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Dead Pretty
I'd once believed that nothing would equal the pain of losing my parents.
I was wrong.
I had barely even begun to process their deaths when it started.
The love notes, flowers, gifts … all anonymously left on my porch.
Then, I opened my door to a dead bird.
At first, I thought it had died naturally.
I knew that wasn’t the case when I found my neighbor’s cat the next day.
Then, the murders started.
The victims … women who looked eerily similar to me.
I had a stalker. A murderous one.
And I had no clue who he was.
He never showed me his face.
Not even when he carved his final message into me.
I survived that night. But my life was over. It had ended the moment Tobias Ripley’s infatuation with me began.
So, I changed my name and moved away.
Now, I live a life of solitude. I don’t make connections with anyone.
Until Jack Canti walks into my life with his sharp eyes and easy smiles.
Only Jack isn’t the man he says he is.
And when the murders start again, I’m left wondering if it’s a copycat.
Or worse …
What if Tobias wasn’t the real killer after all … and the murderer has been right here with me all along?
I was wrong.
I had barely even begun to process their deaths when it started.
The love notes, flowers, gifts … all anonymously left on my porch.
Then, I opened my door to a dead bird.
At first, I thought it had died naturally.
I knew that wasn’t the case when I found my neighbor’s cat the next day.
Then, the murders started.
The victims … women who looked eerily similar to me.
I had a stalker. A murderous one.
And I had no clue who he was.
He never showed me his face.
Not even when he carved his final message into me.
I survived that night. But my life was over. It had ended the moment Tobias Ripley’s infatuation with me began.
So, I changed my name and moved away.
Now, I live a life of solitude. I don’t make connections with anyone.
Until Jack Canti walks into my life with his sharp eyes and easy smiles.
Only Jack isn’t the man he says he is.
And when the murders start again, I’m left wondering if it’s a copycat.
Or worse …
What if Tobias wasn’t the real killer after all … and the murderer has been right here with me all along?
Paperback
First published June 23, 2020
About the author
Samantha Towle
43 books11.5k followersSamantha Towle is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.
A native of Hull, she lives in East Yorkshire with her husband, their son and daughter, and three large furbabies.
She is the author of contemporary romances, The Storm Series, The Revved Series, The Wardrobe Series, The Gods Series, and standalones, Trouble, When I Was Yours, The Ending I Want, Unsuitable, Under Her, River Wild, Dead Pretty, The Two Week Stand and Sacking the Quarterback which was written with James Patterson. She has also written paranormal romances, The Bringer and The Alexandra Jones Series. With over a million books sold, her titles have appeared in countless bestseller lists, and are currently translated into ten languages.
To receive an email when Samantha releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter - http://samanthatowle.co.uk/newsletter...
You can also find Samantha at -
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Samantha-Tow...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/samtowlewrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samtowlewri...
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/saman...
A native of Hull, she lives in East Yorkshire with her husband, their son and daughter, and three large furbabies.
She is the author of contemporary romances, The Storm Series, The Revved Series, The Wardrobe Series, The Gods Series, and standalones, Trouble, When I Was Yours, The Ending I Want, Unsuitable, Under Her, River Wild, Dead Pretty, The Two Week Stand and Sacking the Quarterback which was written with James Patterson. She has also written paranormal romances, The Bringer and The Alexandra Jones Series. With over a million books sold, her titles have appeared in countless bestseller lists, and are currently translated into ten languages.
To receive an email when Samantha releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter - http://samanthatowle.co.uk/newsletter...
You can also find Samantha at -
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Samantha-Tow...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/samtowlewrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samtowlewri...
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/saman...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 502 reviews
June 24, 2020
Dead Pretty is LIVE early!
24-year-old Audrey moved to Jackson from Chicago six months ago to start a new life. 🙏
She went through an horrific event in Chicago that changed her world and she's still very scared and wary of everything - she doesn't connect with people, she checks her apartment several times, always locks her door with all the locks and doesn't leave her house without her rape alarm. 💥
She believes that death haunts her - and could endanger all the people around her... 💔
The only thing that binds her to her previous life is her big brother Cole, whom she speaks to on the phone once a week, but she doesn't even tell him where she lives now. 😬
This is why she is so careful when Jake, a hot new guy moves into her building - and since then she sees him EVERYWHERE - in the hallways... in her favorite cafe shop... in the library, where she works... and even at a supermarket. 💕
But is Jake just a sweet guy who really cares about her? Or maybe her past is trying to haunt her again...? 😱😱😱
📚 "𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑵𝒐. 𝑵𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌." 📚
Samantha, you're a naughty woman with a criminal mind! who knew...? 😂
I still can't believe this is the first erotic thriller she wrote!!!!!!! 👏👑
And yet, the first half of the book was CRAZY and I couldn't put it down - but in the other half there were parts that made me roll my eyes and there were too much sex scenes that added nothing to the plot (yes, they were insanely hot!!! 🔥 But the amount of them made no sense) 😬
Plus, I guessed the twist at the beginning (well, at least half of the twist!)
And when it was finally revealed, I was really bummed out because of what I thought was going to happen...
But then... BOOM! something completely different happened Instead!!!!!!!!!!! 😱😱😱
I certainly didn't expect that.
