A psychologist paralyzed by fear. A mother propelled by love. A stalker bent on destruction. Psychology professor Dr. Denilyn Rossi contends that the past is either a shadow that haunts us or a force that propels us. The choice is ours, she tells her students. What she doesn’t tell them is that her own past is a shadow she can’t seem to shake. Fear has immobilized her and is taking a … immobilized her and is taking a costly toll.
Adelia Sanchez, however, has embraced Dr. Rossi’s teaching. She is ready to confront fear and render it powerless–using the trauma of her past to propel her to entrap the man who stalked and brutally attacked her.
As Denilyn’s past and Adelia’s present converge at the Kaweah River, a dangerous man bent on destruction threatens them both. Will he uncover the secret Deni and Adelia have fought so hard to protect?
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A psychological suspenseful experience happens when you read this book. The many times of fear and sheer terror are experienced and shared with the audience written in the first person.
The psychology professor Dr. Denilyn Rossi talks about her past to us as if she was with us in person. There are some flashbacks that are important to know and understand what she has been feeling for a long time.
Who is the dangerous man who is after her?
Adelia Sanchez decides to attack her fears head on that leads to an exciting experience on the wild rivers..
I am familiar with white water rafting although not first-hand. I know how dangerous it can be. It also can change your life forever!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
CONVERGENCE. by..Ginny…Yttrup
Anticipation or fear, a dread, that she is not in control, something as simple as a pen, is not in its place, where is it. Deni teaches a class of adults in the .introduction of Psychology., the file is not on her lap top. A stalker from before, is he back, he is to be in jail, after she suffered a brutal arrack. A book deal dealing with bullying, the appearances, then life changed, and she doesn’t want anyone to notice her. Compelling story, of the past and present,
Is given to us. We have an inside look at her, her life, how will she move forward again, if it is another stalker. Compelling one to read, a life before that had so much to offer her. The author did a good job, and will look for more by her. Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion by
Net.Galley and Barbour.
What an exciting read! This story had my complete and full attention from beginning to end. The nail-biting suspense had my heart pounding and anxiety skyrocketing. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. And then came a mind-blowing revelation that left me stunned. I had to set my Kindle down for a little while to digest it all and when I picked it back up I was turning the pages even faster than before. It was a brilliant suspense!
Following Denilyn and Adelia, it goes back and forth between the two POVs and the past and present. I really had to pay attention to the dates at the top of the chapters so I wouldn’t get confused where I was or who I was with. In the beginning, I did find myself enjoying one of the POVs more than the other.
This was my first time reading a book by this author and it certainly won’t be the last. It was an incredible multi-layered suspense that I’m going to be thinking about for a long time. I highly recommend!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.
Convergence is an extremely intense psychological thriller that keeps the readers’ minds racing throughout the novel. Ginny L. Yttrup tells the story of Dr. Dennilyn Rossi who was the victim of a stalker who tried to take her life. Even though he is still in prison, eight years later, history seems to be repeating itself. The search for answers and an end to the fear and danger Dr. Rossi is experiencing turns out like no one would have expected.
The story takes place in three different storylines, so at times it was a little confusing what was happening, mainly in Adelia’s storyline through the book. This book may be a trigger for people who have experience with a stalker because it is such an authentic story, and the main character deals with a husband who does not take the threats against her seriously. This book kept me in suspense and wanting to find out what would happen next. I look forward to reading more by Ginny L. Yttrup.
I received a complimentary copy of this book Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This is a very well written christian suspense novel that will keep you turning the pages. It is one of those rare books that you don’t want to end, but you just have to know whats going to happen next. I’m not good at writing what I want to say about a book, so I’ll just say you won’t regret getting this book. Thank you Barbour Publishing, Shiloh Run Press via NetGalley for the ARC of this awesome book! This is my honest opinion and I highly recommend this book.
If you want to take a “wild ride” through the raging “rapids” of a physiological thriller then this is definitely the novel for you! I’ve read and reviewed two other books by Ginny Yttrup, Home and Invisible, but Convergence was a totally different “animal”.
I was in the grip of the words on every page. The “prologue” had me, then the plot totally changed in the first chapter.
Denilyn was a PHD psychologist, number one selling non-fiction book author, and a victim of a stalker. She was a private therapist for a while then went on to teach at a university. She and three other college friends had been summer guides on the Three Rivers rapids during their student years. They remained friends on through their adult years.
