A good, compulsive romantic suspense with quite a few suspects to choose from. I thoroughly enjoyed this story from the first dramatic page to the surprise ending.

I loved the cover for this book and having read the book now I can say that it is absolutely perfect for the book.

The pace for this one is spot on, it is steady and it has just enough detail to keep you hooked without over complicating things. It certainly makes for an excellent page turner and the writing style is perfect for this genre.

I really enjoyed this story, it isn't too long at just over 300 pages and was one of those books for me that as soon as I started reading and really got stuck in, I carried on and finished it later on the same day.

This was definitely a 5 star read for me - I really enjoyed it and very highly recommend it!!

The Fake Date is a pacy, gripping read that gets under your skin. It's a Psychological Thriller with a Romantic Suspense twist. It gets inside you and makes you analyze everything about the book. The opening scene is just amazing. Ms. Stacey has really captured what I believe to be a true representation of how someone would think and feel if they thought they were dying and couldn’t help themselves. Memories flooding their thoughts.

The premise was unique and held my attention all the way through. Really enjoyed this one, Thank you netgalley and publisher for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

How this book starts is absolutely terrifying! A girl in a field who is near death after someone has basically battered her. It made my heart wrench to why someone could be so cruel and sadistic! It’s never who you think it is!

Not going to lie, in my mind, everyone is a suspect, this is probably because I read so many of these types of books. So, from Bobby, the farmer, to Will the neighbour even the lead suspect of it all. I love trying to figure out whodunnit and for a change I let the book guide me.

We are guided through the points of view of Bella and Will, but keep up as the POV change quickly! And an unknown person watching Ella, because she should not have survived the attack, and this person is pissed! It was horrible reading these bits too, as her attacker is constantly watching her. Freak-y!

I like Ella, to me she was rather realistic, yes we have the “pity party” after her attack, which I am sorry if you were not affected then there would be something wrong. But it is Ella’s determination, after the court case, not only to get her life back but to find out who did this to her. Her strength in this mission of her was inspiring as she had something to live for again whilst recovering if you can ever truly recover.

Must say, the book cover won me over before I even read the blurb, I was intrigued and wanted to know more about why she was fighting for her life. It also makes me glad I am not on the dating scene anymore after this! I mean how can you trust anyone!

This is my first encounter with this author, and her writing style and book has made me intrigued to read more by her.

This is a good tale of a horrendous crime and the suffering of the victim whilst at the same time it's a bit of a 'will they, won't they' romance.

We first meet Ella as she lies counting the minutes from when she was viciously attacked and left for dead; with her extensive injuries, can she hang on long enough for someone to discover her in the out-of-way location she was dumped? Did she make an error in going out for dinner with the man she knew had already buried two wives - or was something more sinister going on? She needs to focus on staying alive long enough to have a chance to find out ...

Whilst the attack against Ella was quite horrific, I'm not sure I would class this as a psychological thriller. However, as a crime thriller it holds it's own but with the absence of a full police investigation. The possible romance is quite enchanting, and all the characters in the book are well developed. This is a lively, interesting and well-penned story, but I can't say the outcome came as a surprise - unusually for me, I worked it out myself and it was just a matter of waiting to see if I had got it right! Still a very worthwhile read with plenty happening and a good satisfactory ending. I'm just not convinced that the title and cover did the novel justice though - or that it was what I was expecting to read.

Twenty-Eight-Year-Old Journalist, Ella Hope has been attacked and left for dead on the North Yorkshire Moors. Unable to move or even make a sound, Ella has realised that this could be the end for her. She had been lying in the cold, muddy field for hours and no-one has passed her by. Eventually, a man walking his dog comes across her body. Luckily Ella is just clinging on to life.

Seven months later and Ella is starting to get her life back in order. After spending weeks in hospital and then an extended stay at her parents home, she is finally ready to move back home. Upon arrival, it would seem that she has a new neighbour, Journalist for a rival newspaper, Will Taylor.

Ella is still in a difficult place and struggling to trust anyone, she likes Will and the two hit it off straight away. However, she hasn’t put the past to bed yet. She is determined to find out who tried to kill her and although someone has been charged with her attack, she doesn’t believe he actually did it. Yes, two of his young wives might have died in suspicious circumstances, but did he really kill them and try to kill her too?

Ella uses all her journalist know-how to discover the truth, but with the culprit not happy that Ella survived this could be a race as to whether Ella can bring them to justice before they try to kill her again.

The Fake Date is a real psychological thriller. It gets inside you and makes you analyse everything about the book. The opening scene is just amazing. Ms. Stacey has really captured what I believe to be a true representation of how someone would think and feel if they thought they were dying and couldn’t help themselves. Memories flooding their thoughts.

