Stolen

Oct 02, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity by: ARChaeologist's Anonymous

Shelves: adult

"There's just one problem. I didn't start a fucking Facebook page!"

Shay's life has been stolen. Her very identity has been taken over by another person who is bent on destroying her. In this deadly game of cat-and-mouse, who can she trust?

Stolen started strong. The small-town Alaska setting was an instant draw, and the loosely disguised chemistry between Shay and a local bookstore owner had me intrigued enough to want to know more, especially when a dark incident happened out of nowhere that ca...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Becs - Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley-for-review, abused-heroine, alpha-hero, arc, contemporary-romance, dark-angsty, lost-love-rekindled, review-copy, romantic-suspense, shy-heroine, stalker

Wow! This is a dark, twisted shocker of a romantic suspense. With an awesome plot, it would make an incredibly tense film. Hollywood – are you listening??

We have Shay who has suffered a highly traumatic past so awful that she has only patchy memories – her story is slowly revealed to us throughout the novel. She has moved to Alaska to seek solitude and write under the male pseudonym Shane Neill. Very few people know about her alter-ego and she manages to keep her secret life locked down and comm...more Wow! This is a dark, twisted shocker of a romantic suspense. With an awesome plot, it would make an incredibly tense film. Hollywood – are you listening??

We have Shay who has suffered a highly traumatic past so awful that she has only patchy memories – her story is slowly revealed to us throughout the novel. She has moved to Alaska to seek solitude and write under the male pseudonym Shane Neill. Very few people know about her alter-ego and she manages to keep her secret life locked down and communicates only with the few that need to know via the internet. As it turns out, her anonymity will almost be her downfall.

After suffering a car accident and spending some time unconscious in the ICU, Shay returns home to find that someone has started a blog, a Facebook page, a twitter account all in the name of Shane Neill and has even attended a book signing in her absence at the bookstore of her ex-boyfriend Elliot. Elliot knows nothing about her secret author life.

This was an incredibly spine-tingling tale as the faceless imposter attempted to take over Shay’s life with horrifying efficiency. It was really very creepy and quite shocking how easily it was all done with today’s modern technology. I did actually guess what was going on but not until over half way through the story. Shay’s back story is very slowly revealed to us as the novel progresses and it’s a shocker. She has truly suffered. I do enjoy this – a romance novel is not complete for me without the characters suffering and having suffered. I really do enjoy the angst and this book is laden with it.

There’s a kind of desperate sadness about Shay, an acceptance of what she’s become and a grim realisation that she can never truly put the past behind her and find happiness but Elliot is determined that they will be together and he was very much the alpha hero helping Shay fight her demons/dragons and he does finally manage to get through the barrier that she’s built around her emotions.

I have to say that I did find the sudden changes in POV a little confusing – this may have more to do with the formatting of the ebook I received rather than the writing. I knocked it down from 5 stars to 4 because of the incredibly spineless decision that Shay makes towards the end of the book which hurts Elliot badly despite the fact that he has almost made the ultimate sacrifice for her. She’d been so brave up until this point, facing her past and her demons, and the decision she makes seemed to me fairly out of character.

Elliot was a good hero, not overly the top alpha but incredibly patient and persistent with Shay – they’d spent a very chaste year together before he had broken it off as she wouldn’t open up to him but he’d never stopped loving her and his protective instincts swing into action when he realises what is happening to her now.

So, all in all, a very good plot with a much abused heroine and a hero who’s also had his share of nightmares. If you enjoy this then I can highly recommend that you try Shiloh Walker’s Ash and Fragile series.

4 stars romantic suspense

ARC courtesy of Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley

For more of my reviews, please visit my Sinfully Sexy Book Blog (less)

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Sep 29, 2012 Ian rated it 4 of 5 stars

"I miss you."
Closing her eyes, she whispered, "Don't."
His lips brushed across the side of her brow. "Don't what? Tell you that I miss you? Miss us?"

As a young child Shay was brutalized, physically and emotionally. Her life since has been one of hiding from her past. A past so traumatic that she cannot share it, not even with Elliot, the man she loves.
But when she discovers someone has been stalking her, systematically taking over her life and targeting those few people she cares about, she has...more

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Sep 22, 2012 BamaGal rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss, romantic-suspense

3.5 Stars. This story started really well; it grabbed my attention right from the beginning. It had a smart, interesting h with a big secret; and a strong supportive H. Shay had previously been involved with Elliot; but the relationship had ended before the beginning of the book. Elliot had broken off with Shay because he was unable to get close to her. She continued to hold herself away from him; and he couldn’t continue a relationship where Shay didn’t trust him enough to open up to him. He di...more
3.5 Stars. This story started really well; it grabbed my attention right from the beginning. It had a smart, interesting h with a big secret; and a strong supportive H. Shay had previously been involved with Elliot; but the relationship had ended before the beginning of the book. Elliot had broken off with Shay because he was unable to get close to her. She continued to hold herself away from him; and he couldn’t continue a relationship where Shay didn’t trust him enough to open up to him. He did, however, still love her deeply; and was right there when her problems surfaced.

