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The Choice
‘You’ve got to help me,’ she pleads.
On a wet road in the black of night, Karl Seabury is driving home to his pregnant wife. Suddenly, caught in his headlights in the middle of the road is a woman shaking with fright.
The woman says her name is Liz Smith, that her home was attacked, and that she was the only one to escape.
In a split-second decision, Karl decides to help her to safety. But Liz is hiding a dark secret and now his good deed has put his family in terrible danger...
An absolutely unputdownable thriller, with twist after twist after twist, that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni, John Marrs and Harlan Coben.
On a wet road in the black of night, Karl Seabury is driving home to his pregnant wife. Suddenly, caught in his headlights in the middle of the road is a woman shaking with fright.
The woman says her name is Liz Smith, that her home was attacked, and that she was the only one to escape.
In a split-second decision, Karl decides to help her to safety. But Liz is hiding a dark secret and now his good deed has put his family in terrible danger...
An absolutely unputdownable thriller, with twist after twist after twist, that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni, John Marrs and Harlan Coben.
- GenresThriller
408 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2018
657 people are currently reading
474 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
March 25, 2018
4☆ Creepy
The Choice is a creepy, fast paced, full of Drama and Suspense, crime, pychological Thriller that you will need to stretch your imagination and logic in order to get into the story.
I enjoyed The Choice I could see it making a good film. The reason I say this is because when you watch a thriller film you expect the main characters to do stupid things like let a stranger into your life after finding them in the middle of the road.
This is what Karl and his pregnant girlfriend did.
When they found a distraught women (Liz) in the middle of the road claiming her home had been attacked.
Ok so would you take in a complete stranger?
I'm not so sure I would male or female I don't think I could do it... you hear so many horror stories!
I would take them straight to the police despite their resistance.
Liz wants nothing to do with the police...
Would Alarm bells not start ringing??
I think The Choice is a book you need to read and not take too seriously as I said before it really does stretch your imagination and reality.
Did i enjoy it.... yes I did. It did keep me entertained and it was creepy.
Overall a good read.
Thank you to Bookouture for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my blog website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
The Choice is a creepy, fast paced, full of Drama and Suspense, crime, pychological Thriller that you will need to stretch your imagination and logic in order to get into the story.
I enjoyed The Choice I could see it making a good film. The reason I say this is because when you watch a thriller film you expect the main characters to do stupid things like let a stranger into your life after finding them in the middle of the road.
This is what Karl and his pregnant girlfriend did.
When they found a distraught women (Liz) in the middle of the road claiming her home had been attacked.
Ok so would you take in a complete stranger?
I'm not so sure I would male or female I don't think I could do it... you hear so many horror stories!
I would take them straight to the police despite their resistance.
Liz wants nothing to do with the police...
Would Alarm bells not start ringing??
I think The Choice is a book you need to read and not take too seriously as I said before it really does stretch your imagination and reality.
Did i enjoy it.... yes I did. It did keep me entertained and it was creepy.
Overall a good read.
Thank you to Bookouture for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my blog website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
Read
March 26, 20183.5 Unbelievable Stars 🌟🌟🌟.5
This book will require you to stretch your imagination ... leave all the questions at the door... and just enjoy the ride.... this was a fast paced, plot driven, implausible book.... I truly believe this would make a better movie than it did a book, it was just so over-the-top, and so unbelievable.....
This is not to say I did not enjoy it, I did..... however I did spend a lot of the book a little lost.... I also spent a lot of this book wondering why these characters are even in this situation in the first place? Why in the world would Carl pick a strange woman up in the middle of the night and insert her into their lives... and put his wife and unborn baby in danger? I really had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, with perhaps the exception of Katie who I felt so bad for.... here she is pregnant caught in the middle of this madness....
This book was cray cray... all these characters running around doing outrageous things.... everyone was up to something and none of it good.... not absolutely certain what I think of the ending..... this book just didn’t quite hit the mark for me, but it might for you!
Recommend if you are able to suspend reality for an entire book, filled with fast-paced thrills.....
*** thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***
This book will require you to stretch your imagination ... leave all the questions at the door... and just enjoy the ride.... this was a fast paced, plot driven, implausible book.... I truly believe this would make a better movie than it did a book, it was just so over-the-top, and so unbelievable.....
This is not to say I did not enjoy it, I did..... however I did spend a lot of the book a little lost.... I also spent a lot of this book wondering why these characters are even in this situation in the first place? Why in the world would Carl pick a strange woman up in the middle of the night and insert her into their lives... and put his wife and unborn baby in danger? I really had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, with perhaps the exception of Katie who I felt so bad for.... here she is pregnant caught in the middle of this madness....
This book was cray cray... all these characters running around doing outrageous things.... everyone was up to something and none of it good.... not absolutely certain what I think of the ending..... this book just didn’t quite hit the mark for me, but it might for you!
Recommend if you are able to suspend reality for an entire book, filled with fast-paced thrills.....
*** thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***
March 16, 2018
The Choice by Jake Cross is a highly intense and action packed thriller that I probably should have completely fallen in love with. However for me that simply wasn’t the case with this book as I found myself struggling with being able to suspend disbelief and go along for the ride.
The story starts out with Karl Seabury driving along a somewhat desolate road late at night and having a woman jump out in front of his van. The woman is claiming she is being chased and it’s very apparent she is in need of help so Karl let’s her into the van. This here is the beginning of my logical brain taking over and asking the what ifs as to what should/could happen in this type of situation. I’d like to hope people would like to help so it’s not out of the realm to believe the story so far.
After Liz Smith gets into the car with Karl a man is seen that she is running from so Karl high tails it out of there with the victim in tow. Now here is where my logical side begins taking over as Liz is adamant in not going to the police. As Karl and Liz are discussing this back and forth Karl has his own doubts going through his mind but he goes completely against those and takes Liz to his place of business and allows her to spend the night, completely alone and unguarded, as Karl goes home to his pregnant wife.
Now who in their right mind is going to bring a complete stranger into their own lives and give them free reign of their belongings?? I mean as much as I like to believe in the kindness of strangers and there being good people out there it just seems this crossed a line that no sane person would. I, myself, would struggle with letting a stranger in the car with me in the middle of the night being a female and would probably “help” by dialing 911 but since Karl is male it’s more likely he’d let her in so I was OK with that but letting her in to his shop when he himself brings up the dangers?? Not really buying it.
I’ve seen news stories of the police telling citizens to watch out for children claiming to be lost and to not go to an unknown area with them but to contact police or deliver them to a station because it’s used to lure in unsuspecting people to where the adults wait to rob them. A grown woman refusing to go to the police is a huge red flag in itself but if still wanting to go the extra mile for her and take her someplace “safe” then why not a motel? Heck, that would be a lot cheaper for Karl if she wasn’t on the up and up than giving the chance to rob him blind.
