in the head. I never felt she was really in love with the hero.
I was definitely not enamored of the hero in this novel - all talk about how great he was, but nothing to back that up. He came off a little more like creeper dude than hero in his obsession with our heroine. And I thought he appeared weak next to the villain.
The villain was the super villain which was a little hard to believe.
A lot of elements required more suspension of disbelief than the first book in the series. In fact in some ways this felt a little more like a gamer version of romantic suspense which if held through out the book and not just the end might have worked better. This seemed to try to be too many types of genres all at once. A little mythical, a little urban fantasy turned wilderness fantasy, a little survivalist, a little creeper obsession, a little too much of this and that...
2.5 Stars rounded up, but maybe I should have rounded down?
I liked that the female characters were "kick ass", independent and self sufficient. I had major problems with the female lead lusting after the bad guy even after he shot a guy in the head. I never felt she was really in love with the hero.
I was definitely not enamored of the hero in this novel - all talk about how great he was, but nothing to back that up. He came off a little more like creeper dude than hero in his obsession with our heroine. And I thought he appeared weak next to the villain.
The villain was the super villain which was a little hard to believe.
A lot of elements required more suspension of disbelief than the first book in the series. In fact in some ways this felt a little more like a gamer version of romantic suspense which if held through out the book and not just the end might have worked better. This seemed to try to be too many types of genres all at once. A little mythical, a little urban fantasy turned wilderness fantasy, a little survivalist, a little creeper obsession, a little too much of this and that...
September 14, 2018
Obsession Falls
3 Stars
An incredible beginning with fantastic suspense elements as the heroine witnesses a horrific crime and is forced to fight for her life while on the run. Unfortunately, the plot takes a turn toward the ridiculous at the halfway mark, and the romantic subplot is strange to say the least.
The most significant problem with the book is the heroine's exceedingly problematic relationship with the villain. The man is a narcissistic sociopath with psychotic tendencies, yet the heroine lusts after him in a very icky and squicky way. This, of course, makes the romance with the actual hero, who is quite yummy albeit somewhat beta, virtually impossible to believe.
The town of Virtue Falls, and its quirky residents, is as charming as ever. Nevertheless, neither the town nor its inhabitants play any real role in the storyline, and are little more than background and a reason to include the book in an ongoing series.
To sum up, Obsession Falls is definitely not a book I can recommend for newbies to Christina Dodd's work. Read her Chosen Ones series instead.
3 Stars
An incredible beginning with fantastic suspense elements as the heroine witnesses a horrific crime and is forced to fight for her life while on the run. Unfortunately, the plot takes a turn toward the ridiculous at the halfway mark, and the romantic subplot is strange to say the least.
The most significant problem with the book is the heroine's exceedingly problematic relationship with the villain. The man is a narcissistic sociopath with psychotic tendencies, yet the heroine lusts after him in a very icky and squicky way. This, of course, makes the romance with the actual hero, who is quite yummy albeit somewhat beta, virtually impossible to believe.
The town of Virtue Falls, and its quirky residents, is as charming as ever. Nevertheless, neither the town nor its inhabitants play any real role in the storyline, and are little more than background and a reason to include the book in an ongoing series.
To sum up, Obsession Falls is definitely not a book I can recommend for newbies to Christina Dodd's work. Read her Chosen Ones series instead.
September 12, 2015
Good thing that these books can be read as stand alone novels because if you missed reading any in this series you can go back and read them now.
I did like this book. However it was one that I had to slowly build up to. The beginning of the story started out good with plenty of action but than it stayed steady with lots of talking. There was no build up to the danger that Taylor was running from. The romance between Taylor and Kennedy was also slow (almost too slow). Yet the last half of the story made up for the first half of the story. There was plenty of action and romance. In addition, to the fact that Taylor proved to be a tough, female woman.
The chemistry between Taylor and Kennedy was real. So when they would have a make out scene, it was hot but genuine. The ending was a bit of a twist.
I did like this book. However it was one that I had to slowly build up to. The beginning of the story started out good with plenty of action but than it stayed steady with lots of talking. There was no build up to the danger that Taylor was running from. The romance between Taylor and Kennedy was also slow (almost too slow). Yet the last half of the story made up for the first half of the story. There was plenty of action and romance. In addition, to the fact that Taylor proved to be a tough, female woman.
The chemistry between Taylor and Kennedy was real. So when they would have a make out scene, it was hot but genuine. The ending was a bit of a twist.
September 21, 2015
AJ's Review:
Obsession Falls by Christina Dodd simply blew my mind. Ms. Dodd has penned a heart-pounding, dark, gritty, intense, action-packed story that will leave you breathless, intrigued, and a little fearful of the dark. While the scenery is at times majestic, it's also dangerous and full of murderers. In an effort to be a good Samaritan, Taylor Summers, finds herself in a dangerous, sophisticated game of cat and mouse. The only question that remains is whose the cat and whose the mouse because this heroine is no damsel in distress. She's strong, witty, intelligent, and most of all a survivor and it's her survivor skills that will make her opponents stand up and take notice. Read More. . . http://www.blackravensreviews.com/aut...
Obsession Falls by Christina Dodd simply blew my mind. Ms. Dodd has penned a heart-pounding, dark, gritty, intense, action-packed story that will leave you breathless, intrigued, and a little fearful of the dark. While the scenery is at times majestic, it's also dangerous and full of murderers. In an effort to be a good Samaritan, Taylor Summers, finds herself in a dangerous, sophisticated game of cat and mouse. The only question that remains is whose the cat and whose the mouse because this heroine is no damsel in distress. She's strong, witty, intelligent, and most of all a survivor and it's her survivor skills that will make her opponents stand up and take notice. Read More. . . http://www.blackravensreviews.com/aut...
