Long and Short Reviews

Stalker From Her Past by Laraine Anne Baker
Awe-Struck E-Books
Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Short Story, Sensual
Review by Chamomile

His words and tone of voice brought her back to the present with a nasty jolt. "Well, of course he's sick in the mind. And therefore what's happened to you will definitely happen to other young women living alone. And eventually it won't be just the woman's home that gets so brutally violated. Can you live with that, Matlin?"

A newspaper report and a knock on her door forces Matlin to remember a terrifying time in her life and plunges her back into that terror. Then, in falling in love with the man who could possibly stop her being murdered, she knows she has endangered his life too. How can she stop him learning of her shameful past and still keep them both safe from the maniac stalking them?

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The suspense begins right away in this attention-grabbing thriller and held me in it's clutches until the end.

Matlin has some deep, dark secret and I felt sympathy for her. I didn't learn about her disturbing past until late in the story, but enough is hinted at to allow me to realize that something truly evil had happened to her as a child. I think the author does a realistic job of depicting her isolated lifestyle and the way she views the world and reacts to it, as a result of her past horrors.

Andreas was a very interesting character to me in that he sees himself one way and others see him quite differently. He would describe himself as selfish, but his friends know him to have a generous spirit, which I could readily see in the sacrifices he makes to ensure Matlin's safety from the very beginning. I love men that give of themselves because it's the right thing to do, and I found Andreas to be especially sexy because it was instinctual rather than deliberate; his motives pure.

Because of all that Andreas does to reassure Matlin, I think it would have strengthened their bond if she had trusted him with her secrets a little earlier in the story. The villain is interesting and complex, but I felt he behaved in a manner that didn't quite live up to his brutally evil portrayal up to the point of the climax of the story. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy the manner in which he receives his just desserts!

Something unique and creative about this story is the first meeting between Matlin and Andreas. I found the situation unsettling because I wasn't sure what Andreas' role would be in the story. Without spoiling it, let me just say that it kept me on the edge of my seat as Matlin is forced to make impossible decisions. As they get to know each other, Matlin's lack of sensual experience and Andreas' tenderness and restraint in trying to protect and shelter her are heart-warming, and further illustrated to me Andreas' strength of character. Stalker from Her Past is a spell-binding adventure with complex characters and a sweet romance that is sure to please.