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The Unremembered Girl
In the deep woods of East Texas, Henry supports his family by selling bootleg liquor. It’s all he can do to keep his compassionate but ailing mother and his stepfather—a fanatical grassroots minister with a bruising rhetoric—from ruin. But they have no idea they’ve become the obsession of the girl in the woods.
Abandoned and nearly feral, Eve has been watching them, seduced by the notion of family—something she’s known only in the most brutal sense. Soon she can’t resist the temptation to get close. Where Henry’s mother sees a poor girl in need, his father sees only wickedness. When Henry forges an unexpected bond with Eve, he believes he might be able to save her. He doesn’t know how wrong he is.
Eve is about to take charge of her own destiny—and that of Henry’s family. As both their worlds spin violently out of control, Henry must make an impossible choice: protect the broken young woman who’s claimed a piece of his soul, or put everyone he loves at risk in order to do the right thing.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2017
10936 people are currently reading
16573 people want to read
About the author
Eliza Maxwell
6 books875 followersEliza Maxwell lives in Texas with a patient man, two impatient children and a bird named Sarah. When she's not working on her next novel, she stays busy trying to keep her children from some future therapist's chair.
You can reach her at theelizamaxwell@gmail.com.
You can reach her at theelizamaxwell@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,194 reviews
October 6, 2017
I'm pretty sure the author believes this is a tragic, yet hopeful love/coming of age story. Unfortunately it's actually the story of a selfish ass justifying all his bad decisions
November 26, 2017
Wow, this book was just god awful. The "I'm broken and only love can fix me." troupe is so irritating. This woman who clearly has years of trauma and abuse and hardly speaks, received no help or counseling of any sort, but instead - a marriage proposition four months after she was found in the woods? seriously? That's what's best for her? This entire novel seemed passive aggressive to me, and tried to be dramatic and deep at very inappropriate times.
"Live, damn it. Live." he demanded as he pushed on her chest again. "I don't have room on my back to carry your death too."
Who on earth would say that in the middle of attempting to save a drowning victim? Moments in the novel were so incredibly cringey, I literally ended up rolling my eyes and setting the book down, completely snapping out of any sort of indulgence. Overall, there was forced romance, under-developed characters and an unrealistic sense of depth. This book is the equivalent of someone getting an infinity sign tattoo and calling themselves deep and unique for it... yeah, no.
"Live, damn it. Live." he demanded as he pushed on her chest again. "I don't have room on my back to carry your death too."
Who on earth would say that in the middle of attempting to save a drowning victim? Moments in the novel were so incredibly cringey, I literally ended up rolling my eyes and setting the book down, completely snapping out of any sort of indulgence. Overall, there was forced romance, under-developed characters and an unrealistic sense of depth. This book is the equivalent of someone getting an infinity sign tattoo and calling themselves deep and unique for it... yeah, no.
October 14, 2017
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
"Now, there was only Eve. Broken, broken Eve. The girl with no name."
I usually don't read a lot of books outside the romance/paranormal genre, however every now and then I do. What made me pick up The Unremembered Girl was the intriguing and mysterious vibe I got from the blurb. I love books focusing on small town families, and the not knowing which direction the author will take with the characters and story. This book focuses mainly on Henry, who kind of paused his life to take care of his sick mother, Caroline. The feral girl Eve had been watching them from the woods, and longs to be a part of their family. When she makes herself known, Caroline opens up her home to Eve. I had no idea how Eve would react to everything, she was very traumatized and didn't act normal at all. The others don't think it's a good idea to take this unknown girl in their home. However, it seems like day by day she bonds the strongest with Henry, but not in a healthy way.
"That girl's broken, Henry. She's broken and she's dangerous. And if you think you can fix her, I'm afraid you're destined for heartache, my dear."
