The Door: Part One

by Lizzy Ford

Novella. There’s only one Never lock the door Gianna believes manual labor to be penance for the mistake that changed her life. Nothing can be worse than serving probation under the supervision of a bitter, elderly woman, known as the Caretaker, running a bed and breakfast in the middle of the Arizona desert. Then the strangers begin arriving. They appear every night at sundown at the end of the driveway and vanish early in the morning, armed men and women who don’t quite look or act normal and never travel in vehicles, despite the property being twenty miles from town. Where they come from baffles Gianna, as does the single rule the Caretaker gives her. The front door must remain unlocked and the house accessible to the dangerous visitors no matter how unusual or frightening they are. When one of them arrives wounded, Gianna helps save him and unknowingly makes a powerful friend, one from a very faraway place. In fact, from another world entirely, the world that starts at the end of the driveway. Before she can learn more, Gianna is left alone with the strangers and must choose whether she’ll take over the Caretaker’s role as hostess or return to New York and risk jail time for violating her probation. Frustrated with her life, Gianna defies the Caretaker and locks the front door instead. Her world will never be the same.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Teen

143 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 24, 2016

About the author

I breathe stories. I dream them. If it were possible, I'd eat them, too. (I'm pretty sure they'd taste like cotton candy.) I can't escape them - they're everywhere! Which is why I write! I was born to bring the crazy worlds and people in my mind to life, and I love sharing them with as many people as I can.

I'm also the bestselling, award winning, internationally acclaimed author of over sixty titles and counting. I write speculative fiction in multiple subgenres of romance and fantasy, contemporary fiction, books for both teens and adults, and just about anything else I feel like writing. If I can imagine it, I can write it!

I live in the desert of southern Arizona with a pack of spoiled dogs and Tubbs, the Godfather cat who rules them all.


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LizzyFordBooks
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/LizzyFord2010
Email: LizzyFord2010@gmail.com
Radish: LizzyFord
Wattpad: LizzyFord

Lizzy’s books include:

Lost Vegas – young adult post-apocalyptic
Aveline
Tiana
Arthur
Black Wolf

Spell Realm Series (coming summer 2017) – young adult fantasy
Water Spell (2017)
Dragon Spell (2018)
Moon Spell (2018)
Sword Spell (2019)

History Interrupted – time travel romance
West
East
North (2017)
South (2018)

Omega Beginnings Series
Alessandra
Mismatch
Phoibe
Lantos
Theodocia
Niko
Cleon
Herakles

Omega Series
Omega
Theta
Alpha (2017)

Theta Beginnings Miniseries (novelettes)
Silent Queen
Mercenary
Shadow Titan
People’s Champion

Non-Series – 2014 - 2017
Black Moon Draw (about a reader sucked into her book)
White Tree Sound (2017)
Highlander Enchanted
The Door
The Fall of Esme (2017)
Sons of War – contemporary military romance
Semper Mine
Soldier Mine
SEAL Mine (2017)

Super Villainess
It’s Not Easy Being Evil
It’s Not Easy Being Good

Starwalkers Serials (with Julia Crane) – new adult science fiction serial
Severed
Trapped
Exiled
Revealed
Escaped
Ascended
Starwalkers – complete (#1-6)

Heart of Fire – sexy dragon shifter
Charred Heart
Charred Tears
Charred Hope

Incubatti – Buffy meets 50 Shades
Zoey Rogue
Zoey Avenger

Rhyn Trilogy – new adult paranormal with demons
Katie’s Hellion
Katie’s Hope
Rhyn’s Redemption

Rhyn Eternal – Death finds love
Gabriel’s Hope
Deidre’s Death
Darkyn’s Mate
The Underworld
Twisted Fate
Twisted Karma (2017)

War of Gods – paranormal with gods, guardians and exceptional humans
Damian’s Oracle
Damian’s Assassin
Damian’s Immortal
The Grey God

Damian Eternal
Xander’s Chance
The Black God

Hidden Evil – paranormal with angels and four horsemen
Hear No
See No (TBD)
Speak No (TBD)

