Review of Lara's Journal

[Wandamae331]

[i][Following is a volunteer review of "Lara's Journal" by A. Gavazzoni.][/i]

[rwc=id132014-125]3 out of 4 stars.[/rwc]Romance and suspense, that is what [i]Lara’s Journal[/i] by A. Gavazzoni brings to the reader. Simone is the main character, and the book starts with Simone deciding to set aside her normal, structured life and take a vacation from the stress of surviving a kidnapping. Simone thinks she is giving herself a night to be foot-loose and fancy-free, but what she didn’t know was that she would see him again. Her one-night stand was the cousin to her vacation hostess and he is determined to see Simone again.



Simone was called back to work when one of her patients has an emergency. This incident is the beginning of grouping of mysterious deaths that starts to happen to Simone’s patients. What is happening and who is terrorizing her patients? Simone must work with the authorities to answer these questions. At the same time Simone is dealing with a one-night stand turned stalker, jealousy over her business partner’s new love interest, and the lives of her patients. What could possibly keep Simone grounded?



Lara’s journal is what Simone uses as a break from her life struggles. Carl, Lara’s love, has asked Simone to help him process the difficult reading that is found in Lara’s journals. Carl is afraid that he is not equipped to read the heartache and abuse that Lara suffered and wrote about in her journals. So, Simone agrees to read the journal and be a source of strength and input as Carl reads about the difficult history of his lover’s childhood.



What I like most about this book is that there is essentially two story lines in one book. The author is able to weave the two distinct stories in a cohesive manner that allows the reader to enjoy both. The intrigue of wondering what Lara wrote about next keeps getting interrupted by Simone’s work and personal life. Just as the reader has to put down a good book so must Simone put down Lara’s journal. In Simone’s story I met her patients, then lost them to mysterious deaths. While reading Lara’s journal I cry along with the broken girl who was groomed by her abuser to the point that she thinks it is her fault. Simone not only walks Carl through the turmoil of these journals but she also walks the reader through their disturbing feelings.



What I liked the least about [i]Lara’s Journal[/i] was the poor formatting around words that contained contractions and the over-use of exclamation points. These are two items that could greatly benefit from further editing. Because of this I give this book [b] 3 out of 4 stars.[/b]

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[i]Lara's Journal [/i]
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