Ella is one headstrong character. She needs closure on what happened to her and when doubts come into her mind about the person arrested actually being the culprit, she decides to take matters into her own hands. She knows it is dangerous, but she needs to do it for her own sanity.

Will is just adorable. He’s one of life’s real gentlemen. Being a journalist he knows all about what happened to Ella and is there to help her and support her in whatever way he can.

I did work out the culprit long before they had been revealed but that didn’t take away anything from the plot. I also loved the sections written from the POV of the attacker, some were really creepy and makes you wonder how people think the way they do.

This is an amazing book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The book captivated me and whilst essentially it is a thriller I loved the romantic aspects too, this was a nice touch. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes and a few red herrings thrown in for good measure. All I can say is grab a copy and read it now, you won’t be disappointed.

Ella Hope has been brutally attacked and left for dead on the Yorkshire Moors. Unable to move, she finds herself trying to piece together the events of the night before and desperately hoping that she can stay alive long enough for someone to find her. She remembers being with gym owner Rick Greaves but everything else is a little hazy.


Ella spends several months recuperating at her parent's house and moves back to her own house to try and rebuild her life but learning to trust anyone other than her parents and her close friend Sarah is going to take some time.


Her neighbour Will moved in while Ella was away. Their introduction was a little unconventional and Ella is intrigued by Will but should she be letting a stranger into her life when her attacker still hasn't been caught? What she doesn't know is that Will has a past that he is trying to move on from as well but is he ready to tell Ella all about it?


As romance is tentatively blossoming between Ella and Will there's a recurring narrative from the attacker - their thoughts and words showing that Ella is still in danger - but from who?


The Fake Date is the first book that I've read by Lynda Stacey and I will definitely be looking at her other books after being so impressed with this one. I was completely hooked from the outset and I picked up my kindle to read it at every possible opportunity. The author has cleverly woven romance and thriller together without losing the origins of either genre, making for a captivating read. There's plenty of red herrings and a big enough sprinkle of romance to keep fans of both more than happy and it's one that I would highly recommend adding to your TBR.

I never usually pay that much attention to strap lines – those “jaw-dropping twists” all too frequently disappoint. But when the publishers called this one “a gripping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat”, they got it absolutely right. The opening of this book is stunning, as Ella clings on to life, running through her memories, lying in the undergrowth after a horrific attack, her watch counting down the minutes and seconds. It’s also extremely clever, setting the scene for what follows, following her thoughts, introducing all the main characters – I’ve enjoyed Lynda Stacey’s writing before, but thought this took her into a quite different league.

Ella returns to her home after a long recovery, and understandably trusts no-one. Her friend Sarah – a wonderfully drawn character, that I really liked – has the unfortunate habit of bursting in through the door unannounced, there’s a rather creepy farmer who gets a little too close, and the man she believes destroyed her life is still very much out there. And then there’s new neighbour Will. Watching her through the fence then leaping over it might not be the best introduction, but it becomes a convincing developing relationship, shrouded quite perfectly in its own secrets. The pacing of this book is perfect, and very different – the suspense, the edginess are always present, but there’s also a lightness about the story as Ella tries to restart her life, with plenty of moments of humour and a rather lovely warmth to its relationships, seen from the perspectives of both main characters.

But there’s also that unidentified voice – sinister and threatening – that punctuates the story, and you continue to read through the lightness with dread and fear that the threat to Ella is still very much present. There are multiple twists and turns, many totally unexpected – and I really liked the way the author takes the reader inside Ella’s thoughts, slowly and inexorably cranking up the tension. The characters are excellent – I particularly liked the way Will’s back story was slowly revealed, the past that had left him damaged. And the denouement of the story, when it comes, is so very well done, explosive and shocking – I’ll admit I was a few steps ahead of Ella, but that did nothing to spoil the story.

I’ve read and enjoyed all the books Lynda Stacey has written, but this really is the one I’ve been waiting for – the one I always believed she could write. This book wouldn’t disappoint die-hard psychological thriller fans, but will also make the legions of romantic suspense fans who eagerly await the author’s books very happy indeed. I really loved it. (And did I mention how much I loved the dog too?)

What an opening to this book! Ella is left for dead on the Yorkshire moors, but she is alive, just about..

As Ella goes through a long recovery process, she is determined to find out who did this to her.

The tension is high in this book, waiting to find out who has done this to Ella. There are little snippets told from the attackers point of view, which really draw you in further to the plot, and increase the tension even further. Having said that, it’s a pleasure to read, with some very lovely moments in it.

The characters are so well drawn. I really liked Ella, and her friend Sarah. Her parents are not featured in the book often, but you could tell how much they loved Ella, and how much they wanted to protect her. When Will, Ella’s next door neighbour first appeared on the scene, I liked him, but at this stage I had almost everyone as a suspect in my mind! When I got to know him better, I really became fond of him, however.

