Convergence by Ginny L Yttrup is a thrilling, edge of your seat suspense novel. It dives deep into the plot twists that revolve around the lives of two different women. Before their lives converge, it can be a little confusing trying to keep track of the women and what is going on in their lives. Flipping between the past and present, and between Denilyn and Adelia's perspectives author Ginny L. Yyttup manages to build surprises into the plot that I really like! I felt for Denilyn - the trauma she had experienced in the past and the fear that she was either being stalked again or her PTSD was making her think she was. I could relate to both the main characters, their stories, and their choices.

I like the fact that this a clean mystery/suspense thriller and that there are Christian references. I would certainly recommend this book as it is well written, with vivid imagery, and great first person narrative. I love the way I got caught up in the story and thought I knew what was going to happen...only to be proven wrong!!

Trigger PTSD for assault victims

Denilyn Rossi is an author, a teacher, a psychologist. With all that going for her why is she living in fear. The traumatic event that almost cost her her life is in the past. The culprit in prison. She has family and friends protecting her, surrounding her in love, support and understanding. Yet, she hides and lives in constant hypervigilance. The inner strength she had had is gone. Her belief in a higher power is gone. She either needs to face her fears and find that higher power again or live in hiding.
Meanwhile, only her dearest and longest know friends ate aware of her struggles. Yet, someone that seems to know her has the strength and determination to make her life a living nightmare. She will have to find the strength, determination and faith to face these challenges and come out on top.
Great read. The topic is fantastic, bullying is never ok!

Convergence, a suspense/thriller novel from Ginny L. Yttrup, is a very interesting read that will at some moments keep you on the edge of your seat. This is my first book by this author.  Danilyn is a psychology professor at a small college and once had a stalker who was caught and convicted and is still in prison. Her marriage did not survive all the fear because of the stalker. But it has been years and now she finds herself being stalked again. Of course she is paralyzed by fear once again and can not deal with this. Her best friends since college days are there for her to help her with her fear. There are many turns before this book will converge to its final conclusion. It will keep you guessing as to who the culprit is. I received this book via netgalley and this review is a pleasure to give.

What a terrific novel! My time reading this novel was most enjoyable. The thing that surprises me is that, for such an educated woman, Denilyn Rossi had ignored the signs of the murderer’s psychopathy. Another thing that surprised me is that of Denilyn & Keith’s marriage. I would have thought Keith would have understood his wife’s nature from the beginning, & not have been so surprised that she was so different than he. He married a psychiatrist, yet he was a man who disliked intimacy. He didn’t want to be bothered by Denilyn’s “drama” as he called it. He didn’t want to have conversations about her traumas, both past & present. He just wanted to be happy-go-lucky, like a good-time guy. So why did he marry Denilyn? It took him a year to figure this out. And what about Denilyn, Dr. Rossi? How did she not see what kind of man she married, she of the “big brain”?
I think the title “Convergence” was a perfect name for this novel. The characters of Denilyn & Adelia converged at the conclusion. There’s quite the surprise for the reader at that point, both in terms of Adelia’s life & Denilyn’s.
This novel was a deep psychological profile of Denilyn Rossi, the traumas she sufered the last 9 years of her life, & how she became victorious over them. I consider this novel a Christian novel. God is glorified. Denilyn learns to hold fast to God, believe in His Will for her, & to step out in faith according to His Purpose.
Thank you, NetGalley & Barbour the publisher, for the opportunity to read & review this novel.

I’m not generally a fan of “half” ratings but I feel like this book may be a 3.5. I’m torn between 3 stars and 4.

This book is well written and enticing for sure, but there was a bit lacking.

For instance, I knew incredibly early on who the “bad guy” was, and I was hoping for some twist to shock me but I never got it. I’m not sure if it’s super obvious, or I was just more perceptive? If you have read, or do read this book let me know what you think!

My other issue with this book is the presence of “god”. I’m not a religious person, so the incredibly frequent mentions kind of put me off. I know it doesn’t really detract or add to the story line as a whole, it just kind of made me uncomfortable. Which yes, I know is a “me problem”, but it still affected my feelings towards the book.

