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Elusive
Everything is going just fine until my apartment burns down. I’m playing the part of a normal college student under my fake identity, keeping a low profile, and then boom, suddenly I’m homeless. When my classmate offers a roof over my head, it’s hard to say no. Even if he is a billionaire heir, and his older brother is the nation’s most eligible bachelor. They’re the opposite of low profile, and everything I should be staying far away from. As long as I don’t get too close, their townhome is a safe place to stay. Especially when I’m starting to suspect that my apartment burning down was no accident. My past might be catching up with me, which means I’ve got to stay in the shadows. But the pull to one of my new roommates is getting harder to deny, and I’m starting to wonder, is living in hiding really living at all?
Is it worth staying safe if it means sacrificing a chance at love?
After all, safety may just be an illusion.
Is it worth staying safe if it means sacrificing a chance at love?
After all, safety may just be an illusion.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 24, 2017
186 people are currently reading
179 people want to read
About the author
Ali Dean
47 books1,023 followersAli is a USA Today Bestselling author of sports romance. She has always loved to read, especially when there's a happily ever after, but found that there weren't enough books out there featuring girl athletes. So, she decided to work on that. Like the heroines in her books, Ali is an athlete, with running and skiing her favorite sports these days. Ali hails from Vermont and now lives in her own happily-ever-after in Colorado with her husband, two sets of twins, and golden retriever Pancake. When she's not pursuing an outdoor adventure, Ali's less healthy passions include ice cream, coffee, and beer.
Get to know Ali Dean by following her on any of her social media and author links below.
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Get to know Ali Dean by following her on any of her social media and author links below.
www.alideanfiction.com
www.facebook.com/alideanfiction
www.twitter.com/alideanfiction
www.instagram.com/alideanfiction
www.bookbub.com/profile/ali-dean
www.pinterest.com/alidean750
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
May 8, 2017
2.5 stars
***ARC received in exchange of an honest opinion***
I have a weakness for millionaires/billionaires/CEO's romances. Even though I don't really like clichés, if they are welll written, those are the kinds I can quite enjoy.
Unfortunately it wasn't the case with Elusive. I also LOVE NA books, but even though it seems like an easy genre to please, I'm never easy to please. It's not such an "easy" genre and finding the right balance between fiction and what the reader can relate to is not easy (in any genre, actually).
Elusive was too much of a cliché. I felt like I've read this story so many times. Starting with the whole mystery that it supposedly had going on (from the synopsis) and I solved at the very beginning. It's hard to announce a book as a mysterious story if you don't leave anything for imagination.
Then we have the characters. I didn't really like a single character. The heroine was annoying and indecisive, she kept going back and forth on her word (to herself and to other characters). The hero was likable, but I feel like he was written in a shallow way, he could have been more explored (every character's story could have been more explored). One thing REALLY annoyed me in the hero was the fact he kept calling the heroine by her full name, even, and constantly, in his head! Who thinks of a love interest i. Full name all the time? It felt like he was trying to be "formal", but that simply wasn't the character, so it was out of place. I also feel like he could have been a more normal guy, for me it made no sense for him to be a CEO, because he never acted like one, just the opposite.
I could have liked Logan and his sister more if they were more explored too. I actually wanted to know more about them and I wanted to see their friendship with the heroine grow.
Overal, it was a story that bored me, but I could at least finish reading, so it was easy to read.
It was an okay book in my opinion, nothing marvelous, but I've read worse books. What mostly bothered me is that it was "advertised" as something and I didn't feel it in the story.
***ARC received in exchange of an honest opinion***
I have a weakness for millionaires/billionaires/CEO's romances. Even though I don't really like clichés, if they are welll written, those are the kinds I can quite enjoy.
Unfortunately it wasn't the case with Elusive. I also LOVE NA books, but even though it seems like an easy genre to please, I'm never easy to please. It's not such an "easy" genre and finding the right balance between fiction and what the reader can relate to is not easy (in any genre, actually).
Elusive was too much of a cliché. I felt like I've read this story so many times. Starting with the whole mystery that it supposedly had going on (from the synopsis) and I solved at the very beginning. It's hard to announce a book as a mysterious story if you don't leave anything for imagination.
Then we have the characters. I didn't really like a single character. The heroine was annoying and indecisive, she kept going back and forth on her word (to herself and to other characters). The hero was likable, but I feel like he was written in a shallow way, he could have been more explored (every character's story could have been more explored). One thing REALLY annoyed me in the hero was the fact he kept calling the heroine by her full name, even, and constantly, in his head! Who thinks of a love interest i. Full name all the time? It felt like he was trying to be "formal", but that simply wasn't the character, so it was out of place. I also feel like he could have been a more normal guy, for me it made no sense for him to be a CEO, because he never acted like one, just the opposite.
I could have liked Logan and his sister more if they were more explored too. I actually wanted to know more about them and I wanted to see their friendship with the heroine grow.
Overal, it was a story that bored me, but I could at least finish reading, so it was easy to read.
It was an okay book in my opinion, nothing marvelous, but I've read worse books. What mostly bothered me is that it was "advertised" as something and I didn't feel it in the story.
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August 14, 2018💝FREE on Amazon today (8/14/2018)!💝
April 15, 2022
PG, New Adult, romantic suspense, billionaire romance
Ava Rutherford was born and raised in New York City, as part of a wealthy family. She rarely saw her workaholic, stockbroker father, Harris Rutherford, and her beautiful, narcissistic, social-climbing mother also mostly ignored her. Ava attended a high-priced prep school with fellow offspring of affluent parents, and she had no social issues until she was fourteen and her world crashed down around her. Her father was arrested and ultimately imprisoned for a Ponzi scheme that defrauded, among others, many of the parents of her fellow students. As a result, Ava became a bullied pariah, until the night her mother was murdered by her much younger lover, Derek Hatfield, the 21-year-old son of her father’s former colleague. Fifteen-year-old Ava was packed away to spend the next three years living under the reluctant guardianship of her aunt and uncle.
The moment 18-year-old Ava graduated high school, she moved 3000 miles away to Tunita, a fictional small, Southern California town, halfway between LA and San Diego and a half hour from the ocean. She legally changed her name to Kate Watson for two reasons: she wanted to escape the notoriety of being Harris Rutherford’s daughter, and she was desperate to hide herself from Derek Hatfield, whom she was convinced would sooner or later seek her out and murder her, too.
Kate/Ava is currently 22. She has been working toward a nursing degree for the past four years and is only a few weeks away from graduating. She has a job lined up as a traveling nurse, and she plans to be constantly on the move, because she believes she will be safest from evil Derek that way. All this time she has kept a very low profile, doing nothing but go to class, study, and work a series of part-time jobs, including her present job since turning 21, as a bartender at Eclipse, a popular music bar in Tunita which offers terrific tips. She has done her best to be invisible, refusing to get attached to anyone, including her roommates of the past two years, a woman her age, named Vicki, and her twin brother, Logan. They are also university students and are in a rock band together that frequently performs at Eclipse. Logan also recently acquired a live-in girlfriend, a bubbly extrovert named Bridget.
