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Alice Close Your Eyes
With haunting prose and deft psychological insight, Averil Dean spins a chilling story that explores the dark corners of obsession–love, pain and revenge.
Ten years ago, someone ruined Alice Croft's life. Now she has a chance to right that wrong–and she thinks she's found the perfect man to carry out her plan. After watching him for weeks, she breaks into Jack Calabrese's house to collect the evidence that will confirm her hopes. When Jack comes home unexpectedly, Alice hides in the closet, fearing for her life. But upon finding her, Jack is strangely calm, solicitous . . . and intrigued.
That night is the start of a dark and intense attraction, and soon Alice finds herself drawn into a labyrinth of terrifying surrender to a man who is more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. As their relationship spirals toward a breaking point, Alice begins to see just how deep Jack's secrets run–and how deadly they could be.
Ten years ago, someone ruined Alice Croft's life. Now she has a chance to right that wrong–and she thinks she's found the perfect man to carry out her plan. After watching him for weeks, she breaks into Jack Calabrese's house to collect the evidence that will confirm her hopes. When Jack comes home unexpectedly, Alice hides in the closet, fearing for her life. But upon finding her, Jack is strangely calm, solicitous . . . and intrigued.
That night is the start of a dark and intense attraction, and soon Alice finds herself drawn into a labyrinth of terrifying surrender to a man who is more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. As their relationship spirals toward a breaking point, Alice begins to see just how deep Jack's secrets run–and how deadly they could be.
288 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 2013
About the author
Averil Dean
4 books42 followersAveril Dean was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She left school at sixteen and went on to sell donuts, goldfish, and power tools before answering the call of the cubicle, where she spent the next twenty years building up her tolerance for burnt coffee and the dot-matrix printer. She left this dream life in 2012 when she moved with her husband and the youngest of their three kids to Lacey, Washington, and now devotes her time to writing, photography, and long walks in the forest with her little dog, Izzy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
April 15, 2020
this is the most uncomfortable i have ever been reading a book the author dedicated to their mom.
it's a psychosexual romp with animal abuse, cutting, plenty of drugs and drinking, childhood sexual abuse, maiming, murder, and just all around unlikeable people. mommy, i did it all for youuuuu!
there's also a lot of cigarette smoking - which is rare in romance novels these days.
it's a very sexually graphic book about about two self destructive and damaged people who fall into a relationship sort of like that one in fifty shades, but without all the safe words and option to say "no." the sexy bits were not as embarrassingly written as many in other books i have read, but it is way brutal, both mentally and physically.
here's the thing - i don't care how you decorate your bedroom, who you invite back to it, or what you do once you're in there, as long as everyone wants to be there and is old enough to know better - it's none of my business. you wanna be tied up, wear outfits, bring a fruit bowl in the mix, beat the shit out of each other, go ahead, have fun. but even with this admirable open-mindedness of mine, there came a point while i was reading this where i was like, yeah, no, this is not okay. and i started getting a little apprehensive. because there's some things you can't come back from as a reader, some things you can't condone. i guess i do require a little basic human decency, dignity, and respect,
but i'm glad i kept reading because it did not go the way i feared it was going, and even though it was still a very distressing read, and i don't approve of all the decisions made by the author or the characters, it was undeniably affecting, if not something i really see myself recommending to anyone else.
but go ahead, you erotic thriller fans - this one is for y'all, just don't expect to be all starry-eyed with love for any of the characters.
come to my blog!
it's a psychosexual romp with animal abuse, cutting, plenty of drugs and drinking, childhood sexual abuse, maiming, murder, and just all around unlikeable people. mommy, i did it all for youuuuu!
there's also a lot of cigarette smoking - which is rare in romance novels these days.
it's a very sexually graphic book about about two self destructive and damaged people who fall into a relationship sort of like that one in fifty shades, but without all the safe words and option to say "no." the sexy bits were not as embarrassingly written as many in other books i have read, but it is way brutal, both mentally and physically.
here's the thing - i don't care how you decorate your bedroom, who you invite back to it, or what you do once you're in there, as long as everyone wants to be there and is old enough to know better - it's none of my business. you wanna be tied up, wear outfits, bring a fruit bowl in the mix, beat the shit out of each other, go ahead, have fun. but even with this admirable open-mindedness of mine, there came a point while i was reading this where i was like, yeah, no, this is not okay. and i started getting a little apprehensive. because there's some things you can't come back from as a reader, some things you can't condone. i guess i do require a little basic human decency, dignity, and respect,
but i'm glad i kept reading because it did not go the way i feared it was going, and even though it was still a very distressing read, and i don't approve of all the decisions made by the author or the characters, it was undeniably affecting, if not something i really see myself recommending to anyone else.
but go ahead, you erotic thriller fans - this one is for y'all, just don't expect to be all starry-eyed with love for any of the characters.
come to my blog!
December 2, 2013
I received this book for free from Goodreads first reads program.
Boy do I feel like I was duped. The premise of this book sounded interesting, but then I started reading this book and felt like I'd slipped down a rabbit hole of sex, bondage, and whips. Guess, shame on me for not thinking this one through. All I did was read the blurb (ie. back cover of the book or the first three paragraphs under the description) not what experts were saying about it, I guess my mind just didn't go in the direction it was supposed to and I was surprised to say the least.
So I didn't enter to win this book or want to read it because I thought that every ten pages would bestow upon me another "riveting" sex scene each more disturbing than the last. Eventually I just quit reading. Huh, two books in a row now.
So who ruined Alice's life? Don't know, don't care. What made Alice choose Jack? I'm assuming she enjoys pain and is a bit stupid, but in all actually I don't know and again I don't care. All I know is Alice had a messed up childhood, she poisoned a dog to death because a boy her age was calling her mother names and under her grandmother's tutelage she decided to use what she had which included a sandwich and some poison. Great main character. Then you add Jack, the ex-convict (can you guess why he was in prison?) who apparently spent a ton of time thinking about sex.
Really all this book was, was a conglomeration of sex scenes separated thinly by two revolting characters. I don't think I could dislike this book more than I do.
Boy do I feel like I was duped. The premise of this book sounded interesting, but then I started reading this book and felt like I'd slipped down a rabbit hole of sex, bondage, and whips. Guess, shame on me for not thinking this one through. All I did was read the blurb (ie. back cover of the book or the first three paragraphs under the description) not what experts were saying about it, I guess my mind just didn't go in the direction it was supposed to and I was surprised to say the least.