This book was very unpredictable. I had no idea what would happen and how Eve would act in certain situations. I was so not ready for the things that happened. The author did an incredible job in shocking and creating mixed emotions in me. I just didn't know how to feel about Eve, she was just such a broken character and I can't imagine half of what she went through in her past. I absolutely loved the multiple POVs because it added additional layers, and different perspectives to the story. The last 10% of the book was just brutal and put me through a whirlwind of emotions. Everything happened so fast and I just couldn't contain my tears. The Unremembered Girl was such an unique and emotional story, and it had me hooked from beginning until the end. The story had a great flow and the writing was easy to read. I am definitely looking forward to reading Eliza's other books.
"Now, there was only Eve. Broken, broken Eve. The girl with no name."
I usually don't read a lot of books outside the romance/paranormal genre, however every now and then I do. What made me pick up The Unremembered Girl was the intriguing and mysterious vibe I got from the blurb. I love books focusing on small town families, and the not knowing which direction the author will take with the characters and story. This book focuses mainly on Henry, who kind of paused his life to take care of his sick mother, Caroline. The feral girl Eve had been watching them from the woods, and longs to be a part of their family. When she makes herself known, Caroline opens up her home to Eve. I had no idea how Eve would react to everything, she was very traumatized and didn't act normal at all. The others don't think it's a good idea to take this unknown girl in their home. However, it seems like day by day she bonds the strongest with Henry, but not in a healthy way.
"That girl's broken, Henry. She's broken and she's dangerous. And if you think you can fix her, I'm afraid you're destined for heartache, my dear."
This book was very unpredictable. I had no idea what would happen and how Eve would act in certain situations. I was so not ready for the things that happened. The author did an incredible job in shocking and creating mixed emotions in me. I just didn't know how to feel about Eve, she was just such a broken character and I can't imagine half of what she went through in her past. I absolutely loved the multiple POVs because it added additional layers, and different perspectives to the story. The last 10% of the book was just brutal and put me through a whirlwind of emotions. Everything happened so fast and I just couldn't contain my tears. The Unremembered Girl was such an unique and emotional story, and it had me hooked from beginning until the end. The story had a great flow and the writing was easy to read. I am definitely looking forward to reading Eliza's other books.
January 26, 2018
Yeah, no. Definitely not my favorite book. The plot jerked along for the whole novel and the characters were two dimensional. While it does smooth over a bit during the second half of the book, I was thoroughly Over It by then and only reading because I Ain't A Quitter. A few notes:
1.) When I say the plot jerked along, I meant it. The transitions between scenes were messy and confusing. Sometimes I had to re-read whole passages just to figure out where I was.
2.) Eve had no character. She felt more like a prop than anything else. She was just kind of there while Henry kept fixing her and her messes.
3.) Livingston's an even flimsier character than Eve. Literally, his only characteristic is that he's a religious nut.
4.) ALSO, the romance! The romance was terrible! There weren't any romantic moments, just the author trying to piece in the actual falling in love process with a quick one paragraph montage of Henry watching her with little hearts in his eyes.
1.) When I say the plot jerked along, I meant it. The transitions between scenes were messy and confusing. Sometimes I had to re-read whole passages just to figure out where I was.
2.) Eve had no character. She felt more like a prop than anything else. She was just kind of there while Henry kept fixing her and her messes.
3.) Livingston's an even flimsier character than Eve. Literally, his only characteristic is that he's a religious nut.
4.) ALSO, the romance! The romance was terrible! There weren't any romantic moments, just the author trying to piece in the actual falling in love process with a quick one paragraph montage of Henry watching her with little hearts in his eyes.
December 4, 2017
No. Just no.
Maybe it's my own fault for not recognizing the "[x person] is ~BROKEN~! The valiant hero must ~fix~ them!" vibes from the summary, because I despise these stories. And this was one such story. This wasn't a love story or a hopeful story or a tragic story, it was aggravating and uninteresting, at least to me. I came very close to DNFing it, but I persevered, and sadly I can't say that my efforts were rewarded at all.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.
Maybe it's my own fault for not recognizing the "[x person] is ~BROKEN~! The valiant hero must ~fix~ them!" vibes from the summary, because I despise these stories. And this was one such story. This wasn't a love story or a hopeful story or a tragic story, it was aggravating and uninteresting, at least to me. I came very close to DNFing it, but I persevered, and sadly I can't say that my efforts were rewarded at all.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.