Shay was living a hidden, reclusive life in Earth’s End, Alaska. She had survived a very abusive past, which she didn’t want to catch up with her; and was living under an assumed name. Unknown but to a handful of people; she was also a mystery book author, writing under a male name. Strange things started to happen. Someone has begun to pretend to be her. They had started blogs and a FaceBook page in her name; and even showed up at book signings pretending to be her. When she attempted to take back control of her life, this unknown person gets very personal, and begins to stalk her. At this point, she turns to Elliot for help in reclaiming her life and identity.

This was where the book started falling apart for me. The premise was fascinating, the execution less so. Way too much time was spent on the setup of the story where Shay discovers that someone is pretending to her. The plotline drags along very slowly; and it is way too long before anything actually starts to happen. The identity of the stalker was no secret, it came out out early in the book; but it took forever for Shay to actually take steps to do anything about this person.

The biggest problem I had with the book; and what killed the enjoyment of the story was the fragmentation of the writing. Walker constantly changed the scenes and character POV’s without any kind of preparation or notice to the reader. Shay and Elliot could be talking to each other for a few paragraphs; then the story suddenly switched to the stalker or another set of characters carrying on a conversation. I would be confused and start to reread a paragraph until I realized the author had suddenly move to another scene without any notice at all. This ruined the book for me, as I never really could keep up with what was going on very well; and I was incredibly frustrated with the whiplash style changing of scenes, who was talking, or what was going on.

This was not a bad book; it had a very interesting premise and conclusion; but the writing execution left something to be desired. The slow pacing in the middle portion left me waiting for something to finally happen; and the lightning quick and unexpected changes in scenes and characters with nothing to let the reader know a change was coming left me often confused and lost. I must note here that the version I read was not necessarily the final version of the book. Some of these issues that frustrated me may be fixed by the released version.

ARC provided by Edelweiss and Random House(less)

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Apr 09, 2013 Lexxie (un)Conventional Bookviews rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: thrill-seekers

Shelves: arc, edelweiss, romance, suspense, strong-female-protgagonist, fave-2012, read-in-2012

*ARC received from Edelwiess on August 20th 2012* Publication date October 30th 2012.

O.M.G. this is one of the most twisted and sordid tales I've read in a while. And at the same time it actually has some really sweet romance. How is that even possible?

Full review can be found on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews.

I tweeted Shiloh Walker about being freaked out and she answered, and ever since, I've been wondering if that was really her... or someone else *cue creepy music*

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Sep 23, 2012 Mad Scientist rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, adult, netgalley

3.5 STARS **I wrote my review and slept on it. Sorry, after I thought about it. I forgot about some elements that weren't so wonderful. Reviewing can just be so hard to at times.**

A Concoction of a Review:

This is the Mad Scientist's very first Shiloh Walker book. *Gasps* I know! The shame of it. I must say that this one was a good start, leaving me wanting to read some more by Shiloh Walker!

Now here is the hard part. Writing a review as to not give away all of the fun stuff of this Romantic Susp...more 3.5 STARS **I wrote my review and slept on it. Sorry, after I thought about it. I forgot about some elements that weren't so wonderful. Reviewing can just be so hard to at times.**

A Concoction of a Review:

This is the Mad Scientist's very first Shiloh Walker book. *Gasps* I know! The shame of it. I must say that this one was a good start, leaving me wanting to read some more by Shiloh Walker!

Now here is the hard part. Writing a review as to not give away all of the fun stuff of this Romantic Suspense novel. It gripped me so much that even though I was flipping the pages fast, the Mad Scientist was held in gripping rapture. The whole story was tense.

Our lovely lady of the novel, Shay, has been hiding from her inner dragons for most of her life. She even moved herself all the way to the frozen wasteland of Earth's End, Alaska. She has been abused, cut, raped and much more by her step father, oh the horror of her young life! Due to this, she has created a life where she can keep herself away from as much human contact as possible. Creating a pen name she writes thriller novels from the scenes of personal nightmares. (A job so many of us dream of!)

We must give our dear Shay a hand *claps*. My dear girl found herself a wonderful smexy man, Elliot. A smexy man who owns a bookstore! She didn't slay all of her inner dragons and had a very hard time opening up to him, creating sexual tension all over the pages. But just to overcome all of the nasties done to her enough to move on and find some is for a person with a strong inner self.

However, the story quickly messes with Shays life. A psychotic stalker starts to tear apart her life. That is really where all of the suspense was held. The focus on Shay is shown to make you understand why it is happening, yet, it is twisted beyond horrific proportions!

