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Love Gone Mad
When heart surgeon Adrian Douglas and Megan Haggarty, RN, meet at the hospital where they work, neither has any idea of the scorpion's nest into which they've stumbled. Strange and frightening events begin happening to each of them; someone is after them both--and the stalker is not only brilliant and crafty, but vows to exact revenge for the ultimate betrayal. As things spin out of control, Megan and Adrian fight for their lives.
348 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
Mark Rubinstein
31 books816 followersMark Rubinstein graduated from NYU with a degree in business. He then served in the army as a field medic tending to paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division. After discharge, he re-entered NYU as a premed student.
As a medical student at the State University of New York, he developed an interest in psychiatry, discovering in that specialty the same thing he realized in reading fiction: every patient has a compelling story to tell. He became a board-certified psychiatrist.
In addition to his private practice he became a forensic psychiatrist because of the drama and conflict in the courtroom. He also taught psychiatric residents, interns, psychologists, and social workers at New York Presbyterian Hospital, and became a clinical assistant professor at Cornell University’s medical school.
He is a contributor to Psychology Today and The Huffington Post.
Before turning to fiction, Rubinstein coauthored five medical self-help books: The First Encounter: The Beginnings in Psychotherapy (Jason Aronson); The Complete Book of Cosmetic Facial Surgery (Simon and Schuster); New Choices: the Latest Options in Treating Breast Cancer (Dodd Mead); Heartplan: A Complete Program for Total Fitness of Heart & Mind (McGraw-Hill), and The Growing Years: A Guide to Your Child’s Emotional Development from Birth to Adolescence (Atheneum).
Rubinstein's high-octane thriller Mad Dog House was a finalist for the 2012 ForeWord Book Of The Year Award for suspense/thrillers. His 2nd thriller, Love Gone Mad, was published in September 2013 and his novella, The Foot Soldier (November 2013) won the Silver award in the 2014 Benjamin Franklin Awards competition, in the Popular Fiction category. His novel Mad Dog Justice (September 2014), tagged as a "pulse-pounding tale of post-modern paranoia," is a finalist for the 2014 ForeWord Book of the Year Award. His novella, Return to Sandara, won the Gold Medal for suspense/thrillers in the 2015 IPPY Awards. The Lovers' Tango, is a medical and legal thriller about which Michael Connelly said, "The tension on these pages never lets you go. Rubinstein is a born storyteller." The Lovers' Tango has won the Gold Award in Popular Fiction for this year's 2016 IPPA Benjamin Franklin Award.
Bedlam's Door: True Tales of Madness and Hope, was published in September 2016. Beyond Bedlam's Door: True Tales from the Couch and Courtroom was published on May 15, 2017.
Rubinstein's new book MAD DOG VENGEANCE, the 3rd in the Mad Dog Series, will be out on October 15, 2017.
As a medical student at the State University of New York, he developed an interest in psychiatry, discovering in that specialty the same thing he realized in reading fiction: every patient has a compelling story to tell. He became a board-certified psychiatrist.
In addition to his private practice he became a forensic psychiatrist because of the drama and conflict in the courtroom. He also taught psychiatric residents, interns, psychologists, and social workers at New York Presbyterian Hospital, and became a clinical assistant professor at Cornell University’s medical school.
He is a contributor to Psychology Today and The Huffington Post.
Before turning to fiction, Rubinstein coauthored five medical self-help books: The First Encounter: The Beginnings in Psychotherapy (Jason Aronson); The Complete Book of Cosmetic Facial Surgery (Simon and Schuster); New Choices: the Latest Options in Treating Breast Cancer (Dodd Mead); Heartplan: A Complete Program for Total Fitness of Heart & Mind (McGraw-Hill), and The Growing Years: A Guide to Your Child’s Emotional Development from Birth to Adolescence (Atheneum).
Rubinstein's high-octane thriller Mad Dog House was a finalist for the 2012 ForeWord Book Of The Year Award for suspense/thrillers. His 2nd thriller, Love Gone Mad, was published in September 2013 and his novella, The Foot Soldier (November 2013) won the Silver award in the 2014 Benjamin Franklin Awards competition, in the Popular Fiction category. His novel Mad Dog Justice (September 2014), tagged as a "pulse-pounding tale of post-modern paranoia," is a finalist for the 2014 ForeWord Book of the Year Award. His novella, Return to Sandara, won the Gold Medal for suspense/thrillers in the 2015 IPPY Awards. The Lovers' Tango, is a medical and legal thriller about which Michael Connelly said, "The tension on these pages never lets you go. Rubinstein is a born storyteller." The Lovers' Tango has won the Gold Award in Popular Fiction for this year's 2016 IPPA Benjamin Franklin Award.
Bedlam's Door: True Tales of Madness and Hope, was published in September 2016. Beyond Bedlam's Door: True Tales from the Couch and Courtroom was published on May 15, 2017.
Rubinstein's new book MAD DOG VENGEANCE, the 3rd in the Mad Dog Series, will be out on October 15, 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
May 3, 2013
How could I not love this book. I slaved over it. It's a work of love.
August 16, 2013
Love Gone Bad...because that's what this book is...bad
Two-Sentence Premise: Man and woman meet at work and fall in love, only to be stalked by the woman's psycho ex-husband. Horror-movie plot twists ensue.
What Worked: The first few chapters felt promising, with a vibe of "what's happening here?"
What Didn't Work: Everything after the first few chapters. The two main characters were thinly drawn and much too archetypal. There was no real emotional connection with them. Plus, their dialogue was so stilted and contrived that soap opera writers would be embarrassed. Rubinstein also created in the mad, delusional ex-husband, a "baddie" of mythic proportions, so much so that the guy really came off as a horror movie scare. Because the narrative is written in the present tense (e.g. She runs... They laugh...) the novel reads a bit like a script for a horror film, complete with all the predictable chase scenes and tension-filled moments. Even the "just when you thought it was safe" motif at the end felt staid and tired.
Overall: Interestingly, I found the author's acknowledgments at the very end to be enlightening, as I noted that a significant theme of the novel was around mental health and the law--can you legally prove insanity? Is insanity a viable excuse for committing a crime? Can a legally insane person be cured? In this respect, the book does raise some interesting questions about how the American judicial system and mental health field make for an uneasy marriage. If only the plot, characters and writing lived up to the potential of those thorny questions.
Two-Sentence Premise: Man and woman meet at work and fall in love, only to be stalked by the woman's psycho ex-husband. Horror-movie plot twists ensue.
What Worked: The first few chapters felt promising, with a vibe of "what's happening here?"
What Didn't Work: Everything after the first few chapters. The two main characters were thinly drawn and much too archetypal. There was no real emotional connection with them. Plus, their dialogue was so stilted and contrived that soap opera writers would be embarrassed. Rubinstein also created in the mad, delusional ex-husband, a "baddie" of mythic proportions, so much so that the guy really came off as a horror movie scare. Because the narrative is written in the present tense (e.g. She runs... They laugh...) the novel reads a bit like a script for a horror film, complete with all the predictable chase scenes and tension-filled moments. Even the "just when you thought it was safe" motif at the end felt staid and tired.
Overall: Interestingly, I found the author's acknowledgments at the very end to be enlightening, as I noted that a significant theme of the novel was around mental health and the law--can you legally prove insanity? Is insanity a viable excuse for committing a crime? Can a legally insane person be cured? In this respect, the book does raise some interesting questions about how the American judicial system and mental health field make for an uneasy marriage. If only the plot, characters and writing lived up to the potential of those thorny questions.
September 16, 2013
I love psychological thrillers and this one didn’t disappoint when it comes to in depth knowledge of mental illness and the mind of a mad man. Rubinstein really did a lot of research on his subject matter and it was presented well.
