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The Agency #1

Pretend You're Safe

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A Missouri woman and a former lawman fight an obsessive serial killer in this romantic thriller series debut by the New York Times–bestselling author.   After the floods came the bodies. The victims—strangled, then buried along the shores of the Mississippi—have finally been unearthed, years after they disappeared. The killer remembers with satisfaction each woman he laid to rest. But there’s only one he truly wanted. And fate has brought her within reach again.   Jaci Patterson was sixteen when she found the first golden locket on her porch. Inside were a few strands of hair wrapped around a scrap of bloodstained ribbon. Though the “gifts” kept arriving, no one believed her hunch that a serial killer was at work.   Back then, Rylan Cooper was an arrogant deputy sheriff convinced that Jaci was just an attention-seeking teen. Now he knows that ignoring her warnings was a fatal mistake. With Jaci back in town, the nightmare is starting once more. But this time, Rylan will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.  “Alexandra Ivy gives readers a nice balance of romance and suspense in her fast-paced, well-plotted novel.” —Kat Martin, New York Times–bestselling author

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 29, 2017

414 people are currently reading
2435 people want to read

About the author

Alexandra Ivy

141 books5,179 followers
I'm not exactly sure when I fell in love with books. Probably on my mother's knee listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me. I do remember that I was barely old enough to cross the street by myself when I discovered the delights of the local library. Could anything be more wonderful than spending summer days surrounded by stacks of Nancy Drew mysteries? Over the years I fell in love with Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few. I read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays. In fact, I read anything I could get my hands on.

Years later (no, I'm not admitting how many) I'm still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy. For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!

I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.

--From authors website--

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
Profile Image for Carrie.
3,567 reviews1,693 followers
August 10, 2017
Jaci Patterson has returned to her hometown hoping that things have changed while she was gone and praying that the torment she experienced in her teenage years doesn't return. Things were going fine for Jaci until a huge storm washed a body into a neighboring farm. Jaci is immediately on edge because years before she had found her first locket on her porch with a few strands of hair wrapped around a scrap of bloodstained ribbon and no one would believe that it was more than a prank.

Rylan Cooper had been an arrogant deputy sheriff back when Jaci was trying to get someone to believe there were more to the gifts left for her. Now Rylan sees that Jaci is truly being stalked when another locket is left after the discovery of the body. Now Rylan admits that Jaci may have just been right with insisting a serial killer was on the loose and he now vows to do whatever he can to find them before anything can happen to Jaci.

Pretend You're Safe by Alexandra Ivy is a romantic suspense read. As with most romantic suspense there is some language and sexual situations involved that you don't normally find in a regular mystery/thriller but the story also contains the chilling story of a killer on the loose tormenting the main character along with the developing relationship.

As this one started off I was wondering if Jaci was going to end up struggling with a love triangle in the story line but thankfully she chooses her interest fairly early on even after two potential men were brought into the story. She was a strong character that was determined to not let the killer torment her yet again and was easily likable from the start. The book also contained a few twists and turns on the mystery side to keep it interesting while focusing on the relationship too so both sides were enjoyable.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Profile Image for Brooke — brooklynnnnereads.
1,313 reviews266 followers
March 7, 2018
As a romantic suspense, I really enjoyed this novel. Typically, I can find this genre (especially within the mass market paperbacks) to be predictable and the same story told a different way. However, this novel surprised me.

First, I have to say that this book was CREEPY. Seriously, it was both thrilling and suspenseful as advertised. Again, I typically am not fazed by this genre. Oh boy, this novel had me double checking that all of the doors were locked. I didn't find the "criminal" (no spoilers here) to be predictable and in fact had other guesses lined up way before that character. I do feel the need to mention that some of the "criminal's" point of view scenes were.....graphic. I know that can be suspected in a murder mystery but even I was kind of taken back with some of the explicit details and content.

I also was a huge fan of the romantic aspect involved in this story and how well done it was considering the main focus of the novel was the murder mystery component. I enjoyed the chemistry, tension, and excitement between the two characters and I wasn't ready to say goodbye to their story by the end of the novel.