September 22, 2018
Not sure what to say about this book rather than wow. It really gripped me with the raw emotions and the ending was so realistic, it had me in tears. Powerful piece.
October 18, 2017
Not for me. Unbelievable characters. The relationship between Eve and Henry is very confusing to me. The infatuation is unbelievable.
October 1, 2017
Upon reading the word ‘girl’ in the title (coupled with its uninspiring cover) I almost skipped over this one. I’m so glad I paid the book summary closer attention as it delivered an addictive read which I read in one sitting this afternoon.
Lots of subtle things keep the momentum ticking along nicely as threads are cast out to connect the mundane goings-on in community where an unidentified and dishevelled young woman appears out of the blue.
I couldn’t help but instantly wonder about her background. I mean, who is this curious creature lacking social graces and threatening to disrupt everything? Her behaviour raises all kinds of questions as to where she came from and why she’s so guarded. Especially since she sought out company yet doesn’t seem to know what should happen next or what is expected of her.
The way all parties are wary of each other places additional stress on otherwise uncomfortable situations that existed long before ‘the girl’ stumbled into their lives. One thing for sure is that her presence affects the characters in many different ways. For the most part she fills a gap some of them didn’t realise was empty.
Although I don’t feel this is one of those books I’ll find myself thinking about now that I’ve finished it (expect for Alice’s quote about ‘wishes’ which was a classic), it told a good story while it lasted. There were a few emotional ups and downs, and insightful moments too; the counsel of Jonah’s Aunt and Henry “Moonshine” Martell’s mother could give a wise old sage a run for their money any day. “Moonshine” Martell’s mother could give a wise old sage a run for their money any day.
Lots of subtle things keep the momentum ticking along nicely as threads are cast out to connect the mundane goings-on in community where an unidentified and dishevelled young woman appears out of the blue.
I couldn’t help but instantly wonder about her background. I mean, who is this curious creature lacking social graces and threatening to disrupt everything? Her behaviour raises all kinds of questions as to where she came from and why she’s so guarded. Especially since she sought out company yet doesn’t seem to know what should happen next or what is expected of her.
The way all parties are wary of each other places additional stress on otherwise uncomfortable situations that existed long before ‘the girl’ stumbled into their lives. One thing for sure is that her presence affects the characters in many different ways. For the most part she fills a gap some of them didn’t realise was empty.
Although I don’t feel this is one of those books I’ll find myself thinking about now that I’ve finished it (expect for Alice’s quote about ‘wishes’ which was a classic), it told a good story while it lasted. There were a few emotional ups and downs, and insightful moments too; the counsel of Jonah’s Aunt and Henry “Moonshine” Martell’s mother could give a wise old sage a run for their money any day. “Moonshine” Martell’s mother could give a wise old sage a run for their money any day.
November 29, 2017
It's not very often that a book has me hooked from the first chapter. The connection between Eve and Henry is beautiful but also so bizarre. The storyline is an amazing and well balanced mixture of romance, suspense, & horror. If this book was ever made into a movie, I would be one of the first to buy a ticket.
February 18, 2018
Henry sells bootleg liquor to support his family in deep woods of East Texas. His compassionate mother is dying of cancer and his step father is detached from reality as he is a grassroots minister whose pulpit is the top of a trash can as he screams out sermons to all who pass by. A half feral girl in the woods watches the family and wishes for one for herself. The mother tempts her out with food and brings her into the house as a way to make up for the death of her daughter. She said she couldn't save her daughter so she'll save another girl. I honestly don't see how bringing a person such as this into your house would work out well. She barely talks or interacts at first and life skills, not so much. The girl needs counseling and to be slowly reintegrated into society. She becomes co-dependent upon Henry who talks to her and treats her nice. There is a mystery that surrounds her and what her back story is. Are any in Henry's family or these backwoods people involved in what happened to the girl with no name? She is a broken woman. Can she get the help she needs before she drags Henry down with her in the spiral of despair and negativity?
Pub Date 01 Nov 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a review copy . I was not required to write a positive review.
