Review of Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower

Synopsis: Ignazio Vitale is not a good man.

I suspect it, the first time I see him, sense the air of danger that surrounds the man. He has a way of commanding attention, of taking control, of knowing what I'm thinking before I even do.

It's alarming and alluring. It's dark and deadly. It's everything I've ever wanted but the last thing I truly need. Obsession.

It doesn't take him long to draw me into his web, charming me into his bed and trapping me in his life, a life I know nothing about until it's too late. He has secrets, secrets I can't fathom, secrets that make it so I can't walk away, no matter how much I beg him to let me go. I see it sometimes in his eyes, a darkness that's both terrifying and thrilling. He's a monster, wrapped up in a pretty package, and what I find when I unmask him changes everything.

I want to hate him.

Sometimes, I do.

But it doesn't stop me from loving him, too.

5 Chilling Stars!

Review: Wow. It is very rare for me to finish a book and not even have a word to say...just chills. Karissa runs into Naz while leaving her Philosophy class one day. He is clearly a strong, confident man - most likely in his 30's, and she is a young, uncertain 18 year old that does not know much about herself. Karissa has been raised by a mother that she deems slightly crazy and paranoid and definitely protective and isolating. Karissa is in her second semester of her first year of college, and Naz seems to hold her interest more than anything else that she has come across. He comes to her rescue two different times before clearly letting her know that he wants to see more of her (in more ways than one)!

So, it begins. Naz and Karissa begin a relationship, and he is definitely the strong, quiet type, although he will open up to Karissa at times. They have a lot of chemistry because they are exactly what the other is looking for - Naz, who knows that he wants someone that is submissive by nature, and Karissa because Naz knows that she needs someone stronger and more confident than she is. At first, I really had a hard time seeing why Naz would be interested in Karissa. I mean, sure, a lot of older men like younger women, but Naz is very purposeful and assured of himself. He could clearly probably get anyone that he wanted, and while I actually did like Karissa, I still struggled with the relationship. She began to grow, however, and I actually like that her growth comes in small increments. And then, BAM, everything comes together. I will not say more because I don't want to provide any spoilers for this amazing story.

The secondary characters play such great roles in this story. From friends, to relatives, to professors - everyone plays their part, and you don't know how all of the parts come together until the very end. I have not read this author before, so I didn't know what to expect, but it was amazing. I have quickly moved on to another of her books, however, because I enjoyed this story and the writing so much!