Unnamed Series
Unnatural (TBD)
Unmade (TBD)

Omega
Omega
Theta
Alpha (2017)

Anshan Saga – new adult science fiction romance
Kiera’s Moon
Kiera’s Sun

Santa’s Ninja Elves (short stories)
Natasha & Hunter

Non-series titles – 2011 - 2013
Star Kissed
A Demon’s Desire
The Warlord’s Secret
Maddy’s Oasis
Rebel Heart

Witchlings – young adult paranormal
Dark Summer
Autumn Storm
Winter Fire
Spring Rain

Broken Beauty Novellas – new adult dramatic fiction
Broken Beauty
Broken World

Voodoo Nights - young adult paranormal
Cursed

As SE Reign, erotica writer
101 Nights Box Set (Serials 1-7)

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 Part 1 & 2 are FREE on Amazon & on iBooks today (7/13/2020)! 🎁

[Nancy S · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't know going in that this was a fantasy novel, but that aside, I have serious issues with the main character in this book. Gianna is from New York, and yet she is so naive as to be stupid. She wonders if the bizarre happenings are because she's no longer in New York ("Are all people outside of New York like this?"). She is scared of her own shadow, and clueless as to what is going on around her.

I just didn't buy it.

[Tina Frazier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to give this book a 4 star review because it took me at least 6 to 7 chapters to know what this book was really about. After I figured out what it was about I got into it and found that it was a pretty good book. I know this book is more for the young adult or teenagers but it is also for the older people too. I liked the book even though there wasn't a lot of fighting or action in it but it still kept me on my toes and kept me guessing on what is going to happen next. Now that I have read part one of this book I am going to have to read part 2. I have to see if she accepts the job or not.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series reminds me a lot of the innkeeper series by Ilona Andrews. It has enough to be different and I liked it a lot. Getting to know the different characters and where they came from was interesting but you don't know a lot about the planets they come from just about the culture. I also liked the idea of her being forced to be there but not knowing exactly what was going on.

I wished more romance but this was a 19 year old girl so it was more thinking about kissing and liking rather than anything else (sweet).

[Crissy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars!!!
I loved the characters in this story. Besides their chemistry, there's just something about Gianna and Teyan that leaves me wanting the rest of their story. I even enjoyed the side characters. Gianna has two options and she chooses to live with the Caretaker. She hates it but it's the better option and she slowly learns what being a Caretaker involves. However, there's one important rule and Gianna learns why that rule should never be broken. This was a good story but I found it a little slow. This story ends with a cliffhanger and I'm excited to read what happens next.

[Jami · Rating 1 out of 5]

For A BOY she forgot all about her future.. University, living her own life, going back to her mother.... ext
They forced her to be the caretaker or whatever.. And what?! You will be. until you die !!!!! What the heck !!!!
They burned all her stuff.. And say YOU have to build the house... She has nothing.. Can't even call her mom.... Let's say she wanted to go home after the year finish.. What about the old Hag who supose to be her supervisor..
The police: She died?.. How?.. Did you kill her too?
What will she say to the police???

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very different

This book us very different to the usual books I read, at first I wasn't sure if I liked it but persevered and found I was hooked I needed to know what was going on. Now I must read book 2

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very interesting

The MC seemed very immature and her internal ramblings could be annoying, but for the most part this story was interesting! I'm excited to see what happens next with Gianna and Teyan.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Door is open for you...

Gianna surprised me with her stubbornness, her fear, and her inability to let go. It cost her everything. Yet, these same qualities allow her to see the future staring her in the face, the broad, gaping immensities seldom offered to one individual...I’m excited to walk along and observe with her fate, her destiny, her beginning...

[Aida · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am writing this review after I finished both parts. The first book was a bit slow for me, and quite YA. But it was intriguing enough for me to keep listening to second part, and it was so worth it, as it became much more interesting and storyline even more unpredictable. Definitely recommend to give it a chance!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn't like anything I've ever read. I just loved the whole world that Lizzy created. The characters were great! This one had me hooked from start to finish.