So as you all can see my struggle with this story in this was only the opening pages of the book so no matter how well it’s written or how intense the story became I had these doubts floating in my mind from the get go. And as one might guess I perhaps could put aside the opening had there not been other instances in the book that really, really had me questioning the sanity of the characters. One must know it wasn’t only poor Karl and his decisions that grated at me but many times I had the thought there is just no way that would happen. So when finished with this one I do believe some out there will absolutely love the non-stop adventure that began with doing a good deed this one however was just not my cup of tea leaving me to rate it at 2.5 stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
The story starts out with Karl Seabury driving along a somewhat desolate road late at night and having a woman jump out in front of his van. The woman is claiming she is being chased and it’s very apparent she is in need of help so Karl let’s her into the van. This here is the beginning of my logical brain taking over and asking the what ifs as to what should/could happen in this type of situation. I’d like to hope people would like to help so it’s not out of the realm to believe the story so far.
After Liz Smith gets into the car with Karl a man is seen that she is running from so Karl high tails it out of there with the victim in tow. Now here is where my logical side begins taking over as Liz is adamant in not going to the police. As Karl and Liz are discussing this back and forth Karl has his own doubts going through his mind but he goes completely against those and takes Liz to his place of business and allows her to spend the night, completely alone and unguarded, as Karl goes home to his pregnant wife.
Now who in their right mind is going to bring a complete stranger into their own lives and give them free reign of their belongings?? I mean as much as I like to believe in the kindness of strangers and there being good people out there it just seems this crossed a line that no sane person would. I, myself, would struggle with letting a stranger in the car with me in the middle of the night being a female and would probably “help” by dialing 911 but since Karl is male it’s more likely he’d let her in so I was OK with that but letting her in to his shop when he himself brings up the dangers?? Not really buying it.
I’ve seen news stories of the police telling citizens to watch out for children claiming to be lost and to not go to an unknown area with them but to contact police or deliver them to a station because it’s used to lure in unsuspecting people to where the adults wait to rob them. A grown woman refusing to go to the police is a huge red flag in itself but if still wanting to go the extra mile for her and take her someplace “safe” then why not a motel? Heck, that would be a lot cheaper for Karl if she wasn’t on the up and up than giving the chance to rob him blind.
So as you all can see my struggle with this story in this was only the opening pages of the book so no matter how well it’s written or how intense the story became I had these doubts floating in my mind from the get go. And as one might guess I perhaps could put aside the opening had there not been other instances in the book that really, really had me questioning the sanity of the characters. One must know it wasn’t only poor Karl and his decisions that grated at me but many times I had the thought there is just no way that would happen. So when finished with this one I do believe some out there will absolutely love the non-stop adventure that began with doing a good deed this one however was just not my cup of tea leaving me to rate it at 2.5 stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
March 25, 2018
**4 Goodreads Stars**
In Jake Cross' The Choice, Karl is forced to make a life altering decision to help a stranger when a woman jumps out in front of his car on a dark, deserted road. Distressed and clearly in need of help, Liz gets into Karl's car hoping the stranger's kindness will protect her from the terror she was fleeing. What Karl doesn't know is that Liz is a wanted woman, someone who multiple people - the police and mobsters - are eagerly trying to track down. Karl, a man with a strong moral compass, decides to protect Liz at all costs despite not knowing much about her, but in the process he jeopardizes his wife and unborn baby's lives.
What follows is a high-octane chase that involves bloodthirsty criminals with a penchant for revenge and dirty cops who are more interested in money than protecting innocent citizens. Karl finds himself deeply enmeshed in a complex murder mystery that he must help solve if he wants his wife and Liz to survive. Will Karl find a way to both save his wife, Katie, and the runaway woman, Liz?
I was eager to read this book and be a part of its blog tour because I love fast-paced thrillers that keep you up at night turning the pages. The book's heart attack inducing pace reminded me a lot of the movie The Fugitive with Harrison Ford or 24 with Kiefer Sutherland. Thank you to the author, Jake Cross, the publisher, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of The Choice.
For more of my book reviews visit me here:
Book Review Blog | Twitter | Instagram
In Jake Cross' The Choice, Karl is forced to make a life altering decision to help a stranger when a woman jumps out in front of his car on a dark, deserted road. Distressed and clearly in need of help, Liz gets into Karl's car hoping the stranger's kindness will protect her from the terror she was fleeing. What Karl doesn't know is that Liz is a wanted woman, someone who multiple people - the police and mobsters - are eagerly trying to track down. Karl, a man with a strong moral compass, decides to protect Liz at all costs despite not knowing much about her, but in the process he jeopardizes his wife and unborn baby's lives.
What follows is a high-octane chase that involves bloodthirsty criminals with a penchant for revenge and dirty cops who are more interested in money than protecting innocent citizens. Karl finds himself deeply enmeshed in a complex murder mystery that he must help solve if he wants his wife and Liz to survive. Will Karl find a way to both save his wife, Katie, and the runaway woman, Liz?
I was eager to read this book and be a part of its blog tour because I love fast-paced thrillers that keep you up at night turning the pages. The book's heart attack inducing pace reminded me a lot of the movie The Fugitive with Harrison Ford or 24 with Kiefer Sutherland. Thank you to the author, Jake Cross, the publisher, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of The Choice.
For more of my book reviews visit me here:
Book Review Blog | Twitter | Instagram
March 23, 2018
On a wet road in the black of night, Karl Seabury is driving home to his pregnant wife. Suddenly, caught in the headlights in the middle of the road is a woman shaking with fright. The woman says her mane is Liz Smith, that her home was attacked, and that she was the only one to escape. Karl decides to help her to safety. But Liz is hiding a dark secret and now his good deed has put his family in danger.
Why oh why would you take a complete stranger, who says she's the only escapee, who would not go to the police to report the crime, into the family home? I could not connect to the main characters. There is a lot if swearing in the book, mostly the F and C which might offend some readers. We learn who the killer and his henchmen are from the start but how strange it was to get so much detail from their point of view. Not a bad attempt at a debut novel though.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Jake Cross for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Why oh why would you take a complete stranger, who says she's the only escapee, who would not go to the police to report the crime, into the family home? I could not connect to the main characters. There is a lot if swearing in the book, mostly the F and C which might offend some readers. We learn who the killer and his henchmen are from the start but how strange it was to get so much detail from their point of view. Not a bad attempt at a debut novel though.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Jake Cross for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 3, 2018
Read this book in two sittings. The beginning hooked me immediately and I warmed to Karl, our unlikely hero, from the off. The story is filled with twists and turns but also an undercurrent of dark humour that made me smile more than once. I found Karl to be so well written and developed that I could actually feel every emotion he experienced and boy did he get himself into a pickle by doing the right thing in picking up a gangland boss's wife in the middle of the night. Who knew where that was going to lead him? Great story with well drawn characters and a relentless pace. Highly recommended.
March 20, 2018
I chose this book because of 2 reasons
The book was published by Bookouture who usually come up with great novels. Secondly, the premise of the books sounded thrilling. I wanted something to break the humdrum of life and I thought this was it!!
But woe befell me before I could get to mid-way of the book. The story goes thus; Karl, driving down the wet road late at night, had to brake hard to avoid hitting a woman Liz Smith, who claims to have been chased by a man. He pulls her into his car and sees a man in black baklava a distance away. So far so good, it was exciting. I had a lot of questions and I was absolutely blown away by the beginning.
