Review: Another Ross Specialty
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 16, 2012
If you have been one of the fortunate ones in life who has been able to live your entire life (at least up to this point) in the same dwelling without having to move, count yourself to be in an incredibly tiny minority. We live in a mobile, impersonal culture of 310 million people or so; thousands of people make corporate moves every year, or wait until the kids are grown and then downsize to a smaller abode for practical and financial purposes. Young adults, having secured their first salaried job, move into a place of their own. College students move into a dorm; immigrants to this country (legal and otherwise) seek out appropriate, secure surroundings in which to live and raise a family.We are forever changing addresses, it seems.Sometimes, though, we manage to luck into finding that one particular place to live that screams familiarity. We immediately fall in love with its charm and aesthetics; we desire to leave our collective imprint upon the place (hence the nationwide proliferation of do-it-yourself megacenters, countless paint and interior design stores, and an overabundance of television programs that cater to countless tastes and subgenres in architecture and other forms of personal design).In the world of fiction, the author Sandra Ross delves into one woman's thrilling adventures of moving into a picture-perfect condo that, for all intents and purposes, is seemingly haunted. In "Alone With You," the character of Camryn Wagner has enlisted the help of her close friends Amber, Troy and Jonah to assist her in moving from her small Victorian-era apartment into a modern, spacious condo nearby. Upon arriving at her new digs, she approaches the front desk to pick up her keys and is informed that she is presently the only occupant of the brand-new complex.This information strikes Camryn and her friends as a bit odd; Camryn had previously been assured by a certain Mr. Richards that there were going to be at least twenty-five additional units already occupied.This bit of foreshadowing on Ross's part allows for the reader to ascertain the unusual scenario that is unfolding in "Alone"---why would such a modern, up-to-date, beautiful condo complex, complete with state-of-the-art accoutrements and highly-detailed security, not be occupied to capacity, or at least have a waiting list? Even Camryn's friends are wary and voice their collective trepidation. Amber goes so far as to exclaim, "Oh my god! I wouldn't stay here all alone for any reason!" (ch. 1)However, after considering her friends' reaction to being the only occupant currently living in the complex, Camryn assumes a practical bent and resigns herself to making the best of an uncomfortable situation, knowing full well that she has committed herself to a lease and that she is already moved out of her previous apartment, and that "(t)hat's all there is to it" (ch. 1).The universal feeling throughout "Alone" is reflected in Ross's title: Camryn is physically and psychologically alone once she enters her condo. Her sense of isolation is accentuated when it is night and the darkness envelops her. When she starts hearing unexplained noises in the condo above her, the sense of foreboding becomes stronger and more sharply defined. Camryn needs to confront her internal fear for her safety and sense of security by taking bold steps to allow herself the psychological freedom to live her life as she sees fit.Additionally, the sex scenes provide Camryn (and the reader) a welcome diversion from her insecurities."Alone With You" is a good read; Ross combines spookiness with sexiness and provides her fans with a well-paced story.