Sometimes I felt like the information was overwhelming but it didn’t put me off to the novel as a whole….I just had to take a few extra minutes to process the info. Conrad’s character was very well developed. He was highly intelligent and crafty….I never felt ‘comfortable’ with him and I thought this added to the suspense of the novel.
I didn’t care too much for the romance between Adrian and Megan. While I liked each of their characters individually, I thought the romance between them happened a little too fast for my taste and it just didn’t flow like I had hoped.
I thought the thriller aspects were written better than the romance aspects in this book….which I should hope would be the case because this is a thriller and not a romance novel after all.
This novel is a good read, I wasn’t completely blown out of the water, but I was actively engaged in the story telling and the characters. It’s a quick read and had lots of intense and scary moments that will keep readers on the edge of their seats but for me it was just ok.
See my full review here
Sometimes I felt like the information was overwhelming but it didn’t put me off to the novel as a whole….I just had to take a few extra minutes to process the info. Conrad’s character was very well developed. He was highly intelligent and crafty….I never felt ‘comfortable’ with him and I thought this added to the suspense of the novel.
I didn’t care too much for the romance between Adrian and Megan. While I liked each of their characters individually, I thought the romance between them happened a little too fast for my taste and it just didn’t flow like I had hoped.
I thought the thriller aspects were written better than the romance aspects in this book….which I should hope would be the case because this is a thriller and not a romance novel after all.
This novel is a good read, I wasn’t completely blown out of the water, but I was actively engaged in the story telling and the characters. It’s a quick read and had lots of intense and scary moments that will keep readers on the edge of their seats but for me it was just ok.
See my full review here
August 4, 2013
This story had a lot of interesting elements, but ultimately I felt like it was too much and too little at the same time. There was so much time spent on inconsequential details that the actual story was sometimes lost. The villain was relentless and described sometimes with hints of paranormal, but that wasn't the case. Finally, the relationship between the love interests was pretty much uninteresting.
On the bright side there were some intriguing plot twists and as a concept, the story had so much potential.
On the bright side there were some intriguing plot twists and as a concept, the story had so much potential.
August 12, 2013
Mysteries and thrillers are not really my thing, but I just couldn’t pass this up after reading that synopsis. It was a win on one hand a a lose on the other… Here’s why:
The win! Mark Rubinstein has an utterly amazing, very lyrical and nearly magical way of writing. I was drawn in by every word, every description, adjectives that were flying off the page and dragging me in to this story. It was nothing short of awesome. I read one chapter where my jaw was literally hanging open, needless to say, Mark Rubinstein can WRITE. I am a new fan, completely!
The characters were compelling and immediately I felt drawn to them. To their stories, to their dreams, their hopes, and to the lives each thought they left behind. Both of the main characters, Adrian and Megan, have something special about them and yet they each have something they are running away from. I felt like this made them more human, and it made me like them all the more.
Now, the iffy… As I said above, I’m not really into thrillers. This is definitely a thriller. There is drama behind every closed door, and what made that work is Mark Rubinstein’s writing, however, it just didn’t work completely for me. But I would never want to deter someone who IS into thrillers from reading this. It’s an edgy, well thought out, riveting story, and one I think many will enjoy!
I can’t wait to get my hands on more of Mark’s writing. Even if they are thrillers. His writing feels like you’re being thrown into a new, stimulating world. Just be ready for the ride!
3.5/5
The win! Mark Rubinstein has an utterly amazing, very lyrical and nearly magical way of writing. I was drawn in by every word, every description, adjectives that were flying off the page and dragging me in to this story. It was nothing short of awesome. I read one chapter where my jaw was literally hanging open, needless to say, Mark Rubinstein can WRITE. I am a new fan, completely!
The characters were compelling and immediately I felt drawn to them. To their stories, to their dreams, their hopes, and to the lives each thought they left behind. Both of the main characters, Adrian and Megan, have something special about them and yet they each have something they are running away from. I felt like this made them more human, and it made me like them all the more.
Now, the iffy… As I said above, I’m not really into thrillers. This is definitely a thriller. There is drama behind every closed door, and what made that work is Mark Rubinstein’s writing, however, it just didn’t work completely for me. But I would never want to deter someone who IS into thrillers from reading this. It’s an edgy, well thought out, riveting story, and one I think many will enjoy!
I can’t wait to get my hands on more of Mark’s writing. Even if they are thrillers. His writing feels like you’re being thrown into a new, stimulating world. Just be ready for the ride!
3.5/5
September 17, 2013
Dr. Adrian Douglas and nurse Megan Haggarty are in a relationship with each other. It is a complicated one. Of course what relationship is not without there own set of problems. Only their relationship involves Megan's psycho ex-husband and someone more dangerous who is playing with Adrian and Megan.
This book sounded really good and this is why I wanted to read it. Unfortunately, this book did nothing for me. I found myself more just going through the motions of reading and not really comprehending any of it. The characters were unflattering and thus in turn I was not that excited about the story or their lives and what happened to them. I kept reading this book hoping it would pick up and I would get more excited about the characters but I never did. Sadly this book is one that I will easily forget about. Even the stalker did nothing for me. In this type of book I would expect the main characters including the bad guy or gal (hey ladies can be just as mean and scary) to make a strong presence.
This book sounded really good and this is why I wanted to read it. Unfortunately, this book did nothing for me. I found myself more just going through the motions of reading and not really comprehending any of it. The characters were unflattering and thus in turn I was not that excited about the story or their lives and what happened to them. I kept reading this book hoping it would pick up and I would get more excited about the characters but I never did. Sadly this book is one that I will easily forget about. Even the stalker did nothing for me. In this type of book I would expect the main characters including the bad guy or gal (hey ladies can be just as mean and scary) to make a strong presence.
August 16, 2013
From my book review blog at:
http://kickinbooks.wordpress.com/2013...
Through NetGalley I received an eGalley of this book from Thunder Lake Press for the purposes of reading and reviewing it. While it was provided to me at no cost, I am under no obligation to give it a positive review.
This book is essentially a thriller with a love interest thrown in as part of the plot. In a nutshell, Dr. Adrian Douglas is very talented and handsome cardiovascular surgeon. He meets Megan Haggarty, a drop-dead gorgeous neonatal nurse. As their relationship develops, enter Conrad Wilson, Haggarty’s ex-husband. He’s Mensa-level brilliant, built like a bodybuilder with the speed of an NFL running back, and he’s as crazy as the day is long. But his obsession is very monomaniacal in its focus: he only wants to hurt and or kill Douglas and Haggarty. Oh yeah, he doesn’t think Haggarty’s daughter, born during his marriage to the nurse, is his.
And away we go on this path, with lots of drama and tension and a growing love interest. Will Wilson succeed? Whose daughter is it really? Will the Couple Made In Heaven find peace and happiness together?
Overall, this book really didn’t do that much for me. There’s plenty of drama in the beginning, plenty in the end, and a huge lull in the middle. While it was necessary to progress the plot and is deep in accurate legal information, the lull really took away the thriller feel from the novel.
I also didn’t like the death revealed at the end of the book. The reason behind it felt too preachy, as if the author was trying to make a point. That’s not why I read thrillers. I can form my own political opinions, thankyouverymuch.
I also found the tension moments to be predictable. I could tell at the beginning of a chapter something was going to happen and what it would be, for the most part. Haggarty alone in the locker room after a long shift? Oh yeah, something’s going to happen.
Rubinstein does a great job of describing scenes and that helps the flow tremendously. In that area at least, the author does have chops. But the climactic portion of this book almost has a deus ex machina feel to it, which kind of detracts from it a bit. I would rather have an twist revealed by a clue I missed earlier than something brought to light after the climax.
My final beef are the characters. They struck me as being too cardboard / cookie cutter. The male lead is stunningly handsome and a cardiovascular surgeon. Of course he is. The female lead is drop-dead gorgeous and an RN at the same hospital. Uh huh. As mentioned before, the antagonist is a huge, physically intimidating man, very quick for his size and also exceedingly brilliant. Yeah.