So I didn't enter to win this book or want to read it because I thought that every ten pages would bestow upon me another "riveting" sex scene each more disturbing than the last. Eventually I just quit reading. Huh, two books in a row now.
So who ruined Alice's life? Don't know, don't care. What made Alice choose Jack? I'm assuming she enjoys pain and is a bit stupid, but in all actually I don't know and again I don't care. All I know is Alice had a messed up childhood, she poisoned a dog to death because a boy her age was calling her mother names and under her grandmother's tutelage she decided to use what she had which included a sandwich and some poison. Great main character. Then you add Jack, the ex-convict (can you guess why he was in prison?) who apparently spent a ton of time thinking about sex.
Really all this book was, was a conglomeration of sex scenes separated thinly by two revolting characters. I don't think I could dislike this book more than I do.
December 26, 2013
Averil Dean's debut novel, Alice Close Your Eyes, is disconcerting, dark and intense. It is also an incredibly riveting tale of two very damaged individuals, their dysfunctional and violent relationship and the secrets that haunt them. This harrowing psychological thriller is highly erotic and not for the sexually faint of heart.
Alice Croft is the novel's narrator and while she has a compelling voice, it is difficult to like her. There is no mistaking she has had a difficult life but her decisions and judgment are questionable. The deaths of her grandmother and mother a year apart thrust her into the foster care system where she bounced from one abusive home after another. Now in her early twenties, Alice is the successful author of a popular young adult series but her need for revenge is about to take her down a dark and dangerous path.
While readers get plenty of insight into Alice and her dysfunctional past, Jack Calabrese remains an enigma. He shares bits and pieces of his violent past but there are clear signs that he has not revealed all of his secrets. At first, Jack is quite charming but he quickly becomes possessive of Alice and their relationship takes a sadistic turn. Their sex scenes are graphic with strong BDSM elements and while consensual, they are sometimes difficult to read.
Interspersed with current events are flashbacks from Alice's childhood. Pivotal incidents provide valuable psychological insight into her character and her actions. The connection between Alice and Jack is gradually revealed but full understanding of her motivations in seeking him out are not completely clear until the tragic conclusion of Alice Close Your Eyes.
An impressive first novel by newcomer Averil Dean that I recommend to anyone who doesn't mind gritty and realistic stories.
Alice Croft is the novel's narrator and while she has a compelling voice, it is difficult to like her. There is no mistaking she has had a difficult life but her decisions and judgment are questionable. The deaths of her grandmother and mother a year apart thrust her into the foster care system where she bounced from one abusive home after another. Now in her early twenties, Alice is the successful author of a popular young adult series but her need for revenge is about to take her down a dark and dangerous path.
While readers get plenty of insight into Alice and her dysfunctional past, Jack Calabrese remains an enigma. He shares bits and pieces of his violent past but there are clear signs that he has not revealed all of his secrets. At first, Jack is quite charming but he quickly becomes possessive of Alice and their relationship takes a sadistic turn. Their sex scenes are graphic with strong BDSM elements and while consensual, they are sometimes difficult to read.
Interspersed with current events are flashbacks from Alice's childhood. Pivotal incidents provide valuable psychological insight into her character and her actions. The connection between Alice and Jack is gradually revealed but full understanding of her motivations in seeking him out are not completely clear until the tragic conclusion of Alice Close Your Eyes.
An impressive first novel by newcomer Averil Dean that I recommend to anyone who doesn't mind gritty and realistic stories.
November 20, 2013
ALICE CLOSE YOUR EYES was the one book I couldn't put down this year. So often thrillers fall short, but not Averil Dean's ALICE --- this story grabs you from the first sentence and doesn't let go until you turn the last pages. I'm already hoping for the sequel.
July 15, 2021
UPDATE 7/14/2021: Re-read this book for 3rd time. This disturbing book will really play with your mind and emotions. A great turn the tables, strong heroine, scary AF stalker thriller that's one of my faves, and would make a great film adaptation. I should get on that ... For all you drawn to twisted stalker thrillers with a razor-sharp sexual element, this one is certified fresh and original].
DARK, TAUT, RIVETING CHILLER ... the scariest monsters are REAL **4.5 wow stars**
... OR just call it a twisted experiment in terror. This DEBUT book rocked me so hard! It was just supposed to be a random library loan, but prickled all my senses in deep and disturbing ways. The description teased my sudden taste for a psychological thriller with erotic undertones that would push some boundaries and thrill me to the core. From the first paragraph, my attention was riveted to the lonely and lost heroine ALICE CROFT. She lives in an atmospheric island community separated from the mainland by ferry. Isolated, claustrophobic, and moody already. She’s stuck in the past over the terrible thing that happened in her life that she just she can’t let go. One of those invisible, nondescript people we pass all the time and never notice. Closure/justice/revenge becomes her obsession. Alice is a smart cookie and her diligence finally pays off when she zeroes in on another loner, JACK CALABRESE as the key to her problems. I mean, she’s been stalking him for weeks and hits pay-dirt after breaking into his house to snoop through his things for the proof she needs. But Alice isn’t as smart as she thinks. Trouble is, Jack’s a smart cookie, too. He catches her in the act, but lets her go even as his weirdly calm manner intrigues her. Soon, they’re stalking each other … talking … sleeping together and Alice throws caution to the wind. WTF!?
A sizzling. terrifying cat and mouse game plays out, in which Alice falls for mysterious and dark Jack, while his behavior toward her becomes increasingly dangerous and alarming. We only have Alice’s POV, thus share all her feelings and limitations in processing Jack. It soon becomes clear that Alice isn’t sure just who is stalker and who is prey. Can you say stranger danger OR curiosity got the cat? The plot left me spellbound with anticipation for where the crossed lines in this relationship, along with Alice’s revenge and Jack’s true intentions would lead. Pure entertainment on one level, plus an intricate dance between two people who are connecting with seemingly many things in common on a personal level, while simultaneously hiding their true selves from each other. The pedal hits the metal as the intensity ratchets up, and I actually started biting my nails (NEVER do this ordinarily) out of fear for what would happen next.
Ordinary books soon fade from memory, but a select few, like this one, allow me to recall every tense, heart-pounding moment of this ingenious, original thriller. AND THAT ENDING!!!!!!! Sheer brilliance. On one hand, I loved it … on the other, I want a sequel because it just SCREAMS out for one.