Overall, I was happily surprised with this novel and will definitely consider continuing the series (if I'm able to track down the sequel). It was a quick, exciting, and suspenseful read that I finished in an evening as I couldn't put it down. If you are interested in mystery, thrillers, or suspense I definitely would recommend this novel (especially if you like a little romance thrown in).

***Thank you to Goodreads as well as the author and publisher for supplying me with this novel via a Goodreads giveaway***
Profile Image for Jo.
957 reviews242 followers
September 15, 2017

Second-chance romances are one of my least favorite tropes which is probably one of the reasons why I didn’t like this romance, but I also couldn’t feel the connection between Jaci and Rylan. There was no intensity, no deep emotions that would normally make me want them to get their HEA.

The other problem was that there were so many different POV’s, Jaci, Rylan, the sheriff Mike (who was probably the only character I liked) and the killer and instead of adding depth to the story, it only managed to make you feel confused about who was thinking at that moment.

The suspense part wasn’t bad, it was the only reason why I kept reading until the end, trying to figure out who the killer was and it was a great that I couldn’t figure it out until near the end.


description

In summary this is pretty much my thoughts about this book, which pains me because I’m a great fan of this author but I just didn’t enjoy this one. I’ll definitely read the next one, however should Payton, Jaci’s awful half-sister, get her own book in this series I would definitely be skipping that one, because I’m not interested in a selfish and childish character like her getting a HEA.

Profile Image for Beth.
3,102 reviews301 followers
November 1, 2025
If you are looking for a chilling and riveting murder mystery that will keep you guessing, Pretend You’re Safe is the book for you.

Jaci Patterson thought she was being stalked by a stranger leaving her lockets when she was 16.

Years later, when the small town boarding the banks of the Mississippi floods bodies begin to wash up and the lockets return to Jaci’s porch. Haunted with the thoughts that a killer loose on her home town, Jaci feels this is all tied into her past. It’s a demented game she finds herself caught up in and her only hope for survival might end up in the hands of the deputy that blew off her concerns as a teen, Rylan Cooper.

You can't go wrong grabbing any title written by Alexandra Ivy. Nail biter from start to finish, this stalker/murder mystery keeps you turning the pages into the wee-hours of the morning.

I received this ARC copy of Pretend You're Safe from Kensington Books - Zebra. This is my honest and voluntary review. Pretend You're Safe is set for publication Aug. 29, 2017.
Profile Image for Kylie H.
1,201 reviews
July 23, 2021
While this was quite a good crime book, I don't really like romance being combined with serial killing.
The book opens with flooding and a dead body washing out of a broken levee. Jaci wonders if it is linked to a stalker that used to leave gifts for her. When another gift appears on her front door, she begins to fear that there is a link. Who can she trust?
This is a first in a series and while it was fine, I think I will leave it here for now. I may revisit at some stage in the future.
Profile Image for Anita.
2,647 reviews218 followers
August 29, 2017
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Alexandra Ivy has written a lot of paranormal books. Since paranormal is not my Genre, I haven't read any of them. I have read and enjoyed her ARES Security series and This new series, The Agency, had a similar feel. "Pretend You're Safe" is a romance with a sinister suspense plot and it's good read. I am reading this book the weekend that Hurricane Harvey had inundated the Texas Gulf Coast and caused massive flooding in Houston. I say that because a pivotal plot point is the flooding of the Mississippi River in north east Missouri. The TV coverage has made it seem just that more real.

When Jaci Patterson was sixteen she attracted the attention of a physo/stalker/sicko who started to leave golden lockets with hair tied with a bloody ribbon. When she went to the Sheriff's office they didn't believe it was anything more than a prank or the Jaci was just out for attention. As the Mississippi River breaks its' levee a skull and body are washed into her neighbors field. Now, the "gifts" have started again. When Jaci left she thought her nightmare was behind her, but it seems that isn't the case.