Then the logic goes awry; the woman does not seem to want to go to the police and would not give any reasons, and Karl being the 'good' Samaritan or should I say foolish, takes her at face value, puts his family and business at risk, takes her to his shop. Then the book takes a tangential path away from all intelligence.
I like a good thriller, make no mistake, but here the characters all seem to be pretty dumb. There is the ganglord killed in chapter 2, there are the killers and their points of view. They are not even scary, they are just regular, run in the mill fictional killers, written in more for shock value. I couldn't connect with the woman Liz Smith, she was demanding and scornful after being helped or the main character Karl, who just kept taking foolish decisions. Karl's wife was okay, better than the main characters, till she refused to go to her father's place to escape the henchmen, putting herself and her unborn child at risk.... Well....
This being the debut, the author Jake Cross has made a good effort. To his credit, he has come up with a good twist which makes the book slightly fun to read.
But somehow with every book claiming to be a thriller, I have found that the story does not match up to the tag line, could have been so much better.
And I wish the tag line did not tell me, I wouldn't be able to put the book down. I should be the one telling the world that!! I totally could. This nearly became a DNF!!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
The book was published by Bookouture who usually come up with great novels. Secondly, the premise of the books sounded thrilling. I wanted something to break the humdrum of life and I thought this was it!!
But woe befell me before I could get to mid-way of the book. The story goes thus; Karl, driving down the wet road late at night, had to brake hard to avoid hitting a woman Liz Smith, who claims to have been chased by a man. He pulls her into his car and sees a man in black baklava a distance away. So far so good, it was exciting. I had a lot of questions and I was absolutely blown away by the beginning.
Then the logic goes awry; the woman does not seem to want to go to the police and would not give any reasons, and Karl being the 'good' Samaritan or should I say foolish, takes her at face value, puts his family and business at risk, takes her to his shop. Then the book takes a tangential path away from all intelligence.
I like a good thriller, make no mistake, but here the characters all seem to be pretty dumb. There is the ganglord killed in chapter 2, there are the killers and their points of view. They are not even scary, they are just regular, run in the mill fictional killers, written in more for shock value. I couldn't connect with the woman Liz Smith, she was demanding and scornful after being helped or the main character Karl, who just kept taking foolish decisions. Karl's wife was okay, better than the main characters, till she refused to go to her father's place to escape the henchmen, putting herself and her unborn child at risk.... Well....
This being the debut, the author Jake Cross has made a good effort. To his credit, he has come up with a good twist which makes the book slightly fun to read.
But somehow with every book claiming to be a thriller, I have found that the story does not match up to the tag line, could have been so much better.
And I wish the tag line did not tell me, I wouldn't be able to put the book down. I should be the one telling the world that!! I totally could. This nearly became a DNF!!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
April 8, 2018
This book was not really what I thought it would be but I liked it anyway. I think this book requires me to think outside the box. I liked that about it. So, many books try to be "cookie cutter" sometimes. Would you choose to help a stranger? I think this book took me into a new idea of how books can be written and that is a great thing for me. I say give this book a try and see what you think. **This book was given to me for free at my request from NetGalley and I provided this voluntary review.*
May 13, 2018
Woooo-weeee! Set in London, the reader is taken on a dark and thrilling journey where fear, corruption, consequences, choice, violence, greed, power and betrayal wrap themselves around you like an unwelcome blanket!
What a fantastic opening! The reader is instantly hooked in the first paragraph of this story and the author then spends the rest of the story, reeling us in …page by merciless page! I loved the tension injected right from the start and I was like – WTAF is happening here?! Never knowing who OR what to believe, the plot has your mind racing with peaks and troughs of suspense laced throughout. I found myself holding my breath at times with a hunter vs the hunted game that I knew would not end well for someone..but WHO!? The police are secondary characters in this novel which sees Karl and Liz’s story as the main plot. There was humour, violence, suspense and a few OMFG moments to keep me gripped until the very last page!
Character-wise – there were A LOT! For some this may be confusing, but I URGE you to stick with it as they all have a role to play in driving this story forward. Karl Seabury is a bit naive and I found myself feeling sorry for him – trying to be nice and then finding himself in a situation that just would not end the way he may hope it will! He’s a decent guy but his good nature is his downfall. Who can we trust? Who can HE trust?
Liz Grafton – I immediately want to know what her story is. Is she an innocent victim? I didn’t find her very likeable and with quite an attitude for someone who wanted help! When you find out more about her …well… I have to say, my sympathy wore thin!
I want to talk about so many of the characters but fear I may inadvertently give something away! The baddies – well they are some dark, twisted, nasty individuals in the main. I cringed when I knew I would be coming across them again. There are quite a few twists and surprises – one that caught me COMPLETELY off guard…I had to do one of those re-read, double takes! Brilliant!
So would I recommend this read? You bet your sweet arse I would! I love a book filled with flawed characters, dark souls, twisted storylines and a pace that leaves your fingers on fire! Definitely one for the TBR, peeps!
What a fantastic opening! The reader is instantly hooked in the first paragraph of this story and the author then spends the rest of the story, reeling us in …page by merciless page! I loved the tension injected right from the start and I was like – WTAF is happening here?! Never knowing who OR what to believe, the plot has your mind racing with peaks and troughs of suspense laced throughout. I found myself holding my breath at times with a hunter vs the hunted game that I knew would not end well for someone..but WHO!? The police are secondary characters in this novel which sees Karl and Liz’s story as the main plot. There was humour, violence, suspense and a few OMFG moments to keep me gripped until the very last page!
Character-wise – there were A LOT! For some this may be confusing, but I URGE you to stick with it as they all have a role to play in driving this story forward. Karl Seabury is a bit naive and I found myself feeling sorry for him – trying to be nice and then finding himself in a situation that just would not end the way he may hope it will! He’s a decent guy but his good nature is his downfall. Who can we trust? Who can HE trust?
Liz Grafton – I immediately want to know what her story is. Is she an innocent victim? I didn’t find her very likeable and with quite an attitude for someone who wanted help! When you find out more about her …well… I have to say, my sympathy wore thin!
I want to talk about so many of the characters but fear I may inadvertently give something away! The baddies – well they are some dark, twisted, nasty individuals in the main. I cringed when I knew I would be coming across them again. There are quite a few twists and surprises – one that caught me COMPLETELY off guard…I had to do one of those re-read, double takes! Brilliant!
So would I recommend this read? You bet your sweet arse I would! I love a book filled with flawed characters, dark souls, twisted storylines and a pace that leaves your fingers on fire! Definitely one for the TBR, peeps!
February 20, 2018
I have been reading some absolutely fabulous crime debut novels lately but this one definitely goes straight to the top of that pile! One of the best crime novels I have read, and I have read many! Hard to believe this is a debut! This was a heart-pounding, nerve racking, absolutely thrilling story, superbly written, taking the reader on a daring, twisted ride. Amazing plot that shocks and astounds in equal measure. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it to everyone. Cannot wait for more from this brilliant author of whom I am a HUGE fan!
February 28, 2018
‘You’ve got to help me,’ she pleads.