So in a nutshell, decent prose and dialog, but predictable with characters and plots, as well as a big lull in the middle which causes the book to lose momentum.
Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)
http://kickinbooks.wordpress.com/2013...
Through NetGalley I received an eGalley of this book from Thunder Lake Press for the purposes of reading and reviewing it. While it was provided to me at no cost, I am under no obligation to give it a positive review.
This book is essentially a thriller with a love interest thrown in as part of the plot. In a nutshell, Dr. Adrian Douglas is very talented and handsome cardiovascular surgeon. He meets Megan Haggarty, a drop-dead gorgeous neonatal nurse. As their relationship develops, enter Conrad Wilson, Haggarty’s ex-husband. He’s Mensa-level brilliant, built like a bodybuilder with the speed of an NFL running back, and he’s as crazy as the day is long. But his obsession is very monomaniacal in its focus: he only wants to hurt and or kill Douglas and Haggarty. Oh yeah, he doesn’t think Haggarty’s daughter, born during his marriage to the nurse, is his.
And away we go on this path, with lots of drama and tension and a growing love interest. Will Wilson succeed? Whose daughter is it really? Will the Couple Made In Heaven find peace and happiness together?
Overall, this book really didn’t do that much for me. There’s plenty of drama in the beginning, plenty in the end, and a huge lull in the middle. While it was necessary to progress the plot and is deep in accurate legal information, the lull really took away the thriller feel from the novel.
I also didn’t like the death revealed at the end of the book. The reason behind it felt too preachy, as if the author was trying to make a point. That’s not why I read thrillers. I can form my own political opinions, thankyouverymuch.
I also found the tension moments to be predictable. I could tell at the beginning of a chapter something was going to happen and what it would be, for the most part. Haggarty alone in the locker room after a long shift? Oh yeah, something’s going to happen.
Rubinstein does a great job of describing scenes and that helps the flow tremendously. In that area at least, the author does have chops. But the climactic portion of this book almost has a deus ex machina feel to it, which kind of detracts from it a bit. I would rather have an twist revealed by a clue I missed earlier than something brought to light after the climax.
My final beef are the characters. They struck me as being too cardboard / cookie cutter. The male lead is stunningly handsome and a cardiovascular surgeon. Of course he is. The female lead is drop-dead gorgeous and an RN at the same hospital. Uh huh. As mentioned before, the antagonist is a huge, physically intimidating man, very quick for his size and also exceedingly brilliant. Yeah.
So in a nutshell, decent prose and dialog, but predictable with characters and plots, as well as a big lull in the middle which causes the book to lose momentum.
Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)
September 20, 2015
Terrific. Author Mark Rubinstein is a master story teller. "Love Gone Mad" is the third book I've read from author Rubinstein. Each gets better and better than the previous book. "Love Gone Mad", is a spine tickling thriller that casts a looming shadow of evil, manipulation, and extreme violations. It took me just over 24 hours to read this 344 page sinister story. (It gets dark too early these days). This riveting tale had me hooked by just having to keep going to see what comes next. Doctor Adrian Douglas 40, is a successful heart surgeon at Eastpoint General Hospital not far from New Haven, Connecticut. He's divorced and lonely as can be. Along comes RN Megan Haggerty also divorced and very lonely. Megan who has young daughter Marlee has finally broken away from a maniac ex-husband who was just plain psychotic. Megan is a pediatric nurse who specializes on taking care of the unwanted, the preemies, or those born with handicaps. Adrian and Megan meet by chance by eating lunch one day in the hospital's cafeteria. Soon the pair are dating and getting serious.When out of the blue a monster arrives into both of their lives. Megan's ex now back from a Colorado hiatus is on a mission. Conrad Wilson is sure daughter Marlee is not his child, and Megan has had a romantic relationship with Adrian for years. As some very painful events unfold we are introduced to Conrad's mental illness, and his savant like brain, with Mensa level intelligence. Conrad finally gets arrested by police and put on trial. However, he's found not guilty by reason of insanity. This is when the horror for Adrian and Megan really begins. While Conrad has been hospitalized 18 months go by with Adrian and Megan getting married. Even better a new baby has arrived. Yes, all bets are off with the story line from this point. Author Rubinstein sends the reader on a series of unbelievable twists and turns that create heart pounding suspense. This story is just incredible. The amazingly built, crafted, and developed characters raise this read into another level. The intrigue gets so thick I doubt a knife could cut it.It was so darn hard to put this book down. Being interrupted while trying to read this book was so maddening ! I enjoyed "Love Gone Mad" more than author Mark Rubinstein's other two thrillers, "Mad Dog House", and, "Mad Dog Justice". I'd highly recommend this five star out of a possible five star thriller. Any reader who loves an excellent thrill ride packed with amazing twists and turns is going to love this book. This one is must read.
September 23, 2013
I received this book as a First Read book from Library Thing. I couldn't wait to get started on it, because quite honestly I loved the cover. I've never read anything by Mark Rubinstein, so I truly did not know what to expect. The book starts very descriptive, almost too descriptive at first. We learn how Adrian's beer feels when it hits the back of his throat and what it feels like in his stomach. This, at times, can make the plot go very slow. I think there is something to be said about too many adjectives, especially describing one thing. Maybe it's just me, but it was slightly annoying.
In spite of the descriptive language, there are times that leave you wondering, "What just happened?" I don't want to give any spoilers for those who plan to read the book, but there was an incident that happened at the very beginning that was rushed. One minute he's having a beer, the next you are wondering what just happened? I think there were many times throughout the book where the scenes could have been slowed down a bit to give the reader more understanding, or if it had been properly developed you wouldn't be left wondering why.
Adrian is a heart surgeon. Within the first few chapters he meets a nurse named Megan. He's searching the lunchroom for a place to sit and coincidentally the only place he spots is with her. It's love at first site and you can almost hear what the other is thinking. It's too perfect and too predictable. I really don't think the characters were as developed as they could be.
The two are stalked by Megan's ex-husband. The scenes that follow with the conflict involving this character are page turning. I have to admit, once I picked up this book and really got into it, it took me less than a day to finish. In spite of the lack of depth in places, the book was exciting and you were left wondering if they would be ok, wondering what would happen to the ex during the hearing, and wondering what would become of the relationship.
The book ended with a twist that I really wasn't expecting. Overall, the book was a good read, especially if you are looking for a fast paced interesting read. I can't give half stars, but if I could it would def be 3.5 out of 5. While it was interesting, I couldn't get past the fact that the novel felt rushed.
In spite of the descriptive language, there are times that leave you wondering, "What just happened?" I don't want to give any spoilers for those who plan to read the book, but there was an incident that happened at the very beginning that was rushed. One minute he's having a beer, the next you are wondering what just happened? I think there were many times throughout the book where the scenes could have been slowed down a bit to give the reader more understanding, or if it had been properly developed you wouldn't be left wondering why.
Adrian is a heart surgeon. Within the first few chapters he meets a nurse named Megan. He's searching the lunchroom for a place to sit and coincidentally the only place he spots is with her. It's love at first site and you can almost hear what the other is thinking. It's too perfect and too predictable. I really don't think the characters were as developed as they could be.
The two are stalked by Megan's ex-husband. The scenes that follow with the conflict involving this character are page turning. I have to admit, once I picked up this book and really got into it, it took me less than a day to finish. In spite of the lack of depth in places, the book was exciting and you were left wondering if they would be ok, wondering what would happen to the ex during the hearing, and wondering what would become of the relationship.
The book ended with a twist that I really wasn't expecting. Overall, the book was a good read, especially if you are looking for a fast paced interesting read. I can't give half stars, but if I could it would def be 3.5 out of 5. While it was interesting, I couldn't get past the fact that the novel felt rushed.