Pub Date 01 Nov 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a review copy . I was not required to write a positive review.
November 26, 2017
It had such a cool premise, but the story turned out to be really bleak and nihilistic. I’m still giving it 3 stars because it was really well written.
August 5, 2018
I'm conflicted on this one. Henry is not a very bright man, but is a loyal one. He makes one bad decision after another. These are HUGE life altering decisions not I didn't show up for work kind of choices.
He had a great Mother with a kind heart and he just followed her way and took it WAY too far. By the end I was done with him. He should have been formally punished. Too many people's lives ended because of his lack of good judgement.
I got all riled up about Henry's actions a few times in the story so well done Ms. Maxell! You did your job well!
He had a great Mother with a kind heart and he just followed her way and took it WAY too far. By the end I was done with him. He should have been formally punished. Too many people's lives ended because of his lack of good judgement.
I got all riled up about Henry's actions a few times in the story so well done Ms. Maxell! You did your job well!
October 31, 2019
1.5 stars
The very beginning of this book hooked me but I quickly began to have reservations and eventually wished I hadn't picked this book up at all.
A girl with no name who has obviously suffered major trauma and has been living out in the woods is taken in by a dying woman.
The woman's son, Henry, supports his mother and religious nut stepfather by selling bootleg liquor. He hopes for a better life by joining the army but can't leave his mother and he has fallen in love with the girl they have named Eve.
The Unremembered Girl is a mess. There's zero atmosphere, I couldn't even tell you where this story took place. It's full of tired cliches about wise old women, tragic accidents in the past, religious zealotry, and insta-love to name just a few.
While the plot centers on events set in motion by Eve's arrival, her character is nothing more than a prop. She's suffered so much and yet we're given zero insight into her past or her present state of mind, we're only privy to Henry's thoughts and that hurt the story the most.
But then the story goes from family drama to human trafficking then takes a really dark turn that just spiraled into a dramatic, ridiculous, and absolutely unrealistic ending. Seriously, what a train wreck.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
The very beginning of this book hooked me but I quickly began to have reservations and eventually wished I hadn't picked this book up at all.
A girl with no name who has obviously suffered major trauma and has been living out in the woods is taken in by a dying woman.
The woman's son, Henry, supports his mother and religious nut stepfather by selling bootleg liquor. He hopes for a better life by joining the army but can't leave his mother and he has fallen in love with the girl they have named Eve.
The Unremembered Girl is a mess. There's zero atmosphere, I couldn't even tell you where this story took place. It's full of tired cliches about wise old women, tragic accidents in the past, religious zealotry, and insta-love to name just a few.
While the plot centers on events set in motion by Eve's arrival, her character is nothing more than a prop. She's suffered so much and yet we're given zero insight into her past or her present state of mind, we're only privy to Henry's thoughts and that hurt the story the most.
But then the story goes from family drama to human trafficking then takes a really dark turn that just spiraled into a dramatic, ridiculous, and absolutely unrealistic ending. Seriously, what a train wreck.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
October 8, 2017
Different
This story is a mixture of trauma, sadness and a few bright spots, although I found it more depressing than anything else. The plot is uneven and the physical descriptions of characters and geography is lacking. I wanted to keep reading because I had a feeling I would find out what it was all about.....there's a young woman of unknown age and origin found living in the woods fending for herself and feral. This is the heart of the plot where we are fed bits and pieces of information as the characters around her attempt to discover her identity and what traumatic event(s) has befallen her. The people who find her all live in a backwoods area where most seemed to be well educated and sophisticated, but no one calls in professionals like State police or trauma/medical experts to assist this half-starved, filthy, obviously mentally challenged young woman. Even the seemingly instantaneous love connection is strange.
I wanted to finish the book in hopes everything would come together and make a profound ending, but it ends..... just ends.
Nothing profound here.....just a lot of eyebrow raising issues swept under the rug.