DARK, TAUT, RIVETING CHILLER ... the scariest monsters are REAL **4.5 wow stars**
... OR just call it a twisted experiment in terror. This DEBUT book rocked me so hard! It was just supposed to be a random library loan, but prickled all my senses in deep and disturbing ways. The description teased my sudden taste for a psychological thriller with erotic undertones that would push some boundaries and thrill me to the core. From the first paragraph, my attention was riveted to the lonely and lost heroine ALICE CROFT. She lives in an atmospheric island community separated from the mainland by ferry. Isolated, claustrophobic, and moody already. She’s stuck in the past over the terrible thing that happened in her life that she just she can’t let go. One of those invisible, nondescript people we pass all the time and never notice. Closure/justice/revenge becomes her obsession. Alice is a smart cookie and her diligence finally pays off when she zeroes in on another loner, JACK CALABRESE as the key to her problems. I mean, she’s been stalking him for weeks and hits pay-dirt after breaking into his house to snoop through his things for the proof she needs. But Alice isn’t as smart as she thinks. Trouble is, Jack’s a smart cookie, too. He catches her in the act, but lets her go even as his weirdly calm manner intrigues her. Soon, they’re stalking each other … talking … sleeping together and Alice throws caution to the wind. WTF!?
A sizzling. terrifying cat and mouse game plays out, in which Alice falls for mysterious and dark Jack, while his behavior toward her becomes increasingly dangerous and alarming. We only have Alice’s POV, thus share all her feelings and limitations in processing Jack. It soon becomes clear that Alice isn’t sure just who is stalker and who is prey. Can you say stranger danger OR curiosity got the cat? The plot left me spellbound with anticipation for where the crossed lines in this relationship, along with Alice’s revenge and Jack’s true intentions would lead. Pure entertainment on one level, plus an intricate dance between two people who are connecting with seemingly many things in common on a personal level, while simultaneously hiding their true selves from each other. The pedal hits the metal as the intensity ratchets up, and I actually started biting my nails (NEVER do this ordinarily) out of fear for what would happen next.
Ordinary books soon fade from memory, but a select few, like this one, allow me to recall every tense, heart-pounding moment of this ingenious, original thriller. AND THAT ENDING!!!!!!! Sheer brilliance. On one hand, I loved it … on the other, I want a sequel because it just SCREAMS out for one.
December 26, 2013
I won an advance copy of this book through Goodreads.
I feel like I say this a lot, but...I could not put it down. Right from the beginning I was intrigued by Alice. What secrets was she hiding? Why was she in Jack's house?
Throughout the course of the novel, you learn Alice's secrets. In many cases, they don't come out and say what happened, you just sort of learn about them through short flashbacks as she tells her story. It starts out with Alice breaking into Jack's house looking for his "box" where he keeps his memories and tokens from the past. Jack catches her...then lets her go. As the story goes on, she becomes aware that he is stalking her right back. Eventually she agrees to have dinner with him.
From that point on, interspersed with hot sex scenes that consistently get more violent and dangerous, you learn more and more about Alice's past and why she really broke into Jack's house. As things with Jack progress far past what she ever intended, Alice begins facing her demons and learns things about herself that she never knew.
The obsession ends on a dark, yet somewhat hopeful note. I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend you check it out!
I feel like I say this a lot, but...I could not put it down. Right from the beginning I was intrigued by Alice. What secrets was she hiding? Why was she in Jack's house?
Throughout the course of the novel, you learn Alice's secrets. In many cases, they don't come out and say what happened, you just sort of learn about them through short flashbacks as she tells her story. It starts out with Alice breaking into Jack's house looking for his "box" where he keeps his memories and tokens from the past. Jack catches her...then lets her go. As the story goes on, she becomes aware that he is stalking her right back. Eventually she agrees to have dinner with him.
From that point on, interspersed with hot sex scenes that consistently get more violent and dangerous, you learn more and more about Alice's past and why she really broke into Jack's house. As things with Jack progress far past what she ever intended, Alice begins facing her demons and learns things about herself that she never knew.
The obsession ends on a dark, yet somewhat hopeful note. I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend you check it out!
November 7, 2015
Forty percent into it and I've had enough!
I read this book for a Recommendation swap in my book club, Sweeter Reads. I was supposed to read it months ago but because of some major family trauma over the last few months, I'm just getting to it now. I gave the book a fair chance, however, I cannot continue reading. I'm just not getting it. The characters are unusual—actually odd would be a more fitting word. There is sex. Weird sex and I have no idea why it's funky because after reading almost to the half-way point, I remain clueless as to what's up with the two doing the nasty, (and yes, I'm rolling my eyes as I write this). Maybe if I finished the book I'd have more insight as to what's going on in the minds of these two oddballs; obviously, Alice needs therapy. As for Jack? ... not much is ever revealed about him.
In closing. I admire any writer who finishes a book and gets published, but this story just isn't my cup of tea.
I read this book for a Recommendation swap in my book club, Sweeter Reads. I was supposed to read it months ago but because of some major family trauma over the last few months, I'm just getting to it now. I gave the book a fair chance, however, I cannot continue reading. I'm just not getting it. The characters are unusual—actually odd would be a more fitting word. There is sex. Weird sex and I have no idea why it's funky because after reading almost to the half-way point, I remain clueless as to what's up with the two doing the nasty, (and yes, I'm rolling my eyes as I write this). Maybe if I finished the book I'd have more insight as to what's going on in the minds of these two oddballs; obviously, Alice needs therapy. As for Jack? ... not much is ever revealed about him.
In closing. I admire any writer who finishes a book and gets published, but this story just isn't my cup of tea.
August 10, 2016
I received this book as an ARC and read it in a day, more because I was curious about how it would end than because I actually liked the story. It seemed to be a series of explicit and increasingly sadistic sex scenes, loosely tied together by a story of a woman with a difficult childhood who was out to get revenge on someone who had wronged her in the past.
It was difficult to feel sympathy for the main characters, Alice and Jack. Since the story was told from Alice's point of view, there was some writing of her thought processes, but there was none for Jack's. I really had no idea where he was coming from or why he acted as he did.
I might have liked this book if it were more a straight forward mystery/psychological thriller, and less a reason to explore the deviant sex practices of the main characters. I think the author probably felt these scenes helped underscore Alice's need for pain, but I got the idea better from the other things Alice did.
It was difficult to feel sympathy for the main characters, Alice and Jack. Since the story was told from Alice's point of view, there was some writing of her thought processes, but there was none for Jack's. I really had no idea where he was coming from or why he acted as he did.
I might have liked this book if it were more a straight forward mystery/psychological thriller, and less a reason to explore the deviant sex practices of the main characters. I think the author probably felt these scenes helped underscore Alice's need for pain, but I got the idea better from the other things Alice did.