I had lots of suspects at the start of the book, but narrowed it down later on. The fact that I had figured out who the killer was didn’t spoil the book, on the contrary, it made me even more gripped by the story. I wished I could warn the characters who were in danger!

Superb plot and characters, just the perfect balance between tension and romance, and excellent pace, this was a book that kept me reading well into the night. It’s one not to miss. Highly recommended.

Well what an opening if you are anything like me it is guaranteed to pull you in and make you just as determined to discover the truth as Ella is. I really want to be as vague as possible regarding the plot because The Fake Date is such a brilliant story and worth discovering every little thing for yourself. This book shows you a persons strength and determination to survive along with being filled with a few surprises making me question everything. I loved getting to know the characters along with trying to play detective and figure it all out.

There is a romance and I really think it added to the overall story balancing some lighter moments with the more darker ones. I thought Lynda Stacey developed the relationship perfectly and made me even more invested in the characters. However I have to admit to loving the very sinister inner thoughts of someone you really don't want to get on the wrong side of.

I happily read this book over one evening as I just had to know where the story was going to go. Ella was someone I easily became attached to and really hoped that she would get a happy ending.

A story of obsession and love but with danger and tension galore.

With thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources and the publisher for my copy via Netgalley

I’ve not read anything by this author before but wow this is an awesome read.

Ella is attacked real bad and left to die. The story starts off with a graphic portrayal of her pain and fear of being left to die. The first chapter starts the pace brilliantly and I can honestly say the author did a great job of keeping a steady pace.

This was a brilliant read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and read it in a day. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

From the first page, I was gripped by this psychological thriller with a difference. From the moment we are introduced to Ella who has been brutally attacked, I was desperate to find out who had done this to her. I felt the hours pass slowly and painfully as Ella lay in the mud and rain of the North Yorkshire Moors. Her body is contorted, she is partially naked and all she can see is her watch, laying on the ground beside her.

It takes Ella a long time to recover and when she finally moves back home, she meets a new next-door neighbour called Will, who is renovating the cottage next door. The pair hit it off immediately. Will has a cheeky charm and easy going way which Ella likes, but after what happened to her, she finds it difficult to trust anyone.

The chapters are interspersed with sections written by Ella's attacker. The killer left her for dead and can't believe that she was found alive. The person has killed before and feels that Ella's survival is a serious failure. It was an interesting and chilling insight into the criminal mind.

A thoroughly enjoyable page-turner, well written with a fast pace and multi-layered characters.

So, another contender for my top ten books of the year here!  I really do enjoy a thriller, especially one that hold up it's descriptions like 'will keep you on the edge of your seat'.

The Fake Date had me hooked from the start.  I really liked the character of Ella and her determination, yet vulnerability after what happened to her.  The author portrayed this so well.  The rest of the characters were great too and you really are kept on the edge of your seat thinking of who might be responsible.  The way that Lynda Stacey added in short parts from the 'baddies' viewpoint was great - it kept me guessing and I had a huge list of possible suspects towards the end!

A fantastic thriller and perfect for anyone that likes this genre.  Would be great for anyone wanting to try a thriller too as it has all the great things you should expect from one.  A fantastic read!

5☆ Gripping, Compulsive, Page Turner!

Wow right from the first few pages I had a strong feeling The Fake Date was going to be gripping and suspenseful and I was bang on!

We first meet our main character Ella, violently beaten and left for dead on the deserted Moors.
Or is that what the killer believes?

The start was simply Fantastic!
The reader is thrown straight into this nightmare scene, willing for Ella to survive and be found. You can literally feel Ella's pain, her desperation and need to survive.

Then you get this dark snippet from the killers thoughts.
He's killed before!
Always makes sure his victims are dead.... But why did he leave Ella?... he is sure she was dead!

What follows next is a cat and mouse chase.... Will Ella become the hunted or can she catch her Attacker before he strikes again!!

Ella is a strong main character, she is brave, determined, ballsy, Passionate and I really warmed to her character.

Wow!
I really can't say anymore for risk of spoiling it.
But I will say a big well done to Lynda Stacey for making me work at discovering the killer as I was convinced it was someone else!
For me the best Thriller Suspense books are the ones that make you use your sleuthing skills!

I loved the narrative it flowed perfectly. The snippets from the Attackers POV was perfectly creepy, gave me chills!

The Fake Date is a pacy, gripping read that gets under your skin.
It's a Pyschological Thriller with a Romantic Suspensful twist which i thought sprinkled some warmth onto this fantastic thriller!

