"If you lie enough times, no one believes your truth."

The Ghostwriter is the first book I have read from Alessandra Torre. I hesitated reading this book, because I am a romance fanatic by heart. But what really surprised me, was just how much I enjoyed this story! I was captivated right from the start, on the edge of my seat. A page-turner, that I recommend fellow romance lovers like myself to give it a try..

I’m going to say best book of 2017! You go into this book blind. Knowing that it’s not a romance. The suspense of wanting to find out Helena’s story keeps you absolutely glued to the pages. Just read this and tell everyone else to read it. People will be talking about this book for awhile! 10 stars for Alessandra Torre!

Reviewed on behalf of The Book Boyfriend Addict (www.bookboyfriendaddict.com). A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

'Three months to write a story that deserves years.
Is it even possible?'

Best-selling romance author, reclusive, quirky Helena Ross has three months left, three months to write the most important story of her career. This story is unlike any other she’s ever written, this isn’t a love story, there is no happily ever after, this story is the truth and her way of expelling the secrets she’s harbored for the past four years. The world may hate it or hate her when it’s all said and done, but she needs to get this story out. She can’t afford to waste any time and can’t afford any errors in a story this important leading her to seek out a ghostwriter and so begins a gripping and haunting unraveling of the chain of events that led to that fateful day four years earlier, the day that left Helena forever altered.

Wow, this was an amazing book! It was so subtle in its buildup, always keeping you guessing, and then the truth is dropped on you like a bomb and makes it impossible to put down until the end! It’s also a tough book to review because nothing I say will do it justice and I don’t want to give anything away. It’s a story that you need to experience for yourself. The writing was top notch and the story was engrossing and poignant. Helena was a hard person to like, even in her current state, she had countless quirks which made her hard to deal with. But I think that by the end you will really feel for her. Unraveling the past and understanding her motivations surrounding that day was an intricate puzzle that I couldn’t wait to solve. And beyond trying to figure that out, I also enjoyed seeing how the task of writing this story enhanced her final months, whether she realized it at the time or not. The story really took me by surprise time and again, I had many theories running through my mind, but I never guessed what actually happened. This isn’t a quick and easy read, it’s slow and steady to build but the payoff is well worth it. I was left speechless and with tears in my eyes by the end. This is definitely a story that will stick with you long after you’ve finished the final pages!

'Soon … my final story will come out, and everyone will know the truth.'

"If you lie enough times, no one believes your truth."
This story took a year in writing , I believe. Alessandra has worded grief and misery in its dismal glory . The words are saturated with power to gouge out your heart with a blunt spoon. I've never in my life read a book like this before. I just finished the book, my face hiding in my palms , sobbing my heart out. :`( .
The story is pretty simplistic in detail ...on the surface at least. Helena Ross is a figment of Alessandra 's imagination , I have my doubts though. This character is totally fictional, she says, but bits and pieces could be any author.....every author!!!!
Not only is Helena battling life on a physical front but mentally and emotionally too life is driving stakes in her fragile body. She can't take it anymore and decides to write a last book documenting her ultimate truth. Its hidden under layers of lies and a devastating secret.

"I, understand secrets. I understand how one person, one whisper of truth, can crumble empires, destroy lives, reveal monsters.""That is how life is, it gives us burdens to carry and doesn't give a damn about the weight. We shoulder it or we break."

There's different facet too, to the main storyline. Compassion & comradeship.
In this indie world or book community as we call it, hundreds of indie authors vying for readers attention everyday. How many authors support each other , applaud their peers' works, how many readers sugar coat their reviews or unsheath their sharp claws dipped in prejudice venom.
The underlying and bold fact that i took away from this brilliant story - Authors are human beings too. They have parallel lives beyond deadlines, peer pressures, favourable reviews, Bestseller lists and breaking sales records

"They. The gods in their world, the eyes on which the axis rotated. The readers. The critics. What would they think? Was his reading of the content skewed by his relationship with her? Would they vilify or martyr her?"

They bear enormous burdens of guilt , from giving you time they steal from their families, giving you pieces of their hearts they poured on sheets for you to chew them or savour them. So next time we see a book which doesn't match up to our snobbish standards, take a minute to recognise their sacrifices and toil that goes behind the scenes in producing a book.
I remember one time on Halloween , my fave author was busy doing takeovers and promotions while her family carved out pumpkins. She missed that time with her family and gave it to us readers.
I remember one time , an author had a death in her family and while mourning , she also had the book deadline in the back of her mind.
I remember several authors going through bitter divorces, custody battles, still have to step up to the plate in author duties.
Makes me feel very shallow and petty as a reader now.😖

I cannot sum up the brutal honesty of the story in my limited vocab. You need to read this story. Whether you're a writer, reader or a critic blogger. You do see the world of authors upfront but also see humans behind it . That's the painful beauty of the book. It humanises Gods and Monsters...whichever way we percieve those we follow.