Sebastian Webster is Kate’s age and has known her since their mutual freshman year because they are in many of the same math and science classes due to his being pre-med, and frequently being alphabetically assigned seats next to each other in class. All these years, Kate has turned down Seb’s and every other male student’s advances, constantly keeping her distance from everyone and perpetually looking like she is on the verge of fleeing.
Sebastian and his 25-year-old brother, Evan Webster, are both billionaires due to inherited family money. The Webster family owns the most successful chain of luxury hotels in the world. When their father recently retired, Evan took over as CEO of the company. He travels extensively for his career, but he and Seb are very close, and Evan’s home base when he is in the States is a luxury townhome in Tunita that he shares with Seb.
The campus coffee shop, the Busy Bean, is a favorite hangout of Kate, her roommates, and Seb. One morning very early, when Kate is on her way to the university library to study, she runs into Seb doing the walk of shame. He is meeting his brother at the Busy Bean, and Evan and Kate see each other for the first time ever. Their gazes lock, and for an intense moment, neither can look away. Then Kate does what she always does, flee from human contact. But for the first time in the past fraught, eight years, it is an effort for her to turn away from obvious male interest.
That very night Kate discovers that the apartment building where she lives has burned down, when Vicki rushes into Eclipse to tell her. Instinctively, Kate wonders if Derek has finally tracked her down and has committed arson to either terrorize her or attempt to murder her. Kate is left homeless, with only a small amount of money in the bank, the contents of her backpack, and the clothes on her back.
Evan can’t stop thinking about Kate. It is completely out of the range of his experience, as a young, handsome billionaire, to ever have a woman run away from him. Seb has told him she works at Eclipse, and he finds himself driving there to get a glimpse of the beautiful, mysterious, elusive Kate. When he sees her rush off with Vicki, he decides maybe she has ignored him because she is gay.
Kate spends the night outside, sitting on cold, concrete steps in a shadowed alcove downtown and drags herself to the Busy Bean for coffee and warmth the moment it opens at seven AM. She runs into Evan Webster there, and her iron-clad walls of self-protection are breached by her attraction to him. Their brief tête-à-tête is interrupted by Logan and Bridget, and Kate is shocked, and rather moved, by their obvious strong concern for her wellbeing, but she refuses their help. Later that day, as she is walking around campus, she can’t shake the eerie feeling she is being watched by Derek, and she is scared that she needs to run, change her name, and start all over again. That night at Eclipse, Seb overhears Bridget asking Kate how she is doing and, when he learns of her plight, he offers Kate a place to stay in an unused guest room at his home. He tells her that he and Evan are hardly ever there, and she will, for the most part, have it all to herself. Kate forces herself to refuse the extremely tempting offer. She is determined to make it on her own, but the best she can come up with is to pay for a couch to crash on at the filthy, bug-infested apartment of two heroin addicts. After an extremely scary, sleepless night with the addicts, she runs into Seb at class the next morning. He takes one look at her bedraggled state, hands her a key to his home, and tells her the address. And thus begins Kate’s time as Evan’s roommate.
This New Adult (NA) romance has a strong main plot of the romance between Kate and Evan, and a moderately dark suspense subplot. As is typically the case in adult romance and most NA romance novels, this story offers the alternating points of view of both Kate and Evan. This allows the reader to deeply get to know Evan, who is a sympathetic, dynamic, respectfully protective hero. Kate herself is a strong, self-sufficient, active, female lead. Both Kate and Evan have well motivated, personal growth arcs, and the romance plot has a satisfying HEA resolution. The structure of the suspense plot follows a pattern that is well established in the adult romance genre, especially as written by best-sellers such as Jayne Ann Krentz. As such, it will appeal to fans of that popular subgenre of romance.
I would personally assign this book a PG rating due to occasional F-bombs, drunkenness, and several instances of triggering violence. In terms of sex, I would give this story my own personal Level 2 SPR rating (see below).
I rank this novel as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Suspense Plot: 3.5 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
My Personal Sex/Passion Rating (SPR) for HEA, Courtship, Non-Christian Romance
0 - A non-religious heroine (or, very rarely, the hero) is fiercely opposed to premarital sex. The heroine and hero are presented as unnaturally asexual in a prepubescent or robotic way.
1 - All of the same elements of Level 0 apply, except that the author allows the protagonists to display a slight degree of human sexual response within 2-3 tongueless-kissing scenes in which they touch only these body parts: above the shoulders, back, arms and hands, below the knees.
2 - The same limited amount of Level 1 touching occurs on the page, but the protagonists also have closed-door sex 1-2 times toward the end of the book.
3 - There are no limits on touching in the 2-3 sex scenes in the book between protagonists who are demonstrably passionately attracted to each other, but there is no foul language in the narrative descriptions and the thoughts and dialogue during lovemaking. Every sex scene contributes to either rising romantic conflict between the lovers or their progressively falling in love.
4 - All the elements of Level 3 plus 2-3 additional page-filler sex scenes with occasional foul language and mild kink.
5 - All the elements of Level 3, plus an additional 5-6 page-filler sex scenes with frequent foul language and moderate kink.
Note: I personally consider female-centric novels which contain multiple sex partners, sex clubs, and/or major kink, all of it expressed with constant foul language, to be part of the genre of female erotica rather than romance, which is why I have not added it to my SPR rating.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ava Rutherford was born and raised in New York City, as part of a wealthy family. She rarely saw her workaholic, stockbroker father, Harris Rutherford, and her beautiful, narcissistic, social-climbing mother also mostly ignored her. Ava attended a high-priced prep school with fellow offspring of affluent parents, and she had no social issues until she was fourteen and her world crashed down around her. Her father was arrested and ultimately imprisoned for a Ponzi scheme that defrauded, among others, many of the parents of her fellow students. As a result, Ava became a bullied pariah, until the night her mother was murdered by her much younger lover, Derek Hatfield, the 21-year-old son of her father’s former colleague. Fifteen-year-old Ava was packed away to spend the next three years living under the reluctant guardianship of her aunt and uncle.
The moment 18-year-old Ava graduated high school, she moved 3000 miles away to Tunita, a fictional small, Southern California town, halfway between LA and San Diego and a half hour from the ocean. She legally changed her name to Kate Watson for two reasons: she wanted to escape the notoriety of being Harris Rutherford’s daughter, and she was desperate to hide herself from Derek Hatfield, whom she was convinced would sooner or later seek her out and murder her, too.
Kate/Ava is currently 22. She has been working toward a nursing degree for the past four years and is only a few weeks away from graduating. She has a job lined up as a traveling nurse, and she plans to be constantly on the move, because she believes she will be safest from evil Derek that way. All this time she has kept a very low profile, doing nothing but go to class, study, and work a series of part-time jobs, including her present job since turning 21, as a bartender at Eclipse, a popular music bar in Tunita which offers terrific tips. She has done her best to be invisible, refusing to get attached to anyone, including her roommates of the past two years, a woman her age, named Vicki, and her twin brother, Logan. They are also university students and are in a rock band together that frequently performs at Eclipse. Logan also recently acquired a live-in girlfriend, a bubbly extrovert named Bridget.