If you love Gripping, Compulsive, Page Turners then pick up a copy of ......
The Fake Date it really is a #MustRead

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Errrrrrr, hello book; can I have my heart back please?!?

This is definitely one of those 'dun dun DUNNNNNNNNNN' type of novels! You know, the ones where you're left rearranging your organs after your heart escaped into your mouth. Sound familiar?

Lynda Stacey set the scene brilliantly with the opening to her book, making her readers enter the mind of someone who thinks that they are being left to die. Would you feel scared? Hopeless? See your past flash before your very eyes? A very, very clever way to pull readers into the story - I fell head first into it and didn't let up until I had reached the end. I could have sworn I had a house standing before.....(jokes).

Even though I did find some parts of the storyline to be a little predictable, it didn't stop me from being gripped by the storyline as the characters seemed to have their own hidden agenda, regardless of who they were linked to. I mean, one moment I was sitting there gripped by Ella's emotions, and then the next my head was getting funked over by the storyline (not that I'm complaining!). Please remember that I am being vague on purpose as I am trying my best to keep spoilers away, but it's hard as there is just so much about 'The Fake Date' that I want to shout about.

'The Fake Date' is a psychological thriller with a difference - who'd have thought romantic notions went hand in hand with a head funk of a storyline?!

What a highly gripping, engaging, and fast paced novel - roll on the next book!

Ella finds herself unable to move laying in a field. Her is badly injured and only remembers a little of what happened. A blue car, a hoodie, very little more other than the man she went on a date with. She is a reporter and she wanted to get a story so she set up the date hoping to find more about the man whose two wives both died shortly after they were married. On recovering she tries to pick up her life again but finds it difficult and is not surprisingly wary of everything and everyone. Rick owns a gym and whilst he has been held in detention his brother in law has been running it- unfortunately running it into the ground. This gripped me from the start. Ella was a strong person and many of us know what it is like to be flattened in some way (even if not quite so dramatically). Although strong underneath she needs support from family and friends to get back to how she was, or almost, still having that very aware conscience. The perpetrator wasn’t who I thought it would be and took me by surprise but very much made sense. A very cleverly thought out plot. A read to almost race through, a read to enjoy. One to perhaps make you think and trust your instincts rather more.
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
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Right from the start of this book I was hooked and it was a very enjoyable, heart-pounding read. We first meet Ella in the aftermath of her attack, this was brilliantly written as I really got to feel for Ella and the emotions she must have been feeling. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have gone through something like that.

After the attack, Ella becomes a shadow of her former self, I really felt for her as she wasn’t happy and understandably was very wary of everything around her. I was hoping throughout the book that she’d find the answers she was looking for. I loved the journey we went on with Ella, it kept me turning the pages of the book.

Lynda has created an engaging read that has some twists and turns in it, some that I wasn’t expecting. We meet the character of Will, who is Ella’s neighbour and who has also suffered through an ordeal. Together can they heal themselves? I found Will to be a lovely character and I enjoyed reading about him.

I wouldn’t class the book as a psychological thriller however, I’d call it more a romantic suspense. I still enjoyed it though but I just feel some thriller readers might be disappointed.

The Fake Date is a gripping and exciting read that did have me hooked. At times I didn’t know which way the book was going to go and Lynda has written it well with some likeable characters. The romance is believable and the suspense is tense at times.

I've read some of Lynda's previous romantic suspense books but this is her first thriller and it absolutely blew my socks off. Gripping and 'unputdownable' are used far too often yet in this case both are true as I found myself reading late into the night and then waking up early to find out what happened next. I found myself empathising with Ella to the extent that everyone she was introduced to became the potential murderer. There is a twist, not the one that I was expecting, but it is neatly done and not too far-stretched, unlike some endings. Lots of heart-stopping moments and very well told. It's a massive thumbs up from me.

This book is a real page turner.  You really want Ella to get justice for her horrific injuries.
When we first meet Ella she is fighting for her life after being left for dead.  She has to find the will to survive and seek the justice she deserves.  After the attack Ella starts to rebuild her life, still scarred both physically and emotionally.  Untrusting of everyone, her home becomes her haven, but her silence is disturbed by a new neighbour, who has a few secrets of his own to hide, and an over friendly farmer that attaches himself to her.
Ella knows who has attacked her and is determined to see that they pay, but when someone is murdered, Ella has to decide whether everything she believed has been a lie.
Lynda Stacey has written a fast paced thriller that hooks you in from the beginning.  All the characters are well written and through them she explores the theme of recovery.  While Ella seeks recompense for her injuries, we see her struggle with human interaction with her friends and family and Will her new neighbour.  In turn Will has his own trauma to recover from and Lynda winds his backstory into the main story of Ella and her attacker.
As both of them try and confide in each other, Ella has more to fear as her attacker realises she survived.