I did like the premise, and overall story line. I think with a little more mystery, and twists the story could have been a 5 star. I also think there should have been more instances that caused us to question the lead character.

The idea for this book is excellent, the execution just didn’t hit the spot for me.

I was hooked from the dedication alone. Not many authors can do that. The whole book delivered too, it wasn’t just a hook and let down. It was the real deal that had me compulsively reading until I finished. I did figure it out before the ending, but I needed to know how it would all go down. I think fans of Terri Blackstock will really like this book. While written from first person point of view from a female, I do think guys would like Convergence as well. I found Deni to be like-able and I enjoyed getting to know her better as the book unfolded her layers. It isn’t super creepy but it did raise my heartbeat more than once. Never underestimate a female or a mother. I highly recommend Convergence!

I did receive a copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

'You drown not by falling into the river, but by staying submerged in it.' Paulo Coelho
Wow! Incredibly well written novel that had me wondering from the beginning if it would ever make sense to me. Denilyn, a psychology professor and published author, has a past that is slowly unraveled throughout this book. Stalking, assault, accidents, psychological abuse and more keep you at the edge of your seat the whole time wondering who really is behind it all. It is only as she learns that trust is a choice not a feeling, faith is believing in what you can't see and to be on the offensive is the best way to finally experience freedom!
'Sometimes in stillness, when we've quieted our minds, we hear from God'.
I received this advance copy through Barbour Publishing, NetGalley and CelebrateLit. All impressions and opinions are my own.

A psychologist suffering from PTSD is convinced that her life is in danger again, even though the man who attacked her eight years ago is securely behind bars and she's surrounded by her husband, friends , colleagues and therapist . Someone is stalking her - a vaguely familiar looking man who may be connected to her past life as a guide on one of the most dangerous rivers in the country. She hasn't been back to Three Rivers since the Kiawha claimed the life of one of her closest friends - or did it ? But she's certain that her stalker is somehow connected to that place and time, and that her friend's misadventure on the river may in fact have been murder. It's difficult to keep track of the action, since much of it is told in flashbacks. The characters aren't especially well drawn, but the thrills and chills of rafting class 10 rapids have the same adrenaline-fueled energy as the sky-diving scene in the book's opening pages.

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

CONVERGENCE is about Denilyn Rossi, PsyD, former practicing Clinical Psychologist, and current Chair of the Department of Psychology, Pacific Covenant University. Deni is seeking to find her stalker in order to end her fear and lead a life of freedom. Deni couldn’t have said it better when trying to describe the behavior of the stalker as “hoping to make sense of the nonsensical.” The timeline jumps back and forth between 2009 and 2017 which keeps the reader turning the pages to develop a complete picture of the motives of each of the characters.

I understand that this is the author’s first foray into the genre of suspense, and as the title suggests, it is a highly imaginative mix of mystery, Christian values, and psychological thriller. I look forward to reading more by this talented author as she refines this particular genre of writing.

Convergence is an intense psychological thriller about the lives of four friends who were friends while in college together studying psychology. I had a little problem getting into the story at first but soon got caught up in it. The story takes place in California where three of the friends are living and still friends. We are not told what is happening with the fourth friend, Adelia, right away. Danilyn is a psychology professor at a small college along with her friend Ryan. Their offices are next door to each other. The story is told in a dual timeline. Eight years ago, Dani and her friend, Jaylon, were in private practice together. Dani had written a book about bullying and while on tour, a strange man gives her the creeps at a book signing. Later, she and her husband, Keith, see the same man at church. When she starts receiving gifts of jewelry from an unknown person, she begins to get concerned, especially when he appears outside of her office. Keith can not handle the situation and leaves her. The stalker is found and put in prison. Dani could not go back into private practice afterwards. Fast forward, eight years later and she begins having similar feelings that someone is watching her. But her stalker is in prison.
While Dani's story is being told, the fourth friend, Adelia, is on a trip to Three Rivers White Water Rafting park where the four friends would go on their summer break from college and work as guides on the river.
As things escalate, Dani's life is in danger once more. Her life is a prison to fear and what is going on around her. She finally has to reach a point to deal with it for her sake as well as her family and friends. Only she can't do it on her own. She has to call on God-someone she has pushed away for a long time.
I am not going to go into further detail. This is a complicated and multi layer plot that will keep you guessing. I have to admit that I went through the different people who could be after Deni. It soon becomes apparent that it is someone close causing her problems. But who? All seems to be centered around the last summer at Three Rivers. Near the end, we find out that there are details about her life that we did not know. There are details around the friends that we don't know. Get ready for a wild ride.
I receives a complimentary ARC from Barbour Publishing and Shiloh Run Press through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions stated are mine only.

