Falling for Sarah by Cate Beauman : A Review

BOOK TITLE: Falling for Sarah

AUTHOR: Cate Beauman

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1480086685

GENRE: Fiction / Romantic Thriller

NUMBER OF PAGES: 372

FORMAT: Digital

SERIES / STANDALONE: Bodyguards of LA County #2

HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: I thank the author and b00k r3vi3ws for this review copy.

SUMMARY:

Widow Sarah Johnson struggled to pick up the pieces after her life was ripped apart. After two years of grieving, she’s found contentment in her thriving business as photographer to Hollywood’s A-list and in raising her angel-faced daughter, Kylee... until bodyguard and long-time friend Ethan Cooke changes everything with a searing moonlight kiss.

Sarah’s world turns upside down as she struggles with her unexpected attraction to Ethan and the guilt of betraying her husband’s memory. But when blue roses and disturbing notes start appearing on her doorstep, she has no choice but to lean on Ethan as he fights to save her from a stalker that won’t stop until he has what he prizes most.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

Some titles are self explanatory. When combined with the genre and the summary, little is left to imagination. It is these kinds of books that require the most work. The readers just have to know what transpired between (or around) the two leads that eventually (maybe) led them together, or separated them. The author had drawn me in within the first few pages, and strictly limiting myself to commenting on the book and its adherence to the genre and summary, I am writing the following review.

REVIEW:

Sarah and Ethan - they are both introduced in the first three or so pages. The readers already have a familiarity established in the first chapter between the two lead characters. The first chapter is easily the best of the book, and I say that after heavy comparison with a few other well written chapters. The story begins with Sarah giving birth to and bringing home her daughter Kylee. Helping her home is Ethan Cooke, her husband Jake's buddy. The heartwarming pleasant happiness of bringing home a baby is shattered when Jake's comrades from the military bring home the news of his death on duty. The transition from happiness to earth shattering sadness could have been executed a tad better but no real complaints as the next chapter starts from a few years later, on a different track.

Sarah is now a professional photographer, and she is photographing Hunter's wedding to Morgan. There she has a mild tiff with Ethan's current girlfriend and she feels uncalled for resentment towards the unknown woman. She behaves strangely with Ethan who is understandably confused. The story that follows takes a different turn, with Ethan's character going through the most improbable of twists. Enter a creepy psychopath who has his eyes set on the beautiful Sarah. The thriller part of the story sets in, with Ethan and Sarah obviously in love with each other but refusing to acknowledge it, amidst the high adrenaline of a psycho factored into their already confused hearts.

The story has a few basic points in its favor. The narration and the language are good enough to keep the readers' attention intact and the thriller element is nicely written too. Where the plot falters is in the one too many cliches. Though the author intended to go for a 'Will they? Won't they?' line of suspense with regards to the lead pair and their attraction towards each other, the obvious care that has a tendency to cross the fine line between friendship and romance is easily predictable. Revealing the identity of the stalker psychopath was a good move.

But there is a nice blend of romance and suspense, making the readers turn the pages to know what pulls the two people apart and what (if anything) that brings them together.

WHAT I LIKED:

• The twists in the character of Ethan
• Kylee and her presence in the story.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:

• Sometimes the story gets too predictable.
• There are certain elements that could have been written with a few more twists that would make the story more fitting to the thriller genre.

VERDICT:

A nicely written romance.

RATING: 3.8/5

EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Paperback, Kindle

PRICE $14.49 for Paperback, $3.73 for Kindle

BOOK LINKS: Amazon