This story is a mixture of trauma, sadness and a few bright spots, although I found it more depressing than anything else. The plot is uneven and the physical descriptions of characters and geography is lacking. I wanted to keep reading because I had a feeling I would find out what it was all about.....there's a young woman of unknown age and origin found living in the woods fending for herself and feral. This is the heart of the plot where we are fed bits and pieces of information as the characters around her attempt to discover her identity and what traumatic event(s) has befallen her. The people who find her all live in a backwoods area where most seemed to be well educated and sophisticated, but no one calls in professionals like State police or trauma/medical experts to assist this half-starved, filthy, obviously mentally challenged young woman. Even the seemingly instantaneous love connection is strange.
I wanted to finish the book in hopes everything would come together and make a profound ending, but it ends..... just ends.
Nothing profound here.....just a lot of eyebrow raising issues swept under the rug.
April 12, 2018
I can't figure out how this book was so highly rated on Amazon. Maybe just because it was a free Kindle First book recently. It's terrible. It's like chewing on old gum: it's stiff and it has no taste. The characters have no depth; the character who matters most is not given any serious treatment. The author tells us over and over again who she thinks these characters are, but then what she shows us about them doesn't quite fit. Henry is the worst. The disconnect is so gaping, it is laughable. If you enjoy pointless dialogues between characters that go on for pages and pages adding nothing to the story, then you'll love this one. Otherwise, skip it.
June 2, 2018
The unremembered girl 3.5⭐️
Not what I expected. Im not sure what i thought of it yet but it was hauntingly interesting.
More review to come.
Not what I expected. Im not sure what i thought of it yet but it was hauntingly interesting.
More review to come.
October 9, 2017
This book contains many scenes that will cause heart break but rays of sunshine peek through to bring some happiness at the end.
I don't even know where to start with my review of this book! The characters are complex and there are some to love and some to hate. The focus of the book is primarily on Henry and Eve. Henry and Eve has a connection and while they not admit it, everyone else can see they have a love connection. However, Eve has quite the troubled past and is found much like a feral animal. She is dirty and does not know how to interact with people, nor is she able to read or write. Henry and his family change all of that for Eve, but is it enough? Can she get past what she has endured?
Caroline, Henry's mother, is one of those women that can bring some peace and harmony to a crazy family. I considered her something of a saint for what she had to deal with each day, especially with Livingston, her husband, which was quite the task as he is an Evangelical minister and preached hell fire and brimstone to those that would listen. The family is very dysfunctional to say the least but it is what they know. There are several other characters that round out the book and make it interesting.
This book is not for the faint of heart and might be considered dark by some - it will touch topics such as trafficking, rape and murder. However, I thought it shed light on different scenarios that many of us do not know occur or maybe don't wish to know happen as they are not pleasant. There were some heart stopping moments near the end that will make you stop and think about why someone would do such a thing to another human being.
I don't even know where to start with my review of this book! The characters are complex and there are some to love and some to hate. The focus of the book is primarily on Henry and Eve. Henry and Eve has a connection and while they not admit it, everyone else can see they have a love connection. However, Eve has quite the troubled past and is found much like a feral animal. She is dirty and does not know how to interact with people, nor is she able to read or write. Henry and his family change all of that for Eve, but is it enough? Can she get past what she has endured?
Caroline, Henry's mother, is one of those women that can bring some peace and harmony to a crazy family. I considered her something of a saint for what she had to deal with each day, especially with Livingston, her husband, which was quite the task as he is an Evangelical minister and preached hell fire and brimstone to those that would listen. The family is very dysfunctional to say the least but it is what they know. There are several other characters that round out the book and make it interesting.
This book is not for the faint of heart and might be considered dark by some - it will touch topics such as trafficking, rape and murder. However, I thought it shed light on different scenarios that many of us do not know occur or maybe don't wish to know happen as they are not pleasant. There were some heart stopping moments near the end that will make you stop and think about why someone would do such a thing to another human being.
October 7, 2017
This is a DNF for me. Nothing about it grabbed me and made me want to keep reading. It felt overwritten but under-explained. I absolutely love the concept. Maybe I'll try to get back into it one day, but I'm not too sure...
November 29, 2017
**ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
This book and every character, story and life is sewn together with tears and love, heartache and joy.