I honestly don't know if I liked or hated the ending - but one thing's for sure, I'm still shocked about it.
Total shock, damn it. 💣
A good author to me, is one who can step out of their comfort zone and write something new - and without doubt Samantha Towle did that with this book! 👑
▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️
📖 ᖴOᒪᒪOᗯ ᗰE Oᑎ IᑎᔕTᗩGᖇᗩᗰ: https://www.instagram.com/the_romanti...
📖 ᐯIᔕIT ᗰY ᗷᒪOG ᖴOᖇ ᗰOᖇE ᖇEᐯIEᗯᔕ: https://books-romance.com/
📖 GOOᗪᖇEᗩᗪᔕ: https://bit.ly/3acMRMP
💕 לקריאת הסקירה בעברית, כנסו לבלוג: https://books-romance.com/ 💕
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November 24, 2020🖤 LIMITED EDITION COVER! Ebook is on sale for $0.99! 🖤
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June 26, 2020
MY REVIEW AND OTHERS: can also be found on my blog:
➽ KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
'DEAD PRETTY' Is a full length standalone, psychological thriller by Samantha Towle. Spoken in Audrey’s POV
This book was one of those gems which you rarely come across, it carries you on one path where your all caught up in the feels of a new relationship when out of nowhere it veers off that path right into a wtf did I just read situation and that moment changed the whole story!! This book will keep you on your toes and guessing throughout.
We're introduced to single twenty four year old Audrey, she's newly arrived in the town of Jackson, works as a librarian, and is making this a fresh start and leaving all that she ran away from in the past back in Chicago where she'd barely survived a stalker.
She's changed her name and is trying to put the pieces back together with this new life she's creating, but it's not been easy, she doesn't connect with people, avoids them as much as she can, and is always suspicious of new faces. She has no life and no friends. Always fearing that something bad is going to happen again, daily she checks her apartment and takes every precaution she can by carrying mace and a rape alarm in her hand bag.
A mystery man shows up in Jackson which puts Audrey on high alert, it seems as though he is watching her, he turns up places she goes, to even moving into her apartment block with his cat which always seems to escape finding its way over to Audrey's apartment. A few stilted conversations and one date later leads to her letting down her walls, although unwillingly.
It takes some convincing but slowly she throws caution to the wind and falls head over heels into an unexpected steamy relationship. which slowly allows her to feel safe and secure.
But when it seems as though a copy cat killer is on the loose how long until her happiness is jeopardised again? And will Jack be able to protect her?
June 24, 2020
*****FIVE STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
”DEAD PRETTY” is a steamy & suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seats. This is a break from Samantha Towle’s other book of work and she has proven she can’t be tied down to one genre. I was instantly intrigued by Audrey and there isn’t a doubt in my mind that readers are going to swoon hard over Jack Canti. You’ll be trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together in order to solve the big mystery, but don’t be fooled into thinking you have all the answers. That’s what I thought and I was completely floored! This was an incredible read and a true page-turner!
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5
Heroine: 4
Plot: 5
Angst: 4.5
Steam: 5++++
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5
”DEAD PRETTY” releases on June 26th!
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
”DEAD PRETTY” is a steamy & suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seats. This is a break from Samantha Towle’s other book of work and she has proven she can’t be tied down to one genre. I was instantly intrigued by Audrey and there isn’t a doubt in my mind that readers are going to swoon hard over Jack Canti. You’ll be trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together in order to solve the big mystery, but don’t be fooled into thinking you have all the answers. That’s what I thought and I was completely floored! This was an incredible read and a true page-turner!
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5
Heroine: 4
Plot: 5
Angst: 4.5
Steam: 5++++
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5
”DEAD PRETTY” releases on June 26th!
June 24, 2020
4 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)
Audrey Hayes has lived in Jackson, Wyoming for the past six months after a stranger terrorized her and forever changed her life. After surviving a stalker she changed her name and moved far away from the only home she's ever known. She wants a fresh start where nobody knows her or her past. She's alone, with no friends, and avoiding people is her specialty. She's become a pro at hiding her emotions, and she's suspicious of everyone, and tortured by memories. She's still working on herself trying to move forward with her life, and get back some sense of normalcy, but fear and anxiety often control every aspect of her life. She doesn't do connections anymore, but then she meets a gorgeous man who throws her world into chaos. Suddenly she stops listening to her own rules as he disrupts her solitude. She hates how affected she is by his presence, and one touch and their chemistry explodes. Jack Canti makes her wariness fade, and she begins to feel safe again. It's been so long since she's felt this alive. Can she trust again and finally find her happiness?
-I've never felt so unbalanced yet more like my old self than I do around Jack.
-The dark, broken parts of me want Jack's light so very badly.
-I love the way he looks at me. Like I'm the only thing in the world he sees.
