The Perfect View

by Carolyn Young

Mara is unaware that she is not the only one with the perfect view of her own life. Someone who has known her since the very beginning is watching her from across the lake and has been hiding in the shadows around and behind her for years, even long before she moved into her beautiful house with her husband and his daughter. The watcher has witnessed all that she has suffered and every horrible mistake that she has made in each turbulent phase of her life, but he also knows why she made them, just as he knows with certainty that she needs him to watch over her so that he can rescue her when the time comes.

474 pages, Paperback

First published August 23, 2014

About the author

Carolyn Young is an entrepreneur, curriculum writer, mother, and traveler, and she lives in the suburbs of Columbus Ohio. She has written poetry and short stories throughout her life, and was finally inspired by experiences and her family to pursue her dream and write her debut novel, a dark tale of what picture-perfect suburban life sometimes looks like behind closed doors.

Reviews

[Galit Balli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally Loved it!
Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review

Note: In most reviews when I give above 3.5 stars it’s so easy to write a review for that book, but here… Here writing the review was extremely hard. Every other word I wrote just reviled a lot of details that I didn’t wanted to share (keeping this spoiler free, lol). So it took me a while to write the review where I share what I love but without any revealing details.
Before I will start with the review, I have to say that this book is more suitable for adults due to its harsh content.
Plot/Story:

Okay, this book was a great read. I enjoyed it so much and it was a fast pace read. You get immersed in the story fast (I loved that) and your connection with the character is from the start.
This is a story that makes you want to read more with page turn. The plot here is Mara’s (the main characters fights her demons and trying hard to heal the past.
I will say that the book is mostly one flashback after another and sometimes this can be a bit overwhelming, but here the author did a great job of making it feel smooth and not overbearing as most books with a lot of flashbacks.
I normally don’t read Psychological Thriller, but I am happy that I’ve read this book. It was an awesome read.
Characters:

Mara (the main character) is struggling a lot to find her right place in the world while she battles against her own demons.
I loved how Carolyn (the author) made Mara so strong, even if she drinks a lot and self medicate to forget, but she is so strong and slowly she knows that the only thing that will help her is to remember.
You go from frowning at Mara and get upset by all the wrong choices she make and then you sympathy towards her. The author made this character so well, that Mara will not be forgotten.
Jack is another strange, dysfunctional character and when the author showed his point of view it was really scary and chilling. Trust me when I say, that these two characters will hunt you in your thoughts.
Romance/Kills:

Wow, this story is full of emotions; more like an emotional roller-coaster (I will end this here before I will start telling too much, again, lol).
Writing:

I loved Carolyn’s writing style. She writes so beautifully, it was so smooth, clean and she was able to grip my attention from start to finish. She made all the flashbacks easier to handle and they were not overbearing. Even though this story talks about abuse, affairs and addictions, the author wrote so well that your heart is immediately go out for the Mara and her story.
The author puts a lot of details on the flashbacks, but here it made the story to take shape into a wonderful book to read.
Beginning:

It’s was a harsh start as you are thrown from the beginning to the inside of Mara’s mind and emotions, but it was still a very fast pace read and from the start I enjoyed the dysfunctional Mara and was able to connect with her immediately.
Ending:

I loved the ending so much. It has a nice twist to it (it did surprise me), but in a very satisfying way.
Cover Art:

I love the cover of this book a lot. It’s so beautiful and dark just like the story.
Blurb:

The blurb sounds really nice and it does set the tone for the entire plot of Jack and Mara.
Other Stuff

Opening Line: “Mara was dimly awake and sitting on the edge of the bed with her feet on the floor, but she could not quite force her weighted eyes to open completely.”

Highlights: I love Carolyn’s writing style a lot and how she shows us the inner turmoil of a person so beautifully. It’s such a sad but wonderful book.

Lowlights: None!

Final Thoughts: If you like to dive into the mind and soul of a person, you will love this book. This book has it all, hard life, harsh experiences, addictions, love and so much more. The Perfect View is wonderful read, it may not be an easy read, but it is a great one!

