4 out of 4 stars
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Lara’s Journal is a thrilling romance novel written by A. Gavazzoni and published in January of 2017. As the sequel to Behind the Door, Lara’s Journal picks up almost immediately where the first book ends. The story is told in a flip-flop structure, bouncing back and forth from Simone Bennet in the present, to what she reads in Lara’s Journal.
The story starts out with Simone, a psychologist specializing in sexual behavior disorders, who is taking a long vacation while trying to recover from the traumatic events that surrounded her in Behind the Door. Trying to clear the remnants of the trauma from her mind, Simone has been spending time with a friend and enjoying the sunshine. Simone is just beginning to think her life will return to normal when Carl, a former client, returns asking for help reading through Lara’s journals, which were recently discovered after her untimely death. Hoping the journals will provide a more detailed insight to the drama and unusual sexual behavior from Lara’s past, Simone agrees to proceed. Because Lara’s Journal is the sequel to another story, I wouldn’t say it would read as well as a stand-alone novel, as there is necessary information within the first book that should not be missed.
Although Simone is expecting her life to return back to normal with helping patients, her world is quickly flipped upside down again as a string of murders are linked back to her. Is the deranged psychopath from Behind the Door back to cast demise on Simone for outing him? Or is someone new in the game as a copycat? The twists and turns offered with Lara’s Journal are a constant game changer, and kept me on my toes throughout the novel.
The editing process for Lara’s Journal seemed professionally done, leaving no errors to be found. Because the story involved detailed descriptions of sexual activity and abuse, I have to give a reader’s discretion, as the book is only appropriate for mature readers.
I had the privilege to read and review Behind the Door a few months ago and was immediately engrossed with the story from the beginning. With how much I enjoyed reading Behind the Door, it’s fair to say that my expectations were very high for Lara’s Journal, and I am so pleased to say that it did not disappoint. Gavazzoni is an impressive writer, offering works of fiction that are enchanting in a way that are totally unforgettable. The thrilling aspects within the story were so involving that I spent many nights up far too late, as I was too wrapped into the story to find a stopping point. It’s an honor to rate Lara’s Journal 4 out of 4 stars, and I look forward to the future works offered by A. Gavazzoni.
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Lara's Journal
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