May 29, 2017
This book was just so soulless. I kept waiting for it to really claim my interest but everything seemed so unfinished. The relationship between two of the characters was barely explained and so it doesn't even make sense to the reader. The sex scenes were way too common, I think there were about 4 alone in the first couple of chapters and I can't be bothered with that. I really liked the premise and I like the main character but the plot was poorly done and there wasn't enough explanation of main plot lines in the story. The flashback scenes were by far the most interesting. I think the author needs to figure out how to properly foreshadow and build suspense. That would've at least given this book another star.
January 11, 2014
I did not really enjoy this book, but I read it quickly and the writing flowed easily. As others have stated, it is an "erotic thriller." I didn't really know what this book was about until I started reading it and there was just way too much sex (and weird sex, nonetheless). It's the kind of book you feel embarrassed/uncomfortable reading even though nobody sees you reading it. The main character spends years of her life longing for revenge on someone who "ruined her life" until there is a dumb resolution (I don't want to spoil anything) and, ultimately, a dumb ending.
Overall, it was written well (good grammar, good flow, etc.), but I did not like it.
Overall, it was written well (good grammar, good flow, etc.), but I did not like it.
December 14, 2013
I won a copy of this in a Goodreads First Reads contest and I have to admit that I feel a little duped from the description. It wasn't what I thought it was, less "thriller" and more "dark erotica" is how I would describe it. I am not a big fan of books that cover up a weak plot with a lot of sex that doesn't add anything to the story. In this case, however, I understood what the author was trying to convey with the sex scenes and there escalating nature. I think I would have liked this book if either of the characters were at all likable. Even though I can empathize with Alice and her plight I still did not like her at all and was just screaming at her to please get some therapy! I also wish Jack's situation would have been more elaborated. This is definitely not a love story or even a redemption story so if that is what you are looking for run in the opposite direction.
November 8, 2013
I agree with the reviewer who said, "Freaking brilliant!" I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an ARC and have already recommended this novel to all my reader friends. If I had to compare it to other books I've enjoyed, I would pick GONE GIRL and THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS--with an erotic element! Some of the scenes are raw and disturbing, but you cannot take your eyes off the page. And right from the beginning, I felt this sense of unease and dread that never let up. My heart literally pounded through the two nights I read this. Wow, just wow!
April 26, 2014
The story of Alice Croft and Jack Calabrese was dark with a capital D! If you are looking for a love story with a happily ever after ending then this is not the book for you. Their relationship was twisted, violent, intensely passionate, and enthralling. Every page had me sucking in a breath, trying to still my pounding heart. This book was psychologically brilliant. Deftly written and fast paced. A definite "let me pick my jaw up off the floor" five stars!
September 9, 2022
What did I just read?? First of all, the sex scenes were so cringey to read that they made me almost feel embarrassed. They overtook the whole book, really. I feel like the main point of the story was never answered. Who really is Jack? Why was Alice in his bedroom? Why did she go by Jennifer sometimes? What was the point of Michael and Molly? Nothing in this book made sense. Also, the movement from past to present was never distinguished, so sometimes there was 1 paragraph in the present, but the very next paragraph was in the past. I won't say that I hated this book, but I will say that it was an absolutely pointless (though quick) read. I gave it 2 stars because 1 is just mean.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2013
This book was dark! Much darker than I expected and I had to put the book down because of the strong emotions I felt as I read it. The author has an obvious talent for writing erotic thrillers that will hook you from the very beginning.
There are no heroes and heroines in Alice Close Your Eyes—the novel is made up of f*cked up individuals who are damaged and mentally unstable. Alice may have been the worse of them all and readers are likely to find her an unreliable narrative. I liked reading her chaotic thoughts; it made me uncertain over what direction the book was heading.
Alice has major issues, including serious criminal tendencies, but Jack was harder to read. He’s violent, possessive and at times, a sadist. Although the author gives readers a deep psychological analysis on Alice, I wanted to know more about Jack and his past to understand his behaviors. The sex is violent and disturbing and I have to give the author kudos for not shying away from the raw honesty of Alice’s emotions during the acts.
The plot gripped me and although I’ve been in a bit of a reading rut, I found myself eager to finish the book as swiftly as possible. The mysteries surrounding Alice and her connection to Jack are revealed gradually and I loved the slow build of the suspenseful elements.
The ending is a bit of a mind f*ck and I’m not sure how I feel about it. However, the more I stew on it, I feel like the author did end things in a satisfactory manner. I can’t imagine any other conclusion to Alice’s revenge scheme.
If you’re a fan of books like Gone Girl and Consequences, then you should add this to your TBR pile. I anticipate this to create a lot of buzz when it’s released next month.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this novel for review!
There are no heroes and heroines in Alice Close Your Eyes—the novel is made up of f*cked up individuals who are damaged and mentally unstable. Alice may have been the worse of them all and readers are likely to find her an unreliable narrative. I liked reading her chaotic thoughts; it made me uncertain over what direction the book was heading.
Alice has major issues, including serious criminal tendencies, but Jack was harder to read. He’s violent, possessive and at times, a sadist. Although the author gives readers a deep psychological analysis on Alice, I wanted to know more about Jack and his past to understand his behaviors. The sex is violent and disturbing and I have to give the author kudos for not shying away from the raw honesty of Alice’s emotions during the acts.
The plot gripped me and although I’ve been in a bit of a reading rut, I found myself eager to finish the book as swiftly as possible. The mysteries surrounding Alice and her connection to Jack are revealed gradually and I loved the slow build of the suspenseful elements.
The ending is a bit of a mind f*ck and I’m not sure how I feel about it. However, the more I stew on it, I feel like the author did end things in a satisfactory manner. I can’t imagine any other conclusion to Alice’s revenge scheme.
If you’re a fan of books like Gone Girl and Consequences, then you should add this to your TBR pile. I anticipate this to create a lot of buzz when it’s released next month.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this novel for review!
April 14, 2014
The first thing I liked about this novel is that it starts right in the middle of the action. Dean doesn't waste time introducing the characters in their natural environments, going about their regular day. You're gripped right from the start. I was immediately thrust into Jack's house along with Alice, which felt like a bonding experience, sort of.
After that first scene, though, I felt increasingly distanced from Alice and Jack. It was an interesting ride, but I felt like an outsider watching things play out. I couldn't bring myself to understand or care about either of the main characters.
