Evitable Destiny

by Izabela Monick

Since Chris's mother died when he was sixteen years old, he has lived for only one goal: seeking revenge on his mother’s ex-lover, Kevin. Determined not to repeat his mother’s mistake, Chris vows never to fall into love’s seductive, deceptive clutches.

With Kevin’s business teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, Chris senses his chance. He kidnaps Kevin’s stepdaughter, Julia, and sets a ransom—if Kevin cancels a company-saving business deal, then Julia will be returned. The scheme seems perfect—until Chris’s long-suppressed feelings for Julia bubble to the surface. Julia, meanwhile, proves a resilient captive with a knack for pushing Chris’s buttons, even as her own feelings for her kidnapper become increasingly conflicted.

As the passion between Chris and Julia heats up, other forces come into play. Chris isn’t the only one who wants Julia, nor is he the only one willing to abduct her to satisfy his needs. Julia’s life—and perhaps Chris’s only chance at love—are in danger. Will Chris fight for his happily ever after—or will he let destiny take its own path?

A steamy tale of revenge, passion, and forgiveness, Evitable Destiny is author Izabela Monick’s powerful debut novel.
Disclaimer: This book contains graphic scenes with elements of rape and violence. Evitable Destiny is not intended for readers who are under 18 or are sensitive to those subjects.

Genres: Romance, Suspense, Mystery, Amazon, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary Romance, Dark

265 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 30, 2015

Reviews

[Ellen Gail · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was egregiously bad.



I never go into a book expecting to dislike it. There'd be no point in me picking up a book if I knew there was no chance I'd enjoy it, you know?

But man. Aside from being free, Evitable Destiny just has nothing going for it. It got progressively worse at every turn. I can't say I had zero enjoyment from it - after I realized it wasn't going to get better and gave up attempting to enjoy it, there was a certain amusement to seeing just what ridiculous shit would get thrown onto the page next.

It doesn't look like this is available to download on Kindle anymore. But don't worry. You really aren't missing out. Pinky promise.

[Amber · Rating 1 out of 5]

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

DNF'd at 17% because using rape as a plot device to spark romantic attraction between rapist and victim is deplorable. As a rape survivor, I cannot condone that at all.

[Jennifer Kirkwood (Levac) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can view the original review at Genuinejenn.com and follow the book tour with www.legitlitbooks.com

This book had me full of mixed emotions. The story jumps right into the action and doesn't let up throughout the book. I found that the author did a great job at keeping the reader on their toes and throwing more and more twist into the plot. When you think things couldn't get worse for Julia, they do. Julia, the main character goes through so many ordeals from two kidnappings, rape, being controlled by everyone in her life. The author has a lot of characters throughout the book but does a great job of intertwining them all together. I would have liked to have had a bit more time to get to know Eva a little more at the beginning.

Here is my thoughts on the main characters

Julia - I did like Julia but she drove me nuts throughout the book with how naive she is and her falling in love with her kidnapper. Julia had a hard life after her father passed away and has been controlled by everyone in her life there after. I believe she is a smart, kind, loving girl who needs to get some major help to break away from all the hardships that has happened to her in her life.

Kevin - Julia's stepfather, I really never got to liking this man even in the end I found he had a lot of issues that needed to be resolved in his head.

Chris - Had this guy not kidnapped Julia and had massive control issues then I would have really enjoyed his character and rooted for Julia and Chris to be together. He does have a heart of gold under the controlling crazed man he is but he needs some therapy.

Pat: At first I couldn't stand this man but by the end I found myself liking him even though I know I shouldn't.

You will need to go into this book with an open mind as there are scenes of control and rape and Julia displaces Stockholm syndrome and it is really hard to not want to throw the book at a wall and yell at Julia to not be so dumb.

I do give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars as it hooked me from the beginning and kept me wanting to find out what would happen next. The sex scenes are smoking hot. For a debut novel from this author it didn't read like one at all. The author did a fabulous job!

