kimbacaffeinate
Written on Jan 12, 2020
HE SEES YOU
First came the floods. Then came the bodies. The victims—strangled, then buried along the shores of the Mississippi—have finally been unearthed, years after they disappeared. He remembers every satisfying kill . . . each woman’s terror and agony. But there’s only one he truly wanted. And fate has brought her within reach again . . .
HE KNOWS YOU
Jaci Patterson was sixteen when she found the first golden locket on her porch. Inside were a few strands of hair wrapped around a scrap of bloodstained ribbon. Though the “gifts” kept arriving, no one believed her hunch that a serial killer was at work. Now Jaci has returned home . . . and the nightmare is starting once more.
AND HE’LL NEVER LET YOU GO
Back then, Rylan Cooper was an arrogant deputy sheriff convinced that Jaci was just an attention—seeking teen. It was a fatal mistake. There’s a murderer in their midst, someone determined to settle old scores and keep playing a twisted game. And it won’t end until Jaci is his forever . . .
“Alexandra Ivy gives readers a nice balance of romance and suspense in her fast-paced, well-plotted novel.” —Kat Martin, New York Times bestselling author
- ISBN10 1420143778
- ISBN13 9781420143775
- Publish Date 29 August 2017
- Publish Status Out of Stock
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Zebra Books
- Format Paperback (US Mass Market)
- Pages 416
- Language English
- URL https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/isbn/9781420143775
Reviews
Melanie
Written on Jun 4, 2018
I’ve read a few books by Alexandra Ivy. I’ve really enjoyed them. I’m also a huge fan of Jim Frangione, so getting to listen to this first in a new romantic suspense series was a real treat.
So the story starts with some flooding. Bodies turn up, even a skull. Did a cemetery flood and the bodies just resurface? Or is there something worse going on here?
So, Jaci is a young woman who lives in the house that she was raised in by her grandparents. She really doesn’t have a relationship with her estranged mother, who remarried when Jaci was young and went on to have two more children with her new husband, who didn’t want anything to do with Jaci (hence why she was raised by her grandparents). She isn’t upset about her situation. She just doesn’t really deal with her family if she can help it. She likes living in her modest house and making her goods that she sells. She bakes and also does some crafting.
Rylan is a former sheriff’s deputy who grew up in this same small town. Now he lives in California and runs a very well-to-do security business. He comes home to see his father, who still lives in the town and right next door to Jaci.
So, back with Jaci was in high school, she was getting lockets with a bloody ribbon and hair in them. She tried to talk to Rylan about it. He kinda blew her off as a teen trying to get attention. She left for college and hadn’t had issues since she returned, until these floods happened. Now she’s getting them again. Oh, and her mother’s housekeeper has gone missing.
This is a fun suspenseful story. If you like stories that follow cops trying to solve a crime, this is a good story for you. Rylan uses his security business contact to help search for this person who is stalking Jaci. I also really enjoyed spending time in this small town, with all of it’s small town pros and cons. I think this story is more suspense than romance, but there is a strong romance, it just takes a while for both of them to accept it.
Narration
I continue to enjoy Jim Frangione’s narration. He does a great job with all the different voices of the characters. I think he always picks the perfect pace and tone for each scene. He does a good job whether he needs to sound sexy, funny, scared or serious. If you haven’t tried listening to him, I highly recommend him. He’s known a lot around the romance community for his narration of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, which is how I found him.
**I like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
thebookdisciple
Written on Aug 23, 2017
Pretend You're Safe brought me back to my first discovery of Alexandra Ivy, Kill Without Mercy. She writes such compelling suspense stories! Jaci, the heroine, lives in a small Missouri town, eking out a life by renting out her farmland and selling baked goods. 10 years ago she was the target of a stalker, but no one took her seriously. Now, there are bodies turning up after some flooding rains and Jaci's stalker has returned. She worries that once again, no one will believe her and she will be left to deal with it on her own.
There are plenty of people who jumped out as creepers to me. First, the sheriff, Mike, is kind of douche-y. He is one of those power trip guys, who wants everyone to be in awe of him. He and Jaci went out a few times, but she felt nothing for him. He has asked her out frequently, but she kept saying no. So, he jumped to the top of my suspect list. Then there is her asshole half brother. I'm pretty sure he is a psychopath and his parents (her mom and step dad) are aware of it, but use their money and power to hide it. Then there is her step dad, who does some shady shit. Again, maybe he is trying to cover up his son's sins, but either way, he is acting suspicious. Next on my list is the town photographer. He came back to this tiny town in the middle of nowhere Missouri to open an art gallery? WTF? Who the hell is gonna buy his stuff in this tiny farming town. They aren't close to any big cities! Seems weird to me, and that makes him a suspect. Then there is her neighbor, who has means and opportunity, so he is a suspect. Then there is the deputy who hid information....yeah, there is no want for suspects in the story for sure!!!! I mean, maybe its not a man. It could be her bitch of a half sister. Or hell, her mega bitch of a mom! See what I mean-no want for suspects even in this tiny town!
Rylan is our hero. He grew up in the town, and his father still lives there. He has a degree in criminal justice and started a very profitable business with his friend. He lives happily in California, but came home to help his father with a few things around the farm because of all the rain. Rylan kept his distance from Jaci when they were in school, so they were never friends. I struggled to warm to Rylan as a hero because he pushed Jaci away when they were young because he knew she had feelings for him and he didn't like that. I just imagine Jaci as a teenager: her mom and half siblings treat her like typhoid Mary, her crush is actively staying away and making her feel like an idiot for being concerned over some pranks, and her dad is dead. I wanted to punch all these assholes in the face, Rylan included.
The story is told in 3rd person omniscient so you get to see into the killers mind, which I always love. Ivy does this and still manages to maintain anonymity of the killer which is great as well. Ivy drops little, tiny clues throughout the story to help you eliminate suspects or narrow it down, but they are easy to miss if you aren't paying close attention. The red herrings are much easier to catch!
If you like creepy suspense stories with a brave heroine who isn't an idiot, Pretend You're Safe will keep you up reading long past your bedtime. It will also make you seriously look at everyone in your life a little differently because anyone could be a psychopath!
- POV: 3rd
- Tears: no
- Trope: stalker, serial killer, small town
- Triggers: obviously, stalking occurs in the book as well as murder so be warned
- Series/Standalone: stand alone
- Cliffhanger: no
- HEA: to me, this is an HFN; there is no epilogue and I am still not feeling trusting of Rylan's commitment to stay
After the Dark by Cynthia Eden, The Devil's Daughter by Katee Robert...then you will probably like Pretend You're Safe!
See full review on The Book Disciple