On a wet road in the black of night, Karl Seabury is driving home to his pregnant wife. Suddenly, caught in his headlights in the middle of the road is a woman shaking with fright.
Lately it seems more often than not I strike out in the mystery/thriller/suspense genre. The premise of this one sounded really good to me. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. My biggest issue with this book was that the characters kept making choices I thought were foolish. I also found it hard to believe that a crime lord would ever be anywhere without multiple body guards. I think he would have excellent security in and around his home, even if it was a seldom visited vacation home, so I just couldn't buy that this crime lord was killed so easily in his own home.
As for the characters, the main character, Karl was a weak character that grew stronger as the book progressed. I ended up liking him much more by the end of the book. Karl's wife, Katie was the most likable character, but stupidly stubborn at one point. As for Mick, the killer (no that is not a spoiler, we go into this book knowing who the killer and his henchmen are pretty much from the beginning), the author seemed to want to drum up some sympathy for him, but I had no sympathy for him at all. I also wasn't crazy about the amount of time spent in his point of view. I don't mind spending smaller amounts of time with the villain in a book, but for me, too much of this book was spent with the killer and his henchmen. Then there was the crime lord's wife. I also had little sympathy for her because she was complicit in the things her husband did.
There was a twist in the book of course. I did not really figure it out before the reveal, although I had my suspicions. I do feel like I should have and I think most people probably will. There had to be at least a little bit of mystery here, and since we go into the book knowing the killers names and reading things from their points of view this was a welcome twist. It however, was obvious to me what lay behind the killer's motivation, but not exactly how or why it all happened.
Lastly there was way too much cursing in the book for me. Too many F words and C words used. It got old. I know this won't bother a lot of people, but it bothers me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me a copy of this book.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
On a wet road in the black of night, Karl Seabury is driving home to his pregnant wife. Suddenly, caught in his headlights in the middle of the road is a woman shaking with fright.
Lately it seems more often than not I strike out in the mystery/thriller/suspense genre. The premise of this one sounded really good to me. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. My biggest issue with this book was that the characters kept making choices I thought were foolish. I also found it hard to believe that a crime lord would ever be anywhere without multiple body guards. I think he would have excellent security in and around his home, even if it was a seldom visited vacation home, so I just couldn't buy that this crime lord was killed so easily in his own home.
As for the characters, the main character, Karl was a weak character that grew stronger as the book progressed. I ended up liking him much more by the end of the book. Karl's wife, Katie was the most likable character, but stupidly stubborn at one point. As for Mick, the killer (no that is not a spoiler, we go into this book knowing who the killer and his henchmen are pretty much from the beginning), the author seemed to want to drum up some sympathy for him, but I had no sympathy for him at all. I also wasn't crazy about the amount of time spent in his point of view. I don't mind spending smaller amounts of time with the villain in a book, but for me, too much of this book was spent with the killer and his henchmen. Then there was the crime lord's wife. I also had little sympathy for her because she was complicit in the things her husband did.
There was a twist in the book of course. I did not really figure it out before the reveal, although I had my suspicions. I do feel like I should have and I think most people probably will. There had to be at least a little bit of mystery here, and since we go into the book knowing the killers names and reading things from their points of view this was a welcome twist. It however, was obvious to me what lay behind the killer's motivation, but not exactly how or why it all happened.
Lastly there was way too much cursing in the book for me. Too many F words and C words used. It got old. I know this won't bother a lot of people, but it bothers me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me a copy of this book.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
March 24, 2018
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
Straight after reading this book, I found myself setting up camp on the nearest fence as it took me a little while to process what I had just read. However, 24 hours after reading ‘The Choice’, the puzzle pieces started to fit together and my overall opinion of the book changed. I’ll be honest, as I was reading I did think ‘what on Earth’ on more than one occasion due to how incredibly farfetched the storyline was. But, despite all of that, I still couldn’t tear my eyes away and, even though it was very farfetched, ‘The Choice’ was incredibly fast paced and full of intensity.
Karl Seabury finds himself in a bit of a sticky situation one evening when he goes to help a stranger at the side of the road. Even though Seabury chose to do the right thing and assist the woman, it didn’t take too long to backfire, putting both his life and the strangers life in severe danger. While the saying ‘ignorance is bliss’ is very apt in this situation, it soon becomes apparent that ignoring the situation won’t make it go away, especially if the threat is now with Karl’s wife and his unborn child.
This book is bonkers, and not in a bad way! The storyline is jam packed with drama, crime, murder, and the odd secret for good measure. It just goes to show that you shouldn’t put your trust in the wrong person, even if they seem to come across like they’re on your side!!
I did actually think that this book was quite clever! So many things kept happening in the book that I wasn’t expecting, and due to the way I was reading certain situations, I had made myself believe one thing, when the storyline decided to change its path at the very last minute, making me think ‘WHERE THE FLUFF DID THAT COME FROM?!’.
I advise you to read ‘The Choice’ with an open mind and not to overthink the storyline, otherwise there would be a high chance of the storyline not making much sense.
Jake Cross surprised me and entertained me with each page of ‘The Cross’ and, even though I couldn’t work with several parts of the book, I was still hooked by the overall vibe and complexity of the storyline and each of its characters. Definitely a win win situation for me!
Straight after reading this book, I found myself setting up camp on the nearest fence as it took me a little while to process what I had just read. However, 24 hours after reading ‘The Choice’, the puzzle pieces started to fit together and my overall opinion of the book changed. I’ll be honest, as I was reading I did think ‘what on Earth’ on more than one occasion due to how incredibly farfetched the storyline was. But, despite all of that, I still couldn’t tear my eyes away and, even though it was very farfetched, ‘The Choice’ was incredibly fast paced and full of intensity.
Karl Seabury finds himself in a bit of a sticky situation one evening when he goes to help a stranger at the side of the road. Even though Seabury chose to do the right thing and assist the woman, it didn’t take too long to backfire, putting both his life and the strangers life in severe danger. While the saying ‘ignorance is bliss’ is very apt in this situation, it soon becomes apparent that ignoring the situation won’t make it go away, especially if the threat is now with Karl’s wife and his unborn child.
This book is bonkers, and not in a bad way! The storyline is jam packed with drama, crime, murder, and the odd secret for good measure. It just goes to show that you shouldn’t put your trust in the wrong person, even if they seem to come across like they’re on your side!!
I did actually think that this book was quite clever! So many things kept happening in the book that I wasn’t expecting, and due to the way I was reading certain situations, I had made myself believe one thing, when the storyline decided to change its path at the very last minute, making me think ‘WHERE THE FLUFF DID THAT COME FROM?!’.
I advise you to read ‘The Choice’ with an open mind and not to overthink the storyline, otherwise there would be a high chance of the storyline not making much sense.
Jake Cross surprised me and entertained me with each page of ‘The Cross’ and, even though I couldn’t work with several parts of the book, I was still hooked by the overall vibe and complexity of the storyline and each of its characters. Definitely a win win situation for me!
March 24, 2018
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I do enjoy reading a good crime thriller from a new author to me and this one was right up my street - the cover drew me straight in and after reading the blurb I was keen to get started and I certainly wasn't disappointed!