“It’s difficult to read, it’s so vivid. It’s painful. I can’t imagine going through that. Discovering that. Reacting to it. It’s heartbreaking.”

Bear in mind, I'm crying right now. Fat tears , heartbreaking tears , still havent gotten over it.
The story has a twist , or two. One that though surprising , still gives you a feeling of Deja vu. One totally a left handed slap ! . The flow is very steady and you get a ringside seat in the drama behind writing of a Novel. Once you start, you won't be able to put it down. There's a metronome in background ticking away. You do wanna rush to the end , but you also wanna slow down to not finish it . you wanna cry and curse and weep and mourn at the same time.

I wanna point out something here that'll highlight the fantastic writing ability of Torre. She concisely sums up Kate's past in just 4 lines. Just 4 , and you can clearly see where she's coming from !!
I loved all the characters in the story. They're co-dependant and supportive pillars of each other. Empathy and sympathy run deep, kindness and compassion sneaking out from unexpected quarters.
It's diabolical that expected relations stab and defraud her , while adversaries reward and support her.
I need to stress- as a reader, as an author, as a critic, EVERYONE should read this book. Very brutal in its honesty and very truthful .
Insightful🌟Resonating🌟Eye opening 🌟
6 Shattered Myths Stars

This is a book that every person needs to read, full of gut wrenching emotion and heartfelt words. This was a book of romance, from a young women that learns the importance of revealing truth, and a women that learns that truth can be the most devastating thing of all. This book will leave the reader sitting in absolutely stunned disbelief waiting for the next surprise, not believing anything that was read. This was such an emotional masterpiece, using the work book is just to simplistic. I am in absolute awe of Allessandra Torre's writing, and I thank her and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC and write a honest review.

Whoah! Shock horror! Yet why am I surprised? We're talking Alexander Torre here, she's the Queen of the unexpected, I know this, and yet, I still didn't see the writing on the wall! It did however take me a good 25% to get truly into the story, I couldn't warm up to Helena at all, however, as the story progressed I began to appreciate, and at times understand Helena. Once Marka Vantley, Helena’s arch nemesis appeared the story really began to hook me in. I loved the plot (so much), eventually my heart went out to Helena and I cried so many tears during the final chapters. There’s not a lot I can really say about the story without any spoilers, the synopsis pretty much says it all. The only thing left to say is that I was blown away, the story was brilliant, the writing was spot on with wonderful characters and dialogue, along with unexpected twists that throw you for a loop and keep you on your toes. So much emotion and heartache throughout. I loved it. I was provided with an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't often read non-romance much these days, but when the opportunity came up on Netgalley to read this, I decided to give it a go. Both the blurb and the fact that it was written by Alessandra Torre pulled me in.

The story follows a very famous romance author, who is emotionally closed off and comes across to the reader as very cold, harsh, and a workaholic. As we continue to get to know her, however, we discover so many things that happened in her life since the day she met her husband that led her to this point, and I found myself empathising with her so much.

I won't go more into the plot, because the very suspenseful nature of this book is what kept me glued to the pages. It was a fantastically written novel, a very raw story about a woman who often felt unloved and appreciated, and sometimes projected these feelings onto the person she loved most in the world.

It was sad, and emotional, but left me feeling that sometimes I shouldn't feel guilty that I don't often feel like mother of the year! I ended up feeling a kinship with this character, and as for the twist! Was not expecting that, but wow it was good.

This is not a romance book- Just want everyone to be clear when they go to read this that they are looking for hearts, flowers and love. Well there was love, there was hearts and flowers, but it didn't last.

I am in complete awe of Alessandra Torre- Ghostwriter is emotional, suspenseful, beautiful in all the darkness that happens, and completely unexpected. Helena is a romance writer, has done very well in her time as an author, yet she has deep sadness to her own life. Her story is very poignant to the point that I cried for her words as she tried to tell her story before the end.

I can't wait for you all to read this book. More to come on release day on my YouTube Channel A Day With Ethel.

