Good story. I really liked Riley and Zoe their romance was very sweet and interesting to say the least. Zoe is straight and Riley is a gay., so the idea of them falling in love was very cool. The suspense and danger that was prevalent throughout this book was spot on. The supporting characters were just okay to me in this, because they didn't support what the character of Riley was feeling for Zoe, and how she wanted to help her, so it was hard to like them at all. I did like their son Phoenix. I felt the person stalking Zoe was very creepy and dangerously violent. This storyline unfortunately happens quite often in the news, and this author did a really good job of portraying that in this book. I would definitely recommend this to my friends and family, and I look forward to what this author writes about next.

Watching over you, on the fence with this one. I loved the whole idea of a cabin in the woods stuck in the snow, idea... but things kind of developed very quickly in the storyline between the main characters which are just off-putting for me. I like slow burn. I didn't like Rileys best friends either. But, it was a quick read and was entertaining, but I did think the ending was slightly weak. I've given ‘watching over you’ a 3.2/5

3.5 stars
Interesting characters but predictable story.
Just suspend your disbelief for awhile and don't think about things too much.
I'm not a fan of "Insta love" but I commend the author for attempting a thriller and a love story.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review

A few months ago Riley Robinson purchased a Spruce Mountain cabin near Flagstaff, Arizona. She is making a trip to the cabin from Phoenix along with her two married friends, Elise and Kiera, and their son Phoenix. Her friends will be staying for a few days and then returning for Riley in a couple of weeks. While stocking up on supplies at a local grocery store before they make their ascent up the mountain, Riley runs into a skittish woman. The woman is carrying a heavy hiking pack and they see her leaving the grocery store and hiking up the mountain in the middle of winter. Riley is very concerned for this woman, Zoe Mitchell.

Riley eventually locates Zoe in the mountain area camping out in cold weather and she is very concerned for her health and safety. After much debate and back and forth Zoe eventually comes to the cabin to stay with Riley. After some time, Riley learns that Zoe is concerned that a man is stalking her.

Although Riley and Zoe eventually form a relationship, I'd say that this book is more of a thriller than an actual romance as advertised. It's difficult to generate a romantic vibe when there is concern a person is being stalked. The stalker storyline does leave the reader on the edge of their seat throughout the book. That was definitely a positive of the book along with the young boy, Phoenix. Some downsides included the fact that no one seemed to believe Zoe or show much concern for how afraid that she was of her stalker. Rather they seemed to think that she was mentally unstable. Another downside was Riley's friends, Elise and Kiera. They were just downright rude to Zoe. 3.5 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Zoe is running from a mysterious stalker and ends up needing help in a snowstorm. Riley is up at her cabin and offers Zoe a safe place to stay while they ride out the storm but they begin having some problems that make Zoe think her stalker has found her hideout.
This book was an ok read for me. It was a quick book to get through and I liked the thriller aspect of it. I also loved Phoenix’s character, he was adorable. I didn’t love the insta love, especially as I felt Riley wasn’t taking a lot of Zoe’s concerns seriously. Also wasn’t crazy about the dynamic with Riley’s friends, if I was Zoe I would have been out of there pretty quick. The final chapter didn’t make sense either, there’s no way Riley would have been released from the hospital if she was so out of it that she wasn’t aware of what happened, that whole scene should have taken place in the hospital. Overall it was ok but missed the mark for me. It was my first book by Ronica Black, I will try another in future as the writing was well done, I just had issues with plot and character chemistry.

I think this book might be a bit marmite… you’ll either like it or you won’t … no middle ground. I liked the main character Ali and especially her relationship with the child of her friends. Ali’s relationship with Phoenix was written by someone who spends time with kids. But Phoenix’ parents are rather unpleasant and totally lacking in any human compassion. I wondered if this was to offset Ali’s incredible openness but if so it didn’t really work for me.