The pace is great and I was hooked straight away and left wondering how the book would end. Lots of suspense and a great build up to the ending. It is an easy read and flows very well and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters - four stars from me! Highly recommended!
I do enjoy reading a good crime thriller from a new author to me and this one was right up my street - the cover drew me straight in and after reading the blurb I was keen to get started and I certainly wasn't disappointed!
The pace is great and I was hooked straight away and left wondering how the book would end. Lots of suspense and a great build up to the ending. It is an easy read and flows very well and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters - four stars from me! Highly recommended!
March 23, 2018
I enjoyed The Choice by Jake Cross, it’s a fast-paced read with lots happening, but in order to enjoy this book I think that you really need to just go with the book and not think about how realistic something is (or isn’t).
If you were driving along a road when it is dark and there are no houses or other cars around and suddenly in front of your car was a woman, you slam on the brakes and she begs you to help her, would you help? That’s what Karl is faced with at the start of this book, it is clear that the woman is terrified and so he decides to help her. But it soon becomes clear that people are after the woman and Karl knows that they have seen his van. The woman, Liz, insists that Karl is at risk, that the men she is running from will find him but he dismisses it. She also refuses to go to the police, something that Karl goes along with.
It soon becomes clear that Karl and his pregnant wife are in danger and Karl teams up with Liz to try and survive. This is when things get a little bit far-fetched, but if you ignore that then you’ll enjoy the ride!
Thank you to Bookouture for a copy of The Choice by Jake Cross, I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.
If you were driving along a road when it is dark and there are no houses or other cars around and suddenly in front of your car was a woman, you slam on the brakes and she begs you to help her, would you help? That’s what Karl is faced with at the start of this book, it is clear that the woman is terrified and so he decides to help her. But it soon becomes clear that people are after the woman and Karl knows that they have seen his van. The woman, Liz, insists that Karl is at risk, that the men she is running from will find him but he dismisses it. She also refuses to go to the police, something that Karl goes along with.
It soon becomes clear that Karl and his pregnant wife are in danger and Karl teams up with Liz to try and survive. This is when things get a little bit far-fetched, but if you ignore that then you’ll enjoy the ride!
Thank you to Bookouture for a copy of The Choice by Jake Cross, I was under no obligation to review the book and all thoughts are my own.
April 27, 2018
“The Choice” is an exciting thrill-ride that begins with the grisly murder of a gang lord and his two guests; the victim’s wife fleeing the scene and flagging down a car on the dark, wet road near their home. Terrified and not wanting to go to the police she asks Karl Seabury, who’s driving home to his pregnant wife for help. A man of conscience he agrees little realizing that Liz is the wife of a gangster and that by aiding her he will put his wife and unborn child in grave danger.
Narrated from multiple perspectives the action never stops with a foiled break-in at the Seabury’s home, a murder at Karl’s place of business and even an escape through an underground tunnel. Fast-paced, intensity and suspense build especially when Karl’s pregnant wife is targeted and instead of going into hiding struggles to protect her husband from being killed. Innovative and heart-pounding the plot revolves not only around those being chased but the criminals and corrupt detective inspector pursuing them.
This is a complex and highly charged murder mystery set in London that keeps you on the edge of your seat with twists that include a criminal’s change of heart. Although it would have been even more intriguing not knowing who the corrupt Detective Inspector was until closer to the end, it was interesting getting inside his mind as he pulls the strings of his criminal collaborators.
Bringing the story to life are fascinating characters like Karl Seabury, loving husband and owner of Sunrise Electronics who’s ethical, thoughtful and considerate; spirited and resolute Liz Smith; and her friend the handicapped but self-sufficient and protective Danny. Yet it’s the overconfidence, dogged determination and manipulation of Mick McDevitt that adds a frightening chill to the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed “The Choice” and will look for other books by this talented author in the future.
Narrated from multiple perspectives the action never stops with a foiled break-in at the Seabury’s home, a murder at Karl’s place of business and even an escape through an underground tunnel. Fast-paced, intensity and suspense build especially when Karl’s pregnant wife is targeted and instead of going into hiding struggles to protect her husband from being killed. Innovative and heart-pounding the plot revolves not only around those being chased but the criminals and corrupt detective inspector pursuing them.
This is a complex and highly charged murder mystery set in London that keeps you on the edge of your seat with twists that include a criminal’s change of heart. Although it would have been even more intriguing not knowing who the corrupt Detective Inspector was until closer to the end, it was interesting getting inside his mind as he pulls the strings of his criminal collaborators.
Bringing the story to life are fascinating characters like Karl Seabury, loving husband and owner of Sunrise Electronics who’s ethical, thoughtful and considerate; spirited and resolute Liz Smith; and her friend the handicapped but self-sufficient and protective Danny. Yet it’s the overconfidence, dogged determination and manipulation of Mick McDevitt that adds a frightening chill to the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed “The Choice” and will look for other books by this talented author in the future.
March 27, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the Publisher, Bookouture for this review copy which was given in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Noelle from Bookouture for organising the Blog Tour!
Karl Seabury is driving home from work one night. He comes across a woman in the middle of the road. The woman says she has been attacked and needs help. In a split second decision, Karl decides to help the woman to safety. The woman, Liz Smith is hiding a dangerous secret and Karl doesn’t realise that decision to help her has just put him and his pregnant wife, Katie in terrible danger.
It starts very quickly into the action with Karl coming across a lone woman standing in the middle of a dark country road. Immediately, I was completely spooked! Nothing like a dark, wet road out in the middle of nowhere to set my nerves on edge at the best of times, let alone with a mysterious woman standing in it! Karl obviously seems like the decent type of bloke who wouldn’t leave a distraught woman, so he decides to take her to a police station. It seems like the obvious and safe solution….right? It appears that the woman, Liz Smith, has other ideas and persuades Karl to hide her away for the night so that she can get back to her husband in the morning. Unfortunately, Karl has no idea that her husband is gangland boss, Ron Grafton, and also that Ron has just been killed!
All of what I’ve already said is spoiler free as this all happens relatively early on in the book. I’ll stop now before I do give away any spoilers, as this would really ruin the story! I have to admit when I got about half way through and it all become clear what was going on I was really surprised as I certainly hadn’t see that one coming The story is fast paced and the action just kept on coming. There wasn’t many likeable characters though, but I suppose that’s about right in books like this. I did though like Karl. He seemed a really decent man and didn’t really deserve everything that happened to him after meeting Liz.
The ending was a great twist, and it is definitely worth reading this one until the very last page to make sure you don’t miss anything! A word of warning – it does have a lot of swearing in it and is a bit violent, so if those aren’t your thing you may want to give it a miss. For me, it added to the atmosphere of gangland killings and chases through the night!
A great first book for me by this author, and I will definitely be looking out for more. Highly recommended!
Karl Seabury is driving home from work one night. He comes across a woman in the middle of the road. The woman says she has been attacked and needs help. In a split second decision, Karl decides to help the woman to safety. The woman, Liz Smith is hiding a dangerous secret and Karl doesn’t realise that decision to help her has just put him and his pregnant wife, Katie in terrible danger.