Dead Pretty by Samantha Towle is a standalone psychological thriller full of passion, mystery, suspense, intrigue, secrets, lies, and danger. It's an original, eerie, tragic, twisted tale that's a bit dark, but also has romance. There's murder, and so many twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Nothing is as it seems, or what I was expecting. It's a wild ride that will comepletely pull you in. It has so many shockers, and is very different from this author's usual writing style. I love how versatile her stories are. I was flabbergasted by this ending, and was left thinking what? What did I just read? No! She didn't end it like that, and then, Oh, yup she did! ;)) She totally went there!!! It's brilliantly written, and I can't think of the last time I've been this stunned by an ending!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/2VcKsfV
(ARC provided by author)
Audrey Hayes has lived in Jackson, Wyoming for the past six months after a stranger terrorized her and forever changed her life. After surviving a stalker she changed her name and moved far away from the only home she's ever known. She wants a fresh start where nobody knows her or her past. She's alone, with no friends, and avoiding people is her specialty. She's become a pro at hiding her emotions, and she's suspicious of everyone, and tortured by memories. She's still working on herself trying to move forward with her life, and get back some sense of normalcy, but fear and anxiety often control every aspect of her life. She doesn't do connections anymore, but then she meets a gorgeous man who throws her world into chaos. Suddenly she stops listening to her own rules as he disrupts her solitude. She hates how affected she is by his presence, and one touch and their chemistry explodes. Jack Canti makes her wariness fade, and she begins to feel safe again. It's been so long since she's felt this alive. Can she trust again and finally find her happiness?
-I've never felt so unbalanced yet more like my old self than I do around Jack.
-The dark, broken parts of me want Jack's light so very badly.
-I love the way he looks at me. Like I'm the only thing in the world he sees.
Dead Pretty by Samantha Towle is a standalone psychological thriller full of passion, mystery, suspense, intrigue, secrets, lies, and danger. It's an original, eerie, tragic, twisted tale that's a bit dark, but also has romance. There's murder, and so many twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Nothing is as it seems, or what I was expecting. It's a wild ride that will comepletely pull you in. It has so many shockers, and is very different from this author's usual writing style. I love how versatile her stories are. I was flabbergasted by this ending, and was left thinking what? What did I just read? No! She didn't end it like that, and then, Oh, yup she did! ;)) She totally went there!!! It's brilliantly written, and I can't think of the last time I've been this stunned by an ending!
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/2VcKsfV
July 22, 2020
3.5 stars
So this is more of a warning than a review.
So this is more of a warning than a review.
July 21, 2020
I will keep this review short.
First of all, I saw a lot of beautiful edits on Instagram of this book by Lisa, and I felt compelled to pick it up. And oh my god, what a fucking book!
I was advised not to read any reviews or spoilers of this book, and if you know me, I always read reviews and/or spoilers before going into a book because I'm weak, and I need to know what I'm getting into. However, I'm glad I only read the blurb before starting this book because the 'not knowing' was excellent. Everything had my jaw on the fucking floor. You will never be ready for this story.
Whoever you are, you NEED to read this book. NOW. I don't care; just read THIS BOOK.
Samatha Towle, you're brilliant. Absolutely. Completely. Fucking. Brilliant. Thank you for writing this book.
That's it. I will not say anything about this book. I'm not adding any quotes. Nothing. You have to go in completely blind.
June 25, 2020
It's a while since I read a book by this author but while reading this I was thinking to myself she hasn't advanced much in her writing. It's still very basic.
This is supposed to be a thriller but she wrote most of the book as one of her romance novels and then threw in an unoriginal plot twist at the end but I would have preferred if Cole was alive still and the killer and Jack and Audrey had a happy ending.
Instead, Audrey saw her brother Cole murdered as a child and grew up with a split personality and so it was Audrey who was the killer but she was killing while 'Cole' took over. It seemed very unrealistic that in the epilogue, she had got away with it again. I'm sure the Detectives that featured in the story were not that stupid to believe it was Jack but also unrealistic to me that Audrey could have killed all those people.
After the author killed Jack off then she should also have had Audrey/Cole pay the price which would have felt more realistic to me.
Hopefully the author returns to romance novels and puts this down to a badly executed experiment!
This is supposed to be a thriller but she wrote most of the book as one of her romance novels and then threw in an unoriginal plot twist at the end but I would have preferred if Cole was alive still and the killer and Jack and Audrey had a happy ending.
Instead, Audrey saw her brother Cole murdered as a child and grew up with a split personality and so it was Audrey who was the killer but she was killing while 'Cole' took over. It seemed very unrealistic that in the epilogue, she had got away with it again. I'm sure the Detectives that featured in the story were not that stupid to believe it was Jack but also unrealistic to me that Audrey could have killed all those people.
After the author killed Jack off then she should also have had Audrey/Cole pay the price which would have felt more realistic to me.
Hopefully the author returns to romance novels and puts this down to a badly executed experiment!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2020
5 “Thrilling” Stars
I love when an author surprises me by changing up their normal writing genre and tries something new. A psychological thriller, infused with intrigue, danger, murder, and sexy moments, combined with many twists and turns that has you thinking, “I know it’s coming, I know it’s coming” and when it comes, it spins you on your top.
Beside the psychological aspect, I will say that I loved that this author still had a romance element to this story. Audrey and Jack meet and have a connection. Their story is filled with suspenseful drama wrapped up in sexual tension and steamy sex scenes. Can I tell you more, no. I think some stories should be read organically without knowing much more than what the blurb tells you. The only thing I will say is, be prepared to NOT want to put the book down.
*advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
I love when an author surprises me by changing up their normal writing genre and tries something new. A psychological thriller, infused with intrigue, danger, murder, and sexy moments, combined with many twists and turns that has you thinking, “I know it’s coming, I know it’s coming” and when it comes, it spins you on your top.
Beside the psychological aspect, I will say that I loved that this author still had a romance element to this story. Audrey and Jack meet and have a connection. Their story is filled with suspenseful drama wrapped up in sexual tension and steamy sex scenes. Can I tell you more, no. I think some stories should be read organically without knowing much more than what the blurb tells you. The only thing I will say is, be prepared to NOT want to put the book down.
*advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
June 23, 2020
Spoiler free review
The most important thing I can say about this story is please go in completely blind. Don’t read all the reviews as they may contain spoilers and you really need to go into this read oblivious, trust me - it will make the experience worth it. To be honest I didn’t even read the synopsis because Sam is an author I completely trust and that is enough for me.
Audrey has recently moved to Jackson and works at the local library. It is evident that she has been through something traumatic in her life as she is quite skitterish, has 5 deadlocks on her apartment door and carries mace and a rape alarm in her hand bag. She lives a very routined and solitary life, just keeping to herself. She prefers it this way, it’s how she keeps herself safe.
She first meets Jack when she notices him at the library one day. Their paths cross again at a coffee shop and then she discovers he has recently moved in her apartment building. He is a guy that people notice, he is tall, ripped, handsome, rides a motorbike, he took in a homeless cat and his dimpled smile is dreamy….
Audrey has rules in place to protect herself but Jack seems to be able to penetrate the walls she has in place. It is obvious he likes her and the feeling is mutual but she knows that letting him in will only end badly for both of them. She does begin to open up to him though and eventually the pull between them wins out. Lust can be a dangerous thing but the pleasure seems to outweigh common sense for now.
‘I want him. I shouldn’t want him. The dark, broken parts of me want Jack’s light so very badly. But the smart part of my brain says no.’
I have to say that I can see why Audrey falls for Jack, I fell for him too, he is so sweet and thoughtful. I was planning out their entire future in my mind and envious of the incredible connection they had. This guy is the king of orgasms! Did I also mention that he walks dogs at the animal shelter too *thud* - I love this guy!
However, when you are running from something or hiding secrets they have a nasty habit of finding you and when Audrey’s past looks like it is trying to catch up with her things take on a more sinister tone. Jack knows that Audrey has a past and he can’t help but want to protect her. He knows that she will tell him things when she is ready but when unexplainable things start happening, he is worried that her life may be in danger. Now that he has found such a soul deep connection with her, unlike anything he has felt before he will do anything to keep it.
And that is where I will end my review. What I can say is that I have a habit of predicting outcomes and as this story has a suspenseful element, my mind was working overtime trying to be one step ahead of what was going on. I could never have predicted how this story would end and I was completely blind sided! Well played Samantha Towle! 24 hours later I am still thinking about this story and in awe of your mind fuckery skills!
The most important thing I can say about this story is please go in completely blind. Don’t read all the reviews as they may contain spoilers and you really need to go into this read oblivious, trust me - it will make the experience worth it. To be honest I didn’t even read the synopsis because Sam is an author I completely trust and that is enough for me.
Audrey has recently moved to Jackson and works at the local library. It is evident that she has been through something traumatic in her life as she is quite skitterish, has 5 deadlocks on her apartment door and carries mace and a rape alarm in her hand bag. She lives a very routined and solitary life, just keeping to herself. She prefers it this way, it’s how she keeps herself safe.
She first meets Jack when she notices him at the library one day. Their paths cross again at a coffee shop and then she discovers he has recently moved in her apartment building. He is a guy that people notice, he is tall, ripped, handsome, rides a motorbike, he took in a homeless cat and his dimpled smile is dreamy….
Audrey has rules in place to protect herself but Jack seems to be able to penetrate the walls she has in place. It is obvious he likes her and the feeling is mutual but she knows that letting him in will only end badly for both of them. She does begin to open up to him though and eventually the pull between them wins out. Lust can be a dangerous thing but the pleasure seems to outweigh common sense for now.
‘I want him. I shouldn’t want him. The dark, broken parts of me want Jack’s light so very badly. But the smart part of my brain says no.’
I have to say that I can see why Audrey falls for Jack, I fell for him too, he is so sweet and thoughtful. I was planning out their entire future in my mind and envious of the incredible connection they had. This guy is the king of orgasms! Did I also mention that he walks dogs at the animal shelter too *thud* - I love this guy!
However, when you are running from something or hiding secrets they have a nasty habit of finding you and when Audrey’s past looks like it is trying to catch up with her things take on a more sinister tone. Jack knows that Audrey has a past and he can’t help but want to protect her. He knows that she will tell him things when she is ready but when unexplainable things start happening, he is worried that her life may be in danger. Now that he has found such a soul deep connection with her, unlike anything he has felt before he will do anything to keep it.
And that is where I will end my review. What I can say is that I have a habit of predicting outcomes and as this story has a suspenseful element, my mind was working overtime trying to be one step ahead of what was going on. I could never have predicted how this story would end and I was completely blind sided! Well played Samantha Towle! 24 hours later I am still thinking about this story and in awe of your mind fuckery skills!