[Aղցela W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an okay read that I wish was darker. Julia Adams is a 23 year old college student who wants to be free of her controlling step father Kevin. Kevin drove Chris's mother to her death. He is a self made man, who has worked hard to reach the position where he is now. And every time he is fueled with the desire to bring down the business raised by Kevin. The desire to get Julia for himself and to avenge his mother Chris gets Julia kidnapped he wants to get revenge on Kevin. I really liked both character's in this book Julia was strong and Chris was sexy and controlling and Julia brought out a good side of him. The sex scenes were really good and hot. I also enjoyed how each of the character's changed and evolved overtime. This was my first time reading his authors work this book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling. I am looking forward to reading more of this author's work.

[Corey Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steamy & Unpredictable Journey

I scored this novel as a free download, and I was not disappointed. The author takes us on an adventure, where the main character, Julia, is left to the mercy of everyone around her. The ending in particular was packed with unexpected twists, and I enjoyed the fact that I had no idea what was going to happen next. If you enjoy adventure, unusual situations, and steamy romance, you will enjoy this book.

[J.L. Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What will she write next?

I had mixed emotions about this book, let me start with the stepdad.
Kevin: He is overbearing, controlling. I didn't like him, but at the end... Like the last 10 pages he was okay.
Next up is the mom: She has her issues, but don't we all. In the end she just wanted what was best for her daughter, so I guess I can forgive her for being spoilt and blind to what was going on around her.
Jason: I loved him. He was there for Julia. I wanted them to get together, but when you read the book you will understand why that should not happen.
The friend Jessica: There was times when I wanted Julia to drop her as a friend and find someone better, but then there was times when she was okay. I guess some friends are like that.
Dexter: I wanted so bad for him and Julia to get it on!! Haha and of course be together. He was so sweet and he had his domineering moments, which to me it seemed that's one thing Julia liked; even though she fought for her freedom and independence.
That brings me to Julia: Sometimes I wanted to slap her and other times I cheered her on. She went through so much in her life, and it just kept on coming. She wanted so badly to be free. At least in the end she did get what she wanted.
Pat: When we are first introduced to him, I totally hated his guts, however; they say there is always a second impression and he made a good one.
Chris: Sexy, domineering, controlling, but he has his good sides and Julia seems to bring it out in him.
So I really didn't want them together, but then I did want them together. It was a love hate relationship.
So over all I give this book a 5 , because even though I got frustrated and ticked off; the book was beautifully written. It had romance, danger and sexy guys. The author brought you into Julia's world. If a book keeps your attention and you want to know what's going to happen next... Then it's a book worth reading. 5⭐️
Good job.

[Xtina Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

TITLE: Evitable Destiny
AUTHOR: Izabela Monick
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: June 30, 2015
MY RATING: 4 stars

Wow, kidnapping- check- steamy sex- check, great story- check!

This was a great read, right from the start. Fast paced and kept me on my toes wondering what was going to happen next- I loved the suspense.

At first Julia's character annoyed me (sorry!) because she seemed to fall into the category that I dislike in a heroine the 3 W's (Wishy washy weak female) But she came out of that box quickly, and I grew to really respect her.

Chris and Pat! Ugh! I wanted to hate them, and I did in the beginning, but they really wrecked havoc with sense of right and wrong and in the end I really fell for them as well.

This was a great read with an awesome story line and multidimensional characters. I cannot wait too what Monick does next.

[Kira Simion · Rating 1 out of 5]

Started off interestingly. I felt sorry for the MC and I was a little bit curious about how this would play out.

More crying and I'm not mad or whatnot about that. I'm just annoyed that the plot wasn't very interesting. The story became a broken record, repeating the same scenario over and over. I could see the heroine breaking to her captor's will and that was sad, yes, but I wish there was more going on.

The story dragged on and I skipped pages looking for something.

1 star

[Carra]

DNF

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by this author and I thought it was good. It is a romance but also had suspense and some twists and turns. It took my awhile before I started to like Chris. Julia was able to show us a good side to him. I didn't really care for Julia in the beginning either. She was just a little annoying. I guess you could say they each brought out the best in the other. Overall this was good and I'll probably read more by this author.
*I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. This is my honest review.*

[Brigitte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia is overprotected by her parents, mainly her stepfather Kevin who more or less dictates mostly every aspect of her life. Julia rebels when she can and on one of those occasions when she gives her driver/bodyguard the slip, she is abducted.

Chris is a young successful businessman whose main focus besides his business is to ruin Kevin, rending him bankrupt. The first time Kevin sets eyes on Julia and discovers that she is Kevin's stepdaughter, he is attracted to her but decides to use her to get back at Kevin anyway. He doesn't expect Julia to have such a big impact on him until she disappears!

