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The perfect date leads to a psychological game of cat and mouse…

Two years after his brutal divorce, mystery writer Dale Petersen is ready to enter the dating game.

Chelsea Grable seems like the perfect person to ease him into his new single life. She’s beautiful, shares his interests, and most importantly, is up for some casual dating and not at all interested in marriage. But when what started out as casual turns obsessive, Dale is forced to end things.

His new dates don’t go much better, and he wonders if all women are so mentally unstable. Maybe internet dating isn’t for him. What follows is a series of terrifying threats and strange occurrences the police seem unconcerned with.

Who is behind the threats? A former lover? His angry ex? A jilted husband? Whoever it is, they seem intent on one final goal…taking revenge. A thrilling psychological thriller that you won't be able to put down!

500 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 28, 2020

1622 people are currently reading
586 people want to read

About the author

Cole Baxter

46 books370 followers
Cole Baxter loves writing psychological suspense thrillers. It's all about that last reveal that he loves shocking readers with.
He grew up in New York, where there crime was all around. He decided to turn that into something positive with his fiction.
His stories will have you reading through the night--they are very addictive!

Sign up for Cole's VIP Reader Club and find out about his latest releases, giveaways, and more. Copy and paste this link to sign up: http://eepurl.com/dqL8yT

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5 stars
389 (34%)
4 stars
366 (32%)
3 stars
241 (21%)
2 stars
83 (7%)
1 star
44 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
Profile Image for Ted Tayler.
Author 79 books299 followers
September 22, 2020
"Predictable"

I can't agree with the claim that this was a 'gripping psychological thriller' nor did it 'have me at the edge of my seat'. It was predictable and there were several annoying typos. Dale met with his wife's 'layers' on a couple of occasions. There were a lot of characters, but not one of them drove the book forward with their powerful personality. Dale drifted from one meaningless attempt after another to find out who was tormenting him when it was obvious from the first time the character was introduced that she was disturbed. Not for me.
Profile Image for Mel.
1,492 reviews10 followers
September 28, 2020
I really didn’t like the protagonist Dale, so I struggled to feel empathy towards what he was going through and ultimately get into the plot. Other characters just did not ring true, such as one of the police officers.
There were some editing issues with people being called different names on the same page (eg Violet and Viola) and at times the sentences were structured very oddly and didn’t make sense, almost like a poor translation.
I found the ending to be overly dramatic and exaggerated with unrealistic dialogue.
Overall, unfortunately predictable and read like a rushed caricature of a serious novel.
251 reviews2 followers
September 13, 2020
Not for me

I think this is the first book I read by this author. I'm not sure if it was the writing. I think it was more the character in the story and the story line in general. For some reason I couldn't bring myself to like the character and not think how dumb he seemed. You figure out very easily who did what. So much filling in the book that was not needed.I read a bit over 30% of the book and skipped to 75% and still knew very easily what was going on and didn't feel like I missed anything. Like I said, this one just wasn't for me. I will try another book by this author. Just because I didn't care for this story doesn't mean I won't enjoy another book by him.
62 reviews1 follower
September 13, 2020
Not on the edge of my seat😬

A big let down. I finished the book because I had too much time invested in it. I figured out who the killer was half way thru the book......I just finished it to be sure.
13 reviews
September 3, 2020
Easily predictable

From the very beginning,it was clear who the culprit was. In my opinion, there was way too much inner dialogue that wasn't needed. While it was a good read to pass the time, it wasn't anything memorable.
9 reviews
November 28, 2020
I felt this was well written, I just didn't like the protagonist. He is a severe alcoholic on a massive pity party whose life consists of getting drunk, having one night stands, and feeling sorry for himself. I finally stopped reading bc I found the man so tiresome and found his desire to want be an involved father very unrealistic given his lifestyle. But if you don't mind that kind of protagonist, you might really like this one.
35 reviews
September 24, 2020
Repetitive guilt