Rylan Cooper was aware that Jaci had a crush on him and he went out of his way to discourage her. He was an arrogant deputy sheriff and he was convinced that Jaci was just an attention—seeking teen. This time around he is not going to make that mistake again. He also has grown up and come to realize that Jaci is more than just the girl next door and he will do whatever it takes to protect her and make her realize that they belong together.
Profile Image for Kate.
2,277 reviews356 followers
August 23, 2017

After a week I still don’t what to write for this book. Ms. Ivy writes fantastic romantic suspense but this didn’t work for me and I’ll tell you why.

I found the characters hard to deal with. I found that were flat and that they didn’t actually like one another. There were several POVs which I found weird. The Sherriff’s Mike, Rylann’s the Hero of the book, Jaci the heroine of the book and the killers POV. At times it was hard to keep track especially when it went over to the killers.

There was also too much family drama when it came to Jaci’s family. That could have been cut back on.

The suspense is good as I didn’t guess the culprit. It is well written and in that aspect I did enjoy the plot but that doesn’t help with my indifference to the characters.

I like the author so I will read more by her.


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Profile Image for Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich.
1,527 reviews199 followers
June 1, 2020

Pretend You're Safe by Alexandra Ivy is the 1st in The Agency series. 

My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

When Jaci Patterson was 16, she received her first locket.  Inside the locket was a lock of hair tied in a bloody ribbon.  The police dismissed the locket as a Halloween prank.  Even when the lockets continued to arrive, no one paid heed.  When she went away to college, the lockets stopped coming.

Now Jaci is 27, and back on the farm in Missouri that she inherited from her grandparents.  The unending rains have flooded the Mississippi river, and unearthed a dead body, as well as a skull.  Then Jaci receives another locket.

Rylan Cooper was an arrogant deputy sheriff when Jaci received her first locket.  He dismissed her concerns and sent her away.  Rylan is no longer law enforcement,  but he is back in town and present when Jaci sees the locket on her front porch.  Ryan and his partner Griff run a successful company  in California that provides security systems to law enforcement and government agencies.  Maybe he'll be able to help find Jaci's stalker.   This time Rylan will not be dismissing her fears.

My Opinions:  

As everyone knows, I am not a romance reader, so I grabbed this book without fully understanding what I was getting.  My own fault.  I should have researched the author more.   Because of the romance angle, I could have done without a good portion of this book (although the sex scene was fine).  I guess I don't understand why we need to have the hormones of women and men going crazy at every possible moment, while there is a murderer on the loose.

In addition to all the flirting and sexual tension, Jaci's family problems was a side-bar that I'm not sure was needed.

However, the actual plot and writing of the book was really very good.  The pace was consistently fast, and the number of potential suspects kept you guessing as to the identity of the perpetrator (although my initial guess was accurate).  It was a very fast read.

Of course, in for a penny, in for a pound....I'l be reading the next in the sequence. 


For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
Profile Image for Andria Potter.
Author 2 books94 followers
April 16, 2021
While this was cool in taking place where I live the book itself was okay. I probably would like it better back as I'm discovering adult suspense. A solid 3 ⭐
1,116 reviews23 followers
September 5, 2017
This was a very entertaining romantic suspense with most of the emphasis on the suspense. When Jaci was a teenager she kept finding lockets with a piece of human hair. When she went to local law enforcement, they dismissed her fears, saying it was probably a prank by one of her classmates or an attempt on her part to gain attention. Rylan was a deputy back then. He thought Jaci was making things up to try and get close to him. He knew she had a crush on him.

Then Jaci went off to college and Rylan ended up becoming a successful security expert after he and his partner started their own business. Now Rylan has come home to help his father with his farm and encounters Jaci. Unfortunately, the harassment has started up again now that she's home. A new locket is found hanging on her front door, again with a lock of hair. And thanks to flooding in the area a body has been discovered along with a separate human skull. The police are able to connect them with Jack's locket and realize they should have listened to Jaci all those years ago.

Rylan vows to do whatever is necessary to keep Jaci safe. He's never met anyone he wanted to settle down with before but Jaci causes him to start thinking of hearth and home.

