I love books with twists, and especially adore books that don't make everything a happy ending. This story satisfied both of those requests, and more!

In the beginning, I wasn't sure I'd like the story, mainly because the main character isn't very likeable. She's actually quite horrid, with stringent rules that everyone needs to follow, and is just plain rude. But as the story progresses, and you get to know her, it's hard not to like her, root for her, and overall approve of her actions. Maybe that makes me a monster because some of the things she did are morally questionable, but I get it, and I'd be tempted to do the same.

Overall, this is a very real feeling book. Helena is a very real person, complete with flaws and annoyances, but it all makes it very believable. I love when I can truly believe a contemporary story's main character is real, and this one does just that. I highly recommend this story, just be warned that if you want all rainbows, sunshine, happy endings, this isn't the book for you.

Aghhhhhh! My heart has been trampled into a million little pieces.

You know what you did Alessandra Torre, you know what you did...

What a book! What a story! The book starts with writer Helena Ross. She has recently learned that she has terminal cancer and about 3 months to live. Before she passes away she wants to write her last novel and the most important story of her life.

Helena knows that because of the illness she won't be able to complete the book unless she hires a ghostwriter to help her. This is the setup and the rest is a journey you will have to take by yourself because I'm not going to spoil it for you.

I love books about writers and stories within stories. I wish I could honor this book with a wonderful, well-written review but I'm good with numbers and not with words, all I can say is that this novel is captivating, emotionally moving, and suspenseful.

The novel is told in alternating points of view. It is similar to Lies She Told and Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore which were books that contained stories within stories and also were both books I loved.

Please note that the book takes its time revealing the story so if you're 60% in and wondering still, please keep going, you won't regret it.

Overall I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.

This is essentially a book within a book. It is told from three points of view, Helena’s, Kate’s and Marka Vantly’s. At the same time we are reading pages from a new book being written.

Helena Ross has written fifteen best selling romance novels. But she is nothing like the characters that fill her pages, nothing like the happy endings that she likes to write. Helena Ross is a deeply troubled woman who has just been given three months to live with the diagnosis of an inoperable brain tumor. As we are introduced to her and her home we know that she is hiding a deep secret. Her home is empty of anything that reminds her of her husband and her daughter, Bethany, except for her locked bedroom and locked media room. She has been punishing herself for four years for a lie that she told. Now that she has only a few months to life she wants to tell the story of what happened to her and her life.

She knows that she isn’t capable of completing this book by herself. She calls her assistant, Kate and tells her that she is retiring after writing a last book. She tells Kate “I need you to find me a ghostwriter”. “I’m worried that I won’t have time to finish it” I want you to ask “Marka Vantly” to help with the book. Kate is dumbstruck, Marka and Helena have been enemies for seven years. They have traded horrid, insulting e mails. Kate thinks she needs “a shrink, or a stronger prescription, or a vacation in Tahiti, but she doesn’t need a ghostwriter.”

I’m turning the pages faster by now. When Marka Vantly arrives at Helena’s door she makes a shocking discovery, one which no one would ever guess. But Marka agrees and they start to write this book that will be her last one. Marka learns all of her secrets and so do we. They work exhaustingly long hours, fighting the countdown of Helena’s disease.

This is a very quick paced book and a very sad one. There are times in the last third of the book when we see what looks like a glimmer of friendship between Helena and Marka, but there is only time left to finish the book.

I liked the author’s style of writing and her characters are well described. I felt as though I could picture Helena, pale, dying, exhausted, aching with sadness in her vast empty house. I grew to like Marka and Kate and the relationship between the three changed dramatically by the end of the book. And then there is the ending, which pushed this book to a 4 for me!

I don’t want to go into any more of the plot but anyone who enjoys a fast paced, well written, character driven book will enjoy this. You don’t have to be a thriller reader because this is more sadness and mystery than thriller, but there are disturbing parts to the book so be prepared to be shocked.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley, thank you.