Denilyn is held in the terror grips of a stalker she sees at various places that stares at her and has been a horrific part of her past. Her husband Keith is not very supportive or sympathetic with what is happening to her. Her friends however, are always there for support. Keith just thinks the man is a fan of her book and looks at her as a celebrity to follow. But strange things keep happening to Denilyn and she is paralyzed with fear and just wants to get to the bottom of it so she can breathe and lead a normal life.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the author but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise.
Such a great story. Ginny has such a way with words, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire book!!
The past, present, and future collide…
I think it was the dramatic cover which first caught my attention and after reading the back cover blurb I decided to take a chance on Convergence. You see, Ginny L. Yttrup is a new-to-me author. I’d heard of her before hut that was it.
So, in my opinion there were some real pluses and some minuses in this book. On the plus side, beside the gorgeous cover, of course, is that the suspense is RIVETING, totally edge-of-your-seat-can-barely-breathe stuff. You’ll also be kept guessing from the dramatic start to the very end. On the minus end was the simple fact that I found the bouncing between characters and timeframes to be confusing at best. Also some of the final revelations just left me shaking my head and asking “Why, why is this only coming out now?”
There is a lot of romantic suspense out there so it’s always a nice change of pace when the suspense, and not romance, is the star of the book. Convergence is one such story. Readers get the chance to delve deep into the characters’ psyche instead of being distracted by flirtatious glances and increasing pulse rates.
If you are into psychological suspense or have enjoyed Ginny L. Yttrup’s previous books this just might be one for you to check into.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
I loved this. It’s written in such a unique timeline and is eventually brought together in an “ah-ha” way.
A bit difficult to get into, I found being persistent was ultimately worth it. As one reviewer noted, at times the characters know more than the reader, and that was frustrating. Yttrup eventually ties the loose ends together….you just have to wait.
Convergence was not the kind of novel I was anticipating. The suspense was well-planned, and the characters were, I thought, well defined, until reaching the point where I learned that none of them were who they seemed to be. Not a one. I did guess who the bad guy was by about halfway through, and even the motive.
Denilyn is a psychologist who is no longer practicing. Her career started out so promising! She wrote a book about bullying and was contracted to write two more. She and Keith were in their first year of marriage, until everything caved in at the hand of a stalker who finally assaulted Denilyn. After her recovery, she no longer had private practice, did not write the two additional books, and her husband couldn’t handle the stress and left. The life of anonymity she chose included being a professor and department chair at Pacific Covenant University and staying in close contact with grad school friends Jaylan, her husband Gabe, and Ryan.
When Deni feels she is being stalked again, she no longer wants to live in fear. Her Christian faith has not been as strong as it once was, and she struggles with that. She finally feels that the Lord is giving her a mission, one that will end the stalking, one way or another, and protect the people she loves. It requires returning to Three Rivers, where she with the Fearsome Four had spent three grad school summers.
As I approached the part of the novel where she prepared to go to Three Rivers, I learned that circumstances and people were not who they appeared to be, which took away some of the appreciation for the novel and building suspense – I felt let down. I was confused regarding the mission Deni was on, as it didn’t seem like the kind of extreme risk that God would put on the hearts of His children.
Overall, I appreciate the suspense that built throughout, and how Deni was finally able to open up completely with Jaylan, and the part that Deni’s student Willow played. I also appreciate how Jaylan was open about her faith in the Lord and seeing Deni’s faith struggles. While it was hard at first to follow the varying time lines, I did adapt to that, but once I saw that people and some situations were not what they seemed, the novel lost some of the appeal. The finale was satisfying.
From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this through Goodreads First Reads, and this is my honest review.
I have read several books by Ginny in the past, so was excited she had written a new one! This book drew me in. From the start, I was hooked to the story. I am usually not a big fan of psychological thrillers, they tend to creep me out a bit, but I could hardly put this down.
I felt Deni’s emotions as she lived in fear. I felt her anger and disappointment as her marriage fell apart and her husband was not able to connect with her. This book will definitely draw out your emotions, as you feel with the characters, especially if any of it is something you can relate to. I think it’s also a book about growth, learning to place our faith in God instead of ourselves and our abilities. It’s about reaching the end of us, and reaching out to Him.