Zoe just seemed a foil rather than a character. Having had a persistent stalker she tries to disappear. Did she really expect to survive camping in snow or was it just a mind slipping into madness? Her being drawn to Ali seemed credible but the lack of support and indeed hostility from Ali’s friends would have made me run a mile rather than anything else.

The cabin and the environs were very well captured and Ms Black is a good writer. I just didn’t warm to this one too much.

I was given a copy of the book by Netgalley.

A terrifying read, Zoe is fleeing her stalker when Riley and her friends find her. Not only did she have to battle the elements but also everyone not believing her story. I was gripped as I needed to know how this book was going to end but it was not always a comfortable read. The author builds the suspense well although, I predicted the ending... If you like thrillers this is for you but not if you have been stalked or had an abusive ex.

With thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I saw where we were going and, at first, I was on board, but then we took some odd turns. By the time the ride was over, I was ready to get off. I was too distracted to really enjoy the plot. The characters were ok, but didn’t seem to have much chemistry and the supporting characters were judgmental and, frankly, sort of rude. The story didn’t spend enough time on plot build up and ramp down and way too much time patronizing one of the main characters and calling her a drama queen. It was a bit infuriating. When all was said and done, she didn’t even get an apology! I really liked the main characters best friend’s kid though. He was really cute and added a great light to the story.

Watching Over Her is a mystery thriller filled with suspense and will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. I was hooked from the start. The main characters are great, strong and likeable. Ronica really knows how to weave a tale and keep her audience engaged. I recommend getting a copy, you won't be disappointed. 4.5 stars.


Thank you, Bold Strokes Books, and NetGalley.

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, let’s post a review about stalkers, but there is romance as well;) The story was quite interesting making this an OK read for me, but unfortunately, I didn’t mesh very well with the characters.

Zoe decides to run from her stalker and ends up on a mountain in a snowstorm. Luckily for her, Riley has a cabin on the mountain and offers Zoe a warm place to stay and more, but Zoe’s stalker does not give up easily. A stalker situation is not the easiest match with a romance and said romance moves a bit quickly and does therefore not have a lot of depth. But if you look at this from a thriller perspective I’m OK with that, and there were some nice twists and suspense moments.
What I had trouble with was the characters themselves. Riley and her friends kept ignoring all the signs to the point that I was ready to pull my hair out (and the hostility of Riley’s friends towards Zoe was also pretty awful). This behavior made Zoe even more paranoid than she already was, but I couldn’t really blame her for that, even the police appeared not professional enough to investigate her story, so I think I would go crazy as well.
You don’t get to see much of the stalker’s POV, but there were some things that made me question his believability, for instance, he seems to have superior tracking and survival skills.

In short, I enjoyed the story well enough, but I obviously struggled with the characters which comes down to personal preference. I’ve seen several reviews of people who enjoyed this better than I did and I recommend to read those reviews as well.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Watching Over Her is a romantic thriller with more emphasis on thriller than romance and I for one am ecstatic. Zoe Mitchell is on the run from a stalker who has toyed with her for over a year. Riley Robinson finds Zoe camping near her mountain cabin with a winter storm approaching. She offers Zoe a safe harbour and so much more.
The story begins with a tension filled prologue which sets the pace for the novel. The writing is solid and captures your interest from the start. Zoe and Riley are characters who read as real people with authentic responses. The plot is convincing and gives you just enough information to make you leery of what is given at face value.
Watching Over Her is an engrossing novel and well worth the read and a sleepless night to finish it.

I received an advance review copy from Bold Stroke Books and NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I think this book won't be for everyone and I can understand why. I enjoyed it, as much as you can enjoy a romance that starts while someone is on the run from a stalker. It isn't the most romantic setting, although the actual setting of the book is pretty magical and sounds romantic.