This is a very well crafted story which is full of suspense and surprises. As soon as one problem is resolved, another one comes along. Although, it's slow in some places, it's quite fast in other places, especially where there is no end to the revelations!

Chris and Julia are totally different characters but what develops between them is quite special, even under the difficult circumstances. None of the characters are who they appear to be, which makes this novel even more interesting and quite unique in its own way.

I would recommend to those who like a "steamy" romance full of suspense and surprises. It's exciting, intriguing and compulsive. I would definitely read more of this author's work.

[Naughty Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars. A great enemies to lovers romance with more twists and turns than a roller-coaster. There is a full cast of shady characters and my advice to you is to trust none of them. Just when you think you have things figured out, something new and unexpected is going to take you by surprise. The story centers around the relationship that develops between Chris and Julia after she is kidnapped and used as a pawn in Chris' scheme for revenge. Chris' dominant, Alpha male streak is complimented nicely with his sexy enduring qualities. Just for the record, any man who wants to kidnap me, and then reward me with books for good behavior is going to be rewarding himself accordingly. Sign me up!

There are a few subplots that are intricately woven into the main plot of the story. The author does a great job of unraveling them all in due time, while leaving you on the edge of your seat with anticipation. I'm always skeptical when it comes to not only an author I haven't read before, but a debut author as well, but I was very pleased with not only the writing, but the complexity of the characters and the story.

[J. Kahele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was all over the place. I wouldn't know what genre to classify it in, thriller/romance/mystery? The action in this book at times was a little much, just as you are trying to digest one dramatic situation, another is falling close behind. And the whole he's my brother...and then he's my father, was unnecessary, it gave the book a very negative and unrealistic feel.

But I liked the romance that developed between Chris and Julia and felt their characters were written really well. Overall, it was engaging, with a zillion twists and headspins that made it a very unique read and I like unique reads.

[Pari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to come on 30th as a part of the book tour!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I started reading this book, it was really hard to put it down. Julia is growing up in a house where her stepdad has her under lock and key. She doesn't go anywhere without a bodyguard and cannot even go out with her friends. Seeing that she is only 23 and in college she feels that she is missing out on life with her friends. She tries to sneak out several times but always gets caught. Chris sees Julia across the room at a party and has decided she is his. When Julia tries to get away from Bruce (her bodyguard) in the store, she runs right into the hands of someone else. But this someone doesn't work for her stepdad. She ends up in Chris' office as his birthday gift and then his home. The chemistry between them is off the charts immediately even though she is there not by her choice. When they have sex its Hot and the connection deepens. Can a real relationship come out of something like this? Will Julia fall in love with Chris? Will her stepdad find her and save her? I can tell you that reading this book will definitely be a plus to your library and you will not be disappointed. I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hooked me and had hold of me until every twist and turn had played out. At times it's brutality is distressing and powerful but it adds to the brilliant and thorough writing of this author who has built this story well.

Julia is an ever evolving character who, through the book grows from a naive and sheltered young woman to a passion filled and strong woman who secures Chris's heart. Chris develops from an angry and bitter character to someone who becomes likable and interesting!

Izabela writes the plot's dark and at times erotic scenes very well and keeps you intrigued. Yes some of the twists are a bit unbelievable but to be honest, I don't feel this detracts too much from the actual threads of the novel. I certainly will be intrigued to see what Izabela Monick writes next.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book

[Book-Lovin-Momma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book, Julia's been kidnapped because her stepdad ticked off the wrong people and they were seeking revenge. Sort of a Stockholm Syndrome kind of romance, but Chris finds himself falling for Julia despite his anger and need for vengeance. I thought it was a pretty good story. Some holes in it plot-wise, but overall it was intense at times and just a little dark. I would read this author again. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

[Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I read the blurb for this one, it sounded promising but didn't quite live up to it. The twists and turns got to be so over the top as to be absurd. I did finish, but not without numerous eye-rolls and 'you have got to be kidding me's'. The POV changes were a big distraction for me and I couldn't see any reason for them (Julia's chapters are in first person, while everything else is in third). I didn't find a single character that was likable - the men were all controlling jerks and the women just blindly followed along. Julia has zero sense of self-preservation and she was like a walking disaster. I don't like to give spoilers, but to sum it up, Julia resents her controlling stepfather, she's kidnapped by a rival, then she's kidnapped from the rival, and THEN she's kidnapped from that person over jealousy, only to be saved by the original kidnapper. We can't forget the plane crash or someone shooting at her because not enough has happened to her. And the relationships and relatives were next to impossible to keep up with. Not to mention the fact that the people in this girl's life are all perfectly okay with Julia's relationship with Chris. That is not romance, it's Stockholm syndrome. Overall, the story was just too convoluted for me to enjoy it. In this case, less would've definitely been more.

[Mollien Fote Osterman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Evitable Destiny
Author: Izabela Monick
Publisher: Dark Shadow Publishing
Release Date: July 12, 2015
Genre(s): Romance Mystery, Dark Romance
Page Count: 265 pages
Heat Level: # 4 flames out of 5
Rating: # 4 stars out of 5
Blurb:

Since Chris's mother died when he was sixteen years old, he has lived for only one goal: seeking revenge on his mother’s ex-lover, Kevin. Determined not to repeat his mother’s mistake, Chris vows never to fall into love’s seductive, deceptive clutches.

With Kevin’s business teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, Chris senses his chance. He kidnaps Kevin’s step daughter, Julia, and sets a ransom—if Kevin cancels a company-saving business deal, then Julia will be returned. The scheme seems perfect—until Chris’s long-suppressed feelings for Julia bubble to the surface. Julia, meanwhile, proves a resilient captive with a knack for pushing Chris’s buttons, even as her own feelings for her kidnapper become increasingly conflicted.

As the passion between Chris and Julia heats up, other forces come into play. Chris isn’t the only one who wants Julia, nor is he the only one willing to abduct her to satisfy his needs. Julia’s life—and perhaps Chris’s only chance at love—are in danger. Will Chris fight for his happily ever after—or will he let destiny take its own path?

A steamy tale of revenge, passion, and forgiveness, Evitable Destiny is author Izabela Monick’s powerful debut novel

Review:

I am going to state that I love reading dark stories. Yes this story was dark, but I have read darker. Usually I would give you a quick review of a story that I am reviewing with out any spoilers, but this story had so much going on that I feel any synopsis that I write would not be adequate.

The story was interesting and for a debut novel, I was impressed. Monick had so much going on however that by the time I got to the end of the book, I forgot who the bad guy was. Okay not really, but Julia’s life is full of one controlling, manipulative person after another. The story was exciting, and intense, but it lacked the easy flow of a 5 star story. I see wonderful book coming from this new author. I think that she is an author to watch for.

Find this book on Goodreads


ARC provided by the author and Tasty Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Mollien from Alpha Book Club

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evitable Destiny is a story that has so many twists and turns it keeps you on your toes. It has kidnapping, family secrets, betrayals. Full of surprises. I enjoyed a lot about it and it held my interest.
Julia is a strong willed young woman who endures everything and comes out stronger for it. Chris won't give up on her, knowing at first sight she should be his. I did have issue with the fact of them being with other people, even in a small way. Also, the very end was a little abrupt for me. Other than that, this book was amazing and just when I got used to something, it shocked me again.
I received an arc and I would read more from this author in the future.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evitable Destiny, by Izabela Monick, is "a steamy tale of revenge, passion, and forgiveness." This is also the author's debut novel.

This is a solidly written debut novel by the author; it's suspenseful and full of emotional rides that will leave you shaking. The characters have their flaws, as any good ones do. It's well written and I look forward to seeing what this author comes with next.

[Lesley Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

Really enjoyed this story. Good storyline and characters. Had lots of twists that kept me turning the pages, and it was dark too. For a debut novel this is good work. Would recommend.