Alcoholic, womanizing, author-who-can’t-get-past-his-writer’s-block Mitch spends repeated days and nights berating himself for his faults (including his lack of writing productivity) and then drinks to forget how guilty he feels. His musings over his crazy hookups, his split from his wife and their meetings with attorneys so he can try to get visitation or shared custody (of a child he’s never spent a minute with) are repetitive, too. His whole sad life being rehashed day after day made this story a depressingly uninteresting read. Even the “mystery” stalker seemed obvious.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Hintermeier.
32 reviews1 follower
December 22, 2020
I enjoyed this book enough to finish it and liked the suspense in some parts. The protagonist was so unlikeable for me that even when he realized what a horrible and selfish person he was and decided to fix it I still just felt nothing but contempt for him. I wish the killer would have focused more on how awful he treated people rather than being obsessed with him. It was also very clear who the killer was throughout the whole book and infuriating that Dale couldn’t figure that out. I’m glad Dale ended up getting the help he needed though! He is lucky Mitch put up with him just sitting around watching him work while he complained about one thing or another the whole time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Book Dragon.
543 reviews33 followers
October 7, 2020
I am sorry to say that the title didn’t deliver as promised.
The blurb was promising so I decided to give it a try.
First the protagonist was an asshole. Self centered drunken writer and womanizer. His decisions and behavior is so immature it was hard to read about it. But that’s not the main problem. We can have different characters and still have a good book.
There was no real suspense, the writing and his inner dialogues were repetitive, the plot is predictable and the culprit is obvious from the beginning. So I found myself skipping paragraphs that were just boring.
I
2,999 reviews44 followers
August 29, 2020
The main character in this book is a semi-successful writer called Dale Petersen, who is facing legal problems with his ex-wife Margaret over custody with his son, born after his wife caught him cheating on her. He has continued with his womanising, one night stands and alcoholic benders in the two years since, and is finding it impossible to doing any writing on his next book. He finds his normal bar closed and goes to the nearest one he can find. As he gets wasted, a woman comes up next to him at the bar and starts talking to him and offers to buy him a drink. He doesn’t think she is very pretty and definitely not his usual type. But as the drink keeps flowing and he gets more and more wasted, he invites her back to his cottage for sex. It doesn’t go great, but he falls asleep before he insists on her leaving, like his normal hook-ups would do.

The next morning he is woken up by this woman, Chelsea, cooking a breakfast badly, for him and acting like they are already in a committed relationship! He thought she was agreeable with the casual hook-up, but it turns out she is a bit of an oddball and wants a lot more from him. He finally gets rid of her and carries on with his normal bad behaviour. The cottage he lives in, belongs to his good friend Mitch, who is an ex-SEAL and lives in the main house behind a gated entry, to find his own peace after PTSD caused him problems. Now, he is the closest thing to a friend that Dale has, who tolerates his lifestyle choices.

Chelsea manages to turn up at another bar Dale ends up at and he has a difficult time trying to put her off, but she buys him a drink and tries to insist he drinks it. When he refuses, she throws it at him and he notices a partly dissolved pill at the bottom of the glass. She was trying to poison him! He manages to get away from her, but that is the start of even more problems for the alcoholic and stymied writer. He starts getting weird messages and threats and surmises that he has a stalker and has to make a list of possible suspects and it is very long! Every one night stand, right through to his ex-wife, after his baby is vandalised. Mitch helps by putting up more security measures, but the stalker somehow manages to avoid being caught on camera and ups their vindictive behaviour.

As matters escalate, he eventually has to call in the police, but they don’t seem to be too interested and have no real way of figuring out who is threatening him, and as he hasn’t been hurt by them, it isn’t taken too seriously. He has to start to re-thinking his lifestyle choices and especially his dating methods. Mitch points out that most of his dating choices have been with pretty unstable and moody women, apart from his ex-wife. Whoever is trying to make his life hell and wants revenge for his treatment of them, is rapidly ramping up their threats and abusive conduct. If he can’t figure out who is after him and why, he may well end up as a victim of a physical, never mind psychological attack. Actions against him and those he has been involved with previously, takes a more physical form and when the first dead body shows up, the police finally start to take matters more seriously.