Review also posted to Amazon on 10/13/17

Oh wow... Never thought I'd have palpitations after reading a book. There was a warning in the email saying that this book isn't a love story... And to be honest, I did have second thoughts. I'm a romantic sap... I crave romance... I had several moments where I felt I didn't want to finish... But there's a little voice inside of my head that kept on pushing me to just forge on... And so I did.

I love the book, no doubt about it. Definitely my first time reading something like it... It's uniqueness and mystery is what kept me going on... I don't know how to talk about it without giving something away... I feel like discussing about it further will give hints, and I didn't wanna do that and spoil it for the others who haven't read the book yet.

The main character, Helena Ross is relatable... You guys may find it weird but yeah, I can relate to her in more ways than one.

I didn't expect the twists and turns in the story—truly. At some point, I even thought that Helena would fall in love with the Ghostwriter...

The last couple of chapters are definitely gripping and shocking... I'm in a coffee shop as I'm writing this review... I was also reading the last chapters earlier, and had been blinking so much and looking upwards, trying to keep the tears at bay. I didn't expect the story to turn out the way it did...

This may not be the kind of story I usually eat up, but this kind of variety isn't bad either. Thank you Alessandra Torre for the ARC. It's an honor to receive one from you.

This book blew my mind away..honestly, I have a few other ways to say this but the moderators may not approve :) but I can say this though, PLEASE READ IT.

What stood out? The plot, the plot twist, the writing style (3 POVs), the suspense, just the whole story. The MC, Helena Ross, is someone that you'd hate to love or maybe love to hate but in the end, your heart breaks for her. Her secret ate her up more than her illness. Her secret shaped her life, it gnawed and gnawed and you feel utterly helpless with her.

This book can and will gut you and leave you thinking about it long after you're done reading it. Five stars cannot do it justice.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am ashamed to say that this is my first ever Alessandra Torre book, although she has always been on my tbr list, I have never gotten around to reading anything until now. The synopsis of this book really intrigued me and I couldn't wait to start it.

This is the story of an author called Helena Ross, who has been told she has 3 months left to live. Helena wants to write one final book before she dies, a book full of so many truths about her life. However, with the side effects from the medication, Helena cannot write this story alone and so she decides to bring in her enemy in the book world to ghostwrite the story.

Putting this review into words is so hard for me, this book truly was everything, and stayed with me when I had to put it down to face real life, and has stayed with me for days after I finished it. Being a mother, and also having a daughter called Bethany, made parts of this story really hit me hard and I found myself, not so much in tears but having to stop and take a deep breath to take in the life that was Helena and what she had gone through. I can say at times I really didn't like Helena as a character but at the same time she felt real, and part of me could understand why she behaved the way she did.

A fantastic read, and totally not what you expect it to be! A must read!!!

Well that was a roller coaster and then some! Excellent charactersation and inner thoughts brought to the page. So many twists and turns, unexpected events and a heartbreaking read on so many levels. The subject matter was grim and as the secret comes out, it became too grim for me. Not a novel I would say I enjoyed but one which is deftly written to bring these emotions to the fore, so I can only say it did its job well! The novel within a novel is nicely done and I love books that work this well - this one definitely did. A thrilling premise but one which made me feel sad.

Wow...that was a good book. Seriously I would not hesitate to recommend this one. This is one I would have missed if not for the hype and buzz I kept seeing on my Goodreads feed- and this book deserves nothing less
This is an emotionally-hitting novel. One that had made me cry and laugh quite a few times.
I devoured this-kind of hard not to when each chapter ends with just enough of a tidbit of information that you just had to keep reading-and the ending was nothing short of perfect. This is simply just an amazing book.

After reading this, I need to pick up more from this author, maybe not the romance but for sure her suspense novels.

I received a copy of The Ghostwriter through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Alessandra Torre and DCA for the opportunity.

Wow.... am left speechless. An emotional mess...

This book just blew me away. Honestly I wasn't even sure what to expect while reading it. My mind was racing thinking what could this possible be. How is this going to end! Alessandra did a FABULOUS job keeping the reader guessing, mind racing. It's different, and fascinating.

