Review: Shiver by Suzanne Wright

Shiver by Suzanne Wright

This book had all the staple Suzanne Wright goodness. A headstrong female character, who doesn't need a man, and a overbearingly possessive hero who can't leave the heroine alone. Kensey Lyons has always tried to live a normal life. She tries to stay away from drama, but that isn't possible due to the cards she's been dealt with. Kensey is the illegitimate child of a married man who had an affair with her mother, Clear. Kensey has been bullied all her life by the people of the town, and her fathers family. Her mother has always had her head in the clouds, busy protecting herself, often leaving Kensey to fend for her own. But that isn't even the end of it. This is where the unconventional twist in the story comes in. Her mother Clear-get this-is married to a convicted serial killer. Kensey's stepfather-Michael Bale-had murdered 32 women, and is currently on the death row (this part reminded me of that woman who recently claimed she was Charles Manson's wife). Clear wrote to Michael while he was in prison, and he replied back asking to meet her. After they met, the pair got married. Although Clear was selfish, I felt bad for her. She had been neglected her whole life, and her only coping mechanism was to pretend that certain things weren't happening. Michael made her feel like she had worth. He was manipulative and charming, and Clear was easily convinced of his devotion towards her. Kelsey, felt indebted towards her mother. Her mother had gotten pregnant very early on, but had decided to keep Kensey, and although life wasn't easy for mother and daughter, Clear had always provided Kelsey with a home. This was the main reason Kensey didn't leave her mother, although it would have been in her best interest to do so. So here Kensey is, trying to make the best of her life, taking care of her mother while bartending at a bar, when she catches the eye of the new owner Blake Mercier. Blake first thinks Kensey is a troublemaker due to rumors that he heard about her, but he is disproven quite early on. He realizes that Kensey is a level-headed woman, who wants nothing to do with him. So ofcourse he pursues her with single-minded focus, and although Kensey tries to stay away, their chemistry proves too much and she is embroiled into an affair with him. This part of the story was cliched I'll admit, but sometimes cliches are nice. Especially when they come with smoking hot sex, hehe. Their relationship was probably off-putting for some, but I liked it. Kensey, in addition to bartending, is also a horror novelist. She writes under a pen name in order to protect her identity, but somehow someone finds out, and Kensey starts to be stalked. This is the part I had a problem with. Kensey, for being such a level headed character, was seriously ignorant of the obvious things that were happening around her. She doesn't think she's being stalked (although she obviously is), and is often careless with her well-being. It was hard for me reconcile these contrasting facets of her character. This was my one and only problem with the story. Blake obviously steps in to protect her, at her time of need. But who is this stalker? And what does he want? I like Suzanne Wrights style of writing. The story was engaging, the sex was hot. It made for an easy read.

4 Stars

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