[Erik Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever love occurs, this term occurs as well; “It’s complicated.” Even a so called normal love is complicated because true love occurs when two people are involved. And because everyone is different, the differences will arise and when some or all differences need to be resolved, the complicated part of love occurs. But in Izabela Monick’s “Evitable Destiny”, the term “It’s complicated” becomes an understatement.
The protagonist or should I say anti-hero is Chris whose mother dies when he was sixteen. Before she died, she was dating a man named Kevin who was the typical jerk who made her feel miserable by being verbally abusive. Years later, Chris and Kevin become business rivals and when Kevin is on the verge of losing everything he has, Chris begins to taste the sweet taste of revenge since he believes Kevin was the main cause of his mother’s death. When he finds out that Kevin is about to close a business deal that can save his business, he develops a plan to kidnap his stepdaughter; Julia. When he succeeds in kidnapping her, he informs Kevin that she can only be returned if he cancels his business deal. As Chris holds Julia captive, their relationship goes from being hateful towards one and other into a sick love for each other. I repeat; not a sweet love for each other but a sick love. While Chris tries to come up with a plan where he and Julia can have a great life together after her step-father makes his final decision about his business, he also has to put up with other suitors of Julia.
So, this story does have a familiar plot device. A kidnapper kidnaps a woman, holds her for a ransom and then they fall in love with each other. But the great character development, twists in the storyline and great dialogue makes this familiar plot device almost one-hundred percent original. When I say character development, I mean that the characters do change a lot. For an example; Chris. I sympathized with what he was going through but to me, he seemed very hateful towards not just Kevin but practically everyone. But then as the story went on, I grew to like him. Another example would be the character of Dexter; someone who wanted Julia. He seemed nice and sympathetic at first but then I kind of read in-between the lines and I found myself thinking that he was just trying to get into Julia’s you know what. Maybe I’m making a bad judgment call but he seemed like the type of guy who felt entitled to a woman just because he thought he was nice. Once again, the book definitely is worth the read and not only does it make love more than just complicated, it also reminds you of another term in the field of love; “An ‘it love a bitch?”

[Susan Foulkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very emotional read that begins at a breathless pace and never lets up.

The main characters, Chris and Julia, couldn't be more different. Chris is seeking revenge on his mother's ex lover Kevin and will stop at nothing to get it. Julia has led a sheltered and protected life, and she happens to be Kevin's stepdaughter.

The kidnapping of Julia, by Chris, sets in motion a chain of events that couldn't be foreseen as other characters appear who also have "plans" for her.

Parts of the story are dark, and the plot has many twists and turns before reaching its conclusion.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book via Hidden Gems.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Evitable Destiny we meet several characters that will torment, haunt and please us throughout this book. I was full of emotions reading this book and parts of it were understandable hard and difficult to read. There are scenes of rape and that for me was a hard topic to read about. It did fit well into the book, but it was hard to read none the less. You really feel the emotions throughout this book, and as long as you can keep an open mind and not be pushed away by those hard to read scenes, you really will enjoy this.

We follow the two main characters in this book Julia and Chris. Julia is controlled by Kevin (step-father) and her mother and the fact that she is in her twenties and still being treated like a child kinda annoyed me at first. She can’t go out with her friends or even come home late form a college course without getting in some sort of trouble. That is where Chris comes into the picture. Chris is seeking revenge on Julia’s step father Kevin, who happens to also be Chris’s mothers Ex-lover from years ago. He is full of built up anger and hurt toward him and puts a plan into action to kidnap Julia. What he doesn’t bargain for is the feelings he will feel for her once she is in his possession. And I mean possession in every sense of the term. That is where the beginning of their journey did kind of bother me. You can defiantly tell after some hard scenes that the victim is falling for the abuser and as long as you can make it through that subject matter you should keep going. Chris isn’t the only one after Julia and even though she is in his possession there are many twists and turns in this book that you just won’t see coming.

The first few chapters of this book, I’ll be honest, I had to go back and recheck and reread some things because I felt I couldn’t follow it. Maybe it was just the day I read it, or maybe it was jumpy, but that scared me away at first. Once I got into the rest of the story and history of everything, I was hooked! It’s well written, full of revenge and betrayal, and hunger and forgiveness. The author has really packed a lot into this story and there really are no down moments of boring page turning. You just have action and drama packed pages from the first page! Can Chris overcome his revenge plot and love Julia? Can she love him for who he is and want to be with him and not just because she is experiencing Stockholm? Or is that all they will ever be, a man seeking revenge and the victim. You won’t want to put this one down!

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. This book was dark...yet erotic at the same time...it intrigued me. Wow! I loved Chris & Julia's story. Lots of twists & turns...kept me on the edge of my seat...wanting more. I really enjoyed this new author (to me) Awesomely dark, erotic read.

[Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like Evitable Destiny much more than I actually did. The kidnapee falling in love with her kidnapper trope can be a good one, if done well. I didn't feel it was done well here. Neither Julia nor Chris was a particularly likable or memorable character, and their chemistry wasn't very passionate. Julia gets kidnapped so many times by so many different people that it was just ridiculous. If it had just been Chris who kidnapped her, I probably could have dealt with it, but when more kidnappings were added into the plot, it ruined it for me.

I think if some tightening of the details, and some character development had been done, this could have been a pretty good book, but without it, the plot was left to meander here and there, and I got lost in all the unnecessary details. Add into the fact that I only liked a few of the characters (and not either of the 2 leads) and I was left with a ho hum plot, lots of unnecessary details and things happening, and lack of believable passion.

My copy had a lot of formatting problems with sentences cut off and restarting two lines down, and lots of typos. In place of all apostrophes were quotation marks and it was really, really distracting and annoying. I eventually sort of got used to it, but not enough for all those quotation marks not to bug me at least a little.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, through Reading Deals, so I could give an honest review.

[Linda Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty-three-year-old Julia Adams yearns to be free of her controlling and over-protective stepfather. Yet she is oddly compliant with his demands, until she decides to break free for a night out with friends. In a riveting plot twist, the relative tranquility of her life is shattered when she is kidnapped to settle a score between Chris and her stepfather Kevin.

What I enjoyed about this novel is watching Julia evolve from a sheltered college student to a mature, confident and passionate young woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. Her character is well developed and one of the core strengths of the book. The reader is swept along with Julia on her perilous roller coaster journey, her emotions careening from boredom to terror to love and uncontrollable passion for her kidnapper. Their relationship is compelling, sexually intense, and full of surprises. There were a few scenes in the book that were beyond my comfort zone in terms of graphic sex and the brutality of the kidnapping, but they did not detract from my overall enjoyment of this well-written story.

I liked the idea of a long-simmering motive for revenge that results in the kidnapping, and several other story lines have deep roots in the past that the author handles with skill. A great debut novel that you won’t want to put down!

[Wendy Rinebold · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. The plot sounded very interesting and I liked the title and the cover. Even the first half of the book went in a good direction. It mostly followed Julia after her abduction by Chris and the interactions in the household. I am not sure what happened after that. It seemed that the author lost her focus on the initial plot. I believe she was hoping to bring exciting twists and turns but it just ended up being confusing when everyone was related to everyone in some step-fashion. There were also characters thrown in for the sole purpose of being the villain. Why was there no talk of Annabelle until another literary scapegoat was necessary? Also, every single bad thing that could possibly happen to this girl, did. Really? She had 3 kidnappings and 2 attempted kidnappings, she survived a plain crash, and was shot at....yet her big issue was that she wanted freedom?? I don't know. I think after all the kidnappings, I would be happy with a little security.
The final nail in the coffin for me was when Annabelle told Julia that she would have gotten away with it if not for her boyfriend. In my head I heard "and I would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for you pesky kids." When a serious statement makes me laugh, I know I am not a fan.

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Kit Vogler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dont feel as if there was a lot of realistic character progression. Understandably, it is not a very realistic story, so I suppose some would think that is a dumb thought to have about the book. I would think if someone kidnapped me, played mental and physical games against me, and then it happened with another person, and another person, and another person, after previously being held under lock and key for nearly a decade prior, I wouldn't just say "okay, love ya!" back to the initial kidnapper. She had a moment where she needed time for herself, but it was her laying around, then a few days of a new job, then a few days of kidnapper trying to get her attention, then a plane crash happens, and all of a sudden the bad stuff melts away and love replaces it? You remember getting slapped, right? You do remember being touched in ways you didnt like, right? If there had been more of a leap instead of a giant @$$ launch from bad feelings to good feelings, I would feel better about the ending...but it sorta just fell flat and moved way too fast at the end...sorta like, "hey, tired of writing, and f*ck it, everything wraps up in the last 10%." And I am talking, feelings revealed, resolved, patched up, good terms, hey future, wrapped up in 10%....but I sure this won't stop me from reading more of Monick's stuff because overall, it was not bad...just that ending... :)