The beginning of the book started off strong for me. About 60% there was a lull for me. I was waiting for something drastic to happen or for the book to wrap up. Personally, I was thinking it could of been better by knocking off 50 pages. Here is my update while reading. "Ok... about page 298 (about 70% I'm guessing, reading off of NOOK and the page count is only showing 277) and I officially past up the twist that I was desperately hoping for. Not what I was expecting but it is a huge twist! Watch for it." Still the book was longer then really needed.

I have a two small dislikes... The word 'fuck' just way too many times. Elliot you are a naughty boy! Plus, she ran out on him after he took a bullet for him. *Poppycock* That boy loves you!

**Thanks to NetGalley & Ballantine Books of Random House Publishing Group for the ability to read & review this book which has which so ever did not influence or bend my thoughts in any manner. All Mad thoughts are presented in right mind by the twisted brain of the Mad Scientist!**(less)

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Nov 06, 2012 Tori smexys_sidekick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, dark, read-in-2012, review-for-smexybooks, romance-suspense, tortured-heroine, violence

Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2012/11/review-...

Favorite Quote: “It’s not a game of winning or losing. I know that much. She’s dead. I’m alive. In the end, that’s the thing that matters. Isn’t it?”

Shay Morgan, a mystery author who writes under a pen name, was horrifically abused as a child and an adult. Major trust issues have forced her to live her life only connected to the word through the internet and phone. When she goes to a bookstore and sees her books, with a sign claiming s...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Saly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2nd-chance-at-love, celibate-hero, cops-law-enforcement-security, read-in-2012, romantic-suspense, single-titles

Rating 3.25 stars
Being a private individual is not bad but that is the thing that comes to bite reclusive writer Shay. After an accident she has been slowly recovering when she learns disturbing things, someone is claiming to be her author alter-ego Shane Neil, all over social media sites and has even visited bookstores especially Elliot's, her ex, her agent too refuses to take her calls.

Shay is a deeply troubled woman and she has reason to be, her life has been one nightmare after the other and...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Kathleen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: currently-reading-arc

Review posted at: Swept Away By Romance

Story Rating-3 Stars
Character Rating-3 Stars
Romance Rating-3.5 Stars
Heat Level-3 Stars
Overall Rating-3 Stars

I have read and liked a lot of Shiloh Walker's books; however this book was just okay. It had some good parts, but overall it did not really grab me. I found it way too easy to set the book down.

I never really did care too much for the heroine, Shay. She really had some very wicked and evil things happen to her in her childhood, and then once again in...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Dianne Socci-Tetro rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: galleys-arcs

Stolen by Shiloh Walker

This could have been classified as a ‘horror’ novel - the heck with trying to classify it as romantic/ suspense. As a matter of fact this book takes what are the normal rules for a romance and pretty much throws them all out the window. This book is written in a manner that very much reminded me of a Nora Roberts novel and I couldn’t seem to get by this similarity, “Angels Falls”.

While this was a good novel and its idea should have been great; I found that I wasn’t as ent...more

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Nov 01, 2012 GraceDZ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, romantic-suspense, psychological-thriller, adult-fiction, mystery

Review posted at Sam, E and R's Awesomness!

A Chilling Romantic Suspense Thriller!

Stolen is a standalone romantic suspense novel from Shiloh Walker. It just so happens to be my first experience of reading any of her novels, and let me tell you that it won't be my last.

Right from the start the mystery surrounding Shay Morgan begins. Shay lives in Earth's End, Alaska. She pretty much keeps to herself and lives a reclusive life, but for good reason! I won't go too much into the plot, but Shay has ha...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Stephanie Collins rated it 5 of 5 stars

As I try to write this in such a way as to not give away spoilers… This was an awesome read that kept me wondering who was behind it all thru the entire read. I loved the main pair and their love story was heart wrenchingly beautiful.

Shay has been in hiding for most of her life either from her abusive stepfather or life in general. She keeps her dragons at bay by writing under a pen name and cutting off 99% of human contact. She fell in love with Elliot but due to her own issues lost him because...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Ally rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, ebook, netgalley, romantic-suspense

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Originally posted at Swept Away Again

Shay Morgan has stayed hidden for a long time. Living a reclusive life in Earth’s End, Alaska, she’s as far away as she can get from the trauma of her childhood and the man who hurt her long ago. But terror takes over Shay’s life yet again when an unknown stalker steals away the fragile peace she’s built for herself—targeting not only her but the one man who’s ever managed to get past the walls she’s built around herself.
Elliot Winter has lived through being...more Originally posted at Swept Away Again

Shay Morgan has stayed hidden for a long time. Living a reclusive life in Earth’s End, Alaska, she’s as far away as she can get from the trauma of her childhood and the man who hurt her long ago. But terror takes over Shay’s life yet again when an unknown stalker steals away the fragile peace she’s built for herself—targeting not only her but the one man who’s ever managed to get past the walls she’s built around herself.
Elliot Winter has lived through being falsely accused before—it ruined his military career. Now it’s happening all over again. And this time, his accuser is a twisted impostor who’s targeting his ex-girlfriend, Shay. Despite a fierce mutual attraction, Shay and Elliot broke up because Shay couldn’t let her guard down, couldn’t let Elliot in. But now they both need to trust each other to confront a psycho who seems to know all their secrets.