November 20, 2020
Dead Pretty no fue en lo absoluto lo que imaginaba, realmente la premisa no te prepara para la historia que vas a encontrar entre sus paginas, y esos capitulos finales son simplemente impactantes, literalmente me dejaron con cara de WTF? 😲
Honestamente me estaba encantando la lectura, el romance me tenia muy muy intrigada, sobre todo porque en un principio no esperaba que fuera a ser tan entretenido, sin embargo, me estaba faltando algo, tal vez que hubiera un poco mas de suspense en la historia, pero en general estaba disfrutando de el libro ... hasta que llegue a las ultimas 30 hojas.
Ese desenlace? es uno de los mas inesperados que he leido en un tiempo, no me vi venir ese giro en ningun momento, y aunque es un buen giro, admito que me falto que se desarrollara un poco mas en profundidad, todo sucede en muy pocas paginas y eso hace que resulte precipitado, ademas, dicha " sorpresa " me arruino bastante la lectura.
Para concluir, Dead Pretty es muy recomendable si quieres leer una historia diferente, que no te deje indiferente, aunque tambien debo reconocer que no me parecio una lectura redonda, le sobran escenas torridas y le falta mas accion, eso si, el final te dejara asombrada, no es nada clasico.
P. D. : No sabia muy bien que puntuacion ponerle, por lo que me quedo en el medio.
2.75 Estrellas!
November 14, 2020
Argh!!!! That ending ....was just way too much for me.
2.5 stars. ⭐⭐
Well...Samantha Towle what a totally surprising read this was..... indeed.
I had really hoped for a happy ending here...but what I got was a "majorly" shocking one instead....it was definitely very unexpected and even though I did think it was somewhat well done ....I didn't necessarily enjoy it either... so hence the lower star rating.
Well written just not my cup of tea....I probably should have passed on this one.
I still do......very much love this author and her writing though.
2.5 stars. ⭐⭐
Well...Samantha Towle what a totally surprising read this was..... indeed.
I had really hoped for a happy ending here...but what I got was a "majorly" shocking one instead....it was definitely very unexpected and even though I did think it was somewhat well done ....I didn't necessarily enjoy it either... so hence the lower star rating.
Well written just not my cup of tea....I probably should have passed on this one.
I still do......very much love this author and her writing though.
July 5, 2020
3.5 stars
“I don’t believe in coincidences.
There are just more evil people in this world than I thought.”
- Audrey Hayes (Irwin)
-—-
“Doing something for others leaves you with a sense of worth.”
- Audrey Hayes ( Irwin )
-—-
“We’re not so different, you and me.”
- Jack Canti
-—-
“To me, there is nothing prettier than death.
And tonight … his death is going to look as pretty as hell.”
- Cole
“I don’t believe in coincidences.
There are just more evil people in this world than I thought.”
- Audrey Hayes (Irwin)
-—-
“Doing something for others leaves you with a sense of worth.”
- Audrey Hayes ( Irwin )
-—-
“We’re not so different, you and me.”
- Jack Canti
-—-
“To me, there is nothing prettier than death.
And tonight … his death is going to look as pretty as hell.”
- Cole
June 22, 2020
A- MAZ- ING !!!
Omg what have I just read. This book is just amazing the story sucked me in I couldn't put it down. I've not read anything like this book in a long time. It's very different to what this authors normally does and I know it was hard for her but you wouldn't think it was. This just shows that she can do anything and do it damn well. The story flowed so well it kept me on the edge of my seat from the start to the end. You can't help but want to know more about Audrey and what she has been through.
Then there is Jack omg this guy is amazing hot and so so sexy. The chemistry between him and Audrey is crazy hot no matter how hard she tries to fight it she just couldn't. The pull was to strong.
I can't recommend this book enough. The story is hot, suspenseful, exciting and totally shocking. The twist WOW I didnt see it coming at all it's crazy, shocking and so so smart. If you want something different give this a go you will not regret it. This is my favorite book of the year !!
Hero 5⭐
Heroine 5⭐
Story 5+⭐
Writing 5⭐
Steam 5⭐
Angst 5⭐
Drama 5⭐
Mystery 5⭐
Twists 5⭐
Omg what have I just read. This book is just amazing the story sucked me in I couldn't put it down. I've not read anything like this book in a long time. It's very different to what this authors normally does and I know it was hard for her but you wouldn't think it was. This just shows that she can do anything and do it damn well. The story flowed so well it kept me on the edge of my seat from the start to the end. You can't help but want to know more about Audrey and what she has been through.
Then there is Jack omg this guy is amazing hot and so so sexy. The chemistry between him and Audrey is crazy hot no matter how hard she tries to fight it she just couldn't. The pull was to strong.
I can't recommend this book enough. The story is hot, suspenseful, exciting and totally shocking. The twist WOW I didnt see it coming at all it's crazy, shocking and so so smart. If you want something different give this a go you will not regret it. This is my favorite book of the year !!
Hero 5⭐
Heroine 5⭐
Story 5+⭐
Writing 5⭐
Steam 5⭐
Angst 5⭐
Drama 5⭐
Mystery 5⭐
Twists 5⭐
June 22, 2020
ARC received for an honest review
I like it when authors step out of their comfort zones and write something completely different from what they have in the past.