Sebastian Webster is Kate’s age and has known her since their mutual freshman year because they are in many of the same math and science classes due to his being pre-med, and frequently being alphabetically assigned seats next to each other in class. All these years, Kate has turned down Seb’s and every other male student’s advances, constantly keeping her distance from everyone and perpetually looking like she is on the verge of fleeing.
Sebastian and his 25-year-old brother, Evan Webster, are both billionaires due to inherited family money. The Webster family owns the most successful chain of luxury hotels in the world. When their father recently retired, Evan took over as CEO of the company. He travels extensively for his career, but he and Seb are very close, and Evan’s home base when he is in the States is a luxury townhome in Tunita that he shares with Seb.
The campus coffee shop, the Busy Bean, is a favorite hangout of Kate, her roommates, and Seb. One morning very early, when Kate is on her way to the university library to study, she runs into Seb doing the walk of shame. He is meeting his brother at the Busy Bean, and Evan and Kate see each other for the first time ever. Their gazes lock, and for an intense moment, neither can look away. Then Kate does what she always does, flee from human contact. But for the first time in the past fraught, eight years, it is an effort for her to turn away from obvious male interest.
That very night Kate discovers that the apartment building where she lives has burned down, when Vicki rushes into Eclipse to tell her. Instinctively, Kate wonders if Derek has finally tracked her down and has committed arson to either terrorize her or attempt to murder her. Kate is left homeless, with only a small amount of money in the bank, the contents of her backpack, and the clothes on her back.
Evan can’t stop thinking about Kate. It is completely out of the range of his experience, as a young, handsome billionaire, to ever have a woman run away from him. Seb has told him she works at Eclipse, and he finds himself driving there to get a glimpse of the beautiful, mysterious, elusive Kate. When he sees her rush off with Vicki, he decides maybe she has ignored him because she is gay.
Kate spends the night outside, sitting on cold, concrete steps in a shadowed alcove downtown and drags herself to the Busy Bean for coffee and warmth the moment it opens at seven AM. She runs into Evan Webster there, and her iron-clad walls of self-protection are breached by her attraction to him. Their brief tête-à-tête is interrupted by Logan and Bridget, and Kate is shocked, and rather moved, by their obvious strong concern for her wellbeing, but she refuses their help. Later that day, as she is walking around campus, she can’t shake the eerie feeling she is being watched by Derek, and she is scared that she needs to run, change her name, and start all over again. That night at Eclipse, Seb overhears Bridget asking Kate how she is doing and, when he learns of her plight, he offers Kate a place to stay in an unused guest room at his home. He tells her that he and Evan are hardly ever there, and she will, for the most part, have it all to herself. Kate forces herself to refuse the extremely tempting offer. She is determined to make it on her own, but the best she can come up with is to pay for a couch to crash on at the filthy, bug-infested apartment of two heroin addicts. After an extremely scary, sleepless night with the addicts, she runs into Seb at class the next morning. He takes one look at her bedraggled state, hands her a key to his home, and tells her the address. And thus begins Kate’s time as Evan’s roommate.
This New Adult (NA) romance has a strong main plot of the romance between Kate and Evan, and a moderately dark suspense subplot. As is typically the case in adult romance and most NA romance novels, this story offers the alternating points of view of both Kate and Evan. This allows the reader to deeply get to know Evan, who is a sympathetic, dynamic, respectfully protective hero. Kate herself is a strong, self-sufficient, active, female lead. Both Kate and Evan have well motivated, personal growth arcs, and the romance plot has a satisfying HEA resolution. The structure of the suspense plot follows a pattern that is well established in the adult romance genre, especially as written by best-sellers such as Jayne Ann Krentz. As such, it will appeal to fans of that popular subgenre of romance.
I would personally assign this book a PG rating due to occasional F-bombs, drunkenness, and several instances of triggering violence. In terms of sex, I would give this story my own personal Level 2 SPR rating (see below).
I rank this novel as follows:
Heroine: 4 stars
Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters: 4 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Suspense Plot: 3.5 stars
Writing: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
My Personal Sex/Passion Rating (SPR) for HEA, Courtship, Non-Christian Romance
0 - A non-religious heroine (or, very rarely, the hero) is fiercely opposed to premarital sex. The heroine and hero are presented as unnaturally asexual in a prepubescent or robotic way.
1 - All of the same elements of Level 0 apply, except that the author allows the protagonists to display a slight degree of human sexual response within 2-3 tongueless-kissing scenes in which they touch only these body parts: above the shoulders, back, arms and hands, below the knees.
2 - The same limited amount of Level 1 touching occurs on the page, but the protagonists also have closed-door sex 1-2 times toward the end of the book.
3 - There are no limits on touching in the 2-3 sex scenes in the book between protagonists who are demonstrably passionately attracted to each other, but there is no foul language in the narrative descriptions and the thoughts and dialogue during lovemaking. Every sex scene contributes to either rising romantic conflict between the lovers or their progressively falling in love.
4 - All the elements of Level 3 plus 2-3 additional page-filler sex scenes with occasional foul language and mild kink.
5 - All the elements of Level 3, plus an additional 5-6 page-filler sex scenes with frequent foul language and moderate kink.
Note: I personally consider female-centric novels which contain multiple sex partners, sex clubs, and/or major kink, all of it expressed with constant foul language, to be part of the genre of female erotica rather than romance, which is why I have not added it to my SPR rating.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 2, 2017
Kate is roommates with twin siblings Logan and Vicki. Vicki and Logan are in a band called Sandy Funk. Kate likes people the most who don’t ask many questions. Logan’s new girlfriend Bridget isn’t like that and won’t stop talking to Kate. No one knows Kate’s real story and she will keep it that way, Kate won’t be here that much longer graduation isn’t very far away. Kate works at Eclipse a popular music bar and doesn’t get home until three a.m. Kate usually walks the three miles to campus as public transport isn’t very good and it’s the only real exercise she gets. The places closer to campus are too expensive for Kate. She also just wants to mix in with the crowd and not be noticed. Coffee seems to comfort Kate as she walks to campus. Kate had changed her name and picked Kate because it was simple and popular. Her birth name had been Ava. Sebastian had called out Kate’s name and though she recognized the voice she gasped and spilled some of her coffee onto her arm. Sebastian caught up to Kate and said he was walking the walk of shame. He also told Kate she was too serious and if she ever had fun. Kate knew she was too serious but she didn’t have a lot of choice about that. Sebastian was pre med and Kate was a nursing major so they shared some classes. Sebastian is one of those people that everyone at the university knows of. He’s captain of the tennis team and charming and easy to be around. Sebastian’s family is rich in the hotel business. But Kate understands sometimes family and business don’t mix. Then Sebastian’s older brother Evan walks out of the campus coffee shop and has two cups of coffee which he gives Sebastian one as he says hi. Later Kate gets a call to pick up an extra shift at the bar from Tess . It wasn’t easy getting a job at Eclipse since it was the most popular bar in Tunita. The place was always busy which Kate loves as the tips were good but more so Kate is too busy to think about anything but her job. She also doesn't have time to talk to anyone. Vicki stopped at the bar which she rarely does and tells Kate the apartment building the lived in had burned down. Everything was gone. Kate wondered if he had found her. When Kate walks away from the coffee shop Evan felt fascinated, intrigued, and confused. Evan didn't know there would be many more times this would happen.