[Sharon Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible and fascinating book! I've read it twice now and am hoping Ms. Ford will consider continuing the story in more than the second book. Wonderful!

[NayDoubleU · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this read. It kept me on my toes and wanting more. Only complaint is Gi is sometimes annoying because she is so oblivious. Other than that excited for part 2

[Punkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serious post-it is serious

Interesting take on aliens. Short. Ends at 87% . I liked the characters and interactions. The timeline seems a bit skewed though but otherwise creative.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Door is an extraordinarily beautiful and intensely heartfelt story of discovering that while life can be painfully hard it can also be exquisitely breathtaking. What wonderful things can live just beneath and beyond our survival induced perception of the world around us! When life beats you down, it’s easy to shut down and close our heart and mind to the good things around us. We fear they will be taken away so we don’t acknowledge them or even seek them out. Surely not all the good in this world can be so easily erased, but we refuse to allow it if humanly possible.

Gianna has barely survived a particularly rough patch in her life. She finds herself being punished for something that wasn’t her fault, but even still she refuses to give up. She is still holding onto the thin strip of her sanity and soul as she finds herself a long way from home. While she will never be the same again, she is desperately trying to find a healthy balance to her new life. While her new existence is nothing like she hoped, she is finding that perhaps what she needs isn’t what she necessarily wants. Once she figures out that fighting will only make her more miserable, she slowly concedes that allowing herself to soak up all of the newness might be just the thing to bring some much needed hope and light into her dark, dreary life. She just needs to find the courage to move past the numbing and life preserving fear that has controlled her life for so long.

I had no idea what to expect when I started reading The Door, but I was incredibly pleased with what I found. This is an impossibly astonishing story that will quickly latch onto your heart no matter how much you want to shake it off. I found myself amazed at how strong Gianna is in spite of what she feels and sees in her own heart. She is so much more than she gives herself credit for, and she has a destiny that only a select few will ever experience. Life may have given her some painful baggage to carry, but she can choose to let it go and grow from it while becoming something she never could have imagined. The choice is hers, and her heart won’t let go of this new beginning very easily.

Lizzy Ford has truly surprised and immensely delighted me with this highly imaginative story! I haven’t read any of her books until now, and I was incredibly impressed by her amazing talent. I love finding new authors who can turn my world upside down, and I have found such a brilliant treasure in Lizzy Ford. I can’t wait to read the second half of this story and find out how this wonderful story ends. I have such high hopes for it!

[Michelle McPherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Door: Part 1

The draw to this story is that you really have no idea what your in store for. It is write to take you on a journey, not with the heroine,, but as the heroine. Therefore, leaving you as puzzled as she for a good portion of the story. It is definitely what gives this story even more charm.
Be ready to be surprised with where your adventure will take you!
Minor editing issues, nothing to detract from the story.

[Marisol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Door by Lizzy Ford is a surprisingly unique story of a young girl Gianna from this time being sent to a place in the middle of nowhere America to spend her year of probation for killing her would be rapist. In this bed and breakfast the strangest “people” pass through. Gianna is being watched by an elderly woman who asks to just be called caretaker. Gianna’s job is to tend the garden and the repairs on the house. And with one very strict rule – do not lock the front door. Though she is not one for physical labor she does her best at the task she is given otherwise she is not sure what the Caretaker will do to her or say to her probation officer. As the days turn into weeks Gianna meets these ‘guests” that come through the house but is captivated by one in particular, Teyan. Not sure what he is or any of the others passing through Gianna tries to ask questions but with no more answers than she started with until a fateful time when the caretaker becomes ill and Gianna is told to take over the duties of the house. It is at this time she is give answers from another Caretaker, Carey, about the Five Peoples who pass through the house often and the purpose of the house. With the help of Carey Gianna is able to attend the duties her Caretaker is unable to fulfill. And within days the old woman is dead leaving Gianna not sure what is to become of her. With the rituals of the death of a Caretaker to be performed and Gianna made temporary Caretaker she is taken on a whirlwind of a journey – stumbling into another dimension, being rescued by Teyan and ultimately doing the forbidden – locking the front door. How does she get herself out of this mess and who can she trust? Another amazing story from the vast mind of Lizzy Ford. Cannot wait for the next book to see what become of Gianna.

