This contemporary, psychological thriller, is sadly, an engrossing TRUE story. Stranger than fiction, therefore all the more fascinating and cruel. It immediately immerses you in the life of Katherine De Bois, now being hunted by a hired hitman, and still in hiding. As you live the confused flashbacks and experience the love, the loss, the shock and pain with her, she pieces memories together, … together, hoping to understand what just happened and eventually how to come out alive. You can’t help but constantly guess, incorrectly assume, and try to figure out how it ends, and why it all happened.
At first glance it appears a decadent love story, but when you add the word hitman, it is no longer just a romance. But for every loving memory dredged up, they eventually leads to the answers.
Beginning in 2014, as a wonderful and large love story, it quickly turns dark, after her much loved fiancé disappears before her eyes. Katherine is forced into a complex and confusing world of deception, betrayal, hitmen and thugs. Written whilst ill, and reeling in shock at the recent events, she goes back in time, with fresh eyes, revisiting conversations, and events, determined to find the truth and ensure her safety.
She shares her tumultuous journey of how a love story became tangled, ending in a totally unexpected way, leading to unexpected aftershocks, eventually taking her from Australia, across international waters, in an attempt to stay alive, and find the answers that would hold those guilty to account.
Just when everything is perfect, it disappears, leaving you to piece the truth together, and wonder, exactly what did happen to Paul Carter?
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I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review from Hidden Gems.
I, just finished reading this and I’m still reeling from the layer upon layer of evil dished out to so many people. I’m not entirely sure, that my review will even do justice to this story. This isn’t my typical genre, but I have to admit that the title is what grabbed my attention. There is a **TRIGGER** warning at the beginning, for those who have suffered from abuse. The red flags are there.
The story is told from near the end, going back to the beginning. Katherine is meeting the Hitman, at his home, that was hired for $15,000 to kill her. The story, immediately pulls you in, wondering how, what, why and a host of other questions.
Katherine had put an ad on a dating site to pacify friends who thought she should settle down with a good man. Katherine lived by a code of ethics, except no one plans to be blindsided and have their goodness used against them. Katherine started chatting with Paul, and they seemed to click. They set up a lunch date.
The date never happened, he canceled. Paul had an elaborate excuse. He gifted his sons BMWs, and had to go bail out his son, then had to fly on a moments notice for business. Even after standing her up, he managed to schmooze her into meeting him. For all intents and purposes, Paul seemed to be a real catch. He presented himself to be very wealthy, doting, caring, and regular stand up guy. Paul leads Katherine to what he wanted her to hear, were little giveaways were red flags. But, often in romance, we want to believe the best in people, and follow our hearts. Even if our heads scream out warnings. He moved at breathtaking speed in the relationship, often under the guise that when it’s right, it’s right.
In the beginning, Paul spoiled Katherine, he schmoozed her friends, her clients, and even though Katherine hedged and wanted to take the relationship slow; it seemed to be propelled into fast forward. Paul had a way with people. Narcissists usually do, they have an ability to wear two masks. One that is a false-self that is shown to impress others, and the other mask, is reserved for their victims. Narcissists are very good at manipulating.
While Katherine was being lead to believe that she was involved with a wealthy man, who only wanted to be with her and take care of her; her world would turn upside down by daring to question what any woman would feel violated by, the presence of another woman. In this case, it’s bizarre the other woman is said to be dead, but every bit center stage. But, the woman is only a small part, so many more layers to peel, and so many lies to reveal. An engagement party, where guests knew a dark secret, but instead of telling Katherine and sparing her, played along. Shock of shock, to learn that she was part of a plot, before she even knew there was a Paul.
Katherine endures so much! Humiliation, mind games, violence, cruelty upon cruelty, learning that some friends aren’t really true friends, financial ruin, and a Hitman after her because she wanted a happily ever after. Katherine’s story is one of horror and captivation. At the end of the book, Katherine states: “Hear Me Roar.” I hope that ROAR is answered with JUSTICE.