It can be hit or miss with the results, however with Dead Pretty, Samantha Towle has a hit with me. I know she was worried about how people would take to Dead Pretty, but she need not have worried. She had a story to tell, and she told it well.
It's a mystery/thriller/omg kind of book. I was so involved with this story as I was reading. In the back of my mind, I was always waiting for the shoe to drop. I was anxiously turning each page, needing to know what would happen next.
Audrey and Jack's story was intense. There is so much I could say, but this is a story that you need to just dive in to.
This is going to be a story that you either love or hate - I hope you love it!
I like it when authors step out of their comfort zones and write something completely different from what they have in the past.
It can be hit or miss with the results, however with Dead Pretty, Samantha Towle has a hit with me. I know she was worried about how people would take to Dead Pretty, but she need not have worried. She had a story to tell, and she told it well.
It's a mystery/thriller/omg kind of book. I was so involved with this story as I was reading. In the back of my mind, I was always waiting for the shoe to drop. I was anxiously turning each page, needing to know what would happen next.
Audrey and Jack's story was intense. There is so much I could say, but this is a story that you need to just dive in to.
This is going to be a story that you either love or hate - I hope you love it!
June 24, 2020
We're in Jackson, Wyoming.
24 year old Audrey came here six months ago to start a new life.
A life she was almost too dead to start.
She's been through a lot back in Chicago. And she's still über-scared and careful with everything.
That's why she's so weird with this new hot guy in her apartment building. Plus he's always showing up at the library where she works too.
Is Jack just a great guy who is interested in her? Or has her past caught up with her?
What will happen with Audrey & Jack?
Will there be a HEA?
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! ☺
═════════════════
Well. I loved it. Even though I hated it.
No. I hated it. Even though I loved it! LOL!
Sam was so scared people wouldn't like this story, because it's not something she's ever done before. But it was great! It was an exciting thrillery mystery thingy. With some very romantic, sexy, funny, adorable moments. I really enjoyed reading it.
You just can't stop reading basically. You need to know what is what and who is good and who is bad and grrrr. ☺
And that's basically all I can tell you without spoiling anything. And I hate that! Because I know people will want to know if we'll get a happy end, or if any of our darlings will die et cetera. But I won't tell you. READ IT! You might love it. You might want to throw Sam and your kindle out the nearest window. But try it! I really enjoyed reading it ... come chat me up after reading - we'll discuss. ☺
💜
💜
September 24, 2022
ok, no more "thriller" novels.
June 24, 2020
NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON AND IN KU!!!!!
HOLY MOTHERFLUFFING HELL!!!!!
What did I just read?
Seriously? I was plodding along thinking to myself 'this isn't so bad, what was I so worried about?' and them BAM! Oh, there's the twist....*catches flies for the rest of the book* << no lie.
Any Samantha Towle reader will know that her writing is phenomenal and unwavering in its ability to draw you in as a reader and what Dead Pretty proves is that this statement covers all genres. While probably on the tamer side of thriller (I HATE being scared and I don't like the unknown!) it was still very much a thinker with you wondering the whys, hows and what ifs.
The side romantic element was very welcome as some light relief surrounding the uncertainty Samantha left us with.
BUT THAT ENDING Y'ALL. I cannot. I. Can. Not.
If you, like me, are a die-hard romance reader and don't think you can or will ever deviate from that genre, I implore you to give this book a go. It has enough of a romance theme in it to keep your interest piqued and the psychological twist and story-line was something I did NOT see coming (if you haven't already guessed!) and is something that will stay with me. I am an emotive reader and this book gave me ALL THE FEELS!!
Buy it, enjoy it, let me know what you thought!!!
HOLY MOTHERFLUFFING HELL!!!!!
What did I just read?
Seriously? I was plodding along thinking to myself 'this isn't so bad, what was I so worried about?' and them BAM! Oh, there's the twist....*catches flies for the rest of the book* << no lie.
Any Samantha Towle reader will know that her writing is phenomenal and unwavering in its ability to draw you in as a reader and what Dead Pretty proves is that this statement covers all genres. While probably on the tamer side of thriller (I HATE being scared and I don't like the unknown!) it was still very much a thinker with you wondering the whys, hows and what ifs.
The side romantic element was very welcome as some light relief surrounding the uncertainty Samantha left us with.
BUT THAT ENDING Y'ALL. I cannot. I. Can. Not.
If you, like me, are a die-hard romance reader and don't think you can or will ever deviate from that genre, I implore you to give this book a go. It has enough of a romance theme in it to keep your interest piqued and the psychological twist and story-line was something I did NOT see coming (if you haven't already guessed!) and is something that will stay with me. I am an emotive reader and this book gave me ALL THE FEELS!!
Buy it, enjoy it, let me know what you thought!!!
June 27, 2020
Thought I had this all worked out but those last few chapters - WOW - I did not see that coming !!