This is NOT a romance book, if you are looking for romance turn around. But if you enjoy a well written, twisty, keep you on your toes story...look no further! The Ghostwriter is a truly amazing book! So glad I was able to read this book!

**ARC RECEIVED IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my honest review.

I have to stress this is not a romance book! This is totally different from anything I have read by this author before. Good different. It's real and raw and I think for most readers they will be able to identify with a lot of the content.

Reading Helena’s story I was thrown into a bottomless pit of emotion, and I couldn't work out where the story would go, I just knew that I couldn't think of anyway it wouldn't be a sad ending. I don't want to give any details, and I think this book is best read blind, don't listen to anyone's opinions and don't read the blurb. Just jump in.

I did cry reading Ghostwriter, it's a very gut wrenching story, one with plenty twists, that will keep you glued to the pages until the early hours of the morning. I think this may just be Alessandra’s best work yet. Five stars.

Pause for a moment.........

Pull up a chair and sit with me a while.

The Ghostwriter beckons like a Shapeshifter in the darkest corner of the room. It transforms itself from one level of recognizable existence into the blurred, uncertain vision of the next. Elusive and quite daunting.

Helena Ross has a story to tell. As a successful young author, her hand has rocked the cradle of many a romance novel. But there is a definite sense of urgency to this one. Life has given her a deadline unlike the ones demanded by her publishing company. Helena has been diagnosed with brain cancer and has only three months to live at best.

Knowing that the writing process may exceed her own limitations, Helena instructs her agent, Kate, to contact a particular fellow author to ghostwrite parts of the book for her. Over the years, she has sent Marka Vantly snarky emails derailing this author's books. But Helena knows that no one else could possibly match her style like Marka.

As Marka and Kate show up for their meeting at Helena's home, they are met with a venomous list of "rules" taped by the front door. It's evident that the entranceway bears no welcome mat. It wafts from Helena herself who begrudgingly allows them to come in. The interior of the home is practically barren. It reflects the standoffish vibes coming from Helena herself. They arrive at a business deal and the writing will take place immediately........no time to waste.

Alessandra Torre, herself, is a gifted writer. She reveals "the story" in a then and now format with Helena slowly filling in the blanks of her past. Her highly guarded persona and her refusal to allow anyone to come close is extremely significant to this storyline. She spits out insults and sinister retorts like a gumball machine loaded with pennies. Helena covets this process of dying as the final culimnation of her life's darkest secret. She must purge herself of it before she breathes her last.

The Ghostwriter must be experienced rather than just revealed. And Torre does an exceptional job with this. She is a wizard with portraying her characters with the focus of transparent light and the self-imposed barrier of one's own darkness. The dialogue is sharp, witty, and at times humorous. Believe me, this book will have you sitting in that pulled up chair lost in your own thoughts at the end. Speechless is about right......

They say confession cleans the soul. I should have confessed a long time ago.

- Helena

This story was about making amends, an unlikely pairing, the fragility of trust, and consequences. It was well-composed, riveting, and thought-provoking! The reader learned early on what kind of ending to expect of this story, but it still left me feeling stunned.

I don't know who the author's inspiration for Helena Ross was, but I was somewhat fascinated by the character from start to finish. Helena was selfish and unapologetic with a type A personality, but she was also real. Raw. She was wonderfully complex and her humor was always well-timed. I even liked reading some of the ugliness about her--how she didn't stop to look at the world through a child's eyes for even an instant, how fixated she was on creating her characters fictional world while forsaking her family, and how out of touch from reality she gradually became. In spite of the mistakes she attributed to herself and others, it was a thrilling ride to get to the end of this book and see the effects of the decisions she'd made in just a small fraction of time. What a wonderful story!

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There's no doubt in my mind that Torre is one of the best authors of the contemporary fiction genre. And The Ghostwriter is a testament to how she's evolved as a writer. For one, the pacing manages to keep one engrossed from prologue to epilogue with ĵust enough back story to keep you wondering what was this damning secret.

