Review: Excellent, thought provoking, disturbing and funny!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 8, 2013
What happens when you think your life is going according to plan?  When do we begin to simply exist instead of really live? What about the boy from the wrong side of the tracks?  This is a book that delves into the dilemmas that arise when we break the rules, when the status quo is no longer palatable, when we question our decisions and choices, and when we discover whether or not we are brave enough to live and love regardless of society's approval.Katherine Newheart is a wealthy business owner who is in a long term relationship with her boring fiancee, Matthew O'Connor.  Katherine is a pampered, privileged, woman who believes she is the master of her own destiny.  She is mystified as to why no one likes Matthew, except for maybe her parents.Matthew has become a partner at her father's law firm.  Cold fish would be a kind way of describing Matthew.  Pretentious, misogynistic, and controlling are more accurate.  He may appear calm and in control, but as them book progresses he shows himself to be anything but!  He is a seething mess of anger, obsession, and is power hungry.Benjamin Riley (referred to in much of the book as 'the Boy') comes to Katherine' s aid one night when she has car problems.  Handsome, sexy, kind, and compassionate, and from the wrong zipcode - Benjamin's is everything Matthew is not!  He and Katherine are inextricably drawn to one another.  She is awakened sexually, and begins realising just how boring Matthew really is in the sack!  Ben's  spontaneity and charismatic sexuality make Katherine burn like she's  never burned before!  Their affair makes her question what she  knows about love.  Is she in love with Matthew, or going along with what she perceives expected of her?Experiencing romantic love for the fist time,  Katherine finds herself trapped in a relationship that she no longer wants.  Matthew becomes increasingly abusive and unstable as Katherine begins to think for herself. He refuses to accept that Katherine wants out, threatens her and her family, and begins physically abusing Katherine.Will Katherine choose the man who can give her everything-except money?  Will she succumb to Matthew's Machiavellian tactics and remain engaged to be married?  There no happily ever after....yet.  We will all need to wait for the sequel to find out what happens to our twisted love triangle!The book was very disturbing on many levels, but that is a GOOD thing!  Many women find themselves in abusive relationships they cannot escape. Sadly, we hear about the  fallout on the evening news.  A good book engages both my brain and emotions.  This book made me angry, hopeful, & frustrated...but it made me feel all of them passionately!! It is an excellent book and am looking forward to the conclusion!  KUDOS!