The motives of each are offered freely in the form of detailed flashbacks and explicit sex scenes. Dean gives you all the puzzle pieces and tells you where to put them; still I couldn't feel sympathy or empathy or even dislike for anyone. The characters and their story didn't feel real enough for me to form complete opinions on them. I only felt sorry for them, the way I feel sorry for a homeless person. Their pain is implied, rather than felt. What's the point of reading a novel that doesn't make me feel?
Dean made an ambitious and honest attempt to take us into the mind of a deeply disturbed young woman, but I personally think she missed the mark. I was left feeling unsatisfied with the story's lack of substance. She had the right setup, the right back stories, and the right actions, but not enough heart.
If all you want from a novel is a gritty and erotic story line then this might be the book for you. I prefer my novels with a hefty helping of humanity.
After that first scene, though, I felt increasingly distanced from Alice and Jack. It was an interesting ride, but I felt like an outsider watching things play out. I couldn't bring myself to understand or care about either of the main characters.
The motives of each are offered freely in the form of detailed flashbacks and explicit sex scenes. Dean gives you all the puzzle pieces and tells you where to put them; still I couldn't feel sympathy or empathy or even dislike for anyone. The characters and their story didn't feel real enough for me to form complete opinions on them. I only felt sorry for them, the way I feel sorry for a homeless person. Their pain is implied, rather than felt. What's the point of reading a novel that doesn't make me feel?
Dean made an ambitious and honest attempt to take us into the mind of a deeply disturbed young woman, but I personally think she missed the mark. I was left feeling unsatisfied with the story's lack of substance. She had the right setup, the right back stories, and the right actions, but not enough heart.
If all you want from a novel is a gritty and erotic story line then this might be the book for you. I prefer my novels with a hefty helping of humanity.
April 15, 2014
This book was...different. Honestly, that's really the only word that encompasses everything in this book. I wasn't aware that it was an "erotic" thriller (nothing hinted about that factor ANYWHERE in the blurb) and if I'd known that I probably would've avoided it because it's just not my thing. A sex scene or two is tolerable for me but reading about climaxes and clitorises and erections and hips slapping and pussy every chapter was horrible. I liked the character Molly a lot and it was interesting to learn Alice's past after her Nana and mom died but that was really all I liked about this book. I had to force myself to finish this thing and I really only kept reading to see why Alice wanted to kill Ray so bad. Guess what? It wasn't worth it. She was a dumb child who made her mom's boyfriend into a monster when he was really just a slob and kinda mean sometimes. Generally I like manipulative characters but she was horrid. I wish the ending had at least been half as satisfying as the 5 billion orgasms this girl got to have so there was some satisfaction in tolerating this book but it wasn't. If you want to read a mystery infused 50 Shades of Grey, then read this. If that makes you throw up in your mouth, put this book down and walk away.
January 8, 2014
ALICE CLOSE YOUR EYES by debut author, Averil Dean is an intense Erotic Psychological Suspense/Thriller set on the Vashon Island in the Puget Sound. A chilling but compelling story of a manipulator with a dark past and even darker future. Meet Alice Croft and Jack Calabrese…
Alice’s life was ruined ten years ago and pay back is here. Enter Jack. But wait Jack is not as easily manipulated as Alice thought he would be, so who is manipulating who?
For an intense and I do mean intense read, that has obsession,isolation, suspense,pain, revenge,intrigue and love and is compelling as well as chilling you must read “Alice Close Your Eyes”. A dark Psychological suspense with sexual surrender and a dangerous game. What a debut! A haunting, erotic dark story that will have you turning pages. “50 Shades of Grey” move over here comes “Alice Close Your Eyes”. A chilling, riveting, great read! Received for an honest review from the publisher.
RATING: 4
HEAT RATING: HOT
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
January 9, 2014
I received an ARC in exchange for a review. First of all, WHOA! I could not put this book down. It was just so intense and haunting and disturbing...very disturbing. The subject matter is at times hard to swallow so I can see why people didn't enjoy the book. I am warped enough to have devoured it. Alice breaks my heart. Averil Dean's writing put me right in Alice's head and I could feel her anger and determination, her fear and confusion. And after everything, I still don't know what to think of Jack. Did Alice create that monster? At the end of the book there is a Q&A with the author. One of the questions asks why or how she writes such damaged characters and Dean says that she prefers to write about people and situations she doesn't understand very well because they hold her interest in the writing process. I think it stands true to the reader as well. Alice was a mystery to me in the beginning and by being in her head through the story, I started to understand her. This book is dark, but very well written.
January 24, 2014
I broke my New Year's resolution by buying something new, as opposed to reading from my "stash." I hope that if I break my resolution again, I will have paid for a book I loved. I did not love this book.
I am by no means a prude, but I don't read erotica. If I wanted to read erotica, I'd pick up a copy of Penthouse Letters. I understand that certain stories could not really be told--or a mood created--without a certain amount of sex and/or erotica. Fine, no problem. This was one of those books...I think.
Averil Dean is a very good writer. She succeeded at creating a novel of psychological suspense that has a very very dark feel. I liked the story, despite all of the erotica I skimmed. Dean created some very good characters, too. I just did not love it.
I am by no means a prude, but I don't read erotica. If I wanted to read erotica, I'd pick up a copy of Penthouse Letters. I understand that certain stories could not really be told--or a mood created--without a certain amount of sex and/or erotica. Fine, no problem. This was one of those books...I think.
Averil Dean is a very good writer. She succeeded at creating a novel of psychological suspense that has a very very dark feel. I liked the story, despite all of the erotica I skimmed. Dean created some very good characters, too. I just did not love it.
May 11, 2016
This story was dark like a film noir. It was articulate and well edited but the H/h were so psychologically messed up that their story was not erotic, at least for me it wasn't. There were one or two scenes that were erotic but after that the intimacy of the relationship was too messed up.
I like dark romance, with a little light, love, and tenderness at the end of the tunnel. I also like a whole lot of kink but this went beyond kinky. There were no safe words and there were times that calling one was warranted.
The reason I gave this only one star is because two stars means it was "okay". It was not okay for me. I want the time back that I spent reading this.
I like dark romance, with a little light, love, and tenderness at the end of the tunnel. I also like a whole lot of kink but this went beyond kinky. There were no safe words and there were times that calling one was warranted.
The reason I gave this only one star is because two stars means it was "okay". It was not okay for me. I want the time back that I spent reading this.
February 2, 2018
You know how people always stop to watch a train wreck?