This was a very well written story with plenty of suspense. The characters were quite likeable and people you felt you could relate to. If you are a fan of Sharon Sala, Brenda Novak, Kendra Elliot, Melinda Leigh, etc. then this is the book for you. Definitely recommend.
Profile Image for Lyndi W..
2,042 reviews210 followers
September 14, 2017
Quickly moving, nice low-angst romance, lots of suspects to keep me guessing... I quite enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Dawn.
1,075 reviews51 followers
August 30, 2017
If you like a book that keeps you guessing right up til the end this is the one for you.

When the town of Heron had floods it was nothing too unusual, what was unusual was that a dead body and skull floated to the surface.

Years ago Jaci had a stalker that no one believed her about, Rylan included, but when the gifts start showing up again will Rylan believe her this time or will it be passed off again?

This is a great book that has twists and turns that keep you glued to the story until the very end. I love a book I can get into and not know what's coming and while I thought I did it kept changing. A winner for sure.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Literati Literature Lovers.
2,007 reviews158 followers
May 29, 2018
Love the suspense

Loved the suspense, but the romance could have had more oomph. The actual pull between Rylan and Jaci started good, but just didn’t maintain it through out the entire narrative. I guess I would have liked Rylan to admit why he avoided Jaci so much growing up, confess his feelings. Jaci be a little more angry for him not believing her as a girl.
Now the suspense was really well done, as there were a number of viable suspects, plus some red herrings. I really loved the danger aspect too. The author did a great job depicting the ins and outs of small town life.
Profile Image for The Romance Book Disciple (Samantha).
2,116 reviews360 followers
August 28, 2017

Pretend You're Safe brought me back to my first discovery of Alexandra Ivy, Kill Without Mercy. She writes such compelling suspense stories! Jaci, the heroine, lives in a small Missouri town, eking out a life by renting out her farmland and selling baked goods. 10 years ago she was the target of a stalker, but no one took her seriously. Now, there are bodies turning up after some flooding rains and Jaci's stalker has returned. She worries that once again, no one will believe her and she will be left to deal with it on her own.

There are plenty of people who jumped out as creepers to me. First, the sheriff, Mike, is kind of douche-y. He is one of those power trip guys, who wants everyone to be in awe of him. He and Jaci went out a few times, but she felt nothing for him. He has asked her out frequently, but she kept saying no. So, he jumped to the top of my suspect list. Then there is her asshole half brother. I'm pretty sure he is a psychopath and his parents (her mom and step dad) are aware of it, but use their money and power to hide it. Then there is her step dad, who does some shady shit. Again, maybe he is trying to cover up his son's sins, but either way, he is acting suspicious. Next on my list is the town photographer. He came back to this tiny town in the middle of nowhere Missouri to open an art gallery? WTF? Who the hell is gonna buy his stuff in this tiny farming town. They aren't close to any big cities! Seems weird to me, and that makes him a suspect. Then there is her neighbor, who has means and opportunity, so he is a suspect. Then there is the deputy who hid information....yeah, there is no want for suspects in the story for sure!!!! I mean, maybe its not a man. It could be her bitch of a half sister. Or hell, her mega bitch of a mom! See what I mean-no want for suspects even in this tiny town!

Rylan is our hero. He grew up in the town, and his father still lives there. He has a degree in criminal justice and started a very profitable business with his friend. He lives happily in California, but came home to help his father with a few things around the farm because of all the rain. Rylan kept his distance from Jaci when they were in school, so they were never friends. I struggled to warm to Rylan as a hero because he pushed Jaci away when they were young because he knew she had feelings for him and he didn't like that. I just imagine Jaci as a teenager: her mom and half siblings treat her like typhoid Mary, her crush is actively staying away and making her feel like an idiot for being concerned over some pranks, and her dad is dead. I wanted to punch all these assholes in the face, Rylan included.

The story is told in 3rd person omniscient so you get to see into the killers mind, which I always love. Ivy does this and still manages to maintain anonymity of the killer which is great as well. Ivy drops little, tiny clues throughout the story to help you eliminate suspects or narrow it down, but they are easy to miss if you aren't paying close attention. The red herrings are much easier to catch!