May 14, 2015
I enjoyed this due to early access from the publisher, and I was slightly surprised by the read. I recognized the author as one that I read awhile ago in the historical romance genre, and this was contemporary (Here I must admit that I tend not to read the descriptions prior to picking in cases where I recognize an author by name or if I really like the look of the potential cover. This was I am more open to what the read might be, and less prejudging). I thought this title was a great suspenseful read, and I will hold off on saying more until closer to publication, but WOW! Well done.
September 17, 2015
Starts off with a bang and doesn't let go! The second book in the Virtue Falls series may possibly be even better than the first. A heroine on the run and needing the ingenuity to survive harsh mountain weather while evading ruthless killers is my kind of suspense. Taylor Summers is a strong female protagonist with grit. Kennedy is a swoon-worthy hero. This gripping thriller will keep readers up all night. Kudos to Ms. Dodd for giving us a thrill ride. More please!
May 21, 2016
Loved it!
November 22, 2022
Taylor Summers is in the wrong place at the right time to save a young boy but to do this she is inadvertently put in the crosshairs of the killer. When she runs to save herself, she ends up lost and then set up for the boy's kidnapping and then presumed dead after her car explodes. After surviving in the cold and desolate mountains by breaking into homes for weeks she stumbles upon a party where she is hired as part of the catering staff. A hot meal and shower and even a bed for the night before leaving the next day with the promise of more jobs. When she shows up again to work she discovers the man who kidnapped the boy and his boss and witnesses a murder. After stowing away on a flight out of there she ends up in Virtue Falls and nearly dies of hypothermia before Kateri finds her and saves her. It takes her a while to get word to the boy's uncle but finally she does. This was one twisty tale. If you didn't read the first one, no worries, this one can be read as a standalone.
June 3, 2025
Aptuveni pirmā puse grāmatas bija patiešām aizraujoša. Tad attapos, ka vairs īsti nesaprotu - šis ir trilleris vai romantika (un es noteikti negribēju, lai izrādās otrais variants). Pēdējā trešdaļa bija kaut kāds nesaprotams mistrojums, kur šķita, ka jāsamet vēl neizmantotās klišejas, erotika, mistiska un absurds. Vārdu sakot - nē, paldies, priecājos, ka šis ir galā.
February 22, 2017
I really enjoyed this one up until the 2/3 point. Summer was an amazing woman who saved a young boy and then learned how to take care of herself in the wilderness. Then the plot turned weird. I hate when characters start doing things that don't make sense. Kennedy is suddenly in love with Summer because he has been obsessing with her since she saved his nephew. The villain is weird enough as it is and the ending is a shocker. Still worth reading.
August 13, 2015
Virtue Falls, Washington is a magical place and I was excited to read the 2nd novel in the series, "Obsession Falls". Books where the character is hunted down are so popular these days and I don't usually go for this "Hunger Games" sort of genre, but made an exception when I won this book from a giveway from FirstReads. I'm not going to spoil it, but this book has some great twists and turns. Trying to stay alive, not freezing to death or starving, become the daily struggle of Taylor, a girl on the run. It took a little while for the romance in this "romantic suspense" novel to happen, but when it did, the wait was worth it. Kennedy is a great foil for Taylor and it's heartwarming to see their relationship develop. Don't read the ending first or you'll spoil the twist at the end of their story! Well written and fast-paced, Dodd's novel was a bit "scarier" than my usual read, but I enjoyed it. Received a free copy from FirstReads in exchange for my honest review.
September 26, 2015
I love Christina Dodd. I had high expectations for this book. I thought it was wonderful except the last section. There was virtually no romance and the female protagonist is wishy washy where her feelings are concerned which makes the end even more weird. The end leaves you hanging and there are A LOT of holes and unresolved issues. I truly loved it until the end chapters. I was very disappointed by this book and if I read the next in the series, I'll be reading the ending first to make sure it's worth my while. If I hadn't enjoyed the first part so much I would have only given it two stars. Very disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2015
This is one book that had me captured from the beginning. Non stop action and suspense that takes you to the edge of your seat. Christina Dodd brings everything you can imagine to thrill you. A definite page turner filled full of emotions and chilling violence. This all adds up to a very exciting read. I loved her characters and everything binds together to satisfy your reading experience. I loved this book and hope to see more of Virtue Falls suspense. Obsession Falls is the second novel of Virtue Falls, Washington.
This was a Goodreads win for me.
This was a Goodreads win for me.
September 8, 2015
multi layered story with complex characters...danger, jealousy, obsession, weakness of character , insane and diabolical killer, judgmental would be lover. she foils a kidnapping, saves the child, gets blamed for it, nearly killed for her efforts. she barely survives the first and second times...thinks she finally kills the villain but gets a really nasty surprise. we meet kateri again as she slowly recovers from her horrific drowning and comes into her powers. hope the next book is about her. can't wait!
August 30, 2015
I truly loved the book, I was up till 3am reading and couldn`t wait to start it again in the morning. I just couldn`t put it down, it keeps your interest from page one to the end. You keep turning pages to see what is next. Christina always writes a great book with interesting characters. I have read her books for years and never had a bad one. Her characters are always interesting and you get caught up in them. You hold your breath hoping Taylor will be ok. I know you will enjoy the book if you like a great mystery.
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