[M. A. Hickman · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I want to say I was so blessed to have received this book in exchange for an honest reveiw and it was fabulous!

This review is for part one and two of The Door

Oh My Godness! I loved this book. So it is about a girl named Gianna and she gets herself in a little bit of trouble, not rally her fault though, and is sent to a bed and breakfast in Arizona for probation. The Caretaker of the B & B is a cranky older lady who is not very fond of Gianna…at all. There is one rule at the B & B…NEVER LOCK THE DOOR. Then the strangers start to show up, they arrive every night and disapper every morning. One night one of these visitors shows up wounded and Gianna has to help save his life and they form a bond. Before Gianna has a chance to learn about the strange things that happens at the B & B and about the visitors she is left alone with them and she defies the old caretakers only rule…she locks the door.

Oh man…this book kept me on my toes with my heart racing. I even had to pace the floor a few times. It was suspenseful, angsty, and the world building was beautiful. Gianna truly grew from a troubled, frightened young girl to a young woman with a purpose. Then we have Teyan, who is sweet, strong, and so swoon worthy. I loved these two and the way the author handled their differences was perfect for me. The book was action packed and in all honesty, can some please call Hollywood because I would just adore to see this in a film or T.V. the potential is endless for it.

Read my full review on my blog www.daydreamingbetweenthelines.wordpr...

[Cheryl Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gianna is being sent to live and work at a B&B in the desert. It's part of her one year probation for killing a man in self-defense. Obviously the judge did not like her. Aside from the work she was supposed to do around the house and property, Caretaker only had one rule:

DO. NOT. LOCK. THE. FRONT. DOOR. EVER!!!

Strange guests come and go and Gianna starts to wonder about their strange appearance and disappearance at the end of the driveway. When there's talk about her taking over for Caretaker, she wonders if this existence is something she can see herself doing for the rest of her life or will she run to the end of the driveway when things get tough.

OMG! This story ROCKS! What I have explained above is only a tiny sample of what's going on in this story. The imagination of Lizzy Ford never ceases to amaze me. The story line is off the charts! Amongst everything that's going on, there is a tiny thread of a potential romance. The characters are so diversified and out of this world...literally. From the moment I started reading I couldn't put it down. I was hooked! By the time I was done reading, I was scrambling to find out when the next part would be out. I'm so excited to read Part 2 of The Door.

Received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was not compensated for my review.
I was not required to write a positive review.
The opinion expressed is my own.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gianna is sent to the middle of nowhere as a consequence of committing a crime under duress. While the circumstances of her ending up in Arizona seem a bit odd, the story takes right off and I could put those justice-related aspects of the story to the back of my mind. Gianna goes to work for Caretaker, an unfriendly old woman with an air of mystery. Her house and the visitors to the house are anything but normal and Gianna must learn to navigate a strange new reality beyond anything she thought possible. Gianna is an interesting girl, downtrodden by life, fearful around people, but still has that spark in her that brings out the sassy, determined side of her. Though Caretaker's attitude and mannerisms are not appreciated by Gianna, I think the old woman was just what she needed at such a difficult time in her life.

The book is fairly fast-paced, introducing plenty of new characters, especially Teyan, someone that Gianna slowly connects with over a few brief interactions. The world that the author has created is interesting and richly layered. I look forward to learning more. The end of the first part of the book left me itching for the next part. Gianna's future in Arizona is hinted at but Ford leaves much to mystery with her closing chapter. I think part two will be exciting, certainly.

[Michelle Dare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Lizzy's work and this book did not disappoint.

Gianna is convicted of a crime. A crime where she acted in self defense, yet is still sentenced to probation or jail time. She chooses the probation and is sent to a home in Arizona to work off her year long sentence. The Caretaker of the home immediately puts her to work doing manual labor.

