Holy fucking shit, that's one dark book. I don't even know where to start this review. I don't even know if I can really come up with an honest-to-goodness review, so pardon me if this turns out to be a word vomit of my rants.
Anyway, first things first. Blurb:
Anyway, first things first. Blurb:
Besieged by memories of a brutal abduction, Claire Nichols wakes in an unfamiliar bedroom, within a luxurious mansion. Her recollections have one common denominator, the man she just met, Anthony Rawlings.
Unbeknownst to Claire, for a very long time, she has been within Anthony’s sights. Many of the pivotal events in her life occurred, due to his sinister manipulation. Every action has a consequence, and his actions result in their chance meeting.
More than a psychological thriller, Consequences is a vivid story of one woman’s struggle to survive incomprehensible circumstances. Every aspect of her being suddenly depends upon the tall, wealthy, dark haired, dark eyed businessman. Anthony Rawlings is known to the world as prosperous, benevolent, and kind. Claire quickly learns that he can also be a menacing controlling captor.
With few options but concession, Claire attempts to earn her freedom, while enduring a hellish existence that truly appears perfect. Persevering tests and trials, she struggles to retain her pure Midwest values and beliefs. Encouraged by memories of a loving upbringing, she gains strength in the simplest of joys: solitude in nature and good in the face of evil.
His goal in sight, Anthony’s calculated agenda encounters an unforeseen detour. He becomes captivated by Claire’s beauty, resilience, and determination. The interaction of these two compelling characters instigates strong emotions: fear, anger, love, and lust. Claire and Anthony’s tumultuous journey flows into uncharted waters of intrigue and passion.
Utilizing vivid detail, this 167,000-word novel unfolds like a movie, before the eyes of its readers. From the opening criminal abduction, through twists and turns, to the unlikely romantic thrills, the suspense climaxes as Anthony’s motivation becomes evident.
Anthony and Claire must decide if they will stay true to one another, or allow preceding actions to result in justifiable Consequences.
First of all, I still can't imagine how to begin processing this book inside my head. There are so many things that shocked me, things that kept me up at night, things that scared the shit out of me (I'm gonna be scarred for life, for sure... Well, not really but you get the idea). I started reading Consequences with the knowledge that I'm gonna be in for a ride (and what a damn ride it had been). When I started, I knew that it's going to be a far cry from the cutesy new adults that I've been reading for the last few weeks... I was not disappointed. It was different alright, let me tell you that. If you're looking for some light reading, I suggest you find some other book because this is not what you're looking for.
Despite its dark themes and the scarily twisted plot, it really is a worthwhile read. The writing contained undertones that hinted at the darkness lingering just beneath the surface it all. I appreciated the fact that the author did away with the superficiality. There is no hearts-and-flowers romance here, even though the reader may think so in the beginning. The book was descriptive without being over the top. The sensuality was not overdone, the brutality was not exaggerated... They were all described to provide the right amount of context and give the reader the right amount of understanding of the scene while not giving away the utter twisted-ness of the plot.
The complexity of the it all was not lost on me either. The further along you read, the more intriguing it all becomes. You start to wonder whether it really is all good and happy, and then something happens that would hint at a darker plot twist. The back story placed every few chapters also adds to the intrigue. When everything was revealed, goddamn, I was amazed at how the author was able to come up with something as complex as that. The plot, the scheming... It all ran deeper than I could ever imagine.
This book kept me up all night, mainly because of Anthony Rawlings, the man we all love to hate. He's not your typical love interest, and at this point I don't even know if I can still consider him as that. It's really hard to explain who, or what, Tony Rawlings is without spoiling key details from the book. Just know that he's a character thatbwould keep you up all night, and (more often than not) not in a butterflies-in-your-stomach good way... More like the heart-in-your-throat-cold-sweat-heart-pounding-fear kind of way.
I need to rest my head for a while after this, before I get started on book 2. Looking forward to some light reading after this hell of a book
Despite its dark themes and the scarily twisted plot, it really is a worthwhile read. The writing contained undertones that hinted at the darkness lingering just beneath the surface it all. I appreciated the fact that the author did away with the superficiality. There is no hearts-and-flowers romance here, even though the reader may think so in the beginning. The book was descriptive without being over the top. The sensuality was not overdone, the brutality was not exaggerated... They were all described to provide the right amount of context and give the reader the right amount of understanding of the scene while not giving away the utter twisted-ness of the plot.
The complexity of the it all was not lost on me either. The further along you read, the more intriguing it all becomes. You start to wonder whether it really is all good and happy, and then something happens that would hint at a darker plot twist. The back story placed every few chapters also adds to the intrigue. When everything was revealed, goddamn, I was amazed at how the author was able to come up with something as complex as that. The plot, the scheming... It all ran deeper than I could ever imagine.
This book kept me up all night, mainly because of Anthony Rawlings, the man we all love to hate. He's not your typical love interest, and at this point I don't even know if I can still consider him as that. It's really hard to explain who, or what, Tony Rawlings is without spoiling key details from the book. Just know that he's a character thatbwould keep you up all night, and (more often than not) not in a butterflies-in-your-stomach good way... More like the heart-in-your-throat-cold-sweat-heart-pounding-fear kind of way.
I need to rest my head for a while after this, before I get started on book 2. Looking forward to some light reading after this hell of a book