I really enjoy Shiloh Walker's Romantic Suspense stories and I loved the first three quarters of Stolen. The set-up with Shay and her relationship with Elliot began before the start of the book so you go into the story with a started storyline but their situation is quite nicely explained at the beginning of the book, so you don't feel left behind. Yet is quickly gets complicated between Shay and Elliot when Shay's unknown and quite creepy stalker starts causing problems for Elliot.

Although Shay enjoys the quiet life I really enjoyed how she did what she could to help save Elliot's reputation and to make a stand for her own life, even though at times she didn't always feel like she was living. I enjoyed seeing Shay come out of her shell and start to not just open up but to start to live a little more in the present. Elliot was really great for Shay and they are both such tough characters that really appealed to me.

However much I enjoyed Stolen I have to say the ending made me rather... sad. The ending split me in two and either side I looked at didn't leave me with a positive outlook for Shay and Elliot's happier ever after.

Shay and Elliot overcame so much and really bonded or so Elliot and I thought but then Shay goes and ruins it. Part of me wanted Elliot to wait and for Shay to realise her mistake and come crawling back. Which sadly didn't happen, so yet again Elliot has to go looking for Shay and talk some sense into her. Which I'm sure is meant to make some reader's think that now Shay is secure in her feelings for Elliot and everything has been set to rights they will have their HEA. But I didn't get that feeling with the ending. I felt that yet again Elliot had to convince Shay that everything would be ok and because this hadn't changed throughout the book that it most likely wouldn't change in their HEA. Which I think is mostly closer to the truth because of everything Shay suffered she's never, or for a really long time going to be just ok, she's always going to need reassurance, she's always going to have these flight feelings and I get that but Shay grew so much throughout the book I felt that she should have been strong enough to stay with Elliot of her own accord and not have Elliot hunt her down and ease her fears.
Or maybe I'm looking at it too deeply.

The villain in Stolen was in a weird and twisted way brilliant! Ms Walker did a wonderful job writing the villain and getting the villain to twist things for Shay. The villain at times was creepy and twisted yet later you could, I was going to say sympathise with the villain but that's not true for me, but I could see what had happened and how it had in a sense made the villain a villain.

Overall, Stolen was another interesting romantic suspense from Ms Walker and I will continue to read them just for the interesting characters and brilliantly written villains.(less)

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Nov 17, 2012 Jenn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romantic-suspense

There's so much I loved about this book. The concept alone is scary enough in this world of identity theft. Shay is such a deliciously tortured heroine. I love the dark and twisty. And Shiloh Walker is really good at dark & twisty characters. I've always enjoyed them far more than her paranormal Huntress books. Shay is reclusive because of her childhood and then her life is taken over by someone claiming to be her. There's her past relationship with Elliot who was wondrously sexy and determi...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Monica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Let me start by saying I really enjoyed her previous If You... Romantic suspense trilogy.

For me, Stolen started out interesting enough, but got quite boring for me towards the last third. I understand that the main character's memories were suppressed, but that doesn't mean two plus two doesn't equal four in present day. Her denial really got on my nerves, and the book probably could have ended at least 100 pages sooner to get the story across.

It wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't great. I'm...more

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Nov 11, 2012 cupcake rated it 3 of 5 stars

If you want to go some place where you are not likely to be found, you might want to try Earth's End, Alaska. That's what Shay Morgan determines when she decides to escape a torturous, abusive life in Arizona. The good news about Earth's End is that Elliot Winter is there ... and Elliot Winter is HOT.

Shay lives alone and pens novels under the pseudonym of Shane Neill, whom many assume is a man. Despite having dated Elliot, she never let him in on the whole Shane Neill thing - and Elliott owns a...more If you want to go some place where you are not likely to be found, you might want to try Earth's End, Alaska. That's what Shay Morgan determines when she decides to escape a torturous, abusive life in Arizona. The good news about Earth's End is that Elliot Winter is there ... and Elliot Winter is HOT.

Shay lives alone and pens novels under the pseudonym of Shane Neill, whom many assume is a man. Despite having dated Elliot, she never let him in on the whole Shane Neill thing - and Elliott owns a bookstore. In fact, it was Shay's inability to let Elliott in to her life that caused their break up.

Now, however, Shay needs him, even if she doesn't realize it herself. The book opens with her returning home after spending three weeks in the hospital for injuries sustained in an accident. She has scarce memory of what got her there, and even scarcer memory of her childhood As the book unfolds, we discover that someone is pretending to be Shane Neill and that even Earth's End is not far away enough.

