When does a plot, story touch a reader? When they get emotionally tangled into the characters. The good & bad, within the plot twists, intrigue, desires, weather it be fear, insecurities, strength & achievements. That is what this novel did for me. It had all types of emotion depth, from empathy, agony, fear, suspense, drama, desire, intrigue. I have lived thru many of Chloe’s emotions. From being taken advantage by men. Threaten, abused, & was in a romantic image of a fairytale Knight & Shining armor.
I cannot say in my case life has given me a HEA. I have all of Chloe’s fears of being wanted, loved, desires. It will never happen. I’ve allowed my abuse to paralyze me from knowing how to have a real relationship is. To know how to love myself, both emotionally & physically.
I’m aware this is fiction but I’m going to give you a view of my beliefs on some of the plot twists, that I don’t agree with. I’m trying to be objective. I suppose I live in an unrealistic Hallmark romance.
I was into Chloe's emotional, torment she went thru. I felt every terrifying emotion & heartbreak she was going through. Even the relationship with her mother has dysfunctional aspects to my relationship.
1st~ the beginning of the plot to many chapters for Chloe’s character being so vulnerable about Daniel, His behavior that JERK seems ridiculous!
He created her debt, took her for granted & was an arrogant SOB. To have the mother want her to get back together with him. Not a very healthy woman in her own life. I understand college sweethearts, but she was taking care of him.
I'm glad Chloe had close gal pals to support her. I think that Blaire giving her the job opportunity was great. I wish I knew if I could have an alter ego without being embarrassed.
I relate to the plot of the mental, psycho stalker angle, unfortunately it’s more common in our society then we think.
I know as readers we need to have suspense; plot twists & turns. But I believe the story went too far & to long. We could have removed a chapter. Maybe because I related to Chloe's fear of watching your surroundings, who you can & cannot trust? How a woman can be manipulating into believe one thing. When reality is something completely different. Maybe it was just too intense for my taste?
Now to Casper, how could we make him strong, man of integrity then turn him into a husband cheating wimp! Especially after he came to rescue Chloe in the first time, she came close to her stalker. I believe that you made his character to have been in the miliary? No service member regardless of their personal life let a victim to fend for themselves. Not acceptable to have the secretary tell her he cannot help her. Especially after you made two scenes physically & emotionally impacted for the female. It was wrong.
As to the sexual exhibitions ~ understandably every reader has a different longing when dealing with sexual fantasies. I’m not into the orgies, or multiple partners as a fantasy.
But to have Chloe’s character who is so vulnerable after the situation with her so called savior to have an ogre. Then accidently admit to it on air when the stalker hasn’t been caught doesn’t seem realistic. When she is being threaten with physical harm. Maybe I’m just square? Or maybe I just love the romance of the strong, male type that Casper represented.
I cannot believe that the author would allow a private detective’s character to leave a victim abandon with a stalker hanging. Especially giving such an emotional, sensuous & lustful night.
If Casper couldn’t be involved in Chloe’s case, then he should have at least provided her with one of his partners in the business. A member of the armed forces would not allow Chloe to fend for herself. It’s just wrong even for fiction! I guess that makes a fascinating interpretation for the reader to become emotionally invested in the situation.
The next chapter in Scarlett’s heart wrenching, emotional spiral deals with kidnaping, violation, humiliation, physical trauma, depression & attempted suicide, PTSD. Chloe must decide if she is willing to survive her capture, betrayal, shame, guilt. Our radio celebrity goes from captive to being surviving her abduction to becoming an emotional zombie/ She is a roller coaster of a mess dealing with bouts of depression & thoughts of suicide. We witness her decision to commit suicide over living. Does Chloe truly believe that her life is ending then proving to herself & the world that she is a survivor.
Can Chloe make a difference to her public? What about her mother, friends but mostly herself? Can she go back to “Red Light confessions” To admit to her vulnerability from her lack of not being loved? Can she realize that her sextual escapades were because of her relationship with Daniel. Can she admit that her brief affair with Casper was a sextual healing of sorts from her past relationship? Can she move forward from her attack, humiliation from her captivity? Can she be a be an influence on other sexual desires, as well as finding love? Can she find her own happiness.
Read how the ending turns out. Do you agree with the ending?
Here are my concerns with the story plot?
1.Daniel was a jerk. Having his girlfriend be responsible for taking care of him. While he goes to college & create debt.
2.Why would you want Chloe run back to the jerk!
3.Daniel comes back into Chloe’s life being the man on the radio waves expressing how he destroyed the best thing that ever happened to him. He lost his soulmate. The world wants to know what happens in his love story. Then the staff surprises Chloe by having her meet a man who is disheveled, blood shot eyes, & scruffy. That is the way Daniel shows he has transformed to meet his soulmate? It’s that easy for Chloe to run into his arms. What does that make the female lead in this plot? Shouldn’t Daniel be expressing his remorse of his past behaviors in his relationship with Chloe? Have him prove himself to win Chloe’s love. How? Show compassion & concern for what has happened to her. Express is remorse to what he has done by paying pay off the debts he created under Chloe’s name.
4.Why not describe the details of transformation & changes that Daniel has made since he walked out on his so-called soulmate? Have Chloe express what she has been thru with the other man who she thought was healing her wounds. Have her state if he wants a chance for a loving relationship, he will need to prove himself to her.
Instead of having two chapters of the female lead whiling over the loser boyfriend in the beginning of the plot. Instead, it looks like that Daniel’s character wants to come back in her life now that she is famous.
You don’t give an epilogue to explain what he has accomplished while he was on his own? Could it be that he is excited that his Ex-girlfriend is “Scarlett” I would have liked to have him become an alpha man.
5.It’s described as their relationship was not exciting, excepting in the beginning of their courtship.
6. Chloe’s mom~ She wants her Chloe to forgive her ex for created debt in her daughter’s name. Why? Does she think she cannot do any better. I didn’t like that we didn’t have the female lead consider counselling, even after her fans stopped her the 1st time from committing suicide.
7.Why would the author have the private detective be so cruel. I really wanted her to be with him. We had Chloe put so much into that relationship maybe for the wrong reasons. But it seems like there was more of a connection, then even the description of her relationship with Daniel.
8.I don’t think it was necessary to have gone in such depth how the stalker humiliated & mentally torture Chloe for as long as it had to be. I would have liked ot have read what her friends were doing to find their star?
Lastly, I admit that my feelings on this story is because many of the issues, hit home. When it came to the breakdown, insecurities, abuse, stalker. This means that the author can get its readers to feel the characters emotions. Though I would have liked at the ending to express how to get help for depression, suicide for people who have those thoughts they could get help. I would have liked that story to state that Chloe decided on her own to go into therapy. Maybe even admitting she needs to Daniel. Who himself stays wants to go with her. To help the future of their relationship.
I also would have liked a brief blur to state that Casper decided to leave the bitch. Have a discussion with Chloe how sorry he was for not being they’re for her when it came to her life being in danger. Instead of just backing him a cheating husband who put millions over people. Thank goodness that you didn’t have those two characters have kids. As to the ending, I was really hoping that Dean would have been Jack. He seems to always be there for his colleague. Had empathy when he felt he let Chloe down when letting the stalker gets as far as he did.
Why was it necessary to have Keith cancel the first appointment? Was it a test to see if she would come & put her appointment with, her client first? Or did he cancel because he knew that there was a detective watching out for Chloe? So the reason for my 3.5 stars is because their were to many questions that didn't seem resolved. If updated, please have Casper or Jack be Chloe’s happily ever after. Again, this is just a readers opinion who was deeply affected by the story. So that explains that the author is good at their writing.