bwagner's review
5.0
This is my first book by this author and I loved it. I will be looking for more from this author for sure. It is everything you could ask for in a thriller story. It is a creative, well written story about Kathrine and Corey. They just get married, everything Katherine could ask for. But will happen when the honeymoon is over? Is there more to Corey than Kathrine realizes? They are great characters that you can connect with as well as made the story feel real. There were some great sitting on the edge of your seat parts that you won't want to miss. I highly recommend this must read story.
nietzschesghost's review
4.0
Devotion is crime fiction crossed with chick-lit, and I for one was not expecting the fact that it started innocuously enough before pulling the rug from under you and switching direction; it certainly begins with a bang. It's well written with a style that engages you and ends up with you wanting to read it all in a single nail-biting sitting. This certainly had one of the most shocking twists slap bang in the centre of the story. It is an exciting and addictive read in which the characters are developed sufficiently and the main protagonist is a character you can really get behind when everything unravels and on the journey to rehabilitation and recovery. It is very different from the usual gritty thrillers I regularly read in that it is much more based around family drama. I think that is probably what helped with my enjoyment of this.
As with many domestic-based thrillers, it revolves around a lack of trust and abuse between newlyweds, Katherine and Corey and from there it only goes downhill with the story becoming increasingly emotional and incredibly tense. With a potent mix of captivating plot, intriguing twists, an unexpected conclusion and a cast of interesting characters, this is a clever book I was loathe to put down, and a dark, disturbing and slow-burn psychological thriller with just enough to keep me on tenterhooks for the majority of it. If you liked Alex Sinclair's other books in this genre then you will likely also love Devotion; it is significantly more women's fiction than thriller but I enjoyed it all the same. Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC.
As with many domestic-based thrillers, it revolves around a lack of trust and abuse between newlyweds, Katherine and Corey and from there it only goes downhill with the story becoming increasingly emotional and incredibly tense. With a potent mix of captivating plot, intriguing twists, an unexpected conclusion and a cast of interesting characters, this is a clever book I was loathe to put down, and a dark, disturbing and slow-burn psychological thriller with just enough to keep me on tenterhooks for the majority of it. If you liked Alex Sinclair's other books in this genre then you will likely also love Devotion; it is significantly more women's fiction than thriller but I enjoyed it all the same. Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC.
kaz_loves_books's review
5.0
This book had me sitting on the edge of my seat, it was so thrillingly intense, when you thought it could get no darker, it did! Just sheer brilliance. The book is set in Battery Beach in America.
Katherine had met Corey through her friend Annette and there had been an instant attraction, followed by a brief romance before a whirlwind honeymoon in Las Vegas. From a previous relationship with Pete, she had her lovely daughter Ava. He had been the total opposite to Corey who was so loving and tender towards her and her daughter.
Unfortunately, Katherine had to plan the wedding and honeymoon in a rush plus they were lucky to get the time off school to go away together. Annette offered to look after Ava so it happened as well. It was a wonderful few days. Then they were back home after arriving on a late flight back from Portland. Katherine and Corey didn’t feel like getting up on their first morning back to school. Annette wasn’t in her usual spot so Katherine wondered where she was. When they wandered into the teachers lounge, there was a sign saying ‘congratulations to Mr and Mrs Grayson’ and a group of teachers with Annette leading the way to congratulate them. There hadn’t been time before the wedding. Corey didn’t seem to happy about all the fuss made over their wedding. At the end of the day, Katherine picked up Ava as usual then headed to check her postbox in the lounge. There was no post in the box. This was strange. Corey usually left her a love note. Could this be because they were now married and he was no longer going to send them? She was upset then the phone pinged, text from Corey, ‘in the car, waiting’.
She went to get her keys from her bag, they weren’t there. She checked her pocket. Nope. She took Ava back to the classroom but they weren’t anywhere that she could see them. She went back to Annette and asked if she could borrow the spare key until she could find them. Annette let her. Corey shouted at her as she put Ava in the car. What was going on. As Katherine was making dinner, Corey mentions that he got a funny email on his cell, as he goes to get it, there is a jangling of keys and two sets fall out of his laptop bag. It appears Corey has picked up her keys as well as his! Corey tries to deny picking up the keys. What is going on? Then Ava comes over and Katherine refuses to argue in front of her little girl.