September 20, 2013
Solid 4 stars for this bone-chilling thriller. Extended review available on MINA'S BOOKSHELF http://minadecaro.blogspot.com/2013/0...
If you're looking for an adrenaline-spiking thriller, you don't need to look any further. Love Gone Mad by Mark Rubinstein will fit your bill. I breezed my way through its streamlined plot, archetypal characters and primal emotions: a shifting third person POV in the present tense narrative style isn't exactly my comfort zone when it comes to reading, but once I got used to it I was completely absorbed in the unrelenting pace and throttling dose of fear-factor, tragic and suspenseful elements that the author generously poured throughout the chapters. Whether a pulse-pounding scene of stalking and attempted murder, a tender longing and delicate courtship between lead characters, or an engaging courtroom interrogation, Rubinstein hits the mark with the poignant simplicity of our most basic emotions and impulses--love, jealousy, fear, revenge, compassion, greed. To that purpose, the 'triangle' Megan-Conrad-Adrian (namely the beautiful and sweet damsel in distress, the beastly and obsessed ex-husband, and the virtuous knight in shining armor) embodies one of the most compelling tropes in the thriller/suspense genre: when jealousy escalates into obsession, into violence and murderous intent, divorce and restraining orders are not enough to protect the victim of an abusive husband. And what is worse, neither is the legal system with all his fallacies and malfunctions. For an extraordinarily bright and unstable mind, manipulating the jury and turning the table in his favor is an easy game, and the villain of the story can shrewdly escape imprisonment using his insanity in his own defense.
I applaud the author for using a narrative style that could sound fragmentary at a first glance, but turned out to be, on second thoughts, extremely rewarding and functional. If Rubinstein's aim was to put his readers in a front seat spot and get them to experience, from that privileged position, the anticipation for the unfolding action, the rawness of emotions, the unfiltered stream-of-consciousness of his characters, he definitely succeeded.
If you're looking for an adrenaline-spiking thriller, you don't need to look any further. Love Gone Mad by Mark Rubinstein will fit your bill. I breezed my way through its streamlined plot, archetypal characters and primal emotions: a shifting third person POV in the present tense narrative style isn't exactly my comfort zone when it comes to reading, but once I got used to it I was completely absorbed in the unrelenting pace and throttling dose of fear-factor, tragic and suspenseful elements that the author generously poured throughout the chapters. Whether a pulse-pounding scene of stalking and attempted murder, a tender longing and delicate courtship between lead characters, or an engaging courtroom interrogation, Rubinstein hits the mark with the poignant simplicity of our most basic emotions and impulses--love, jealousy, fear, revenge, compassion, greed. To that purpose, the 'triangle' Megan-Conrad-Adrian (namely the beautiful and sweet damsel in distress, the beastly and obsessed ex-husband, and the virtuous knight in shining armor) embodies one of the most compelling tropes in the thriller/suspense genre: when jealousy escalates into obsession, into violence and murderous intent, divorce and restraining orders are not enough to protect the victim of an abusive husband. And what is worse, neither is the legal system with all his fallacies and malfunctions. For an extraordinarily bright and unstable mind, manipulating the jury and turning the table in his favor is an easy game, and the villain of the story can shrewdly escape imprisonment using his insanity in his own defense.
I applaud the author for using a narrative style that could sound fragmentary at a first glance, but turned out to be, on second thoughts, extremely rewarding and functional. If Rubinstein's aim was to put his readers in a front seat spot and get them to experience, from that privileged position, the anticipation for the unfolding action, the rawness of emotions, the unfiltered stream-of-consciousness of his characters, he definitely succeeded.
February 4, 2014
Actual Rating: 1 ½ Stars
I found Love Gone Mad on Netgalley while I was one-clicking away, and I was really interested in the story. Mystery-Thrillers are my sort of go-to genre when romance just isn't doing it for me at the time, so as I've been in a sort of rut lately with just about every book, I thought why not? Well, I believe the only good thing about it was that I loved the psychological aspect of the story, which is why I got the book in the first place. Unfortunately for me the plot and characters did nothing to wow me and I just ended up bored through it all.
When Adrian Douglas and Megan Haggarty meet in the cafeteria of the hospital they work in, sparks fly instantly. They have a connection and feel comfortable around each other. Soon they start dating and falling in love, but when a shadow from Megan's past decides to join the picture uninvited, Megan and Adrian realize that they're in for a fight for their lives. Sounds thrilling but for the stupid intalurve all over this damn book, but we can kick that bastard to the curb and focus on the actual story. (Heh) Megan's ex-husband is a psycho straight out of a Michael Meyers movie, with paranormal abilities (so it seems which was awkward and annoying), and he's hellbent on righting what he feels was made wrong to him.
As far as Megan and Adrian, I was more bored with their interactions than if I'd been watching an episode of Seinfeld. They are cardboard cutouts of what they should be and I just kept hoping for someone to get killed. I know that's horrible of me, but it would have made the story far more interesting. And just the fact that even Megan's five year old daughter, Marlee instantly fell in love with Adrian made it so much worse. Especially because they only met. No kidding, they said hi to each other and all of a sudden, Megan's all, "she likes you Adrian. (hehehehe)" *rolls eyes*
I cannot fathom all the ridiculous scenarios throughout the book. From the romance to even the insanity plea, I'm disappointed to say the least, but that damn ending! *sigh* Smh..
*An advance reader copy was provided by the publisher for review purposes. As always all opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way for this review.*
May 1, 2013
I got this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I have to say that this finally made my thriller mystery kick come to an end. this was a very good book. it reminded me of a horror movie that I would love to watch.
Megan is a nurse for little babies. she saves their lives for a living. she has a crazy ex husband. she had to get numerous protection orders from him and he still stalked her. finally after 2 years she thought she finally got some relief. she was wrong! Megan has a little girl who almost died at the hands of her father. all Megan wanted to do was start over and have a happy family. that is when she met the surgeon.
Adrian is an heart surgeon. he tells everyone that he gets to fix god's mistakes. he works long hours and then goes to a local bar to cool off and talk to his new friend the bartender. one night after a stressful surgery a man walks in and calls his name. Adrian is taken back because he doesn't know anyone in town. he starts to threaten him. Adrian will never forget that mans face. his grey stone cold eyes. then after the man told him that he will see him again a black truck pulls by the bar and uses a shot gun and shoots the bar.
now here is were it gets good. a man with a sky mask end us following both of them separately. both enduring in numerous near death experiences. now the police are involved and trying to save their lives and also catch this mad man, but he didn't do anything to break the law so the police are just stuck questioning themselves.
Megan has a deep dark secret and this will be told at just the right time. an Adrian and Megan live thru this stalker and continue their lustful relationship or will a little crazy experience ruin them for good.
Megan is a nurse for little babies. she saves their lives for a living. she has a crazy ex husband. she had to get numerous protection orders from him and he still stalked her. finally after 2 years she thought she finally got some relief. she was wrong! Megan has a little girl who almost died at the hands of her father. all Megan wanted to do was start over and have a happy family. that is when she met the surgeon.
Adrian is an heart surgeon. he tells everyone that he gets to fix god's mistakes. he works long hours and then goes to a local bar to cool off and talk to his new friend the bartender. one night after a stressful surgery a man walks in and calls his name. Adrian is taken back because he doesn't know anyone in town. he starts to threaten him. Adrian will never forget that mans face. his grey stone cold eyes. then after the man told him that he will see him again a black truck pulls by the bar and uses a shot gun and shoots the bar.
now here is were it gets good. a man with a sky mask end us following both of them separately. both enduring in numerous near death experiences. now the police are involved and trying to save their lives and also catch this mad man, but he didn't do anything to break the law so the police are just stuck questioning themselves.