There is the mystery part of this story - who is pretending to be Shay's alter ego and why - and there is the romance. When Elliot and Shay reconnect, they do so passionately. Each has trust issues; Shay is not the only one who has had a rough go, and Elliot's problems continue to haunt him. Thanks to her history, Shay needs a man who moves with a slow hand, and Elliot, who loves her desperately, wants to be that man. By the time the headboard rockin' begins, we have waited for it, and the payoff is HOT. Elliot knows what to do, girls. He knows where to go, how to get there, and what to do upon arrival (and departure).

As the mystery deepens, so do Elliot's and Shay's feelings. But you cannot forget that each has endured a sort of trauma, so nothing will come easily for these two.

Much about this book is very good. Shay and Elliot's relationship moves realistically, and you can't help but like the two of them. The mystery is not as difficult to uncover as it should be; what becomes a greater mystery is the "why" question, but even that is solved fairly easily. The sex scenes are good, if not too few in number (yes, that old complaint again). I guess my biggest issue with this book is the ease with which some of the problems are dispatched.

Still, though, part of the mystery is strong, and those sex scenes are hot. And that counts for something, non?

Published on cupcake's book cupboard. @VivaAmaRisata
Thanks to edelweiss for the preview.(less)

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Nov 10, 2012 Melinda (Paranormal Kiss) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy, romance-suspense

http://paranormalkiss.webs.com/apps/b...

Stolen by Shiloh Walker is a gripping novel. It is dark, intense and at times disturbing. The heroine, Shay Morgan has some truly horrific moments in her past. She has gotten past those times as best as she can but in some ways she is still crippled by them. Her relationship with Elliot ended because she couldn’t open up to him and share more of herself with him. She felt her baggage was too much for another to handle when she herself has a hard time with...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Guilty Pleasures rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: guiltypleasures-shey

Shey's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

5 Stars

Shiloh Walker’s STOLEN took me on a rollercoaster ride of epic portions! Hands in the air, mouth open, stomach dropping and tears flowing at times. Page after page it didn’t stop and as I finished in one day I was left breathless.

Shay is strong yet so very vulnerable at the same time. You want to support and cheer for her but also cry as she goes through such an emotional journey.

After suffering through traumatic events as a teen that l...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Pam Godwin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-netgalley

This romantic thriller kicked off with a threatening tone that promised enigmatic and sinister scenes ahead, and I was not disappointed. The premise, the malicious identity theft of the reclusive author and heroine, sustained a suspenseful and eerie sensation throughout which kept me wholly engaged. The more I understood this guarded heroine, the more I sympathized with her paranoia and confusion. I feared she may never recover if her memories fully surfaced. But she had Elliot and he adored her...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: earc, kindle

This is my first Shiloh Walker book. I have heard really good things about her books so i was excited to give one a try. I do enjoy my romantic suspense but this book is one of those that kicks it up a notch in the intensity. Shay first four years of life is pretty much a blank. She can't remember but tiny bits and pieces. Just enough to haunt her. Her step father blamed her for something but she wasn't sure what. She was taken in at age 4 by a wonderful social worker and adopted. All that chang...more This is my first Shiloh Walker book. I have heard really good things about her books so i was excited to give one a try. I do enjoy my romantic suspense but this book is one of those that kicks it up a notch in the intensity. Shay first four years of life is pretty much a blank. She can't remember but tiny bits and pieces. Just enough to haunt her. Her step father blamed her for something but she wasn't sure what. She was taken in at age 4 by a wonderful social worker and adopted. All that changed when she hit 16 and her step father got out of prison and found her. He beat her adoptive mother to death and kidnapped her and did terrible things before she got away. Two years later when her stepfather was sent back to prison for what he did she simply disappeared. Now in Alaska she's write of thrillers. She pretty much thinks she's anonymous. Only 2 people know who she was back then. Doesn't mean she's still not having trouble dealing with everything. She has nightmares about her past that she can't explain. Luckily she has a wonderful man named Elliot though and when things get really bad he's there to help her. It didn't take very long to figure out who the bad guy was in this book so i kept waiting for me to be wrong lol. It didn't happen but there is still a bit of a twist towards the end even though it's not really a big revelation how it comes out. This book is gritty and intense in some places. Little more than i like but pushing beyond what your used to is always a good thing. The characters are well fleshed out and you just want to hug Shay. Shay may have some pretty big demons in her closet but Elliot has a couple as well that they have to deal with. Shiloh Walker does a thorough job and getting all the details right. My one small problem would be it lagged just a little about halfway through or more. I knew who the bad guy was but it seemed to take to long before the characters did anything logical about it. It is fiction though so it isn't a what would i have done thing. lol

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Oct 31, 2012 Christi Snow rated it 5 of 5 stars

My Review:

Personally, I would put this book beyond the romantic suspense genre and move it more into the psychological thriller arena.