There's also something strange about the home and the visitors who come. They don't dress like Gianna. In fact, they don't look like they belong in her world at all.

The one hard rule of the house is to never lock the door. It's to always be open to visitors. The longer Gianna is there, the stranger everything becomes. What kind of house is it? What happens at the end of the driveway? And who really is the mysterious man who is interested in her?

I loved this book! Gianna was very likable and I loved her interaction with the visitors, especially Teyan. I couldn't put the book down and read it in one sitting. I was so glad book two was out. I dove right into it. I can't wait to see what happens next. Another great read from Lizzy Ford!

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am late in reading and reviewing this book, but I am glad I finally found the time to do so.
This is one of the oddest books I think I have read by Lizzy but I still very much enjoyed it. It kept me curious as to what is going on and what was going to happen. It made me angry about the court situation but that is how life usually is handled now a days. There are problems with the court system and this does question it in the sense but it's almost like it was done on purpose because she needs to be there. It's an interesting concept.
I enjoyed the characters and different races, and the supernatural of the place.
That twist at the end I was not expecting. Fair warning don't lock the door, don't be that winy teenager who just wants to spite everyone.
I am looking forward to what else is going to happen, and the consequence of that ending.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start

Aside from the mean caretaker, I enjoyed the story. Still have to read part two to know what happens, but at least it is already available.

Part of me wondered why it took Gianna so long to figure out she was going to be a caretaker. Her situation and the response by the judge just aren't in line with what you would have expected. Overall, I liked her. If the caretaker had not pushed her buttons, she probably would not have made the mistakes she did, but she may not have learned from them either.

I wanted so much to know what was going on. The characters coming to the B&B were interesting. I thought they were coming from different times and dimensions, but it wasn't completely clear. Teyan was adorable and I expected more than she knew.

Guess I'll have to read book two to know for sure.

[Rachel Beamin' · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa.
This was:.

It was:

This is truly a unique read, and I loved every word, page, and chapter. It is captivating, twisty, and a bunch of huhs. Loved it.

Teyan. Enough said.
All I can tell you is to:

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Door: Part One by Lizzy Ford is another amazing set of worlds created from scratch. There is only one rule - Don't lock the door. It seems like an odd rule to Gianna, but her disturbed past make it impossible for her to disobey. Trapped in a chain of events that exposes her to odd travelers, Gianna must now decide how to move forward. These characters are for from normal, and definitely not human. The images that Ford creates are terrific and my imagination took off at a run. I cannot wait to see what has changed.

[Td · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
Gianna's world is about to change completely, and forever. When she's forced to pick between two consequences, and neither one she likes, she thinks she's picking the one that will be less difficult. It turns out that this choice is going to affect her in ways she could have never predicted. I didn't want to put this one down, it was different, unique and I really want to know what happens next!

[Victoria Stolte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! It was a very interesting concept and the characters were very intriguing. Gianna is forced to work at a "bed and breakfast" as terms of her probation. What she finds when she gets there is beyond anything she Ever accepted. And the only rule- never lock the door. I found myself burning through the pages to see where this journey took me and boy did I have an adventure! I can't wait to see what happens next!

[Mercedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different paranormal story. About a house in the ...

A different paranormal story.
About a house in the middle of the desert with a Door that you never lock,with different people coming through and a young girl
who was sent there to work off her probation.
Very intriguing characters and story.
Received in exchange for...

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty goods. Reads like The Innkeeper but with its own twist. A young girl is brutally attacked and then inconceivably punished for fighting back. That didn't make sense until the middle of the book. A real coming of age story, Gianna is not only young, at 19, but she has PTSD to boot. Teyan is young but self assured and confident and sweet. A budding romance. Good book.

[Janice Stinnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it

The book was completely original in the plot and context of the book. I'm an avid reader and I haven't read anything resembling this book. It was easy to follow and hard to put down. I can't wait to read the next book. My only complaint is that I wish it would have been longer.