As with most psychological thrillers, the journey and the whodunit are what keep the reader engaged which Torre parses in measured intervals and as we navigate Helena's past, she even succeeds in eliciting our empathy.

Eventually, we get the big reveal and, OMG, it was tragic on too many levels. Too many.

Just brilliant!

This book was such an amazing non-stop page turner. It was so different than anything I’ve read recently. Take what I have to say to heart and go get yourself a copy of this book right now! Seriously, go right this second.

After reading this amazing blurb, I knew I had to read this story. Torre did not disappoint; not in the slightest. This story was mesmerizing and emotional. You need to read this story for yourself and find out exactly what I mean, first hand. This story comes with a disclaimer: “This is not a romance.” Please don’t let that stop you from picking up this book. You will miss out on one of my top books of the year!

The suspense had me on my toes, never knowing what was coming next. I took guesses here and there but couldn’t get it right. I LOVED THAT! It was full of pain, regret, consequences, guilt, and fear. I was taken on a complete emotional and suspenseful roller coaster ride and didn’t want to get off at the end. It was amazing!

I have nothing but praise for this book and romance lovers or not need to pick this one up and give it a chance. Don’t be afraid to read it!

This story, these characters, will stay with me for a long time.

Grateful to have received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I have loved almost every book that Torre has written and that makes this review that much harder.
I was bored through most of the book, and it wasn't until almost 80% that the book started being suspenseful. I didn't understand/get what the suspense plot line was supposed to be. Was it supposed to be about her family? I didn't have the must-turn-pages-as-fast-as-possible with book. I wouldn't classify it as suspense because I felt the book was very even and didn't start getting a heartbeat until that 80% mark. I found myself skimming huge swaths of pages and only reading the dialogue because I felt a majority of that swath was redundant.
There were a few very minor issues I had with the story, but the lack of pulse, it's just splitting hairs.
What I did like was the unveiling of the ghostwriter. I was right there with Helena when it happened. The person gave Helena a lot of positive experiences in the time they were together. I also learned a couple of things, which for me makes the book that much better.
Overall, this wasn't a book for me. It may be a book for you, but I didn't find it suspenseful and there seemed to be a lot of redundancy or reminders given throughout the text.

Helena Ross is a world famous romance author. However, she’s retiring at the age of 32 after having written 10 bestsellers. Before retiring, she’s determined to complete her last novel, which will NOT be a romance. It will be different from anything else she’s ever written and she’s got three months to complete it. This last book isn’t a love story… it’s her confession.

I’m sure it was the author’s point, but I absolutely detested Helena for most of this book. I couldn’t stand her condescension, her arrogance, her rude behavior, her neglectful parentage, her intentional ignorance as a spouse, her disrespect to everyone, her everything. There wasn’t one thing about this woman that I liked. Not one. I respected the heck out of her dedication to her craft, her success, and her artistry, but not her methods. Or the many ways she sacrificed the welfare of her loved ones for her own needs and gains.

But then something changed. As Helena was writing her book and as this book progressed, my feelings toward her changed. How could this be? How could I all of a sudden stop hating a woman who was downright detestable? How could I feel any positive feelings for someone who didn’t merit nor even want positive feelings? How could I have even a glimmer of like for someone who treated everyone like dirt, like they were there for her and never the other way around? How could I?

It’s simple really. My feelings changed through compassion and understanding. Once I finally understood why she was the way she was for the last four years, I could finally feel for her. This in no way excuses her for the time before the last four years, however, it does give her an opening for sympathy. This woman whom I hated with a passion I usually reserve for villains made me weep. Big, dirty, sloppy tears leaked from my eyes the further I delved into this story. And so my hate mellowed out to a general dislike.

I commend Alessandra Torre on breaking the mold. For stepping out of the romance box that romance authors are usually stuck in. It couldn’t have been easy. As a matter of fact, I can imagine that this venture must have been downright terrifying for her. At first, I thought I would hate this book. I really did because Helena is one of the most unsympathetic characters I have come across in a long time. Taking the chance to push through was a sound decision on my part. It bumped my rating up from a 3 to a 4-star review. For those of you venturing to read this book, be patient because this author will not steer you wrong. This story is twisted, mysterious, and painful to read but damn was it worthwhile.

