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readingunderthewillowtree

Reading Under the Willow Tree

Environmental Science student, book reader, big dreamer, Sailing/Kayak/Surf instructor, Film buff, Adventurer, Girl.

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Fatal Embrace - Aris Whittier

Fatal Embrace

 
By Aris Whittier
 
Genre: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Mystery
 
Published October 2nd 2005 by Five Star
 
High-spirited horse  trainer Jessica Stanson stumbles into the perfect job on one of the most elite ranches in Montana. Or at least it would be if her boss,  ex-detective Michael Carven, stopped acting like he didn't want her  there. Jessica has to prove herself to him on the ranch, and also try to penetrate his armor to get to the man inside. Michael Carven is a man  who has left a difficult past behind him, and now works at his dream job raising horses under the Montana sky. But he knows that the past has a  way of coming back to him, and soon enough, it does. A wave of violence  hits the nearby small town of Riverside, nestled deep in the mountains,  as a cunning serial killer preys on the population. Against his will,  Michael finds himself both drawn into the case and coming to care for  his independent new trainer. And if having a killer on the loose wasn't  enough, his two worlds collide when Jessica becomes the only material  witness in the case. Before it is over, Michael and Jessica will put  everything they know and hold dear on the line to catch a vicious,  cunning killer - and to protect each other as well.
 
This book had all the right ingredients but none of the fizz.  There was  drama, romance, sex, angst and crime but it never quite hit the mark for me.  The characters, although well put together, changed their minds  about things all the time.  Their personalities also seemed to change a  lot too.  One minute he was hot then cold.  One second she was tender  and caring then sarcastic and snappy.  There is nothing wrong with that  in general but it seemed like the changes were occurring in the same  sentence, it was hard to keep up.

I liked that the romance was a  slow burner, it took it’s time and built up throughout the book.  My  main problem with it was that I didn’t care that much for the  characters; sure I thought it would be nice for them to be together but I was never truly invested in them.  I didn’t get that agonising feeling  in my gut where you want characters to be together so much it almost  hurts.
 
Also, everything was a little fast in the beginning.  The  set up appeared to be in the middle of the book and not the start which I found a little bit bizarre, but once it had settled in it was much  better.

There were times when this book seemed to step right out  of reality and read a lot more like an over done Fan Fiction but those  moments were few and far between.

What this novel does get right  is the crime.  About half way through I was pretty sure I know who the  killer was but was surprised to find that I was well off base.  It was a well done twist that really raised the level of the book for me.  I  didn’t see it coming and I often do so I give the Author credit for  that.

If you are a crime-romance fan this is a short and pleasant read that you will probably enjoy.  It could have been a lot better but it was still a nice way to waste away a rainy bank holiday afternoon.
 
3 out of 5 stars
 
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Source: http://readingunderthewillowtree.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/fatal-embrace-by-aris-whittier.html