Another evening Corey and Katherine go out for dinner at the Wayfinder. They order their food, Katherine decides on crab cakes for a starter and grilled filet mignon for a main while Corey goes for oysters with rib eye steak for his main. The starters were fantastic but when the mains come out, Corey has his rib and it appears Katherine has ordered Salmon according to the waitress. She puts the plate in front of her. Katherine explains there has been a mistake. The waitress checks the order and explains, it definitely says you have ordered the salmon and shows it to her as proof. Katherine says ‘I didn’t order that. I would never order salmon. I can’t stand it, sorry’. She looks to Corey for support. ‘Honey, you remember right?’ He shakes his head at them both, shrugging his shoulders, ‘I honestly don’t recall.’ Katherine finally says, ‘Okay, but you know I hate salmon of all things.’
Did she really order the wrong food? Why wouldn’t Corey back her up? How could things that were so good a few days ago go so wrong? Just what is happening? What happened to the lovely and tender loving man? Has she made a mistake in marrying so quickly? Can things improve or get worse from here? Is she losing her mind?
I was just eager to read this as vociferously as possibly as it was brilliant and I was on tenterhooks as to the ending which was superb! A real dark thriller. Loved knowing who’s account I was reading in each chapter. Really detailed writing.
Katherine had met Corey through her friend Annette and there had been an instant attraction, followed by a brief romance before a whirlwind honeymoon in Las Vegas. From a previous relationship with Pete, she had her lovely daughter Ava. He had been the total opposite to Corey who was so loving and tender towards her and her daughter.
Unfortunately, Katherine had to plan the wedding and honeymoon in a rush plus they were lucky to get the time off school to go away together. Annette offered to look after Ava so it happened as well. It was a wonderful few days. Then they were back home after arriving on a late flight back from Portland. Katherine and Corey didn’t feel like getting up on their first morning back to school. Annette wasn’t in her usual spot so Katherine wondered where she was. When they wandered into the teachers lounge, there was a sign saying ‘congratulations to Mr and Mrs Grayson’ and a group of teachers with Annette leading the way to congratulate them. There hadn’t been time before the wedding. Corey didn’t seem to happy about all the fuss made over their wedding. At the end of the day, Katherine picked up Ava as usual then headed to check her postbox in the lounge. There was no post in the box. This was strange. Corey usually left her a love note. Could this be because they were now married and he was no longer going to send them? She was upset then the phone pinged, text from Corey, ‘in the car, waiting’.
She went to get her keys from her bag, they weren’t there. She checked her pocket. Nope. She took Ava back to the classroom but they weren’t anywhere that she could see them. She went back to Annette and asked if she could borrow the spare key until she could find them. Annette let her. Corey shouted at her as she put Ava in the car. What was going on. As Katherine was making dinner, Corey mentions that he got a funny email on his cell, as he goes to get it, there is a jangling of keys and two sets fall out of his laptop bag. It appears Corey has picked up her keys as well as his! Corey tries to deny picking up the keys. What is going on? Then Ava comes over and Katherine refuses to argue in front of her little girl.
Another evening Corey and Katherine go out for dinner at the Wayfinder. They order their food, Katherine decides on crab cakes for a starter and grilled filet mignon for a main while Corey goes for oysters with rib eye steak for his main. The starters were fantastic but when the mains come out, Corey has his rib and it appears Katherine has ordered Salmon according to the waitress. She puts the plate in front of her. Katherine explains there has been a mistake. The waitress checks the order and explains, it definitely says you have ordered the salmon and shows it to her as proof. Katherine says ‘I didn’t order that. I would never order salmon. I can’t stand it, sorry’. She looks to Corey for support. ‘Honey, you remember right?’ He shakes his head at them both, shrugging his shoulders, ‘I honestly don’t recall.’ Katherine finally says, ‘Okay, but you know I hate salmon of all things.’
Did she really order the wrong food? Why wouldn’t Corey back her up? How could things that were so good a few days ago go so wrong? Just what is happening? What happened to the lovely and tender loving man? Has she made a mistake in marrying so quickly? Can things improve or get worse from here? Is she losing her mind?
I was just eager to read this as vociferously as possibly as it was brilliant and I was on tenterhooks as to the ending which was superb! A real dark thriller. Loved knowing who’s account I was reading in each chapter. Really detailed writing.
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