That is exactly how I feel about Alice Close Your Eyes. I have never found myself so confused by a book after reading it. I am well and truly lost at see with this one.
I bought this book a couple years back and it's another one that has been sitting, gathering dust for way longer than it should have before I finally got to it. In an effort to clean out my books I'm trying to read a lot of my older titles which is why I picked this one up when I did. I thought, that given how intense the synopsis was that I was going to be getting a hard hitting, complex, angsty romance bordering on bdsm.
Unfortunately I had a barely pieced together story about a young girl with some very obvious mental health issues, a man with serious control issues and how they came to be...what ever it was they were for a time. I wouldn't say they were a couple, because apart from weirdly timed, poorly written sex scenes and some definite boundary issues on both their parts neither were developed as individual characters enough for them to actually have a relationship in the story. Alice, our protagonist, is in her early 20s and a cutter. Jack is a guy of unknown age and he's recently out of jail for maybe or maybe not killing his ex-wife (we were never told what happened to Rosemary). Neither were likable. I hated them both right away but, I kept hoping that maybe I was just in a mood. Sadly, this wasn't the case. There was a definite lack of character development for both of them.
In fact, I would say this is one of the most underdeveloped books I've ever read. I finished Alice Close Your Eyes feeling as though this was a rough draft of a novel someone pieced together from the jumbled remains of someone's cast off ideas. I just didn't see the real purpose of the story because the author wrote the story in such a way that it was obvious what Alice wanted with Jack, though her motivations were very cloudy due to her own issues. She was just completely distasteful. She was written as a tough character but just came off as a whiny little girl with some very serious problems. I found the same problem with Jack, although he was even more underdeveloped as a character that he may as well have been a prop.
There was no romance to this story as there really wasn't much of a story. There were actions, very little dialogue, lots of unnecessary inner monologues, awkward sex and very little plot. This was supposedly marketed as a psychological thriller/erotic read but lacked in both these aspects. I spent all 6 hours it took me to read this either shaking my head in confusion or disgust due to Alice's and later on Jack's actions. There was no cohesiveness and the broken timeline also added to the confusion. One minute Alice is cutting, the next she's remembering poisoning a dog in an act of revenge for a childhood bully calling her mother names. It was so out of whack I had no idea what was going to happen next in the mean time.
This is not a book I would feel comfortable recommending just because of the lack of any substance to it. There were no redeemable moments, just pure confusion and if I hadn't bought the book I probably wouldn't have stuck it out to read it in the end especially given how slowly the book went.
Alice Close Your Eyes was a definite case of overreaching for me, and I wish I could have enjoyed it more as I was looking forward to it. Unfortunately it didn't deliver and gets my second one star rating of 2018.
That is exactly how I feel about Alice Close Your Eyes. I have never found myself so confused by a book after reading it. I am well and truly lost at see with this one.
I bought this book a couple years back and it's another one that has been sitting, gathering dust for way longer than it should have before I finally got to it. In an effort to clean out my books I'm trying to read a lot of my older titles which is why I picked this one up when I did. I thought, that given how intense the synopsis was that I was going to be getting a hard hitting, complex, angsty romance bordering on bdsm.
Unfortunately I had a barely pieced together story about a young girl with some very obvious mental health issues, a man with serious control issues and how they came to be...what ever it was they were for a time. I wouldn't say they were a couple, because apart from weirdly timed, poorly written sex scenes and some definite boundary issues on both their parts neither were developed as individual characters enough for them to actually have a relationship in the story. Alice, our protagonist, is in her early 20s and a cutter. Jack is a guy of unknown age and he's recently out of jail for maybe or maybe not killing his ex-wife (we were never told what happened to Rosemary). Neither were likable. I hated them both right away but, I kept hoping that maybe I was just in a mood. Sadly, this wasn't the case. There was a definite lack of character development for both of them.
In fact, I would say this is one of the most underdeveloped books I've ever read. I finished Alice Close Your Eyes feeling as though this was a rough draft of a novel someone pieced together from the jumbled remains of someone's cast off ideas. I just didn't see the real purpose of the story because the author wrote the story in such a way that it was obvious what Alice wanted with Jack, though her motivations were very cloudy due to her own issues. She was just completely distasteful. She was written as a tough character but just came off as a whiny little girl with some very serious problems. I found the same problem with Jack, although he was even more underdeveloped as a character that he may as well have been a prop.
There was no romance to this story as there really wasn't much of a story. There were actions, very little dialogue, lots of unnecessary inner monologues, awkward sex and very little plot. This was supposedly marketed as a psychological thriller/erotic read but lacked in both these aspects. I spent all 6 hours it took me to read this either shaking my head in confusion or disgust due to Alice's and later on Jack's actions. There was no cohesiveness and the broken timeline also added to the confusion. One minute Alice is cutting, the next she's remembering poisoning a dog in an act of revenge for a childhood bully calling her mother names. It was so out of whack I had no idea what was going to happen next in the mean time.
This is not a book I would feel comfortable recommending just because of the lack of any substance to it. There were no redeemable moments, just pure confusion and if I hadn't bought the book I probably wouldn't have stuck it out to read it in the end especially given how slowly the book went.
Alice Close Your Eyes was a definite case of overreaching for me, and I wish I could have enjoyed it more as I was looking forward to it. Unfortunately it didn't deliver and gets my second one star rating of 2018.
June 12, 2017
I struggled with this book.
Upon finishing, I was left with this really weird feeling, I just want to move on from this book.
I liked the writing, however to quote the book itself “There is no shortage of words, but it all lacked cohesion.” I wonder what was the point of everything, the ending is so anti-climactic, the whole plot depends on one little detail, everything it spun around that, you think something major is gonna happen, and you get to the end….and think…THAT’S IT?
My biggest issue were the characters! I hated both of them, both Alice and Jack. I felt like Alice was there just to fill the role of the protagonist, I couldn’t connect with her; even though this was written in first person POV, it was like half her thoughts remained hidden from us. And Jack. What the hell was his deal?!
But the reason this gets 1 star is the portrayal of the causal abuse. I just can’t when a man casually slaps his partner, it gets me enraged. Never mind that Alice ‘wanted it’ or the two of them had a weird sexual dynamic, the way that whole situation (sex, violence, self-harm) was portrayed in this book was just plain wrong in my opinion. There seems to be no consent from Alice, Jack just seems “to know”, they never discuss their sex life.
The author went too hard for the “show, don’t tell” approach. Occasionally you have to tell some things, in order to avoid misunderstanding.
Upon finishing, I was left with this really weird feeling, I just want to move on from this book.