Wow!!!! 3 little letters and that's how I'm feeling as I've just finished this book. It's not adequate but that's all I can muster. It completely consumed me and I couldn't read it fast enough. I was not prepared for the heartache and the deep emotions of this book. But it was so well written and I believe I will be in a book funk for a couple days after this one. I can't tell you about this story because it would be an injustice to you, reader, to know more about it going into it. However, I will tell you this isn't a romance. This is a deep, sad, powerful story and one that will take your breath away. This book is for ANYONE and I believe Alessandra Torre will find new readers across various genres who will fall in love with her words and her fantastic storytelling.
This book moved me and I am thankful to have read it. I'm a huge fan of Alessandra's books and I follow her on social media where I saw snippets of her life while writing this book. I am blown away by it and can't recommend it enough but be prepared to be consumed by this book and the twists and turns it takes. Fantastic read!

WOW! Like I series just finished this amazing book and I am speechless, which is comical because I am attempting to write a review for it! The reason I am trying to write my review now is while everything is still fresh I want to make sure that my review contains nothing of the story….weird right but here is why. Alessandra wrote an amazing thriller in The Ghostwriter and I want all our followers to go into this book blind. Let all the twists ( and wow are there twists) make you say “OMG I didn’t see that coming”
Now with this hash style review know that…… The Ghostwriter is seriously hands down one of my favorite books of all times. If I could give it a million stars I would. This book was epic! Like rip your heart out epic! I was actually breathless a few times in this book!

"Maybe she doesn't have anyone else to be irritable with. Maybe, she doesn't have anyone at all."

That line right there, that one line, stuck with me throughout this whole book.

This story is pretty different from some of Alessandra's other writing. However, if you liked the Girl in 6E (my fav series) then you will have no troubles here.

There is no romance. It's not about the love of a man and a woman. It's about a woman, Helena, and what broke her. She is broken. Sick and broken. At first, I didn't know what to think, much like everyone else in the book. Why is she like that? I didn't love her. But she grew on me the more we got to know her. And then- at the end, it all clicks. That poor, poor woman.

By the end, I felt exhausted emotionally much like Helena. I understood her and ultimately, I liked her and if I were in her shoes, I would have done the same thing to protect my child.

Sure, wrong turns were taken. Mistakes were made. Accidents happen. But such is life.

I loved this book and every element of it's real, raw, emotional beauty.

"A perfect morning. A perfect husband. A perfect daughter. A perfect lie."

The Ghostwriter is Alessandra Torre's latest, and greatest, new release. It's the kind of novel you go into blind and finish a changed person, pushing it on your fellow readers and trying desperately to not giveaway the story while still being convincing that "they have to read it now." Okay, maybe that's just me. It's an unpredictable novel, with the main character most kindly described as emotionally vacant and mean. The reader gets to know Helena's inner-most thoughts from first person point of view, while also seeing her from the outside perspective of a handful of secondary characters from the third person perspective. Alessandra Torre further adds to the novel by giving us a book within a book, the start of each chapter of Helena's novel providing us glimpses into her past and the events that left her closed off and aloof. We discover she isn't vacant of emotion, rather she's drowning in it and fully aware of the mistakes she's made as a wife and mother.

"Soulmates or Tragedy. And sometimes, both."

I had tears in my eyes 20% in, I was exclaiming out loud by 40% that this was such an amazing book, and at 70% I tweeted that I suspected this had a chance of being my top read of 2017. I never could have predicted the ending, the twists, the past that had turned Helena into the witch the townsfolk never saw. Helena is difficult to like, but she's impossible not to feel for. My heart broke for her, I ached over the life lessons she never should have had to learn, and I hoped so dearly that something positive could come of her terrible prognosis. Helena is a fierce woman and it was incredible to read the book from her perspective. The secondary characters were phenomenal as well; I loved the little bits of gossip that made Helena real, the people who come to her side unwelcome, but necessary, and the constructive change they brought to her bleak world. I felt every emotion as I read The Ghostwriter and I slipped into this book like it was my life too, it was like being a writer myself. It was captivating, heartbreaking, and so profound.

"It's not hard to imagine a happier version of you."

I am a massive fan of Alessandra Torre and I thought I knew what I would be getting out of The Ghostwriter, but it was beyond anything I could have ever imagined. It's a stunning novel that highlights Alessandra Torre's storytelling ability and her strength as a wordsmith. I was held captive by this book from beginning to end, not even tears and the suffocating emotions that the book brought on could stop me from reading. Though it is about a very challenging subject matter, I think the original story line and the pacing of the novel took it from uncomfortable to thought-provoking. The Ghostwriter doesn't read like previous novels from Alessandra Torre, it's an outstanding example of her versatility and will captivate fans of all genres. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would, because The Ghostwriter is absolutely my Top Read of 2017.

"We all have a Happily Ever After, each story just needs to pick the right time to claim it."