June 17, 2020
This is a very difficult review for me to write. There is no way to do this without spoilers. So, I'll say this: 1. It's a thriller, 2. It's full of what the crap is going on and who the crap is responsible. 3. Then you go back and you're like huh, I thought it was going to go this way, but oh my it went that way? 4. Hot sex scenes. I don't think it's a book that will leave me for a while. Usually thrillers just really aren't my thing in the reading world. I am nervous when I read them because of the unknown of how the story is going to turn out. Honestly, I was nervous throughout the first part of the book. During the middle, I lost myself and thought I can't believe I'm enjoying a thriller. Then, near the end, my anxiety started popping again as I was totally unsure of how it goes. People, it will blow your mind. Lots and lots of people will love this book. I'm just hoping I don't have some nightmares tonight. LOL
July 10, 2020
Bien, no se exactamente como me siento al respecto con este libro, por un lado no me gusto que parte del suspenso solo fueran un poco al inicio y luego ya hasta el final, se centra mucho en el romance y eso no me agrado tanto, pero me sorprendió ese plot twist, no lo me lo esperaba, y al mismo tiempo fue poco creíble para mi que así era como terminara, por eso mismo nose como escribir esta reseña, fue muy extraño lo que sucedió al ultimo.
Se que es suspense romance pero le metió muchas escenas de sexo entre los protagonistas, no empiezan desde el principio, es mas bien ya como a la mitad del libro, pero aun así fueron varios capítulos, que pues de alguna manera no aportan nada a la trama, siento fue muy forzoso en papel que tomo la relación entre los protagonistas, en cierto momentos fue tedioso de leer y aburrido, no pasaba nada interesante y aun así de algún modo mantuvo mi interés para ver como terminaba al final. Quería un giro y la autora lo supo dar, pero en general quedaron muchas cosas inconclusas, sin explicación y otras sin sentido, así que me tome un tiempo en ver como comentaba este libro y llegue a la conclusión de que aunque termina de una manera que muchos thriller no lo hacen, aun así no me convenció.
Se que es suspense romance pero le metió muchas escenas de sexo entre los protagonistas, no empiezan desde el principio, es mas bien ya como a la mitad del libro, pero aun así fueron varios capítulos, que pues de alguna manera no aportan nada a la trama, siento fue muy forzoso en papel que tomo la relación entre los protagonistas, en cierto momentos fue tedioso de leer y aburrido, no pasaba nada interesante y aun así de algún modo mantuvo mi interés para ver como terminaba al final. Quería un giro y la autora lo supo dar, pero en general quedaron muchas cosas inconclusas, sin explicación y otras sin sentido, así que me tome un tiempo en ver como comentaba este libro y llegue a la conclusión de que aunque termina de una manera que muchos thriller no lo hacen, aun así no me convenció.
June 27, 2020
4.5
OMFG 😳😳😲😲😲
I'm totally shocked !!!
I never expect that end!!!
I don't even know what i'm feeling right now....
I'm just here with my mouth still open because i can't believe what i've just read ....
Honestly the first part was a bit slow, but i needed to know what was the big secret and gosh 🙈🙈🙈 Samantha Towle has a little evil mind and surprisilingly i really like it even if thriller is not my favorite genre.....
I'm gonna need days to recover from this mindblowing end. *Jack* 😭😭😭
OMFG 😳😳😲😲😲
I'm totally shocked !!!
I never expect that end!!!
I don't even know what i'm feeling right now....
I'm just here with my mouth still open because i can't believe what i've just read ....
Honestly the first part was a bit slow, but i needed to know what was the big secret and gosh 🙈🙈🙈 Samantha Towle has a little evil mind and surprisilingly i really like it even if thriller is not my favorite genre.....
I'm gonna need days to recover from this mindblowing end. *Jack* 😭😭😭
July 24, 2020
I think this is the first thriller/mistery by Samantha Towle. And honestly? She did very well. Maybe the pace of the story was a bit slow, and nothing really scary happens until the ending (I hope that isn't a spoiler), but the way the mystery is solved... well, I wasn't expecting that, and for that fact only, it deserves the 4 ⭐️
June 24, 2020
I’m so sad to say that this book just didn’t do it for me. Samantha Towle is one of my favorite authors ever but this just wasn’t it.
When I heard that Sam was writing a Thriller, I was so excited! I’ve recently been getting into thrillers, so Dead Pretty couldn’t have come at a better time. I was so pumped to see what Sam was going to do with this genre.
Before I get into what I didn’t like, I do want to say that this book had so much potential and I can see why people would love it. It has twists that I didn’t see coming and hot romance that you can expect from Sam. But that wasn’t enough to carry the whole story for me.
*Spoilers*
Now, what I didn’t like.
I didn’t like the “villain” twist. I don’t like in thrillers when the villain and the protagonist are the same person and that’s the twist. And that’s the trope that is used as the big twist... kind of. In my opinion it feels like an easy out.
I also wish that the mystery played more of a part in the first half of the book. While we focused on the relationship between Audrey and Jack, we could have had more “gifts” showing up to really amp up the stakes. I wanted to feel like the killer could jump out at anytime. I think that the biggest disappointment about this book is that the stakes weren’t high enough until the very end. But the the end wasn’t satisfying enough to make up for the rest of the book.
After all of that I still love Samantha and will still read everything she puts out. I hope she continues writing in this genre, because like I said, this book had so much potential and I believe that she can go even further with the plot and suspense in the next one.
When I heard that Sam was writing a Thriller, I was so excited! I’ve recently been getting into thrillers, so Dead Pretty couldn’t have come at a better time. I was so pumped to see what Sam was going to do with this genre.
