A review by thenovelmaura
Baby Doll by Hollie Overton

dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Yes, I read this 2016 ARC in 2021... it's always good to have a thriller on the shelf just in case, right? This one wasn't very thrilling, but I went in with low expectations and it was interesting, at least. This book gets all the trigger warnings because it's about kidnapping and r*pe, but it does start at the point of Lily's escape, so it fortunately isn't super graphic. I also loved that it was set in the area where I grew up, but I know other readers won't find all those little references as satisfying as I did.

Anyway, I understand why people were disappointed by the surface-level descriptions here. Overton is a television writer and it shows, because the characters feel more like roles than actual people, especially Lily's angelic daughter, Sky. They also reveal the identity of Lily's kidnapper and take him into custody very quickly, so there isn't much suspense there. I'm giving it three stars because it was a quick read, I liked all the side secrets and drama, and I really enjoyed the ending. But sadly, I do think thriller fans have other, probably better, options to choose from.
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