Megan has a deep dark secret and this will be told at just the right time. an Adrian and Megan live thru this stalker and continue their lustful relationship or will a little crazy experience ruin them for good.
June 12, 2013
From Netgalley for review
This one starts off well - in the first section we meet Adrian and Megan and get to know them a little as they get to know each other. Then her past catches up with her, all hell breaks loose, and the rest of the story goes downhill from there. There are a couple of intense scenes as Megan's ex-husband Conrad tries to kill them, but then the section with the court case is dry and over-long. From there we stop spending any time with Adrian and Megan at all - character development comes to an abrupt halt as the story turns to the court case and Conrad's mental state. We get some interesting info on psychiatric forensics, but again the delivery is dry, with no emotional connection. The action picks up again toward the end, but by then we're no longer connected to Adrian and Megan and don't care. The plot twists aren't very twisty and can be seen coming a mile away, including one ridiculously coincidental bit that's way too over-the-top to be the least bit believable. Fast-paced with some decent action sequences, this one felt like a TV drama - here are your main characters, here comes the danger, the cops come running, a quick court case ensues, things settle down for a bit, then the explosive ending. Too much formula, not enough character. The cover art and synopsis had me hoping for a good horror thriller but it wasn't nearly dark or twisted enough to be that - the psychology could have gone deeper and character development should have gone much further. An easy-breezy page-turner with little satisfaction.
This one starts off well - in the first section we meet Adrian and Megan and get to know them a little as they get to know each other. Then her past catches up with her, all hell breaks loose, and the rest of the story goes downhill from there. There are a couple of intense scenes as Megan's ex-husband Conrad tries to kill them, but then the section with the court case is dry and over-long. From there we stop spending any time with Adrian and Megan at all - character development comes to an abrupt halt as the story turns to the court case and Conrad's mental state. We get some interesting info on psychiatric forensics, but again the delivery is dry, with no emotional connection. The action picks up again toward the end, but by then we're no longer connected to Adrian and Megan and don't care. The plot twists aren't very twisty and can be seen coming a mile away, including one ridiculously coincidental bit that's way too over-the-top to be the least bit believable. Fast-paced with some decent action sequences, this one felt like a TV drama - here are your main characters, here comes the danger, the cops come running, a quick court case ensues, things settle down for a bit, then the explosive ending. Too much formula, not enough character. The cover art and synopsis had me hoping for a good horror thriller but it wasn't nearly dark or twisted enough to be that - the psychology could have gone deeper and character development should have gone much further. An easy-breezy page-turner with little satisfaction.
December 30, 2014
I receive this book in the First Reads giveaway. The cover was intriguing and I was excited to read the book, giving the details on the back cover.
This story is about Megan and Adrian and how they met at the hospital and fell in love. An incident happens in the beginning of the story and makes you wonder how this will be included in the story. Later on, we found out about Megan's scary ex-husband, Conrad, and how he starts to stalk the couple. As the story progresses, we find out more about the backgrounds of the characters and especially how Conrad turned out the way he did.
The characters were very complex, and I enjoyed the relationship between Megan and Adrian. I loved how it seemed that they were meant to be and you found out later in the story how this happened. The book was a page turner and I enjoyed the some of the "horror" scenes. I read in a review of some things being too descriptive, and sometimes I would have to agree. Those parts made for a slow part of the story, but descriptive "horror" scenes made up for this. I liked how the author included about the lines between mental health and the law. I had never thought about this and the author made me continue to think about this at the end. The author did a great job of researching this topic and I am sure with him having this as a degree, it kind of helped.
Overall, it was great book, and I would like to read any other books that this author has written or writes.
This story is about Megan and Adrian and how they met at the hospital and fell in love. An incident happens in the beginning of the story and makes you wonder how this will be included in the story. Later on, we found out about Megan's scary ex-husband, Conrad, and how he starts to stalk the couple. As the story progresses, we find out more about the backgrounds of the characters and especially how Conrad turned out the way he did.
The characters were very complex, and I enjoyed the relationship between Megan and Adrian. I loved how it seemed that they were meant to be and you found out later in the story how this happened. The book was a page turner and I enjoyed the some of the "horror" scenes. I read in a review of some things being too descriptive, and sometimes I would have to agree. Those parts made for a slow part of the story, but descriptive "horror" scenes made up for this. I liked how the author included about the lines between mental health and the law. I had never thought about this and the author made me continue to think about this at the end. The author did a great job of researching this topic and I am sure with him having this as a degree, it kind of helped.
Overall, it was great book, and I would like to read any other books that this author has written or writes.
August 25, 2013
Five stars for completely blowing my mind.
TITLE: Love Gone Mad
AUTHOR: Mark Rubinstein
GENRE/AUDIENCE: Adult psychological thriller/horror movie on paper
REVIEW: A book that put me on the edge of my seat like nothing on a page _ever_ has before...and had me checking my pounding pulse! This is like a horror movie on paper.
While Adrian Douglas. MD and Megan Haggarty, RN are meeting in a hospital cafeteria and then falling in love, Megan's ex-husband is plotting revenge for her betrayal, as he claims Megan was unfaithful during their marriage. He doesn't believe their daughter is his.
He believes Adrian fathered the child, that Adrian and Megan have been together for 6 years, even though they just met. His delusion demands that all three must die -- including the "bastard" 6-year-old daughter. This conviction is the center of his universe, his unrelenting mission. Make no mistake, this man is danger personified-- murder in motion. Can Adrian and Megan survive the insanity?
Permalink: http://martysreads.blogspot.com/2013/...
ABOUT THIS REVIEWER: I am a book lover and aspiring librarian. My passion is in reader's advisory -- finding the right book to be read next! This means I read very widely. My Blog on Blogger had over 700 hits in July.
TITLE: Love Gone Mad
AUTHOR: Mark Rubinstein
GENRE/AUDIENCE: Adult psychological thriller/horror movie on paper
REVIEW: A book that put me on the edge of my seat like nothing on a page _ever_ has before...and had me checking my pounding pulse! This is like a horror movie on paper.
While Adrian Douglas. MD and Megan Haggarty, RN are meeting in a hospital cafeteria and then falling in love, Megan's ex-husband is plotting revenge for her betrayal, as he claims Megan was unfaithful during their marriage. He doesn't believe their daughter is his.
He believes Adrian fathered the child, that Adrian and Megan have been together for 6 years, even though they just met. His delusion demands that all three must die -- including the "bastard" 6-year-old daughter. This conviction is the center of his universe, his unrelenting mission. Make no mistake, this man is danger personified-- murder in motion. Can Adrian and Megan survive the insanity?
Permalink: http://martysreads.blogspot.com/2013/...
ABOUT THIS REVIEWER: I am a book lover and aspiring librarian. My passion is in reader's advisory -- finding the right book to be read next! This means I read very widely. My Blog on Blogger had over 700 hits in July.
May 27, 2013
A seemingly random confrontation with an angry man in a bar leaves Adrian Douglas feeling uneasy, and for good reason. In the weeks following, he meets Megan Haggarty at work, setting off a series of events which demonstrate that coincidence is a much rarer occurrence than one might believe.
The basic premise of the story is intriguing and the story has a few twists to keep the reader interested. That being said, the writing was a bit off-putting at times (though, for me, a present tense narrative needs to be very engaging to be effective) and some of the plot points seemed to a bit too coincidental and convenient. The dialogue and rushed romance came across as a bit forced and bordered on unbelievable, and makes it difficult at times to really connect with the characters.
That said, it was a relatively quick and easy read that only lost me completely in a few places. I did predict some of the twists ahead of time but there were also a few I didn't see coming.
