Fantastic!

I ADORED this book when I originally read it on Kindle. It is one of my Top Reads 2020.

Estella Shannon is counting down the days when she can finish school and escape from her stepmother's cruelty. When her stepmother's hitherto unknown younger brother, Noah Dylan, comes to stay, the landscape of her life begins to change as everything she thought to be true unravels, as shocking revelations come to light bit by bit.

It is such an engrossing story! The novel played out in my head like an old Hitchcock film. The author built atmosphere, eeriness and creepiness into her descriptions of the house. I loved Estella's character. She was stoic, kind and strong in her faith. She was inexperienced and often confused by Noah but also really smart. He was a bundle of mystery and contradictions. He was clearly a bad boy but I adored his manner with Estella - he was protective and fascinated by her, and he pushed her to be braver. I loved the connection and sexual tension between them. It was thrilling and delicious, and all the little things made me sigh and my heart feel full.

Listening to Shelley Atkinson bringing it to life was wonderful. Her voice perfectly portrayed the sweetness, innocence and strength of Estella, as well as her fears and the first flush of attraction and love. Her voice had an almost fey quality that I thought was well-suited to a gothic novel. She had great pacing and did well with the other characters' voices. A thoroughly enjoyable listening experience.

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