I loved this story it was great. It definitely had a great plot. I felt so bad home alone Kate had been for so long unable to let anyone in and scared he would find her. I loved how she didn't even realize men found her attractive. She was a very strong woman but she had to be. I don’t know how she did it cut off from everything but work and her classes. I was happy how Sebastian stepped up when he found out about her apartment. I was happy when she decided to take up her offer. I loved how Evan treated Kate and made her feel welcome. I loved the flow of this story and that Kate had people who cared about her and didn't turn on her when it came out who she was. I loved how Bridget defended her when Greg had Kate and how she worried about Kate. It was just an awesome book. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this story and I highly recommend.
I loved this story it was great. It definitely had a great plot. I felt so bad home alone Kate had been for so long unable to let anyone in and scared he would find her. I loved how she didn't even realize men found her attractive. She was a very strong woman but she had to be. I don’t know how she did it cut off from everything but work and her classes. I was happy how Sebastian stepped up when he found out about her apartment. I was happy when she decided to take up her offer. I loved how Evan treated Kate and made her feel welcome. I loved the flow of this story and that Kate had people who cared about her and didn't turn on her when it came out who she was. I loved how Bridget defended her when Greg had Kate and how she worried about Kate. It was just an awesome book. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this story and I highly recommend.
August 6, 2019
Fun and steamy read. Kate’s past has caught up with her and she ends up living with reclusive billionaire heirs Sebastian and Evan. Sparks are flying but will Kate find a way to come out of hiding? Fast-paced read with lots of drama and great chemistry. Enjoyable read!
February 5, 2019
Oh, my goodness. I had started reading this book and was really interested but things kept interrupting me to keep me from finishing it. In a way I was glad that I finally had the time to myself when I was able to sit down and read it non stop. A warning here be prepared for an ugly cry at some point. This story in this book is incredible. I don’t know how the author was able to think everything out and made this story flow and also carry an under score of suspense. You are not sure if something bad is going to really happen to the main character or not but it is there just waiting to appear somewhere. I will give a brief blurb that I hope will interest you in taking a chance and read this and get immersed into the world of this woman the story is about.
Kate Watkins is just about to finish up her last semester of college as the story starts out; she is a month away from graduating with her nursing degree. After the summer is over she starts her job as a traveling nurse. She keeps to herself trying to stay in the background. She works as a bartender at Eclipse a bar close to the college. She rooms with several other people two of which are twin brother and sister that are in a band along with one of the other roommates. They had tried to get information about her during her years with them but she has always kept her secrets and with a good reason. When she was fourteen and a freshman at an exclusive High School, her father was arrested for taking millions of dollars from people that were even suppose to be their friends in his social circle. At that time her name was not Kate Watkins but she was Ava Rutherford. The actions of her father created a media craze not only that but when she got to school her friends and teachers turned against her. First they ignored her but then the bullying started. A month after her father the man that she barley knew was convicted of his crimes she discovered that her mother was having an affair with her dad’s business partners son Derek Hatfield. He is or was twenty years her mothers junior. She didn’t actually see him but she had heard his voice often enough to know it was him that night. She suffered from insomnia was awake that night when she heard his angry voice out in the hall outside her room. Her mother who never paid any attention to her was saying that she though that he loved her. Derek corrected her that she was just part of his revenge after he finished with her he was going to wait until Ava was older, the seduce her and eventually kill her as well. Then there was the gunshot. Ava didn’t tell the police who killed her mother. She had enough of the media and people being totally cruel to her. She was afraid that they wouldn’t believe her and she didn’t want people judging her any more. As soon as she turned eighteen she changed her name to Kate Watkins and left her Aunt and Uncles home. She kept to herself not wanting people to dig to much into her personnel life. She was good at wearing mask of indifference, evading questions, and changing subjects. She didn’t want Derek to find her. She didn’t want to endure the rejection she felt before as Ava. Then her apartment building caught fire and burned down one night. She was homeless. One night she slept on the step going to the basement of the Administration building. Then she found a couch to land on but the people there were strung out on drugs. It was then that Sebastian Webster came up to her after find out what had happened. He had said that he and his brother Evan lived in a townhouse not far from the college. Evan wasn’t there very often running their families national Hotel chain and they had an open guest bedroom she could stay in for as along as she wanted. She had met Evan the day before at the coffee shop to went to on occasions. He gaze was intense and he had been asking questions of her until her old roommates came in. She agreed to stay in with them to get out of the situation that she was in.
Evan had only just met this young woman and he was amazed that he found himself wanting to get to know her better. For some reason she brought out the protective instinct in him. But he has scares himself that he as endured and not that long ago by a woman that deceived him. So meeting someone like Kate Watkins; well she was so different. She wasn’t like anyone he had ever met before. How will he take it when he finds out the truth about Kate and who she really is.
This is a must read book, and one that my brain is going to be chewing on for some days to come. I know that I am going to read it again.
Kate Watkins is just about to finish up her last semester of college as the story starts out; she is a month away from graduating with her nursing degree. After the summer is over she starts her job as a traveling nurse. She keeps to herself trying to stay in the background. She works as a bartender at Eclipse a bar close to the college. She rooms with several other people two of which are twin brother and sister that are in a band along with one of the other roommates. They had tried to get information about her during her years with them but she has always kept her secrets and with a good reason. When she was fourteen and a freshman at an exclusive High School, her father was arrested for taking millions of dollars from people that were even suppose to be their friends in his social circle. At that time her name was not Kate Watkins but she was Ava Rutherford. The actions of her father created a media craze not only that but when she got to school her friends and teachers turned against her. First they ignored her but then the bullying started. A month after her father the man that she barley knew was convicted of his crimes she discovered that her mother was having an affair with her dad’s business partners son Derek Hatfield. He is or was twenty years her mothers junior. She didn’t actually see him but she had heard his voice often enough to know it was him that night. She suffered from insomnia was awake that night when she heard his angry voice out in the hall outside her room. Her mother who never paid any attention to her was saying that she though that he loved her. Derek corrected her that she was just part of his revenge after he finished with her he was going to wait until Ava was older, the seduce her and eventually kill her as well. Then there was the gunshot. Ava didn’t tell the police who killed her mother. She had enough of the media and people being totally cruel to her. She was afraid that they wouldn’t believe her and she didn’t want people judging her any more. As soon as she turned eighteen she changed her name to Kate Watkins and left her Aunt and Uncles home. She kept to herself not wanting people to dig to much into her personnel life. She was good at wearing mask of indifference, evading questions, and changing subjects. She didn’t want Derek to find her. She didn’t want to endure the rejection she felt before as Ava. Then her apartment building caught fire and burned down one night. She was homeless. One night she slept on the step going to the basement of the Administration building. Then she found a couch to land on but the people there were strung out on drugs. It was then that Sebastian Webster came up to her after find out what had happened. He had said that he and his brother Evan lived in a townhouse not far from the college. Evan wasn’t there very often running their families national Hotel chain and they had an open guest bedroom she could stay in for as along as she wanted. She had met Evan the day before at the coffee shop to went to on occasions. He gaze was intense and he had been asking questions of her until her old roommates came in. She agreed to stay in with them to get out of the situation that she was in.