A definite tale of realising that your own bad behaviour and treatment of others, can have really serious consequences, especially when you don’t really know the people you have one night stands with! Living a self-destructive lifestyle can only last so long, before you have to examine why you are doing it and what your life should really be like. If Dale doesn’t make changes and soon, he will ruin any chance of ever seeing his so. Whoever this person is, wants to teach him a lesson, but also wants him back! Definitely an all engrossing read that will have you on the edge of your seat, as the obsessive stalking gets even more extreme and turns deadly! You start thinking Dale is wasting his life, living as he does, but it certainly shouldn’t have ended up with what he has to endure by the end. The book will keep your attention, but also make you think about your life and life choices. Maybe something you do needs to be changed! A great read, but not for the faint hearted. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout, but ended up buying it as well! I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Profile Image for Lynda Kelly.
2,210 reviews106 followers
July 8, 2021
I read another book by this author and did find errors in it but enjoyed the story enough to give this one a go as well...however, despite the fact not one but two editors are credited at the beginning, it's in a total shambles......well, what I saw was. I packed it in at only 1%......and yes, this might sound like I'm not giving it much of a chance but.....there was an error even in the disclaimer at the beginning (before I'd even begun) when authors' and not author's was written.
THEN the first line, the FIRST line was a dud-as follows, "You turned into a such a bitch".....which made me swear very loudly under my breath. Then this line was pretty awful English, "that man and his client were adamant to punish him..." and I called it a day when Petersen's name suddenly turned into Peterson !! And neither he nor his 2 editors spotted this ??? Sorry, but if I'd managed to trip over this lot in only 1% there was no way I was going to wade through the other 99%.
Yet the cover looks totally professional and is a terrific job.....I'd revisit if it ever gets a proper editing job done but not in this current incarnation.
4,186 reviews22 followers
August 21, 2020
The summary of the book definitely caught my attention and I was intrigued. This author really knows how to write a gripping tale. This is a wonderfully written psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat pretty much throughout the whole book - a definite page-turner for sure! There were many great plot twists throughout that I was anxiously turning the pages to see what would happen next. Great characters, well-developed, that really pull you in to the story. This is definitely one you do not want to miss!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Marissa.
72 reviews10 followers
January 15, 2023
I am very disappointed in this book. There was no "shocking twist". The stalker is exactly who you think it is after reading the first chapter. But the author does a great job of making the most air headed, unlikable characters who assume the stalker is everyone else except for the most obvious person. I couldn't STAND Dale, and that never changed throughout the book. He has a victim mentality throughout the whole book and his "redemption" comes from him realizing he did this all to himself and then proceeds to feel so awful and cry about it the rest of the book while everyone else does all the work. This book was an absolute mess. The first and last book I'll read from this author.
6,028 reviews45 followers
August 7, 2020
Dale is still struggling his way thru a drawn out and ugly divorce when a woman he expected to be a one might stand turns into many more complications- lethal ones.

More tangled than any plot author Dale had ever written, stalkier Chelsea is angry and obsessed - and he is her goal.

Any of the one night stands or other women he was with could be in danger- and his ex wife and son may also be at risk

Intense drama, action and lethal romance

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3,352 reviews18 followers
August 12, 2020
Wow! Suspense, intrigue, mystery are just a few words to describe this book! You have moments where you're holding your breath, sitting on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next when you turn the page. The story line is well written, the plot is well thought out and executed and you're captivated from the beginning to the end.For those who love mystery and suspense, this is one you want on your reading list.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Profile Image for Michelle.
10.7k reviews28 followers
August 13, 2020
I don't know how this author does it but once again I was hooked and I had a hard time putting this book down. Follow You really makes me glad I am happily married and not internet dating. Dale's story is a crazy and twisted mess and had me nibbling at my nails again. This psychological thriller had me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen with each page I turned. I definitely recommend this book to everyone who likes reading a great book. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.
Profile Image for Beth Temin.
290 reviews
October 10, 2020
Dale Grows Up