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
(eGalley provided by Thunder Lake Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
The basic premise of the story is intriguing and the story has a few twists to keep the reader interested. That being said, the writing was a bit off-putting at times (though, for me, a present tense narrative needs to be very engaging to be effective) and some of the plot points seemed to a bit too coincidental and convenient. The dialogue and rushed romance came across as a bit forced and bordered on unbelievable, and makes it difficult at times to really connect with the characters.
That said, it was a relatively quick and easy read that only lost me completely in a few places. I did predict some of the twists ahead of time but there were also a few I didn't see coming.
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
(eGalley provided by Thunder Lake Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
December 1, 2013
Love Gone Mad is a gripping psychological thriller giving us in depth knowledge of mental illness and the mind of a mad man.
Dr. Adrian Douglas and Megan Haggarty RN meet at the hospital and are instantly attracted to each other. Their relationship blooms in the midst of being stalked by Megan's scary ex-husband, Conrad.
Filled with intense and chilling moments Rubinstein delivers a well-researched, action-packed, adrenaline-spiking, thriller.
I must add that Conrad is on of the creepiest characters I have ever read.
Dr. Adrian Douglas and Megan Haggarty RN meet at the hospital and are instantly attracted to each other. Their relationship blooms in the midst of being stalked by Megan's scary ex-husband, Conrad.
Filled with intense and chilling moments Rubinstein delivers a well-researched, action-packed, adrenaline-spiking, thriller.
I must add that Conrad is on of the creepiest characters I have ever read.
April 28, 2013
Holy smokes I loved, loved, loved this. I received an egalley copy provided for librarians. I cannot wait till the final print version comes out. I also really want to read his other book. This was a thrill ride, I couldn't put it down. I recommend it highly.
August 3, 2013
Love Gone Mad by Mark Rubinstein
Goodreads author
I couldn't put this book down. Full of suspense. I was amazed at the twist and turns of
the story. This truly is a well crafted novel that I highly recommend.
Extraordinary read!!
Goodreads author
I couldn't put this book down. Full of suspense. I was amazed at the twist and turns of
the story. This truly is a well crafted novel that I highly recommend.
Extraordinary read!!
September 20, 2013
Although the love story part of this book was a little too much for my taste, the creepy, thriller part more than makes up for that. Had to keep reading to discover what would happen next and what this crazy guy was going to do next. Recommend.
June 19, 2014
Wow
Wow
Adrian met this girl named Megan they're both working at a hospital. But her ex shows up also he's stalking her and Adrian. You will love this book and the author.
Wow
Adrian met this girl named Megan they're both working at a hospital. But her ex shows up also he's stalking her and Adrian. You will love this book and the author.
July 24, 2013
Really good book. Kept me on the edge of my seat!
January 23, 2016
Book Info
348 pages
Expected publication: September 1st 2013 by Thunder Lake Press
ISBN 0985626860 (ISBN13: 9780985626860)
edition language English
Source:Netgalley EARC
Book Buy Links
AMAZON
B&N
When heart surgeon Adrian Douglas and Megan Haggarty, RN, meet at the hospital where they work, neither has any idea of the scorpion's nest into which they've stumbled. Strange and frightening events begin happening to each of them; someone is after them both--and the stalker is not only brilliant and crafty, but vows to exact revenge for the ultimate betrayal. As things spin out of control, Megan and Adrian fight for their lives.
The complexities of this romantic suspense thriller are what set it apart from the others out in the genre today, especially the issue of determining a person's being insane that is at the heart of the latter part of the book. Prior to getting there though we are privy to a buildup by the author that is full of both joy for the second chance given to both Adrian and Megan and fear that their newfound happiness may be short lived if the madman who threatens them both is not stopped.
As a lover of romantic suspense thrillers this one was pretty unexpected in the delivery of events that involve the two main characters Adrian and Megan. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author took the characters step by step through bits and pieces of their current and past lives as it allowed them to develop at a natural rate both as individuals and as a couple. Even though at times it did seem as if the romance between the two was a bit convenient in it's relationship to the unfolding of the story it nevertheless was well thought out and appealed to my sentimental nature, after all you want the main characters to find happiness after enduring the previous heartaches in their respective pasts.
With the first appearance of our mysterious villain he was made out to be a larger than life character.Conrad Wilson, the ex husband of Megan Haggarty, is a complex character whose very vivid physical description leaves the reader with no doubt that he is not someone you would wish to become involved with in any capacity that would arouse his anger. The man's ruthless disregard for others is chilling as is the fact that his genius level IQ allows him to ensure that he is believable to those who are in control of his future.
Reading this story is going to take you to places in human psychological interaction that will surprise you, shock you, anger you and at times make you uncomfortable with what is revealed. My feeling that as a whole though the story will entertain as well as illuminate just how much we do not know or understand about the nature of a true psychopath. It will also probably reinforce the reason why it is not always easy for someone in an abusive situation to escape without forevermore being fearful for their life.
This was a book that brought up quite a few points in the course of it's journey and I feel that the author worked them out in the correct manner according to the beliefs that each character was instilled with, including several moral dilemmas for the characters that made them question past actions that impacted their present ones.
Suspenseful does not even begin to accurately describe this harrowing journey of a madman's chilling fixation and ultimate fateful conclusion.
All in all from start to finish an interesting piece of work that will appeal to a wide audience within it's genre, it is also a book that will be loved or hated but provoke very few lukewarm reactions.
348 pages
Expected publication: September 1st 2013 by Thunder Lake Press
ISBN 0985626860 (ISBN13: 9780985626860)
edition language English
Source:Netgalley EARC
Book Buy Links
AMAZON
B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS
When heart surgeon Adrian Douglas and Megan Haggarty, RN, meet at the hospital where they work, neither has any idea of the scorpion's nest into which they've stumbled. Strange and frightening events begin happening to each of them; someone is after them both--and the stalker is not only brilliant and crafty, but vows to exact revenge for the ultimate betrayal. As things spin out of control, Megan and Adrian fight for their lives.
My Thoughts
The complexities of this romantic suspense thriller are what set it apart from the others out in the genre today, especially the issue of determining a person's being insane that is at the heart of the latter part of the book. Prior to getting there though we are privy to a buildup by the author that is full of both joy for the second chance given to both Adrian and Megan and fear that their newfound happiness may be short lived if the madman who threatens them both is not stopped.
As a lover of romantic suspense thrillers this one was pretty unexpected in the delivery of events that involve the two main characters Adrian and Megan. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author took the characters step by step through bits and pieces of their current and past lives as it allowed them to develop at a natural rate both as individuals and as a couple. Even though at times it did seem as if the romance between the two was a bit convenient in it's relationship to the unfolding of the story it nevertheless was well thought out and appealed to my sentimental nature, after all you want the main characters to find happiness after enduring the previous heartaches in their respective pasts.
With the first appearance of our mysterious villain he was made out to be a larger than life character.Conrad Wilson, the ex husband of Megan Haggarty, is a complex character whose very vivid physical description leaves the reader with no doubt that he is not someone you would wish to become involved with in any capacity that would arouse his anger. The man's ruthless disregard for others is chilling as is the fact that his genius level IQ allows him to ensure that he is believable to those who are in control of his future.
Reading this story is going to take you to places in human psychological interaction that will surprise you, shock you, anger you and at times make you uncomfortable with what is revealed. My feeling that as a whole though the story will entertain as well as illuminate just how much we do not know or understand about the nature of a true psychopath. It will also probably reinforce the reason why it is not always easy for someone in an abusive situation to escape without forevermore being fearful for their life.
This was a book that brought up quite a few points in the course of it's journey and I feel that the author worked them out in the correct manner according to the beliefs that each character was instilled with, including several moral dilemmas for the characters that made them question past actions that impacted their present ones.
Suspenseful does not even begin to accurately describe this harrowing journey of a madman's chilling fixation and ultimate fateful conclusion.