Riley has a cabin in the mountains and while she is driving up with her friends she meets Zoe. A woman on the run. Zoe is skittish and in trouble, with a huge snowstorm in the forecast and no real shelter, she will surely freeze to death. Riley wants to help her, Zoe is reluctant to accept. Riley's friends think she is a fool for wanting to help a stranger. And to be honest, I understand them, but I also find them to be a bit annoying, or a lot annoying...
We get some chapters when we read about the stalker in action and he is a nasty one.
I like the suspense Black writes into the story, but the disbelieving Riley and her even more dense friends are making it hard to really get the stalkery feeling going. Not that I am into that kind of thing, but you want to feel the suspense and understand why the character is so afraid and I just don't get that. I mostly get Zoe's frustration over no one believing her. I much rather would have felt the suspense. I think Riley's friends are the worst when it comes to Riley supporting and believing Zoe. When she is finally on her side, or at least seems to be, her friends put it in her mind that Zoe is a drama llama and Riley just rolls with that... I don't like that dynamic.

I appreciate that this is a bit of whirlwind romance but luckily no declarations of love or forever are made. The dark moment has nothing to do with the couple or their communication and wasn't a dark moment per se, just a culmination of the story. I enjoyed reading this story, but it could have been better

This was a well-written book overall, and the stalker storyline kept me on the edge of my seat from the minute the mystery hunter turned up. I was constantly nervous for the two main characters after that so well done to the author for building up that sense of suspense. However, I didn't really feel the romance here - there was too much going on for any connection to build between the main characters and I questioned why they stayed together after the stalker storyline had concluded as there didn't seem to be anything romantic between them. Riley's friends were also really unlikeable. However, I did enjoy the stalker plot.

This is not a romance.
It is a horror story about Stockholm syndrome.

Riley’s friends are horrible. If they are leftovers from another book I want to know so I can NEVER read it.

There is so much wrong with this story, from Zoe being continually disbelieved and her very real concerns belittled to the cringe-inducing sex scenes (confetti??? Whaaaat?) to the narrator deliberately leaving out a very important detail in order to mislead the readers about a red herring that otherwise would be really obvious.

The tension is well-written but, even as short as it is, the story gets bogged down in the middle with endless meals and the MCs taking walks outside while nothing much else happens.

There is a “HEA” but I didn’t feel happy at all.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Zoe has been running from a stalker that been plaguing her life when she decides to go her grandfather cabin which isn’t in it’s best shape to get away. When she meets Riley and her friends Riley decides to invite her stay at her cabin while their Riley learns why she running. As they grow closer the stalker is closing in I won’t say what happens just say their are some terrifying moments even when Riley starts to believe that Zoe maybe paranoid having doubts about Zoe which annoy me. I like how the author portray Zoe fears how try live your life but can’t and have take things into your own hands. Enjoyable Read.

I thought this was an excellent read. It was the perfect break from the books I’ve been reading lately. The plot lines I had been reading previously were starting to feel routine so this thriller was a nice break. It was well written and I as a big fan of the main characters. Emotions were running wild y’all and I thought the suspense was well done, I don’t know if I’ve read a book by this author before but I’m definitely about to check out what else they’ve written.

Riley Robinson is traveling to the cabin she recently purchased with her two friends and their son, Phoenix. Along the way, they happen upon a young woman--Zoe--who is camping in the treacherous, snowy conditions on the mountaintop. After her friends leave, Riley convinces Zoe to come stay at her cabin and the stalker that Zoe has been trying desperately to avoid starts to terrify them both.

Oof, this is a tough one. To be fair, had I paid closer attention to the description, I probably wouldn't have read this. The plot for this was never going to be for me. A stalker situation does not set the mood for a burgeoning romance. Zoe also frequently describes being called crazy and paranoid for fearing for her life and it is just....so yuck. The point is made and it did not have to go as far as it did. Riley, the cops, Keira, and Elise all thought that Zoe was crazy and they made a huge deal about it. For a book where the plot was literally about a woman running from a stalker, I expected more.

