The Poet (The Poet Series, Book One)

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS INFORMATION THAT SOME MAY CONSIDER SPOILERS.

STEPHANIE JO HARRIS

Stats for my copy: Paperback, Gatekeeper Press, 2018.

How acquired: Received from the Publicist for review.

My thoughts: I occasionally get emails from some random author or publicist or the like, offering a book for review. I used to accept every request, but some of those books I ended up DNFing. They're often independently published, not always well written, and I would think to myself uh huh, there's a reason emails are being sent out to try to drum up some interest. But some of those books do sound interesting, such as this one and it's sequel. And the publicist was offering hard copies over digital, which I so much prefer. So I took a chance and accepted the offer.

I was a bit smitten as soon as I opened the package that came in the mail. They aren't the standard mass market size, being a bit larger, but smaller than the standard trade paperback. I liked the size, and the feel of the cover, but initially I set them aside to finish the book I was already in the middle of. I finally picked up this one, the first book, two nights ago.

The writing felt a little stilted, a little mechanical, almost a little distant from it's subject matter. Almost too much narration of each character's movements. But it only took a couple of chapters to start getting into the particular rhythm. One thing that really helps me connect with a character is likability. Wait, two things. And relatability. If I really like a character, and can relate to him or her, I enjoy his or her story more. I didn't relate to Rebecca at all, and while she seemed nice enough I still felt a little distanced from her. We're told quite a bit about her without really getting inside her head. Same with Jack, but with him it seemed more inevitable. As if the author intended me to feel that way about him. Of course, Jack brought up conflicting feelings. Is he a good guy? Is a bad guy, a villain? Can he be both? And then we meet William, and it didn't take much of a leap to figure out who he really was.

All that, and yet the book is imminently readable. 206 pages, which I read in two sittings. The night I first picked it up, I literally read a hundred pages before going to sleep. And then I finished it the next night.

Rebecca meets Jack at a resort, where she is spending her vacation. Alone, because her long time boyfriend bailed on the trip. She's having some quality “me time”, and thinking about their non-relationship. She meets Jack on her last night there, and is quickly drawn to him while being just a little nervous and frightened of him. But before things go very far, he has to leave for awhile. And then all hell breaks loose as men with guns take Rebecca and her fellow vacationers hostage.

It gets a bit violent. At one point Rebecca is in pretty serious danger, fighting for her life, and Jack is skulking around outside, and I kept thinking he was going to burst in and save her at the last moment, but he didn't. She saved herself, and it was freaking awesome. They did meet up shortly after, and he took care of her, took control, cleaned and bandaged her wounds. A johnny-come-lately hero, who did get a second chance to rescue her before the night was over.

Akin to classic film noir, this book was compelling and unputdownable, and I need to end this review so I can go start reading the second book.

Goodreads synopsis: When Rebecca Paige decides to vacation alone at an established resort in the woods, it's a welcome break from her position as the administrator of a psychiatric hospital. Little does she know, the Poet is also visiting this peaceful hideaway, and his motivation is far more sinister.

On the last day of her trip, Rebecca has an unusual encounter with Jack Shelley, the man in the cabin next door. After he leaves, men with guns suddenly descend on the resort and take Rebecca and the other guests hostage. Rebecca is accustomed to dangerous situations at work, but can that help her escape multiple-armed assailants?

Who are these men? What do they want? How are they connected to the man next door?

Who is the Poet?