Well-executed clean domestic psychological thriller.

With the past existing as a haunting shadow and the present moving along with only the force of a Midwest tornado, the lives of two women converge.

Ginny is a beast with the pen. Covering topics such as PTSD, fear, and human relationships, Convergence features the immense warfare, both spiritual and physical, one goes through when trying to survive in this world.

With all of the formulaic elements of suspense and Christian fiction, Ginny has woven an immensely powerful tale.

Highly recommended for Christian readers who want to join in on the fun of reading thrillers, while remaining rooted in their faith.

This book has a good storyline and likable characters. It was easy to read with some mystery and a touch of spirituality. For me, it wasn’t enthralling but it kept me interested enough to finish it. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review

Review was posted on Hope by the Book's "web extras" in February.

An outstanding book by an author who was hesitant to delve into a new genre, but has written a book so full of intrigue that she will have readers anxiously waiting for another one!

This is the first book I have read by Ginny Yttrup and her first suspense book. A job well done and I really enjoyed Convergence. There are several different timelines in this book following different characters in the span of about eight years. The main character is Denilyn who is a professor of Psychology, who used to be a psychologist before being stalked and brutally attached. After surviving she faces many difficulties and challenges causing her to change professions. In the present she starts to feel that she is being targeted again and begins remembering the events of the past. A very suspenseful story that keeps you guessing.

I received this e-book from NetGalley and all opinions are my own.

I did not see that coming! This story is full of information and the way that it is brought together at the end is masterful. Everyone brings a different section to the story and it is told through different perspectives. There is several shockers that I was not expecting and I appreciate this book and author even more because of it! While full of suspense I also was captivated by the strength and how each woman demonstrated that strength in this story.

One of the best suspense stories I have read in a while. Even though it has been a few days since I finished it I keep returning to different aspects of the story to see if I should have seen something before I did. and I love it when authors have me going back and questioning what I should have seen and when!

I enjoyed this story and I hope that there are more suspense stories to come from Ginny L Yttrup.

Thank you Ginny, NetGalley, Shiloh Run Press and Barbour Publishing for the chance to read this story and share my opinions!

I really enjoyed the suspense and characters in this book. There were lots of twists and turns throughout. However, I was quite taken back by the abrupt ending. I would liked to have seen a bit more resolution. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review.

I quickly became a fan of Ginny Yttrup’s writing style after reading her story, Home, in 2017. Even though I’m not usually a fan of present tense writing, I loved how Ms. Yttrup mastered it! The story stayed with me, so I really looked forward to reading her new book.

Ms. Yttrup’s writer’s voice in Convergence feels so much different than her previous writing. This book is heavier on suspense, and deals with topics of stalking, PTSD, and fear. The first pages pulled me in, and I connected with Dani and sympathized with her. I liked her friend, and the spiritual vein throughout the story kept me reading.

Although the story drew me in quickly, I was never fully immersed in the story. I don’t normally read psychological thrillers, so that’s probably part of it, but also because, in the back of my mind, I kept thinking about how I enjoyed Home so much more.

Author: Ginny Yttrup
Publisher: Shiloh Run Press
Pages: 320
First Line (Chapter One): I inhale, filling my lungs with cold air.
I received a review copy of this book. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Not really my cup of tea. Easy read but writing and plot was a bit choppy. The mystery was easily solved early in the novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Press for the ARC to read and review.

You will be amazed by the number of plot twists in this story. It is a story of faith and friendship. Of love and loss. It is about letting go and trusting that God has everything in his perfect control. The author weaves a magnificent plot that opens a door into the brain of a psychopath. You will be hanging on to every word trying to figure out the clues as you read. It is riveting and you will not want to put it down until it is finished.