This story begins with an immature writer and womanizer with a drinking problem and an ex-wife who refuses to let him see his 2-year old son. It progresses to a point where his "dates" have become a problem, when a deranged woman becomes obsessed with him. The tale is intense and scary when he is stalked and the stalker starts killing women he has dated. From this point, he realizes he must change his life and grow up. I was engrossed by the book and recommend it to anyone who loves a great psychological thriller.
1,711 reviews6 followers
February 20, 2023
Hardly a gripping thriller, you pretty much know who the wacko is long before the author confirms it.
It's easy to fall in love with a alcoholic. They are fun, charming, personable and completely self a absorbed assholes. If you don't know that, you are destined for heartbreak. If like this MC, Dale you are also a womanizer, it's like a double barrel shotgun. If you're emotionally vulnerable like Chelsea, you get attached for any reason and completely broken by the narcissist that is the man you fell for.
Profile Image for Patricia Baxes.
3,050 reviews30 followers
August 5, 2020
You’d think I’d know by now not to start reading one of Cole Baxter’s psychological thrillers late at night! Man oh man...Follow You was the scariest yet! The storyline was amazing; the characters totally out of this world; the plot twists and turns will totally blow you away; and there is no hiding behind a HEA. Follow You deserves to be on your TBR...especially if you love to be scared! (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and was completely blown away by it.) ❤️❤️
Profile Image for Debbie Clark.
164 reviews
October 7, 2020
Thrilling

After a slow start, Follow You finally got my attention in about the fifth chapter. Thereafter it kept getting better with each chapter. Dale Petersen is a narcissistic womanizing drunken loser who takes no personal responsibility and blames everyone else for all his troubles. He finally is confronted with his true self when a stalker becomes psychopathic. A real page turner after about the tenth chapter.
9 reviews1 follower
November 22, 2020
A Real Metamorphosis!

At first I disliked the main character. He was sexist, arrogant, self -absorbed and thoroughly unlikable.......... At least to a female! But expecting a change along the way, I could not put the book down until I finished it. The book is fast-paced, has interesting characters, and a suitable ending. This was not my favourite book by this author, but I would recommend it.
Profile Image for Billie.
5,784 reviews71 followers
August 14, 2020
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
63 reviews
August 22, 2020
Okay

Just three stars from me. Found the ending predictable. In fact I had this thought regarding the stalker, but reckoned it was too easy. I prefer a book to surprise the reader. Overall to read this book was okay and I loved the main characters story. Just disappointed at the ending.
1,994 reviews23 followers
August 24, 2020
Mental illness

I have to admit that understood from the beginning what the outcome would be. No surprise there. More than the story itself we all need to be reading between the lines and agree that PTSD is something that can not be taken lightly. It is nothing that should be ignored. I appreciate it was taken into consideration in the epilogue.
207 reviews1 follower
September 2, 2020
This was actually a very interesting and "keep you on the edge of your seat" kind of book. It was obvious to me of the guilty party, but little things kept you wondering and stay focus on the details. Everything came together. The ending was a bit quick and there were a few typos, but nothing to keep you from reading.
Profile Image for JLR.
255 reviews
September 27, 2020
Shockingly bad. The story was entirely flat and predictable. I don’t think one character learned anything or grew in any way throughout the entire thing. It was like a terrible Lifetime movie with terrible actors was made into a book.

Also, I’m not sure if the author paid for professional editing of this book, but if so, they should seek a different editor. There were multiple misspellings, punctuation errors and even character name spelling shifts throughout the book.
1 review
October 22, 2020
I'm not sure why I kept reading this book. It was entirely predictable from the beginning, repetitive, and with the exception of one chapter, boring. I guess I kept expecting a twist in the story, which would have made the book a much more delightful read. I don't normally leave bad reviews but this was just plain disappointing and doesn't encourage me to read this writer again.
796 reviews9 followers
July 9, 2021
highest level of suspense!

after reading this, you may rethink joining a dating site. However, normally, there should be no problem in using a dating app or site, every now and then things go horribly wrong! Chelsea is having a difficult time excepting that her, one night stand is over. Many people pay the price! You will not believe what happens!
Profile Image for Janeandjerry.
626 reviews21 followers
July 20, 2021
Follow You

I liked this but not as much as the last book I read of his that should be on the big screen this was one for LIFETIME good but I wished there would have been more writing on Chelsea though than what there was. Ill give it a five star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ just cause I liked the work of this author and hopefully this isn't my last book to read of his
Profile Image for Michael Altieri.
198 reviews2 followers
September 29, 2023
Good characters

The characters were good and very believable. The story had a few twists and turns but eventually it led to the suspect that was kind of obvious all along. This book like his first, just has too many pages. I hate reading the same things over and over with different words. I suggest he could have 50 to 100 pages less. However, it is worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews

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