I liked the writing, however to quote the book itself “There is no shortage of words, but it all lacked cohesion.” I wonder what was the point of everything, the ending is so anti-climactic, the whole plot depends on one little detail, everything it spun around that, you think something major is gonna happen, and you get to the end….and think…THAT’S IT?
My biggest issue were the characters! I hated both of them, both Alice and Jack. I felt like Alice was there just to fill the role of the protagonist, I couldn’t connect with her; even though this was written in first person POV, it was like half her thoughts remained hidden from us. And Jack. What the hell was his deal?!
But the reason this gets 1 star is the portrayal of the causal abuse. I just can’t when a man casually slaps his partner, it gets me enraged. Never mind that Alice ‘wanted it’ or the two of them had a weird sexual dynamic, the way that whole situation (sex, violence, self-harm) was portrayed in this book was just plain wrong in my opinion. There seems to be no consent from Alice, Jack just seems “to know”, they never discuss their sex life.
The author went too hard for the “show, don’t tell” approach. Occasionally you have to tell some things, in order to avoid misunderstanding.
January 7, 2023
triggers: domestic violence.
July 30, 2014
OK, I read this book from cover to cover, backwards and forwards all the while i was constantly thinking I'd missed an important piece of information to explain these characters intent and to simply get some background info on the couple. Nope. i missed nothing.
This book is honestly among the worst written novels I've bought. I few comments down someone likened it to Fifty Shades and Gone Girl. They are not wrong, but unfortunately its the worst bits of both novels: The overly scripted minor details; the over worked, over used sexual encounters of Fifty Shades, mashed up with the the lack of character background and passive aggressiveness of Gone Girl's main hero/typical male Nick (but substituted for a female - which for some insane reason only fed my distaste for this book). Throw in some physical, mental and psychological abuse inflicted on EVERY character that graces the pages of this novel and you have one seriously messed up plot line.
All in all when i think back on the entire plot, including the not too shocking twist of events, and the "aha! moment" is finally revealed, it has the makings for a seriously gripping book. Unfortunately the author doesn't flush out the important details -did anyone else find this book jumped over or skimmed major details but dedicated entire chapters to yet another unnecessary BDSM scene?- and is content to let the protagonist's passiveness and lack of any direction seep into the plot. i felt rather washed out while reading this, neither entirely engaged nor hating the book, rather i was reading it to pass the time.
By the time the book actually sums up the story (as much as it does) it fails to relieve you of any lingering questions or to give any closure to resolution to the plot or its characters. it feels as though it ends mid chapter, and not in a good way. Again i was back tracking to see if i skipped pages.
I read the authors notes in the back of the book looking for, i don't know... answers. She states she did no research for this book. Well, it shows. When writing about mental health its kind of important so you don't sound like a cliche' otherwise you just end up pulling the same facts you find in pamphlets at your local GP.
As a major fan of Gone Girl, i find the reference to it weak at best.
In summary, don't let the blurb fool you. It doesn't explore love, pain, obsession etc. It lays bare the horrors of foster care, the damage an unmedicated borderline personality disorder (did anyone else feel the similarities between Alice and Susanna Kaysen in Girl, Interrupted? No?)can do, and how dating an ex-con can often be a bad idea.
P.S for those of you who have read this, DIDN'T SHE HAVE A HOUSE AND JOB?! At the end she just leaves. No care for her income, or her morgage? Yeah, this was my lingering question.
i want my money back.
This book is honestly among the worst written novels I've bought. I few comments down someone likened it to Fifty Shades and Gone Girl. They are not wrong, but unfortunately its the worst bits of both novels: The overly scripted minor details; the over worked, over used sexual encounters of Fifty Shades, mashed up with the the lack of character background and passive aggressiveness of Gone Girl's main hero/typical male Nick (but substituted for a female - which for some insane reason only fed my distaste for this book). Throw in some physical, mental and psychological abuse inflicted on EVERY character that graces the pages of this novel and you have one seriously messed up plot line.
All in all when i think back on the entire plot, including the not too shocking twist of events, and the "aha! moment" is finally revealed, it has the makings for a seriously gripping book. Unfortunately the author doesn't flush out the important details -did anyone else find this book jumped over or skimmed major details but dedicated entire chapters to yet another unnecessary BDSM scene?- and is content to let the protagonist's passiveness and lack of any direction seep into the plot. i felt rather washed out while reading this, neither entirely engaged nor hating the book, rather i was reading it to pass the time.
By the time the book actually sums up the story (as much as it does) it fails to relieve you of any lingering questions or to give any closure to resolution to the plot or its characters. it feels as though it ends mid chapter, and not in a good way. Again i was back tracking to see if i skipped pages.
I read the authors notes in the back of the book looking for, i don't know... answers. She states she did no research for this book. Well, it shows. When writing about mental health its kind of important so you don't sound like a cliche' otherwise you just end up pulling the same facts you find in pamphlets at your local GP.
As a major fan of Gone Girl, i find the reference to it weak at best.
In summary, don't let the blurb fool you. It doesn't explore love, pain, obsession etc. It lays bare the horrors of foster care, the damage an unmedicated borderline personality disorder (did anyone else feel the similarities between Alice and Susanna Kaysen in Girl, Interrupted? No?)can do, and how dating an ex-con can often be a bad idea.
P.S for those of you who have read this, DIDN'T SHE HAVE A HOUSE AND JOB?! At the end she just leaves. No care for her income, or her morgage? Yeah, this was my lingering question.
i want my money back.
December 22, 2013
The summary of this book does not do it justice, there is so much more involved than stated there, it had me hooked from start to finish, I received it in the mail today, and finished it in one sitting, that is how gripping it was for me!
I will admit I did feel a bit of a disconnect from Alice, and that is why this is not a 5/5 book for me, some of her decisions I did not agree with, even knowing that she had a very tough upbringing and it is a situation that I cannot relate to at all, she just seemed very naive sometimes. Also Jack was very all over the map for me, he was so nice and loving one moment, and in a split second that would change.
I really enjoyed the writing, I was fully engulfed in their world and what was happening, and had to know how it ended right away. The pacing was also really well done, and I did not feel lost at all when Alice was going back to her childhood and remembering what she perceived to have happened back then. It was good to know a little bit as to where she was coming from, but still all of her actions did not add up to me.
I really enjoyed the characters of her Mother and Nan as well. I could relate to how her Mother had acted at times, and it was all pieced together for me towards the end of the book when it was all coming together. There were so many things that Alice was not made aware of that her Mother was going through that I think maybe she would have understood her a little better had she known, but her Nan and her Mother decided to keep those from her, and I guess I understand why, she was still very little.