The Ghostwriter has headed straight onto my top reads of 2017, horrifically beautiful, brilliantly written to wring every last ounce of emotion out of you, I cried great big buckets of tears after turning that last page, so caught up had I been in this story and the characters within it.

Helena Ross is a hugely successful romance novelist, many bestsellers under her belt, now she finds her time is limited - Helena is dying. Before she does she wants to write one final book - the one that tells a truth she has hidden from for years. Realising she cannot do it alone, she hires a ghostwriter making a surprising choice as she does so.

This book is enduring and resonant - from the very first page when we meet the spiky, often unlikable Helena right to the very last moments when you understand her so very well - Alessandra Torre has written a barnstormer of a story, avoided all sense of the obvious, dropped well below the radar of cliche and just simply immersed the reader in this woman's life - and the life of those around her during her final months on earth. As her backstory unfolds, as her ghostwriter follows her lead, you simply cannot stop reading and reading - layer upon layer, The Ghost Writer is at once melancholy and uplifting, intensely sad, yet redemptive, I'm not even sure I can describe how I felt at the end of it.

The characters are larger than life, they burst from the page with a radiant intensity - Helena herself, the writer with whom her relationship changes, her agent who is both aghast and confused by what Helena is demanding, all of them will stay with you long after the story is done. The intuitive way the author points you towards an understanding of them, the truly heart breaking ultimate resolution, the pure power of it, well this is what I look for in my reading life. The ones that make me look outside myself, the ones that make me cry those cathartic, final tears before finally putting them aside. Those.

Absolutely highly recommended

32 year old Helena has been a very successful romance author for the last decade.
She also has been married and had a daughter.
But both Simon and Bethany are not in her life anymore. We have no idea what happened.
We only know that Helena has only three more months to live and she wants to write one last book. Not a romance. A true story kind of thing. But we don't really know what the story is. Only that it's the story of her life.
And since she doesn't have enough energy to write a book she would normally have a year for, in three months - she hires a ghostwriter. Who better than her archenemy - smut author Marka!
Only Marka is so not who Helena expected ...

What will happen with Helena & her ghostwriter???
Will the book be finished on time?
And what will be in it?????
READ THIS BOOK TO FIND OUT!☺

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Huh!

That was so not what I was expecting. Especially after just watching Alessandra's Hollywood Dirt on PassionFlix! ☺
I already kind of knew that it wouldn't be a romance - but I was hoping for a bit of something sweet or adorable!
And even though there wasn't .... it was an amazing book.
A different kind of book, but still amazing.
It's not a thriller - not a mystery - even though it is kind of mysterious and/or suspensy until we find out what happened at the end. ☺
It's a story so full of pain and hurt and guilt and fear and regret.

I loved reading it. (Does that make me weird?🤔 )

Helena is an amazing character. Amazingly broken and flawed and talented ...
The way Alessandra desribes her and everything around her - I felt like I was right there with her - or at least sitting in front of Netflix watching THE GHOSTWRITER! Please Netflix, come do this!!!

Marka was also really great - a good friend to Helena in that last chapter of her life.

What can I say without spoiling anything...

Don't expect a romance.
Don't expect a happy end.
Expect a bit of crazy and weird.
Expect to feel.
Expect to be thoroughly entertained and left with a lot to think about.

THE GHOSTWRITER was such a heartbreakingly sad story. A very moving and emotional last chapter in the life of a bestselling author. Don't be afraid - read it!!!

P.S. I needed a box of tissues at the end. ☺

Wow.The Ghostwriter was captivating from the very first sentence.
It was so not what I was expecting yet This book was addictive. It's so unlike any book I've ever read. Bare with me ok? It IS a romance book yet isn't, It IS a suspense/ mystery yet really isn't, It's a tad odd and weird at the same time yet sad and beautiful. I loved loved this book!

Helena is a 32 year old writer. She's the 'Queen of Romance' novels with over 10 books under her belt. She a little eccentric and there's nothing in this world that she loves more than to write words- writing is a drug for Helena.
Helena has a sense of humour and wonder, it just choose to come out in her novels and not in her human interactions.
In this final book, Helena plans to write a manuscript where the heroine will be closer to her than any other she's ever written. A heroine whose shoes she has filled, whose steps she took,decisions she mad,sins she committed. A book that mirrors her, a story that will be immortalized. Yet at the same time her greatest fear though is that people won't read it. That she could end up in the clearance bin.

This book, like the character manages to slip humour into the darkest of situations, adding just the right about of life to keep our hearts from stopping. It's mysteriously beautiful- full of suspense and a roller coaster ride of emotions.
This book is  vivid, painful, unexpectedly heartbreaking and beautiful!
A MUST MUST MUST read!!!