Read the original review at: The Reading Bud

[Brenda Stauffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book about dysfunctional characters who drink too much and can't settle down to trying to solve their problems. The book is a little hard to get into, but once you are involved in their lives, it is hard to put it down. The settings are interesting, too. I especially enjoyed being in the southwest part of the US via the book.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack wanted the 81 yr. old elderly man’s house that sat on the lake. Unfortunately or not the man fell down the basement stairs & died.
After all the legal hoopla Jack got it at a reasonable price.
Going on for 5 ½ yrs. Jack (watcher) was constantly observing a woman, her husband & his daughter who lived close by him.
Mara Shea (freelance writer, Michigan State) had once lived in Flagstaff, AZ. She divorced Michael Denver Roth (28, BS Biology, ASU, forestry service) & moved to Columbus, Ohio.
She later met Ben Warren (49, Catholic, University of Illinois) & Annie Warren (11, Bell).

The 2 dated for a while & now have been married for 7 yrs.
Mara Warren (nee Shea) has frequent bad dreams & nightmares. Or reminiscing.
What is Mara’s past she cannot forget?
Mara really liked wine & drank it almost every night to calm her nerves. She was also hooked on Percocet.
She started buying cheap wine so Ben wouldn’t notice the wine cellar was being depleted.

Billy (39, Ben ½ brother, musician) came to pay an unexpected visit to the Warren family.
Mara (aka Maralita) greeted him with open arms.
That afternoon Ben & Annie (13, VB) later arrived at the home.
Billy & Mara began to have an affair. Will it ever end?
He stayed for a while & moved out.
Later Mara meets Alex Armstrong (Colorado U).
What happens between those 2?
What about Jack, where does he fit in?
Will Mara ever come to terms with her past/present personal issues?

Personally I know all about abuse.

Working in Mental Health as a crisis social worker for 8 yrs., & adult/teen corrections (perpetrators); 1yr., I Haven’t forgot any of the Mara’s I worked with. Of course the 6A school system; 1 yr., there were a few.

Warning: This book is for adults only & contains adult content or language &/or sexually explicit scenarios. It may be offensive to some readers.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. Wow, a very well written psychological thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make great vigilante type movie (Charles Bronson, Jodi Foster) or mini TV series. 1 book I/you won’t want to put down. Top of my list for the Yr. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free Goodreads; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Lynette Sofras · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another psychological thriller chosen by a Goodreads group to which I belong, and which kept me engrossed for several weeks this summer. It's a long book, but well worth the read. It journeys deep inside the mind of Mara, a complex, disturbed woman with a truly shocking past. "What you see is what I am. This is me," Mara says in Chapter 3, but even by then we know nothing could be further from the truth. She's like an iceberg with its deep, secret depths.

Mara's tragic story does not make easy reading and just when you think you've understood why she is what she is, something even more shocking is revealed about her past, to make you wonder just how she survived to present a relatively normal façade to the world. She isn't easy to get to know or understand, but it's impossible not to feel some sympathy for her, despite the flawed way she exists and treats everyone who tries to love her. Mara is a fascinating character and one who will haunt me for a very long time. I feel strangely empty now that I've finished the story and no longer inhabit Mara's world.

I enjoyed the parallel account from Jack almost as much as Mara's story. Here is another disturbed character that is so well-presented by the author. He strives to atone for his unforgivable past deeds, putting his life on hold for many years as he watches and waits for the right moment to act. The depth of his remorse makes him sinister and unpredictable, but strangely noble.

Carolyn Young's writing is beautifully executed, her prose almost lyrical at times, but the editing lets it down just a little. Throughout the story, missing words kept tripping me up, making me re-read sentences. A book of this quality deserves to be flawless and the publishers have not done it full justice in my opinion.

The pace of this story makes it more a psychological drama than thriller, but whatever its genre, 'The Perfect View' is a fascinating, well-told story and I would read more from this author.