I enjoyed the twists to the plot, however, from the start, I kind of had this feeling about how the book would end. It wasn’t clear …. and she certainly kept me guessing for a while, but I did hit the nail on the head.
The one thing that I struggled with, was the timeline. The chapters jumped back and forth, roughly spanning a decade and also in the same year kind of back and forth between the months. As it all wrapped up in the end, it made sense, but it seemed a little hard for me to follow. However, that being said, I am not sure how the author could have written it any differently and still come to the same conclusion in the same way.
I would definitely recommend this book if you enjoy mystery, suspense and psychological thrillers.
I received this book from Celebrate Lit, and the publisher, but was not asked or required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
This book takes readers on a roller coaster ride with thrills and suspense at every turn. The author delivers a powerful story of survival and overcoming fear. i loved the main character and thought she was brave, intelligent and determined. Denilyn has been through a traumatic event that has caused her to live in fear. She is paralyzed at times to even venture outside for fun. The details of her attack are terrifying and gave me chills. Being stalked would make anyone paranoid and Denilyn will have to face danger after danger as someone closes in on her once again. It begins to take an emotional toil on her and she starts to think she imagining things.
I loved the way the author told the story from present to past. It lets readers see a glimpse of what happened and how Denilyn has tried to overcome her fears. I thought it was fascinating that she wrote a book about bullies. A stalker really is a bully that wants to have power over you. Terror finds Denilyn years later and mysterious things start happening again. The author does a good job of showing how a person deals with danger and the support system that is vital to Denilyn.
The addition of Adelia to the mix was very intriguing. What do these two women have in common? Will Denilyn be able to finally find peace or will her past continue to haunt her? There is much more intricate parts to this story that are revealed slowly. I felt like Denilyn was on the verge of losing control at times and loved how she reached out for help. I thought about the people surrounding Denilyn and wondered if they could all be trusted.
There are times in the book where i felt the author might have dragged the story out a bit too long. I wanted to know more about Willow and she seemed to be an afterthought at the end of the book. To me she was an important part of Denilyn’s story and helped put the suspicion on the right person. Overall the book was good and it definitely delivered a chilling account of stalking that had me glued to my seat. It is a hard book to put down and I had to finish the book because I had to know if Denilyn would survive.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Wow! This book will certainly be making my top reads for 2019 list! Incredible! With just the right blend of predictability mixed with the totally unexpected, Convergence is a page-turner you won’t be able to put down!
Deni is a psychologist who deals with crippling fear and panic attacks following a traumatic event in her past. I will allow you to find out the details yourself when you read, but in the story Deni has to deal with analyzing if the fear she is experiencing is her PTSD acting up, or if she has truly found herself in danger again. Unfortunately when she faced her initial trauma, she didn’t have the emotional or physical support she should have had. Instead, her fears including actual threats were dismissed which lead to a whole new gamut of emotional turmoil. Now years later, she has an even larger hurtle to determine if should trust her instincts or not.
Several years ago when I was in high school I dealt with a guy who started to stalk me. It started out when I met him in the hallway one day and said hello to him while walking to my class. I had seen him before but didn’t know who he was. I was just being polite. Immediately after that he started showing up almost everywhere including my work. He would hug me for too long as if I was his girlfriend. I wouldn’t hug him back but I wouldn’t fight him because I was afraid to make a scene. He would show up at my lunch table with my friends and have his hands on me. Multiple times he would show up with his hand in a bandage and say it was because he lost his cool and either punched a locker or wall or whatever happened to be in front of him. One day I saw the evidence of him punching a hole through a wall. So needless to say, I was afraid of him. I told my friends I didn’t want him near me and he scared me, but he acted really sly and they thought he was just nice. They even laughed about it and said they thought he was cool. I won’t share any more details, but I will say that eventually they saw his true colors too and I was able to get him to leave me alone. I share this because this story really brought me back to that (So yes, this story CAN be a strong PTSD trigger). I wanted him to leave me alone but the people I thought would support me thought I was being unreasonable. It made me question myself if I was over-reacting or if he was a real threat. These are the types of thoughts that ran through Deni’s mind, as her husband–the person who was supposed to be her biggest supporter and protector– dismissed her fears and was absent when she needed him most. Sometimes the wounds from those we love are actually the ones that scar us the most.