If you like creepy suspense stories with a brave heroine who isn't an idiot, Pretend You're Safe will keep you up reading long past your bedtime. It will also make you seriously look at everyone in your life a little differently because anyone could be a psychopath!

 

POV: 3rd
Tears: no
Trope: stalker, serial killer, small town
Triggers: 
Series/Standalone: stand alone
Cliffhanger: 
HEA: 




After the Dark by Cynthia Eden, The Devil's Daughter by Katee Robert...then you will probably like Pretend You're Safe!

 


Pretend You're Safe
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See full review on The Book Disciple
2,988 reviews17 followers
September 11, 2021
Jaci Patterson ist nach ihrem Studium wieder in ihren Heimatort Heron zurückgekehrt. Plötzlich tauchen dort schrecklich zugerichtete Leichen auf und sie bekommt wieder die goldenen Medaillons. Schon als Jugendliche hat sie, die Medaillons bekommen immer mit der blutigen Haarsträhne im inneren. Ihr Albtraum wird Wirklichkeit. 

Das Hörbuch habe ich begonnen, als es viel geregnet hat und passte perfekt dazu. Denn auch hier regnet es die Hälfte des Buches. Die Stimmung ist perfekt für diesen Thriller. Verschiedene Fäden, die sich anscheinend langsam zu einem roten Faden zusammenfügen. Es gibt immer wieder versteckte kleine Hinweise, die einen schon früher auf den Killer aufmerksam machen. Die man aber eher unbeachtet lässt. Spannend verfolge ich die Story und frage mich, wer ist der Stalker? Jaci hatte es nicht leicht im Leben und gleichzeitig hatte sie viel mehr als sie selbst weiß. Als dann auch noch ihr Jugendschwarm zu Besuch ist. Merkt man das ihr Leben eine ganz neue Richtung einschlägt. Denn zwischen den beiden knistert es und man merkt schnell das er eigentlich nur aus einem Grund nichts mit ihr schon damals angefangen hat. Eine wunderbare Mischung aus Liebesroman und Thriller. Obwohl ich sagen muss am Schluss hat es etwas gedauert, bis das Tempo erhört worden ist.  
Profile Image for Melanie.
1,223 reviews148 followers
August 6, 2018
My review and an extended sample of the audiobook are posted at Hotlistens.com.

I’ve read a few books by Alexandra Ivy. I’ve really enjoyed them. I’m also a huge fan of Jim Frangione, so getting to listen to this first in a new romantic suspense series was a real treat.

So the story starts with some flooding. Bodies turn up, even a skull. Did a cemetery flood and the bodies just resurface? Or is there something worse going on here?

So, Jaci is a young woman who lives in the house that she was raised in by her grandparents. She really doesn’t have a relationship with her estranged mother, who remarried when Jaci was young and went on to have two more children with her new husband, who didn’t want anything to do with Jaci (hence why she was raised by her grandparents). She isn’t upset about her situation. She just doesn’t really deal with her family if she can help it. She likes living in her modest house and making her goods that she sells. She bakes and also does some crafting.

Rylan is a former sheriff’s deputy who grew up in this same small town. Now he lives in California and runs a very well-to-do security business. He comes home to see his father, who still lives in the town and right next door to Jaci.

So, back with Jaci was in high school, she was getting lockets with a bloody ribbon and hair in them. She tried to talk to Rylan about it. He kinda blew her off as a teen trying to get attention. She left for college and hadn’t had issues since she returned, until these floods happened. Now she’s getting them again. Oh, and her mother’s housekeeper has gone missing.

This is a fun suspenseful story. If you like stories that follow cops trying to solve a crime, this is a good story for you. Rylan uses his security business contact to help search for this person who is stalking Jaci. I also really enjoyed spending time in this small town, with all of it’s small town pros and cons. I think this story is more suspense than romance, but there is a strong romance, it just takes a while for both of them to accept it.