Evan had only just met this young woman and he was amazed that he found himself wanting to get to know her better. For some reason she brought out the protective instinct in him. But he has scares himself that he as endured and not that long ago by a woman that deceived him. So meeting someone like Kate Watkins; well she was so different. She wasn’t like anyone he had ever met before. How will he take it when he finds out the truth about Kate and who she really is.
This is a must read book, and one that my brain is going to be chewing on for some days to come. I know that I am going to read it again.
May 7, 2022
In This Game of Cat and Mouse, Winner Takes All
A young woman is on the run …. alluding everyone, fooling everyone. She’s wanted. And her crime? She was born to a criminal. Not just any criminal, no her father created a Ponzi scheme that swindled many of the rich and famous.
Everyone knows you don’t mess with rich peoples’ money. Thus someone had to pay. Since her father was sent to prison and her mother was murdered, it was her turn to pay for the sins of the family. Yes, she may have been only 14 when all this came to light, but that didn’t matter, she was guilty by association. She had to pay the price for daddy’s crimes. After being bullied, befriended and abused, she finally turned 18. So she ran. She disguised herself, alluding law enforcement, family and so-called friends that turned on her. She had to stay out of the public eye. And it worked …. for a while.
But secrets never stay buried. All the time she thought she was in hiding, ki11er eyes were on her, plotting and planning her takedown…her demise.
Her name, well which one? Her name now is Kate, a very smart young woman who has perfected the art of allusion. No one would even guess this young nursing student is really Ava Rutherford. No, she was Kate Watson, and Kate almost pulled it off. She almost got to graduate, but with only a few weeks of school left, things begin to unravel. Her apartment building catches on fire leaving her homeless. Her lab partner offers her a temporary room in his condo and introduces her to his brother, Evan.
Evan Webster now is in the picture, for better or worse. Kate makes a big mistake and allows herself to get close to Evan. She’s seen on the beach watching him surf. Little does she realize how wealthy and famous this young man is. Camera’s flash and pictures are all over the tabloids. Thus, the unwinding begins.
👁⌃👁 OBSERVATIONS:
✒︎ Perfect title for a book that kept me turning the pages. It definitely is Elusive…. But it doesn’t stop there. It can get dark, intense and at times, diabolical. An innocent young woman is on the run trying to escape her parents’ lurid past, crimes committed which she had no part.
✒︎ It’s often said, money is the root of all evil. It can bring devastating consequences when greed takes over. And in this case, the sins of the father are not forgotten, let alone forgiven.
✒︎ We have an innocent daughter on the run trying to hide who she is. Not only does she need to evade the public eye, but also her mother’s murderer. He loves playing all kinds of sick games to let her know he’s coming. But not all hope is lost. There are a few good people standing in the gap, ready to help.
✒︎ Wanted to know more about Derek’s takedown. Needed to know more of the aftermath. Wanted to see Kate’s aunt and uncle suffer the consequences of their bullying. Hmmmm, was spending her money legal? Also, those so-called friends from that private school needed a comeuppance.
I received an advance copy of this book via Booksprout and am leaving my personal thoughts and opinions.
A young woman is on the run …. alluding everyone, fooling everyone. She’s wanted. And her crime? She was born to a criminal. Not just any criminal, no her father created a Ponzi scheme that swindled many of the rich and famous.
Everyone knows you don’t mess with rich peoples’ money. Thus someone had to pay. Since her father was sent to prison and her mother was murdered, it was her turn to pay for the sins of the family. Yes, she may have been only 14 when all this came to light, but that didn’t matter, she was guilty by association. She had to pay the price for daddy’s crimes. After being bullied, befriended and abused, she finally turned 18. So she ran. She disguised herself, alluding law enforcement, family and so-called friends that turned on her. She had to stay out of the public eye. And it worked …. for a while.
But secrets never stay buried. All the time she thought she was in hiding, ki11er eyes were on her, plotting and planning her takedown…her demise.
Her name, well which one? Her name now is Kate, a very smart young woman who has perfected the art of allusion. No one would even guess this young nursing student is really Ava Rutherford. No, she was Kate Watson, and Kate almost pulled it off. She almost got to graduate, but with only a few weeks of school left, things begin to unravel. Her apartment building catches on fire leaving her homeless. Her lab partner offers her a temporary room in his condo and introduces her to his brother, Evan.
Evan Webster now is in the picture, for better or worse. Kate makes a big mistake and allows herself to get close to Evan. She’s seen on the beach watching him surf. Little does she realize how wealthy and famous this young man is. Camera’s flash and pictures are all over the tabloids. Thus, the unwinding begins.
👁⌃👁 OBSERVATIONS:
✒︎ Perfect title for a book that kept me turning the pages. It definitely is Elusive…. But it doesn’t stop there. It can get dark, intense and at times, diabolical. An innocent young woman is on the run trying to escape her parents’ lurid past, crimes committed which she had no part.
✒︎ It’s often said, money is the root of all evil. It can bring devastating consequences when greed takes over. And in this case, the sins of the father are not forgotten, let alone forgiven.
✒︎ We have an innocent daughter on the run trying to hide who she is. Not only does she need to evade the public eye, but also her mother’s murderer. He loves playing all kinds of sick games to let her know he’s coming. But not all hope is lost. There are a few good people standing in the gap, ready to help.
✒︎ Wanted to know more about Derek’s takedown. Needed to know more of the aftermath. Wanted to see Kate’s aunt and uncle suffer the consequences of their bullying. Hmmmm, was spending her money legal? Also, those so-called friends from that private school needed a comeuppance.
I received an advance copy of this book via Booksprout and am leaving my personal thoughts and opinions.
February 10, 2019
When I first read the blurb I knew this was something that I wanted to get my hands on as I love the cliche "mystery girl hiding from a twisted past". When I got an arc I was ecstatic and got right in however, I will say I was slightly underwhelmed by this book.
To begin, I really enjoyed the plot behind this book as it's different to how these books tend to turn out. If you're an avid reader of books where the heroine comes from a troubled past then I'm sure you may already be able to guess how the hero finds out about her past but in this book it doesn't follow the cliche storyline (and I don't want to spoil the fun so if you want to see how this book is different then you'll just have to read it yourself).
Furthermore, at first I was really enjoying this book; I loved both the main and side characters. The herione Kate had a mysterious side to her that was yet to be revealed and her actions were of someone with the mentality that she would do whatever she needed to do in order to survive - this was an admirable trait of hers and something we all experience from time to time being too embarrassed to ask for help. The hero Evan was sweet, kind, considerate and a few years older with an amazing job so he seemed more mature which was such a contrast to other books I've read as I usually prefer YA books although this was a much needed change of pace to get out of my book slump! The side characters Vicki, Logan and Sebastian were all loveable, funny characters that I would definitely like to read more of.