Shay has one messed up past. A lot of the issue is that even though she has the mental and physical scars, she really doesn't remember most of what happened to her. Her mind has protected her from it. That doesn't change the daily fear that she lives with though. She's basically a hermit, always trying to protect her identity and make herself as non-noteworthy as...more My Review:

Personally, I would put this book beyond the romantic suspense genre and move it more into the psychological thriller arena.

Shay has one messed up past. A lot of the issue is that even though she has the mental and physical scars, she really doesn't remember most of what happened to her. Her mind has protected her from it. That doesn't change the daily fear that she lives with though. She's basically a hermit, always trying to protect her identity and make herself as non-noteworthy as possible. The one thing that has set her apart is her writing. She took up writing because it was a career she could do without having to interact with people, and became really successful at it. She wrote under a male pseudonym so no one would realize who she was, but now someone is out there impersonating her online and in bookstores and she's not happy about it.

In the midst of all this is her ex-boyfriend Elliot. He broke up with her because she wouldn't share with him her secrets from her past. The break-up has devastated both of them and when she finds herself needing him and confiding in him, he wonders if he wished for much more than he could handle. His devastation at what she reveals is extremely moving. Everything about their relationship truly is. There's a LOT of emotional and physical angst here...you know I love angst right?? Shiloh does it really beautifully. Just the perfect balance of emotional trauma vs. emotional beauty as they find safety in each other. I LOVED that aspect of this story.

Shay has lived through so much and her emotional trauma is such that she doesn't know how to depend on another person. It would have been so easy for Shiloh to have written her character where she made bad moves because of this, but she didn't. She created Shay to be a strong AND SMART character...and she knows and for the most part, accepts, when she needs Elliot. I loved that.

I've always heard how amazing Shiloh Walker's romantic suspense writing is and, although I have several of her books in my TBR pile, I've never had the chance to read one. I am so happy that this was my first because it was a great one. The suspense line is really fabulously written....a great balance between knowing what's going on, but still finding surprise in the little details of why it's happening. In the end I loved that the "bad-guy" was truly evil...to the core and our hero was a true alpha through the pain of it all. LOVE...*sigh*. Just a great read. I recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
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Oct 23, 2012 Meagan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Let me just start by saying, I won this book right here on goodreads.
I was so excited, I never win anything!
When It came in the mail, I ran around the house cheering and nearly wet me pant's.
Let me say that for a women who has had 4 children that was nearly a very real possibility.
You should have heard me when I opened the cover and found that Ms Walker, actually knew my name.
She had personalised it.
So Ms Walker if your reading this, let me tell you how much that meant to me,
Thank you,Thank you,...more

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Oct 11, 2012 The BookWhisperer rated it 1 of 5 stars

I started this book because I thought the synopsis sound intriguing; Shay who has a dark past and Elliot who is ex-military tries to figure out the secrets behind Shay’s dark past. I could not get into unfortunately. To me, it was very predictable and felt unrealistic. From the background that the character Shay has, I was surprised that she would be so reserved one moment and then completely open the next. Another problem was how Shay overlooked Darcy’s character was completely beyond me. I don...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Cris rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5*

Shiloh Walker is a master of dark, visceral romantic suspense and of creating emotionally-scarred, tortured heroes (and heroines). The Rafferty books feature some of the most emotionally-captivating characters I have read, and the Ash trilogy ranks right up there with other dark romantic suspense greats like Allison Brennan or Linda Jackson. Ms. Walker's latest release, STOLEN, is of the same excellent mould: a gripping, wrenching page-turner that delves into some of the darkest recesses of...more 4.5*

Shiloh Walker is a master of dark, visceral romantic suspense and of creating emotionally-scarred, tortured heroes (and heroines). The Rafferty books feature some of the most emotionally-captivating characters I have read, and the Ash trilogy ranks right up there with other dark romantic suspense greats like Allison Brennan or Linda Jackson. Ms. Walker's latest release, STOLEN, is of the same excellent mould: a gripping, wrenching page-turner that delves into some of the darkest recesses of human depravity. An uplifting, fluffy read it is not: even the HEA (it is romance, after all) has a slightly bitter aftertaste from the darkness that precedes it-- as top-notch dark romantic suspense should. And in typical Shiloh Walker fashion, the sexual chemistry between the hero and heroine is scorching.

Heroine Shay Morgan survived unspeakable horrors as a child and escaped to remote Earth's End, Alaska, where she leads the commercially-successful but hermitic life of a thriller writer, plagued by nightmares of her violent past and unable to form lasting interpersonal connections. We are thrown headlong into experiencing and piecing together the suppressed memories of that past with Shay as a psychotic stalker tries to take over her life. Whilst the identity of the 'stalker' wasn't particularly surprising [suspense is less about 'whodunnit' than catching the bad guys anyway], the extent of the villain's psychosis is bone-chilling. The most terrifying part of it-- the villain's motives and behaviour are not at all far-fetched.