It starts very quickly into the action with Karl coming across a lone woman standing in the middle of a dark country road. Immediately, I was completely spooked! Nothing like a dark, wet road out in the middle of nowhere to set my nerves on edge at the best of times, let alone with a mysterious woman standing in it! Karl obviously seems like the decent type of bloke who wouldn’t leave a distraught woman, so he decides to take her to a police station. It seems like the obvious and safe solution….right? It appears that the woman, Liz Smith, has other ideas and persuades Karl to hide her away for the night so that she can get back to her husband in the morning. Unfortunately, Karl has no idea that her husband is gangland boss, Ron Grafton, and also that Ron has just been killed!
All of what I’ve already said is spoiler free as this all happens relatively early on in the book. I’ll stop now before I do give away any spoilers, as this would really ruin the story! I have to admit when I got about half way through and it all become clear what was going on I was really surprised as I certainly hadn’t see that one coming The story is fast paced and the action just kept on coming. There wasn’t many likeable characters though, but I suppose that’s about right in books like this. I did though like Karl. He seemed a really decent man and didn’t really deserve everything that happened to him after meeting Liz.
The ending was a great twist, and it is definitely worth reading this one until the very last page to make sure you don’t miss anything! A word of warning – it does have a lot of swearing in it and is a bit violent, so if those aren’t your thing you may want to give it a miss. For me, it added to the atmosphere of gangland killings and chases through the night!
A great first book for me by this author, and I will definitely be looking out for more. Highly recommended!
March 25, 2018
Wow. What a thrilling, fast paced story bound to get your heart pumping. The choice is brilliant! Makes the perfect thriller, it has it all. Dark intense scenes, chases, deaths, torture and the unexpected just around the corner.
I loved reading every moment of this! A brilliant start to a new series I cannot wait to read more from.. The choice is easy to read, contains short chapters and will have you hooked. You won’t want to put this story down. I also love the cover! This story is cleverly written and could easily happen to anyone, including you or me which makes it more real for the reader…
Poor Karl has got himself into a situation he should have stayed away from and dragged his pregnant wife into it too. Eeek. Not good! Will they get through this? Mick has to one of my most hated characters yet what a sick, twisted character. I despised him, he thinks hes so clever. Grr. The Choice has plenty of twists and unexpected turns to keep the reader hooked until the last page.
I awarded a well deserved four stars and would highly recommend this story to you all! I look forward to book number two in the series!
I loved reading every moment of this! A brilliant start to a new series I cannot wait to read more from.. The choice is easy to read, contains short chapters and will have you hooked. You won’t want to put this story down. I also love the cover! This story is cleverly written and could easily happen to anyone, including you or me which makes it more real for the reader…
Poor Karl has got himself into a situation he should have stayed away from and dragged his pregnant wife into it too. Eeek. Not good! Will they get through this? Mick has to one of my most hated characters yet what a sick, twisted character. I despised him, he thinks hes so clever. Grr. The Choice has plenty of twists and unexpected turns to keep the reader hooked until the last page.
I awarded a well deserved four stars and would highly recommend this story to you all! I look forward to book number two in the series!
May 15, 2018
Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.
For me to engage with the characters and get engrossed in the plot I need to believe in the characters even if I don't like them and I need to believe the plot. I don't mind suspending belief but when the characters make ridiculous decisions and ignore the danger signs then unfortunately this spoils the books for me.
I will say though this is just my personal opinion and if you like books that border on the unrealistic then go for it.
For me to engage with the characters and get engrossed in the plot I need to believe in the characters even if I don't like them and I need to believe the plot. I don't mind suspending belief but when the characters make ridiculous decisions and ignore the danger signs then unfortunately this spoils the books for me.
I will say though this is just my personal opinion and if you like books that border on the unrealistic then go for it.
March 27, 2018
This story has many layers to it. It's brutal and gruesome concerning revenge towards a Gang lord in London. The revenge plot all goes seriously wrong; new plans have to be forged quickly which keeps you gripped all the way through. The momentum of action and drama displayed is impressive right from the first page. The connection with the characters is immediate. A young woman demanding Karl's help on a dark, cold night sets the roller-coaster on its journey. Karl is inadvertently and unwillingly drawn into a prolonged horrific drama. You are apt to question the decisions made by the characters and possibly your emotions and loyalties become erratic. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an excellent read.
April 30, 2018
This is a British thriller. I can’t remember when I’ve seen so many people beaten or killed. A well meaning Good Samaritan stops to pick up a terrified, fleeing woman on a miserable, rainy night. This single act changes Karl’s life dramatically. He finds himself dodging killers and worrying himself sick over the fate of his pregnant wife and the frightened woman he rescued. It is a fast moving story.
March 6, 2018
I chose to read this book as the details caught my attention, it sounded like an interesting storyline. However I found it heavy going and difficult to follow.
I did persevere and read the whole book but was left with the overwhelming feeling of "why did I bother."
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. Sorry it just wasn`t for me.
I did persevere and read the whole book but was left with the overwhelming feeling of "why did I bother."
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. Sorry it just wasn`t for me.
March 24, 2018
This is the first book by Jake Cross. If there’s one thing that this Ginger Book Geek likes, it’s discovering new authors. Well I have well and truly discovered a new author and I absolutely loved ‘The Choice’ but more about that in a bit.
I really felt for the character of Karl Seabury. The poor fella is just driving along minding his own business, when a distressed woman runs out in front of him. She claims that she is being chased and she needs Karl to help her escape. Karl can see that the chase part of her story is true as some burly looking men suddenly appear. So for his own safety and hers, he agrees to drive her to somewhere more safe and secure and he has hopes that he will be able to take her to the police station, where she can seek help. Only the woman claiming to be called ‘Liz Smith’ goes mad at this suggestion and looks at Karl as if he is out of his mind. Karl is easily dominated because he not only helps her to escape but he also agrees to allow her to stay in a safe place for the night. It’s only when Liz reaches the place where she is going to spend the night that she thinks to tell Karl that in all likelihood he will be in danger for helping her and the men will be after him too. Not surprisingly Karl is thrown by this and I got the distinct impression that he really regretted having stopped his van in the first place. Karl is married and he has no idea how he is going to be able to explain the situation to his wife and he is worried as to whether or not she will believe him. Liz is a bit of a funny old fish and I really didn’t know how to take her or to what extent I believed her. The Ginger Book Geek jury was certainly out on that one. There is another main character called Mac, who is involved in the police investigation that is launched after the murder victims are found at Liz’s house. I did feel for them as the scene that they encountered sounded very horrific with descriptions of the bodies really being in parts. Mac feels frustrated at times because the people he interviews are less than helpful. Then of course we have those baddies who killed the people at Liz’s house and chased her into the road. They noted the registration number of Karl’s van and they are on his trail too. Their theory being that if they find Karl, they find Liz. What follows is a game of cat and mouse. Will the murderers get hold of Liz? Why did they kill those at the house? Will Karl be safe from them? Will the police catch the murderers and stop the killing? Is there going to be a twist or sting in the tale? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
‘The Choice’ is definitely a debut novel to remember and I know that it will stay with me for a while to come. The story hits the ground with a bang and then maintains a fast pace for the rest of the book. Reading ‘The Choice’ was just like going to the cinema to watch an action film. The characters are well described and are portrayed well but some of the situations are just a bit too unbelievable even for me and that’s saying something. I have a very vivid imagination. That said, ‘The Choice’ is really well written and once I got into the book, that was it I just couldn’t put the book down, as I had to read on and on to see if Liz reached safety and what happened to those chasing her.