However, the downfall of this book for me was the lack of character development. Kate remained the secretive heroine unwilling to share information about herself as the book progressed and Evan did a complete 180 from the mature hero to a childish billionaire that didn't get what he wanted so threw a tantrum. As the plot unravelled I began to unlike the protagonists more and more. In fact, Sebastian, Evan's brother, was the most likeable character in this book as I'd say he developed the most from a jokester or sorts to a mature adult that could step up to help a friend when in need. I think I'd actually preferred the book if Sebastian instead of Evan had been the hero as he had more depth to him whereas Evan came across as shallow.
If you're into reading these kind of books with the cliche plots then I would recommend giving this book a go however, if you're looking to get into these plot line then I would say there are other books that are better than this.
To begin, I really enjoyed the plot behind this book as it's different to how these books tend to turn out. If you're an avid reader of books where the heroine comes from a troubled past then I'm sure you may already be able to guess how the hero finds out about her past but in this book it doesn't follow the cliche storyline (and I don't want to spoil the fun so if you want to see how this book is different then you'll just have to read it yourself).
Furthermore, at first I was really enjoying this book; I loved both the main and side characters. The herione Kate had a mysterious side to her that was yet to be revealed and her actions were of someone with the mentality that she would do whatever she needed to do in order to survive - this was an admirable trait of hers and something we all experience from time to time being too embarrassed to ask for help. The hero Evan was sweet, kind, considerate and a few years older with an amazing job so he seemed more mature which was such a contrast to other books I've read as I usually prefer YA books although this was a much needed change of pace to get out of my book slump! The side characters Vicki, Logan and Sebastian were all loveable, funny characters that I would definitely like to read more of.
However, the downfall of this book for me was the lack of character development. Kate remained the secretive heroine unwilling to share information about herself as the book progressed and Evan did a complete 180 from the mature hero to a childish billionaire that didn't get what he wanted so threw a tantrum. As the plot unravelled I began to unlike the protagonists more and more. In fact, Sebastian, Evan's brother, was the most likeable character in this book as I'd say he developed the most from a jokester or sorts to a mature adult that could step up to help a friend when in need. I think I'd actually preferred the book if Sebastian instead of Evan had been the hero as he had more depth to him whereas Evan came across as shallow.
If you're into reading these kind of books with the cliche plots then I would recommend giving this book a go however, if you're looking to get into these plot line then I would say there are other books that are better than this.
May 25, 2017
Elusive by Ali Dean is a quick and enjoyable romantic read that has mystery wrapped up within the pages. Kate has been on the run for years, staying 10 steps ahead of her past, always afraid that it is going to catch up with her and reveal her secrets. The secret that Kate carries is gut-wrenching. It's multi-layered and eats at her constantly. Her only solution is to change her name and run, but running across the country, has caused a problem. After she is forced into homelessness, Kate finds herself in the guest room of a college classmate, Sebastian and his brother Evan's home. As hard as Kate tries to keep people at arm's length, she can't seem to do that with Evan Webster. Kate knows she should share her past with Evan but the pain is too great and she knows he'll cast her out.
The affection between Kate and Evan is quick building but slow to fruition. What I mean is they both characters are instantly attracted to each other but the author doesn't wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am them in the first chapter. She draws it out, lets it slow-burn for a bit, then brings them to same plane. There isn't a lot of character development for either Kate or Evan or world building but what was provided was enough to paint the picture. I was engaged in the story and had a hard time putting the book down.
Told from a first person, present tense viewpoint, I wasn't sure I was going to like the book. If you've read any of my other reviews you know that first person anything is not my favorite. The writing in first person, present tense books doesn't flow as well to me. The dialogue is awkward and I don't like it, as a general rule. I, however, was pleasantly surprised at how much I really did enjoy Elusive despite the viewpoint.
Ali Dean is a new author to me and will certainly keep her on my list of authors to read.
I was provided a copy of Elusive for review. All opinions are my own.
The affection between Kate and Evan is quick building but slow to fruition. What I mean is they both characters are instantly attracted to each other but the author doesn't wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am them in the first chapter. She draws it out, lets it slow-burn for a bit, then brings them to same plane. There isn't a lot of character development for either Kate or Evan or world building but what was provided was enough to paint the picture. I was engaged in the story and had a hard time putting the book down.
Told from a first person, present tense viewpoint, I wasn't sure I was going to like the book. If you've read any of my other reviews you know that first person anything is not my favorite. The writing in first person, present tense books doesn't flow as well to me. The dialogue is awkward and I don't like it, as a general rule. I, however, was pleasantly surprised at how much I really did enjoy Elusive despite the viewpoint.
Ali Dean is a new author to me and will certainly keep her on my list of authors to read.
I was provided a copy of Elusive for review. All opinions are my own.
March 5, 2019
I feel very torn about this one. This is the first time I read anything by this author and the blurb really sucked me in. So I thought what the heck. Let me give this author a try. So I can't say I was unhappy with the story but I also can't say I was happy. There were things about it that seemed so far fetched to me that it made it hard to engage with the story. It was like the basics were there but the details, the painting of the minds picture, were missing or if they existed they were in the fantasy or WTF realm. As an example. The main thread in the story is Kate is running and hiding from the man that killed her mother. While this is intense and exciting when read in the one sentence what is missing is how she has been doing this for years, yet has never told the police. She knows who killed her mother and has never told the police?!? What?!? The problem is the missing why? Why would she not tell and just run? I need the why otherwise I just think she is stupid and have a hard time empathizing with her. Then there is the whole Evan aspect. He is handsome and rich and falls in love at first site with Kate. Again, I need to understand why. This man did not become a billionaire because he is all rainbows and puppies. So him falling in love instantly feels out of character because the author gives me nothing to believe otherwise. So I did give it two stars because this author shows potential. All the pieces of an entertaining story are there. They are just missing the details that engage the reader and gives a purpose to giving our reading time.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 24, 2019
I am a fan of Ali Dean’s books. I really liked the Stark Springs Academy series, Pepped Up series, The Line Below. Some of them were exceptionally good and that made me wishing for more Ali Dean’s books.
This standalone NA book had a great start and a very good story behind. Kate was a strong-willed heroine and Evan was ... Evan was just the guy every girl wants to meet. The book begun perfectly, a reader could get to know Kate and saw her struggling to have close friends or a boyfriend. I believed her. The only reason, why this book did not get 5 star rating, is that it was too rushed for my liking. I felt like there were more story to write, as well as that the relationship between our couple had to be a bit slower. A bit more action and slower relationship progress would have made me love it, not just enjoy it. It is a good story, nice characters, but too rushed. I wanted to get to know them better. So my advice to the author is to write a bit longer story, not like into 2 books, but at least not so rushed.
I do recommend it to read, just be prepared that everything is evolving real fast.
This standalone NA book had a great start and a very good story behind. Kate was a strong-willed heroine and Evan was ... Evan was just the guy every girl wants to meet. The book begun perfectly, a reader could get to know Kate and saw her struggling to have close friends or a boyfriend. I believed her. The only reason, why this book did not get 5 star rating, is that it was too rushed for my liking. I felt like there were more story to write, as well as that the relationship between our couple had to be a bit slower. A bit more action and slower relationship progress would have made me love it, not just enjoy it. It is a good story, nice characters, but too rushed. I wanted to get to know them better. So my advice to the author is to write a bit longer story, not like into 2 books, but at least not so rushed.