[We Said It: Literary Reviews w/ Ts Blogging · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Lost and Found
“The Perfect View” by Carolyn Young

Reviewed by Fay McKella
06/19/20159:54 AM

Living up to the stepmother role she unintentionally brought herself into, Mara is struggling to find her peace between the life she started and the life she truly belongs with. After her husband Ben, and stepdaughter Annie leave for the day, she is left home alone trapped by the demons of her past to slowly eat her alive. Mara's only way to remedy her broken life is by hiding. Alcohol and pills are her temporary medicine but she knows she needs something more, something to seal her darkest of cracks in her secrets that lie below. A few different people walk in and out of her life, but none of them seem to understand her hurt inside and the shadows that cover her. Will Mara ever find someone to truly save her?

The book begins in vivid detail describing the scene and the feelings from "him" about "her". As you continue, the facts of reality are slowly laid out as each chapter describes another event in the main character's life.

Carolyn Young has set up this book, “The Perfect View,” in a very unique way. Almost every second chapter is a flashback to her childhood depicting all of the horror our main character had to live through, while the other chapters tell of her current life and her current struggles. Although this seemed unnecessary in the beginning, each flashback truly characterizes the life Mara pushes through, making the reader more drawn into the story as ever. Towards the middle of the book, readers will find themselves unable to put the book! The heightening of emotions as the rollercoaster of events pan out truly makes this book a must read!

If you are looking for a climactic story in which the pages seem to turn themselves, look no further because this book is a must read!

I give "The Perfect View" 5 out of 5 stars.

Cheers,

Fay McKella
www.mcwpub.blogspot.com

[Doug Eggleston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a fan of thriller novels (a lot of times they are the only genre of books exciting enough to keep me interested), I was excited to give this one a try. I can also say that I have some mental health issues of my own (depression and anxiety), though I don't suffer from it quite as badly as Mara.

I know some readers have a difficult time with "overly detailed" writing, but please don't misunderstand what other reviewers are saying. It's not the detail itself, I think it's that the pacing of a thriller novel is expected to be quite fast, and sometimes the details feel like it's slowing things down - BUT that's NOT the case in this book. I personally thought the pacing and details were balanced quite well, which is not an easy thing to do.

I love Dan Brown's thrillers, and this book really falls into the same category (obviously just without all the historical influence). Try it out, you won't be disappointed!

[K.S. Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author does an excellent job of showing us the interior view of a woman in the throes of mental illness. Mara, the main character, is desperately depressed and dissociates from her body. While we have some clues in the beginning about dark events in her past, the events that have left Mara as damaged goods aren't revealed until well into the novel.

Jack, the watcher across the lake, is every bit as deranged as Mara if not more so. The opening in his point of view is chilling.

The story is slow to develop with a lot of chapters spent on backstory and how Mara feels in the present. Those could perhaps have been shortened up to give the story more forward momentum earlier.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Joannes Rhino · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book entertained me. One thing that I spotlight from this reading is that how descriptive a person can be when it comes to describing things. It may not be a good thing for some people, but not for me. I am the kinda person who loves detail. The Perfect View is a thriller novel with psychological touch. The author has done a wonderful job in setting the plot and building the characters. The plot stays on track, no useless scenes or fluff. The story reveals itself naturally, through action and dialogue. I enjoyed the many twists and turns this dark tale takes, driving the reader mad until they too have solved the mystery.

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

With affinity towards psychology genre I delved with eagerness into The Perfect View looking for some quality reading and hoping for satisfactory outcome.

The novel features past, reflective moments and present, combining the two so as to shape somewhat disturbing image of the main character(s) in the readers mind as the plot unfolds. This is done skilfully on the author’s part making one privy to the reasons of disorderly state heroin finds herself in, hence insinuating sense of wonder as to what the future holds.

Obvious depression and turmoil in the main character is paralleled and given twist by less noticeable protector, someone who on the outset seems possessed of clear judgment, but as the story makes progress leading to better understanding one is hard not to develop disturbing sense of uneasiness toward this invisible companion. This kept core idea in suspense delivering twists naturally and without force.

Descriptions, though handled skilfully, are heavy on the appearance, meaning that even though they never produce any tediousness they could use some absence in favor of characters taking action and providing insight in their mental state by same means. Still, I didn’t find pacing suffering due to this, which goes to speak of author’s ability to keep perspective on what is important.

