Saturday 9 March 2013

ARC Book Review: Stolen

Book Title: Stolen
Author: Shiloh Walker
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Format: ebook
Cost: $7.99
Pages: 400
How I got it: NEtGalley
My Rating:★★★★1/2
Erotica Rating: N/A
Synopsis:
Shay Morgan has stayed hidden for a long time. Living a reclusive life in Earth’s End, Alaska, she’s as far away as she can get from the trauma of her childhood and the man who hurt her long ago. But terror takes over Shay’s life yet again when an unknown stalker steals away the fragile peace she’s built for herself—targeting not only her but the one man who’s ever managed to get past the walls she’s built around herself. Elliot Winter has lived through being falsely accused before—it ruined his military career. Now it’s happening all over again. And this time, his accuser is a twisted impostor who’s targeting his ex-girlfriend, Shay. Despite a fierce mutual attraction, Shay and Elliot broke up because Shay couldn’t let her guard down, couldn’t let Elliot in. But now they both need to trust each other to confront a psycho who seems to know all their secrets.

My Review:
Coming in here had been a BFM. Big fucking mistake. She should have just waited in the car…“I miss you." Closing her eyes, she whispered, “Don’t.” His lips brushed across her brow. “Don’t want? Tell you that I miss you? Miss us?”
“Us?” She laughed hollowly as she turned to face him. “There is no us, remember? You said that. There’s me…and there’s you…and sometimes we’re together, but there’s no us.”
His gaze held hers. “I never wanted it to be that way. And maybe there was more of an us than I realized. Seeing you…” he paused, took a deep breath. “Seeing you just drives that home.”
Those intense, hypnotic eyes held hers. Her heart kicked up a few beats, stealing her breath away. As he started to dip his head, Shay stood there, frozen. Shit. What now…
His mouth, so warm, brushed against hers. She gasped and then almost wished she hadn’t as he used that opportunity to tease the inside of her lips with his tongue, moving deeper and deeper. His hands came around her waist, tugging her closer.
This is a bad idea…
The warning was already screaming in her head. She couldn’t give him what he needed. And he couldn’t accept what she had to give. They would just hurt each other again—
OMG.. this book is so good, so heart wrenching you become hooked from the get go. Just amazing. best description of the emotions you go through with plagiarism. 20% in and I'm going to say it's ...yep I picked out the killer from the beginning. See I just knew it!! That biotch is just cray cray.  This however highlights that you can't shove your head in the sand then be surprised when it all goes to shyt around you.


Shay's had a pretty awful life upon until this point, really bad things have happened to her. And in response she has hidden herself away, instead of facing it head on. This made her the perfect target, she never knew what hit her; this hiding away?? Yeah it clearly didn't work out either.  Shay need some serious therapy, lots and lots of it.  Her family is just so wrong, my heart just broke for her, while reading this, I'm devastated for her as everything was revealed.

I loved Elliot & I really liked Shay.  Shay was both strong & stupid I mean she makes some seriously dumb decisions just so she doesn't have to face reality (at least at first).  Most of what happened could have been prevented if she would listen to advice and gotten justice and closure instead of ...well  I'll let you read and see.

I'm happy for them but Shay's going to have her work cut out for her in this relationship; and so is poor Elliot.  I loved him, he was the perfect boyfriend, he was patient when she needed it, he gave her the room she needed and boy oh boy he let her have her way when she needed him to let her do so.  Reading from Elliot's point of view it made me wonder about how partners deal when their lovers are harmed and they can't do anything.  Especially when they meet and marry wo/men who have survived childhood abuse.  It made me heart sick for those whose partners are raped,  and they are left to pick up the pieces, left to deal when their partners flinch each time they come near, or look at them with terror if they do something unexpected. I have to admit i never really thought about the partners who are left with wounded lovers.

This book was excellent for highlighting that, the strain on the relationship  the daily terror that some victims live with.  How people shut down to cope. She kinda reminded me a bit of Eve from the In Death series, & gave me a better glimpse of what Roarke must go through with her.

Slight Cons:
We needed more from Elliot. He started off strong but then he kinda became just a shadow there to help her along but not really his own character, he seemed to only be there thinking about her feelings and what she needs from him, never what he needs (which is let's be real a human trait).

I also would have loved to get more from the other characters, more background on Angie & her 'bad-ass cop" & Lorna & her cop Mark.  We really didn't learn much they were just on the periphery of her life.  Integral but not at the same time.  The background information about each character was only enough to let us know how the interact with Shay.  We only know enough about Elliot to know he's a good guy,and I noticed there were hints to some damage done to Leslie as well but not much information  was given about her either.

Even without all that it was still a great book and one I can see reading again. Ohhh I really really loved that he was just an 'average' guy, not picture perfect six feet tall and ripped, he was a little over five feet ten, yeah that really caught my eye.  This is my first time reading this author and I have added all her books to my list. Yep it was that awesome.

It's a must read, have tissues handy book. Enjoy my loves!!
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***FTC Rules require I state that I received this as a review copy from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review**** 

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