This story is full of twists and turns and is sure to keep your mind racing. This is my first time reading a book by Ginny Yttrup, but from what I’ve read this is her first book in the Christian suspense/thriller genre and I never would have guessed. She writes like a truly seasoned suspense pro! This story had me on the edge of my seat and I highly recommend as a must-read!
*I received a copy of this book through CelebrateLit and NetGalley. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.
Convergence
Denilyn and Adelia are both in danger. A person already in prison but is he the only on involved? The book covers things happening in 2017 and goes back to 2009. Each chapter a different character.
I did at times have a heard time keeping up with when I reading about Denilyn or Adelia. Besides that I found the book fast reading and exciting.
The book also covers PTSD which is something a lot of people deal. Both of the characters definitely had a lot to deal with that would cause it.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review. This is my own opinion.
Dr. Denilyn Rossi is a courageous and determined lady as she strives to overcome her fears following being stalked and attacked a few years ago. As a psychology professor, Deni realizes she is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. A friend advises Deni, “I don’t think trust is a feeling. I believe it’s a choice. And on those days when doubt plagues me, I ask for His help to believe what I can’t see. That’s faith, believing what we can’t see. And in this world, we can’t always see goodness.” When new trauma begins happening, Deni determines that she is the only one who can draw out the man threatening to destroy her and her family. This time Deni faces danger relying on God rather than herself. If you enjoy suspense with very romance, you will love Convergence by Ginny L. Yttrup. I received this book from NetGalley and Barbour Publishing. This is my honest opinion.
3.5 Stars
I’m kind of torn about this book. There were things I really liked about it and others that left me scratching my head a little bit. But, as a first attempt and suspense (note the lack of “romantic” in that description), Ginny L. Yttrup most definitely strung me along enough that I had to keep reading to find out exactly what was going on.
Let’s start with those head scratchers. First, there are three storylines happening—one in 2009, one in early 2017, and another (with another person’s POV) mid 2017. While that got a bit clunky here and there, for the most part, it worked as the events of 2009 were unveiled as Denilyn deals with what’s happening in her present life. Next, I had a bit of an issue with the ending. There was so much build up to the climax of Convergence—reveals and revelations, conversations, and preparation—then, boom!, it’s over in two or three pages. I would have liked more explanation with and from the stalker.
That said, even though I had an inkling of what was going on that grew as the story progressed, Yttrup managed to throw a couple of surprises I didn’t see coming at me, which Is tough to do with me. And the intensity of this book, the anticipation of discovering first what happened in 2009 as well as when everything will converge in the present-day storyline, made it hard to put the book down.
Overall, a solid enough attempt at suspense that I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up another book by Yttrup in for the plat as well as to watch her growth in this genre.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
What a great book! I have never read this author before but I’m sure it won’t be the last time. I can’t believe I read this book in one day. I just couldn’t put it down! Thanks for such a great book!
I stayed up way to late to finish this edge of your seat suspense. At times I was confused but it had a way of drawing me in and sinking me into the raging rapids. Dr. Denilyn Rossi is stronger than she knows and is a wonderful character. I can’t say to much as I don’t want to spoil the book. I just want to say Run don’t walk to buy this one ASAP and then be prepared to not being able to lay it down. This is an engrossing read and has some twists and turns that have your heart racing. Faith is interwoven like a gentle stream tripping over the rocks. Highly recommend.
I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit/author. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
This book had a slow start but it did end up making me wonder what exactly Denilyn and Adelia gone through. It also did flashbacks between different years which I found kind of dizzying to try to make sense of. That part I didn’t like so much. It did present the truth of why you should trust your gut impressions. Denilyn sure wishes she had. Another thing that I found hard to deal with was the bouncing back and forth between the two people like I mentioned. I barely got to know one person and then I barely got to know the other. I didn’t like the choppiness of that. That did change a bit as the story went on and focused more on Denilyn. For me, it just felt like it was all over the place.
One piece of really great advice was when Denilyn’s therapist told her to “Pay attention”. No matter what anyone else said she was advised to pay attention to what she was feeling and sensing. She began to get that exact same phrase from more and more people.
It wasn’t until over more than half-way through that things started to really pick up and make more sense. I did begin to enjoy it more then. Still, I can honestly say that I have mixed feelings about this book.
There are a couple of good twists in the story and I also liked that I could see Denilyn’s faith in God grow.
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”