Darker tone is propitious to the overall impression which reader forms by getting deeper understanding of the causes that led to ungrateful shape of mind main heroin presents, accustomed as she is to all forms of self-denial. It is somewhat long work and even though it wouldn’t mind some parts being left out I still prefer it as it is, finding every bit of information significant to forming accurate comprehension on which whole story is reliant upon.

All in all it is a good entry in the psychology genre.

[P.J. McDermott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gripping story, well told by the author, Carolyn Young. The descriptions are vivid, and the main characters are strong and well developed, if strange in the extreme. If you enjoy psychological thrillers this one will draw you in. The main character is Mara, a seriously disturbed young woman with a hellish past who presents several faces to the world at large (personally I loved Katherine Hepburn) - none of them her own. To preserve the secrets that she has held from everyone, herself included, she consumes copious amounts of wine aided by pain relieving drugs.
Other Characters include Ben (her incredibly patient and naive husband), his daughter Annie (a surrogate for the daughter Mara never had) Ben's Brother (a musso, head over heals in love with her) her Father, Jack (a homicidal wacko, if ever you've seen one) and the 'strange' Alex who seems to be in the same boat as Mara (schizophrenic)
It is an absorbing story and I enjoyed it very much. There are brilliant passages, but others that the novelist could eliminate to make the story even more intense than it already is.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, Read this book if you love love love the ramblings of a broken persons mind. Without it this would be a different book. I had a hard time staying focused only because I wanted to know what had happened to this woman that screwed her life up so badly and I wanted it NOW! This book does not fall into my normal reading comfort zone. It is long but very detailed in the lost misery of Mara's life. She tries so hard to be normal but ultimately cannot convince herself. We start the journey in the present while revisiting the past periodically. My only complaint was that I would get confused as to whether we were in the present or the past on occasion. I would have liked a Now vs Then heads up. The ending was a bit of a shock, but not really unexpected. In the end a Monster becomes a Hero of sorts.


"I received a gifted copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review:"

[John Marmion · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerful story about two people who want to escape their past. Mara is trying to eradicate the pain inflicted upon her primarily by her father. Jack her father is spending the remainder of his life trying to atone for what he has done to his only child. Read with deliberation and let the author's descriptive prose take you on Mara and Jack's separate journies to overcome their demons. As the solution to their long time goals is at hand, the ending will surprise you. A great read for those interested in delving into the psychology behind people's actions and reactions.

[Janeandjerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off I want to thank Carolyn Young for sending me an autographed copy of this book for my 50th birthday. Thank you
This is a story about a very disturbing woman named Mara who has been running from demons all her life and turns to alcohol and prescription pills to deal with life as she knows it to be. She is followed by Jack even though she doesn't know it and the things he does to her would make anyone sick but in the end all things comes to those that wait...I gave this a 4 star just because for me it was slower than I would had liked but it is every bit worth it in the end...

[Warren Edwards · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was difficult to sit through the heavy descriptive sentences in this book. Words, adjectives, specifically are so over used that you lose the point of what the writer is trying to say. It seemed to be very self involved writing. Could have been a decent book with some really focused developmental editing.

[Molly Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Very well written. I couldn't put it down!

[K. Kumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this book 3.5 stars.

The Perfect View revolves around Mara, a seemingly normal woman who appears to live a pretty conventional life in Ohio. Then as more details of her backstory and inner thoughts are revealed, the story unveils her disturbing past. Parallel to Mara's story, she is being monitored by Jack throughout various parts of her life. His purpose is opaque from the start: is he a stalker or a savior?

The majority of the story revolves around Mara and her marriage to Ben and her adjustment to living with his daughter and also Billy, Ben's brother. This domestic life seems to be happy at first, but Mara always appears to be struggling to make sense of her place and adjusting to this life. She always has a drink in her hand and is always reaching for pain medication. So there is clearly something disturbing going on.

