Devil's Lake: Bittersweet Hollow Book 1

By: Aaron Paul Lazar

Narrated by: Gwendolyn Druyor

After two years of brutal captivity, Portia Lamont has escaped and returned to her family's Vermont horse farm - only to find her parents gone to New York to try an experimental treatment for her mother's cancer, and her childhood friend Boone Hawke running the farm. The man Boone has become frightens her to near paralysis, but she's too traumatized and physically devastated to put up a fight.

Like the rest of her family, Boone has never given up hope that Portia would return. But when she turns up battered, skinny as a 12-year-old boy, afraid of everything and unable to talk about what happened, he does the only thing he can - try to help her heal. He summons the town doctor and Portia's parents, and sets out to put this beautiful, broken woman back together again.

Through her family's love and Boone's gentle affection, Portia gradually comes back to herself, and starts to fall for her old friend in a whole new way. But one thing threatens her fragile hopes for recovery: The man who took her promised that if she ever escaped, he'd kill her. Slowly. And someone is definitely watching her...waiting to make a deadly move.

©2014 Aaron Paul Lazar (P)2014 Aaron Paul Lazar

Great read!

Any additional comments?

I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast dot com.

This book was very good! I really enjoyed it and will definitely be looking into book number 2.

Outstanding

What made the experience of listening to Devil's Lake: Bittersweet Hollow Book 1 the most enjoyable?

This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning and never let go. That's the best kind of book! I will definitely be purchasing other books in this series and I have a new author I love!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Devil's Lake: Bittersweet Hollow Book 1?

Just when you think you have it all figured out, it has a twist and you are caught up again in the plot turns; I didn't want to stop listening!

What about Gwendolyn Druyor’s performance did you like?

Easily recognizable characters just by the voices. The antagonist in the story had a creepy voice, which just added to the story plot.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When the main character begins to recognize she can move past her trauma and have her own life, and possibly love...

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast.

Devil's Lake: Bittersweet Hollow Book 1

Any additional comments?

"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."

I have listened to several books by this author. As of this point, this the best one so far. From the dedication on through the story the

suspense grew.Waiting to the end to see if there would be a " Happily ever after" was difficult ! The characters were well defined, and most were likable.


The narration was very good, each character was brought to life by the narrator .

More romance than mystery

As psychological thrillers go, this one was pretty tame. It seemed more a romance book than anything else. The kidnapper was a joke, the characters weren't developed, the plot was minimal and no twists to the story. All in all, just an average book that will be easy to forget.

A haunting story of strength and survival.........

Devil's Lake tells the story of Portia, a young woman fresh out of college whose life is irrevocably changed when she is kidnapped and held captive for two years by a sadist named Murphy. The beginning of the story features Portia escaping from Murphy, returning home and trying to find her way back to herself and her former world. She is joined in this endeavor by her amazing mother, father, sister and brother in law as well as a childhood friend/crush, Boone. Although the story has some very heavy and heartbreaking moments, the love and support surrounding Portia added an uplifting and positive tone to an otherwise sad theme. I especially loved Boone, Portia's father and Portia's brother in law. These were men that knew the value of hard work and taking responsibility for themselves and their families, and they treated the women in their lives like the gifts they are. Add in some incredibly chilling moments when Portia is reliving her time in captivity with the constant worry that Murphy hasn't visited the last of his evil on Portia and her family, and this book is the perfect combination of clean romance, family drama, and action adventure.

Gwendolyn Druyor's narration is superb as always. I am most familiar with her work in the paranormal romance genre, but she handles this contemporary piece with equal skill. She differentiates between characters, places the perfect amount of emphasis to each mood of the story, and her performance is absolutely without flaw. She makes an already incredibly moving book even more enjoyable as an audiobook production.

I received a copy of this audiobook at my request in exchange for this honest review.