In short I did enjoy reading ‘The Choice’ and I would certainly recommend it to others. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 4* out of 5*.
I really felt for the character of Karl Seabury. The poor fella is just driving along minding his own business, when a distressed woman runs out in front of him. She claims that she is being chased and she needs Karl to help her escape. Karl can see that the chase part of her story is true as some burly looking men suddenly appear. So for his own safety and hers, he agrees to drive her to somewhere more safe and secure and he has hopes that he will be able to take her to the police station, where she can seek help. Only the woman claiming to be called ‘Liz Smith’ goes mad at this suggestion and looks at Karl as if he is out of his mind. Karl is easily dominated because he not only helps her to escape but he also agrees to allow her to stay in a safe place for the night. It’s only when Liz reaches the place where she is going to spend the night that she thinks to tell Karl that in all likelihood he will be in danger for helping her and the men will be after him too. Not surprisingly Karl is thrown by this and I got the distinct impression that he really regretted having stopped his van in the first place. Karl is married and he has no idea how he is going to be able to explain the situation to his wife and he is worried as to whether or not she will believe him. Liz is a bit of a funny old fish and I really didn’t know how to take her or to what extent I believed her. The Ginger Book Geek jury was certainly out on that one. There is another main character called Mac, who is involved in the police investigation that is launched after the murder victims are found at Liz’s house. I did feel for them as the scene that they encountered sounded very horrific with descriptions of the bodies really being in parts. Mac feels frustrated at times because the people he interviews are less than helpful. Then of course we have those baddies who killed the people at Liz’s house and chased her into the road. They noted the registration number of Karl’s van and they are on his trail too. Their theory being that if they find Karl, they find Liz. What follows is a game of cat and mouse. Will the murderers get hold of Liz? Why did they kill those at the house? Will Karl be safe from them? Will the police catch the murderers and stop the killing? Is there going to be a twist or sting in the tale? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
‘The Choice’ is definitely a debut novel to remember and I know that it will stay with me for a while to come. The story hits the ground with a bang and then maintains a fast pace for the rest of the book. Reading ‘The Choice’ was just like going to the cinema to watch an action film. The characters are well described and are portrayed well but some of the situations are just a bit too unbelievable even for me and that’s saying something. I have a very vivid imagination. That said, ‘The Choice’ is really well written and once I got into the book, that was it I just couldn’t put the book down, as I had to read on and on to see if Liz reached safety and what happened to those chasing her.
In short I did enjoy reading ‘The Choice’ and I would certainly recommend it to others. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 4* out of 5*.
March 26, 2018
It’s an absolute delight to be part of the Blog Blitz for The Choice by Jake Cross, a brand spanking new author for me to read, who can say no, I mean especially when in the author bio Jake’s quoted saying ‘he hopes you don’t ask for a refund’, that certainly made me chuckle.
Well The Choice is the first novel written by Jake Cross and its a darn good one, cleverly written with a plot which will blow you away. What I will say it will definitely be a marmite book, either love it or loathe it, but without a doubt I would recommend giving Jake Cross a try.
Karl Seabury is driving home in the dead of night and a woman runs in front of his vehicle, caught in his headlights a look of fear in her eyes, where has she come from, what is she running from and why does Karl believe that his life has changed irrevocably since picking Liz Smith. Who is Liz and why does she hold a threat of danger to herself, Karl and his family.
The Choice is loaded with crime, murder, violence, an abundance of dramatic situations and you know you just love to have the odd skeleton in the cupboard well there’s that too, what’s not to like. Trust is a two way street but in this case I’m unsure if either character truly trusted the other, but I did find Liz to be quite incorrigible in her manipulation of the situation Karl and his wife found themselves in.
Jake pulled the rabbit out of the hat tying up the loose ends in the plotline, gelling it all together at the end, making what seemed to be a tightly wound plot of several investigations and criminal activity work very well together. Sometimes it can feel that the overuse of too many separate factors can water down a book but it wasn’t the case in The Choice, I loved how it padded and plumped up the criminal elements, giving me much more to think about.
If you would love to read a new author, have elements of criminal violent crimes, murder and a pinch of downright Huh, give The Choice by Jake Cross a try, what have you got to lose, after all every new author deserves a chance to be read. Thank you to Bookouture, Jake Cross and Noelle Holten for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
Well The Choice is the first novel written by Jake Cross and its a darn good one, cleverly written with a plot which will blow you away. What I will say it will definitely be a marmite book, either love it or loathe it, but without a doubt I would recommend giving Jake Cross a try.
Karl Seabury is driving home in the dead of night and a woman runs in front of his vehicle, caught in his headlights a look of fear in her eyes, where has she come from, what is she running from and why does Karl believe that his life has changed irrevocably since picking Liz Smith. Who is Liz and why does she hold a threat of danger to herself, Karl and his family.
The Choice is loaded with crime, murder, violence, an abundance of dramatic situations and you know you just love to have the odd skeleton in the cupboard well there’s that too, what’s not to like. Trust is a two way street but in this case I’m unsure if either character truly trusted the other, but I did find Liz to be quite incorrigible in her manipulation of the situation Karl and his wife found themselves in.
Jake pulled the rabbit out of the hat tying up the loose ends in the plotline, gelling it all together at the end, making what seemed to be a tightly wound plot of several investigations and criminal activity work very well together. Sometimes it can feel that the overuse of too many separate factors can water down a book but it wasn’t the case in The Choice, I loved how it padded and plumped up the criminal elements, giving me much more to think about.
If you would love to read a new author, have elements of criminal violent crimes, murder and a pinch of downright Huh, give The Choice by Jake Cross a try, what have you got to lose, after all every new author deserves a chance to be read. Thank you to Bookouture, Jake Cross and Noelle Holten for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2018
I was given an ARC in exchange of an honest review.
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‘You’ve got to help me,’ she pleads.
On a wet road in the black of night, Karl Seabury is driving home to his pregnant wife. Suddenly, caught in his headlights in the middle of the road is a woman shaking with fright.
The woman says her name is Liz Smith, that her home was attacked, and that she was the only one to escape.
In a split-second decision, Karl decides to help her to safety. But Liz is hiding a dark secret and now his good deed has put his family in terrible danger...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I decided to read this book because its blurb caught my attention.
It was a good book, in a general sense, but it lacks common sense to the characters.
They made the kind of mistake that makes you scream in your head "Noooooo".
Like when horror movies characters that are running away from the bad guy always run up the stairs,
instead of running them down.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eu decidi ler esse livro, porque eu gostei da sinopse.