The Unremembered Girl by Eliza Maxwell is a world of its own, a portal crammed between two covers. It’s her third published book and certainly deserves a lot of praise.
You sometimes read a blurb and find the information to be interesting and informative, it draws you in and you’re hooked. But once you’ve read this book the blurb is everything and so much more. It speaks to the broken pieces that got stuck to your soul and that you are unable to shake off.
We meet Kind-hearted Henry and his mother Caroline. They live in a small Outback town on the edges of the swamplands where Alligators cry king and life can be as muddy and dirty as the water they thrive in. Henry provides for his family by selling bootleg liquor, a tradition that binds him to his father who he never got to truly meet. His mother, sweet and kind to the core, doesn’t turn a blind eye to those who are helpless, and between her good intentions and Henry’s careful curiosity, they manage to lure the dirty little girl from shadows of the trees and right into their hearts.
"She could never be that girl. Because that girl didn’t exist. Not anymore. Only in some unremembered place, where unbroken souls hide."
Eve, as frightening as she is helpless is a lost soul who had never truly had any love or understanding of it. Living with hateful people who uses people and only if it benefitted themselves, often being at the short end of the stick, soon finds a pace in the house with the most caring woman she had ever met and the man who has a light in his eyes. She doesn’t care much for the short old man who always spews words at everyone.
Things happen as they do and sometimes when you fall into a deep hole, the only thing you can do is have faith and hope that a Hail Mary can help you survive your own mind.
"Henry must make an impossible choice: protect the broken woman who’s claimed a piece of his soul, or put everyone he loves at risk in order to do the right thing."
Henry, Caroline and Eve’s story draws you in. You feel the pain as if it’s your own heart being shattered. You feel the relief as if you’ve been holding your breath without realizing it. These touches and the humanity of this deeply touching story is what kept me going on. Through the laughs, the sobs and unbelievable gasps of nearly every chapter. Because sometimes all the love in the world cannot save you.
“..you are me. You’re the parts of me that matter.”
Five Ol’Brutal stars.
October 3, 2017
Good Story, Great Writing.
This book not only had me fighting tears but also left me feeling sick at times about man's inhumanity to man. The story portrays a family living in the South that has been there for generations. Henry has a kindness that is a reflection of his mother, Caroline. His father died when he was two. His stepfather, Livingston, is a preacher who no longer has a church due to his increasing zealotry. He must have been a good man at one time for Caroline to marry him but he has been consumed by his need to be right and respected at all times.
The unremembered girl shows up in the shadows wearing only a ragged dress and layers of ground in dirt. Caroline sees her and sets out food for the starving girl with no name. Caroline's kindness overcomes the girl's fear and she finally coaxes her into the house for a meal. The girl grabs the plate and sits huddled in the corner eating with her hands.
Eliza Maxwell writes as though she experienced this life. She has written interesting, multilayered characters that are believable. I was drawn into the story with the hope that goodness would conquer all the problems. Ms Maxwell had a much better ending than I could have imagined. The book is a five star read and I definitely recommend it to all readers.
This book not only had me fighting tears but also left me feeling sick at times about man's inhumanity to man. The story portrays a family living in the South that has been there for generations. Henry has a kindness that is a reflection of his mother, Caroline. His father died when he was two. His stepfather, Livingston, is a preacher who no longer has a church due to his increasing zealotry. He must have been a good man at one time for Caroline to marry him but he has been consumed by his need to be right and respected at all times.
The unremembered girl shows up in the shadows wearing only a ragged dress and layers of ground in dirt. Caroline sees her and sets out food for the starving girl with no name. Caroline's kindness overcomes the girl's fear and she finally coaxes her into the house for a meal. The girl grabs the plate and sits huddled in the corner eating with her hands.
Eliza Maxwell writes as though she experienced this life. She has written interesting, multilayered characters that are believable. I was drawn into the story with the hope that goodness would conquer all the problems. Ms Maxwell had a much better ending than I could have imagined. The book is a five star read and I definitely recommend it to all readers.