I do recommend it to read, just be prepared that everything is evolving real fast.
May 5, 2017
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Based on the description, I expected more of a thriller/suspense aspect to the story. There is a bit near the end, but not much until then. That's one reason, I think, why it was hard for me to get into this book; another is that there is way too much telling and not nearly enough showing: we sort-of know what the characters look like physically, but have zero idea about what the setting looks like, characters' expressions and body language. Add to that the fact that Kate and Evan don't really have any chemistry...well, it's hard to get invested in the story.
I like the alternating POV's, but they both go over the same scenes so it's redundant. But what bothered me the most was that the story was full of a lot of the usual b.s. tropes: insta-lust, male possessiveness, control issues masquerading as protectiveness. And why does every single person in this story play tennis? It's kind of odd.
Based on the description, I expected more of a thriller/suspense aspect to the story. There is a bit near the end, but not much until then. That's one reason, I think, why it was hard for me to get into this book; another is that there is way too much telling and not nearly enough showing: we sort-of know what the characters look like physically, but have zero idea about what the setting looks like, characters' expressions and body language. Add to that the fact that Kate and Evan don't really have any chemistry...well, it's hard to get invested in the story.
I like the alternating POV's, but they both go over the same scenes so it's redundant. But what bothered me the most was that the story was full of a lot of the usual b.s. tropes: insta-lust, male possessiveness, control issues masquerading as protectiveness. And why does every single person in this story play tennis? It's kind of odd.
August 3, 2019
I don’t usually prefer contemporary romance novels which this definitely is. However I surprising really liked it a lot and it was a quick read. This was my first foray with Ali Dean and will definitely check out some more of her books.
The writing is good, it’s a believable story (well 98% believable), and I really liked the main characters. They weren’t saccharine or over the top. One thing I wasn’t overly fond of was the back and forth in the narrator POV. Kate is the narrator for most of it, but it does flip to Evan sometimes. However when it flips is doesn’t continue the story but sort of halfway retells the previous chapter from the other POV. I found it unnecessary and didn’t add to the story much.
So all in all 4/5 stars (maybe really 3.5 but I’ll round up)
*Disclaimer: I was given a free copy for my honest review
The writing is good, it’s a believable story (well 98% believable), and I really liked the main characters. They weren’t saccharine or over the top. One thing I wasn’t overly fond of was the back and forth in the narrator POV. Kate is the narrator for most of it, but it does flip to Evan sometimes. However when it flips is doesn’t continue the story but sort of halfway retells the previous chapter from the other POV. I found it unnecessary and didn’t add to the story much.
So all in all 4/5 stars (maybe really 3.5 but I’ll round up)
*Disclaimer: I was given a free copy for my honest review
April 12, 2020
Mystery, Suspense and Romance
Wow, this book had it all. Mystery, suspense and romance. My stomach was in knots the entire book worrying about Kate. Poor Kate has been through the ringer in her life. All she wants is to graduate college, get her nursing degree and forget her old life. But when her past comes back to haunt her, the latest person in her life Evan, keeps popping up to help her. Is it enough though to make Kate forget about her past and be able to overcome challenges and fall in love or will it make her run again?
Ali Dean is by far my favorite author. Normally she writes sports romance but this book, though sports was still in it, (such a cool thing to still include), it was totally different from her other books. Like I keep stating, it is suspenseful and will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book.
Wow, this book had it all. Mystery, suspense and romance. My stomach was in knots the entire book worrying about Kate. Poor Kate has been through the ringer in her life. All she wants is to graduate college, get her nursing degree and forget her old life. But when her past comes back to haunt her, the latest person in her life Evan, keeps popping up to help her. Is it enough though to make Kate forget about her past and be able to overcome challenges and fall in love or will it make her run again?
Ali Dean is by far my favorite author. Normally she writes sports romance but this book, though sports was still in it, (such a cool thing to still include), it was totally different from her other books. Like I keep stating, it is suspenseful and will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book.
April 14, 2022
I love Ali’s books and the way she always has a little bit of a mystery or suspense in them. I started out really enjoying this book and I liked the story about Kate. It was about her finding her way back to really living again after meeting Evan. It was a good romance but the entire book I felt like it was missing something or didn’t explain enough about the characters. I liked how only pieces of Kate’s story were revealed at a time. It kept me wanting to know more about what made her into the woman she was. I love a happy ending but I felt the way the book ended left me with questions and wanting to know more of what happened to the other characters too. Overall, the story was good and it was a quick read. I just felt like I needed more details and involvement about Kate, Evan, and their friends.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 4, 2020
I give this book 2 1/2 stars.
While the story was pretty good, I felt like the characters were too cliche. Evan is the young billionaire who is willing to do anything for Kate/Ava from the minute he sees her. Kate/Ava is the tortured young girl who is running from her past and there is someone after her from her past. She doesn't let anyone get close.
I think the side characters, her roomates (the twins) and the girlfriend of one of the twins could have been really interesting characters if they were more prevalent in the book. The secrets were kept too well hidden and it made the story drag a bit.
Overall, it was an ok read but if it was fleshed out a bit more and the characters were more realistic it could have been really good.
While the story was pretty good, I felt like the characters were too cliche. Evan is the young billionaire who is willing to do anything for Kate/Ava from the minute he sees her. Kate/Ava is the tortured young girl who is running from her past and there is someone after her from her past. She doesn't let anyone get close.
I think the side characters, her roomates (the twins) and the girlfriend of one of the twins could have been really interesting characters if they were more prevalent in the book. The secrets were kept too well hidden and it made the story drag a bit.
Overall, it was an ok read but if it was fleshed out a bit more and the characters were more realistic it could have been really good.
May 8, 2022
This story was such a page turner for me. I don’t know why but I just needed to see where Kate and Evan were going to end up. From the start you find out that Kate has a story and that we don’t know all that has happened in her past as those details are revealed you understand her more and more. Early on she “meets” Evan and its instant interest it of course it takes a series of events to get them to see each other again and to slowly become friends and more. I found Evan’s response to Kate realistic especially after getting to know him more and I loved their journey to the end of the book and their HEA eluded ending.
I recommend Elusive to anyone who likes a bit of mystery to their romantic weekend read.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I recommend Elusive to anyone who likes a bit of mystery to their romantic weekend read.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 15, 2022
Ali went into suspense romance and nailed it!
I love reading anything Ali has. She’s one of the few down to earth authors with characters that are very relatable. In this book, Kate is living a new life and things start to happen making her think she’s been discovered. She doesn’t trust anyone until Evan (if you can call it trust). Their attraction is magnetic and the physicality of her reaction makes her trust him deep down until her finds out her past. It was gut wrenching and I could not put this down!! Another amazing story, and I love it despite the lack of sports tie to the story. Ali Dean is one heck of a writer!