Hero Elliot Winter is--perhaps somewhat surprisingly, given Ms. Walker's penchant for tortured heroes-- a solid, stand-up bloke. Apart from his departure from the military after a false sexual assault accusation, he leads a fairly uneventful life owning a bookstore with his sister in Earth's End. And save for one instance of extreme wankerdom when Shay's troubles start, he's the perfect, steadfast counterpoint to Shay's horror. There's nothing sexier than a man that supports his woman as she faces her worst nightmares and slays her dragons rather than insisting on doing it himself-- and Elliot has that in spades. Seeing the two of them reconnect and figure out how to make their relationship work is the perfect complement to the suspense.

Personal pet peeve: overuse of 'fuck' and 'shit', particularly as interjections. Nothing against the words themselves, but I notice their very extensive use every time I read a Shiloh Walker novel in a way I don't with other authors.

[Thanks to Random House for providing an eARC of this book (via NetGalley) prior to publication](less)

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Oct 13, 2012 Felicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read, 3-5-wine-glasses

Read for Review (Edelweiss)
Overall Rating: 3.50
Story Rating: 3.00
Character Rating: 4.00

Fall Funk Reviews (Quick and Dirty because I am in a Review Writing Funk)

First Thought When Finished: Stolen started off very strong but kind of lost its way towards the end.

What I Thought of the Story: Stolen has a fantastic premise and the first half delivers. I was totally sucked in and couldn't wait to see how it unfolded. Unfortunately about half way through the story lost its gusto and just didn't quite...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, review, rom-suspense

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/10/25/...

I’ve been a longtime fan of Walker, but her new romantic suspense books have launched her into a whole new stratosphere for me. Stolen was no exception.

Shay’s early life wasn’t easy. She doesn’t remember most of it and the memories she does have are ugly and brutal. She never thought her past would catch up with her in small town Alaska, but when someone starts pretending to be her author persona, Shay fears the worst.

Elliott...more Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/10/25/...

I’ve been a longtime fan of Walker, but her new romantic suspense books have launched her into a whole new stratosphere for me. Stolen was no exception.

Shay’s early life wasn’t easy. She doesn’t remember most of it and the memories she does have are ugly and brutal. She never thought her past would catch up with her in small town Alaska, but when someone starts pretending to be her author persona, Shay fears the worst.

Elliott is devastated things didn’t work out with Shay, especially since he’s still in love with her. And when she finally begins to open up about her past, everything is so much worse than he imagined. But he’s determined to prove to Shay he wants to be with her, regardless of her past. As Shay’s stalker gets close and her life is on the line, Elliott can only wonder if they will make it out together.

Walker does an incredible job of keeping the suspense high in her books. While I was pretty sure early on who the bad guy was, the twists and turns with that particular character absolutely took me by surprise. And there is nothing better than a romantic suspense author who can still keep me guessing to the very end. The way the story unfolded and how the truth was revealed was absolutely brilliant and Walker’s part.

There were times that the romance between Shay and Elliott really frustrated me. I could somewhat understand Elliott’s reluctance to stay with Shay because of her inability to open up to him, and once she did open up, he really stuck it out by her side. But Shay was almost impossible. She had some pretty outlandish reasons for keeping Elliott at arms length, and even worse ones for pushing him away. There were times I wanted Elliott to just throw her over his shoulder and caveman off with her.

While I knew her traumatic past influenced her actions and feelings, it was still a little frustrating to read. However, the memories from her past really were awful and horrific. I’m always amazed at how twisted and warped Walker’s mind can be when creating some of these backstories in her romantic suspense books. I can’t imagine becoming a functioning adult if I went through the same past as Shay, so a part of me understands her desire to stay a recluse. But it was still hard to read at times.

I think the suspense was so well done in this book! There were times when I just didn’t know what to think, didn’t know who could be trusted, and was left scratching my head. I love when a book can do that to me, so needless to say, it was definitely a strong point! I don’t want to give anything away, but the twist regarding the identity of the villain and how Walker tied it all back together was pure genius. Seriously!

All in all this is another stellar romantic suspense book from Walker. The stakes were high, the action and romance well paced and the suspense kept me at the edge of my seat. The story was twisted and so well done – I adored it. But like I said, I did wish that Shay hadn’t been so off putting, especially after letting Elliott in.
I give Stolen a B+(less)

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Oct 18, 2012 Talk Supe Blogspot rated it 4 of 5 stars

Full review at Talk Supe

If The Net, Single White Female and The Orphan had a ménage a trois and had a baby, that would be STOLEN by Shiloh Walker. This stand-alone novel is suspenseful and will have any reader realize some latent nightmares and paranoia they didn’t even know existed until they’ve read this latest book from SWalker.