Release Date: October 2, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Fiction - Mystery/Thriller
POV: Multiple - Heroine (1st) & secondary characters (3rd)
Type: Standalone

Blind I tell you… Totally Blind… That’s how I went into this book. Never read the blurb, never read any teasers, just dove right in. This my friends is how you should go into this fantastic book. The less you know going into in, the better your reading experience will be in my opinion.

With that being said, Helena Ross is by far a perfect person, she has some unusual quirks to her life. What she does have is a successful career at writing books. She is an international bestselling author who has a way of surviving (barely) in her ‘real’ life, yet succeeding at everything that she writes. Barely taking the time to be the wife/mother yet taking all the time writing her books.

When her life takes a complete turn in the wrong direction, she has one final request. To write the book that will set the record straight. To come clean. To confess. To put closure on this very bad time in her life.

This is not a romance book, this is not unicorns and rainbows. This is a Raw, Emotional and Quite the page turner book!!! I picked it up and did not put it down till the very last page. Outstanding book that flowed perfectly.

Helena, a novelist, has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Although she is rich and famous, living in an enormous but empty mansion, she is on her own. Her husband and child are gone and she is estranged from her mother. She has never had any real friends and she doesn't even get on very well with her Agent. There is something very dark in Helena's past and she decides to spend her last few months writing that story. But she is afraid that she will not have the time or energy to finish it on her own.

I love books about books and writing. As the story progresses we get to read extracts of Helena's backstory as she writes it, and there are hints at what may have happened to make her such a sorry character.

I know it's a cliche, which I hate and try to avoid like the plague, but I could not put this book down. It is somewhat far-fetched and a little predictable at times but, wow, it is such a compelling, captivating read and one I will remember for a very long time.

I finally was able to finish the Ghostwriter. I rather enjoyed the mystery through the novel and was always kept on the edge of my seat. I also really liked the style of the way the story was told making it unique and fresh. Helena is a real character with deep-seeded emotions that have a hard time working themselves out. She is definitely not a perfect character nor should she be. The whole thing was just a happy sad in a way. Check it out if you want something with mystery and non-romance.

As I sit down to write this review my thoughts are, where do I start? How can I put into words the genius of Alessandra Torre?

I could write about what an amazing author Alessandra is, with this book being no different.
I could write about how she draws you into a story and grips you with an undeniable fierceness.
I could write about how I have devoured everything she's ever written, to include The Ghostwriter.

No words I pen could do this review justice.

Whatever you think you know about Alessandra, and what she writes! Forget it! We know she can give us eroticism along with contemporary, and humorous romance. She can have us swooning over men, and making them our book boyfriend, but what she gives us with The Ghostwriter is none of that. It does not have a cute red bow with an Alpha male that makes us want to lose ourselves. It is not sweet, pretty or loving for that matter.

The Ghostwriter is a suspenseful, heart-wrenching tale. It is methodical and captivating! Intriguing and spellbinding! The path this story takes is neither straight nor narrow. It is a twisted, wide-open field of emotional sentiment. A journey of discovery. A rollercoaster of intensity. It is a prodigious trek of finding one's self. Of releasing one's internal torment. It's rough, and intense, and even painful at times.

Due to the outstanding talent of Alessandra, my life was put on hold. From the moment I read the first word, of the first page, until the last word of the final page . . . nothing else mattered. There was no other world, no other thoughts, no other life. I only existed for Helena, Simon, Bethany, and Mark.

I don't want to go too far into this review because going in blind will give you the full effect of the story. Yet, I will say with this 5-star read, your life will never be the same. It will have you thinking long after you have read the final word. It will have you looking for a support group. It will leave you with all the feels. This is definitely one of my top five reads of 2017.

Well done, Alessandra, well done!