I love reading anything Ali has. She’s one of the few down to earth authors with characters that are very relatable. In this book, Kate is living a new life and things start to happen making her think she’s been discovered. She doesn’t trust anyone until Evan (if you can call it trust). Their attraction is magnetic and the physicality of her reaction makes her trust him deep down until her finds out her past. It was gut wrenching and I could not put this down!! Another amazing story, and I love it despite the lack of sports tie to the story. Ali Dean is one heck of a writer!
May 7, 2022
This was a great story! I really enjoyed the characters and loved Evan and Kate. Kate has been hiding for years and doesn’t let herself get close to anyone but then an encounter with Evan changes everything. They are both drawn to each other instantly though Kate is determined to keep her distance at first. This story was very intriguing with where it was going to go next and what was going to happen. I loved watching Kate and Evan build their relationship and thoroughly enjoyed this story and the characters. It definitely pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention the entire time.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
May 24, 2022
A captivating story!
Kate is hiding in plain sight but what she doesn’t realise is that her elusiveness makes her stand out from the crowd. She is not someone who has friends and likes to keep to herself, but when a fire happens and she finds herself homeless, she can’t help but think that her dark past has finally found her. But will her chance meeting with Evan change her future in more ways than one.
Kate is a great character who is struggling with the trauma of her past. This story was twisty and has a slow reveal to an HEA. Great read if you’re a fan of college romantic suspense.
I read this book voluntarily for an honest review.
Kate is hiding in plain sight but what she doesn’t realise is that her elusiveness makes her stand out from the crowd. She is not someone who has friends and likes to keep to herself, but when a fire happens and she finds herself homeless, she can’t help but think that her dark past has finally found her. But will her chance meeting with Evan change her future in more ways than one.
Kate is a great character who is struggling with the trauma of her past. This story was twisty and has a slow reveal to an HEA. Great read if you’re a fan of college romantic suspense.
I read this book voluntarily for an honest review.
November 25, 2024
Kate or Ava?
This is billed as romantic suspense, and it seemed to meet that billing criteria! The setup is that Kate, which is a new name, is running and hiding from the killer of her mother. Her father was actually tried and convicted but he didn’t do it. She knows who it was, and she just wants to escape the guy.
She meets up with a very rich guy who she falls for, and he falls right back. But there’s a misunderstanding along with a physical assault on her by some guy, and she flees ending up in Las Vegas.
Then the killer shows up…
This is pretty good and I enjoyed it! Recommended…
This is billed as romantic suspense, and it seemed to meet that billing criteria! The setup is that Kate, which is a new name, is running and hiding from the killer of her mother. Her father was actually tried and convicted but he didn’t do it. She knows who it was, and she just wants to escape the guy.
She meets up with a very rich guy who she falls for, and he falls right back. But there’s a misunderstanding along with a physical assault on her by some guy, and she flees ending up in Las Vegas.
Then the killer shows up…
This is pretty good and I enjoyed it! Recommended…
February 20, 2019
This book was so good that I read it twice, and I never read a book twice! I was captivated with the story from the beginning. The characters were well developed, and I loved the twists and turns of the story. The pain and the triumph are what make this story great. I love when a story is written well enough that I am truly invested in what happens to the character. Ali Dean does a great job with that! Plus who doesn't love a good love story!? I don't want to give any spoilers away, but if you haven't read this book, you should definitely read it now! I highly recommend it!
August 2, 2019
Kate is great at keeping people are arms length or avoiding questions about herself. She has been hiding from being her parent's daughter. She doesn't even know what type of future she could have when she might have to run at a moments notice. But when she meets Evan he makes he think about things she never thought about, like who she really could be or if she could let someone in. But the past is always around the corner for the both of them.
Good read that keeps you interested.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Good read that keeps you interested.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
October 23, 2019
Very well written story with suspense, romance and friendship. Trying to figure out who you are is hard enough. But try doing it while hiding from your past makes it even harder. Meeting a handsome, charming, rich man can either help or prove a hindrance. Kate/Ava and Evan make the cutest couple. The story follows them trying to figure things out individually and as a couple. Character development is spot on. Although Evan needs to figure out if he's gonna be an alpha male or not. He flirted that line for the entire book. Ends in an abrupt HEA.
August 7, 2019
Awesome romantic suspense with lots of different interesting events for the main character Kate. The blurb that tells about the story only gives you a hint of what you’re in store for with Evan and Kate. The story line is great as you slowly learn more about Kate. I received a complementary copy of this book via Hidden Gems and chose to write a review. I look forward to reading future books by Ms. Dean.
August 15, 2019
she has managed to escape her past and live an almost normal life. Then her past comes.back.to haunt her and she goes in hiding with two billionaire heirs. She is fighting an attraction to one as she begins to wonder if hiding is really the way to go. What will she do? Will she finally live instead of hiding? See if she will
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 8, 2020
I received an ARC of this novel via Hidden Gems in exchange for an honest review. My opinion is my own.
This is a touching novel about a girl whose life has been a nightmare but she has the strength of will to try and carry on in spite of it all. It's a tale about isolation and fear but also friendship and love. The characters were amazing an the flowed plot really. Overall, it is one of the best books I have read in a long time. I would definitely recommend it.
This is a touching novel about a girl whose life has been a nightmare but she has the strength of will to try and carry on in spite of it all. It's a tale about isolation and fear but also friendship and love. The characters were amazing an the flowed plot really. Overall, it is one of the best books I have read in a long time. I would definitely recommend it.
February 23, 2022
Ali knocked this one out of the park!
I couldn’t put this book down! Finished it in one sitting. Kate is such a powerful force to be reckoned with. She overcame so much to stand on her own. Even without trying to, she made friendships that she didn’t even realize. Evan what a guy…minus that whole feeling betrayed bit. I was happy Kate found someone to take a risk with and be vulnerable with. Evan with his strength and protectiveness is what HEA are made of. Swoon!
I couldn’t put this book down! Finished it in one sitting. Kate is such a powerful force to be reckoned with. She overcame so much to stand on her own. Even without trying to, she made friendships that she didn’t even realize. Evan what a guy…minus that whole feeling betrayed bit. I was happy Kate found someone to take a risk with and be vulnerable with. Evan with his strength and protectiveness is what HEA are made of. Swoon!
April 18, 2022
I have read all of Ali Dean's books and didn't know how I would feel about this one as it is not a sports themed book, but I loved it!!!! The attraction between Kate and Evan is like a magnet that pulls you in. I read this book in a day and half as I just couldn't put it down because I had to know what happened next in their story!! This story line was mind-blowing and the way Ali writes brings her characters to life. Received free copy for honest review.
April 22, 2022
Kate isn't who she says she is, so when her apartment burns down she think she has no one and no where to go.
Sebastian and Evan Webster, are both billionaires and Seb is Kates class mate. for evan it is curiosity at first site, so when seb offers Kate somewhere to live Evan shoots his shot while Kate keeps hiding her true identity.
this book was a really easy read.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Sebastian and Evan Webster, are both billionaires and Seb is Kates class mate. for evan it is curiosity at first site, so when seb offers Kate somewhere to live Evan shoots his shot while Kate keeps hiding her true identity.
this book was a really easy read.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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