Eight stars
Looking for something short to read, I turned to this piece by Lorna Dounaeva. A gripping psychological thriller with all the elements to make the reader think twice about a date on Valentine’s Day.
Damon has been working up the courage to ask Red out on a date. He goes for broke and hopes that Valentine’s Day will be magical for the two of them. The date begins well, as they share stories and seem to make a connection. This continues when they extend the date back to Damon’s house. However, it is at this point that things go south quickly. Damon is hoping for a deeper connection, Red has someone else on her mind. Their competing obsessions soon take things to an awkward place, only to get more problematic when Red admits to a deep secret and a mission she’s on. Together, Red and Damon make it a Valentine’s Day neither will forget. One might say it’s forged in…. blood. Lorna Dounaeva delivers something mind-bending in this psychological thriller that explores the darker side of Cupid’s conquests.
This was a great read and easy to digest in a single sitting. Dounaeva sends the reader flying through this book, unsure what to expect. What begins slowly soon builds, though the momentum is soon able to take over and leave the reader wondering what awaits them. The story goes dark swiftly and soon there is no stopping things, forcing a rush to the end, paved with short chapters and a chilling aspect that will not allow the reader to stop flipping pages.
Few characters grace the pages of this story, but those who do are well-established and wonderfully crafted by an author who knows what she wants. Damon and Red seem innocent enough on the surface, but their obsessions soon take over and leave the reader to surmise that this is a love train ready to wreck. Just when it seems things are going along as planned, Dounaeva tosses in a character flaw that sends the story hurtling in a new and precarious direction. It has psychological thriller painted all over it, with two protagonists that fit the bill.
Surprises and twists serve as a foundation for this piece, ensuring that the reader will be fully involved in all that is going on. There is a little of everything and then some, as the reader finds themselves trying to grasp onto anything that might serve to right their balance. However, Lorna Dounaeva offers little time to make sense of it all before new surprises engulf the unsuspecting reader. This is one Valentine’s Day read where chocolates and rose petals will not usher in happy thoughts!
Kudos, Madam Dounaeva, for sharing something that still has my spine tingling.
Book Reviews to Ponder 