I also just couldn't bring myself to care about anyone other than Zoe, the dogs, and Phoenix. Riley gave me uncomfy vibes. The sex scenes seemed so oddly placed--especially given that Zoe previously thought she was a straight woman and is literally afraid for her life. Overall, just a no from me. I hate giving eARCs low reviews but it all around made me uncomfortable.

**Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Zoe Mitchell has a stalker. For a year he has been messing with her life till she flees in the middle of the night. Riley Robinson brings her friends to her mountain cabin. While getting provisions in town she meets Zoe. Later she finds Zoe camping near her cabin. Concerned for her safety with the impending stormy weather she insists Zoe stays in the cabin. The friends leave planning to return the following week to pick up Riley. Riley breaks through Zoe's barriers but still can't be sure if she believes her story. At least until someone messes with their generator.

Ronica Black nicely builds this suspenseful thriller mystery. The few pages with the watcher's thoughts brings in the right amount of creepiness, The romance is very instant with the whole novel covering less than a week. I liked Zoe and could feel her fear. I got a little whiplash from Riley as she believes Zoe and then discounts her fears thinking she is being dramatic. The ending and wrap up all happens too quickly. Only when it was over did I realize how little I knew about the characters e.g. what did Riley do for a living, do they have family etc. The focus is on the thriller plot and getting a little romance too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars rounding up)

Zoe knows something is wrong, that someone is following her every move but no one believes her.
Armed with nothing but a tent and some basic supplies, she heads into the mountains to her grandfather's cabin, a place no one else knows about in a desperate need to get some control in her life and to figure out what she can do.

Riley is staying in her cabin during a winter storm with her friends visiting for a wee while and on the way up she runs (literarily) into Zoe, who seems a little shaken up. When Riley realizes Zoe is sleeping in a tent in the middle of a snowstorm, she demands she come and stay with her until the storm passes.

As Zoe opens up to Riley about her stalker, things start to take a creepy turn, things start to happen that not even Riley can ignore.

My only . . . complaint (I guess) is the romance was kind of pushed aside, and when things just started to fall into place, it was the end. However, I am probably just being greedy because I really adored these two together lol

*I also purchased the audiobook, 5 stars for Keira Grace's performance.*

It has been awhile since I last read one of Ms. Black's books so I was excited to pick this one up and start reading. It is a book mainly about romance but what I really liked about it was the mystery/angst the creepy guy brings to the story. I wouldn't consider this a traditional mystery genre, if that is what you were looking for, due to the limited times the stalker is brought directly into a chapter, but it is the cause of why Zoe (one of the MC) is up in the mountain in the first place, which puts her in a direct path of Riley (the other MC).

Overall this book is a nice read, it does move along at a quick pace and basically takes place in about a week, at least for the MC characters interaction-which some may say that is to quick for strangers to fall in love, but me I"m a believer in love at first sight. The setting is primarily on the mountain at Riley's cabin and Ms. Black sets the scenery just beautifully, I really did feel like I was at a cabin in the woods during winter, a fireplace roaring and drinking spiked hot chocolate (yes please).

There is definitely believable chemistry between the MCs and I loved the added touch of bring in Riley's friends and their little boy to add to the angst, beyond the stalker (hint they are not real fond of Zoe). One of the things I did have some mix feelings on was how Riley would sometimes treat Zoe-the back and forth of do I believe or don't believe her story was kind of getting to me and I found Riley a bit dense what with all the unexplained but obvious things going on around the cabin....BUT, I get why Ms. Black brought that all in, it did add to the mystery and angst....BUT I still felt bad for Zoe.

All in all, I really liked the story and I loved all the dialog Ms. Black wrote-I am a sucker for lots and lots of dialog between characters, I find it really engages me more with the story and draws me closer to the characters. So if you like a love at first sight, suspenseful mystery and a few pretty hot love scenes (I think some of the snow melted off the roof with those <wink>), this book is for you.

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, but would have written the same opinion if I had come across this author on my own.

To see my Amazon review, it is under CC-Bundle up for some love and suspense