Image and blurb from Goodreads
Title: The Ghostwriter
Author: Alessandra Torre
Category/Genre: Adult Contemporary/Suspense
Publication Date: October 2nd, 2017
Publication Date: October 2nd, 2017
I have three months to write the last book of my life. Three months to confess the details of that day, and how it changed everything for me.
My name is Helena Ross. I’ve written fifteen romance novels, ten of which have become international bestsellers. But this one isn't a romance, no Happily Ever After in place. This novel holds only the truth, which I have run away from for four years. The truth, which I have hidden from the police, from my loved ones, from the world.
This final book?
It's my confession.
This book is not a romance. It is contemporary fiction, but very suspenseful in nature. It is about a famous romance author and a dark secret she keeps.
My name is Helena Ross. I’ve written fifteen romance novels, ten of which have become international bestsellers. But this one isn't a romance, no Happily Ever After in place. This novel holds only the truth, which I have run away from for four years. The truth, which I have hidden from the police, from my loved ones, from the world.
This final book?
It's my confession.
This book is not a romance. It is contemporary fiction, but very suspenseful in nature. It is about a famous romance author and a dark secret she keeps.
Buy Link: Amazon
3.5 “Writing Secrets” Stars
ARC via NetGalley.
Thank you!
ARC via NetGalley.
Thank you!
I think it's never enough to say that this book isn't a romance. At all. So if you know Alessandra Torre because of her steamy romance stories, don't come expecting more of the same. You'll get to meet a completely different side of her with this book.
Writing a review for this book isn't an easy task. I believe readers should go into this knowing just as little as the blurb tells . THis way, they'll get to experience each reveal and each twist. That's how I did it, and it worked for me.
I have to say I was surprised at how different this was from Alessandra Torre's previous books. The writing is still as good, but while in romance stories the author needs to make the main characters likable and relatable, Alessanda Torre didn't pull back from making Helena complex and, yeah, unlikable. Getting behind Helena's actions and reactions was hard--half the time I was just perplexed at how rude she was--but even that didn't make me want to stop reading. Normally, when I can't connect with the main character, I have to fight the urge to just drop the book and go read something else, but this didn't happen here. I wanted to know what had happened in Helena's life to make her that way. I wanted to follow her story.
The whole mystery behind Helena's "confession book" was the main reason I kept reading. I had an idea of what had happened from the beginning, but I didn't know how and why, and when the truth came to light, my heart broke a little for her. It still didn't make me like or understand her 100%, though. And you know what? That's also okay. I don't have to love Helena or any other main character to enjoy their story. When well done, an unlikable narrator can make the book special (see my love for Gone Girl by Gillian Flyyn).
Besides, Helena's literary agent and her writer rival brought enough likability to make up for Helena's grumpiness. I loved how these two characters came into Helena's life and refused to leave even though she initally treated them so badly. They made her less lonely and therefore more human.
I had a few problems with pacing and with Helena's reactions after she learns "the truth", but I can say this book surprised me in a positive way. I wasn't expecting something so raw, but that's what I got, and it fit the premise and the complexity of the characters perfectly.
Writing a review for this book isn't an easy task. I believe readers should go into this knowing just as little as the blurb tells . THis way, they'll get to experience each reveal and each twist. That's how I did it, and it worked for me.
I have to say I was surprised at how different this was from Alessandra Torre's previous books. The writing is still as good, but while in romance stories the author needs to make the main characters likable and relatable, Alessanda Torre didn't pull back from making Helena complex and, yeah, unlikable. Getting behind Helena's actions and reactions was hard--half the time I was just perplexed at how rude she was--but even that didn't make me want to stop reading. Normally, when I can't connect with the main character, I have to fight the urge to just drop the book and go read something else, but this didn't happen here. I wanted to know what had happened in Helena's life to make her that way. I wanted to follow her story.
The whole mystery behind Helena's "confession book" was the main reason I kept reading. I had an idea of what had happened from the beginning, but I didn't know how and why, and when the truth came to light, my heart broke a little for her. It still didn't make me like or understand her 100%, though. And you know what? That's also okay. I don't have to love Helena or any other main character to enjoy their story. When well done, an unlikable narrator can make the book special (see my love for Gone Girl by Gillian Flyyn).
Besides, Helena's literary agent and her writer rival brought enough likability to make up for Helena's grumpiness. I loved how these two characters came into Helena's life and refused to leave even though she initally treated them so badly. They made her less lonely and therefore more human.
I had a few problems with pacing and with Helena's reactions after she learns "the truth", but I can say this book surprised me in a positive way. I wasn't expecting something so raw, but that's what I got, and it fit the premise and the complexity of the characters perfectly.
*If you liked this review (or not), if you read the book (or not), come say hello and leave your comments bellow.
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