Before I get into what I didn’t like, I do want to say that this book had so much potential and I can see why people would love it. It has twists that I didn’t see coming and hot romance that you can expect from Sam. But that wasn’t enough to carry the whole story for me.
*Spoilers*
Now, what I didn’t like.
I didn’t like the “villain” twist. I don’t like in thrillers when the villain and the protagonist are the same person and that’s the twist. And that’s the trope that is used as the big twist... kind of. In my opinion it feels like an easy out.
I also wish that the mystery played more of a part in the first half of the book. While we focused on the relationship between Audrey and Jack, we could have had more “gifts” showing up to really amp up the stakes. I wanted to feel like the killer could jump out at anytime. I think that the biggest disappointment about this book is that the stakes weren’t high enough until the very end. But the the end wasn’t satisfying enough to make up for the rest of the book.
After all of that I still love Samantha and will still read everything she puts out. I hope she continues writing in this genre, because like I said, this book had so much potential and I believe that she can go even further with the plot and suspense in the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2020
I’ve only ever read one other Samantha Towle book, and I went into this one knowing that it’s classified more as a “mystery/thriller” than a “romance”. That said, for the majority of the book, it reads like a dark romance, where the protagonist is traumatized by her past and pushing away the love interest for his sake (and hers). This novel is definitely a page turner, but I wasn’t quite satisfied with the conclusion. (No spoilers!) I think the way the book ended actually dropped my rating from 5 stars to 4 stars. It wasn’t quite annoying enough for me to give it three stars, but I really wish that the book had ended differently.
All this said, I really love Towle's writing style, and I thought that Audrey was a compelling and likable protagonist. It's the perfect level of angst, without it being rolling-my-eyes over the top. I'm eager to read more of Towle's books!
All this said, I really love Towle's writing style, and I thought that Audrey was a compelling and likable protagonist. It's the perfect level of angst, without it being rolling-my-eyes over the top. I'm eager to read more of Towle's books!
June 30, 2020
This is a very short and brutal suspense story. I thought I had it figured out toward the end, but my mind was completely blown by the twist.
And the end?
No, actually, I'm still stewing because I wanted not the ending Ms. Towle provided. Though I am still thinking about it SOOOOOO
And the end?
No, actually, I'm still stewing because I wanted not the ending Ms. Towle provided. Though I am still thinking about it SOOOOOO
October 13, 2020
I really don't know what to say..
if you decide to read this go in blind, it is the best way..
a solid idea for a book but it is cheap in the executions..
it is definitely a shocking twist but overall I didn't like this book..
June 22, 2020
Okay Wow! This was nothing like any Samantha Towle book I have read. It’s actually not like any book I would normally read. I went in blind because Samantha is a one click author for me and holy Shitballs was it a ride!
It’s a psychological thriller. It’s brutally painful gut wrenching read in parts. And it has plot twists that had me gasping out loud.
Do yourself a favour. Buy the book. Read it and then message me so we can share our favourite “what the hell happened” moments. It’s just brilliant!
I received an ARC of this book.
It’s a psychological thriller. It’s brutally painful gut wrenching read in parts. And it has plot twists that had me gasping out loud.
Do yourself a favour. Buy the book. Read it and then message me so we can share our favourite “what the hell happened” moments. It’s just brilliant!
I received an ARC of this book.
August 21, 2020
I desperately wanted to love this one, but unfortunately for me, it just fell flat. This plot has been done to death and only comes off if it is done really well, but I saw it coming a mile away. Maybe it is because I have read so many of these now, I can read between the lines, but for a first stab at a romantic suspense, Samantha Towle certainly nailed the romance side, it was just the suspense that wasn't up to muster. Still a good read though.
June 25, 2020
... A shadow. I jump out of sleep. Bolting upright. Heart beating like crazy in my chest. I hate it when I have those nightmares. He's always there. I just can't ever see his face. Always a shadow...
Brilliant! I usually got it all figured out withing a couple of chapters. But not this time.
Audrey is living a lonely life, but by choice. She was once stalked by a murderer and she only escaped because he let her. She is haunted by her past, even today.
Jack is an author, he writes crime books. And he's hot, nice and protective. He goes to a local library to write his words down, and it just happens to be where Audrey works.
After a rough start, they hit it off like they're meant to be.
Only Audrey's past comes rushing back and it's ugly and unimaginably twisted. It's going to give you such a rush, trust me!
Dead Pretty is a thriller and a suspence. But we do get some romance as well. It's needed for this story. It's written so good, it's shoking and that twist will knock your socks off!
Brilliant! I usually got it all figured out withing a couple of chapters. But not this time.
Audrey is living a lonely life, but by choice. She was once stalked by a murderer and she only escaped because he let her. She is haunted by her past, even today.
Jack is an author, he writes crime books. And he's hot, nice and protective. He goes to a local library to write his words down, and it just happens to be where Audrey works.
After a rough start, they hit it off like they're meant to be.
Only Audrey's past comes rushing back and it's ugly and unimaginably twisted. It's going to give you such a rush, trust me!
Dead Pretty is a thriller and a suspence. But we do get some romance as well. It's needed for this story. It's written so good, it's shoking and that twist will knock your socks off!
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