The Ghostwriter is a beauty of its own kind. It's incredibly emotional and possibly even vulnerable. It's unexpected, poetic, sad, and cathartic. It's one of those books that will think for you- you just seem to melt into the pages as if it's your own life right in front of your eyes. I am highly impressed by this one and almost at a loss for words to say about it other than it's a must have book for all readers in 2017.

This book is unlike anything that I have read in a long time. Perhaps it is also unlike anything Alessandra Torre has ever written? I can't be sure because I have only read a handful of her novels in the past, but it is quite different than one would originally think. It's NOT a romance novel. It's not the type of book that will leave you wanting more and it's certainly not one with a happy ending (although this can be debated because I think there IS happiness in the ending). It's sort of like a letter of death (for lack of a better word). Readers KNOW what is going to happen yet, they need to see in unfold before their very eyes. It also has an air of suspense because what lead to the events that surrounds the story remains a mystery until the end.

With that, I refuse to give away any of the plot for two reasons. First, there is simply no way that I can sum up this book and do any justice to it. It's the story of someone’s life and the aftermath of tragedies. How could I possibly explain it all without giving anything away? I can't. Secondly, this is the type of book that needs to be read and felt without spoilers. So, do yourself a favor and grab this one. But be aware, it is incredibly heartbreaking but also meaningful.

This is not a love story. It's not light and fluffy with a happily ever after. It's not easy, doesn't have a lovable, endearing heroine or anything I would usually expect. But none of that matters. It's still the best book I have read this year, hands down. And I've read a LOT.

Helena is an odd duck. She kind of makes me wonder if most writers are a little eccentric and live in a different world than the rest. Choices she has made in life, the way she's been with people, or handled certain situations, made me at time downright uncomfortable. Many times, it was easy to forget how young she was.

This IS told from multiple perspectives. The very most important focus- getting out her final story, her final truth. And even though the whole story leads to that big moment, I was still shocked. Surprised. Sad and confused. It was as hard for me to read as it was for her to tell. If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would.

I'm really not sure where to start my review of The Ghost Writer. I've read Alessandra's work many times and enjoyed it. Compared to what I have read before, yes this is very different. For starters as the book genre states this is general fiction and I must stress I went into this book knowing that. There is not romance, it is not light, it's hard going, at times grueling and somewhat dark.

At times I struggled with this story, why you may ask? Well taking aside the genre which I don't read often at all (I only requested this book on NetGalley as it was one of Alessandra's books and I like her as an writer) I didn't really like the characters either. Helena isn't the easiest character to like. I found her wooden, robotic and odd. But I feel she is meant to be that way too. We know throughout the story she is unique, different, maybe odd and has quirks. I don't want to talk about the other characters too much as its all leads the story of the last 3 months into a seamless piece of fiction which is heart wrenching, raw and eye opening towards the end. In fact I feel the last 25% of the book is where everything comes together and you finally learn what happened and why. The other characters were well chosen and well wrote, even the cow part made me smile as it was different. Something you may think insignificant yet relevant in the story. Many times I felt like skimming but I felt like I owed it to Helena to hear her words, even though I was impatient and needed to know what was going to happen (Or had happened).

Do I think you should read this book? Well, if you like general fiction which is depressing, slightly dark and enticing (Making you read it even though you know the outcome is never going to be good) read this book. If you like Alessandra's previous work and want to see just how well she can write in a different scope - read this book. If you want romance, sex and a HEA don't bother. 4 stars for a unique book that I read in 1 sitting and could not put down.

Get ready to get your socks knocked off in the next book by Alessandra Torre-The Ghostwriter!!!

I was sooo excited when I seen this book being mentioned on social media and y'all it does not disappoint!!! Your emotions are going to be tested.

A note from the Author: * This book is not a romance. It is contemporary fiction, but very suspenseful in nature.* And ohhh sooo good!!

Now onto my review: Helena Ross is a famous romance author-she is a bit eccentric, umm well, maybe a lot...lol She has a dark secret. She receives some devastating news and decides that her last and final book she writes will be a confession. She has three months to do this confession. She has three months to figure out if she can get a book written although she will need some help getting it done...A Ghostwriter.....

Sooo I am stopping my review here, I don't want to say anything else to ruin it for you!! I gave this book 5 iScream Books Cones!! If you have read any of Torre's books and if you are like me, you will just love this book!! I could not wait to find out what the confession was, this is one of those books I wanted to cheat and turn to the end of the book and find out the heck this secret was..lol But I was a good girl and did not do that...lol Sooo worth the wait!!!