Narration
I continue to enjoy Jim Frangione’s narration. He does a great job with all the different voices of the characters. I think he always picks the perfect pace and tone for each scene. He does a good job whether he needs to sound sexy, funny, scared or serious. If you haven’t tried listening to him, I highly recommend him. He’s known a lot around the romance community for his narration of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, which is how I found him.

**I like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Yellagirlgc.
404 reviews45 followers
July 29, 2018
3.5 stars

Jaci is back home on her grandparents farm baking goods and selling crafts. In high school she began receiving gold lockets with locks of hair rapped in bloody ribbons and its begun again.
Jaci and Rylans relationship was cute and the story flowed but the excitement wasn't very high. I guess i wasn't on the edge of my seat but i wanted to continue reading.
Thanks NetGalley for my copy to review.
Profile Image for Laura.
731 reviews54 followers
September 23, 2018
DNF at 50%. Usually I can push through to the end to see the mystery solved. In this one I don't care enough. No action, no romance. Snooze....
Profile Image for Kari.
4,013 reviews96 followers
October 31, 2018
3.5 stars This was a fairly enjoyable romantic suspense. There was a pretty solid mystery. I definitely kept me guessing because there were several suspects. So, I didn't call the ending because I was sure the killer was someone else. Looking back, though, I can see the clues that I should have picked up on. We do get the killer's point of view throughout the book and added to the suspense. The characters were OK. I did like Jaci and Rylan separately. It was nice to see Jaci finally believed by law enforcement. They did have a history, but their romance was a bit tepid for me. There wasn't any real heat. Truth be told, I would have been fine without the romance part. I guess I just wanted a bit more between them. I would love to see if Michael and Payton get a book. The next book, What are You Afraid of? is out now and is on my TBR pile.
Profile Image for Kevin Dowson.
110 reviews3 followers
November 18, 2019
An enjoyable read from an author who had not featured on my reading list before. A good blend of mystery and psychological thriller with enough suspects to keep you guessing for most of the book, and some good characters -even if the MC was a bit too goody-goody to be true, there were some truly unpleasant people, and one or two with enough shady aspects to keep you wondering about them throughout.

A page turner that you can keep you gripped enough to read it all quickly, with a good build of suspense and hard hitting climax, it only really lost a star for me because of the bits where it drifted into a "modern romance" novel (for which read hot, horny people at it like rabbits). Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not my kind of read and didn't actually add anything at all to the story - rather I found it distracted the reader from the plot if anything.

Overall a well written thriller with a good plot and good characters, and well worth a read.
Profile Image for Cam.
172 reviews3 followers
November 10, 2022
Actually 2.5 stars

There is a real hollowness in this book— it is billed as a romance but the serial killer element leaves no room for any kind of emotional development of the characters. The lead female protagonist, Jaci, is a total cypher. There is nothing to her except she does crafts and all the town boys love her. And Rylan???…his transformation is unexplainable.

Perhaps my biggest concern about the book is its very profound dislike of women. Jaci has no female friends, in fact, no women in this book have or are friends. Mothers and daughters are estranged. Even female babysitters are evil. Women matter in this book because of the clusters of men they work for. Sororophobia at its finest.
Profile Image for Picky_Book_B1tch.
625 reviews58 followers
March 28, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up. I really did not jive with the male lead but the story was solid. It would have been more enjoyable had I been less irritated by Ryland.....even the name is just too much for me. LOL

The story itself kept my interest and kept me guessing. As a regular (non-romance) thriller reader, I'm pretty hard to please and often romantic suspense can fall apart for me when it comes to the suspense. This was a solid read and I look forward to reading more by the author. Maybe I will click with the MCs better next time.
Profile Image for Tina [kupfermuenze].
255 reviews14 followers
December 30, 2018
Abgebrochen bei 68%.
Die story klingt so gut. Und deshalb auch 1,5 Sterne. Aber die Umsetzung konnte mich nicht packen. Nun lag das Buch ewig ungelesen da und nun wird es abgebrochen. Ich weiß, dass ich dieses ebook nicht mehr öffnen werde.. Schade.
1,137 reviews3 followers
June 14, 2021
This is the second book in a series and the author doesn't disappoint. A serial killer is on the loose in a small town and Jaci Patterson is being left a locket after each kill. Her neighbor Rylan Cooper and the Sheriff are trying to figure out who it is and keep Jaci safe at the same time. The suspense build with each page.
I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys suspense.
Profile Image for Melanie.
1,627 reviews379 followers
July 28, 2020
Pretend You’re Safe featured a suspenseful plot with a great second chance romance.