October 8, 2017
You can also read my review at https://isitfridayyetweb.wordpress.co...
This book was my Kindle First choice for October. The life of a rather dysfunctional family living in the backwaters of Texas is turned upside down by the appearance of Eve, a young woman who has suffered terrible indignities and abuse from a very young age. Having escaped from traffickers, Eve has been secretly watching the family and studying their relationships, and it triggers a yearning inside her for something she has never had. Caroline, the matriarch of the family, welcomes her into the fold with open arms, and Eve soon catches the eye of Henry, Caroline’s son. This could have been a beautiful love story, but Eve is damaged beyond repair from years of abuse, and it is only a matter of time before things go very wrong. Henry, in the throes of passionate obsession, does his best to clean up after Eve’s tragic mistakes, with catastrophic consequences.
This book was listed as Suspence on Amazon, but I didn’t find it suspenseful in the slightest. In fact, I’m not really sure what it was trying to be. I did feel for Eve, who was extremely damaged, and nobody really tried to help her or even scratch the surface of her many problems. Although the story touched on some very ugly issues throughout, it was never described in any detail and the book managed to retain a fairly innocent quality. But there was a lack of description to all aspects of the book, which is why I found the characters quite two-dimensional. I felt that so much more could have been done with the story, but then I am used to reading pretty raw crime and thriller novels, so maybe it was just a little tame compared to what I’m used to.
I gave this book 3 stars on Goodreads.
This book was my Kindle First choice for October. The life of a rather dysfunctional family living in the backwaters of Texas is turned upside down by the appearance of Eve, a young woman who has suffered terrible indignities and abuse from a very young age. Having escaped from traffickers, Eve has been secretly watching the family and studying their relationships, and it triggers a yearning inside her for something she has never had. Caroline, the matriarch of the family, welcomes her into the fold with open arms, and Eve soon catches the eye of Henry, Caroline’s son. This could have been a beautiful love story, but Eve is damaged beyond repair from years of abuse, and it is only a matter of time before things go very wrong. Henry, in the throes of passionate obsession, does his best to clean up after Eve’s tragic mistakes, with catastrophic consequences.
This book was listed as Suspence on Amazon, but I didn’t find it suspenseful in the slightest. In fact, I’m not really sure what it was trying to be. I did feel for Eve, who was extremely damaged, and nobody really tried to help her or even scratch the surface of her many problems. Although the story touched on some very ugly issues throughout, it was never described in any detail and the book managed to retain a fairly innocent quality. But there was a lack of description to all aspects of the book, which is why I found the characters quite two-dimensional. I felt that so much more could have been done with the story, but then I am used to reading pretty raw crime and thriller novels, so maybe it was just a little tame compared to what I’m used to.
I gave this book 3 stars on Goodreads.
January 10, 2019
The book was interesting and it was well written; however, I gave it only 3 stars because I felt like it was not realistic and it was such an odd story. It started out very mysterious, but then it took a weird turn. Things happened in the story that I did not like, that weren’t right, and I wondered how the author was going to make it “right.” Well she did tie up the loose ends you could say, and I was satisfied. I do like the author’s writing style so even though this particular book wasn’t great (not bad, just not great), I may check out her other books.
July 31, 2018
DNF at 47%
This book is another hella basic "only true love can save the abuse victim" story, and the love isn't only unconvincing, but I would argue it isn't even THERE. Once I got to Eve's , it was obvious where the book was going to go and I was NOT HERE FOR IT.
This book is another hella basic "only true love can save the abuse victim" story, and the love isn't only unconvincing, but I would argue it isn't even THERE. Once I got to Eve's , it was obvious where the book was going to go and I was NOT HERE FOR IT.
November 27, 2017
The writing style on this one didn't pull me into the story until probably about the half way point. The storyline was original and the characters I liked. That being said, this was a fucked up read. It's not one Id easily recommend to friends, however, I'd still be willing to read some of this writers other work.
October 2, 2022
This book started so well and I really thought was going to be great but there were so many changes during the story that at the end I really didn't feel any joy.
everything in the story was going well, with minor crazy situations but the last chapters really were not what I was hoping for, the author didn't give an opportunity for the main character to have a reconciliation with her own self and that made me feel very sad.