If you are looking for a thriller with some romance (if you can call it that, it is more a disfunctional relationship), then this book is for you. From the very beginning Alice and Jack's relationship starts off rocky, and truly I don't think that it ever recovered, they were both bringing in baggage to the situation that neither wanted to talk about or deal with, and I think that it doomed it right from the very beginning.
Overall this book gets a 4/5 from me, it had action, romance, thriller aspects, and plot twists that I did not see coming! I highly suggest you look for it coming out in January and put it on your to be read list.
I will admit I did feel a bit of a disconnect from Alice, and that is why this is not a 5/5 book for me, some of her decisions I did not agree with, even knowing that she had a very tough upbringing and it is a situation that I cannot relate to at all, she just seemed very naive sometimes. Also Jack was very all over the map for me, he was so nice and loving one moment, and in a split second that would change.
I really enjoyed the writing, I was fully engulfed in their world and what was happening, and had to know how it ended right away. The pacing was also really well done, and I did not feel lost at all when Alice was going back to her childhood and remembering what she perceived to have happened back then. It was good to know a little bit as to where she was coming from, but still all of her actions did not add up to me.
I really enjoyed the characters of her Mother and Nan as well. I could relate to how her Mother had acted at times, and it was all pieced together for me towards the end of the book when it was all coming together. There were so many things that Alice was not made aware of that her Mother was going through that I think maybe she would have understood her a little better had she known, but her Nan and her Mother decided to keep those from her, and I guess I understand why, she was still very little.
If you are looking for a thriller with some romance (if you can call it that, it is more a disfunctional relationship), then this book is for you. From the very beginning Alice and Jack's relationship starts off rocky, and truly I don't think that it ever recovered, they were both bringing in baggage to the situation that neither wanted to talk about or deal with, and I think that it doomed it right from the very beginning.
Overall this book gets a 4/5 from me, it had action, romance, thriller aspects, and plot twists that I did not see coming! I highly suggest you look for it coming out in January and put it on your to be read list.
August 10, 2016
Vachon Island in Puget Sound is the setting for debut novel, Alice Close Your Eyes. It's classified as, "a cross between steamy exotic romance and spooky thriller" by Booklist, but I think readers need to be aware the the characters are really twisted and there is plenty of sexual violence in this book.
The novel opens with Alice Croft, a 21 year-old woman who has had a horrible childhood growing up within the foster care system. She's a woman with an intense hatred for one individual and bent on revenge for what she had had to live through. For 10 years she been been searching for just the right person to carry out her plan.
The story opens with Alice breaking into someone's house, this isn't a first for Alice. She enjoys snooping inside homes, looking for a box of sentimental objects that, according to Alice, all men keep. Her victim this time is Jack Calabrese. While doing her snooping, Jack returns home and catches Alice hiding inside of his closet, He is eager to find out who this woman is and what she wants, but for Alice, Jack is not exactly a stranger, she has been stalking him for some time now.
As the story continues the dark and dirt past of both Alice and Jack gets revealed, and Jack fulfills Alice's sexual addiction and what seems to be her need for physical abuse as well. This is one twisted story of obsessive love. The writing is decent, but the graphic details were very disturbing at times. While I'm sure there is probably an audience for this kind of story, the novel was too over the top for me to appreciate. One thing which just didn't seem believable to me was the fact that Alice was a successful YA author. Proceed with caution it you decide to try this one.
January 10, 2014
Wanting a novel that in a way reminds the reader of the author Jennifer McMahon ? A novel that will have you sucked in but at the same time , the book will have you questioning why on earth are you still reading it ? This was one of the weirdest books I have read in a long time. Judging by the cover , I thought this book would be a psychological thriller and in a way it was but then again, it wasn't. In Alice, Close Your Eyes we meet Alice Croft - she is a reclusive author who in her spare time, stalks guys and then breaks into their houses to discover the strange and what others would call mundane. She steals their sentimental objects, things that to people outside of them would be seen as nothing major or important. She also cuts herself with razor blades to relieve pain and I guess also as a punishment for her kleptomania. She has never been caught until now and the guy Jack will not let her simply leave and walk out of his life. As the novel goes on , there is lots of sex scenes and quite graphic ones and it seems that Jack and Alice are friends but not friends , with benefits. We also discover that Alice has had a rough life and for ten years she has been searching for someone who can help her kill the man , the reason she has not been able to close her eyes and sleep at night. Has Alice finally found a guy who will kill for her ? This novel also shows us that often what we think we experienced as a child , can not nessecarily be the exact true events of what really happened and that when the incidents or actions are closer to us, more often than not we have a skewed view of what is fact and what is fiction.
April 6, 2014
I like a good dark, psychological thriller. Especially ones that get into your mind and mess with it. This book did not do that but it was still dark and twisted. It goes to show you that you may not really care for the people as was the case for me with Alice and Jack but I was still enthralled by them and their relationship. Jack's cool under pressure demeanor was unnerving and scary. Which is why I did find him interesting. However on the other hand, this same coolness about him made him not as personable and therefore I could not fully connect with him. Alice gave off the persona that she was a strong person but she turned out to be meek. She let Jack dominate her. Which in the type of relationship that they shared, it was not hard to see how Jack would be the one in charge.
I wished that this book focused more on the psychological aspect than the sexual one that Jack and Alice shared. It was not hard to put all the pieces together in regards to how Alice and Jack's lives intertwined together. The ending while not the best one was one that I did like.
I wished that this book focused more on the psychological aspect than the sexual one that Jack and Alice shared. It was not hard to put all the pieces together in regards to how Alice and Jack's lives intertwined together. The ending while not the best one was one that I did like.
January 20, 2014
Why did I read this book was what I was asking myself after I finished reading it. I guess I felt obligated because it was a review copy. The story is about a psychologically damaged woman writer (and a "cutter") who gets her jollies by sneaking into peoples homes and finding and stealing that box or hiding place where you keep those most personal things in your life. On one of her escapades she is caught and in warp speed she becomes a willing almost sex slave to this man. She, of course, derives pleasure from his dominance and many times abuse. There are several multipage sexual encounters that leave not one graphic detail left untold. I swear I am not a prude but I had to scratch my head. The only value I see to this book are for those who need a little titillation and to warn us that there may be people like this out in society. I really see nothing of value here unless you enjoy a little voyeurism and S and M.
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