I was so absorbed by this story since page 1 and SWalker never let me go until I’ve read the ending. STOLEN is indeed a romantic suspense and a great one at that. I ca...more

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Oct 30, 2012 D.C. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

ABOUT THE BOOK: This thrilling and super sexy novel from bestselling romantic suspense author Shiloh Walker will appeal to fans of Allison Brennan and Linda Howard.

Shay Morgan has stayed hidden for a long time. Living a reclusive life in Earth’s End, Alaska, she’s as far away as she can get from the trauma of her childhood and the man who hurt her long ago. But terror takes over Shay’s life yet again when an unknown stalker steals away the fragile peace she’s built for herself—targeting not only...more ABOUT THE BOOK: This thrilling and super sexy novel from bestselling romantic suspense author Shiloh Walker will appeal to fans of Allison Brennan and Linda Howard.

Shay Morgan has stayed hidden for a long time. Living a reclusive life in Earth’s End, Alaska, she’s as far away as she can get from the trauma of her childhood and the man who hurt her long ago. But terror takes over Shay’s life yet again when an unknown stalker steals away the fragile peace she’s built for herself—targeting not only her but the one man who’s ever managed to get past the walls she’s built around herself.

Elliot Winter has lived through being falsely accused before—it ruined his military career. Now it’s happening all over again. And this time, his accuser is a twisted impostor who’s targeting his ex-girlfriend, Shay. Despite a fierce mutual attraction, Shay and Elliot broke up because Shay couldn’t let her guard down, couldn’t let Elliot in. But now they both need to trust each other to confront a psycho who seems to know all their secrets.

REVIEW: Oh….wow. I think those two words will about sum it up. Now, let me first just say that I am guilty of reading other reviews, if available, before I start in on a piece. I do that cause I review quite a few but even though I do these reviews as a dedicated reader, I still want to enjoy what I read.

So that being said, I saw a few disappointing reviews on this but more so, a lot of really good reviews. I was nervous about which side I would fall in and I have to say this now…I have no idea what some were complaining about. This was a fantastic read and held action all the way till the end. Just when you think Ms. Walker is done with the novel, BAM, she tosses one more thing your way.

Stolen is a lovely piece that touches not only on suspense, but also every author’s and most people’s fears – identity theft.

It was a wonderful read that I had a hard time putting down – sans Hurricane Sandy hitting my state. I would recommend this piece to anyone looking for a different kind of book and one that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Five out of five stars for a great job!
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Jan 03, 2013 Jackie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-e-book, e-book-edition-for-review, read-in-2012

BOOK SYNOPSIS

This thrilling and super sexy novel from bestselling romantic suspense author Shiloh Walker will appeal to fans of Allison Brennan and Linda Howard.

Shay Morgan has stayed hidden for a long time. Living a reclusive life in Earth’s End, Alaska, she’s as far away as she can get from the trauma of her childhood and the man who hurt her long ago. But terror takes over Shay’s life yet again when an unknown stalker steals away the fragile peace she’s built for herself—targeting not only...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Liza rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hands down, Stolen is one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. I was lucky enough to get an early copy from NetGalley. While I love all of Shiloh Walker’s books, she is a master when it comes to romantic suspense. I’ve read mysteries and thrillers all my life and have always been able to figure out the bad guy pretty early in a book/series. This is so not so with Ms. Walker’s books. While I usually have it narrowed down to a few characters, she keeps me guessing until right up to the reveal...more Hands down, Stolen is one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. I was lucky enough to get an early copy from NetGalley. While I love all of Shiloh Walker’s books, she is a master when it comes to romantic suspense. I’ve read mysteries and thrillers all my life and have always been able to figure out the bad guy pretty early in a book/series. This is so not so with Ms. Walker’s books. While I usually have it narrowed down to a few characters, she keeps me guessing until right up to the reveal.

Really can’t say much about the book without giving major information away. I really only feel like I can highlight a few of the characters to keep from putting anything up that will give away the ending.

Shay Morgan: She has lived through hell and come out the other side way stronger than she sees herself. She is happy to have little contact with the outside world except via the computer. She has relived heavily on her assistant, Darcy, who she met and befriended while in college. She has only ever loved one man, but couldn’t open up enough about her past to have a future.

Elliot Winter: He wanted a future with Shay, but needed her to be open about her past first. He still loves her even though they are no longer together and is more than willing to help her out when she needs it.

Darcy Montgomery: She is Shay’s assistant and friend from college. Shay has recently noticed that Darcy is trying to direct her life more than just her career.

Lorna Winter: She has been trying to get Elliot and Shay back together every since they broke up. She has remained friends with Shay and is willing to do anything to help both her friend and her brother.

The official release date for Stolen is October 30, 2012. I highly suggest this book to anyone who enjoys the romantic suspense genre. I warn you in advance to be prepared to read this book in one sitting as it really was hard to put down once I started reading. For more information about Stolen or other books from Shiloh Walker, visit her website.
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