E, de um modo geral, foi um bom livro, mas falta senso comum aos personagens.
Eles cometiam os tipos de erro que me faziam gritar em minha mente " Nãooooo".
Como nos filmes de terror, onde os personagens fugindo do vilão sempre sobem as escadas, ao invés de descê-las.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
‘You’ve got to help me,’ she pleads.
On a wet road in the black of night, Karl Seabury is driving home to his pregnant wife. Suddenly, caught in his headlights in the middle of the road is a woman shaking with fright.
The woman says her name is Liz Smith, that her home was attacked, and that she was the only one to escape.
In a split-second decision, Karl decides to help her to safety. But Liz is hiding a dark secret and now his good deed has put his family in terrible danger...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I decided to read this book because its blurb caught my attention.
It was a good book, in a general sense, but it lacks common sense to the characters.
They made the kind of mistake that makes you scream in your head "Noooooo".
Like when horror movies characters that are running away from the bad guy always run up the stairs,
instead of running them down.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eu decidi ler esse livro, porque eu gostei da sinopse.
E, de um modo geral, foi um bom livro, mas falta senso comum aos personagens.
Eles cometiam os tipos de erro que me faziam gritar em minha mente " Nãooooo".
Como nos filmes de terror, onde os personagens fugindo do vilão sempre sobem as escadas, ao invés de descê-las.
June 22, 2018
The Choice is not if action-packed and super intense crime thriller. But in order to fully enjoy it, you may have to suspend your disbelief. Because Karl, instead of going to the police to report what Liz claimed as an attack on her home, bring her to his shop to spend the night. Sure, a complete stranger on your business with men after her yet still avoiding the police. Not dodgy at all. All through the book is a thrilling cat and mouse chase which spans in a matter of only one day with Liz and Karl running for their life. But as much as I enjoy a good thriller story, there are a lot of unconvincing things that most of the characters in the book are doing and it is just so hard for me to take it seriously when you question everything they do. The bad guy was also revealed a little too early for my liking though as to why he’s doing it remains a mystery right until the end. Something that doesn’t give me satisfaction because by that point I just want to finish the book and move on to the next. I feel spent with all the things that happened like I’m the one running. It was a laborious read. Even the characters are a struggle to connect to. But I still think of it as a solid debut considering the issues I’ve had. Maybe there are some out there that will enjoy it more than I did.
*Copy courtesy of NetGalley.
*Copy courtesy of NetGalley.
March 27, 2018
I felt that this story was a little rushed it just throws the reader right into the chaos with little to no
preparation. The intro was lacking a little as you didn't get much information before the trouble started. Very fast paced this novel sometimes leave you struggling to catch up with what's going on. The main character Karl and his girlfriend run into a young woman claiming to be in distress so the young couple does what anyone would do and tries to help her. They take the young woman into their house and that is when things start to take a turn for the worst. With lives at stake Karl must find a way to protect this woman along with his wife and unborn child. I like the premise of this book but there was no lead up into the drama and because of that the story got a little muddled for me I had to read it twice to fully understand what was going on because the first time I was so confused. I found the characters very hard to relate to and getting into their world was a struggle for me. This book seemed more like a crime thriller than a regular thriller and I think that was part of the struggle for me as well. If you like those then this was well written I will give it that.
preparation. The intro was lacking a little as you didn't get much information before the trouble started. Very fast paced this novel sometimes leave you struggling to catch up with what's going on. The main character Karl and his girlfriend run into a young woman claiming to be in distress so the young couple does what anyone would do and tries to help her. They take the young woman into their house and that is when things start to take a turn for the worst. With lives at stake Karl must find a way to protect this woman along with his wife and unborn child. I like the premise of this book but there was no lead up into the drama and because of that the story got a little muddled for me I had to read it twice to fully understand what was going on because the first time I was so confused. I found the characters very hard to relate to and getting into their world was a struggle for me. This book seemed more like a crime thriller than a regular thriller and I think that was part of the struggle for me as well. If you like those then this was well written I will give it that.
August 2, 2018
Karl is driving to a job one evening when a woman, clearly terrified flags him down. She's the only survivor of a home invasion. Should Karl help her and possibly put his own family at risk? Well, of course, he does otherwise this would be a very short book!
This book is one of those you have to stick with. To be honest I really struggled to engage with any of the characters. Karl and his pregnant wife should have been the ones to feel for but they're a bit one dimensional. The bad guys are far more interesting characters and a large chunk of the story is told from their point of view. About halfway through the book, there's a fantastic but quite mental twist that takes this from been a pretty run of the mill thriller to actually been pretty damned good. If you like Simon Kernick novels you'll like this but will need to stick with it. This is a very promising debut.
This book is one of those you have to stick with. To be honest I really struggled to engage with any of the characters. Karl and his pregnant wife should have been the ones to feel for but they're a bit one dimensional. The bad guys are far more interesting characters and a large chunk of the story is told from their point of view. About halfway through the book, there's a fantastic but quite mental twist that takes this from been a pretty run of the mill thriller to actually been pretty damned good. If you like Simon Kernick novels you'll like this but will need to stick with it. This is a very promising debut.
April 18, 2019
I think, for first book, this was too bad. The style was fast and furious, lots of violence, and several points of view. Difficult to imagine that much carnage happening, in such a short time, in London, England.
However, because of the choices the main characters made, I lost interest after the first few pages. I did persevere, mainly because of the great write up by Angela Marsons, and, it did pick up towards the end.
There was a lot of improbable scenarios, and you really had to suspend belief in order to make it through. There were many times when I thought “that’s just ridiculous!”
I had an inkling of the plot twist several chapters before so wasn’t too surprised.
But, there is talent here, so I hope the author gets a good editor and keeps on writing.
However, because of the choices the main characters made, I lost interest after the first few pages. I did persevere, mainly because of the great write up by Angela Marsons, and, it did pick up towards the end.
There was a lot of improbable scenarios, and you really had to suspend belief in order to make it through. There were many times when I thought “that’s just ridiculous!”
I had an inkling of the plot twist several chapters before so wasn’t too surprised.
But, there is talent here, so I hope the author gets a good editor and keeps on writing.
April 4, 2018
The Choice
by Jake Cross
Bookouture
General Fiction (Adult) , Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 23 Mar 2018
I am reviewing a copy of The Choice through Bookouture and Netgalley:
Karl Seaburg is driving home one night with his pregnant wife, when in his headlights he sees a woman shaking from fear. The woman is in the middle of the road.
The woman tells Karl her name is Liz Smith and that her home was brutally attacked. She was the only one who managed to escape.
Karl decides to help her, but is this woman a victim or a monster?
Find out in The Choice.
Four out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
March 23, 2018
This book reminded me of the early Simon Kernick books which I loved. The premise is so great - picking up a stranger at night, a damsel in distress type situation and then getting dragged into terrible danger. It all adds up to a compelling storyline. Fast paced and lots of action it's just how I like my thrillers. And the twist in the middle - well I didn't see that coming and I had to adjust all my thinking about what exactly was going on. It got a little confusing towards the end, but that's probably just me! A rip-roaring tale and well worth a read.
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