As a teenager, Jaci Patterson received disturbing gifts from someone she was convinced was a serial killer. However when no one believed her and when the gifts stopped after she moved away, Jaci hoped to put the events behind her. But after moving back home, the gifts start showing up again after a series of floods unearth several bodies along the river. Faced with a deadly stalker, Jaci finds herself turning to the last man she expected. Rylan Cooper thought Jaci was an attention seeker as a teenager, but it quickly becomes clear someone has fixated on her. With threats against Jaci intensifying, the couple must rely on each other if they hope to survive a deadly killer.

The mystery plot in this book was very well done with the interesting addition of the killer’s obsession with Jaci. That obsession definitely upped the suspense factor in the book as the increasingly disturbing gifts and Jaci’s constant sense she’s being watched kept you guessing on when the killer would escalate. We also get scenes from the killer's point of view which added to the creep factor and had me seriously worried about the characters survival. As to the identity of the killer, I was surprised by who it was and I thought the author did a great job keeping their identity a secret. I thought the ending of the book was well done as it was action-packed and fast-paced.

Jaci and Rylan’s relationship starts out fairly antagonistic as Jaci harbors quite a bit of resentment against Rylan for not believing her as a teenager. However, the pair move past that fairly quickly which I was happy to see as I’m not a fan of when those types of situations are stretched out. The pair’s chemistry was fantastic and I thought the second chance aspect of their romance was well done. Jaci had a crush on Rylan as a teen and Rylan forced himself to not think of Jaci romantically as he believed she was the type of girl he’d give everything up for. My one complaint about the romance was that when Rylan would take over and make decisions for Jaci, she never really pushed back against it. Yes she would put up a bit of a fight at first, but ultimately she stopped even doing that. I don’t mind an overprotective hero who takes charge, but I like it more when the heroine gives as good as she gets.

Overall Pretend You’re Safe was an enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to reading the second book in the series, What Are You Afraid Of?, soon.
Profile Image for Hannah.
2,009 reviews33 followers
September 6, 2017
ARC REVIEW

CALLED IT! Okay maybe the killer wasn't my first choice but it was definitely my second choice on the whodunnit

Pretend You're Safe is the first book in the new series The Agency. Alexandra Ivy spun a web of misdirection, she had me second guessing my second guesses, although the red herring was fairly obvious. This was a great first book for the series it introduces you to the characters and sets it up for more. It has some really good suspense but it's not very dark. This book really hooked it me it was hard to put this one down.

Jaci started to receive creepy little tokens when she was a teenager, but no one believed that these lockets meant anything bad. They finally stopped when she left for college and didn't start up again when she returned to her grandparents farmhouse. Jaci has successfully started her own bakery business, baking for local restaurants and cafes. This year the rains have been particularly bad, constant enough to start flooding the river and with the flooding comes the appearance of dead bodies.

Rylan is back in town to help his father with the house after the basement got flooded. He left to go to college and then go into the FBI but in college he met Baldwin and together they created a new program for security systems and made a butt load of money and started their own business. At the time Rylan didn't take the lockets Jaci was getting seriously, when she approached him he was working deputy and thought it was just her looking for attention; he had no idea that this went on for years. The appearance of the Jane Doe also brings a new locket on the door. Rylan understand his mistake and isn't going to make it again, he has an overwhelming urge to protect Jaci at all costs. But Rylan showing interest in Jaci makes the stalker escalate and starts kidnapping woman and leaving the bodies where Rylan can find them. Rylan and the Sheriff are forced to work together to track down the serial killer before he gets to Jaci.