All in all from start to finish an interesting piece of work that will appeal to a wide audience within it's genre, it is also a book that will be loved or hated but provoke very few lukewarm reactions.
[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]
January 18, 2014
A deadly fiction based on psychiatric disorder of a man who loved his wife very much.
Storyline: Conrad Wilson, a sexually abused child by his adopted father, grows up to be physically strong but with a psychiatric ailment called paranoid delusional disorder. He believes that his beloved beautiful wife Megan Haggarthy cheated upon him by bearing a girl child which doesn’t belong to him, but of a person called Dr.Adrian Douglas, a cardio surgeon. The reason behind which he ventures to kill both of them. Megan takes a divorce from Conrad and lives with her daughter separately, under police protection.
Dr Adrian, a divorced man, who is desperate to live a life with a beautiful small family of his own, gets attacked by Conrad even before he ever met Megan. Adrian meets Megan once accidentally, after the attack, and they immediately fall in love. Conrad makes multiple attempts to murder the lovers and ends up in jail followed by a court trial wherein his lawyers prove that Conrad was suffering from insanity and a psychiatric disorder due to his abused childhood. The twist in the story and the reality comes in when Adrian and Megan discover that the child of Megan does really belong to Adrian, when Megan conceives with artificial insemination of the sperm from Adrian at the sperm bank. This is unknown to both of them. This secret is found out by Conrad due to his extra-ordinary animal trait of being able to smell the genetic odour of the child matching with that of Adrian, even before the donor and the recipient knew about it. This as explained by the experts is due to the extra large olfactory node present in Conrad like in animals that can smell the scent of their offspring. This secret is held by Megan as she couldn’t conceive through Conrad and wanted to keep the marriage intact.
Conrad is sent to a rehabilitation centre from where he again escapes cleverly by pretending good behaviour with the authorities, only to attack the married Adrian-Megan couple, once again, to take revenge for being cheated by Megan, whom he loved very much and wanted the same in return. The couple is saved by the police in the nick of time and Conrad gets killed in the tussle.
The original secret gets cremated forever between Adrian and Megan while the police and court thinks that Conrad suffered from a psychiatric disorder.
Positives: A very interesting page turner right from the beginning. A scintillating thriller. The medical link to legal trials and the outcome involving a set of doctors and lawyers trying to show their each other’s superiority in the court is commendable. The psychiatric disorder of Conrad and the way it is used to save Conrad from being convicted by his lawyer is worth reading. Overall, the scientific reasons behind Conrad’s behaviour and his animal traits in being able to identify his offspring through his ability to smell is hair raising. A perfect blend of love, law and science makes the book highly thrilling.
Negatives: The dis-integrating human values in the society is a matter of concern once again. The absurd behaviour of irresponsible parents towards their children which lead to the making of such psychos in the society challenging the security of the good ones. This book might give the readers the fear of such impending danger.
My rating is 4.25 out of 5
Storyline: Conrad Wilson, a sexually abused child by his adopted father, grows up to be physically strong but with a psychiatric ailment called paranoid delusional disorder. He believes that his beloved beautiful wife Megan Haggarthy cheated upon him by bearing a girl child which doesn’t belong to him, but of a person called Dr.Adrian Douglas, a cardio surgeon. The reason behind which he ventures to kill both of them. Megan takes a divorce from Conrad and lives with her daughter separately, under police protection.
Dr Adrian, a divorced man, who is desperate to live a life with a beautiful small family of his own, gets attacked by Conrad even before he ever met Megan. Adrian meets Megan once accidentally, after the attack, and they immediately fall in love. Conrad makes multiple attempts to murder the lovers and ends up in jail followed by a court trial wherein his lawyers prove that Conrad was suffering from insanity and a psychiatric disorder due to his abused childhood. The twist in the story and the reality comes in when Adrian and Megan discover that the child of Megan does really belong to Adrian, when Megan conceives with artificial insemination of the sperm from Adrian at the sperm bank. This is unknown to both of them. This secret is found out by Conrad due to his extra-ordinary animal trait of being able to smell the genetic odour of the child matching with that of Adrian, even before the donor and the recipient knew about it. This as explained by the experts is due to the extra large olfactory node present in Conrad like in animals that can smell the scent of their offspring. This secret is held by Megan as she couldn’t conceive through Conrad and wanted to keep the marriage intact.
Conrad is sent to a rehabilitation centre from where he again escapes cleverly by pretending good behaviour with the authorities, only to attack the married Adrian-Megan couple, once again, to take revenge for being cheated by Megan, whom he loved very much and wanted the same in return. The couple is saved by the police in the nick of time and Conrad gets killed in the tussle.
The original secret gets cremated forever between Adrian and Megan while the police and court thinks that Conrad suffered from a psychiatric disorder.
Positives: A very interesting page turner right from the beginning. A scintillating thriller. The medical link to legal trials and the outcome involving a set of doctors and lawyers trying to show their each other’s superiority in the court is commendable. The psychiatric disorder of Conrad and the way it is used to save Conrad from being convicted by his lawyer is worth reading. Overall, the scientific reasons behind Conrad’s behaviour and his animal traits in being able to identify his offspring through his ability to smell is hair raising. A perfect blend of love, law and science makes the book highly thrilling.
Negatives: The dis-integrating human values in the society is a matter of concern once again. The absurd behaviour of irresponsible parents towards their children which lead to the making of such psychos in the society challenging the security of the good ones. This book might give the readers the fear of such impending danger.
My rating is 4.25 out of 5
October 12, 2013
Nothing spells fall for me more than suspense thrillers and Love Gone Mad by Mark Rubinstein delivers a fast paced, chilling twist on a tried and true trope. From the author’s voice to the characters themselves I could not put this down. Three word review: thriller, compelling, and fascinating.
Adrian Douglas is a divorced middle-age man surgeon who meets Megan Haggarty, a RN at the hospital, and they begin a relationship. A strange man approaches Adrian at a local bar he has become a regular in. He is stunned when this man whom he doesn’t know threatens him. After he is ejected from the bar, he shoots out the bar window, leaving Adrian a little jumpy. The tale that unfolds is riveting with interesting characters as the author slowly reveals this suspenseful tale.
Adrian is confident in his role as a surgeon, is happy with his move to the new hospital and moving forward. I found him to be an exciting and strong character with some unique views of the world. Megan is a character you immediately feel sorry for; her story is a touching one, and who doesn’t love a woman who works with babies? She has secrets, and those secrets propel the story, keeping you engaged. Their relationship started with insta-love but began to flesh out despite moments of awkwardness. Together they work, and you find yourself caught up in them and the suspense. Conrad is very fleshed out, and we get inside his head. Between his genius IQ and his ruthless disregard for others you will find yourself in flux between intense curiosity and the desire to run!
Love Gone Mad offered an intense, descriptive, bone-chilling thriller that kept me on edge. Rubinstein fleshed out the characters giving us a unique perspective that I appreciated it. We experience the whole ride from the stalking, police involvement to the trials, and it was one heck of a ride. Despite this being a trope we know from books to films, the author added twists that kept me literally on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed the author’s writing style from his descriptive voice to his view on the inner workings of a twisted mind. Perfect for a dark, windy night Love Gone Mad will have you thinking about it long after you finish the book.
Fans of suspense thrillers, crime fiction and edge of your seat thrillers will enjoy Love Gone Mad. This was my first read by Mark Rubinstein, but I assure you it will not be my last.
Copy received in exchange for unbiased review and originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Adrian Douglas is a divorced middle-age man surgeon who meets Megan Haggarty, a RN at the hospital, and they begin a relationship. A strange man approaches Adrian at a local bar he has become a regular in. He is stunned when this man whom he doesn’t know threatens him. After he is ejected from the bar, he shoots out the bar window, leaving Adrian a little jumpy. The tale that unfolds is riveting with interesting characters as the author slowly reveals this suspenseful tale.