I particularly liked the descriptions of the relationship between Mara and Annie, Ben's daughter. It is clear throughout the story that Mara wants to have a meaningful relationship with her stepdaughter, but she struggles to make a connection with her. At first I thought Annie was being hard on Mara, but later I understood why the relationship was so difficult.

And as more details of Mara's past are revealed, I got a better understanding of her pathology and why she was making so many destructive decisions. Despite this, I did not find Mara to be a particularly likable character. She is very judgmental at times and elitist. She is also not an honest person, she betrays pretty much everyone that shows affection for her.

One challenge I had with the book was the author's writing style. The story is really overwhelming at times with the descriptions and narratives detailing every thought that passes through Mara's head and every minute detail in her day. At times the story reads like a journal of every little detail of Mara's daily life, including what wine she is drinking and the food she is eating. Because of this, it was challenging to stay engaged in the story at certain points.

The ending was unexpected, but I also thought it was satisfying. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy stories that explore human psychology and show the reader that things are not always as good as they appear to be on the outside.

[Anne Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the sad story of Mara who never has found peace since she has been able to think. Surrounded by her out-of-balance parents, she manages to keep rather normal appearances, but her soul is broken. She thinks of herself as a demon, who damages everyone close o her -and she is not that wrong.
Of course, you wonder if she could have changed, with therapy, psychological help, meds if necessary. We won't ever know. She tried a couple of times to insert herself into a normal life. There was always a glitch, something to make her run again.
When she meets a man she maybe could love, he turns out to be much worse than her. And her father is always in the shadows watching his daughter, unable to protect her, as he is the one who began damaging her.
I still have problems though to understand why Mara felt so guilty, so dirty. Why she retreated in lands no one might enter and drift in loneliness for years.
I think he book would have been more impressive if shorter. Around the middle, there are pages repeating, claiming her despair again and again. Some could easily have been cut out.
An interesting story about a deep depression with roots in childhood, a very sad and hopeless book.

[Deb DRaper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the descriptive writing in this novel. The author is so poetic that I could visualize the settings so easily and really enjoyed the beautiful prose used on every page. The main character is mysterious and flawed and I just wanted to find out what her backstory was and what had made her this way! It was a page-turner and I was very satisfied with the ending. The reasons behind why she was so messed up give weight to the "nature vs nurture" debate, and I found myself wondering how or if her life would've turned out any differently if just one of her past circumstances had been different.
It is to be noted that the main character is Atheist, as specified throughout the story, and I found it interesting that the author chose not to capitalize the word "god", since this was from the character's point of view. It is a well thought out story and I would recommend it to anyone who loves suspense, mystery and psychological mind benders.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic copy of this book by the author for an honest review. If the rating system would allow, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars. Mara is a woman with a past that she would rather forget. She drinks to keep her memories at bay, isolating and cutting herself off from her loved ones. Unbeknownst to Mara, she is being stalked by her self professed protector. He cleans up her mistakes and delivers justice on her behalf. When Mara's life spirals out of control, she makes a choice and pays the ultimate price. This book shows a woman who faced many terrible circumstances in her life and has become psychologically unhinged because of it. There are times when I found it a little hard to follow, but I feel that the author did that deliberately to show Mara's state of mind. If you are looking for a dark, suspenseful read, this is the book for you.

[Kristy · Rating 1 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

I personally could not get through this book. I couldn't quite figure out what the author was trying to get across. The main character definitely had a lot of mental health issues & the author did a wonderful job of getting the reader in the main character's head, however I think that it overshadowed the plot. The plot just seemed to get completely lost and forgotten about in the descriptions of what was occurring in the main character's mind.

I wish the author all the best and just think this ultimately was not type of book.

[Marti · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of the most exasperating books I have ever read. If it weren't chosen for Psychological Thrillers, I would have given up on it ages ago. I didn't care for Mara, or any of the other characters. It was repetitive and stupid.

[Linda]

This story was very interesting.


In some places the story was long winded. The characters were fascinating. I particularly enjoyed Mara's character, she had many issues that kept her mentally unbalanced. Iwouldrecommend this book to all my friends.