After all, that she went through I feel like it was unnecessary to end the character like this, is like she found redemption but the end didn't mean anything at all.
it was a good story but the end really dissolved all the progress the main character had for that reason I felt very discouraged at the end.
The Narration by Will Damron was as always amazing I really love how he always brings so much to the stories.
everything in the story was going well, with minor crazy situations but the last chapters really were not what I was hoping for, the author didn't give an opportunity for the main character to have a reconciliation with her own self and that made me feel very sad.
After all, that she went through I feel like it was unnecessary to end the character like this, is like she found redemption but the end didn't mean anything at all.
it was a good story but the end really dissolved all the progress the main character had for that reason I felt very discouraged at the end.
The Narration by Will Damron was as always amazing I really love how he always brings so much to the stories.
December 11, 2025
What the hell did I just read? This was a bit insane. I mean the book was pretty good, but the insanity lurking between the pages is unreal. Can someone be so broken that they would be better off dead. I never thought that would be possible, but this book made me think differently. You also look at the people in this book who were "helping" differently too. You can only help someone so much before you have to realize that the person you are trying to help doesn't need the kinda help you are providing. Were they beyond help? It will make you question everything you thought you knew.
January 10, 2019
Very good at the beginning. Had me in its grip and I could not put it down. It soon turned into burnout and it could not hold my interest. The ending was not bad, but it was not enough to redeem it and bring the score up. I would try another by this author since if she keeps going she might improve some factors. Some people also seemed to like another earlier book better. Maybe? I received this book on Kindle as from a "Goodreads" giveaway for a fair and honest review. Thank you for it.
December 19, 2017
I didn’t like the author’s voice in this book. The dialogue seemed really forced and cliche. It sounded like student writing to me. Some of the similes were cringeworthy. Further, there were some glaring questions left unanswered. First, (spoilers ahead) are we just to ignore the fact that Livingston tried to kill Eve by drowning her?? How could Caroline just let that one go? It was pretty convenient that Caroline had cancer and died — that seemed like lazy writing to me. Also, the growing love/relationship between Henry and Eve was not explored at all. How/why/when did they fall in love? Since we don’t know what drew Henry to Eve, it makes it really hard to believe that he’d stick around through all her crazy shenanigans. Additionally, I’m not sure how Del hid his shady dealings from his partner, if the two of them were really so close. Also, Jonah overheard the plot to hide Livingston’s body and that was made very clear, but he somehow managed to make it sound like he himself had been involved?? What? I was waiting for him to rat out Henry. AND I don’t know why Mari, Del’s twin sister, really had to exist. It was just a weak storyline that wasn’t fully explored. Finally, why was Eve so terrified of doctors?
I’m giving this book 2 stars because I couldn’t stop reading it. I had high hopes for the story and it let me down overall, but did have a few high points. My last point is that I think the author missed the mark on raising awareness for human trafficking. The whole book lacked the necessary depth to make a real impact on any front.
I’m giving this book 2 stars because I couldn’t stop reading it. I had high hopes for the story and it let me down overall, but did have a few high points. My last point is that I think the author missed the mark on raising awareness for human trafficking. The whole book lacked the necessary depth to make a real impact on any front.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2017
It's probably a 2.5. I finished it and it kept me interested despite a rocky start, but damned if I didn't rush through the last few chapters. It's very dark and sometimes it was hard to feel the protagonist's motivations for holding on to something. As the world started crumbling around him I began to feel sick and spent. I just wanted to be finished with it. I can handle dark and twisty but some of it felt contrived and unnecessary and I don't like feeling like you're hurting characters for the sake of hurting them.
September 13, 2018
So so so many times I wanted to stop reading this altogether, but I really hate not finishing a book. In truth I ended up just skimming through most of this book. I had such a hard time caring about any of the characters, or the plot. I just kept finding myself literally not caring about what would happen with anyone. I'm sure there are others that enjoyed this read, to each their own, but this was not a book for me.
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