Adrian is confident in his role as a surgeon, is happy with his move to the new hospital and moving forward. I found him to be an exciting and strong character with some unique views of the world. Megan is a character you immediately feel sorry for; her story is a touching one, and who doesn’t love a woman who works with babies? She has secrets, and those secrets propel the story, keeping you engaged. Their relationship started with insta-love but began to flesh out despite moments of awkwardness. Together they work, and you find yourself caught up in them and the suspense. Conrad is very fleshed out, and we get inside his head. Between his genius IQ and his ruthless disregard for others you will find yourself in flux between intense curiosity and the desire to run!
Love Gone Mad offered an intense, descriptive, bone-chilling thriller that kept me on edge. Rubinstein fleshed out the characters giving us a unique perspective that I appreciated it. We experience the whole ride from the stalking, police involvement to the trials, and it was one heck of a ride. Despite this being a trope we know from books to films, the author added twists that kept me literally on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed the author’s writing style from his descriptive voice to his view on the inner workings of a twisted mind. Perfect for a dark, windy night Love Gone Mad will have you thinking about it long after you finish the book.
Fans of suspense thrillers, crime fiction and edge of your seat thrillers will enjoy Love Gone Mad. This was my first read by Mark Rubinstein, but I assure you it will not be my last.
Copy received in exchange for unbiased review and originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
November 17, 2013
2.0 out of 5 stars - Doctor meets nurse. Instant relationship. Couple is terrorized by nurse's ex-husband (a strong, brilliant madman) intent on killing them both.
I found the story and the romance quite ridiculous. The overlong action scenes involving Adrian and Megan in peril almost got the best of me. As did their "true love at first sight" drivel and the unending descriptions of how beautiful Megan was ad nauseum. Most of the time she was having a panic attack, breakdown of terror, and freaking out. I kept reading only because of the interesting details about the laws and court scenes related to the not guilty by reason of insanity plea and the references to the psychiatric definitions of delusional thinking. I had originally picked this because I thought it was a medical thriller -- not so. The only true medical aspect is that the parties being stalked by the psycho were a surgeon and a nurse. I didn't like any of the characters nor did I find any of this believable. I found myself flipping through pages just to get through it.
The author uses a lot of cliches and repeats many of the same phrases time after time. Redundant, overly descriptive prose. Ricochets from one chase to the next...ho hum
Thank you to NetGalley and Thunder Lake Press for the e-book ARC to review.
I found the story and the romance quite ridiculous. The overlong action scenes involving Adrian and Megan in peril almost got the best of me. As did their "true love at first sight" drivel and the unending descriptions of how beautiful Megan was ad nauseum. Most of the time she was having a panic attack, breakdown of terror, and freaking out. I kept reading only because of the interesting details about the laws and court scenes related to the not guilty by reason of insanity plea and the references to the psychiatric definitions of delusional thinking. I had originally picked this because I thought it was a medical thriller -- not so. The only true medical aspect is that the parties being stalked by the psycho were a surgeon and a nurse. I didn't like any of the characters nor did I find any of this believable. I found myself flipping through pages just to get through it.
The author uses a lot of cliches and repeats many of the same phrases time after time. Redundant, overly descriptive prose. Ricochets from one chase to the next...ho hum
Thank you to NetGalley and Thunder Lake Press for the e-book ARC to review.
July 31, 2015
Very suspenseful!
This book was a fast paced thriller, and very suspenseful. It concerns a deranged ex husband, Conrad, and his sick obsession with his ex wife Megan and her new boyfriend turned husband #2, Adrian. The storyline itself was somewhat predictable. The story was a bit over the top, but let's face it, that is what fiction is all about. If we made a fiction novel about my life and adventures, everybody would fall asleep by the end of the first paragraph. Now, I thought the lead characters Megan and Adrian were a little too perfect and mushy, but the rest of the characters, including super bad Conrad, were well done. Mark Rubernstein is an excellent author and knows how to keep his audience glued to the book. Some reviewers said he spends too much time an details....WRONG! It is his scene descriptions that place the reader right there in the middle of the story, visualizing everything with heart pounding clarity. I have read Mark Rubinstein before, and will read him again.
This book was a fast paced thriller, and very suspenseful. It concerns a deranged ex husband, Conrad, and his sick obsession with his ex wife Megan and her new boyfriend turned husband #2, Adrian. The storyline itself was somewhat predictable. The story was a bit over the top, but let's face it, that is what fiction is all about. If we made a fiction novel about my life and adventures, everybody would fall asleep by the end of the first paragraph. Now, I thought the lead characters Megan and Adrian were a little too perfect and mushy, but the rest of the characters, including super bad Conrad, were well done. Mark Rubernstein is an excellent author and knows how to keep his audience glued to the book. Some reviewers said he spends too much time an details....WRONG! It is his scene descriptions that place the reader right there in the middle of the story, visualizing everything with heart pounding clarity. I have read Mark Rubinstein before, and will read him again.
October 1, 2013
When reading a book by a great writer you feel as though the author is standing down a hallway calling to you in a quite voice to follow him along and around the corner, and because they are so good at what they do you trustingly follow unable to say no. However, with this story I often felt that the author was standing behind me with a strong grip around the back of my neck forcing my down that hallway in the direction he wanted me to go. The book was overly descriptive which bogged the story down and caused scenes that should have been exciting to drag. While the story itself has great potential to be an amazing story it became very predictable and slow moving. I felt that half of this book could have been trimmed away and the other half polished up to make a great book. Instead the overly descriptive writing and voice that seemed to be more use to writing nonfiction caused me to struggle to finish the book.
December 2, 2013
I found Love Gone Mad to be a very original book. The writing style was refreshing and engaging. I felt very sympathetic toward the main characters, and it would be difficult to find a more menacing, eerie villain. The storyline was fast paced and kept me captivated throughout.
Adrian Douglas, a doctor, and Megan Haggarty, a nurse in the same hospital, feel an immediate rapport when they meet, and soon begin a relationship. Odd things begin to happen to both of them, and it soon becomes evident that Megan's ex-husband, who has stalked her in the past,is at it again. Adrian and Megan have to survive this dangerous madman before they can look to the future.
Love Gone Mad was an action-packed, thrilling book. Parts of it were nerve racking and kept me on the edge of my seat. I was rooting for the likable main characters, and hoping that their creepy adversary would get his due. I found every moment of the book interesting and am looking forward to more by this author.
Adrian Douglas, a doctor, and Megan Haggarty, a nurse in the same hospital, feel an immediate rapport when they meet, and soon begin a relationship. Odd things begin to happen to both of them, and it soon becomes evident that Megan's ex-husband, who has stalked her in the past,is at it again. Adrian and Megan have to survive this dangerous madman before they can look to the future.
Love Gone Mad was an action-packed, thrilling book. Parts of it were nerve racking and kept me on the edge of my seat. I was rooting for the likable main characters, and hoping that their creepy adversary would get his due. I found every moment of the book interesting and am looking forward to more by this author.
July 4, 2014
Very intense, with several plot twists, I did not want to put this book down. I only gave it 3 stars, however, due to the way it was written. The author's sentence construction is very abrupt. While quite a few parts of this story lend themselves to such abrupt, short, specific sentences, the whole book should not be that way, which it was. He also went way too in depth in the specifics of things, explaining too much about the backstory of characters (minute, unneeded details that did not affect the storyline at all, they were just simply uneeded). Another example is that, since this had a lot of law and medical terminology, the author would use the acronym and then explain it. Awesome, if it really mattered for me to need to know that, however, I feel that he could have done away with the acronym, or explained them in reverse order.
Overall, this book held my attention, but I won't read anything else from this author, the writing style is just too annoying.
Overall, this book held my attention, but I won't read anything else from this author, the writing style is just too annoying.
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