The Haunting of Wolfe Haven
Debbie A. Heaton
Published July 13, 2010 by iUniverse.com
Paperback, 232 pages ($15.95 US)
ISBN 978-1-4502-3806-9
Riley Russell is gorgeous, smart, and successful. She also has a broken heart she's managed to keep secret from everyone--including herself. Three years ago, she walked away from her marriage to entrepreneur Tristan Russell, believing there was no hope for the relationship. But when he reenters her life unexpectedly, Riley must fight to remain independent and in control of the life she has built.
Tristan, as handsome and accomplished as ever, is planning to get remarried, but first he must divorce Riley. To save her broken heart, Riley must confront her feelings for Tristan, his family, and his haunted ancestral house, Wolfe Haven. Along the way, she must navigate a minefield of secrets and mysteries, including arson, betrayal, and murder.
As Riley and Tristan try to find love with each other a second time around, they come to grips with things that go bump in the night. If Riley isn't careful, she may fall prey to enemies that are closer than she thinks.
I overall did not enjoy this book. When I first read about it on LibraryThing I had thought that it would be an interesting read. I wanted to know why she had felt the need to flee from her husband that she obviously loved. I thought that it would be a lot like The Parent Trap without the kids. It wasn't.
I like a few things about the book. The author showed that she could work in even the smallest detail and make it seem natural. Then there was the flash backs. These were the only reason that I knew what was happening during the book. I thought that these things were well done.
Then there were the things that I was less excited about reading. The book was not that long to begin with and yet I felt that there were many scenes that were pointless. They should have been cut out during the editing process. The little details that I at first loved so much began to grate at my nerves as they were repeated in every possible way. I still don't really understand why Riley, the female lead, married Tristan, the male lead. Throughout the first half of the book all you hear about is how horrible he is how she only married him because she was young. Now is the place that I take personal offense to. Riley never admits that anything is ever her fault. She blames her age and the people around her but never herself. Being young does not mean that you can't take responsibility for your actions or that you don't have to. She also can't blame Tristan for marring him after knowing him for a few hours. It may be three days after meeting each other but they had only been in close proximity for a few hours on the first day.
I could tell that the book is meant to have a Gothic novel feel to it yet randomly the author would put modern phrases in. It made both the dialogue and the narration awkward for me to read. Especially the female characters because they acted very much the stereotype of Victorian ideals.
The entire book just did not work for me. Tristan hates Riley for betraying, the reason that she left and something that I can't blame him for no matter how much I dislike him, for the first half of the book and then randomly on page 176 he calls her his love.I swear I thought I was reading a different book.
To me this plot could have worked for me more if it was set right after they got married and Glenda was trying to steal Tristan from Riley. I would have been able to feel actual sympathy for Riley that way. Also than it would have seemed more of an outrage that no one believed Riley.
Riley Russell is gorgeous, smart, and successful. She also has a broken heart she's managed to keep secret from everyone--including herself. Three years ago, she walked away from her marriage to entrepreneur Tristan Russell, believing there was no hope for the relationship. But when he reenters her life unexpectedly, Riley must fight to remain independent and in control of the life she has built.
Tristan, as handsome and accomplished as ever, is planning to get remarried, but first he must divorce Riley. To save her broken heart, Riley must confront her feelings for Tristan, his family, and his haunted ancestral house, Wolfe Haven. Along the way, she must navigate a minefield of secrets and mysteries, including arson, betrayal, and murder.
As Riley and Tristan try to find love with each other a second time around, they come to grips with things that go bump in the night. If Riley isn't careful, she may fall prey to enemies that are closer than she thinks.
I overall did not enjoy this book. When I first read about it on LibraryThing I had thought that it would be an interesting read. I wanted to know why she had felt the need to flee from her husband that she obviously loved. I thought that it would be a lot like The Parent Trap without the kids. It wasn't.
I like a few things about the book. The author showed that she could work in even the smallest detail and make it seem natural. Then there was the flash backs. These were the only reason that I knew what was happening during the book. I thought that these things were well done.
Then there were the things that I was less excited about reading. The book was not that long to begin with and yet I felt that there were many scenes that were pointless. They should have been cut out during the editing process. The little details that I at first loved so much began to grate at my nerves as they were repeated in every possible way. I still don't really understand why Riley, the female lead, married Tristan, the male lead. Throughout the first half of the book all you hear about is how horrible he is how she only married him because she was young. Now is the place that I take personal offense to. Riley never admits that anything is ever her fault. She blames her age and the people around her but never herself. Being young does not mean that you can't take responsibility for your actions or that you don't have to. She also can't blame Tristan for marring him after knowing him for a few hours. It may be three days after meeting each other but they had only been in close proximity for a few hours on the first day.
I could tell that the book is meant to have a Gothic novel feel to it yet randomly the author would put modern phrases in. It made both the dialogue and the narration awkward for me to read. Especially the female characters because they acted very much the stereotype of Victorian ideals.
The entire book just did not work for me. Tristan hates Riley for betraying, the reason that she left and something that I can't blame him for no matter how much I dislike him, for the first half of the book and then randomly on page 176 he calls her his love.I swear I thought I was reading a different book.
To me this plot could have worked for me more if it was set right after they got married and Glenda was trying to steal Tristan from Riley. I would have been able to feel actual sympathy for Riley that way. Also than it would have seemed more of an outrage that no one believed Riley.
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