Jaci and Rylan, I liked that romance. Jaci always had a crush on Rylan and Rylan always liked Jaci but she was too young for him; now that they are adults Rylan finally admits Jaci is the one. Once it becomes obvious where things are going they just sort of accept it, Jaci knows she can trust Rylan and that he will protect her. The only thing she is not sure if he's going to stay or go back to California when all this is over.

Overall, this was another great one by Alexandra Ivy.
Profile Image for Katyana.
1,802 reviews290 followers
March 20, 2019
Aside from the fact that people in positions of authority were giant dumbasses, I really enjoyed this book.

But seriously, they should all go to jail as accessories. Who on Earth blows off a teenager being stalked by a creepy asshole who keeps leaving her lockets with chunks of bloody hair inside?? Did they even check missing persons reports? Like, ever?

Morons.

Ignoring the raw stupidity, though, this book was great fun, with a steamy romance. I'm a fan.
Profile Image for Sandy S.
8,244 reviews208 followers
September 1, 2017
3.75 stars--

About the book: Release Date August 29 , 2017

HE SEES YOU
First came the floods. Then came the bodies. The victims—strangled, then buried along the shores of the Mississippi—have finally been unearthed, years after they disappeared. He remembers every satisfying kill . . . each woman’s terror and agony. But there’s only one he truly wanted. And fate has brought her within reach again . . .

HE KNOWS YOU
Jaci Patterson was sixteen when she found the first golden locket on her porch. Inside were a few strands of hair wrapped around a scrap of bloodstained ribbon. Though the “gifts” kept arriving, no one believed her hunch that a serial killer was at work. Now Jaci has returned home . . . and the nightmare is starting once more.

AND HE’LL NEVER LET YOU GO
Back then, Rylan Cooper was an arrogant deputy sheriff convinced that Jaci was just an attention—seeking teen. It was a fatal mistake. There’s a murderer in their midst, someone determined to settle old scores and keep playing a twisted game. And it won’t end until Jaci is his forever .

•••••••••

REVIEW: 3.75 stars--PRETEND YOUR SAFE is the first installment in Alexandra Ivy’s contemporary, adult THE AGENCY romantic, suspsense series. This is security and IT specialist Rylan Cooper, and twenty seven year old pastry chef Jaci Patterson’s story line.

Told from several third person perspectives including Rylan and Jaci PRETEND YOU’RE SAFE follows the hunt for a serial killer. With the recent deluge of rain, the rapidly rising waters of the Mississippi gave up her secrets with the missing and the dead. When a bloated body and a severed skull are discovered floating in a farmer’s flooded field Jaci Patterson’s mind begins to wander to the past to a time when s number of local women went missing, and several golden lockets with a few strands of hair would appear on her door step. Fast forward to present day, and the terror begins anew when her estranged mother’s housekeeper goes missing, and a new locket appears from out of the blue. Enter Rylan Cooper- back home from sunny California, visiting his aging father- and the man with whom Jaci will fall in love. What ensues is the rekindling friendship and relationship between Rylan and Jaci, and the search for a killer as Jaci is once again targeted by a unknown man.

PRETEND YOU’RE SAFE is a slow building story of intrigue, romance and suspense. Rylan is a protector; a man who is desperate to protect the woman he loves but also a man who knows he must atone for sins of the past. Years earlier, a then arrogant deputy sheriff, Rylan ignored the panic and emotional fall out of the innocuous threats against Jaci’s life but with the uptick and resurgence of a similar MO, Rylan knows that to ignore Jaci could be fatal in more ways than one. The $ex scenes are limited but seductive although the attraction between our leading couple is low key and felt somewhat awkward. Jaci struggles with her attraction to the man who ignored her earlier fears and warnings.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Sheriff Mike O’Brien, his office assistant Carol, local artist Nelson Bradley; Jaci’s estranged family including half-sister Payton, half-brother Christopher, step-father Blake Hamilton, and mother Loreen Hamilton. We are also introduced to Rylan’s father Elmer Cooper , as well as a number of townsfolk, neighbors and nosy busybodies.

PRETEND YOU’RE SAFE is a thrilling and passionate story line. The premise is intriguing and keeps you guessing until the very end.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

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